BIOGRAPHICAL FACTS
Born June 1, 1801, in Whitingham, Vt.; grew up in New York state.
Worked as a carpenter, joiner, painter, and glazier.
Converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints in 1832; ordained an apostle of the Church Feb. 14, 1835.
Served Church missions in the eastern United States, Canada, and Britain.
As president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, he became the presiding authority of the Church in 1844 following the death of Joseph Smith.
Sustained by Church members as president of the Church on Dec. 27,1847.
Led the Latterday Saints west in 184647; first to a temporary settlement in Winter Quarters, Neb., and then on to the valley of the Great Salt Lake.
Established Salt Lake City in 1847.
Expanded settlement in 184849 to areas that became Weber, Davis, Utah, Sanpete, and Tooele counties.
Elected governor of the provisional State of Deseret in 1849.
Appointed first governor of Utah Territory and superintendent of Indian affairs by U.S. President Millard Fillmore in 1850. Oath of office taken Feb. 3, 1851.
Began publication of the Deseret News as a weekly newspaper in June1850 (became a daily newspaper in 1867).
Sent colonizers to San Bernardino, Calif., in 1851.
Established a broad range of industries and businesses to develop local resources and benefit residents, including textiles (wool, cotton, silk), sugar (beets and sorghum cane), livestock, iron works, a bank, a branch railroad, and America's first department store, Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution (ZCMI).
Enjoyed and encouraged sociality and the performing arts.
Built the Social Hall in 1853 and the Salt Lake Theater in 1862.
Worked from 1860 to 1865 to establish telegraph services in the area. Named president of the Deseret Telegraph Company in 1867. This line ran 1,200 miles from Franklin, Idaho, to northern Arizona, connecting Latterday Saint settlements.
Advocated suffrage for women. In February 1870, the legislature gave women of the territory the right to vote.
A proponent of education, he established the University of Deseret in 1850 (Salt Lake City; later the University of Utah), Brigham Young Academy in 1875 (Provo, Utah; later Brigham Young University), Brigham Young College in 1877 (Logan, Utah; closed 1926).
Within 10 years of his arrival in Utah, Brigham Young had directed the establishment of 100 colonies in the West. By 1867 that number increased to more than 200. At the time of his death in 1877, 350 to 400 settlements had been organized in what are now California, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Arizona, and New Mexico.
Married Miriam Works in 1824 (died in 1832); married Mary Ann Angell in 1834; married Lucy Ann Decker in 1842. By the time of his death, Brigham Young had married 20 women, 16 of whom bore him a total of 57 children.
During his 30 years’ tenure as president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, Church membership tripled from nearly 35,000 to more than 115,000 members.
Died Aug. 29,1877, in Salt Lake City, at age 76.
