Leader of the Mormon movement to Utah, president of the church from 1847 to 1877, and the first governor of Utah, Young's legacy is varied, with praise for his many accomplishments and historical influence, as well as controversy for a number of 19th century events.

Born on June 1, 1801 in Whitingham, Vermont, Brigham was the ninth of eleven children born to John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. He was working as a carpenter and blacksmith when he married Miriam Angeline Works in 1824 and the pair had two daughters. He was drawn to Mormonism after reading the Book of Mormon shortly after its publication in 1830 and joined the church two years later. That same year, his wife, Miriam died.

In 1833, he moved to Kirtland, Ohio and two years later, was ordained an apostle and joined the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as one of its inaugural members on February 14, 1835. In the 1840s he worked as a missionary in England and helped to establish the city of Nauvoo, Illinois.

Unwilling to give up the territory, Young made plans to burn Salt Lake City and move his followers to Mexico, but at the last minute he relented and agreed to step down as governor April 12, 1858. Continuing to lead the church and the vast majority of Utah's population, relations between

In 1869, the completion of the transcontinental railroad at Promontory, Utah threatened Young's efforts to safeguard Mormon prosperity and lifestyles by bringing many more people into the territory. To combat this, he responded by establishing numerous Mormon monopolies and pushing the right of women to vote, greatly increasing the number of Mormon voters.

In the meantime, the public outcry regarding polygamy was increasing daily and in 1871, Young was tried under an 1862 federal law that prohibited polygamy in US territories. However, he was eventually acquitted.

Continued Next Page