Brigham Young, a Man of Dedication Brigham Young (1801-77) was a very religious leader. He headed the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was baptized as an adult into the Mormon Church in 1832. Three years later he became one of the Council of the 12. Young happened to be one of the few leaders that weren’t placed under arrest in The Missouri Zion. He made a big impact after Joseph Smith’s assassination when he became the main factor in maintaining the unity of the Council of the 12. He even led the great migration and directed the settlement at Salt Lake. Overall, Brigham was a very genuine and hardworking man.
Although Brigham Young was very good-hearted and serious about his religion, he also made some mistakes that people still remember to this day. He decided to defend the Mormon Church during the Utah War (1857–58). There was conflict between Americans and the Mormons that had to do with the practice of polygamy and the fear of Mormons obtaining too much power. He eventually was arrested for polygamy and murder. To this day he has been influencing people of this religion. His impact flourished until the day he died. There are many rumors and accusations involving the exact number of wives he had and the extent of his fortune. Although he did wrong by instigating the massacre at Mountain Meadows, his determination and commitment to his religion are what many modern day people mainly choose to remember about him. |
Fun Fact: BYU is named after him
Sources:Esplin, Ronald K. "Brigham Young." Cobblestone 18.5 (1997): 12. History Reference Center. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.
"Brigham Young." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6Th Edition (2013): 1. History Reference Center. Web. 30 Sept. 2014. http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content _width/hash/fa/0a/fa0aa6a4da069e9d42a9c4b71832b201.jpg?itok=R0OFjRoa http://67.220.50.185/!userfiles/contentPhotos/BYU/Brigham%20Young.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/BYU_M edallion_Logo.svg/2000px-BYU_Medallion_Logo.svg.png http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rWJUQcebQxU/S_NCqfUYA1I/AAAAAA AAAXM/enAQphmChy4/s1600/brigham_young.jpg |