NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Mormon pioneers

The Mormon pioneers were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as Latter-day Saints, who migrated across the United States from the midwest to the Salt Lake Valley in what is today the U.S. state of Utah. The journey was taken by about 70,000 people beginning in April 1847, and ending with the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869. Commemorative statue on mormon pioneers, taken at mormon Temple Square in summer 2003. ... Commemorative statue on mormon pioneers, taken at mormon Temple Square in summer 2003. ... For other uses, see Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (disambiguation). ... A Latter Day Saint is an adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement, a group of denominations tracing their heritage to the teachings of Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Net migration rates for 2006: positive (blue), negative (orange) and stable (green). ... Salt Lake Valley from space. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas US Government Portal A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of... This article is about the U.S. state. ... A transcontinental railroad is a railway that crosses a continent, typically from sea to sea. Terminals are at or connected to different oceans. ...

Background to the migration

Since its founding in 1830, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were often harshly treated and persecuted by their neighbors, primarily due to their inclination toward social and political unity and their unorthodox religious beliefs. There was violence directed against the Church, its members, and its leader, Joseph Smith. This among other reasons caused the body of the Church to move from one place to another- Ohio, Missouri, and then to Illinois where church members built the city of Nauvoo. Missouri Governor Lilburn Boggs issued an extermination order against all Mormons living in the state. In 1844 Joseph Smith was killed by a mob while in custody in the city of Carthage, Illinois. In 1846, religious tension reached their peak, and in 1848 mobs burned the Latter-day Saint temple in Nauvoo. Joseph Smith redirects here. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Largest metro area Greater Cleveland Area Ranked 34th - Total 44,825 sq mi (116,096 kmÂ²) - Width 220 miles (355 km) - Length 220 miles (355 km) - % water 8. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area Ranked 25th - Total 57,918 sq mi (140,998 kmÂ²) - Width 210 miles (340 km) - Length 390 miles (629 km) - % water 4. ... There is also a Nauvoo, Alabama, and a Nauvoo, Pennsylvania Nauvoo (× Ö¸××•×•Ö¼ to be beautiful, Sephardi Hebrew NÃ¥vu, Tiberian Hebrew NÃ¢wÃ») is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. ... Lilburn W. Boggs (1796-1860) was the Governor of Missouri from 1836 to 1840. ... The Extermination Order is known in Latter Day Saint history as the executive order issued on October 27, 1838 by Missouri governor Lilburn Boggs to have Mormons driven from the state in response to what he termed open and avowed defiance of the laws, and of having made war upon... This article is about the history and use of the word Mormon. For information about the religious beliefs and culture of Mormons, see Mormonism. ... Main article: Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Carthage is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. ... The Salt Lake Temple is the most well-known Mormon Temple. ... See also: Nauvoo Illinois Temple for the article on the temple rebuilt on the site with the same external look. ...

According to church belief, God directed Brigham Young, Joseph Smith's successor as President of the Church, to call for the Saints (as church members call themselves) to organize and head west, beyond the western frontier of the United States (into what was then Mexico). During the winter of 1846-47, Latter-day Saint leaders in Winter Quarters and Iowa laid plans for the migration of the large number of Saints, their equipment and livestock. This major undertaking was a significant test of leadership capability and the existing administrative network of the recently restructured Church. For his role in the migration, Brigham Young is sometimes referred to as the "American Moses." Brigham Young (June 1, 1801 â€“ August 29, 1877) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and was the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death. ... In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church. ... Winter Quarters, Nebraska, was an encampment formed by approximately 3,500 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as they awaited better conditions for their trek westward during the winter of 1846-1847. ... Official language(s) English Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Largest metro area Des Moines metropolitan area Area Ranked 26th - Total 56,272 sq mi (145,743 kmÂ²) - Width 310 miles (500 km) - Length 199 miles (320 km) - % water 0. ...

Brigham Young personally reviewed all available information on the Great Salt Lake Valley and the Great Basin, consulting with mountain men and trappers who traveled through Winter Quarters, and meeting with Father Pierre-Jean De Smet, a Jesuit missionary familiar with the Great Basin. The wary Young insisted the Mormons should settle in a location no one else wanted, and felt the Great Salt Lake Valley met that requirement but would provide the Saints with many advantages as well. Drainage map showing the Great Basin in orange Various Definitions of the Great Basin (NPS) The Great Basin is a large, arid region of the western United States. ... Liver-Eating Johnson The Mountain Men is also the name of a 1980 movie starring Charlton Heston. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Pierre-Jean De Smet Father Pierre-Jean DeSmet, (30 January 1801 at Dendermonde, Belgium â€“ 23 May 1873 at St. ... The Society of Jesus (Latin: Societas Iesu), commonly known as the Jesuits, is a Roman Catholic religious order. ...

Vanguard company of 1847

Brigham Young organized a vanguard company to break the trail west to the Rocky Mountains, gather information about trail conditions, including water sources and native tribes, and to ultimately select the central gathering point in the Great Basin. The initial company would select and break the primary trail with the expectation that later pioneers would maintain and improve it. It was hoped that the group could, wherever possible, establish fords and ferries and plant crops for later harvest. In late February, plans were made to gather portable boats, maps, scientific instruments, farm implements and seeds. Techniques for irrigating crops were investigated. A new route on the north side of the Platte River was chosen to avoid major interaction with travelers using the established Oregon Trail on the river’s south side. Given the needs of the large volume of Saints who would travel west, Church leaders decided to avoid potential conflicts over grazing rights, water access and campsites. For individual mountains named Rocky Mountain, see Rocky Mountain (disambiguation). ... A ford, with pedestrian footbridge, on a minor road near Weimar bei Kassel in Germany The ford at Brockenhurst, leading into the village centre, following heavy rain. ... The ferryboat Dongan Hills, filled with commuters, about to dock at a New York City pier, circa 1945. ... The Platte River, showing the North Platte and South Platte The Platte River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 310 mi. ... For other uses, see Oregon Trail (disambiguation). ...

In April 1847, Young consulted with members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles who had recently returned from the British mission. John Taylor, Parley P. Pratt and Orson Hyde brought money contributed by the English Saints, a map based on John C. Fremont’s recent western expedition, and instruments for calculating latitude, elevation, temperature and barometric pressure. Chosen members of the vanguard group were gathered together, final supplies were packed, and the group was organized into military companies. The group consisted of 143 men, including three black slaves and eight members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, three women, and two children. The train contained 73 wagons, one cannon, 93 horses, 52 mules, 66 oxen, 19 cows, 17 dogs and some chickens, and carried enough supplies to fully provision the group for one year. Young divided this group into 14 companies, each with a designated captain. Apprehensive of possible Indian danger, a militia and night guard was formed under the direction of Stephen Markham. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The current Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the LDS Church. ... John Taylor (November 1, 1808 â€“ July 25, 1887) was the third President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1880 to 1887. ... Parley P. Pratt Statue of Parley P. Pratt facing Parleys Canyon at sunrise. ... Orson Hyde Orson Hyde (January 8, 1805 â€“ November 28, 1878) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. ... John C. Frémont John Charles Frémont (January 21, 1813-July 13, 1890), birth name John Charles Fremon [Harvey, p. ... Lebanese Kataeb militia A Militia is an army composed of ordinary [1] citizens to provide defense, emergency or paramilitary service, or those engaged in such activity. ...

On April 5, 1847, at 2 p.m., the wagon train moved west from Winter Quarters toward the Great Basin. With the afternoon start, they made three miles (5 km) and camped in a line a few hundred yards from a stand of timber. Journal records show that Young actively managed the journey, supervising details and occasionally giving reprimands when evening and Sunday recreation became rowdy or group members failed to complete their tasks. On one occasion, he chastised the camp's hunters for being wasteful of flesh ... killing more than was really needed. ^[1] Camp was awakened by a bugle at 5 a.m. and the company was expected to be prepared for travel by 7 a.m. Each day's travel ended at 8:30 p.m. and the camp was in bed by 9 p.m. The company traveled six days during the week, but generally stayed in camp on Sunday to observe the Sabbath. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 95th day of the year (96th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1847 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... For other uses, see Sabbath. ...

Some camp members were assigned specific tasks. William Clayton was appointed company scribe and was expected to record an accurate description of their journey and the distance they traveled each day. After three weeks, Clayton tired of personally counting the revolutions of a wagon wheel and computing the day's distance by multiplying the count by the wheel's circumference. After consulting with Orson Pratt, an accomplished mathematician, he designed a mechanism consisting of a set of wooden cog wheels attached to the hub of a wagon wheel, with the mechanism "counting" or recording by position the revolutions of the wheel. Clayton's design, which he called the roadometer, is the basis for most modern odometers. The apparatus was built to Clayton and Pratt's specifications by the company's carpenter Appleton Milo Harmon and was first used on the morning of May 12, 1847. The roadometer showed that the company averaged between fourteen and twenty miles per day. Apostle Orson Pratt was named the company's scientific observer. He made regular readings on scientific instruments, took notes on geological formations and mineral resources, and described plants and animals. Journals kept by both Clayton and Pratt have become valuable resources for historians of the Mormon trek west. William Clayton can refer to: William Clayton, Mormon pioneer Sir William Clayton, prominent New Zealand Architect William Clayton, US assistant secretary of state for economic affairs (see the Bretton Woods system) William Clayton, publisher of Astounding Stories This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages... Orson Pratt Orson Pratt (September 19, 1811 â€“ October 3, 1881) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. ... A modern non-digital odometer A Smiths speedometer from the 1920s showing odometer and trip meter An odometer is a device used for indicating distance traveled by an automobile or other vehicle. ... This is the current Mormon collaboration of the month! Please help improve it to meet the ideal article standard. ...

Women of the company also performed vital tasks along the way. While much time was spent on traditional activities such as cooking, sewing, and tending children, several women served as scribes and diary keepers. Harriet Page Young, wife of Lorenzo Young, was the first woman selected for the company. She was in ill health and Lorenzo Young feared to leave her and their young children behind. The other original women of the company, Ellen Sanders Kimball, wife of Heber C. Kimball, and Clarissa Decker Young, wife of Brigham Young, were asked to accompany the group to look after Harriet Young and keep her company. The three women were joined by a larger group of women church members from Mississippi who merged with the main party at Laramie, Wyoming. This article is about the U.S. state. ... Laramie is a city in and the county seat of Albany County in the U.S. state of Wyoming. ...

The first segment of the journey, from Winter Quarters to Fort Laramie took six weeks, with the company arriving at the fort on June 1st. The company halted for repairs and to reshoe the draft animals. While at Fort Laramie, the vanguard company was joined by members of the Mormon Battalion who had been excused from service due to illness and sent to winter in Pueblo, Colorado. Also traveling in the new group were Church members from Mississippi who had taken a more southern route toward the Great Basin. At this point, the now larger company took the established Oregon Trail toward the trading post at Ft. Bridger. At a difficult crossing of the Platte, just before encountering the Sweetwater River, the company made use of their portable boat and were able to cross with comparative ease. Missourians at the river paid the Saints $1.50 or more per wagon to help them cross. Seizing the opportunity to both help future travelers and increase the cash available to the migration, nine men under the direction of Thomas Grover were left behind to construct and operate a ferry at that location. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Grounds of Fort Laramie Fort Laramie, located in present-day Goshen County, Wyoming in the United States, was a significant 19th century trading post and later a military outpost of the United States Army. ... The Mormon Battalion was the only religious unit in American military history serving from July 1846 to July 1847 during the Mexican-American War. ... The City of Pueblo (IPA: //) is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat of Pueblo County, Colorado, USA. Pueblo is situated at the confluence of the Arkansas River and Fountain Creek. ... Fort Bridger is a census-designated place located in Uinta County, Wyoming. ... Sweetwater River may refer to: The Sweetwater River in Wyoming in the United States. ...

During the last week of June, Sam Brannan, leader of the Mormon emigrant ship Brooklyn, met the company near Green River, Wyoming. He reported to Young about his group's successful journey and their settlement in what is today San Francisco, California. He urged the vanguard company to continue on to California but was unable to shift the leader’s focus away from the Great Basin. Young also met mountain man Jim Bridger on June 28th. They discussed possible routes into the Salt Lake Valley, and the feasibility of viable settlements in the mountain valleys of the Great Basin. Bridger was enthusiastic about settlement near Utah Lake, reporting fish, wild fruit, timber and good grazing. He told Young that local Indians raised good crops, including corn and pumpkins, but that there was ever-present danger of frost. The company pushed on through South Pass, rafted across the Green River and arrived at Fort Bridger on July 7th. About the same time, they were joined by thirteen more members of the sick detachment of the Mormon Battalion. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Green River is a city in southwestern Wyoming in Sweetwater County. ... San Francisco redirects here. ... Jim Bridger Jim Bridger (right) is honored along with Pony Express founder Alexander Majors (left) and Kansas City founder John Calvin McCoy at Pioneer Square in Westport in Kansas City. ...

The vanguard company now faced a more rugged and hazardous journey, and were concerned about negotiating the passes of the Rocky Mountains. They had received conflicting advice, but Young chose to follow the trail used by the Donner-Reed party on their journey to California the previous year. Shortly after leaving Fort Bridger, the group met trapper Miles Goodyear, who owned a trading post at the mouth of the Weber River. He was enthusiastic about the agricultural potential of the large Weber Valley. During the trip through the rugged mountains, the vanguard company divided into three sections. Since crossing the Green River, several members of the party had suffered from a fever, generally accepted as a “mountain fever” probably induced by wood ticks. Young himself became ill soon after meeting Goodyear. The small sick detachment lagged behind the larger group, and a scouting division was created to move ahead on the designated route. The Donner Party Memorial at Donner Memorial State Park. ...

In July 1847 the first company reached the Salt Lake Valley, with scouts Erastus Snow and Orson Pratt entering the valley on July 21st. Pratt wrote: ...we could not refrain from a shout of joy, which almost involuntarily escaped from our lips the moment this grand and lovely scenery was within our view. The two scouts undertook a twelve mile (19 km) exploratory circuit into the valley before returning to the larger party. The next day, larger segments of the valley were explored, streams and hot springs investigated and the first camp established in the Salt Lake Valley. On July 23rd, Pratt offered a prayer dedicating the land to the Lord. Ground was broken, irrigation ditches were dug, and the first fields of potatoes and turnips were planted. Erastus Snow (November 9, 1818 â€“ May 27, 1888) was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from 1849 to 1888. ... Orson Pratt Orson Pratt (September 19, 1811 â€“ October 3, 1881) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. ...

On July 24, Young first saw the valley from a “sick” wagon driven by his friend Wilford Woodruff. According to Woodruff, Young expressed his satisfaction in the appearance of the valley and declared "This is the right place, drive on." Today a monument stands in the spot where he made this declaration. Young later reported that he had seen the valley, including Ensign Peak, in a vision and recognized the spot. is the 205th day of the year (206th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Wilford Woodruff (March 1, 1807 â€“ September 2, 1898) was the fourth President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), from 1889 until his death in 1898. ...

On July 28, Young established a location for the future Salt Lake Temple and presented a city plan to the larger group for their approval. In August 1847, Young and other selected members of the vanguard company returned to Winter Quarters. By December 1847, more than two thousand Mormons had completed the journey to the Salt Lake Valley. Several hundred, including Brigham Young, returned east to gather and organize the companies scheduled for following years. Each year during the Mormon migration, people continued to be organized into "companies", each company bearing the name of its leader. The company was further divided into groups of 10 and 50 with authority and responsibility delegated downward. is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Salt Lake Temple is the largest (of more than 120) and best-known temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ...

Travel conditions

The pioneers traveled to the Salt Lake Valley in the Great Basin using wagons, handcarts, and, in some cases, personally carrying their belongings. Their trail along the Platte River and over the Sweetwater River became known as the Mormon Trail. Salt Lake Valley from space. ... // A statue commemorating Mormon handcart pioneers on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah The Mormon handcart pioneers were participants in the migration of members of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the LDS Church) to Salt Lake City, Utah, who used handcarts... The Platte River, showing the North Platte and South Platte The Platte River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 310 mi. ... The Sweetwater River The Sweetwater River is a tributary of the North Platte River, approximately 150 mi (241 km) long, in the U.S. state of Wyoming. ... The Mormon Trail or Mormon Pioneer Trail is the 1,300 mile route that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints traveled from 1846-1857. ...

Financial resources of the Church members varied, with many families suffering from the loss of land and personal possessions in Missouri and Illinois. This impacted the resources and supplies each family could draw upon as they covered the more than 1,000 miles (2,000 km) to the Great Basin. Church funds were also limited at this time, but church leaders provided what funding and other material assistance they could to families and companies which were under supplied. This article is about the U.S. state. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area Ranked 25th - Total 57,918 sq mi (140,998 kmÂ²) - Width 210 miles (340 km) - Length 390 miles (629 km) - % water 4. ...

Covered wagons pulled by oxen were common, particularly in the early American companies. In October 1845, as LDS members were preparing to leave Nauvoo, the Nauvoo Neighbor printed an extensive list of suggested provisions for each family wagon. The provisions included 2 to 3 yoke of oxen, 2 milk cows, other livestock, arms and ammunition, 15 lb of iron, pulleys and ropes, fishing gear, farming and mechanical equipment, cooking equipment and at least 1000 pounds of flour plus assorted other foodstuffs. Some pioneers overestimated the amount of goods they could haul on the long journey. As the oxen weakened under the strain, wagons were lightened by discarding prized possessions, including book collections, family china and furniture. In 1847, just east of the Rocky Mountains, the Kimball family dug a large hole, wrapped their piano in buffalo skins and carefully buried it. An ox team retrieved the instrument the following spring and transported it to the Salt Lake Valley. ^[2] The Nauvoo Neighbor was a weekly newspaper edited and published by Latter Day Saint Apostle John Taylor in Nauvoo, Illinois from 1843 to 1845. ...

Several later companies were largely made up of people with fewer resources, who pulled or pushed handcarts (similar to wheelbarrows) holding all of their provisions and personal belongings. Many of these pioneers walked much of the way as family members rode in the carts.

Due to the weather in the American heartland, the best time to travel was April-September. Some companies, however, started late in the season which resulted in hardship and sometimes disaster. The most famous of these are the Willie and the Martin handcart companies. Leaving Iowa in July 1856, they did not reach Utah until November, suffering many deaths due to winter weather and the lack of adequate supplies.

The ship Brooklyn

In November of 1845 Samuel Brannan, newspaper man and small publisher of the Mormon paper, The Prophet (later the New York Messenger), was directed by church elders to charter a ship that would carry its passengers away from the United States to the territory of California. Over the course of two months, Brannan managed to recruit 70 men, 68 women, and 100 children - 238 persons total. Brannan negotiated a fare of $75 for adults and half-fare for children with the Captain Abel W. Richardson, master and a principal owner of the ship Brooklyn.^[3] Samuel Brannan (March 2, 1819 - May 14, 1889), was the first publicist of the California gold rush and the first millionaire because of the rush. ...

On the 4th of February, 1846, (the same day as the Mormon Nauvoo exodus began) the ship Brooklyn cleared New York harbor and began its nearly 6 months voyage to the Pacific coast of the then Mexican Territory of California.^[4] The ship weighed 445 short tons (404 t) and measured 125 ft x 28 ft x 14 ft (38.1 m x 8.5 m x 4.3 m) and was built in 1834 by Joseph H. Russell at Newcastle, Maine.^[5] See also: Nauvoo Illinois Temple for the article on the temple rebuilt on the site with the same external look. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area Ranked 3rd - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 kmÂ²) - Width 250 miles (400 km) - Length 770 miles (1,240 km) - % water 4. ...

The voyage would be the longest passage made by a Mormon emigrant company. The ship Brooklyn sailed from Brooklyn Harbor, New York and traveled south across the Atlantic equator, around Cape Horn, stopping at the Juan Fernández Islands (home of Alexander Selkirk aka Robinson Crusoe), then to the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii), finally docking permanently in Yerba Buena (San Francisco) on July 29th, 1846 having made the sea voyage in five months and twenty-seven days. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Cape Horn from the South. ... The town of San Juan Bautista in Cumberland Bay, Robinson Crusoe Island The Juan FernÃ¡ndez Islands is a sparsely inhabited island group reliant on tourism in the South Pacific Ocean, situated about 667 km off the coast of Chile, and is composed of several volcanic islands: Robinson Crusoe, ( ) (also... Alexander Selkirk, born Alexander Selcraig, (1676â€“13 December 1721) was a Scottish sailor who spent four years as a castaway on an uninhabited island; it is probable that his travails provided the inspiration for Defoes Robinson Crusoe. ... For other uses, see Robinson Crusoe (disambiguation). ... The Sandwich Islands was the name given to Hawaii by Captain James Cook on his discovery of the islands on January 18, 1778. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ...

Augusta Joyce Crocheron, a passenger on the ship Brooklyn, describes the voyage:

The passengers of the ship Brooklyn left the United States with the hope of finding religious freedom. When they arrived in San Francisco however, they were informed that they were in the United States of America. Despite the tensions that drove them from their homes in the Eastern States, the crew and passengers "felt more cheerful and secure." Mormon historian B. H. Roberts noted in his work A Comprehensive History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Brigham Henry Roberts (March 13, 1857 _ September 27, 1933) was born in Warrington, a manufacturing town of Lancashire, England. ...

This dangerous trek of nearly 24,000 miles (39,000 km) would claim 10 lives of the ships 238 passengers,^[8] nine of which were buried at sea.

Later migration

After the initial departure of the Latter-day Saints living in Illinois and Missouri, converts to the church from other areas in the United States and from Europe followed the initial trail to join the main body of the Church in Salt Lake City. Every year from 1847 until 1869, church members making this journey were formed into organized companies. [1] Migration continued until about 1890, but those who came by railroad are not generally considered to be "Mormon pioneers." // A statue commemorating Mormon handcart pioneers on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah The Mormon handcart pioneers were participants in the migration of members of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the LDS Church) to Salt Lake City, Utah, who used handcarts... The Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Salt Lake Citys top tourist draw. ...

Settling the desert

Upon arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, the Mormons literally had to make a place to live. They created irrigation systems, laid out farms, built houses, churches and schools. Access to water was crucially important. Almost immediately, Brigham Young sent out scouting parties to identify and claim additional community sites. While it was difficult to find large areas in the Great Basin where water sources were dependable and growing seasons long enough to raise vitally important subsistence crops, satellite communities began to be formed in all directions. Church members eventually headed south into present day Arizona and Mexico, west into California, north into Idaho and Canada, and east into Wyoming, settling many familiar communities in those areas. Drainage map showing the Great Basin in orange Various Definitions of the Great Basin (NPS) The Great Basin is a large, arid region of the western United States. ...

Shortly after the first company arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, the community of Bountiful was settled to the north. In 1848, settlers moved into lands purchased from trapper Miles Goodyear in present day Ogden. In 1849, Tooele and Provo were founded. Also that year, at the invitation of Ute chief Wakara, settlers moved into the Sanpete Valley in central Utah to establish the community of Manti. Fillmore, Utah, intended to be the capitol of the new territory, was established in 1851. In 1855, missionary efforts aimed at local native cultures led to outposts in Ft. Lemhi on Idaho's Salmon River, Las Vegas, Nevada and Elk Mountain in east central of present day Utah. Looking toward Bountiful from the Wasatch Mountains that rise above it. ... Ogden sign over Washington Boulevard at the Ogden River; toward downtown Ogden is the county seat of Weber County,GR6 Utah, United States. ... Tooele (pronounced ) is a city in Tooele County in the U.S. state of Utah. ... Provo is a city in Utah and the county seat of Utah County, located about 35 miles south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. ... The Utes (; yoots) are an ethnically related group of American Indians now living primarily in Utah and Colorado. ... Chief Wakara (also Walkara or Walker) (ca. ... Manti is a city located in Sanpete County, Utah, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 3,040. ... Fillmore is a city located in Millard County, Utah. ... The Salmon River is located in Idaho in the northwestern United States. ... For further information, see Las Vegas metropolitan area and Las Vegas Strip. ...

The experiences of returning members of the Mormon Battalion were also important in establishing new communities. On their journey west, the Mormon soldiers had identified dependable rivers and fertile river valleys in Colorado, Arizona and southern California. In addition, as the discharged men traveled to rejoin their families in the Salt Lake Valley, they moved through southern Nevada and southern Utah. Jefferson Hunt, senior Mormon officer of the Battalion, actively searched for settlement sites, minerals and other resources. His report encouraged 1851 settlement efforts in Iron Country, near present day Cedar City. These southern explorations eventually led to Mormon settlements in St. George, Utah, Las Vegas and San Bernardino, California, as well as communities in southern Arizona. By 1885, Mormon communities were being established in northern Mexico. The Mormon Battalion was the only religious unit in American military history serving from July 1846 to July 1847 during the Mexican-American War. ... Jefferson Hunt (January 22, 1804 - May 11, 1879) Western Pioneer. ... Cedar City is a city located in Iron County, Utah, 250 miles South of Salt Lake City on Interstate 15. ... Nickname: Settled 1861 Incorporated 1862 Government - Mayor Dan McArthur - City Manager Gary Esplin Area - City 64. ... San Bernardino is the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States. ... Mormon Colonies in Mexico is a book by Thomas Cottam Romney. ...

Contents

Background to the migration

Vanguard company of 1847

Travel conditions

The ship Brooklyn

Later migration

Settling the desert

See also

Notes

References

External links

Contents

Background to the migration GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Vanguard company of 1847

Travel conditions

The ship Brooklyn

Later migration

Settling the desert

See also

Notes

References

External links

Background to the migration