Brigham Young Jr.

Family Background

1836. December 18: Born in Kirtland, Ohio, to Brigham Young and MaryAnn Angell. His twin sister, Mary, died at the age of seven.

He married Catherine Curtis Spencer in 1855, and later Jane Carrington (1857), Elizabeth Fenton (1868), Rhoda Elizabeth Perkins (1886), Abbie Stevens (1888), and Helen Armstrong (1890). He was the father of thirty-one children.

"Young Brigy"

1855. Two army officers lodged a complaint with Salt Lake City Mayor Jedediah Grant that "young Brigy" and three others rode "violently by them & bowing, while they were riding the streets with some Ladies."

A year earlier, Young was injured in a Christmas Day street fight between a group of Salt Lake City citizens and drunken soldiers from Ft. Douglas.

Nineteen-year-old Apostle

1855. November 22: Secretly ordained an apostle by his father. Wilford Woodruff related, "President Young said, 'I am going to tell you something that I have never before mentioned to any other person. I have ordained my sons, Joseph A., Brigham & John W., Apostles and My Coun- sellors. Have you any objections?' J. Taylor and G. A. Smith said they had not, that it was his own affair & they considered it under his own direction. He further stated, 'In ordaining my sons I have done no more than I am perfectly willing that you should do with yours. And I am determined to put my sons into active service in the Spiritual Affairs of the Kingdom and keep them there just as long as possible. You have the same privilege.'"

Missionary

1862. Called on a mission to England. President Young wrote his son before his return, "In all probability you will be able to entirely omit the use of tobacco on your mission, if you have not already done so. … Permit us to welcome you home with your mouth and breath free from the use and smell of tobacco. It is now going on two years and a half since I have used a particle of tobacco, and I guess a little resolution and faith on your part will also enable you to dispense with its use."

Brigham Young, Jr., returned to Liverpool to preside over the European Mission in 1865, 1867, and 1890.

Brigham Young Agent

1868. Appointed with his brother John W. to serve as their father's agent for Union Pacific Railroad grading contracts.

1869. Called to preside over the Saints in Cache County, Utah.

1878. Served with George Q. Cannon and Albert Carrington as an executor of the Brigham Young estate.

A small group of heirs brought suit against the Church and executors. When a $50,000 contempt of court bond was required for each executor in addition to the $300,000 already posted, President Cannon declared the extra bonding excessive and decided it was better to go to jail than further obligate themselves and their friends financially. The three spent three weeks in the penitentiary before the Utah Supreme Court set aside the decision of the lower court.

1885. Young was instrumental in securing Mexican permission to establish Mormon colonies south of the border in 1885 as havens for those harried by anti-polygamy regulations in the United States.

President of the Quorum of the Twelve

Young Brigham, though appointed special counselor to his father in 1864, was not admitted to the Quorum of the Twelve until 1868, after the death of George A. Smith. In 1873 Brigham was called as one of five assistant counselors to his father. At the time of his father's death in 1877, there was much speculation, both within and without the Church, that Brigham Jr. would succeed his father as president.

1890. Sustained as president of the Quorum of the Twelve.

1898. Though the Spanish-American War was popular with the American public and Church officials, Young opposed it. He counseled against enlistment and even preached publicly against the call for volunteers. The First Presidency asked him to stop his personal efforts against the war. When he did, the First Presidency issued a statement supporting the war effort.

1900. Seniority in the Twelve was changed to reflect date of entry into the Quorum rather than date of ordination. Thus Joseph F. Smith became senior apostle and hence Church president in 1901 instead of Young.

Death

1903. April 11: Died of bronchitis of the liver in Salt Lake City at the age of sixty-nine. He was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

Sources
Brooks, Juanita, ed. On the Mormon Frontier: The Diary of Hosea Stout. 2 vols Salt Lake City: University of Utah/Utah State Historical Society, 1964.
Jenson, Andrew. Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia. 4 vols. Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson Historical Company, 1901-1936.
Jessee, Dean, ed. Letters of Brigham Young to His Sons. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1974.
Philadelphia Morning Post, 28 October 1869.
Quinn, D. Michael. "The Mormon Church and the Spanish-American War: An End to Selective Pacifism." Pacific Historical Review 43 (August 1974): 342-366.
Salt Lake City, Utah. LDS Church Archives. Wilford Woodruff Journal, 17 April 1864.
_____. Brigham Young, Jr., Journals.
Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, 2:94-96.

	A Book of Mormons Richard S. Van Wagoner and Steven C. Walker Copyright 1982, Signature Books Salt Lake City, Utah Contents


	Brigham Young Jr. (1836-1903)

				Brigham Young Jr. was president of the Quorum of the Twelve. Photograph courtesy LDS Church Archives.


	Family Background 1836. December 18: Born in Kirtland, Ohio, to Brigham Young and MaryAnn Angell. His twin sister, Mary, died at the age of seven. He married Catherine Curtis Spencer in 1855, and later Jane Carrington (1857), Elizabeth Fenton (1868), Rhoda Elizabeth Perkins (1886), Abbie Stevens (1888), and Helen Armstrong (1890). He was the father of thirty-one children. "Young Brigy" 1855. Two army officers lodged a complaint with Salt Lake City Mayor Jedediah Grant that "young Brigy" and three others rode "violently by them & bowing, while they were riding the streets with some Ladies." A year earlier, Young was injured in a Christmas Day street fight between a group of Salt Lake City citizens and drunken soldiers from Ft. Douglas. Nineteen-year-old Apostle 1855. November 22: Secretly ordained an apostle by his father. Wilford Woodruff related, "President Young said, 'I am going to tell you something that I have never before mentioned to any other person. I have ordained my sons, Joseph A., Brigham & John W., Apostles and My Coun- sellors. Have you any objections?' J. Taylor and G. A. Smith said they had not, that it was his own affair & they considered it under his own direction. He further stated, 'In ordaining my sons I have done no more than I am perfectly willing that you should do with yours. And I am determined to put my sons into active service in the Spiritual Affairs of the Kingdom and keep them there just as long as possible. You have the same privilege.'" Missionary 1862. Called on a mission to England. President Young wrote his son before his return, "In all probability you will be able to entirely omit the use of tobacco on your mission, if you have not already done so. … Permit us to welcome you home with your mouth and breath free from the use and smell of tobacco. It is now going on two years and a half since I have used a particle of tobacco, and I guess a little resolution and faith on your part will also enable you to dispense with its use." Brigham Young, Jr., returned to Liverpool to preside over the European Mission in 1865, 1867, and 1890. Brigham Young Agent 1868. Appointed with his brother John W. to serve as their father's agent for Union Pacific Railroad grading contracts. 1869. Called to preside over the Saints in Cache County, Utah. 1878. Served with George Q. Cannon and Albert Carrington as an executor of the Brigham Young estate. A small group of heirs brought suit against the Church and executors. When a $50,000 contempt of court bond was required for each executor in addition to the $300,000 already posted, President Cannon declared the extra bonding excessive and decided it was better to go to jail than further obligate themselves and their friends financially. The three spent three weeks in the penitentiary before the Utah Supreme Court set aside the decision of the lower court. 1885. Young was instrumental in securing Mexican permission to establish Mormon colonies south of the border in 1885 as havens for those harried by anti-polygamy regulations in the United States. President of the Quorum of the Twelve Young Brigham, though appointed special counselor to his father in 1864, was not admitted to the Quorum of the Twelve until 1868, after the death of George A. Smith. In 1873 Brigham was called as one of five assistant counselors to his father. At the time of his father's death in 1877, there was much speculation, both within and without the Church, that Brigham Jr. would succeed his father as president. 1890. Sustained as president of the Quorum of the Twelve. 1898. Though the Spanish-American War was popular with the American public and Church officials, Young opposed it. He counseled against enlistment and even preached publicly against the call for volunteers. The First Presidency asked him to stop his personal efforts against the war. When he did, the First Presidency issued a statement supporting the war effort. 1900. Seniority in the Twelve was changed to reflect date of entry into the Quorum rather than date of ordination. Thus Joseph F. Smith became senior apostle and hence Church president in 1901 instead of Young. Death 1903. April 11: Died of bronchitis of the liver in Salt Lake City at the age of sixty-nine. He was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. Sources Brooks, Juanita, ed. On the Mormon Frontier: The Diary of Hosea Stout. 2 vols Salt Lake City: University of Utah/Utah State Historical Society, 1964. Jenson, Andrew. Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia. 4 vols. Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson Historical Company, 1901-1936. Jessee, Dean, ed. Letters of Brigham Young to His Sons. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1974. Philadelphia Morning Post, 28 October 1869. Quinn, D. Michael. "The Mormon Church and the Spanish-American War: An End to Selective Pacifism." Pacific Historical Review 43 (August 1974): 342-366. Salt Lake City, Utah. LDS Church Archives. Wilford Woodruff Journal, 17 April 1864. _____. Brigham Young, Jr., Journals. Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, 2:94-96.