Jedediah M. Grant

Family Background

1816. February 21: Born Jedediah Morgan Grant in Windsor, New York. "Frontier schooling gave him only a shaky command of commas, periods, and the perplexing science of orthography; yet as a teenager he ambitiously read from such religious and philosophical thinkers as Wesley, Locke, Rousseau, Watts, Abercrombie, and Mather."

Convert

1833. Baptized by John F. Boynton in water so cold his clothing immediately froze to his body when he left the water.

1834. Shortly after his eighteenth birthday, Grant joined Zion's Camp. He later served missions in New York, North Carolina, Illinois, Virginia-North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.

1835. Ordained a seventy by Joseph Smith.

1845. Called to the First Council of Seventy by Brigham Young.

Polygamist

1844. Married Caroline Van Dyke, who died crossing the plains in 1847. Grant brought her body to the Salt Lake Valley, where she was the first white woman to be buried.

Between 1849 and his death, Grant married six plural wives. He was the father of nine children, including Heber J. Grant, born just eight days before Jedediah's death.

First Mayor of Salt Lake City

1851. Respected as brigadier general of the Nauvoo Legion (Deseret territorial militia), he was elected as the first mayor of Salt Lake City. Until his death, he served as both mayor and a member of the Utah Legislature.

Apostle of the "Mormon Reformation"

"I am not one of that class which believes in shrinking; if there is a fight on hand, give me a share in it. I am naturally good natured, but when the indignation of the Almighty is in me I say to all hell, stand aside and let the Lord Jesus Christ come in here."

1854. Ordained an apostle by Brigham Young, but never a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Grant served as President Young's second counselor, succeeding Willard Richards.

As the instigator of the "Mormon Reformation," Grant, with other Church leaders, stressed cleanliness of property and person, confession and repentance, and home industry. The keystone to the reformation movement was renewed commitment to the Church.

"The Church needs trimming up," Grant charged, "and if you will search, you will find your wards contain branches which had better be cut off. The kingdom would progress much faster, and so will you individually, than it will with those branches on. … I would like to see the works of reformation commence, and continue until every man had to walk to the line."

Death

1856. December 1: After baptizing hundreds in the cold waters of City Creek, forty-year-old Jedediah M. Grant collapsed of exhaustion and exposure. He died a few days later of pneumonia.

At his funeral Brigham Young mused, "I was reflecting upon how many bands attended Jesus to the tomb; upon how many there were to lament when he went out of the world. … Suppose Brother Grant could speak to us this day. He would deprecate to the lowest degree the fuss and parade we are making. He would say: 'Away with you! Stop your blowing of horns, beating of drums, and hoisting of colors.'"

Buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. Hosea Stout eulogized in his journal,

As a Major General he was buried in the honors of war
As a Master Mason he was buried as such
And above all as a Saint he lived, died and was
buried as such.

Sources
Brooks, Juanita, ed. On the Mormon Frontier: The Diary of Hosea Stout. 2 vols. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press/Utah Historical Society, 1964.
Journal of Discourses, 3:60-61, 4:85-87.
Judd, Mary G. Jedediah M. Grant. Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1969.
Salt Lake City, Utah. LDS Church Archives. Wilford Woodruff Journal, 6 August 1847.
Walker, Ronald. "Jedediah and Heber Grant." Ensign, July 1979, pp. 48-50.

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


	Jedediah M. Grant (1816-1856)

		Jedediah M. Grant was the first mayor of Salt Lake City, Apostle of the "Mormon Reformation," and a member of the First Presidency. Photograph courtesy LDS Church Archives.


	Family Background 1816. February 21: Born Jedediah Morgan Grant in Windsor, New York. "Frontier schooling gave him only a shaky command of commas, periods, and the perplexing science of orthography; yet as a teenager he ambitiously read from such religious and philosophical thinkers as Wesley, Locke, Rousseau, Watts, Abercrombie, and Mather." Convert 1833. Baptized by John F. Boynton in water so cold his clothing immediately froze to his body when he left the water. 1834. Shortly after his eighteenth birthday, Grant joined Zion's Camp. He later served missions in New York, North Carolina, Illinois, Virginia-North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. 1835. Ordained a seventy by Joseph Smith. 1845. Called to the First Council of Seventy by Brigham Young. Polygamist 1844. Married Caroline Van Dyke, who died crossing the plains in 1847. Grant brought her body to the Salt Lake Valley, where she was the first white woman to be buried. Between 1849 and his death, Grant married six plural wives. He was the father of nine children, including Heber J. Grant, born just eight days before Jedediah's death. First Mayor of Salt Lake City 1851. Respected as brigadier general of the Nauvoo Legion (Deseret territorial militia), he was elected as the first mayor of Salt Lake City. Until his death, he served as both mayor and a member of the Utah Legislature. Apostle of the "Mormon Reformation" "I am not one of that class which believes in shrinking; if there is a fight on hand, give me a share in it. I am naturally good natured, but when the indignation of the Almighty is in me I say to all hell, stand aside and let the Lord Jesus Christ come in here." 1854. Ordained an apostle by Brigham Young, but never a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Grant served as President Young's second counselor, succeeding Willard Richards. As the instigator of the "Mormon Reformation," Grant, with other Church leaders, stressed cleanliness of property and person, confession and repentance, and home industry. The keystone to the reformation movement was renewed commitment to the Church. "The Church needs trimming up," Grant charged, "and if you will search, you will find your wards contain branches which had better be cut off. The kingdom would progress much faster, and so will you individually, than it will with those branches on. … I would like to see the works of reformation commence, and continue until every man had to walk to the line." Death 1856. December 1: After baptizing hundreds in the cold waters of City Creek, forty-year-old Jedediah M. Grant collapsed of exhaustion and exposure. He died a few days later of pneumonia. At his funeral Brigham Young mused, "I was reflecting upon how many bands attended Jesus to the tomb; upon how many there were to lament when he went out of the world. … Suppose Brother Grant could speak to us this day. He would deprecate to the lowest degree the fuss and parade we are making. He would say: 'Away with you! Stop your blowing of horns, beating of drums, and hoisting of colors.'" Buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. Hosea Stout eulogized in his journal, As a Major General he was buried in the honors of war As a Master Mason he was buried as such And above all as a Saint he lived, died and was buried as such. Sources Brooks, Juanita, ed. On the Mormon Frontier: The Diary of Hosea Stout. 2 vols. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press/Utah Historical Society, 1964. Journal of Discourses, 3:60-61, 4:85-87. Judd, Mary G. Jedediah M. Grant. Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1969. Salt Lake City, Utah. LDS Church Archives. Wilford Woodruff Journal, 6 August 1847. Walker, Ronald. "Jedediah and Heber Grant." Ensign, July 1979, pp. 48-50.