Thirteen hundred miles west. Wagon companies and, for ten years, handcart companies cross the plains, and roughly four hundred settlements are planted across the Great Basin and beyond. Brigham Young leads for thirty years; the era ends with the St George temple finished and his death in the same year.
930 entries in this era, shown 200 to a page. This is page 3 of 5, covering 1856 to 1861. See the same material on the moving timeline.
During the year, a general "reformation" took place throughout the Church, in which Church members were admonished strongly from the pulpit to reform their lives and rededicate themselves to the service of the Lord. As a symbol of renewed dedication, many members renewed their covenants by rebaptism. The reformation movement continued into 1857.
Edmund Ellsworth Company departs on their journey.
Edward Bunker Company departs on their journey.
Edward Martin Company departs on their journey.
Emma Smith Bidamon (widow of Joseph Smith) sells "four Egyptian Mummies with the records of them. These Mummies were obtained from the catacombs of Egypt sixty feet below the surface of the Earth, by the antiquarian society of Paris & forwarded to New York & purchased by the Mormon Prophet Joseph Smith at the price of twenty four hundred dollars in the year Eighteen hundred thirty-five they were highly prized by Mr. Smith on account of the importance which attached to the records which were accidentally found enclosed in the breast of one of the Mummies." Emma waited until Lucy Mack Smith, Joseph's mother, died (eleven days previously) before selling the mummies and "records" to "Mr. A. Combs."
First group of handcart Saints leaves the Iowa River for Salt Lake City.
First handcart company arrives in Salt Lake Valley. During the next five years ten handcart companies bring 3000 Mormons across the plains to Utah. 200 Mormons from the fifth and sixth companies, which left too late, die when trapped in earlyWyoming snow storms.
Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Jedediah Morgan Grant and Rachel Ridgeway Ivins.
In 1856 there were 130 missionaries called to serve.
In the midst of Utah Reformation's frenzy, Apostle Wilford Woodruff notes, "The spirit of God is like a flame among the Leaders of this people & they are throwing the arrows of the Almighty among the people."
Jacob Croft Company departs on their journey.
James G. Willie Company departs on their journey.
John A. Hunt Company departs on their journey.
John Banks Company departs on their journey.
John C. Naegle Company departs on their journey.
Members of the First Presidency and Council of Twelve Apostles are rebaptized.
Philemon C. Merrill Company departs on their journey.
Preston Thomas Company departs on their journey.
Republican party platform declares polygamy and slavery the "twin relics of barbarism."
Second counselor Jedediah M. Grant declares that Polysophical Society is "a stink in his nostrils," Heber C. Kimball agrees. They regard its equality of female participation as "an adulterous spirit." The society does not survive this general conference.
Skandinavien Stjerne (Scandinavian Star) ceases publication.
1856 Church Membership 63,881
The Conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Chior is James Smithies.
The first handcart company left Iowa City, Iowa. Later that year, two handcart companies, captained by James G. Willie and Edward Martin, suffered tragedy due to an early winter. More than 200 in the two companies died along the trail.
Two late handcart companies are trapped by early blizzards. Rescue teams sent from Salt Lake bring in the survivors; more than two hundred die on the trail.
The LATTER DAY SAINTS MILLENIAL STAR published in London, says Mormon missionaries in South Africa avoid contact with the Kaffir and Fingoe populations because they had "too much of the blood of Cain in them, for the Gospel to have much effect on their dark spirits."
The Western Standard first published in San Francisco, California (George Q. Cannon, editor).
Thomas Bedford, a Beaver Island resident who had been publicly whipped on James J. Strang's direction, fatally shoots the Strang. Strang had led a large portion of Mormons away from Brigham Young's rule after the death of Joseph Smith.
Father, Jedediah M. Grant-second counselor to Brigham Young and first mayor of Salt Lake City–died.
William B. Hodgetts Company departs on their journey.
With the "Mormon Reformation" beginning to get underway Wilford Woodruff "went to a stream of water & Baptized all my family that was over 8 years old. Three wives 3 children & a lamanite boy called Moroni. I returned to the house and confirmed them all."
Wyman's Saint Louis Museum advertises in the SAINT LOUIS MISSOURI DEMOCRAT that "two mummies from the Catacombs of Egypt" are on display. These mummies formerly belonged to the LDS church. They stay in St. Louis for fifteen years before being moved to Chicago. Papyri found with the mummies are also displayed at the museum. Leipzig Egyptologist Gustavus Seyffarth was able to read the name of the person for whom Facsimile No. 3 was made. A contemporary account reports: ". . . according to Prof. Seyffarth, the papyrus roll is not a record, but an invocation to the Deity Osirus, in which occurs the name of the person, (Horus,) and a picture of the attendant spirits, introducing the dead to the Judge, Osirus." When the original of facsimile No. 1 resurfaces in 1967 the hieroglyphs in the margins give "Horus" as the person for whom the scroll was written.
This edition was created in Liverpool, England and was compiled by George Q. Cannon. There were 331 Hymns in this edition. At the time it was edition number 12.
According to John D. Lee, Stake President Isaac Haight tells him that the massacre of the emigrants "is the will of all in authority. The emigrants have no pass from any one to go through the country, and they are liable to be killed as common enemies, for the country is at war now. No man has a right to go through this country without a written pass."
Alonzo Colton Company departs on their journey.
Amasa M. Lyman/Charles C. Rich Company departs on their journey.
As Mormon troops leave to confront U.S. regiment, first counselor Heber C. Kimball "promises them that if they would live the religion of Christ not one of them should fall by the hand of an enemy." There are no military deaths in Utah War.
At Jacob Hamblin's ranch, 4 miles from the Mountain Meadows killing field, John D. Lee (sleeping on his saddle blanket with his saddle for a pillow) is awakened by an argument between Col. William Dame and Lt. Col. Isaac Haight. After breakfast they continue on to Mountain Meadows to secure property and supervise burial of the dead. Upon seeing the sight Dame and Haight argued over whether Dame ordered it or not. The bodies are stripped of any valuables but many bodies are either left unburied or buried so shallowly that animals dig them up and wild animals and buzzards eat flesh from their bones.
At Mountain Meadows the Santa Clara band of Indians along with the Tonaquints mounted another unsuccessful attack on the wagon train. Many of the Tonaquints had had enough and were so enraged "that they left for home that day and drove off quite a lot of cattle with them." In the Morning John D. Lee climbed a ridge west of the wagon train to survey the situation. "As soon as they saw I was a white man they ran up a white flag in the middle of their corral." By noon Mormon militia reinforcements arrived at the meadows and some of the men passed the time shooting at the emigrant camp. It was clear now that the Emigrants knew that there were white men among the attackers.
At night the besieged emigrants devise a plan to alert the outside world to their plight. They send William Aden on horseback through enemy lines to get help. Aden is shot down by Mormons after approaching their campsite.
Brigham Young declared Utah to be under martial law and forbade the approaching troops to enter the Salt Lake Valley. An armed militia was ordered to go to various points to harass the soldiers and prevent their entry. Brigham Young also called the elders home from foreign missions and advised the Saints in many outlying settlements in the West to return to places nearer the headquarters of the Church.
Brigham Young gives unsuccessful order to prevent massacre but becomes accessory after fact. He later tells participants that he approves of the massacre and lets them know he expects them to exonerate each other in court of law. He publicly intimidates anyone who is inclinded to give evidence against Mormon participants. He refuses to give federal authorities information that would implicate nearly all adults of small Mormon community in massacre and division of victims' property. Then when total denial becomes impossible, Young scapegoats three men through excommunication and arranges for participants to testify against (and jurymen to convict) only John D. Lee, Brigham Young's adopted son and Council of Fifty member.
Brigham Young marries Sarah Delight Stocking, who had turned nineteen three days earlier, to fifty-year old Wilford Woodruff. This is Woodruff's third wife named "Sarah." In addition to his marriage to Sarah Delight, Woodruff records a dream of Heber C. Kimball's "I Called upon Brother Kimball early this morning & had some Conversation with him. He told me a dream. He said He thought He had some Hogs caught with ropes & he was driving them up a mountain. He had one vary fat hog. He said we had better kill him. He would never be as good again to kill as now. He told some one to take Care of him for a while till he could attend to some others, and they let him get away from them & the hog ran up the mountain with all his might. When Brother Kimball saw him he took after him & told the brethren to help ketch him & kill him but they Could not ketch him so he got away. He gave me what He thought to be an interpetation of the dream. The Hogs were our Enemies & one of them run away."
Brigham Young meets with Captain Van Vliet, representative of Johnson's Army. Young tells him, "I do not want to fight the United States but if they drive us to it we shall do the best we can & I will tell you as God lives that we shall Come off Conquerer for we trust in God. For God has set up his kingdom on the Earth & it will never fall but it will stand. We shall do all we can not to fight but if they drive us to it God will overthrow them." Van Vliet tells Young, "I do not think that it is the intention of the Government to take you but to instill a New Governor in this Territory." Young responds, "I Believe that you tell the truth that you believe this but you do not know their intention as well as I do."
Brigham Young received news of the approaching army while celebrating pioneers.
Brigham Young restores sacrament, after witholding it from all church members for past six months of Reformation which ends with Utah War.
Brigham Young tells Captain Van Vliet, "Again if they Commence the war I shall not hold the Indians still by the fist any longer . . . you may tell them they must stop all emigration across this Continent for they Cannot tread in safety. The Indians will kill all that attempt it." Young had been told three days previously of the stand-off at Mountain Meadows. His instructions were for the Mormons to leave the wagon train alone but added "The Indians we expect will do as they please."
Brigham Young walks with U.S. Army Captain Van Vliet through Albert Carrington's garden and orchard. Van Vliet asks Mrs. Carrington "if she was willing to Cut down her fine peach orchard for her faith & Religin. She said yes and would set up nights to do it if it became necessary."
Chester Loveland Company departs on their journey.
Christian Christiansen Company departs on their journey.
Colonel William Dame, commander of the Iron County Military District orders his officers to calm the Indians and to "assist in passing through the trains now upon the roads." Dame also said the Paiutes, "manifested many signs of hostility towards the whites and passers-by."
Courier James Holt Haslam (carrying a letter from Haight to Brigham Young asking for orders) reaches Nephi. He pauses for breakfast and will stop again at Payson, Provo and American Fork to change horses.
Daniel Wells, adjutant general of the militia and a counselor to Brigham Young, issues the following statement to Joseph Taylor: "On ascertaining the locality or route of the troops, proceed at once to annoy them in every possible way. Use every exertion to stampede their animals and set fire to their trains. Burn the whole country before them and on their flanks. Keep them from sleeping by night surprises . . . God bless you and give you success." A few days later, army soldier Eugene Banal reports, "On the east side of Green River we found ironworks of 25 burned wagons--chains, axles, and other wagon parts--covering the trail, on the west side of the Green River, the remains of fifty more wagons."
Decades later participants acknowledge various motivations for destroying this Missouri and Arkansas group which antagonized both Mormons and Indians of southern Utah: war hysteria that belligerent emigrants might incite California to send military force to combine with "invasion" from east by U.S. army; fear that Indians would attack isolated settlements if they didn't assist; "avenging the blood' of Missouri expulsion of 1838 and of Apostle Parley P. Pratt's recent murder; desire to plunder wagon train's property, which included 1,000 head of cattle, according to Church Historian's Office on Sept 28, 1857; and intimidation by some Mormon firebrands who threaten to "blood atone" LDS militiamen who didn't want to participate.
During tenth anniversary celebration of pioneer arrival, Brigham Young announces the "invasion" of U.S. troops and instructs Mormons to resist militarily.
During Utah Pioneer Day, word arrives of impending invasion by the federal army.
Elder Parley P. Pratt of the Quorum of the Twelve was assassinated while on a mission in Arkansas.
Emigrant George Powers meets William H. Dame (Colonel in Mormon militia) at Parowan and asks if he could not raise a company to relieve the besieged train at Mountain Meadows. Dame, the senior Mormon military officer in southern Utah replies, "that he could go out and take them away in safety, but he dared not; he dared not disobey counsel." Mormon militia Lt. Col. Isaac C. Haight dispatches troops from Cedar City to Mountain Meadows where most of the Paiutes have left.
Ephraim K. Hanks Mail Express departs on their journey.
First of 2,500 federal troops leaves Fort Leavenworth, Kansas for Utah Territory.
Freeman Tanner Company departs on their journey.
Henry G. Boyle Company departs on their journey.
Hezekiah Thatcher Company departs on their journey.
Homer Duncan Company departs on their journey.
In 1857 there were 88 missionaries called to serve.
In Salt Lake City Apostle George A. Smith preaches that there is "a spirit in the breasts of some at Parowan, southern Utah to wish that their enemies might come and give them a chance to fight and take vengeance for the cruelties that had been inflicted upon us in the States."
Israel Evans Company departs on their journey.
Jacob Hofheins/Matthew McCune Company departs on their journey.
James Holt Haslam arrives in Cedar City from Salt Lake City two days after the Mountain Meadows Massacre with orders from Brigham Young to let the emigrants pass unharmed. When Isaac Haight reads Young's letter he says, "Too late, too late," and "cried like a child." At Sunday services in Cedar City Patriarch Elisha H. Groves speaks"upon the principles of the gospel, and of the Lamanites being the battle axe of the Lord."
James Holt Haslam arrives in Salt Lake City just after daybreak. Within fifteen minutes he is in Brigham Young's office. He gives Young Isaac Haight's letter and is told to take a little sleep and return at 1:00 P.M. When Haslam returns at 1:00 he is given Young's reply to Haight, a chatty update on the arrival of an advance scout for Johnson's army and an optimistic assessment of the situation. Toward the bottom it said, "In regard to the emigration trains passing through our settlements, we must not interfere with them until they are first notified to keep away. You must not meddle with them. The Indians we expect will do as they please but you should try and preserve good feelings with them. There are no other trains going south that I know of. If those that are there will leave, let them go in peace." His instruction to Haslam is "to start and not spare your horseflesh, but to go down there just as quick as possible."
Jesse B. Martin Company departs on their journey.
John D. Lee reports Mountain Meadows Massacre to Brigham Young and claims that Indians "cut the throats of their women & children." That is not Indian practice but is consistent with Mormon beliefs about blood atonement. Concerning women and children Brigham Young says it is "heart rending." Lee says that he "did not think there was a drop of innocent Blood in their Camp for he had two of the Children in his house & he could not get but one to kneel down in prayer time & the other would laugh at her for doing it & they swore like pirates." Decades later one participant acknowledges that Mormon men slit throats of women and children.
Joined Nauvoo Legion (Utah Territory's militia) and served in Echo Canyon campaign of Utah War.
Joseph Lazarus Matthews Company departs on their journey.
Marcus De Lafayette Shepherd Company departs on their journey.
Matthias Cowley Company departs on their journey.
Members of Parowan's militia participate in killing 120 men, women, and children in Mountain Meadows Massacre. This is largest massacre of wagon train in American history and is unparalleled because killing begins as "whites" are excorting emigrants under flag of truce. After holding prayer circle, local LDS leaders decide not to await word from Brigham Young about whether to help Indians destroy emigrants. At pre-arranged signal, most Mormon participants dutifully kill unarmed emigrant walking beside each militiaman, while some Mormons fire their weapons in air, and a few kill as many emigrants as they can. They spare eighteen small children.
Mountain Meadows Massacre occurred in Southern Utah.
Mountain Meadows Massacre of the Fancher Party.
Murder of Apostle Parley P. Pratt in Arkansas by the legal husband of his twelfth wife, Elenore McComb McLean. Newspaper accounts of Pratt's murder reach Salt Lake City on June 23.
Orson Pratt/Ezra T. Benson Company departs on their journey.
Parley P. Pratt assassinated while on a mission in Arkansas.
Parley P. Pratt murdered outside Van Buren, Arkansas, while on a mission.
Part of the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas receives orders to march to Utah territory, assist in removing Brigham Young from office as territorial governor, and to replace him with Alfred Cumming. The ensuing conflict is known as the "Utah War."
Perrigrine Sessions Company departs on their journey.
Robert Crow Company departs on their journey.
Several of Orson Pratt's pamphlets published as Tracts of Orson Pratt (Liverpool and London).
Stake President Haight told the men, "thay had been priveleged to keep a part of their covenant to avenge the blood of the prophets." The men then held a prayer circle (left hand on shoulder of man next to him, right arm to the square) with John Higbee, Isaac Haight, John D. Lee, and William Dame in the center, facing the four points of the compass. Stake president Haight led the men in a solemn oath never to discuss the matter and "to help kill all who proved to be traitors to the Church or people in this matter."
Territorial Judge Drummond wrote a letter charging Mormon leaders.
Territorial Judge W.W. Drummond, who had earlier left the Territory of Utah, wrote a letter to the Attorney General of the United States, charging Mormon leaders with various crimes.
1857 Church Membership 55,236
The Fancher wagon train from Arkansas, bound for California, is attacked at dawn at Mountain Meadows in southern Utah. The emmigrants form a defensive position and launch a counterattack quickly killing two Paiute Indians. John D. Lee watches the battle and later commented on the situation, "Now we knew the Indians could not do the work, and we were in a sad fix." Before the attack the Fancher party's cattle (which had earlier been promised to the Paiutes by Brigham Young) had been driven off. In the afternoon the battle becomes a standoff. Stake President Isaac Haight, former bodyguard of Joseph Smith, decides to send James Holt Haslam on horseback to Brigham Young for instructions.
The Mormon ceases publication in New York City (John Taylor, editor).
The Mountain Meadows Massacre took place, in which Arkansas immigrants on their way to California were killed in Southern Utah. Twenty years later John D. Lee was executed for his part in the crime.
President Buchanan sends 2,500 troops to install a non-member governor. The Saints prepare to burn their own settlements before a negotiated settlement ends the standoff in 1858.
The Western Standard ceases publication in San Francisco (George Q. Cannon, editor).
Thomas B. Marsh, former president of original Twelve, is received back into the church years after his apostasy. Brigham Young publicly compares himself physically to the ailing Marsh: "He has told you that he is an old man. Do you think that I am an old man? I could prove to this congregation that I am young; for I could find more girls who would choose me for a husband than can any of the young men. . . . . 'Mormonism' keeps men and women young and handsome; and when they are full of the Spirit of God, there are none of them but what will have a glow upon their countenances; and that is what makes yea and me young; for the Spirit of God is with us and within us."
Thomas B. Marsh, one of the original 12 Apostles, is rebaptized in Salt Lake City and accepted back into the Church after his apostasy "over milk strippings" two decades ago.
U.S. Army under General Johnston winters at Camp Scott in western Wyoming.
U.S. War Department orders army to suppress what U.S. president James Buchanan regards as Mormon treason and insurrection. One army officer writes on June 10 that Mormon "opposition to government cannot be overcome without the destruction of its cause, which involves the complete destruction of their life as a public body."
Under instructions from President James Buchanan, the United States War Department issued orders for an army to assemble at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., to march to Utah. It was assumed that the people of Utah were in rebellion against the United States. This was the beginning of the so-called "Utah War."
Utah Mormon War commences as President Buchanan dispatches Johnston's army of 2,500 men.
While participating in the 10th anniversary celebration in Big Cottonwood Canyon of the arrival of the Pioneers, Brigham Young received word that the army, under the command of Col. Albert S. Johnston, was approaching Utah.
William G. Young Company departs on their journey.
William Holmes Walker Freight Train departs on their journey.
After having been stopped for the winter by the delaying tactics of the Mormons, Col. Johnston's army finally — and peacefully — entered the Salt Lake Valley. The army's encampment, until 1861, was at Camp Floyd in Cedar Valley in Utah County. Most of the Saints north of Utah County had moved south, and they only returned to their homes when peace seemed assured.
Brigham Young writes Thomas L. Kane "that the time is not far distant when Utah shall be able to assume her rights and place among the family of nations."
Charles McCarty/William Appleby Company departs on their journey.
Col. Johnston's army peacefully entered the Salt Lake Valley.
Col. Thomas Kane arrived to negotiate a peaceful solution.
Col. Thomas L. Kane, a friend of the Mormons, voluntarily arrived in Salt Lake City to try to bring about a peaceful solution to the difficulties between the federal government and the Church. After meeting with President Brigham Young, he went to Ft. Scott (near Ft. Bridger) in Wyoming and met with the incoming governor of Utah, Alfred Cummings.
Deseret News operation returns to the Council House in Great Salt Lake City.
Eli Whipple Company departs on their journey.
Federally-appointed territorial governor Alfred Cummings addresses a meeting in the Tabernacle. He professes friendship and "wished if any felt oppressed or wanted his protection to manifest it by vote and to write to him under sealed note. A vote was taken and 3 hands are raised out of 3,000." Cummings is opposed from the pulpit by Gilbert Clements. And then by John Taylor. Taylor is so "hard and personal to Mr Cummings" that he is stopped by Brigham Young, who introduced Cummings to the congregation at the beginning of the meeting.
First Presidency and others return to homes in otherwise-deserted Salt Lake City.
First Presidency, Quorum of Twelve Apostles and "30 Military officers" hold "a Council of war."
Frederick A. Mitchell Company departs on their journey.
George Q. Cannon moves the Deseret News press to Fillmore, Utah amid threat of federal troops.
Horace S. Eldredge Company departs on their journey.
In 1858 there were 0 missionaries called to serve.
Iver N. Iversen Company departs on their journey.
John W. Berry Company departs on their journey.
Served mission to Great Britain.
Kirk Anderson's Valley Tan begins in Great Salt Lake City — the Deseret News' first opposition paper.
Nathan C. Tenney Company departs on their journey.
Russell K. Homer Company departs on their journey.
1858 Church Membership 55,755
The first transatlantic telegraph cable was completed between the United States and Great Britain.
U.S. Army under General Johnston enters the Salt Lake Valley; war averted by negotiation.
U.S. troops pass peacefully through nearly deserted Salt Lake City under terms of presidential amnesty and truce arranged by non-Mormon Thomas L. Kane.
William Huntington Freight Train departs on their journey.
With Salt Lake City packing up in preparation to abandon the city the First Presidency and Twelve meet in Council and consider the case of Apostle Orson Pratt. Pratt has been differing with Brigham Young on doctrinal points. "At the close Orson Pratt Confessed his faults and said that he would never teach those principles again or speak them to any person on the Earth." Pratt, however, does not acknowledge that his views are incorrect. Ironically the Church eventually embraces Pratt's doctrinal beliefs rather than Young's
A. S. Beckwith Company departs on their journey.
Deseret News begins publishing some material in the Deseret Alphabet.
DESERET NEWS reports that fifteen child-survivors of Mountain Meadows Massacre leave for Fort Smith, with their escort of soldiers.
Ebenezer R. Young Freight Train departs on their journey.
Edward Stevenson Company departs on their journey.
George Rowley Company departs on their journey.
Horace Greeley interviewed President Brigham Young.
Horace Greeley of the New York Tribune visits Utah and interviews Brigham Young.
Horace Greeley, founder and editor of the New York Tribune, had a two-hour interview with President Brigham Young, covering a variety of subjects from infant baptism to plurality of wives. The substance of his interview was published a year later in Greeley's Overland Journey from New York to San Francisco.
Horton D. Haight/Frederick Kesler Freight Train departs on their journey.
In 1859 there were 18 missionaries called to serve.
James Lemmon Freight Train departs on their journey.
James S. Brown Company departs on their journey.
Louis R. Chaffin Company departs on their journey.
Robert F. Neslen Company departs on their journey.
Seventy-three-year-old Elizabeth Watson wanders away from a handcart company and is not found despite day-long search. The camp moves on without her, only to be amazed on August 15 when she meets them at a trading post west of Independence Rock.
1859 Church Membership 57,038
Wilford Woodruff writes, "there is so many rumours afloat Concerning the troops Coming here we packed up all the records of the office to save them from being burned in case the City should be burned. Brother Bentley helped me move a Box of Books. I put it in the safe." The day before Woodruff mentioned rumors that "a company of volunteers from Arkansas are on their way to Iron County to punish those who had a hand in the Mountain meadow massacree & that a thousand men are on the way to guard the Governmet money in route for the armey. This afternoon the City is filled with rumors saying that Johnson is coming to this City with two ridgments, that Col Johnson sent word to Gov Cummings if he did not straighten out Brigham Young & the mormons he should take the matter into his own hands."
Wilford Woodruff writes: "President Young Called at the office to attend our lessons in the Deseret Alphabet."
Brigham Young calls a special meeting of the First Presidency and Apostles to review Orson Pratt's recent public confession. Young is upset that Pratt has only apologized to Young without admitting that the doctrine he taught was wrong. Young says, "I want him to say that his views are contrary to truth and right; his sermon represents me to the world as a tyrant trammeling them to believe as I do right or wrong; it is my calling President to see that right doctrines are taught." Pratt replies "In regard to Adam being our Father and God . . . I frankly say, I have no confidence in it, . . . " Pratt's heretical view later becomes Church doctrine and Young's doctrine later becomes heretical.
Daniel Robison Company departs on their journey.
First Pony Express rider arrives in Salt Lake City, bringing news from the Missouri River in six days.
Franklin Brown Company departs on their journey.
Hooper and Eldredge Freight Train departs on their journey.
In 1860 there were 96 missionaries called to serve.
James D. Ross Company departs on their journey.
Jesse Murphy Company departs on their journey.
John Smith Company departs on their journey.
John Taylor Company departs on their journey.
Received first telegram on the transcontinental telegraph line.
Joseph W. Young Freight Train departs on their journey.
Kimball and Lawrence Freight Train departs on their journey.
Last of ten handcart groups arrived in Salt Lake City.
Oscar O. Stoddard Company departs on their journey.
1860 Church Membership 61,082
The last of 10 groups of pioneers to cross the plains by handcarts arrived in Salt Lake City.
The Pony Dispatch commences — the first daily newspaper in Utah, issued by the Deseret News.
The Pony Express mail service began. A number of young Mormons were among the riders.
Warren Walling Company departs on their journey.
William Budge Company departs on their journey.
A bill was approved by U.S. President James Buchanan that provided for the organization of the Nevada Territory out of the western portions of Utah.
As the nation nears the beginning of the Civil War, Brigham Young's office journal records that he is "pleased with the news which showed more and more secession, and each party was preparing for war, thus giving the Kingdom of God an opportunity of being established upon the Earth."
Bill approved organizing Nevada Territory from western Utah.
Brigham Young sends first message on newly completed Overland Telegraph line to president of Pacific Telegraph Company in Ohio: "Utah has not seceded, but is firm for the Constitution and laws of our once happy country."
Brigham Young sent the first telegram over the overland telegraph line.
Brigham Young's office journal records: "In the evening Pres. Young discussed with his brother Joseph, the character of a few partly colored brethren The President remarked there are men who have had the dark Skin of Cain partly So, who may have the blood of Abraham in them enough to control themselves in righteousness, and fulfil the requirements of the Gospel as well as many other whites, Some of these partly dark brethren may be shifless, but there are many whites who are also shiftless. The President also spoke favorably of Isaac, a colored man who had worked for him for many years he also remarked he would confer any blessing to him he could, believing him to deserve it."
Brigham Young's office journal records: "Pres Young & his brother Phineas, had some conversation about the death of Stephen A. Douglass the President remarked he should be president in the lower world and Tom Benton should be his first counsellor. ..."
Brigham Young's office journal records: "President Young remarked to H.C. Kimball who had come in that Old Abe the President of the U.S. has it in his mind to pitch in to us when he had got through with the South. President Kimball observed that men that he had met with whether they had little or much of the Spirit of God were in favor of the South. President Young, as of the opinion the sympathy of the people for the South was in case they should be whipped, and the Northern party remain in power he thought they -wanted the War to go that both parties might be used up."
Church historian records when Brigham Young visits Mountain Meadows he says memorial plaque should read: "Vengeance is mine and I have taken a little."
Civil War (1861-1865) begins.
Concerning U.S. Civil War Brigham Young says: "Will it be over in six months or in three years? No; it will take years and years and will never cease until the work is accomplished. . . and it will spread and continue until the land is emptied." His remarks echo Joseph Smith's "Civil War" prophecy rather than the common feeling of the day.
David H. Cannon Company departs on their journey.
Eastern end of the telegraph line reaches Salt Lake City from Omaha, Nebraska.
Edward Creighton Company departs on their journey.
Elias Asper Freight Train departs on their journey.
First Church wagon train left the Salt Lake Valley for the Missouri River.
Homer Duncan Company departs on their journey.
In 1861 there were 19 missionaries called to serve.
Ira Eldredge Company departs on their journey.
Ira Reed Company departs on their journey.
Job Pingree Company departs on their journey.
John R. Murdock Company departs on their journey.
Joseph Horne Company departs on their journey.
Joseph Porter Company departs on their journey.
Joseph W. Young/Ansil P. Harmon/Heber P departs on their journey.
Milo Andrus Company departs on their journey.
Peter Ranck Company departs on their journey.
President Brigham Young sent the first telegram over the just-completed overland telegraph line.