Joseph Smith was born in 1805 in Sharon, Vermont. He spent the first eleven years of his life in Vermont before moving to a farm in upstate New York with his family. During this period, upstate New York was a breeding ground for religious fervor. There were many changes in America during the early 19th century and many Christians clung to their faith whilst seeking answers from a higher power. Different theological practices were revisited from the past and new ones sprung up. As a child, Joseph Smith was intrigued by these new and different ideologies.
Between 1820 and 1823, Joseph Smith saw angels or visions which explained to him that the current churches were not honoring God in the way they were historically supposed to. While these events occurred, he was caught by the county prosecutors for pretending to find lost treasure. In 1827, Joseph Smith retrieved gold plates from a hill with a language he said the Middle-Eastern indigenous Americans wrote. Joseph Smith begins to translate the plates and published the Book of Mormon in 1830. In the same year, Joseph Smith receives a revelation to move to Ohio with his followers while four others head West. Brigham Young moved with his two young daughters to be closer to the church and was baptized in 1832. In 1837, the first group of missionaries with the intent to preach outside of the United States headed for England. In 1844 he was killed in Illinois with his brother by an angry mob.
Brigham Young became the new church leader and decided to move his following west to what was then known as Mexico (but we know it as Salt Lake City). This was due to mobs following church members and violence following the group. In 1846, Brigham Young took around 150 people with him west and by 1847, they settled in Salt Lake. In 1852, the church promoted plural marriage- one husband with one or more wives.
Between 1850 and 1900, the population of Salt Lake City grew from 6,000 to 53,000.
*These photos are from my own collection of antiques and do not represent any specific affiliation, but do visually demonstrate the eras of which are written about.
Between 1820 and 1823, Joseph Smith saw angels or visions which explained to him that the current churches were not honoring God in the way they were historically supposed to. While these events occurred, he was caught by the county prosecutors for pretending to find lost treasure. In 1827, Joseph Smith retrieved gold plates from a hill with a language he said the Middle-Eastern indigenous Americans wrote. Joseph Smith begins to translate the plates and published the Book of Mormon in 1830. In the same year, Joseph Smith receives a revelation to move to Ohio with his followers while four others head West. Brigham Young moved with his two young daughters to be closer to the church and was baptized in 1832. In 1837, the first group of missionaries with the intent to preach outside of the United States headed for England. In 1844 he was killed in Illinois with his brother by an angry mob.
Brigham Young became the new church leader and decided to move his following west to what was then known as Mexico (but we know it as Salt Lake City). This was due to mobs following church members and violence following the group. In 1846, Brigham Young took around 150 people with him west and by 1847, they settled in Salt Lake. In 1852, the church promoted plural marriage- one husband with one or more wives.
Between 1850 and 1900, the population of Salt Lake City grew from 6,000 to 53,000.
*These photos are from my own collection of antiques and do not represent any specific affiliation, but do visually demonstrate the eras of which are written about.