Pioneer Migration to Utah

Founding of the Mormon Faith New York, 1830 Joseph Smith Jr. said he had seen a vision where he learned that there were no true churches on the earth. In 1830 established what he believed was the true church. Mormon was a nickname given to those who gathered around Joseph Smith. They believed the Book of Mormon (which Joseph Smith translated) was the word of God, like the bible.

Persecution became so great that they left New York. Many did not believe Joseph Smith and made fun of him. Some listened to his message and followed him. Joseph wanted his followers to move to a gathering place called “Zion”- a place where people could live in peace and there would be no poor. Thousands of people converted to this new faith and were persecuted for it. Persecution became so great that they left New York. Persecution = causing people to suffer because of their beliefs or ethnicity

Names of the Mormon Faith When Joseph Smith first organized it, was called the Church of Christ Renamed the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Sometimes called the Mormon Church or the LDS Church Members of this church are called Mormons or Latter-day Saints (LDS) or sometimes just Saints

Kirtland, Ohio After New York, built the city of Kirtland and the first LDS temple Also set up settlements in Independence, Missouri

Persecution Persecution arose again, mobs drove the people from Ohio In Missouri a mob attacked the Mormon settlement of Haun’s Mill Governor of Missouri signed an extermination order saying Mormons must leave the state or be killed Show Haun’s Mill clip from the film Legacy

Governor Bogg’s Extermination Order "Sir Since the order of this morning to you, directing you to cause four hundred mounted men to be raised within your division, I have received by Amos Reese, Esq., of Ray county, and Wiley C. Williams, Esq., one of my aids, information of the most appalling character, which entirely changes the face of things, and places the Mormons in the attitude of an open and avowed defiance of the laws, and of having made war upon the people of this state. Your orders are, therefore, to hasten your operation with all possible speed. The Mormons must be treated as enemies, and must be exterminated or driven from the state if necessary for the public peace--their outrages are beyond all description. If you can increase your force, you are authorized to do so to any extent you may consider necessary. I have just issued orders to Maj. Gen. Willock, of Marion county, to raise five hundred men, and to march them to the northern part of Daviess, and there unite with Gen. Doniphan, of Clay, who has been ordered with five hundred men to proceed to the same point for the purpose of intercepting the retreat of the Mormons to the north. . . you will proceed immediately to Richmond and then operate against the Mormons. The whole force will be placed under your command.

Answer the questions on page 3 of your packet Summarize the primary source. What does it say? How must Mormons be treated and what is to be done with them according to this order? What is Governor Bogg’s attitude towards the Mormons? If you were a Mormon living in Missouri when this order was given, how would you react?

Misunderstanding and Conflict Why so many problems between the Mormon people and their neighbors? Mormons told others that their church was God’s only true church. Polygamy (more than one wife). This seemed very wrong to other people. Outnumbered their neighbors - thousands of new settlers moved into a region when they relocated. Why would this be a problem? Slavery was an issue. Mormons were against slavery but some of the states they lived in supported slavery.

Nauvoo After being kicked out of Ohio and Missouri, the Mormons moved to Illinois. Established the city of Nauvoo means, “beautiful” Became one of the biggest cities in the state 11,000 residents by 1845

Nauvoo Temple Worked on the Nauvoo temple for 7 years 1845 - more than 200 Mormon homes and farm buildings were burned in an attempt to force the Mormons to leave the area. Worked on the Nauvoo temple for 7 years Temple was vandalized and burned down shortly after pioneers left Nauvoo.

Talk of Moving to the West Discussed by LDS Church leaders as early as 1842. Oregon, California, and Texas were potential destinations 1844 Joseph Smith read John C. Fremont's map and report of the Great Salt Lake and its fertile valleys Rocky Mountains & Great Basin became the prime candidates for Mormon settlement.

Someone who is killed because of their beliefs Many in the surrounding communities continued to harass the Latter-day Saints Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were imprisoned in Carthage Jail Mob killed them June 27, 1844 What is a Martyr? Someone who is killed because of their beliefs

Carthage Jail, Illinois

3,000 Mormons left that winter Leaving Illinois Violence forced the Mormons to relocate again Left in the middle of winter Brigham Young (2nd LDS leader) led the people westward Had to cross Mississippi River, waited until it froze over 3,000 Mormons left that winter Crossed Iowa

Winter Quarters, Nebraska Trek across Iowa in winter was long and cold Established a community of log cabins in Nebraska called Winter Quarters Waited for conditions to get better Disease and cold weather caused many deaths

Crossing the Plains Harsh conditions, buried many loved ones

The Advance Pioneer Company Advance Pioneer Company, led by Brigham Young departed in the spring of 1847 from Winter Quarters to Utah. Prepared the way for thousands of other LDS Saints who would follow.

Mormon Migration

Mexican War and the Mormon Battalion In 1846 Mexico owned much of the west, including Utah U.S. went to war against Mexico for control of this land Called on the Mormons to provide a group of men to fight Known as the Mormon Battalion Hard to leave their families behind, hard for families to complete the trek without the men. Soldiers received pay which helped fund the pioneer trip across the plains.

Met their families in Utah after the war Mormon Battalion Never ended up fighting in a battle. Involved in the first discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill, CA. Met their families in Utah after the war

This is the Place Monument, Salt Lake City Arrival in Utah What holiday do we celebrate? Pioneer Day This is the Place Monument, Salt Lake City

July 24, 1847 Brigham Young and his company entered the Salt Lake Valley “It is enough. This is the right place. Drive on” Immediately started to plant crops, dig irrigation ditches, and build their city

Other Pioneer Companies Brigham Young and other leaders returned to Winter Quarters to organize more pioneer groups Groups continued to travel to Utah from 1847-1869 Planned on creating Zion (their gathering place) in the Salt Lake Valley

Mormon Converts Flock to Utah 50,000 Latter-day Saints from the British Isles and 30,000 from Scandinavia moved to the west by 1900 Small numbers also came from Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, France, Australia, South Africa, India, and the Pacific Islands

Immigrants Come to Utah England Germany Sweden Denmark France Italy China Japan Mexico 1890 20,905 2,121 5,986 9,023 205 347 808 5 19 1900 18,879 2,365 7,025 9,132 220 1,062 544 410 41 1910 18,083 3,063 7,227 8,300 303 3,117 311 2,050 166 What trends do you see? Which countries had the most people moving to Utah? Which ones had the least?

Ephraim Hanks Story - November 1856 "I have but a very little to say about the sufferings of Captain Martin's company before I joined it; but it had passed through terrible ordeals. Women and the larger children helped the men to pull the hand-carts, and in crossing the frozen streams, they had to break the ice with their feet. In fording the Platte River, the largest stream they had to cross after the cold weather set in, the clothes of the immigrants were frozen stiff around their bodies before they could exchange them for others. This is supposed to have been the cause of the many deaths which occurred soon afterwards. It has been stated on good authority that nineteen immigrants died one night. "The survivors who performed the last acts of kindness to those who perished, were not strong enough to dig the graves of sufficient depth to preserve the bodies from the wild beasts, and wolves were actually seen tearing open the graves before the company was out of sight. "Many of the survivors, in witnessing the terrible afflictions and losses, became at last almost stupefied or mentally dazed, and did not seem to realize the terrible condition they were in. The suffering from the lack of sufficient food also told on the people. When the first relief teams met the immigrants, there was only one day's quarter rations left in camp" quoted in Andrew Jenson, "Church Emigration," The Contributor, Feb. 1893, 202-5; paragraphing altered.