Mormon Pioneers

The Mormon Pioneers The definition of a pioneer is one who goes before to prepare or open up the way for others to follow. The Mormon pioneers were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who migrated across the United States from the Midwest to the Salt Lake Valley in what is today the U.S. state of Utah. The movement of the Mormon pioneers was due to the founding of the mormon religion which began not long before their migration with a man named Joseph Smith on April 6, 1830 in Fayette, New York. New York State in the early 1800s was known as the "Burned Over District" because the controversy over religion was fierce and the numerous different organizations caused him to wonder about which one would be the best

They began a trek across the midwestern United States. There were many different companies throughout the trek. The most well known being the Willie and Martin handcart company. They traveled with handcarts until the group was able to reach their destination. Before beginning the trek, members said they would settle in “a city where we would build our temple and live in peace” (Swofford 1990). The great Mormon migration of 1846-1847 was only one step in the journey for religious freedom and success. The movement is “described by historians as one of the great epics of United States history” (Monson, 10). “An estimated 70,000 Latter-day Saints made the difficult journey to Utah” (Newsroom 9). Even “despite terrible conditions the pioneers traveled over 1,000 miles to arrive in Utah” (Balinski 3). Due to this movement, future families and generations (pioneer ancestors) who made the trek are recognized and often spoken of not only in family gatherings of descendants but also in meetings of Church members, who view the pioneers’ example of bravery and sacrifice as inspirational” (Monson, 10). President Young, the

Mormon pioneers devoted much to future westward travel. “They built several ferries along the Platte, Elkhorn, and Loup rivers. In addition, William Clayton, part of the vanguard group of 1847, was responsible for developing a detailed guidebook to assist those wishing to travel to Utah in the future” (Hill, 52). In addition, while crossing Nebraska, William Clayton, Orson Pratt, and Appleton Harmon developed an automatic appliance that tracked wheel revolutions to determine lengths. One of Clayton 's responsibilities that was greatly appreciated was to keep track of mileage. After settling in Utah the pioneers built historic landmarks resembling the work and effort made on their trek. Records of individuals state “we buried our dead...we became weary, set down to rest, and some became chilled and commenced to freeze” (Gaunt and Dekker, 33). It was also recorded that “on the sixth day of November 1856, the thermometer registered eleven degrees below zero” (Lund 1). Their trek was one of the most difficult in history and yet their faith sustained them. When the pioneers reached Utah, it was a barren and desolate land. When they first reached the area, the settlers used the phrase “blossom as the rose” to describe the land as it would be when they were settled. The effect of the pioneers on the environment was both positive and negative. There were other places where the valleys had tall grass