A Great and Marvelous Work—
Part Three: 1844–1898

Images of an Era:

Finding Peace

27 June 1844: Joseph and Hyrum Smith martyred in Carthage Jail.

8 Aug. 1844: At a Church meeting in Nauvoo, mantle of the Prophet fell upon senior Apostle, Brigham Young. Apostles sustained by members to lead Church.

4 Feb. 1846: Nauvoo Saints commenced crossing the Mississippi River to move to the Great Basin.

4 Feb. 1846: Ship Brooklyn sailed from New York for California with 238 Church members, with Samuel Brannan as leader.

30 April 1846: Nauvoo Temple dedicated.

30 June 1846: U.S. Army asked Church at Council Bluffs, Iowa, to raise 500 volunteers to fight in war with Mexico.

13 July 1846: Mormon Battalion mustered into U.S. service.

31 July 1846: Ship Brooklyn arrived in California at San Francisco.

10–17 Sept. 1846: Battle of Nauvoo fought between remaining members and Illinois mob.

14 Jan. 1847: President Young received revelation concerning organization of Saints for move west (see D&C 136).

5 Apr. 1847: First group of President Young’s pioneer company left Winter Quarters on the journey west.

21 July 1847: Orson Pratt and Erastus Snow made first LDS reconnaissance of Salt Lake Valley.

24 July 1847: President Young entered Salt Lake Valley.

28 July 1847: Salt Lake Temple site selected by President Young.

31 Oct. 1847: President Young and other members of the advance company arrived back at Winter Quarters.

5 Dec. 1847: President Young sustained as second President of the Church by Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Kanesville, Pottawattamie County, Iowa.

27 Dec. 1847: Conference of Church at Kanesville sustained Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Willard Richards as First Presidency.

June 1848: Crickets came from mountains into Salt Lake Valley, devastating crops. Fields saved as flocks of seagulls devoured crickets.

Fall 1849: Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company established.

9 Dec. 1849: Sunday School organized by Richard Ballantyne.

15 June 1850: Deseret News began publication in Salt Lake City.

20 Sept. 1850: President Young appointed governor of Utah Territory.

11 July 1851: Pearl of Great Price first published, Liverpool, England.

11 Nov. 1851: University of Deseret (now University of Utah) opened, Salt Lake City.

29 Aug. 1852: Public announcement of plural marriage made, Salt Lake City.

5 May 1855: Endowment House dedicated at Salt Lake City.

1855: Fast day inaugurated as first Thursday of each month.

Oct. 1856: Handcart companies of Captain James G. Willie and Captain Edward Martin detained by early snowstorms. Found by rescue companies from Salt Lake Valley.

9 Nov. 1856: Willie handcart company arrived in Salt Lake City. Suffered about 68 deaths in a company of 500.

30 Nov. 1856: Martin handcart company arrived, Salt Lake City. Suffered between 135 and 150 deaths in a company of 576.

May 1858: Evacuation to the south of all northern Utah settlements in preparation for arrival of Johnston’s army and possible war with United States.

11 June 1858: Peaceful settlement to “Utah War” negotiated.

6 Oct. 1867: First general conference held in new tabernacle, Salt Lake City.

8 Dec. 1867: Relief Society reorganized by President Young, with Eliza R. Snow as president.

1 Mar. 1869: Zion’s Cooperative Mercantile Institution (ZCMI), a cooperative business system, began in Salt Lake City.

10 May 1869: Railroad spanning the United States completed at Promontory Summit, Utah.

28 Nov. 1869: Young Ladies’ Retrenchment Association organized by President Young; later became modern Young Women organization.

June 1872: First issue of Woman’s Exponent published, Salt Lake City.

10 June 1875: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Association organized; later became Young Men program.

16 Oct. 1875: Brigham Young Academy (now Brigham Young University) organized, Provo, Utah; was first Church academy.

6 Apr. 1877: St. George Temple dedicated. President Young received revelation to set in order the Church priesthood organization and stakes.

29 Aug. 1877: President Brigham Young died.

25 Aug. 1878: Aurelia Spencer Rogers founded Primary organization, Farmington, Utah.

6 Apr. 1880: Fiftieth year since organization of Church; declared Year of Jubilee.

19 June 1880: Separate general presidencies called for Relief Society, Young Ladies’ Mutual Improvement Association, and the Primary Association.

10 Oct. 1880: John Taylor sustained as third President of the Church. Pearl of Great Price accepted as Church scripture.

17 May 1884: Logan Temple dedicated.

25 July 1887: President John Taylor died.

17 May 1888: Manti Temple dedicated.

7 Apr. 1889: Wilford Woodruff sustained as fourth President of the Church.

24 Sept. 1890: President Woodruff received revelation discontinuing the practice of plural marriage.

6 Apr. 1893: Salt Lake Temple, 40 years in progress, dedicated by President Woodruff.

5 Apr. 1894: President Woodruff presented to his counselors and Quorum of the Twelve a revelation concerning temple and family history work.

13 Nov. 1894: Genealogical Society of Utah organized; was forerunner of Family History Department.

4 Jan. 1896: Utah became the 45th state of the United States.

6 Dec. 1896: Fast day changed from first Thursday of month to first Sunday.

Nov. 1897: First issue of Improvement Era published, forerunner of the Ensign magazine.

Spring 1898: First sister missionaries set apart.

2 Sept. 1898: President Wilford Woodruff died.