Lorenzo Dow Young (1807-1895)
Lorenzo was born 19 October 1807 at Smyrna, Chenango, New York. He was the eleventh of thirteen children born to John Young and Abigail Howe. Poverty was the constant companion of the Young family as they moved from farm to farm. Abigail suffered from consumption for many years and died when Lorenzo was only seven years old. After his mother's death, Lorenzo lived with releatives for several years.
In Watertown, Jefferson,New York, Lorenzo married Persis Goodall on 6 June 1826. Shortly after, they moved to Mendon, New York, one of many moves they would make during their marriage. Lorenzo was first introduced to the Book of Mormon in 1829 by his brothers, Brigham and Joseph. He read it, recognized it as truth and was baptized in 1831. He followed his father to Kirtland, Ohio in 1833 where he helped to build the Kirtland Temple. He was a member of the Second Quorum of Seventies and participated in Zion's Camp. The Young family went to Missouri in 1837 and purchased a farm in Daviess County not far from Adam-ondi-Ahman. In the fall of 1838, a neighbor warned that their lives were in danger, so they fled to the larger settlement of Far West. The persecution against the Mormons was strong at that time and Lorenzo's family suffered great hardships. Lorenzo participated in the Battle of Crooked River, an attempt to protect the settlement from mobs. They were driven from Far West in October of 1838 and made their way to Scott County, Illinois, where they resided for a few years. In the spring of 1842, they moved to Hancock County where Lorenzo owned land in Nauvoo and several pieces in rural areas. The stay in Nauvoo was short lived. An exodus was eminent and Lorenzo was selected by his brother Brigham to accompany him to the Rocky Mountains in search of a place of refuge for the Saints. On 24 July 1847, the first group of Mormon pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley under the leadership of Brigham Young. In that company of 148 people, were Lorenzo Dow Young, his second wife, Harriet and a six-year-old son from his first marriage. After a stay in the Old Fort, Lorenzo built a home on higher ground, near where the BeeHive House now stands. It is believed that it was the first house outside the fort. Lorenzo served several missions for the Church, was bishop of the Salt Lake 18th Ward 1851-1878 and served as a patriarch. Of his family, Lorenzo wrote, "The wife of my youth, Persis Goodall, bore me ten children; my wife Harriet Page, two; my wife Hannah Ida Hewitt, five; my wife Ellen Jones, four; and my wife Anna Larsen, three. Eighteen sons and six daughters." At the age of sixty-five, Lorenzo was thrown from his buggy when some children threw a firecracker under the horse. He suffered many years from the injuries. He died in Salt Lake City on 21 November 1895 at the age of eighty-eight. He was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. Source: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~ckph/youngld.html |