An American migration

Morgan Rooney
MSMU Class of 2020

(3/2018) When told to reflect on an event that took place in March, I knew I would have to do some research. In history classes, we remember the years and decades of prominent historical events as significant details, but rarely have I considered the time of year important enough to retain. When searching through all sorts of different historical events, I came across an event that stood out to me because it affected me personally, along with a high percentage of Americans: the publication of The Book of Mormon. A majority of people in the United States, and elsewhere, know about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or the LDS Church, and many know members personally. A lot of people, however, don’t know much about the history of the church and the impact it had on so many American families and individuals. Although I am not and have never been a member of the LDS church myself, I am a direct descendant of many Mormon pioneers who embarked on their journey westward, giving me a bit of insight into how great of an impact it has had on many Americans’ lives, including those who are not members of the church themselves.

The publication of the Book of Mormon occurred on March 26, 1830. It soon sparked one of the greatest migration movements in American history. The story goes that after a vision from God, an angel led a man named Joseph Smith to a hill where inscribed gold plates were buried. After years of education, Smith was permitted to take the gold plates home where the Holy Spirit helped him translate the words into English. This translation came to be what is now The Book of Mormon.

This event prompted the establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints the following month in Fayette, NY. In the following year, after gaining a number of followers, the church relocated to Kirtland, OH with the intention to settle in Independence, MO. Because of violent persecution and the lack of support for the new church, the members were driven out of Missouri. This furthered the journey westward to Nauvoo, IL, where the church gained many more followers. Several years later, Joseph Smith, as the leader of the church, and his successor, Joseph Smith’s older brother, were murdered. Violence and lack of tolerance between the church members and other Illinois residents escalated, once again driving the LDS members out of Nauvoo. The members of the church responded by following their new leader, Brigham Young, to begin their migration west into the Rocky Mountains in 1846.

The trail was long and treacherous. Iowa winters were bitter and hard, and the people were exhausted. Many travelled with covered wagons, others with hand carts, and some even on foot. Premature death and illness were not uncommon hardships, and unfortunately, the migrants knew it far too well. By the end of 1847, more than 2,000 Mormons had completed the migration and established themselves in the mountainous desert of what is now Utah. Utah was made into a US territory in 1850.

The migration of the Mormon pioneers led to modern day Salt Lake City, UT, which at the time was a territory of Mexico, beyond the boundaries of the United States. Although, during the first few years of the migration, most emigrants were those driven out of Nauvoo, IL, eventually there was an increase of emigrants from the British Isles and other parts of Europe. The Mormon Trail, as it is called, was used for over twenty years until the first transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869, making emigration into the Rocky Mountains a much safer journey. It wasn’t until 1896 that Utah became the 45th state in the United States.

The Mormon trail is 1,300 miles, and runs westward through modern day Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Utah. The starting point is Nauvoo, IL, and it ends in Salt Lake City, UT. This is one of the most famous emigration trails in American history, along with the Oregon Trail and the California Trail. Somewhere around 70,000 Mormons traveled along it from 1846 to 1869 to escape the religious persecution they face in the East. Over 6.5 million people in the United States, approximately 1.6% of Americans, identify themselves as Mormon today, most of whom still reside in the state of Utah where the LDS church headquarters is located.

Migration movements as such affect not only those who endured the journey, but also all their descendants. A very large percentage of those living in mountainous regions in the West have their roots in Mormon pioneers, and as the church has spread to other regions, so has its influence. The religious demographics of the United States would be very different today if it hadn’t been for the migration trail established over 150 years ago. This migration is not often discussed or even recognized outside of the region. In Utah, however, the LDS members celebrate a holiday called Pioneer Day every July 24th to commemorate the arrival of the first group of Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley on that day in 1847. This holiday is celebrated with parades, fireworks, and other festivities. From personal experience, it seems to be like a second 4th of July exclusively for Utahns. It is impossible to escape the fireworks while spending a July in the state of Utah.

Millions of people today have been at least somewhat impacted by establishment of the LDS church, and the migration of thousands of Mormon pioneers and others, all directly result from the publication of The Book of Mormon in March 1830, an event that changed American history. With many ancestors coming from this church, many of the family and communal values that are held at high importance for Mormons were passed down to me, and also are held relatively important in my own life. If anything, without the publication of The Book of Mormon, and the great migration westward, I would not be here and alive today.

Read other articles by Morgan Rooney