Chapter 6

HOW DID THE CONVERTS GET TO UTAH?  A convert is someone who joins a church  An immigrant is someone who comes into a new country to live  Brigham Young wanted the converts to come to Utah to help build the “kingdom.” He wanted numbers to strengthen Utah settlements against persecution. He also wanted immigrants to come because they brought skills from their countries that helped established the new settlements.

HOW DID THE CONVERTS GET TO UTAH?  To help poor converts from Liverpool, England make the long journey to Utah, the Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company was formed in This fund was collected by donations of money, oxen, wagons, and food. Immigrants later repaid their loans back to the PEF.  (Connect to the Perpetual Education Fund today!)

HOW DID THE CONVERTS GET TO UTAH?  While traveling overseas, converts typically used all of their money to pay for the ship ride across the ocean. They didn’t have money to complete the next part of their journey. The church leaders implemented the handcart system. A handcart is a hand-pulled wagon.

HOW DID THE CONVERTS GET TO UTAH?  The people built carts and loaded them with food, blankets, and clothing for the trip. Small children and babies rode in the carts but everyone else pulled and pushed them across the grassy plains and over the rugged mountains. Poor immigrants came to Utah this way. Most early immigrants bought wagons and oxen in New York and traveled west.

HOW DID THE CONVERTS GET TO UTAH?  Brigham Young devised another way of helping new converts to come to Utah. The Utah Boys were sent on special missions to pick up immigrants. Down and back wagon trains were used to travel to the east to pick up immigrants and bring them to Utah.

UPON THEIR ARRIVAL, WHAT WAS THE FIRST THING THE PIONEERS DID?  During their first year, the Mormons began dividing the land so every family owned land. They built cabins and began planting crops. These early settlers had to worry about starvation and famine since they were new to the area. They also explored the surrounding regions.

HOW DID THE MORMONS SETTLE THE SALT LAKE VALLEY?  The main occupation for each settlement was farming. They built their houses close together for social interactions, schools and an education system, and music and entertainment. The only thing the pioneers lacked was hospitals and doctors.

HOW DID THE MORMONS SETTLE THE SALT LAKE VALLEY?  Brigham Young was both the religious and political leader for the early Mormon settlers. The leaders asked for the people to keep what they needed as far as food and supplies and give what they could to the Church. Their communal lifestyle remained which meant the settlers did not believe in private ownership.

HOW DID THE MORMONS SETTLE THE SALT LAKE VALLEY?  Brigham Young sent people out to populate the state. It was not required for families to go but when Brigham Young asked a family to go rarely did anyone ever say no. These places were sometimes called colonies.

HOW DID THE MORMONS SETTLE THE SALT LAKE VALLEY?  Some colonies were (1) temporary gathering places for new immigrants. Others were (2) centers of production of goods such as iron, sugar, and cotton. Others were (3) to be missions for the American Indians.  The common features of Utah settlements were (1) wide streets in a grid pattern, (2) squares in the center of town with farms beyond, and (3) large blocks.

HOW DID THE MORMONS SETTLE THE SALT LAKE VALLEY?  The problems the pioneers faced while settling in Utah was being in an (1) unfamiliar territory. The pioneers were use to receiving plenty of rain. Other problems include (2) inhabiting land of the American Indians, (3) isolationism for communication purposes, (4) thousands of immigrants were coming year after year, and (5) dealing with non-Mormons. Non-Mormons were called gentiles which is a term for nonbeliever.

HOW DID THE MORMONS SETTLE THE SALT LAKE VALLEY?  Mining brought non-Mormons settlers, who started their own towns. Corrine was one of the first non-Mormon towns. One major factor that led to mining becoming a booming business was the arrival of the railroad.

HOW DID THE MORMONS SETTLE THE SALT LAKE VALLEY?  With the Utah Territory growing, the Church leaders petitioned to Congress about becoming part of the United States. The proposed government set up by the Church leaders was going to be called the State of Deseret. Congress denied their petition!

WHAT NEW IMMIGRANTS CAME TO UTAH?  During this time, the largest number of foreign settlers came from Great Britain and Scandinavia. 50,000 came from Great Britain and 30,000 came from Scandinavia.

WHAT NEW IMMIGRANTS CAME TO UTAH?  Immigrants came from all over the world and began settling in different parts of Utah. Twelve Jewish farmers created Clarion. Hawaiian converts created a community they called Iosepa or “Joseph” after their beloved missionary and friend, Joseph F. Smith.