E82: Succession Crisis Showdown

**Bryan Buchanan** (0:15)
Thank August 8th, 1844, Nauvoo, Illinois. Six chaotic weeks had gone by since Joseph Smith was killed while in Carthage jail.
Brigham Young stood up to address a massive audience. A hush fell over the crowd.
Slowly, people realized something was happening. Brigham Young sounded like Joseph Smith. To some, he even looked like Joseph Smith at that moment. They were convinced he was the true successor to Joseph Smith. The end, draw the curtains.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (0:42)
If you were raised in virtually any Mormon tradition except Community of Christ, this is probably the way you were taught about the transition from Joseph Smith to Brigham Young. I know I was. A relatively simple, painless process with no confusion. For me, it was very smooth. Joseph died and the next natural successor stepped in.
By now, hopefully you've realized that it was far from that. If not, take our word for it. There were several other options like we've talked about. We've spent a lot of time talking about this. Let's just go through them again. Samuel Smith, until his death, William Marx, James String, that old checkerboard himself, Sidney Rigdon, later on, Alfius Cutler, maybe even a Lyman White. Stay tuned for that one.
For some, the option was going to be none of the above.

**Bryan Buchanan** (1:32)
Having said that, it is true, however, that the majority of Mormons would end up following Brigham Young. What kind of majority? That's a good question, we don't really know.
It does seem safe to say that it was likely less than you were led to believe, LDS Mormons. But why would people follow Brigham, and by extension, the Quorum of the Twelve? And how did they get to a point where that was the best option for them?

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (2:17)
Hi, this is Lindsay Hansen Park.

**Bryan Buchanan** (2:19)
And this is Bryan Buchanan.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (2:20)
Bringing you the story of Mormonism from the shadow of the Everlasting Hills, straight out of Zion. But this isn't your grandpa's Mormon history.

**Bryan Buchanan** (2:47)
This is the tale of Mormon saints and sinners from our roots until present day.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (2:52)
Gird your loins, lock your hearts, and pay your tithing, because we're bringing you the story of Mormonism in all its paradisiacal glory.

**Bryan Buchanan** (3:01)
It's the Sunstone History Podcast.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (3:25)
First, a word from our friends at Signature Books.
Examining Brigham Young's legacy requires an understanding of his raw ambition and religious zeal. A formidable leader in both his church and country, Young's abilities coincided with the colonizing zeitgeist of 19th century America. Thus, by 1877, some 400 Mormon settlements spanned the western frontier from Salt Lake City to outposts in Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, Wyoming, and California. As prophet of the LDS church and governor of the proposed state of Deseret, Young led several campaigns for Utah statehood while defending polygamy and local sovereignty. His skillful and authoritarian leadership led historian Bernard Devoto to classify him as an American genius, responsible for turning Joseph Smiths vision into the seed of life. Young's diaries and journals reveal a man dedicated to his church defensive of his spiritual and temporal claims to authority and determined to create a modern Zion within the Utah desert. Editor George D. Smiths careful organization and annotation of Young's personal writings provide insight into the mind of Mormonism's dynamic church leader and frontier statesman. Brigham Young, colonizer of the American West, diaries and office journals 1832 to 1871, edited by George D. Smith, published by Signature Books. Get it at Benchmark Books. No, really get it at Benchmark. Or wherever you get your books.

**Bryan Buchanan** (5:07)
To appreciate our moment here, where the Quorum of the Twelve present themselves as the only legitimate successors to Joseph Smith, we probably need a refresher on their nature, the Cliffs Notes on the Apostles.
Do the kids know about Cliffs Notes?
I bet they don't. I hear they went digital in 2011 I don't know about that part. All right, remember that in 1835, after a few years of vague references to apostles, a formal group of 12 is created. From the beginning, their place in the universe was a little conflicted. The group of 70s formed at the same time. What was their relationship to them? The first presidency of Joseph Smith and his counselors, how did they relate to them? After a pretty egalitarian beginning, Mormonism had started to stratify.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (5:47)
The first couple years of the apostles were mostly forgettable. Not until 1837 did they get the first taste of power.
You may remember from a million episodes ago that two apostles, Heber Kimball, Want Want and Orson Hyde were part of the first group of missionaries to the British Isles. While they did have success in terms of converts, this didn't translate into much more power back in the US.