Jedediah M. Grant
Encyclopedia
Jedediah Morgan Grant was a leader and an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was member of the First Council of the Seventy from 1845 to 1854. He also served in the First Presidency
under Church President Brigham Young
from 1854 to 1856. He is known for his fiery speeches during the Reformation of 1856
, earning the nickname, "Brigham's Sledgehammer". He is the father of Heber J. Grant
, who later served as President of the Church.
, New York
. He joined the LDS Church early in his life. By the age of 18 he had participated in Zion's Camp
, marching from Kirtland
, Ohio
to Missouri
under the direction of Joseph Smith, Jr.. Though the physical objectives of the march weren't met, many members later became leaders of the LDS Church. Jedediah's close relationship with these men from such an early age would last the rest of his life.
Grant was among the first Latter-day Saint missionaries to go to Maryland
, North Carolina, and the present boundaries of Virginia. His preaching efforts in the Toms River
area of New Jersey in the late 1830s lead to first conversion of members of the Ivins Family.
Grant was one a group of men (which also included Brigham Young
, Wilford Woodruff
and George A. Smith
) who were called in 1844 to campaign for Joseph Smith's election to President of the United States
.
. He would later become the first mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah
, serving in that position from 1851 until his death. Morgan County, Utah
and Morgan, Utah
are both named for him. In 1854, Jedediah M. Grant was ordained an Apostle, but he did not become a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Instead, he was called to the First Presidency
as Second Counselor to Brigham Young, to fill the vacancy left by Willard Richards
' death.
of 1856, he toured according to his assignment, delivering fiery speeches condemning all forms of sin and demanding perfection. He issued a call for rebaptism
of all the members of the area. His speeches earned him the title, "Brigham's Sledgehammer." The effects of his speeches were felt almost immediately; members throughout the area, as well as in distant parts, were rebaptized to signify their commitment to renew their commitments to the LDS Church and the gospel. Several of these speeches are recorded in Journal of Discourses
.
after his vigorous tour. He died on December 1, 1856, just nine days after his son, Heber J. Grant
was born to his wife Rachel Ridgeway Ivins Grant. He was buried at Salt Lake City Cemetery
.
Like many early Latter-day Saints, Jedediah Grant practiced plural marriage
. He had a total of seven wives and 13 children. His son Heber J. Grant
became the seventh President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
First Presidency (LDS Church)
The First Presidency is the presiding or governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors. The First Presidency currently consists of President Thomas S. Monson and his two counselors, Henry B...
under Church President Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
from 1854 to 1856. He is known for his fiery speeches during the Reformation of 1856
Mormon Reformation
The Mormon Reformation was a period of renewed emphasis on spirituality within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It took place in 1856 and 1857 and was under the direction of President of the Church Brigham Young. During the Reformation, Young sent his counselor Jedediah M...
, earning the nickname, "Brigham's Sledgehammer". He is the father of Heber J. Grant
Heber J. Grant
Heber Jeddy Grant was the seventh president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was ordained an apostle on October 16, 1882, on the same day as George Teasdale...
, who later served as President of the Church.
Early life
Jedediah M. Grant was born February 21, 1816 to Joshua Grant and Athalia Howard Grant in WindsorWindsor, New York
Windsor, New York may refer to:* Windsor , New York in Broome County* Windsor , New York, which lies within the Town of WindsorThere is also a town of New Windsor in Orange County, New York....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He joined the LDS Church early in his life. By the age of 18 he had participated in Zion's Camp
Zion's Camp
Zion's Camp was a paramilitary expedition of Latter Day Saints, led by Joseph Smith, Jr., from Kirtland, Ohio to Clay County, Missouri during May and June 1834 in an unsuccessful attempt to regain land from which the Saints had been expelled by non-Mormon settlers...
, marching from Kirtland
Kirtland, Ohio
Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, USA. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census. Kirtland is famous for being the early headquarters of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Origins of Kirtland:...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
to Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
under the direction of Joseph Smith, Jr.. Though the physical objectives of the march weren't met, many members later became leaders of the LDS Church. Jedediah's close relationship with these men from such an early age would last the rest of his life.
Grant was among the first Latter-day Saint missionaries to go to Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, North Carolina, and the present boundaries of Virginia. His preaching efforts in the Toms River
Toms River
The Toms River, formerly Tom's River, is a freshwater river and estuary in Ocean County, New Jersey in the United States.The Toms River rises in the Pine Barrens of northern Ocean County and flows southeast and east, fed by several branches, in a meandering course through wetland area and empties...
area of New Jersey in the late 1830s lead to first conversion of members of the Ivins Family.
Grant was one a group of men (which also included Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
, Wilford Woodruff
Wilford Woodruff
Wilford Woodruff, Sr. was the fourth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1889 until his death...
and George A. Smith
George A. Smith
George Albert Smith was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and as a member of the church's First Presidency.-Childhood:Smith was born in Potsdam, St...
) who were called in 1844 to campaign for Joseph Smith's election to President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
.
Church leader
After Smith's death, Jedediah was called to serve as a President of the Seventy. As a Seventy, he helped with the trek westwards and the settling of the Salt Lake ValleySalt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley is a valley in Salt Lake County in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Utah. It contains Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs, notably West Valley City, Murray, Sandy, and West Jordan; its total population is 1,029,655 as of 2010...
. He would later become the first mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, serving in that position from 1851 until his death. Morgan County, Utah
Morgan County, Utah
Morgan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2010 the population was 9,469. It was named for Jedediah Morgan Grant, father of Heber J. Grant, who served as president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
and Morgan, Utah
Morgan, Utah
Morgan is a city in Morgan County, Utah, in the United States. It is part of the Ogden–Clearfield, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is named after Jedediah Morgan Grant, a leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,687....
are both named for him. In 1854, Jedediah M. Grant was ordained an Apostle, but he did not become a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Instead, he was called to the First Presidency
First Presidency (LDS Church)
The First Presidency is the presiding or governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors. The First Presidency currently consists of President Thomas S. Monson and his two counselors, Henry B...
as Second Counselor to Brigham Young, to fill the vacancy left by Willard Richards
Willard Richards
Willard Richards was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served as Second Counselor in the First Presidency to church president Brigham Young in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death.Willard Richards was born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, to...
' death.
Sermons during the Mormon reformation
In 1856, Grant was called upon by Young to tour the northern sections of Utah, calling them to repentance. In the Mormon ReformationMormon Reformation
The Mormon Reformation was a period of renewed emphasis on spirituality within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It took place in 1856 and 1857 and was under the direction of President of the Church Brigham Young. During the Reformation, Young sent his counselor Jedediah M...
of 1856, he toured according to his assignment, delivering fiery speeches condemning all forms of sin and demanding perfection. He issued a call for rebaptism
Rebaptism (Mormonism)
Rebaptism is a practice in some denominations of the Latter Day Saint or Mormonism movement.The Latter Day Saints were headquartered in Nauvoo, Illinois. Many who were already baptized members of the church, were rebaptised either to show a renewal of their commitment to the movement or as part of...
of all the members of the area. His speeches earned him the title, "Brigham's Sledgehammer." The effects of his speeches were felt almost immediately; members throughout the area, as well as in distant parts, were rebaptized to signify their commitment to renew their commitments to the LDS Church and the gospel. Several of these speeches are recorded in Journal of Discourses
Journal of Discourses
The Journal of Discourses is a 26-volume collection of public sermons by early leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . The first editions of the Journal were published in England by George D. Watt, the stenographer of Brigham Young...
.
Death and descendants
Grant contracted pneumoniaPneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
after his vigorous tour. He died on December 1, 1856, just nine days after his son, Heber J. Grant
Heber J. Grant
Heber Jeddy Grant was the seventh president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was ordained an apostle on October 16, 1882, on the same day as George Teasdale...
was born to his wife Rachel Ridgeway Ivins Grant. He was buried at Salt Lake City Cemetery
Salt Lake City Cemetery
thumb|The northern section of the cemetery at night, looking towards Salt Lake CityThe Salt Lake City Cemetery is in The Avenues neighborhood of Salt Lake City, Utah. Approximately 120,000 persons are buried in the cemetery. Many religious leaders and politicians, particularly many leaders of The...
.
Like many early Latter-day Saints, Jedediah Grant practiced plural marriage
Plural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
. He had a total of seven wives and 13 children. His son Heber J. Grant
Heber J. Grant
Heber Jeddy Grant was the seventh president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was ordained an apostle on October 16, 1882, on the same day as George Teasdale...
became the seventh President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
External links
- Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages
- A List of Sermons by Grant (Wikisource)