Mary Ann Angell
Encyclopedia
Mary Ann Angell Young was the second woman married to Latter Day Saint
leader Brigham Young
. They were married on February 28, 1834. Young's first wife, Miriam Angeline Works, had died on September 8, 1832. With the permission of Mary, Young began practicing plural marriage
in 1842 when he married Lucy Ann Decker.
The daughter of James and Phoebe Morton Angell, she was born June 8, 1803 at Seneca, Ontario, New York. When she was quite young, her parents moved to Providence, Rhode Island. Mary Ann became a Free Will Baptist and was also a Sunday School teacher. Deeply religious and studious of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, she vowed never to marry until she met "a man of God" in whom she could confide her spirituality and with whom her heart could unite in the active duties of a Christian life.
In 1830, Thomas B. Marsh
loaned her a Book of Mormon
and she prayerfully read it, and came to the conclusion that it too was the word of God. She and her parents went to southern New York where they were all baptized. Mary Ann then set out alone for Kirtland, Ohio, then the gathering place of the early Mormons. There she met and married Brigham Young and remained a devoted wife to him for the next 45 years. She survived him by nearly five years.
Mary Ann Angell and Brigham Young had six children. One of these children was Brigham Young, Jr.
, who was ordained an apostle by his father in 1864, but was not placed in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints until 1868. John Willard Young
, another one of her sons, was also an ordained apostle and was the first counselor in the First Presidency
of the church at the end of Brigham Young's administration as church president. Another son was Joseph Angell Young
, who was ordained an apostle in 1864 but never became a member of either the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles or the First Presidency.
Mary Ann was also a skilled herbalist and folk doctor. During her trek across the plains to Utah in 1848, she used these skills to treat many fellow pioneers. She also brought many seeds with her and is credited with planting the beautiful trees that grow along the eastern end of South Temple street in Salt Lake City, which was once known as Brigham Street. LDS church historian Andrew Jenson wrote of her, "She was a very gifted and intelligent woman, highly cultured, yet humble and meek, ever ready to help the poor and needy, or ease the suffering of the afflicted. She passed through great trials and privation but through it all she was a faithful wife, model mother, and Latter-day Saint, in whose heart native goodness and benevolence abounded."
Mary Ann Angell was the sister of Salt Lake Temple
architect Truman Angell.
Latter Day Saint movement
The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
leader 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...
. They were married on February 28, 1834. Young's first wife, Miriam Angeline Works, had died on September 8, 1832. With the permission of Mary, Young began practicing 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...
in 1842 when he married Lucy Ann Decker.
The daughter of James and Phoebe Morton Angell, she was born June 8, 1803 at Seneca, Ontario, New York. When she was quite young, her parents moved to Providence, Rhode Island. Mary Ann became a Free Will Baptist and was also a Sunday School teacher. Deeply religious and studious of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, she vowed never to marry until she met "a man of God" in whom she could confide her spirituality and with whom her heart could unite in the active duties of a Christian life.
In 1830, Thomas B. Marsh
Thomas B. Marsh
Thomas Baldwin Marsh was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He served as the first President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from 1835 to 1839...
loaned her a Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
and she prayerfully read it, and came to the conclusion that it too was the word of God. She and her parents went to southern New York where they were all baptized. Mary Ann then set out alone for Kirtland, Ohio, then the gathering place of the early Mormons. There she met and married Brigham Young and remained a devoted wife to him for the next 45 years. She survived him by nearly five years.
Mary Ann Angell and Brigham Young had six children. One of these children was Brigham Young, Jr.
Brigham Young, Jr.
Brigham Young, Jr. served as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1899 until his death. His tenure was interrupted for one week in 1901 when Joseph F...
, who was ordained an apostle by his father in 1864, but was not placed in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints until 1868. John Willard Young
John Willard Young
John Willard Young was a leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He is one of the few individuals to have been an apostle of the LDS Church and a member of the First Presidency without ever having been a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.-Early life and apostolic...
, another one of her sons, was also an ordained apostle and was the first counselor in 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...
of the church at the end of Brigham Young's administration as church president. Another son was Joseph Angell Young
Joseph Angell Young
Joseph Angell Young was an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Young is one of the few Latter-day Saints in history to have been ordained to the office of apostle without ever becoming a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles or the First Presidency of the...
, who was ordained an apostle in 1864 but never became a member of either the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles or the First Presidency.
Mary Ann was also a skilled herbalist and folk doctor. During her trek across the plains to Utah in 1848, she used these skills to treat many fellow pioneers. She also brought many seeds with her and is credited with planting the beautiful trees that grow along the eastern end of South Temple street in Salt Lake City, which was once known as Brigham Street. LDS church historian Andrew Jenson wrote of her, "She was a very gifted and intelligent woman, highly cultured, yet humble and meek, ever ready to help the poor and needy, or ease the suffering of the afflicted. She passed through great trials and privation but through it all she was a faithful wife, model mother, and Latter-day Saint, in whose heart native goodness and benevolence abounded."
Mary Ann Angell was the sister of Salt Lake Temple
Salt Lake Temple
The Salt Lake Temple is the largest and best-known of more than 130 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the sixth temple built by the church, requiring 40 years to complete, and the fourth operating temple built since the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo,...
architect Truman Angell.