Historedia
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Mormons begin westward migration from Nauvoo led by Brigham Young

When
1846
Where
Nauvoo
Episodes
1

Brigham Young led the initial Mormon exodus from Nauvoo, Illinois, beginning in February 1846. The departure followed the 1844 death of Joseph Smith, which triggered a succession crisis and the Illinois Mormon War. Young organized the journey to Winter Quarters, Nebraska, before planning further movement toward the Great Salt Lake, a region then part of Mexico.

Episodes

  1. February 4, 1846 · NauvooDeparture from Nauvoo

    Young started the exodus in February 1846 due to indictments and rumors of troops preventing departure. The ship Brooklyn cleared New York harbor on February 4, 1846, the same day the exodus began.

Background and detail

Background. Nauvoo's population swelled to 12,000 by 1844, rivaling Chicago. The 1844 death of Joseph Smith in Carthage ignited the Illinois Mormon War and a succession crisis. Young led the church as president of the Quorum of the Twelve. The repeal of Nauvoo's charter in January 1845 left members vulnerable to mob attacks, setting the stage for the exodus.

Political Context. The territory comprising present-day Utah was part of the Republic of Mexico in 1846. The U.S. soon went to war over a border dispute following the annexation of Texas. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo would not cede northern Mexico to the United States until February 1848, confirming U.S. sovereignty later.

Preparation. In October 1845, the Nauvoo Neighbor printed lists of suggested provisions for family wagons. In November 1845, Samuel Brannan was directed to charter a ship for passengers to California. An estimated 5,000 members received temple endowments between December 10, 1845, and February 1846, with Young officiating many sessions.

People involved

  • Brigham Young · Leader of the exodus and President of the Quorum of the Twelve
  • Joseph Smith · Former church leader whose death triggered the exodus
  • Samuel Brannan · Newspaperman directed to charter a ship for emigrants

Sources

  1. Brigham Young Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-15
  2. Mormon pioneers Wikipedia, revision of 2026-07-24
  3. Nauvoo, Illinois Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-05

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.