Review
Title: Brigham Young and the Expansion of the Mormon Faith
Author: Thomas G. Alexander
Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press
Genre: Mormon History; Brigham Young
Year Published: 2019
Number of Pages: 416
Binding: Hardcover
ISBN: 978-0-8061-6277-5
Price: $29.95
Reviewed by Kris Wray for the Association for Mormon Letters
Thomas G. Alexander’s biography of Brigham Young, one of the succession claimants over the religion organized by Joseph Smith Jr., follows John G. Turner’s thorough work on Young published in 2012. Both have an advantage most previous volumes focused on Young lack; that is, access to and knowledge of original documents and important archival materials. Alexander, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has decades of employment and affiliation within LDS historical circles. In addition, several important sources have come forth since Turner’s biography on Young was released, such as the records of the Kingdom of God on earth (Council of Fifty), and LaJean P. Carruth’s transcriptions of George D. Watt’s sermon minutes and Deseret Alphabet materials, among other things. Nevertheless, Brigham Young and the Expansion of the Mormon Faith is designed to be a biography based solely on published sources, and therefore the bibliography is short and sweet. The reader might suspect on several counts that Alexander’s biography is a counter-balance to Turner’s interpretations, but both books contribute valuable insights into the life of Young.
Most of Brigham Young and the Expansion of the Mormon Faith’s content is a straightforward, at times almost generalized, history of Young’s life and policies. This is not a blemish on Alexander’s work considering the goal of the volume as part of the Oklahoma Biographies Series. The author himself states “I do not argue that this biography breaks new ground,” though he does offer more in-depth analysis on several topics he has spent years researching. Alexander does not spare President Young from criticism on several fronts, such as his stand toward Native Americans, the Mormon Reformation practices, and the frustrations experienced within the United Orders. Nevertheless, I thought there was a too-soft approach in light of what the pertinent documents portray when it came to Young’s teachings and behavior concerning plural marriage and blood atonement. Furthermore, while I tend to fall closer to Bagley, Bigler, and MacKinnon’s version than Walker, Turley, and Leonard’s where it concerns the turbulent time period and context of the Utah War and Mountain Meadows Massacre-particularly as it pertains to Young’s actions following the murders-Alexander’s forty-five page rendition does provide a good summary of the theory that places less blame on Young.
The part of the book I found most interesting was chapter twelve on Young’s final years. It discusses the various economic experiments implemented during the tenure of President Young. Also the contentions which arose between Latter-day Saints and government officials during the 1870s, construction of the St. George Temple, women’s suffrage, the reorganization of Church councils and administrative bodies, and finally, Brigham Young’s death. These developments were crucial to the formation of the future of the LDS Church, and are often overlooked when considering the influence President Young had on the Restoration movement based in Utah.
As aforementioned, there will probably not be much information considered new in Brigham Young and the Expansion of the Mormon Faith. It will likely be better received by believing Latter-day Saints than more critical scholars. It is an easy read which lays out the chronological framework of Young’s life, and offers someone not familiar with his complex personality a glimpse into the extraordinary life this man led and the challenges he faced bringing thousands of Latter-day Saints westward in an attempt to establish Zion. I recommend diving into Turner’s biography of Brigham Young after reading Alexander’s, in order to get a more rounded overview of the LDS leader’s life.
Please thank Kris Wray for the review of my book. As the reviewer points out, in addition to other things, I wrote about subjects on which I have done considerable research and that the book was intended as an overview of Young’s life. This was the task that Richard Etulain gave me. Both John Turner and Leonard Arrington offer a great deal more detail, and I would recommend both of their biographies. Nevertheless, I hope that both Latter-day Saints and those not of that faith will find my biography a useful overview of Young’s life.
Actually, my book is a hundred more pages that it was supposed to be. Fortunately Etulain and UO press published the whole text.
On another matter, I am not certain just why the reviewer categorizes Bill MacKinnon’s view of the Mountain Meadows Massacre with Bagley’s and Bigler’s. My only disagreement with MacKinnon is in his argument that Young deserves a Scotch Verdict. MacKinnon argues that the case against Young is not proved. Unlike Bagley and Bigler, MacKinnon does not believe the evidence shows Young was guilty. I agree with MacKinnon, but point out that United States courts, cannot render a Scotch Verdict. The trial, had one occurred, in our courts with the evidence MacKinnon has found would in all probability either have resulted in a hung jury or a not guilty verdict.
Thank you for your comment, sir. I will pass it along to Kris Wray.
Thank you for your comments Tom. I think given the criteria you were asked to follow, you did a fine job. I stated my views fall more in line with Bagley, Bigler and MacKinnon where it concerns the turbulent time period and context of the Utah War and Mountain Meadows Massacre, particularly as it pertains to Young’s actions following the murders, not that MacKinnon believes just as Bagley and Bigler. Though as you point out, he does go beyond what you are comfortable with in his Scotch Verdict comments. I myself am not convinced Young gave an order for the MMM, just that he and others contributed to an environment that facilitated it and then covered it up, and that LDS works sometimes have an apologetic feel to them.