Erastus Snow (November 9, 1818 – May 27, 1888) was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1849 until his death. Snow was a leading figure in the Mormon colonization of Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico.

Early life

Snow was born on November 9, 1818, in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, to Levi Snow (1782-1841) and Lucina Streeter Snow (1785-1858).

Snow was baptized a member of the LDS Church (at that time known as the Church of Christ) when he was 14 years old, on February 3, 1833, in Charleston, Vermont.

In April 1839, at age 20, Snow successfully petitioned the jailers at Liberty Jail to move Joseph Smith (founder of the Latter Day Saint movement) and the prisoners accompanying him to a different location. He was subsequently appointed a member of the high council of the church. In 1845, Snow received his endowment in the Nauvoo Temple. Over the course of his life, Snow served a total of sixteen missions to New England, St. Louis, Arizona, southern Utah, Denmark, Scandinavia, and Mexico. Writer George M. McCune has said of Snow: "He prevailed in debates over the Book of Mormon and healed and converted many during his life". completing the journey on July 21, 1847. In October 1848, Snow began serving in the presidency of the Salt Lake Stake. and Franklin D. Richards were ordained. Snow served in this capacity until his death in 1888.

While serving as a missionary in Denmark, Snow baptized the first Icelanders to join the church, ordained them to the priesthood, and sent them to Iceland to preach. Before the end of his mission, Snow began the publication of a church periodical in Danish.

In 1853, Snow was elected to the House of Representatives in the Utah territorial legislature. Later in the 1850s, Snow served as the presiding church authority in the midwestern United States, using St. Louis, Missouri as his headquarters. While in Missouri, Snow edited the periodical St. Louis Luminary.

Personal life and death

Erastus Snow had four wives, 23 sons, and 13 daughters.

  • Snowflake, Arizona

See also

  • Hurricane, Utah

References

  • "Snow, Erastus" in the Utah History Encyclopedia
  • Erastus Fairbanks Snow papers, L. Tom Perry Special Collections
  • Erastus Fairbanks Snow agreements, L. Tom Perry Special Collections
  • History of Erastus Snow, L. Tom Perry Special Collections
  • Printer's galley proofs of "Erastus Snow," L. Tom Perry Special Collections
  • Photographs of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles under President John Taylor, L. Tom Perry Special Collections
  • Erastus Fairbanks and Artemisia Beman Snow family temple records, L. Tom Perry Special Collections