Pre-Conversion Letter By Brigham Young's (Twice-over) Future Father-in-Law

A scarce early letter from the father of two of Brigham Young's plural wives. It discusses a period of his life that is virtually unknown (see Gilman Bigelow Howe's Genealogy of the Bigelow Family in America (Worcester, 1890). As Susa Young Gates (a granddaughter of Nahum Bigelow and daughter of Brigham Young and Lucy Bigelow Young) wrote in his only known biography in the Juvenile Instructor (April 15, 1891): "Little can be told of the early life of Nahum Bigelow--leaving behind him no record except in the hearts of loving descendents. From that record--halting and imperfect as it may be and is--the following sketch can be made." she goes on to speak of the background from other family oral traditions, but little of an historical note exists. After moving from Mt. Carmel, Illinois to nearby Lawrenceville, he was married in 1826 to 16 year old Mary Gibbs who was 24 years his junior. After the birth of Mary Jane and Lucy, he moved his family to Hancock County where he was converted to Mormonism some time after 1835. The family removed to Nauvoo in 1843 and after the murder of Joseph Smith they trekked to Winter Quarters, Indian Territory (near today's Omaha in 1847. The two daughters were to become plural wives of Brigham Young. The letter is written to his brother, Noah (1783-1850), an itinerate preacher who was interested in land speculation in Mount Carmel, Illinois. Nahum writes: "Dear Brother, I take my pen to write a few lines....after losing all hopes of hearing from you again....the lots you purchased ought to be in no danger....they [do] have to be disposed of soon. He writes that he has a son and a daughter [twenty-one months old]. Seal hole affecting a few letters and repaired fold tears with no loss of text.