Brigham Frederick Grant

Brigham Frederick Grant was born Oct 17, 1856 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Jedediah Morgan and Marrietta Kesler Grant. Brigham is the older half-brother of Church President Heber J. Grant.

Early Life

When Brigham was only six weeks old, his father died. His father was a member of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We was raised by his mother until he was two when she married someone outside of the Church and moved to Colorado. He was raised by his grandparents (not specified which grandparents) until 1860 when was adopted by Beason Lewis.

Heber J. Grant relates the following about his brother:

"It was often a source of sorrow to me—and I often spoke of it to your father—that my brother B.F. was a very profane man, and that he hadn't the slightest interest in the Gospel. Your Father (Marriner Wood Merrill) would always smile and say, "Well, Brother Grant, don't you worry about that brother of yours; he'll come back all right, mark my works."2

In 1868, Brigham abandoned his family and joined a group of miners going to Montana. Heber J. Grant relates:

"Your father (Marriner) told me of a very wonderful dream he had had the very night after my brother had run away from Beasons Lewis' home and had gone up into the mining districts of Montana.

"...'I went to bed feeling rebellious, and I had a remarkable dream. I saw your brother traveling from one place to another with the vilest kind of company, but wherever he was he was always surrounded by a light. In my dream I asked, 'What does that light mean?' A voice answered, 'That light is the influence of a faithful father to protect the boy from committing sin whereby he cannot come back to the fold.' Then I saw him come back to Utah; I saw him join the Church and become a very hard, diligent worker, traveling through the States of Zion, laboring among the wayward, careless, and indifferent, and profane young men all over the Church, and meeting with marvelous success. That is why I have told you time and time again during the years that your brother took no interest in the Church and was a very profane man, that he would eventually come back and labor among the youth of Zion.'"2

Brigham Young Blessing

After working in Montana, Brigham moved to Salt Lake City in 1870. After his return, Church President Brigham Young adopted him and helped him. Brigham F. relates:

"I had been in Salt Lake only a short time when in some way President Young learned where I was and what I was doing. President Young's son Feramorz and my brother, Heber, at the request of President Young, searched me out and informed me that President Young wanted to see me.

"The next day I called on him at his office, and he happened to be alone. I told him who I was, and he did not merely reach out his hand to shake mine, but he arose from his chair and gave me a father's handshake. In so doing he discovered that he callouses on my hands were hard and thick, and he remarked, 'My boy, what kind of work are you doing?' I replied, 'I am unloading coal and chopping wood.' 

He then resumed his seat and continued his inquiry regarding my past life and what I had been doing. He remarked, 'Isn't it pretty heavy work, shoveling coal and chopping wood, for a boy of your age?' I replied, 'No, sir, I have been used to hard work all my life.' He answered, 'Wouldn't you like to have something easier than your present work, for instance, a position in a store?' I replied, 'I haven't got sense enough to work in a store.' He said, 'What do you mean by that?' I replied, "I can neither read, nor write.'

"I discovered this good and great man's heart was touched by this remark. I was a tear rolling down his cheek, and he took his handkerchief and wiped them off and said, 'My boy, come and live with me; I will give you a home; I will clothe you; I will send you to school; and you can work during the vacation for me.'

"I accepted his kind offer. He became a father to me. He furnished a home; he clothed me and provided an opportunity for me to attend school; and he gave me five dollars a week for spending money, which was a very princely allowance in those days of hardship and toil.

"...Soon after I went to live with President Young, I was given a team and was doing general work on his farm and performing other duties incident to pioneer life"1

Soon after this, Brigham operated a store in Milford, Utah, establishing the first mercantile in the city. He would soon return and become the first Chief of Police in Salt Lake City, Utah.  

Y.M.M.I.A

Around 1916, Brigham was appointed as a general board member of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association. Heber J. Grant relates:

"In one single winter, Fred got over 500 boys into the Mutual Improvement Associations in Salt Lake County. Sometimes he would work with a man until one or two o'clock in the morning. He would come across men who would profane the name of God and order him out of the house, but he would laugh at them and say, 'Why, I was once as big a fool as you are; I used to talk that way."'

Epilogue