Deseret, State of
Substate | Defunct
1849 CE to 1850 CE
The State of Deseret is a provisional state of the United States, proposed in 1849 by settlers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City.
The provisional state exists for slightly over two years and is never recognized by the United States government.
The name derives from the word for "honeybee" in the Book of Mormon.
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Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Mormon pioneers), having settled in the Salt Lake Valley near the Great Salt Lake in 1847 (then part of Mexico), wished to set up a government that would be recognized by the United States.
Initially Brigham Young, President of the Church, intended to apply for status as a territory, and had sent John Milton Bernhisel eastward to Washington, D.C., with the petition for territorial status.
In March 1849, realizing that they did not have time to follow the usual steps towards statehood, Young and a group of church elders quickly draft a state constitution based on that of Iowa, where the Mormons had temporarily settled, and send the legislative records and constitution back to that state for printing, since no printing press exists in the Great Basin at this time.
Initially Brigham Young, President of the Church, intended to apply for status as a territory, and had sent John Milton Bernhisel eastward to Washington, D.C., with the petition for territorial status.
In March 1849, realizing that they did not have time to follow the usual steps towards statehood, Young and a group of church elders quickly draft a state constitution based on that of Iowa, where the Mormons had temporarily settled, and send the legislative records and constitution back to that state for printing, since no printing press exists in the Great Basin at this time.
Brigham Young had organized a Board of Regents to establish a university in the Salt Lake Valley
The University of Utah is established on February 28, 1850, as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, and Orson Spencer is appointed as the first chancellor of the university.
Early classes are held in private homes or wherever space can be found.
The university will close in 1853 due to lack of funds and lack of feeder schools.
The University of Utah is established on February 28, 1850, as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, and Orson Spencer is appointed as the first chancellor of the university.
Early classes are held in private homes or wherever space can be found.
The university will close in 1853 due to lack of funds and lack of feeder schools.