Social Hall from Harper's Weekly, 1858.
Early Utah Pioneer Cultural Societies BY
JOSEPH
HETNERMAN
Nauvoo and their subsequent hegira westward, the Mormon pioneers under the direction of a newly organized First Presidency sought to isolate themselves from all Gentile (or non-Mormon) influences and establish an economically independent and politically theocratic commonwealth in the Great Basin. Among the many ideas advanced by the Saints to achieve this contemplated insularism was the Deseret Alphabet, so "when certain brethren brought to Brigham Young a proposal for a new alphabet he was impressed. The
OHORTLY AFTER THEIR EXPULSION FROM
Mr. Heinerman is a freelance researcher and writer in Salt Lake City.
