As we all know, in 1844, members of an anti-Mormon mob stormed Joseph Smith's Carthage Jail cell, killing his brother and appointed successor Hyrum Smith almost immediately. However, fortunately for the Mormons, their founder survived to complete the journey to Texas--of course, their home today--where they lived for almost 30 more years before he died and his son Joseph Smith III became their new leader.
But how would things have turned out if they'd killed him? Of course, Joseph III probably takes over regardless, but supposedly, many of the other church leaders including quirky, controversial Apostles' Quorum president Brigham Young had an alternate plan to take them to the land just west of Colorado, now the state of Paiuta? There's not much water out there to support them--besides the Colorado River cutting through the SE corner of the state, could the Grand Lake of Salt really be enough? It's certainly no place to build a city.
But how would things have turned out if they'd killed him? Of course, Joseph III probably takes over regardless, but supposedly, many of the other church leaders including quirky, controversial Apostles' Quorum president Brigham Young had an alternate plan to take them to the land just west of Colorado, now the state of Paiuta? There's not much water out there to support them--besides the Colorado River cutting through the SE corner of the state, could the Grand Lake of Salt really be enough? It's certainly no place to build a city.