Brown, John, 1820-1896

John Brown was born 23 October 1820 in Tennessee. He married Elizabeth Crosby on 21 May 1844 in Nauvoo. He came to Utah with Brigham Young's pioneer company in July of 1847 and was a member of the expeditionary party that first saw the Salt Lake Valley. He did some of the initial planting and exploring of the valley; was captain of Parley P. Pratt's company that explored southern Utah in the winter of 1849; served as agent for the Perpetual Emigrating Fund; and spent two years at different gathering points of Utah-bound emigration, helping to outfit teams traveling west. In 1852 he was elected to the territorial legislature. Was a member of the settlement exploring expedition to Salmon River, Oregon, 1857. Served a mission to England in 1860 and presided over the southern states mission for two years after the Civil War. Was mayor of Pleasant Grove for ten years and bishop of Pleasant Grove for 29 years. He died on 4 November 1896 in Pleasant Grove.

Brown was a bishop, missionary, and patriarch of the Mormon Church; a pioneer, wagon train captain, and explorer of the western U.S.; a colonel in the Nauvoo Legion militia and a captain in the Utah militia; a politician and mayor of Pleasant Grove, Utah.