Empey, William A. (William Adam), 1808-1890

Empey crossed the plains with the original Mormon pioneer company in 1847, but was detailed to remain at the Platte Ferry.

Mormon pioneer and missionary who was born in Canada.

Born July 4, 1808, in modern-day Ontario Province, Canada, William Adam Empey returned to the United States, the birthplace of his parents, sometime before the year 1844. Although the date and place of his conversion to Mormonism are not known, he became involved in the Mormon Church before the exodus from Nauvoo and was "sealed" to Brigham Young as an "adopted son." From this point on, he abandoned his original middle name and used "Young" quite frequently. In 1847, he participated in Brigham Young's pioneer expedition to the Great Salt Lake Valley. He never reached the valley, however, for Young selected Empey and eight other members of the party to operate the first Mormon ferry at Upper Crossing on the North Platte River. After arriving in the Valley with a later emigrant party, he served on the Iron County Mission which settled Parowan in southern Utah. Then, in 1852, he was called to a mission in England. During his two-year stint, while still preaching the Church's gospel abroad, he was ordered home to America and appointed to oversee all preparations of the overland parties in Missouri during the 1853-1854 travel season.

Canadian-born Mormon convert who participated in Brigham Young's 1847 pioneer expedition to the Great Salt Lake Valley and later served in the Church's British mission, first as a missionary and later as an agent for the Church in Missouri assisting parties of Mormon emigrants.