Willard Young

Who was Willard Young?

Willard Young was a prominent member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who served for many years in the United States military, and later held high positions within the LDS Church's administration. He also served as an educational leader.

Born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, Young was the son of Brigham Young and Clarissa Ross Young. His mother died when he was six, and after this Zina D. H. Young acted as his mother. Young is at times described as Zina's "foster son".

In 1860, Young was baptized a member of the LDS Church by James Works.

In 1871, Young began as a cadet at West Point. He graduated from West Point in 1875 and was appointed a second lieutenant with the United States Army Corps of Engineers. From 1875 to 1877 he was stationed at Willets Point, New York. From 1877 to 1879 he worked under Lieutenant Wheeler in the geographical survey in of the United States west of the 100th meridian.

From 1879 to 1883 Young was an instructor and then a professor at West Point.

Young married Harriet Hooper on August 1, 1882. She was the daughter of Willam H. Hooper. Young was ordained a seventy in 1891 and served as a Mutual Improvement Association Missionary in Davis, Weber and Box Elder counties in northern Utah. While working for the Corps of Engineers, Young was involved in making detailed maps of northern Utah and southern Idaho.