Background
He was born on April 3, 1814 in Mantua, Ohio, United States, the son of Oliver and Rosetta L. (Pettibone) Snow, who had migrated from Massachusetts to the Western Reserve in the early years of the century.
He was born on April 3, 1814 in Mantua, Ohio, United States, the son of Oliver and Rosetta L. (Pettibone) Snow, who had migrated from Massachusetts to the Western Reserve in the early years of the century.
Snow received his education at Oberlin College. He left the college in 1836.
When Lorenzo joined the Mormons, he became busy converting others throughout Ohio to Mormonism. In 1838 he moved to Missouri and in the same year undertook a second mission, this time traveling in Missouri, Kentucky, and southern Illinois. Later in the same year he returned to Portage County, Ohio, where he taught school for two winters. In the fall of 1840 he was sent out from Nauvoo, on his third mission, this time to England. In the spring of 1843, he became active in local affairs of Ohio and among other projects organized a new company of the Nauvoo Legion and became its captain.
In the midst of intense conflict between the Mormons and other citizens of Illinois in the spring and summer of 1844, Joseph Smith offered himself as a candidate for the presidency of the United States, and Snow, like dozens of other zealots, entered into a vigorous political campaign in his behalf. In the controversy over leadership following the death of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, Snow supported the Brigham Young faction. Snow, in company with others, on February 12, 1846, moved across the Mississippi into Iowa; here he remained until the summer of 1848, when he trekked on westward to Salt Lake City.
On February 12, 1849, Snow was made an apostle, thus taking a place among the dominant leaders of his church. In October 1849, Brigham Young sent out the first group of missionaries from Utah, and Lorenzo Snow was "set apart" to open the mission in Italy. In June 1850, Snow and his companions began their proselyting in Italy, chiefly among the Protestant Waldenses in the Piedmont. In 1851 Snow with T. B. H. Stenhouse carried this missionary work into Switzerland. He planned to open missions in Malta, Turkey, Russia, and India, but before he could fulfil all his plans he was released from his duties and returned to Utah in July 1852.
After a year or so of school teaching in Salt Lake City, he was sent out to colonize in northern Utah and in 1853 he led fifty families to Brigham City, which became his residence for nearly forty years.
Snow organized the Brigham City Mercantile and Manufacturing Association, an example of the consumers' and producers' cooperative institution known in Mormondom as the "United Order. " After a decade of flourishing activity it fell into competition with private industries and gradually shrank in scope and function until it disappeared.
After the passage of the Edmunds Bill early in 1882, Snow, like other prominent Mormons, was haled into court on charges of "unlawful cohabitation" with plural wives. He was convicted, disfranchised, and sent to prison in January 1886. Finally his case was reversed by the United States Supreme Court, and he was released on February 8, 1887.
On April 7, 1889, he became president of the quorum of Twelve Apostles - a position that put him second in power in his church. On September 13, 1898, shortly after the death of President Wilford Woodruff, Snow was chosen president of his church, but, already advanced in age, he died three years later.
When a student, Lorenzo became thoroughly disillusioned regarding religion. During a visit to his sister Eliza, who had joined the Mormons in 1835 and who was living at Kirtland, Ohio, he was converted to the new faith and was baptized in June 1836.
Quotations: As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may be. "
As a leader Lorenzo Snow represents a mixture of piety and a strong belief in "spiritual gifts" with a distinct practicality in managing men and affairs.
Snow accepted the principle of plural marriage. At his first matrimonial venture he took two wives on the same day, shortly thereafter marrying two more. Later he added five other wives to his household. He had 42 children.