The Mormon Church, or the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints, began in upstate New York when John Smith published the Book of Mormon. In an attempt to create the city of Zion, a place where believers can gather freely, Smith moved his congregation from New York to Ohio, then to Missouri, and finally to Illinois. Smith and his congregation struggled with violence between themselves and local non-believers who disagreed with the beliefs of the Mormons. In 1844, Smith and his brother, Hyrum, were arrested and killed, leaving the church without a leader. A fight over succession followed, creating two branches of the church. Brigham Young took control of the majority of the congregation, the group that is known in modern times as the LDS church.

In light of the continuing persecution of Mormons in Missouri and Illinois, Young decided to move his congregation west, to territory that was generally unpopulated, and therefore open to the creation of Zion. Beginning in 1847, Young and many of his followers established farming communities in the Utah territory. In 1852, Mormon leaders became vocal about their beliefs, including their belief in plural marriage, a practice that many non-Mormons found disturbing. This caused tension between church leaders and non-Mormons who traveled through the area.