Brigham Young Jr. (December 18, 1836 – April 11, 1903) served as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1899 until his death. His tenure was interrupted for one week in 1901 when Joseph F. Smith was the president of the Quorum. Early life Young was born in Kirtland, Ohio, the son of Brigham Young and Mary Ann Angell. Young's twin sister, Mary, died at age seven from the effects of injuries received at age two in a wagon accident. At age twelve, Young drove an ox cart along the Mormon Trail, reaching Salt Lake City in 1848. Young served as a guard and scout in the following years, operating in Salt Lake Valley and the surrounding canyons. On November 15, 1855, Young married Catherine Curtis Spencer, a daughter of Orson Spencer, with exactly the same name as her mother. In Utah Territory, Young became a member of the reconstituted Nauvoo Legion. He was involved in the rescue of the Willie and Martin companies of Mormon handcart pioneers. He also served in the Utah War with the troops that worked to halt the advance of Johnston's Army. In 1861, Young was made a member of the Salt Lake Stake high council. Early years as a general authority Brigham Young Sr. ordained three of his sons, Brigham Young Jr., Joseph Angell Young and John Willard Young, as apostles in 1864, without public announcement or adding them to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Unlike his brothers, Brigham Young Jr. would later become part of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles four years later in 1868, after the death of Heber C. Kimball and George A. Smith joining the First Presidency. In 1868, he was also a Representative to the Territory of Utah Legislative Assembly. Young Jr. also served as a counselor to his father in the First Presidency of the church from April 8, 1873, until his father's death on August 29, 1877. Missions to Europe From 1862 to 1863, Young served as a church missionary in England, spending most of the time in London. During this time, he also accompanied Joseph F. Smith on a trip to Paris, France. In 1864, Young returned to Europe, this time with his wife, Catherine (Orson Spencer's daughter), as his companion. He was an assistant to mission president Daniel H. Wells.