modern money) for passage to the United States, in late 1851 the Marchants moved to Birmingham, a bustling industrial city where tailor services were in demand and customers were less likely to bother about Abraham's religion. His reputation in the church preceded him and he was immediately appointed to the Birmingham Conference presidency. Despite the staid Victorian environment in England at the time, when the church announced the doctrine of plural marriage, Abraham reported that "a great spirit of inquiry respecting the Patriarchal order of Marriage was manifested" among church members in Birmingham. By February 1854, Abraham had saved the money to emigrate and booked ordinary passage for himself, Lydia, and their eight children on the Windermere. He paid for the tickets himself rather than relying on the Perpetual Emigration Fund (PEF). The ship sailed on February 22 and arrived in New Orleans on April 20. However, when they arrived in St. Louis, the cost of equipment and provisions for crossing the plains had recently doubled, forcing them to turn to the PEF for help. Marchant arrived with other settlers in the area now known as Peoa in 1862 and was soon named "First Elder" and then Bishop of the settlement. As more settlements sprang up within Summit County, he acted as the Bishop of over the entire southern half of the county, including Peoa, Rockport, Wanship, and Kamas. He served in that capacity until his death. Marchant was the first postmaster in the town. He also led the company that converted Abes Lake in the Uintas into a reservoir. The lake is named after him. Marchant died on October 6, 1881, at age 65 of heart disease. References 1816 births 1881 deaths Utah postmasters Converts to Mormonism English emigrants to the United States English Latter Day Saints English leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Mormon pioneers People from Summit County, Utah American city founders