8 7 7 ) ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁pione er ▁and ▁prominent ▁early ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁L atter ▁Day ▁Saint ▁Mov ement ▁in ▁Ut ah . ▁ ▁Lee ▁was ▁later ▁conv icted ▁as ▁a ▁mass ▁murder er ▁for ▁his ▁comp licity ▁in ▁the ▁Mountain ▁M ead ows ▁mass acre , ▁sent enced ▁to ▁death ▁and ▁was ▁executed ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 7 . ▁ ▁Early ▁M orm on ▁leader ▁John ▁Do yle ▁Lee ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁September ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 8 1 2 , ▁in ▁K ask ask ia , ▁Illinois ▁Territ ory , ▁and ▁joined ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁Jesus ▁Christ ▁of ▁L atter ▁Day ▁Sain ts ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 8 . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁friend ▁of ▁Joseph ▁Smith , ▁founder ▁of ▁the ▁L atter ▁Day ▁Saint ▁Mov ement , ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁adopted ▁son ▁of ▁Br igh am ▁Young ▁under ▁the ▁early ▁L atter ▁Day ▁Saint ▁Law ▁of ▁A do ption ▁doctrine . ▁In ▁ 1 8 3 9 , ▁Lee ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁mission ary ▁with ▁his ▁boy hood ▁friend , ▁Le vi ▁Stewart . ▁T ogether ▁they ▁pre ached ▁in ▁Illinois , ▁Ohio , ▁Kentucky , ▁and ▁Tennessee . ▁During ▁this ▁period ▁Lee ▁converted ▁and ▁bapt ized ▁" W ild ▁Bill " ▁H ick man . ▁Lee ▁pract iced ▁pl ural ▁marriage ▁and ▁had ▁nin ete en ▁w ives ▁( at ▁least ▁eleven ▁of ▁whom ▁eventually ▁left ▁him ) ▁along ▁with ▁si xty - se ven ▁children . ▁ ▁Lee ▁was ▁alleg edly ▁a ▁member