▁and ▁two ▁sons . ▁ ▁When ▁he ▁was ▁ 2 1 ▁years ▁old ▁he ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁manager ▁for ▁a ▁merc ant ile ▁company ▁before ▁entering ▁the ▁teaching ▁profession ▁as ▁a ▁teacher ▁in ▁Smith field , ▁Ut ah . ▁R ais ed ▁in ▁The ▁Church ▁of ▁Jesus ▁Christ ▁of ▁L atter - day ▁Sain ts ▁( L DS ▁Church ) ▁during ▁the ▁time ▁when ▁pl ural ▁marriage ▁( pol yg amy ) ▁was ▁taught ▁and ▁pract iced , ▁K err ▁later ▁married ▁a ▁second ▁wife , ▁Lo is ▁Cord elia ▁More head , ▁a ▁school te acher ▁in ▁Smith field , ▁Ut ah ▁and ▁they ▁had ▁two ▁children , ▁a ▁son ▁and ▁a ▁daughter . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁church ▁ren ounced ▁the ▁practice , ▁K err ▁divor ced ▁his ▁second ▁wife ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 8 . ▁The ▁emot ional ▁impact ▁caused ▁K err ▁and ▁his ▁w ives ▁to ▁leave ▁the ▁L DS ▁Church . ▁K err ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁delegate ▁to ▁the ▁Ut ah ' s ▁constitution al ▁convent ions ▁in ▁both ▁ 1 8 8 7 ▁and ▁ 1 8 9 5 . ▁He ▁also ▁studied ▁at ▁Corn ell ▁University ▁in ▁New ▁York . ▁ ▁Career ▁K err ▁began ▁his ▁academic ▁career ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 7 ▁when ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁fac ulty ▁of ▁Br igh am ▁Young ▁College ▁as ▁a ▁mathematics ▁professor . ▁He ▁also ▁taught ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Ut ah . ▁He ▁then ▁served ▁as ▁president ▁of ▁Br igh am ▁Young ▁College ▁in ▁Log an ,