Who succeeded Joseph Smith as the leader of the Mormons and helped establish their settlement in Utah?

Brigham Young was the individual who succeeded Joseph Smith as the leader of the Latter-day Saint movement, commonly known as the Mormons. After Joseph Smith's assassination in 1844, Young helped guide the community through a period of uncertainty and challenge. He played a pivotal role in leading the Mormons westward to establish a new settlement in the Salt Lake Valley in present-day Utah. Young's leadership was instrumental in organizing the migration and creating a thriving community that adhered to the principles of their faith, fostering a sense of unity among the Mormons.

The significance of his leadership is reflected in the successful establishment of Salt Lake City and the development of an infrastructure that included irrigation systems and roads, essential for survival in the arid environment. Young became the governor of the Utah Territory and helped shape the cultural and social structure of the region.

Other figures listed do not share the same direct leadership legacy within the Mormon community following Joseph Smith's death. John Noyes led a different religious movement, the Oneida Community, which was based on distinct spiritual and communal beliefs. Thomas Cole was an influential painter associated with the Hudson River School, focusing on American landscape painting, and Charles Finney was a leading preacher during the Second Great Awak