The Frost’s moved west first to Nauvoo, Illinois. Joseph Smith and his followers had originally gone to Missouri, but were ejected by the State of Missouri. In 1844, Smith and his brother were later to be tried for treason in Missouri, so turned themselves in only to be killed by a mob at the jail. There was a power vaccuum, but it appeared that Brigham Young would be taking the lead.
He organized the first Mormon Vanguard Company. In 1847, 14 groups of 9-14 people were assigned to a leader, an ox, and a wagon. They walked or road over 1,000 miles to the Salt Lake valley in what is now Utah. Burr was included in this first set of settlers in Group Seven, led by James Case. Amazingly, the group arrived safely in July of 1847. It was some time before Burr brought his wife and kids out.
Though the Mormons were split as to whether polygamy should be allowed, Burr dipped his toe into the multiple-marriage pool by marrying Eliza Morris in 1852, the first year polygamy was out in the open. She was also still married to her first husband, Isaac Nash, with whom she had four children. She and Burr had no children together. However, that changed when Burr married 22-year-old Caroline Triplett in 1864. They had at least eight children together. Burr was a reliable and hard-working member of the LDS church.
He was an effective proselytizer who was called upon to do mission work as far away as Hawaii and Australia. In March of 1878, Burr died. At the time of his death he was one of the Presidents of the Seventy, a significant leadership position.
All of his wives outlived him. His first wife, Mary Elizabeth, outlived the younger wives, dying in 1904. Polygamy was banned by the church in 1890.
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