The contributions of Joseph Smith or Brigham Young to the Mormon movement Many settlers traveled east, but the largest religious group to travel east was the Mormons. The Mormon religion was founded by a person named Joseph Smith. A Smith grew up on his farm, angles appeared telling him there was a book (written on gold plates) on a hillside near Manchester, New York. Once unearthed, the plaques were published in a translated version, which contained statements from his father and brothers claiming to have seen the plaques. Smith began to preach his new religion. He started with five settlers, growing to several hundred by the end of 1830. Smith prayed for more guidance and took the settlers to Kirtland, Ohio (to found the "City of God"). The Mormons accomplished many things in Kirtland, but an economic crisis occurred, which led to the Mormons being driven out of Kirtland by the non-Mormons. Next, Smith took his settlers to Missouri, where they left (due to public hatred of Mormons) for Nauvoo. THE ...