The Work and the Glory
Encyclopedia
The Work and the Glory is a nine-part novel series by Gerald N. Lund chronicling the birth and early growth of Mormonism
through the lives of the fictional Steed family. The Steeds, throughout the series, meet and come to know well many of the prominent early Church members. The series covers a twenty year period, opening in 1827 when the Steeds move from Vermont
to western New York
state, and ending in 1847 when they settle in the Salt Lake Valley
. The storyline also includes both fictional and actual events.
Joshua marries Jessica Roundy and has a daughter, Rachel, with her. They are eventually divorced, and Joshua then marries Caroline Mendenhall whom he meets in Savannah Georgia. She brings two children to the marriage, William Donovan and Olivia, and together, she and Joshua have three more children, Savannah, Charles Benjamin and Livvy Caroline. Their youngest Livvy is named for her older sister Olivia after she is killed. Livvy was Olivia's nickname. Joshua eventually is baptized into the Mormon religion, although it takes more than 19 years after the Church first came into his life for that to happen.
Nathan marries Lydia McBride, the only daughter of a store keeper in Palmyra, and they have several children, including one named after Nathan's older brother Joshua Benjamin. They also have a daughter named Emily, who becomes best friends with Jessica's oldest daughter Rachel. The other children do not figure prominently in the novels. They are: Nathan Joseph (who dies of malaria while in Commerce, IL), Elizabeth Mary, Josiah, Nathan Joseph (named for his brother and called Joseph), and Patricia Ann (called Tricia and born during the trek west to Utah). As well and one stillborn baby born after Emily they call Nathan Morgan.
Melissa marries Carlton Rogers, and they also have several children, who do not appear frequently in the books. Carl is the only member of the family that never joins the church. Their oldest son young Carlton Hezikiah saves his mother in Volume 9 from a group of evil men. Their other children are David Benjamin, Caleb John, Sarah, and Mary Melissa (who dies after falling into a frozen river after being sick).
Rebecca marries Derek Ingalls from England, they have three children: Christopher Joseph, Benjamin Derek, and Leah Rebecca.
Matthew marries Jennifer Jo McIntre from Ireland and they have two children, Betsy Jo, and Emmaline, although Jennifer Jo informs Matthew in Volume 9 that she is pregnant again.
Jennifer's sister Kathryn and Derek's brother Peter marry each other as well. They have a daughter named Nicole that was born at Fort Pueblo. Peter was a fictional member of the ill-fated Donner party
but survived.
Caroline's son Will marries Alice Samuelson, and by the end of the series, they have a young boy named Jared Will. Will and Alice came to the west via a ship bound for California.
Jessica Roundy, Joshua Steed's divorced wife, later marries John Griffith. They have one son together, John Benjamin who is added to her daughter, Rachel, and his two sons, Mark and Luke. John is soon after killed at the Haun's Mill Massacre
. Several years later, she marries Solomon Garrett, and they have a daughter, Miriam Jessica, and a son, Solomon Clinton together.
Note: In the preface to volume 9, Lund mentioned that he felt the need to work on other projects, so the Work and the Glory series would temporarily come to an end. He said that it seemed to him like the family was saying that they'd shared enough of their lives with the readers and it was time for them to be left alone. However, he also said that at some future point, he'd like to come back to it and officially end the series with a 10th volume that tells the story of the Steed family descendants in modern times. Lund has since decided not to write the 10th volume and has said that his future book The Undaunted, releases August 2009, would be like another volume.
(2004), The Work and The Glory: American Zion
(2005), and The Work and The Glory: A House Divided (2006).
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
through the lives of the fictional Steed family. The Steeds, throughout the series, meet and come to know well many of the prominent early Church members. The series covers a twenty year period, opening in 1827 when the Steeds move from Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
to western New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
state, and ending in 1847 when they settle in the Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley is a valley in Salt Lake County in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Utah. It contains Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs, notably West Valley City, Murray, Sandy, and West Jordan; its total population is 1,029,655 as of 2010...
. The storyline also includes both fictional and actual events.
Main characters
The main characters of this series include both fictional and non-fictional people. The Steed family includes the father, Benjamin, his wife, Mary Ann, and their children. From eldest to youngest, these children include Joshua, Nathan, Melissa, Rebecca, and Matthew. Benjamin and Mary Ann had 5 additional children, but four died soon after birth or were stillborn, and one lived only to the age of four.Joshua marries Jessica Roundy and has a daughter, Rachel, with her. They are eventually divorced, and Joshua then marries Caroline Mendenhall whom he meets in Savannah Georgia. She brings two children to the marriage, William Donovan and Olivia, and together, she and Joshua have three more children, Savannah, Charles Benjamin and Livvy Caroline. Their youngest Livvy is named for her older sister Olivia after she is killed. Livvy was Olivia's nickname. Joshua eventually is baptized into the Mormon religion, although it takes more than 19 years after the Church first came into his life for that to happen.
Nathan marries Lydia McBride, the only daughter of a store keeper in Palmyra, and they have several children, including one named after Nathan's older brother Joshua Benjamin. They also have a daughter named Emily, who becomes best friends with Jessica's oldest daughter Rachel. The other children do not figure prominently in the novels. They are: Nathan Joseph (who dies of malaria while in Commerce, IL), Elizabeth Mary, Josiah, Nathan Joseph (named for his brother and called Joseph), and Patricia Ann (called Tricia and born during the trek west to Utah). As well and one stillborn baby born after Emily they call Nathan Morgan.
Melissa marries Carlton Rogers, and they also have several children, who do not appear frequently in the books. Carl is the only member of the family that never joins the church. Their oldest son young Carlton Hezikiah saves his mother in Volume 9 from a group of evil men. Their other children are David Benjamin, Caleb John, Sarah, and Mary Melissa (who dies after falling into a frozen river after being sick).
Rebecca marries Derek Ingalls from England, they have three children: Christopher Joseph, Benjamin Derek, and Leah Rebecca.
Matthew marries Jennifer Jo McIntre from Ireland and they have two children, Betsy Jo, and Emmaline, although Jennifer Jo informs Matthew in Volume 9 that she is pregnant again.
Jennifer's sister Kathryn and Derek's brother Peter marry each other as well. They have a daughter named Nicole that was born at Fort Pueblo. Peter was a fictional member of the ill-fated Donner party
Donner Party
The Donner Party was a group of American pioneers who set out for California in a wagon train. Delayed by a series of mishaps, they spent the winter of 1846–47 snowbound in the Sierra Nevada...
but survived.
Caroline's son Will marries Alice Samuelson, and by the end of the series, they have a young boy named Jared Will. Will and Alice came to the west via a ship bound for California.
Jessica Roundy, Joshua Steed's divorced wife, later marries John Griffith. They have one son together, John Benjamin who is added to her daughter, Rachel, and his two sons, Mark and Luke. John is soon after killed at the Haun's Mill Massacre
Haun's Mill massacre
The Haun's Mill massacre was an event in the history of the Latter Day Saint movement. It occurred on October 30, 1838 when a mob/militia unit from Livingston County attacked a Mormon settlement in eastern Caldwell County, Missouri, United States, after the Battle of Crooked River...
. Several years later, she marries Solomon Garrett, and they have a daughter, Miriam Jessica, and a son, Solomon Clinton together.
Books
- The Work & the Glory vol. 1: Pillar of Light (1990), ISBN 9780884947707
- The Work & the Glory vol. 2: Like a Fire is Burning (1991), ISBN 9780884948018
- The Work & the Glory vol. 3: Truth Will Prevail (1992), ISBN 9780884948537
- The Work & the Glory vol. 4: Thy Gold to Refine (1993), ISBN 9780884948933
- The Work & the Glory vol. 5: A Season of Joy (1994), ISBN 9780884949602
- The Work & the Glory vol. 6: Praise to the Man (1995), ISBN 9780884949992
- The Work & the Glory vol. 7: No Unhallowed Hand (1996), ISBN 9781570082771
- The Work & the Glory vol. 8: So Great a Cause (1997), ISBN 9781570083587
- The Work & the Glory vol. 9: All is Well (1998), ISBN 9781570085635
Note: In the preface to volume 9, Lund mentioned that he felt the need to work on other projects, so the Work and the Glory series would temporarily come to an end. He said that it seemed to him like the family was saying that they'd shared enough of their lives with the readers and it was time for them to be left alone. However, he also said that at some future point, he'd like to come back to it and officially end the series with a 10th volume that tells the story of the Steed family descendants in modern times. Lund has since decided not to write the 10th volume and has said that his future book The Undaunted, releases August 2009, would be like another volume.
List of Characters
- Benjamin and Mary Ann
- Benjamin Steed (the patriarch, dies in Book 7) and Mary Ann Morgan Steed (the matriarch)
- Mary Steed (died soon after birth)
- Joshua Steed
- Nathan Steed
- Melissa Mary Steed
- Rachel Steed (stillborn)
- Leah Steed (stillborn)
- Jacob Steed (dies at age 4, plays no part in the books)
- Laura Steed (stillborn)
- Rebecca Steed
- Matthew Steed
- Joshua and Jessica (divorced wife) (married in Book 1, divorced in Book 2)
- Joshua Steed and Jessica Roundy Steed
- Rachel Steed
- Joshua and Caroline (married in Book 3)
- Joshua Steed and Caroline Mendenhall Steed
- William Donovan Mendenhall Steed
- Olivia Mendenhall Steed (dies in Book 7)
- Savannah Steed
- Charles Benjamin Steed
- Livvy Caroline Steed
- Jessica (Joshua's divorced wife) and Joshua (married in Book 1, divorced in Book 2)
- Jessica Roundy Steed and Joshua Steed
- Rachel Steed
- Jessica and John (married in Book 3)
- Jessica Roundy Steed Griffith and John Griffith (dies in Book 4)
- Rachel Steed Griffith
- Luke Griffith
- Mark Griffith
- John Benjamin Griffith
- Jessica and Solomon (married in Book 7)
- Jessica Roundy Steed Griffith Garrett and Solomon Garrett
- Rachel Steed Griffith Garrett
- Luke Griffith Garrett
- Mark Griffith Garrett
- John Benjamin Griffith Garrett
- Miriam Jessica Garrett
- Solomon Clinton Garrett
- Nathan and Lydia (married in Book 2)
- Nathan Steed and Lydia McBride Steed
- Joshua Benjamin Steed
- Emily Steed
- Nathan Morgan Steed (stillborn in Book 2)
- Nathan Joseph Steed (dies in Book 5)
- Elizabeth Mary Steed
- Josiah Nathan Steed
- Nathan Joseph Steed
- Patricia Ann Steed
- Melissa and Carl (married in Book 2)
- Melissa Mary Steed Rogers and Carlton Rogers
- Carlton Hezekiah Rogers
- David Benjamin Rogers
- Caleb John Rogers
- Sarah Rogers
- Mary Melissa Rogers (died in Book 9)
- Rebecca and Derek (married in Book 4)
- Rebecca Steed Ingalls and Derek Ingalls
- Christopher Joseph Ingalls
- Benjamin Derek Ingalls
- Leah Rebecca Ingalls
- Matthew and Jenny (married in Book 5)
- Matthew Steed and Jennifer Jo McIntire Steed
- Betsy Jo Steed
- Emmeline Steed
- Will and Alice (married in Book 7)
- William Donovan Mendenhall Steed and Alice Samuelson Steed
- Jared Will Steed
- Peter and Kathryn (married in Book 7)
- Peter Ingalls and Kathryn Marie McIntire Ingalls
- Nicole Ingalls
Adaptations
The Work and the Glory has been developed into three movies to date. They are The Work and The GloryThe Work and The Glory (film)
The Work and the Glory is a 2004 historical fiction drama film directed by Russell Holt. It tells the story of the fictional Steed family in the 1820s and their struggles trying to adopt the then new Mormon religion and explores their relationship with their community, with its founder, Joseph...
(2004), The Work and The Glory: American Zion
The Work and The Glory: American Zion (film)
The Work and the Glory: American Zion is the sequel to the 2004 film The Work and the Glory and continues the struggle of the Steed's family's conversion to the then new Mormon religion. The film also explores the family's relationship with their community and its founder, Joseph Smith.This movie...
(2005), and The Work and The Glory: A House Divided (2006).