Egbert Bratt Grandin was a key figure in the early history of the Church through his work in publishing the Book of Mormon. He was born on March 30, 1806, in Freehold, Monmouth County, New Jersey, the fifth of six children.1
Grandin started his career with an apprenticeship at a local print shop, and proved himself to be quite a business-savvy individual. He purchased the Wayne Sentinel newspaper when he was only 23 years old, and converted the third floor of his building into a print shop, making him a young and ambitious entrepreneur of the time.2
In 1829, Joseph Smith was directed to Grandin to print the Book of Mormon, an unusual task considering the size of the job (5,000 copies was a rare order for rural printers). Grandin was initially hesitant due to the risks involved in such a large print order of a religious text from a relatively unknown group. Yet, despite his skepticism, he agreed to proceed with the task, after Martin Harris secured the printing cost by mortgaging his farm. Consequently, the first copies of the Book of Mormon were printed in 1830.3
While Grandin himself never joined the Church, his role was instrumental in the dissemination of the Book of Mormon. He continued his career in publishing, eventually moving into politics. He died in Palmyra on April 16, 1845. His print shop is today owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.4
