Brigham young and the massacre at mountain meadows, by will bagley. The trail from mountain meadows to san bernardino was the salt lakelos angeles wagon road, which coincided with the old spanish trail. The mountain meadows massacre of 1857 and the trials of john. In the book, brooks demonstrated convincingly that the mormon militia was responsible for the massacre, and that john d. The mountain meadows massacre and poisoned springs. What are the historical roots and causes behind the mountain meadow massacre. After reading michael richan on the event in one of his river books i had to read the true story on the event. Mountain meadows, utah is located just off state route 18, an hour north of st. American massacre by sally denton the mountain meadows massacre by juanita brooks white flag americas first 911 by wayne capurro american history revised. I knew very little about the incident previous to reading this book and now i feel much more aware of the conditions within the mormon church as well as in the state of utah, etc.
Was the slaughter ordered by the churchs leader, brigham young, or was it the misguided action of his overzealous adherents. James polk fanchers efforts in organizing a reunion for the 1857 massacre survivors seem to have have been brought to fruition by james lynch, one of the heroes of their 1859 rescue in utah. September dawn book by carole whang schutter burying the past documentary by brian patrick. The book covers the subject of mountain meadow massacre that took place in sept 1857 where 120 white settlers of a wagon train passing through utah were murdered by white mormons. This is the historical site where 123 people in a wagon train from arkansas were killed by mormon setlters in 1857. What amazes me most about the evolution of the story of the mountain meadows massacre is that 150 years it was about blood atonement, hatred of gentiles and robbery. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Juanita brooks book was objective on both sides, pointing out the atmosphere among the lds people at the time of the mountain meadows massacre while also showing the inconsistencies in some of the lds explanations. Notice of reunion of the survivors of the mountain meadows massacre new york times, new york city, new york, october 10, 1893. The men on the ground after the bloody deed took an oath that they would never mention the event again, either in public or in private.
The route followed by the fancher party from carroll county, arkansas, to the mountain meadows massacre site in southwestern utah. See a basic account for a full description of the massacre. Jun 03, 2008 what are the historical roots and causes behind the mountain meadow massacre. Kit carson fancher was the youngest son of alexander fancher the captain of the wagon train and was 5 years old at the time of the massacre. Mountain meadows was a narrow valley, lying between two low ranges of hills, with plenty of fresh water, supplied by several little streams, and lots of grass for our stock to graze. Mountain meadows massacre brigham young had more than twenty wives duration. Or the butchery in cold blood of 4 men, women and children by mormons and. The aftermath of mountain meadows history smithsonian. The mountain meadows massacre and its completion as a. Revisiting the massacre at mountain meadows 3 that to have this history both advocate and defend this new dispensation, it must be kept honest and fearless and full as well when the tide of events were not favorable for the church and also when the tides seemed to run against it. The survivors mountain meadows massacre descendants. It was in southern utah that many of the survivors of the hauns mill attack were. The mountain meadows massacre 1950 by juanita brooks was the first definitive study of the mountain meadows massacre. The mountain meadow massacre outside of the towns of cedar city and st.
Pdf the mountain meadows massacre and poisoned springs. Mountain meadows massacre horrible massacre of emigrants. For a more complete, documented account of the event, readers are referred to the forthcoming book massacre at mountain meadows. First, what is known of the mountain meadows massacre or the fancher train.
After the first attack on the emigrant train on monday, september 7, higbee led a detachment of militiamen from cedar city that arrived at mountain meadows on tuesday, the 8th. On august 3, 1999, a backhoe began digging the foundation. The victims were a group of emigrants mostly from arkansas who were traveling by wagon train north to south through utah on their way to california. Massacre at mountain meadows mountain meadows massacre. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the mountain meadows massacre. Christopher kit carson fancher mountain meadows massacre. The mountain meadows massacre kindle edition by brooks, juanita, shipps, jan. The attacks began on september 7 and culminated on september 11, 1857, resulting in the mass slaughter of most in the emigrant party by members of the utah territorial militia from the iron county district, together with some southern paiute. The booty stolen from this train alone most likely built the temple in salt lake city. Mountain meadows seems to be a hot topic with writers. Anyone who reads it will be shaken up by the history of the mormon church and what it has sanitized. Mountain meadows massacre brigham young had more than twenty wives. Revisiting the massacre at mountain meadows dixie state.
The mormons separated the survivors into three groups. If there is one clear point in the book it is that in times of prejudice and war, even good people will do horrific things. The mountain meadows massacre of 1857 and the trials of. So we had to move on, down to mountain meadows, in what is now washington county, utah. For the best research on this very important, yet skipped over topic, please see some of the links below as well as a book called the mountain meadows massacre, by juanita brooks, or blood of the prophets. The mountain meadows massacre by juanita brooks, paperback. Last survivor of the mountain meadows massacre by hyrum m. The library collection at the paiute indian center in cedar city, utah was updated this past year to keep current with the books, videos, and news articles that keep cropping up. Between then and the massacre on september 11, higbee carried expresses between the meadows and cedar city. Mountain meadows massacre archaeology magazine archive. Mountain meadows massacre survivors go to survivor list victims list.
Goodreads members who liked the mountain meadows massacre al. Changing narratives of the mountain meadows massacre in utahs. A very sad book of the deaths of so many people at the mountain meadows massacre. The church of jesus christ of latter day saints made a distressing discovery while restoring a monument to the victims of the 1857 mountain meadows massacre in southwest utah. The massacre has been portrayed in several plays, and in a 2007 motion picture, september dawn. Fayette township, new york in 1830 after having published the book of. The mountain meadows massacre church of jesus christ. Facts, information and articles about the mountain meadows massacre, an event. Excerpt from history of the mountain meadows massacre. Produced in cooperation with the church of jesus christ of. Apr 01, 2003 the mountain meadows massacre was a horrible atrocity, and the conduct of some mormons involved in it was deplorable. The eastern portion of the route coincides with the cherokee trail. Or the butchery in cold blood of 4 men, women and children by mormons and indians, september, 1857, also a.
George utah has been denied and vilified by those who tried to keep it quiet. After reading michael richan on the event in one of his river books i had to. The 26th annual lecture revisiting the massacre at mountain. Jul 11, 2015 the truth about mountain meadows, utah. Leonard and their colleagues uncovered a great deal of information about the 1857 massacre, leading to a clearer understanding of how this tragedy happened. Throughout the book, the authors paint finely drawn portraits of the key players in the drama, their backgrounds, personalities, and roles in the unfolding story of misunderstanding, misinformation, indecision, and personal vendettas. The mountain meadows massacre was a mass slaughter of the fancherbaker emigrant wagon train at mountain meadows, utah territory, by a local mormon militia and members of the paiute indian tribe on september 11, 1857. In 1857 an army of roughly 1,500 united states troops was marching toward utah territory, with more expected to follow. There have been many stories, articles, and books written and recorded about the. This book is written by three lds historians who claims that they had the full support of their church in writing about this incident. They were camped near what is the presentday town of enterprise when they were besieged by what they thought were indians.
The aftermath of mountain meadows the massacre almost brought the united states to war against the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, but. Meadows come from some of the murderers and from survivors all of. The book provided an important history of early mormonism as well as offering lees somewhat selfserving account of the events leading to the mountain meadows massacre. Mountain meadows massacre utah, united states 1857. Lee remained a fugitive until november 1874 and went on trial for murder. To everyones surprise, it scooped up the bones of 28 massacre victims, and with it unearthed a new controversy see mountain meadows massacre, november 30, 1999. Last survivor of the mountain meadows massacrethis was a great book until you get to the last page. Juanita brooks held appointment as a field fellow of the. Brigham young and the massacre at mountain meadows, by will bagley, university of oklahoma press, 2002, p.
Lee, the only militiaman executed, was effectively a scapegoat. This was my first indepth study of the mountain meadows massacre. The attacks began on september 7 and culminated on september 11, 1857, resulting in the mass slaughter of most in the emigrant party by members of the utah territorial militia from the iron county district, together with some southern paiute native americans. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. During years of research for their 2008 book massacre at mountain meadows. But the stain of the mountain meadows massacre was not so easily erased. Find books like the mountain meadows massacre from the worlds largest community of readers. The mountain meadows massacre happened on september 11, 1857. The mountain meadows massacre book by juanita brooks. The mountain meadows massacre is widely considered to be the most violent and. A new book, massacre at mountain meadows, tries to explain what happened that day and why. The mountain meadows massacre site in washington county, utah, marks the location of the september 11, 1857, massacre of 120 emigrants by militiamen associated with the church of jesus christ of latterday saints.
The children who died in the mountain meadows massacre. She writes, the church leaders decided to sacrifice lee. Captain john jacktwitty baker lead a wagon train of arkansas immigrants to california in 1857. The book provided an important history of early mormonism as well as offering lees. Baker reportedly found nothing relating to the massacre, clearing the way for the construction of the new monument. On september 11, 1857, a band of mormon militia, under a flag of truce, lured unarmed members of an emigrant company from their fortified encampment and, with some paiute indians, killed them. The mountain meadows massacre josiah francis gibbs. Forney, as superintendent of indian affairs, made a close investigation. In this edition, page numbers are just like the physical edition.
After finishing jon krakauers amazing under the banner of heaven, i turned to dentons book for a fuller account of the mountain meadows massacre. Denton is a talented writer, but mormon historians found her book an easy target. Young and the massacre at mountain meadows, wrote that the struggle often resembled. Enduring on the air and water, the survivors walked to fort riley, near. The mountain meadows massacre was a series of attacks on the bakerfancher emigrant wagon train at mountain meadows in southern utah. Personally this link gives a very concise summary of the events.
On september 11, 1857, a band of mormon militia, under a flag of truce, lured unarmed members of an emigrant company from their fortified encampment. As historian will bagley noted, lee reconstructed his chronology to distance himself from the initial attack and provided blistering attacks on the men who testified against him. Awardwinning journalist sally denton leaves little doubt that it was the former. The mountain meadows massacre of 1857 and the trials of john d. The tragedy in mountain meadows on september 11a date that would later come to stand for. The mountain meadows massacre stands as one of the darkest events in mormon history. The 26th annual lecture revisiting the massacre at. The mountain meadows massacre was a horrible atrocity, and the conduct of some mormons involved in it was deplorable.
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