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 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. Leonard and their colleagues uncovered a great deal of information about the 1857 massacre, leading to a clearer understanding of how this tragedy happened. Mountain meadows massacre mormonism, the mormon church. This one was published in 2008 so, 58 years later by ronald walker a mormon historian in slc. The massacre at mountain meadows, harpers weekly, august 8, 1859. The mountain meadows massacre stands without a parallel amongst the crimes that stain the pages of american history. The mountain meadows massacre victimized several groups of emigrants from the northwestern arkansas region who had started their treks to california in early 1857, joining along the way and becoming known as the bakerfancher party. Massacre at mountain meadows this is the second book about moutain meadows massacre ive read. Mountain meadows massacre historical accounts legends of. 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. Her work was acclaimed by historians, however, leading to her. The mountain meadows massacre book by juanita brooks.
Her work was acclaimed by historians, however, leading to her recognition as an exemplary. The mountain meadows massacre josiah francis gibbs. To understand properly the mountain meadows massacre, one must know something of the stormy history of the mormon church. 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. Lee in late 1857, shortly after the mountain meadows massacre. This church had its beginnings in western new york during the revivalist period of the early 1800s, when preachers stirred whole counties into frenzy with their lurid eloquence, and sporadic sects sprang up over the. A view of the terrain of the mountain meadows massacre site. He was replaced as governor the following year by alfred cumming. He is the recipient of the 2017 genealogyhistory achievement award from the american library. Statement of one of the few survivors, daily arkansas gazette, september 1, 1875, nancy sophrona huff cate. T he church history department of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints has gradually accumulated what may well be the largest and finest collection of information about the mountain meadows massacre ever assembled. Investigation of the massacre was delayed by the civil war.
December 11, 2008 in uncategorized mountain meadows massacre. Lee was arrested, tried, sentenced to death, and executed in 1877. In the fall of 1857, some 120 californiabound emigrants were killed in lonely mountain meadows in southern utah. Himelfarb 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. For the decade prior the emigrants arrival, utah territory had existed essentially as a theocracy led by brigham young. George on september 11, 1857, and involved the slaughter of 120 californiabound emigrants, the fancherbaker train. The mountain meadows massacre site lies just off highway 18, 32 miles north of st. Mountain meadows massacre utah, united states 1857. Sessions said is demonstrably untrue, so i thought we might publish with minor embellishments my recollection of the events that led me to write the first serious study of the mountain meadows massacre in.
Mountain meadows massacre, an 1889 account by hubert howe bancroft. Baker reportedly found nothing relating to the massacre, clearing the way for the construction of the new monument. The book is a step by step, day to day eye witness of the slaughter of over 100 human beings, men, women, and children in wagons, searching for a new life searching for a new land, troubled by hundreds of cattle they brought to the west side of the united states, being taxed for grazing rights and then innocently slaughtered. 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 book concerns the 1857 mountain meadows massacre in southern utah, and is the. After reading michael richan on the event in one of his river books i had to. 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.
Friends of the mountain meadows association home facebook. Leonard asked themselves similar questions as they researched and wrote about what they call the worst event in mormon history. Pbs mountain meadows massacre survivors mountain meadows. In 1857, at the time of the mountain meadows massacre, brigham young, was serving as president of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church and as governor of utah territory. The leaders of the mormon church also counseled silence. The controversy over the mountain meadows massacre is emblematic of the mormons difficulty in dealing with the complexities of their own past. Mountain meadows massacre by jennalyn welsh on prezi.
Massacre at mountain meadows is a book by latterday saint historian richard e. Accepting the facts but not the responsibility, august 15, 2008 at. It was a crime committed without cause or justification of any kind to relieve it of its fearful character. Two days after the massacre, brigham youngs messenger finally arrived at mountain meadows with the orders to let the wagon train pass. 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. In a series of attacks between september 7 and 11, 1857, members of the utah territorial militia killed all adult members of a wagon train carrying emigrants from arkansas to california. The mountain meadows massacre by juanita brooks, paperback. The new book massacre at mountain meadows places this tragedy in the context of the times, using scholarly works on ethnic and religious violence to demonstrate that the event was not unique to mormons, utah or even the united states. Mountain meadows massacre site peaceful area where tragedy. Dentons careful historical analysis of the mountain meadows massacre in 1857 presents evidence fully justifying laying this terrible incident at the feet of ldss brigham young and john doyle lee. 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 mountain meadows massacre 1950 by juanita brooks was the first definitive study of the mountain meadows massacre juanita brooks, a mormon historian trained in historical methods, was discouraged from studying the incident, and she suffered some ostracism from fellow mormons after its publication. During years of research for their 2008 book massacre at mountain meadows. The 26th annual lecture revisiting the massacre at mountain.
Mountain meadows massacre the mountain meadows massacre stands without a parallel amongst the crimes that stain the pages of american history. The three authors of a new book, massacre at mountain meadows, hope their readers ask themselves these questions. Mountain meadows seems to be a hot topic with writers and movie makers at present. I was amazed to see the event took place on 9111857.
The aftermath of mountain meadows the massacre almost brought the united states to war against the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, but. New books on controversial subjects sometimes have that effect. Brigham young and the mountain meadows massacre wikipedia. The aftermath of mountain meadows the massacre almost brought the united states to war against the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, but only one man was brought to trial. Gene sessions, mountain meadows association on august 3rd, 1999, workers excavating for the wall around the new monument accidently uncovered the 1859 carleton grave. The book is a mustread for scholars of the mountain meadows massacre and lds. The memorial at carrollton was dedicated in september.
Review of massacre at mountain meadows, in western american literature, spring 2009. I was at the library looking for the newest book about this event and wouldnt you know it, they were all checked out. This book is written by three lds historians who claims that they had the full support of their church in writing about this incident. The mountain meadows massacre was one of the worst acts of premeditated mass murder ever committed by americans against other americans. Drawn from documents previously not available to scholars and a careful rereading of traditional sources, this gripping narrative offers fascinating new insight into why mormons settlers in isolated southern utah deceived the emigrant party. Whether blood of the prophets can be classed as either antimormon or a polemic is a matter of opinion, but much of what dr. It occurred in southern utah between cedar city and st. 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. Byu studies volume 47, number 3, is a special issue pertaining to the mountain meadows massacre, which took place in southern utah in 1857. Such is the result of a comprehensive search for the truth. Visitor information mountain meadows, utah national historic landmark. Massacre authors want readers to ask questions deseret news. Leonard was also the director of the museum of church history and art in salt lake city, utah.
The effort put into the story show that this book was a labor of love in memory of the victims of the tragedy. This, in some ways, is just the latest in a long line of books many of them quite recent written on the mountain meadows massacre of 1857. The mountain meadows massacre was a series of attacks on the bakerfancher emigrant wagon train at mountain meadows in southern utah. Buy a cheap copy of the mountain meadows massacre book by juanita brooks. Massacre at mountain meadows offers the most thoroughly researched account of the massacre ever written. It was a crime committed without cause or justification of any kind to relieve it of its fearful character when nearly exhausted from fatigue and thirst, the men of the caravan were approached by white men, with a flag of. On september 10th, 1999, the remains recovered from that grave were reinterred in a burial vault inside the new wall, along with some soil from arkansas, during a private ceremony. Mountain meadows massacre archaeology magazine archive. The incident began as an attack, quickly turned into a siege, and eventually culminated in the murder of.
Massacre authors want readers to ask questions deseret. Should be read in conjuction with massacre by walker, turner and leonard official lds church historians and blood of the prophets by will bagely as well as the original, the mountain meadows massacre by juanita brooks. Problems with mountain meadows massacre sources richard e. Massacre at mountain meadows mountain meadows massacre. Mountain meadows massacre november 30, 1999 by luscinia brownhovelt and elizabeth j. The mountain meadow massacre took place along the wagon train route to california that passed through the southern utah territory. People tend to act differently in a group then they would on their own at times doing things they would never do outside of a group. Unfortunately, the book paints a much darker portrait of what happened in 1857 than previous works have done. Mountain meadows seems to be a hot topic with writers. See more ideas about oregon trail, mountains and ex mormon. The aftermath of mountain meadows history smithsonian.
Lee, the only militiaman executed, was effectively a scapegoat. In the book, brooks demonstrated convincingly that the mormon militia was responsible for the massacre, and that john d. The mountain meadows massacre is something most people have probably never heard of before unless youre a mormon or had ancestors who were part of the massacred fancher wagon party. The mountain meadows massacre was the first work to fully document mormon involvement in the massacre. Jun 25, 2009 using new archival research, walker, turley, and leonard strive to accurately represent the historical context surrounding the mountain meadows massacre. Massacre at mountain meadows shows dark episode deseret news. Meadows in 1857, honor those who died, preserve the site, and build understanding with others. 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. 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.
Produced in cooperation with the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church, it is the. The mountain meadows massacre stands as one of the darkest events in mormon history. The mountain meadows massacre the cause of liberty. In september 1857, a wagon train passing through utah laden with gold was attacked. Mountain meadows massacre survivors go to survivor list victims list. Walker include selections of important documents about the massacre.
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. 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. 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. A very sad book of the deaths of so many people at the mountain meadows massacre. The first was the seminal work by juanita brooks the mountain meadows massacre in 2016. Sep 10, 2008 the three authors of a new book, massacre at mountain meadows, hope their readers ask themselves these questions. The mountain meadows massacre ensign article by richard e. On august 3, 1999, a backhoe began digging the foundation. The failure of the state of utah and the us government to permit further forensic examination of the remains uncovered from the mass grave. Feb 20, 2009 a view of the terrain of the mountain meadows massacre site. A new book, massacre at mountain meadows, tries to explain what happened that day and why. After several abortive attempts to bring the leaders of the massacre to justice, john d. Mountain meadows massacre page 2 legends of america.
This book was the first to seriously attempt an honest investigation of the massacre, unflinchingly seeking the truth. After reading michael richan on the event in one of his river books i had to read the true story on the event. Dec 12, 2008 historians ronald walker, richard turley, jr. She writes, the church leaders decided to sacrifice lee. Stapley on september 11, 1857 a band of mormons in southern utah lured a large group of californiabound emigrants from their defensive coral under a white flagged pretense of protection. The book covers the subject of mountain meadow massacre that. The 26th annual lecture revisiting the massacre at. Sep 11, 2008 a new book, massacre at mountain meadows, tries to explain what happened that day and why.
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