The ancient paths 7th interview with lds historian sandra tanner on the mountain meadows massacre duration. 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 massacre historical accounts legends of. 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 josiah francis gibbs. To understand properly the mountain meadows massacre, one must know something of the stormy history of the mormon church. Mountain meadows massacre memorial veyo, utah atlas.
This book was the first to seriously attempt an honest investigation of the massacre, unflinchingly seeking the truth. 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. This one was published in 2008 so, 58 years later by ronald walker a mormon historian in slc. The mountain meadows massacre stands without a parallel amongst the crimes that stain the pages of american history. 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. That all changed with the darkest incident of the mormon war, the atrocity known as the mountain meadows. Mountain meadows massacre, an 1889 account by hubert howe bancroft. The mountain meadows massacre called the darkest deed of the nineteenth century, the brutal 1857 murder of 120 men, women, and children at a place in southern utah called mountain meadows remains one of the most controversial events in the history of the american west. The book provided an important history of early mormonism as well as. Changing narratives of the mountain meadows massacre in utahs.
The horrific mountain meadows massacre of 1857 indelibly stained southern utah. Mountain meadows massacre page 2 legends of america. A new book, massacre at mountain meadows, tries to explain what happened that day and why. 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. 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. Mountain meadows massacre utah, united states 1857. In the fall of 1857, some 120 californiabound emigrants were killed in lonely mountain meadows in southern utah. George on september 11, 1857, and involved the slaughter of 120 californiabound emigrants, the fancherbaker train. The first was the seminal work by juanita brooks the mountain meadows massacre in 2016. The book covers the subject of mountain meadow massacre that.
Captain john jacktwitty baker lead a wagon train of arkansas immigrants to california in 1857. Discover mountain meadows massacre memorial in veyo, utah. A view of the terrain of the mountain meadows massacre site. 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. A very sad book of the deaths of so many people at the mountain meadows massacre. In september 1857, a wagon train passing through utah laden with gold was attacked. 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 utah war and its mountain meadows massacre byu.
The church has apologized for the incident, and romney addressed it during his 2007 presidential. I was amazed to see the event took place on 9111857. The book concerns the 1857 mountain meadows massacre in southern utah, and is the latest study of the subject. He has authored or edited several other books, including. 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. Accepting the facts but not the responsibility, august 15, 2008 at. Archaeologist says he has found actual mountain meadows. Although the mountain meadows massacre was covered to some extent in the media during the 1850s, citation needed its first period of intense nationwide publicity began around 1872. Baker reportedly found nothing relating to the massacre, clearing the way for the construction of the new monument. The mountain meadows massacre was one of the worst acts of premeditated mass murder ever committed by americans against other americans. The mountain meadows massacre is widely considered to be the most violent and. The guys who did south park did book of mormon on broadway. Oxford considered it a big bestseller for its smaller press with conservative print runs.
The mountain meadows massacre was a taboo subject among mormons for many years, a terrible tragedy best left forgotten. He is the recipient of the 2017 genealogyhistory achievement award from the american library association. Horrible massacre of emigrants the mountain meadows. Huckabee made sure romneys religion was a problem in 2008, republicans made. Her work was acclaimed by historians, however, leading to her recognition as an exemplary. 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. It occurred in southern utah between cedar city and st. Two days after the massacre, brigham youngs messenger finally arrived at mountain meadows with the orders to let the wagon train pass. See more ideas about oregon trail, mountains and ex mormon. 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. Mountain meadows massacre november 30, 1999 by luscinia brownhovelt and elizabeth j. Produced in cooperation with the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church, it is the. Massacre at mountain meadows offers the most thoroughly researched account of the massacre ever written. 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.
On september 11, 1857, some 50 to 60 local militiamen in southern utah, aided by american indian allies. Mountain meadows massacre archaeology magazine archive. 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. Massacre at mountain meadows wins best book award, mormon history association, may 22, 2009. Roberts wrote about it in the early 1900s and juanita brooks, a mormon writer, gave the event a very thorough treatment through a book published in 1962, which the church never endorsed nor. Carleton, special report on the mountain meadows massacre. Some mormons, who previously had been victimized by the. Some form of identification is necessary for democratic life, because without. Richard turley, assistant lds church historian and coauthor of the critically acclaimed 2008 book massacre at mountain meadows, said hes eager to see bassetts report. Problems with mountain meadows massacre sources richard e. Massacre at mountain meadows this is the second book about moutain meadows massacre ive read.
The mountain meadows massacre of 1857 and the trials of. A stoic rock cairn is all that remains to remember one of the more brutal instances of frontier treachery in american history. Massacre at mountain meadows is a book by latterday saint historian richard e. View all restaurants near mountain meadow massacre memorial on tripadvisor. 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. Produced in cooperation with the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church, it. This mountain meadows massacre is brought to you for free and open access by the all.
Restaurants near mountain meadow massacre memorial. The mountain meadows massacre was a series of attacks on the bakerfancher emigrant wagon train at mountain meadows in southern utah. This was after investigators obtained the confession of philip klingensmith, a mormon bishop at the time of the massacre and a private in the utah militia. 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. 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 tragedy in mountain meadows on september 11a date that would later come to. On august 3, 1999, a backhoe began digging the foundation. The mountain meadows massacre remains one of the darkest episodes in the history of mormonism. Jun 25, 2009 a longawaited book on the infamous mountain meadows massacre has received the best book award from the mormon history association at its 44th annual conference in springfield, illinois. The mountain meadows massacre of 1857 and the trials of john d. 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. Part ii, the dilemma of blame, salt lake tribune, march 14, 2000 that which we have done here building a monument to victims of the m.
The aftermath of mountain meadows history smithsonian. The leaders of the mormon church also counseled silence. 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 mountain meadows massacre 1950 by juanita brooks was the first definitive study of the mountain meadows massacre. Why were afraid of mormons bu today boston university. This book was the first to seriously attempt an honest investigation. Leonard was also the director of the museum of church history and art in salt lake city, utah. Buy a cheap copy of the mountain meadows massacre book by juanita brooks. The mountain meadows massacre by juanita brooks, paperback. Visitor information mountain meadows, utah national historic landmark. 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. Until september 1857, the mormons had been the victims of violence more than its purveyors. Statement of one of the few survivors, daily arkansas gazette, september 1, 1875, nancy sophrona huff cate. The massacre at mountain meadows, harpers weekly, august 8, 1859.
639 1260 563 1503 1390 1321 586 799 911 509 146 443 1393 19 526 631 1122 495 1499 77 1220 1087 670 1078 743 1438 763 498 1204 1459 18 807