The mountain meadows massacre is the worst event in latterday saint history, says richard turley, assistant historian of the lds church and coauthor of massacre at mountain meadows. The mountain meadows massacre stands without a parallel amongst the crimes that stain the pages of american history. Her account of the massacre was eventually accepted by the mormon. See more ideas about oregon trail, mountains and ex. In the fall of 1857, some 120 californiabound emigrants were killed in lonely mountain meadows in southern utah. She learned about others present at the meadows, among them her own grandfather, dudley leavitt. 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. 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. Yet events surrounding the upcoming sesquicentennial appear primed to bring more attention to the massacre than it has had since the death of brigham young. Largest collection of records and information on the mountain meadows massacre on the internet.
They all have a place in my heart, these people are part of my history. The tragedy at mountain meadows, september 1857, published by knopf. Since that time, there have been some black marks on the churchs history. The mountain meadows massacre was a series of attacks on the bakerfancher emigrant wagon train at mountain meadows in southern utah. Captain john jacktwitty baker lead a wagon train of arkansas immigrants to california in 1857. Mountain meadows massacre page 2 legends of america. 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.
The aftermath of mountain meadows history smithsonian. Massacre at mountain meadows mountain meadows massacre. After finishing jon krakauers amazing under the banner of heaven, i turned to dentons book for a fuller account of the mountain meadows massacre. 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. The basic argument of massacre at mountain meadows does not differ much from the conclusions reached by brooks half a century ago. Novak, an anthropologist with impeccable credentials, allows the bones of the arkansas victims to speak for themselves. This was the book that first got me interested in the mountain meadow massacre, what i called the 911 of 19th century. 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. See more ideas about my family, history and oregon trail. One of the more controversial subjects in our history is the tragedy of the mountain meadows massacre as it came to be called. The mountain meadow massacre took place along the wagon train route to california that passed through the southern utah territory. 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. The massacre, in 1857, was one of the most explosive episodes in the history of the american westnot only were 120 men, women and children killed, but the united states and the church of jesus christ of latterday saints almost went to war.
Christopher kit fancher survivor of the mountain meadows massacre while most witnesses said that the fanchers were in general a peaceful party whose members behaved well along the trail, rumors spread about misdeeds. This event became known as the mountain meadows massacre. A more recent book that may shed some light on the subject is blood of the prophets. The incident began as an attack, quickly turned into a siege, and eventually culminated in the murder of the unarmed emigrants after their surrender. In a series of attacks between september 7 and 11, 1857, members of the utah territorial militia killed all adult members of a. The mountain meadows massacre took place over the course of five days. The book reopens the controversy over an attack in utah on arkansas pioneers. The controversy over the mountain meadows massacre is emblematic of the mormons difficulty in dealing with the complexities of their own past. American massacre by sally denton the mountain meadows massacre by juanita brooks white flag americas first 911 by wayne capurro american history revised.
A series of attacks was staged on the bakerfancher wagon train around mountain meadows in utah. Or for a book that discusses this and other source material, you could check out one nation under gods. It was a crime committed without cause or justification of any kind to relieve it of its fearful character. Timeline world history documentaries 5,950,885 views 48. On september 11, 1857, some 50 to 60 local militiamen in southern utah, aided by american indian allies, massacred about 120 emigrants who were traveling by wagon to california. This plaque was erected by descendants of the mountain meadows massacre victims in 1990. Massacre history mountain meadows massacre descendants. The mountain meadows massacre descendants site is dedicated in loving memory to our ancestors who died in the massacre at mountain meadows, utah september 711th, 1857. The mountain meadows massacre stands as one of the darkest events in mormon history. Mountain meadows massacre utah, united states 1857.
The 26th annual lecture revisiting the massacre at. The mormon war was just starting and buchanan had sent an army to quash the mormon rebellion. The history of the massacre has often been treated as a morality tale whose chief purpose was to vilify or to glorify some collective body. He is the recipient of the 2017 genealogyhistory achievement award from the american library association. Lost to history fancher wagon train reenactors discuss their options as they are surrounded by the mormon militia during their portrayal of the 1857 mountain meadows massacre. 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. Records, history, monuments, information and links on the september 11, 1857 massacre at mountain meadows of more than 120 arkansas emigrants while traveling through utah on their way to california. Jun 26, 2019 these pictures are of my family, some by birth others by choice. Yet events surrounding the upcoming sesquicentennial appear primed to bring more attention to the massacre than. The book is divided into three parts the history of the mormon church leading up to the massacre. There were a lot of things that happened that led to this horrible end. Revisiting the massacre at mountain meadows 5 know the complicated man john d.
Carleton, special report on the mountain meadows massacre. In this somber account of an unthinkable tragedy, mountain massacre examines the details of what happened to the unsuspecting settlers making their way from arkansas to california, and why the mystery around who was responsible for their deaths remains unsolved. The leaders of the mormon church also counseled silence. 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. Brigham young and the massacre at mountain meadows by will bagley. 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 of 1857 and the trials of. In september 1857 a group of mormons in southern utah killed all adult members of an arkansas wagon train that was headed for california. The mountain meadows massacre by juanita brooks was the first definitive study of the mountain meadows massacre. Juanita brooks book, the mountain meadows massacre is an early historical attempt to explain why this horrible event happened. Mormons and paiutes murder 120 emigrants at mountain meadows.
Friends of the mountain meadows association home facebook. On this day in 1857, mormon guerillas, stoked by religious zeal and a deep resentment of decades of public abuse and federal interference, murder 120 emigrants at mountain meadows, utah. House of mourning, stands alone among all other literature previously published about the tragedy of the mountain meadows massacre. One of the most controversial and highly debated events is the mountain meadows massacre. Mountain meadows massacre anniversary reflections on. The mountain meadows massacre book by juanita brooks. Long viewed by historians as the darkest chapter in the history of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, the massacre of 120 men, women and children by lds militiamen and paiute indians on sept. A book of narrow but dramatic interest, massacre at mountain meadows contains the most complete historical record of one of the bleakest events in the history of the. This massive slaughter claimed nearly everyone in the party from arkansas and is the event referred to as the. Brevet major james henry carleton led the first federal investigation of the murders, published in 1859. Meadows in 1857, honor those who died, preserve the site, and build.
Anyone who reads it will be shaken up by the history of the mormon church and what it has sanitized. This scene is part of an investigating history segment about the massacre, tentatively scheduled to air on the history channel on december 15, 2005. The exact motive for the massacre is still debated today, and some records show that mormon leaders attempted to cover up the attack. 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. It was one of the biggest mass murders in the history of the american west and ironically speaking, the killers were white men, murdering white people in cold blood. September dawn book by carole whang schutter burying the past documentary by brian patrick. Her work was acclaimed by historians, however, leading to her recognition as an exemplary historian of the american west and mormonism. What is the mountain meadows massacre mountain meadows. Mountain meadows massacre descendants this site is. A history of the mountain meadows massacre that occurred in 1857. The salt lake temple dedication, polygamy, and the.
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