[4] By 1841 he had relocated to Nauvoo. Here he was ordained a Seventy and received his endowment before traveling West in the first group of pioneers, led by his brother, Brigham Young. Some testimony came in private interviews when there was no motive to lie. Brigham Young: Directed by Henry Hathaway. By early 1857 the Mormons were stockpiling weapons, and all but one of the federal judges and officers overseeing Indian affairs in the territory had fled, fearing for their safety. During Wyatt Earps later years, while he was living in Hollywood, were there any silent films or voice recordings made of him. We will always love him and miss him, Randy Davis, Davis father, wrote in a Facebook post Monday. The mob killed men, women and all but 17 of the smallest children . The crudely worded entry appears to refer to the Fancher party and suggests that Young encouraged the Indians to steal the group's cattle and engage them in a fight. ''The evidence is unambiguous. Seventeen children, all under 7, were spared. The 59-year-old woman was found at 2 p.m. inside a Flushing home laying face down on a bed with multiple stab wounds . ''It was locally planned and carried out.''. ''The emigrants fell victim to Brigham Young's decision to stage a violent incident that would demonstrate his power to control the Indians of the Great Basin and to stop travel on the most important overland roads.''. Beau's son was 9 years old at the time of his father's death. 2 Min Read. . How do you put shoes on a cloven-footed ox? How far apart were Wild Bill Hickok and Dave Tutt in their famous 1865 showdown in Springfield, Missouri? He said the file included the notes of a Mormon historian who, at the request of church leaders, conducted a confidential investigation of the massacre in 1892. For instance, Joseph Smith was once attacked by an apostate from the Church, William Law, who "attempted to kill Joseph and fired a pistol at him six times at close range. He was replaced as governor the following year by Alfred Cumming. [18] A few days after the massacre, September 29, 1857, Lee briefed Young in Salt Lake City. (Mr. Bagley and Ms. Denton said they had not seen the file but were skeptical it would alter their conclusions. Klingensmith escaped prosecution by agreeing to testify against the others. [7], After Joseph Smith was killed in 1844, Young joined the majority of Latter Day Saints in accepting the leadership of Brigham Young and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Finally, why has so much evidence been destroyed or purged from Mormon archives, and why has so much evidence been suppressed? Young was too cleverand too religiously devoutto have destroyed the emigrants and thus irreparably harm the reputation of his people. It was made manifest to me, he recorded and is published in Lorenzo Dow Youngs Preparation for the Gospel on ourlittlecircle.com, that the Savior was in the carriage, and that it was driven by his servant. In a confession made just before he was executed, Lee, the only person ever tried for the crime, blamed the Paiute Indians. . There are no other trains going south that I know of[.] . James Haslam, who rode the 500-mile circuit in six days, recalled, Young told me [when riding back south] . According to her, they would try to leave Utah then turn up murdered (supposedly by Native Americans) along the way. Samuel Smith, the young brother of the Prophet Joseph Smith, was one of the first missionaries of the newly restored LDS Church. With no additional evidence, some historians have pointed to a Native American council held in Salt Lake City on September 1, 1857. Young also led the . In the early days of the Mormon church, these relationships were commonly called proxy marriages. Share this quote: Like Quote. Brigham Young first became involved with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around 1830, according to PBS, very soon after the religion was created by Joseph Smith.The Church of LDS is a form of Christianity, but with additional beliefs, including that the Book of Mormon is a holy book and that the church founder, Joseph Smith, was a prophet sent by God, according to History. . Young believed that Lee's punishment was just but not a sufficient blood atonement, given the enormity of the crime, to allow Lee entrance into the celestial kingdom. Instagram: susanevansmccloudauthor. ''It's clear to us that this was not a headquarters-orchestrated project,'' said Glen Leonard, director of the Mormon Church's Museum of Church History and Art in Salt Lake City and one of that book's co-authors. Source: Jeffery Ogden Johnson, "Determining and Defining `Wife': The . Stubborn facts. The religion had undergone a period of intense conflict with non-Mormons in the American midwest, and faithful Mormons made solemn oaths to pray for vengeance upon those who killed the "prophets" including founder Joseph Smith, and more recently apostle Parley P. Pratt, who was murdered in April 1857 while traveling as a missionary in Arkansas. Despite the influences of a strict, moralistic family and being exposed to the religious fervor that . Samuel also sold a copy to Phineas Howe Young, one of Brigham's brothers and Greene's brother-in-law. The second explanation is that the massacre was a calculated act of vengeance. But its not a formula for good history. While not on missions, Young lived with the Latter Day Saints in Kirtland, Ohio and Far West, Missouri. Brigham Young, who quickly took command of the church and its followers, tried to stifle any dissent and banish his rivals.The killing of Phineas Wilcox was part of his consolidation of power . . This answer reflects the complicated nature in the definition of plural wife. As to the number of wives with whom it is known that he had conjugal relations, sixteen wives bore him 57 children (46 of whom grew to maturity). She demanded Mormon authorities listen to the cry of his blood and take swift vengeance against the Fancher train, which had left Arkansas long before Pratt was killed. According to trial testimony given later by Haslam, when Haight read Young's words, he sobbed like a child and could manage only the words, "Too late, too late. I never had seen anything of the kind in my life," Phineas continued, but had always believed the people were living far beneath their privileges (see The Faithful Young Family: The Parents, Brothers and Sisters of Brigham," Leonard J. Arrington and JoAnn Jolley, Ensign, August 1980). '', See the article in its original context from. "[Young] is not only the president here but he is the president of the states and kingdoms of this world no matter if they have not elected him." In a very real sense, Brigham Young was the law. Fiery yet full of doubt, frequently ill yet strong when it . Brigham Young was in New England with Orson Pratt when he learned of Joseph's death. the man was tired of Philip so at the wedding the man stabbed Philip. "Territorial Dispatches: the Sentence of Lee", the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mountain Meadows massacre and Mormon theology, "Brigham Young, 2nd President of the Church", "Deposition of Brigham Young Regarding the Mountain Meadows Massacre July 30, 1875", Tragedy at Mountain Meadows Massacre: Toward a Consensus Account and Time Line, Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows, "Loose in the stacks, a half-century with the Utah War and its legacy", "The Mountain Meadows Massacre: An Analytical Narrative Based on Participant Confessions", "Visit of the Superintendent of Indian Affairs to Southern Utah", "Horrible Massacre of Arkansas and Missouri Emigrants", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brigham_Young_and_the_Mountain_Meadows_Massacre&oldid=1124726578, Books about presidents of the church (LDS Church), Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 30 November 2022, at 05:21. We are still trying to make sense of this tragedy and why this happened. He relates that he was promoted to lay hands on the sufferer and rebuke the disease" and this action healed her. Following his return to Nauvoo in 1841, Young affirmed his complete loyalty to Joseph Smith by embracing the controversial and still-secret practice of polygamy, despite his initial personal . "[14] Brooks writes, "While Brigham Young and other church authorities did not specifically order the massacre, they did preach sermons and set up social conditions that made it possible." [23] In 1870, Young excommunicated some of the participants, including Haight and Lee, from the LDS Church. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1847 until his death in 1877. Phineas Young was a printer; building contractor; and Mormon bishop, missionary, and pioneer. Brigham Young to Isaac C. Haight, 10 September 1857, Letterpress Copybook 3:82728, Brigham Young Office Files, LDS Church Archives. [11] After his rest, Haslam picked up the reply from Young and was instructed to return to Cedar City with the letter quickly and not to "spare horseflesh."[11]. The carriage was white and brilliant with gold and the horses traveled like the wind. When I reflect on how I found the gospel, I realize that my familys experiences informed two important pieces of my testimony. The winners of the Church History Museums 12th International Art Competition have been announced, and the artwork is breathtaking. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has steadfastly denied responsibility. Police told the website Risner ran from officers while they were trying to take him into custody. After informing him, he further inquired about my other brothers and our father. Brigham Young and His Wives. Brigham Young ( /brm/; June 1, 1801 - August 29, 1877) was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. Likewise, John D. Lee, the only man convicted of the murders, was repeatedly offered leniency in exchange for incriminating Youngthe last offer was made just moments before his execution. Angela places the blame for his conviction in part on his wife, Jenny, saying her statements about events had . The most common, and the only one currently practiced by the Mormon church, is a ceremony that seals a man and a woman for time (mortal life) and eternity. The LDS Church was also given a large grant of stock in the Union Pacific, which it held well into the 20 th century. Richards. Historians still debate the autonomy and precise roles of local Cedar City LDS Church officials in ordering the massacre and Young's concealing of evidence in its aftermath. Savage. Before any of these events, which were instrumental in drawing the brothers to the truth, the youngest son, Lorenzo, at the young age of 9 years, experienced an extraordinary and prophetic dream. They were reacting to events as they took place. He once said to his brother Brigham, "There is not a Bible Christian in the world; what will become of the people?". Stubborn and determined, he kept riding until he reached the home of a friend. Young retaliated by declaring martial law. But history is not assumption. The document is among the Brigham Young Office Papers at the Church History Library. While this Indian council is important and requires extended scholarly discussion, this much can be said: No evidence suggests the councils focus was the Baker-Fancher party, much less its destruction. In regard to emigrating trains arriving and passing through our settlements, he wrote in a letter designed to restore calm in Southern Utah, We must not interfere with them. These clear and difficult-to-misread words were rushed to Cedar City after Young received an express from local setters there telling him of pending trouble. [14], In Blood of the Prophets, Mormon historian William Bagley echoes David White's conclusion that the letter does not absolve Young of any wrongdoing. She believed Gods legions would hunt them down in every land & place. With help from Mormon apostles in Missouri, Eleanor arrived in Utah on July 23, 1857, where she allegedly charged that men in the Fancher party had helped her first husband murder Apostle Pratt. However, church president Joseph Smith insisted that his brother William Smith be selected in place of Young. And why does the Deseret News continue lying about Mountain Meadows to this day? ''He was an absolute dictator,'' she said. While the church leaders temper and strong words at the pulpit earned him a reputation for coercion, in truth, those who knew him best often spoke of his caution and his abhorrence of bloodshed. Shocked by the terrible news, Brigham smashed his hand against his leg in dismaynot just at the loss of a friend and prophet but at the loss of the keys Joseph possessed. @JalelahCNA. [9] In Utah Territory, Young worked as a printer, saddler and contractor.[10]. Brigham Young, December 12, 1850, daguerreotype. Originally ran between Salt Lake and York. In 1868, Brigham Young signed a grading contract with the Union Pacific Railroad to work on the transcontinental line in Utah. Hamblin said he was told by Young and Smith to keep quiet, but that "as soon as we can get a court of justice, we will ferret this thing out. In this case, the "real message" would have been that the Indians should be left to "do as they please." Jalelah Abu Baker. Reading the September 2000 True West article by Glenn Shirley, titled, A Tireless Energy & Nerves of Steel, I was fascinated by Caroline Bonneville. [6] Young was present in Richmond, Missouri when Cowdery died. All rights reserved, If you choose local pickup, please get your gift certificate at our office at 400 W. Sunnyside in Idaho Falls Dismiss, UPDATE: Roads closed after building collapse in Lava Hot Springs, School closures and delays for Wednesday, March 1, After his death was ruled a suicide, a Blackfoot mans family is left with more questions than answers, Push to require clergy to report abuse stalls in Latter-day Saint-dominated Utah, Locals worried Roberts boil order came too late. Appointed governor by President Millard Fillmore seven years earlier, Young ran the territory as a Mormon theocracy, flouting federal jurisdiction over the courts and the local Indian population and, equally unnerving to East Coast politicians, practicing polygamy. This remarkable man served as bishop of the Salt Lake City 18th Ward for 27 years (see Whitney's "History of Utah: Biographical"). Brigham Young led one of the largest group migrations in American historyover 12,000 peopleto Salt Lake City, Utah. Such ceremonies usually occurred when a widow was sealed to her dead husband for eternity and to a living husband for time in the same ceremony. The current round of debate may be the bluntest yet about the episode, which, in addition to investigative accounts, has inspired at least five novels in the last several years. In 1857, at the time of the Mountain Meadows Massacre, Brigham Young, was serving as President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and as Governor of Utah Territory. Why did Brigham Young allegedly send a message telling Southern Utahns NOT to kill the emigrants unless he was countermanding previous orders? Brigham Young, who was born June 1, 1801, was the fourth son and eighth child, and he would later become the second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Militia orders to the Mormon army carried Youngs words on the reverse: Shed no blood., When the books are opened in the day of judgment, declared an associate who was at his side in 1857, these things will be proven to heaven and earth.. Brooks has argued the massacre was an overreaction by Mormon militia forces which resulted in the death of settlers and the tarnishing of the Church's reputation. RICHMOND, Va. (Reuters) - A Virginia state senator whose mentally ill son stabbed him 13 times and then committed suicide has filed a $6 million lawsuit against the state and a . [25][26] Prior to his execution, Lee claimed that he was a scapegoat for others involved: I have always believed, since that day, that General George A. Smith was then visiting Southern Utah to prepare the people for the work of exterminating Captain Fancher's train of emigrants, and I now believe that he was sent for that purpose by the direct command of Brigham Young. The family the Lord had put his hand upon did not fail. [3] Young's use of inflammatory and violent language[4] in response to a federal expedition to the territory (known as the Utah War) added to the tense atmosphere at the time of the attack. [5], Young was married to Lucy, the half-sister of Oliver Cowdery. The council sought to create a Mormon-Indian alliance, and to make such an arrangement attractive to the Indians, Young allegedly told them that he would no longer stop them from stealing emigrant cattle on the California Trail. Was an absolute dictator, '' she said of a friend seventeen children, all 7! 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