Juanita brooks produced excerpts in mountain meadows massacre, 25360. It spares no details about the difficulty that many women had in polygamous marriages and in what happened in the mountain meadows massacre. Kents books, 2000, 276288, cited hereafter as the tribune reports. War hysteria preceding the mountain meadows massacre wikipedia. The mountain meadows massacre of 1857 and the trials of. Lee was tried, convicted, and executed by a firing squad on the very spot that the mountain meadows massacre took place. Fifth book of the faithpromoting series, by james a. His wife rachel helped care for the massacre survivors at the ranch. Jacob hamblins presence at the massacre a matter of historical debate is now supported with new information. Read the virulently antimormon thumbnail of the same person at frank kirkmans mountain meadows massacre site to see the polar opposite. His own story washington county historical society. Dec 31, 20 although hamblin was not in southern utah in september 1857, his prominence as an indian missionary ineluctably tied him to the church. Compton utah historical quarterly uhq, volume 80, number 1 winter 2012 pages 421 a frontier life.
This book lends personal insight into various indian uprisings during utahs territorial period, the mountain meadows massacre, and particular misunderstandings with the navajo nation. Lee and others, on trial at beaver city, this 30 th day of july, 1875, and. Many items found at and in the jacob hamblin home maintained by the mormon church are reportedly similar to those taken from fancher wagon train in the mountain meadows massacre. May 23, 2018 jacob vernon hamblin, sr 1818 1886, son of isaiah hamblin and daphne haynes, was born 2 april 1819 at salem, ashtabula county, ohio. Smith camps near the franchers at corn creek, jacob hamblin suggests they continue the trail and rest at mountain meadows, next to his homestead. Agencies of which the massacre was the logical result doctrine of blood atonement and its results the doomed arkansas company conditions in southern utah personnel of the leading assassins route of the emigrants the mountain meadows the conspiracy the attack. History mormons and mormonism in arizona mormons and mormonism in nevada mountain meadows massacre, 1857 polygamy history 1890 women authors. 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. I was amazed to see the event took place on 9111857. Hamblin continued to serve as a missionary to the native american tribes in the southern utah area.
David wilson tullis mountain meadows massacre 1857 massacre. The massacre at mountain meadows on september 11, 1857, was the single. 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. Mountain meadows massacre timeline exploring mormonism. In 1853, a mormon missionary named jacob hamblin traveled further south to. The first sentence of the first paragraph on the front jacket flap originally read. Jacob hamblins 1858 expedition across colorado by todd m. His own story by hartt wixom 15th juanita brooks lecture, november 7, 1998 jacob hamblin peacemaker book by pearson h. The mountain meadows massacre of 1857 and the trials of john. I drove up to a camp of indians and men camped somewhere to the left of the road, probably half a mile, may be not so far, at a little spring to the left of the road, and waited there a little while. He aided europeanamerican settlement of large areas of southern utah and northern arizona, where he was seen as an honest broker between mormon settlers and the natives. As juanita brooks and other historians record, jacob was not present at the mountain meadows massacre and being the nonmilitary person he was, it does not seem in his character to have taken part in any of the battles if he had been there during those tragic september days of 1857. Location of jacob hamblins home in the mountain meadows. That incident would become known as the mountain meadows massacre.
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. Jacob hamblin, who lived within two or three miles of the meadows at the time of the massacre. I went right on to the mountain meadows, right on to the south end of the mountain meadows, or near there. 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. Brooks family brown, thomas dunlop, 18071874 hamblin, jacob, 18191886 leavitt family lee, john doyle. He later expressed horror and repugnance at news of the massacre of the fancher party at mountain meadows.
The mountain meadows massacre was caused in part by events relating to the utah war may. A frontier life provides a rich narrative that fleshes out a picture of a sometimes vilified figure, particularly in regard to his connection to the infamous mountain meadows massacre, where compton provides nuanced discussion clarifying hamblins postmassacre rolehe was not present at the massacre, but reported on it to both brigham. The accomplished author juanita brooks, who wrote excellent works on the mountain meadows massacre and john d. His later statements have now been published in turley and walker, mountain meadows massacre. The mountain meadows massacre was a series of attacks on the bakerfancher emigrant wagon train at mountain meadows in southern utah. Sep 16, 2015 in 1877, 20 years after the mountain meadows massacre, participant john d. Lake city and jacob hamblin suggested that the fanchers stop and rest their cattle. Jacob hamblin april 6, 1819 august 31, 1886 was a western pioneer, mormon missionary.
Jacob hamblin washington county historical society. 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. Hamblin felt that some this is written more as a novel format with a lot of information from jacob hamblins journals. Lee, also wrote a short semifictional account, jacob hamblin. Jacob hamblin april 6, 1819 august 31, 1886 was a western pioneer, mormon missionary, and diplomat to various native american tribes of the southwest and great basin. While camping at the mountain meadows, may, 1859, major carleton interviewed mrs. The incredibly whitewashed and dishonest tour of jacob. The following additions, corrections, and clarifications will be made in a subsequent printing of the book. A very sad book of the deaths of so many people at the mountain meadows massacre. The incident began as an attack, quickly turned into a siege, and eventually culminated in the murder of. Tullis was a private in the iron county militia and was listed as being a participant in the massacre by eyewitness accounts, the 1857 iron county militia project, and by the famous western historian will bagley, author of the book blood of.
Jacob hamblin testimony witness for the prosecution at second trial of john d. A series of attacks was staged on the bakerfancher wagon train around mountain meadows in utah. Jacob hamblin, a narrative of his personal experience, as. It is claimed by the author of blood of the prophets that jacob hamblins son albert raped two women at the mountain meadows massacre, and jacob was later to blame these on john d. After reading michael richan on the event in one of his river books i had to read the true story on the event. My home was supposed to be at clara, but i occupied the mountain meadows in the summer with my stock. The mountain meadows massacre is widely considered to be the most violent and. By one account, hamblin was on his way home and was met by his adopted indian son, albert, who recounted the horror of the slaughter of the baker fancher party in the infamous mountain meadows massacre. September 16 th, 1875 questions to be propounded to bringham young on his examination as a witness in the case of john d. In the second judicial district court the people, etc.
He served as both a peacekeeper and a community builder. 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. This narrative has won acclaim for its action, understanding of frontier indian relations, and for its spiritual. The southern paiutes were involved87 but, jacob hamblin seemed to feel, they were not to. After the massacre the children were brought to the hamblin ranch where one of the children were killed and most of the children were taken by their new mormon. This massive slaughter claimed nearly everyone in the party from arkansas and is the event referred to as the mountain meadows massacre. The duane and addie noble hamblin family book by lois hamblin golding and delma golding johnson.
Not only did he personally convince the bakerfancher to travel through mountain meadows, but one of the survivors of the massacre identified him as a clubbershooter in the massacre. Most of these works emphasized the religious and indian missionary aspects of hamblin s life. Mountain meadows massacre utah, united states 1857. Jacob hamblin alleged that soon after the massacre he met lee within a few miles of fillmore, when the latter stated that two young girls, 52 who had been hiding in the underbrush at mountain meadows, were brought into his presence by a utah chief. The massacre at mountain meadows 1857 in southern utah was the next criminal case judge cradlebaugh sought to investigate. Known as a missionary and friend of the indians, jacob hamblin played an integral role in helping smooth relations between indians and mormon settlers throughout the west and in establishing the cotton mission in southern utah.
On september 11, 1857, a band of mormon militia, under a flag of truce, lured unarmed members of a party of emigrants from their fortified encampment and, with their paiute allies, killed them. In 1910, the massacre was the subject of a short book by josiah f. The aftermath of mountain meadows history smithsonian. Please note that the content of this book primarily c. An 1889 account of the mountain meadows massacre page 5.
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. This narrative has won acclaim for its action, understanding of frontier indian relations, and for its spiritual depth. 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. Primary sources on the mountain meadows association website what is a primary source. Mormonism unveiled after lees death to make the book more sensational. At fillmore, they were induced to hire a mormon guide, jacob hamblin, who knew all the trails, and who also knew what was to take place at the mountain meadows. Revisiting the massacre at mountain meadows dixie state. Jacob hamblin suggested the fanchers stop and rest their cattle at mountain. Jacob hamblin alleged that soon after the massacre he met lee within a few miles of fillmore, when the latter stated that two young girls, who had been hiding in the underbrush at mountain meadows, were brought into his presence by a utah chief. The mountain meadows massacre was a horrible atrocity, and the conduct of some mormons involved in it was deplorable. Gibbs, who also attributed responsibility for the massacre to young and smith. It was a mistakea fatal mistake for the arkansas emigrants. Lees counsel also mentioned john mangum in his list of participants at the end of lees book. Walker read the thumbnail biography of jacob hamblin there to be convinced that the mormons do, indeed, sugar coat their own history.
A frontier life winner of the juanita brooks prize in mormon studies frontiersman, colonizer, missionary to the indians, and explorer of the american west, jacob hamblin has long been one of the most enigmatic figures in mormon history. Message of the president of the united states, communicating, in compliance with a resolution of the senate, information in relation to the massacre at mountain meadows, and other massacres in utah territory. In 1858 brigham young received a presidential pardon for his part in the atrocities at mountain meadows from president buchanan. Jacob hamblin, a narrative of his personal experience, as a frontiersman, missionary to the indians and explorer, microform disclosing interpositions of providence, severe privations, perilous situations and remarkable escapes. The first detailed and comprehensive work using modern historical methods was the mountain meadows massacre in 1950 by juanita brooks, a mormon scholar who lived near the area in southern utah. As part of his investigation, he visited the site of the massacre in may 1859 with a military escort and with james gammell as his indian interpreter. Nephi johnson died in 1919, survived by many children and descendants. In fall 1871, john mangum was accompanying jacob hamblin on another of hamblins historic journeys across the colorado river into northeastern arizona. Huntington told native americans that the utah war was a battle, prophesied in the book of mormon, between mormons and native americans. This book was the first to seriously attempt an honest investigation. In 1877, 20 years after the mountain meadows massacre, participant john d. Most of these works emphasized the religious and indian missionary aspects of hamblins life. Changing narratives of the mountain meadows massacre in utahs. Hamblin felt that some this is written more as a novel format with a lot of information from jacob hamblin s journals.
The tragedy at mountain meadows massacre juanita brooks. The leaders of the mormon church also counseled silence. Depositions 1860 depositions by relatives and friends of the mountain meadows massacre victims deposition of brigham young july 30, 1875. In the fall of 1857, some 120 californiabound emigrants were killed in lonely mountain meadows in southern utah.
Aug 28 1857 fancher party camps on indian creek near todays manderfield. This book was the first to seriously attempt an honest investigation of the massacre, unflinchingly seeking the truth. On his deathbed, a young schoolteacher witnessed his tortured, delirious recollections of the massacre more than six decades. My research and conclusions about that tragedy are included in the book hamblin and are. Jacob hamblin, set up the massacre, on the predetermined site, on his ranch at mountain meadows. Nephi johnson the 1857 iron county militia project.
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