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 on september 11, 1857. 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. The massacre, and its effects on the churchs image, was also discussed in the pbs series the mormons 2007. 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 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. He was the author or editor of eight books and more than a hundred historical articles dealing mainly with western, utah, and mormon history. Mountain meadows massacre utah, united states 1857. The mountain meadows massacre stands without a parallel amongst the crimes that stain the pages of american history. I knew very little about the incident previous to reading this book and now i feel much more aware of the conditions within the mormon church as well as in the state of utah, etc. On september 11, 1857, a band of mormon militia, under a flag of truce, lured unarmed members of an emigrant company from their fortified encampment and, with some paiute indians, killed them. At the same time massacre at mountain meadows must rank as one of the half dozen boldest and most important books ever written on the mormons.
The lds church states that more than 150 million copies of the book of mormon have been distributed. Collected legal papers published by the university of ok. The book is divided into smaller books that read as narratives. Several film documentaries have focused on the massacre including, burying the past. Carleton, special report on the mountain meadows massacre. Leonard concluded that while intemperate preaching about outsiders by brigham young, george a. After finishing jon krakauers amazing under the banner of heaven, i turned to dentons book for a fuller account 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.
The mountain meadows massacre of 1857 remains one of the most controversial events in the history of the american west, and it is called the darkest deed. In utah, governor cumming is unwilling to press prosecution, which he sees as futile. The massacre at mountain meadows on september 11, 1857, was the single most violent attack on a wagon train in the 30year history of the oregon and california trails. Denton is a talented writer, but mormon historians found her book an easy target. The mountain meadows massacre september 11, 1857 eerily sharing the same september 11 date, the 1857 meadows massacre was the largest religious massacre in americas history until september 11, 2001.
Mormons and paiutes murder 120 emigrants at mountain meadows. To understand the massacre at mountain meadows you must first understand the origin of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, and the violence that engulfed its early years. 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. Be the first to ask a question about the mountain meadows massacre. George on september 11, 1857, and involved the slaughter of 120 californiabound emigrants, the fancherbaker train. This plaque was erected by descendants of the mountain meadows massacre victims in 1990. Leonardfor their book, massacre at mountain meadows, published in 2008. A biocultural history of the mountain meadows massacre. The mountain meadows massacre stands as one of the darkest events in mormon history. 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. Smith, and other leaders contributed to a climate of hostility. As a direct result of the mountain meadows massacre, the u. House of mourning is a bold experiment in a new kind of history, the biocultural analysis of complex events.
Mountain meadows massacre page 2 legends of america. The exact motive for the massacre is still debated today, and some records show that. Juanita brooks book, the mountain meadows massacre is an early historical attempt to explain why this horrible event happened. Yet it has been all but for the mormon church today is led by an elite group of older men. In 1910, the massacre was the subject of a short book by josiah f. The massacre at mountain meadows on september 11, 1857, was the single most violent attack on a wagon train in the thirtyyear history of the oregon and california trails. New facts on guilt in mountain meadows massacre deseret news.
The mountain meadows massacre by juanita brooks goodreads. The mormon religion was officially founded in 1830 when the book of. There were a lot of things that happened that led to this horrible end. The 26th annual lecture revisiting the massacre at. On june 14, 2017, richard turley, janiece johnson and lajean carruth were at benchmark books to talk about the mountain meadows massacre. One hundred and twenty men, women, and children are brutally murdered. Bill kurtis investigating history produced an episode for the history channel in 2004. Leonard this book covers what was going on in utah 3 mo. If you are interested in history i recommend this book. This month marks the 150th anniversary of a terrible episode in the history of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. The mountain meadows massacre was one of the worst acts of premeditated mass murder ever committed by americans against other americans. Leonard for twentyeight years, juanita brooks served on the board of state history, an advisory group to the utah state historical society. Dec 12, 2008 historians ronald walker, richard turley, jr.
The utah lighthouse ministry virtual bookstore, has the best selection of books on the mountain meadows massacre, and mormon history on the internet, please do your book shopping there. Before the tragedies of oklahoma city in 1995, and september 11, 2001, the mountain meadows massacre was the largest civilian massacre in our. 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. Bagley was also one of the people interviewed for a mountain meadows episodecoproduced by bill kurtis and paul andrew hutton, and scheduled to air in late december 2004of the history channel s investigating history series. 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. Legacy of the mountain meadows massacre 2004 and the mountain meadows massacre 2001.
The 26th annual lecture revisiting the massacre at mountain. After the mountain meadows massacre hit the silent silver screen in 1912, almost a century passed before another major film appeared. The mountain meadows massacre knuckledraggin my life away. Find books like the mountain meadows massacre from the worlds largest community of readers. The institution had successfully kept the story off screens both big and little for decades. A series of attacks was staged on the bakerfancher wagon train around mountain meadows in utah. Mountain meadows massacre descendants this site is. Sep 11, 2008 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.
Mountain meadows massacre the mountain meadows massacre stands without a parallel amongst the crimes that stain the pages of american history. American massacre is totally absorbing in its narrative as it brings to life a tragic moment in our history. The leaders of the mormon church also counseled silence. The mountain meadows massacre is one of the most controversial moments in utah history. The mountain meadows massacre book by juanita brooks. The mountain meadow massacre took place along the wagon train route to california that passed through the southern utah territory. Although historical accounts differ, the conflict with the wagon train of emigrants. Novak is assistant professor of anthropology in the maxwell school of citizenship and public affairs at. The book is a mustread for scholars of the mountain meadows massacre and lds. Managing director, family and church history department. Brigham young and the massacre at mountain meadows published by the university of oklahoma press. Goodreads members who liked the mountain meadows massacre al.
In 1857, lee lead a mass slaughter of the fancherbaker emigrant wagon train in what became known as the mountain meadows massacre. A history of the mountain meadows massacre that occurred in 1857. The ministry is a nonprofit very important christian mission that obtains its funds from book. In the fall of 1857, some 120 californiabound emigrants were killed in lonely mountain meadows in southern utah. In september 1857 a group of mormons in southern utah killed all adult members of an arkansas wagon train that was headed for california. In 1877, 20 years after the mountain meadows massacre, participant john d. Aug 26, 2005 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. Brigham young and the massacre at mountain meadows.
The godbeites and brigham young 1998, and mormon history 2001, with david j. Mountain meadows massacre books bookstore books for. Lee was tried, convicted, and executed by a firing squad on the very spot that the mountain meadows massacre. Apr 01, 2003 true west asked the authors of both books to lay out their claims. It was a typically astute request from a man who had spent his life working on public relations for the lds church. Massacre at mountain meadows is a book by latterday saint historian richard e. Massacre at mountain meadows mountain meadows massacre. Scholars are praising a new book that offers an indepth look at one of the greatest tragedies in the history of the ch. Her colleagues on the board and the societys directors valued. 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. Revisiting the massacre at mountain meadows by glen m.
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. On september 11, 1857, horror sweeps over a wagon train in the southern mountains of utah. Leonard was also the director of the museum of church history and art in salt lake city, utah. As the title states, im looking for a book on the mountain meadows massacre, in which 120 emigrants who were traveling through utah were slaughtered by a local contingent of members of the church of latter day saints. Review of massacre at mountain meadows, in western american literature, spring 2009. Jun 25, 2009 using new archival research, walker, turley, and leonard strive to accurately represent the historical context surrounding the mountain meadows massacre.
The mountain meadows massacre 1950 by juanita brooks was the first definitive study of the mountain meadows massacre. New evidence uncovered by scholars researching the mountain meadows massacre shows that regional leaders of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints in southern utah had greater culpability in the event than previously acknowledged by most lds authors. The 1857 mountain meadows massacre religious tolerance. 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.
Juanita pulsipher brooks january 15, 1898 august 26, 1989 was an american historian and author, specializing in the american west and mormon history, including books related to the mountain meadows massacre, to which her grandfather dudley leavitt was sometimes linked. Two days after the massacre, brigham youngs messenger finally arrived at mountain meadows with the orders to let the wagon train pass. 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. Frank kirkmans mountain meadows massacre links christopher kit carson fancher was only 5 years old at the time of the mountain meadows massacre. This massive slaughter claimed nearly everyone in the party from arkansas and is the event referred to as the mountain meadows massacre. From the beginning, accounts have been confused and muddled about why it happened, who ordered it, and what might have provoked it. Ok fine, please read massacre at mountain meadows by r. God almighty couldnt convict the butchers unless brigham young was willing. The mormon war was just starting and buchanan had sent an army to quash the mormon rebellion. The mountain meadows massacre was a series of attacks on the bakerfancher emigrant.
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. A biocultural history of the mountain meadows massacre novak, shannon a on. The book is divided into three parts the history of the mormon church leading up to the massacre. The aftermath of mountain meadows history smithsonian magazine. This event became known as the mountain meadows massacre. Mountain meadows massacre chronicles the prolonged legal battle to gain justice for. The massacre almost brought the united states to war against the church of jesus. Last time there was this much anticipation for a mormon history book, richard bushman delievered us just shy of 600 pages. Mountain meadows massacre timeline exploring mormonism. Her colleagues on the board and the societys directors valued her willingness to defend the societys emphasis. All of the party except for seventeen children under eight years oldabout 120 men, women, and childrenwere killed. Massacre at mountain meadows audiobook by ronald w. 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. If you are interested in history i recommend this book for learning of such.
In 1857 an army of roughly 1,500 united states troops was marching toward utah territory, with more expected to follow. 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. 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. Ron walker is one of the three mormon historians writing the upcoming rebuttal to.
Winner of the society for historical archaeology james deetz book award. The mountain meadows massacre audiobook by juanita. It occurred in southern utah between cedar city and st. The mountain meadows massacre church of jesus christ. This was my first indepth study of the mountain meadows massacre. Anyone who reads it will be shaken up by the history of the mormon church and what it has sanitized. Jan 03, 2005 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. Sep 09, 2009 heres what i found that was so weird and fascinating. 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 anniversary reflections on. The mountain meadows massacre was a series of attacks on the bakerfancher emigrant wagon train at mountain meadows in southern utah. This scene is part of an investigating history segment about the massacre, tentatively scheduled to air on the history channel on december 15, 2005. Juanita brooks must be commended for writing as thorough a history of the mountain meadows massacre as she has.
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