The first was the seminal work by juanita brooks the mountain meadows massacre in 2016. Massacre at mountain meadows this is the second book about moutain meadows massacre ive read. Find books like the mountain meadows massacre from the worlds largest community of readers. Also the true history of the horrible butchery known as the mountain meadows massacre. The three lds historians did not shy away from the fact that it was indeed the white mormons who maintained the main attacks and tricked the doomed settlers into surrender by using a false white flag and had them murdered in a very efficient nazi style massacre. Mountain meadows massacre investigation treasures in america. The mormons courageously performed their part of the blood bath, after which they took binding oaths to stand by eachother, and to always swear that the massacre was committed by indians alone. Although brigham young had warned residents to be ready for action from hostile forces and tensions were high, he. This story involves john sherman baker, grandson of our john baker via son aaron baker, and nephew of our sheppard baker. Some books have told both sides of the story, but without a lot of detail. Aug 08, 2000 mountain meadows massacre in 1857 an arkansas wagon train on its way through southern utah was attacked by mormon settlers. Today, some massacre victims descendants and other relatives are latterday saints. Brooks notable books on mormon history include the mountain meadows massacre 1950 and john d.
Massacre at mountain meadows tells of the grim outcome without flinching and without excuse. Massacre at mountain meadows audiobook by ronald w. 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. Brigham young and the massacre at mountain meadows published by the university of oklahoma press. Mountain meadows massacre chronicles the prolonged legal battle to gain justice for the victims. Massacre at mountain meadows ebook written by ronald w. 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. In september 1857, a wagon train passing through utah laden with gold was attacked. Neither a whitewash nor an expose, massacre at mountain meadows provides the clearest and most accurate account of a key event in american religious history.
It was the first comprehensive account of the incident using modern historical methods. In the mountain meadows massacre, brooks produced the first fullydocumented study of the mormon involvement in the 1857 massacre 1950. Embracing a history of mormonism from its inception down to the present time, with an exposition of the secret history, signs, symbols, and crimes of the mormon church. Brooks, juanita, the mountain meadows massacre univ. What amazes me most about the evolution of the story of the mountain meadows massacre is that 150 years it was about blood atonement, hatred of gentiles and robbery. Juanita brooks must be commended for writing as thorough a history of the mountain meadows massacre as she has. 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.
In 1857, mormon settlers in southern utah heard about actions by the united states army to invade utah prior to it becoming a state. The mountain meadows massacre stands as one of the darkest events in mormon history. The 26th annual lecture revisiting the massacre at mountain. 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. Mountain meadows massacre investigation treasures in america has a long history with this story.
The mountain meadows massacre church of jesus christ. The mountain meadows massacre is one of the most controversial moments in utah history. The mountain meadows massacre happened on september 11, 1857. In the fall of 1857, some 120 californiabound emigrants were killed in lonely mountain meadows in southern utah. Over a hundred people were murdered, with the exception of at least 17. The mountain meadows massacre by juanita brooks, paperback. Also deals with the lds efforts to hide the details and the eventual execution of lds leader john d. The mountain meadows massacre was a series of attacks on the baker fancher emigrant wagon train at mountain meadows in southern utah. Will bagley, a history columnist for the salt lake tribune, is the author of blood of the prophets. The aftermath of mountain meadows history smithsonian. A series of attacks was staged on the bakerfancher wagon train around mountain meadows in utah. This massive slaughter claimed nearly everyone in the party from arkansas and is the event referred to. The mountain meadows massacre book by juanita brooks.
Massacre at mountain meadows, drew on seemingly limitless resources and involved a corps of archival researchers sent out across utah and throughout the united states in quest of new primary sources. A very sad book of the deaths of so many people at the mountain meadows massacre. Goodreads members who liked the mountain meadows massacre al. 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. They were camped near what is the presentday town of enterprise when they were besieged by what they thought were indians. For a century and a half the mountain meadows massacre has shocked and. True west asked the authors of both books to lay out their claims. The mountain meadows massacre by juanita brooks goodreads.
Mountain meadows massacre utah, united states 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. The mountain meadows massacre 1950 by juanita brooks was the first definitive study of the. An early marriage suggested her future would follow a predictable course, but the death of her husband, the need to raise a young son, and a passion for knowledge led her along a different path, when at midlife she became a wellknown author. The godbeites and brigham young 1998, and mormon history 2001, with david j. On september 11, 1857, a band of mormon militia, under a flag of truce, lured unarmed members of a. 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 booty stolen from this train alone most likely built the temple in salt lake city. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read massacre at mountain meadows. Revisiting the massacre at mountain meadows 3 that to have this history both advocate and defend this new dispensation, it must be kept honest and fearless and full as well when the tide of events were not favorable for the church and also when the tides seemed to run against it. Neither a whitewash nor an expos, massacre at mountain meadows provides the clearest and most accurate account of a key event in american religious history.
Nov 01, 2017 in 1857, mormon settlers in southern utah heard about actions by the united states army to invade utah prior to it becoming a state. She was the author of two other books and edited, with robert glass cleland, a mormon. The mountain meadows massacre is the worst event in latterday saint history, says richard turley, assistant historian of the lds church and co. I was amazed to see the event took place on 9111857. Book provides an unflinching look at mountain meadows massacre.
Eyewitnesses and sources to the mountain meadows massacre. The wagon train, mostly families from arkansas, was bound for california on a route that passed. Relatives from those involved in the mountain meadows massacre discuss what should be done with the graves. This massive slaughter claimed nearly everyone in the party from arkansas and is the event referred to as the mountain meadows massacre. Apr 01, 2003 true west asked the authors of both books to lay out their claims. Others have gone into so much detail, and so many facts, that it makes for. 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 association mountain meadows monument foundation 1857 iron county militia gibbs, josiah f. This book is less the story of the mountain meadows massacreending as it does, with the execution of john d lee two decades later, it is more his story. From the beginning, accounts have been confused and muddled about why it happened, who ordered it, and what might have provoked it. If you are interested in history i recommend this book. The aftermath of mountain meadows the massacre almost brought the united states to war against the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, but. The victims were a group of emigrants mostly from arkansas who were traveling by wagon train north to south through utah on their way to california. The book faithfully and surprisingly recount the story of the mountain meadow massacre.
After reading michael richan on the event in one of his river books i had to read the true story. An american legend and a monumental crime, on attack on wagon train by pahute indians and mormons. An american legend and a monumental crime by william wise. Mountain meadows massacre in 1857 an arkansas wagon train on its way through southern utah was attacked by mormon settlers. The leaders of the mormon church also counseled silence.
The book concerns the 1857 mountain meadows massacre in southern utah, and is the latest study of the subject. Rev of william wise book massacre at mountain meadows. 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. Massacre at mountain meadows book whatcom county library. The juanita brooks lecture series presents the 26th annual lecture revisiting the massacre at mountain meadows by glen m. There could be other articles and books that we could spin off because there are parts of the story that we simply could not fit into the book. In 1990, on a hill in the mountain meadows, the state of utah erected a memorial honoring the arkansas emigrants.
Managing director, family and church history department. During the mountain meadow massacre, in which the mormons of utah figured more or less prominently, martin florida was serving as united states marshal and had been pretty busily engaged in putting to rout the threecardmonte men and other gamblers and mischief makers whose traffic wrought much mischief among the camps of the. Massacre at mountain meadows mountain meadows massacre. 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. Dec 26, 1976 rev of william wise book massacre at mountain meadows. Lees story, told by brooks, fits the girardian scapegoat very well. Produced in cooperation with the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church, it is the. During the mountain meadow massacre, in which the mormons of utah figured more or less prominently, martin florida was serving as united states marshal and had been pretty busily engaged in putting to rout the threecardmonte men and other gamblers and mischief makers whose traffic wrought much. The 26th annual lecture revisiting the massacre at. Ron walker is one of the three mormon historians writing the upcoming rebuttal to. Massacre at mountain meadows offers the most thoroughly researched account of. John and his family were almost involved in the infamous mountain meadows massacre, surviving because of sickness. The life story of a courageous historian of the mountain meadows massacre. In a tribute to brooks, will bagley writes that this was a story she was born to tell.
The life story of a courageous historian of the mountain meadows massacre peterson, levi s on. Interviews with authors of massacre at mountain meadows. I read this as research for a paper i wrote on rene girards theory of ritual violence. Massacre at mountain meadows offers the most thoroughly. To understand properly the mountain meadows massacre, one must know something of the stormy history of the mormon church. A new book, massacre at mountain meadows, tries to explain what happened that day and why. The most complete study of the 1857 massacre of a nonmormon wagon train passing through utah territory. The mountain meadows massacre was a series of attacks on the bakerfancher emigrant wagon train at mountain meadows in southern utah. 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. More than 120 men, women, and children perished in the slaughter. Turley jr the materials that we gathered for writing this book about the mountain meadows massacre were voluminous. Aug 19, 2008 massacre at mountain meadows ebook written by ronald w.