Massacre at Mountain Meadows

[RamboLiberal]

The date is etched in blood in Utah and Mormon church history and, on a more intimate level, the family trees of people like Karen Maxwell, a mother of eight and choir teacher from Salt Lake City.
On Sept. 11, 1857, Mormon militiamen led the slaughter of 120 men, women and children on a wagon train bound for California in an incident known as the Mountain Meadows Massacre.

Chief among the instigators was Isaac Haight, a local militia and church leader. Several generations later, Karen Maxwell would come to know of him as her grandfather's grandfather.

For years, Mormon church officials downplayed the role Mormons played in the mass killing, first blaming Indians and then finding a scapegoat in church member John D. Lee, the only man executed for his role.

Now, a new book drawing on existing material and documents previously unavailable to scholars lays the blame largely on southern Utah church and militia leaders. They were otherwise good people, the authors say, who were caught up in the frenzy of the times and took up guns to try to cover up terrible mistakes.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2008-08-18-mormon-massacre_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

[NanceGreggs]

1. Thanks for posting this!

I've heard this story, but always told in very broad strokes. I'm looking forward to reading this much more detailed account.

:hi:

[Richardo]

2. Another September 11 on which religious zealots slaughtered innocent Americans

Interesting.

There was a very good account of Moutain Meadows in "Under The Banner of Heaven" by Jon Krakauer. :thumbsup:

[Sequoia]

9. Yes, excellent book. John Lee was the scapegoat.

[grantcart]

4. wikipedia has a lot on it

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=209&topic_id=6713&mesg_id=6716

The remaining historical controversy is exactly what did Young know.

He probably knew there was going to be violence and wanted to throw a scare into the settlers for reasons I explained in the thread. When he heard that they had slaughtered 118 woman and children he knew that the Army would be coming for him and quickly covered it up and capitulated saving his own neck

[NanceGreggs]

5. The most detailed accounting of this story ...

... I've heard so far is a segment that was included in a (History channel?) program on Mormonism.

I'm looking forward to reading this book!

[grantcart]

6. they will blame the locals and exonerate Young - who had dictatorial control over the area

The new volume is the work not of Mormon critics but former or current employees of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormon church. Among them is assistant church historian Richard Turley, who said church leaders fully endorsed the "no-holds-barred, let-the-chips-fall as they may" approach.

[grantcart]

3. My great great great great great grandfather was a key player

Jedidiah Grant

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jedediah_M._Grant

Some back ground on your OP in 1988 the Mormon Church admitted its role (but diminished Young's involvement)

Wikipedia has a lot on it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meadow_Mountain_Massacre


Here is where my ancestor played a key roll

Brigham Young knew that the US Army had only about 15,000 troups and he realized that if he created a strong armed malitia in Utah that the US government would not want to tie down a significant part of its resources in just one state. So he theorized that if he could make Utah a dangerous territory then the US government would simply allow the people in Utah to mind their own business and leave them alone with their sexual polygammy.

To do this he needed to get people riled up and quite frankly most mormons were falling away from their faith and discipline.


From Wikipedia:

"During the period just before the massacre, known as the Mormon Reformation, Mormon teachings were dramatic and strident. The religion had undergone a period of intense persecution in the American midwest, and faithful Mormons moved west to escape persecution from the midwest towns."


Jedidiah Grant was the key preacher who went town to town to get people riled up about their mormon faith and remind them of how outsiders had persecuted them. He was very effective and was called Brigham's Sledgehammer

"In 1856, Grant was called upon by Young to tour the northern sections of Utah, calling them to repentance. In the Mormon Reformation of 1856, he toured according to his assignment, delivering fiery speeches condemning all forms of sin and demanding perfection. He issued a call for rebaptism of all the members of the area. His speeches earned him the title, "Brigham's Sledgehammer." The effects of his speeches were felt almost immediately; members throughout the area, as well as in distant parts, were rebaptized to signify their commitment to renew their commitments to the Church and the gospel. Several of these speeches are recorded in Journal of Discourses."


and here is an example of his garbage


" For war and bloodshed are just as necessary, and just as much the work of God, as repentance and baptism for the remission of sins; and it must progress, for the only means to bring about His purposes, consummate His decrees, and establish eternal righteousness, is by cutting off the wicked from the earth, after He has sought to save them by the plan of salvation Seeing they would not listen—they would not obey—they would not be instructed—then as a kind father who cares for the welfare of his children, He takes the chastening rod, He unsheathes His sword in heaven, and cuts off the disobedient portion of His children. I rejoice to see this work progressing."



He became the first mayor of Salt Lake City but his aggressive preaching killed him when died catching pneumonia out in the hinterlands in what could be considered a rather strict critique by an angry diety. His son Heber J Grant (7 wives 13 children) was born 9 days before the 40 year old Heber passed on to learn of how his sermons were being received.

Heber Grant became the second longest serving President of the Mormon Church.

Our family is inter married (a long time ago) with the Bennett family (Senator Bennett) and as a result we have higher standing than the Romney family in its historical hierarchy.

The Grant side went on worked hard got an education and as far as we know every single one of them has left the Mormon Church.

[regnaD kciN]

7. "Otherwise good people"...

...who nevertheless got "caught up in the frenzy of the times" and slaughtered innocents.

May God deliver us from such "otherwise good people."

[RamboLiberal]

8. Anyone seen the movie September Dawn based on the massacre?

Just curious what you thought. I haven't gotten around to renting it yet.