In Research, not finding something may also be useful

I don't always find what I'm looking for at the Tennessee State Archives. In fact I frequently find nothing worth noting. But sometimes I go looking for something and learning that it isn't there is just as interesting.

A few months ago I went looking for the petition B H Roberts sent the Governor of Tennessee asking for redress for the Cane Creek Massacre. I wanted to make sure the copy printed in the Newspapers was true and accurate, and to demonstrate that the Governor did indeed get it. I found a microfilm of the correspondence of Governor Bate and started digging. The letters are not indexed but the are somewhat alphabetized. All the ones from people whose last name begins with "R" are together. An hour or so later I had nothing. Well, I thought, maybe it is misfiled under someone else's name. There were several names at the bottom. A couple more lunch hours and I still had nothing. I suppose it doesn't necessarily mean he did get it. Perhaps he didn't consider it important enough to save. But judging from the other letters he did save, I didn't think his standards were that high.

Yesterday I went looking for the the microfilm of the Cooper Skelton Manuscript. This is an oft quoted Lewis County version of the Massacre. A hand typed paper copy of the manuscript in in the Archives. It was hand copied in 1933 from a newspaper article and then typed up as part of the WPA. But the copy is missing some crucial text. I was hoping the original was on the microfilm. Well, it isn't, as I discovered yesterday. The Microfilmed copy is missing the same section. The hand written original may be on file in some WPA archive near Washington DC. Or maybe it doesn't exist at all.

It is disappointing to not find what your are looking for. In some cases you don't know whether you haven't found it yet, or if you're pretty sure it isn't there to find. Sometimes it is nice to know. Now I can move on.

Prince & Betty Webb Family

Prince Albert Webb was born in 1861 (probably in Illinois) to John Keston Webb and Tabitha Hensley. Tabitha died sometime in 1863. Not long afterwards, John died in 1867. Prince and his siblings were sent to live with his mother's family in Lewis County.

Elizabeth (Betty) Jane Carroll was born in 1860 in Lewis County to William Andrew Carroll and Sarah Jane Quillen. She married George Hinson and they had two children, both of whom died quite young. George died in an accident, being dragged to death by two runaway oxen. [I have not been able to determine if George was related to David Hinson.] In 1881, she remarried to Prince Albert Webb.

Betty and Prince were at the scene when the mob came to the home of Betsy's aunt Malinda Carroll Conder. Prince was a minister for the Free Will Baptist Church. Family tradition states they had no interest in the Mormon Church, but had traveled by ox cart to visit Betty's aunt. With them were their two children Byron F. Webb and William "Kess" Webb. Kess was being held in Malinda's arms when she was shot in the hip during the Massacre.
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There was a note in the Nasville Banner that Col Johnson interviewed a man named Prince who lived on Swan Creek about the events. Prince claimed to have spoken with a Mormon Elder (probably Elder Jones) Sunday afternoon after the massacre. He asked for directions to Shady Grove in Hickman County. I don't know where Prince Albert Webb lived, but Betty's family lived on Swan Creek. It is likely this was the "Prince" at the Conder home
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An anonymous source gave an interview with a newspaper (Nashville Daily American, August 19, 1884) in which he summerized, second hand, the eyewitness account of Betty Webb.

At about 10 o'clock, she saw the mob near the gate with old man Condor under arrest. He immediately called his boys to get their guns. They were off a short distance from the house, and made a rush for the home, as did also three of the attacking party, all reaching the house about the same time. Young Conder made an effort to get his gun. But before getting entire posession of it, one of the attacking party seized it, and for some time "begged him" to use her words, to give it up at one, and make no further attempt to molest them. He became more violent, and, by a quick movement, got posession of the gun, and quick as thought knocked his antagonist on the head with it, when he was shot dead by David Hinson, who had remained motionless during the struggle over the gun.

Elder Berry made a rush for Hinson, gathered him and had him partially unmasked, when he was shot dead by young Condor's first antagonist. Elder Gibbs, after making an unsucessful effort to assist Berry, was killed by the third party in disguise, all dying instantly. The house being cleared, Hinson and his party started to the gate to rejoin their company, when hutson, who had unknown to them, ran upstairs after his gun, appeared in the door and shot Hinson, who lived but a short time. Hutson started to run, but was shot down as he passed through the back door. Another barrel was emptied into him, and then the mob retired, carrying Hinson with them.

The account, though attributed to Betty Webb is paraphrased by the unnamed resident of Palestine, in Lewis County, Tennessee. Regardless of the "name dropping" it is still a heresay version.

One historian, Jeremy Ricketts, noted that Betty Webb never made any public statement to confirm or deny this version which is attributed to her. This description does differ on many specific points. If this account accurately represented her testimony, one might expect her to have made a statement herself. More likely, she feared the reprisals of the vigilantes, and so made no effort to make a statement or correct any of the details.

Not surprisingly, no published historian has seriously considered the facts as presented here as reliable. There have been several non Mormon historians who have written about the Massacre: W. L. Pinkerton, William W. Hatch and Marshal Wingfield, just to name a few. None have relied on the details from this story.

Prince and Betty later had six more children; Minnie Jane Webb, Tabitha A Webb, Bertha Webb, Earnest Sewell Webb, Walter Marion Webb, and Delia E. Webb. Betty died in 1922. Prince died in 1930. Both are buried in Lewis County.

A Dog Obeys Its True Master

In 1974, Rex D. Pinegar shared this story in the July issue of the New Era. Elder Pinegar's grandfather lived near Smithville, DeKalb County, Tennessee. On May 14, 1895, Elder Pinegar's grandparents, Harvey and Josie Pinegar, were baptized.

Four years after Grandfather joined the Church, my father, then a young lad eight years old, accompanied his family and the members of two other families to a baptismal service. Grandfather was to baptize his young daughter and the daughters of a neighboring family on that cold December 3, 1899. As they traveled toward the stream at Reynold’s Mill, they were approached by three men on horseback. When the men asked where they were going, Grandfather explained their intentions. The leader threatened to bring a mob upon them if they carried out the baptismal service. Grandfather informed him that he and the 20 people with him would complete their errand regardless of what the man and his associates did. Grandfather and his party continued their journey to Reynold’s Mill.

Arriving at the mill they located a secluded spot for the baptism. The hill above the river was covered with trees, scrub oak, and ivy. My father, young John, was perched on a fallen tree that stretched out across a sandbar into the slow-moving stream. Here he could observe every detailof this sacred ordinance. Grandfather waded out into the stream to find the right depth and then returned to the riverbank for prayer. In the quiet of the prayer John heard the sound of a cracking limb. Opening his eyes and glancing quickly up the hill through the trees he saw the men who had stopped them earlier. They had arrived with a mob to carry out their threat. One of them was by a pile of rocks and was ready to pelt the baptismal participants. Suddenly all eyes were opened as a big redbone hound owned by the leader of the mob bounded down to within a few feet of my father. Young John looked fearfully at the hound as it growled menacingly. These men and their associates were determined to stop the baptisms from being performed. My Grandfather Pinegar courageously proceeded with the services.

Convinced now that these Mormon families were unafraid of his threat, the mob leader commanded his dog to attack Grandfather Pinegar. At this moment an amazing thing happened. The dog let out a low growl and his hair bristled like that on an angry hog’s back. Suddenly it bared its teeth and turned on its master, leaping at his throat and knocking him to the ground. The rest of the mob fled in fear when they saw the dog turn on its owner. As soon as the astonished leader could free himself from his dog, he left in hurried pursuit of his associates, with the dog yelping close at his heels.

A miracle had occurred! The Pinegar family and their neighbors thanked the Lord for their deliverance, and the baptismal service continued without further interruption.

That evening the families returned to Grandfather’s home. After darkness had fallen upon the mountain cabin, the troublemakers returned and again threatened to mob my grandfather and his Mormon friends. As they taunted him from the gate, Grandfather commanded them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to leave. The mob departed and did not return.

In around 1901 Harvey and Josie Pinegar left Tennessee and took their family to Carbon County Utah.

Pioneer Day Outside the Mormon Curtain

As I write this the Mormon world is preparing the celebrate Pioneer Day. OK, maybe just the Mormons in the west. Here in Tennessee our ward is not even acknowledging the date. No activity. Maybe just some pioneer themed talks in Sunday School (I gave one such talk last year). Elements in our ward have decided to take things into their own hands. The Relief Society is hosting an pioneer themed enrichment meeting... next week. OK, it is close enough, I guess.

When I was a child my father moved us around every couple of years. We spent some of it in Tennessee, but we spent more of it in Massachusetts, Virginia, California, Wisconsin and Connecticut. We always celebrated Pioneer day. In Knoxville, I had a wagon we made a little cover for and the Primary had a parade around the chapel. We dressed up in our best western costumes and played cowboys and, well, pioneers. [I don't recall any Indians.] I don't see that anymore.

Are there other areas outside the inter mountain west where Pioneer Day is largely ignored?

Franklin Spencer: Wanted Dead or Alive

In 1881 Franklin Spencer returned home honorably from serving in the West Tennessee Conference of the Southern States Mission. For the last sixteen months he was president of the Conference. But his honorable service hides the fact that Franklin Spencer was not his real name. His real name was Nicholas Summers Perkins Jr.

He was born on 26 June 1838 in Augusta, Bracken County, Kentucky to Nicholas Summers Perkins and Sarah Jane Bradford. His mother died in childbirth in 1841. A couple of years later, Nicholas Sr. took his children and followed his extended family to Missouri. But when gold was discovered in California, Nicholas Sr. was bitten by the bug. Leaving his children in the care of his sister in Missouri, he went west where he died in 1850.

Although Nicholas stuttered badly when he spoke he was very intelligent. So his career interests led him into teaching school and he studied to become a lawyer. All this came to an end with the start of the Civil War. Very much a Southern man he went to Tennessee, joined the Confederate Army, and was given a commission. Because of his native intelligence he was quickly promoted, eventually achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In his role he was involved in a watershed event in his life: the destruction of a railway bridge which resulted in the death of “several” Union soldiers. [Later evidence shows he was falsely accused of the crime]

After the war Nicholas returned to Missouri, but eventually had to leave in fear of reprisals for his Confederate past. It isn't clear whether these were government officials, bounty hunters or just bitter relatives of those he killed. Regardless, he moved to Pueblo Colorado, where he had sisters, and bought some land. It wasn’t long before he was tracked down by a posse of 10 to 12 men led by J. H. Russell. In the fight Nicholas stabbed Russell who died three days later.

On the run once again, Nicholas took his new wife Sarah Jane Dodd, on the trail to Oregon. But along the way they stopped in Ogden, Utah to let Sarah recover from an illness. Impressed with the Mormons, Nicholas was baptized late in 1864. He changed his name to Franklin Spencer and the family settled in Manti. His devotion to his new faith was such that by 1874 he was asked to serve as the Bishop of Salina. He sat in the Utah State Legislature and was called to serve a mission to Tennessee, working in the area around Nashville. He ended his mission as president of the Tennessee Conference just after the Branch at Cane Creek had been formed.

Following his mission he stopped in Kentucky and gathered genealogical records. After his return to Utah he took a second wife, and eventually a third, which put him on the run again. He spent the rest of his life in Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, where he died in 1915.

Isaac Thomas Garrett - Later life

[I have since discovered that his correct first name was Isaiah not Isaac. He used the name Tom. -BAllen]

Tom Garrett was the first to invite the missionaries to Cane Creek. After hearing the first Mormon sermon preached in the area he said "It won't do." When asked to explain himself he went on. "It won't do for us because it is the truth. We can't stand that. If this doctrine is preached here in about a year we will be killing these men for preaching it." He was wrong. It actually took over five years. Though he was never baptized, his wife and daughter both joined the Church.

Tom was also instrumental in saving the life of Elder Thompson, sneaking him out of Lewis County in his buggy after the Massacre with a pistol under his seat. He helped bury the dead on Monday, the day after the Massacre, and help Elder Roberts dig up the Elders again on Wednesday. Ultimately he and his family left Lewis County, Tennessee for Bond County, Illinois, about 50 miles north east of St Louis, Missouri. Tom’s maternal grandfather moved there years earlier so it is likely he had cousins living there at the time.

After arriving in Illinois, Tom wrote a letter to Hyrum Belnap. In appeared in the Ogden standard Examiner on 23 January 1885. In it he explains why he left Tennessee and a bit of his financial condition. He was able to sell only a part of his farm, rent another part and the rest was still unresolved. His wife, daughter and son-in-law moved with him. B. H. Roberts notes that the Church was able to send him some financial assistance. His wife died in 1887. His son-in-law-died a few years later.

Recently a helpful source sent me a another letter which he wrote on 11 March 1908, this time to the Deseret Evening News. At the end of his letter, which is only quoted in part, he sounds sad that his life had parted ways from association with the Mormons.

I have never heard the gospel preached since I heard the elders on Cane Creek before the massacre. They gave me a little book called ‘The Voice of Warning,’ and I keep it precious. What I did for the elders then I would do again, even if it did compel me to move out. I would like to shake hands with them. It would be a great pleasure for me to hear from any of the Elders who labored in Tennessee and on Cane Creek, and if any are still in the land of the living, I wish they would write to me.

I know of no responses to this request, though I imagine there were some. We don't know when Isaac Thomas Garrett died, but I don't see him in the 1910 Census so he probably died shortly after writing this letter.

Thomas Holiday Church & Harriet Elnora Birchet

[I ran across this interesting story about a Tennessee Mormon family. While I am having trouble replicating the research, the source is a paper presented at the Sunstone West Symposium in Cupertino California on March 28, 2009. I qualify this so you will not automatically accept this as true. But it probably is. -Bruce]

Thomas was born in Franklin, Tennessee on 20 January 1824 to Abraham Church and Mary Emmons. The family soon moved to Shady Grove where they settled. Thomas married his first wife, Nancy Maria Bryant in 1849. By the 1850 Census, Nancy has just given birth to their second child. Other sources suggest at least two more children were born to them.

Harriet was born a slave in Crockett County, Tennessee in 1843 to Remeus Burchard and Maria Wamock. Some sources suggest she is mulatto. In the 1880 Census, she listed her mother’s birthplace as Georgia; her father's birthplace is blank. She also lists her race as White.

Harriet was bought by Thomas Church in 1850. In 1859 she and Thomas had a daughter named Laura. I can't imagine their relationship was an equal one, and there is no evidence of how much Thomas’ wife Nancy knew about the relationship. Nancy died in 1861.

Thomas served in the Confederate Army during the war. After the Civil War, Harriet and Thomas were married. They would eventually have 11 children.

In 1877, Thomas’ brother, Hayden Wells Church, who had joined the church years before, returned to Shady Grove as a missionary to share the gospel with his family. Thomas and his wife accepted the message and were baptized. They shortly thereafter moved to Utah. Their last child, John Taylor Church was born in Utah in 1879 and Thomas received his temple ordinances in 1879. He is also sealed to his deceased wife Nancy, but not to Harriet.

In the 1880 Census, they are living in Deseret, Milard County, Utah. In 1903, they took a trip to Salt Lake City where they received their endowments and were then sealed to each other in the Salt Lake Temple. Five of their children also received their temple ordinances during their lifetime. The rest, although baptized and confirmed in the LDS Church, we apparently not allowed to receive their temple ordinances.

Laura Church (1859-1953) Temple work done in 1956 (proxy)
Mary Ann Church (1862-1925) Temple work done in 1879 (living)
William Church (1866-1940) Temple work done in 1941 (proxy)
Major Dorimus Church (1869-1936) Temple work done in 1939 (proxy)
Viletta Church (1871-1930) Temple work done in 1931 (proxy)
Henry Geboyle Church (1873-1931) Temple work done in 1935 (proxy)
Robert Robins Church (1875-1934) – Temple work done in 1901 (living)*
Arizona Church (1877-1962) – Temple work done in 1909 (living)
John Taylor Church (1879-1965) – Temple work done in 1952 (living)
Harriet Gertrude Church (1881-1963) – Temple work done in 1904 (living)
Della Ada Church (1884-1943) Temple work done in 1947 & 1979 (proxy)

[*Although the writer of the article gave this date, I have not been able to verify it. According to temple records the work is currently in progress. When it is completed, the new date will replace any previous date. ]

[There are many other aspects of this I have not been able to verify. The slave schedules referenced in the paper do not name Harriet. Nor have I located the marriage records for Thomas and Harriet. African American family history is a new area for me. The author of this paper is far more experienced at it than I am.]

LDS Historical Rhetoric and Praxis Regarding Marriage Between Whites and Blacks

Jeremiah & Lavinia Murphy

Another early Tennessee family that joined the Mormon Church was Jeremiah and Lavinia Murphy. They joined the Church on 24 June 1836 after being introduced to it by his cousin, Randolph Alexander, and taught by Elders Wilford Woodruff and Abraham O. Smoot. Unfortunately, Jeremiah was dissatisfied with not having a spiritual manifestation upon receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Although he continued to associate with the saints and allowed his house to be used as a gathering place, he eventually apostasized. Shortly thereafter, Jeremiah died on 5 October 1839.

For a short time in the early 1840's Lavinia took her family to Nauvoo, where they continued their association with the Church. But by 1843 they had returned to Tennessee. Their stay in Tennessee was not to last. Lavinia was soon infected with the desire to go west to California.

In a lecture he gave in 1896, one of Lavinia's sons, William Murphy, described their move west.

"In 1845 we heard wonderful stories of a wonderful country in the far West, between the Pacific ocean and the Rocky mountains, a country of sulubrious climate, perrenial spring time indeed, of deep and inexhaustible soil, why, they said that wheat grew wild higher than a man's head, and the Mexican Government that exercised some kind of control over it, would grant land to settlers; so my mother, was a widow, with seven children, two sons-in-law and three grand children, suggested that we emigrate to the far off fairy land. She ordered a suitable wagon to be manufactured, a son-in-law did the same, and early in 1846, we started out with two ox teams from West Tennessee, crossed the State of Kentucky, the Ohio river below Paducah, up through Illinois, to Ballville, opposite St. Louis, crossed the Mississippi there, taking a family of three of ours who lived there, completing our number-thirteen. Across the State of Missouri to Independence, then the great entry port of the overland trade of Northern Mexico and Santa Fe; here we learned that the great overland caravan for Oregon and California had departed. We concluded to overtake them, which we did at the Big Blue, in Kansas, where they were water bound. Here we first met the Donners.

Yes, that's right, the Donner Party; famous for how the survivors fed themselves in the face of starvation [if you don't know what I'm talking about, go look it up]. The events that led to the deaths of two thirds of the Donner party are beyond the scope of this post. But the party found themselves trapped in the Sierra Nevada mountains in the winter of 1846/47. Lavinia did not make it. She died in a hastily built snowbound cabin the last week of March 1847, too weak and frail to be rescued. Seven of the family survived: five of her children, one son-in-law and one grandchild. Five others did not survive: two of her children, one son-in-law and three grandchildren.

References

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tnweakle/DonnerParty_Murphy.htm

http://www.donnerpartydiary.com/

http://www.mormonhistoricsitesfoundation.org/publications/nj_spring1997/Dorius.pdf

Randolph & Myrza Alexander

One of the families that joined the Church in Tennessee was that of Randolph and Myrza Alexander.

Randolph Alexander was born on 22 March 1802 in South Carolina to Angus Alexander and Unity Murphy. He and Myrza Alexander (a distant cousin of Randolph's) were married on 11 June 1830 in Weakley Co, Tennessee. They had three children: Thomas in 1831, Susan in 1830, and Adaline in 1835.

While they were living in Weakley Co, Tennessee, they met Wilford Woodruff and David Patten. The missionaries were refused permission to preach at the Thompson Creek Baptist Church. Randolph, however, owned the land next to the Church and invited them to preach there. Soon afterwards Randolph and his family accepted the gospel and were baptized on 7 August 1836. Some of Randolph's cousins also joined the Mormon Church.

Randolph allowed missionaries to preach at his home and preached himself at least a little since he had been "run off for preaching Mormonism" in an unnamed town some twenty miles from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. At a conference in September 2-4, 1836 Randolph was ordained and Elder.

Although Myrza was pregnant, they decided to join the saints in Far West, Missouri. Along the way, in Memphis, their fourth child was born on 4 March 1837. They choose the name Moroni Woodruff Alexander, with an obvious reference to the Book of Mormon and to honor the missionary that taught them, Wilford Woodruff.

They were driven from Far West and moved to Quincy, Illinois, and later to Nauvoo. There they lived until the saints were driven out. After a year in Winter Quarters, the moved to Utah and eventually settled in Washington County. Randolph died 12 March 1879. Myrza died 23 July 1880.

B. H. Roberts

I have put off writing about B. H. Roberts. There is so much already written about him, I could scarcely cover his life in this medium in the manner he deserves. And so I will cover just the portions of his life connected to the Cane Creek Massacre.

If any story has a prelude this is one. It needs not be read prior to the rest of this post, but it certainly should be read. You can read it here.

Of course, much of what we know about the massacre comes from the various accounts he has written. Some historians have criticized how his version of his involvement have been embellished over time. That is probably unfair. Certainly as I retell events in my life, there will be slight changes simply based on what I think is important at the time. But the more I research the Massacre, the more issues I find.

Elder Roberts spent part of his mission acting as President of the Middle Tennessee Conference. He served at Cane Creek and came to know and love the saints there personally. He also was well known outside the church. Which was a factor in his decision to disguise himself when he returned after the massacre. I suspect his familiarity with the people and the area had much to do with his decision to go there himself rather than sending another.

Starting in March 1884, Elders Roberts was the acting Mission President under Elder John Morgan. Actually, Elder Morgan has designated Roberts as his successor and was ready to put him in charge. But others in the Church hierarchy felt Roberts was too young to take on so much responsibility. So he was given the position under the remote direction of John Morgan.

The first news he heard of the massacre was from J. Golden Kimball. Kimball had been sick and was sent to Shady Grove, Tennessee to recuperate. While there, Kimball met the escaping missionaries: Jones on Monday morning and Thompson Tuesday morning. He immediately sent word to Roberts.

And here I run into my most recent problem with Roberts' autobiography. Roberts writes in so much detail in creates the sense that his account is accurate. But the details are sometimes wrong. Not in ways that make a great deal of difference, but still obviously wrong. Kimball didn't get the details about the Massacre until Tuesday morning when he met Elder Thompson and Tom Garrett when they arrived at Shady Grove. Immediately after they met on the road outside Shady Grove, Elder Kimball returned to town and telegraphs Roberts with the news of the death of Gibbs and Berry and that the other two Elders are alive and safe. But in his autobiography Roberts claimed this all happened Monday morning. Critical detail? Not really, but I spent more time than I should have trying to sort out the timeline based on Roberts lack of attention to detail.

President Roberts, upon hearing the news jumped into action as though he had been prepared for just such an event. He sent a request to Salt Lake to wire him funds to retrieve to bodies, arranged to borrow money from a friend of the Church, purchased two steel coffins to be sent ahead and got on a train to Nashville.

In Nashville he met with reporters announcing his intent to retrieve the bodies of the Elders. Because he is unable to secure protection from the governor on his trip into Lewis County, he dons his famous disguise. He shaved his beard, put on old dirty clothing and smeared grease and dirt on his face and hands. His disguise was so effective, even those who knew him well did not recognize him.

While in Lewis County he reveals himself to only one person: Isaac "Tom" Garrett, a friend of the church but not a member. Fortunately his trip was accomplished without serious problems.

After his return to Nashville, he had photograph taken of himself in his disguise and sent it home. He would later say that he did not want it spread outside his family; but that he wasn't given any say in the matter.

Turkey Creek Branch (corrections)

A reader recently corrected me that the Waverly Branch is not yet a Ward. Apparently the writer of the history is not a member and was not aware of this nuanced difference. I am usually better at checking facts. A quick check on the Meeting House Locater confirmed the correction. But by asking for more information, I was also able to collect some additional details in the process.

When the Nashville Stake was formed, December 6, 1970, the Turkey Creek Branch was turned into a "Dependent Sunday School" of the Clarksville Ward. There it remained until it was re-organised into the Turkey Creek Branch in 1976.

On December 2, 1979, when the Nashville, Tennessee Stake was split, the Turkey Creek Branch became part of the new Franklin, Tennessee Stake.

The Turkey Creek Chapel was retired from use in the Fall of 1980, when the meeting house in Waverly was built. At that time the name was changed from the Turkey Creek Branch to the Waverly Branch. Sadly, the Old Chapel burned to the ground in 1985.

Mormons Love History

Mormons love their history. And they love to share it too. Since I started this blog, I have had several people I know personally hand me something with Mormon history.

Last Sunday, I was given a a photo copy of the last few pages of a book belonging to an older Mormon resident of Tennessee: Myrtle Bigham who passed away in 2000. Hand written on those pages were the names of the missionaries who passed through her doors 1887 to 1907. Since Myrtle was baptised in 1918, the book probably belonged to her grandparents who joined the Church in 1887.

This was not the first thing I was given of historical value, nor do I expect it will be the last. I treasure them not because they are original (it is only a copy) but because it shows that those who give them to me understand me and my love for history. I'm like a kid getting candy for his birthday.

The Train Ride Home

Just before midnight, Monday August 18th 1884, Elder Willis Eugene Robison boarded a train carrying the bodies of John Henry Gibbs and William Shanks Berry back to their homes in Utah. The two were among the five killed at the Cane Creek Massacre.

The first leg of the journey was uneventful, but at Cairo, Illinois, a drunk man claiming to be the nephew of David Hinson, boarded the train. He was prevented from anything more than cursing and swearing by the officers on the train. At the same stop, the caskets were supposed to be moved to another train, but the conductor refused to let them be loaded. Some of the passengers watching the argument unfold yelled “throw them in the river.” It took some persistence, but the conductor finally relented, and the caskets were loaded.

The scene was repeated in Kansas City where they had to change trains again. This time however, the conductor threatened to resign before he allowed the caskets to be loaded. A compromise was reached allowing them to be loaded to a flat car, exposed to the elements, and lashed down with ropes to prevent them from falling off. They stayed outside until a rainstorm soaked the ropes. After which the baggage master consented to moving the caskets inside, out of fear that the wet ropes would not properly keep the caskets secure.

In Pueblo, Colorado Robison had to change trains again. But this time he met a yard-master who was friendlier than those he had met before. Allowing Elder Robison to rest, he took care of moving the caskets and wired President Morgan for him to let him know where he was.

One man arranged to have the train make a special stop at Price. He draped the station in honor of the slain missionary.

At Thistle Valley, the train was met by Abraham O. Smoot and others who had come out in order to ride with the train into Provo. On the August 21st, 1884, the train arrived in Provo, where two brass bands and a large crowd of people waited.

At Provo, Elder Berry’s remains were transferred to a train going south to Milford, Utah. Accompanying the body on the train south was Elder M. F. Cowley, who spoke at the funeral, and James W. Eardley. Also on the train were J. W. Berry, who was Elder Berry’s brother, Elder Willis E. Robison, and Bishop John Sharp. At stations along the way large crowds gathered, some of whom sung hymns while the train waited at each platform. After reaching Milford the casket was taken by wagon the seventy miles to Kanarra, Utah.

The train carrying the body Elder Gibbs arrived in Salt Lake City of August 22nd, 1884 at approximately 5:30 pm, about 20 minutes later than expected. Among the others that were on the train were John Morgan, H .S. Beatie Jr., James M. Barlow, Charles S. Brain, Jesse M. Smith, and George F. Gibbs who had presumably boarded the train in Provo.

An estimated three thousand people showed up including four different bands to play music fitting for the occasion; the Sixth Ward, the Sixteenth Ward, the Twenty-first Ward, and the Fireman’s Band. The Fireman’s Band, situated on its wagon close to the platform, played a funeral march “Tis Done” as the train pulled into the station.

Elder Gibbs’ casket was moved from the train and placed near the center of the station platform where everyone who wished was permitted to file past to view the coffin. After about a stay of only fifteen minutes, the casket was reloaded on the box car and the train continued on to Paradise, Cache County Utah. Elders Joseph H. Parry and Jesse M. Smith were designated to accompany the body. Also on the train as it left were Elder George F. Gibbs, who was Elder Gibbs’ brother, and three men sent from Ogden: Elder William H. Wright, William Critchlow, and Peter Anderson.

After the train left, the crowd formed an improvised procession with bands playing funeral marches and led by carriages carrying Joseph F. Smith, Wilford Woodruff, F. D. Richards and others found its way east through Salt Lake to the Gardo House. There A. M. Cannon spoke briefly and the crown dispersed. The flag at City Hall was lowered to half mast.

In Logan, Utah, at about 10:30 pm, a crowd began to assemble at the Tabernacle. It consisted of most of the Church leaders in Cache County including the Stake President C. O. Card. By 11:00 pm they began a torchlight procession. Led by the Fire Brigade, and kept in time to a funeral march played by the Logan and Plain City brass bands, the mourners marched to the railroad depot. At about fifteen minutes before midnight, the train carrying the body of Elder Gibbs pulled into the station.

After the remains were removed from the train and brief remarks by President Card, the procession reformed and followed the wagon carrying Elder Gibbs back up Second Street to Main Street and then south to the bridge. There the procession stopped, but the bands continued to play as Elder Gibbs’ father and friends from south of Logan continued with the remains on to the town of Paradise.

Crockett County Mobbing Part 3

In the Deseret News dated September 12, 1888 appeared an article describing the mobbing in Crockett County. It was based on a letter written by one of the Elders, though which one the paper does not say. The article differs only in some of the details. The number of lashes for each Elder was estimated at 45, and the first Elder to answer that they would leave and promise not to return was Elder Wright. The letter writer did not condemn him for speaking first, but agreed it was the only prudent action.

In addition we learn that Brother Brooks was also dragged from the house after being hit in the head with a club. Although he was not whipped as the Elders were, he was forced to watch, perhaps under the hope that he would learn something from the experience and renounce the Mormons. Elder Wright had a similar gash on his forehead.

The next Day President of the Conference, Elder Wright directed Elder Fuller and Elder Holt to leave for Weekley County. Elder Wright and Elder Douglas stayed for a couple of days but eventually joined them. There they rested and recuperated from their wounds.

Crockett County Mobbing Part 2

After several pages of membership records, the author continued his story.

Crockett Co, Tenn. Sept 1, 1888
Elders Elias S Wright, Asahel S. Fuller and James H Douglas approached Bells Depot for the purpose of meeting Elder Thomas M. Holt from Utah. Knowing some excitement permits Bro Wright goes to the Depot alone and Bro Fuller and J H Douglas went along to in order to keep down the excitement. Soon and overtaken by Elders Wright and Holt. After partaking of some nice light bread and delicious fresh fruit dried from Utah, we went along quietly towards Bro Brooks, taking every precaution to avoid publicity. [We saw] One or two persons at most on the way, One of them offering an insult by way of asking concerning the balance of people in Utah.

We arrived at Brooks safely about 5 pm. Had quite a nice time with the family until about 10 pm. As we return to rest the homes of two { } before present themselves [ ] before us, and the sudden barking of the dog seems to make some of the family a little nervous. We, however, try to cast off all fear and are soon enwrapped in profound sleep. Nothing more is heard until 1 a. m. Sunday Sept 2, 88, when we are awakened by the words, “The Mob’s come! The Mob’s come!” Quicker than one could think we are all facing pistols. With a rough coarse, boisterous voice saying surrender! Of course being unarmed he have nothing to surrender but our lives. No time is lost we are compelled to leave our beds and are thrust out of the house without even a chance to put our pants on. No possible chance is given to reason. We are marched at the point of pistols, guns and clubs, by the masque demons about forty rods from the house. There we ask them if they do not wish to take us before the court where we will answer to any charge they wish to bring against us. “We’ll show you who the courts are” was the only reply. They now commenced to cut down beach limbs from four to six feet long and about ½ to ¾ in. through. We are now compelled to lean our bodies over a log 18 inches through and now the awful beating commenced stripe after stripe we receive bringing blood to the surface at almost every blow. If we attempt to raise our head we receive a lick over them with a pistol or club. By this means we are compelled to receive the lashing without any chance to ask even a question. We are now asked to leave to Co. which we hesitate giving an answer to when down come the stripes with redoubled fury, and the longer we hesitate the more enraged they become and thicker heavier and faster they come. Finally as a last remark we make the promise to leave and never more return. During all this time the most horrid oaths and blasphemies are indulged in we ever heard. Infuriated is but speaking it lightly and legion of devils can only express their madness. There were probably from 15 to 30 who took part in this horrible affair giving us as near as we can jude (sic) about 50 lashes each completely splitting their withes.