The book you order may appear different than the image displayed here. As well as the simmering animosity they had, because of their experience in Missouri at the hands of some of the immigrants on the trail through Utah, at this tense time in the relationship between the U.S. and the Mormons. I figured that since this book was written by a Mormon that it would be biased, but the author indeed laid blame for the incident on the various members of the church including Brigham Young. I grew up in St. George and I had always heard about the massacre but had not spent the time to read about it. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, September 1857. And these potential consequences were not small for her. There are no discussion topics on this book yet. By all counts, Juanita rose above the cynicism in producing such a great work. Mountain Meadow Massacre 9 11 1857 books. I think Juanita Brooks did a great job describing the local atmosphere and attitudes previous to, during, and after the massacre, and she cited available sources whenever possible. Book Overview In the Fall of 1857, some 120 California-bound emigrants were killed in lonely Mountain Meadows in southern Utah; only eighteen young children were spared. This background and the ability to interview many of the participants and get them to actually talk about what happened, plus her reputation as a historian noted for a devotion to research and finding the truth no matter where it took her, gives Juanita Brooks a unique position to tell this story. In the book, Brooks demonstrated convincingly that the Mormon militia was responsible for the massacre, and that John D. Lee, the only militiaman executed, was effectively a scapegoat. I’m a little biased, because the author is my wife’s great-grandma. "What raised the wrath of loyal Mormons was the massive evidence she presented that Young's cover-up of the crime made him an accessory after the fact, and that he stage-managed the sacrifice of John D. Lee", writes historian Will Bagley in his Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows. Review of Massacre at Mountain Meadows, in Western American Literature, Spring 2009. During the massacre, 17 children were spared, considered “too young to tell tales.” They were raised by local families until 1859, when government officials returned them to surviving family members in Arkansas. If the ends of protecting the church from embarrassment or harm are covering murder or sexual abuse from leaders, it is wicked. Start by marking “The Mountain Meadows Massacre” as Want to Read: Error rating book. In 1867 C.V. Waite published "An Authentic History Of Brigham Young" which described the … 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. A little dry in places, but a remarkable work of research. She showed how the tension and fear in Sout. This is an essential read for Mormon historiography; it is seminal for its contribution to an emerging climate of openness in Mormon Studies that occurred (though with some give-and-take along the way) during the second half of the twentieth century. #115 Messenger, Hofmann and the Mountain Meadows Massacre; 1869 Murder in a Mormon Ward House? by University of Oklahoma Press. All of a sudden I realized that there were white men with them, killing also and I recognized that these whites were Mormons. 2 talking about this. The Mountain Meadows Massacre By Richard E. Turley Jr. In what former LDS Church historian Richard Turley called “the worst event in Latter-day Saint history,” a Mormon militia recruited Native Americans to help them slaughter an emigrant wagon train from Arkansas in 1857. Which sounds Orwellian to even say. The most important work on the Mountain Meadows Massacre since Juanita Brooks' work in 1950. By: Ronald W. Walker, Richard E. Turley, Glen M. Leonard. What I remember is dreaming that I was a pioneer in a wagon train when Indians attacked and started killing us. I wouldn't let them touch me for quite awhile but they finally got me back to bed. Mountain Meadows Massacre [Google Video] Nauvoo. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published The Mountain Meadows Massacre was the first work to fully document Mormon involvement in the massacre. The men on the ground after the bloody deed took an oath that they would never … My 5-star review is partly a reflection of the quality of the read — it’s well-written, exhaustively sourced, and fairly succinct. Largest collection of records and information on the Mountain Meadows Massacre on the internet. The result is a bit dated and dry, but her findings make things pretty clear: a religious community flipped out and orchestrated the murder of over a hundred people, then freaked out and executed one guy who participated because he was following orders. Finally finished this book and it took me a moment to realize I picked it up to finish it on the day this event took place, September 11th. Much to the consternation of some, Brooks called Young "an accessory after the fact," a charge that rankled church leaders. The new book, Massacre at Mountain Meadows, published by Oxford University Press, is not a Church production but was co-authored by Mormon historians Ronald W. Walker, Richard E. Turley Jr. … Download The Mountain Meadows Massacre full book in PDF, EPUB, and Mobi Format, get it for read on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. News of possible U.S. Army interference reached the Mormons and they began to organize their own army for protection. It's really a shame, because the actual story of the massacre is absolutely fascinating. Mountain Meadows Massacre, Utah, 1857, Mormons and Mormonism, Utah -- History Publisher [Salt Lake City] Salt Lake tribune publishing co. Collection cdl; americana Digitizing sponsor MSN Contributor University of California Libraries Language English It was after the Mormon reformation that the Government leaders began to fill intimidated and the President sent the Army in to once again eliminate Mormons. While Brigham Young is acquitted of any direct involvement in the affair, Brooks does note that his incendiary rhetoric contributed to the climate of paranoia and thus indirectly enabled the event. She was the first to undertake a scholarly, historical exploration of the horrific 1857 massacre which wiped out some 120 men, women, and children. This was an interesting book to read. I borrowed this book from my mother. [6] Brooks writes, "While Brigham Young and other church authorities did not specifically order the massacre, they did preach sermons and set up social conditions that made it possible. After reading Jon Krakauer's "Under the Banner of Heaven" it rekindled my interest on this subject. Juanita received a lot of flak for daring to write a book that laid at least partial blame at the feet of pioneer church leaders and members. I dated a Jack Mormon (one who has left the church) for awhile and the only time it came up was when he met me and when he said he had done a mission just out of high school. This is the 3rd book I've read about the Mountain Meadows Massacre, and the first one by a non-Mormon. For those of you who don’t know, the Massacre at Mountain Meadows is an event in Mormon history in the later 1850’s. Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows. 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., leading up to the massacre. [4] Her work was acclaimed by historians, however, leading to her recognition as an exemplary historian of the American West and Mormonism. In September 1857, not quite a year after the handcart disaster kicked into high gear, a wagon train of non-Mormons was massacred at Mountain Meadows, men, women, and all children over 8. Unfortunately, the massacre accounts for only about one third of the text. She writes, "The church leaders decided to sacrifice Lee only when they could see that it would be impossible to acquit him without assuming a part of the responsibility themselves".[5]. The leaders of the Mormon church also counseled silence. . She showed how the tension and fear in Southern Utah was fueled by the sermons of George A. Smith, how the Saints were striving to have peaceful relations with the Indians while securing their support and manpower for the upcoming Utah war, and how most of Brigham Young's attention was riveted on the approaching U.S Army sent to suppress the Mormons. Juanita Brooks, an active member of the Mormon religion, delved deeply into the Mormon historical archives to write about the Mountain Meadow Massacre of Sept. 1857. It is written by a Mormon historian, and is considered the definitive work on the event. Just when you thought the Mormons were a clean-cut religious culture, think again and read this book! etc. Juanita Brooks' book, 'The Mountain Meadows Massacre' is an early historical attempt to explain why this horrible event happened. Juanita Brooks grew up in a Mormon community in southern Utah and this was, in her biographer's words, "the book she was born to write." There’s a saying in the church that we are to “protect the good name of the church.” In my youth I found this innocuous but as I’ve grown and learned a few things I find this dangerous. According to Jon Krakauer, Brooks's book, I read this as research for a paper I wrote on Rene Girard's theory of ritual violence. That Sept. in 1857, they attacked the Baker-Rancher wagon train killing all but 17. Question: What is the best book on the Mountain Meadows Massacre? Brigham Young, as portrayed in Sally Denton's American Massacre, … Juanita Brooks having grown up a Mormon in Southern Utah shortly after this time as a child and knowing of the whisperings of the this terrible event. And these potential c. The Mountain Meadows Massacre is something most people have probably never heard of before - unless you're a Mormon or had ancestors who were part of the massacred Fancher wagon party. etc. Download in PDF, EPUB, and Mobi Format for read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Calmly and dispassionately, Brooks laid out the facts available: the paranoia that gripped 1850s Utah Territory, when the U.S. Army was dispatched to the area to put down the so-called Mormon Rebellion; the decision to kill nearly an entire company of emigrants passing through Utah; and the long trail of denials and deceptions that followed, including the obstacles that Brooks herself encountered when trying to get information from Church archives. Sad event demonstrating the devastating paranoid emotions and prejudicial effects of war even though it never came to be all out war. Brooks' book was published in 1950. The heightened anxiety brought on by rumors swirling about the train, the advancing federal troops, the drought that many had suffered through for the year, and the memories of violence in Missouri and Illinois all combined in an explosive atmosphere; yet the residents were unclear on what action they should tak… The massacre was not investigated till after the end of the Civil War and resulted in 9 indictments but only one made it to a court of law, eventually resulting in the execution by firing squad of John D. Lee, believed to be the one chosen to take the blame for all the militia and the governing body of the Mormons including Brigham Young. of Oklahoma Press 2002) This book, by a historian and columnist for the Salt Lake City Tribune, is the best available on the subject of the 1857 massacre. This is an essential read for Mormon historiography; it is seminal for its contribution to an emerging climate of openness in Mormon Studies that occurred (though with some give-and-take along the way) during the second half of the twentieth century. In the Fall of 1857, some 120 California-bound emigrants were killed in lonely Mountain Meadows in southern Utah; only eighteen young children were spared. Juanita Brooks was a wonderfully brave woman to have composed this book at a time when the massacre was commonly thought of as either having never happened, or simply "an Indian Massacre." Reliable information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) is available from the World Health Organization (current situation, international travel).Numerous and frequently-updated resource results are available from this WorldCat.org search.OCLC’s WebJunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle … It was only after the poisoning of a spring and beef and the boasting of some pilgrims that they were responsible for Hauns Mill and the killing of their prophet that they met their doom. There were a lot of things that happened that led to this horrible end. The account is extremely detailed, but the narrative is rather dry and lacking emotion. We’d love your help. Juanita Brooks grew up in a Mormon community in southern Utah and this was, in her biographer's words, "the book she was born to write." A notable report on the incident was made in 1859 by Carleton, who had been tasked by the U.S. Army to investigate the incident and bury the still exposed corpses at Mountain Meadows. "We can only wonder as to Dudley's relation to the Massacre," Brooks wrote of him. I think murder is wrong but the people massacred brought a lot of the ire they received upon themselves. Growing up I heard about this in hushed voices and always knew something happened that people didn’t dare speak of it’s controversy. For a more complete, documented account of the event, readers are referred to the forthcoming book Massacre at Mountain Meadows. (Mormon) church disfellowshiped her(church disciplinary action)over the publication of this book, tells me she wasn't under the influence of the leadership of the church in her effort to tell this story as factually as she knew how. Brooks brings into the history a deep research from the Mormon archives as well as accounts from some who were present. The work cleared Brigham Young of any direct involvement, but did blame him for his incendiary rhetoric. She wrote with the intention "neither to smear nor to clear" the participants, who (likely) included her own grandfather. The first period of intense nationwide publicity about the massacre began around 1872, after investigators obtained Klingensmith's confession. The Mountain Meadows Massacre … In addition to the printed volumes, the full John … Consequently, it is a truly painful read. If there is one clear point in the book it is that in times of prejudice and war, even good people will do horrific things. COVID-19 Resources. 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. The first was the seminal work by Juanita Brooks The Mountain Meadows Massacre in 2016. Juanita Brooks is my kind of historian. I thought the author did a wonderful job of laying out the underlying currents of a pending war with the United States, and the paranoia and suspicions of the Mormons of the outside world. The ministry is a non-profit very important Christian mission that obtains its funds from book … I found the book to be as objective as it could be, considering the volatile subject and her Church membership and family background. Produced in cooperation with the Church of Jesus Christ of … Juanita Brooks never had any action against her because studying the history and documenting it as truthfully and honestly as she could didn’t warrant discipline. It was about a controversial topic. Some Church members today are descendants of the massacre’s survivors. I think it’s sad, tragic actually that this massacre happened in the first place and second that due to the powers that be, much of the history was hushed, purposely mischaracterized and to many never heard of. This was my first in-depth study of the Mountain Meadows massacre. Ultimately, Brooks depicts the Massacre as an overreaction by the Mormon militiamen. This is such a sad story and a hard subject. In doing so, they also believed that they had to protect themselves from the migration of "outsiders" who were making their way westward by wagon train. She never had action taken against her by Church authorities, even though not everyone agreed with or cared for her conclusions. American Massacre By Sally Denton Knopf, $26.95 . The Mormons had been chased out of many eastern areas due to their unique religious views, finally reaching Utah Territory with hopes of being left alone. The Mountain Meadows Massacre For a 2-part Viewpoint on Mormonism podcast series on Mountain Meadows that originally aired September 10-11, 2012, click the following links: Part 1 Part 2 By Bill McKeever 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. Few people know the extent of the Mormon colonization of what is today the western United States, Mexico, and even Canada. To see what your friends thought of this book. As well as the simmering animosity they had, because of their experience in Missouri at the hands of some of the immigrants on the trail through Utah, at this tense time in the relationship between the U.S. and the Mormons. The leaders of the Mormon church also counseled silence. "High-ranking LDS church officials especially resented her descriptions of actions that made them appear to be authoritarian bureaucrats obsessed with suppressing the truth. I learned a lot. The first report, soon aft. Mountain Meadows massacre analysis ends with an accusation . In the aftermath everyone felt better and the whole thing was swept under the rug. I particularly liked the work she put into "setting the stage," helping the reader understand the reasons for the emotional tension for Southern Mormons, the Native Americans, and the Emigrants. The Mormons who participated in this massacre will always be remembered for the worst decision of their lives. Refresh and try again. Poisoning The Well & Murder – In his official report about the Mountain Meadows Massacre, member of the First Presidency George A. Smith claimed that the wagon party poisoned a spring and killed ten local American Indians as well as local Latter-day Saint settlers. The rest is all Mormon genealogy. Many spoke of this book as something of an anti Mormon book. Juanita treats this subject with care, yet works to provide the truth. Also, in an effort to bring to light the details of the event, Latter-day Saint leaders opened the Church’s archives to the authors of the 2007 book Massacre at Mountain Meadows. Many books and articles on the massacre have been written since, but this laid the groundwork. The author informs the readers she is and always has been LDS (Latter-Day Saint), which means the church allowed her to publish this and accept her in doing so. A book of narrow but dramatic interest, Massacre at Mountain Meadows contains the most complete historical record of one of the bleakest events in the history of the Mormon settlement of the West. Although I’ve studied much of this history I felt compelled to read the book that was the first and probably the most scholarly work on the subject. She never had action taken against her by Church authorities, even though not everyone agreed with or cared for her conclusions. This book is less the story of the Mountain Meadows Massacre--ending as it does, with the execution of John D Lee two decades later, it is more *his* story. An American Legend and a Monumental Crime, on attack on wagon train by Pah-Ute Indians and Mormons in the course of reading the book we actually visited the Mountain Meadows location while down visiting friends who live in Cedar City. Salt Lake City being a major stopping point for emigrants traveling to California; the Mormons cut them off for supplies. A new book, Massacre at Mountain Meadows, tries to explain what happened that day and why. The Mountain Meadows Massacre stands as one of the darkest events in Mormon history. 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. Although its research and scholarly perspectives now seem dated, the book helped create a new climate of openness in Mormon studies."[10]. Once begun, its perpetrators find it hard to draw back, if only to hide what has already taken place." I continued through the book and I began to realize that I could understand the way that they felt after the murdering of innocent Mormon men and boys at Hauns Mill, the burning of homes and expulsions from Nauvoo, IL and finally the killing of their leader Joseph Smith. This book was the first to seriously attempt an honest investigation of the massacre, unflinchingly seeking the truth. 1. [11] She was joined in her call for the monument by another descendant of Dudley Leavitt, businessman Dixie Leavitt, father of Utah politician Mike Leavitt, the former Secretary of Health and Human Services and once the state's governor. Its cover-up led to tragedy for all sides: the death of scores of in the company of settlers from Arkansas and a legacy of miscommunication, embarrassment, and regret for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that . As an eloquent, moving document, it … Few historians have attempted to dissect the Mountain Meadows Massacre without coming away with polemic bias or ignorance. A history of the Mountain Meadows Massacre that occurred in 1857. 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. Mountain Meadows Massacre Mountain Meadows Massacre by . Many of those Gentiles, some of whom had participated in atrocities like burning Mormon homes and kicking them off their hard-earned farms and out of their homes in the winter, rather than going around Utah went through the heart of it and not with a lot of reticence but caustic bravado and disrespect. The book's publication in 1950 broke new ground and was the first comprehensive account of the incident. Massacre at Mountain Meadows is a book by Latter-day Saint historian Richard E. Turley, Jr. and two Brigham Young University professors of history, Ronald W. Walker and Glen M. Leonard.Leonard was also the director of the Museum of Church History and Art in Salt Lake City, Utah.The book concerns the 1857 Mountain Meadows massacre in southern Utah, and is the … The leaders of the Mormon church also counseled silence. I knew almost nothing of this whole thing and was curious. About the Project "Horrible Massacre of Emigrants!! Looking for a fictional meet-cute in the new year? There were a lot of things that happened that led to this horrible end. Although I’ve studied much of this history I felt compelled to read the book that was the first and probably the most scholarly work on the subject. 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