History of Lee's Ferry & Mountain Meadows Massacre (Washington, state, events)
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"Since Lee traveled frequently, the ferry was managed primarily by his wife, Emma Lee. Lee was eventually forced to leave the ferry site to evade law enforcement officers for his part in the 1857 Mountain Meadows massacre; he was executed by firing squad on March 23, 1877." From wikipedia.
I understand this place has quite a history, something about Lee being executed by the Government. Anyone know more?
As described in Arizona Place Names by Will C. Barnes. 1988, Univ. of Arizona Press, page 243.
Elevation 3,170 feet. In T. 8 E., R. 4 N. On Colorado River at mouth of Paria River.
Established about 1872 by John D. Lee then hiding to escape arrest. He was executed Mar. 23, 1877 by US Government for complicity in Mountain Meadows Massacre. There was some crossing prior to 1872. Lee had a good boat and the crossing was safe and rapid. He called the place "Lonely Dell". Jacob Hamblin, Mormon missionary, crossed here in Oct. 1869. Bishop Roundy of the Mormon church was accidentally drowned here while crossing, May 28, 1876.
Dellenbaugh describes Lee, his wives and the surroundings at Lonely Dell with great fidelity and humor. P.O. established Apr. 23, 1879, Warren M. Johnson, P.M.
So he was convicted of leading the Mountain Meadows Massacre of non mormons or paying indians to attack their wagon train?
I read one site that said the party was Mormon, with some dressed as Paiutes. Try these sites, they could answer some questions.
Mountain Meadows trial. The Mountain Meadows Massacre Trials
So he was convicted of leading the Mountain Meadows Massacre of non mormons or paying indians to attack their wagon train?
The Mountain Meadows Massacre, Americas's first 9/11, September 11, 1857, remains a controversial subject to this day, with historians still not agreeing as to what actually happened, and who bore the responsibility for ordering this horrible event. John Lee may have been following orders from superiors, not an excuse, but perhaps taking the rap, ie, being the fall guy. Not unexpectedly, LDS officials clamped a lid of silence on what happened, and it is only in fairly recent years that it has been openly admitted to and discussed in LDS circles.
The Mountain Meadows Massacre, Americas's first 9/11, September 11, 1857, remains a controversial subject to this day, with historians still not agreeing as to what actually happened, and who bore the responsibility for ordering this horrible event. John Lee may have been following orders from superiors, not an excuse, but perhaps taking the rap, ie, being the fall guy. Not unexpectedly, LDS officials clamped a lid of silence on what happened, and it is only in fairly recent years that it has been openly admitted to and discussed in LDS circles.
What about the hiring indians to massacre the settlers?
What about the hiring indians to massacre the settlers?
Perhaps this thread needs to be on History forum
There are a few comments and discussions on the Utah forum for those wishing to do a search. Adding to the controversy and uncertainty, a few researchers believe that the Paiutes did not take part in the killings. They base their opinion on tribal oral history, in which the Paiute insist that they did not take part. As Western tribes went, the Paiutes were not very warlike compared to neighboring tribes, although they did raid early Mormon settlements. Their relationship with Utah settlers was strained at best, so there may be some basis for their claim that they did not take part in the killing.
What about the hiring indians to massacre the settlers?
Perhaps this thread needs to be on History forum
Indians did not participate in the massacre. The mormon settlers dressed up as Indians, and tried to blame it on the Indians. Lee was punished as a scapegoat, and they tried to sweep the whole incident under the carpet. But a few of the children that weren't killed, because they thought they were too young to be aware, weren't. They remembered.
In 1857, the Fancher party was organized primarily by people in the states of Arkansas and Missouri. It was a group of pioneers seeking to find homesteads and new lives for themselves in California. One route that wagon trains sometimes took on the way to California was a route that ran south from Salt Lake City through Cedar City and St. George before entering Nevada and finally arriving in California. This was the route the pioneers in the Fancher party elected to travel.
What happened after the party left Arkansas was an extremely unfortunate series of events that culminated in the tragedy known as the "Mountain Meadows Massacre". Utah had been designated a U.S. Territory in 1849. As such, the President appointed territorial officials to govern the state including judges and a territorial governor. The problem was two-fold: First, territorial officials were often the worst sort of political hacks who were given jobs as a reward by the political party in control of the White House. Second, the Mormon settlers in the Salt Lake Valley had moved way out west precisely because they were unhappy with persecution that they believed was either condoned or allowed by state and federal governments. They wanted to be in charge of their own affairs and regarded Brigham Young as their leader, whether or not he was designated governor of Utah Territory or not.
Federal officials couldn't tolerate the situation they found in Utah and went back to Washington, D.C. complaining that the Mormons would not respect their authority and encouraged the President to send troops to Utah to enforce government authority. In 1857, President Buchanan was persuaded to do precisely this. He sent a large contingent of the army to Utah to preserve order. Communication in that era was hamstrung by the lack of even a transcontinental telegraph line. Such a line would not exist for several more years. In the meantime, the Mormons learned the army was on the way and assumed the very worst. They assumed the army was coming to Utah to destroy them and drive them out of their communities. If this sounds farfetched, one need only recall that the Mormons had been driven out of the states of Missouri and Illinois virtually at gunpoint and after having abandoned most of their property and possessions.
Utah was basically on a "war footing". Plans were made to evacuate Salt Lake City and, if necessary, burn it to the ground before the army arrived. One can only imagine how frightened and paranoid many of the people were with these events going on.
Other factors are important too. A very popular and famous Mormon leader named Parley Pratt had been murdered by a man in Missouri.
While all this was going on, the Fancher Party entered Utah. Some of the people in the party may have been related to Missouri settlers who had abused the Mormons in that state or who were related to the man who killed Parley Pratt. By all accounts, the party got a rough reception in Utah. Town gates were closed so they could not drive through communities. Mormons refused to trade or sell supplies to the Fancher Party. People in the Fancher Party may have made the mistake of insulting Mormons during their journey. In any event, as the wagon train passed through central and southern Utah the pioneers received a hostile reception. At one point, a well for livestock may have been poisoned.
Finally, the pioneers reached a place called "Mountain Meadows" which is about 30-40 miles north of St. George. There they camped. Shortly thereafter, they were attacked by Indians. After two or three days of fighting the Indians, neither side had prevailed. During a lull in the fighting, the pioneers were approached by a white man carrying a flag of surrender. He announced that he was John D. Lee and that he wanted to negotiate a truce between the pioneers and the Indians. The terms of the truce were that the pioneers would leave their wagons and property for the Indians, but would walk away with their lives. Lee arranged that the men would walk out in one group and the women and children in another group. All children seven and younger were placed in a covered wagon. As the pioneers walked out the valley, militia under the command of John D. Lee, proceeded to shoot the men. It is uncertain, but it is believed that the women and older children were attacked by the Indians as they walked . Only the children younger than age seven were spared. It is estimated that somewhere between 120-140 pioneers were killed that day.
Approximately 20 years later, John D. Lee was arrested and tried for his role in the murder of these pioneers. No one else was charged or tried. Although, certainly there were many other guilty people. Lee's first trial ended in a hung jury. However, in his second trial the jury convicted him. Lee was sentenced to death and was executed by firing squad for this crime.
That, in essence, is what occurred and what is known about the Mountain Meadows Massacre.
There are two books I can recommend to those interested in knowing more about this subject. I believe both are entitled something like "The Mountain Meadows Massacre". The first book is by Juanita Brooks. The second book is by Will Bagley. Bagley's book is more recent, but is book is more controversial because he is highly critical of the LDS Church and the way it handled the events surrounding the massacre.
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