In April, the California bound wagon train assembled near Crooked Creek, Arkansas, approximately four miles south of present-day Harrison. The group included some 120-150 men, women and children, primarily from northwestern Arkansas, as well as hundreds of draft and riding horses and about 900 head of cattle. When the train began its journey it was first identified as the Baker train; however, en route, it became known as the Fancher train.
Friday, September 09, 2022
Mountain Meadows Massacre
On September 11, 1857, approximately 120 men, women, and children in a wagon train from Arkansas were murdered by a band of Mormons set on a holy vengeance. Known as the Mountain Meadows Massacre, the history of this event continues to generate fierce controversy and deep emotions even to this day.
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My wife's family is from Harrison. Some siblings of their ancestors were in that wagon train and were killed. They have been trying to sue the Mormon church for the murders for years.
ReplyDeleteLee was simply the sacrificial lamb for Young who gave the orders to kill them. The territory was part of the US and the train did not need the permission of Young to transit the territory.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if this is true but I was once told all new wives had to be taken to Brigham Young so he could seal their faith. Supposedly in bed. So instead of Brigham Young the motto became, Bring em Young. True or not they were a weird bunch.
ReplyDeleteFalse
DeleteI've been to the site twice. It gave me a strange feeling - I swear it's haunted. There are boulders on a slope above the meadow that must have been firing positions.
ReplyDeleteOn my second visit I saw a group of visitors reading an interpretive display. They looked horrified.
Don in Oregon
You'd think the word 'massacre' would've tipped them off, huh?
DeleteI always thought it was telling that word of the massacre got out. To me that means that a Mormon or Mormons were sickened enough to tell outsiders.
ReplyDeleteJFM