Duties at Home--Building the Provo Canyon Road--Indulge in a Row--Move
to Salt Lake City--The Black Hawk War--List of the Slain--No Help from
the U. S. Troops.
As I do not consider an account of my home life of any particular
interest to the general reader, I will give only a brief sketch of it.
On returning and settling up with Bachman and Hanks, who had furnished
much of our trade supply, I found I would have to sell my home to pay
them.
In 1861, I went to Provo valley and took up land on Snake creek, where
I fenced a farm, built a house, and corrals and raised a crop of wheat
and potatoes and while binding wheat had to wear a heavy coat and
woolen mittens as the weather was so cold. After gathering in my crop,
I concluded to return to Provo and work at sadlery, expecting to go
back in the spring and continue farming.
During the early spring a flood come and destroyed the road through
Provo Canyon, stopping all travel. In the fall of 1862, a company was
organized to rebuild the road, the funds being furnished by voluntary
contribution. Shadrick Holdaway, Chas. Kenedey, and I were chosen as
committee; I being selected as secretary and treasurer. Having taken
the work in hand it was pushed forward with considerable force. I was
greatly interested as I wished to get back to my farm and could only do
so by going round by Salt Lake City and through the Park to the valley,
a distance of nearly one hundred miles, while the direct route was only
twenty-five miles. Neither did I wish to be cut off from Provo, which
I considered my real home. Many times I found funds hard to raise, so
much so, that finally, in a tight-place I sold my farm to help on the
road; so that by the time the road was finished and paid for, I had no
individual use for it. But like many others of my labors for public
good, my pay was in the satisfaction of seeing the work finished so
as to be of use. To illustrate my situation and extremes in making
payments I will relate one circumstance.
The whole funds contributed were left in the hands of the contributors
until wanted, all donations being named. Some donated flour, others
potatoes, wood, lumber, and any and everything in the shape of produce
being on the list. When jobs on the road were finished and accepted by
the two other committee men, they would draw an order on the treasurer,
who would have to draw on the contributors. Sometimes the means would
not be just ready to the day, but almost invariably donators paid
honorably. In fact I have no remembrance of a single instance where
agreements made were not fulfilled in good time.
There was one company of Welshmen that took a contract amounting to
twelve hundred dollars. The committee docked them, their job not being
up to contract. This soured them so much that they sought to make
trouble with me about their pay, allowing me no time whatever to settle
up in the usual manner. After paying all but some fifty dollars, I
asked a little time to see who was ready to pay that amount. I was
given to understand that not much time would be allowed, so I gave them
an order where I supposed it would be paid, but the party not being
quite ready asked them to wait a few days and he would settle. This
they would not do, but three of them returned to my house to whip me.
I tried to reason with them but to no purpose. A row had to be had. I
ordered them out of my house. They went out, picking up rocks and stood
facing my door and abusing me, and daring me out. I grabbed a pair of
hames fastened at the top with a strap. Without describing all that
occurred, I did not get hurt, but paid a cow and calf for damages done
to the leader of the party.
When the row was over I started to the nearest alderman to complain
about myself. Just as I approached, meeting the officer in his
door-yard, a man came driving his team up the street on a full run,
and shouting at the top of his voice not to listen to me, but have me
arrested, that I had killed a man and nearly killed a lot more. This
so enraged me that I gathered up some rocks and commenced war upon
him, turning him back and chasing him down the street, team and all.
The alderman fined me five dollars on my own complaint, but nothing
for chasing Bob Caldwell and team. For a short time there were hard
feelings in the community against me. I knew that I had been both hasty
and severe, and gave the cow of my own free will, and settled up with
good feelings to all parties.
After the road was made passable and all accounts settled, I concluded
to give up the project of becoming a farmer, and stick to my trade. In
those days money was a little more plentiful among business men than
before the Johnston army visited Utah. Still, much of the business was
done with grain as the circulating medium. This made business rather
slow, as at times I would have to load up a wagon and go to Salt Lake
City, taking from three to five days, sometimes going with ox teams. I
would sell my grain and return with about as much material as I could
carry under my arm.
While on one of my trips for leather, Brother Isaac Brockbank made me
an offer to come to the city and work for him, he being in charge of
William Howard's tannery, shoe and harness factory. Considering this
better than the slow manner in Provo, I moved to Salt Lake in 1863,
where I continued to live and work at my trade uninterruptedly most of
the time. I carried on business until the summer of 1871.
During the time I lived in Salt Lake, Connor's army occupied Camp
Douglas. The Civil war was still going on, also the Black Hawk war, so
known in Utah from the fact that the leader of the depredating Utes,
who broke up so many of the frontier settlements of Sanpete and Sevier
counties, was called Black Hawk, after the old warrior of that name.
The people of Salt Lake had many duties to perform in those days.
Strong police forces (unpaid) had to be kept ready, as much prejudice
and ill-feeling existed at times. There were continual threats to
arrest our leaders, which caused the people to be constantly on the
alert.
It is not my intention to write much in this work except that which the
title justifies. Still, there are a few incidents that certainly would
be of interest. For dates I am indebted to "Church Chronology."
Dec. 17th, 1864. A landing and site for a church warehouse, afterwards
known as Callsville, was selected by Anson Call, on the Colorado river,
125 miles from St. George, and the land along the Muddy found suitable
to settle on. It was then contemplated to send the emigration from
Europe by way of Panama and up the Colorado river to this landing,
which was the head of navigation on the river named.
I believe that I have heard about as much criticism and fault-finding
against Brigham Young, for the effort made at Call's Landing to prepare
for what the above refers to, as anything that was ever directed by
him. Some few persons were advised to spend a few thousand dollars
on the speculation. It failed, and they have been mourning about it
ever since. I would ask how many of Brigham Young's enterprises have
succeeded? His failures were but few.
I always felt to honor and respect Brigham Young, but I have thought,
that men sometimes honor him more than he asked, or than common sense
could expect. That he was a good adviser and generally clear headed
on business matters, all who knew him acknowledge. But that he could
never make a mistake would have been unreasonable to expect. The work
previously spoken of might have been useless. Still I do not think it
was, and will give some of my reasons for thinking so. I have been much
in the far south; have watched and studied the interests and progress
of the southern country and its developments. I know that President
Young's mind for some reason, was much drawn towards Southern Utah,
Arizona, and Mexico. The settling of St. George and other places
considered desert wastes, the building of the temple, etc., all show
this.
In carrying out this move, as far as it went, a road had to be opened
up as far as the river. Soon this road was opened farther on into
Arizona. Thus a thoroughfare such as the country would support, was
opened up now clear through to some of the most fertile valleys of
Arizona and Mexico. Some have been settled by our people, and others
will be in time, as the best are not yet occupied.
The commencement of the Black Hawk war was in 1865. The immediate cause
was the whipping of an Indian by a white man. This occurred April
9th. Next day three white men were killed by Indians. April 12th, in
a battle, two more; July 14th two; July 26th, drove off most of the
cattle from Glenwood, Sevier County; Oct. 17, eight persons were killed
near Ephraim.
1866. Jan. 8, two men were killed in Kane County; April 12th, three
more in the same county. April 20th, Salina was raided, two men killed,
and two hundred head of stock taken. Place was now vacated. April 22nd,
one killed and two wounded in Piute County. June 10th, two men killed
in Millard County. June 24th, one wounded in Thistle valley. June 26th,
one white man killed in fight with Indians, who raided Spanish Fork.
1867. March 21st, one man and three women were killed in Sevier County.
Many southern settlements were alarmed on account of the raids during
the spring of the year. June 1st, one killed and one wounded near
Fountain Green. June 2nd, two killed on Twelve Mile creek. Aug. 13th,
two killed at Springtown.
By this time the people of Sanpete and Sevier Counties began to get
into shape to protect themselves better than they were at first; so
that during the years 1869 and 1870 not many were killed, but raids
were still common, the Indians often getting away with stock.
Companies of home militia were sent out to guard and assist the
settlements. Records shows that General Connor and his army occupied
Camp Douglas during the whole time of this bloodshed but I cannot
find anything on record showing that any moves were made by Connor to
assist, or in any way protect these settlements in their distress.
Neither does my memory furnish an instance of help being furnished
by the troops stationed at Camp Douglas to the people of Sanpete and
Sevier Counties.
It may be interesting to put on record some things that I do remember.
For five years, from 1866 to 1871, I lived in the eastern part of Salt
Lake City, directly in the exposed portion to the depredations of
numbers of Connor's army. I know of many instances where the people
were insulted and abused in a violent manner, often by large parties of
soldiers headed by non-commissioned officers. In some instances even
commissioned officers taking the lead in lawless acts.
It was often hard to tell which were the most to be dreaded, the
Indians in the south or the soldiers about the city.
While the soldiers without organization or authority annoyed us, the
commander lent his influence and offered his support to our political
enemies, holding his army over the Mormons as a continual menace.
The Mormons are being accused of disloyalty; possibly this is a correct
and just accusation, owing to their ignorance of what loyalty means. I
will not accuse any one of disloyalty, simply because I am in the same
dilemma--ignorant; but will ask, is it right and legal to fit out with
government supplies, tools, and animals, and take enlisted men to work
prospecting for mines, for private interests, under pretence of going
to protect American citizens in their legitimate business against the
Mormons? Or would it be consistent to suppose that the Mormons would
be able to molest these prospectors even if so inclined, when so much
occupied in protecting themselves against the Indians and the more
savage and unreasonable attacks of the soldiers? Again is it legal to
sell to miners and freighters by the thousands, and then to allow the
commissary store-houses to get fire and burn down, allowing this fire
to get so extremely hot as to burn up log-chains by the hundreds.
Now the Mormons have never taken part in anything of this kind. They
are called disloyal. I do decline to be sworn on the subject, but rumor
says that these things were done and headed by parties who are now
called intensely "loyal."
During the war with the Indians numbers of them were killed and
wounded. About the year 1868 or 1869 there was some little effort made
to bring about a peace. Brother D. B. Huntington had a talk with some
in Thistle valley who wished peace, but many thefts and small raids
were made after this, continuing from time to time. The Indians began
to have a dread of some settlements as guards and patrols were out at
times. One small party had stolen some stock from Provo valley. They
were killing a beef, when they were surprised and all killed. The
Indians acknowledged to me that they were afraid of Provo and Rhodes'
valley people.