Posted on 08/30/2010 6:46:29 PM PDT by Colofornian
Descendants of victims of the Mountain Meadows massacre -- a sorrowful chapter in the history of the American West -- meet next month in Tulare to learn more about the tragedy's connection to Tulare County.
The Mountain Meadows Monument Foundation will be in town Sept. 10-12 because Tulare County was the destination of a wagon train that left Arkansas in 1857 -- but never arrived.
They were headed here to join John Fancher, brother of wagon train captain Alexander Fancher...
"They were on their way to their dreams," said Harley Fancher, a descendant.
The wagon train made it into Utah territory, but in a series of events that stir emotions to this day, Mormon militiamen murdered every man, woman and child -- save for 17 children age 6 and younger.
Mormon militiamen pretending to be Indians laid siege to the wagon train, killing and wounding several. The wagon train party held out for five days, but on Sept. 11 they left the safety of their circled wagons after being promised protection. But the militiamen and Paiute Indians -- later unfairly blamed for the massacre -- on a pre-arranged signal opened fire.
The bloodshed took place near Cedar City, Utah. The death toll is estimated at 120. The surviving children were divided among Mormon families. Two years later, government officials returned the children to Arkansas.
In 1874, nine men were indicted, and one of the leaders was executed.
SNIP
On the 150th anniversary of the massacre, the church formally expressed "profound regret." A year later, it promised to lead an effort to get the site established as a National Historic Landmark.
"We're past butting heads and poking eyes," said Phil Bolinger, foundation president. "It's not put to rest, but healing is occurring. We are not anti-Mormon, we are pro-history."
(Excerpt) Read more at fresnobee.com ...
From the article, quoting a descendent of a victim: "We are not anti-Mormon, we are pro-history."
An excellent understanding of this whole thing 150+ years later.
As a personal descendent of a Mormon leader who came to the West just years after this occurred, please forgive the Mormons who covered this slaughter up during those 1860s and 1870s -- and please forgive those few who to this day are still hiding evidence as to "who done it."
Thanks
***brother of wagon train captain Alexander Fancher... ***
Fancher owned 200 acres about two miles southeast from where I live.
I used to know people that were alive in that year and even earlier, maybe even all the way back to 1854. Weird isn't it?
This was America’s first 9/11 and the worst massacre until the OKC bombings.
I used to know people that were alive in that year and even earlier, maybe even all the way back to 1854. Weird isn't it?
It is. My late Father's stepfather was born in 1853.
There are plenty of people today that were alive during Geronimo’s lifetime, we can actually visit them and speak to them.
Call them soon, Geronimo died in 1909. :)
Irony, thy name is Mormon.
I guess we'll see if FR MORMONs are the same...
Of course ye are not anti-mormon..
Looking forward to posts on the Christians apolgising for the people they slaughtered over the centuries..
I’ll go first:
I am sorry that some so called Christians killed people in the past.
It wasn’t what Christ intended.
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