HISTORY: Don't forget the massacre

In a recent historical article by Syd Albright, whose feature is a “must read” for most of us, his topic was regarding a Mormon leader who had strong ties to southern Idaho (also known as Northern Utah).

Perhaps there wasn’t enough print space available in the newspaper for him to explain exactly why federal troops were sent to attempt to arrest Brigham Young. It was believed that Brigham Young had ordered Jason Lee to lead more than 100 men against a wagon train out of Pike County, Mo., en route to California.

From their point of view, the Mormons had ample reason to dislike people from Missouri where the Mormons had been persecuted. The Mormons lured the men and boys away from the wagon train encampment and then slaughtered all 150 of them. Then they stole the wagons and livestock, kidnapped the women and girls, and took them to New Harmony, Utah, where they were parceled out, against their will, to various polygamist farmers where they lived in isolation unable to have contact with the outside world.

Jason Lee was executed for this atrocity. This ugly incident is referred to as the “Mountain Meadows Massacre.”

ROBERT RIDOUT

Hayden