Criticism of Mormonism/Books/One Nation Under Gods/Chapter 11

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Claims made in "Chapter 10: A New Beginning"
A FAIR Analysis of:
Criticism of Mormonism/Books
A work by author: Richard Abanes
 Claims made in "Chapter 12: Wars and Rumors of Wars"

Claims made in "Chapter 11: Bloody Brigham"

To this day Mormons revere Young's destroying angels as well as the Danites.
—One Nation Under Gods, p. 252.

Some of the harshest criticism I received from Mormons came from those who were irate over my depiction of Brigham Young....then I acquired a new book dealing with the issue—Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows by independent historian and Salt Lake Tribune columnist Will Bagley....This tremendously in-depth volume not only supported my perspective, but greatly expanded on my conclusions..."
—One Nation Under Gods (paperback), p. 442

∗       ∗       ∗
Page Claim Response Author's sources

225 epigraph, 553-558n1 (PB)

 A lengthy letter is printed in its entirety in the endnotes. The author says that the letter from Aaron DeWitt was written to his sister Elizabeth Durrant on January 31, 1875 and slipped into a time capsule. The letter talks about murder and plunder in Utah.
  • Source for the letter is an online web address at Saint's Alive (Ed Decker's site): www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/murder.html.

226, n5

 "In the eyes of the Saints, America's doom had been determined the day Joseph died."
  • Orson Pratt, Journal of Discourses 6:204..
  • Brigham Young, "Manuscript History of Brigham Young," under July 8, 1849 and August 26, 1849, reprinted in William S. Harwell, ed., Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 1847-1850, 221, 238.

227, 558n13

 Broughton D. Harris found that census results for the State of Deseret were "false and exaggerated."
  • David L. Bigler, Forgotten Kingdom: The Mormon Theocracy in the American West, 1847-1896, 57-58.

227-228

 Regarding Broughton D. Harris, Lemuel G. Brandebury and Justice Perry Brocchus: "Before the year ended, these officials fled Utah, believing that to stay would mean certain death….a total of sixteen federal officers would abandon their Utah posts and lodge similar complaints about Mormon threats, intimidation, and non-compliancy with federal laws and directives."
  • No source provided

228, 559n16-18

 David H. Burr reported that "Mr. Troskolowski," had been "assulted and severely beaten by three men under the direction of one Hickman, a noted member of the so-called 'Danite Band." The beating "apparently had been ordered by LDS leaders in response to Troskolowski's efforts to make sure twelve-year-old Emma Wheat escaped her impending marriage to a polygamist.
  • The author here references Hirshon's book, which received the 1970 Mormon History Association award for "worst book."[1]

 [needs work]

  • David H. Burr, letter to Thomas A. Hendricks, General Land Office, August 30, 1856, located in the annual land reports of the General Land Office for 1856 and 1857; cf. Nels Anderson, Desert Saints: The Mormon Frontier in Utah, 149.
  • Hirshon, 127

231

 The "infamous Reformation" was "a period of religious fanaticism, extreme spiritual subjugation of the masses, and brutal acts of violence to purge the church of its weak, faithless, or sinful members."
  • No source provided.

232, 559n32

 "Other men, Brigham's enforcers, would see to the more unpleasant tasks of the reformation. This collection of rogues, commonly known as Young's 'Destroying Angels," was comprised of long-time Danites, brutal gunslingers, and assorted desperadoes. The most notorious angels of destruction were Porter Rockwell and 'Wild' Bill Hickman (a.k.a. the 'Danite Chief of Utah)."
  •  Misrepresentation of source: The cited pages of Hilton's work only describes Hickman as a military leader during the Utah War receiving instruction from Brigham, and a letter he wrote to Brigham denying an accusation. It says nothing about being one of "Brigham's enforcers."
  • The author's only other source is Jerald and Sandra Tanner. They rely heavily on Hickman's Brigham's Destroying Angel.
  • Crime and violence in Utah
  • Loaded and prejudicial language
  • Jerald and Sandra Tanner, "Brigham Young and Wild Bill Hickman," Salt Lake City Messenger (#77), February 1991.
  • Hope A. Hilton, "Wild Bill" Hickman and the Mormon Frontier, 65, 113.

232, 559n33

 The author claims that Brigham "often commented on such individuals, favorably listing their unique qualities and extolling his gratitude for their presence in the territory." He then supports this with Young's quote: "We have the meanest devils on the earth in our midst, and we intend to keep them, for we have use for them; and if the Devil does not look sharp, we will cheat him out of them at the last, for they will reform and go to heaven with us."

233, n36-39

 Brigham taught "blood atonement."

233-234, 560n40

 Jedediah Grant preached about "Blood Atonement"

233, 560n37

 Brigham "confirmed that the term 'cutting off' from the earth had been previously used, and would continue to be used, as a euphemism for killing."

234, 560n43

 Jedediah Grant "drew up a list of highly intrusive questions to be used for probing the personal lives of those dwelling within the boundaries of Brigham's empire."
  • Diary of John Moon Clements, under November 4, 1856, as quoted in Gene A. Sessions, Mormon Thunder: A Documentary History of Jedediah Morgan Grant, 220-221.

234-235, 560n45-46

 Brigham "encouraged faithful Saints to murder, out of 'love,' all unfaithful Mormons so their souls might be saved."

235, 560n47

 Heber C. Kimball claimed that the apostles killed Judas.

235, 560-561n50

 "In Utah, a host of sins, real and imagined, would bring the death penalty."
  • The author includes a long list of crimes that "called for death." This list is from the Tanners, although the Tanners are not credited for the entire list: They are cited once under the "Intermarriage" entry.

235

 "Blood began to flow profusely in Utah not long after the reformation was launched."
  • No source provided.

236, n52

 After "relating a dream wherein he had slit the throats of two men 'from ear to ear' with a bowie knife" Brigham said: "I say, rather than that apostates should flourish here, I will unsheath my bowie knife, and conquer or die...Now, you nasty apostates, clear out, or judgment will be put on the line, and righteousness to the plummet."

236-237, 563n53 (HB)

 "Apostates certainly were viewed as the worst of sinners, although every reprobate received the same penalty. As Brigham instructed his flock: 'If any miserable scoundrels come here, cut their throats.'" (HB)
∗       ∗       ∗

"Apostates certainly were viewed as the worst sinners, although every reprobate, risked similar justice. Young once said: "It was asked this morning how we could obtain redress for our wrongs; I will tell you how it could be done, we could take the same law they have taken...and if any miserable scoundrels come here, cut their throats." (PB)

237, 561n54 (PB)

 The author claims that "Young here may not have been explicitly condoning murder, but his words apparently were enough to move more than a few Saints to action. And the outside world's knowledge of Utah events seemed inconsequential."" He then quotes "Brigham's thoughts on that issue:"

What do you suppose they would say in old Massachusetts….What would they say in old Connecticut?"" They would raise a universal howl of, 'how wicked the Mormons are; they are killing the evil doers who are among them; why I hear that they kill the wicked away up yonder in Utah.'...What do I care for the wrath of man? No more than I do for the chickens that run in my dooryard.

  • Consider the full title of Brigham's discourse:FAITH—PRACTICAL RELIGION—CHASTISEMENT—NECESSITY OF DEVILS. The "necessity of devils" relates to the subject discussed here.
  • Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 3:50.
  • Note the typographical error in the quote "the Mormons" as opposed to "those Mormons" in the original source, indicating that the author's version of the quote may have been copied from a secondary source.

237, 562n55-56 (PB)

 According to the author, quoting Mary Ettie V. Smith, Brigham Young had a man named Alonzo Bowman killed after he "made the mistake of innocently asking about LDS beliefs and the facts behind the Saints' troubles."

 [needs work]

  • The man's name is actually Walter Alonzo Clark Bowman
  • (from MADB): There is mention by Joseph Lee Robinson in his journal that Pres. Young had received "credible information" of "traders" and "several hundred spaniards collegeing with the indians to turn them against us" on April 20 1853. Brigham Young gave a proclamation to "take into custody all groups of spaniards or any suspicious characters" at that time. The account in the story takes place in the summer of 1853.
  • There are no primary sources to support this story. Mary Ettie V. Smith's narrative is highly suspect.
  • Loaded and prejudicial language
  • Danites in anti-Mormon polemic
  • Quoted in Nelson Winch Green, Mormonism: its rise, progress, and present condition. Embracing the narrative of Mrs. Mary Ettie V. Smith, 273-275.

238, 562n57-59

 According to the author, Orson Hyde ordered Jesse Hartly shot and killed, for the crime of "falling in love with, and marrying, a Mormon."
  •  Internal contradiction: On p. 238, the author claims apostates were forbidden to leave Utah, yet in this speech Brigham tells violent apostates to leave Utah. Which is it? Was Brigham forcing apostates out with threat of violence, or forbidding apostates from leaving?
  •  Misrepresentation of source: William "Wild Bill" Hickman would later say that his purported autobiography, Brigham's Destroying Angel, was "a lie from the wild boar story onward."[2] The story occurs on pages 29–30. In any case, the referenced pages say nothing about a murder of anyone, much less 'Jesse Hartly', who a text search does not reveal mentioned anywhere in the book.
  • In the endnotes, the author quotes Brigham's "bowie knife" comment once again.
  • Mary Ettie V. Smith is not a reliable source.
  • Quoted in Nelson Winch Green, Mormonism: its rise, progress, and present condition. Embracing the narrative of Mrs. Mary Ettie V. Smith, 309.
  • Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 1:83.
  • William Hickman, Brigham's Destroying Angel: Being the Life, Confession, and Startling Disclosures of the Notorious Bill Hickman, 97-98.

238, 562n60

 William Parrish and his son were murdered as they attempted to leave Utah because "LDS leaders also believed that Parrish's departure, if allowed, would set a bad example and tempt others to leave, which was forbidden."
  • Forgotten, 131-132. (Unable to locate ref "Forgotten") - Forgotten Kingdom? by Bigler? - GLS

238, 562n61

 Aaron DeWitt said that escape from Utah was "virtually impossible."
  • DeWitt letter.

239, 563n63-64

 Richard Yates was killed "in apparent obedience to Brigham's orders" for the sin of "trading with government personnel."
  • William "Wild Bill" Hickman would later say that his purported autobiography, Brigham's Destroying Angel, was "a lie from the wild boar story onward."[3] The story occurs on pages 29–30. Aside from its implausibility, then, this reference has been denied by Hickman. [needs work]
  • Hickman, 124-125.
  • Stout, in Brooks, vol. 2, 643.

241, 563n65-66

 Henry Jones and his mother were murdered by Nathaniel Case, Porter Rockwell and "other church officials."
  •  History unclear or in error: Case was the testator; he denied having anything to do with the murder.
  • Stout's journal mentions only that some people had castrated Henry Jones; it says nothing about murder of him or his mother.
  • Jones and his mother were accused of incest; Joseph Hancock was eventually found guilty of second degree murder.
  • Stout in Brooks, vol. 2, 653.
  • Nathaniel Case, affidavit of April 9, 1859, sworn before John Cradlebaugh, Judge 2nd Judicial District, Utah, reprinted in The Valley Tan, April 19, 1859. Quoted in Jerald and Sandra Tanner, "Blood Atonement: Fact or Fantasy?," Salt Lake City Messenger (#92), April 1997, 13.

242-243, n67-71

 "Innumerable crimes were committed in response to the bloody and violent rhetoric of Young and other LDS leaders."
  • Baskin, Reminiscences of Early Utah, 150.
  • Harold Schindler, Orrin Porter Rockwell: Man of God, Son of Thunder, 268-279.
  • Bigler, 309.
  • Hickman, 210.
  • Baskin, 154-155.
  • Ann Eliza Young, Wife No. 19, Chapter X-XVI.

244-245, 566n82 (HB)
564n82 (PB)

 "...as the wagon-train traversed the southern route, conflict erupted between the emigrants and the Mormons, who refused to sell badly needed food and supplies to the travelers. Such conduct was unthinkable to the Baker-Fancher company. They had no idea that the refusals were in obedience to Brigham's prohibition on trading with the Gentiles."
  • On August 2, 1857, just one month before the massacre, Brigham Young wrote to [sic] a letter to church leaders telling them to make sure that no one sold as much as "one kernal" of food to the Saints "enemies" (Brigham Young letter to Bronson and Haight, August 2, 1857, MS 1234 LDSCA). (hardback and paperback)
∗       ∗       ∗
  • Will Bagley, Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows, 111, 115. (added in paperback)
  • Eugene E. Campbell, Establishing Zion, 250, 317. (added in paperback)

245

 "[T]he emigrants could not have known that two of the sins worthy of blood atonement were condemning Joseph Smith and/or consenting to his death."
  • No source provided.

245, 564n86

 "The prophet...already had decided the fate of the Baker-Fancher party...at a secret meeting in Salt Lake City with several Indian chiefs."
  • David L. Bigler, Forgotten Kingdom: The Mormon Theocracy in the American West, 1847–1896 (Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press, 1998), 167. (bias and errors) Review

245, 564n87

 Brigham "promised all the cattle in the wagon-train to the Indians if they would do away with the entire company."
  • Dimick B. Huntington, "Dimick B. Huntington Journal," under September 1, 1857.

246, 564n89

 "[A]s many as two hundred Indian warriors along with a very small group of Mormon soldiers dressed up as Indians, crept up to the wagon train camp and opened fire on the unsuspecting emigrants."
  • This description, at least, is fundamentally accurate—a refreshing change.
  • Mountain Meadows Massacre
  • Bigler, the author's source distorts and misrepresents LDS history on numerous counts.
  • David L. Bigler, Forgotten Kingdom: The Mormon Theocracy in the American West, 1847–1896 (Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press, 1998), 169. (bias and errors) Review

243-250

 Mountain Meadows Massacre
  • John D. Lee

251, 565n103

 When Brigham Young visited the site in 1860 and saw the monument, he "ordered the monument and cross torn down" and demolished.
  •  Citation error The Wilford Woodruff journal date should be May 25, 1861.
  • Wilford Woodruff, Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, 9 vols., ed., Scott G. Kenny (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1985), 5:577 (journal entry dated (under May 25, 1860)). ISBN 0941214133.; cf. Brooks, Mountain Meadows, 183.

252, 565n109 (PB)

 John D. Lee's "constant companion throughout his trial" was a Methodist minister, "even though Lee had been taught all his life that Christendom's ministers were satanically-inspired and corrupt."
  • Thelma Geer, Mormonism, Mama and Me, 171.
  • The above source is an anti-Mormon work published by Thelma "Granny" Geer (second edition in 1980; expanded 4th edition by 1984; 5th edition 1986). Ms. Geer's book cover announces that she has appeared in two films, The Cult Explosion and The God Makers. It is not clear why Abanes, who clearly has pretensions to writing a 'scholarly' work, would use this type of polemic as a secondary source. Anti-Mormon literature is nothing if not self-referential.

252, 565n111 (PB)

 "To this day Mormons revere Young's destroying angels as well as the Danites."
  • Quoted in Tony Yapia, "Statue Honors Pioneer Figure Rockwell," Salt Lake Tribune, September 11, 2000.

Endnotes

  1. [note]  "WORST BOOK: Stanley P. Hirshon, Lion of the Lord (New York: Knopf, 1969)." - Larry C. Porter (Executive Secretary-Treasurer, MHA), "Mormon History Association Awards," Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 16 no. 3 (Autumn 1983), 127–128. Another reviewer wrote, "At least once a decade, it seems, someone publishes a book about the Latter-day Saints without taking the necessary "trouble" to adequately research the subject. Stanley Hirshon was judged guilty of this offense in 1969 and received from the Mormon History Association its "Worst Book" award for his volume on Brigham Young." – Kenneth H. Godfrey, "Not Trouble Enough, review of Trouble Enough: Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon by Ernest H. Taves," Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 19 no. 3 (Fall 1986), 139.
  2. [note]  Richard S. Van Wagoner and Steven C. Walker, A Book of Mormons (Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, 1982), 123. See also Hope A. Hilton, "Wild Bill" Hickman and the Mormon Frontier (Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, 1988), 127.
  3. [note]  Richard S. Van Wagoner and Steven C. Walker, A Book of Mormons (Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, 1982), 123. See also Hope A. Hilton, "Wild Bill" Hickman and the Mormon Frontier (Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, 1988), 127.
  4. [note]  Richard S. Van Wagoner and Steven C. Walker, A Book of Mormons (Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, 1982), 123. See also Hope A. Hilton, "Wild Bill" Hickman and the Mormon Frontier (Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, 1988), 127.

Further reading

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