Nauvoo Tours: Martyrdom Trail Tour with Shane Kester

 I took the Nauvoo Tour with Shane Kester through Nauvootours.com as I was traveling through Nauvoo from Indiana to home.  One of the most informative things I have ever done.  The tour was not all chronological.  But it was all informative.  

The AntiMormon Party and those from Warsaw who spoke openly about killing Joseph Smith knew that to have any chance to get Joseph Smith they had to get him out of Nauvoo.  The Nauvoo Expositor published their paper which included many slanders against the town and suggested Nauvoo should lose its charter. The Exositor was printed on Mulholland street with a press provided in large part by the Whig Party.   The council debated what to do and after two days determined the press was a town nuisace and should be destroyed.  This gave those enemies to the Mormos an opening.  However they did not charge them with destroying the press but with riot.  It was lawful to remove libelous nuisances.

The arms for the Nauvoo Legion were stored in the 70s Hall in the basement.  So when Joseph came back to Nauvoo when went with them to give the state provided arms back to the state, this is where he would have gone.  

When Joseph was served with a summons to appear in Carthage, the summons said any judge could hear the case.  Joseph went before Judge  Aaron Johnson who lived close to the river.  It was then suggested the case be reviewed by a non-Mormon judge.  Daniel H. Wells heard the case.  In both cases the charges were dismissed.  They accused the men of riot, and there had been no riot.  

However Governor Ford still insisted that he men come to Carthage.  Joseph knew if he did thus his life would be taken.  He crossed the river with thoughts of excaping to the West.  However Emma and others convinced Joseph to return.  That it looked cowardly for him to leave.  

When Joseph went to Carthage, after having come back across the river, He started from his home.  There was a scaffolding and this was made into a platform from which he spoke to the Nauvoo Legion.  His mother wanted assurance he would return.  Instead he said he went to die for Nauvoo.

Joseph traveled in uniform.  The the party that went with him, over 30 people including the City Council, also charged with riot, and those traveling to give support traveled up Mulholland street which goes past the temple.   Here Joseph Smith said, looking back at the city and river, "This is the loveliest place and the best people under the heavens; little do they know the trials that await them."  They passed the home of Daniel H. Wells, as they road out of town.

There is only one place where the original Nauvoo to Carthage road is intact.  Most of the road is covered with farming operations and fields.  The road was strait on a diagonal, and now the roads are rectangular folling the fields.

Upon the way passed Joseph Smith's farm.  We stopped at Goden Corner's.  This is now a small church.  However when Governor Ford brought the militia with him to visit Nauvoo, this is wher he dismissed the majority of the militia taking only one group with him to Nauvoo.   Consequently many men were able to do whatever havoc they chose.  We went pass the farm of Albert Fellows.  Here Joseph and party were met by Captain Dunn and militia from Augusta which is southeast of Carthage.  They were traveling from Carthage with the assignment to disarm the Mormon militia.  It is in this confrontation that Joseph said, "I am going like a lamb to the slaughter, but I am calm as a summer's morning."  Joseph returned to Nauvoo with Captain Dunn and the state weapons were handed over.  This included several canon.  Joseph changed out of his military uniform in light ot the Nauvoo Legion being disbanded from state service.

We drove past a creek where it is assumed that the Carthage Greys and the Warsaw militias mixed gunpowder with water to blacken their faces on their way back from Golden's Corners.  Of course they were no longer serving as militia.  This happenned just before they attacked the jail.

Joseph and company arrived at about midnight to Carthage.  There was much catcalling but the governor asked the people to kep their peace and they could see Joseph in the morning.  The stayed at the Hamilton House in Carthage.

 

The next day the men presented themselves at the court house to post bail so they could return to Nauvoo.  Generally bail for riot would be about $5.  However Justice Robert F Smith, a Carthage Gray and president of the Anti-Mormon Party set baile at $500.  They men had to mortgage their homes to get bail money.  Bail having been paid Justice Smith brought charges of treason agianst Joseph and Hyrum.  He then signed an order for them to go to jail, without hearing b ut saying a hearing was held.  He then left.  In this way the Anti-Mormons got what they wanted, Joseph Smith in jail.

An appeal to the governor was not successful in winning release.  It seems the governor had met with many of the conspirators in a secret meeting a few days prior.  All were on board with regards to their plans.  The governor did say if he went to Nauvoo he would take Joseph.  However a couple days later he did go to Nauvoo, but did not take Joseph.  He left the Carthage Greys in charge of guarding the jail.  

The story in the jail is well known.  John Taylor sand "Poor wayfaring Man of Grief.  A mob of 100-200 men stormed the jail.  They met no resistance from the Carthage Greys.  There rifles may have been filled with blanks and the fired over the mob.  Willard Richards and John Taylor fought to keep the jail shut.  Hyrum was the first struck with a bullet gong through the door and hitting his face.  This was with a rifle as confirmed by the angle of the hole in the door.  The bullet travelled downward as the rifle could not be leveled in the hall.  Jose0h was struck in the leg.  There are now two versions.  Willard Richard reportd that Joseph went to the window.  He was struck from with in and without and fell to the ground below dead.  The other version, from William Daniels is that Joseph was trying to climb down, but fell.  He was dazed but not dead.  There he was propped against the well, and four men shot him execution style, ending his life.  Then a young man came forward, saying something to throw the blame on Missouri.  He then attempted to cut of the prophet's head as there was a reward offered for the head of Joseph Smith.  Daniels said a bright light stunned the young man and he was not able to complete his desired task.  

This bit of information was used to discredit his testimony, as no one else witnessed this light.  Only more recently has a second testimony agreed with this in that Mary Elizabeth Rollins who had saved the Book of Commandments from the mob in Missouri, heard several ruffians talk of this same light.  All who were questioned in court denied the light.

Samuel Smith the brother of Hyrum and the prophet, arrived too late in town.  He was able to get a horse and wagon to take his brothers home.

There is a question of conspiracy and whether this was a political assassination.  Also how involved was Governor Ford involved.  Many men met a planned and schemed including Whig politicians who were losing the Mormon vote with Joseph running for president.  The governor had been warned something is afoot.  Yet he left the Carthage Greys the guard the jail, while taking the only nutral militia with him to Nauvoo.

Omaha History: Documentary Review: If These Walls Could Speak

 If These Walls Could Speak, UNO Television, University of Nebraska Omaha, 1994.

By recounting the stories of the buildings of Omaha, this documentary provides a very good history of Omaha.  Omaha was created by persons in Council Bluffs originally.  This was after the Mormons had left Florence.  Council Bluffs and Nebraska Ferry Company, were interested in expanding their economic opportunities in Fall 1853; 1854 a treaty was signed with Omaha Indians and they moved north to a reservation.

The first boom for Omaha is they were given the territorial Capital.  The Capital building was where Central High School is today.  However the Capitol was moved to Lincoln.  It was found the building was hastily built and it was torn down, and gave way to a high school.

However Omaha became a transportation hub for the railroad.  Abraham Lincoln in 1863 determined the railroad should cross the country.  However the Union Pacific Railroad didn't start this until1865 after the war.  In 1867 Nebraska achieved statehood and the capital was moved to Lincoln.  However this did not hurt Omaha because the railroad was resulting in boom growth.

Even though Omaha was growing in population, infrastructure was not keeping up.  Most roads were mud and there was no municipal sewer or water.  There was very little planning for growth.  Bars and brothels were common and Omaha was known as Sodom on the Missouri.  Churches followed but slowly.

1868 Sherman Army Barracks were established north of Omaha.  This became Fort Omaha.  In the 1880s there were 38 buildings, and a home home for General George Crook, the base commander.  The base was deactivated in 1890s.  It was the starting point for Military Road through which Fort Kearney was resupplied.

In 1869 the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads were joined with the Golden Spike in Promontory, Utah.  However the Iron road was not quite complete as there still was no bridge over the Missouri.  This was completed in 1872; Omaha was linked to both coasts.

1872 Omaha High School was built.  This was on the old capital hill and consequently the building dominated the city.  At that time only19 percent attended school.  Shortly after, 1878, Creighton University came into existence.

Being the railroad hub, Omaha had much industry.  This included processing metals.  Omaha boasted the  largest lead mill in the nation.  Grain shipped through Omaha which resulted in breweries and mills.

1874 saw the post office and customs house built.  This is where the trial of Chief Standing Bear was held.  Chief Standing Bear had been arrested by General Crook for leaving the reservation, as he wanted to bury his son on ancestral land.  He submitted a writ of habeas corpus and the trial determined that Native Americans were peope and entitled to rights.

When the Herndon House, the premier hotel in Omaha was bought by the Union Pacific Railroad to become their offices, Gand Central Hotel was built.  Grand Central Hotel burned from an unattended candle in 1878.   Five firemen perished and was motivation to go from volunteer firemen to professional.

The original Boyd's Opera House, burned in 1892.  It was rebuilt but eventually succumbed to competition from movie theaters.  It was raised in 1920 and the site became a department store.  During its day many prominent actors and actresses form around the world performed there.

The 1880s saw Omaha developed from a frontier town to city.  New York Life building became the first sky scraper, ten stories.  They charged 10c admission as it sported the first elevator in town.  The elevator went to an observation deck where was had a nice view of the city.  A new post office was built about this time.  The post office encompassed and entire city block.  Another opera house was built in 1891, Creighton Orpheum Theater, 

Union Pacific Rail built a new station 1880s.  Railroads made Omaha attractive for many years.  South Omaha, saw a burgeoning meat packing industry.  Livestock exchange with hotel was built.  Many workers were needed and this was supplied by transplants from CHicago as well as immigrants from Eastern Europe.

In the 1890s Union Pacific went broke and was sold off.  This was due to a general economic downturn in the country.

However the 1898 Worlds Fair, Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition was meant to lessen the economic downturn.  This saw the consturction of modern white buildings north of Omaha.   It boasted a large lagoon, giant see-saw, Wild west show, Geronimo, Battle Ship Maine re-creation.  President McKinley visited.  However the buildings were knocked down as they were ment to be temporary.    The lagoon was filled in and became a park, Kountz Park. 

1900s a new high school built around the old.  When it was completed the old high school was destroyed and left a courtyard surrounded by the new high school.  As part of this construction the hill was lowered.

Construction in the early 1900s was generally private enterprise with many department stores including  Brandeis Store at 16th and Douglas,

The City Beautiful project changed what cities could become.  It was motivated by the world's fair and the Chicago world's fair.  City beautiful in Omaha resulted in boulevards between parks--dded landscaping connected by boulevards.

In the early 1900s steel frames lead to stronger and taller buildings. The walls were no longer load bearing but cosmetic as the steel beams held the load.  Consequently taller buildings could be constructed such as the Fontanelle Hotel; the three story top indicative of Chief Fontanelle, and the Blackstone Hotel, an upper class establishment.

Four new high schools 1920s were added in the 1920s.   

The meat packing industry continued to grow.  There were four large meat packers.  In 1924 a new and larger stock yard was needed.  It included a hotel and dance hall.

The 1920s also saw the popularity of movies increase.  Movie row was in downtown Omaha, Douglas and Farnam streets.  These were often very large auditoriums.  The were also very luxuriant.  The idea was going to the movie was to be an experience.

There were new modern art decco buildings constructed, modern in the 1920s, the Joselyn art museum and a  new Union station in 1931.

In 1938, University of Omaha administration building was built.  This was followed by the Mutual of Omaha Building.

In Bellevue, Fort Crook built a large facility to manufacture bombers.

After WWII there was lots of construction and many new subdivisions.  Often the subdivisions were outside of Omaha, and then later annexed.  Subdivisions were dictated by the trolley car.  Where the trolley went, subdivisions soon followed.  However when the automobile became the means of travel subdivisions were no longer dependent on the trolley or the neighborhood grocery store.

Fort Omaha

Downtown area

Book Review: Junius and Joseph: Presidential Politics and the assassination of the First Mormon Prophet

 Junius and Joseph: Presidential Politics and the assassination of the First Mormon Prophet, Robert S. Wicks and Fred R. Foister, USU Press, Logan, Utah, 2005.  Available online here.

This is a very serious look at the martyrdom of Joseph Smith, the conspiracy against him from the forcing him to Carthage where he could be murdered, to the coordination of activity between the militias and the governor of Illinois.  Governor Ford insisted the men, including Joseph and Hyrum, come to Carthage and promised he would keep them safe.  However he left town to Nauvoo to give an opportunity for murder. 

 It also ties in the Anti-Mormon Party and the Whig Party into this plan to kill Joseph Smith.  After the deed there was secrecy maintained by the murderers so as to get away with the crime.  They also explore if there was a Masonic tie to the crime.   Probably not but they did ignore Joseph's call for help from  fellow Masons.  No one was convicted of any crime with relation to the assassination.  This book also ties Joseph's being a candidate for president with the crime.  He was the first candidate for president to be assassinated in the United States.  Members of the Whig party gave the printing press to the disaffected Mormons so the could oublish the Nauvoo Expositor which was at the center of the controversy.  

There were people involved in the conspiracy from every state of the Union but three.  There were 26 states at the time.  The man credited with the fatal bullet was from Ohio and was a U.S. Marshall.  There were close to 150 men at the jail, not counting the Carthage Grays who were guarding the jail with blanks in their guns.  

The initial stories in the paper was that the Mormons had tried to rescue them resulting in the death of the Smiths as well as the other two in the jail.  However when the other two in the jail, John Taylor and Willard Richards, were ot killed the story had to change.  There were too many witnesses.  

William Daniels was at the scene.  He saw four men prop Joseph against the well and shoot him execution style.  He also saw a bright light which kept a man from severing Joseph's head.  Because of the bright light story his testimony was discredited, allowing the accused to go free.  It wouldn't be until 2004 that the State of Illinois would express regret for the murder of Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith. 

The book also lays out the two histories of the martyrdom.  That Joseph was shot in the window seal and fell to the ground dead.  The other that Joseph fell from  the window ledge dazed but alive.  Then he was shot execution style.  John Taylo indicated he was shot on the ground.  Willard Richards said he was already dead.  When B.H. Roberts wrote the history of the church he left out some of the original statement taking out the light and the execution.

This book is worth the read and adds to this story.

Joseph and Hyrum

Book of Mormon External Evidences: Book Review: In Search of Lehi's Trail

 In Search of Lehi's Trail, Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, Photography by Gerald W. Silver, Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1976.

Lynn and Hope Hilton traveled Lehi's Trail based on the writings of Hugh Nibley.  They wanted to see for themselves where Lehi traveled and see if they could pin point any locations.  Lehi and his family followed more or less the Frankincense Trail.  This group actually traveled in reverse order, but wrote their journey in the correct order, starting in Jerusalem.  Because it was written in 1976 it predates much of the later research which has been done where the altar of Nahom was discovered as well as a good prospect for the Land Bountiful.

The story starts in Jerusalem and Lehi and his family lived in this area.  Water is life in the desert, and so the trail follows the water; likely the Frankincense Trail.  Frankincense was prized in part of the formula for burning incense in the temple.  The greatest contribution of this book is giving information on the culture of the Arabian Peninsula--food, shops, fishing, shig building etc.  

There are locations where using the word bountiful is applicable at the end of the peninsula.  Water is key again.  This is a very good introduction to the idea of Lehi in the Arabian Peninsula.

Book Review: The Santa Fe Trail

The Santa Fe Trail by Linda Thompson, Rourke Publishing Co, Vero Beach, Florida, 2005.

Ths book is part of a juvenile series, Expansion of America.  Santa Fe Trail is different than the Oregon, Mormon or California Trails in that it was mostly a commercial trail rather than an immigrant trail.  It started in independence Missouri and ended in Santa Fe New Mexico.  For the most part it followed Native American trails, which in turn followed animal trails.  However use of the trail was limited by politics.  When the area was controlled by Spain the government insisted all products go through the Port of Vera Cruz, so tariffs could be collected.  The journey from Vera Cruz to Santa Fe was 2000 miles.    The Spanish soldiers would arrest any traveling from the United States and confiscate their goods.  This included beaver pelts.  As a result products were very expensive in Santa Fe.  When Mexico won its independence in 1821 this all changed.  William Becknell established the first trading post in Santa Fe with goods from America.  he is credited with being the father of the Santa Fe trail.  The merchants and those transporting good were able to make significant profit.  Transport was by horse, mules, ox carts and ox drawn wagons.  

The Santa Fe Trail was also important during the Mexican American War as a way to transport troops and supplies.

Biographical Book Review: Charles Lindbergh: American Hero of Flight

 The People to Know Series, Charles Lindbergh: American Hero of Flight by Virginia Meachum, Enslow Publisher's Inc., Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, 2002.

This is a very good biography and tells many things about Charles Lindbergh that I did not know.  Of course it starts with his early days, and how he got into flying.  He was working as a mail pilot when decided he could fly across the Atlantic, which we all know he did becomeing the first person to do so.  

I did not know he was such a prlific author.  He won a Pulitzer for his book Spirit of St. Louis.  His wife Anne was also an author and pubished many books.  Before WWII he took an isolationist position and struggled to keep America out of the war.  A speech he gave in this regard was considered by some to be racist.  Lindbergh did serve in whatever way he could during the war.  He was not in active combat but was allowed to fly a few missions when he was a consultant.  His knowledge of aviation was very valuable.  He taught how to get better fuel mileage from the planes.

  He worked for TWA and Pan Am in establishing plane transportation work.  For TWA it was mostly across the U.S. and for Pan Am it was international flights.  

When he was older he worked to protect the environment and was on the board of the World Wildlife Fund.  

He was also a scientist and worked on an artificial heart.

The part that makes this book difficult to read is the kidnapping and murder of his son.  Charles jr was a year and a half when he was kidnapped for ransom.  The criminal who kidnapped young Charles apparently dropped him off the ladder and he fell on his head which killed him.  He still collected the ransom.  It was good to know that the man did not have the intent of killing the baby.  Lindbergh partially blamed this on the terrible amount of publicity and lack of privacy from his life of fame.  They lived in England for a time as a result.

Johann Daniel Bommeli AKA Daniel Bonelli

 Johann Daniel Bommeli was born in Switzerland, 25 Feb 1836.  His family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1854.  After joining the church he changed his name to Bonelli and went by his middle name instead of his last name.  He served for a short time as a missionary, and attracted many converts.  However he was ordered out of the country for preaching to the Swiss people.

He immigrated to America in 1860.  He traveled on the ship George Washington.  He traveled with the James Darling Ross Company.  This was a down and out company where the church sent a wagon team to collect the incoming saints.  He traveled with the wagon company from Florence to Utah.  He had to learn how to handle an ox team.

The Swiss Saints were assigned to southern Utah.  Brigham Young indicated the single members should marry before they headed south.  He had met Ann Haigh on the trip, on the ship or in the wagon company.  They were married in the Endowment house in Salt Lake City 25 Oct 1861.  

In southern Utah they were tole to raise figs, grapes, sugar cane and tobacco.  A group of saints from there were called to settle along the Muddy River.  From there they settled in St. Thomas along the Colorado River.  This is where the Virgin River flows into the Colorado River.  It is now covered with Lake Mead.  Daniel established a far raising fruit trees.  He also planted many cottonwood trees.  When Brigham Young visited in 1870, he turned around and called the country desolate and decided the saints should move back to Utah.  He may have been influenced by flooding in addition to heat in the area.  There was also confusion about what sate they were in and whether they had to pay taxes to Nevada.  Daniel Bonelli and his wife did not leave while everyone else did.  He said he did not leave the church, the church left him.  Others later moved to the area and the town of St. Thomas was established as well as Overton, upstream.  Daniel Bonelli established a ferry across the Colorado River.  He is credited with naming Temple Bar along the Colorado River thinking it looked like the Mormon temple in Salt Lake.  He passed away in 1903 due to a stroke.  He was buried in St. Thomas.  When Lake Mead flooded the area his grave was moved to Mountain View Cemetery in Kingman Arizona.

He is the father of George Bonelli who built the Bonelli House in Kingman which is a living history museum in Kingman.  It in on the list of National Historic locations.