Givens Family Murdered by Indians ~ Brigham Young and Apostles Visit ~ Andrew Madsen's Journal

Andrew Madsen 

May 25th 1865
Trouble began on the north end of the County and the Indians began to raid the settlers.  Jens Larsen, a cattle herder was killed four miles north of Fairview.  The following day, John Given, his wife and four children were murdered and their bodies badly mutilated at Thistle Valley.  Many of the cattle from Mt. pleasant and Fairview were stolen and driven away.

The next day a company of men drove to Thistle Valley and brought down the bodies of the Given Family and routed the Indians.

On May 29th, the Indians made an attack upon the settlers three miles north of Fairview, killing David Handcock Jones, a member of the Mormon Battalion.
in the evening a company made up at Mt. Pleasant and Fairview visited the scene in search of Indians, but they made their escape to the mountains.

Early in July President Brigham Young visited Sanpete County to investigate the Indian trouble and to preach to the Saints.  He visited Mt. Pleasant July 13th.  President Brigham Young, the Apostles John Taylor, George A. Smith and Wilford Woodruff constituted the company.  They came by way of Nephi, accompanied by the Nephi Brass Band and were met at the outskirts of town by throngs of people who welcomed them. 

Elders Woodruff, Smith and Taylor spoke in the forenoon and in the afternoon, President Young occupied the time.  His remarks to us were brief and his advice good.  He said that he had seen many of the prophecies of Joseph Smith fulfilled when he (Brigham Young) was first sent to Europe.  "Go and my spirit shall be with you and my authority shall be invested in you."  I can fully testify that it was fulfilled to the very letter and is with me today.  If you want your children to be like yourself, if you want them to increase in wisdom, intelligence and good behavior, give them a pattern in yourself. Few have children more than I.  When traveling amongst the nations, I never saw a child destitute without relieving its distress, and I always felt to bless them.  Mothers, if you want your children to possess Christian meekness and lead a virtuous life, show them a pattern in your own life indications.  Fathers, if you want your wives and children to show you respect, respect yourself.  If you want them to be good, be good and righteous in all your actions.

Young men, I was sent out in the world when young.  I had to make my own way through it.  I made it a rule to withstand the temptations of gambling, drinking and swearing, and never deviated from it.  You do the same yourself.

You were born in the Kingdom and I want you to make your own way through the world.  Don't marry until you marry right.  Your children will then belong to the Kingdom. etc. etc. etc.