Showing posts with label Black Hawk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Black Hawk. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Tuesday, March 5, 2024
Friday, June 9, 2023
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Friday, June 3, 2022
A Proclamation From Brigham Young
On May 4th, 1866, President Orson Hyde visited Mount Pleasant and read to the people a proclamation from the First Presidency, addressed to the people of Sanpete, Sevier, Piute, and other settlements which were not safe from the Indians. The Presidency begged the people to be of good cheer and advised that all settlements that had not over 150 families should move to larger settlements.
They should arm themselves. The stock should be guarded so that the Indians would not be able to steal anymore. If the Indians desired peace and came into the settlements, they should be treated with kindness, for if a peaceable Indian was killed it was just as much murder as if it had been a white man.
Quoting R. N. Bennett: "David Candland was sent with the epistle for the people of Fairview to move to Mount Pleasant, the people of Fountain Green to Moroni, and the people of Spring City to move to Ephraim. John L. Ivie and myself were sent as Candland's bodyguards. After these families had moved, the minutemen of Mount Pleasant and other settlements had to go as guards for the men while they did their work."
Soon after President Hyde's visit, the people of Mount Pleasant sent teams to Fairview to help the people move. The move of the people to Mount Pleasant took place in one day. They were located within the fort, and with families outside the fort. During the time they were living at Mount Pleasant, men went to Fairview to build a fort for their protection and in August, when the work was completed, they were prepared to return. President Hyde came to Mount Pleasant and held a meeting with the citizens of Fairview, and released Andrew Petersen, the acting bishop, and ordained Amasa Tucker, of Mount Pleasant, to act in his stead.
In Mount Pleasant, it was now found necessary, in order to protect the cattle, to erect a fort. Some today, claim this was never completed, yet we find recorded in Andrew Madsen's Journal, "On June 4th the wall was commenced, and the fort, the same size as the one erected in 1859, was completed on June 19th, 1866."
The walls enclosed the block consisting of a little more than five acres, lying directly north of the old fort. (This block is now known as the North Sanpete High School Block.) Andrew Rolph states that the east, north and west walls were the same height as those of the old fort, but that the south wall was only about half as high, and there was a gate in the center of it. In due time four herders, who were paid so much ahead for herding the cattle had been appointed. The tingling of the many cowbells was a familiar sound as the herd was taken out at seven o'clock every morning. One man was assigned as gatekeeper, and after the cattle were accounted for and claimed by the owners, the gate was locked.
Horses for the guards were always on hand. He further states that the first break in this fort wall was made near the northeast corner by Thomas Fuller, who used the rocks to wall up a ditch which passed in front of his mother, Mrs. Sarah Scoville's, place, which was opposite on the north side of the street.
General Daniel H. Wells and their escort visited Mount Pleasant on June 19th and gave the people timely advice in regards to protecting themselves against the Indians.
The minutemen were often called to scout about without finding the enemies. The country was sparsely settled, the raids day and night of so frequent occurrence, the scanty crops must be harvested, the wood must be hauled, and other preparations for winter be made, so that it was impossible for men to attend to their farms and stock and other duties, and fight the Indians day and night without some assistance.
Previous to this, Colonel O. H. Irish had called on General Doty asking for Military assistance from Fort Douglas, but had been informed by the commander at the fort that the settlers must take care of themselves.
The people of Salt Lake and Utah Counties, learning the real condition with their friends in the south, made preparations for the re-enforcing of the military power. A little later Captain P. W. Conover, with fifty men from Utah County, reported to General Snow for orders. Colonel Heber P. Kimball, having a company of fifty men from Salt Lake County, reached Manti. Colonel E. B. Page took command of the forces under Captain" Conover, and with such an additional force, the citizens felt secure and proceeded to their daily duties in comparative safety. The Indians kept away from the troops but managed to continue their depredations.
June 20th, 1866, Indians under Chief Black Hawk made a raid on the stock of Scipio. During the skirmish Henry Wright and James R. Ivie, the father of Colonel J. L. Ivie were killed. It will be remembered that in 1859 James R. Ivie had been chosen at Ephraim as a leader for the company of pioneers who settled Mount Pleasant and that he faithfully filled that position until W. S. Seeley was chosen bishop of the colony. A short time after the killing of Mr. Ivie, a son of Ivie, in retaliation for the killing of his father, killed a friendly Indian. This enraged the Indians and they entered more vigorously into the bloody work of massacre among the white settlers.his father killed a friendly Indian. This enraged the Indians and they entered more vigorously into the bloody work of massacre among the white settlers.
Captain Kimball's company, under command of Captain A. P. Dewey, was stationed at Thistle Valley. Sunday, June 24th, Captain Dewey sent out two companies of scouts, four in each company, one company going north and the other south. Two of those who were going south had stopped at the warm springs on the west side of the valley. The members of the camp were not aware that Indians were at that time scattered through the cedars and ravines surrounding the camp. However, Horner Roberts and John Hambleton, being at the spring, saw them. Roberts succeeded in evading the Indians and took the report to Mount Pleasant and Fairview. Charles Brown, of Draper, and a companion who were in the cedars, also seeing the Indians, made their way towards camp. Brown was shot in the back and, upon falling, the Indians shot him with arrows. Some of the company at camp, seeing him fall, rushed out and brought him to camp where he expired. The Indians immediately surrounded the camp, which consisted of six baggage wagons that had been placed along with a wall of wood built around the camp for their protection. This enabled the company to keep out of sight of the Indians. However, the Indians shot into the camp, wounding Thomas Snaar of Salt Lake City. When the news of the attack reached Mount Pleasant, Colonel John L. Ivie and his company were in Pleasant Creek Canyon. At about 2 p. m., upon hearing three shots fired followed by five more, which they knew to be a signal, immediately left the stock they were helping to gather and rode down to the mouth of the canyon about four miles east of Mount Pleasant, where the message was delivered to them. They were ordered to get to the scene as quickly as their horses could carry them.
A cavalry consisting of about eighteen or twenty men, including Colonel Ivie, George Tucker, Orange Seely, R. N. Bennett (Dolph), Martin Aldrich, Aaron Oman, Niels Madsen, and Peter Fredricksen started with great speed for Dewey's camp, at Fairview, others joined them.
They arrived in Thistle Valley about one hour before sundown, just in time to save the whole camp from being massacred. After a hard skirmish, the company succeeded in routing the Indians. Some Indians were killed and many wounded as they fled into the mountains; the Indians, as was their custom, took their dead and wounded with them. A chase was taken up; after following them to Soldiers Summit at the head of Spanish Fork Canyon, the Indians resorted to their old tactics, that of separating and going in all directions, and the men were compelled to return. During the skirmish in Thistle Valley, Orange Seely and Dolph Bennett, seeing an Indian leave his horse and sneak into the wash towards camp, captured the horse, saddle, bridle, a buckskin jacket, and a long lasso rope. Seely kept the horse for some time as a trophy of war. All horses, excepting five or six head of saddle horses, were missing. These were hitched by the rescuing party to the wagons and the camp was moved to a more protected location, where Indianola now stands. The body of Charles Brown was taken to Mount Pleasant for burial.
R. N. Bennett made the following statement concerning the attack: "June 24, 1866, Black Hawk warriors attacked Captain Peter Dewey's company at Thistle Valley, killing one man, Charles Brown, of Draper, and wounding Thomas Snaar, and driving off twenty or more head of horses. John L. Ivie, Orange Seely, George Tucker, myself, and others went to recover the horses. We followed Black Hawk and his band nearly to the head of Spanish Fork River, going a distance of about forty or fifty miles, then following down the Spanish Fork River, to about where Thistle Junction now is. During this engagement, three or four Indians were killed, and a number wounded."
Three days after the attack on Captain Dewey's camp, the red skins raided Spanish Fork and killed John Edmonston, of Manti, wounded another man, and drove away the stock. Settlers of Spanish Fork and Springville combined their forces and pursued the Indians up the canyon as far as they dared, securing most of the cattle. The Indians continued on into Sanpete, then into Sevier County, and caught the unprotected points as places for attacks. They kept on the mountain when near Manti, or in the vicinity of the troops, thus avoiding engagements. About July 1st, 1866, General Y. Kimball Wells, obeying the instructions of President Brigham Young, issued an order for the abandonment of the settlements in Piute County, and the colonists moved to Sanpete County, most of them located at Ephraim.
July 12th, Captain Bigler, with sixty men from Davis County, reached Manti, relieving the troops from Salt Lake County. Though new men soon had an opportunity for a conflict with the savages, for on the 27th, the Indians made a night raid on the cattle of Ephraim and Manti, driving away about 150 head of cattle. General Snow and Captain Bigler, with their commands, pursued the thieves into Castle Valley, but did not succeed in recovering the cattle, nor were they able to capture any Indians. This successful raid no doubt gave the Red Men enough beef for the winter. Few people had trouble with the Indians until the following spring. They managed to keep at a safe distance from the troops, enjoying the fruit of their many raids during the summer, and making their plans for the spring.
R. N. Bennett states: "About September 1866, the Black Hawk Indians drove off a herd of cattle, John L. Ivie, Orange Seely, myself and others, were with the company that followed them over the mountains east of Ephraim, via Joe's Valley, from there down Cotton Wood Canyon, on to Huntington River, where the town of Lawrence now stands, a distance of about seventy five miles. Then we came back to the Cotton Wood River, and then, camped and patrolled the valley two days, searching for Indians. We were gone from home about ten days."
Taken from History of Mt. Pleasant by Hilda Madsen Longsdorf pp 110-115
Thursday, October 18, 2018
Journey Of Faith ~~~ Interaction With The Indians continued by David R. Gunderson
With permission of David R. Gunderson, we include the following book to our blog. I will do a few increments at a time, as I have done with the Andrew Madsen and James Monsen histories. I will also paste the pages over to David's own blog page: http://davidrgunderson.blogspot.com/
This book will be of interest to not only the Gunderson Family but also to the Brotherson, Ericksen, Peel, Madsen, Larsen and more.
Saturday, November 28, 2015
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Friday, March 20, 2015
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Friday, February 8, 2013
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Indian Troubles 1866
On May 4th, 1866, President Orson Hyde visited Mount Pleasant and read to the people a proclamation from the First Presidency, addressed to the people of Sanpete, Sevier, Piute and other settle ments which were not safe from the Indians. The Presidency begged the people to be of good cheer, and advised that all settle ments that had not over 150 families should move to larger settlements.
They should arm themselves. The stock should be guarded so that the Indians would not be able to steal any more. If the Indians desired peace and came into the settlements, they should be treated with kindness, for if a peaceable Indian was killed it was just as much murder as if it had been a white man.
Quoting R. N. Bennett: "David Candland was sent with the epistle for the people of Fairview to move to Mount Pleasant, the people of Fountain Green to Moroni, and the people of Spring City to move to Ephraim. John L. Ivie and myself were sent as Candland's body guards. After these families had moved, the minute men of Mount Pleasant and other settlements had to go as guards for the men while they did their work."
Soon after President Hyde's visit, the people of Mount Pleasant sent teams to Fairview to help the people move. The move of the people to Mount Pleasant took place in one day. They were lo cated within the fort, and with families outside the fort. During the time they were living at Mount Pleasant, men went to Fairview to build a fort for their protection and in August, when the work was completed, they were prepared to return. President Hyde came to Mount Pleasant and held a meeting with the citizens of Fairview, and released Andrew Petersen, the acting bishop, and ordained Amasa Tucker, of Mount Pleasant, to act in his stead.
In Mount Pleasant, it was now found necessary, in order to protect the cattle, to erect a fort. Some, today, claim this was never completed, yet we find recorded in Andrew Madsen's Journal, "On June 4th the wall was commenced, and the fort, the same size as the one erected in 1859, was completed on June 19th, 1866."
The walls enclosed the block consisting of a little more than five acres, lying directly north of the old fort. (This block is now known as the North Sanpete High School Block.) Andrew Rolph states that the east, north and west walls were the same height as those of the old fort, but that the south wall was only about half as high, and there was a gate in the center of it. In due time four herders, who were paid so much a head for herding the cattle had been appointed. The tingling of the many cowbells was a familiar sound as the herd was taken out at seven o'clock every morning. One man was assigned as gate keeper, and after the cattle were accounted for and claimed by the owners, the gate was locked.
Horses for the guards were always on hand. He further states that the first break in this fort wall was made near the northeast corner by Thomas Fuller, who used the rocks to wall up a ditch which passed in front of his mother, Mrs. Sarah Scoville's, place, which was opposite on the north side of the street.
General Daniel H. Wells and escort visited Mount Pleasant June 19th, and gave the people timely advice in regards to protecting themselves against the Indians.
The minute men were often called to scout about without finding the enemies. The country was sparsely settled, the raids day and night of so frequent occurrence, the scanty crops must be harvested, the wood must be hauled, and other preparations for winter be made, so that it was impossible for men to attend to their farms and stock and other duties, and fight the Indians day and night without some assistance.
Previous to this, Colonel O. H. Irish had called on General Doty asking Military assistance from Fort Douglas, but bad been informed by the commander at the fort that the settlers must take care of themselves.
The people of Salt Lake and Utah Counties, learning the real condition with their friends in the south, made preparations for the re-enforcing of the military power. A little later Captain P. W. Conover, with fifty men from Utah County, reported to Gen eral Snow for orders. Colonel Heber P. Kimball, having a com pany of fifty men from Salt Lake County, reached Manti. Colonel E. B. Page took command of the forces under Captain" Conover, and with such an additional force, the citizens felt secure and proceeded to their daily duties in comparative safety. The Indians kept away from the troops but managed to continue their depredations.
June 20th, 1866, Indians under Chief Black Hawk made a raid on the stock of Scipio. During the skirmish Henry Wright and James R. Ivie, the father of Colonel J. L. Ivie, were killed. It will be remembered that in 1859 James R. Ivie had been chosen at Ephraim as leader for the company of pioneers who settled Mount Pleasant, and that he faithfully filled that position until W. S. Seeley was chosen bishop of the colony. A short time after the killing of Mr. Ivie, a son of Ivie, in retaliation for the killing of his father, killed a friendly Indian. This enraged the Indians and they entered more vigorously in to the bloody work of massacre among the white settlers.his father, killed a friendly Indian. This enraged the Indians and they entered more vigorously in the bloody work of massacre among the white settlers.
Captain Kimball's company, under command of Captain A. P. Dewey, was stationed at Thistle Valley. Sunday, June 24th, Captain Dewey sent out two companies of scouts, four in each company, one company going north and the other south. Two of those who were going south had stopped at the warm springs on the west side of the valley. The members of the camp were not aware that Indians were at that time scattered through the cedars and ravines surrounding the camp. However, Horner Roberts and John Hambleton, being at the spring, saw them. Roberts succeeded in evading the Indians and took the report to Mount Pleasant and Fairview. Charles Brown, of Draper, and a companion who were in the cedars, also seeing the Indians, made their way towards camp. Brown was shot in the back and, upon falling, the Indians shot him with arrows. Some of the company at camp, seeing him fall, rushed out and brought him to camp where he expired. The Indians immediately surrounded the camp, which consisted of six baggage wagons that had been placed along with a wall of wood built around the camp for their protection. This enabled the company to keep out of sight of the Indians. However, the Indians shot into the camp, wounding Thomas Snaar of Salt Lake City. When the news of the attack reached Mount Pleasant, Colonel John L. Ivie and his company were in Pleasant Creek Canyon. At about 2 p. m., upon hearing three shots fired followed by five more, which they knew to be a signal, immediately left the stock they were helping to gather and rode down to the mouth of the canyon about four miles east of Mount Pleasant, where the message was delivered to them. They were ordered to get to the scene as quickly as their horses could carry them.
A cavalry consisting of about eighteen or twenty men, includ ing Colonel Ivie, George Tucker, Orange Seely, R. N. Bennett (Dolph), Martin Aldrich, Aaron Oman, Niels Madsen, and Peter Fredricksen started with great speed for Dewey's camp, at Fairview, others joined them.
They arrived in Thistle Valley about one hour before sundown, just in time to save the whole camp from being massacred. After a hard skirmish, the company succeeded in routing the Indians. Some Indians were killed and many wounded as they fled into the mountains; the Indians, as was their custom, taking their dead and wounded with them. A chase was taken up; after following them to Soldiers Summit at the head of Spanish Fork Canyon, the Indians resorted to their old tactics, that of separating and going in all directions, and the men were compelled to return. During the skirmish in Thistle Valley, Orange Seely and Dolph Bennett, seeing an Indian leave his horse and sneak into the wash towards camp, captured the horse, saddle, bridle, a buckskin jacket and a long lasso rope. Seely kept the horse for some time as a trophy of war. All horses, excepting five or six head of saddle horses were missing. These were hitched by the rescuing party to the wagons and the camp was moved to a more protected loca tion, where Indianola now stands. The body of Charles Brown was taken to Mount Pleasant for burial.
R. N. Bennett made the following statement concerning the attack: "June 24, 1866, Black Hawk warriors attacked Captain Peter Dewey's company at Thistle Valley, killing one man, Charles Brown, of Draper, and wounding Thomas Snaar, and driving off twenty or more head of horses. John L. Ivie, Orange Seely, George Tucker, myself and others went to recover the horses. We followed Black Hawk and his band nearly to the head of Spanish Fork River, going a distance of about forty or fifty miles, then follow ing down the Spanish Fork River, to about where Thistle Junction now is. During this engagement three or four Indians were killed, and a number wounded."
Three days after the attack on Captain Dewey's camp, the red skins raided Spanish Fork and killed John Edmonston, of Manti, and wounded another man, and drove away the stock. Settlers of Spanish Fork and Springville combined their forces and pur sued the Indians up the canyon as far as they dared, securing most of the cattle. The Indians continued on into Sanpete, then into Sevier County, and caught the unprotected points as places for attacks. They kept on the mountain when near Manti, or in the vicinity of the troops, thus avoiding engagements. About July 1st, 1866, General Y. Kimball Wells, obeying the instructions or President Brigham Young, issued an order for the abandonment of the settlements in Piute County, and the colonists moved to Sanpete County, most of them locating at Ephraim.
July 12th, Captain Bigler, with sixty men from Davis County, reached Manti, relieving the troops from Salt Lake County. Though new men soon had an opportunity for a conflict with the savages, for on the 27th, the Indians made a night raid on the cattle of Ephraim and Manti, driving away about 150 head of cattle. General Snow and Captain Bigler, with their commands, pursued the thieves into Castle Valley, but did not succeed in recovering the cattle, nor were they able to capture any Indians. This successful raid no doubt gave the Red Men enough beef for the winter. Few people had trouble with the Indians until the following spring. They managed to keep at a safe distance from the troops, enjoying the fruit of their many raids during the summer, and making their plans for the spring.
R. N. Bennett states: "About September 1866, the Black Hawk Indians drove off a herd of cattle, John L. Ivie, Orange Seely, myself and others, were with the company that followed them over the mountains east of Ephraim, via Joe's Valley, from there down Cotton Wood Canyon, on to Huntington River, where the town of Lawrence now stands, a distance of about seventy five miles. Then we came back to the Cotton Wood River, and then, camped and patrolled the valley two days, searching for Indians. We were gone from home about ten days."
They should arm themselves. The stock should be guarded so that the Indians would not be able to steal any more. If the Indians desired peace and came into the settlements, they should be treated with kindness, for if a peaceable Indian was killed it was just as much murder as if it had been a white man.
Quoting R. N. Bennett: "David Candland was sent with the epistle for the people of Fairview to move to Mount Pleasant, the people of Fountain Green to Moroni, and the people of Spring City to move to Ephraim. John L. Ivie and myself were sent as Candland's body guards. After these families had moved, the minute men of Mount Pleasant and other settlements had to go as guards for the men while they did their work."
Soon after President Hyde's visit, the people of Mount Pleasant sent teams to Fairview to help the people move. The move of the people to Mount Pleasant took place in one day. They were lo cated within the fort, and with families outside the fort. During the time they were living at Mount Pleasant, men went to Fairview to build a fort for their protection and in August, when the work was completed, they were prepared to return. President Hyde came to Mount Pleasant and held a meeting with the citizens of Fairview, and released Andrew Petersen, the acting bishop, and ordained Amasa Tucker, of Mount Pleasant, to act in his stead.
In Mount Pleasant, it was now found necessary, in order to protect the cattle, to erect a fort. Some, today, claim this was never completed, yet we find recorded in Andrew Madsen's Journal, "On June 4th the wall was commenced, and the fort, the same size as the one erected in 1859, was completed on June 19th, 1866."
The walls enclosed the block consisting of a little more than five acres, lying directly north of the old fort. (This block is now known as the North Sanpete High School Block.) Andrew Rolph states that the east, north and west walls were the same height as those of the old fort, but that the south wall was only about half as high, and there was a gate in the center of it. In due time four herders, who were paid so much a head for herding the cattle had been appointed. The tingling of the many cowbells was a familiar sound as the herd was taken out at seven o'clock every morning. One man was assigned as gate keeper, and after the cattle were accounted for and claimed by the owners, the gate was locked.
Horses for the guards were always on hand. He further states that the first break in this fort wall was made near the northeast corner by Thomas Fuller, who used the rocks to wall up a ditch which passed in front of his mother, Mrs. Sarah Scoville's, place, which was opposite on the north side of the street.
General Daniel H. Wells and escort visited Mount Pleasant June 19th, and gave the people timely advice in regards to protecting themselves against the Indians.
The minute men were often called to scout about without finding the enemies. The country was sparsely settled, the raids day and night of so frequent occurrence, the scanty crops must be harvested, the wood must be hauled, and other preparations for winter be made, so that it was impossible for men to attend to their farms and stock and other duties, and fight the Indians day and night without some assistance.
Previous to this, Colonel O. H. Irish had called on General Doty asking Military assistance from Fort Douglas, but bad been informed by the commander at the fort that the settlers must take care of themselves.
The people of Salt Lake and Utah Counties, learning the real condition with their friends in the south, made preparations for the re-enforcing of the military power. A little later Captain P. W. Conover, with fifty men from Utah County, reported to Gen eral Snow for orders. Colonel Heber P. Kimball, having a com pany of fifty men from Salt Lake County, reached Manti. Colonel E. B. Page took command of the forces under Captain" Conover, and with such an additional force, the citizens felt secure and proceeded to their daily duties in comparative safety. The Indians kept away from the troops but managed to continue their depredations.
June 20th, 1866, Indians under Chief Black Hawk made a raid on the stock of Scipio. During the skirmish Henry Wright and James R. Ivie, the father of Colonel J. L. Ivie, were killed. It will be remembered that in 1859 James R. Ivie had been chosen at Ephraim as leader for the company of pioneers who settled Mount Pleasant, and that he faithfully filled that position until W. S. Seeley was chosen bishop of the colony. A short time after the killing of Mr. Ivie, a son of Ivie, in retaliation for the killing of his father, killed a friendly Indian. This enraged the Indians and they entered more vigorously in to the bloody work of massacre among the white settlers.his father, killed a friendly Indian. This enraged the Indians and they entered more vigorously in the bloody work of massacre among the white settlers.
Captain Kimball's company, under command of Captain A. P. Dewey, was stationed at Thistle Valley. Sunday, June 24th, Captain Dewey sent out two companies of scouts, four in each company, one company going north and the other south. Two of those who were going south had stopped at the warm springs on the west side of the valley. The members of the camp were not aware that Indians were at that time scattered through the cedars and ravines surrounding the camp. However, Horner Roberts and John Hambleton, being at the spring, saw them. Roberts succeeded in evading the Indians and took the report to Mount Pleasant and Fairview. Charles Brown, of Draper, and a companion who were in the cedars, also seeing the Indians, made their way towards camp. Brown was shot in the back and, upon falling, the Indians shot him with arrows. Some of the company at camp, seeing him fall, rushed out and brought him to camp where he expired. The Indians immediately surrounded the camp, which consisted of six baggage wagons that had been placed along with a wall of wood built around the camp for their protection. This enabled the company to keep out of sight of the Indians. However, the Indians shot into the camp, wounding Thomas Snaar of Salt Lake City. When the news of the attack reached Mount Pleasant, Colonel John L. Ivie and his company were in Pleasant Creek Canyon. At about 2 p. m., upon hearing three shots fired followed by five more, which they knew to be a signal, immediately left the stock they were helping to gather and rode down to the mouth of the canyon about four miles east of Mount Pleasant, where the message was delivered to them. They were ordered to get to the scene as quickly as their horses could carry them.
A cavalry consisting of about eighteen or twenty men, includ ing Colonel Ivie, George Tucker, Orange Seely, R. N. Bennett (Dolph), Martin Aldrich, Aaron Oman, Niels Madsen, and Peter Fredricksen started with great speed for Dewey's camp, at Fairview, others joined them.
They arrived in Thistle Valley about one hour before sundown, just in time to save the whole camp from being massacred. After a hard skirmish, the company succeeded in routing the Indians. Some Indians were killed and many wounded as they fled into the mountains; the Indians, as was their custom, taking their dead and wounded with them. A chase was taken up; after following them to Soldiers Summit at the head of Spanish Fork Canyon, the Indians resorted to their old tactics, that of separating and going in all directions, and the men were compelled to return. During the skirmish in Thistle Valley, Orange Seely and Dolph Bennett, seeing an Indian leave his horse and sneak into the wash towards camp, captured the horse, saddle, bridle, a buckskin jacket and a long lasso rope. Seely kept the horse for some time as a trophy of war. All horses, excepting five or six head of saddle horses were missing. These were hitched by the rescuing party to the wagons and the camp was moved to a more protected loca tion, where Indianola now stands. The body of Charles Brown was taken to Mount Pleasant for burial.
R. N. Bennett made the following statement concerning the attack: "June 24, 1866, Black Hawk warriors attacked Captain Peter Dewey's company at Thistle Valley, killing one man, Charles Brown, of Draper, and wounding Thomas Snaar, and driving off twenty or more head of horses. John L. Ivie, Orange Seely, George Tucker, myself and others went to recover the horses. We followed Black Hawk and his band nearly to the head of Spanish Fork River, going a distance of about forty or fifty miles, then follow ing down the Spanish Fork River, to about where Thistle Junction now is. During this engagement three or four Indians were killed, and a number wounded."
Three days after the attack on Captain Dewey's camp, the red skins raided Spanish Fork and killed John Edmonston, of Manti, and wounded another man, and drove away the stock. Settlers of Spanish Fork and Springville combined their forces and pur sued the Indians up the canyon as far as they dared, securing most of the cattle. The Indians continued on into Sanpete, then into Sevier County, and caught the unprotected points as places for attacks. They kept on the mountain when near Manti, or in the vicinity of the troops, thus avoiding engagements. About July 1st, 1866, General Y. Kimball Wells, obeying the instructions or President Brigham Young, issued an order for the abandonment of the settlements in Piute County, and the colonists moved to Sanpete County, most of them locating at Ephraim.
July 12th, Captain Bigler, with sixty men from Davis County, reached Manti, relieving the troops from Salt Lake County. Though new men soon had an opportunity for a conflict with the savages, for on the 27th, the Indians made a night raid on the cattle of Ephraim and Manti, driving away about 150 head of cattle. General Snow and Captain Bigler, with their commands, pursued the thieves into Castle Valley, but did not succeed in recovering the cattle, nor were they able to capture any Indians. This successful raid no doubt gave the Red Men enough beef for the winter. Few people had trouble with the Indians until the following spring. They managed to keep at a safe distance from the troops, enjoying the fruit of their many raids during the summer, and making their plans for the spring.
R. N. Bennett states: "About September 1866, the Black Hawk Indians drove off a herd of cattle, John L. Ivie, Orange Seely, myself and others, were with the company that followed them over the mountains east of Ephraim, via Joe's Valley, from there down Cotton Wood Canyon, on to Huntington River, where the town of Lawrence now stands, a distance of about seventy five miles. Then we came back to the Cotton Wood River, and then, camped and patrolled the valley two days, searching for Indians. We were gone from home about ten days."
Taken from History of Mt. Pleasant by Hilda Madsen Longsdorf pp 110-115
Sunday, June 13, 2010
"THE BARN" by Sue Ann Seely Croshaw
North of the residence of Ray and Mildred Seely (1981) at 430 West Main Street in Mt. Pleasant, Utah stands a large barn, the first built in that pioneer community. It's construction is unique to the present day and stands as a reminder of the hard work and physical labor of those early settlers.
From information obtained through Ray Seely, and his sister, Elva Guyman, it was built in approximately 1862, 3 years after Mt. Pleasant was colonized. Huge timbers were brought down from the east mountains with teams of horses and the inner structure was built by craftsman who didn't use a single nail! All the beams were hewn and pegged so that they fit together perfectly to make a sound sturdy building.
When the men were lifting the timbers, one man, who they called "Joe Heave", would call out "heave" so that they could lift together the heavy beams into place. It's original construction site was on 5th west, halfway between Main Street and 1st North. It was later moved to Main Street on the creek just east of Aunt Miranda's home, so that the animals could have water more readily. From there it was moved to its present
location.
Orange Seely, brother of Joseph Seely and Uncle of Ray, was the first owner and Henry Wilcox, brother of Clarissa Jane who was a Grandmother to Ray, was the builder with much help from other members of the family and the settlement. One can picture in his mind these men all working together with the horses and the tremendous amount of toil and labor it would have taken to move the heavy beams and hew the rough
boards into the work of art that they are.
In that day, there was always the danger of Indian aggression. Chief Black Hawk and his painted warriors terrorized the women and children. So horses were kept saddled and ready in the barn 24 hours a day so that the minute men could ride quickly to Manti or Thistle for help. Also Indian squaws were kept as prisoners there during times of battle. It was also used as aplace for dancing where good times were shared by many.
When Dad (Ray Seely) move to Mt. Pleasant, from Moroni, he purchased the lot where the home now stands and the barn went with the property. Uncle Orange had moved to Castle Dale so Dad became the rightful owner of the barn. And no prouder owner could there have ever been! It was his most prized possession, and he loved to tell of its history to all who would listen. He had great respect and love for the hands who built it, and always did all he could to preserve it and maintain it. The reverence and love that Dad had for the barn has been passed onto his family and posterity- - -a memory we all cherish.
(written in 1981)
Photograpy by Tudy Barentsen Standlee
Thursday, September 10, 2009
John L. Ivie
Excerpts taken from "“Indians Depredation in Utah” By Peter Gottfredson.
Col. John Levi Ivie of Mt. Pleasant, Utah was the son of James Russell Ivie. He fought in seven battles with Indians and lead three of them. Under General Warren S. Snow who took command of the Sanpete Militia July 15. With a hundred men under him he was after the Indians responsible for a double murder of two men. They wanted to head off the hostile Indians in the mountains of Fish Lake. They founds many Indians hiding in the cedars. Col. Ivie’s company were on outskirts of the Grove and did not see many Indians that after the fight some of his men wanted to go back and look for dead Indians and guns but the Col. said, “No, let the squaws go and hunt up their papooses.” The Ivie’s company drew off.
INDIAN GRATITUDE: The following is an incident as related by Col. John L. Ivie, to his son James Oscar Ivie. During the Indian troubles in the 60's the Indians had stolen some cattle and drove them up North Creek Canyon, between Fairview and Mount Pleasant. Father John L. Ivie and his company of minute men were in pursuit, and going up the mountain they gathered up several head of cattle which had been left along the trail, on account of not keeping up with the herd, and up among the timber was discovered an Indian covered with leaves, he was sick, and not able to travel with the rest. Some of the boys wanted to kill him, but father said, “No, we will not shed blood unless it is necessary.” So they left him and went in pursuit of the Indians and the stock until nearly night, when it was decided to give up the chase and return home, taking back what stock they had. On their return they came across the sick Indian up against a tree smoking a pipe. The men still wanted to kill him, but father wouldn’t let them.
Some time after that father and two other men were standing guard over some stock in the North Fort of Mt. Pleasant, they would frequently meet and report to each other during the night. They had got together at the north side of the fort, when they saw and heard the cattle getting up from their bed ground and moving away from what they thought might be a Indian crawling among them. The cattle kept getting nearer and nearer to where the men stood. When father spoke up to the other and said that they must be close by. After that the cattle started moving as if some thing among them was going away from them. When morning came nothing had been molested.
In the beginning of the 70's, after peace had been restored, an old Indian and his family came to our house and spent a day or two. He told father of the accurance at the fort explaining that he and five Indians were there that occasion and had their guns lying across a cow ready to shoot the three men, when they heard father speak and say, “They must be close by.” He knew father’s voice and would not let the other shoot at father. Father had saved his life on the mountain when he was sick. In appreciation he had now saved father’s life.
By James Oscar Ivie
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