...of 1838, this is from an old post of mine.

http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,954158,954259#msg-954259

As many witnesses (including Thomas B. Marsh) testified in court, Smith's intention was to "take this State,...the United States and ultimately the whole world" for his theocratic empire. The swelling Mormon population disturbed the non-Mormons, who had heard that the "Gentiles" were to be evicted and the land become the Mormons' "New Jerusalem." One Missourian, William Peniston, remarked in August that the Mormons "are a set of horse thieves, liars, and counterfeiters. They'll swear a false oath on any occasion to save another Mormon....no property is safe in Daviess County if they continue to pour into this area." Tensions soon erupted into violence, with beatings, lootings and burnings being committed on both sides. By October, believing that they had enough manpower to "take the state," Smith and Rigdon then sent their "Danite" forces to begin "consecrating" from the "Gentiles" as well as the dissident "Saints," with the loot going to support their war effort. Church historian John Whitmer reported that the Mormon leaders claimed the stealing was justified because they were the "chosen people":

"After they had driven us and our families, they commenced a difficulty in Daviess County, adjoining this county, in which they began to rob and burn houses, etc. etc., took honey which they, (the Mormons) call sweet oil, and hogs which they call bear, and cattle which they called buffalo. Thus they would justify themselves by saying, "We are the people of God, and all things are God's; therefore, they are ours." (John Whitmer's "History of the Church")

I always was taught the mormons just wanted to be left alone and that because they were so prosperous others were jealous of them and that is why they were run out of town. Oh the lies that we spread. Each day I come upon a new little tidbit of info and I go further and further away from the church.

...about the Missouri period are second in level of egregiousness only to their lies about polygamy. A substantial portion of the average Mormon's devotion to the church---especially pioneer-descended Mormons---is the product of the falsehoods they are taught about the Missouri period.

"Each day I come upon a new little tidbit of info and I go further and further away from the church."

Yep. As I studied more and more of this stuff 15-18 years ago, I came to realize that there very few incidents in 19th-century history that the church hasn't altered or misrepresented in order to make the church and its leaders appear to be the innocent parties, and to make their non-Mormon opponents look like horrible villians.

"...and hogs which they call bear, and cattle which they called buffalo"

This gels perfectly with Mormonism.

They've called cureloms cummoms and tapirs have been horses for years.

Those who haven't heard or read about this need to know more of the true history of the mormon beginnings.

The polygamy essay was damaging enough, but this.....

Makes more sense that the mormons were not welcome in so many communities because of their actions and deeds against those communities. Taking property, wives, etc.

Makes me wonder how JS lived for as long as he did.

Thanks for the reminder of more history that was whitewashed and covered up. So much history!

It's times like this that I see Joseph Smith dressed up in a sort of Kim Jong Un kind of outfit, surrounded by applauding hangers-on.

...complete with sword, epaulets, and dashing white horse. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if that was made into an action figure that kids can buy from Deseret Book.

randyj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ...complete with sword, epaulets, and dashing
> white horse. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if
> that was made into an action figure that kids can
> buy from Deseret Book.


Gotta have an Orrin Porter Rockwell wild west action figure too ya know.

Total authenticity would be impractical cause there's no way to put 200 notches in a miniature Colt pistol barrel so the mormies would have to give him a long barreled rifle for that many. Plus a bayonet for good measure I'm thinkin.

Good post Randy. I had studied the 7 volume History of the Church by B. H. Roberts when I was a TBM. Nothing in those volumes prepared me for the truth I found in actual Missouri documents. Here is one example:

http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/resources/findingaids/miscMormRecs/rg005_01/B1F37_18380922.pdf

I, Philip Covington, an acting

justice of the peace, within and for said County, do

certify that on the 18th inst. that one hundred

or more Mormons marched to Gallatin , and

drove the Citizens from said place, and then robbed

the store and Post Office, and burned said store

and office.

On the 20th of this inst. 25 armed

Mormons came to my house, and gave me

orders to leave the county against next

morning, or they would be upon me and my

family – myself with many other Citizens have

left the County – They are now robbing and

burning the dwellings of the defenceless Citizens.

Given under my hand this 22nd

day of September 1838-

Philip Covington J.P. SS

loot and pillage the town!

rob the penny store and burn it down

sieze the horny joe general store

don't forget porter rockwell's whisky still

we be drunk fo evah Mo.


Ain't it crazy Randy how history weaves itself into such recurring patterns?

Good on you for keeping your shoulder to da wheel.

I am originally from Missouri and I think they went in there and messed with the wrong folks. Missouri was the epicenter for mean spirited, rough folks who were not going to roll over and take crap. Western Missouri and eastern Kansas was soon to be a bloody battleground of pre-Civil War America and was populated by a bunch of individuals not afraid to fight. So old Joe misread the Missourians if he thought he could get away with stealing his way to Zion. Why didn't he get a warning from God?

Sorry. Hit the wrong button.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/26/2014 07:42PM by michaelc1945.

For similar reasons, I will never figure out why Warren Jeffs thought that TEXAS of all states was a good place to move the FLDS to! You do NOT f*** with Texans when things like rape of underage girls is involved. And they don't have a hint of the history of tolerance of these groups that Utah and Arizona sadly have.

might believe that current events are the beginning of a Missouri meltdown that will allow them to move in and prepare for Jesus?

A few years ago, I read that Independence, Missouri, had become the "crystal meth capital of the world." I thought that was hilariously ironic, since that area is Mormon "Zion."

I know that quite a few more-TBM-than-normal TBMs have moved into that area in recent years, but I think that most TBMs, including church leaders, nowadays treat the whole Missouri thing as a historical relic. They maintain the visitors' centers etc., but they rarely say anything about returning to Jackson County anymore.

Are you suggesting a Helter Skelter scenario that would sweep from Far West all the way to Saint Louie there Don?

And yes, down to the last yellow dog.

Having lived in Texas after following the Rulon Jeffs epoch peter out in one stalwart Arizona journal I knew as soon as I heard that boy prophet Warren was leading his flock's 'Texodus', I knew his sorry ass was cooked.

Yearing For Zion became Jeffery face-down and cryin.

From an interview:

You have another book, Fire and the Sword: A History Of The Latter-Day Saints In Northern Missouri From 1836 To 1839, forthcoming this year (from Greg Kofford Books). Does it challenge the prevailing interpretation of this period of Church history? If so, in what ways?

Compton replies:

This book is mainly by Leland Gentry; I have edited it and have afterwords after every chapter. Both Gentry and I challenge some standard conservative myths about Missouri (i.e., that Mormons were not Danites, or that Joseph Smith had no involvement with Danites). The conservative idea that the Mormons were simply victims of persecution is also wrong; Mormons made some serious mistakes that helped bring the persecution on them. Two fine books about the Mormons in Missouri are The 1838 Mormon War in Missouri by Stephen C. LeSueur and A Call to Arms: The 1838 Mormon Defense of Northern Missouri by Alexander L. Baugh. But Gentry was the foundation, and I hope Gentry updated is even better.

http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2006/01/an-interview-with-todd-compton/