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The Walker War Reconsidered, Ryan Elwood Wimmer
The Walker War Reconsidered, Ryan Elwood Wimmer
Theses and Dissertations
In July of 1853, Chief Wakara's band of Utes clashed in a series of violent confrontations with the Mormon settlers. This conflict is known as the Walker War. Many complex factors contributed to this war. After some earlier violence between Mormons and different bands of Utes between 1847 and 1851, the Mormons continued their quick expansion settling on Ute lands. From 1851 to 1853 Mormon and Ute relations continued to decline as Mormons expanded their settlements occupying Ute hunting grounds. In addition to these land encroachments, new laws were enacted regulating trade between the Spanish and Utes by Brigham Young. …
Violence Across The Land: Vigilantism And Extralegal Justice In The Utah Territory, Scott K. Thomas
Violence Across The Land: Vigilantism And Extralegal Justice In The Utah Territory, Scott K. Thomas
Theses and Dissertations
For years historians of the American West have overlooked Utah when dealing with the subject of extrajudicial violence, while researchers of Mormonism have misread the existence of such violence in territorial Utah. The former asserts that Utah was free from extrajudicial proceedings and that such violence was nearly nonexistent within the contours of the Mormon kingdom. The latter maintains that any violence that existed in Utah was directly connected to the religious fanaticism of the Mormon populace in the region. The reality is that much of the extralegal violence in Utah was a result of the frontier, not the religion …
Markets And The Mormon Conflict: Nauvoo, Illinois, 1839-1846, Catherine Mary Wycoff
Markets And The Mormon Conflict: Nauvoo, Illinois, 1839-1846, Catherine Mary Wycoff
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis examines the development of the economy during the period the Mormons were in Illinois, 1839-1846. It argues that the economy developed similarly to contemporary towns and that the Mormons in Nauvoo participated in the local and regional market. However, the doctrine of the gathering produced explosive population growth, including almost 5,000 immigrants from Britain. The economy was not able to absorb the number and this contributed to the exodus of the Mormons to the west in 1846. The main sources used are surviving account books, diaries, journals from merchants and farmers. The first chapter describes the settlement of …
Toiling Among The Seed Of Israel: A Comparison Of Puritan And Mormon Missions To The Indians, Christina A. Skousen
Toiling Among The Seed Of Israel: A Comparison Of Puritan And Mormon Missions To The Indians, Christina A. Skousen
Theses and Dissertations
Substantial comparative analyses of Puritanism and Mormonism are lacking in historical scholarship, despite noted similarities between the two religions. This study helps to fill that void by comparing the Puritan and Mormon proselytization efforts among the Indians that occurred at the respective sites of Massachusetts Bay Colony and the Southern Indian Mission. In my examination of the missionization attempts that took place at these two locations, I analyze a common motive and method of the two denominations for attempting to Christianize the Indians. The Puritan and Mormon missionaries proselytizing in Massachusetts Bay Colony and the Southern Indian Mission shared an …
The "Unidentified Pioneers": An Analysis Of Staffordshire Mormons, 1837 To 1870, Stephen G. Arrowsmith
The "Unidentified Pioneers": An Analysis Of Staffordshire Mormons, 1837 To 1870, Stephen G. Arrowsmith
Theses and Dissertations
The evidence presented in this thesis advocates an increased level of scholarly interest in English working-class Mormon converts. To illustrate who these people were, and what their roles were as part of Mormon story, this regional study introduces and makes available over twelve hundred Staffordshire Mormons, and asks questions of the collected statistical information. The conservative Staffordshire Mormons clearly assisted the establishment, and continuation, off a Zion in the American West. Much of the data confirms previous scholarship; however, those with “differing visions” of Mormonism (for example, the RLDS Church) attracted Staffordshire converts in larger numbers than previously suggested. The …
A History Of The Latter-Day Saints In The Columbia Basin Of Central Washington 1850-1972, Rick B. Jorgensen
A History Of The Latter-Day Saints In The Columbia Basin Of Central Washington 1850-1972, Rick B. Jorgensen
Theses and Dissertations
The Columbia Basin of Central Washington has a relatively recent Latter-day Saint history among the regions of the western states. Most of the sparsely populated rural areas in the west that have large concentrations of Latter-day Saints were originally established as "Mormon" settlements. The basin referred to lies between the Snake and Columbia Rivers and now has thousands of Latter-day Saints who have chosen to inhabit the historically barren land and call it their home. A brief visit or casual observance of the area leads many to question what were the major factors and characteristics leading to the twentieth century …
Mormon Culture Meets Popular Fiction: Susa Young Gates And The Cultural Work Of Home Literature, Lisa Olsen Tait
Mormon Culture Meets Popular Fiction: Susa Young Gates And The Cultural Work Of Home Literature, Lisa Olsen Tait
Theses and Dissertations
The few studies of Mormon home literature that have been published to date dismiss it as inferior artistry, an embarrassing if necessary step in the progression towards true Mormon literature. These studies are inadequate, however, because they divorce the texts from their context, holding them up to standards that did not exist for their original audience. Jane Tompkins' theory of texts as cultural work provides a more satisfactory way of looking at these narratives.
Home literature is thoroughly enmeshed in the cultural discourse of its day. Beneath the surface, these didactic stories about young Mormons finding love with their foreordained …
An Annotated Bibliography Of Literary Mormon Humor, Sherlene Hall Bartholomew
An Annotated Bibliography Of Literary Mormon Humor, Sherlene Hall Bartholomew
Theses and Dissertations
This "Annotated Bibliography of Literary Mormon Humor" includes over five hundred sources, cross-referenced to pertinent commentary and criticism, and divided into seven sections: "Humor in Mormon Fiction," "Humor in Mormon Non-Fiction," "Mormon Criticism Assessing ‘Inside Humor,’" "Gentile Criticism of the Saints' Humor," "Gentile Humor About Mormons," "Mormon Criticism of Gentile Humor," and "Mormon Internet Humor," all made accessible to scholars by a comprehensive index of more than one thousand topics. The author has filed selected photocopied pages of alphabetized, annotated items by author, or chronologically as periodicals, into a twenty-volume Archive of Mormon Humor in Literature, housed at the Center …
Utopian Marriage In Nineteenth-Century America: Public And Private Discourse, Brenda Olsen Andrus
Utopian Marriage In Nineteenth-Century America: Public And Private Discourse, Brenda Olsen Andrus
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis is a rhetorical analysis of utopian discourse about marriage in mid-nineteenth-century America. Although utopian communities are usually approached within the fields of history and sociology, a rhetorical analysis adds to the discussion by uncovering the discursive complexity of marriage beliefs within a rapidly changing culture. Discursive features of the Shaker, Oneida Community and Latter-day Saint texts are outlined and compared according to the following format:
Chapter One examines the textures of conflict within the dominant culture's views of marriage and gender roles in nineteenth-century America, with a brief overview of reform efforts of the day. This chapter provides …
A Mormon Cultural Study Of Musical Preference, Alden L. Weight
A Mormon Cultural Study Of Musical Preference, Alden L. Weight
Theses and Dissertations
Music is an important yet relatively unnoticed part of the everyday world almost all of us take for granted. Whether in the car, watching television, shopping, at work or at home, even waking up in the morning or going to sleep at night, and so forth, music surrounds us, soothes us, disturbs us, and occasionally goes so far as to persuade us. Although music plays a significant role in many areas of life, its relationship to society is especially evident in the religious sphere. Therefore, the religious sphere is an ideal place to examine what music does and what it …
Mormon Opposition Literature: A Historiographical Critique And Case Study, 1844-57, William P. Connors
Mormon Opposition Literature: A Historiographical Critique And Case Study, 1844-57, William P. Connors
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis is in three parts. The first part looks at the historical scholarship on writings opposed to Mormonism, especially those from the nineteenth century. The conclusion is that, despite hundreds of works written against Mormonism in its early years, the historical scholarship has not done justice to the writings or people involved. The vast majority of the writings and writers have not been analyzed, and those that are discussed are usually the most sensational and not representative of the genre.
The second part of this thesis is a a case study giving an example of the kind of work …
Utah Indians And The Indian Slave Trade: The Mormon Adoption Program And Its Effect On The Indian Slaves, Robert M. Muhlestein
Utah Indians And The Indian Slave Trade: The Mormon Adoption Program And Its Effect On The Indian Slaves, Robert M. Muhlestein
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis is a study of the Mormon adoption program developed by the Mormons in response to the Indian slave trade in Utah, 1850-1880. It focuses on the Mormon justifications, as enumerated by Brigham Young, for the adoption policy and it links those justifications to expected results. Further this thesis compares the Mormon's expected results with the actual results of the adoption program through an analysis of historical accounts and Mormon ordinance records.
The Development Of The Smelting Industry In The Central Salt Lake Valley Communities Of Midvale, Murray, And Sandy Prior To 1900, Charles E. Hughes
The Development Of The Smelting Industry In The Central Salt Lake Valley Communities Of Midvale, Murray, And Sandy Prior To 1900, Charles E. Hughes
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis found that the three communities of Midvale, Murray, and Sandy were the center of the smelting industry in the Salt Lake Valley. These communities became the center of smelting because of their central location, the readily available water supply, and the availability of an inexpensive, efficient transportation system to ship the bullion. The smelters were surrounded by two major mountain ranges which provided a ready supply of good lead, silver, and copper ore.
The development of the smelting industry followed three separate phases or periods. The first phase was one of experimentation or period of discovery, in which …
The Development And Failure Of Historic Agricultural Communities Of Utah: A Case Study Of Johns Valley, Utah, Wayne R. Shelley
The Development And Failure Of Historic Agricultural Communities Of Utah: A Case Study Of Johns Valley, Utah, Wayne R. Shelley
Theses and Dissertations
Many agricultural communities have developed in Utah since the first settlement, but many no longer exist today. Some of these early communities experienced a "boom and bust," while others struggled for several years and were eventually abandoned. Johns Valley is a good example of these historic communities, as it experienced rapid growth and times of success and prosperity, yet it struggled and was eventually abandoned.
The situation in Johns Valley, from its early settlement to its demise, demonstrates the hope of the people who settled there and their efforts to make Johns Valley a productive and successful area. History also …
The First London Mormons: 1840-1845: "What Am I And My Brethren Here For?", Lynne Watkins Jorgensen
The First London Mormons: 1840-1845: "What Am I And My Brethren Here For?", Lynne Watkins Jorgensen
Theses and Dissertations
Historians have determined that the visit to London by the early missionary-apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the greatest disappointment of their proselyting careers. This thesis shows that, though the mission to London was not numerically successful considering the potential conversion, it appealed to the dynamic, energetic, "middling-class" religious seeker who was produced by the strong nonconformist movement indigenous to London. A specific nonconformist group is identified as responding to the preaching of the early apostles. This thesis demonstrates that those few converts kept the Church alive in London during difficult years. It also shows …
Study Of The Pioneers Of Providence, Utah And Their Children, Hazel Mclean Tibbitts
Study Of The Pioneers Of Providence, Utah And Their Children, Hazel Mclean Tibbitts
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis poses a number of questions about the pioneers and their decendants: Where did the pioneer settlers of Providence come from? What skills and resources did they bring with them to "tame" the wilderness? Did they come as family units or as single men? What happened as the community grew and the resources were limited? Where did the settlers go or what did they do as the land became scarce? Was limited land the reason for the movement out of the community or were there other considerations? What effects did emigration have on the family ties of the second …
From Babylon To Zion: The Life Of William Mclachlan, A British Convert To The Mormon Church, Winifred Morse Mclachlan
From Babylon To Zion: The Life Of William Mclachlan, A British Convert To The Mormon Church, Winifred Morse Mclachlan
Theses and Dissertations
William McLachlan, a Scotsman, was converted to the L. D. S. Church, in Braintree, Essex, England in 1859. The motivating factor in his life was his faith that Joseph Smith was a prophet to whom the Lord had restored the precepts of the original Christian church. His journals, his letters, his speeches, his life, were oriented toward one ultimate goal, to build the Kingdom of God and to gain a place for himself and his family in that kingdom.
This thesis is a biography of his life and examines his emigration to Zion, his settlement and adjustment to the frontier, …
Judicial Prosecution Of Prisoners For Lds Plural Marriage: Prison Sentences, 1884-1895, Rosa Mae Mcclellan Evans
Judicial Prosecution Of Prisoners For Lds Plural Marriage: Prison Sentences, 1884-1895, Rosa Mae Mcclellan Evans
Theses and Dissertations
The practice of polygamy among the Mormons during the nineteenth century was vigorously prosecuted by the federal government in response to the demands of those whose political and economic goals could best be served through exploitation of the national attitude toward polygamy. Hundreds of men served prison terms for practicing what they believed was their religious obligation. This study of the sentences from the prison admission records has focused on the comparative severity of the judges, examines age as an influencing factor in sentencing, and compares the sentences of the polygamists with those for crimes against person and property.
The …
The Nonconformists Of Leeds In The Early Victorian Era: A Study In Social Composition, Susan L. Fales
The Nonconformists Of Leeds In The Early Victorian Era: A Study In Social Composition, Susan L. Fales
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis examined the Nonconformist denominational membership in the Borough of Leeds during the early Victorian era to determine the social composition of its members. The chapel goers of Old Dissent, represented by the Unitarians, Baptists, Independents, and the Society of Friends, and New Dissent, represented by the Wesleyan Methodists, Methodist New Connexion, Primitive Methodists and the Mormons were the basis for this study. The results of the occupational, residential, family, and migration analysis revealed a surprisingly high percentage of working classes (72) represented among the Dissenters. This fact flys in the face of contemporary observation and historical investigation, which …
Mormon Stereotypes In Nineteenth Century German Literature: The Fiction Of Amalie Schoppe And Balduin M Ollhausen, Robert Lee Warthen
Mormon Stereotypes In Nineteenth Century German Literature: The Fiction Of Amalie Schoppe And Balduin M Ollhausen, Robert Lee Warthen
Theses and Dissertations
Leonard J. Arrington and Jon Haupt have identified seven stereotypes of Mormons in nineteenth century American fiction which influenced public opinion about them, ultimately resulting in anti-Mormon legislation. Since westerns were also extremely popular in Germany, the writings of two popular German novelists of the eighteen hundreds, Amalie Schoppe and Balduin Mollhausen, were analyzed to determine whether their Mormon characters are similarly stereotyped. Mormon stereotypes associated with adventure writing were found in the works of both authors, but not those associated with polemical novels. It was concluded that their writing still had an adverse effect on public opinion, though the …
Provo In The Jazz Age: A Case Study, Gary C. Kunz
Provo In The Jazz Age: A Case Study, Gary C. Kunz
Theses and Dissertations
Many historians have suggested in their writings that much of the social behavior that made the decade of the twenties unique had their origins in the urban centers, leaving the small towns taking no active participation in the Jazz Age.
The purpose of this paper is to show that Provo, Utah, a small, isolated community took a very active part in the Jazz Age, contrary to what has been suggested. There was a considerable quantity of drunkenness, bootlegging, wild dancing and partying in Provo during the decade, much more than historians suggest there should have been in a community the …
Mormon Land Ownership As A Factor In Evaluating The Extent Of Mormon Settlements And Influence In Missouri 1831-1841, Wayne J. Lewis
Mormon Land Ownership As A Factor In Evaluating The Extent Of Mormon Settlements And Influence In Missouri 1831-1841, Wayne J. Lewis
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this thesis has been to demonstrate as clearly as possible the full extent of Mormon Land in Missouri during the years 1831-1841. An identification has been made of the names of several thousand of these early Mormons and will further show the scope of Mormonism during this period. This study will add detail to what previous writers have stated about this trying period for Mormonism.
As accurately as possible, the author has identified where the Mormon settlements were, through graphs and charts. It has been demonstrated that the Mormon population extended beyond the traditional areas they have …
Utah's Anti-Polygamy Society, 1878-1884, Barbara Hayward
Utah's Anti-Polygamy Society, 1878-1884, Barbara Hayward
Theses and Dissertations
The Anti-Polygamy Society was established in 1878 to try to encourage Congress to abolish the practice of plural marriage tn Utah Territory. In the brief time that it existed, the women of this Utah-based group sent petitions, circulars, and letters to Congress and many leaders of the country urging that laws be passed to end polygamy. Much of their work was also carried out in the society's newspaper, the Anti-polygamy Standard.
By the time that laws were passed that restricted polygamy, the Anti-polygamy Society no longer existed. Nonetheless, the society was important in the anti-polygamy crusade because it was …
New Hope: A Mormon Colony In Central California, Clint Mccready
New Hope: A Mormon Colony In Central California, Clint Mccready
Theses and Dissertations
New Hope was a small Mormon agricultural community in Central California. It was founded in 1846, by Samuel Brannan, on the hope that Brigham Young would make it the center stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The approximately twenty farmers at New Hope labored diligently under the illusion that thousands of their brethren would shortly join them. When President Young decided to settle in the Great Basin, the New Hope settlement was terminated that same year: 1847.
Samuel Brannan: An Historical Play, Reed Davidson Turnbow
Samuel Brannan: An Historical Play, Reed Davidson Turnbow
Theses and Dissertations
The play, Samuel Brannan, is the final result of a careful study of the history of Samuel Brannan. The information which has been selected to serve as the base for the plot was gleaned from the works of historians, letters written by Samuel, and individual journals. Although license has been taken with historical facts by the playwright in order to make this play theatrical, the play is based upon authentic happenings.
The play is concerned with the events of Brannan's life, his unusual successes, and subsequent failures. It also treats his character, his attitudes, his beliefs, and the factors which …
Formal Reporting Systems Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, 1830-1975, Dennis H. Smith
Formal Reporting Systems Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, 1830-1975, Dennis H. Smith
Theses and Dissertations
Since its organization, the Church has kept records of its members and their Church activity. The foremost means of gathering this data has been printed report forms. This thesis traces the history of formal reports used by the Church and emphasizes information on membership and vital data as well as activity in Priesthood and auxiliary organizations. Financial reports of organizations and individual persons, as well as personalized confidential reports and minutes of meetings were not used. The thesis analyzes the type of information called for rather than the statistical figures themselves.
For God And Country: Mormon Chaplains During World War Ii, Richard Maher
For God And Country: Mormon Chaplains During World War Ii, Richard Maher
Theses and Dissertations
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) is a lay church inasmuch as it has no professionally trained ministers. Because of this, the Chaplains Corps during World War II questioned whether members of the Mormon faith could serve effectively as chaplains. The answer to the effectiveness of Mormon chaplains is found in their performance as many received high praise from their superiors.
During the Second World War, the Mormon Church provided the military services with a total of 45 chaplains, and although only 45 served, they saw duty in all theaters of war and served at such major …
Stephen Markham: Man Of Valour, Mervin Leroy Gifford
Stephen Markham: Man Of Valour, Mervin Leroy Gifford
Theses and Dissertations
This study is a biography of the life and activities of Stephen Markham, between the years of 1837 to 1878. During the Nauvoo period, Markham served as a bodyguard of Joseph Smith and held several commissioned offices in the Nauvoo Legion. He played an important role during the exodus of the Saints to the Great Basin, commanding a group responsible for providing food, lodging, and protection during the trek to the Rockies. While living in the Great Basin, he supervised the settlement of Palmyra, (located near the present site of Spanish Fork, Utah), served as a Bishop of a ward, …
The Settlement Of Teton Valley, Idaho-Wyoming, David Brooks Green
The Settlement Of Teton Valley, Idaho-Wyoming, David Brooks Green
Theses and Dissertations
Teton Valley, throughout many centuries, has attracted several occupance groups, each interacting with the environment in various ways for various reasons. Indian and explorer contact did little to alter the surroundings. More frequent contact came, however, as trappers and traders visited the valley to trap beaver and meet in rendezvous.
The end of intensified fur trapping slowed contact with the basin. Government personnel, a painter, a few squawmen and horse thieves were the only inhabitants because Indians, remoteness, and harsh climatic conditions kept others out until 1882 when permanent agricultural settlers entered the valley. Hundreds of people followed, many of …
Kelsey, Texas: The Founding And Development Of A Latter-Day Saint Gathering Place In Texas, James Clyde Vandygriff
Kelsey, Texas: The Founding And Development Of A Latter-Day Saint Gathering Place In Texas, James Clyde Vandygriff
Theses and Dissertations
Kelsey, Texas, was a flourishing Latter-day Saint colony for more than a quarter of a century, beginning at a time when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was encouraging its converts to stay in the mission field. Kelsey was an attempt by the Church to provide Latter-day Saints from the southern states a safe haven from persecution which existed in the South, while leaving them in a geographic area in which they could be comfortable.
The growth and success for many years of the Kelsey Academy was the result of an interesting partnership, not always tranquil, between the …