History Commons^™

Refugees From War: Interviews With Elsa And Max Siegmund, Richard Hacken, Marianne Siegmund

Faculty Publications

In 1987, Marianne Siegmund interviewed her parents (Elsa and Max Siegmund) about their lives, which included her own life experiences as well. The family members are of Transylvanian Saxon origins, coming from a minority German-speaking group that has lived in Transylvania (within Hungary and Romania) since the early Middle Ages. This family saga extends in time from World War One through the 1950s and beyond. (The interviews do not necessarily follow chronologically, however.) The family history begins in Székelyudvarhely, a town in Transylvania that has been divided and redivided between Hungary and Romania a number of times. Because of both …

The Reliability Of The Physical Evidence At The Battle Of The Little Big Horn: Can The Physical Evidence Found Provide An Accurate Picture?, Albert Winkler Dr.

Faculty Publications

Often, artifacts, most importantly bullets and spent shell casings, found at the location of the Battle of the Little Big Horn have been used independently of other sources to make or refute certain theories on the encounter. Books and articles based on these finds have advanced many arguments on troop dispositions, types of weapons employed, army movements, the locations of the fighting, and the duration and intensity of combat. Yet many of these studies have not adequately addressed the question of the validity of this physical evidence. The purpose of the this article is to summarize earlier arguments on the …

Close-Order Combat At The Battle Of The Little Big Horn: The Use Of The Model 1873 Colt Revolver, Albert Winkler Dr.

Faculty Publications

Scholars have paid much attention to the use of the Model 1873 Springfield Carbine at the Battle of the Little Big Horn, which was designed to be used in combat at relatively long distances, and the nature, reliability, accuracy and rate of fire of this weapon has been frequently examined. Yet many other weapons were involved in the battle, including those wielded at close quarters. At critical junctions in the fight, these firearms were important in the progress of the contest and contributed significantly to the final outcome of the battle. The purpose of this paper is to assess the …

The Germans And Swiss At The Battle Of The Little Bighorn 1876, Albert Winkler

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study is to examine the Germans and the Swiss who participated in the Battle of the Little Bighorn to understand who they were, to assess their motives for joining the cavalry, and to appraise their experience in battle.

Pardon For Murder: Jared Dalton, The "Assassin Of Old Mother Parker", Rebecca A. Wiederhold

Faculty Publications

View the video presentation here: https://youtu.be/soJlvXhvvDA?t=3032

On her fateful 63rd birthday in April 1880, Mary Parker was lured to the outskirts of the small southern Utah town of Rockville, where she falsely expected to reunite with a disgraced son. There, she was “outraged” and murdered, her throat slit and her body left under a pile of rocks. Mary Parker’s tragic story was once a sensational news item that shocked the rural community and was indignantly reported and followed throughout the state. Her presumed murderer was swiftly identified as Jared Dalton, the twenty-two-year-old son of a Latter-day Saint polygamist and his …

Captain Medorem Crawford’S 1862 Military Escort Emigration Report, Kenneth L. Alford Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

An 1862 report of Capt. Medorem Crawford, U.S. Army, Assistant Quartermaster. An account of a military-accompanied emigrant road expedition from Omaha, Nebraska Territory to Portland, Oregon. Includes insights into Civil War conditions on the Overland Trail.

The Imperial Russian Revision Lists Of The 18th And 19th Century, Joseph B. Everett

Faculty Publications

One of the most important resources for social and family historians researching in the former Russian Empire are the revision lists, a series of ten enumerations of the population conducted between 1719 and 1858. Listing the members of each household among taxable classes of people across the Russian Empire, the revisions lists are useful for studying historical population demographics and reconstructing family relationships. An awareness of these records and where to access them can be useful for Slavic librarians to facilitate the research of Russian historians and genealogists. This article provides an overview of the history and content of the …

Beyond The Exodus: Nauvoo After 1849, Rebecca A. Wiederhold, Dainan Skeem

Faculty Publications

Nauvoo, the City Beautiful, was named by Joseph Smith in 1839 when the Mormons began settling the area. After seven short years, the Saints had built a city to rival Chicago at the time. In 1844, Joseph was martyred and in 1847 the Mormons fled the city, changing the makeup of the town’s population and the direction of its growth. Emma Smith eventually returned with the remainder of her family and was beloved of the neighborhood children. Many other families not associated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continued to farm the land and raise families. As …

Physical Evidence And The Battle Of The Little Bighorn: The Question Of Interpretation, Albert Winkler

Faculty Publications

Archaeologists have identified over a thousand shell casings and bullets at the site of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Many theories on the nature of the battle, the effectiveness of the weapons, and the location of the fighting have been proposed by the location of these artifacts. But there are major problems in interpretation. Only about 1% of the supposed artifacts remain, and the vast majority were plundered long ago. The artifacts are suspect because there is no way to know if they actually had anything to do with the battle or if they were added later. Any analysis …

"The Clamor Of The People": Popular Support For The Persecution Of Jews In Switzerland And Germany At The Approach Of The Black Death, 1348-1350, Albert Winkler

Faculty Publications

Scholars have recently questioned the role of the lower classes in the persecution of Jews at the advance of the Black Death in Germany 1348-50. However, a careful examination of the many primary sources relating to the persecution of Jews clearly reveals that the lower classes were heavily involved in these pogroms.

Micronesia's Coming Of Age: The Mormon Role In Returning Micronesia To Self-Rule, Devan Jensen

Faculty Publications

Mormons, or members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have a distinguished history of service in the U.S. government. During a forty-year period following World War II, Mormon politicians played vital roles in transitioning several islands in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands from a quasi-colonial status into the self-governing Federated States of Micronesia. This article briefly traces the complicated transition through the public service of four key Mormon administrators: Elbert D. Thomas, John A. Carver Jr., Stewart L. Udall, and Morris K. Udall. They served respectively as first civilian high commissioner of the Trust Territory, …

El "Juego" De Los Voladores: Adaptación Indígena Y Vida Festiva En La Nueva España, Matthew J.K. Hill

Faculty Publications

El rito conocido como “los Voladores” existe hoy en día como testimonio a la tenacidad de los grupos indígenas en adaptar sus antiguas prácticas al nuevo orden sociopolítico impuesto por los españoles. Aunque parte del significado y las prácticas asociadas con este rito prehispánico se haya perdido, el hecho de que la práctica haya sobrevivido en lo más mínimo todavía resulta sorprendente. Dada la tendencia de los españoles por erradicar o modificar el pasado pre-Conquista, ¿cómo podía un rito de tal visibilidad como los Voladores permanecer más o menos intacto hasta hoy? En contestación a ese interrogatorio se examinarán algunos …

Die Schlacht Am Little Bighorn Und Ihre Physischen Zeugnisse: Eine Frage Der Interpretation (2. Teil), Albert Winkler

Faculty Publications

Over a thousand shell casings and bullets have been found at the location of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. These artifacts have led to many interpretations on the nature of the battle, but there are many problems with these theories. Many of the artifacts are suspect because some of them could have been moved, introduced later, or may not be a representative sample. Any analysis made on the bases of the remaining shell casings and bullets must be made with these limitations in mind.

This is the second article in a two-part series. You can access the first article …

Die Schlacht Am Little Bighorn Und Ihre Physischen Zeugnisse: Eine Frage Der Interpretation (1. Teil), Albert Winkler

Faculty Publications

Over a thousand shell casings and bullets have been found at the location of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. These artifacts have led to many interpretations on the nature of the battle, but there are many problems with these theories. Many of the artifacts are suspect because some of them could have been moved, introduced later, or may not be a representative sample. Any analysis made on the bases of the remaining shell casings and bullets must be made with these limitations in mind.

This article is the first article in a two-part series. You can access the second …

Book Of Mormon Costume Resource Guide, Rory R. Scanlon

Faculty Publications

This report offers visual costume research support for artists working on Book of Mormon projects, with an historical overview of Mesoamerica and how to understand its historical clothing pieces, an annotated listing of the best research sources, a list of garment and fabric terms for the 2000 BC to 600 AD period, and sample sketches from historical artifacts to suggest how to interpret the original research images the artist will encounter.

Old Testament Costume Resource Guide, Rory R. Scanlon

Faculty Publications

This report offers visual costume research support for artists working on Old Testament Bible projects, with an historical overview of Mesopotamia and how to understand its historical clothing pieces, an annotated listing of the best research sources, a list of garment and fabric terms for the 4000 BC to 0 AD period, and sample sketches from historical artifacts to suggest how to interpret the original research images the artist will encounter.

A Genealogical Gold Mine: The Harold B. Lee Library At Byu, Therrin C. Dahlin

Faculty Publications

This article highlights the vast resources available in the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University (BYU) for those conducting genealogical research. The BYU Family History Library and other library departments provide extensive collections of genealogical records in print and online as well as experienced librarians, missionaries, and staff to help genealogists find needed information about their ancestors.

The Lord’S Micro-Managing Ways In East Africa: The Remarkable Beginnings Of The Church In Mozambique, Frederick G. Williams

Faculty Publications

This presentation talks about growth of the LDS Church in Mozambique, East Africa.

Utah’S Role In Protecting The Mormon Trail During The Civil War, Kenneth L. Alford Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

This chapter (from the 2015 book “Far Away in the West: Reflections on the Mormon Pioneer Trail” published by the Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center) sets the stage for Utah Territory’s role protecting the Mormon Trail during the Civil War by outlining the Utah War (1857-1858). This essay begins by comparing and contracting Washington, DC’s wartime interest in the trail with that of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Utah Territory. The essay then outlines the changing parties who were responsible for the trail between 1861 and 1865 – the U.S. Army (spring-summer 1861), no one …

Henry Wirz And The Tragedy Of Andersonville: A Question Of Responsibility, Albert Winkler

Faculty Publications

Henry Wirz was the most controversial Swiss American. Born in Zurich, Wirz migrated to the United States and joined the Confederacy at the outbreak of the Civil War. He was assigned to oversee the military prison at Andersonville, Georgia, which had a very high death rate. Following the war, Wirz was arrested and tried for war crimes. The trial was a travesty of justice. Many of his supposed crimes were milder punishments than the Union inflicted on its own soldiers. The court allowed hearsay evidence, Wirz was no allowed to call key witnesses for his defense, and many leaders of …

The Beginnings Of The Church In Peru: A Personal History, Frederick G. Williams

Faculty Publications

This presentation describes growth of the LDS Church in Peru.

"Make Them Pay": Charting The Social Topography Of An Old Assyrian Caravan Cycle, Edward P. Stratford

Faculty Publications

With one foot on the Tigris and the other on the Anatolian plateau, Assyrian merchants conducted a brisk trade in tin, textiles, and silver in the late twentieth and early nineteenth centuries BCE. The structural aspects of the shipment and sale of tin and textiles in exchange for silver in caravan cycles have been the subjects of many excellent studies with methodologies including lexical studies and text-type studies. In addition, archival studies have been helpful in giving a sense of the variety of organization and involvement in the trade among different individuals. However, approaches that focus on structural activities like …

From Acorn To Oak Tree: The Beginnings Of The Remarkable Growth Of The Church In Brazil, Frederick G. Williams

Faculty Publications

This presentation talks about the beginnings of LDS Church growth in Brazil.

“The Frontier Thesis In Transnational Migration: The U.S. West In The Making Of Italy Abroad,” In Immigrants In The Far West: Historical Identities And Experiences, Edited By Jessie L. Embry And Brian Q. Cannon (Salt Lake City: University Of Utah Press, 2014), 363-381., Mark I. Choate

Faculty Publications

In 1879, a young postal worker in the small town of Lendinara, Italy, decided to emigrate. Adolfo Rossi, twenty-two years old, was discouraged with his prospects in his small town near Venice. Adolfo lived at home with his mother in the heavily populated Polesine valley. Although he had a steady job, he wanted to become a journalist. In Adolfo’s words, while taking a walk along the Adige river one night, a strange idea struck my mind like a bolt of lightning. I reflected only a moment and committed myself to an audacious resolution. “No, I will not stay vegetating here,” …

The Federal Charter Of 1291 And The Founding Of The Swiss State, Albert Winkler

Faculty Publications

The traditional date for the founding of the Swiss state is 1291 with the signing of the Federal Charter or Bundesbrief. The document was elevated to national significance not by historians or by the opinion of the Swiss people but as an act of government. It was unknown among the early historians of the Swiss Confederation, and many modern historians are skeptical about its authenticity and significance. Internal evidence suggests that the document was composed at a later date, and that it may be a forgery.

Fritz Zwicky And The Search For Dark Matter, Kurt Winkler

Faculty Publications

This paper will discuss the life of the Swiss native, Fritz Zwicky, and this article will present information in a linear fashion, starting with some attention-grabbing information about Zwicky's knowledge of dark matter and then lead to a discussion of his youth and some decisions he made at that time, especially dealing with his education. This essay will then describe some of Zwicky's personal relationships and how his sometimes commanding and abrasive personality affected them. The bulk of this article will deal with how Zwicky was ahead of his time in the areas of astrophysics and the theory of dark …

The Battle Of Adobe Walls And The Red River War, 1874-5, Albert Winkler

Faculty Publications

Adobe Walls became the site of two major engagements between the whites and Indians, first in 1864 and ten years later in 187 4. In 1843, William Bent established a trading post near a crossing of the Canadian River in the panhandle area of north Texas. The original structure was probably constructed from wood. Two years later, in 1843, the fort was rebuilt out of adobe or sun-dried brick. It was a formidable structure that with walls about 30 feet (9 meters) high, but the fort proved to be in a dangerous area, and Indian raids soon made the location …

The Battle Of The Rosebud, Albert Winkler

Faculty Publications

The Battle of the Rosebud, which took place on 17 June 1876, was the largest single engagement between the United States cavalry and Indian forces in the entire history of the American West. It was a fierce encounter that lasted about six hours and involved all together several thousand cavalrymen and Indian warriors. The outcome of the contest was highly significant because it turned back a major invasion of Indian territories and freed many warriors to engage another invading force under the command of George Armstrong Custer. This led to the destruction of Custer's command at the Battle of the …

Red Cloud's War And The Indian Victory Over The United States, Albert Winkler

Faculty Publications

Following the American Civil War, the United States fought a major war against the Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho Indians known as Red Cloud's War, which lasted from 1866 to 1868. The conflict is noteworthy for its many raids, for its three significant battles, and because it was a costly American defeat and an important Indian victory. A prominent leader of the Native Americans was the great war chief, Red Cloud, who engineered much of their success. The conflict included several important and bloody engagements including the Hayfield and the Wagon Box Battles in 1867, and the highly significant Fetterman Massacre …

"The Brave Men, Living And Dead, Who Struggled Here": Utah Veterans And The Gettysburg Reunion Of 1913, Kenneth L. Alford Ph.D., Ken Nelson

Faculty Publications

Gettysburg was the defining battle of the American Civil War as Union and CSA soldiers clashed in Pennsylvania. This Utah Historical Quarterly article from Summer 2013 explains how Union and Confederate veterans of the Civil War, who were living in Utah, traveled to and participated in the 1913 50th Anniversary Reunion of the Battle of Gettysburg (which took place July 1-3, 1863). The article also includes lists of the Utah veterans who attended and additionally notes which veterans participated in the battle of Gettysburg.