Arkansas' 19th Century 9/11
From the Newton County Times (registration required):
"About 400 people participated in the 149th anniversary of what was the original 9/11 in the minds of many Arkansans."
A memorial trail ride was held Saturday in Carroll County in remembrance of the Sept. 11, 1857 Mountain Meadows Massacre, where 121 Arkansas men, women and children were murdered in southern Utah as they were traveling to California for a better way of life.
People on hand for the horse and buggy ride commemorating the first day of the six-month ride from Arkansas to Utah came from as far away as Wales, California, Oregon, Idaho and New York. About one-third of those on hand were relatives and/or descendants of those killed in the Mountain Meadows Massacre. According to historians, the Arkansans were allegedly killed by Mormons following an order from their leader, Brigham Young.
The visitors had lunch at the Fancher Farm three miles west of Batavia, then traveled to the Carrollton Park later in the afternoon. There were 125 riders on horses and mules with 22 wagons being pulled. One wagon carrying about 30 people was pulled by a tractor. About 25 people walked the final two miles of the route.
Among those taking part in the wagon ride was State Sen. Randy Laverty.
He rode in the wagon pulled by Phil Bolinger of Hindsville, treasurer of the Mountain Meadows Monument Foundation Inc.
Another person on hand was Herbert Lopshire. His great grandmother was Priscilla Hale, sister of Emma Hale who was the wife of Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon Church. Priscilla Hale's daughter Dolly, married Charles Day and they settled in Madison County in the late 19th Century.
Charles Day was a Madison County resident who died in World War I, and is the first name on the Memorial in Huntsville.
Joseph Smith was executed in 1844 in Nauvoo, Ill., 15 years before Young allegedly ordered the massacre at Mountain Meadows. Lopshire's wife, Lena Williams Lopshire, is a direct descendant of the Prewit family who had family members that were killed at Mountain Meadows.
There were 29 family names carried on flags at Saturday's ride representing the names of families killed at Mountain Meadows. Those names include Baker, Basham, Beach, Beller, Cameron, Campbell, DeShazo, Dunlap, Edwards, Fancher, Farmer, Hamilton, Hayden, Hudson, Huff, Jones, McEntire, Miller, Mitchell, Poteet, Prewit, Reed, Rush, Smith, Stallcup, Stevenson, Tackitt, Wilson, and Wood.
After eating a catered dinner from Granny's Kitchen of Huntsville at the park, visitors were treated to an evening of music by the Underdown Band from the Alpena and Osage area.
The foundation raised over $5,000 at an auction held that evening.
To commemorate the 150th anniversary next year, many of the same individuals are planning to take part in the final leg of the route near Mountain Meadows, Utah.
