Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-09-19
children OF
THE MASSACRE,
Arkansas Great Tragedy, the Mountain Meadows s,nob
ter in Utah. Recalled


WARD with hearts full OF roinantlc dreams
as the train made ready to start on that
ions, strange Journey 10 the treasure
ladened shores OF the great ocean. About
tue camp fires little children froilelted
ana prattled, half wondering what this
snow OF covered wagons, cattle. horses
and people meant.
There were forty wagons nnd rur,,,,,.
OF carriages In the train; about 1000 head
or cattle and several hundred horses A
magnificent stallion, worth 5000, the lncst
animal. II was claim ID. that ever crossed
tue plains up TO that time, constituted
notable feature OF the train. The
value OF the property which the emlgrants
look with tnem aggregated over siol. 0OQ.
the old settlers OF Northwest Arkansas
tou"y believe. II was an unusually rich
company, ana attracted attention every
Where along the way on this account,
Captain Alexander Fancher of Carroll
county was the organizer and commander
OF the train. He had crossed the plains
twice before, and being a man OF superior
intelligence integrity and courage, was
Well lifted for the leadership OF the eN-
petition which his followers by a unan-
imous choice assigned him. The COM
mander was about 40 years old. tall and
rather slender than heavy IN body. his
OLD nelghbors say He was Tennes-
ocean by birth, had married in Cumber-
land county. Illinois, and settled on the
Usage Greek, IN Carroll county. Arlnn-
sas, many years before the beginning OF
this story.
Many relatives and friends came to
the camp OF rendezvous to tell the emf
grants good bye and wish them Il safe
journey. Tears dimmed hundreds OF eyes
at that memorable parting, and yet none
in the weeping multitude dreamed that
the separation would end all earthly re-
lations between most Of the members OF
that fated train and their kindred at
home. Never did company OF brave
Adventures turn their backs on loved
scenes and fond associations to march to
more terrible doom.
The Faucher train, as II was called
moved out OF Arkansas to the pralrics Of
Kansas, taking the regular California
route through that territory and Color
ado. At every fort and station where let
tiers could be mailed some OF the emit
grants wrote to the kindred and friends
they had left behind Tho news Of the
progress OF the train was eagerly received
at home, and through the local agencies
for the distribution OF this Information
thousands Of people In northwest Arkan-
sas and the border counties OF Missouri
knew all the Incidents OF the trip as they
were told by mail from week TO week.
Al all the camp meetings wool picklugs
and cuttings held in Carroll county. Ark,
during the summer OF 1851. the latest re-
port from the train was preferred topic
OF conversation, md many letters written
on the burning plains by the emgrants
were actually worn out IN passing from
hand to hand among the numerous reln-
tlves and friends of the now distant trav-
elers
Letters came regularly TN the train
y N cd he mn ri nT
emigrants arrived at salt Lake city late
in August. Here they took what was
known az the Southern route" which ran
through Provo, Nephi. Fillmore and Cedar
City. At this time the Latter Day
Saints were In II state Of great excitement.
The United States mails lyld been stopped
in Utah. governor had been appointed
to supplant Brigham Young, who, IN ad-
dition to his Ecclesiastical soveroignty as
president OF the Mormon church, WAS also
the chief executive OF the territorial gov
eminent, and an army under the COM
mnnd OF General Albert Sidney Johnston
was then marching toward Salt Lake
City TO see that the prophet and his fol-
lowers did not longer defy the law Of
congress. 1t was an Inflated time for the
Arkansas emigrants to attempt TO pass
through the territory, now 30 thoroughly
dominated by the blind and jealous votar-
les OF this un-American religious fauntl-
cism. Never had the Mormon fam burn
ed with more bigoted ferver than In the
summer OF 1851 when President Young
issued his proclamation declaring war
against tho United States nnd command
ing his followers. II necessary. TO burn
their homes. devastate the whole coun-
try around Salt Lake and fee, with what
sustenance they could carry. 10 the noun
tain Businesses and there defy the pursuit
OF the enemy,
There Ia another fact Of Mormon his
tory which many persons have thought
sheds some light on the events that will
follow in the course OF this story. Among
the early teachers OF the doctrine first
promulgated by the prophet Joseph Smith
was Farley =. Pratt, brother OF Orson
Plat, whose zeal for the new faith would
dare all opposition and danger. lie was
gifted with an eloquent tongue and some-
thing OF q poetic fancy. It Is said, and
could urge the claims OF the alleged golden
plates and the mission Of the Latter Day
Saints AS none OF smiths other co-labor-
ers We're able TO do. Pratt went to Ar
kansas on "a proselyting tour, and while
in that State converted the wife or
citizen of considerable prominence. who
lived near Fort Smith. The faithless wife
went TO Utah with Pratt and became one
Of the priests household. In after years
husband to Arkansas. The injured hus-
band now suspected that the woman was
irving to steal away her children from
their home and take them TO Utah, 70
tradition says, and he chased Pratt out OF
the state. and after running him some
distance into the Indian Territory over
took the fugitive and ended with dirk
the career OF the Mormon evangelist. on
This account, II IL claimed. the people OF
Arkansas became peculiarly hateful to alt
loyal disciples OF the prophet OF the
saints Whether the fate OF the Fnncher
train can In any way be connected with
the killing Uf Pratt, tho writer VIII not
attemnt 10 say. The circumstance ~
given here as one OF mo many elements
that make up the story OF this tragedy.
The train passed through Provo, Nephi.
Fillmore. and Cedar city, and was about
10 leave the great Utah basin and cross
over the summit OF the continent 10 the
Pacific slope. when all news from the emil
grants suddenly stopped,
Every mall for months had brought 10
tha relatives in Arkansas letters from
nc moving train, but now there came an
o,nsnous silence. Weeks came and went
sun,ner faded into autumn. the frosts q
october were followed BY the first har-
bineers OF winter, and yet no word or
tr,lce Of the lost train could be had. n
thousand hearts In the mountain homes
n Arkansas beat anSiously as the last
aays OF that memorable year drageeo |
~, s,iy on and no tldings came or the |
missing ones. Doubts became Tears Aho
rsars grew into convictions of an nwfnl
..Iamttv before the slightest clue TO tho 4
,,,.stery reached the friends OF the van
faut m the vfst Qnv oil l