Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1899-03-29
A MORMON WALLED CITY
coRREcTloNVILLE, THE HOME OF
THE PROPHET THOMPSON.


eft was in 1857 that, in company
with friend, I visited the town of
Correctionville, in Iowa, arriving there
after long days ride northeas sterly
from Sioux City," said General James
A, Fairplav, whose youth was passed
in the region west of the Mis-
sissippi river, to Sun man.
'The country had been surveyed by
the government at the time. and the
town had received its queer name be-
cause it was situated at correction
line in the surveys. It was 4 Mormon
settlement, one Of the little commuhi-
ties of Latter Day Saints who had rot
followed Brigham Young and his peo-
pie across the arid plains ten years
before but had made their colonies in
the fertile prairie in the region ofrain-
fall. The town was built in manner
UNUSUAL in modern construction, being
surrounded by wall. From ten miles
away, over the praire billowing green
with the high grass of midsummer, we
could see the walled city, the only
sign of human occupation in view,
rising above the plain like scene
translated from the Holy Land. AS we
came nearer the corn and grain fields
laid out in rectangles, the gardens and
orchards without the walls could be
seen, and the people, at the hour of
sunset, driving their livestock within
the gates, which were closed at night
against Gentiles and prowling In
dians.
"The walls of the houses within
were built of sun-dried brick, made
of clay mixed with prairie grass OF
straw-a material not so good rs the
New Mexican adobe bricks, which en-
dure for centuries, but sufficient for
the purpose The walls were higher
than man could scale except with q
ladder and thick enough to have stood
a considerable bombardment from ar
tillery, and upon the top was the be-
ginning of coping of split sand=
stone. AS we came near the gate at
the edge of dusk sentinel hailed us
from the wall and demanded our er-
rand. We asked to see the prophet,
Thompson, the spiritual and temporal
head OF the colony, and. after some
delay, he appeared on the wall.
'tThere was a short parley, and
then, our business being with him and
satisfactory, the gates were thrown
open FOR us to drive through. Within
the town the houses were built in a
circle against the wall, all facing the
common inclosure in the centre. where
the livestock was gathered at night.
The fiat roofs OF the houses were
about four feet lower than the wall,
making a good standing ground be-
hind the parapet in case the town had
to be defended against an enemy.
with some difficulty wo made way for
our team among the horses, mules,
cattle, sheep and pigs standing and
lying thickly together, to the door of
the prophets house.
cat the prophets house the even
ing meal was spread OF corn bread,
stewed beans and lettuce, with salt
for seasoning. There was no meat or
butter on the table, Thompson being,
after the stricter practice OF the Nor
mons, vegetarian. For the guests
pitcher of milk was procured from
another house, but none of the proph-
cts household partook of it. Dir
ing and after the meal Thompson
talked with us freely and with no ap-
parent reserve. He was tall, spare
man, whom I took to be about 81 years
of age, polite and smooth of address,
but Notwithstanding his seeming
frankness of speech he impressed me
with feeling of distrust. His real
character was revealed in his eyes and
mouth, which indicated cunning, dar-
ing and utter unscrupulousness.
"Here in this little 90 immunity
Thompson governed absolutely ac-
cording to the tenets of the
Mormon faith and the 'revela-
tons that he proclaimed from time
to time. He was prophet, governor,
treasurer, merchant, everything that
implied power or profit "a Pooh
Bah and Nikado in one and high priest
into the bargain. He published a
newspaper for the faithful and 1 was
permitted to glance through the latest
number. It was queer sheet, de-
voted mostly to Mormon matters, re-
ligious and secular, and filled with
odd words which he may have coined
himself. Neroheim, remember, was
his word for supreme deity; the others
l do not now recall. Such news rs it
printed of the outside world had been
doctored in the interests Of Mormon
ism, and The whole tenor of the sheet
was in accordance with the cardinal
feature in the faith proclaimed by the
Mormon leaders: that it first would
establish state, preparatory to con-
quering the United States and then
the world.
''We retired early to our bed of
straw spread with blankets. on the
floor, and in spite OF all misgivings,
our sleep was undlstufOea until the
sounds of the live stock in the inclo-
sure woke us in the early morning.
With the first glimmer of light the
plantation bell in its frame above the
council house was rung, and the whole
settlement became astir, answering its
summons as promptly as soldiers at
roll call At sunrise the stock was
driven out to pasture on the prairie in
charge of herd rs, and after them the
men and older children filed ont of
the gates to their work in the fields.
AS they passed out, Thompson stand
ing upon q house top above the gate,
patriarchal figure in steepIe-crowned
hat and long linen duster, reviewed
them, assigning them TO their differ
ent tasks and seeing that all were
present and accounted for. The Nor
,,,o,, .,nl- op1 fla were q common