The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1914-06-12
AN ECHO OF
JoHNSoN'SlARMY
LOVERS PARTED BY MILITARY
MOVEMENTS AND CHILDREN
REUNITED TODAY. BLACK
FOOT MAN SUFFERS FIFTY
SEVEN YEARS OF LONELINE ESS,
FINDS HIS LOST BROTHER,
MEET IN MISSOURI TODAY.

The story of Evangeline has beer
read with interest by millions OF
people and it seemed so real, was
so closely connected with historic
events, that people have attempted
to pick out the graves of the two
lovers in the old Quaker city. There
is something pathetic about the sep,
aration of families and the break.
ing up of homes amid the movements
of hostile armies, and the great
honest heart of humanity always
warns up to such story.
One of this kind has just come
to its sequel among the people OF
Blackfoot, with one of our we'll.
known citizens filling a place in the
romance, and reaching climax al
independence, Missouri, this after
noon.
In 1854 little John Yancey first
saw the light of day in a log cabin
north of Salt Lake city at a place
called Bountiful. Three years later
an unhappy event occurred in pretty
valley far to the southwark, for
which the settlers in the north were
in no way responsible. The follow
ing year Johnsons army came
through the mountain passes from the
east and there were wild stories of
the massacre of the settlers and de-
struction of homes which might be
expected. The settlers abandoned
their homes, there was general trek
to the southwark, women and child
rem and camping outfits being hud-
died into the mountain wagons, and
teams and horsemen all swarmed the
roads leading through Salt Lake city
and for hundred miles to the south
ward where they camped along the
streams during the beautiful June
days, obeying the orders of the lead
ers.
When they had left their homes
the fields were green and luXuriant,
the gardens looking fine and the
Strawberries just coming into use
1t was determined that if they had to
lose their homes they would not let
them fall into the hands of anyone
else, and in each settlement a rear
guard was organized of stalwart men
with swift horses, who placed great
mass of infamable material in every
building, and it was ordered that
when the on-comins army should
first trespass upon private property,
that was to be the signal to apply
the torch and turn the clear skies
to smoke as did the Russians half
a century before at st. Petersburg
when they starved the Grand Army
of the first Napoleon.
In one of the big camps in the
south little John Yancey played about
his parents knees while they dis
cussed the matter of where they
should go to live. Mr.. Yancey wanted
to go on to California and give UP
further concerted action with the
Mormons. Mrs. Yancey decided that
she would not do that, and finally
told her husband he could go if he
wanted to, but she would remain
and share the lot of the Mormons
He took her at her word and pre-
pared for the journey, thinking she
would relent and accompany him
He said he would take little John
and he did. AS he left camp there
was no sign of relenting on her part
and in deep silent grief she bore the
separation, and the weeks of despair
and exposure were enlived by the
reports that the soldiers of Johnson's
army passing through the settlements
turned not to the right nor left
not thing was touched, not a house
entered, not strawberry plucked
even though the lank men in blue
were suffering from scurvy and theil
muscles were spotted and their teeth
were loose from the long starvation
for fruits and vegetables. Onions
and radishes beamed at them from
the gardens but they marched on and
in camp they ate the army fare fol-
the orders against foraging were
strict.
AS the summer wore away the set.
tiers returned to their homes and
removed the banks of kindling that
had been placed to fire their dwell
ings. Mrs. Yancey took charge of the
home that loving hands had Joined