Nose to the Grindstone

MASSACRE AT MOUNTAIN MEADOWS--A Failed Exercise in Histriography


I am glad that Gordon Hinkley lived long enough to Dedicate
the Mountain Meadows Massacre Monument. My Grandparents had
recently died, but worked so many years in Utah Historical
Preservation of many artifacts. In 1973, my Grandfather
wheedled a museum and two Forest Rangers to see to the museum
construction and babysitting. It is still there, but without
his wooden Indian Nickel with the address and phone number
on the back. He'd press it into the departing visitor's hand
saying, ''Don't take a Wooden Nickel.''

A good caveat for any not rooted in Utah History, confronted
with the huge about of blather that has been written about
19th Century History--the mind must keep and store its deamons,
and a fresh Source is always tittilating.

A Cedar man had a collection of Carriages, and my Grandfather
had a corner where he could show his more important artifacts.
My Grandma kept a DUP Museum above a realtor's.

Mostly the Rangers went on trips with my Grandfather to
Document the settling of Southern Utah. He took them to
Salt Creek to show them how the pioneers had used burlap
to dry briney spring water that leached out of a small
spring for table use, in 1973 he took me to meet them and
we hiked up Fiddler's Canyon where there was a megalith
perhaps 3 or 4 by 10, with the sad history of the tribe,
it may have served as a warning to shamans that some
Southern Utah Shamans traded slaves to the Spanish.

First there was a bareheaded man with a serpents' tongue.
Next came men with hats and a woman and child in a corral.
Lastly came a figure of a handshake, probably indicating
the closing of a trade.

My grandfather had marked where, by looking through a small
deep window, and noting the position of certain rocks, the
quarter and cross quarter days of the year, and other
pertenate dates could be noted and remembered. Higher up
the canyon were broad flat rocks used for ceremonies for the
ill and one for the dying, or the old or sick who felt
their dying day had come.