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Show I ... Who Should Do It? Guest Editorial Writer, Daniel Rasmussen The people of Utah have become rather history conscious con-scious of late. We have been celebrating so many centennials that we should pretty well know the early history of the state. Suitable monuments are scattered over the state marking mark-ing historic events. These constitute appropriate reminders of important happenings during the early days and serve to stimulate appreciation for the labors and accomplishments of the people who endured the hardships of pioneer life and helped shape the present status of life among us. One train of events that had its beginning in Sanpete in 1865 and engrossed a large part of central Utah was the Black Hawk Indian War. This war was the worst of the con flicts with the red men in Utah with whom there had been numerous clashes since the first one in 1849. It resulted in the loss of scores of lives of white persons and numerous red men and the loss of thousands of cattle and much property pro-perty and caused great distress in the minds of the people. It was started by a band of Ute Indians under the leadership of Chief Blackhawk who harrassed the settlers with such vigor that several communities were deserted, their people moving to more secure locations and it looked for a time as if the settlers would have to move out of Sanpete and Sevier Counties. The first casualty was Peter Ludvigsen near Gunnison, followed by the scalping of two men in Salina Canyon. Other tribes of Indians become involved and activities spread out over a considerable part of the state. The method used by the Indians was to make scattered attacks on individuals individ-uals or small groups of people, massacre them, steal horses and such other property as they wanted and destroy the rest. Frequent victims were men and boys in charge of herds of cattle which they would drive away to the mountains. Most of the communities here abouts lost horses and cattle in considerable con-siderable numbers and had some of their citizens killed. As many as twelve graves at Fairview according to Peter Gott-. Gott-. fredson, contain victims of Indian attacks. Several are buried at Mt. Pleasant, Fountain Green, Moroni, and Spring City. Territorial troops sent into the afflicted areas did much to quell the disturbance but a large part of the service was rendered by volunteers in the local communities. Guards were constantly posted and the beats of drums was the signal for assembling of men at the public square. What anxiety the sound of drums caused in the minds of all the people. Technically the Black Hawk War ended with the signing of a tready of peace at Spanish Fork in June of 1868 when Indian agent for Utah, Col. 0. H. Irish assisted by President Brigham Young assembled a number of chiefs and got their signatures to a treaty in which the Indians agreed to live at peace and agreed to move to the eastern part of the state in exchange for gifts and promises of the government to provide pro-vide schools, mills and farms, etc. This should have given security to the people of Sanpete but the depredations that followed were about as severe and numerous as before. Finally however on Sept. 7, 1872 General H. A. Morrow Commandant at Fort Douglas effected a treaty with the chiefs at Mt. Pleasant. Some of the chiefs were Tabiona, Angizebl, White Hare., With General Morrow was Apostle Orson Hyde, Bishops Wm.. S. Seely, Amasa Tucker, Fredrick Olsen, ColMReddick N. Allred and others. This tready practically ended the depredations of Indians in Utah concluding an unpleasant chapter in the history of the state. It is generally conceded that this last peace meeting was held in the home of Bp. Wm. S. Seely in Mt. Pleasant in the house now held by the Mt. Pleasant Pioneer Association on State Street. Is this event worthy of a commemovative marker? , |