Timpanogos Chief Wakara
Author Phillip B Gottfredson - Gary Lee Price Scultor
My Journey to Understand Black Hawk's Mission of Peace My journey started in 1989, when my brother and I read our great-grandfather Peter Gottfredson's book, Indian Depredations in Utah. Peter published it in 1919 as a firsthand account of the events around the Black Hawk War in Utah.
Our father told us that Peter and Black Hawk were about the same age, in their late teens to early twenties, and that they knew each other as boys. When our father was a teenager, he lived with Peter and said Peter spent much of his time in Indian camps. That made me curious. What was my great-grandfather's life like among the Indians?
My journey did not start with Black Hawk, the Black Hawk War, or even the idea of writing a book. It began with that one simple question. Finding the answer took me on a journey that lasted over twenty years and changed my life in ways I never expected.
As my brother and I searched for answers, we were surprised to find that almost no one we spoke with had heard of the Timpanogos. Most people only knew the name from Mount Timpanogos, but few realized it referred to a Native people. Even fewer knew much about the Black Hawk War.
My curiosity grew into a passion. I wanted to know who the Timpanogos were, what they believed, and why they faced such brutality, much of which Peter described. We started at the library and read everything we could find about the Black Hawk War. The more we read, the more questions we had. Most histories were written from the perspective of Mormon settlers, and they left out the Native side of the story.
Then we encountered another problem. The people Peter had known as Timpanogos were being described in the historical record as Ute. The more I read, the more confusing the story became, and more unanswered questions. The story I had inherited did not seem to explain the people Peter had known.
Years passed. Then in 2015 I received a call from the Chief of the Timpanogos, Mary Murdock Meyer. Mary told me, “I have been following your website. You have the history correct, but you have the wrong Tribe. Haven't you ever heard of the Timpanogos?”
“Yes,” I replied. “They are Ute.”
“No,” she replied. “That's why I am calling you.”
From that day on, my journey took a different direction. Mary became an important part of it, and later worked with me to bring this book together.
Before I met Mary, I was blessed to live among Native American people across North and South America. Shoshone and other Tribal Elders welcomed me with love and respect, invited me to beautiful sacred ceremonies, and taught me about their traditions. Some might call it fate that I came to live among the Timpanogos, just as my great-grandfather did. Those experiences changed me in a good way. The Elders shared their culture, history, wisdom, and spiritual teachings with me.
They taught me about connection, relationships, reciprocity, humility, and respect for the Creator and the natural world. Once, I asked how I could repay them for all they had done for me. They answered, “Nothing. All we ask is that you teach your people what we have taught you—with, love, and kindness.” I never claimed to be Native American. I stayed true to myself. But I made a sacred promise to the Elders, and I have kept it. Then they told me, “They will listen to you because you are white.”
I have carried those words with me ever since. My experiences also changed how I saw my great-grandfather. I never met Peter; he died before I was born. But I spent many hours talking with family members who knew him well. They described him as a compassionate man, someone with integrity who cared deeply about others. Peter had known Black Hawk since they were in their 20s. They grew up together, running around as boys, long before they could imagine what their lives would become. As I learned more about Native teachings and values, I began to see something I had missed when I first read Peter's book.
The qualities my family remembered in Peter, like compassion, integrity, respect, and concern for others, were also deeply rooted in the teachings I learned from Native Elders. Maybe that is why Peter and Black Hawk understood each other so well. Maybe they saw something of themselves in each other. I felt they were kindred spirits.
Then I found something in Peter's book that I could not forget. It was just one line. Peter called Black Hawk's final journey his “Mission of Peace.” I read those words over and over. Peter never explained what he meant. He never explained why he called Black Hawk's journey a mission of peace. But I could not let it go. Why would a man who had seen so much cruelty, and who was dying from a gunshot wound that never healed, make such a painful journey to promote peace?
As I kept researching, the question became impossible to ignore. Black Hawk knew he was going to die, yet he made one last journey, 180 miles across Utah, to his birthplace, Spring Lake. It was one final appeal for peace. Why? I believe Peter's friendship with Black Hawk helps answer that. Peter knew what was in his friend's heart. He had known him since they were boys. After all I learned from the Timpanogos and the Elders, I began to see why those three words in Peter's book meant so much to me.
Black Hawk's Mission of Peace became the central theme of my journey. My book starts with the history of the Black Hawk War as experienced by the Timpanogos and other Native people who survived it. But the journey does not end with the war's history. To understand Black Hawk, I had to go deeper. I needed to learn about the people who taught the what it means to be human, the teachings that shaped their lives, and how they saw the human condition, their relationship with Mother Earth, and the mystery of life. That is where my personal journey became part of the story.
Peter wrote down what he saw. I picked up where he left off and kept searching for what his account couldn't fully explain. My journey started with a question about my great-grandfather. That question led me to the Timpanogos. The Timpanogos led me to Black Hawk. And Black Hawk led me back to Peter.
One final piece of serendipity followed. Peter published his book in 1919. One hundred years to the day, in 2019, I published mine. I had never planned it that way. It simply happened.
What started as a simple question about my great-grandfather became a lifelong journey to understand the people he knew, the history they lived through, and the man Peter called Black Hawk and his inspired Mission of Peace.
It is an honor to share what I have learned with you.
Five Star Reviews!
"I finished reading your YOUR UNBELIEVABLE BOOK your experiences blew me away and I love how you dovetailed your views & everything so beautifully together!!! WOW WOW WOWWW!!!" - Gary Lee Price
My Journey to Understand ... Black Hawk's Mission of Peace grabbed me! The way you understand the Black Hawk War will change with Phillip B Gottfredson's detailed account, which brings the Timpanogos perspective to light—a viewpoint long overshadowed in history books. Through decades of living among First Nations people, Gottfredson shares insights from his spiritual journey and collaboration with tribal leaders. He uncovers the resilience and humanity of Timpanogos leader Black Hawk, who sought peace even in the face of devastation. This book offers more than history—it’s a powerful reflection on forgiveness, equality, and the sacred connection between humanity and the Earth. — that’s masterful storytelling. - James Timothy
"Mr. Gottfredson has done an amazing job of telling this story with passion and honesty. As you follow him through his journey of discovery, you will be captivated by his experiences. Bravo, Sir !" -Barely Ablemann, Washington DC
"This account is critical to understanding history from more than one perspective. This book brings light and knowledge to history that has been absent since the colonization of the United States." -J. Ferguson
"I am not exaggerating when I say that this book has changed my life. I can't recommend it enough". -Stephanie T Lundeen
"Diana and I have just finished reading a book that is told from the long forgotten Timpanogos Nation by Phil Gottfredson or Mr. Phil. My heart heaved. And the tears flowed from both our eyes as we heard the Indian version and their stories. This book ranks in the top 5 of all the hundreds of books that I have ever read in my life...and I have read hundreds if not thousands. Please purchase a copy of this book and read it. Truth matters. - Larry Ballard, Utah
"Wow... where do I start? I am grateful I read this book. I am grateful for the Author who wrote this book. I will be buying more copies to give away, and for sure recommending this book to as many will listen. 5-Stars" - Marcus Hadlock, Utah
ORDER HERE!
My journey to understand...
Black Hawk's Mission of Peace!
Hi, this is Phillip. Buy direct from me so I can personally autograph your book!
from my heart to yours, THANK YOU !
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Copyright: 2019
Buy my great-granpa's book too...
Indian Depredations in Utah
by Peter Gottfredson 1919
Phillip B Gottfredson’s quest for truth promoting history began with his great-grandfather Peter Gottfredson’s classic history, Indian Depredations in Utah — a cornerstone work in the annals of Utah history.
First published in 1919, the book offers a rare firsthand account of early settlement in the Great Basin and the violent conflicts that devastated the Timpanogos Nation during the era of Mormon expansion and settler colonialism. Deeply meaningful to Phillip, the work became the foundation for his lifelong journey to better understand Utah's Indigenous history, identity, and reconciliation.
Indian Depredations in Utah and My Journey to Understand Black Hawk's Mission of Peace, published one hundred years apart in 1919 and 2019, stand as companion books — two generations connected by a shared search for historical truth and understanding.
Indian Depredations in Utah is currently available from Amazon in a softcover edition for $20.95. Phillip has added a new preface; otherwise, the book remains exactly as originally published.
5-star Reviews! "Peter Gottfredson's Indian Depredations in Utah is a classic firsthand account of the Black Hawk War in Utah. I highly recommend this account to anyone." -Benson Littlefield
"A very interesting book. Even though I live in Utah, and am somewhat of a history buff, this book tells a lot more about the Indians in Utah than I ever knew. It was worth my time to read it." -Ken in Riverton
Don't let the voices of the past go unheard. Purchase your copy now !!
