Saw Mill at Richville Raided

In the spring of 1851, some emigrants on their way to California were assisting Ezra T. Benson to put up a saw-mill at Richville, (now known as the Mill), when a party of the surrounding Indians stole their horses. One of them Mr. Custer, with Harrison Severe, Thomas Lee and other " Mormon" settlers, followed them, as they supposed, to the west side of Rush Lake ; but evidently mistook the route the marauders had taken. However, they there found a band of Indians with their families, took them prisoners and started for Tooele, but without dis- arming the men. On the way the Indians and consequently the guard became separated into small squads. It appears that Mr. Custer was a little in the rear and south of the town of Tooele when the two or three Indians with him made a break in the darkness, for it was in the evening, and in the melee Custer was shot. Those ahead of him soon learned the fact by his horse coining up with them riderless. Some men went back and found his body on a rock where he had fallen. The blood-stained rock was a witness of the event for many years. His body was taken to Salt Lake City for burial. This was the first bloodshed connected with Indian difficulties in the County. Source Peter Gottfredson Indian Depredations in Utah

 

Note: There were no Indian problems until the Whiteman.

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