Access to our extensive collection of topics and stories about the Utah Black Hawk War is easy. Topics are organized chronologically by date and category. Clicking the NEXT link at the bottom of each results page takes you to the next event in succession.
Settler Colonialism
The Doctrine of Discovery 1493The following explains the Doctrine of Discovery gave Christians and governments a nefarious legal and moral justification to invade and occupy Native American land.
VIDEO:CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE OF DISCOVERY: by Steve Newcomb Published on Feb. 2, 2016, Steven Newcomb, Author of Pagans in the Promised Land: Decoding the Doctrine of Christian Discovery" addresses the Spotlight of Indigenous Peoples plenary at the 2015 Parliament of the World's Religions in Salt Lake City, Utah on Oct. 19.
1831 Letters of Ezra Booth: Mormonism Though their plans had hitherto failed, they were unwilling to abandon
the Indian enterprize; and in a commandment it was stated, that Cowdery
and others should receive a written recommendation, signed by the
Elders, for the purpose of presenting it to the Indian agent, in order
to obtain permission from him, to visit the Indians in their
settlements.
Manifest Destiny The 1832 Supreme Court declared the Indian Removal Act unconstitutional, but the damage already caused to First Nations was irreversible. In time, the Doctrine of Discovery would become Manifest Destiny to empower Settler-Colonialism. "With a bible in one hand, and a gun in the other they came to save the heathans from hell... and get rich."
the Black Hawk War Timeline & Biographies
Utah Black Hawk War Timeline
: Detailed timeline of "Utah Indian Wars," and Congressional Acts from 1847 to 1978.
Timpanogos Nation Biography: The Black Hawk War , is a detailed synopsis of historical events in Utah from 1776 and the Dominguez and Escalante expedition, the arrival of Mormon colonists in 1847, and the forced removal of the Timpanogos Nation to the Uinta Valley Reservation in 1873.
The Timpanogos Nation is not Ute The Timpanogos Nation and the Ute Nation are distinctly different tribes with different origins, bloodlines, and customs. The Timpanogos Nation is Snake-shoshone and was never part of the Ute Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray Reservation.
1849 The Murder of Old Bishop Richard A. Ivie, Y. Rufus Stoddard and Gerome Zabriskie, who met an Indian called Old Bishop
1850 Timpanogos Chief Old Elk
Moonch During the battle at Fort Utah in 1850, one more loathsome act remained to unfold which would haunt the
Mormons for many decades to follow, even to the present day.
1853 The Walker War Living descendants of Timpanogos Chief Wakara talk about their ancestor in a discussion with Phillip B Gottfredson. They explain "Wakara is misrepresented in Mormon history."
1856 Salt Creek Battle During the Utah Black Hawk War, on June 4th 1856. Jens Terklesen and wife Christian E. Kjerluf were massacred by
Indians in Salt Creek Canyon while
traveling unarmed on their way to Sanpete Valley.
1865 INDIANS GO ON THE WAR PATH On the 9th of April, a treaty with the Indians was arranged for at Manti, in Sanpete County. Some horses and cattle had been stolen by the Indians.
1865 Grass Valley Massacre The soldiers then surrounded the camp and opened fire on them, killing women, men, and children.
1866 Jun 26 Spanish Fork Diamond Creek Battle Because there are conflicting historical accounts regarding the Diamond Creek Battle, historian Phillip B Gottfredson spent considerable time researching on site where the battle took place to bring clarity to this important event.
1866 Chief Sowiette Sowiette was the eldest of the brothers. When the Mormons came to Utah in 1847, Sowiette admonished his brothers not to fight them.
1867 Black Hawk meets with Indian agent Franklin Taking upon himself the agony of his people, Black Hawk handed Franklin his knife and would ask him to cut off his hair to symbolically demonstrate his sincerity in wanting peace.
1867 Black Hawk Meets With Chief Tabby August 17th, Black Hawk met with his uncle Chief Tabby, who had made preparations to join his warriors with Black Hawk's men.
1868 INDIAN GRATITUDE On their return they came across the sick Indian sitting up against a tree smoking a pipe. The men still wanted to kill him, but father wouldn't let them.
!870 The Burial of Timpanogos Chief Black Hawk had come full circle when, on September 26, 1870, at the age of 35, the Chief's loving kin honorably laid him to rest on a hillside overlooking Spring Lake above Payson, Utah, the place of his birth.
Post War Period
THE UTAH BLACK HAWK WARFACTS Interesting facts about the Black Hawk War of Utah and the Timpanogos Indians from 1847 to 1873 from Phillip B Gottfredson's research journal.
1873 MEMORIAL OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF UTAH "Memorial of the Legislative Assembly of Utah" was prepared by the Legislature of Utah in 1873 and sent to the United States Congress. It is a bill asking Congress for reimbursement of over one-million dollars in expenses incurred by Brigham Young's private militia and the Nauvoo Legion, to exterminate the Indigenous population in Utah.
1996 Repatriation Of Chief Black Hawk's Remains The
human remains and associated objects were accessions by the
Museum of Latter-Day Saints Church History in 1919. At that
time, a
local physician attempted to confirm a report that
the human remains
were those of the Timpanogots' Chief Black
Hawk.
PHILLIP B GOTTFREDSON Research & Commentary
Source Material and Biography Phillip B Gottfredson, a well-known author of Black Hawk's Mission of Peace, specializes in the Black Hawk War of Utah between the Timpanogos Nation and the early Mormon colonialization of Utah.
Native American Protocols and Ethics When I was invited to live with a Shoshone family
one of the first things I was taught was Native American protocols.
Heart of Mayan Country My journey to San Pedro in 2012 to research the historical, and spiritual connection between North and South American Indigenous peoples.
Truth In Education True First Nation history needs to be included in Utah's school curriculum, but its not...why?
RUSSEL MEANS"For America to Live, Europe Must Die"
Gold, God, and Glory Native people in Utah suffer from generational trauma because of Mormon settlers colonization.
Congressional Acts Governing First Nations There was a series of congressional acts designed to diminish tribal lands, or reservations, the Dawes Allotment Act 1887, the Reorganization Act 1934, the Termination Act 1953, Then came the boarding schools and the LDS Church Indian placement program 1954. The Self Determination Act 1970, and the American Indian Religious Freedom Act 1978.
The Silent Victims of the Utah Black Hawk War Recently, decedents whose ancestors led in some of the massacres in the Utah Black Hawk War have contacted me, and I feel it necessary to share their perspectives of the Black Hawk War.
James Leonard Pritchett, a great-grandson of Chief Tabby of the Timpanogos Nation of Utah. Timpanogos Chief Tabby's name was not Tabby-To-Kwanah, or Tabiuna, and he was not Chief of the Uintah and Whiteriver Utes. All you need to do is ask Tabby's descendant- James Pritchett.
We Can Forgive But Never Forget We assume that the Native peoples have since been given every opportunity to succeed, that "it's their own damn fault," as some say. Tell a lie often enough and it becomes the truth.
LDS Admit to Mountain Meadows Massacre In an article that appeared in the church's Ensign magazine, church historian Richard E. Turley gives what is said to be the church's official account of the Massacre.
The following video & Podcast collection has been assembled to help further our understanding of the Native American perspective and the Black Hawk War in Utah.
PODCAST Mary Murdock Meyer Chief Executive of the Timpanogos Nation, and Phillip B Gottfredson live podacst with host Jay Winter Nightwolf in a candid conversation about the Timpanogos Nation and the Black Hawk War of Utah.
P. B. Gottfredson - BookStore lists of more than 50 books & Videos(nonfiction) for historians, educators, students, and enthusiasts.
PETER GOTTFREDSON
Much of the material found on this website comes from Peter Gottfredson who lived with the Timpanogos during the Black Hawk War, and a friend of Timpanogos Chief Black Hawk. Peter is a great-grandfather of Phillip B Gottfredson.
AUGUST, 1871 PIOCHE BURNS In August, 1871 the town Pioche burned. It was caused by a lantern falling on a porch of a boarding house kept by two women. The wind was blowing and it got too much of a start before it was noticed. Nearly the whole town burned and there was no hay left in town.
1872 DANIEL MILLER KILLED On the 26th of September 1872 Indians came in the night and lay in ambush for us when we should start out to work in the morning. East of the house about thirty yards lay a pile of poles.
EXCERPTS from Peter Gottfredson his book Indian Depredations in Utah, which is one of the oldest firsthand accounts of the Black Hawk War in Utah. He describes the wars between Mormon settlers and the Indians of Utah that occured between the years 1847 to 1872.