But then neither can I do justice to the Saints' Missouri experience in a little post. Here are some places to start:
After the expulsion from Jackson County the Mormons moved to Clay county. Soon they were again asked to move from that county--though not violently. Missouri legislator Alexander Doniphan proposed creating a county specifically for the Mormons. Instead of one large county, two smaller northern Missouri counties--Daviess and Caldwell--were designated for the Mormons. Far West was by far the largest Mormon settlement, but Mormons were spread throughout those two counties and spilling over in to other counties as well. (See a bigger image here.) On the 1838 Fourth of July in Far West there were said to be five thousand people in town for the celebration.
On October 27, 1838 Missouri Governor Lilburn Boggs signed Executive Order 44--the Extermination Order: "The Mormons must be treated as enemies and must be exterminated or driven from the state, if necessary for the public good. Their outrages are beyond all description. If you can increase your force, you are authorized to do so, to any extent you may think necessary."
To also look at the experience of some individual Mormons, here are tidbits from Mormon women talking about the trauma of their Missouri experiences (and not talking about--rape was a significant element of those experiences only ever obliquely mentioned). Here is a letter from Melissa Morgan Dodge to her brother after her Missouri experience.
Temperance Bond Mack to her daughter - Harriet Whittemore:
Knowing your anxiety for me I will endeavor to in form you of an item of the scenery that has past around us. Brother Joseph and Hyrum and Sidney Rigdon and a number of them are now in jail and have been in irons. They will have their trial in March if they don’t call a special court. They are prisoners of war. They are an offering from the church to save the lives of others. They suffer themselves. The church have agreed to leave here in the spring but where to go they know not.
We don’t know but we must flee from the haunts of men to the caves and dens in the rocks like that saints of old, but none of these things move me. Neither do I regret that I have left the eastern states for where the Lord says go. I must obey although my heart is with my children and they are near and dear to me, yet I am no better than the martyrs¾they had to suffer the loss of all things to be an incorruptible crown and so must I, and I do it cheerful knowing I shall reap in due time. if I faint now fearing the truth will yet reach there and will be published in the papers and you will do well to search them.
I wish you would show this letter to Sister Williams and daughters. and I would just say my mind is the same and if the scriptures are fulfilled the saints must suffer persecution and although we have suffered much and it looks dark ahead of us yet none of these things move me neither in my life dear if so be I can obtain a crown of glory. Far West, [Missouri] December 30, 1838
Almira Mack Covey to her sister - Harriet Mack Whittemore
We have been requested in several letters to give a history of the proceedings of the mob in Missouri but this is more than I can do. It is more than I can do to point to you our feelings when surrounded by a wicked mob. Not allowed even to go out of town to our friends without leave from that wicked crew. You can better judge what my feelings were when seeing my husband taken away to prison with about 50 others and for what? Nothing but our religion. He was kept there three weeks and then released as they could find nothing against him.
Mother bore her trials very well. She said she never wishes herself back to Michigan. And I can say for one that I never as yet repented of uniting myself to this persecuted people but feel willing to suffer for Christ’s sake. But Harriet, it is no small trial to see your houses surrounded by a wicked mob threatening your lives and even killing some, and we not knowing when we laid ourselves down at night but we should all be massacred before morning for this was the orders of the Governor of Missouri. 19 January 1840
Ann Marsh Abbott to her brother - Nathan Marsh
Dear brother many years have past away since I have wrote to you or you to me. . . .However, I will improve this opportunity and try to write something that you may know we are yet in the land of the living.
We are in pretty good health considering what we have had to encounter since we came to this country being driven by Mob from time to time which has caused infirmities to come to us, especially my Husband. His health is poor, two different times he has had his blood spilt by Missouri Mob. However, through the mercy of the Lord he is able to do a good deal of work though he is troubled very much with Rheumatism.
Now I can say that through all our trials and afflictions our faith is not lessened but strengthened in Mormonism. And I can safely say we have passed through all this for Christ’s sake. Neither do we expect that we have passed through all yet. We have got to be tried and proven in all things so that we may stand or fall.
Many have fallen out by the wayside already. Brother Thomas for one and his family. They live in Missouri, what county or place I cannot tell you. I have written to them but cannot get an answer. However, I hope he is not lost so but what he can be found again.
When I reflect a moment I see what a scattered sheep we are. I feel a great desire that we might, will be gathered even with the body of the Latter Day Saints. They are flocking from all parts of the earth to Zion. They’re almost continually coming from England by the hundreds. When I look at this great work I often think, “Is it possible all my relations are ignorant of what the Lord is doing in these last days?” Everyone can know for themselves the truth of this work. I understand there is a small branch of the church of Mormons in your neighborhood. If so it will be your privilege to know Mormonism. [1843]
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