The slayings of Henry Jones and his mother

[_Doctor Steuss]

I asked Uncle Dale in another thread on MA&D, but hopefully someone here will be able to help as well. I’m looking for information on the “brutal” slayings of Henry Jones and his mother. From what I’ve been able to gather, they occurred in Payson in early 1858 (I believe in February… don’t have my sources here with me). Thus far, the only references I’ve been able to find to it are in “Achilles’” little tidbit in “Destroying Angel of Mormondom” -- which unfortunately is a highly unreliable source (if anyone disagrees with “Achilles” being unreliable… I’m not really sure what to say).

The only other reference I’ve found is in Hosea Stout’s journal, but he doesn’t give any names of who “"dragged him out of bed [I'll forego adding anymore sordid details]..."

Anyone know of any other (preferably “reliable”) sources on this event?

[_Runtu]

Here's Richard Abanes' (I know, not exactly a reliable source):

In 1858 the particularly gruesome double-murder of Henry Jones and his mother took place. Their fate was sealed when gossip spread about them living in an incestuous relationship. Henry received a warning in February, when several Mormons disguised as Indians dragged him from his bed in the middle of the night. Porter Rockwell then castrated Henry, leaving him to die of exposure. He survived, however, staggering back home to recover. Two months later, according to neighbor Nathaniel Case, a secret meeting was held in the home of a Mormon bishop, who along with other church officials, including Rockwell, committed the murders:

Henry Jones and his mother had been killed. I went down to the dug-out where they lived. ... The old woman was laying on the ground in the dugout on a little straw, in the clothes in which she was killed. She had a bullet hole through her head. ... In about 15 or 20 minutes Henry Jones was brought there and laid by her side; they then threw some old bed clothes over them and an old feather bed. ... The next Sunday after the murder, in a church meeting, in Payson, Charles Hancock, the bishop, said, as to the killing of Jones and his mother he cared nothing about it, and it would have been done in daylight if circumstances would have permitted it. --This was said from the stand; there were 150 or 200 persons present. He gave no reason for killing them.

The problem is that I don't have Abanes' source for this.

[_Blixa]

Quick reply: check Quinn. I think he has the source for the version Abane's is quoting.

[_Doctor Steuss]

Here's Richard Abanes' (I know, not exactly a reliable source):

This fairly well matches up with "Achilles" account. There should be more out there (at least in journals) if this claim is correct:

This was said from the stand; there were 150 or 200 persons present.

I'm trying to find out who else was involved (other than Rockwell), and under whose direction.

[_Doctor Steuss]

Quick reply: check Quinn. I think he has the source for the version Abane's is quoting.

By "Quinn," I'm assuming you mean Mormon Hierarchy?

[_Blixa]

Yep. Sorry too busy to go to my "Notes on Violence,".....the Chapter "the culture of violence" in Vol 2 is what you should look into...

[Guest]

I don't know anything about this case. I was reading an interesting one of Howard Egan, one of Joseph Smith's body guards who in 1851killed James Monroe for seducing Egan's polygamous wife, who had Monroes child. Egan was exhonerated in a church investigation. When tried in Court for murder he was defended by Apostle George A. Smith "Smith argued not only that it was within the jury's power to nullify the law and absolve egan from guilt even if they found that he had shot Monroe, but also that such an act was not contrary to the common law of the frontier. He argued that the common law of England had no binding force on plain mountain men, who prvided that "the man who seduces his neighbor's wife must die" (REALLY!). pg 217 Zion in the Courts by Firmage and Mangrum.

It's sad that twenty five hundred federal troops could be right outside Salt Lake but the leadership of the Church seemed to justify just about anything.

Now back to the orginal thread.

[_Doctor Steuss]

Yep. Sorry too busy to go to my "Notes on Violence,".....the Chapter "the culture of violence" in Vol 2 is what you should look into...

Thank you.

And thank you Runtu as well.

I'm still a bit pissed that you went to dinner, and I didn't get to go (harumph!), but I can put my bitter gall aside momentarily to express gratitude.

[_Blixa]

It was lunch, Stu. You know I save my evenings for you...