Ryan Reeder
History 366
Prof. Brian Cannon
January 5, 2001
Daniel Webster Jones describes his life in the West during the years from the Mexican War in 1847 until he published his autobiography in 1890. Taking his work as a window of pioneer life in this era, we can find and infer much about the attitudes and lifestyles that the Mormon people had in their portion of the Old West.
The Mormons tended to exhibit implicit trust and faith in their leaders, distrust of the United States government and the soldiers that represented it, and ambivalent views toward the Indians. It seems that members of the Church seldom, if ever, refused a calling from their leaders, despite the severity and difficulty that might be involved. When the call was made to help the handcart companies, Brigham Young called on every one present to help. Dan Jones was also asked to participate directly by Daniel H. Wells, Edward Hunter, and Jedediah Grant. He accepted, and later remained behind to guard the immigrants' goods. The ideal of integrity of his people is reflected in his own integrity when he said, "There was not money enough on earth to have hired me to stay. I had left home for only a few days and was not prepared to remain so long away; but I remembered my assertion that any of us would stay if called upon" (72). Another instance shows how the people would follow their leaders' instructions, even when it was counter to their own wishes. When he was asked to lead a colonizing mission to Mexico, he became discouraged because of ill reports concerning his lack of patience in leadership and asked Brigham Young and Wilford Woodruff to relieve him. They refused, and Brother Jones "went to work with a will to get ready for the trip" (306-7). He genuinely liked his leaders, often speaking very highly of Brigham Young and others(165-6, 308, 60). The attitude of accepting callings and loving and revering the general authorities was probably shared by many of his fellow Mormons.
The feeling toward the soldiers was quite the opposite, however. When he was induced to act as a guide for the soldiers in 1860, it is obvious that he wasn't ecstatic about the offer, refusing at first, and later accepting with conditions (which were later violated). He finds it ironic that the Mormons were regularly accused of being disloyal while the soldiers committed various acts of depravity. He describes "the people were insulted and abused in a violent manner. . .even commissioned officers taking the lead in lawless acts. . . .the commander. . .offered his support to our political enemies. . .is it right and legal to fit out with government supplies, tools, and animals and take enlisted men to work prospecting for mines, for private interests, under pretense of going to protect American citizens in their legitimate business against the Mormons?" and so forth. This sort of distrust was likely common among the Mormon settlers.
Dan Jones had a genuine liking for the Indians, which was not universally shared by his fellow Mormons. He uses the final pages of his book to exhort his people to remember the Lamanites and the promises made to them in the Doctrine and Covenants and Book of Mormon. He wonders if the hardening of hearts of the gentiles refers to their not taking the gospel to the Lamanites because they might say, "'I am not interested in these dirty Indians'" (396-400). Many of his neighbors undoubtedly did feel this way, as was manifested, for example, with the killing of an Indian near Fairview, where Jones was living at the time. Although the murder was "cowardly in the extreme, and more treacherous than anything I ever remember done by the Indians" (212), he succeeded in talking the Indians into refraining from retaliation. After the Indians agreed, they never broke their promise. Dan Jones asks those "who are so down on the 'treacherous Indians' to think of this" (213-214). The attitudes of the Mormons toward the Indians are reflected here, though Jones doesn't share them.
The lifestyle of these people is also exhibited in Dan Jones' work. We can learn something of their diet, when Jones speaks of having found "some coffee, sugar and fruit, also a roll of leather" and "no salt or bread excepting a few crackers" among the goods cached at Devil's Gate (76, 74). When a party was sent to relieve them, an episode of pulling sticks is described as "rawhide against corn," showing that corn was likely a staple of the diet in the valley (103). They also appeared to eat plenty of meat, much of which they killed and dressed themselves, valuing the skills of "a first-class butcher from London, who dressed everything in the best style" (76). When Jones returned from the episode, he met with his family. He describes his wife here as "one of the best and most faithful wives that ever blessed a husband" (112). Their fourteen children are evidence of the large families that these people had, and the love he describes for his wife reflects on the love and unity of the familial relationships, whether in polygamous or monogamous relationships. Hospitality was considered to be essential, and when it wasn't shown, it was despised by many people. Dan Jones describes Baker's reaction to their description of another settler, Martin's inhospitality as "'Well now, I will go into town every Saturday, get drunk, and abuse Martin for this until I run him out of the country. I will never let up on him. Why, he ain't fit to live'" (158). He describes community work, as when a flood destroyed the road through Provo Canyon in 1862 and a company was organized to rebuild it, with the funds being contributed voluntarily. This is similar to the voluntary conscriptions used to pay for the printing of the Book of Mormon into Spanish. There appears to be a strong sense of community loyalty and integrity.
These attitudes and lifestyles were in the context of the Old West. There were many who apparently knew no law but the knife and the pistol, and going out armed for defense was a way of life for the people. Transportation was commonly done on horseback, and Jones was able to start a profitable business as a saddler (129, 363). Murders and lynchings took place, including among some Mormons, such as Bill Hickman's killing of Yates, a friend of Jones', during the Utah War. Jones says "Hickman killed Yates for his money and horse the same as any other thief and murderer would have done, and then excused himself by telling that he was counseled to do these things" (130).
Despite an environment of the Wild West where Indians were killed like wild animal pests and soldiers engaged in profiteering without inquisition, the Mormons in Utah during this time still contributed to the future of society. Their attitudes toward their leaders are largely unchanged in the present. Close familial relationships, as well as large families, are common among Mormons today. Daniel Webster Jones' autobiography is very useful in informing us of Mormon attitudes and lifestyles during this time.
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