MISSOURI MORMON FRONTIER Addenda
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MISSOURI MORMON FRONTIER Number 37 Jackson County, Missouri Aug 2005 - Dec 2005 People and Places Mormon Prisoners in Richmond, Missouri Addenda by Annette W. Cutis It has come to my attention that I neglected to put a byline on the Richmond Missouri articles in the last issue. Many people will recognize it as the research and writing of Annette Curtis, however, for the record Annette is generally the researcher for, and author of, the articles without bylines. [Other authors are welcomed!] In the last issue, on pages 6 and 7, I quoted Ebenzer Their mother’s sister Elizabeth who took James Henry to Robinson and Edward Partridge concerning the raise as her own was then the wife of Sidney A. Gilbert. unfinished brick courthouse in Richmond where most of These close family ties play an important part historically the Mormon prisoners were kept and where the court in the way things happened. Intermarriages with non- hearing convened. Mormon families also played a significant part in the Ebenezer Robinson wrote: “Tuesday November 13 succession of events. a space on the south end of the floor in the courthouse Of the three Rollins siblings, James Henry married was appropriated for the use of the court, which into a family who were members. Mary Elizabeth convened on that day, with Austin A. King on the bench, married a man who did not join the church but who and Thomas C. Burch, state’s attorney, when the followed the church migrations and whose family prisoners [Joseph and Hyrum Smith and the others who remained friendly. Caroline married a member who were first taken to Independence], together with those apparently became disaffected. She died in the early confined in the courthouse, were arraigned for trial ... .” 1850s, hence we know very little about Caroline, while [The Return 2 (March 1890), p. 234.] we know considerable about James Henry and Mary E. who lived long, went to Utah and told their stories. In a sketch of the life of James Henry Rollins, Mary Elizabeth was also acquainted with Lilburn dictated by him to his daughter, Mary Osborn, and later Boggs. While living in Independence, she helped Peter re-written in 1924 by his youngest daughter, Idah M. Whitmer who was a tailor living in Lilburn Boggs’ home. Rollins Hamblin, with the assistance of Melissa R. Lee She helped to make “fine ruffled bosum shirts” for Heyborn [typescript HBLL], we can learn more about Lilburn Boggs and assisted in other sewing there. These that incident. First I will summarize a little, very positive associations would be very beneficial later. The informative background information from that sketch. associations affected the actions of Caroline’s husband as you will see, and even the actions of Lilburn Boggs. John Porter Rollins died about 1820 or 1821 leaving a widow and three small children who were James Henry In Far West after the Battle of Crooked River and Rollins (1816-1899) and two younger sisters, Mary Haun’s Mill, James Rollins tells of preparations made to Elizabeth and Caroline Rollins. The reader will defend themselves. Gen. Clark had not yet arrived but remember the actions of the girls in Independence in Rollins credits the army to Clark. “We tore down many 1834 in gathering the Book of Commandment pages. log houses and made breastworks of them.” He then Page 2 Number 37 Aug 2005 - Dec 2005 MISSOURI MORMON FRONTIER FOUNDATION tells of the surrender: namely Mrs. George Harris and my aunt Bogg’s army appeared on Goose Creek with five Elizabeth Gilbert. I charged them severely for thousand men [an exaggerated estimate, it only talking to such men as they were our enemies, seemed like 5000, closer to 500 – awc]. I was and had come to destroy us as a people. They on guard most of the night, which was a little said to me, “Why Henry, we will not hurt them. rainy and very dark. The captain of the guard We did not come to destroy the women; but told me he would go home to get something to wanted the men to be subject to the law.” These eat and would return in a short time. But he did men went riding over the town after this, while not return; he buried his own sword and did the brethren were giving up their arms in the not appear among us any more. The next square [south of town], and prisoners were being day, as we were all gathered at the breast-works, taken out of their number that were in the we seen four men approaching us from the army square. Joseph and Hyrum were taken prisoners with a white flag. Two of us boys were ordered and threatened by many of the officers of the to go and meet them with a flag of truce, namely army to be shot or hung, but General Donaphan James H. Rollins and Chauncey L. Higbee. A and Atchison who were at the head of the considerable fuss was made by Hinkle to get a Liberty Grays, said they would leave the army piece of white cloth. At length, one man tore off entirely if such proceedings were carried out. ... his shirt flap, and tied it on a stick, and we both About this time [prisoners being taken] the started, armed with our pistols, and knives, Lightner brothers came up with a wagon, a myself carrying the flag. We went and met the prairie schooner, and they took Cleminson and men who were coming up from the army; they family, and Adam Lightner and my sister, his were to wit, a Mr. Huggins, a Mr. Gingell [sic] wife [Mary Elizabeth (Rollins) Lightner], and and two of the Pomeroy brothers. They talked family into this wagon. I was assisting them in very saucey to us because we met them with loading their bedding and they plead with me to arms, they having none. I told them that we did go with them, and take my young wife [Evaline not know what kind of men we were to meet. (Walker)] along, whom I had married on the They asked many questions regarding the people previous September 4, 1838. They finally that were in Far West, [Gov. Boggs wanted] persuaded me to go and they secreted me in the Sister Adam Lightner and family, John bottom of the wagon lying with my face Clemison’s family to come out of town and they downward, and they threw bedding on top of would kill all the rest. I told them that Mrs. me, and when they left I was in this position and Lightner was my sister [Mary Elizabeth Rollins], remained thus until we had passed safely and she did not want to go and leave the town, through the army, and for several miles distance, and I said I would stand by her regardless of life when I was relieved of this tiresome position. or death. Soon after this the army came up near We camped some 15 miles distance from Far our breast-works which was west of the town West that night in the open prairie, and made our [confused in direction, it was south], nearly half beds on the ground, and when we awoke in the a mile. Here they formed themselves into a morning there was 2 or 3 inches of snow above hollow square. Col. Hinkle had given up the us. town to General Clark, [sic, Gen. Lucas, Clark was not there yet] and others of the army, and The group proceeded on through Richmond and we were ordered first to march out to the army arrived at Pomeroy ferry. The women and children were and give up our arms. We marched out, playing taken in the yowl [small boat] and the wagon and team in with the band, Washington’s death march. We the ferry boat. Lightner and Rollins crossed together marched into the hollow square. At this time I after the small boat came back for them. The river was saw, as I turned around, two of the Jackson filled with floating ice. They went on to Abner / Abiah County mob whom I knew, namely Tom Wilson Lightner’s house near Lancaster, Missouri where he and William Baker. They jumped the barricade stayed about 5 days before a man named Raglin from with the horses. I then threw my drum from my Daviess County came looking for Mr. Rollins to pay for shoulders and gave it a kick which rolled it into land. Then two other men from Richmond came looking the square and followed these men up into town, for him as a witness. Rollins continues: where I found them before [his stepfather] John They then ordered me to get on to one of the M. Burk’s tavern talking with two women, horses behind one of them. It was snowing very MISSOURI MORMON FRONTIER FOUNDATION Number 37 Aug 2005 - Dec 2005 Page 3 hard at the time. We went to the river where the settled, I obtained a horse, saddle, and bridle, ferry boats were lying awaiting their return. We and started, with my wife on the same horse, for crossed the river among the flowing ice. The Far West, 36 miles distance. It was quite cold, ferryman, Mr. Harwood, grinning at me, by and we had to ride and run alternately to get whose means I was traced to Lightner’s house. warm until we arrived, wearied at Far West in I then mounted as before behind one of the the night safely. We had not been home long, soldiers, and arriving at Richmond court house, Beaugard appeared in Far West and exacted my when General Clark appeared at the door, the step-father’s hotel [Burk], my father-in-law’s men saying, “here is the man you sent us for.” hundred acres of land [Walker], and 40 acres of He said, “You get down off the horse, and go in my own land, at least a thousand dollars worth the bull pen where sure enough there I found of other property for security for the five some 40 or 50 of our brethren..