Utah and the Reconstruction of the American West, 1856-1890
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“BEYOND THE PALE OF HUMAN SYMPATHY”: UTAH AND THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE AMERICAN WEST, 1856-1890 by BRETT DAVID DOWDLE Bachelor of Arts, 2005 Brigham Young University Provo, Utah Master of Arts, 2011 Brigham Young University Provo, Utah Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of AddRan College of Liberal Arts Texas Christian University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy May, 2018 Copyright by Brett David Dowdle 2018 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS In the writing of academic history, historians often come face to face with humanity at its lowest points. The motives, actions, and tragedies that have so profoundly shaped the past can at times leave both historians and readers pessimistic about the prospects of humanity. But in the process of writing those histories, however, those same historians often much of the best within humanity through the ready help and willing assistance of friends, professors, colleagues, librarians, archivists, and even relative strangers. No person, regardless of brilliance, ever completes a graduate degree or composes a dissertation independent of outside assistance. In submitting this particular dissertation to the Department of History and the AddRan College of Liberal Arts, I must wholeheartedly acknowledge the many wonderful people who have assisted me throughout this process. My gratitude extends first to my advisor, Dr. Todd Kerstetter, whose patience and encouragement have been invaluable to me throughout this process. As a professor, Dr. Kerstetter inspired me with a love of American West and helped me to delve into the field’s rich historiography, through which I became acquainted with many great works, not the least of which was Elliott West’s The Last Indian War, which proved to be the inspiration for this project. Dr. Kerstetter is the kind of advisor that I would wish every graduate student would have during their academic studies. Insightful and encouraging, even while I wrote from a distance, his critiques have helped me to identify weaknesses and differing perspectives that enabled me to improve this ii dissertation substantially. Superb as are his qualities as an academic advisor, Dr. Kerstetter has been to me an even better friend. During the difficult moments surrounding the passing of my father in December 2015, Dr. Kerstetter’s kindness, compassion, and concern for me as an individual left a lasting mark upon my soul. I am indebted to him for his goodness. I express similar gratitude to Dr. Rebecca Sharpless, Dr. Alan Gallay, and Dr. Greg Cantrell, each of whom have positively influenced my graduate education and this dissertation. As much of this dissertation deals with the topic of polygamy, Dr. Sharpless’s expertise in women’s history has perpetually brought me back to the question of the female experience, a question that will powerfully inform my revisions of this manuscript in preparation for publication. I was privileged to take a seminar from Dr. Gallay on the Atlantic World that has shaped my thoughts about this dissertation in profound ways. Dr. Gallay’s class taught me to see historical similarities and connections that extended beyond the immediate time, location, and people. In so doing, his class reshaped my thinking about Mormon polygamy and its place within a broader Atlantic World tradition of distinctive sexual practices. Dr. Cantrell’s class on the history of Texas was my first doctoral seminar at TCU. Beyond the rich insights into the complex history of the state of Texas, Dr. Cantrell taught me a kind of rigor and attention to detail that compelled me to be more thorough and detailed in my work as a historian. Additionally, I am indebted to the entire faculty and staff of the TCU Department of History. The wonderful seminars on a variety of topics taught by the professors, and the ready assistance of the very capable and helpful office staff, particularly Stacey Theisen, who enhanced my graduate experience and made me a better student and historian through their service. I am particularly indebted to Dr. Paul F. Boller, whose iii generosity benefitted and enabled my research as he has for so many other graduate students of history at TCU. My colleagues among this graduate students have likewise made invaluable contributions to my TCU experience and my growth as a historian. Special appreciation goes to David Grua and Jacob Olmstead who first introduced me to campus and encouraged me to come to TCU. Similarly, Dr. Kerstetter’s other students of the West each made a significant impact upon my graduate experience. Rebekah Crowe, David Grua, Beth Hessel, Lisa Barnett, Kallie Kosc, Mike Burns, and Sherilyn Farnes each improved my dissertation through their willingness to read and comment upon parts of this dissertation. Additionally I express much appreciation for Miriam Villanueva, Jamalin Harp, Meredith May, Chad McCutchen, Jennifer McCutchen, Michael Green, and the many others who made my TCU experience wonderful. Beyond TCU, others have also made invaluable contributions. Dr. Brian Cannon, Dr. Terry Warner, and the late Dr. Ronald Walker each served as invaluable mentors and continue to influence my work as a historian in important ways. Similarly, I am indebted to my knowledgeable and capable colleagues at the Joseph Smith Papers Project, particularly Brent Rogers, Matthew Godfrey, and David Grua for their support, encouragement, and suggestions. Helpful comments and suggestions also came from Dr. Elliott West, Dr. Cathleen Cahill, and Dr. John Mack Faragher, for whose kind critiques I am grateful. While I have doubtless forgotten to mention numerous friends and individuals who assisted me in this project, my most special thanks and gratitude belongs to my family. Agreeing to marry me in July 2016, my beautiful wife Ashley married not only a husband but also a dissertation. She kindly took over many of the household duties and iv put up with far too many evenings that found me at my computer rather than proving myself a useful and serviceable husband. She is wonderful and I will be eternally grateful for her love and support. Ashley’s parents, Marcos and Sherry Camargo, have been kind and supportive in-laws, and her siblings Marcos, James, Tevi, and Joseph, have each been generous with their encouragement. My sisters Stephanie Maenhardt, Jeni Clark, and Lynley Johnson, together with their husbands, and my brother Rob, along with his wife, have each rendered much needed assistance—Stephanie providing useful critiques as a long-tenured academician. Finally, excepting Ashley, no two individuals have been more supportive and encouraging than my angelic parents Don and Lynnette Dowdle. My mom has reminded me of the importance of finishing this dissertation at regular intervals, and has ever proven to be my greatest champion. Much, if not most, of the credit for this degree belongs to her. Similarly, my Dad urged me forward during the long semesters and difficult moments. An educator extraordinaire, my Dad never believed or suggested that my three degrees in history were foolish or shortsighted financial decisions. Rather, he urged me forward, often providing financial assistance when money got tight, and telling me that a copy of my completed dissertation would suffice for repayment in the years ahead. Although I was not privileged to present him with a copy in this life, I composed the majority of these pages with thoughts of him in my heart, and I look forward to presenting him a pristine copy in the days ahead, when we will at last meet again. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................... vi LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... viii INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1 Mormons and the Other Americans ............................................................................................ 5 Southern Reconstruction ........................................................................................................... 10 The Why of Western Reconstruction ........................................................................................ 19 A Reconstructive Plan for the West .......................................................................................... 23 Reconstructing Catholic Americans .......................................................................................... 27 Reconstructing Native Americans ............................................................................................. 30 Reconstructing Chinese Immigrants ......................................................................................... 36 Reconstructing Mormons .......................................................................................................... 39 Reconstructing Westward ......................................................................................................... 44 The Dunning School Revisited?................................................................................................ 50 Agency and Reconstruction ...................................................................................................... 53 Placing Utah within a Larger National Narrative.....................................................................