Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 1950 Mormon Settlement of Snake River Fork Country, 1883-1893 Norman Earl Ricks Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the History Commons, and the Mormon Studies Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Ricks, Norman Earl, "Mormon Settlement of Snake River Fork Country, 1883-1893" (1950). Theses and Dissertations. 5074. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/5074 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. MORMON settlement OF SNAKE RIVER FORK COUNTRY 188318931883 1893 A TIMSISTHESIS SUBMITTED TO THE department OF HISTORY BRIGHAM YOUNG university in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree master of science by norman earl ricks 190igo1950 acknowledgeacknowledgmacknowledgments7eaeits this study has been done under the careful guidance of the history and political science department of brigham young university dr russell B swensen gave valuable aid in the mechanics sources and standards of historiography special help was rendered by dr brigham D madsen and dr richard D poll in research seminars professor william C carroarroarngarr contrib- uted timely advise on sentence structure and encouraged the political development the latter three as committee members with dr madsen as head were especially helpful in reading the manuscript and and making suggestions and correctioncorrectionssO as well as pointinpointing out new material members of seminars and fellow students working in the same general period were generous in sharing research results and offering helpful criticism the typist berniece W ricks made many valuable sug- gestionsgestions and spent long periods typing and aiding in numerous revisions leading to the completed work to all of the above and to numerous friends and lib- rary staff members who contributed time material and infor- mation freely appreciation is extended norman E ricks illlillii CONTENTS chapter page I1 introduction 0 0 0 0 1 II11 PHYSICAL FEATURES 0 0 0 0 elowio910loio10.10 III111 TRADERS AND TRAPPERS 18 liilil A IV SCATTERED SETTLERS 03 V ORGANIZED settlement 188318841883 1884 511 VI developments 1885188188918851889188 1889 86 VII THE MORMONS AND IDAHO POLITICS iioilo110.110 VIII POLYPOLYGAMYGAffgawf AND THE COURTS 138 IX CLOSING YEARS OF FIRST DECADE igl161 iv LIST OPOF illustrations plate page I1 TETON RIVER AT FLOOD STAGE 0 17 II11 MAP OF SOUTH ldaidalioIDAIDAHOiiolio 477 liililIII111 BANNOCK STAKESTA OF ZION 588 IV BANNOCK STAKE ACADEMY 1889 98 V CANALS IN UPPER SNAKE RIVER BASIN 109 VI RICKS COLLEGE 1949 172 VII PLAN OF REXBURG 17175 v CHAPTER I1 introduction the most interesting and important place in the world is where a man lives his home becomes the finest place on earth regardless of its merits in relation to other habitats after years of residence the history of the country takes on reality and significance and a long acquaintance reveals ele- ments of romance and adventure that enhance ones love of his surroundings this is one of the reasons for this thesis topic during a young impressionable life the stories of indians trappers pioneers rustlers and polyspolygamistst have been co- nstantly a part of the environment of the author long trips in the mountains hunting fishing camping and logging have added to this feeling of veneration and fondness for the coun- try others have written many of these early events down but a complete synchronization does not appear in any one place added to the fondness for the region is a genuine feel- ing that here is a peculiar chapter in western american history that has not been completely written this section of idaho has been entirely neglected by most historiographhistoriographersers even the reports of the territorial governors were silent on the settle- ment and conquest of this region whether this neglect has been purposefully or innocently done is not fully clear 1 2 political ostracism seems apapparentTarent in earlier writings though location is Droprobablybablybabiya greater factor this peculiar valley between the forks of the snake river was largely isolated until ten years after its settlement most idaho history was written about the seat of government and about the communities that could be visited by railroad for that reason mainly little was included of this section in early writings the geography of southeastern idaho also places this section in a poor posi- tion in relation to the early settled parts of southern centr- al and northern idaho the history of this section is very closely connected with utah the people today still trade and visit utah much more than boise the state capitol many more students attend utah universities than moscow this is readily understandable for two reasons one the distance and two the religious and social background and affiliation of the people in the matter of distance it is 380 miles from redburgrexburg the center of this study to the state capitol at boise while it is only 260 miles to salt lake city and less than 200 to logan salt lake city and provo are all much closer the shop- ping centers at logan ogden and salt lake city are corres- pondinglypondingly closer and more selective than boise all freight and produce from the east coast or california dassnasspass through utah before reaching boise and are that much nearer for southeastern idahoansIdahoans in religious affiliation and social background there is 3 even a more convincing tie between utah and southeastern idaho the people after over sixty years of settlement are still predominantly latter day saint the first permanent settle- ments were offspring of utah parents notably cache valley a distance of some 190 miles many of the settlers had parents or near relatives living in utah the close supervision of the colonization by church authorities and actual financial assis- tance all helped draw the ties a little closer A great part of this feeling came during the isscsisacs1880ts as a result of the persecution and prosecution resulting from the belief of the latter day saints in polygamy another element of this tie arose from the similarity of social background as a result of church membership wherever there was a group of latter day saints they met together for worship and recreation the uni- tary nature of worship and recreation made them feel similarly welcome regardless of where they met the predominant membership of the early settlers in the church of jesus christ of latter day saints makes this study peculiar in itself another singular element is the period of colonization oregon had been settled and had obtained state- hood many years previously the indians had been on reservat- ions for many years and in most parts of the west railroads roads bridges and modemmodern conveniences were the order one hundred years after the constitution was adopted rexburgredburg had no rail connection no direct bridge connection with other 4it settlements and the buildings were mostly crude log houses within a few miles abundant deerdeensdeeps antelopantelopeantelopesev elk and bear were available another peculiarity to this region and study is the political disfranchismentdisfranchisement of an entire section of a state within the great american republic here was a people with- out ability to vote teach school testify as a witness in court hold any public office or enjoy the privilege of citizen- ship for these reasons and many others this appeared to be a chapter of history worthy of writing there is little indi- cation that this section of country will ever be a thriving metropolis with modern methods of agriculture replacing the animal and manual method it is likely that the present pop- ulation is about as large as can comfortably be maintained fromprom this type community comes the stabilizing influence so much needed in the modern world there are possibly valuable lessons for america in many aspects of this study for that reason only as the citizens of this region take their place in a modeamodemmodern world and rise or sink upon its perplexing stream will the sacrifices of their progenitors be condemned or vindi- cated As a result of the peculiar actors in this drama some explanation will be indulged here to clarify terms and circum- stances that will appear in the main study the circumstances above indicate the close affinity of southeastern idaho and 5 utah some explanation of the latter day saint church organi- zation may be beneficial to those not acquainted with its organization and the part it played in western history the church of jesus christ of latter day saints is founded on the princprincipleiDle of divine revelation standing at the head is a president with two counselors the president is reco nizednihed as the authorized mediator between god and the church he is regularly sustained as prophet seer and revelator also president of the church directly under the president is a borumnorunrorumquorumuorumuorumrunnun of twelve apostles also sustained as prophets seers and revelatorsrevelatory for the whole church next in the descending chain of command is the quorum of seventy who act as traveling missionaries and assist the twelve apostles in missionary acti- vity and administration the temporal administration is carried on by a presiding bishop and two