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Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 3, 6 May 1845–13 January 1846

6 May 1845 • Tuesday, continued Page 1 10 May 1845 • Saturday Page 4 9 September 1845 • Tuesday Page 13 30 September 1845 • Tuesday Page 33 4 October 1845 • Saturday Page 42 11 January 1846 • Sunday Page 85 13 January 1846 • Tuesday Page 109

Source Note

See source note under Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 1, 10 March 1844–1 March 1845.

Historical Introduction

See historical introduction under Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 1, 10 March 1844–1 March 1845.

Page [16]

Coun.
D. Spencer

20 July 1794–8 Dec. 1868. Rancher, merchant. Born in West Stockbridge, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Daniel Spencer and Chloe Wilson. Moved to Savannah, Chatham Co., Georgia, ca. 1816. Operated a mercantile business in Savannah. Returned to West Stockbridge...

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then arose to give a report of his mission to the West. Their mission was to the Seneca Indians. They proceeded about five hundred miles up the
Missouri River

One of longest rivers in North America, in excess of 3,000 miles. From headwaters in Montana to confluence with Mississippi River near St. Louis, Missouri River drains 580,000 square miles (about one-sixth of continental U.S.). Explored by Lewis and Clark...

More Info
and there met
brother [Lewis] Dana

1 Jan. 1805–8 June 1885. Farmer. Born in Oneida Co., New York. Son of Jonathan and Nelly Dana. Chief of Oneida Indian tribe, in New York. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, by May 1840. Received elder’s license, 13 May 1840, in Nauvoo...

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, from him they learned that
brother [Jonathan] Dunham

14 Jan. 1800–28 July 1845. Soldier, police captain. Born in Paris, Oneida Co., New York. Son of Jonathan Dunham. Married Mary Kendall. Moved to Rushford, Allegany Co., New York, by 1830. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and ordained...

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was dead.
26

Willard Richards noted in his journal that Spencer told him on 1 September that Dunham had “died about 5 weeks ago—with a fever,” placing his death around the latter part of July. William Clayton also recorded that Spencer told him that Dunham “died of a fever.” In his own journal Spencer provided more detail, saying that Dana explained to him on 18 August that Dunham had “died about 6 weaks sinc at an Indian Hous By the name of Rodgers who used him well during his ilness he was sick about 3 weaks was buried diacently [decently] by B Dany.” Nearly half a century later, Oliver Huntington told Seymour Young at a dinner in Provo, Utah, that after Dunham’s death there was a rumor in Nauvoo that Dunham had felt so much guilt over his failure to send troops to protect JS while JS was in the jail at Carthage in June 1844 that he had asked a “friendly indian” to “kill and bury him.” However, no evidence substantiates this reported rumor, and Huntington was hundreds of miles away in Nauvoo at the time of Dunham’s death. (Richards, Journal, 1 Sept. 1845; Clayton, Journal, 1 Sept. 1845; Spencer, Diary, 18 Aug. 1845; Seymour Young, Journal, 23 May 1903.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.

Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

Spencer, Daniel. Diaries, 1845–1857. CHL.

Young, Seymour B. Journal, Feb.–Aug. 1903. Seymour B. Young, Papers, 1857–1924. CHL.

They tarried five days
27

In his journal account of Spencer’s report, Clayton wrote that the missionaries stayed “five weeks” with the tribe. This appears to be an error as Spencer’s journal also describes the visit as being about four or five days long. (Clayton, Journal, 9 Sept. 1845; Spencer, Diary, 18–22 Aug. 1845.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

Spencer, Daniel. Diaries, 1845–1857. CHL.

with the Stockbridge tribe.
28

The Stockbridge Indians were transplanted Mohicans who had once resided around Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Much of the tribe removed under political and economic pressure to present-day northeastern Wisconsin in the 1820s. In the late 1830s the Stockbridge Mohicans split into two factions: the Wiskonsin Party, which wanted to remain in their recently acquired lands in Wisconsin Territory; and the Emigrant Party, which advocated joining other relocated American Indians west of the Missouri River. While the majority remained in Wisconsin, in 1839 a small group of Stockbridge established a settlement along the Kansas River near Fort Leavenworth. Dunham spent the summer of 1840 among this western band of the Stockbridge (and with the Kickapoo) shortly after their arrival in Indian Territory. Spencer stayed with this western branch of the Stockbridge tribe on his mission. (Oberly, Nation of Statesmen, 62–69; Dunham, Journal, 5–11 June 1840.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Oberly, James W. A Nation of Statesmen: The Political Culture of the Stockbridge-Munsee Mohicans, 1815–1972. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2005.

Dunham, Jonathan. Journals, 1837–1846. Jonathan Dunham, Papers, 1825–1846. CHL. MS 1387, fds. 1–4.

This tribe expressed great kindness towards them and the Mormons. They have considerable knowledge of the Mormons and of what is going on among us. Their interests seem to be identified with ours.
29

Spencer recorded that he arrived at the Stockbridge settlement on 18 August 1845. He and Charles Shumway were greeted there by George Herring, the brother of recent Mormon convert Joseph Herring. George Herring introduced them to Thomas T. Hendrick, the “chiefe of the Stockbrig Tribe A man of Good mind & much influen[ce] among his people.” Shumway had met Hendrick earlier, in May 1845, when he, Dana, Dunham, and Phineas Young visited with Hendrick and obtained a letter of recommendation to the Cherokee. In his letter of introduction on behalf of his “cousin Lewis Dana,” Hendrick stated that “the friends that are with my Cousin a traveling to the South, are true friends to the Indian Nations . . . their mission to you, is of great benefit to you, and all nations, both temperally and Spiritually— Their mission will serve to make our Union stronger, and stronger, Our path brighter, and brighter.” (Spencer, Diary, 18 Aug. 1845; Thomas Hendrick to Benjamin Fields, 18 May 1845, Lewis Dana, Correspondence, CHL.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Spencer, Daniel. Diaries, 1845–1857. CHL.

Dana, Lewis. Correspondence, 1845. CHL.

From
brother Dana

1 Jan. 1805–8 June 1885. Farmer. Born in Oneida Co., New York. Son of Jonathan and Nelly Dana. Chief of Oneida Indian tribe, in New York. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, by May 1840. Received elder’s license, 13 May 1840, in Nauvoo...

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they learned that the Cherokees had given permission for any number of our people to settle by them, and offered to lend us any assistance they could either to locate or to go West to explore.
30

In April 1845 Brigham Young instructed Dana, Dunham, and the other missionaries to the Cherokee and Comanche to “go to find out their feelings towards us, and whether they will admit us among them. When the brethren all meet together again, if they can find a suitable location, on this side the rocky mountains, where we can be safe & have a suitable place to locate our families, and find that we shall be received by the Indians, and be permitted to settle among them where we can instruct them, that is all we ask at present.” (Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 Apr. 1845.)


Brother [George] Herring has been with several tribes and says [p. [16]]
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 3, 6 May 1845–13 January 1846
ID #
11603
Total Pages
387
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • William Clayton

Footnotes

  1. [26]

    Willard Richards noted in his journal that Spencer told him on 1 September that Dunham had “died about 5 weeks ago—with a fever,” placing his death around the latter part of July. William Clayton also recorded that Spencer told him that Dunham “died of a fever.” In his own journal Spencer provided more detail, saying that Dana explained to him on 18 August that Dunham had “died about 6 weaks sinc at an Indian Hous By the name of Rodgers who used him well during his ilness he was sick about 3 weaks was buried diacently [decently] by B Dany.” Nearly half a century later, Oliver Huntington told Seymour Young at a dinner in Provo, Utah, that after Dunham’s death there was a rumor in Nauvoo that Dunham had felt so much guilt over his failure to send troops to protect JS while JS was in the jail at Carthage in June 1844 that he had asked a “friendly indian” to “kill and bury him.” However, no evidence substantiates this reported rumor, and Huntington was hundreds of miles away in Nauvoo at the time of Dunham’s death. (Richards, Journal, 1 Sept. 1845; Clayton, Journal, 1 Sept. 1845; Spencer, Diary, 18 Aug. 1845; Seymour Young, Journal, 23 May 1903.)

    Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.

    Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

    Spencer, Daniel. Diaries, 1845–1857. CHL.

    Young, Seymour B. Journal, Feb.–Aug. 1903. Seymour B. Young, Papers, 1857–1924. CHL.

  2. [27]

    In his journal account of Spencer’s report, Clayton wrote that the missionaries stayed “five weeks” with the tribe. This appears to be an error as Spencer’s journal also describes the visit as being about four or five days long. (Clayton, Journal, 9 Sept. 1845; Spencer, Diary, 18–22 Aug. 1845.)

    Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

    Spencer, Daniel. Diaries, 1845–1857. CHL.

  3. [28]

    The Stockbridge Indians were transplanted Mohicans who had once resided around Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Much of the tribe removed under political and economic pressure to present-day northeastern Wisconsin in the 1820s. In the late 1830s the Stockbridge Mohicans split into two factions: the Wiskonsin Party, which wanted to remain in their recently acquired lands in Wisconsin Territory; and the Emigrant Party, which advocated joining other relocated American Indians west of the Missouri River. While the majority remained in Wisconsin, in 1839 a small group of Stockbridge established a settlement along the Kansas River near Fort Leavenworth. Dunham spent the summer of 1840 among this western band of the Stockbridge (and with the Kickapoo) shortly after their arrival in Indian Territory. Spencer stayed with this western branch of the Stockbridge tribe on his mission. (Oberly, Nation of Statesmen, 62–69; Dunham, Journal, 5–11 June 1840.)

    Oberly, James W. A Nation of Statesmen: The Political Culture of the Stockbridge-Munsee Mohicans, 1815–1972. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2005.

    Dunham, Jonathan. Journals, 1837–1846. Jonathan Dunham, Papers, 1825–1846. CHL. MS 1387, fds. 1–4.

  4. [29]

    Spencer recorded that he arrived at the Stockbridge settlement on 18 August 1845. He and Charles Shumway were greeted there by George Herring, the brother of recent Mormon convert Joseph Herring. George Herring introduced them to Thomas T. Hendrick, the “chiefe of the Stockbrig Tribe A man of Good mind & much influen[ce] among his people.” Shumway had met Hendrick earlier, in May 1845, when he, Dana, Dunham, and Phineas Young visited with Hendrick and obtained a letter of recommendation to the Cherokee. In his letter of introduction on behalf of his “cousin Lewis Dana,” Hendrick stated that “the friends that are with my Cousin a traveling to the South, are true friends to the Indian Nations . . . their mission to you, is of great benefit to you, and all nations, both temperally and Spiritually— Their mission will serve to make our Union stronger, and stronger, Our path brighter, and brighter.” (Spencer, Diary, 18 Aug. 1845; Thomas Hendrick to Benjamin Fields, 18 May 1845, Lewis Dana, Correspondence, CHL.)

    Spencer, Daniel. Diaries, 1845–1857. CHL.

    Dana, Lewis. Correspondence, 1845. CHL.

  5. [30]

    In April 1845 Brigham Young instructed Dana, Dunham, and the other missionaries to the Cherokee and Comanche to “go to find out their feelings towards us, and whether they will admit us among them. When the brethren all meet together again, if they can find a suitable location, on this side the rocky mountains, where we can be safe & have a suitable place to locate our families, and find that we shall be received by the Indians, and be permitted to settle among them where we can instruct them, that is all we ask at present.” (Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 Apr. 1845.)

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