CHAPTER NINE

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The Indians of the Great Basin and Utah originally belonged to the Shonshonean Nation which was later divided into several distinct tribes, among whom were the Comanche’s, Bannocks, Paiutes, and Utes. Of these, the Paiutes and Utes were the dwellers of Utah; the Paiutes inhabited the eastern part of Nevada and southern Utah while the Utes, a much larger division of people, inhabited the valleys along the Uintah Mountains and the Green River to as far south as the San Juan country of the state, and in Colorado. Smaller bands of Utes resided in the valleys of the Great Salt Lake, Utah, Sevier and San Pete in the central region of the state.

From a government report dated 1854, we rely on the following description of the Utes specifically:

jib The Utes are a separate and distinct tribe of Indians, divided into six bands, each with a head chief as follows: The Tabehaches, Chief Aug bran; the Cibriches, Chief Inyah; The Timpangos, Chief Wahka (Walkara); the Pichas, Chief Chwoopah. All speak the same language (of the UtoAztecan family of languages) and are characteristic substantially by the same habits and manners but occupy different localities in their country which is west of the Rio Del Norte and north of the Navajo country.

The Utahs are hardy and athletic Indians, and can endure much hardship and fatigue. They are brave, impudent and warlike and are reputed to the best fighters in the territory, both as regards (to) skill and courage. They are of a revengeful disposition and believe in the doctrine of retaliation in all its length and breadth, and never forget an injury. They are well skilled in the use of firearms and are generally well supplied with rifles, which they handle with great dexterity, and shoot with accuracy. Whilst these Indians use the rifle principally in both peace and war, the other wild tribes in New Mexico rely mainly on the bow and arrow. The male Utahs wear long, braided cues reaching the ground, while the females wear short hair.

Walkara, chief of the Tim

gos (Timpanogos) and usual leader of the San Pete, Utes, was one of the greatest Chiefs of the Ute Nation; tall, very muscular, he was also petulant, quarrelsome, treacherous, and warlike. Yet, in all his treachery, his word of trust was never broken with either white or red. '

Chief Walker, as the white settlers called him, was not an old chief, having been born on the banks of the Spanish Fork River in about the year 1815, but he was one of the most noted of the Ute Indian chiefs. Walker had

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. x , A. m)_

Ute Chieftain Walkara (Walker) and his            Chief Washakie of the Shoshone Band

brother Aropene (Walker on left).        

Utah Historical Society Historical Society

proven his courage as a warrior in many battles with tribal enemies, vet he has been labeled a confirmed coward by some and these same accusers profess that his cowardice was only hidden by a bold front. An example of this theory is found in the following, presented here in an effort to describe the character of one of this narrative's more important individuals and not to discredit his bravery:

When the pioneers came into the valley of the Great Salt Lake in 1847. a large number of Indians were encamped in Spanish Fork Canyon. As soon as the news reached them of the arrival of the pioneers, the Indians held a council to determine what course they should pursue in relationship to the whites. Walker urged his braves to go down and clean out the whites from their valleys; but Sowiette advised them to let the Mormon pioneers alone, and pursue the policy of peace toward them, saying that they perhaps, like the Ute Nation, had been driven to the Rocky Mountains for security. 7

his view of the pioneers, Sowictte had obtained from his scouts, who had already interview ed them. The(, fiery young warriors were mostly with Walker, while the older and wiser heads were with Sowiette, and thus the council was divided. .W length the controversy ran so high, and the implication of cowardice having been hurled at the old peace chief, Sowiette in his indignation and royal wrath, took his riding whip and flogged the war chief Walker to make him behave himself. From that day to the day of hi, death, the old Indian king (Sowiette) always advocated peace with the Mormons, and he never took part in subsequent wars to fight the settlements.'

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Another example of Walker's alleged "cowardice" occurred when Chief Washakie of the Shoshones, often referred to as "The Friend of Peace," and a personal friend of Brigham Young, challenged Walker to a fight after a particularly severe argument. The policies of Walker and Washakie often clashed and the challenge was inevitable.

But Walker refused to fight whereas Washakie called him a dog, the worst epithet one Indian could throw at another. When Walker still curtly refused to fight, Washakie stepped forward, snatched Walker's tomahawk from his hand and tossed it away. Such scorn would not have been tolerated by any other Indian, yet Walker did nothing. It would seem that, instead of cowardice, Walker's personality was such that he simply refused to fight when he knew he was in the wrong.

There is patent evidence that Walker, coward or no, was feared greatly by white and Indian alike from Mexico to the western sea. His name in the Ute dialect meant "Brass" and though he was named perhaps for another purpose, the title suited him well. The smaller and weaker tribes feared him most of all because he and his band would often steal or capture their Indian women and children and take them to California or New Mexico where they would trade them for horses, guns or other valuables.

Walker and his group were an enterprising band, for many times they roamed as far east as the Great Plains to kill buffalo and to trade, and historians tell us that he and his braves made a number of excursions into southern California, Mexico and even north into Idaho and Oregon where they robbed ranchers of thousands of horses.

Chief Walker's brother was called Aropene2 and it has been said of him that he was a cruel man, even more daring and impetuous than his brother; more passionate, yet more ungovernable. It would be a difficult thing indeed, for any white man to break his barrier of hostility and place himself in the good graces of this chief and his arrogant brother, but this is exactly what Brigham Young proposed to do.

The Mormon leader had early adopted the doctrine that "it is far better to feed the Indians than to fight them," and this policy had paid off well while crossing the plains. Not only did the Indians not molest a Mormon wagon train, but often would escort and protect them.

Chief Washakie of the Shoshones was especially instrumental in escorting Mormons through the hostile country from South Pass to Fort Bridger, one of the worst sections of the trail to travel insofar as Indian danger was concerned. Washakie, although he did frequently escort other trains, never refused a Mormon wagon train.

Once, when asked by the wagon master of a non

Mormon train why the chief refused to escort his train, Washakie replied, "You are not Mormon you are Americat (American) 1" And to Washakie, that was reason enough.

Possibly one of the primary reasons the Indians became partial to the Mormons in the beginning was the Book of Mormon, often called the "Indian's Bible," though this is, in part, a misconception.

2Aropene'S real name was Siegnerouch, but he was called Arapeen, Aropene and Arrow Pine.

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Mormons believe that Indians ale descendants of common ancestors called "Lamanitcs" originating from the patriarch Lehi in Jerusalem about 600 B.C. There

fore was adopted the doe trine of friendship toward ill] Indians. Brigham Young sent gifts of food and clothing, as much as could be spared by his people, to ill] of the various villages throughout Zion.

These gifts Chief Walker accepted reluctantly but could not quite comprehend. This was the first time a white man had ever offered gift and asked nothing in return but friendship. To Chief Walker this was the ultimate in the unbelievable. And so Walker decided that he must meet this great Mormon Chief who gave free gifts and for whom other chiefs were valiant.

Meanwhile, Brigham Young was already involved in the settling of Walker's southern lands. From an epistle dated March 1849, issued at Salt Lake City by President Young, we quote:

We are about to establish it colony of about thirty families in the Utah Valley, about fifty miles south." We hope soon to explore the valleys three hundred miles south and also the country its far its the Gulf of California with a view to settlement and to acquire a seaport

In June of 1849, Chief Walker appeared at Salt Lake City at the head of a delegation of Indians intent on interviewing Brigham Young and learning his intentions towards expansion and colonization and his policies of dealing with the Indians of Utah.

The meeting must have been a memorable one for both Young and Walker, for they were both very strong

willed individualists. But Walker came away from that meeting impressed and satisfied elf the Mormon leader's intentions; Brigham Young had told him, "No Indian will be turned from a Mormon's door as long as I remain their chief." Walker then asked Brigham Young to send colonists to the Sanpete Valley to teach his people how to build homes and plant crops, as they saw being done in the Salt Lake Valley.

This was the very first attempt Walker had ever made alt peace and his sharp eyes and keen mind recorded much of what he saw in Salt Lake City. One example being the pronounced lack of money among the Mormons in trading with his delegation, as well it’s the many emigrants on their way to California. This one item will play much importance in our narrative its we shall see.

In August of 1849, Brigham Young sent an exploring party to the Sanpete Valley to examine its potential. The company consisted of D.B. Huntington, an interpreter; Joseph Horn; W. `W. Phelps; and Ira Willis. Walker accompanied the party as it guide and they camped the first day alt the Sanpete Valley on the present site elf Manta, August 20th, and were entertained that evening by the Indians. After several days and finding everything favorable, the party returned to Salt Lake City and gave their report to Brigham Young.

"Provo Utah. Colonists continued no settle this place until altercations arose "with the Indians Author Kerry Boren's great

grandfather it and at author Gale Rhoades great

grandfather. t. Coleman was en was one of the first of III I, (. pioneers His home IN its neat the mouth of Provo (:anon. near present dale Orem. Utah

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By late autumn a company of fifty families left Salt Lake City for the Sanpete Valley with the intention of colonization. They were under the leadership of Isaac Motley. Seth Taft and Charles Shumway. They would establish the first of a series of pioneer comminutes, and most impor

tantly, perhaps, teach the Indians as per Walker's request how to build homes and plant crops.

From this point in time until July of 1852, what occurred between Brigham Voting, Indian Chief Walker, and Thomas Rhoades, or for that matter, how it occurred, is completely conjecture and history alone cannot reveal the complete story 0C their growing friendships. However, of this much we can be certain.'

In July of 1852. an agreement was made between Chief Walker of the Ute Nation! Brigham Young and Thomas Rhoades, to the effect that Walker would give to the church all the gold that organization needed if the origin of the gold be kept secret. Why this arrangement was made can only he supposed that Walker, having been baptized into the church by his close friend, Isaac Morley,4 thought the Mormons were a good people and that he should do all in his power to aid them.

That which has been inherited by the Rhoades family, concerning to knowledge of the strange circumstances mentioned above, is the following piece of information:

Chief Walker set down three specific conditions that were to be strictly adhered to before Thomas Rhoades could enter the mountains for the purpose of obtaining the precious gold; they were:

(I)        The location of the gold would be revealed only to one man, mutually trusted by Brigham Young and the Utes; this man would he kept tinder constant surveillance at all times while in the area and Brigham Young himself, for purposes of assurance, would not know the location of the gold.

(2)        The penalty of death would automatically he incurred upon the man chosen to retrieve the gold if he gave the secret of its location to any man or attempted to bring out the gold without the permis

sion of the Utes, expressly Walker or the head chiefs, though he could bring out as much of the precious metal as he could pack for the use of the church, Any white man who attempted to follow the chosen man to the gold's location would also stiffer the death penalty.

(3)        Walker expressed the fact that the Indians would not, at any time, assist in the mining of the gold, since no large scale operation was necessary anyway and they needed only little for their own use. Besides, the Utes were hunters, not miners, and they were still seething from the forced labor pushed upon them only years earlier by the Spaniards.

At this, Brigham Young himself imposed one condition.' that Walker should take an oath upon the Book of Mormon  to insure that he would not break his word and was not speaking with a "forked tongue." This Walker

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FOOTPRINTS IN THE WILDERNESS

Readily agreed to do, but only if Brigham Young and the man entrusted with the gold would make the covenant also, and in his presence

 all of which was agreed upon.

It is understandable, in the light of these facts that Brigham Young had to be very particular about the choice of the man who would be entrusted with such a secret. It is easily comprehendible what the consequences might have been if this man were to let the secret out; certainly there would have been death, for Walker was very explicit on this point. Most probably, it would have resulted in war with the Utes and it definitely would have resulted in a gold rush, which would likely have surpassed that of California and would have shattered the progress of the Mormon Church. These are astounding presumptions, but nevertheless true.

Brigham Young had many trusted men within the church; Porter Rockwell, who would pledge his immortal life

' for the faith; Parley P. Pratt, who had proven himself more than once; Father Isaac Money

 no man knew Chief Walker better or could handle the Indians as well as he; but what one of these had all the qualifications that Thomas Rhoades possessed in abundance? It would take a man experienced in hardships, able to care for himself in any situation, having knowledge of gold and mining in general, and preferably a man who could speak the Ute language fluently. Thomas Rhoades was the wise and logical choice.

Rhoades was very familiar with the Uintah Mountains, having pioneered much of the back reaches and spent many weeks hunting and trapping in the primitive area of the range, Utah's highest and most inaccessible. Rhoades was not only familiar with the Utes but also friendly with them, and he was also their interpreter from time to time, therefore having an extensive knowledge of both their habits and their language. His days on the early frontiers of Kentucky and Illinois qualified him as an excellent backwoodsman, and he was an able Indian fighter when necessary. He was a qualified surveyor, and from the mining fields of California he brought his experience as a miner and goldsmith. Arid, there was no man in all Utah that Brigham Young trusted more.

It has been said by some that Thomas Rhoades did not at first get the gold directly from its source, that probably the gold was extracted by the Indians themselves, brought to a prearranged point and their carried into Salt Lake City by Rhoades. But we think not, for Walker was very explicit about that part of the agreement; that the Indians "would not, at any time, assist in the mining of the gold."

However, from evidence compiled, we assume that only a few trips for the gold did take place between the years of 1852 and 1855 while Walker was still alive, probably no more than six or seven in all

 more likely less. And, to cover the mysterious absences, which Thomas Rhoades necessarily took, the rumor was spread that he was away in the mountains to hunt arid to trap. Thus it was that Rhoades early gained the reputation of a hunter and a trapper, when actually his real occupation would have shocked even

Rockwell h as early given a blessing by the Mormon Prophet Joseph Smith, " herein the prophet [old him that no bullet would ever harm him. I time to his prophecy, through an III,

 of unbelievable danger.

Rockwell was shot al uncountable tunes, but never grazed.

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his closest friends to the core. Of course, that he was an excellent mountaineer cannot be disputed in any case.

Then, early in the summer of 1853, altercations arose between Chief Walker and Brigham Young, brought about by the church's anti

slavery policy. Walker was an incorrigible horse thief and ranged far and wide in his forays. Walker's band would often pick up captives which they in turn sold to the Mexicans or other dealers in the slave trade. Often, some of the poorer Indians

 such as the Piedes and the Navajos

 sold their very children in order to obtain food for the remainder of the family. Girls from twelve to eighteen were especially in demand and brought high prices in Mexico.

The actual cause for the uprising which followed was the white traders who frequently bought captives from the Utes and sold them to the Mexicans for a substantial profit. Authorities in Utah soon upbraided these traders, who in turn presented a written permit by the governor of New Mexico, allowing them to carry on such trades with the Utes "in all their various localities." Brigham Young, who was at that time governor of Utah Territory, protested that this action was in strict violation of the laws of both the territory and the nation, and he wrote a letter to the Utah Legislature to the effect that "No property can or should be recognized as existing in slaves, either Indian or African." The law thus stated, it was soon adopted.

The white slave traders retaliated by supplying the Utes with arms and ammunition and rallying them to war, encouraging them by saying that the Mormons were infringing upon the Indians' age

old natural rights. Now that the Utes had a cause to war with the settlers, all they needed was the occasion.

According to Indian custom, a brave had the right to beat his squaw and in Springville, a Ute was exercising this privilege when a white settler interfered. Blows were exchanged and the Ute was consequently killed. Here, then, was the occasion.

Chief Walker was encamped at this time on Peteetneet Creek at the mouth of Payson Canyon with his band of warriors. Possibly there would have been no trouble when the word of the wife beater's death reached Walker's camp had not a few of his more impetuous braves stole away that night into Payson where they shot and killed a man named Alexander Keele.

The death occurred on July 18, 1853 and Walker's brother, Aropene, was attributed with the killing. The next day Walker ordered his band into the mountains for he realized that the settlers would soon retaliate in turn. The same day some of the Indians fired upon the cattle guard at Pleasant Creek (now Mount Pleasant) and the next day a raid was perpetrated against the community of Manti.

On July 23 a full

scale battle took place at Pleasant Creek wherein about six Indians were killed and the remainder put to the hills. The settlers of Pleasant Creek moved into the little fort at Spring City which had been attacked twice already by Walker's Indians and where, on August 2, it was

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attacked again. All of the horses and cattle were driven away in the raid. A witness to these attacks has stated:

Two of the herding ponies eluded the Indians and returned to the fort, thereby giving the settlers a means of communication with Manti, the only point from which relief could be expected. A messenger was dispatched immediately, and by riding across the valley, then south, succeeded in evading the vigilant Indian scouts patrolling the eastern trail. The express messenger reached Manti at three in tile afternoon When the news was received, drums were sounded, cattle collected, and sentries posted at all the prominent points, while hasty preparations were made for sending relief to Spring City. Three wagons, with twelve yoke of oxen hitched to each, accompanied by teamsters and twelve mounted guards, left as quickly as possible, reaching Spring City ;It daylight the next morning. The colonists were taken to Manti, and given quarters in a fort that had been built that year. 6

Another account, this time by Jezreel Shoemaker, a guard at the gristmill near the mouth of Manti Canyon, tells of the preparations against Indian attack during the uprising.

At night we lay in the brush, near the mill, and listened for any sound that might tell of the approach of Indians. We kept our guns loaded, and were ready at a given signal to protect the building, if need he. The Indians tried hard to darn the stream that feel the mill pond, but were unable to carry out their plans. For over a month the little (hill was never left without a heavy guard. After the grain had been ground into flour, we relinquished the guard, and the mill was burned in the winter.,

Aropene and his followers had repeatedly made cattle raids against Payson and some of the other southern settlements, but no all

out attack had yet been perpetrated. In Payson, it was feared that such ail attack might take place and so men from Payson, Spanish Fork, Springville and Provo joined to form a pursuit posse. From Salt Lake City came an additional 100 armed and mounted men. What came to be known in Utah history as the "Walker War" was about to commence.

It will not be necessary here to record in detail all of the incidents which occurred during this conflict as they have been covered extensively in other sources and except for detouring the journeys of Thomas Rhoades into the Uintah Mountains for gold during the summer of 1 1353 they have no direct bearing on our story, bill suffice it to say that through the summer and fall of 1853 and into the late spring of 1854, the Indian depredations steadily increased.

A white settler at Springville was wounded and then another at Nephi. Messengers sent from the Sanpete Valley to Salt Lake City were attacked enroute by more than twenty of Walker's band and two men were killed and one man wounded in a skirmish in Parley's Canyon just cast and very close to Salt Lake City. In Manti two more whites were shot and killed near

°Levi Edger Young. 1111: 1 OUNDING ()t l' 1 .\11

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a gristmill on the outskirts of the settlement and another in a nearby field. In Fillmore a guard was killed and shortly thereafter, while transporting a load of wheat to Salt Lake City, four more men were killed. But the most tragic of all perhaps, was the senseless deaths in Millard County of Lieutenant John W. Gunnison8 and the seven men under his command

 all of whom were brutally massacred while peacefully exploring and mapping the Sevier Lake for the United States Government.

Portrait of Captain John Williams Gunnison (1812

1853).

Utah Historical Society

Chief Walkara, as painted in 1854 by Solomon Nunes Carvalho. Born about 1815, died January 29, 1855. From a portrait hanging in the Thomas Gilcrease Museum of Western Art, Tulsa Oklahoma.

Finally, during the late spring of 1854, Brigham Young decided to travel into southern Utah in an effort to encourage his people and with hopes of speaking personally to Chief Walker about peaceful negotiations towards the settlement of their differences. He knew that whites had been the cause of the war and that whites would then have to make the first effort to settle it.

While at Nephi, Governor Young received word that he could council with the chief by going to the Indian camp some twelve miles from the town. Accompanied by Heber C. Kimball, Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor, Lorenzo Young, Ezra T. Benson, Erastus Snow, Parley P. Pratt, General Wells, and about fifty mounted men from Nephi, Governor Young arrived at the Indian camp where he sent word to the lodge of Walker that he would like to speak with him. Walker promptly returned the message that if the governor wished to see him, he would then have to come to his teepee and he would leave his camp to see no one. "If the

Lieutenant Gunnison was a personal friend of Brigham Young. Although he was not a Mormon, he was well liked by the people of Utah. He wrote a book from his careful study of the industrial, social, and political life of the Mormons which he published prior to his untimely death

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mountain will not come to Mahomet," said Brigham Young, "Mahomet must go to the mountain."

Brigham Young took with him sixteen head of cattle plus blankets, clothing, trinkets, and arms and ammunition to the chief as gifts. Though weapons and supplies may seem an unusual offering for peace, Brigham Young declared that it was far better to give the Indians rifles and cartridges so that they could hunt for their meat, than to have them steal the cattle from the settlements; and he declared that it was far better to give them arms than to have them kill the white men for them.

As the entourage approached the lodge of Walker, a number of chiefs surrounded them and escorted them to the side of the War Chief. Here were gathered some of the Ute Nation's greatest chiefs together for the purpose of discussing the fate of their people, for war or peace; Ammon, Grosepine, Squash

head, Peteetneet, Kanosh, and Sanpete Indians of the Pahvant band.

The chief (Walker) was seated regally upon a massive buffalo robe, his blanket draped about his masculine shoulders. His gaze was steady and resolute; without a word he motioned for Brigham Young to be seated.

The meeting commenced after many long minutes of silence; an old chief arose and proclaimed in a shaky voice:

I am for war. I never will lay down my° rifle and tomahawk. Americats have no truth

 Americats kill Indian plenty

 Americats see Indian woman, he shoot her like deer

 Arnericats no meet Indian to fight, he have no mercy. One year gone, Mormon say, they no more kill Indian. Mormon no tell truth, plenty Yutas gone to Great Spirit

Mormon kill them. No friend to Americats more.9

By this time tears were rolling down the cheeks of aged Chief Sanpete who arose and spoke thus:

My son was a brave chief; he was so good to his old father and mother. One day, Way

ya was hunting rabbits its food for his old parents the rifle of the white man killed him. When the night came arid he was still absent, his old mother went to look for her son. She walked along. way through the thick brushes; at the dawn of day, the mother and the son were both away, and the infirm and aged warrior lonely. He followed the trail of his wife in the brush, and there he found the mother of his child lying over the body of Way

ya, both (lead front the same bullet. The old woman met her son. the Americats shot them both down. Old Sanpete can fight no more, his hand trembles, his eyes are dim, the murderer of his wife and brave Way

N a is still living. Sanpete no make peace with the Americats.'°

The old chief sank back onto his blanket and sobbed. Walker gave a few minutes of respectful silence and then told Brigham Young that he would speak to the Great Spirit that very night and give his decision the following day. A pipe of peace was passed to all assembled and they retired for the night.

'Milton R. Hunter, UTAH IN HER WESTERN SE 11 IN(.. "Ibid.

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Early the following morning, Brigham Young instructed his men to present the sixteen oxen, clothing, blankets, and arms and ammunition to Chief Walker, all of which the wily Mormon leader had saved as the coup de grace.

Assembled once again in the lodge of Chief Walker, the warrior chieftain gave his decision:

Wakara has heard all the talk of the good Mormon chief. No like to go to war with him. Sometimes Wakara take his men and go far away to sell horses. When he is absent, Americats come and kill his wife and children. Why not come and fight when Wakara is at home? Wakara is accused of killing Captain Gunnison. Wakara did not. Wakara 300 miles away when the Americat chief was slain. Americat soldiers hunt Wakara to kill him. Wakara hear it. Wakara come home. Why not Americats take Wakara? He is not armed. Wakara heart very sore. Americats kill Parvain Indian chief and Indian woman. Parvain (Pahvant) young men watch for Americats and kill them, because Great Spirit say; "Americats kill Indians; Indian kill Americats." Wakara no want to fight more. Wakara talk with Great Spirit. Great Spirit say; "Make peace." Wakara love Mormon chief. He is a good man. When Mormon first came to live on Wakara's land, Wakara give him welcome. He gave Wakara plenty bread and clothes to cover his wife and children. Wakara no want to fight Mormon; Mormon chief very good man; he bring plenty oxen to Wakara. Wakara talk last night to Payede, to Ka

hutah, Sanpete, Parvain,

 all Indian say "No fight Mormon or Americats more." If Indian kill white man again, Wakara make Indian howl.

Once again the pipe of peace was passed and Brigham Young and Chief Walker agreed upon a treaty of peace. In an effort to bind his friendship, Walker asked to accompany Governor Young's party through all of southern Utah as a guard and to show the people, white and Indian alike, that both factors were at peace once more.

The friendship between Brigham Young and Chief Walker was strengthened by time and Walker was prone to boast of this friendship. Whenever a white man would listen, Walker would hold up one thumb and say "Brigham Young great chief," then, protruding the other thumb skyward, would exclaim, "but Wakara great chief, tool"

On January 29, 1855, Chief Walker died at Meadow Creek, in Millard County, and in accordance with the old Indian custom, was buried in a large cliff of rocks, his tomb having been walled in and with all the honor bestowed upon an Indian of his rank. Two squaws, two Piede Indian slaves and fifteen of his horses were killed and buried with his remains. His most cherished possession was a hand

written letter from Brigham Young, received the very day of his death, and it was buried with him at his request.

Also buried with Walker were two of his children, a small boy and girl, and they were entombed alive with him so they could, as the Indians believed, scare away any evil spirits that might try to enter Walker's grave

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and to give him companionship or) his long journey to the Haply Hunt

 Grounds.

Several nearby white settlers had reported that they could hear the crying of the small children

 especially at night

 as the little unfortunates slowly starved to death, but they knew that if they were to attempt to find and rescue the Indian children, they themselves (night die at the hands of the Indians.

Walker's brother, Aropene, then ascended to the chieftainship of the Utes and proclaimed peace with the whites. '('his in itself came as quite a shook to the settlers for Aropene had been considered even more cruel and uncontrollable than was his brother. But after Walker's death a strange thing happened. Aropene changed his attitude toward the settlers and became in fact quite friendly and dorsal. The reason for this sudden change was very unusual

Shortly after the death of Walker in 1855, Aropene paid a visit to Brigham Young and informed the Mormon leader that he (Aropene) had had a vision. In this vision, he said, his brother, Walker, had appeared to him and told him not to make war with the Mormons because they were a good people. Also, Aropene reported, his brother had told him that the land did not belong to either the Indian or the white man, but to the Lord. Therefore, Aropene immediately, and without stipulation, deeded all of the county of Sanpete to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter

Day Saints.

Aropene also told Brigham Young that it had been his brother's last request that he tell the Mormon chief this thing: on the very day that Walker lay on his death bed, gifts had arrived front Brigham Young. Of course, Young had no idea that Walker was near death and the gifts were only a gesture of good will, but Walker thought it was Great Medicine that the Mormon chief could know that he was about to die and had sent him parting gifts. Thus, Walker had instructed Aropene to go to Salt Lake City after his death and cooperate with Brigham Young in retrieving more gold from the Uintah Mountains. And this isolated incident, which history has so unknowingly ignored, was the beginning of a saga of lost gold and death which rivals the best that fiction has ever produced.

However, it would be interesting, perhaps, to note that on Thomas Rhoades' first trip for the sacred gold in 1852 he had been absent from Salt Lake City only 14 days before he returned to Brigham Young's home with the first of the precious metal. And that first load "was pure; and weighing 62 pounds."t2

During the following weeks, many more of the new Mormon gold pieces were distributed and it was at this tune that much speculation arose as tot the origin of the gold, though no one knew for certain where Brigham Young had obtained it. It was at this time also that the rumor was intent spread" that this gold was donated by Thomas Rhoades from his hoard brought with him to Utah from California in 1849.

12RI HOADES FAMILY RECORDS, in the possession of Gal R Rhoades.

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For approximately three summers" Thomas Rhoads&*s secretly carried out his mission, making one or two trips to and from the mountains each summer and solely without incident. Then, late in June of 185`1 and was

unable to continue the rugged, trips into the mountains. For the gold this being the case, it then became necessary

for his son, Caleb, Baldwin Rhoades, to take the same oath and covenant and sign the

That his father had done and in the same manner while in the presence of Brigham Young and, this time, Chief Aropene.

,

There exists some uncertainty about the events, which preceded Caleb's oath and covenant. There is some evidence that Caleb Rhoades had accompanied his father into the location of the sacred gold before this time, but that he only was allowed to ride within a safe distance of the mine itself where he'd make a base camp near a natural cave and wait for the return of his father with the gold. If this is true, he was only 17 or 18 years of age at the time.

Caleb Baldwin Rhoades. At an early age he took an oath and fulfilled his father's secret mission.

Gale R. Rhoades

"There is evidence that this mission may have been curtailed during the summer of 1859 due to the hostilities of the Walker War.

"This agreement

 as well as any other mention of it cannot he found in the Church Historian's Office at Salt Lake City. Utah Due to its personal nature, it may have been kept among Brigham Young's personal papers and is perhaps now under the seal and protection of the General Authorities of the Church.

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FOOTPRINTS IN THE WILDERNESS

At any rate, his father being ill during that summer of 1855, Caleb (who was then 19) set out for the mine with a young Indian guide who was near his own age. Chief Aropene had instructed the young Indian guide that nothing must happen to young Rhoades, that the guide was to protect Caleb with his life if need be from other Indians with whom they came in contact while on the journey.

Only a choice few Utes actually knew the exact location of the sacred gold mine at that time and they would kill any white man that they came in contact with upon those grounds without valid reason. The death of Caleb Rhoades by any Indian would be the cause of great embarrassment in regards to the word of the Ute Chief and Aropene was very careful to insure his safety, as was Brigham Young.

The two young men started with a packhorse and a riding mount each. When meeting other Indians along the way, the young Indian guide would greet them, explain their mission and pass on unmolested. It is quite possible, in fact quite probable, that the guide was given some means of identification by the chief or medicine man, which would allow them to pass through in safety.

The two young men, Indian and white, took quite well to one another. The young brave could not speak English but Caleb, like his father, could converse intelligently in the Ute language and perhaps this, more than anything else, bonded the friendship of the two from the start. Caleb once stated: "Before our journey was over we were like brothers." In any event, Caleb was shown the place of the gold and he took what ore he could carry and returned unmolested  though undoubtedly observed  to Salt Lake City.

When Thomas finally recovered from his illness, both he and his son made a good many trips together into the Indian lands for the gold, during which time they were never molested by the Indians in any way. Thomas had made it a practice to take several gifts along for the Indians: pipes, tobacco, knives or whatever took the fancy of the Utes. The Utes thus became great friends of the two Rhoades', insomuch that they eventually accepted the both of them into the Ute tribe as full blood brothers. In fact. Malinda Rhoades Williams Morgan (Caleb's daughter) in speaking of her father during an interview with Delas Myers at Price, Utah Oil July 12. 1938 simply stated, "Father was respected almost as a white god among the Ute Indians due to his kindness toward them and his ability to speak their language."

According to Caleb Rhoades, that deposit of gold had never been overestimated nor exaggerated. Much of it was indeed so rich that the rock was,in Caleb's terminology,"rotten with gold"; that is to say, the rock

crumbled away and left merely the clusters of shiny yellow metal. And, Caleb swore the deposit could rightly be called "gold bearing rock" rather than "rock bearing gold." Enough could be brought out of the mountains on their pack animals in one trip to satisfy the current needs of the Mormon settlements for gold coinage and other uses, such as interior decorations for the various temples then under construction and eventually for the gold

THE RHOADES MINES AND TEMPLE GOLD      

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plating of the statue "Angel Moroni," which presently stands anchored on the topmost spire of the Temple at Salt Lake City.16

Inasmuch as there are always critics who demand certain proofs and since there are many others who do not believe that the Angel Moroni statue is actually plated with gold, but claim instead that it is only painted each year to retain its beautiful luster, we present the following information in an effort to provide conclusive proof of our claim ....Anchored to this granite globe is a figure wrought in copper, overlaid with gold; it stands over twelve feet high, and represents Moroni, an ancient Nephite prophet ....The design is that of a herald with a trumpet at his lips. The statue is the work of C.E. Dallin.17And, a short description of the Temple's interiorThe Terrestrial Room ....lofty, spacious, and beautiful. Its general effect is that of combined richness and simplicity ....the carpet is of lavender velvet woven with simple figures. The walls are of pale blue. The ceiling and woodwork of white with trimmings of gold.The Celestial Room ...in finish and furnishings it is the grandest of the large rooms within the walls ....massive cornices and beams separating the ceiling panels are richly embellished with clusters of fruit and flowers. The color scheme of the walls is soft brown relieved by the light blue of the fluted columns and by abundant trimmings in gold. Sealing Room for the Dead ....the west wall is occupied by a large mirror. In the center stands a richly upholstered alter finished in old rose velvet and gold. Here kneel in humble service the living proxies representing deceased husbands and wives, parents and children’s

Foster Rhoades of Hanna, Utah, has stated to the authors that he talked to Emmeline B. Wells in 1918 when she was Secretary Treasurer of the L.D.S. Church; that she had access to all or nearly all of the old Church records, and according to Foster Rhoades, Mrs. Wells stated that she had seen the records which show that Thomas Rhoades had given the Church gold, and a great deal of it .Another very reliable source, who has requested of the authors that his name remain anonymous for personal reasons (of whom the authors can certify to be a well noted and upstanding citizen), tells us that the L.D.S. Church to this very day has stored four bushels of this gold ore and that on the top of the rich ore lies several chunks of what appears to be pure yellow gold  near the size of a man's closed fist !Yet another account, this time from the mouth of the late Charles Edward Rhodest9 of Murray, Utah (author Rhoades' grandfather) tells us even more. Said he:

'6From the personal knowledge of Caleb Baldwin Rhoades. Authorities in the L.D.S. Church Historian's office admit that the statue is gold plated but they have no records to show where the gold came from.

James E. Talmage, THE HOUSE OF THE LORD. "A thesis by Wallace Alan Raynor, HISTORY OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SALT LAKE TEMPLE. courtesy of the L.D.S. Church Historian's Office. Salt Lake City. Utah.

"Again. a variation of the original spelling "Rhoades"; some members of the Rhoades family have adapted to this variation over the years.

P 124   FOOTPRINTS IN THE WILDERNESS

It's rather hard to believe for many that there was such a mine, but this is a fact: they (Thomas and Caleb Rhoades) (did bring gold out of those hills and they gave the Church over 16 bushels of pure gold, in which the Church used much of it for the Temple's interior decoration and to plate the Angel Moroni on top of the Temple.In retrospect, the following things should be made clear to the reader; the gold which went into the various Temples and upon the statue of the Angel Moroni, came from the Sacred Mine of the Utes (CarrieShin-Ob) i.e. the Lost Rhoades Mine; none of it at any time (save, perhaps, what they may have paid in tithing) came from the lost Spanish Mines which Caleb Rhoades later worked separately and apart from his church mission, which will be dealt with later oil in this narrative. Again, we emphasize the following

the Lost Rhoades Mine, from which came the sacred Ute gold for the Church, and the Spanish Mines which Caleb called the Rhoades Mine and the Pine Mine are two distinct and separate gold

producing properties. If this is not clear to you now, it will be later on