In 1859, President Brigham Young of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon), sent Jacob Hamblin on a second trip to visit the Moqui/Hopi Indians. The 1859 company consisted of Marion J. Shelton, Thales Haskell, Taylor Crosby, Benjamin Knell, Ira Hatch and John William Young. As was the usual custom, the expedition left in the Fall after the farm crops had been harvested and reached the Hopi villages on November 6. The explorers used the "Ute Ford" also known as the Crossing of the Fathers.
Unless you have experienced the combination of wind and cold on the Colorado Plateau, you can have no idea of the hardship these early explorers suffered. Temperatures can change more than 40 degrees in a 24 hour period. In the winter the temperatures fall well below freezing, but the wind blows nearly every day and the wind chill factor can fall into the single digits.
Again in 1860 Jacob Hamblin was sent as a missionary to the Hopi villages. This 1860 expedition had George A. Smith, Jr., the son of an apostle of the Church, Thales Haskell, Jehiel McConnell, Ira Hatch, Isaac Riddle, Amos G. Thornton, Francis M. Hamblin, James Pearce and an Indian guide, Enos. The party tried to cross the Colorado at the Paria without success. After finally crossing the Colorado at the Crossing of the Fathers, the party was immediately attacked by Navajo Indians. Smith was shot by the Indians when he inadvisedly gave his revolver to an Indian to inspect it. The party continued on despite the threats of the Indians.
As James H. McClintock narrates, "The Indians readily admitted responsibility, stating that it was in reprisal for the killing of three Navajos by palefaces and they demanded two more victims before the Mormon company would be allowed to go in peace. The situation was a difficult one for Jacob, but he answered bravely, "I would not give a cent to live after I had given up two men to be murdered; I would rather die like a man than live like a dog." Jacob went out by himself and had a little session of prayer and then the party started northward, flanked by hostile Navajos, but accompanied by four old friendly tribesmen. Smith was taken along on a mule, with McConnell behind to hold him on. Thus it was that he died about sundown. His last words, when told that a stop could not be made, were, "Oh, well, go on then; but I wish I could die in peace." The body was wrapped in a blanket and laid in a hollow by the side of the trail, for no stop could be made even to bury the dead.
About a week later, Santa Clara was reached by the worn and jaded party, sustained the last few days on a diet mainly of pinon nuts."
Source unless noted:
McClintock, James H. Mormon Settlement in Arizona; a Record of Peaceful Conquest of the Desert. 1921.
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