Ch. 5-6 Utah Pioneers

Ch. 5-6 Utah Pioneers

History of Utah Immigration Spanish Explorers (late 1700s) Mountain Men (early 1800s-1840) Mormon Pioneers (1847-1890) Workers for Railroad and Mines (1890s-1920) Hispanics looking for jobs (1910-1930) People escaping War (1950s) Refugees from Asia and Pacific Islands (1970-1980)

First Immigrants (1775-1840) Spanish Explorers Dominguez and Escalante Mountain Men These immigrants were not settlers and did not stay they were explorers and trappers

First Immigrant Settlers-Mormons Mormons arrive and settle in 1847 Mormon immigrants continue flowing into Utah up until about 1890 Another large Mormon migration happens in the 1950s after World War 2

Mining Immigrants (1860s-1890s) Patrick Conner, an army commander of soldiers in Utah, opened the first silver mine in Utah He became known as the Father of Utah Mining He wanted to make Utah more diverse and not so Mormon Recruited many miners from Ireland (he was Irish), Wales, and Britain Mormon and non-mormon settlers often did not get along very different goals

Railroad Immigrants (1868-1869) Chinese Railroad Workers Some also came from European countries to work on the railroad that went across Utah

Labor Agents In the early 1900s, Labor agents would recruit people from other countries to come to the U.S. Some agents had offices in Salt Lake City Leonidas Skliris (Greek) Recruited groups of Greek, Serbian, Albanian, and Lebanese Daigoro Hashimoto (Japanese) Recruited in Japan and Korea

Leonidas Skliris Because of Leonidas Skliris, Utah, Nevada, and Wyoming had the highest concentration of Greek immigrants in the U.S. in 1910 Salt Lake City still has an area known as Greek town and has a Greek festival every year

Temporary Immigrants: 1908-1920 Many immigrants came to earn money and then planned to return home 75 % of Greeks return to Greece 40% of Italians return to Italy Two groups typically stayed in Utah Germans (96% stay) British (92% stay)

Hispanic Immigration (1910-1930) Many Hispanics come from Mexico and other states looking for jobs This immigration slows down during the Great Depression More immigrate to Utah during World War 2 from nearby states Utah had a lot of jobs during the war due to military bases here

Modern Immigration After World War 2, a large number of Mormons from Europe escape their bombed cities and come to Utah (24,000) The Netherlands gives financial assistance to those wanting to leave to help overcrowding there many come to Utah

Modern Immigration to Utah Between 1970-1980 Utah becomes a popular destination for refugees fleeing other countries due to war and poverty. Utah had the fourth most refugees of any state Most refugees during these years come from Southeast Asia There are also immigrants from Latin America and some South Pacific Islands

Bilingual Utah In 1990, 120,000 (7% of population) people in Utah spoke a language other than English in their home Most (90%) also speak English fluently 40% speak Spanish 10% German

Mormons in Utah When Mormons came here, a few non-mormons came with, but Mormons were the main population that was not Native American By 1920, Mormon population reached is lowest level 60% Since 1960 it has remained steady at about 70%

Reasons for Immigration to Utah Some came to escape poor treatment Mormons Jews Some came for jobs Railroad Mines Some came to be with other Mormons Some came to escape war and poverty in their homes

Mormons Move and Move and Move From 1830-1847, Mormons as a group live in six different locations. Why did Mormons move around so often? Economic disagreements Sometimes Mormons would only shop at other Mormon stores, causing others to lose business Religious disagreements Beliefs were very different from other churches Polygamy Political disagreements Slavery Bloc voting they usually gathered in one place together

Mormon Trail Mormons decide to leave the United States and go to Mexico, led by Brigham Young Brigham Young is very organized and sets up many colonies throughout the west Young had the pioneers prepare for those that would follow they built houses, planted crops, cleared roads, built sturdy bridges, and built ferries

Crossing Iowa One of the most difficult parts of journey Mormons unprepared Leave Nauvoo, IL in early 1846 Winter Quarters, NE organized the following winter (1846-47)

Stops Along Trail in Iowa Mormons set up permanent camps in Iowa to make the trail easier for later pioneers Garden Grove 144 miles from Nauvoo 700 acres Mount Pisgah 35 miles from Garden Grove Several Thousand Acres of farms Council Bluffs 15,000 Acres of farms Three ferries Winter Quarters Became a city of 800 cabins and 3500 people

The Mormon Trail Why would the Mormon Trail be the same in many parts to the Oregon Trail? The American Southwest was owned by Mexico until 1848 and was called Upper- California

Trails West During the summer, the trail was basically one long line of wagons Traffic jams Sickness was common due to large amounts of human and animal waste along the trail often right next to the only water supply

Mormon Battalion Brigham Young asked President Polk for aid in helping Mormons go from Council Bluffs, IA to UT President Polk offered to pay Mormons to join the army in the fight against Mexico 543 Mormon men joined 33 women and 51 children came with their husbands and fathers The women cooked and did laundry

Mormon Battalion The commander assigned in Santa Fe was harsh Suffered from excessive heat Lack of food Improper medical treatment Forced long marches At Santa Fe, the women and children were sent to Pueblo, CO (about 300 miles away)

Mormon Battalion They were attacked by a herd of bulls in present day Arizona Anticipated a battle at Tucson, but Mexican soldiers left Moved into California in January Marched 2000 miles one of the longest military marches in history Helped build several buildings in Southern California

Mormon Battalion The Mormon Battalion never fought in any battles The Mormon Battalion was disbanded after one year Some reenlisted in Army Some joined a Mormon settlement in California Some were involved in discovery of gold Most joined their families in SLC

Roadometer William Clayton was assigned to track the amount of miles travelled each day on Mormon Trail He tied a red flag to a wagon wheel and counted the number of revolutions it made during the day He got tired of counting revolutions, so he thought of a device that could be used to measure the distance of a wagon and with the help of Orson Pratt, they came up with the plans for the roadometer

Emigrant s Guide William Clayton used the roadometer to measure the entire distance from Winter Quarters to Salt Lake City He compiled it in a guidebook telling distances between locations, good camping locations, and locations of creeks and rivers. It was mainly used by Mormon pioneers, but also by California Gold seekers (gold was discovered the same year)

To Utah By Sea Samuel Brannan led a group of pioneers from the East Coast to the West by sea a six month voyage by ship. After landing in San Francisco, most traveled to Utah. He tried to get Brigham Young to settle California instead of Utah, but Young refused (he arrived about a year before pioneers got to Utah)

What if?????

Samuel Brannan Brannan stayed behind and became very wealthy (first California millionaire) Found gold, operated banks, and railroad and telegraph companies during the Gold Rush. Brannan played a large role in organizing what is now San Francisco Started its first newspaper Was accused of using tithing paid to him to buy land in Sacramento Also owned land in Southern California and Hawaii

Samuel Brannan When he organized the pioneer trek by sea, he was an active Mormon Was excommunicated from the church several times Although he made a lot of money, he eventually lost it all and died without enough money for a funeral

Crossing the Plains in oxen-pulled wagons (1847-1860) Traveled in groups or trains Typical pioneer on Oregon Trail Could carry a lot of supplies, but was expensive to buy wagon and oxen

Handcarts (1856-1860) Cheap way to transport many people to Utah. Babies and small children rode, everyone else walked. Carts could carry about 500 lbs. About 6-7 feet long More than 3,000 people took handcarts to Utah

Willie and Martin Handcart Companies Did not even leave England until May By the time they arrived in Iowa City, church leaders were not expecting more emigrants Took several weeks to build carts and supply them for the trek Handcarts had to be repaired after only 200 miles because they were built too quickly. While carts were being repaired, they met with local church members about whether to press on or stay for the winter

Willie and Martin Handcart Companies Most church elders there urge them to press on, thinking they will be protected by God One returning missionary and Mormon Battalion member (Levi Savage) thought that since they had several elderly, children, and women they should stay or many would suffer or even die About 100 decide to stay until the spring, but most (about 400 including Savage) continue on the trail not leaving until about the last week of August The two companies leave about a week apart

Willie and Martin Handcart Companies About 400 miles down the trail, wagons traveling with them lose most of their cattle to a bison stampede, so each handcart must carry an additional 100 pounds of flour Word is received in Utah in October that the group is still on the trail They reach Fort Laramie, WY in October (most pioneers get supplies there)

Willie and Martin Handcart Companies No supplies were available at Ft. Laramie, so pioneers started eating less food per day and dumped clothing and blankets along the trail As soon as Brigham Young hears they are still on the trail, he asks for volunteers to form a rescue party Two days later, 27 wagonloads of food and supplies leave Salt Lake City headed for the pioneers

Willie and Martin Handcart Companies Within a month, 250 relief wagons are on the trail from Utah to rescue them On October 19 th a blizzard halts the progress of the pioneers and the rescue party At about this time, the food of the emigrants runs out and they have to kill their remaining cattle for food

Willie and Martin Handcart Companies Significant numbers of the Willie and Martin Companies start to die On October 23 rd the Willie Company has to go up one of the steepest parts of the trail through knee-deep snow 13 emigrants die that night The Martin Company was making its last crossing of the Platte River when the storm hits

Willie and Martin Handcart Companies Many get frostbite or hypothermia from the cold river Before they are reached by the rescue party, 56 die

Willie and Martin Handcart Companies The leader of the rescue party, George D. Grant, reported this to Brigham Young: imagine between five and six hundred men, women and children, worn down by drawing hand carts through snow and mud; fainting by the wayside; falling, chilled by the cold; children crying, their limbs stiffened by cold, their feet bleeding and some of them bare to snow and frost. The sight is almost too much for the stoutest of us; but we go on doing all we can, not doubting nor despairing.

Willie and Martin Handcart Companies On November 4 th, they had to cross the Sweetwater River in Wyoming. 2 feet deep 100 feet wide Floating ice Willie Company arrives in Salt Lake City November 9 th 68 had died Martin Company arrives November 30 th 145 had died Many had amputations of fingers, toes, and limbs due to frostbite

Down and Back Wagon Trains (1860 1869) It was discovered that it was even cheaper to use church owned wagon trains Oxen wagon teams were sent from Utah to Missouri, picked up emigrants and supplies, and returned to Utah in one season (took about six months) Mormons could sell their own flour, bacon, and beans to emigrants and use the money to bring back supplies not available in Utah

Down and Back Wagon Trains (1860 1869) Each wagon was pulled by four oxen or mules and carried about 1,000 pounds of supplies. The teams returned with ten to twenty emigrants per wagon and all the freight they could load. This system used : 2,000 wagons 2,500 teamsters 17,550 oxen Brought approximately 20,500 emigrants to Utah.

Down and Back Wagon Trains (1860 1869) Mostly young men, called the Utah Boys spent their summers as teamsters picking up immigrants coming to Utah. Boys enjoyed getting out of summer farm work The Utah Boys also got to meet the young women before others suitors got a chance.

Trains to Utah (1869 1901) After the Transcontinental Railroad finished in 1869, it was safer, cheaper, and faster to send immigrants on the train. The day of the wagon train had ended.

History of Migration to Utah http://historytogo.utah.gov/utah_chapters/statehood_and_the_prog ressive_era/utahsimmigrantsattheturnofthecentury.html http://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/i/immigration.ht ml