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History of Utah, 1540-1886

By Hubert Howe Bancroft

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One of the problems with literature about and by Mormons, is that, pro or con, there are very few texts without an extreme point of view. This is one of the few comprehensive histories of 19th century Mormonism which was written with a center of gravity close to what we moderns call a 'neutral point of view.' Written by (or under the aegis of) H.H. Bancroft, the foremost historian of the Western US, this massive book tells the story of the settlement of what would become the state of Utah. This is, naturally, closely bound up with the saga of the Mormon persecution and exodus.

This book draws on a huge library of contemporary sources, which Bancroft assembled with the help of an army of assistants. Every statement of fact, every incident mentioned, is backed up in the extensive footnotes, some stretching across five or six pages. Bancroft is not afraid to deal with touchy subjects such as the Mountain Meadows massacre, polygamy, and the quirks of the Mormon leaders. Despite the neutral stance, Bancroft is not unsympathetic to the Mormons. He praises them as industrious, sober, and law-abiding people (and to document that, he carefully adds a huge footnote with a compiled table of crime statistics, broken down by Mormon/non-Mormon!).
There are also many points of general interest here, such as how Utah happened to be the first US territory to let women vote, the story of the Deseret alphabet, and how some seagulls saved the pioneers from starving. His review of the polygamy issue is extremely relevant to the debate over acceptable forms of marriage today. This book is required reading if you want to understand the background of the Mormons. Both Mormon and 'Gentile' will find a lot to like in this volume.

Title Page
Preface
Authorities Consulted
Chapter I. Discoveries of the Spaniards. 1540-1777.
Chapter II. Advent of Trappers and Travellers. 1778-1846
Chapter III. The Story of Mormonism. 1820-1830
Chapter IV. The Story of Mormonism. 1830-1835
Chapter V. The Story of Mormomism. 1835-1840
Chapter VI. The Story of Mormonism. 1840-1844
Chapter VII. Brigham Young Succeeds Joseph. 1844-1845
Chapter VIII. Expulsion From Nauvoo. 1845-1846
Chapter IX. At The Missouri. 1846-1847
Chapter X. Migration to Utah. 1847
Chapter XI. In The Valley of The Great Salt Lake. 1848
Chapter XII. In The Valley of The Great Salt Lake. 1849
Chapter XIII. Settlement and Occupation of the Country. 1847-1852
Chapter XIV. Education, Manufactures, Commerce, Agriculture, Society. 1850-1852
Chapter XV. Mormonism and Polygamy
Chapter XVI. Missions and Immigration. 1830-1883
Chapter XVII. Utah As a Territory. 1849-1853
Chapter XVIII. The Government in Arms. 1853-1857
Chapter XIX. The Utah War. 1857-1858
Chapter XX. The Mountain Meadows Massacre. 1857
Chapter XXI. Political, Social, and Institutional. 1859-1862
Chapter XXII. Progress of Events. 1861-1869
Chapter XXIII. Schisms and Apostasies. 1844-1869
Chapter XXIV. The Last Days of Brigham Young. 1869-1877
Chapter XXV. Church and State. 1877-1885
Chapter XXVI. Settlements, Society, and Education. 1862-1886
Chapter XXVII. Agriculture, Stock-Raising, Manufactures, and Mining. 1852-1886.
Chapter XXVIII. Commerce and Communication. 1852-1885
Index