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82-586: Shivwits comes from a Southern Paiute word, sipicimi . The word may be based on the prefix sibi- , meaning "east" or si-vints , meaning "people who live in the east." It is also spelled Shivwitz , Shi'-vwits , She-bits , Sübü'ts , and Sebit . The Shivwits Plateau in Arizona is named after the tribe. Today the Shivwits Band of Paiute Indians of Utah identify as See’veets eng , meaning "Whitish Earth People". The Paiutes trace their origin story to

164-466: A "cold-blooded, scheming, blasphemous policy". Most survivors refused to blame anyone. One traveler, Francis Webster, said it was a privilege to be part of the Martin company. One survivor, John Chislett, wrote bitterly of Richards's promise that "we should get to Zion in safety." American West historian, Wallace Stegner , described the inadequate planning and improvident decisions of leadership caused

246-564: A community center, a gas station and a market. Economic development is an ongoing political challenge for the band, and in the dry desert basin water-lease agreements play an important role in economic survival. Future plans for the Shivwits reservation include building a gymnasium and cultural center. A significant concern for the Shivwits today is the rapid development of the surrounding land in Washington County, and its impact on

328-562: A mixed company of aged people, women, and little children, so late in the season without much suffering, sickness, and death." All of the other church elders argued that the trip should go forward, expressing optimism that the company would be protected by divine intervention . Some members of the company, perhaps as many as 100, decided to spend the winter in Florence or in Iowa, but the majority, about 404 in number (including Savage) continued

410-701: A poor harvest in Utah, Young began to use handcarts because the church members who remained in Europe were mostly poor. Young also believed it would speed the emigrants' journey. Young proposed the plan in a letter to Franklin D. Richards , president of the European Mission , in September 1855. Young's letter and an editorial endorsing Young's plan by Richards was published in the Millennial Star ,

492-457: A significant role in linguistics , as the background for a famous article by linguist Edward Sapir and his collaborator Tony Tillohash on the nature of the phoneme . The three major dialect groups of Colorado River are Chemehuevi, Southern Paiute, and Ute , although there are no strong isoglosses. The threefold division is primarily one of culture rather than strictly linguistic. There are, however, three major phonological distinctions among

574-621: A survivor, wrote, "Many a father pulled his cart, with his little children on it, until the day preceding his death." Although only about 5 percent of the 1846–1868 Latter-day Saint emigrants made the journey west using handcarts, the handcart pioneers have become an important symbol in LDS culture, representing the faithfulness and sacrifice of the pioneer generation. They continue to be recognized and honored in events such as Pioneer Day , church pageants, and similar commemorations. The Latter Day Saints were first organized in 1830. Early members of

656-459: A vote of 31 in favor and 14 opposed, and following the approval of Ronal Eden, director of the Office of Tribal Services, was officially adopted. As described by the constitution, the government of PITU is run by a council of six members, five of whom consist of one representative from each of the five constituent bands. These five members are chosen through popular vote in band elections, and become

738-720: Is an agglutinative language, in which words use suffix complexes for a variety of purposes with several morphemes strung together. Daniel D. McArthur The Mormon handcart pioneers were participants in the migration of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) to Salt Lake City , Utah , who used handcarts to transport their belongings. The Mormon handcart movement began in 1856 and continued until 1860. Motivated to join their fellow church members in Utah, but lacking funds for full teams of oxen or horses , nearly 3,000 Mormon pioneers from England , Wales , Scotland and Scandinavia made

820-604: Is governed by a Band Council, which coordinates with federal, state, and local governments on a government-to-government basis, working to protect and advance the sovereignty of the Shivwits Band as a federally recognized Indian Tribe through transparent and effective governance and effective economic development. The Shivwits Band is one of five Bands comprising the inter-Tribal entity of the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah. The Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah adopted an Indian-created constitution on June 11, 1991. It passed with

902-530: Is headquartered in Ivins and the unincorporated community of Shivwits , located in Washington County, Utah . Their office is located at 6060 West 3650 North Ivins, UT 84738. The current band chairperson is Carmen Clark. Nine miles west of St. George on Highway 91, the Shivwits culture endures in a self-sustaining community surrounded by red cliffs. Their community includes forty homes, a health clinic,

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984-418: Is pictured Chief Qui-Tuss, or “Burning Fire,” standing in the water, preparing to be baptized by Bishop Daniel McArthur . As per custom, the chief, who was around fifty years old, was the first to be baptized as an act of respect to the chief, and to also encourage other tribe members to follow his lead. In the late 1880’s, a rancher named Anthony W. Ivins began efforts to convince the federal government that

1066-550: The Green River . Three days later wagons from Utah carrying provisions arrived to be distributed to the emigrants. The last two handcart companies made the journey in 1860, following the route through St. Joseph. Although the journey proved to be difficult for the emigrants, these companies had relatively uneventful trips and experienced little loss of life. The outbreak of the American Civil War likely hastened

1148-591: The Missouri River , they paused for a few days at a Mormon outpost in Florence, Nebraska for repairs, before beginning the remaining 1,030-mile (1,660 km) journey along the Mormon Trail to Salt Lake City. Initial problems with the carts occurred because the wood used to construct them was said to have been "green timber" , or wood from trees that were recently chopped down and not given sufficient time to dry, causing an increase in breakdowns. When

1230-738: The Numic branch of the Uto-Aztecan language family, is a dialect chain that stretches from southeastern California to Colorado . Individual dialects are Chemehuevi, which is in danger of extinction, Southern Paiute (Moapa, Cedar City, Kaibab, and San Juan subdialects), and Ute (Central Utah, Northern, White Mesa, Southern subdialects). According to the Ethnologue , there were a little less than two thousand speakers of Colorado River Numic Language in 1990, or around 40% out of an ethnic population of 5,000. The Southern Paiute dialect has played

1312-731: The Shivwits Plateau was also once a source of ceramic pottery that contributed to a thriving ceramic trade system that linked regions around southern Nevada and northwestern Arizona. These Shivwits wares were composed of iron rich, dark brown/red ceramic materials, as well as crushed Moapa Gray Ware shards, all of which support the Shivwits production of these Native American ceramics. With near total consistency, these Shivwits wares were most commonly characterized by their style of being very large jars, large enough that it would take one person to transport just one jar. This ceramic trade, however, disappeared under unknown circumstances and only

1394-574: The Virgin River and cultivated crops of corn, squash, melons, gourds, sunflowers, and, after European contact, winter wheat. They also practiced irrigation agriculture along the banks of the Virgin and Santa Clara river. The people in the Shivwits Band of Paiutes camped together in family groupings. They had a nomadic mobile lifestyle and moved around frequently. For shelter, many created cone-shaped wickiups to live in. Later, some used tepees . In

1476-544: The "Shebit tribe of Indians in Washington County, Utah ." Although the Shivwits Reservation was established in 1891 on the Santa Clara River, it wasn’t formally recognized by the government until 1903. And although in 1916 President Woodrow Wilson issued an order to expand the reservation to 26,880 acres, the land was still too resource poor for the Shivwits to survive, so they were dependent on

1558-570: The Martin Company and the Hodgett and Hunt wagon companies, and they helped them on to Devil's Gate . George D. Grant, who headed the rescue party, reported to Young: It is not of much use for me to attempt to give a description of the situation of these people, for this you will learn from [others]; but you can imagine between five and six hundred men, women and children, worn down by drawing hand carts through snow and mud; fainting by

1640-552: The Martin Company arrived in Salt Lake City on November 30; at least 145 members of the company had died during the journey. Many of the survivors had to have fingers, toes, or limbs amputated due to severe frostbite. Residents of Utah allowed the companies to stay in their homes during the winter. The emigrants would eventually go to Latter-day Saint settlements throughout Utah and the West. As early as November 2, 1856, while

1722-459: The Martin Company must have wintered east of the Rockies, so they turned back. When word of the returning backup relief party was communicated to Young, he ordered the courier to return and tell them to turn back east and continue until they found the handcart company. On November 18, the backup party met the Martin Company with the supplies so they could continue the journey. The 104 wagons carrying

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1804-403: The Martin Company so the wagons could be used to transport the weakest emigrants. A small group, led by Jones, remained at Devil's Gate over the winter to protect the property. The severe weather forced the Martin Company to halt for five days; the company moved into Martin's Cove , a few miles west of Devil's Gate, as it was much more protected than the open plains to the east. During this season,

1886-416: The Martin Company. When the main rescue party rejoined them, another scouting party consisting of Joseph Young , Abel Garr, and Daniel Webster Jones was sent forward. The Martin company remained in their camp at Red Bluffs for nine days until the three scouts arrived on October 28; 56 members of the company had died while they waited. The scouts urged the emigrants to begin moving again. During this interval,

1968-520: The Mormon people. Wallace Stegner said the handcart pioneers were one of the greatest stories of the American West. Reenactments , in which a group dressed in 19th-century garb travels for one or more days pushing and pulling handcarts, have become a popular activity among LDS wards , youth groups, and families. The first known modern-era reenactment took place in 1966 from Henefer, Utah , to

2050-596: The Paiutes could also not afford to pay property taxes, and lost about 15,000 acres of former reservation lands. Like most Native American tribes during the termination era, the Shivwits began to suffer from diminishing pride in their cultural heritage. Following the era of Indian assimilation, the US Department of the Interior Office of Indian Affairs approved a new constitution on March 21, 1940 to alter

2132-602: The Richards party reached Salt Lake City and conferred with Brigham Young and other church leaders. The next morning the church held a general conference , where Young and the other speakers called on church members to provide wagons, mules , supplies, and teamsters for a rescue mission. On the morning of October 7, the first rescue party left Salt Lake City with 16 wagon-loads of food and supplies, pulled by four-mule teams with 27 young men serving as teamsters and rescuers. Throughout October more wagon trains were assembled, and by

2214-604: The Shivwits Band of Southern Paiutes should be moved to an area along the Santa Clara river. A few years later, the first Paiute reservation was established in 1891 on the Santa Clara River , west of St. George, Utah . It did not receive water rights so they were forced to abandon farming. The reservation had a population of 194 that year. There were 154 Shivwits in 1906. The Shivwits Band of Paiute Indians of Utah first received federal recognition on March 3, 1891 as

2296-423: The Shivwits people are portrayed as hunter-gatherers who sought after berries, roots and pine nuts and hunted game such as rabbits and deer. However, excavations of two proto-historic features near the Santa Clara River provide evidence of Southern Paiute practice of garden cultivation (horticulture) such as wheat grains and maize cob and kernel fragments. They were farmers living along the Santa Clara River and

2378-409: The Shivwits retained ownership of their lands after termination and leased them to ranchers, instead of selling them outright. Currently, the Shivwits Band have over 28,000 acres in Washington County. The Shivwits regained federal recognition through an act signed by President Jimmy Carter on 3 April 1980. This act, Public Law 96-227, served as the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah Restoration Act, and

2460-609: The Shivwits' traditional lifestyle. These settlers colonized many places that the Natives used for foraging, which resulted in many Natives facing problems with starvation. New diseases were also introduced to the Native Americans, whose epidemics ultimately killed 90 percent of some groups, drastically reducing their population. As a result, many Natives were pressed by the effects of poverty and vulnerability, and often, many women and children would turn to roles of servitude to

2542-531: The Willie Company departing Florence, the company met to debate if they should continue the journey immediately or wait for the spring. Because the emigrants were unfamiliar with the trail and the climate, they deferred to the returning missionaries and church agents. One of the returning missionaries, Levi Savage , urged them to spend the winter in Nebraska. He warned them that they could not travel "with

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2624-477: The Willie Company faced the most difficult section of the trail—the ascent up Rocky Ridge. The climb took place during a howling snowstorm through knee-deep snow. That night 13 emigrants died. On October 19, the Martin Company was about 110 miles (180 km) further east, making its last crossing of the North Platte River near present-day Casper, Wyoming . Shortly after completing the crossing,

2706-499: The Willie and Martin companies were still making their way to safety, Young responded to criticism of his own leadership by rebuking Franklin Richards and Daniel Spencer for allowing the companies to leave so late. Many authors argued that Young, as author of the plan, was responsible. Ann Eliza Young , daughter of one of the men in charge of building the carts and a former plural wife of Brigham Young, described her ex-husband's plan as

2788-1058: The ancient history of the Paiute nations. Many artifacts such as petroglyphs and pottery are being disturbed by home development and rapid population growth in Southern Utah. Every year, the Paiute Restoration Gathering celebrates the reinstatement of federal recognition after the five bands of Utah Paiutes were terminated. Paiutes and their inner-tribal members all gather at an annual Pow-Wow , where they celebrate their tribal traditions by dancing and singing and performing ceremonies to help educate their youth about who they are and where they come from. Colorado River language Colorado River Numic (also called Ute / ˈ juː t / YOOT , Southern Paiute / ˈ p aɪ juː t / PIE -yoot , Ute–Southern Paiute , or Ute-Chemehuevi / ˌ tʃ ɛ m ɪ ˈ w eɪ v i / CHEH -mih- WAY -vee ), of

2870-507: The area's delicate ecology. Utes and Navajos often captured Paiute women and children and sold them to European-Americans as slaves. Spurred by the era of rapid expansion of settlers in the mid 19th century in Southern Utah, white settlement of the land marked the end of the Native American sovereignty and traditional lifestyle. By 1858, these settlers, predominantly Mormons , permanently settled on Paiute lands, putting an end to

2952-437: The axles at the shoulder. All kinds of expedients were resorted to as remedies for the growing evil, but with variable success. Some wrapped their axles with leather obtained from bootlegs; others with tin, obtained by sacrificing tin-plates, kettles, or buckets from their mess outfit. Besides these inconveniences, there was felt a great lack of a proper lubricator. Of anything suitable for this purpose we had none at all. Prior to

3034-462: The bed were seven-foot (2.1 m) pull shafts ending with a three-foot (0.9 m) crossbar at the front. The crossbar allowed the carts to be pushed or pulled. Cargo was carried in a box about three feet by four feet (0.9 m by 1.2 m), with 8 inches (0.20 m) walls. The handcarts generally carried up to 250 pounds (110 kg) of supplies and luggage, though they were capable of handling loads as heavy as 500 pounds (230 kg). Carts used in

3116-415: The blizzard struck. Many members of the company suffered from hypothermia or frostbite after wading through the frigid river. They set up camp at Red Bluffs, unable to continue forward through the snow. Meanwhile, the original scouting party continued eastward until it reached a small vacant fort at Devil's Gate , where they had been instructed to wait for the rest of the rescue party if they had not found

3198-418: The carts and outfitting the companies. When the companies reached Florence, additional time was lost making repairs to the poorly built carts. Emigrant John Chislett describes the problems with the carts: The axles and boxes being of wood, and being ground out by the dust that found its way there in spite of our efforts to keep it out, together with the extra weight put on the carts, had the effect of breaking

3280-513: The church often encountered hostility, primarily due to their practice of withdrawing from secular society and gathering in locales to practice their religious beliefs. Neighbors who were not Mormon felt threatened by the church's rapid growth in numbers, its tendency to vote as a bloc and acquire political power, its claims of divine favor, and the practice of polygamy . Violence against the church and its members caused most church members to move from Ohio to Missouri , then to Illinois . Despite

3362-476: The church prevented European emigration for 1858. In 1859 one handcart company crossed the plains. The emigrants could travel by rail to Saint Joseph , Missouri, after which they went by riverboat to Florence, where they were outfitted with handcarts and supplies. When the 1859 company reached Fort Laramie, they discovered their food was running dangerously low, so they cut back on rations. The hunger worsened when expected supplies were not available when they reached

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3444-501: The church's First Presidency had consistently pointed out that departure from what is now Omaha, Nebraska, needed to happen by the end of May to safely make the journey. The church enacted many changes following the journeys of the Willie and Martin companies. Handcart companies were not to depart Florence after July 7. The construction of the handcarts was modified to strengthen them and reduce repairs, and they would be regularly greased. Arrangements were made to replenish supplies along

3526-620: The church's England-based periodical, on December 22, 1855. The cost of the migration was expected to be reduced by one-third. Poor church members who wanted to emigrate responded enthusiastically to the new plan—in 1856 the Perpetual Emigration Fund supported the travel of 2,012 European emigrants, compared with 1,161 the year before. Emigrants departed from an English port (generally Liverpool ) and travelled by ship to New York or Boston . The emigrants who arrived from 1855 to 1857 traveled by railroad to Iowa City, Iowa ,

3608-629: The church's practice of polygamy . From 1849 to 1855, about 16,000 European Latter-day Saints traveled to the United States by ship, through the eastern states by rail, and to Utah by ox and wagon. Although most of these emigrants paid their own expenses, the church established the Perpetual Emigrating Fund to provide financial assistance for poor emigrants to trek west, which they would repay as they were able. When contributions and loan repayments decreased in 1855 after

3690-424: The company's desperate situation. They arrived at the rescue party's campsite near South Pass that evening, and by the next evening, the rescue party reached the Willie Company and provided them with food and assistance. Half of the rescue party remained to assist the Willie Company while the other half pressed forward to assist the Martin Company. On October 23, the second day after the main rescue party had arrived,

3772-467: The dialects: There are no strong isoglosses between Southern Paiute and Ute for the changes but an increasing level of change, as one moves from Kaibab Southern Paiute (0% of nasal-stop clusters have changed) to Southern Ute (100% of nasal-stop clusters have changed). Consonant and vowel charts for the westernmost and easternmost dialects are given. Vowels can be long or short. Short unstressed vowels can be devoiced. The Colorado River Numic language

3854-416: The emigrants from both companies to Utah through snow and severe weather. When the Willie Company arrived in Salt Lake City on November 9, 68 members of the company had died from disease and exposure. Meanwhile, a backup relief party of 77 teams and wagons was making its way east to provide additional assistance to the Martin Company. After passing Fort Bridger, the leaders of the backup party concluded that

3936-457: The emigrants to Iowa City. Unaware of how many emigrants to expect, Taylor ordered the construction of 100 handcarts, but that would be inadequate for the companies. The emigrants spent several weeks in Iowa City building additional handcarts and obtaining supplies before beginning their trek of about 1,300 miles (2,100 km). About 815 emigrants from the first two ships were organized into

4018-485: The emigrants who later formed the Martin Company. The late departures may have been the result of difficulties in procuring ships in response to the unexpected demand. With slow communications in the era before the transatlantic telegraph, the church's agents in Iowa City were not expecting the additional emigrants and made frantic preparations for their arrival. When the emigrants arrived in Iowa City, no handcarts had been built, and three weeks were spent hastily assembling

4100-426: The emigrants, gave them a small amount of flour, encouraged them that rescue was near, and then rushed onward to try to locate the Martin Company. The members of the Willie Company had reached the end of their flour supplies and slaughtered the handful of broken-down cattle that still remained. On October 20, Captain Willie and Joseph Elder went ahead by mule through the snow to locate the supply train and inform them of

4182-483: The emigrants. In early October the two companies reached Fort Laramie , Wyoming. They expected to be restocked with provisions, but they were unavailable. The companies cut back food rations down to 12 oz (340 g) per person, hoping that their supplies would last until help arrived from Utah. To lighten their loads, on October 17 the Martin Company cut the luggage allowance to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) per person, discarding clothing and blankets. On October 4,

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4264-545: The end of the month 250 relief wagons were sent. The Willie and Martin companies were running out of food and encountering extremely cold temperatures. On October 19, a blizzard struck the region, halting the two companies and the relief party. The Willie Company was along the Sweetwater River approaching the Continental Divide . A scouting party sent ahead by the main rescue party found and greeted

4346-581: The federal government. In 1954, the US policy of Indian termination , which was created to encourage self-sufficiency among Native American Tribes and enforce assimilation into American society, had disastrous social and economic consequences on the Tribes. Their loss of federal recognition, and eligibility for federal support, meant that half of all tribal members died between 1954 and 1980, due to lack of basic health resources. With inadequate income to meet their needs,

4428-414: The first handcart company reached Winter Quarters, Ellsworth had a member of the company "tin" the wooden axles and also installed "thick hoop iron skeins" which enabled the handcart axles to turn more easily and resist breakage much better. The companies made good time, and their trips were largely uneventful. The emigrant companies included many children and elderly individuals, and transporting handcarts

4510-446: The first three handcart companies, headed by captains Edmund Ellsworth , Daniel D. McArthur, and Edward Bunker . The captains were missionaries returning to their homes in Utah and were familiar with the route. Most of the sub-captains were also returning missionaries. Across Iowa they followed an existing road about 275 miles (443 km) to Council Bluffs , following a route that is close to current U.S. Route 6 . After crossing

4592-429: The first year's migration were made entirely of wood; in later years a stronger design was substituted, which included metal elements. The handcart companies were organized using the handcarts and sleeping tents as the primary units. Five people were assigned per handcart, with each individual limited to 17 pounds (7.7 kg) of clothing and bedding. Each round tent, supported by a center pole, housed 20 occupants and

4674-465: The frequent moves, church members were unable to prevent opposition, culminating in the extermination order against all Mormons living in Missouri by the state's governor Lilburn Boggs in 1838 and the murder of their leader Joseph Smith in 1844. After Smith's death, Brigham Young said that he had received divine direction to organize the church members. In early 1846 he began leading them beyond

4756-551: The governmental workings of the Shivwits Band of Paiute Indians. This constitution was limited in the actual sovereignty and powers it granted the Paiute Indians, as most tribal constitutions issued by the US government during the Indian Termination period were. Along with other Utah Paiute tribes, the Shivwits' relationship with the federal government was terminated in the 1950s. Unlike other Paiute groups,

4838-469: The handcart system's demise by disrupting immigration from Europe and placing severe restrictions on rail travel from the East Coast. At the end of that conflict, the church implemented a new system of emigration in which wagon trains travelled east from Salt Lake City in the spring and returned with emigrants in the summer. The transcontinental railroad was being constructed in the mid-to-late 1860s and

4920-399: The historical evidence remains in support of its existence. The Domínguez–Escalante expedition of 1776 was most likely the Shivwits' first contact with Europeans. Fur trader Jedediah Smith created a route to California directly through Paiute territory. The 19th century brought non-Native trappers, traders, and settlers to the area. The newly introduced livestock had a negative effect on

5002-464: The journey from Iowa or Nebraska to Utah in ten handcart companies. The trek was disastrous for two of the companies, the Willie and Martin companies . Both started their journey dangerously late in 1856 and were caught by heavy snow and severe temperatures in central Wyoming . Despite a dramatic rescue effort, more than 210 of the 980 pioneers in these two companies died along the way. John Chislett,

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5084-399: The journey west. The Willie Company left Florence on August 17 and the Martin Company on August 27. Two ox-wagon trains, led by captains W.B. Hodgett and John A. Hunt, followed the Martin Company. Near Wood River , Nebraska , a herd of bison caused the Willie Company's cattle to stampede , and nearly 30 cattle were lost. Left without enough cattle to pull all of the wagons, each handcart

5166-716: The mouth of Emigration Canyon by young men from Phoenix, Arizona , using handcarts between metal wheels repurposed from old farm wagons. In 1968, 44 girls from Long Beach, California reenacted that same stretch of the Mormon Trail with homemade handcarts. From the mid-1970s until the early 1990s, participation in handcart reenactments were offered at BYU as a wilderness survival activity for youth conference participants. Beginning in 1977, similar treks were offered as part of Ricks College 's outdoor recreation program, on connected jeep trails from Rexburg, Idaho and into Montana . In 2006, Harriet Petherick Bushman created

5248-550: The new council representative of their respective band. A term for council members, vice-council members, chairman, and vice-chairman is four years. This tribal council is the main governing body of PITU, and their powers include executive and legislative powers to promulgate and enforce laws. These powers include but aren’t limited to regulating laws, taxes, land and territory, so long as they don't infringe on US federal regulation, nor infringe on individual band rights which involve sovereign rights like autonomy and equality. The Band

5330-726: The new settlers in order to support themselves. The settlement of Mormons also had unique assimilating consequences upon the Shivwits through the intensive proselytizing efforts of the Mormon settlers. C. R. Savage, travelling with Mormon missionaries, captured the mass baptisms of Shivwits on March 19, 1875 through photography, and his photo has since been famously used to represent the expansion of early white Mormon settlers and their positive and negative impact on Indian society. Though uncertain, most reports agree that at least 160 Shivwits were baptized by Mormon missionaries—men, women, and children up to 60 years old. Within Savage’s historic photograph,

5412-416: The party was met by Ephraim Hanks , bringing meat from a recently slaughtered buffalo. The meat likely saved many lives as the nutritive value was much higher than that of the other supplies. He also performed many blessings and helped in some amputations to stop the progression of the frostbite and gangrene that would have otherwise killed more members of the company. Three days later the main rescue party met

5494-442: The respective band’s council member. By default, each band has a vice-council member, chosen by getting the second highest vote. The sixth member is the tribal-chairperson. An election is subsequently held from among those just elected to be on the council, and are elected by all the members of the tribe eligible to vote. The council member chosen to be chairman vacates their position as council member, and their vice president becomes

5576-423: The river, though shallow at about 2 feet (0.61 metres), was also 90 to 120 feet (27 to 37 metres) wide. The stream temperature was frigid and clogged with floating ice. Some of the men of the rescue party spent hours pulling the carts and carrying many of the emigrants across the river, while many members of the company crossed the river themselves, with some pulling their own handcarts. The rescue parties escorted

5658-467: The route. By 1857 the Perpetual Emigration Fund was exhausted; almost all of the handcart emigrants that year and in subsequent years had to pay their own way. With the increased cost, the number of handcart emigrants dropped from nearly 2,000 in 1856 to about 480 in 1857. In 1857 two companies made the trek, both arriving in Salt Lake City by September 13. With the uncertainty caused by the Utah War ,

5740-537: The sack and the people fell out in small concentrated clusters all over the world. This uneven distribution and disruption brought among the people much contention and fighting between humans. As legend has it, the few remaining people left in the sack were blessed by Tabuts and placed in Earth's choicest land: those people were the Southern Paiutes. The Shivwits Paiutes settled in Utah around 1100 BC. Typically

5822-506: The spring and summer they would gather, plant, and hunt food in preparation for winter. After growing season was over in the fall they would gather together to celebrate marriages and have dances. (Other major celebrations include the pine nut harvest at the spring fish spawn.) In the winter they told stories of the Wolf and the Coyote, and recounted the history of their people. It is likely that

5904-403: The struggles of the companies. He described Richards as a scapegoat for Young's fundamental errors in planning, though Howard Christy, professor emeritus at Brigham Young University , noted that Richards had the authority to halt the companies' late departure because he was the highest-ranking official in the Florence, Nebraska area. Christy also pointed out that Young and the other members of

5986-441: The tale of Tabuts who was a wise wolf and older brother to Shinangwav, the mischievous coyote. Mankind was created as Tabuts decided to carve many different people out of sticks. When he was finished, he placed the people in a sack, so he could scatter them evenly throughout the whole earth so that all people would have a fair share of land to live upon. However, the sly Shinangwav had another idea. Legend tells that Shinangwav cut open

6068-507: The third followed less than a week later. The first three companies were regarded as having demonstrated the feasibility of emigrating using handcarts. The last two handcart companies of 1856 departed late from England. The ship Thornton , carrying the emigrants who became the Willie Company, left England on May 4. The leader of the Latter-day Saints on the ship was James G. Willie . Horizon departed eleven days later, carrying

6150-406: 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. At Devil's Gate, the rescue party unloaded the baggage carried in the wagons of the Hodgett and Hunt wagon companies that had been following

6232-548: The western frontier of the United States to settle in the Great Basin . Soon after the first Mormon pioneers reached Utah in 1847, the church encouraged its converts in Europe to emigrate to Utah. On December 23, 1847, the church leadership sent an epistle to the members in the British Isles saying "Emigrate as speedily as possible to this vicinity." Many British church members were disparaged and ridiculed due to

6314-481: The western terminus of the rail line, where they would be outfitted with handcarts and other supplies, while later emigrants traveled by rail and boat up the Missouri River to Florence, Nebraska (now part of Omaha ). Built to Young's design, the handcarts resembled a large wheelbarrow , with two wheels. They were five feet (1.5 metres) in diameter and a single axle four and a half feet (1.4 m) wide, and weighing 60 pounds (27 kg). Running along each side of

6396-408: Was completed in 1869; the railroad terminus gradually moved westward, progressively shortening the trip. Handcart pioneers and the handcart movement are important parts of LDS culture , music and fiction . Arthur King Peters described these journeys as important parts of Mormon history and stated that these journeys caused the qualities of discipline, devotion, and self-sacrifice to be shown among

6478-420: Was difficult. Journals and recollections describe periods of illness and hunger; the handcart companies were not able to carry enough food to sustain themselves without additional relief supplies sent from Utah. Hafen and Hafen's Handcarts to Zion lists 13 deaths from the first company, seven from the second, and fewer than seven from the third. The first two companies arrived in Salt Lake City on September 26 and

6560-559: Was enacted to restore and confirm to the members of the Bands of Shivwits, Kanosh, Koosharem, and Indian Peaks, federal services and benefits, as well as extend services to the Cedar Band. The reservation is larger than it was originally, covering over 28,000 acres. In 2003, the Shivwits received water rights for 4,000 acre-feet (4,900,000 m) annually, enabling the tribe to create new economic development projects. The Shivwits Band

6642-600: Was required to take on an additional 100 pounds (45 kg) of flour. In early September, Richards, returning from Europe where he had served as the church's mission president , passed the emigrant companies. Richards counseled the emigrants to be faithful and obedient to their leaders, and promised that the Lord would open a way for them to "get to Zion in safety." Richards and the 12 returning missionaries who accompanied him, traveling in carriages and light wagons pulled by horses and mules, pressed on to Utah to obtain assistance for

6724-469: Was supervised by a tent captain. Five tents were supervised by the captain of a hundred (or "sub-captain"). Provisions for each group of one hundred emigrants were carried in an ox wagon, and were distributed by the tent captains. The first two ships departed England in late March and mid-April and sailed to Boston. John Taylor was the church's agent in New York, and he arranged train transportation for

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