Harrison in Boone County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)

Mountain Meadows Massacre – The Victims

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 22, 2023

1. Mountain Meadows Massacre – The Victims Marker

Inscription.

Mountain Meadows Massacre – The Victims. . In memory of those who were killed in the Mountain Meadows Massacre, in September of 1857. Dedicated in 2020.. Modern historical research has yielded information which was not readily available to those who designed the 1955 monument. Here is presented an updated list of victims. [Because county boundaries have changed, the communities of residence are designated by the counties where emigrants' home places were located in 2020], ADEN: William A. Aden, 19, from Paris, Tennessee. He was a son of Sidney Bennett Aden, a physician., BAKER: Capt. John T. Baker, 52, from Boone County just south of Harrison. Organizer and leader of the Crooked Creek contingent of the caravan; Three of his adult children, Abel, 19; Sarah Baker Mitchell, 21 (listed under “Mitchell”), and George W., 27, perished. Manerva A. Beller Baker, 25, wife of George W. Baker. They had a child, Mary Lovina Baker, 7, child of George W. and Manerva Baker presumed killed. John T. Baker's wife, Mary, and their other children remained in Arkansas., BELLER: The following victims were children of William and Lovina Beller who were deceased before 1857: David W. Beller, 12, and Melissa Ann Beller, 14; both Beller children travelled with their older sister Manerva Beller Baker., BEACH: John Beach, age unknown, from Carroll County., CAMERON: William Cameron, 51, and his wife, Martha Cameron, 51, were from Johnson County. The following massacre victims were their children: Tillman, 24; Isom, 18; Henry, 16; James, 14; Martha, 11; Larkin, 8; Nancy Cameron, 12, was a niece of William Cameron., DeSHAZO: Allen P. DeShazo, 20, from Boone County., DUNLAP: Jesse Dunlap, Jr., 39, from Boone County near Lead Hill, a merchant and former Justice of the Peace in Johnson County. His wife was Mary Wharton Dunlap, 39. The following victims were their children: Ellender, 18; James D., 14; Lucinda, 12, and Susannah, 12, twins; Margarette, 11; Mary, 9. Recent research shows that daughter Nancy M., 16, died prior to when the wagon train left from Arkansas., Lorenzo Dow Dunlap, 42, from Boone County, a former Justice of the Peace in Carroll County, brother of Jesse Dunlap, Jr.; Lorenzo's wife, Nancy Wharton Dunlap, 42, a sister to Mary Wharton Dunlap. The following victims were their children: Thomas J., 17; John H., 16; Mary Ann, 13; Talitha Emaline, 11; Nancy, 10; America Jane, 7., EATON: William Eaton, age unknown, a husband and father from Indiana., EDWARDS: Silas Edwards, age unknown., FANCHER: Capt. Alexander Fancher, 45, from Benton County, was a veteran of the Black Hawk War in Illinois, a former Justice of the Peace in Benton County, and an experienced western traveler; with roots, land, and relatives in Carroll County. He was referred to as “Captain” of the caravan after it reached Utah. His wife was Eliza Ingrum Fancher, 42. The following victims were their children: Hampton, 19; William, 17; Mary, 15; Thomas, 14; Martha, 10; Sarah G., 8, and Margaret A., 8, twins., Robert Fancher, 19, a cattleman; and his brother James Matthew Fancher, 25, both from Carroll County and were cousins of Alexander Fancher., HUFF: Saletha Brown Huff, 38, from Benton County. She was the widow of Peter Huff, who died on the trip west before reaching Utah. The following massacre victims were children of Peter and Saletha Huff: John Huff, 14; William C. Huff, 13; Mary E. Huff, 11; James K. Huff, 8; and one more Huff son, name and age unknown., JONES: John Milum Jones, 32, and his wife, Eloah Angeline Tackitt Jones, 27, both from Johnson County, and their daughter, name and age unknown., Newton Jones, 23, from Johnson County, was a brother of John Milum Jones., McENTIRE: Lawson A. McEntire, 21, from Bruno, Marion County., MILLER: Josiah (Joseph) Miller, 30, and his wife, Matilda Cameron Miller, 26, both from Johnson County; their son, James William, 9., MITCHELL: Charles Roark Mitchell, 25, and his wife, Sarah Baker Mitchell, 21, lived just north of modern Lead Hill, Boone County. Sarah was daughter of John T. and Mary Baker. Charles and Sarah had an infant son, John, who died in the massacre., Joel D. Mitchell, 23, was brother of Charles., PREWIT: William Prewit, 18, and John Prewit, 20, brothers, from Bruno in Marion County, drovers on the wagon train., RUSH: Milum Lafayette Rush, 28, from Boone County, widower. His father owned much of what is now downtown Harrison, including this court park., TACKITT: Pleasant Tackitt, 25, and his wife, Armilda Miller Tackitt, 22, were from Johnson County, and had two children who survived the massacre., Cynthia Tackitt, 49, from Johnson County, widow of former Arkansas State Representative Martin Tackitt. The following victims were children of Martin and Cynthia Tackitt: Marion, 20, a farmer; Sebron, 18, a farmer; Matilda, 16; James M., 14; and Jones M., 12., WILSON: Richard Wilson, 27, from Marion County., WOOD: William Wood, 26, and a brother, Solomon R. Wood, 20, were from Marion County., Others known only to God, Surviving Children Children of George and Manerva Baker: Martha Elizabeth, 5 . Sarah Frances, 3 . William Twitty, 9 months Daughters of Jesse, Jr. and Mary Dunlap: Rebecca J., 6 . Louisa, 4 . Sarah E., 1 Daughters of Lorenzo Dow and Nancy Wharton Dunlap: Prudence Angeline, 5 . Georgia Ann, 18 months Children of Alexander and Eliza Fancher: Christopher “Kit” Carson, 5 . Triphenia D., 22 months Daughter of Peter and Saletha Huff: Nancy Saphrona, 4 Son of John Milum and Eloah Jones: Felix Marion, 18 months Children of Joseph and Matilda Miller: John Calvin, 6 . Mary, 4 . Joseph, 1 Sons of Pleasant and Armilda Tackitt: Emberson Milum, 4 . William Henry, 19 months

In memory of those who were killed in the Mountain Meadows Massacre, in September of 1857. Dedicated in 2020. Modern historical research has yielded information which was not readily available to those who designed the 1955 monument. Here is presented an updated list of victims. [Because county boundaries have changed, the communities of residence are designated by the counties where emigrants' home places were located in 2020]

ADEN: William A. Aden, 19, from Paris, Tennessee. He was a son of Sidney Bennett Aden, a physician.

BAKER: Capt. John T. Baker, 52, from Boone County just south of Harrison. Organizer and leader of the Crooked Creek contingent of the caravan; Three of his adult children, Abel, 19; Sarah Baker Mitchell, 21 (listed under “Mitchell”), and George W., 27, perished. Manerva A. Beller Baker, 25, wife of George W. Baker. They had a child, Mary Lovina Baker, 7, child of George W. and Manerva Baker presumed killed. John T. Baker's wife, Mary, and their other children remained in Arkansas.

BELLER: The following victims were children of William and Lovina Beller who were deceased before 1857: David W. Beller, 12, and Melissa Ann Beller, 14; both Beller children travelled with their older

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sister Manerva Beller Baker.

BEACH: John Beach, age unknown, from Carroll County.

CAMERON: William Cameron, 51, and his wife, Martha Cameron, 51, were from Johnson County. The following massacre victims were their children: Tillman, 24; Isom, 18; Henry, 16; James, 14; Martha, 11; Larkin, 8; Nancy Cameron, 12, was a niece of William Cameron.

DeSHAZO: Allen P. DeShazo, 20, from Boone County.

DUNLAP: Jesse Dunlap, Jr., 39, from Boone County near Lead Hill, a merchant and former Justice of the Peace in Johnson County. His wife was Mary Wharton Dunlap, 39. The following victims were their children: Ellender, 18; James D., 14; Lucinda, 12, and Susannah, 12, twins; Margarette, 11; Mary, 9. Recent research shows that daughter Nancy M., 16, died prior to when the wagon train left from Arkansas.

Lorenzo Dow Dunlap, 42, from Boone County, a former Justice of the Peace in Carroll County, brother of Jesse Dunlap, Jr.; Lorenzo's wife, Nancy Wharton Dunlap, 42, a sister to Mary Wharton Dunlap. The following victims were their children: Thomas J., 17; John H., 16; Mary Ann, 13; Talitha Emaline, 11; Nancy, 10; America Jane, 7.

EATON: William Eaton,

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 22, 2023

2. Mountain Meadows Massacre – The Victims Marker

Featured marker is on the right. The memorial monument erected in 1955 is in the background.

age unknown, a husband and father from Indiana.

EDWARDS: Silas Edwards, age unknown.

FANCHER: Capt. Alexander Fancher, 45, from Benton County, was a veteran of the Black Hawk War in Illinois, a former Justice of the Peace in Benton County, and an experienced western traveler; with roots, land, and relatives in Carroll County. He was referred to as “Captain” of the caravan after it reached Utah. His wife was Eliza Ingrum Fancher, 42. The following victims were their children: Hampton, 19; William, 17; Mary, 15; Thomas, 14; Martha, 10; Sarah G., 8, and Margaret A., 8, twins.

Robert Fancher, 19, a cattleman; and his brother James Matthew Fancher, 25, both from Carroll County and were cousins of Alexander Fancher.

HUFF: Saletha Brown Huff, 38, from Benton County. She was the widow of Peter Huff, who died on the trip west before reaching Utah. The following massacre victims were children of Peter and Saletha Huff: John Huff, 14; William C. Huff, 13; Mary E. Huff, 11; James K. Huff, 8; and one more Huff son, name and age unknown.

JONES: John Milum Jones, 32, and his wife, Eloah Angeline Tackitt Jones, 27, both from Johnson County, and their daughter, name and age unknown.

Newton Jones,

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23, from Johnson County, was a brother of John Milum Jones.

McENTIRE: Lawson A. McEntire, 21, from Bruno, Marion County.

MILLER: Josiah (Joseph) Miller, 30, and his wife, Matilda Cameron Miller, 26, both from Johnson County; their son, James William, 9.

MITCHELL: Charles Roark Mitchell, 25, and his wife, Sarah Baker Mitchell, 21, lived just north of modern Lead Hill, Boone County. Sarah was daughter of John T. and Mary Baker. Charles and Sarah had an infant son, John, who died in the massacre.

Joel D. Mitchell, 23, was brother of Charles.

PREWIT: William Prewit, 18, and John Prewit, 20, brothers, from Bruno in Marion County, drovers on the wagon train.

RUSH: Milum Lafayette Rush, 28, from Boone County, widower. His father owned much of what is now downtown Harrison, including this court park.

TACKITT: Pleasant Tackitt, 25, and his wife, Armilda Miller Tackitt, 22, were from Johnson County, and had two children who survived the massacre.

Cynthia Tackitt, 49, from Johnson County, widow of former Arkansas State Representative Martin Tackitt. The following victims were children of Martin and Cynthia Tackitt: Marion, 20, a farmer; Sebron, 18, a farmer; Matilda, 16; James M., 14; and Jones M., 12.

WILSON: Richard Wilson, 27, from Marion County.

WOOD: William Wood, 26, and a brother, Solomon R. Wood, 20, were from Marion County.

Others known only to God

Surviving Children
Children of George and Manerva Baker: Martha Elizabeth, 5 • Sarah Frances, 3 • William Twitty, 9 months
Daughters of Jesse, Jr. and Mary Dunlap: Rebecca J., 6 • Louisa, 4 • Sarah E., 1
Daughters of Lorenzo Dow and Nancy Wharton Dunlap: Prudence Angeline, 5 • Georgia Ann, 18 months
Children of Alexander and Eliza Fancher: Christopher “Kit” Carson, 5 • Triphenia D., 22 months
Daughter of Peter and Saletha Huff: Nancy Saphrona, 4
Son of John Milum and Eloah Jones: Felix Marion, 18 months
Children of Joseph and Matilda Miller: John Calvin, 6 • Mary, 4 • Joseph, 1
Sons of Pleasant and Armilda Tackitt: Emberson Milum, 4 • William Henry, 19 months

Erected 2020.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Disasters. A significant historical date for this entry is September 11, 1857.

Location. 36° 13.837′ N, 93° 6.458′ W. Marker is in Harrison, Arkansas, in Boone County. Marker is at the intersection of North Main Street (Business U.S. 65) and West Rush Avenue, on the right when traveling south on North Main Street. Marker is on the Boone County Courthouse grounds. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 119 N Main St, Harrison AR 72601, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Mountain Meadows Massacre – The Journey (here, next to this marker); Mountain Meadows Massacre – The Attack (here, next to this marker); Jack Williams (here, next to this marker); The Mountain Meadows Massacre (a few steps from this marker); Boone County WWI Monument (a few steps from this marker); Boone County Spanish-American War Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); The Harrison Daily Times (within shouting distance of this marker); Boone County War Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Harrison.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 6, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 5, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 195 times since then and 83 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on June 5, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 2. submitted on June 6, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.