The Dixie Mission — The Miracle of the Pigweed

In the early 1860s, the settlers of the St. George 'Cotton Mission' suffered from a severe outbreak of 'Black Leg' (scurvy) due to the extreme lack of fresh produce in the desert environment. Ella Seegmiller documented that the community engaged in collective prayer for a solution to the mounting deaths and illness. Shortly thereafter, a sudden and unprecedented growth of 'pigweed' (lamb's quarters) and other edible wild greens appeared throughout the settlement. The pioneers were inspired to harvest these greens, which provided the necessary nutrients to halt the epidemic. The rapid recovery of the sick following this event was recorded as a direct answer to prayer and a preservation of the colony.