Joseph Young's miraculous preservation during the Haun's Mill massacre

Joseph Young, brother of Brigham Young, was an eyewitness to the massacre at Haun's Mill on October 30, 1838. In his sworn affidavit, Young described the serene afternoon interrupted by 240 armed men who fired upon the Saints gathered at the blacksmith shop. Amidst the chaos, Young, who had been sitting in his cabin with his babe, fled to the woods. He recorded that he miraculously escaped and eventually found his family in safety, documenting the tragic loss of at least 18 lives and the subsequent burial of the victims in an old well, an act performed under the constant threat of the mob.

Fuller account of this event (in the witness’s own words):

The following, is a short history of my travels to the state of Missouri, and of a bloody tragedy acted at Haunns Mills, on Shoal creek Oct 30th 1838. On the 6th of July 1838, I started with my family from Kirtland, Ohio, for the state of Missouri, and after a long and tedious journey, arrived at Haunns Mills, on the 27th of October, where we found a number of brethren settled, who had erected a mill, and were living in peace. On the 30th of the same month, the day on which the bloody tragedy was acted, I was in my own house, with my babe in my arms, and my wife standing by my side, the door being open, I cast my eyes on the opposite bank of Shoal creek, and saw a large company of armed men on horses, directing their course towards the mills with all possible speed. As they advanced through the scattering trees that stood on the edge of the prairie, they seemed to form themselves into a three square position, forming a vanguard in front. At this moment, David Evans, seeing the company, and supposing them to be the Missouri militia, and fearing lest they should commit some depredations, rode towards them, and hailed them. No answer was returned, but when they had arrived within a short distance of the blacksmith shop, where a number of the brethren were at work, they poured a volley of musketry into the shop, and then rushed upon the brethren, and commenced firing. I immediately ran from my house, towards the blacksmith shop, and saw the brethren running in every direction, and the mob firing upon them. I then fled to the woods, and through the mercy of God, I made my escape, and arrived at the house of a friend, where I remained until the next morning, when I returned to the scene of the massacre, and found the bodies of the slain, and the wounded, in a most mangled and heart-rending condition. I assisted in burying the dead, and in dressing the wounds of the survivors, and then left the place, and made my way to Quincy, Illinois, where I arrived in safety, with my family, on the 12th of December.