Walter Tolton and companion's survival of a lightning strike
Published October 6, 2026 at 6:14 AM
Contributed by
Millennial Star Research
During a heavy storm at Manti, Utah, Walter Tolton and his companion sought shelter in the mountains. They were both struck by a tremendous flash of lightning, which knocked them down and left them senseless for some time.
Fuller account of this event (the complete account as preserved in The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 51, No. 38 (23 September 1889), p. 606):
During a heavy storm at Manti, Utah, Walter Tolton and his companion sought shelter in the mountains. They were both struck by a tremendous flash of lightning, which knocked them down and left them senseless for some time.
In Their Own Words
“During the recent heavy storm at Manti, Mr. Walter Tolton and a companion were in the mountains, and while seeking shelter a tremendous flash of lightning was seen and they were both knocked down, remaining thus insensible for some time. — Millennial Star 51:38”
Sources & References
The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star (Manchester, later Liverpool, England, May 1840–1970), 23 September 1889 (Vol. 51, No. 38). https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1889-09-23_51_38 (account extracted verbatim from the issue's Internet Archive OCR text; research confidence: high) Complete account: The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 51, No. 38 (23 September 1889), p. 606 https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1889-09-23_51_38
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