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Show The Uintah Ute People 81 Mormons came in 1847 they almost immediately were confronted with the system. During the first winter, 1847-1848, two children were brought to the Mormon fort to be sold. The Indians explained they were captured in war and would be killed if the white men did not buy them. Thereupon, one was bought, and the one not purchased was killed. Other children were brought in, and the settlers usually bought them.7 In the fall of 1851 Governor Brigham Young traveled to Provo to meet with a group of Mexicans who had been engaged in the slave trade. He told them he would not permit slavery and gave them a moral lecture on the practice. Twenty of the Mexicans went back to their homes, but eight, under the leadership of Pedro Leon, remained. Consequently, they were arrested and tried in Manti. They were found guilty but were permitted to return to New Mexico. Curiously, Brigham Young himself had urged the citizens of Parowan "to buy up the Lamanite [Indian] children as rapidly as possible."8 A law controlling slavery was passed in 1852 by the Utah legislature. However, it did not halt slavery, it merely ended Mexican involvement in the trade. It actually legalized the indenturing of Indians as servant-apprentices to authorized masters. The stir caused in New Mexico by Utah's prohibition of Mexican slave trade suggests that it was a major business. The loss of the trade also angered the Tumpanawach leader Wakara and was one of the reasons he finally went to war against the Mormons. Wakara Wakara was one of the most famous Utah Ute leaders. One observer who met him in 1843 stated: . . . their [the Ute People] principal ruling chief is 'Walker' or 'Waka-ron,' surnamed 'the little chief.' He owes his position to his great wealth. He is a good trader, trafficking with the whites and reselling goods to such as his nation as are less skilful [sic] in striking a bargain. . . .9 About 1829 he formed an alliance with mountain men Thomas "Pegleg" Smith and James Beckworth. They raided for horses in New Mexico and California. These were then driven along the Old Spanish Trail into Utah and sold to trappers to carry their furs back to St. Louis or Santa Fe. |
