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Show 120 southward waiting for instructions, but there was nothing to tell. According to Bean, he had been chosen to lead the expedition by Brigham Young himself. The choice of George W. Bean was an excellent one, as he was extremely qualified for the task. Although Bean was just twenty-six at the time of this call, he was already a proven veteran and an accomplished Indian interpreter, explorer, and guide. Born on the frontier of western Illinois in 1831, he came to Utah at age sixteen with the pioneers of 1847. Some two years later he settled at Fort Utah (later Provo). Bean was strong and ambitious. His six foot four inch frame offered a commanding appearance. But at the age of eighteen, a near fatal accident changed his life forever. During a military exercise at the fort, a cannon exploded sending hundreds of fragments of wood and iron into his body. His left arm was shattered and had to be amputated 3? inches below the elbow which, according to Bean, "left a useful stub." Although he was now handicapped, he proved to be no invalid. He soon realized he would probably never be able to compete as a farmer, and he accepted the situation. During his long convalescence, therefore, he spent much of his time studying the Indian languages, the Utes who hung around the fort being his teachers. Although he had little formal education, he could soon speak the Ute dialects with fluency. In a short time, he had a reputation as an interpreter and scout, and was frequently employed by the federal government, the Territory, and the church. He was a member of an expedition to the Uintah Basin in 1852, and in the years to follow, his services as an interpreter were extensively used during the Walker Indian War. In 1855 he was the chief interpreter at the Gunnison massacre trial. Later that year, Bean was hired by Colonel E. J. Steptoe to explore the Great Salt Lake Desert, along with Orrin Porter Rockwell and others, to locate a direct route to California. Upon his return, he was called by Brigham Young to the Las Vegas Indian mission |