“Was it for Sins That We Have Done This”: Two Grave Marker ...
Transcript of “Was it for Sins That We Have Done This”: Two Grave Marker ...
L. Douglas Smoot: Two Grave Marker Poems by John D. Lee 103
“Was it for Sins That We Have Done This”: Two Grave Marker
Poems by John D. Lee
L. Douglas Smoot
InearlyJune1994,severalofmyfamilyandfriendsorganizedahorserideinthePineValleywildernessareaandintheKolobareaofZion’sNation-alPark.WehadarrangedtostayontheGordonPacepropertyattheeasternbaseofthePineValleywildernessarea,inNewHarmony,Utah,asmalltownofabouttwohundredresidents,abouttwentymilessouthofCedarCityonI-15thenwestaboutfourmiles.GordonPacewastheLDSbishopoftheNewHarmonyWard.Hisfamilymemberswereearlysettlersinthiscommunity.AccordingtoJuanitaBrooks,JohnD.LeesoldhisNewHarmonyhouseandmostof the farm to theLemuelH.Redd family inSeptember1870,whenBrighamYoungaskedhimtomovetotheareaeastofKanab.1ThispropertywassubsequentlyacquiredbythePacefamily.
Gordon directed us southwest across a stream and past fields and orchards to a high meadow area along Comanche Creek, which flows east from the Pine Valley wilderness area. Without first realizing it, we were camping on theNewHarmonyfarmsiteofJohnD.Lee.AccordingtoGordon,twoframehomesandabrickhomeofJohnD.Leewerebuiltinthisarea.Nonestandstoday,butthefoundationscanbeseen,togetherwithhandmadeadobebricks
l. douglas smoot([email protected])isprofessoremeritusofChemicalEngineeringand dean emeritus of the College of Engineering and Technology at Brigham YoungUniversity.He isalsoanadvisor to theMormonHistoricSitesFoundation.Theauthorwishes to acknowledge the cooperation of Gordon Pace of New Harmony, Utah, onwhosepropertythegravemarkersarelocatedandwhograciouslyprovidedaccesstothepropertyandsharedhishistoricalknowledgeconcerningthearea.SpecialappreciationisalsoextendedtoE.OdellMiner,aclosefriendwhoparticipatedintheoriginaldiscoveryand inspectionof thegravemarkers.Finally, theauthoracknowledges theassistanceofDouglasS.LewisinthepreparationofthemanuscriptandAlexanderL.Baugh,editorofMormon Historical Studies,forhiseditorialwork.
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inthevicinity.OurbeingontheLeehomesteadsitecamedramaticallytoourattentionwhen,ontheearlyeveningofourseconddaythere,wediscovereda small graveyard containing five visible grave markers. Two of these were prominent,uprightsandstonemarkers,arrangedvertically,side-by-side,withthe etched printing facing west (Figure 1). Wilting flowers were at the two gravesites,presumablyplacedtheretheweekbeforeonMemorialDay.Ourcuriosity now increased as we examined the inscriptions on the two largemarkers.
Ononewasthefollowinginscriptioninlargecapitalletters,includingtheclearlyvisiblenamesoftwochildren(Figure2).Wedustedoffthelowerpor-tionofthegravemarkerandmovedsandydirtandrocksnearthebasetoreadthefullinscription.Theoriginalspellingispreserved:
INMEMORYOF
GEORGEALBERT&MARGARETA.LEE
BORNJANY20th1855&JANY3rd1857
DIEDBYTHEFALL-INGOFAWALLAT
HARMONYFEB6th1862
Belowthisinscription,smaller,lower-casewords,whichformthefollow-ingverse,canbeseeninFigure2,withmoreofthetextoftheversetowardthebaseofthemarkershowninFigure3.
BereavedofjoythoseofnobleBirthwhichGodfromHeavenhassenttoEarthForablessingtohiscovenantRaceAlass they are gone, who’ll fill their placeWasitforsinsthatwehavedoneDeathsnatchedfromusthoselittleonesOhLordourGodwehumblyPleadTo fill the rent Death has madeandkeepusonthenarrowwaythatleadstothateventaldayweourchildrenwillregainthroughFaithintheRedeemer’sName2
J.D.LEE
The name “J. D. LEE,” well below the level of the earth around the soft sandstonemarkerbeforethesoilwasmovedaway,canbemadeoutbelowthelastsentence(Figure4).
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JuanitaBrooksdescribestheincidentthattookthelivesofthesetwochil-drenwith thecollapseof theFortHarmonyWallandtheirwinterburialasfollows:
Leeclosedhisjournalfortheyearwiththestatement,“Throughtheweekthestorms still raging; prospects dark and gloomy; the Earth a sea of water and thuscloses 1861.” The next day’s entry is equally eloquent. “Jany 1st., 1862 Begins with a storm. The face of the country is deluged with water. . . .”
Surelynothinglikethishadeverhappenedbefore.OnthemorningofJanuary31, they had their first glimpse of the sun for twenty-eight days, but before noon it was cloudedagainandsnowing,pilingtoadepthofteninchesinthenexttwodays.BynowallthefamilywasmovedoutofthefortexceptSarahCarolineandherchildren.Sheinsistedthat,sincetheroofwasoffthesecondstoryandtherainhadceased,shewas safe for a while longer. She did have four walls around her and a big fireplace, where theycouldkeepwarm,also twobedswithdrybedding,andshedreaded toleaveitwhenshehadnootherplaceofshelter....
The children were in bed, five-year-old Margaret Ann beside her brother George Albert,justayearolderthanshe,atthehead....Suddenlythemotherhadanimpulseto get out and hurried all through the door in her first fear, without disturbing the two sleepingchildren.Whetheritwasalreadyfallingorwhetherthedraftfromtheopen-ingdoormadeadifference,noonecouldguess,butthepartitionwallfromtheupperfloor crashed, coming through the ceiling, the heavy weight killing the two children instantly.Atleastitseemedthattheymusthavebeeninstantlykilled,fortherewerenocriesexceptfromthosewhohadescapedandwerecallingforhelp.Bythetimeanyonecouldgettherewithalightandremovethedebris,therewasnohopeforthechildren.
Thiswastrulyasadaffair,evenmoresobecausebothparentshadknownthattheyshouldleavethefort,andbothhaddelayedbecauseoftherigorsofwetandcoldto which the children must be exposed if they left the shelter and fire. Now the little bodiescouldhardlybeburiedproperly,withtherainunceasingandthesoggygrave-yardinalocationwhereitwasalmostimpossibletodigadecentgrave....Duringabrieflullinthestormtheygatheredatthegraveyard.Ahymnwassung,afewwordsof comfort offered to the weeping mother, a dedicatory prayer, and then the mudwasbeingpushedintothehole,plumpingontotheboxeswithareverberationthatremindedthemofthewallwhichhadsnuffedouttheyounglives.3
ThechildrendiedonFebruary6,1862,fouryearsandfourmonthsafterthetragicincidentatMountainMeadowsinwhichJohnD.Leeadmittedpar-ticipation.4Icannothelpbutwonderfromthetouchingphraseofthepoem“was it for sins that we have done death snatched from us those little ones” whetherheconsideredthispartofGod’spunishmentforthatlamentablein-cident.
ThesecondgravestonemarkedtherestingplaceofAggathaAnnWool-sey Lee, Lee’s first wife, whom he married in 1833 in Illinois.5Sheborehimelevenchildren,eightofwhomoutlived their father.6Hergravemarker,asshowninFigure5,bearsthefollowinginscription,withthespellingpreservedasonthegravemarker:
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INMEMORYOF
AGGATHEANLEEBORNJAN181814DIEDJUNE41866
Below this inscription, averse follows,muchofwhichcanbe seen inFigure5,withmoreshowninFigure6.Againthespellinghasbeenpreservedasetchedinthesandstonegravemarker.
ShehasgonetorestThepartnerofmyyouthHerspiritnowisblestWiththosethatlovetheTruthBeforeherspiritleftitsclayShecalledherchildrennear.ThenwislyuntothemdidsayObeyyourFatherdearHe’llnevercouncalyouamissThroughallyourfuturelivesThengaveuntoeachoneakissOhshe’samotherandawife7
J.D.LEE
Figure 7 clearly shows the name of the author of the verse, “J. D. LEE,” husbandofAggatha.Onceagainwehadtopushawaythesandydirtatthemarkerbasetoreadthefullinscription,apoeticexpressionoffamilyloveforavaliantpioneerwomanbyherhusband.HerdeathoccurredalittleoverfouryearsafterCaroline’stwochildrenwerekilledandfouryearsbeforeJohnD.LeemovedhisfamilyfromthisNewHarmonyhomestead.BrooksdescribesAggatha’spassingasfollows:
Aggathahadbeenfailingforsometimeuntilbythespringof1866shewasonherdeathbedwithalingeringmalignancy....
Hersufferinggrewinintensity,andwithitherdesiretoseeherchildrenandallthefamily.Perhapsifthiswishcouldbegranted,shecouldrelaxanddieinpeace.Ahorsemanwassenttonotifythemallandcallthemhome....
Shehadlaininastateofsemiconsciousnessforseveralhours,butwhenthewordcamethatthechildrenhadarrived,shearousedandseemedtorevive....
Toeachshegaveaprivateword,commendingthetwolittleboys,SamuelandEzra,intothecareofhersisterRachelandtheirolderbrothersandsisters.Thentothemallshegavethesameadvice.
“Honoryourfatherandlistentohiscounsel.HeisamanofGod,andhewillneverleadyouastray.Turntohiminyoursicknessandtrouble,andstandbyhiminwhatever he may be called to endure. . . .”
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ThreedaysmoreAggathalingered,thoughshedidnotspeakagain.Atlastsherelaxed,hermuscleslosingtherigidityofsuffering,andafaintsmilesettlingonherfacewiththelastexhalationsofherbreath....Itwasjustatmidnight.
The funeral service must be held the next afternoon, for it was June and mortifi-cationhadsetinevenbeforethebreathingstopped.Someofthewiveshardlygottobedatall,forthebodymustbewashedanddressed;theburialclothescouldbeputonmore easily now than later. For days the coffin boards had been ready, fitted, planned andmeasured.Bydaybreaktheywereputtogether,andothersofthewomenwerebusywiththelininganddecoratingofthecasket....
Neighbors and friendsall came to speakof thevirtuesof this sisterwhohadbeenasamothertothemall,andwhosechildrencouldinreality‘riseupandcallherblessed.’ShewasburiedinthecemeterybesidelittleGeorgeandMargarett,whereeven today the cut stones mark their places.”8
Inthepoemetchedonthegravestone,JohnD.LeereferstothisadviceAggatha gave her children. Here also, one speculates whether her counselto her children, “and stand by him in whatever he may be called to endure,” wasapropheticinsightintowhatwastohappentoJ.D.Lee.ThethreeothergravestonesmarkthegravesofJohnLawson,andtwootherchildren.GordonPaceindicatedthattraditionhasitthatotherunmarkedgravesexist,possiblyincludingIndians.
WhilewewerecampinginthisbeautifulcountrywevisitedtheMountainMeadowsMassacresiteandsawthenewmonumentthere,andwerodeourhorsesalongTimberCreekinKolobCanyonofZion’sNationalPark.JuanitaBrooksindicatedthatJohnD.Leehadearlierhiddenintheseredrocksfromlaw enforcement officers seeking his arrest. It was from these heights among theredrocksthathereportedlypickedhisNewHarmonyhomestead.
Tomyknowledge,thesetwopoemshavenotpreviouslybeenbroughttotheattentionof thehistoricalcommunityorcommitted toarchival records.JohnD.LeewasaremarkablepioneeranddedicatedmemberoftheMormonfaith.Hisbiographydocumentsafascinatingandremarkablyproductivelifeofamazingpioneeringachievement,aswellashisdedicationtoastaggering-lylargefamily.9HealsomaintainedanundyingloyaltytoPresidentBrighamYoung,whomheconsideredhisadoptedfather.10 Lee possessed an unflinch-ingfaithintherestoredgospelofJesusChristwhichpersistedthroughsadnessandtragedylikethatnotedabove,andthroughhislossofChurchmembershipin1870.11AlthoughJohnD.Leeprofessedhisinnocenceandneverconfessedpublicly,hewastheonlyMountainMeadowsMassacreparticipanttobecon-victed. He was executed by a firing squad on March 23, 1877, at the site of the massacre.12Lee’smembershipintheChurchwasreinstatedonApril20,1961,andthenecessaryproxyordinanceswereperformedintheSaltLakeTemplelessthanamonthlateronMay8-9.13
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Notes
1.JuanitaBrooks,John Doyle Lee: Zealot, Pioneer Builder, Scapegoat (Logan,Utah:UtahStateUniversityPress,1992),288.
2. The underlined words in the verse were particularly difficult to make out but are thoughttobeaccurate.
3.Brooks,John Doyle Lee,269-71.4.JaunitaBrooks,The Mountain Meadows Massacre(Norman:UniversityofOkla-
homaPress,1990),83.5.Brooks,John Doyle Lee,26.6.Brooks,John Doyle Lee,379.7. The underlined word “near” was difficult to make out but is thought to be accu-
rate.8.Brooks,John Doyle Lee,273-76.9.Leehadnineteenwivesandsixtychildren.SeeBrooks,John Doyle Lee,379-84.10.Brooks,John Doyle Lee,265.11.Brooks,John Doyle Lee,293-94.12.Brooks,John Doyle Lee,366-67.13.Brooks,John Doyle Lee,376.
Figure1.GravemarkersofGeorgeAlbertandMargaretA.Lee(left),andAggathaAnnWoolseyLee(right) in thesmallgraveyardsouthwestofNewHarmony,Utah,near the
easternbaseofthePineValleyMountains,1994.PhotographbyL.DouglasSmoot.
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Figure2.Close-upofthegravemarkerofGeorgeAlbertandMargaretA.Lee,childrenofJohnD.andAggathaAnnWoolseyLee,1994.PhotographbyL.DouglasSmoot.
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Figure3.TheverseinscriptiononthelowerhalfofthegravemarkerofGeorgeAlbertandMargaretA.Lee,1994.PhotographbyL.DouglasSmoot.
Figure 4. Close-up of the inscribed name of the verse author “J. D. Lee” at the very bottom of the grave marker of GeorgeAlbert and MargaretA. Lee,
originallybelowthesoillevel,1994.PhotographbyL.DouglasSmoot.
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Figure 5. Close-up of the grave marker of Agatha Ann Lee (spelled AGGATHEANon the marker), first wife of John D. Lee, 1994. Photograph by L. Douglas Smoot.
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Figure6.Part of theverse inscriptionon the lowerportionof thegravemarker of Agatha Ann Woolsey Lee, 1994. Photograph by L. Douglas
Smoot.
Figure 7. Close-up of the inscribed name of the verse author “J. D. Lee” at theverybottomofAggathaAnnWoolseyLee’sgravemarker,clearlyvisibleatthebaseofthemarker,1994.PhotographbyL.DouglasSmoot.