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Article: Mormon War
- Article from:
- Dictionary of American History
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CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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MORMON WAR
MORMON WAR.
The Mormon War (1844
–
1846) was a series of disorders between the Mormon residents of Nauvoo in Hancock County, Illinois, and the non-Mormon population of the neighboring territory. The non-Mormon population had welcomed the Mormons upon their 1839 arrival but soon resented their city charter, feared their political power, and envied their apparent prosperity. By June 1844 the Mormon militia was under arms in Nauvoo. At at least 1,500 armed men had assembled to expel the Mormons, and Governor Thomas had taken charge. The Mormon leader Joseph Smith surrendered on a charge of riot, but a mob murdered him and his brother Hyrum in the Carthage jail on 27 June. ...