Letter from Warren Parrish, 28 June 1836

We were credibly informed, that the  company that were under the control  of these noble chieftains, consisted of  Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians,  liars, drunkards, hog and horse thieves.  And so determined were they to force  us off at that late hour, that it was with  much difficulty we could prevail on  them to show us any lenity. Howev er they protracted the time of our ap pearance before the court until Tues day following, by our giving a bond of  two thousand dollars, signed by our selves and two of our brethren.

They intended to have led us into  the woods under the dark curtain of  night, (the emblem of their corrupt and  wicked hearts,) with the pretension of  taking us before the magistrate, that  they might the better execute their di abolical designs upon us.

On Tuesday in company with about  twenty brethren and warm friends,  who were ready and willing to lay  down their lives for us, we went before  our rulers. We found about one hun dred persons assembled whose counte uances too plainly indicated the black  designs of their hearts. They were  armed with guns, dirks, pistols, clubs,  sticks, &c. At a late hour, we pre vailed on the Sheriff to have the court  called, which consisted of three magis trates, one of whom was rejected from  the judgment seat, because some of his  family were members of our church.  The Sheriff then asked of the court the  privilege of divesting us of our arms,  if any we had; it was granted. Elder  Patten

14 Nov. 1799–25 Oct. 1838. Farmer. Born in Vermont. Son of Benoni Patten and Edith Cole. Moved to Theresa, Oneida Co., New York, as a young child. Moved to Dundee, Monroe Co., Michigan Territory, as a youth. Married Phoebe Ann Babcock, 1828, in Dundee. Affiliated...

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had a pistol which he had taken  that morning in consequence of our  having heard that the mob did not ex pect to sustain a lawful charge against  us; but intended to rise up and over power us by their numbers; he also  had a walking stick. I had a cane and  common pocket knife; these were ta ken from us.

A man by the name of Perkins (who  report says, had run his country for  hog stealing and also had been guilty  of concealing a stolen horse for which  he had lost a part of his nose,) was ap pointed by the court to act as State’s  Attorney, or in other words, mob soli citor general, to abuse the innocent  and screen the guilty. We were abu sed by any and every scoundrel that  saw fit to do so, and the court allowed  them this privilege. After they had  brought many of those who had entered  into a conspiracy to witness against us;  we called on our witnesses, but the  court refused to hear any testimsny [testimony] on  our part, because the mob objected and  they dare not do otherwise, but were  controlled by the lawless banditti that  surrounded them and us, who were de termined on our destruction. Said Per kins made a plea against us, and we  were not permitted to reply or speak  in our own defence. Thus ended this  mock trial, and the court after retiring  a few minutes, returned with this ver dict: That they concluded that the  charges preferred against us had been  sustained, and that we were bound over  to court for trial.

Our accusers did not attempt to prove  that those individuals who were prom ised the Holy Ghost on condition of  obedience to the gospel did not receive  it, for they if called upon would have  testified otherwise; and let the candid  judge, whether any man can in truth  testify, that he who prophecies, that  Christ will come the second time in this  generation, is a false prophet. And  furthermore our complainant testified  that the above named crimes were com mitted in October, 1834. It is a well  known fact that Elder Woodruff

1 Mar. 1807–2 Sept. 1898. Farmer, miller. Born at Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut. Son of Aphek Woodruff and Beulah Thompson. Moved to Richland, Oswego Co., New York, 1832. Baptized into LDS church by Zera Pulsipher, 31 Dec. 1833, near Richland. Ordained...

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, whose  name is included in the warrant, (tho’  not arrested) was not in this state until  the spring of 1835. So much for the  oath of a Methodist priest.

While the court was preparing our  bonds, another warrant was served on  Elder Patten

14 Nov. 1799–25 Oct. 1838. Farmer. Born in Vermont. Son of Benoni Patten and Edith Cole. Moved to Theresa, Oneida Co., New York, as a young child. Moved to Dundee, Monroe Co., Michigan Territory, as a youth. Married Phoebe Ann Babcock, 1828, in Dundee. Affiliated...

View Full Bio

; the mob without and the  mob within, whose intoxicating zeal  had risen to its zenith were threatening  our lives, and seemed only waiting the  dark shades of night, which were fast  gathering round, to cover them while  they should wreak their hands in our  blood; the influence of our friends as  instruments in the hands of God kept  this gathering storm from bursting up on our heads. About this time the  Sheriff proposed to us that if we would  leave the county in ten days and pay  the cost, they would set us at liberty;  at the same time informing us that it [p. 366]