Hinkle's Role in the Establishment and
Fall of De Witt
In April, Henry Root, a local non-mormon resident, who controlled extensive land holdings in Carroll County, Missouri, met with Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon. He proposed that Mormons settlers help develop his recent town plat of De Witt on his land near the Missouri River. Joseph and Missouri church leaders had already establishing an expansive Mormon territory or realm in northwestern Missouri. “Mormon leaders perceived that De Witt could served as a port of entry for emigrating Saints before proceeding on to the main Mormon settlements to the north. In addition, agricultural products and goods could be transported to and from the Mormon settlements in Caldwell and Daviess by way of De Witt and the Grand River.” A. C. Blackwell, a long–time resident of the county recalled. “De Witt being a good landing on the [Missouri] river, [was] the most convenient point from which to forward goods and emigrants to Far West.” [Blackwell, “Reminiscence,” 13].
The Missouri High Council took affirmative action on the offer and, on 23 June, “George M. Hinkle and John Murdock, two members of the council, traveled to the community to make payment to the seller,” Henry Root, John Murdock wrote, “George M. Hinkle and myself, being sent by the High Council, by direction of Brother Joseph the Prophet, bought the undivided half of the town plot of Dewitt, Car[r]oll County, Missouri, for five hundred dollars, giving our note for the same, Bishop Partri[d]ge being our endorser.” 134 of the town's 340 lots were transferred into the control of the church around the first of July 1838. [See Perkins, “De Witt: Prelude to Expulsion,” in Regional Studies, Missouri, 266].
Mormon families immediately began moving to De Witt. John Murdock relocated from Far West first [Murdock, petition in Johnson, Mormon Redress Petitions, 503]. George M. Hinkle, a commissioned colonel in the Caldwell unit of the state militia, also moved from Far West early in July and served as branch president. The council acquired Hinkle's home in Far West and gave it to Joseph Smith's family. [Far West Record].
Immediately, local opposition was expressed to the Mormon presence in Carroll County. By the end of July a committee of Carrolton residents visited De Witt and ordered church members to leave the county. Several such meetings were motivated by the belief that the Mormons were violating the state legislature's intent that they limit settlement to Caldwell County Presbyterian minister Sashel Woods informed Hinkle that they Mormons would be given only a short time to relocate peaceably, after which time they would be removed forcibly. [Missouri Republican, 18 August 1838]. On 19 August 1838, Pierce Hawley was accosted by a group of Carroll expulsionists. He was detained over night. John Murdock reported, the next morning Hawley wandered into De Witt. "He had been a prisoner all night by a mob of 60 or 70, who were within 4 miles of town." Hawley believed the party would enter the town Robert Seely, a friend of the Mormons, rode out to investigate. He found the county sheriff with the band. The sheriff had a warrant, filed by Sashel Woods, for the arrest of George Hinkle. Seely arranged for the sheriff to go into De Witt by himself, where he arrested Hinkle for an appearance before a justice of the peace five miles away. Murdock remembered, "Immediately when the Sherif[f] & prisoner [Hinkle] left town Colonel Jones, at the head of I suppose near a hundred armed men, entered town accompanied by Seciel [Sashel Wood." With Hinkle absent, in order to appear before the justice, the Carroll regulators "Paraded through the town at least two or three hours threat[e]ning men women & children with destruction of person & property if they were not out of the County in ten days." [Murdock, Journal; 18; John Taylor, A Short Account of the Murders, Roberies [sic], Burning, Thefts, and Other Ourtrages…].
When Hinkle returned, he was surprised to find De Witt overrun. Upon learning of their demands, Hinkle "drew his sword and flourished it in the air with threats of extermination toward those who should attempt to disturb his peace." Having delivered their message, the marauders withdrew [Murdock, Journal, 18; Blackwell, "Reminiscence," 13].
The Mormons dug in defensive positions. Hinkle organized the Mormon men appointing officers and sub-commanders. Hinkle persuaded some thirty families, traveling from Canada to Far West under the leadership of John E. Page, to stay and help defend the besieged community. Some regional militia officers, en route to Columbia, Missouri, via Missouri riverboat, reported Hinkle "bristled up courage to make a speech to the[m]… in which he declared his intention in a trembling tone to defend De Witt to the last." [George A. Smith, "My Journal," 65].
With the passage of the 1 October deadline, Carroll enforcers began harassing the settlement. With the attack underway, Mormon leaders unsuccessfully tried to secure assistance from the civil and state authorities. The standoff lasted ten days [Murdock, petition in Johnson, Mormon Redress Petitions, 503].
On October 5, in response to the siege, Joseph Smith organized two companies- one headed by the Prophet himself and the other headed by Seymour Brunson. Both parties passed into De Witt with out major incident, making a total of about 130 defenders [Albert P. Rockwood, “Journal,” 21; Merkley, Biography of Christopher Merkley, 4].
Six representatives from Chariton and Howard Counties came to mediate the difficulties. [Report of the Committee of Chariton County, 5 October 1838, in Document, 36]. Though determined, in the end, the outnumbered and hungry Mormons decided to agree to terms. When the peace commission entered the town, Colonel Hinkle “received his visitors in a friendly manner.” The Mormons were told they had twelve hours to evacuate.
Hinkle delivered his sword as a symbolic acknowledgement of their surrender [Leany, petition in Johnson, Mormon Redress Petitions, 480-81].On October 11 the beleaguered colony set out for Far West. Most arrived on the 14th of October [Murdock, petition in Johnson, Mormon Redress Petitions, 504]. [Extracted from Baugh, A Call to Arms: The 1838 Mormon Defense of Northern Missouri (Provo, UT: JSF Institute and BYU Studies, 2000), 65-75].
When I left my home with the Doke family I was about eighteen years old. Under the leadership of John E. Page, thirty Mormon families started for Missouri. We crossed the St. Lawrence River on the ice and stayed in the Chippewa Bay until spring. Then we proceeded on our way.
John Wakley
Upon arriving at DeWitt, a town about fifty miles from Far West, we were told by Colonel George M. Hinkle, residing in that place, that Joseph Smith desired us to remain in DeWitt. The saints being dissatisfied sent one of their members to Far West to inquire the will of the Prophet. He was informed that the Prophet wished the company from Canada to proceed to Far West. The mobs were becoming so harassing that the saints were all in danger of their lives. One of the scouts, who had been sent out to ascertain the position of the mob, came back with his coat riddled by bullet, but otherwise unhurt.
Ten Scouts were kept out to watch and report the movement of the mob. They became so troublesome that the Saints decided to march against them. A small company under the leadership of Colonel Hinkle was mustered and we marched away in search of the mob.
On coming to the top of a hill north of DeWitt we were surprised by a mob of five hundred. Their fire was so sudden and intense that we were blinded by the dirt from the hill, while large branches were cut from the oat trees over head and showered amongst us. "Colonel Hinkle gave the order to retreat and all the Saints, excepting seven, ran panic stricken towards DeWitt."
'We realized that even if we reached DeWitt we together with the other families might be surrounded by the mob and murdered. John E. Page stepped forward and gave the order to "tree" and in an instant we had all scrambled up trees and were in a firing position. Shots from the mob were falling about us and we were keeping up a steady fire at them. We could not see what effect our shots were having until one of the mob, raised from behind a log to get aim at one of us, was instantly dropped by a brother by the name of Cox. At this the mob thought by coming around the hill, they might surround us without Loss to themselves.'
'They had not gone far when they came upon the ten scouts. The fire from them was such a surprise that the mob turned and ran back in our direction. We had our guns loaded and fired into there midst. This completed their panic and they ran directly for a nearby corn field.'
'We had stationed an old man by the name of Thorpe at the farther end of the corn patch with a well loaded gun and when he heard the mob crashing toward him, he fired. At the Sound of this gun they turned and ran pell-mell into the woods where their horses were tied. Each man took the first horse he came to and rode into the woods to their camps.'
"We returned to DeWitt well pleased with our days work."
'The Saints of DeWitt were now in danger of starvation on account of the closeness of the siege so they sent word to Joseph Smith for help. In a few days he, accompanied by David Patten and sixty man, came to our aid. Joseph petitioned Governor Boggs and received this reply: "The quarrel is between the Mormons and the mob and they can fight it out.'
'One night we decided to go out and encounter the mob. Colonel Hinkle was again in command and when we were drawn up near the mob and in a good position for victory, he gave the order to 'tree'. This came as a surprise to the whole company and caused great confusion, until Captain David Patten stepped forward and gave the order to retreat. He afterwards reprimanded Hinkle for his traitorous conduct."
"The Canada Saints and those who were formerly at DeWitt in the month of October 1838 gathered their movable possessions and went to Far West.' [http://www.ida.net/users/lamar/pioneer1.html]
