Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 1.djvu/344



from Missouri and some of them settled in Lee County, Iowa, but the larger number crossed the Mississippi and erected temporary shelter for the winter. Dr. Isaac Galland, a Mormon elder, was the owner of a large tract of land on both sides of the river and sold it to the refugees on liberal terms. In February, 1839, Dr. Galland wrote to Governor Robert Lucas, of Iowa, inquiring whether their people would be permitted to purchase land and settle in the Territory of Iowa. The Governor replied that he knew of no authority that could deprive them of that right; that as citizens of the United States they were entitled to the same rights and legal protection as other citizens.

Thus encouraged a few Mormon families expelled from Missouri settled in the southeast corner of the Territory in 1839 and 1840. Bishop Knight bought for his church a part of the town sites of Keokuk, Nashville and Montrose, in Lee County, and larger tracts of the vicinity. In 1840 there were over one hundred Mormon families living in that county. Across the river from Montrose was the little town of Commerce, started by New York speculators; this the Mormons purchased, changing its name to Nauvoo. Joseph Smith, their Prophet, came from imprisonment in Missouri and pronounced Nauvoo the seat of the church. It soon grew into a large city, as the Mormons gathered from all of their former settlements and the foundation of a large temple was laid. Great numbers of converts came from England and joined the Nauvoo colony.

A revelation in July, 1843, permitting a plurality of wives, raised a storm of indignation in the surrounding settlements, and it was charged that the Mormons harbored criminals. Joseph Smith was arrested in June, 1844, together with other leaders. The arrests had been made by a company of soldiers on order of Governor Ford, of Illinois. The Mormon leaders were lodged in jail at Carthage and charged with riot. On the 27th a