Legacy of Bear River Massacre Discussed at WSU

OGDEN, Utah — A historian of the Northwest Shoshone Nation will discuss the Bear River Massacre, the single greatest loss of Native American lives in American history, at Weber State University on Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. in the Lindquist Alumni Center Garden Room.
 
Weber Historical Society will host Darren B. Parry, the vice chairman of the Northwestern Shoshone Nation. He is a direct descendent of Sagwitch, the chief of the tribe at the time of the massacre.
 
The Army had sent troops to respond to animosity between Native Americans and white settlers that began in 1862. Warned of the advancing force, the Northwest Shoshone hoped for a peaceful resolution, but on Jan. 29, 1863, soldiers began firing without provocation.
 
The Shoshone fought with the few weapons available but were overcome by the troops on the banks of the Bear River near the Utah and Idaho border. More than 300 Shoshone were killed in the massacre.
 
What few survivors remained, among them Chief Sagwitch, were left destitute as soldiers took everything. For the next 10 years, the Northwest Shoshone struggled to survive. Despite that, Parry says the massacre did not define the Northwest Shoshone people.
 
In 1873, one of Sagwitch’s fellow chiefs had a dream telling him to join the LDS church. All of the chiefs believed the message was from the Great Spirit, and they, along with the entire remaining tribe members, were baptized.
 
Church leaders helped teach tribe members to farm and build homes. While other Shoshone tribes were forced to move to reservations in Idaho, the Northwest Shoshone tribe, with the help of Mormon leaders, stayed and settled northern Box Elder County.
 
Parry attributes the success of the Northwest Shoshone Tribe to its members’ religious conversion. During his lecture, he will explain how his tribe differed from those that were moved to reservations.
 
The event, which is free and open to the public, is part of the Weber Historical Society Fall 2014 Lecture Series. It is presented by the WSU Alumni Association, the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences, the Department of History, Stewart Library, and the Weber Historical Society.
 
Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.
 
Author:
Marcus Jensen, Office of Marketing & Communications
801-626-7295 • marcusjensen@weber.edu
Contact:
Eric Swedin, history professor
801-395-3553 • eswedin@weber.edu