Bear River Massacre

Cache Valley Natives

The Northwestern band of Shoshone, or Newe, meaning "the people," and their ancestors have called Cache Valley home for millennia, referring to it as Sihiviogoi, which translates to "Willow Creek" or "Willow River." The Newe found Sihiviogoi's soil rich for crops, and its large bowl a natural pasture for cattle.1

The band of Newe located in Cache Valley was the Pangwiduka, "fish eaters." Specific locations as to where the Pangwiduka settle is unknown. When the first Pioneers began settling the valley, they noted that there were two groups of about 124-158  Pangwiduka near today's Mendon, Utah.1

Pioneer Settlements

The first white person to enter Sihiviogoi was Jim Bridger, who, following the Bear and Cub Rivers, made a camp near Cove during the winter of 1823-1824. After winter was over, he continued his way following the Bear River until he reached the Great Salt Lake.

In 1846, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Brigham Young began the journey of gathering the Saints to the Rocky Mountains, specifically the Salt Lake Valley. He reached the valley on July 24, 1847, and from there, began a mass colonization of the intermountain west. 

The first settlement of Sihiviogoi by Mormon Pioneers was Maghan's Fort in 1856, today's Wellsville. President Young wanted to use the valley as a large pasture, but the idea failed after the first brutal winter, killing more than 100 cattle. After the unsuccessful idea, President Young decided that the valley would be great for settling.

After the Utah War, President Young began to send Saints to settle Sihiviogoi. Renamed Cache Valley after the fur trappers from earlier years, Logan, Mendon, Providence, Richmond, and Smithfield were settled in 1859. An estimated 3,000 Pioneers settled in the valley the first year.

Pioneer and Native American Friction

As Pioneers began to settle Cache Valley, they took much of the natural game and natural resources. As more settled in the valley, less was available. Noticing the early tension, President Young visited the valley, giving aid and instruction to each settlement. He came to Richmond in June 1860, telling the Pioneers to build a fort for protection against the Natives.

Soon after the fort's construction, the Territory of Utah created the Cache Military District on Oct 15, 1861 with Church Apostle Ezra T. Benson as Colonel.3 Eliza Maria Allred talks of the early days of Richmond:

"The early days in Richmond were not very pleasant days, The Indians were so troublesome we had to watch our children so closely, afraid to let them go out of the house for fear of being stolen. One or two children were taken by them. They were stealing horses and cattle. Men were called to be minute-men and had to be prepared at a minute's warning to protect the few people in Cache Valley and Idaho, and in our own town, Richmond, and many a scare was had and for a number of years before they got friendly."4

In 1861, a Native stole some horses from a man in Smithfield. The man saw a young boy fishing at a river, and accused the boy of stealing or working along to steal the horse. By jury, the boy was hanged. After the boy's death, battles between the Natives and Pioneers occurred. Richard J. M. Bee spoke about the incident:

"While we were living in our wagons not having as yet built any houses, word reached us that a party traveling and while crossing the creek at Smithfield, six miles south of us, had been killed by the Indians and fight was taking place with settlers of Smithfield and the Indians, reinforcements were needed to assist the brethren there. A call company with other brethren hastened to assist in the rescue of the settlement 

"As we reached Smithfield, the brethren were in full chase after the Indians, who were making for the canyon east of town. We joined in the chase and got near to the Indians who had to take a position the brethren could not advance but it had the effect of subdividing the Indians for that time. 

"The result of the fight in town was the shooting of one of the brethren, Samuel Cousins, through the left lung, but in time after careful nursing he partially recovered. 

"One of the Indian Chiefs, Araapeen was killed in the streets before the Indians took to flight. I assisted in carrying him off in a wagon for burial."1

In July 1862, gold was discovered in southwestern Montana. Gold seekers began using Cache Valley as a route to Montana. This boosted its economy slightly, but also caused problems when the prospectors were caught in the crosshairs. 

In Dec 1862, a group of five men, while on the Bear River northwest of Richmond, was attacked. Three other men were in Richmond at the time of the attack for supplies and a guide. The following day, the three men returned with some Richmond crew, and found one of the men, John Henry Smith, dead from the attack.

John's body was recovered and brought back to Richmond for burial. It was taken to Justin Shepard's blacksmith, where he thawed out the body and dug the grave.5 This death led to the creation of the Richmond Cemetery and was the last straw for the U.S. Government.

The Massacre

Once the American Civil War began in 1860, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln ordered a fort stationed in Salt Lake City as a midway for the Union (the Northern States and Washington D.C.) and California. The soldiers of Utah wanted to fight for their country, but all they did in Utah was watch the mail route and "herd" Natives.

After the death of the miner in Richmond, U.S. Colonel Patrick E. Connor began preparations to take out the Natives and end the fights and battles. Keeping the attack a secret, Connor received word that a large group of Natives was in Cache Valley, along the Bear River, and was led by Chief Bear Hunter.

On Jan 25, 1863, Col. Connors left for Cache Valley, accompanied by Porter Rockwell. Once they entered Richmond, part of the company of soldiers stayed in Richmond, while another part, including Connor, stayed in Franklin, Idaho.8 They hired Robert T. Petty to locate the Natives for $5.7 After he located them, they were led by Moroni Cole to the Natives.6

On Jan 29, Connor left the settlements for the Natives. Many Richmond and Franklin Pioneers accompanied the soldiers, as they thought they were going to witness diplomacy. However, once Connor ordered his soldiers to fire and kill any Native they could, the bystanders were horrified. They stayed on the hill overlooking the camp as they watched Connor's company kill men, women, and children. Marriner Wood Merrill was possibly shot by a stray bullet.9 An estimated 150-400 Natives were killed.

Aftermath

After the battle was over, the wounded soldiers camped in Richmond and Franklin, and the Pioneers did their best to care for them. The soldiers left soon after, and Connor was honored by the U.S. Government.

After the massacre, tensions grew throughout the remainder of 1863, as Natives began to steal more. However, by 1864, the Natives stopped. Tension between the Natives and Pioneers remained for many years after, but battles and Native-Pioneer deaths nearly vanished.

The Battle of Bear River by Edmond J. Fitzgerald, 1941.

Preston, Idaho Post Office

1.  "Shoshone History in Cache Valley."Utah State University, University Libraries, Digital Exhibits. Retrieved 2025-09-22. http://exhibits.lib.usu.edu/exhibits/show/mendon/shoshonehistory

2. Richard John Moxey Bee. (1910) Richard John Moxey Bee Autobiography, Uploaded to FamilySearch.org by DWBee, Jan 28, 2016. https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/22297663?p=56226289&returnLabel=Richard%20John%20Moxey%20Bee%20(KWCT-4KS)&returnUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.familysearch.org%2Ftree%2Fperson%2Fmemories%2FKWCT-4KS

   1. Also supporting this claim, William L. Skidmore. Source

3. "Utah, Territorial Militia Records, 1849-1877", FamilySearch, 5th Battalion Infantry, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-95XQ-Y73?view=index&lang=en&groupId=

4. Eliza Marie Allred. (Year made Unknown) Eliza Marie Allred Biography, Uploaded to FamilySearch.org by April Oaks, Aug 4, 2013. https://www.familysearch.org/memories/memory/2002839?cid=mem_copy

   1. Also supporting this claim, Samuel Roskelly. Source page 178

5. Ella Jane Shepard. (Year made Unknown) Justin Shepard, Uploaded to FamilySearch.org by grantsheparddavis1, Dec 27, 2013. https://www.familysearch.org/memories/memory/4119228?cid=mem_copy

6. (Aug 24, 1932). Aged Resident Recalls Battle. The Herald Journal. University of Utah, J. Willard Marriott Library, Utah Digital Newspapers. https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/details?id=28601257

7. July Ann Wright. (Year made Unknown) Mrs. Julia Wright Petty Life, Uploaded to FamilySearch.org by Peterson Crossley LeeAnn, Dec 13, 2016. https://www.familysearch.org/memories/memory/31663753?cid=mem_copy

8. Verla Comish Harris. (Year made Unknown) John Comish - Biography, Uploaded to FamilySearch.org by comishjames, May 27, 2013. https://www.familysearch.org/memories/memory/1163676?cid=mem_copy

9. Merrill, Melvin Clarence, (1937). Utah Pioneer and Apostle: Marriner Wood Merrill and His Family, pgs. 381-382. Digital copy Internet Archive, Contributed by the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/utahpioneerapost00merr/page/380/mode/2up