[ Full-text transcription of: Report of the messengers C.R. Morehead, William Thornton, and Jacob Gudgel, of Richmond, MO ]
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The undersigned having on Monday morning last
learned that the mormons had burned Millport
in Daviesz county in addition to the burning of Stollingz
Store in
threatened to burn the Store in Buncombe Settlement
in this County, and feeling an anxiety to know the
truth in relation to Said reportz-left this place
to Millport, they however previously called at
Judge Morins’ who livez about ¼ of a mile from
Millport, who informed those that all they had
learned was Substantially true, and that much
more had been done by the Mormons, than the
people of this county had been informed of; he
went with us to Millport where we found all
the housez in ashes, except a Grocery Store
house belonging to a Mr. Slade and a house
in which Mr. Wilson McKinney had lived, we
also found the house of Robert Peniston near
Millport burned: The horse=mill belonging
to him, (Peniston) was taken down, the Stonez,
bolting chest &c lying out Some distance from
the Shed, and the shed Yet Standing. Mr. Morin
informed us that the burning was done on
Sunday night last, that on the next day he saw
mormons thare and saw them taking Off beds and
Other thingz belonging to Wilson McKinney; we
also Saw Some furniture which we understood from
Mr. Morin belonged to McKinney Standing Out in
the commons, and which Seemed to have been
riffled of its contents. Mr. Morin expected on the
day we were there, that the Mormons would
be thare (at Millport) to move Off the remaining
property and to burn the balance of the housez.
he stated to us that he considered his Situation
a precarious one, that he had been permitted
to Stay thus long owing to having no wagons
to move with, but that he expected to get
wagons that day & intended moving in to
was entirely deserted by the inhabitants except
himself, and a few Otherz, besides the Mormons,
and expressed it as his belief, that the corn
from his house to Diamon would all be
gathered, and hawled into Diamon by the
Mormons in 48. Hours from that time.
He also Stated to us, that he was at Diamon
a few days previously, and Saw a company
of men (mormons) come into camp with
a drove of Cattle, amounting to about 100
head, which he supposed belonged to other
Citizens, he also Saw a man in possession
of a Mormon, which he was very certain belonged
to Mr. Morgan a citizen of Daviesz County.-
Mr. Morin looked upon these Mormons who were
then at Diamon (amounting he supposed to about
600 men) as a band of Robbers and desparadoes,
he advised us very Strongly to go no farther, not
to attempt to go to Diamon, or
That we would gather nothing [ ] by [ ]
So, in addition to which we there learned
that the County on the North Side of
and west of him was certainly deserted
except by the mormons, and had been for several
days, that the houses were all burned, or to use
his own words, that it was a complete waste.
Mr. Morin also informed us, that the
Mormons had Ordered the Other Citizens out of
the County, and that he too had been ordered
to leave, he appeared very anxious that we
should not be seen at his house, by any
mormon, that it Should not be known that
he had given any information or expressed any
thing unfavorable towards them, until he get
away. We did not
visit
understood from Mr. Morin and others, whom
we met moving into this county, that all the
houses in that place were burned
except a Shoemakers’ Shop belonging to a Mr.
Borwell.-
C. R. Morehead,
Wm. Thornton
Jacob Gudgel
Report of
Morehead & others
copied