Haun's Mill Accounts
POTTS, Jacob H.
AD 1840 111 Adams County Columbus March the 12
I was asitizen of Missori for near three years where I selected a home and purchced the same with my own money in the Cunty of Caldwell it being the west half of the south east qr of Sec 13 T 26 R 56 contaiined eighty acres twenty acres of the same was in astate of cultivation four acres of it was in corn eight acres in wheat this being under afree govorment I expected to enjoy Equal rights with other men which my fore Fathers fought for but in concequence of A decree that went forth from the govornor I was deprived of that privilege and was forced to dis[pose] of it at a low rate and leave the state in February 1839 But previous to this in the month of Oct 1838 there was some excitement raised but the of it I know not but our lives were threatened in that neigborhood and we met together to council the matter over to now what was best for us to do and the council was adjourned till the next day then we met together again durring which time their number of late emigrants came and encamped at the same plac this being at Hauns Mill and in the evening about an hour and ahalfby sun their was alawless set of bandities say about two hundred and fifty men headed by Captain Cum stock and Ginings all on horse back they came up and commenced fireing on us with out uttering awor[rf] our people began to call for quarters but none was giving the mob continued their fireing untill they had killed and wounded about 30 of our people 16 of them was killed and wounded so they died by 10 oclock the next day 1 boy in four week 1 young in 8 weeks and as as far as I know the rest remains alive yet and amongst the wounded I was one I received two wounds in my right leg which proved aserious injury to me I also had agood mare saddle bridle blanket and halter taken at the same time Levi Stiltz lost amare sadle and bridle
Benjamin Lewis was killed and two horses taken from the widow Isaac Laney severely wounded William Yokkam badly wounded and his horse taken Jacob Haun was wounded and his critter taken he was the ownener of the mill and land where the fray took place Jacob Myers lived on the same place he was wounded and his criter taken Charles Jameson and Jacob Foutz was wounded[.]
[Jacob H. Potts, continued]
And amumber of other horses was taken from the late emigrants and their was eight of those killed two of them was little boys the names of those that was killed is Benjamin Lewis John York Austin Hamer Simon Cox John Lee Amos Mcbride Mr Merick and boy Mr Smith and boy Mr Canada Hiram Abbot Josiah Fuller Mr Naper the names of the other four I no not and the mob plundered many things that I have not mentioned waggons horses clothing bed clothing &c in testimony whereof I set my hand[.]
- Jacob H Potts
STILTZ, Levi
I also was asitize of Mo at the time above mentioned and had entered forty acres of land in the same neighborhood and was treated in the same manner as is above mentioned except being wounded I was at the mill at the same time above mentioned I had amare saddle and bridle taken after ward I was taken prisoner and my gun was taken from me and the same mob passed through the neighborhood painted plundering what eve they could get their hands on. I can testify that the above ritten is correct[.]
- Levi Stiltz
State of Illinois Adams County SS
this day personally Came before me the undersigned Justice of the peace within & for the County aforesaid Jacob H. Potts and Levi Stiltz & after being Duly sworn Deposeth and Sayeth that the foregoing statements are facts & that they are Correct & true to the best of their belief & farther these Deponats sayeth Not.
- Jacob H. Potts [&] Levi Stiltz
[Sworn to before W. Oglesby, J.P., Adams Co., IL. 13 Mar 1840.]
[Clark V. Johnson, Mormon Redress Petitions: Documents of the 1833-1838 Missouri Conflict (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1992), 320-21.]
