Tag Archives: J. H. Gibbs

Biography of Rebecca Rocena Beck Berry

Written by her daughter Harriet L. Berry in her 75th year. In the year of 1840, Orson Hyde was ordained as Apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, by the Prophet Joseph Smith in Nauvoo, Illinois, and was sent on a mission to Palestine without purse or script, to dedicate that Holy ground for the return of the Jews. On arriving in Philadelphia, Hyde was without means to cross the mighty ocean. Being full of faith in […]

The Tennesse Massacre: Newspaper Article with Account of President Miles Jones’ interviews with surviving Saints, family and members of the mob

Erection by the church of a little monument at Cane Creek, Tennessee, last June recalled in the minds of many saints in that section and others knowing of the event, a happening which many years ago shocked the entire Church membership. It was the brutal killing of two missionaries and two faithful friends of James Condor, August 10, 1884. The elders killed were John H. Gibbs of Paradise, and William S. Berry of Kanarra. The two others were Martin Condor […]

The Tennessee Massacre: Retrieval of bodes, burial, and conclusion

Meet Fugitives When Elder Jones arrived among the Saints in Shady Grove, Monday morning, he found Elder J.G. Kimball there on a visit with the Saints. Tuesday morning these two brethren secured horses and a guide to go and see what had become of the other elders. They had proceeded but about eight or ten miles on their way when they met with Elder Thopson, who had fled from Condor’s house immediately after the killing of Elder Gibbs, and Mr. […]

The Tennessee Massacre: Defense and memorial of the martyrs

Victims Buried Those who had fled to the woods in the excitement, returned as soon as the mob left; the eyes of the dead were closed, and the bodies of the two elders and their brave defenders were laid side by side. Plain coffins were made of poplar lumber and the Saints and friends laid away in the best possible manner, under the circumstances, the bodies of the four martyrs.  The Condors going to their graves where they will sleep […]

The Tennessee Massacre: Setting the Scene

One of the most courageous events in the life of Pres. B. H. Roberts, was his recovery of the bodies of two elders who had been slain by mobs while performing missionary work in the Southern States mission. The account of those events are given as follows in President Roberts’ own language: THE TENNESSEE MASSACRE “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel,” was a commission given to the Apostles by the Son of God when ministering in […]