A Wild Ride

Elder Ames & his companion, Elder Merrell

The next installment of The Last American Hero

Dear Mother and Father stop,

I hope the telegraph lines are working and that you will get this telegraph. I've been getting your letters and packages and I thank you for your kindness.

Mother, thank you for buying those Chinese silk thermals for me when you and grandmother were visiting San Francisco. They are more suited to keeping my body warm than the cotton. Also, thank you Mother for buying me that Henry rifle, because it has saved my life and others.

Upon waking in President Jones home, the other Elders and I showered and quickly changed and then had breakfast with President Jones and the Assistants to the President. We were soon told of the political problems of Michigan and how those issues could affect us.

President shared that Prophet Joseph Smith was killed and the leadership of the church was being challenged on every side. Thankfully the Lord blesses us to see that Brigham Young was supposed to be the next leader. But, there were dissenters who sought for their own gain!

We were told that up in the north on Beaver Island lives "King" Edward Strange III. He leads the "Stranger Mormon" group. While everyone else was escaping to the west, his grandfather led his followers into Michigan and made allies with all the local Indian leaders, especially the ones up north. Because of his influence on the Indians, the state government gave him Beaver Island and from there he, his son and grandson slowly bought land and became very powerful.

During the Civil War, he supported the Union and gained many political allies. He died in 1864 and his son continues his policies. Then in 1867, Edward Strange II was able to use his allies in Washington DC and the alliances he made with the Indians in the north to basically secure his power for the next 50 years by treaties!!

During the 1870's, the southern part of Michigan was under the influence of other Indians who lived in peace with the white neighbors. That climate was able to allow missionaries of our church ot teach and the gospel was able to grow. Of course, people still have suspicions.

"King" Edward Strange II used his Indian allies to hunt down and attack all Mormons and their allies. That war became the Mormon-Indian Civil War of Michigan. Mostly guerrilla fighting and it's still going on to this day!

After we were done discussing the political climate, we soon left by stage coach for the Lansing Stake Center. At lunch time I met my trainer. His name is Elder Pyuh Cqul, which is Indian for "light skin". He is an Indian from the Kennewick tribe and city in the state of Washington. His father is a medicine man and was originally part of the Cola tribe from the Salt Lake Valley. His white man name is Elder Tyler Merrell. There are many Indian members in Michigan and a lot of missionaries with Indian ancestry.

The area where we are serving is the city of Kalamazoo, which is famous for its paper and lumber mills, as well as coal mines and growing vegetables.

After lunch, Elders Barney, Clowndery, Merrell and I left for Kalamazoo, a two day trip. The first day was fine, but I had a bad feeling the next morning that I couldn't shake and I honestly felt I should have brought my rifle with me.

Soon after, we saw some of the Strange followers and their knights who wear green trench coats with a golden image of a crown on their right shoulder in town.

Well, I met some and...

to be continued!