A Brief History
On June 25, 1976, the Governor of Missouri, Christopher Bond, signed an executive order rescinding Executive Order 44, better known as “The Extermination Order.” Executive Order 44 had been issued by then Governor Lilburn Boggs (“Lilburn”???) ordering that a force of 400 mounted men be raised to “exterminate or be driven from the state” all Mormons (Latter Day Saints).
Digging Deeper
Governor Boggs (and many other Missourians) believed the Mormon religion and practices to be an abomination and them to be in open defiance of state laws. He further ordered the amount of men detailed to exterminate the Mormons could be increased if necessary.
The Mormons had been expelled from Jackson County in 1833 and then confined to Caldwell County. Friction between Mormons and their neighbors largely centered on the Mormon belief that slavery should be abolished. Slave owning Missourians would hear none of that!
This mentality resulted in conflict known as The 1838 Mormon War, which resulted in the expulsion of Mormons from Missouri.
Mormon leader Sidney Rigdon had delivered a July 4th speech in which he made it clear any attacks on the Mormons would be met with force. Rigdon inflamed tensions by stating that the Mormons, if attacked by non-Mormons, would “carry the seat of war to their own houses and families.“ The ensuing skirmishes resulted in the Executive Order and ultimately the exodus of the Mormons.
About 10,000 Mormons had been evicted from the state, mostly at gunpoint. In 1976, Governor Bond finally rescinded the onerous Executive Order, recognizing the injustice and hardships imposed by it. The Church of Latter Day Saints accepted the apology and invited Bond to their annual conference.
People and their political divisions have discriminated against and persecuted various religious groups throughout the world and throughout history, but in the United States where religious freedom is one of the founding tenets of the country it is especially ridiculous and sickening. Almost every religious group has been persecuted sometime and somewhere, which makes their willingness to do the same to other groups all the more baffling. Question for students (and subscribers): Why did it take so long for the Extermination Order to be rescinded? If you know, let us know, too, in the comments section below this article.
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Kinney, Brandon G. The Mormon War: Zion and the Missouri Extermination Order of 1838. Westholme Publishing, 2011.
LeSueur, Stephen C. The 1838 Mormon War in Missouri. University of Missouri, 1987.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="2725 http://www.crackedhistory.com/?p=2725">20 Comments
I did not know the Mormons were expelled completely from Missouri. That’s insane! The end of this article makes an extremely valid point. If most religions have felt the horrors of persecution, why would they want to persecute others?
I find it intriguing that Governor Boggs and many others viewed the Mormons and their principles to be in direct defiance with state laws, yet there is a supposable “separate of church and state.”
I find it intriguing that Governor Boggs and many others viewed the Mormons and their principles to be in direct defiance with state laws, yet there is a supposable “separation of church and state.”
I did not know that that happened to the Mormons. Although religions are against killings it is shocking that that’s what they wanted however I could see them wanting to do it.
AM
It is hard to believe that executive order 44 lasted until 1976. WOW!
S.M.
So I guess this could be considered the second “war” in America to be started over slavery. It was very generous for the Mormons to invite the governor to their annual meeting, considering all the harsh treatment they received.
N.W.
I do not agree with the Mormons, but their treatment was intolerable GW
The mormons are still coming so far, I think that if a religion wants to be practiced then let them due so as long as it isn’t causing harm to anyone else…
I don’t understand why the Mormons were treated any differently, they had the right to religious freedom too.
It is cool that Mormon culture wanted to go away from slavery but they were the ones punished for it and had to leave their colony. They were just expressing themselves which seemed to be unethical back in the day.
Kind of lame how mormons wouldn’t be able to practice their religion. And they should not have been treated like that because of their religion!
Once again I can’t believe there were times where people didn’t have full religious freedom. I’m glad through time they were able to find it, at least in the US.
The fact that the Mormons were the ones being threatened for stating there options is just ridiculous they should be able to say and practice what they believe without having to leave a city by gun point.
I find it crazy how there were repeated attempts to try to either relocate the Mormons, or try to eliminate them. This should have never happened
For just their choice in religion they were chosen to be eliminated and relocated, it seems like the religious freedom the original settlers strived for would have more of an input onto their actions.
It’s crazy that less than 40 years ago the executive order was still in place. The order should have been rescinded a long time ago, in fact, it never should have been signed.
It does seem very hypocritical to state there is a separation between church and state then wage war against a new religion. It also makes me wonder if the biggest motive for hating the Mormons was due to their differing views on slavery.
It’s insane to think a governor would order the military to
exterminate a group of people based on their beliefs.
Definitely a good thing that the order was rescinded even if it was so late. Once again it is crazy to think there are and have been people that have been that awful. Mormons are some of the nicest people ever.
It’s OK to discriminate against Muslims, since Islam is not a religion but a totalitarian death cult with intentions of ruling the world through violence and tyranny…Yeah, I said it, so what?…