Jared Smith, only 19, was killed.  Mary Christoffersen, a young woman, had her jaw smashed by a cannonball. They were two young people among the several killed or disfigured during the Morrisite War fought over three days in 1862.  Mary later married and had children but the rest of her life would cover the lower half of her face when approached by strangers.

The Morrisite War was the unfortunate culmination of tensions among followers of  Joseph Morris who reported receiving revelations, and on April 6, 1861 organized the Church of the Firstborn and called all of his followers to gather at Kington Fort located in present day South Weber City, Davis County, Utah. Morris told his followers that the Second Coming was imminent and not to bother with planting crops. “By spring 1862, food was scarce and some members recovered their possessions from the community and left the congregation. Contention followed as those who stayed felt those who left were taking better items than they had initially contributed.  Three departing Morrisites were accused of stealing wheat.  The three claimed the wheat was theirs and had been confiscated illegally by Morris and his followers. The Morrisites held the three at the Fort, to be, “tried by the Lord when He came.“ 

The wives of the prisoners appealed to the territorial government in SLC to have their husbands freed and a posse was formed to obtain their release and arrest Morris and his counselor John Banks.  Morris and Banks refused to be arrested, notwithstanding cannonballs being shot into the fort to reinforce the posses’s determination.

Most historians believe that the posse then opened fire on the Morrisites resulting in return fire and several deaths including Morris and Banks, two Morrisite women, and Mary Christoffersen’s shattered jaw.  Among the dead was Jared Smith from the posse.   

Even though today there are extreme and rancorous streams of public dialogue, much good is being done by South Weber City Council toward making the world more civil and deliberative. Through its Youth City Council (YCC), young people who are in or will enter Northridge High School are being taught problem-solving skills, and benefits of civil dialogue and the power of service. 

I talked by phone with Angie Petty, a member of South Weber City Council who is the council’s representative to the YCC. You can feel through the phone her enthusiasm for the good work being done. Recently, with support from Mayor Sjoblom and the City Council and the invigorating mentorship of Angie, the YCC has written a new charter, designed a new logo, and supported numerous service projects throughout South Weber City. Other advisors from SWC who spend many hours supporting YCC include Hayley Alberts and McKenna Winsor.