Mormons

In 1846, a religious sect, known as the Mormons became the first white settlers in Union County. The Mormons had lived for a number of years in Navoo, Illinois, but were forced to leave and travel west late in the winter of the year.
This journey which under the most favorable circumstances was full of hardship and danger, but undertaken as it was in midwinter with but slight preparation and through unsettled country, it proved most hazardous. The weather was severe, with rain and snow and even the strong, hardy men became victims to the terrible exposure, and hundreds of graves marked the line of march of the unfortunate travelers.
It was finally decided to abandon the journey for a time and camp when they should find a suitable place where they could rest and remain to raise a crop for food supply. Their line of travel was across the Mississippi, then by way of the Chariton river, some thirty miles east of where the city of Chariton now stands, and through Lucas into Decatur county where at Garden Grove they left a part of their number, the remaining portion continuing their journey until they arrived at what is now Union county, late in May, 1846, where they again divided. Those remaining encamped on the prairie east of Grand River, now Jones township, near where Stephen and Isaac White afterwards located.
Of this time P. P. Pratt, in his autobiography says: "We called the place 'Garden Grove.' It is in Iowa, perhaps one hundred and fifty miles from Nauvoo. After assisting to fence this farm and build some log houses, I was dispatched ahead by the Presidency with a small company to try to find another location. Crossing this branch of Grand river I now steered through the vast and fertile prairies and groves without a track or anything but a compass to guide me-the country was entirely wild and without inhabitants.
"Our course was west, a little north. We crossed small streams daily, which, on account of deep beds and miry banks, as well as on account of their being swollen by the rains, we had to bridge. After journeying thus for several days, and while lying encamped on a small stream which we had bridged. I took my horse and rode ahead some three miles in search of one of the main branches of Grand river which we had expected to find for some time. Riding about three or four miles through beautiful prairies, I came suddenly to some round and sloping hills, grassy, and covered with beautiful groves of timber, while alternate open groves and forests seemed blended in all the beauty and harmony of an English park, while beneath and beyond on the west rolled a main branch of Grand river, with its rich bottoms of alternate forest and prairie. As I approached this lovely scenery several deer and wolves being startled at the sight of me, abandoned the place and bounded away till lost from sight amid the groves.
"Being pleased and' excited at the varied beauty before me, I cried out, this is Mount Pisgah. I returned to my camp. with the report of having found the long sought river, and we soon moved on and encamped under the shade of those beautiful groves. It was now late in May, and we halted here to await the arrival of the President and council. In a few days they arrived and formed a general encampment here, and finally formed a settlement, and surveyed and enclosed another farm of several thousand acres. This became a town and resting place for the Saints for years, and is now known on the map of Iowa as a village and post-office named 'Pisgah. ' "
Brigham Young claimed that he had a divine revelation that their, 'promised land" lay beyond the Rocky Mountains. From this elevated plateau which they made their camping-ground they believed that their promised land was almost in view. The name given the settlement was Mount Pisgah. About three thousand formed the colony here, while the remainder of the company journeyed westward locating at various points between here and Council Bluffs.
In 1846 while the Saints were scattered from Garden Grove to Council Bluffs under very unfortunate conditions a requisition was made on them by the United States government for a battalion of five hundred men for the Mexican war. It drew heavily on the strength of the camps as every man who could be spared was enlisted, and many families were left in destitution and distress.
The ridge at Mt. Pisgah slopes on the west into the bottom lands of Grand River, and around it south and east, runs a creek known as Pisgah Branch. On the hillside is an excellent spring, which was a great luxury and convenience in those days. The large timber along the Grand river furnished logs for cabin-building and the location seemed to meet the demands of a settlement.
Elder William Huntington presided over Pisgah, all difficulties being referred to him as ruling bishop for settlement, his judgment being final. He died soon after the settlement was made and was the first white man as far as known to have died in Union county. He was succeeded by Coleman Boran. Owing to the late arrival of the company in the season, they were ill provided to withstand the ravages of the severe winter which followed.
Many of them were sheltered only by tents and wagons, and there were one hundred and sixty deaths during the first six months of their stay. The following season brought them better conditions, and good crops added materially to their means.
They were unable with their light cattle and crude implements to till the prairie sod, so they were forced to cultivate and plant in the mellow timber land, where it is said they killed hundreds of acres of the best timber along Grand River, by girdling the trees. Three miles south of Pisgah on the river a water mill was erected by Canfield and Stephens, which was later known as Peters mill, and was probably the most important single industry in the county.
The burrs used in their mills were made from common boulders such as are occasionally found in the county, and known as "nigger-heads." These stones were rudely dressed, but answered a good purpose in preparing food for a large number of people, and two of them may now be seen at the farm of Mr. A. C. White on section S, Jones Township. They are twenty-four inches in diameter and twelve inches thick.
During the four years stay of these people their only communication with the outside world was with Fort Des Moines and the few scattered settlers who began pouring into the county. Their immediate neighbors were the Pottawattamie and Musquaka tribes of Indians, whose hunting grounds were along Grand River.
They built two log churches and held regular services. By the year 1850 most of these people were enabled to resume their journey.
The settlements in the western part of the state made their headquarters at Kanesville near where Council Bluffs now stands. Elder Orson Hyde was their leader. There they erected a large tabernacle of logs for religious services and another for school purposes. The farmers opened farms to supply provisions for the colony, and each year companies would leave to join the colony at Salt Lake where Brigham Young had selected a location for their future home.
In 1852 an imperative order was issued for all to immigrate to Utah, and under the leadership of Elder Orson Hyde they crossed the Great Plains. There were among them some who were opposed to polygamy and who remained in Iowa and reorganized the church of the "Latter Day Saints."
Some of their cabins at Pisgah remained for many years, but one by one were torn down by settlers and put to various uses, and nothing now remains to mark the spot where once they stood.
The burying place of these Mormon settlers is still hallowed ground to the Utah church and in 1888 two acres were purchased and a monument erected. Inscribed thereon is the following: "This monument erected A. D. 1888, in memory of those members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, who died in 1846, 1847, 1848, during their exodus to seek a home beyond the Rocky Mountains. Interred here is William Huntington, the first Presiding Elder of the temporary settlement called Pisgah."
In addition to the above the names of sixty-four other saints known to have been buried there are inscribed on the monument, also "a stranger not in the church" appears among them.
Other traces of the Mormons' habitation are found in the frequent depressions in the surface of the ground where cabins and fireplaces were located. The land marks of this one important spot are very interesting, the spring, nature's monument, is inseparably linked with the history of the Mormon settlement and still retains its name "Pisgah Spring." Its waters are just as cold and sparkling and as abundant as they were sixty years ago.
While these Mormon settlers from the very few years of their residence here can be looked upon as only transient, their settlement has considerable significance upon the later settlement. At this place was tillable land, here were buildings, here were advantages desirable to new settlers.
The saints were ready and anxious to leave and those who came in at that time profited by these improvements.