Whispers Out Of The Dust: A Haunted Journey Through The Lost American West (Dark Trails Saga)

by David J. West

  [5] The Colorado River as named by one of Coronado’s captains, Hernando de Alarcon. It means the River of Good Guidance. McGinnies could not possibly have known that.

  [6] Almost certainly Lophophora williamsii otherwise known as peyote.

  [7] While this poem is uncredited, it was likely based upon a rumored incident that happened to the Thomas Carlyle family in that same year.

  [8] Mormon designation for the territory.

  [9] A Mormon term for themselves, making everyone else within the church also Brother or Sister. Being a Saint does not necessarily mean everyone else is a sinner, but it helps.

  [10] She must have meant Hamelin.

  [11] All three, Nephites, Lamanites and Gadianton Robbers are peoples mentioned in the Book of Mormon.

  [12] Doc Adams later known for the Lost Adams Diggings gold mine.

  [13] Mormon designation for a non-member.

  [14] Undoubtedly this would have been Valley Tan whiskey. A favorite beverage made in Salt Lake Valley.

  [15] Samuel Claridge was one of the first settlers of St. Thomas.

  [16] There was a Ute near Provo who was also referred to as “Old Bishop” because of his resemblance to a local bishop.

  [17] Seneca Howland was a member of Major John Wesley Powell’s exploration of the Colorado River and Grand Canyon area in the summer of 1869.

  [18] While the events this rare and precious document explains are not within the Moapa valley proper [the essential story of this book] it is directly related as per being one of the documents I found in the collection and only came to light because of the fortuitous actions of a St. Thomas resident.

  [19] O. G. Howland had been tasked with mapping the river and taking notes.

  [20] These are almost certainly palm seeds of the Washingtonia filifera.

  [21] Shivwits.

  [22] That this incredible letter was ordered destroyed by John Wesley Powell can be of no doubt, the Major’s order for its return was documented in several journals of the time. His motivations were quite clear and while he did declare the fate of the Howland Brothers and Mr. Dunn a libelous thing he did make peace with the Shivwits at a later date declaring the matter closed.

  [23] George D Watt is notable for being the very first Saint baptized in England, after having won a footrace for the honor thereof.

  [24] Both George D. Watt (head LDS Church stenographer and co-inventor of the Deseret Alphabet) and Daniel Bonelli were later excommunicated from the LDS Church for their affiliation with the Godbeite Movement. More on the Godbeites is covered in my novella Fangs of the Dragon.

  [25] This is an amusing double entendre for Porter as, ‘wyno’ means good in Paiute, but also sounds like ‘wino’ in reference to Porters alcoholism.

  [26] Paiute for ‘Snake’.

  [27] Two of the original LDS explorers of the area.

  [28] Sabine Baring-Gould wrote both the Werewolf Book - the definitive collection of werewolf and vampire lore and ‘Onward Christian Soldiers’ which is likely what fellow Englishman, George D. Watt was referencing.

  [29] Local vernacular for a large boulder.

  [30] Ace Perkins was a Paiute orphan who had been raised and taught some basic schooling with the local Mormon children. After the Mormon exodus he stayed on in St. Thomas to be near his people.

  [31] The Paiute Charlie Three Toes was called that on account of having cut off two of his own toes with a shovel once when he was drunk.

  [32] Ace clearly sympathized with the swindled Mormons.

  [33] Gila monsters only have venom in the bottom jaw which opposite of venomous snakes with the poison fangs in the top of the jaw. Gila’s will then sometimes flip their prey upside down to better let gravity assist in poisoning their prey.

  [34] Deseret News remarked on Mr. Jennings legacy in its January 26th issue, 1875.

  [35] Black Jack’s gang at this time consisted of himself-Jack Reed, Dan Brill, Shan Balden, and a man known as Siebrecht.

  [36] This unfortunate writer is sadly showing himself to Mormon.

  [37] Jacob Longabough late of St. Thomas clearly thought himself a cowboy poet with this rendition of the tale of his friend and would be spouse.

  [38] Almost certainly William Tinsdale a renowned gambler and card shark who frequented the area.

  [39] Custer met his fate at the Little Big Horn only six years earlier.

  [40]“Sleep, Dolly, Sleep. Where flowers bloom and zephyrs sigh, Where I may come to shed the tear that streams unbid from sorrowing eye.”

  Those were the words upon Dolly’s tombstone. No one knows who etched them or paid for the stone as she had no known family.

  [41] Louis Fontaine (passed away from causes unknown) and was buried in the St. Thomas cemetery on Nov. 8th right beside a Dolly Shauntay, who had been laid to rest there the preceding year to the day.

  [42] Job 17:14

  [43] This tale is almost certainly apocryphal though Thomas Dabney was known throughout the county as a successful farmer and had more than nine daughters.

  [44] Prior to current standards and especially social outlook, coffee was a very common drink with the LDS pioneers.

  [45] This was a regular occurrence for farmers in St. Thomas in the summer months.

  [46] The Paiute day laborers camped along the Big Ditch as to be close to their field work. In the off season they went back to the hills and canyons.

  [47] It has been recorded that Jeremiah Mertz typically spent most of his cowboy wages on his tweed jacket and fancy boots for such dances that typically happened about every three months.

  [48] Maria Delos Santos, was a local character known for herbs and midwifery for a time. Her age was unknown but she was supposedly very old. Rumor said she was related to the three witches of San Rafael.

  [49] I could find no record of a Wilbur Van Horn but there was a Willis Van Horn who travelled west from New York around that time.

  [50] Black Jack Reed passed away on June 27th of 1876 in St. Thomas proper.

  [51] The railroad spur didn’t come to St. Thomas for another three years in 1912.

  [52]The Washington filifera palm tree of the Moapa valley a sacred tree to the Moapa Paiutes. In fact, it is the ONLY palm native to the Western United States.

  [53] This was held outside by the “Big Ditch” close to the Paiute dwellings.

  [54] Cataloged witnesses include the Gentry’s, Perkins, Dukes, Ferguson’s, Mayberry’s, Judkins, Albrics, Sellers, Nutter, Whortleberry’s, Cutters and most of the Moapa Paiute tribe.

  [55] The Mead Lake Cemetery was eventually renamed the St. Thomas Memorial Cemetery.

  [56] Meaning from outside of the local populace.