Controversial, but exciting Bonanza episode

[stuart.uk]

For 40 yrs I've been trying to find bonanza episode Persued, then yesterday I found it on you tube. It made a big impact on me as a youngster and along with Roots inspired me to attempt a novel of my own. As far as I'm aware it's a rarely seen episode because of its controversial storyline

Memory did play tricks on me, because I thought it was about an Indian, but it was a Mormon played by Eric 'Rawhide' Fleming, who had 2 wives, who was persecuted by a new parson and his followers. I don't know if it's true, but Bonanza alleged that the Mormon organization hired professional gunfighters for their own protection. This was worked into the story as Little Joe, who tried to help was marked down as a hired gun, employed by Fleming, by the preacher, who said both men had to die for their sins. I'll post 2 exciting links of the story. I hope you enjoy

[klondike]

Stu, much to the frequent embarrassment of Church of the Latter Day Saints elders, those facts you've quoted are indeed true, though are often exaggerated or misquoted in novels & show business scripts for the sake of dramatic interest. Try googling the phrases "nauvoo persecution", & "mountain meadows massacre", for the origins of what historians often refer to as the 'defensive violence' of early Mormonism.
You might also look around for a made-for-TV movie with Kris Kristofferson called The Tracker (later known also as Dead or Alive); and I believe that the Western series "Big Valley" had an episode about Mormon polygamy, that was a bit more salacious.

[stuart.uk]

Thanks for the information, maybe that Big Valley is also on you tube

There was a reference in Bonanza to Brigham Young's assassin

[klondike]

Stu, when Brigham Young witnessed the razing of the Mormon colony-town of Nauvoo, Illinois, and heard the report of jailed fellow-Vermonter/friend/prophet/founder John Smith's execution by a gang of vigilante zealots in the summer of 1844, his heart became hardened to virtually all "gentiles", and taking command of the surviving pilgrims, he began their great trek West, seeking the Zion he saw awaiting his people in his divine visions, a place he named Deseret, which would later become the American state of Utah.

[pvitari]

Stu, when Brigham Young witnessed the razing of the Mormon colony-town of Nauvoo, Illinois, and heard the report of jailed fellow-Vermonter/friend/prophet/founder John Smith's execution by a gang of vigilante zealots in the summer of 1844, his heart became hardened to virtually all "gentiles", and taking command of the surviving pilgrims, he began their great trek West, seeking the Zion he saw awaiting his people in his divine visions, a place he named Deseret, which would later become the American state of Utah.

Some of this is depicted, in cleaned-up fashion (including a Tyrone Power-Linda Darnell romance) in the 1940 20th Cent.-Fox film Brigham Young. Dean Jagger plays Young and Vincent Price is Joseph Smith.

[klondike]

Good call, Paula - I forgot all about that one!
Been about 20 years since I saw it, might need to check it out again myself!

P.S: Did I really type "John Smith" ??
Wrong dude!
'Twas Joseph Smith, born in Sharon, Vermont, raised deep in the heart of Upper New York State.

[pvitari]

P.S: Did I really type "John Smith" ??
Wrong dude!

You probably had Laramie on the brain. :)

Of course, that John Smith's real name was Robert Errol Van Orden. :)