Mountain Meadows Massacre Descendants
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Lorenzo D Rush
State of Arkansas
SS
County of Carroll
Be it remembered that on this 23rd day of October 1860 personally came and appeared before me, John Rush, the undersigned acting Justice of the Peace, duly commissioned and qualified as such within and for said county, Lorenzo D. Rush, who after being duly sworn according to law to testify the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth in regard to certain property in possession of Milam L. Rush, when he left his county in April 1857 in company with John T. Baker, bound for California, upon his oath aforesaid dispersed as follows, to wit;
I am the father of the said Milam Rush, and know that he left here in the month of April 1857, bound for California; he left in company with John T. Baker and many others, all of whom were murdered, as I am informed and believe, at Mountain Meadows, in Utah Territory in September of same year, and their property all carried away, or disappeared by the murderers. When my son, the said Milam L. Rush, left here he was the owner of and had in possession, and carried off with him, the following described personal estate and which he started with him, when he left here; He had from ten to twelve head of cattle according to the best of my knowledge information and belief, he had one rifle gun, three blankets, knives, and his wearing apparel, and also about twenty five dollars in cash. I think his cattle were worth at a fair cash price at the morning he left here with them at least fifteen dollars per head. I think his wearing apparel, rifle gun, and other articles were worth in cash the sum of sixty three dollars. The estimate I make of the whole matter is this,
I think that he had twelve head of cattle at $15 per head: $ 180.00
Cash on hand: $ 25.00
His wearing apparel, gun, etc., $ 63.00
$ 268.00
and I make the estimate of the cash value of the property, together with the cash on hand worth the morning the said Milam L. Rush left here in April 1857, the sum of Two hundred and sixty eight dollars. I have no doubt but what said property was worth a much larger amount than the above estimate at the place where the said parties were murdered. I have given the above estimate according to the cash value here, and think that the value is very nearly correct, and further this deponent saith not, so help me God.
Lorenzo D. Rush
Subscribed and sworn to before me this the 23rd day of October A.D. 1860
John Bunch, J.P.
State of Arkansas
SS
County of Carroll
I, John Bunch, an acting Justice of the Peace, within and for said county, duly commissioned, and qualified as such, within and for said county, do hereby certify that the foregoing deposition of Lorenzo D. Rush and H.A. Torrance are all separately taken, reduced to writing in their presence, and read over to them respectfully, and by them sworn and subscribed to before me this 23rd of October 1860, and I do hereby certify that I am personally well acquainted with said several witnesses, and that they are all reputable persons, and entitled to full credit. Given under my hand as such Justice the day and year above written.
John Bunch, J.P.
State of Arkansas
SS
County of Carroll
I, Sam W. Peel, as the clerk of circuit court, and exofficio clerk of the county court of the county of Carroll, and state aforesaid, do hereby certify that John Bunch, whose genuine official signature appears to the aforesaid and foregoing certificate, was, at the time of taking said depositions and the making of said certificate, and now is an acting Justice of the Peace duly commissioned and qualified as such within and for said county, and there his said certificate within due form of law and by the proper offices. That his signature thereto attached is genuine and in own proper hand write, and that full faith and credit are due all his official acts as such Justice of the Peace. In witness whereof I, Sam W. Peel as the clerk of said court as aforesaid, here hereunto set my hand and seal (the public seal of said court having been destroyed by fire). This 25th day of October A.D. 1860.
S. W. Peel, Clerk