The guard house at Fort Douglas where Bill Hickman

was held in protective custody in 1871-72.

Hope Hilton, Wild Bill Hickman and the Mormon Frontier, Signature Books, 1988

This page is still under construction.  Please do not copy it until you no longer see this message.

7 October 2001

Bill Hickman Writes To His Daughter

  These are copies of letters from William Adams Hickman to his daughter, Sarah Catherine Butcher.  Careful study will reveal more written between the lines of these documents than in them.  The location of the originals is unknown, but certified copies were made by hand and notorized by John T. Caine a very short time after they were received.  Page numbering seems to have been done later.  The copies were apparently received by Leona P. Holt from the LDS Church Historian's Office, and a later generation copy was provided to me by Marlene Butcher Gates.  The line breaks, spelling and punctuation have been kept as true to the certified copy as possible, so that if you have a copy you should be able to follow along.

  As you read, you should be aware that Bill uses language that may be today considered offensive, but he was a product of the American frontier, where that was the way people communicated.  Were he writing today, he would most certainly express himself by selecting different words.

  In the first letter Bill complains about his treatment by the LDS Church, especially at the hands of his Bishop, Archibald Gardner:

1)

   Camp Douglass Jan. the 7./[18]72

Katharine Butcher

My Dear Daughter,

You were here some 3

days ago and asked me many questions and

desired me for your dear sake as pa's ever affe=

ctionate and faithful daughter to show mercy

which disposition in you I highly appreciate,

but my daughter let us look at the past, and

well consider the present and then Judge what

would naturally be the results of the future -

First my daughter you know from the days

of Missouri when you was a small child

you never heard your pa say anything else

but Mormonism was true up to the time when

you saw me 3 days ago.  You then you heard the

same from me that you had heard from the

time you was old enough to understand anything,

which principles I have ever tryed to maintain

and sustain, And after the assassination of that

great and good man Joseph Smith the Prophet

of God, I took a solemn Oath to Stand up against

all opposition that might come against the Latter

day Saints and specially for those who might stand

at the head of Gods Kingdom - After B Young

took the leadership of the Church -

I took the position of sustaining the

Church and especially its officials and above

all B Young - I have in time gone by, told

2)

him so and said to him, I would stand

by him and stay with him unto Death,

unless he backed me off.  This you know

I have done.  I always obeyed his council

and never disobeyed it.  I studied his

interest and was always on the lookout

for his welfare and safety, ten times as

much as my own - I went and came at

his bidding.  I spent my own time and

used my own means.  I made my own

living and plenty to support my family

in better state than any of my neighbors

I gave more to the poor and done more for

the needy than all my neighbors put to=

gether.  I swindled no Saint but went outside

and gathered in property in abundance.  And

never can it be said at any time but what

I always done honour to our people in

all my business transactions, while

hundreds have got wealth in abundance

by swindling the poor &c.  Now as you Know

some considerable of this, I need not rehearse it,

but probably you do not know that for all my

work and prorations for B Young, that I never

got a dollar, no not one, neither did he

ever make me a present of the worth of

a pocket knife, but this was nothing - I had

plenty, was able to make plenty so long

as I was let alone, but it many times look

3)

strange to me to see those who never raised a

finger, receiving favours from him, such

as I never would have thought of getting;

while to your certain Knowledge I never

had anything too good for him neither did

I ever have anything that I could not spare for

him.  You will recollect when we came to Council

Bluffs in the fall of /47 - that I had but two

horses, I gave him both of them, we had

to live hard, and I worked almost day and

night until we started to the valley in the

Spring of /49 - since which time I gave

him two number one horses - I herded his

cattle in the Summer of /50 which would have

come to fifty or a hundred dollars.  I lost

none and charged him nothing, when I

returned from California out of the few hundred

dollars I made I gave him fifty, but what

of all this - I supposed I was doing gods service

and I took pleasure in it - I took pleasure

in walking the Streets many a Night all alone

to see if anything was going on wrong that

would have tendency to hurt him - and

when in times past there was anything said

about what I had done or was doing never

was the time I said a word or I was or had

been doing so and so by order of B Young.

I packed everything that was put upon

me and Kept clear his skirts, and in fact

4)

I would at any time have laid down my life

for him - but what has been the result he

has ceased to hear the truth and long since

been governed by shallow brained blowhards,

and a vile set of lying City officials and some

Bishops such as Gardener who has stated

to as good people as there is in West Jordon

that it was nor harm to eat my cattle - he

who raked Jordan river on Nigger Toms

says so for stolen cattle hides, who was not

in the least disposed to believe over 40 of us

and repremanded Geo Shields when on the way

down mob like thirty of them when he said I was

not guilty of any such thing, who has so often

said he would use me up amidst my every

effort to please him by responding for years

to his every call - and after paying him over

a thousand dollars in tithing and donations

I asked the privelidge of my family to have

the benefit of the endowment house which was

refused on the grounds that if he gave me

a recommend it would be against his

influence - I talked with B Young about

it, he told to go to Bro Kimball.  Bro Kimball

told me I must have a recommend from

my bishop.  And the consequence was I

never got one of my family in the endowment

house after his reign commenced many

of those who my money had helped to bring

5)

on had recommends right under our noses -

he was full of deception and lying and to

my certain knowledge has got up on Sunday

him and his after eating my cattle and cried

thief - thief with all the intonations that could

be that I was stealing everything - this went

on as you well know untill out of a hundred

and fifty head of cattle I had none, while all

my neighbours lost none or but few, what do

I think of such a man - he is a villain

from the ground up, but yet he is sustained

and his damnable deeds tolerated, to use the

language of B Young when I wanted an

investigation of my case after I had come

home 4 years ago last spring, O Bro Gardner

was [?] whirling on his heel when I asked him

to hear me as much as to say Kiss his Ass -

You want me to be merciful, thats all

good my daughter but let us look after this

man a little further while we were talking

about him, was not my house watched

4 years ago last Spring by his dirty thieves

and his armed villains stepping into my

house with Kocked guns and pistols in

hand - Yes I seen them and through the

mercy of God I escaped, and to continue,

what was the condition of things in the

fall following why that low bred dog

Sam Bateman with ten men watched

6)

me day and night for weeks, and twice

while laying in the brush seen them with

pistols in hand step into my tent after

midnight.  Finally they set the time to make

a finish of me, but thanks be to my God

I understood it all and left - and

poor Sam made greate lamentation that he

had lost 3 weeks watching me and now

I had got away after all - may be he well

deny this - O pa you must be mer=

=ciful.  Yes daughter that's right, but to go

on, who sent Brig Hampton after me who

followed me with two others to deep creek

with the story in their mouths that I had

Killed a Gentile close to the City and robed

him of ten thousand dollars   Yes who sent

him out of the City - well you guess -

I know - may be he would deny it my proofs

are in Bingham Cannon and more than

one.  O yes pa be merciful   May I ask

you who has managed everything in this

country, well you know.  I will tell you

I have told them most of these things

and for an Answer I think I just about

got a grunt or nothing more in substance,

but to continue on with this trip

while I am at it - You know I was

sick while gone, yes I lay 4 months

7)

a mere sceliton among strangers - well

I wrote home to B Young stating facts

as I have to you and the answer was

the wicked fleeth when no man pursueth.

O the falsehood and hipocracy my god, my

God, where has right and truth fled to,

probably to those police together with the

Probate Court.  Old Smith at their head,

who when I had detected and found three thieves

in posession of some 5 or 6 thousand dollars

worth of Stolen goods - they would take the

reward my earnings and set the burglars

to swear against me in order to cover their

rascallity and kept them at it 3 months, although

they did not make their point, the theives done

so well they got off with a promise of a pay

something sometime yes you know this.

What did they try to do with me - imprison

and I gave a hundred and eighteen thousand

dollars bail.  Who winked at this and would

not hear a word.  Well now my daughter

I am arrested on several charges and

many think it a great crime in me that

I am not willing to pack all the charges

that are on me, submit and say nothing

Well had I have had the treatment that a

common dog should have had I would have

done it unto death - now suppose I had my

family together which was the best governed

8)

family in Utah  Could I not in all good

faith have left them went to Mexico and

let everything be laid on me - I would

have taken pleasure even in death for

my friends, but they say I am a traitor -

who is the traitor - when last fall I was

accused of killing a desperado Spaniard who

had taken my wife while I was run off by

those Murderers four years ago and he the

villain making his brags how he intended

to seduce my daughter your sister -  The

Deseret News the main Mormon organ under

the control and dictation of the leading man -

says that well known desperado has killed

a Spaniard a good man and wounded a

frenchman - he who has so often through his

cunning escaped the ends of justice - they

hoped he would be caught and the ends

of the law fully awarded to him - and again

what did they say when I was arrested

and brought here, they hooted again and

pated the Marshall for the good thing he had

done - do you suppose for one moment

that I am able to fight the gentiles with the

Mormon aid that was on hand and offering

to help them wishing writs to arrest me

&c, thats a biger fight than I can make

- I am thrown off have been refused an

investigation. |Here a break occurs in the original

     Mss.                 John T. Caine |

9)

- have had it but I could have made twenty

thousand dollars out of it in one year,

but no I could not get it - It was left

for others and the desert has no turnpikes

yet - If I asked a favour that there was

money in that no one had any claim in

I could not get it - well you know how I

have been treated, as regards the breaking

up of my family, that good and quiet

family have through council been scattered

some one way and some another - and

when I did not stay at home to be killed

I was cut off of the Church because I fled

to save my life and Geo A Smith sit by

who I have done so many favours and never

said a word - well this was one of the made

up cases and throughly ordered all the

way down - well upon the whole what

have I got to live for - first my religion

and second my posterity and friends -

I also live to help God's people and good

men - but God's would be the rascals,

traitors, robbers, assasins and seekers

of my destruction.  I am under no obligation

to let those whose lies have been believed

and truth crowded out take care of those

who have believed them and I for one want

to see if God Almighty will assist and

sustain a set of scoundrils and have

10)

the innocent destroyed, - my prayer is,

thy will be done O father of heaven and

earth and not mine - I have done nothing

through fear or with the expectation of

reward.  The many and damnable abuses

I have received has caused the charms

of life not to be longer desirable, but

I have faith to beleive I will yet according

to the prophecies placed upon me see Zion

established and flourish and my posterity

gathered to rejoice - the lord will bring

it about in his own way - while all

corruption will go to its own place -

  The past I have scarcely lived through

as for the present I know there is no honour

while you would ask mercy for certain

ones they to my certain knowledge are

seeking any way to destroy me even up

to this day - the full ends of the future

I know not, but one thing I do know

God Almighty rules and reigns, and it

him I thank for all my existance.  In

spite of all that men can do - I have since

I came here had to make statements -

- I have written a rough book but no more

rough than true.  I knew what I had to

contend against but yet although no favour

would be shown me or if any a more blind

11)

to answer their own ends - I will be mer=

-ciful - I have and always had influence

I have it still in some respects - I will

use it according to your request - but

I must do it in my own way and if things

move quietly through in a right manner

I can, I will, yes daughter I will -

but if I am compelled I have only begun

to withstand a few things that have come up

from your affectionate father

(signed)Wm. A. Hickman

Territory of Utah         }

  County of Salt Lake    } ss

I hereby certify that the

foregoing is a true copy of a letter

addressed Mrs. Katherine Butcher

6th Ward, Salt Lake City, U.T. and

signed Wm A Hickman.

In witness whereof I have here

unto subscribed my name and

( )   affixed my Notorial Seal

at Salt Lake City, this 20th

day of January A.D. 1872.

John T. Caine

   Notary Public

  This next letter is unsigned and undated, but it appears to have been written just a few days later.  He speaks of his devotion to the LDS Church:

1)

My Daughter

I write you again in answer to

your questions on the long letter I wrote

you a few days ago   You want to know

what and how I can or will favour some

coming events - first I am not revengeful

only want what is right - I am and

always was willing to do anything for

good - but few I have any confidence

in - I have done good for many amidst

the many bad feelings that are against

me - and some I hardly think will appreciate

it -    I can and will do as I please and

all Hell can't keep me from it -   I reverence

my god and yield to him, and none other

Praise to his holy name for his goodness -

Mark what I say  if I see men doing

what is right, yes even what you would

say would be right - I would make a come[?]

to time[?] or be off for the hills in a double

quick -  I have suffered enough had

enough trechery - but could I see things

righted in part I would even be willing

to take chances on being betrayed by

some villains again that might follow

but rest assured I beg no more from

no party  I want my rights:  I know

nothing but to love my old friends   let

me see the money paid without lying

2)

that is due me, and its but small

and true men on hand and you dads

the worst wof [wolf?] in the woods talk or no

talk - books written or no books -

I can work it all - when did you ever

know me couch[?] or be any mans dog -

I always made my point -  I am now sorry

and aint got a heart worth a cent -

for I can't say no -  Show me my rights

and I will show you business - be

quick or I can't

Territory of Utah       }

County of Salt Lake  }ss

I hereby certify that the foregoing

is a true copy of a paper written with

black lead pencil, without date or signa-

ture, which accompanied the letter a copy

of which is hereunto attached, the originals

to both apparently being in the same

hand writing.

In witness whereof I have here-

unto subscribed my name and

( )affixed my Notorial seal at

Salt Lake City this 20th day

of January, A.D. 1872.

John T. Caine

Notary Public

  In this third letter Bill complains at the dishonest treatment he had received at the hands of Federal Marshal Robert Bates and the enormous financial losses he had suffered:

1)

Camp Douglas 9 Feb /72

My Dear Daughter Katharine,

Inasmuch as you

seem not satisfied with the many letters

I have written to you, nor the word I send

you by your husband and still ask for

pa to write to you - I will send you a few

lines by your husband -  I am in poor

health and have been for several days -

I am as well treated here as a man could

be under the circumstances but I am

very tired almost worn out and when

I think of my scattered family and their

situation as I keep every once in a while

hearing of -  it renders me quite unhappy

but hard fate and injustice has almost

become a second nature to me -  only two

days ago old Bates so I am told has tooted

his lying horn somewhere in town

against me saying I intended to hang

Brigham - he is a liar - I never

intended to hang, or have anyone hung,

but inasmuch as I was compelled from

injustices I was determined not to pack

everything - I have my own roe to hoe

      no one but the almighty to help me

and ^ I might well suppose from the past

that Bates stories were fully beleived

2)

but to you I will say he is a liar - this is

what I got for my kindness - after I in

my poverty giving drink after drink of

whiskey at my expense and being sociable

with him he must go off and lie about me

- not give me a dollar or even a treat - well

that's Bates.  - he got his skin full of whiskey

without costing him one cent and then he was

ready to tell just what suited him or thought

would suit those he was talking to -  Is it rea=

=sonable to suppose that such a man as Bates

could pick me knowing him as I do -  Well

I guess you don't -   You say I have

friends that would help me -  I have said

enough to you in letters, and also talked

to your husband about debts he knows is

justly due me -  do I see a dollar paid -

one loaned him no - its all talk and no

cider -  I have said I could and would

do favours -  I have done big favours for

some which I am not thanked for -  It might

when too late be that they would talk and act

towards me right. -  I do not want to

hurt anyone but I will have to stand on my

own footing as I have had to do untill the

present unpleasant situation - and should

my children cry for bread they would be

3)

swindled out of it - or, my daughter be

imposed upon by those hellish fiends,

judging from the past would seek occasion

for my destruction - excuse me my daughter

for I can't get on this subject without feeling

almost ungovernable -  I think there is no

use for me to talk or try to favour parties -

I understand they ask no odds of me

and can prove me anything -  If that's the case

let it rip -  I will see it through -  but

should right take place and could I see men

acting like Saints that man dont live that

has more forgiveness in him than I have

or would do more but on this point I would

like to be satisfied (and then business)

You have asked me to write to some of

your friends on certain subjects -  I will

not do it, this is enough, - and if this does

not do you need not ask no more of me -

-  I trust in my God.

May the Lord bless

you and all pertaining to you

  (signed)     Wm A Hickman

Butcher knows my business in town and

there is no excuse for others

To learn more about William Adams Hickman, click here.

To read other letters he wrote at various times, click here.

To learn more about Bishop Archbald Gardner, click here or here.

To learn more about Sarah Catherine Butcher, click here.

To return to the Hickman Family index page, click here.