As you begin to look through your family history there are some things that you can keep in mind that will help you more quickly sort through the books, letters, and photographs to find what is most helpful for this project. The list below is not comprehensive, but is intended to help spark your thinking and memories.
What do you do when you find something? Click on the Submitting Materials tab at the top of this page! Don't be shy, some of the best finds have been because of just a few words that might have normally been overlooked. If it fits these criteria or even comes close to them then it's worth a look.
Types of Documents
- Diaries
- Family histories
- Original photographs of the region
- Original photographs of Shoshone or Bannock Indians
Time Frame
The period we are most interested in is from about 1850-1900. The 1860's are most important, but don't limit your search just to that time period. Some people did not write things down until later in life.
Key Topics
- Indians
- Indian deprivations (a common 19th century term for "stealing")
- Battle of Bear River (common name for the massacre in the 19th century)
- Settlers/pioneers
- Wagon trains
- Oregon Trail in Idaho
- California Trail in Idaho
- Kelton Road
- Goodales Cutoff
- Hudspeth Cutoff
- California Volunteers (2nd Cav. etc. from Fort Douglas)
Key Names (NOTE: in the 1800's some names were spelled creatively, particularly names for Shoshone and Bannock peoples. Some names have over a dozen different spellings so keep an eye out for names that sound close to one of these names).
- Patrick Edward Connor (US Army officer. Rank may be Colonel or General).
- James Henry Martineau (We have his diary, but are looking for other possible accounts he may have given to others about the massacre).
- Brigham Young
- Abraham Lincoln
- Sagwitch
- Sanpitch
- Washakie
- Bear Hunter
- Pocatello
- Shoshone/Shoshoni/Shoshonee
- Bannock/Bannack
- Blackfoot Indians - while the Blackfoot tribes were not involved, some early settlers seem to have confused the Blackfoot tribe with the Shoshone and Bannack tribes near Blackfoot Idaho.
- Utah Northern Railway/Railroad (UNRR)
- Utah & Northern Railroad (U&N)
- Oregon Short Line (OSL)
- Union Pacific Railroad
- Freighter lines (various organizations)
- Stage coach operators (various)
- Camp Douglas, Utah (later Fort Douglas)
- California Volunteers (the soldiers involved)
Locations
Anyone who set foot in Southern Idaho, Northern Utah, and Western Utah may have had contact with the massacre or related events. Geographical names that are most helpful include:
Cities and Towns: (NOTE: this is just a partial list. Please check a current map for other local cities and towns).
- Franklin, Idaho (although it may be called Franklin, Utah because the northern Utah state boundary was not well surveyed at the time).
- Battle Creek, Idaho (not Battle Creek, Utah). Battle Creek was a small railroad town outside of what is today Preston.
- Worm Creek, Idaho (now known as Preston).
- Preston, Idaho
- Bridgeport, Idaho (a small village also outside of Preston).
- Malad, Idaho
- Soda Springs, Idaho
- Pocatello, Idaho
- Portneuf, Idaho
- McCamon, Idaho
- Oneida, Idaho
- Weston, Idaho
- Clifton, Idaho
- Oxford, Idaho
- Fort Hall, Idaho
- American Falls, Idaho
- Blackfoot, Idaho
- Aberdeen, Idaho
- Dayton, Idaho
- Lewiston, Utah
- Smithfield, Utah
- Logan, Utah
- Salt Lake, Utah
- Cache Valley (Utah and Idaho)
- Gentile Valley/Round Valley
- Snake River Valley
- Raft River Valley
- Portneuf Valley
- Malad Valley (Eastern Idaho)
- Arbon Valley
- Rockland Valley
- Bear River
Mountain Ranges:
- Wasatch
- Bear River
- Portneuf
- Chesterfield
- Aspen
- Bannock
- Pocatello
- Deep Creek
- Sublett
- Malad
- Preuss
- Caribou
- Blackfoot
Counties:
- Idaho counties: Oneida, Franklin, Bannock, Power, Caribou, Bear Lake, Cassa, Bingham, Bonneville, Jefferson, Madison, Teton, Fremont, Jeferson, Dubois, Arco, Blaine, Minidoka.
- Wyoming counties: Park, Teton, Lincoln, Uinta
- Utah counties: Rich, Cache, Weber, Morgan, Davis, Salt Lake, Box Elder
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