Peter Maughan

This is my bloodline

  This is my great grandfather. I don't know if I would refer to him as my great great great great great grandfather. I think I saw a painting of him at a Mormon church once. Grandpa Tom Maughan looked like him. My dad looks like him. I got some of his looks as well.

  People who are not related write about him. People who are related write about him. Yet, they do not share information with family members unless you buy their books. Which I find a bit dishonest. I write about him, I'm not trying to make any money.

  Peter Maughan came from England. He lost his wife on his trip to America. Peter met Mary Ann Weston and married her during his journey in America. He was a miner, farmer, soldier, judge, and an elder. He was in Nauvoo, Illinios when the mob chased the Mormons out after they finished building their church. He led the remaining emigrants through southern Idaho down to Utah. He was the first settler in Preston, Idaho.

   Brigham Young had Peter settle in Tooele, Utah. There the crops were not sucessfull. He corresponded with Brigham regularly and Brigham let Peter move the settlment elsewhere. Maughan's Fort was built by Peter and the help of others. The crops became a sucess. 

  He was also skilled with keeping peace with the natives. Peter was good with his words. I think this is where I get my skill, I know he was a brilliant person. He had tolerated the starving Shoshone who harrassed them and occassionally stole cattle and vegetation. He put together law enforcement called the minute men. They were to enforce laws on those who stole. 

  The involvement of him and the Bear River Massacre are quite vague. There is correspondence of the aftermath. He wrote to Brigham about the refugees. He wrote of the women that were too scared to let anyone help them because the women were afraid the soldiers would come back for them. 

  Learning about him has been fascinating. I was thrilled when I found his picture. It is so strange to find that I have the same mannerisms of someone who lived so long ago. When I was in Preston people said that I reminded them of someone.