Further History of Iosepa

[moksha]

Pioneers from Hawaii set up by the press

The Deseret News and The Salt Lake Tribune published insidious invectives, informing readers of the horrors of leprosy and making Islanders out to be mostly frightening, dark-skinned, leprous adulterers and savages adapted to the gentle climate of leisure and tropical fruits, and ill-suited to hard work in the harsh climate of the western U.S. Each immigrant group new to the West occupied a particular rung on the elaborate social ladder. Pacific Islanders found themselves at the very bottom rung, categorized with runaway slaves, and scrutinized even more closely. As a result, most Pacific Island converts had a very difficult time finding work or fully assimilating. Some found jobs working on the railroad or on the Salt Lake City LDS Temple, but most were required to live separately from the whites in their own neighborhoods and enclaves. This wasn’t uncommon. Salt Lake City had areas like Greek Town, China Town, Japan Town, Swede Town, and various neighborhoods defined by religion, ethnicity and wealth. Many Polynesians found homes in the Warm Springs area of North Salt Lake City.

http://utahstories.com/2011/08/iosepa-m ... neer-town/

[moksha]

The First Winter in Iosepa

The settlers’ first winter in 1889 proved devastating. Whooping cough spread among the children. The people were cold, miserable, and completely unprepared for the harsh winter climate. A few of the letters addressed to Smith from one of the town’s missionaries have been translated from Hawaiian into English. In the dialogue of these accounts, we glean the sentiment of both the tribulations and Joseph’s response. Smith consoles the families whose children have died, urging them to take comfort in the fact that their babies will live eternally in heaven. He encourages the people to carry on and promises that God puts only those who He loves through such difficult trials. But, from this limited correspondence found in the LDS Church History Museum, we can conclude very little. All of Joseph F. Smith’s papers and correspondence with Iosepa have been preserved, but they are maintained under a secured status (Sacred and Secret).

A photo of some of the Hawaiian Mormons from Iosepa

[FiveFingerMnemonic]

Wow I learned something new today. So did they establish the town on their own initiative due to the lack of economic opportunity and social stigma, or were they actually assigned or called to pioneer it?

[Hagoth]

Thanks Moksha. I have driven past Iosepa several times and wondered what was up.

Since the church has never attempted to hide any of its history I assume we can't see the the Joseph F. Smith documents because are being guarded by a malevolent spirit. I wonder if they would allow the author to do some folk magic rituals to get his hands on them before they slip away into the earth.

[FiveFingerMnemonic]

ill-suited to hard work in the harsh climate of the western U.S.

I know what we can do! Put them in that bountiful fruitful land known as Skull Valley! That will straighten them out.

[deacon blues]

Apparently the article is in error when it says that Hawaiians could not hold the priesthood for a time. I am reading from an article by Scott Kinney called "Mormons and the Smallpox Epidemic of 1853." Kinney, one of the founders of "Sunstone" magazine writes: "Unlike Protestants, who rarely ordained native ministers, Mormons commonly ordained men to the priesthood within a matter of weeks."
I'm curious about the accuracy of the article by Richard Markosian. It is indeed possible that the church withheld documents from Markosian. If they feel threatened, they do stuff like that.

[RubinHighlander]

Very interesting post! Just two nights ago at a party I was talking to a friend of mine from work and he said he had written his thesis on Iosepa. I'm anxious to have him read that article and see what he thinks. Seems like Joseph "F" Smith is certainly living up to his reputation as a protector of the faith and not the truth.

[moksha]

So did they establish the town on their own initiative due to the lack of economic opportunity and social stigma, or were they actually assigned or called to pioneer it?

When the Hawaiian converts arrived in Utah they had an uncordial welcoming to Zion. They were not allowed to stay at any hotels or eat in any restaurants. A Jim Hyrum Crow sort of thing no doubt.

A committee of three Hawaiian Mormons and three Utah Mormons helped pick out the location between Salt Lake and the Salt Flats. My guess is the Hawaiians did not personally see the four sites under consideration in Cache, Davis, Utah, and Tooele Counties. I would further guess that the Cache Valley offering would have been the swampy section near the Bear River, the Davis property near the shore of Great Salt Lake (Antelope Island?) and the Utah County offering on the west side of Utah Lake.

They were an industrious bunch considering the extensive agricultural ditches they dug, not to mention the man-made lake. Iosepa winning the “the most progressive city in Utah” award in 1911 would also testify to that point.