I never know how to approach shady/terrible pasts of my ancestors but uncovering information like this is a part of family research. I have ancestors from Middle Tennessee, specifically Perry, Wayne, Hickman, and Lewis counties. I’ve dealt with my fair share of interesting family stories, but nothing would prepare me for a massacre??

Yes, a massacre…the Cane Creek Massacre. I discovered this early on in my research, probably 10+ years ago. Although there is no indication my direct ancestors were involved, their siblings or cousins were.

The Cane Creek Massacre, also known as Tennessee’s Mormon Massacre, happened on August 10, 1884 in Lewis County, Tennessee at the home of Jim and Malinda Conder about 5 miles north of Hohenwald. Five people were killed and at least one wounded in this culmination of a conflict between Latter-day saints (Mormon) and the non LDS community. The events were reported nationally and internationally and precipitated statewide legislation meant to restrict LDS missionary activity. (Bruce Crow, TNMormonHistory: Cane CreekMassacre)

CLIPPED FROM The Tennessean; Nashville, Tennessee; 22 Aug 1884, Fri  •  Page 4 (Newspapers.com)

To read more detailed accounts, please read Bruce Crow’s TNMormonHistory: Cane Creek Massacre. More information can be found at the following sites:

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