William Madison Wall

William Madison Wall (September 30, 1821 – September 18, 1869) was a Mormon pioneer, explorer, colonizer, military officer, and church leader[2] in Provo, Heber, and Wallsburg, Utah, and a settler of Utah Territory.[3]

William Madison Wall
Personal details
BornWilliam Madison Wall
(1821-09-30)September 30, 1821
Rockingham, Richmond County, North Carolina, United States
DiedSeptember 18, 1869(1869-09-18) (aged 47)
Provo, Utah, Utah Territory
Resting placeProvo City Cemetery,
Provo, Utah, United States[1]
Children31
ParentsIsaac Wall and Nancy Duncan

Early years

Wall was born September 30, 1821 in North Carolina to Isaac Wall and Nancy Duncan.[2] Wall's mother was said to have died when he was 7, giving birth to his brother, Richard. His father, Isaac, then put all 4 of his children into his relative's care around the county. William was put into the care of his Uncle, who basically used him as a slave. He was treated so badly, that he ran away and was found later in Wayne County, Illinois. He was taken into the Haw family house and was treated like an actual son.

Life in Nauvoo and Pioneer

In 1842, Wall and his family were introduced to missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and were baptized. Wall helped establish[4] the early Mormon settlement of Ramus near Nauvoo, Illinois. He was known for being a large man, called alternatively by Joseph Smith "the most expert wrestler in Ramus" and "the bully of Ramus." (History of the Church, 5:16 p. 302).[5]

Wall was a lieutenant in the Nauvoo Legion and worked close with Brigham Young, John Taylor, and Willard Richards. He was imprisoned on trumped up charges but escaped, he later went back to turn himself in but was allowed to go free.

In 1850, Wall crossed the plains to Utah with the Warren Foote Company.[6] He was a Captain of 50 and Captain of the Second Division.[6] Within three days, a child died of Cholera and Wall himself had gotten sick with it a few days later. The treatment for Cholera was to keep liquids away from the patient to dry up the diarrhea but Wall rolled out of the wagon and ended up drinking deeply from a water pail. Wall recovered days later.

Settling Down

When Wall and his company arrived in Utah, Wall headed down to Provo where he had his sixth child. Wall was called to be an early Bishop in Provo,[7] where he also served as a local military captain. He would later on become the City Marshall of Provo. He was a known polygamist and had several wives in his lifetime.

Conflicts

In 1853, the Walker War was sparked. Brigham Young ordered Wall to go south and warn any settlements there, as well as to arrest any Mexican Traders that hadn't left when ordered to. They marched as far south as Harmony checking on settlers, meeting with Indian Chiefs, and arresting a few Mexican traders. This expedition cost around $2,251.50. The Walker War ended without further involvement of Wall. He was ordered to Fillmore, Utah in 1853 for a year before returning to Provo.[8]

Wall then was called on a mission from Utah to Australia.[9] However, after around a year, he was ordered back to Utah because of a looming war with the United States. He sailed back with all the people he converted. This trip took around 118 days. When he landed in California, he was taken by a mob and was going to get hanged, but was let go due to the fact that he had just arrived.

Wall was a licensed attorney in Utah, a prosecuting attorney,[10] and the second[11] sheriff of Utah County, Utah.[12] During the Black Hawk War,

Later Years

On January 19, 1855 the Provo Canyon Road Co. was incorporated to build a road up Provo Canyon to Heber Valley, but construction was delayed because of the looming threat of War. Wall was put in charge of overseeing construction of the road. Wall also established a ranch in the south end of Heber Valley. The last two years of William Wall's life were dedicated to improving the Road and developing his ranch. One day he was ambushed by and Indian and was shot in the chest, however, the bullet hit his watch and deflected upward. Twice he'd been struck by a bullet but it did him no harm, as promised in his patriarchal blessing.[12] His health deteriorated quickly but he continued to labor on the road. He became ill and died on the road at the age of 47.

He was buried in the Provo City Cemetery.[1]One of the towns he helped established was eventually named Wallsburg in his honor.

References
  1. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18676132 accessed June 13, 2018.
  2. Van Cott, John W. (1990). Utah Place Names: A Comprehensive Guide to the Origins of Geographic Names: a Compilation. Google Books: University of Utah Press. p. 388. ISBN 9780874803457. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  3. Esshom, Frank, Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah: Comprising Photographs, Genealogies, Biographies (Salt Lake City, Utah: Utah Pioneers Books, 1913) p. 1227 at https://archive.org/details/pioneersprominen00esshrich, accessed July 17, 2018.
  4. Jenson, Andrew LDS Biographical Encyclopedia, 4:659; Rowena Miller Files, Lands and Records Office, Nauvoo Restoration, Inc.; Black, Membership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830-1848, 44:618-25; Black, Nauvoo Seventy Membership: Annotated Index. See https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/overlandtravel/pioneers/6570/william-madison-sr-wall (summarizing sources), accessed July 17, 2018.
  5. Joseph Smith Papers, 13 March 1843, at https://byustudies.byu.edu/content/volume-5-chapter-16, accessed July 17, 2018
  6. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints accessed June 11, 2018.
  7. Tullidge, Edward William (1885). Tullidge's Quarterly Magazine, Volume 3. Google Books: University of Iowa. p. 242. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  8. Deseret News, Dec 1, 1853, G A Smith Reports Moving Families to Fillmore and Intervening Settlements, Salt Lake City, Utah : Deseret News Pub. Co., https://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/digital/collection/desnews1/id/174517, accessed June 11, 2018.
  9. Deseret News, Feb. 27, 1856, (originally reporting calling to the "East Indies") Salt Lake City, Utah : Deseret News Pub. Co., https://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/digital/collection/desnews1/id/3661, accessed June 11, 2018; Elder's Certificate, April 20, 1856, https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/52456020, accessed June 11, 2018; see also Newton, Marjorie, Southern Cross Saints; the Mormons in Australia, at page 108; https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/missionary/individual/william-madison-wall-1821?lang=eng accessed July 17, 2018.
  10. Boren, Kerry Ross & Lisa Lee (1999). Gold of Carre-Shinob. Google Books: Cedar Fort. p. 131. ISBN 9781555174118. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  11. "First Sheriffs of Utah County" Tullidge's Quarterly Magazine, Volume 3, 1885, Page 392, at https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/46400242 accessed on June 7, 2018 (includes list of sheriffs through around 1876); Deseret News, March 30, 1859, ("the Sheriff of Utah County, Wm. M. Wall, Esq."), Salt Lake City, Utah : Deseret News Pub. Co., https://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/digital/collection/desnews2/id/6757, accessed June 11, 2018.
  12. Deseret News, March 28, 1860 at 8, https://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/digital/collection/desnews2/id/1946 accessed July 17, 2018; Deseret News, Jan. 6, 1859 ("Last Friday evening when William Madison Wall, Marshall of Provo, was walking down the city streets, a ball was shot through his hat and grazed his head, knocking him down.")
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