Description

Brigham Young and Chief Wakara engaged in a love/hate relationship from the time the Mormona entered Salt Lake Valley. The two behaved like mob bosses, mutual cooperation when both benefited and then against each other when they felt their interests were threatened. Their volatile relationship resulted in what is called “The Walker War” in 1853. But did either of them really want the war? How did each respond when the violence broke out? The answer is much more complicated than has been believed. Neither of them were saints or victims of the other.

Ryan Wimmer received a BA in history from the University of Utah and an MA from BYU. He has been published in the John Whitmer Historical Journal. He has presented papers at MHA and other conferences on Japanese Americans in Utah, Mormon/Native American relations, and evangelical ministries to Mormons.