Burial Information: Call, Josiah Howe
Birth: 08/12/1821
Death: 10/5/1858
Burial: 10/14/1858
Place of Birth: Madison, Geauga, Ohio
Place of Death: Fillmore, Utah
Cause of Death: Scalped
Grave Location: Fillmore City Cemetery, 144_1_8
Source: Sexton / Grant
Comments: Age At Death 36 (36
He was scalped and killed by Indians at Chicken Creek, Juab County.



THE LATE INDIAN MASSACRE

Filmore City, Oct. 19, 1858

EDITOR DESERT NEWS:

Thinking you would like to hear the facts concerning the massacre of brothers Josiah Call and Samuel Brown, between Salt Creed and Filmore, I take the liberty to write them to you as they appeared in evidence before the coroner's inquest held over the bodies yesterday.

They left Salt Creed on Tuesday, 5th Oct. with two days' provisions, saying that they were going down Chicken Creed to see if a drove of cattle could be taken that way into this valley. Some brothern came in from Salt Creek the Sunday following; hearing that Brothers Call and Brown had not arrived, told what they heard at Salt Creek.

On Monday, four men started in search and found by their horse tracks that they had taken the north side of Chicken Creek. They also found where they got off and led their horses to water. This satisfied the men that Brothers Brown and Call had gone this way. It was somewhat difficult tracking them; as to all appearances a large party of Indians traveled the same trail.

The Brothern followed Chicken Creek and Sevier River into a valley. From this valley they returned home for more provisions and men. Indians with whom they were acquainted told them that there were many Indians close by.

On Friday 1st some fifteen started again to renew the search. They met Brother Shepard at Cedar Springs, who had just come in from the north. He told them that he saw a dead body about two miles south of Chicken Creek. Accordingly, they proceeded forwith and found both bodies within about two hundred yards of each other.

Brother Brown was shot through the heart, scalped and his throat cut. The birds had eaten the flesh from brother Call's bones with the exception of his leg below the knee and his left arm. It was evident he had been shot three times; once through the right breast, the shot lodging in the back bone; once through the left ankle and once through the head, the ball entering the back part of the skull near the seam and coming out the left side of the nose. It is supposed that his throat was also cut, as the blood had run from where his neck lay. His right arm was entirely gone and was not found.

They were both stripped of all their clothing except their underclothes, shoes and stockings.

The remains were this day interred in the cemetery of this place, the occasion being one of the most solemn I have ever witnessed. This is the first instance of the kind that has happened to any sitizen of this place since its settlement.

Report says some Indians went to Sanpete and said they had killed two white men in the Sevier River valley. The men fought like bears and killed one Indian. That they (the Indians) had to run into the canyon, but they got more help and followed and killed them. Which may be true, as they had evidently been down the creek and their bodies were found on the road home- they would not have come back on the road again if they had not been molested or mistrusted some danger.

An Indian, wearing Grandfather's hat, came six months later to the home of my grandmother. Grandmother's six frightened children clung to her apron while he told the story. Grandfather begged for his life. He told them he had six little papooses and a squaw that he would like to go home to; that they needed him, He offered to trade them anything for his life. They refused him. When an Indian says he'll do a thing he usually does it. He told her they took his right arm as a sign of Bravery.