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Salt Lake City, 1859, Where's the Government
Salt Lake City, Great Salt Lake, Utah Territory Cover Date: April 14, c1859 This Utah cancel is one of the most historically significant Nevada covers I have run across. It is extremely early for Nevada. (As a matter of fact there was no Nevada when this cover was mailed.) It leads us to the story of the first non-Mormon government (or lack of government) in what was to become Nevada. |
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I write this at the turn of the year, January 2, 2018. The new year is a time for making resolutions. But it is also a time for reflection. I would like to go back and reflect on Judge John C. Child, who I have already written about. Click here to read more!
In the 1850's the Mormons left civilized America for the wide open spaces of the wild west where they could practice their religion. Part of that religion allowed polygamy. They were happy to be where they could practice this religion and the American government was happy to get them out of their hair. But gold was discovered in California and all of a sudden, Utah was no longer in the middle of nowhere.
The Mormon headquarters was in Salt Lake City, but they sent groups out to settle the further reaches of their territory. Genoa in Northern Nevada were one of those places. But the American government had to do something about the practice of polygamy. They gave Brigham Young an ultimatum -stop and desist - or feel the force of the military. Brigham Young was not about to give in to the government. After all, America was born on the idea of religious freedom. So, he recalled all of his outer settlements to prepare to do battle with the United States. The Mormons in Genoa left in a hurry. Many could not sell their property. After all, the property would soon be abandoned and could be picked up for free. One of the last Mormons to leave was Judge Orson Hyde. He left a curse on the land as he left! 
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When the Mormons and Judge Orson Hyde left, the government left with them. That meant no government in a land occupied by drifters and miners, outlaws and thugs, opportunists and ruffians. Nevada became the epitome of the wild, wild west. It became a land where the only law was the law of the 'Smith and Wesson.'
In 1858 a group of citizens got together in the store of John Child and sent a letter to Governor Cummings imploring him to re-establish law in Nevada. He responded by sending a letter back appointing John Child as Probate Judge. Why he chose Child is not known. Perhaps it was as simple as it was in his store that the letter to him was drafted and Governor Young figured he had the respect of his fellow citizens. One way or another, John Child basically became the law in what would become the Nevada Territory His appointment (see below) and his reign was fraught with controversy. Some saw him as a puppet of the Mormons as he was appointed by the Mormon government of Utah. But many others saw him as an excellent choice. Twice he held elections, but once the candidates refused to serve and the other time the elections were not legal. It was only with creation of the Nevada Territory by the United States Congress on March 2, 1861 that real law came back to this area. 
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This cover could be one of many dates. The most probable are 1859 or 1860. If it was sent in 1858, it would have included the orders from Brigham Young to John Child appointing him Probate Judge. It could have been as late as 1861, but I believe that Salt Lake City was using a different cancel by that time.
