Instructions Uinta Brethren
G. S. L. City Sep. 5, 1861.
Dear Brethren:-
You are selected and called to establish and build up settlements in Uinta Valley.
You go forth to this work with our faith and prayers that you may be guided by the Spirit of wisdom and labor with a united effort for the prosperity of Zion in reclaiming the barren waste and developing the resources of mother earth for the sustenance and benefit of yourselves and those who will yet come hither to dwell in and inhabit these peaceful vales. You are expected to take with you seed grain, vegetables, plants, and fruit trees and all kinds within your reach with teams, farming utensils for the cultivation of the earth, also Mechanics tools, for constructing houses mills and machinery.
You will also not neglect to be amply provided with fire arms, and ammunition
When you arrive in the Valley you will settle in such locations as may be designated by Surveyor Genl. Fox, in companies of not less than fifty men in a place.
It is wisdom for you first to enclose your Camps and make your corrals with good strong stockades and if you can cut and safely secure some hay for winter then prepare
your ground for crops the ensuing year so far as possible by ploughing and harrowing, clearing off &c., and during the late fall and winter build your houses and fence your fields, also so far as you can put in your dams and make your ditches for irrigating your fields and then be prepared as early in the spring as the ground will do to sow and plant your crops.
Do not undertake to cultivate too much land or fence too large fields. You will raise more grain by cultivating small fields and should not lay out more than you can enclose. cultivate well irrigate and of which you can take good care. Whenever for any purpose it becomes necessary to go or send a company to other settlements enough should go to make it safe, and enough must remain in each settlement to make it safe and at no time should the Forts be left in charge of women only.
It is strongly urged upon you to not take but very few women this winter not at least until you have built your houses and enclosed them with stockades as above instructed. Be careful and not let fire get into the timber or grass and thus destroy yourselves, and in traveling to and fro in all places and upon all occasions wherever you kindle a fire be sure to put it out before you leave it.
In accordance with our invariable policy and practice, the Indians must be conciliated by friendly though not too familiar intercourse and by fair and honorable dealing, be sure and not promise them more than you can perform and thereby mislead them for this course will destroy their confidence in you but always keep your word sacred. It would be well to have some trade as well as presents for them, but you must try and induce them to cultivate the earth and raise stock for a subsistence. To accomplish this you must let them occupy such location as they may select and assist and teach them to plough the ground sow tend and harvest their grain, also to build houses, that they may be induced to lay aside their idle and predatory habits and seek unto the true arts of civilization for a subsistence.
Do not go alone nor unarmed into the kanyons on the range nor in any out of the way place neither permit boys to herd your cattle but have at least two three or more men with arms out with your stock whenever it is out of your enclosures and always keep a guard both night and day and especially of stormy nights
So soon as you get your families with you build, good well ventilated comfortable school houses with good comfortable seats, erected within your forts and then keep all your children of suitable age in schools, be careful in your selection of teachers that your children may be properly taught and increase in knowledge as they increase in years. Allow no evil associates to mingle in your midst. nor those who for the sake of gain continually entice into our settlements the wicked and ungodly but so let the fire of the Almighty burn in your bosoms as shall consume the workers of iniquity and thieves, robbers, murderers, whore-mongers and adulterers shall find no place in all the borders of the land.
Finally brethren be kind and accommodating to one another, not greedy for land, herds, or other property, but be prudent and wise in all things which shall be given you, and lay a foundation and build upon it like men, like saints of the most high and of which you will not be ashamed when you are called upon to give an account of your stewardship.
First Presidency
Brigham Young
Heber C. Kimball
Daniel H Wells