Finding Lee’’s Gold

Growing up in Utah meant I had to defend myself every time the name John D. Lee came up in conversation. My grandfather and grandmother fought many times about the slaughter of 120 men, women and children crossing through Mountain Meadows in southern Utah and on their way to California. She took the position that Lee was only following orders from his adopted father, Brigham Young. Grandfather insisted Brigham Young would never do anything that horrific. As I got older, I knew I had to fi nd the truth. When my family moved to San Diego, my burden was lifted because no one knew I descended from a mass murderer. The details in this book of the awfulness and the historical characters are true but the others are people I created. Enjoy!