Hyrum M. Smith

Eli Hawkins: Last Survivor of the Mountain Meadows Massacre Hyrum M. Smith

Ten-year-old Eli Hawkins watches from his hiding place in a creek bed as his parents are massacred by Paiute Indians and Mormon militia at Mountain Meadows, Utah; his six-year-old sister is taken by the marauders.

The massacre, a black mark in Mormon history, is not talked about and almost buried until it is learned that one of the potential victims escaped the tragedy and is seeking revenge, as well as the whereabouts of one of the infant survivors.

As Eli continues his quest to locate his sister, he opens the wounds of denial and potentially exposes the Mormon participants in the massacre.

Framed by the second largest silver strike in Pioche, Nevada, the Mormons, the miners, and the Paiutes play an integral role in this tragic incident and in the history of southern Utah, eastern Nevada, and northern Arizona.