Archives West Finding Aid

It was through Benjamin Bullock that the Book of Abraham on papyrus was brought to Joseph Smith at Kirtland, Ohio. The account gives the whole story of the acquiring, translation, and publishing of the Pearl of Great Price. Bullock was so impressed with Joseph Smith that he moved his whole family from New York to Kirtland to live among the Mormons. They moved with the Saints to Nauvoo and then to Council Bluffs. In 1852 they started west. At the Platte River, Bullock became ill and died there. The family went on to Utah.

Electa was the first wife of Isaac Bullock, son of Benjamin. She lived in Salt Lake City as a girl. She was one of the cast of the first performance given in the old Social Hall. Later when living in Provo, she was a member of the First Amateur Dramatic Company. She married in 1856. In 1857 she went with her husband to Fort Supply, Wyoming, where her first child, Isaac Jr. was born. Later in 1857, he was released and they moved to Springville, Utah, and then to Provo. She helped her husband run the Bullock Hotel, a stopping place for Brigham Young and other authorities when in Provo. She was very active in the LDS Church Relief Society and the Women's Suffrage crusade.

Isaac Bullock had a college education in New York, graduating from law school. Moved to Nauvoo with the family. Went on a mission to New York. In 1852, he crossed the plains with the family to Utah, after his father's death at North Platte. In 1853 he was sent to Fort Supply, Wyoming, with others to establish an agricultural enterprise and to work with the Indians. He learned the Shoshone Indian Language. This account tells of the incident with Chief Tibunduets. He was released in 1857. He returned to Provo and opened the Bullock Hotel on 5th West and Center Street. In 1863 he went on a mission to England. In 1877 he was chosen President of the High Priests Quorum, which position he held until his death. He was a civic leader, being at different times city councilor, mayor, and city alderman; also, U.S. Deputy Marshal. His two wives, Electa and Emma, and their families were an example of plural marriage at its best.

Orson Hyde arrived at Fort Supply from Salt Lake 7 May 1854. He appointed and set apart for a mission to the Shoshone Nation the following elders: Isaac Bullock, James S. Brown, E. B. Ward, James Davis. They left Fort Supply May 13th. May 15th, they arrived at Green River. Stopped with Baptiste. May 20, they learned from an Indian that Chief Washakie was camped 30 miles away. May 21, they reached their camp. Bullock gives a description of the Chief. He was impressed. They stayed to the 26th of May, during which time they talked, read Orson Hyde's letter, and tried to make friends. Ryan, a white man, had influenced them against the Mormons. Eventually they all made friends and exchanged gifts. As they were leaving, Washakie quietly advised them to leave quickly and make no stops. Some Indians were apparently still hostile. The Chief understood their message. The details of the talks are not given in the account. June 2, they stopped with Capt. Hawley at Green River Ferry. James Brown stayed there as interpreter. The others returned to Fort Supply.

The locating committee left Provo. It consisted of William M. Wall, Isaac Bullock, Erastus Meacham, and Joseph Kelly. Bullock gives a detailed description of the Provo Canyon, Upper Provo River Valley, Weber Valley, going up a creek over the mountain to Yellow Creek, and a fork of the Muddy to Bear River and to Fort Supply. He pointed out where a road could be built. Arrived at Fort Supply September 26th, cold and icy.

Tells of the Chief and his men raiding their fields and causing trouble. Mr. Armstrong, U.S. Indian Agent, arrived in time to save an attack on the Fort. Indians called the agent their ParPar; had great confidence in him.

Bullock was in charge of supplies.

Researched notes and references, compiled by Elva Dean, which help to clarify and understand the story of the journal.

Includes vocabulary of Shoshone words, which were not transcribed. Please refer to the Fern Smoot Taylor family papers to access the original journal and Shoshoni vocabulary.