This article is a long read. It follows the story of the man who founded Smithland, Iowa, and later became the first merchant in what is now Denver, CO. In between, he was a Prosecuting Attorney, County Supervisor, County Judge, and Postmaster. His life was intertwined with Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, as well as the infamous Inkpaduta, Chief of the Santee Sioux Indians and leader of the Spirit Lake Massacre. In an ironic twist, after traveling thousands of miles throughout the young United States, he spent his final days in Florida as one of the earliest Snowbirds.
Because of its length, I’m posting on Thursday, the day I usually leave open. If you do not finish reading on the day it is posted, you may find it on the website’s Our Archives page.
