Now, here's where the history of the island gets really interesting. I mentioned
that this is the Mormon Print Shop and you're probably wondering how it became that. Well,
when Joseph Smith (founder of the Church of Later-Day Saints) was killed, there was some
confusion as to whom was going to succeed him, Brigham Young or James Jesse Strang.
For reasons too many to go into here, I'll just say that Strang lost out on his bid for
leadership of that organization. However, he was a man who had a way with words and
managed to gather quite a following, including some of Joseph Smiths' family.
This daguerreotype is of James Jesse Strang
is from the book, "The King Strang Story" by Doyle C.
Fitzpatrick and used with permission from his widow, Phyllis Fitzpatrick.
Events eventually led Strang to Beaver Island along with his followers. At the
time of his arrival here there were only two trading posts and no town to speak
of. The Strangites built homes, businesses, farms, roads and the like.
Strang's followers truly believed that he was the "true" leader of their
church. Trained as a lawyer in New York state, he had a way about him that beckoned
many to give up everything and follow him where ever he led....even to the middle of
northern Lake Michigan. Eventually, his "visions" from God told him that
taking plural wives was expected and that he was the "king" of his
followers. Needless to say, these sorts of ideas didn't settle well with those
island residents who were here before the Strangite invasion. Inevitably, problems
arose and out numbered, the prior inhabitants moved off the island. Strang had
himself crowned "King" and ruled until his death by assassination by two
disgruntled followers in 1856. During that time he also procured for himself four
more wives. With the advent of the second wife, his first decided that she'd
had enough and she removed herself to Wisconsin with their children. To learn more
about the fascinating life and times of Strang, check at your local library for the
following books: King Strang: A Biography of James Jesse Strang by Robert P. Weeks,
Assassination of a Michigan King: The Life of James Jesse Strang by Roger Van
Noord, The King Strang Story by Doyle Fitzpatrick, The Kingdom
of St. James by M. M. Quaife, The Diary of James J. Strang, Deciphered,
Transcribed, Introduced and Annotated by Mark Strang and The Journal of Beaver
Island History - Volume I plus various other books on the island are available through the Beaver Island Historical
Society.
Before we get weighed down with too much history, we'll continue with our
tour. Hopefully, you aren't all the way asleep after that history lesson.
[ Home ] [ Up ] [ TDS ]
|