I gave a paper this weekend at the Mormon History Association meetings about the roll-up of the California colonies at the time of the Utah War. Somebody asked a question that let me work in Frances’s story — but I couldn’t recite Frances’s words exactly as they are quoted here, because I would have teared up in front of all those hard-headed historians. None of them seem to ahve been aware of Frances’s role with Thomas L. Kane, much less about the earlier crossing of their paths.

Thank you so much for sharing it.

Brother Eric – thank you for forwarding it !

This is a brilliant piece. I don’t usually comment to say how much I like a post, but you sound rather whistful in comment #2.

Of course I think most of your posts are excellent, but this story of Colonel Kane rushing across the continent, in danger from the mob hoping to avert tragedy for a people he admired but would not join, hiding behinf an assumed identity and ultimately using an impromptu evasion net–well that is story enough for a movie.