No, I haven’t seen that book. I’ll go take a look. The group was led by Horton D. Haight, and my ancestor’s name was King. Thanks for the pointer. From what my GGM wrote, there was no water, no feed for the livestock, and when they ran out of seed grain that they had been feeding the horses, they left to return home.

My GGF and GGM lost everything on that trip that they started with, including their wagon and horses, and returned home to find that my great-great-grandfather’s business partner had lost the business that they both had invested in. They literally had the clothes on their back and a two year old daughter.

It was a short mission (it was disposed of in one sentence in the book Colonization on the Little Colorado) and left just a few ghostly traces in the form of poems and some rock graffiti at House Rock Springs recording sentiments like “Joseph Adams From Kaysville To Arizona And Busted On June 6 A+D+1873.”

What is the family name? Did they make it back to Arizona in 1876?

In the process, I’ve learned about my father’s father, who died before I was born, and served his mission in Galvestion, TX, during the hurricane of 1900. I’m now trying to learn about his wife’s parents, who served an early and failed colonizing mission to Arizona in the 1870′s. They, along with other members of the mission, were apparently badmouthed by Brigham Young and Dan Jones. My brother and I are trying to find more information about them and the mission, eager to find out more about the whole adventure. The story from my great-grandmother’s view is one of incredible hardship and sacrifice, and substantial personal loss. In reconciling the two, we hope to put some “flesh” on these ghosts. Then we’ll move on to some others in my ancestry we don’t really know.

(Somehow, while being pasted into the editor, the straight quotes associated with the links turned themselves into curly quotes.)

2. annegb, Samuel Butler in The Way of All Flesh gave the recipe for getting rid forever of guests you don’t want to see anymore: lend them something. I have to say he’s right. Friends who owe me things tend to disappear at an alarming rate. I’m sure for them it’s a completely unconscious thing.

3. Steve C, people in other socio-economic classes are definitely ghostlike to us, I think. Really it’s people who are different. It makes it harder for us to reach out and connect. I think part of becoming Christlike is noticing and reanimating our ghosts whoever they may be.

4. Hunter, yes, Juki’s grandma wasn’t saying “I reject you”, she was just acknowledging something that Juki supposedly did to himself by cutting his hair. The bland matter-of-factness of it certainly adds to the horror, to me. Yet I know we must have many ghosts of our own. My ex-sister-in-law is one I’ve just been reminded of. For 20 years she was a beloved member of our family, and labored greatly to put on family events and produce fabulous baked goods for all she didn’t put on. She bought wonderful thoughtful presents for all of us. In every way she was part of the family for decades. We thought of her as a jewel and a saint. Now none of us ever see or speak to her, or even know how she’s doing, if she has food to put on the table or not. I wish her well.