Comments on: Luther M. Winsor: “My Assignment Here in Persia”

By: Adam Winsor

Adam Winsor — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:55:34 +0000

Wow, just found this through the grapevine; Luther Murkins was my great grandfather, and though I’ve heard the story of the bandits’ attack told many times (and a little different each time), I had never seen a contemporary written account. Thanks for posting it!

By: Pamela W. Barber

Pamela W. Barber — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 06:41:22 +0000

Please note the spelling is wrong for the middle name. Luther Murkins Winsor is my grandfather’s Walter F. Winsor’s brother.

A part of his travels will be shared in print with some of our family members at the Walter F. Winsor Family Reunion we are holding Saturday June 18, 2011.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 15:58:18 +0000

We should link to that Time article, Mark. I missed the Schwarzkopf name! Thanks. What a small world this really is.

By: Mark B.

Mark B. — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 15:45:51 +0000

I should apologize in advance for dragging this conversation away from Luther Winsor, but I found that Time article in their archives and saw a familiar name in the list:

Colonel H. Norman Schwarzkopf, onetime superintendent of New Jersey State Police when the Lindbergh baby was kidnaped and murdered, is trying to improve Persia’s rural police, the undisciplined, isolated officers who patrol villages and outlying districts.

Yes, he’s the father of that General Schwarzkopf.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 14:37:36 +0000

Not bad for a Mormon boy from Dixie, eh?

I’m glad you’ve enjoyed this, and especially appreciate all the “value added” comments — Bruce’s political context, the map, the genealogical connections. It all helps to integrate LMW’s letter into the fabric of the past.

By: Mark B.

Mark B. — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 14:34:58 +0000

Another modern Church connection to Persepolis: In October 1971 the Shah of Iran held a celebration of Persia's 2,500 year history. Among those invited were about 30 leaders or representatives of major world religions. Elder Ezra Taft Benson attended as the representative of the Church--and told about the experience in a BYU devotional a few years afterward.

By: Mark B.

Mark B. — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 14:23:34 +0000

Here's a map, courtesy of Google, of the same area (the red A is Persepolis): View Larger Map (If that didn't work, Ardis, just delete this comment.) Which just goes to show that Bro. Winsor had pretty darn good map-making skills!

By: Researcher

Researcher — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 13:35:28 +0000

Boy oh boy, could I use some good Persian food about now.

What an adventure! It sounds like one of Washington Irving’s Alhambra stories with the governors and poor villagers and bandits.

The Jarvis Dam mentioned in John’s comment would have been named after Brigham Jarvis (1850-1933), the son of George and Ann Prior Jarvis.

By: Maurine Ward

Maurine Ward — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 05:09:25 +0000

I really enjoyed this post and the added information from John.

By: Bruce Crow

Bruce Crow — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 02:50:37 +0000

This was wonderful to read. Thank you.
The Anglo-Soviet invasion had just happened, less than five months earlier. Iran had declared itself neutral, but the English needed to control the oil fields and the Soviets needed a trade route for supply lines. So they invaded and split the country between the two. The English had just weeks before this letter was written set up a new Shah (the one deposed in 1979). No wonder the English were so hated.
The Americans came late to the party, January 1942. So Luther Merkins must have been in the first wave of American advisors.