Orrin Porter Rockwell
Ferryman, bodyguard, scout, saloon keeper, deputy marshal and rancher. A year-by-year account of the frontiersman's 64 years, from Belchertown, Massachusetts to the Colorado Stables in Salt Lake City.
Early Years in the East
Born in Massachusetts and raised in western New York, near the farm of the Smith family.
1813Born
Orrin Porter Rockwell is born in Belchertown, Massachusetts, to Orin and Sarah Witt Rockwell.
1814Age 0–1
Future wife Luana Hart Beebe is born.
1829Age 15–16
Future wife Mary Ann Neff is born.
The Church and Missouri
Present at the Church's founding, Porter runs a ferry on the Big Blue River until mobs drive the Saints from Jackson County.
1830Age 16–17
Porter, his parents, and his younger brothers and sisters are present at the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
1832Age 18–19
Marries Luana Hart Beebe. They divorce in 1845.
1833Age 19–20
Porter and his father are attacked by a mob at their ferry on the Big Blue River, Jackson County, Missouri.
A Missouri mob attacks the Rockwell Ferry at the Big Blue Settlement.
1834Age 20–21
Porter's first child, Emily Amanda Rockwell, is born in Missouri.
Porter's home and its contents are destroyed by Missouri mobs at the Big Blue Settlement.
The Rockwell family, with hundreds of others, is forced from Jackson County, Missouri.
1836Age 22–23
Daughter Caroline A. Rockwell is born.
Future wife Christina Olsen is born in Norway.
1838Age 24–25
Ordained a deacon at Far West, Missouri.
Nauvoo and the Prophet's Bodyguard
The Boggs shooting, ten months in a Missouri jail, Joseph Smith's famous blessing, and the martyrdom at Carthage.
1839Age 25–26
Receives his patriarchal blessing from Joseph Smith Sr.
Porter's father, Orin Rockwell, dies at Commerce, Illinois.
Son Orrin DeWitt (Orrin Porter Rockwell Jr.) is born.
Porter leaves Nauvoo for Washington, D.C. with Joseph Smith Jr. and others.
1840Age 26–27
Files an affidavit that Missouri mobs cost him $2,000 in losses on his Big Blue River ferry.
1841Age 27–28
Daughter Sarah Rockwell is born.
1842Age 28–29
On hearing of his arrest, Joseph Smith prophesies that Rockwell will "honorably escape" the Missourians.
Former Missouri Governor Lilburn W. Boggs is shot and wounded by a gunman, later alleged to be Porter.
Joseph Smith becomes Mayor of Nauvoo, Illinois. Porter joins Smith's personal bodyguard, the "Lifeguards."
Boggs issues an affidavit accusing Porter of the shooting. A $1,300 reward is posted.
Joseph Smith writes of Porter:
"He is an innocent and a noble boy… and my soul loveth him."
1843Age 29–30
Arrested in St. Louis and charged with the attempted assassination of Lilburn W. Boggs.
Joseph Smith's diary mentions the Nauvoo Mansion barroom, where Porter served as bartender.
After nearly ten months in jail in Independence, Missouri, Porter is released from the Boggs charges.
Blessed by Joseph Smith that as long as he never cut his hair, no bullet or blade could harm him. Read about the prophecy
1844Age 30–31
Takes part in the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor, an anti-Mormon newspaper.
In the early morning, rows Joseph and Hyrum Smith and Willard Richards across the Mississippi to prevent their arrest.
Joseph Smith tells him to stay in Nauvoo and not allow himself to be taken prisoner by his enemies.
Joseph and Hyrum Smith are murdered at Carthage Jail. The next morning, his 31st birthday, Porter rides through Nauvoo shouting the news of Joseph's death.
Porter and two others threaten the life of Mormon apostate Robert D. Foster.
Son Joseph Calvin Adelmann Rockwell is born.
1845Age 31–32
Acting as a lawman, Rockwell shoots Robert F. Smith and Frank Worrell of the Carthage Greys militia. Worrell dies. Later that day Rockwell kills four anti-Mormons near Warsaw, Illinois.
1846Age 32–33
Receives his endowments in the Nauvoo Temple.
Arrives in Council Bluffs, Iowa with mail from the east.
Arrested in Nauvoo and taken to Carthage, then Quincy, Illinois.
Arrives in Council Bluffs after jail time for the killing of Frank Worrell. The jury rules he acted in self-defense.
Appointed Brigham Young's bodyguard at Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Scout of the Pioneer Company
Chief hunter on the trek to the Great Salt Lake Valley, then guide on the southern route from California.
1847Age 33–34
Leaves Winter Quarters, Nebraska with the Mormon Pioneer Company as scout and chief hunter.
A false alarm is raised on the trail that Porter has been carried off by Indians.
While trying to recover stolen horses, Porter and others are ambushed. No lives are lost.
Hunts buffalo on the route west with the Pioneer Company.
Arrives in the Great Salt Lake Valley with an advance company.
Leads a group back from the valley to meet the main body of Mormons coming west.
Commissioned with others as an emissary of the Church to purchase goods in California.
1848Age 34–35
Leaves Rancho del Chino, California, guiding a company to Salt Lake along a route close to today's I-15.
Leads Henry G. Boyle's company of 35 Mormon Battalion veterans into the Salt Lake Valley from California.
Gold Country and Deseret
Saloons in the California diggings, a lifetime commission as deputy, and a second marriage performed by Brigham Young.
1849Age 35–36
Named Deputy Marshal for the Provisional State of Deseret.
Blessed by the First Presidency and the Twelve to lead Amasa Lyman and his party to California.
After reaching Sutter's Fort, opens a saloon at Murderer's Bar, an inn at Buckeye Flat, and a "halfway house" near Mormon Island on the American River.
Registers his brands: a cedar tree on the right thigh for horses, and a three-inch "OP" on the right hip for cattle.
1850Age 36–37
En route to Utah from California, shoots and kills a man trying to infiltrate the party.
Appointed Utah Deputy Sheriff for life, with territory-wide jurisdiction.
1851Age 37–38
With John Neff, obtains the land claim and privileges to Neff's Canyon, the first canyon south of Mill Creek.
1854Age 40–41
Marries Mary Ann Neff in Salt Lake City. Brigham Young performs the ceremony.
1855Age 41–42
Daughter Mary Amanda Rockwell is born.
1856Age 42–43
Addresses the Utah Legislature in Fillmore on creating a stage and mail line from Missouri to California.
Addresses a mass meeting in Salt Lake City on express mail service.
Daughter Sarah Naomi Rockwell is born in Salt Lake City.
Orders the burning of Fort Supply in Wyoming to slow the advance of the Utah Expedition (Johnston's Army).
The Utah War
A 413-mile express ride to warn Brigham Young of the approaching army, the Aiken party killings, and a hotel and brewery at the Point of the Mountain.
1857Age 43–44
Escorts Governor Cumming back to Camp Scott, Wyoming after his meeting with Brigham Young.
Eastbound with the Utah mail, returns to Fort Laramie after learning the federal government has canceled the B.Y.X. Company's mail contract.
With Abraham Smoot and Judson Stoddard, begins a 413-mile express ride to warn of the approaching U.S. Army.
Arrives in the Salt Lake Valley from Fort Laramie.
Rides into Big Cottonwood Canyon to tell Brigham Young that Johnston's Army is approaching.
The Aiken party is ambushed near Nephi. At his death, Porter was still under indictment for alleged involvement.
Indicted with twenty other Mormon men for their roles in the Utah War.
1858Age 44–45
Purchases sixteen acres at the Hot Springs near the Point of the Mountain from Evan M. Green.
A newspaper advertises Rockwell's Hot Springs Brewery Hotel, near the present Utah State Prison.
Sells 319 acres in the Hot Springs Survey in Draper to Thomas S. Williams and Charles Mogo.
Son John Orrin Rockwell is born in Lehi, Utah.
Lawman of the Territory
Pony Express station keeper, manhunter, guide at Bear River, and rancher with hundreds of horses on Government Creek.
1859Age 45–46
A territorial land certificate shows Rockwell owns 212 acres in the Hot Springs Survey.
1860Age 46–47
Son David Porter Rockwell is born in Lehi, Utah.
The first Pony Express rider stops at Rockwell's Station at the Point of the Mountain.
En route to Pike's Peak, commanding a wagon train carrying flour.
1861Age 47–48
Brings charges before Brigham Young that Lehi resident Israel Evans rustled one of his oxen. Evans is later disfellowshipped.
1862Age 48–49
Captures outlaws Moroni Clawson and John Smith and kills Lot Huntington at Faust, Utah.
Son Forrest Neff Rockwell is born.
1863Age 49–50
Serves as guide for the U.S. Army, which on January 29 attacks a Shoshone and Bannock encampment near Preston, Idaho, killing more than 200.
Brings the bodies of Wood Reynolds and Thomas O'Shonnison, killed west of Lehi the day before, to the Salt Lake City Cemetery.
1864Age 50–51
Daughter Letitia Barr Rockwell is born.
1866Age 52–53
Son Joseph Neff Rockwell is born.
Wife Mary Ann Neff dies.
Pays Wells Fargo & Company $7,500 for Lot 3, Block 73, on 2nd East between South Temple and 1st South in Salt Lake City.
1868Age 54–55
With Henry Heath, captures murderer Chauncey Millard in Rush Valley.
1869Age 55–56
In Provo, witnesses the execution of Chauncey Millard, the 18-year-old killer he apprehended.
Talithia, the adopted Native American daughter of Porter and Mary Ann (born 1848), dies.
During a speech by Vice President Schuyler Colfax, Porter objects to being called a killer, reportedly shouting:
"I never killed anyone who didn't need killing."
1870Age 56–57
Marries Christina Olsen.
Leads a posse that shoots and kills Albert H. Haws, who had killed a U.S. Marshal.
Posts a $500 peace bond after a fight in the tavern of the Salt Lake House.
1871Age 57–58
Wilford Woodruff visits Porter's ranch on Government Creek and notes 500 horses and mules and 140 head of cattle.
An indictment for the Aiken party murders names Porter and several others.
1872Age 58–59
William, the adopted Native American son of Porter and Mary Ann (born 1852), dies.
1873Age 59–60
Called by Brigham Young to help George W. Bean colonize Grass Valley near Fish Lake, Utah.
Daughter Elizabeth Christina Rockwell is born in Salt Lake City.
Lehi City Court records his escape after being charged with "affray" for a gunfight with Lorin Dibble.
Last Years
Indicted again for the Aiken killings, released on bail, and dead of heart failure before he could stand trial.
1875Age 61–62
Son Stephen Porter Rockwell is born in Salt Lake City.
1877Age 63–64
Indicted by a grand jury for alleged participation in the Aiken party murders near Nephi.
After a week in jail, released on $15,000 bail posted by friends.
1878Died, age 64
On the eve of his death, attends the Salt Lake Theatre with his daughter Mary to see "Joshua Whitcomb."
Dies of heart failure near 5:00 p.m. at his office at the Colorado Stables in Salt Lake City.
Funeral held at the Salt Lake City 14th Ward schoolhouse. Joseph F. Smith preaches; 1,300 attend. His estate is reportedly worth $30,000.
The Deseret News eulogizes him as honorable and true to his word, feared only by cattle thieves and mobocrats.
His last child, Ida May Rockwell, is born.
Afterward
1897After his death
Former wife Luana Beebe dies and is buried in the Provo City Cemetery.
1911After his death
Porter's last wife, Christina Olsen, dies.
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