Samuel Bogart facts for kids

Samuel Bogart, around 1860

Samuel Bogart (born April 2, 1797 – died March 11, 1861) was an important figure in early American history. He was a Methodist minister and a militia captain from Ray County, Missouri. He played a key role in the 1838 Missouri Mormon War. Later, he moved to Collin County, Texas. There, he became a Texas Ranger and a member of the Texas State Legislature.

Bogart is mostly remembered for leading groups that opposed Mormon settlers in northwestern Missouri. He was very active in operations against them in the fall of 1838. These actions led to most Mormons being forced to leave Missouri. This happened after Governor Lilburn Boggs issued a famous "Extermination Order" in October of that year.

Early Life and Family

Samuel Bogart was born in Carter County, Tennessee. His parents were Cornelius Bogart and Elizabeth Moffett. When he was fifteen, Bogart became an orphan. He then joined the U.S. Army during the War of 1812. He served in Captain Wm. McLeland's company, 7th Infantry. He fought in the famous Battle of New Orleans. Later, he served as a Major in the Illinois state militia during the Black Hawk War in Illinois.

Bogart married Rachel Hammer on May 19, 1818, in Washington County, Tennessee. They had five children:

• Eliza Ann (born 1821 in Illinois; died 1917 in Oklahoma)
• Cornelius H. Bogart (born 1823 in Illinois; died 1846 in Illinois)
• William Bogart (born 1826 in Illinois; died 1828 in Illinois)
• Jane Elizabeth Bogart (born 1832 in Illinois; died 1918 in Texas). She married Leroy Clement in Texas.
• Margaret Ellen Bogart (born 1835 in Missouri; died 1906 in Texas)

Role in Missouri Conflicts

Bogart moved from Illinois to Missouri in 1833. He settled in rural Ray County in the northwestern part of the state. There, he worked as a farmer and a traveling Methodist minister. He was also the captain of his local militia unit. Peter Burnett, a lawyer from Ray County, described Bogart as "not a very discreet man."

In the fall of 1838, Bogart became involved in a dispute. This was between members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) and their non-Mormon neighbors. The Mormons had been forced out of Jackson County in 1833. They then moved north to Caldwell County, which was created for them. However, many new Mormon settlers began moving into nearby counties, like Daviess County.

Many older settlers felt the Mormons had no right to settle in these areas. People worried that Mormons would take control of local government offices. There were also fears about Mormon economic practices and their views on Native Americans and slaves. These issues created a very tense situation by the fall of 1838.

Actions in Carroll County

Bogart first took an active part in anti-Mormon actions in Carroll County. Mormons had started a settlement there called De Witt. Some believed this was against an agreement not to settle in that county. No written agreement was ever found. However, this did not stop some Missouri militiamen from surrounding the Mormon settlement. This siege lasted from October 1 to October 10, 1838.

When General Hiram Parks arrived with militia troops, Bogart and his company were among them. Bogart and his unit immediately sided with the anti-Mormon group. They refused to obey General Parks' orders. Parks had to send them back to Ray County to stop them from joining the vigilantes. Parks tried to have Bogart removed from the State Guard for not following orders, but he was not successful.

Tensions in Daviess County

After a fight between Mormons and non-Mormons during an election in Gallatin, Bogart quickly called out his militia unit. He said it was to prevent an invasion of Ray County by the Mormons. No such invasion was planned. Still, Bogart decided to act against the Mormons. He marched his company to the Caldwell County line, gathering volunteers along the way.

He got permission from his superior, General David Atchison, to "range the line" between the counties. This was to prevent any invasion of Ray County. However, Bogart and his men decided not to stay on defense. They split into smaller groups and began taking weapons from Mormons. They did this first in northern Ray County, then in southern Caldwell.

Bogart went beyond his original orders. He continued to bother and threaten local Mormon settlers. He even threatened to attack Far West, the main Mormon settlement, if they did not leave the area. Some Mormon reports claimed Bogart stole from Mormon farms. However, modern historians say these claims have not been fully proven by witnesses from that time. Still, stories about Bogart's actions were easily believed by Mormon leaders.

Battle of Crooked River

Map showing the Battle of Crooked River.

On October 24, 1838, some of Bogart's men captured two Mormon scouts. These scouts were part of a group watching Bogart's movements. The two prisoners were threatened and taken to Bogart's camp on the Crooked River. There, Bogart's men questioned and threatened them further. Other Mormons in the area were warned to leave by morning. They took news of the capture to Joseph Smith and other Mormon leaders in Far West.

The Mormons in Far West believed Bogart intended to execute the prisoners. So, they decided to launch a rescue mission. Led by Mormon apostle David W. Patten, a unit of Mormon militia entered Ray County early on October 25. They attacked Bogart's sleeping men around 3 AM. A fierce fight followed. Three Mormons, including Apostle Patten, died, and seven were wounded. Bogart's company had one dead and six wounded.

The Mormons rescued their hostages and forced Bogart's men to retreat. However, exaggerated stories of the battle reached Missouri Governor Lilburn Boggs. The governor, who was known for being anti-Mormon, then issued his famous "Extermination Order." This order stated that Mormons should be "exterminated, or driven from the state." The State Guard was ordered to carry out this command.

After the Crooked River battle, Bogart (who was not hurt) took part in the Missouri militia's siege of Far West. This led to the Mormons surrendering and agreeing to leave Missouri completely. During a later court hearing, Bogart and his men guarded Joseph Smith and other Mormon prisoners. They also guarded witnesses who were there to speak for the Mormons. Bogart and his men intimidated the Mormon leaders and witnesses.

Life in Texas

After the conflict in Missouri, Bogart was involved in an incident where he shot and killed another citizen, Alexander Beattie. Bogart then moved to Texas. He settled in Washington County. There, he joined the Texas Rangers and became a company commander. As a Ranger, Bogart took part in the Mier Expedition into Mexico in 1842–43. This expedition was not successful.

Bogart survived his time in Mexico. When he returned to Texas in 1844, he settled in Collin County. He served four two-year terms in the state legislature. One of these terms was as a senator. Bogart was never punished for the incident involving Beattie or for his actions against the Mormons in Missouri.

Bogart resigned from the Texas legislature in 1861 due to poor health. He signed the Texas ordinance of secession before he left. He died on March 11, 1861. He is buried in Collin County in an unmarked grave.