©2003 Brigham Young University. All rights reserved.
The Dame Collection was originally deposited at B.Y.U. by Lillis McBride Spencer and then formally donated to the university by her children: M. Louise Johnson (wife of John Albert - deceased), Elaine Hencley Rodabough and her loving husband, Sidney L. Rodabough, Claralice J. Stubbs, and Garr Neil Johnson.
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from the William H. Dame Collection must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Board of Curators.
(Submitted by her children)
On 17 April 1883 Tamson Dame McBride of Fillmore, Utah wrote a letter to her Uncle, Col. William Horne Dame and his wife in Parowan, Utah advising them of her intention to send two of her children for them to raise. Her plea for "kindness for her motherless children" indicated that she knew her death was imminent. The Dames took the children and moved to Paragonah, Utah (spelled Paragoonah at that time) with the children. One of those children was William Albert McBride, the father of Lillis McBride Spencer, the donor of the William Horne Dame Collection housed at Brigham Young University. The Dame Collection was originally deposited at B.Y.U. by Lillis McBride Spencer and then formally donated to the university by her children.
William, better known as "Billy", married Sarah Alice Robinson on 19 October 1888. Seven children were the issue of their marriage: Albert Roy, Alice Belle (Edwards), Evelyn (Davenport), Richard Vern, Thelma Loeing (Wood), Lillis (Spencer), and Kenneth. As the sixth child, Lillis entered this world on 28 December 1904. At the time of this writing (1994) Thelma Wood, at ninety-four years of age, is the only surviving member of the McBride children. Paragonah was "home" to the McBride family and although a tragic horse racing accident took the life of Billy on 6 September 1915 Alice remained there to raise her children in the L.D.S. religion. At the age of eight years old, as was customary, Lillis was baptized by Joseph Leonard Topham, a priest, and confirmed by Thomas W. Jones, the Bishop on 28 December 1912, her birthday.
Education was of primary importance to the family and each child was given the opportunity to take advantage of the limited schooling available. Lillis attended the Paragonah Grammar School, the Murdock Academy in Beaver, Utah, and the Branch Agriculture College in Cedar City where she graduated with a high school certificate in the arts and sciences. After her schooling, life was not easy for Lillis. She suffered through two failed marriages and afterward was left alone with four children to raise. The first marriage was to Alexander Hencley, the second to Arnold S. Johnson. For many years she worked two jobs to keep the family intact. Her sense of humor and genuine concern for others gave her the will to carry on in spite of many adversities.
Many were her talents! Many were her friends! Climbing the social ladder was nonexistent to her. She had friends from every walk of life and all were treated equally. She entertained frequently with humorous readings, the most memorable being "Bessie's Boil" and "Cordelia Cowslicker". The characterization of being a "cut up" followed her throughout her life and her quick wit endeared her to all who knew her. Music played an important role in her life and seemed to bolster her spirits when life was most difficult. She had a special feeling for music which was expressed through her unique style on the piano early in life and on the organ in later years.
In 1945 she met her soul mate in Lee Page Spencer. They were married on 24 April 1946 in Pioche, Nevada. Lee was a kind and gentle man who provided a comfortable living and embraced her children lovingly. At the time of their marriage Lillis had two children living at home, and she openly welcomed one of Lee's children, Earl Spencer, into the family. Life turned around for Lillis as a result of this marriage. Lee not only relieved financial worries for her but they shared many of the pleasures in life including fishing, hunting, traveling, and most importantly music. His saxophones blended beautifully with the organ music she played so well.
A move to Cedar City, Utah in 1948 reunited them with their friends Clive and Afton (Jo) Hartman. They all combined their talents to form a dance band with Jo on drums and Clive vocalizing and playing piano. They toured Southern Utah and Northeastern Nevada playing for weddings, dances and other activities. In addition to traveling in Southern Utah, traveling throughout the United States and Canada was always a pleasure for Lillis and Lee because they included their children, grandchildren, friends, her sisters, brother Roy and their spouses. Many fond memories are held by those who had the privilege to accompany them on one of their tours.
A move to Parowan, Utah in 1965 provided a home base for their touring activities and for the travels required by Lee's employer, Utah International Mining Company. As the electrical engineer for U.I.M.C. he was sent to Farmington, New Mexico to install the electrical system for the Navajo Coal Mine in 1963. 1967 found them in Australia, again on assignment for U.I.M.C. where they lived for two years. The Australian culture and tourist attractions were of particular interest to them. As always they made many friends through their music and engaging personalities.
In 1971 they purchased a mobile home and moved to La Verkin, Utah where they spent the remainder of their life together. Physical problems eventually beset both of them but they never lost the love of life maintained throughout their marriage. Lillis returned to her creator on 29 November 1983 and Lee joined her on 31 May 1988.
William Horne Dame was born 15 July 1819 in Farmington, Stafford County, New Hampshire to Jeremiah and Susan Horne Dame. He came from a background of strong civil service as his father served as a Representative and Senator in State Legislature. William followed in the tradition of his father to become one of the most influential men in Utah.
From a very early age, Dame was greatly influenced by his Uncle Janvrin Hayes Dame. Janvrin introduced William to his wife's sister, Lovinna Andrews, and the two were married in 1838. It was at that time that William Dame began teaching school. Janvrin and his wife Sophia Andrews had been baptized members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1835 and they introduced the Church to the young couple. In 1841, after three years of marriage, William and Lovinna were baptized by Elder Samuel H. Gurley.
In 1844, the Prophet Joseph Smith called William to Nauvoo, Illinois, and William and Lovinna responded. On 7 October of that year William was ordained to the Eighth Quorum of the Seventy and he served intermittently on the construction of the Nauvoo Temple for the next two years. The young church was heavily persecuted and Dame reflected this persecution in 1846 when he wrote, "I asked them to bring aught against me, [but] they could not[.] My Fathers fought for liberty in those land[s], ah where is it[.] Father thy will be done on earth[.] Help me to do right." Persecution became so great that the members were forced to leave their homes in Nauvoo and move West. William and Lovinna reached the Great Basin in September 1848, just a little more than a year after the first wagon trains led by Brigham Young entered the Salt Lake Valley.
In 1850, William and Lovinna responded to a call to settle in Southern Utah. Elder George A. Smith received the same call and he and William remained close throughout their lives. During the journey south, Dame was made Order Sergeant of the Iron County Militia. He was soon named county surveyor and on 16 May 1851, he was named Mayor of Parowan. A month later on 27 June 1851, Dame received a military promotion, moving from 1st Sergeant of Company A of the Iron County Militia to 1st Lieutenant.
In the late summer of 1851, William and Lovinna returned to Salt Lake City to received their endowments and sealings in the Endowment House on 15 September. The next spring, in April of 1852, Dame was called by acting Stake President John C. L. Smith to establish a tannery at Red Creek, four and a half miles north of Parowan. Once there, the Dames and six other families built a fort which they called Fort Dame. William was called to be bishop of the new community, which was later renamed Paragonah.
During Dame's two-year call as Bishop, on 7 May 1852, Brigham Young visited southern Utah to organize a Stake High Council. At that time, Dame, who was still the Mayor of Parowan "and also the Presiding Elder of Paragonah" became part of the High Council of the Parowan Stake of Zion. He was set apart by George A. Smith, Orson Pratt and Wilford Woodruff.
Because of increasing difficulty with Indians, Paragonah was abandoned on 3 August 1853. William and Lovinna, along with the other settlers, were forced to move back to Parowan. Soon after the move, William embraced plural marriage by marrying Virginia Lovina Newman on 18 May 1854, according to Harold W. Pease. Two years later, on 10 February 1856, William took a third wife when he married Sarah Ann Carter. In September of that year, he was sealed to Virginia and Sarah Ann by Brigham Young in the Endowment House, where he had been sealed to Lovinna eighteen years earlier.
Shortly after William's marriage to Virginia, on 27 May, 1854, Dame was promoted to Colonel of the Zion Military District of the Nauvoo Legion. This was the highest military position in Iron County and Dame was elected by unanimous voice. On 7 August of the same year, he was further elected to his first term as Representative to the Utah Territorial Legislature. While immersed in public service, Dame was called to be the Stake President of the Parowan Stake on 16 January 1856. He called Calvin C. Pendleton and Jesse N. Smith to be his counselors.
Dame maintained a close relationship with Brigham Young, even while in Southern Utah. In the early months of 1857, Dame and 113 other men, mainly Nauvoo Legionnaires, were called to accompany President Young to the Oregon Territory (now Idaho). They took Chief Arapeen with them to convince the northern Indians of the honest intent of the Mormons. While in the Oregon Territory, the group visited several Bannock and Shoshone tribes, as well as Church members in Limhi.
During that same year of 1857, a group of emigrants from Arkansas and Missouri began their journey to California. They passed through Salt Lake City in late August and then south. The company was known as the Fancher Party, named after its captain, Charles Fancher. As they journeyed southward, the Fancher Party joined a group known as the Missouri Wildcats. As this was happening, several thousand U.S. troops were marching toward Utah with the purpose of putting down the supposed "Mormon Rebellion" and Brigham Young had proclaimed martial law.
The Fancher Party and the Missouri Wildcats were hostile toward the Mormons and behaved offensively in the Mormon communities they passed through. They insulted church leaders and boasted of their participation in both the Haun's Mill Massacre in Missouri, (October 1838), and in the murder of Joseph Smith. One man even claimed ownership of the gun that killed the Mormon Prophet. Some threatened that upon their arrival in California, an army would be formed and they would return to kill all the Mormons, just as they had killed Joseph Smith.
In reaction to such threats, the Mormons refused to sell the company food or supplies. The emigration company stopped to rest their livestock at Mountain Meadows, southwest of Cedar City, before the final leg of their journey. There, they were attacked by a group of Indians and Mormons. One hundred and twenty men, women and children of the emigrant company were killed. Only eighteen children were preserved from the vicious attack.
At the time of the massacre, Dame was the local Colonel of the Nauvoo Legion and also served as Stake President of the region. Given his military and ecclesiastic standing in the Mountain Meadows area and the military and ecclesiastical nature of the massacre, Dame could not escape unscathed from the event. Scholars continue to debate the extent of his involvement in the actual massacre. Numerous men were excommunicated for involvement in the Mountain Meadows Massacre, but only John D. Lee was brought to trial for it. Dame was acquitted of all involvement in the massacre on 12 August 1858. Lee was not so fortunate. He was convicted and taken to the sight of the massacre on 23 March 1877, nearly twenty years after the massacre, and was shot by a firing squad.
Anticipating the worst during the Utah War, Elder George A. Smith sent a letter to Dame dated 24 February 1858, stating: "Fillmore, Beaver, and Parowan will be expected to send some men into the Desert west, to find some hiding places, put in some grain & C...Ten to 15 men from each settlement will probably be the numbered [sic] required." Brigham Young was sure there were some large strips of desert in the southwest part of the Utah Territory (present-day Nevada). He felt these locations could be used as hiding places for up to half a million people or else could be used to hide large armies.
In response to Elder Smith's letter, Dame organized a company of sixty to sixty-five persons. They left on 24 April 1858 from Iron Springs. Unfortunately, the "Mission to the Desert," as it became known, did not produce the effects Brigham Young had hoped for because no great hiding places were found. While exploring, however, the company found many natural resources: Nephi Springs, Cane Springs, Desert Spring Wells, Desert Swamp and Desert Swamp Springs, Onion Spring, Deep Springs, Lone Rock Canyon, Johnson's Lake, Rush Lake, Pinnacle Peak, Cricket Spring, and Rose Springs, to name a few.
In late January of 1860, Dame recorded a dream he had had: "I dreamed I was in England on a preaching mission ... I had the privilege [sic] of speaking upon the principles of the gospel as taught by the Latter-day Saints." In March of that year, during a visit to Parowan, Elder Amasa Lyman informed Dame of his mission call to England. Prewarned, Dame quickly mobilized to leave Parowan by 20 April 1860. Of that day he recorded: "Now came the time when I had to take my Wives by the hand and press the kiss of parting on their lips mid floods of tears, with a God bless you till I return. To leave them and pass through the crowd to the carriage. It seemed like my heart would burst, O my God bless us and preserve us to meet again on earth in peace, and to so live that we may all be worthy of life eternal and an increase without end."
Dame left Salt Lake City for England on 1 May. While in England, Dame was called to preside over a Conference in Manchester, where he served nearly all of his mission. After six months in England, on 12 November, 1860, Dame received a letter from his wife Sarah Ann stating that she was going to California with friends. Dame was disheartened by this news, recognizing that his third wife was leaving him. At that time he recorded: "Sorrowful news to me, Father in Heaven into thine hands have I dedicated us all over rule for our good, I pray."
Dame was released from his mission on 8 April 1862, due to ill health. When he left England on 14 May, he took an eight year old girl with him named Rachel Pass. Dame had become acquainted with the Pass family while serving in their branch. William T. Davenport, son of Rachel Pass recounted the story: "When brother Dame was ready to be released, he asked Grandma Pass for one of the girls, to take back to Utah with him. It didn't take her long to make up her mind. She looked at her family of 9 girls and a boy and said 'take your pick brother Dame'[.] He chose Rachel, my Mother, the 6th child of the family who was then 8 years old, Grandma said it would be the means of the family coming over when they got able." At this point, Dame had had no children with any of his wives. Rachel lived with the Dame's until she was twenty years old when she married James Burrows Davenport. The Pass family later left England except for the third daughter, Sarah, who hid because she did not want to leave her boyfriend. The Pass family settled in Nephi, Utah. In addition to keeping and providing for Rachel Pass, William Dame and his wives raised William Albert McBride, the father of Lillis Spencer who is the donor of this collection. They also raised Mable McBride, William's sister.
Dame returned to Parowan in late October, 1862 and soon resumed his duties as Stake President and Colonel in the Nauvoo Legion. On 5 October 1866, he was appointed postmaster of the city of Parowan and that same year he was called to be the Tithing Agent of the Parowan Stake. Two years later, Dame was called to be the President of the Parowan class of the School of the Prophets. The next month, on 1 December, 1868, he married Lydia Ann Killian in the Salt Lake Endowment House. At that time William was forty-nine years old and Lydia was seventeen.
In 1874, agitation over the Mountain Meadows Massacre was revived and on 18 November Dame was arrested at his home in Parowan. He was promptly taken to the Salt Lake Penitentiary and was not able to return to Parowan until late January 1876, when he was allowed to visit his wives under guard. His visit was short and he soon returned to prison, this time in Beaver, Utah. Not long after that visit, Dame's fourth wife Lydia left him. She was gone by the 24th when Dame signed the divorce papers, and she may have left even earlier.
On 8 May 1876, after eighteen months of imprisonment, Dame went to
trial in Beaver. At this time, his bail was set at twenty thousand dollars,
higher than the bail for any other man charged in the Mountain Meadows
Massacre. After a long trial, Dame was acquitted of the charges on 10 October
1878. The next day the
In the summer of 1880, Sarah Ann Carter (Dame), the wife who had left Dame while he was serving his mission in England, returned to Parowan asking for a bill of divorcement. At that time they had been separated for more than twenty years. It is not known whether or not the request was granted. In 1880, Dame was struck with an illness that continued for nearly four years. Yet, in spite of his ill health, he remained active in his religious and civic duties. On Friday, 15 August 1884, he suffered paralysis of the brain while at home writing letters. At 8:45 p.m that evening, he quietly died, at the age of sixty-five. The local paper recorded: "there are few men better known than Brother William H. Dame being a man of great public worth and notable for his honesty and uprightness with his fellowman. He leaves a family and numerous friends to mourn his loss."
Two days later, funeral services were held for William Horne Dame. On that day, Harold W. Pease stated: "Thirty-seven wagons heavily loaded with residents followed to the cemetery where Dame's body was finally laid to rest and thus the life of a man, who had a greater influence upon southern Utah's early development than any other ended."
Harold W. Pease, "The Life and Works of William Horne Dame" (Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, 1971).
Juanita Brooks,
Journal, Southern Exploring Company (April - June 1858) - Record of exploration in southern Utah and eastern Nevada presided over by William H. Dame. Includes personal journal entries of Dame from June 1854 to January 1855.
Journal, LDS England Manchester Mission (January 1860 - February 1861) (Microfilm copy only)
Miscellaneous manuscripts relating to Dame, including "Guide for Desert Camp," and correspondence with various church leaders.
The William Horne Dame Collection is contained in two boxes and an oversized folder and is arranged in the following series: family; mission; correspondence with church leaders; military service; public service; Mountain Meadows Massacre; ecclesiastical records; financial records; miscellaneous items; and a record of Dame's descendants. Arrangement within each series and sub-series is chronological.
The family series begins with two patriarchal blessings of William Dame, two of Lovinna Andrews Dame, (Williams first wife) and one of James McGuffy. This section is dominated by letters to Lovinna Dame from their relatives, Lucinda and Tamson Dame of Fillmore, and from her relation, Pluma Libby of Blandinsville, Illinois. This section also contains letters written to William from family members: Jeremiah, Susan, Martha and Sarah Dame, and Peter Horne.
The next series of the collection contains documents from William
Dame's mission to England. It includes two Elder's certificates signed by
Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball and Daniel Wells, as well as Dame's blessing of
setting apart. There are also letters and telegrams to William Dame received
from C. C. Pendleton, Charles Rich, Jesse Smith, George Q. Cannon and Amasa
Lyman. Finally, this section contains eight publications presumed to have
accompanied Dame on his mission. They are: "Divine Authority, Or the
Question, Was Joseph Smith Sent of God?" by Orson Pratt; "Divine
Authenticity of the Book of Mormon," by Orson Pratt; "The Prussian
Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," report of
Elder Orson Spencer to President Brigham Young; "The Only Way to be Saved:
An Explanation of the First Principles of the Doctrine of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints," by Lorenzo Snow; "Marriage and Morals
in Utah" by Parley P. Pratt; eight tracts by Orson Pratt; and two copies
of the
The third series of the collection contains letters that Dame received from various Church leaders. There are twelve letters and telegrams from Brigham Young and thirteen letters from George A. Smith. Also, a letter from Heber C. Kimball, a telegram from John Taylor and a letter from George Q. Cannon are included. This section ends with two letters from Philo T. Farnsworth and two letters and a telegram from William B. Preston. There also are two letters written by Dame.
Series four documents Dame's military service. In this section are
parts of three diaries dated from 1863 to 1883 which include Indian words,
survey diagrams and notes. Other records include an inventory of Cavalry
Company T(?) 6th Battalion, Nauvoo Legion; and a copy of
Series five concerns Dame's involvement in public service. It begins with a recommendation for Dame to teach school in Farmington, New Hampshire and continues with a certificate which designates Dame's election as Mayor of Parowan. Two more certificates acknowledge Dame's election to the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Utah and to the Council of Legislative Assembly. Other certificates indicate his appointment as Postmaster of Parowan City and as the Executor of C. C. Pendleton's estate. A title which transfers property to Dame from Parowan City is included as well as the testimony of Jesse N. Smith, the county clerk, concerning Dame's election as county recorder. Also related to Dame's public service are letters he received from James Martineau, Judge Lewis, and William Hookey.
The sixth series deals with Dame's involvement in the Mountain Meadows Massacre. It begins with a photocopy of minutes taken from an investigation held before President George A. Smith and Amasa Lyman. Next, a letter signed by twenty-three men exonerates Dame from the massacre, and a telegram discusses the court verdict. A news release reports Dame's discharge as one of the defendants of the massacre. Four letters Dame wrote to his wives while in prison conclude this series.
An assortment of manuscripts relating to Dame's ecclesiastical service comprise the seventh series of the collection. Included are a petition addressed to "the presidency of the stake of Zion," and signed by seventy-two people, portions of a stake history of Parowan and Paragonah, Utah, and an appeal to President Young and Bishop Dame for peace, signed by sixtyone residents of Parowan.
Series eight contains financial records. These include: two lists of
fines assessed by several court martials; an I.O.U. signed by Hannah and Madrid
Davenport; an article of agreement to contribute to the building of a bowery; a
bill of expense for the bowery; a handwritten list of donations toward building
the St. George Temple; subscriptions to the capital stock of a contemplated
railroad; a promissory note for Sally Ann Pendleton; four handwritten tithing
records; a bill of work to S. P. Horsley; tithing records of S. C. Hulet,
William Dalley, and James Dalley; a note from Thomas H. Hickman stating that
Green and Hickman agree to pay Dame one young mare; a note asking Dame if he
would be interested in selling some capital stock in Parowan Mercantile and
Manufacturing; a loan agreement from Western Loan and Building Company; a
resolution vote to obtain a loan of $10,000.00; a shopping list; a piece of
paper with some calculations; a tax receipt; a receipt from Home Telegraph;
seven receipts from Zion's Co-Operative Mercantile Institution; a receipt and a
promissory note for the
Series nine contains miscellaneous items varying in diversity from John McGahay's picture of Joseph Smith to recipes and newspaper clippings. The picture of Joseph Smith is followed in the collection by three invitations to balls or festivals. A description of Palmer's machine to make wooden packing boxes is included next, followed by the separation papers of William L. and Eliza P. Warren. Next, an ownership record transfers all claims of a lot in Red Creek Field from Timothy Robinson to Silas Smith and another notice by Joseph L. Todd claims a water spring. The dates of birth and death of various people are listed next on a sheet of paper, followed by a water certificate for a George Robb's 9/10 acre. The next items are two identical lists of tithing prices, weights and measures and an annual pocket calendar from Deere and Co.
Other items include genealogical information on the Jeremiah Dame family and a note stating "Not willing to sign (sic) Ebenezar Hanks, James McGuffe, and Jefre Lowder." A poem "Anacrosick" by Whitney is preserved as well as two maps, one indicating lots belonging to Sarah McBride and others, and another small pencil sketch of lots with some notations. Miscellaneous scraps of paper and notes are included with a list of deceased persons, two fabric swatches, a recipe for spruce beer and a poem called "Sweet William of Plymouth." A pamphlet entitled "Four Things God Wants You to Know" is followed by blank writing paper and promissory notes. This series ends with a box which includes seventy-three items including poetry, recipes and newspaper clippings.
Also included in series nine are miscellaneous letters and telegrams Dame received. The final series of the collection discusses Dame's descendants. A memorial poster for Wm. and Lovinna Dame is enclosed in oversized folder included with collection.