Gottfredson, Peter. History of Indian Depredations in Utah. Illustrated. Compiled and Edited by Peter Gottfredson. (Salt Lake City): (Press of Skelton Publishing Co., Copyright 1919 by Peter Gottfredson), (1919). First Edition. [11559]
Bright blue cloth, white title to front and spine, shield with banner "Utah Indian War Veterans" in red, white, and blue to front; uniform award of the same veteran group illustrated on spine, spine with light rubbing.7 3/4 x 5 1/2 inches, binding clean and near fine. Brief pencil notes and one ink number on the ffep. Frontispiece of the author seated at desk, writing, wearing to military ribbons, one of which resembles the award on the spine of the book. 352 clean pp. plus supplement of 17 pp. 13 additional full-page illustrations. Very good. Hardcover.
Graff 1599; Flake 3649: "Mormon-Indian relations." The Supplement listed separately as Flake 3549a.
A detailed record compiled from many contributors of the massacres, wars, attacks, and skirmishes committed by the Indians of Utah against the white settlers. The first part pertains to the years 1847 to 1864, with the second part treating with the Black Hawk war of 1865 and afterwards.
"In collecting and compiling this history of Indian depredations in Utah, it has been my purpose to obtain my information first handed, as far as possible. I was personally acquainted with conditions in Sanpete and Sevier Valleys during the years 1863 to 1872. It fell to my lot to be herd-boy in Thistle Valley, which was then a favorite haunt of the Indians, and they often told us that we were trespassers on their domain...I have been more than twenty years compiling this history, and have not left a stone unturned in my endeavors to obtain correct data on all the important events which properly belong to this history." - Preface.
Peter Gottfredson, Mormon convert (1846-1934), b. Sonderby, Denmark; d. Richfield, Utah. His family emigrated to the United States in 1856, and by 1858 arrived in Salt Lake City.
"As a young man, Peter Gottfredson served in the Black Hawk Indian wars and later years recorded his experiences in the book 'Indian Depredations in Utah.' It was largely through his efforts that many Indian war veterans in this state received pensions from the U. S. government for service...[He] was active in many pioneer enterprises of San Pete and Sevier counties." - BYU Library - Special Collections online.
Gottfredson was a successful blacksmith, farmer, and sheepman, and served as county commissioner and justice of the peace. He was a convert to Mormonism.
