Michigan Minutes: The King of Beaver Island

Following the assassination of Mormon founder Joseph Smith in 1844, James Strang, a leader in the church, produced a mysterious and controversial letter that named him as Smith's chosen heir to the Mormon Church. With a small group of followers, he settled on Beaver Island in Lake Michigan in 1849 and proclaimed himself king with a coronation ceremony in July 1850, thus establishing the only "kingdom" in America. Strang's increasingly tyrannical rule resulted in frequent violent confrontations with the island's original inhabitants and events culminated when Strang was shot by an ex-communicated church member in front of a crowd on the main dock in 1856.

This is a Michigan Minutes feature produced by Michigan Public Television and funded by the Michigan Humanities Council.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• humanities
• Michigan
• Beaver Island
• Mormon
• James Strang
• public television

[michiganhumanities]

Thanks for the commentary. This video was funded by the Council to Michigan Public Television, which researched and produced the 90-second history "bite."

[amanda2324]

I'm actually a direct descendent of this man... That's the only reason I know of him, because my mother told me about our family tree.

[dyakron]

@malahava

According to research Strang was killed by the husband of one of his last conquests. There was an accomplice and Strang was shot. I didn't see any mention of the US government's role in the assassination in The King of Beaver Island, though the government was on hand soon thereafter to transport Strang's followers to Green Bay and Chicago. If I remember right they were forcibly removed.

I'd like to read more information if you wouldn't mind sending it along. Thanks.

[externalpower]

i thought he was killed by an unknown gunman who was running for the uss mackinaw?

[agricola]

strang was a polygamus drunken bastard who tried to set up his own kingdom on beaver island............and failed. thank god.

[malahava]

Some of your historical "facts" are a bit off. He was assassinated by an adulterer whom he had disciplined and an accomplice who was jealous that his would be love had transferred her affections to Strang. You also fail to mention that the US government very likely played a role in the assassination as it was conducted while the USS Michigan was in the Beaver Island port and the assassins were given sanctuary on the vessel from the local sheriff. They were then transported to Mackinac and freed.