Hawn’s Mill

Braymer, Missouri

Today, Hawn’s Mill, located in Braymer, Missouri, is a large, open field with trees and Shoal Creek on one side and farmland on the other. In the late 1830s, Hawn’s Mill was a bustling center of action and productivity—a small community centered on a mill owned by Jacob Hawn. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints lived in the community, and some worked for Hawn, who was not a member of the Church. On October 30, 1838, a mob attacked the Latter-day Saints there, killing 14 men and 3 young boys and wounding 14 others.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints owns the land where the attack occurred. The only markers on the land are signs placed by Community of Christ, who once owned the land. For information about visiting the site, click or tap here.

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Questions and Answers about the Hawn’s Mill Massacre

The story of the Hawn’s Mill Massacre is tragic and complex. In this video, historians Jenny Lund and Emily Utt tackle questions about the massacre.

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