“I have no regard for the Mormons, as a separate people and have an utter contempt for them as a religious sect.” — Daniel Dunklin1
Daniel Dunklin, born on January 14, 1790, in Greenville, South Carolina, had a varied career as a farmer, tavern owner, businessman, investor, lawyer, and politician. By 1810 he had moved to Missouri, and there Dunklin rose in both local and state government, serving as sheriff, a member of the Missouri Constitutional Convention, and eventually, a member of the Missouri House of Representatives.2
After becoming the governor in 1832, Dunklin interacted with the Latter-day Saint community in Missouri, which was facing severe persecution. Although privately he held contempt for the Saints, he publicly encouraged them to seek redress through the courts, maintaining a stance that emphasized law and order. He told the Saints that if the local courts failed, he would intervene, although this promise provided limited comfort given the intense local hostilities.3
Dunklin's commitment to supporting the Saints was put to the test when he initially seemed willing to use the state militia to help the Saints return to their lands from which they had been expelled. However, this support waned, and he ultimately did not deploy the militia to aid them, a decision that significantly affected the Latter-day Saint community's attempts to reclaim their lands peacefully.4
In 1836, Dunklin resigned as governor to accept an appointment as the surveyor general of Missouri and Illinois, a role he held until he moved to Herculaneum, Missouri, in 1840. He continued his public service by being appointed as a commissioner to adjust the Missouri-Arkansas boundary in 1843. Dunklin died on July 25, 1844, near Herculaneum, Jefferson County, Missouri.2
