In the spring of 1857 an emigrant train was organized in Northwestern Arkansas, and principally in Carroll County, by Capt. Alexander Fancher, and in due time set out for the journey across the plains and the Rocky Mountains to California. The Mountain Meadows massacre was a series of attacks on the Baker–Fancher emigrant wagon train at Mountain Meadows in southern Utah. The attacks began on September 7 and culminated on September 11, 1857, resulting in the mass slaughter of most in the emigrant party by members of the Utah Territorial Militia from the Iron County district, together with some Southern Paiute Native Americans.