Come along on this journey to Beaver Island, where James Strang was crowned King! We’ll learn more about this early Mormon prophet. I’m taking you on a journey to Beaver Island, Michigan, a place central to the intriguing story of James Strang and his followers. You don’t want to miss this!

James Strang: From Convert to Contender

The tale begins with James Strang, a relatively recent convert to Mormonism, having joined the church just a few months before Joseph Smith sent him on a mission to Wisconsin. After Joseph Smith was killed on June 27, 1844, James Strang made two significant claims to succeed Smith:

  • Angelic Ordination: Strang claimed that the angel Moroni appeared to him and ordained him to be the next prophet1.
  • Letter of Appointment: He also presented a letter, purportedly from Joseph Smith, dated June 18, with a postmark from Nauvoo, Illinois, on June 19.

The authenticity of this “letter of appointment” has been a major point of contention. Brigham Young immediately deemed it a forgery. A peculiar postmark (due to a piece of lint in the Nauvoo stamp) was used at the Nauvoo post office. Young followers claimed this was evidence of a forgery. However, when it was shown to be on other letters, Strang used as proof of authenticity.

Michael Quinn, a historian, believed the letter was a fraud or forgery. Quinn noted that the signature was written in block letters and Joseph Smith’s signature did not match his usual signature, although he acknowledged Joseph often used scribes. Quinn speculated that Strang might have taken a genuine letter from Nauvoo and written on it himself, with the postmark appearing to be genuine. The letter itself was vague, not explicitly naming Strang as the new church president, but rather seeming to put him in charge of the church in Wisconsin, a role Strang might have “inflated”.

Despite the controversy, Strang attracted some notable converts, including Joseph Smith’s brother, William Smith, as well as John Page, Martin Harris, and William Marks, with several members of the Smith family initially encouraging him.

Kingdom on Beaver Island

Strang eventually received a revelation to move his community from Wisconsin to Beaver Island, Michigan before 1850. On Beaver Island, James Strang, much like Joseph Smith with the Council of 50, was ordained a king. This ambition, where Mormons attempted to take over the government, often led to conflict with surrounding communities.

Tragedy and Scattering

The Strangite community on Beaver Island ultimately faced a tragic end. In 1856, James Strang was assassinated on the dock by former Strangites. These individuals are referred to as “pseudos” or “pseudo-Mormons” by Strangites, distinguishing them from the LDS term “apostates”. Strang was shot. Though not killed immediately, he succumbed to his wounds about three weeks later.

Following his assassination, the US Navy, which was patrolling Lake Michigan for pirates, scattered all the people on Beaver Island. They were dropped off in various ports, often penniless and without food or money, a “terrible tragedy” that led to the scattering of Strangites. Today, while the largest congregation is believed to be in Burlington, Wisconsin (which James Strang called Voree), smaller groups exist in New Mexico, Colorado, and potentially West Virginia.

Planning Your Visit to Beaver Island

For those intrigued by this unique historical site, Beaver Island is accessible by ferry or plane.

  • Travel from Grand Rapids: My journey started at Gerald R. Ford Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan. From there, it’s about a three-hour drive to Charlevoix, Michigan, the departure point for the ferry or small plane.
  • Ferry vs. Plane: The ferry costs around $67 round trip, while a flight is about $150. I opted for the ferry to save money. The Emerald Isle is one of the ferry boats, and the ride takes about 2 hours. There are typically up to four ferry rides a day in the summer on the weekend, with just 1 during weekdays.
  • Ferry Logistics: It’s advisable to arrive about an hour early. Boarding is generally easy. Parking for the ferry is located at the library, about 3 blocks from the dock. You can bring a car on the ferry for an additional cost, or rent golf carts on the island, which measures about 6 miles by 12 miles.
  • Island Experience: Beaver Island is noted for its strong Irish influence, with many Irish immigrants having settled there, reminding them of Ireland. The island is currently home to about 500-800 residents year-round. In the summer, the population balloons to about 4000. Visitors can take a 1.5-hour van tour of the island, which discusses James Strang, and there is even a “Strang hotel”. The seas can sometimes be rough, so a smooth day for travel is a plus.

Island Life: Year-Round Charm and Seasonal Bustle

Beaver Island is unique as the only island in Lake Michigan with a year-round population. While around 600-800 people call it home in the winter, the population swells to 3,000-4,000 during the summer months. Access to the island is primarily by private boat or air service, as ferries only run until mid-December.

The main community, St. James, named after James Jesse Strang himself, is where most businesses are concentrated, including the year-round community center, taverns like the Shamrock bar and restaurant, a motel, and a hardware store that also houses a gift shop and vet clinic. Many other businesses, like some restaurants and a bicycle/boat rental shop, are open only in the summer.

Historically, the island’s economy relied heavily on commercial fishing, with fish being salted or iced down and sent via ferry to Charlevoix for further rail transport to cities like Indianapolis or Chicago. Hotels also played a main role in the economy for many years.

Unforgettable Reign of King Strang

A significant chapter in Beaver Island’s history revolves around James Jesse Strang, a controversial figure who established a Mormon colony here. Strang arrived on the island around 1847-1848, with his colony reaching approximately 1,500 people by the time of his death in 1856.

Strang was an ambitious leader, and his people surveyed Beaver Island for the first time in 1848. He named the town of St. James after himself and began building a highway, the King’s Highway, also named after himself. His colony was so established that they even had a daily newspaper, the only one north of Grand Rapids at the time.

However, Strang’s rule was often described as tyrannical by the tour guide. He quickly made enemies with his policies:

  • He mandated that anyone wishing to stay on the island had to become a Mormon or pay him a tax or leave. This drove many people off the island, though some reluctantly converted because they had nowhere else to go.
  • He authorized his followers to steal fish from other fishermen’s nets and even take items from the homes of fishermen who were out at sea, according to the guide.
  • Initially, Strang was against plural marriages, but a couple of years after arriving, he embraced polygamy, taking four more wives after his first wife, Mary, left him and returned to Wisconsin.
  • He was also known for peculiar practices, such as having his people build a dock just a few inches under the water in Font Lake (named for baptismal font) so he could appear to be “walking on water” when baptizing his followers.

Strang also left a lasting mark on the island’s geography by naming several places with biblical references. Examples include:

  • Font Lake, where baptisms took place.
  • Mount Pisgah, a hill named after the biblical Mount Pisgah from which Jesus preached. It became a popular spot for people to climb.
  • A lake on the south side of the island was called Lake Jaz or Lake Galilee, corresponding to the Sea of Galilee in the Holy Land.

Interestingly, Strang was a well-educated man who passed the Michigan bar exam and could practice law. This legal expertise proved useful, as he was arrested multiple times. He was taken to Detroit for “coroner’s fitting” (likely related to counterfeiting) and later for treason and sedition, but he successfully defended himself and was acquitted in both cases. After his first acquittal, he crowned himself king.

The Assassination and the Irish Influx

Strang’s oppressive policies and his strict rule, including a rule that husbands of women caught wearing long dresses would be whipped, led to his downfall. In 1856, two men who had been whipped shot Strang. James was wounded and taken by boat back to Burlington, Wisconsin, where his first wife Mary was living, and he died there 17 days later. The exact charges against his assassins are unclear, but they were released after a judge (justice of the peace) charged them only 50 cents for the crime.

His assassination triggered a significant demographic shift on the island. The news spread quickly, and five boatloads of people came to drive the Mormons off. Irish laborers working on the island’s lighthouse at the time sent word to relatives working on the Erie Canal and in Toronto, inviting them to come to Beaver Island, where land was available and fishing was good. By 1900, 75-90% of the island’s population was Irish. One of the first things the “Gentiles” did after driving off the Mormons was to burn down the Mormon tabernacle. Many former Strang followers who had been compelled to join Mormonism chose to renounce it and stay on the island.

Other Island Features and History

Beaver Island is about 14.5 miles long and encompasses approximately 54 square miles. It features two fire stations, a volunteer fire department, and a post office built around 1890 that originally served as a tavern. The island also has several cemeteries, where early settlers and fishermen were buried even before the Mormons arrived. Archaeologists have used ground-penetrating lidar to locate old graves marked by wooden crosses that have long since rotted away. They are marked by white poles now.

Other notable points include:

  • High Island, located about 4.5 miles from Beaver Island, which boasts the highest point of land on Lake Michigan. It is currently uninhabited, with the last residents, some Native American families, leaving after a severe storm in 1940.
  • Donegal Bay in the northwest corner of the island, named to correspond with a bay in the northwest corner of Ireland, reflecting the strong Irish influence.
  • Trout Island, which appears as two islands due to an airfield down its middle.

By 1850, Strang was declared King of his community, which constituted the majority of the island’s population. The main hub of the island is even named St. James, after him. Strang’s influence extended to societal norms, where he apparently mandated that women wear bloomers or pants to prevent pneumonia, with husbands being whipped if their wives didn’t comply. He also reportedly told non-Mormons (like the Irish settlers and original Ottawa/Ojibwe inhabitants) that they needed to convert, leave, or pay a tax.

The Mormon Print Shop

A pivotal location in Strang’s community was the Old Mormon Printing House, erected in 1850 by Strang and his followers2. This building was significant as it published the Northern Islander, which was the first daily newspaper north of Grand Rapids. During the 1850s, Strang’s group published religious works and two newspapers: the Northern Islander and the Daily Northern Islander. After Strang’s assassination, the print shop was ransacked and later became a boarding house. Today, it stands as a museum and serves as the headquarters for the Beaver Island Historical Society.

Tragic End of King Strang

The growing friction within Beaver Island’s Mormon community reached a violent climax in 1856. James Jesse Strang was fatally shot and clubbed by two of his disgruntled followers while walking towards the dock to meet the captain of the USS Michigan. These assassins were reportedly hiding behind a woodpile near the Johnson McCulla store. It’s notable that two of the assassins were husbands who had been whipped under Strang’s controversial bloomers policy. Strang died from his wounds 23 days later. The assassins were taken to Mackinaw Island by the USS Michigan’s captain, who refused to allow the Mormon police to arrest them. They were soon released by the Mackinaw sheriff, celebrated by Strang’s enemies, and astonishingly, each was fined only 50 cents, though the exact charge is unknown.

The Aftermath and Island Life

In the wake of Strang’s assassination, an angry mob from the mainland stormed Beaver Island, destroying buildings and forcing the Mormons to flee. Beaver Island is the only island in Lake Michigan inhabited year-round, with a population of 500 to 800 people that swells to 3,000 in the summer. The island has a strong Irish presence, with many historical inhabitants speaking Gaelic and even naming a local bay “Donegal Bay” after a place in Ireland. Historically, the island’s primary industries were lumber and fishing. Overfishing, particularly using a now-outlawed net fishing method, led to severe depletion, prompting Michigan and other states to ban the practice. Today, tourism is the main industry. The island didn’t even get electricity until around 1939.

Beaver Island Townships Cemetery

Visitors can also explore the Beaver Island Townships Cemetery, one of two cemeteries on the island (the other being a Catholic cemetery). The oldest grave dates back to 1853, within James Strang’s era. An interesting feature of the cemetery is the presence of posts marking older graves where the original wooden crosses have long since deteriorated, indicating a body is buried there even if the identity is unknown. The second oldest grave, dated July 27, 1859, belongs to Mary Jane, wife of Thomas Hawkins. Notably, St. James Episcopal Church is located across the street from the cemetery.

What are your thoughts on James Strang’s life? Is truth stranger than fiction?