Orrin Porter Rockwell and the Boggs Shooting: The Man, the Motive, and the Mystery

Orrin Porter Rockwell was a Latter-day Saint frontiersman and enforcer—part bodyguard, part militia member—who became a controversial figure in early Mormon history. On May 6, 1842, he allegedly fired two pistol shots through the window of Governor Lilburn Boggs's home in Independence, Missouri, wounding Boggs severely. The shooting occurred roughly four months after Boggs issued his infamous extermination order, which declared Mormons enemies of the state and authorized their expulsion or destruction. Rockwell was arrested and charged, but the case collapsed; he was never convicted, and the true circumstances remain contested by historians.

Who Was Orrin Porter Rockwell?

Rockwell (1813–1884) was born in Massachusetts and joined the LDS Church as a young man. He became known as a fierce defender of Mormon interests, serving as a scout, bodyguard, and militia member under church leadership. Unlike many Mormons of his era, Rockwell was comfortable with violence and was not ordained to the priesthood, which freed him from certain ecclesiastical restrictions. He was stocky, bearded, and known for his marksmanship and loyalty to church leaders, particularly Joseph Smith. By 1842, Rockwell had already earned a reputation for rough conduct and was suspected of involvement in vigilante actions against anti-Mormon mobs.

The Context: Boggs's Extermination Order and Escalating Conflict

In October 1838, Governor Boggs issued Executive Order No. 44, which branded Mormons as public enemies and ordered state militia to expel or exterminate them. The order followed years of violent clashes between Mormon settlers and non-Mormon Missourians, including mob attacks on Mormon homes and churches. Boggs's decree was the legal capstone to this conflict and led to the forced exodus of Mormons from Missouri in the winter of 1838–39. Many Mormons lost property, were beaten, or were killed. The trauma of expulsion and the sense of governmental betrayal—that the state had sanctioned violence against them—created deep resentment.

By 1842, Boggs was no longer governor but remained a prominent Missouri politician and symbol of anti-Mormon authority. Rockwell and other Mormons viewed him as the architect of their suffering. When Boggs appeared vulnerable in Independence—away from official protection—the opportunity for retaliation presented itself.

The Shooting: What Happened and What Remains Unclear

On the evening of May 6, 1842, two shots were fired through a window of Boggs's home. Boggs was struck twice—once in the hip and once in the shoulder—and was left bleeding but conscious. He survived, though his recovery was long and painful. Within days, Boggs publicly accused Joseph Smith and the Mormons of ordering the attack. Rockwell was arrested in Missouri but jumped bail and fled to Illinois, where he was recaptured.

The evidence against Rockwell was circumstantial. Witnesses reported seeing a man on horseback near Boggs's home, but positive identification was never established in court. No weapon was definitively linked to Rockwell. Legal jurisdiction disputes between Missouri and Illinois complicated prosecution. After a preliminary hearing, the case was dismissed, and Rockwell was released. He was never tried for attempted murder.

Historians disagree on Rockwell's actual guilt. Some argue that he acted on implicit or explicit orders from Joseph Smith as an act of blood atonement—a doctrine holding that certain sins required the shedding of blood for forgiveness. Others contend that Rockwell may have acted independently out of personal vengeance. A third camp suggests that while Rockwell may have fired the shots, the evidence was too weak to prove guilt under law. Church leaders, including Smith, publicly denied involvement and claimed Rockwell was being framed.

Why This Moment Mattered

The Boggs shooting was a turning point in Mormon-Missouri relations and in how the LDS Church was perceived nationally. It demonstrated that Mormons were willing to pursue violent retaliation against their enemies, which hardened anti-Mormon sentiment and fed into narratives of Mormon lawlessness. For Missouri authorities and the general public, the shooting seemed to confirm that Mormons operated outside civil law and answered only to their own leadership. For Mormons, the shooting represented a moment when the gap between state justice (which had failed them in 1838) and personal justice (which they felt compelled to pursue) became unbridgeable.

The incident also raised uncomfortable questions within the LDS Church itself about the proper use of force, the authority of church leaders to order violence, and the line between self-defense and revenge. It strained Joseph Smith's credibility and contributed to the broader climate of suspicion and hostility that would eventually lead to his murder in 1844.

Rockwell's Later Life and Legacy

After his release, Rockwell remained a trusted figure in the LDS Church and followed the Mormons west to Utah. He became a legendary scout and Indian fighter, and was known for his loyalty to church president Brigham Young. He lived until 1884 and was buried with honors in the LDS faith. In Mormon memory, Rockwell is often portrayed as a misunderstood defender of his people rather than a cold-blooded assassin. In mainstream historical accounts, he represents the dangerous intersection of religious zealotry, frontier violence, and the breakdown of civil authority.

Sources

• Biographies of Orrin Porter Rockwell by historians including David L. Bigler and Will Bagley document his life, the Boggs shooting, and the lack of definitive conviction.
• Joseph Smith's papers and LDS Church historical records provide contemporary accounts of the incident and church denials of involvement.
• Missouri state records and Governor Boggs's correspondence offer the perspective of state authorities and Boggs's own account of the shooting.