CHAPTER 3
DEFENDING THE KINGDOM
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residents of the communities of early Davis County defined themselves in ways other than the civil and ecclesiastical boundaries that allowed services to be administered in an orderly way. Within these defined communities, people built a sense of c o m m u n i t y through their interactions in the workaday world and through their social and religious activities. They strengthened old friendships and became acquainted with new neighbors. Through h u m a n associations, local communities solidified and gave a personal definition to the overarching goal of Utah's early Mormon settlers to build a harmonious and cooperative society. Some activities and events that occurred during the county's first twenty years strengthened the internal bonds of local communities. Central among them were the social and recreational pastimes. Other situations—particularly political and religious aspects of life, such as participation in the county militia, patriotic holidays, group-oriented church activities, and M o r m o n missions—strengthened the allegiance of county residents in their loyalties. Certain challenges faced by Davis County residents in the 1850s and early 1860s threatened to 56
