There is incontrovertible evidence that a few "rough-rider" type minute menwere appointed by Brigham Young as early as 1847 to act as lawmen in the newMormon settlements on the plains, and later in the Salt Lake Valley. This wasnecessary in the absence of any civil administration. Handy with their gunsand with a knowledge of frontier life, these men were on call for Indianuprisings and immigrant problems such as the July, 1849 arrival of theCalifornia gold-seekers into the valley. Brigham's "Minute-men" were kept busyin this period when stealing, rustling and murder increased as travelersentered the territory. Local residents who committed crimes were dealt with bytheir bishops and not the "Minute Men".

The name "Danite was applied to four or five of these early lawmen by theEastern Press because of an earlier semi-religious organization begun inMissouri in 1838 by Dr. Sampson Avard. This early group disbanded almostbefore it started when the motives of Dr. Avard became suspect and he wasexcommunicated from the Mormon Church. However, the ideas he promulgatedpersisted with some for several decades in the Utah Territory. Based on thebiblical scripture, Genesis 49:17, non-Mormon "Gentiles" who persecuted theMormons were to be punished by losing their possessions.

It is unknown how many of the Utah period so-called "Danites" had been membersof the original Missouri organization. What is known is that there were never"70 Destroying Angels" appointed by Brigham Young. The number seventy camefrom the Church priesthood calling of the "Seventy".

After Sir Richard Burton's visit to the Salt Lake Valley in 1860, the Easternpress most prominently identified as "Danites" William Adams "Bill" Hickman,Orrin Porter Rockwell, Ephe Hanks, Robert Burton, and Lot Smith. All had takena prominent part in the war against the U.S. Army troops in 1857-58, and hadbeen appointed by Brigham Young. These men served with honor during the MormonWar and also the later tumultuous Camp Floyd period.

Orson Hyde, an apostle in the Church and one who had benefited from theprotection given by lawman Bill Hickman in Winter Quarters in 1848-49, failedto later discourage Hickman's gang in 1860 for depredations committed againstthe U.S. Army at Camp Floyd. Hyde contended that Hickman probably "had arevelation to act as he did." This lawless period should have ended with theofficial announcement by Brigham Young on 9 September 1860, that said, "...ifthe Lord wants any stealing done he would reveal it to me as soon as to BillHickman or others."

There continued to be isolated incidences attributed to the "Danites" inAnti-Mormon books and press articles until the railroad came to the territoryin 1869. By then the original territorial lawmen were mostly dead, retired, orhad been replaced by a new group of sheriffs and policemen with civil ratherthan religious powers. However, the name "Danite" continues to excite readersand historians of the early Utah period, even though the evidence of excessivewrong doing outside the law, appears to be greatly exaggerated.