America's Only King: Beaver Island's James Strang

Did you know America once had a king? Not metaphorically—an actual crowned monarch with a scepter, tin crown, and red royal robes. James Jesse Strang ruled Beaver Island, Michigan from 1850 until assassins shot him in the back in 1856, making the murder rate for American kings a perfect 100%.

This educated scientist and New York Tribune correspondent didn't seize power through force alone. He brought a cannon to intimidate his enemies, won a seat in the Michigan House of Representatives while serving as king, and married five women—including one disguised as his male secretary. His kingdom of 2,600 Mormon followers thrived until jealous neighbors decided one king was too many for Lake Michigan.

What happened next became "the most disgraceful day in Michigan history," a violent ethnic cleansing that scattered an entire community and left Beaver Island's capital city completely deserted. The story of America's only king reveals how quickly democracy can fail when fear and greed override the rule of law.

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In This Episode:

• How a New York scientist became America's only crowned king
• The cannon blast that secured Strang's power over Beaver Island
• Why Michigan elected a polygamist king to their state legislature
• The shocking assassination plot in St. James Harbor, 1856
• The violent expulsion of 2,600 Mormon settlers in a single day

Key Figures:

• James Jesse Strang - Self-coronated King of Beaver Island (1850-1856)
• Alexander Wentworth & Thomas Bedford - The assassins who shot Strang
• Elvira Eliza Field - Strang's secretary, disguised as "Charlie J. Douglas"
• President Millard Fillmore - Investigated Strang for treason

Timeline:

• July 8, 1850: James Strang crowned King of Beaver Island
• 1853: Strang elected to Michigan House of Representatives while serving as king
• June 1, 1856: Strang assassinated by gunshot in St. James Harbor
• June 1856: Entire Mormon community of 2,600 forcibly expelled from island

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