The Mysterious Shooting of John Tobin by Lauren Webb

Our May 2025 Third Weekend Event featured local historian Lauren Webb, who led a captivating presentation titled “The Mysterious Shooting of John Tobin.” Webb walked attendees through a gripping true story from southern Utah's pioneer era that continues to spark questions today.

The event explored the little-known tale of John Tobin—a man shot under murky circumstances in the mid-1800s. With meticulous research, Webb pieced together period documents, eyewitness accounts, and conflicting reports to shed light on the mystery that left a community divided. Was it self-defense, vigilante justice, or something more sinister?

As Webb shared, Tobin was a figure of both suspicion and intrigue. Using maps, photographs, and newspaper excerpts, she reexamined the cultural context and frontier justice of the time, inviting the audience to consider the nuances behind the narrative.

The engaging presentation brought local pioneer history to life while encouraging critical thinking about how stories are remembered—or forgotten—over time.

The Third Weekend Events at the McQuarrie Memorial Museum (also known as the DUP Museum or Pioneer Museum) bring history to life through engaging presentations. Join us each month, September through May, to explore pioneer heritage and support our museum’s mission.

View the full presentation below: