1830 FIRST EDITION BOOK OF MORMON
Deseret Book Company has in its possession (locked away in a safe in the corporate offices) one of the first of 5000 copies of the Book of Mormon printed at the Egbert B. Grandin Press in Palmyra. This particular copy of the first edition has Martin Harris’ signature in it and was given by him to his older brother Emer.
The story is told that in the Spring of 1830, Emer walked a long distance to Palmyra where he entered the old Grandin Publishing Co. and warned his brother Martin: “The Harrises are practical people. How can you be involved in a venture with rumors of golden plated and angels.” Martin made no reply but stepped to where the Books of Mormon were falling from the press. He picked up the first copy, handed it to Emer and said, “Read for yourself Emer.” Emer took the book home, read it, and several days later returned to Martin. He placed his hand on his shoulder , looked him in the eye and said, “Its true, Martin.” Never did Emer’s testimony falter. He highly prized the precious first volume.
He later gave this book to his daughter Elvira (Alvira Harris Mosier (a daughter by his first wife Roxana Peas) who had married Benjamin Mosier. Elvira Mosier gave the book to her son Edwin P. Mosier, who inscribed his name in the book. Edwin’s wife, Ruth Pierce Bryant Mosier, gave the book to her granddaughter, Lillian Franks Magee, wife of Bert Lee Magee. Their son, Reginald Herschall Magee received the book from his parents.
William Elmer and Verna Rounds* of Glendale, California, who ran the Seventies Book Store were responsible for locating the book. A friend told them that she knew a woman confined to a rest home whose family had possession of a First Edition Book of Mormon. The Rounds contacted this woman and learned that her cousin, Reginald Magee, had possession of the book. When they contacted Magee, he offered them the book for $500 and they purchased it. They were later offered $1000 by Deseret Book for the book which they accepted.
Along with the Book of Mormon, the Rounds received and sold to Deseret Book Store a Church of England Prayer Book owned by Nathan Harris, father of Emer and Martin. It bears his signature in two pages, along with the statement: “His Book, Kirtland, Ohio, A.D. 1833”.
*It is interesting to note that Verna Rounds is Ann Harris’ great great aunt and Elmer Rounds is Laurie Harris’ great uncle.
Friday, March 19, 2010
George Spilsbury Diary
Excerpts from the diary of grandfather George Spilsbury.
Salt Lake City, Utah. (April 1853 to March 1854)
April 4, 1853: Worked on br Robins house.
5, Finished Laying the Adobes on br Mafs house having paide nine days Tithing on the above house
6, Met with brother Ballos Band at the Council At 8 O Clock A.M. to Joyn the Prosision Proceded to the Door of the Vestry to waight the Presedence and those concerned Played the Ocean Wave Marched to the Temple growns to Lay the Four Corner Stones of the Temple after which whe Played two marches Composed by D. Ballo For the Occacion.
April 7, 8, 9, Attended Conference
10, Conference Closed
July 9, Stayed at Home to settel som bisnes
10, Prst Brigham Young sealed my wife Fannie to me and Sister Ann Coope in the Council House
12, Worked on the Temple Wall Laying adobes on tithing
13, Went to br Jenkins and br Pratt and a number of others to Hire oxen to go back to meet br Wilken but did not suckeed Attended Conference in the afternoon had a very interesting discorse from br O Hide and br Taylor
14, Atended meeting at the tabernacle in the morning Pr’t Young preeched an exelent discorce on the same subject.
17, Laying up adobes for br C.N. Smith Brother Snider brought in word that br Dixon and br Quail had been shot dead by some indiens on retrning from his saw mill with Lumber br Oyhland was shot through the arm in atempting to make his escape and got to home A Company of men started in phersute of the fugative in the afternoon
20, Gave Sister McAllister a D ye work adobe Laying on her house as she had to leave the one She was in and her husband his on a mission in Urupe.
21, Atended meeting at the Tabernacle in the morning br Young br J.M. Grant br H.C. Kimball and P’nt Brigham Young Spoke principles on the indian Difficulties and exerting the brethern to Diligence
25, Walked half a day around town to hire a team to go back to meet Mr Wilken with som provision but did not suckeed
26, Laying adobes on br Smiths House met with Cap’n Ballos Band at br Hardys to play and eat WaterNellon
22, br Sansom whent to red bute canion after wood Gave him an Order of 12 Dollars on Mr Wilken to pay for six cord of Wood that I had ordered ready to put on the waggon.
August 5, Three years ago this day My Wife gave berthe to her first Son called Alma Platt wich took Place just before whe reached fort Lareme In our waggon as it was going along about Ten O Clock A.M. one week from that day My teem turned strait round into the Platt river upset the waggon and my wife and son intoo the river it was sometime before whe could find the babe and when whe did it was nearly Ded but whe gave it som concecrated oil an laid hands on it and it came around and is now a fine boy Sister Wilken br and sister Smith br and sister Palmer took supper and spended the evening with us on this occacion
10, Finished painting br Wilkens Frunt Sister Wilken received too letters from Mr Wilken On the Playns in Which he requested me to go back to meet him with 3 Yoke of oxen an som flower to Bridger
29, Inquired around if any was agoing back to meet the Company but did not find but one Sister Wilken got the loan of a span of horses from br thomson I fetched them up out of the Bigfield hired a Spring waggon from br Phelps loaded up with flour potatoes beef and so forth
30, Left hom about six O clock with the above fitout to meet Cap’n Wilkens Company as they was out of proviseon br C Sansom whent with me for Company about one o clock we met the company about thirty miles from the Valley they flocked around the waggon to see the productions of the valley which cite apeard to pleas them much traveled about three miles to good feed camped for the night after supper br Wilkens called the brethern and sisters and sang a hym br Wilken invited me to open by prayer which I did br Wilken gave them some good instruction after wich he invited me to speak I complied cheerfully. br Sansom spoke a few minutes closed by prayer
31, Traveled about 10 miles upset one waggon no dameage broke an axle tree and a weel of br Wilkens waggons camped within one miles of the top of the big Mountain br Wilken and br Sansom left us and reached town the same night with the teem I took out I tended to prayer and retired for the night
September 1, Traveled to browns creek broke an axletree br Wilkkens replaced it the same night br Wilkens returned from the City Atended to prayer and retired from the night
2, Reached Great Salt Lake City About three o clock camped on the union square took supper at br Wilkens returned home
3, feeling fine from the journey rested this day
10, Bought thirty five thousand adobies at sixty too and alf cents per hundred for br Wilken
October 7, Visited the camp on the publick square spended most of the Day with the new commers br Phillips and family Bishop Ray and family stoped at my house during Conference
8, whent to President Youngs mill to get dome pig feed ground spended the balance of the Day in riding round town with my family
29, Played with Cap’n Ballos Band for the Legion all day
30, Atended meeting at the Tabernacle in the morning br F.M. Grant spoke on the Determination of the City Council to break up the dirty gray shop that is kept at the Deseret House on Emigration Street and likewise gace som good instructions how to treat new commers President Young spoke about gathering the Saints out of England and from the Old Countries and said he wanted ten thousand Dollars for that purpose.
31, Gave the Only Good Cow I had in to the Emigration Poor Fund valued at twenty nine Dollars I had no cash and the cow was the best property I had to turn in Met with Cap’n Ballos Band to practise musick
November 10, Atended meeting at the tabernacle in the morning br E.T. Benson took up the time in preaching Atended in the Afternoon br Ivens and Pr’t Young spoke in the afternoon Spent the Evening and took Supper at br Palmers
24, Returned from the Canion with a load of wood and killed my pig After that met at Captain Ballos to practis musick
28, Erecting a scaffold and making ready to put up the fable ends on br Wilkens House Atended the Spanish School at br P.P. Pratts
January 3, My Second Wife have been dissatisfied About three months And Wanted A Bill but not having any real grounds She dalaid going for one until December 31 when she returned she asked me to go to the Governors office that night stating that he B. Young requested it Accordingly we whent but he was gone out we whent this morning waited som time but he did not com i met with br Stains he told me go to his House which I did he siad he was not going to the Office I told him the Abuse I had took from her and how she wanted a bill three months ago he told me to go to br Bulocks and give her one
4, I signed the Bill at Doctor Richards She left took her things and signed the Bill
9, Don a snall job at br Wilkins started for Utah county after som wheat that was owing me stopped at br Smiths on willice Crick all night about twenty miles from town. reached pleasant grove stopped at br Holmans all night Settled with br Sterrit when he promised to send it in about to weeks it commences snowing and prevented me som time starting back I reached br Mercers on the American Fork And Stoped there all night Walked home about 35 miles and it snowed neerly all the way by the time I got home the snow was about 9 inches deep
13, was so sore that i could not walk read most of the day
26, Atended a social party at the Social Hall got up by the Shoemakers 4 dollars a cupple too suppers br Wilkins made me a present of a ticket
27, Atended a social party at the Social Hall given by President B. Young to the three Bands and the quier (chior)
February 1, Playing with Captain Ballos Band for the railway Convensoon at the Tabernacle
4, Whent over Jordan about 12 miles to look for an ox did not find my ox bought 27 ½ lb butter
9, br Wilkin gave a ball and supper to the first Presedency the twelve and associates this is wat I have been working at this last nine days plastering laying floors making tabels and baking myself in connection with Ballos Band serenaded the Company was invited in took supper and danced with the Company til it broke up
10, br Wilkin gave our Band and Captain Pits Band a Ball
11, resting feeling somewhat fatagued having so much cooking and waiting on table and dancing som Ordered fifty cards to be printed for another ball and supper
15, Nothing of importance whent to the theater with my Wif to see the selebrated Play Damon and Piethies
22, Whent to the Cannion with br Eddins to get me a load of wood made our bed on the snow for the night the road being so slipery we had to unload and pack it up a hill
23, returned home with a good load of wood br Kay and wife from the North came to town and stayed with us all night
27, Got br E. Oakey to soal my boots don som chores round Home Attended Band meeting at Cap’n Ballos
28, Got some lumber from br Wilken to make a wagon toung doing som chores round home and attended A Social party At br Wilkins in company with my wife
March 5, Attended meeting at the Tabernacle in the morning br O. Hyde adrefed the congregation on the subject of Obeying Council Atended meeting in the afternoon br W.Woodruff and br E. Snow adrefed the Congregation received the sacrement Atended ward meeting in the school House br F.M. Grant Delivered an exclente Discourse br I.M. Blain spoke a little after br F.S. Smith wife and child from Willow Crick come to town and staid with us all night bought a quarter of mutton of him at ten cents per lb com to one Dollar and a half
From the Diary of George Spilsbury
Dates: 1854 – 1855 – 1856
Deposited by his Granddaughter Josephine Spilsbury Bramwell
From Wilshire Camp; Center Company
Los Angeles, California
June 1954
Family of George and Fanny Spilsbury
Matilda Spilsbury born in Nauvoo August 31, 1844 Died Sept. 26, 1847
Frances Cilina April 28, 1846 Died July 18, 1846
Blessed under the hands Bp. Bishop Lewis at a prayer meeting Died Sept. 26, /47
Frances Colina born April 28, 1846 & blessed under my hand July 14, died July 18, /46 Born in Nauvoo
Clarinda born Sept. 10, 1847 blessed under my hand, Died April 9, 1849
Sarah born Dead in Saint Joseph, Mo. Aug. 3, /49
Alma Plat Born on the Plains Aug. 5, 1850
Blessed by Pr’t W. Richards at a meeting at br. Bullochs
George Moroni Born October 30, 1852
Blessed at a fast meeting in 14 ward school House
Isabela Spilsbury Born October 6, 1854 Blessed at a fast Meeting in 14th warde, Died in
Grafton, May 31, 1866
Martha Elizabeth Spilsbury Born September 21, 1856 10 P.M.
Blessed at a fast Meeting in 14th Ward
Miles Edward Born in Grafton Kane Co., October 1, 1865, died October 4, 65
Blessed by Bishop Winson C.N. Smith and myself
John Spilsbury Born November 9 1861 half past 1
blessed by myself same day died on 10th
William George Spilsbury born June 24, 1857
Georgiana Spilsbury Born October 20, 1858 Died June 15, 1866
David Spilsbury born July 6th, 1860
Susan Vilate Spilsbury Born December 22, 1863
Family of George and Fanny Spilsbury (Reformatted)
Matilda Born in Nauvoo August 31, 1844 Died Sept. 26, 1847
Blessed under the hands Bp. Bishop Lewis at a prayer meeting
Frances Cilina Born in Nauvoo April 28, 1846 Died July 18, 1846
Blessed under my hand July 14
Clarinda Born Sept. 10, 1847 Died April 9, 1849
Blessed under my hand
Sarah Born Dead in Saint Joseph, Mo. Aug. 3, /49
Alma Plat Born on the Plains Aug. 5, 1850
Blessed by Pr’t W. Richards at a meeting at br. Bullochs
George Moroni Born October 30, 1852
Blessed at a fast meeting in 14 ward school House
Isabela Born October 6, 1854 Died in Grafton, May 31, 1866
Blessed at a fast Meeting in 14th warde
Martha Elizabeth Born September 21, 1856 10 P.M.
Blessed at a fast Meeting in 14th Ward
William George Born June 24, 1857
Georgiana Born October 20, 1858 Died June 15, 1866
David Born July 6th, 1860
John Born November 9 1861 half past 1
Blessed by myself same day Died on 10th
Susan Vilate Born December 22, 1863
Miles Edward Born October 1, 1865, in Grafton Kane Co., Died October 4, 1865
Blessed by Bishop Winson C.N. Smith and myself
DIARY.
A Daily Journal of George Spilsbury
1854
April 1 Gardening ½ day. Myself and wife atended the Lecter delivered by President Kimbol at the Endowments in the Council house.
2 Attended meeting at the Tabernacle inthe morning and the Evening, Took the Sacrement. br. P.P. Pratt, br. W. Woodruff and br. Hyde spoak in the Morning. J.M. Grant and br. Kimball in the Evening.
3 Gardening planting beet seede
4 Laying adobie at br. Wilkins ½ day. Working on the City wall ½ day.
5 Working on the City wall.
6 Drove my oxover jordan river in the afternoon. Atended a seventy’s meeting in the Tabernacle at night. br. J.M. Grant br. Woodruff br. kington and br. Cluff spoak.
7 Played at the tabernacle with Captain Ballo’s band about twelve O’clock wile the breathren and sisters was comming out of meeting.
8 Got the use of br. Phillip’s team to awl manure on my lot bought it of br Gordon at 75 cents pr load and hawled six load. atended a bishop’s meeting in the 13 ward school house at night.
9 Atended Conferance at the tabernacle br. Snow and som oters spoak atended in the afternoon took the Sacrement mons morr Elders was appinted on misions br. B. Young and Kimbol Spoak one Artesty cut off Prt. Young preached the doctrin of concecreation to Us All our property our wifes and children over to the Church and to act as stewards not owning Atended meeting in our School House br. W. Woodruff preached
10 rained the fourpart of the day atended to some bisness in the afternoon met at Can. Bollo to Play.
11 Working on the City wall ¾ of a day when it commenced raining.
12 Working on the City wall all day
13 Working on the City wall all day
14 Working on the City wall all day. bp. Wilkin furnished a man to work on the wall for me and I pay him to mason work
15 Walked about thirty miles over Jordan to hunt my ox but did not find him bp. Wilkins man ¼ of day
16 Atended meeting at the tabernacle in the morning br. John Taylor preached atended in the afternoon
17 Helped by Elders to plough my lot met at bp. Felts to practis musick
18 Planting beet seed on my lot
19 rainy planting beet seede
20 rainy planting corn and other seeds
21 Cutting potatos for seed & planting beans. Met at Captain Ballo’s to practis musick
22 Working in the garden rainy moast of the day reading & writing the remainder of the Day.
23 Atended Meeting at the Tabernacle in the Morning Br. A.O. Smoot and Pt. Young addressed the Congregation br. Young on the principile of union to be of one hearte and one mind in all things. br. Wilkin took two wifes today and invited myself and wife to spend the Evening with them my Wife stoped all night
24 Rainy all night & a good parte of the Day doing some chores and writing met at br David Evans to practis musick
25 planting beet seedee and a few potatoes
26 got br. Evans teeme to all som powls to my lot and doing som Chores
27 repairing the fence around my lot Met at Captain Bollo’s to practis Musick
28 Diggin a piece of ground for beets in my lot in the Sixth Ward & getting a spade
29 playing in Captain Ballo’s Band for Legion
30 Attended meeting at the tabernacle in the Morning and in the afternoon & took Sacrement
1854
May 1 Went with br. Stephens in the big field to take a job but did not take it
2 hunting an Ox over jordan returned with him about night turned him in the pasture but he returned the same night.
3 fetched vr. Smiths’s oxon out of the pasture and we went to the Canyon after som hop powls for br. Bullock
4 returned with the powls & som wood for myself Met at Captain Ballo’s to practis musick
5 gardening planting peas & corn
6 hunting th Ox that whent back but did not find him
7 Atended the meeting at the tabernacle in the afternoon and took the Sacrement
8 Hunting the ox but no luck
9 Hunting the ox but all to no purpose
10 Diging som ground & planting som beet seed
11 Got the loan of br. Philips team to strik up my lot in the Sixth ward for corn and potatoes. Met at Captain Bollo’s to practise musick Felt very sick planting corn.
12 planting corn and potatoes
13 planting corn & potatoes
14 Atended Meeting at the tabernacle in the afternoon and reading som
15 rained moast of the Day planted som mellon seed
16 hunting my Ox but didn’t find him
17 Laying rock for David Wilkin
18 Laying rock for David Wilkin toock supper at br. Wilkins. Met at Cn. Bollo’s to practis Musick
19 Laying rock for Mr. Wilkin ¾ of day
20 Hunting My Ox found him above hot Springs & howing potatoes in afternoon.
21 Atended Meeting at the tabernacle morning & evening Cn Grant called for 28 hundred Dollars to pay for 14 hundred bushels of wheat to feed the publick hands but not having one cent in the house I could not giv any
22 hunting br. Wilkins oxon to go to the canyon but did not find them gardening the ballance of day
23 planting corn whene the grasshoppers had eaten my potatoes. Met at captain Ballo’s to practis musick
24 Fetched br. Wilkins Oxon from over jordon. We went to the Canyon after som sleepers. rainy moast of the time sleped in the Canyon
25 Got our load & started out of the Canyon the road was so narrow & sleepry from the rain that I had to unload twice in a mile reached the foot of little Mountain & camped
26 reached home about 12 o’clock drencded with rain
27 receved 31 dollars in Wheat, flour Cheese 7 money from Utah that was owing me & 1500 shingles & 250 lath from Aleandre that I paid for last fall getting my joyce & sleepers ready for hewing
28 Atended Meeting at the Tabernacle Morning & Evening toos the Sacrement
29 Snowing all day reading & writing
30 working my taxes on the road met at Capt. Ballo’s to practis Musick
31 hewing joyce for my house
June 1 Working on the road for David Wilkin. Met at Capt. Ballos to practis Musick
2 Laying rock for David Willkin
3 Working on the road for D. Wilkin
4 atended Meeting at the Tabernacle. In the Morning br. John Taylor adressed the congregation Pr. Hyde spoak a few minits after Attended in the afternoon Prts Young & Kimball spoak in the afternoon the time has com for the Gospel to be preached to the lamanites for he had seen the Spirit of the Lord poured our upon them reed the Sacrement the 13th quoron met at my house two of the prts present br Bird & foster 6 Members present
5 Working on the road for br. Wilkin
6 Whent the Canyon after a load of wood reteurned about 11 o’clock P.M.
7 howing my corn & potatoes in 6 ward
8 howing my corn in sixth ward howing my corn & beets in 14 ward
9 br C.N. Smith howed tieh me all Day. I don Som work for him last winter
10 howing corn from about 4 O’clock till 7 got breakfast, Layed rock for David Wilkins ¾ of Day then howed til night
11 Attended Meeting at the tabernacle in the Morning by John Young preached eat Dinner at br. Wilkins Met with my quorom at my house at 4 o’clock P.M. 2 Pts 7 members present every one spoak
12 Commenced building a store for br. Jennings. br. Robbins fetched my cow and calf in ...
13 Laying adobies for Jennings. A thunder Storm came over about Three o’clock P.M. A cloud bursted on the mountain & the water com down with such violance that it don a great Deal of damage & washed away a good maney gardens & filled Jennings cellar the foundation gave way in consequence
14 We had to take out doby worke. I had Don Dowse baling water out of the cellar & laying rock ½ day.
15 raining four part of the day, plabting cabbige plants & howing corn. Met at Captain Ballo’s to practis Musick
16 Laying Adobies at Jennings
17 Laying rock for Jennings. I have worked in my garden night & morning & before & after working howers from 4 to 8 hours every Day.
18 Attended Meeting to the tabernacle in the Morning. My quorum met at my house at 12 o’clock preaseant two P.M. 10 members 10 spoak atended Meeting in the tabernacle in the afternoon Attended my ward meeting in Evening
19 A verry heavy shower of rain in the morning. Laying adobies for Jennings ½ day
20 Laying adobies for Jennings met at Capt. Ballo’s to practis musick
21 Laying Adobies for Jennings
22 Laying Adobies for Jennings met at br. Cannon Grove to practis musick
23 Laying Adobies for Jennings
24 Laying Adobies for Jennings
25 Atended Meeting at the Tabernacle in the Morning br Joseph Young & br D. Fulmer preached. My quorum met at my house preasant of the Prt. brs bird & foster & nine members br foster read over the names of the while quorum
26 Laying Dobies for Jennings
27 finished br Jennings store by 10 o’clock A.M. howing corn in my lot
28 plowing my corn in sixth ward with br Phillip’s horses while he attended Conference
29 howing corn met at Captain Ballo’s to practis musick
30 Watering my lot & howing
1854
July 1 traded for a pair of shoes of br Stuart & four sash for my house & some lumber & hewed my Sleepers
2 Attended Meeting at the tabernacle in the Morning & Evening My quorum met at my house all spoak & I closed the meeting
3 getting my wagon repaired & working in my lot Met at Capn Ballo’s to practis
4 played in Capn Ballo’s band all day for the procession attended a ball at br Williams at night
5 Alled 9 hundred Adobies for my house
6 Alled 12 hundred Adobies for my house
7 Alled 2 loads of clay and 3 hundred Adobies for my house
8 Alled six hundred Adobies for my house & repaired the fence around my lot in 6th ward
9 Attended meeting at the tabernacle in the Morning & my ward meeting in Evening
10 Started to American fork for a load of lumber. Camped at the head of dry Creek
11 reached the Mill about 6 o’clock a.m. loaqded up 3 hundred 7 66 feet returned Willo Creek Camped for the night
12 reached hom about 3 O’clock having traveled about 70 miles. paid for my lumber in
13 Started for Sniders Mills 30 Miles reached their about sundown rained about 3 hours
14 loaded up 7 hundred 7 25 feet returned to the foot of the little Mountain & camped for the night
15 reached home about 12 O’clock turned my Oxen in the pasture & took a bath
16 Attended meeting at the Tabernacle morning & Evening
17 Working in My lot & squaring my house & fixing to build
18 Started to the Canyon after a load of wood passing som emmigrants in the Canyon broak my reach Camped at the Springs
19 got our load & returned near to the mouth of Emmigration Canyon & camped
20 reached home about Eight O’clock a.m. fetched some fence powls from my other lot to make a fence between br bullock & me. Met at Capt. Ballo’s to practis Musick
21 Making the fence
22 finished the fence & hewed som Sleepers for my house
23 Attended Meeting at the tabernacle morning & Evening Met with my quorum 2 Prt. present br Bird & foster 4 members present br Bird & br foster & myself spoak. Met at Captain Ballo’s to practis Musick for the Celibration of the 24th
24 Met at the Council house at six O’clock with Catain Ballo’s Band serenaded the first presidence then formed in the prosesion & played for them till we was dismissed about 1 o’clock then attended a ball at br Wilkins
25 Working at Mr. Wilkins ¾ day cutting a doorway
26 laying Adobies at Mr. Wilkins ¾ of a day Working in my garden the ballance of Day
27 building a back house for br A. Robbins
28 finished the above job & fetched My Oxon out of the pasture
29 Alled 4 loads of Sand to my house
30 Attended Meeting at the tabernacle Morning & Evening Met with my quorum meeting but not enuf to hold a meeting
31 Commenced building my house Engaged Capt. Ballo’s to attende me at 2 dollars pr Day.
1854
Aug. 1 Working on my house Met at Capt. Ballo’s to practis Musick br Ballo 1 day
2 laying up my house Ballo 1 day
3 laying up my house Met at Capt. Ballo’s to practis Musick Ballo 1 day
4 laying up my house Ballo 1 day
5 laying up my house Ballo 1 day
6 Atended Meeting at the Tabernacle Morning & Evening & received the Sact. Met with my quorum at my house Adjourned to the first Sunday in Sep.
7 prepairing my hoyce & putting the up
8 Commenced building a stable for br Wilkins Met at Capt’ Ballo’s to practis Musick
9 Laying adobies for Mr. Wilkin
10 Laying adobies for Mr. Wilkins Met at Capt. Ballo’s to practis Musick
11 finished br. Wilkins Stable
12 Laying Adobies on my house Ballo 1 day
13 not feeling well I did not attend Meeting in the morning Attended Evening br J.M. Grant & P.O. Hide adressed the Conn.
14 Laying Adobies on my house br Ballo 1 day
15 Toped out my house br Ballo ½ day Met at Capt. Ballo’s to practis musick
16 putting on the ruff Engaged T. Lattimer to shingle it 3$ pr thousand
17 up at daylight to finish my ruff Laying Adobies for Br D. Evans Met at Captian Ballos to practis musick
18 Laying Adobies for D. Evans put the ruff on my kiching in the morning before going to work got a ten Dollar Order from br Wilkins on br Nixon Store to get my buts Latches ylap &c.
19 finished laying up D. Evans hous
20 writing in the Morning Attended Meeting in the Afternoon & Received the Sacrement
21 Got br Palmer to all me two loads of Sand & on of Clay got my knife Som things from the Store working at my house ½ day
22 Digging a Cellar & pointing around my Ruff raining a good part of the Day
23 Working at my house raining Con.
24 preparing to plaster Engaged br G. Barnes to plaster My frount room. Met at Captain Ballo’s to practis Musick
25 plastering my Chickiny
26 Went to Chase’s Mill, Once for myself Once for David Wilkin
27 Attended Meeting at the Tabernacle in the Morning br Samuel Richards arrived from England yesterday gave an account of his Mission & spoak & Pr. Young. Attended in aftersnoon & took Sact. br. John Taylor Spoke
28 Alled 400 &25 adobies from Hunter & one load of Sand to my house. br. Barnes finished plastering my front room which he said com to 15 dollars
29 Working at my House
30 laying adobies ½ day at D. Wilkins, ½ day at my house
31 fetched my ox from br. Whites reaches fome a little after dark a distance of 30 miles on foot. Met at Captain Ballo’s to practis musick
1854
Sept. 1 Very sick all night and today from drinking too much water ox not fat enuf for beef turned him out again Serenaded John Taylor M.A. Peck, S.M. Felt they are agoing on Missions next Munday Played at Wilkins request
2 Gave Prt & W Richards family a days work setting furnises
3 writing in forenoon quorum met at my house at 12 o’clock present 2 Presidents Bird & foster 3 members ajourned for two Sundays Atended Meeting at tabernacle in Afterfoon
4 Attending to some business & fixing to move
5 Moved to my new house
6 Laying adobies at P. Wilkins
7 Laying Adobies half day Do.
8 Finishing up the house I have left ready for whitewashing met at Captain Ballo’s to play Commenced building a foundry on temple Square paying Tithing
9 Do
10 Attended Meeting at the Tabernacle in the Morning
11 Laying adobies on foundry met at Dat. Ballo’s to practis Musick and received an invitation to play at the Deseret Store which call was responded to
12 Laying Adobies on foundry Attended a party at David Wilkins at 7 O’clock given for Capt. Ballo’s Benefit
13 Laying adobies on foundry
14 Laying Adobies on foundry
15 Building a forge for foundry today then went to see two inndiens hung
16 Commenced building a house for George Sla
17 Attended Meeting at the Tabernacle in the morning br W. Stains & br H.C. Kimball adressed the Congregation Attended in the afternoon P.B. Young spoak receved the sacrement
18 Working on G. Sla’s house
19 Working Do Met at Captain Ballo’s to practis musick
20 Finished George Sla’s house total amount $13.50
21 Weeding in my lot in 6 ward ½ day took a job of br barton with Jackson Clotheir for 60 dollars in Cash. Met at Capt. Ballo’s to practis Musick
22 building a forge in the foundry in temple block
23 finished the above job wich was on tithing
24 Atended meeting at the tabernacle
25 Laying adobies for br barton building a stable and an ice house
26 Laying Adobies for br Barton Met at Capt. Ballo’s to practis musick
27 Laying Adobies for Barton
28 Laying adobies for Barton Met at Capt. Ballo’s
29 No sand to work with attending to some business
30 Laying adobies for Barton
1854
Oct.
1 Attended Meeting at the Tabernacle
2 Attended to som business in the morning & fetched my oxon out of the pasture
3 Laying adobies for br S Richards Met at Capt. Ballo’s to practis musick
4 Laying adobies for S. Richards
5 Laying Adobies for S. richards Met at C. Ballo’s
6 Commenced a building for Robert Berton rained a good peart of the Day My Wife was Delivered of a Daughter at 28 minutes past Eight P.M.
7 Laying Adobies for br barton My wife doing well
8 Attended Conference in afternoon President Young preached
9 Attending to som business with bishop Kay Laying adobies for R Berton
10 Laying Adobies for R. Berton
11 Laying Adobies for R. Berton
12 Laying Adobies for R. berton
13 repairing the fence around my lot in 6 Wd. & working at home
14 Commenced a barber Shpt & Chicken for D. Wilkin got an order to get som groceries for my wife from S. Richards
15 Attended Meeting at the tabernacle
16 Laying adobies for D. Wilkins
17 Laying adobies for D. Wilkin
18 Laying Adobies for D. Wilkins
19 Laying Adobies for D. Wilkins
20 finished at br Wilkins
21 Commenced a little house work for br. M. Davis
22 Doing chores in morning reading some in Evening
23 Laying Adobies for br. Davis
24 finished br Davises House
25 Whitewashed my other house rented it to robert Campbell ofr 6 dollars per month attending to things at home
26 Laying Adobies for Mr. R. Berton
27 raining in morning finished Bertons building
28 Cutting wood & fixing my other house
29 by Kay sent a teem after me to go up North to build him a house rained a Great part of the way br Thomas Griffin wished me to teach him the adobie Laying which I agreed to do br Thomas griffin took a cow up to br Kays to winter arrived at br Kays About Seven O’Clock P.M.
30 Commenced laying br Kay’s foundation Thomas 1 Day
31 finished the foundation Thomas 1 Day
1854
Nov. 1 Laying Adobies do Thomas 1 day
2 Laying Adobies do Thomas 1 day
3 Laying Adobies do Do 1 do
4 Laying Adobies Do Do 1 Do
5 Visiting my friends
6 Laying Adobies Do Do 1 Day
7 Laying Adobies Do Do 1 Do
8 finished br Kays house About 12 O’Clock Thomas ½ day Commenced James Burross’s foundation Thomas ½ day Do
9 Finished the foundation about 1 O’clock & Commenced the Adobies Thomas 1 Day
10 Laying Adobe Do Thomas 1 Do
11 Got the loan of a Hors from br Kay to com to town after leaving work at night Arived at home about eleven O’Clock P.M.
12 Sawed som wood & don som chores & Returned to br Kays
13 Laying Adobies On br Barross’s House Thomas 1 Day Do.
14 Laying Adobies Do Do 1 Day
15 building a backhouse for br Kay Thomas finished br Burross’s
16 layed the foundation to br Harris House Thomas one day do
17 Laying Adobies Do Thomas 1 Day
18 Laying Adobies Do 1 Day
19 Hunting My Cow Did not find her
20 finished br Harris House Thomas 1 Day
21 Commenced fr Jones house Thomas 1 Day
22 Laying Adobies do Thomas 1 Day
23 Laying Adobies Do Thomas 1 Day
24 Laying Adobies Do Thomas 1 Day. After leaving work & eating Supper we walked to Salt Lake City & arrived about 11 O’Clock
25 Played in Captain Ballo’s Band all Day for the Nauvoo Legion after we were Dismissed whent to serenade br who gave us some beer Crackers & Cheese
26 Attended meeting at the tabernacle
27 Staked out a house for br Wilkins foundation & don som upon it
28 Laying br Wilkin foundation Thomas went up North to finish br Jones
29 Laying rock do
30 Laying rock Do Thomas returned from the north
1854
Dec. 1 Laying Adobies on br Wilkins & whitewashing my house Thomas 1 day
2 Laying Adobies, Do Thomas 1 Day Do
3 Attended Meeting at the tabernacle Morning & Evening
4 About 6 inches of snow fell during the night which stoped our work Fixing around house
5 Do
6 Laying adobies do about 3 or 4 hours in the day. Thomas do
7 Laying adobies do verry cold nights Thomas do
8 Laying adobies do in the middle of the day Thomas do
9 Laying adobies do. Thomas Do. Jackson Clayton (Clothier) worked ½ day for me to pay a debt
10 Attended meeting at the tabernacle Morning & Evening
11 Laying adobies do Jackson Clothier ½ day Thomas ½ day do
12 Laying adobies do on br Wilkins Hous Thomas 1 Day
13 fetched my ox out of Br Allen pasture
14 Whent to north Mill Crick Canyon after wood So much ice in the canyon I could not go up Slept in the saw mill
15 returned home & wrote the fowling article At a Meeting of Capt Ballo’s Band it was moved and carried that we take up a subscription in behalf of Sister Smith & McAllister who ar destitute of the common necessaries of life in Concequence of their Husbands being on Missions preaching the Gospell. At the same time we do not wish to debar any of our friends the privilege of assisting in a good Cause. Met at Capn Ballo’s to practis Musick. The Members of the Band Subscribed seven dollars. I gave two dollars
16 I whent around With the paper & got 39 dollars & 25 cents now total $46.25 Laying Adobies ½ day at Br Wilkins
17 Attended Meeting at the tabernacle in Evening and took the Sacrement. br Hyde & Benson spoke
18 Whent to the Canyon After a load of Wood
19 Returned home with a good load of Wood
20 Commenced plastering br Davis House
21 Do Thomas Whent to the Canyon for a Load of Wood
22 finished plastering Thomas returned with a load I toped out br Wilkins Chimney
23 Attending to som business
24 Attending Meeting At the tabernacle Morning & Evening
25 Preparing for a ball of Judg Kenny at Union Hall
26 Preparing for a ball of Capn. Ballo’s Band. Attending our … about two hours then Whent to Judge Kenny & spent the night …
27 Resting today
28 took my Oxen over Jordon Met at Captain Ballo’s to practis musick Serenaded David Candlen W. Ward, T.S. Williams, W. Nixon, Si…
Mc Alister & John Neidham
29 Working at home
30 doing Chores at home
31 Attended Meeting at the Tabernacle
1855
Jan. 1 Playing in Captain Ball band Serenaded the first Presidency & porcion of the twelve that at home & the principle of the strain … in the City
2 Snowing all day My Wife very sick
3 high wind from the South Drifting the snow My Wife verry sick ha… attend on her myself
4 Same kind of weather attending my wife
5 My Wife very sick Do
6 Do Do
7 My wife som better br. D. Wilkin & Wife eats supper with us
8 Doing Chores at home Wife som better
9 Drove my oxon over Jordon Met at S. Wothen to pracitis musick
10 Doing chores reading & practicing musick &c.
11 Do Met at S. Worthney to pracitis Musick
12 Doing a little mason worke for br Riley
13 Do
14 Attending Meeting at the tabernacle Morning & Evening & received the Sacrement met at Capt. Ballos to do some business & practis. Opened by prayer Capn. Ballo Crosed out the following names from the Band list by unanimous voat of the Band because they could not play regulations of the Band
15 Laying Adobies for br. Riley & writing & Musick
16 Laying Adobies for br. Wilkin Met at Cap. Ballo’s to pracitis Musick moved & carried that we have a ball at Howard’s Hall next Tuesday 23rd inst.
17 Laying adobies for br Wilkins I rented the Hall & got the tickets printed (My ladder?) fell on the Stove & burned
18 Laying adobies for br wilkin met at S. Worthing to pracitis musick
19 Laying Adobies for br Wilkins
20 doing som Chores at home & builded a fireplace for br. Riley.
21 Attended Meeting at the tabernacle morning & Evening & practicing Musick
22 killed my pig & prepared for the Ball
23 prepared for the Ball laying rock in the afternoon for John Evins attend our Ball br Worthing Myself& br Palmer Good Order & pease prevailed Closed a 2 P.M.
24 doing Chores at home
25 Working at home my pig waid 240 pounds paied tithing 241/4 pounds
26 Laying Rock for J. Edins
27 Working at home in Morning & Laying rock do.
28 practising Music & writing in morning Attended Meeting at the tabernacle in Afternoon
29 Cleaning up my lot for plowing & digging some Ground for early seedes
30 do
31 Laying adobies for br Wilkin
1855
Feb. 1 Laying Adobies for br Wilkin
2 Laying adobies for br Wilkins ½ day finished. Laying rock for John Eddins ½ day
3 planting som peas radished Lettice onions, etc.
4 Attended Meeting at the tabernacle morning & evening C Pratt, J.M. Grant & Kimbol spoak) (Names were crossed out)
5 Doing Chores (the above line his right)
6 Do
7 Bought two loads of wood for 11 dollars
8 doing Chores at home
9 doing Chores at home
10 Laying rock for John Eddins & doing Chores
11 Attended meeting at the tabernacle morning & Evening br. O. Hide in morning took the sacrament in Afternoon
12 I whent over Jordan to hunt my Oxn but I did not find them
13 got the loan of br Wilkins horses to whent to mill with 13 bushels of Wheat got it ground & paid by br Jarivis 140 lb and barnes 150 lb and took 11 bushels of beet and 1bushels and tree pecks of corn for tithing to the Office
14 Cleared up my lot in the sixth ward and got br Herbut to plough it for 4 dollars
15 Laying rock for J. Eddins.
16 Laying rock for Eddins
17 laying rock for do band met at my house to practis musick the Constitution that Prt Young got up for the band was read and adopted with one exception Myself Worthlin & Palmer and Ballo was appointed to make an amendment
18 Attended Meeting at the Tabernacle in the Morning to hear President Young preach br Hyde requested us all to turn out which I did and a good many mor the lecture was designed for the Gentiles br C. Pratt preached an elegant discourse in the open air was be on we the Commite met according to appointment and made the amendment Attended Meeting do in afternoon I took the Sacrament
19 Stormy reading and doing chores Met at Cap. Ballo’s to pracitis musick our amendment was read and adopted br Palmer and myself was apointed to present the above to Prt. Young for acceptance
20 Storming reading and doing Chores
21 Storming do ….do. br Palmer and myself whent to the president’s office and presented the amendment to pst. Young but he explained the other one to us to our satisfaction met at Cap. Ballo’s to practis Musick we presented the above dockument for the aprovil of the Band Carried unanimous took our subscription list around got 49 dollars mor subscribed to our hall
22 reading and doing chores at home storming
23 Working at home
24 Working at home
25 Attended meeting at the Tabernacle
26 Laying adobies for J. Eddins
27 Laying adobies for J. Eddins
28 Laying adobies for J. Eddins
1855
March 1 Laying adobies for J. Eddins finished
2 Working at home
3 Working at home
4 Attended Meeting at the tabernacle rec. Sacrement
5 Working at home
6 Working at home
7 Working at home finishing by Backhouse building Chicken cupe
8 Working at home
9 Working at home
10 Whent up North to Kays Crick with br. J. Green to settle for the work I don last fall rained a good part of the way took a bade Cold
11 Settled with br Burrup
12 hunting my Stock found 1 Cow
13 hunting all Day but without sucksess
14 Snowing fourpart of day topped out rock chimney for T. Jones
15 Snowing in morning Walked home after noon 25 miles verri much fattagued
16 Working at home whent to the Sword Exercise
17 Working at home whent to the Arithmetic school
18 Attended meeting at the tabernacle morning and Evening toock the sacrament and whent to the School meeting at night.
19 Working at home met at Capt. Ballos to pr. musick
20 Working my shares on the road
21 Working do ….. whent to sword exercise
22 plowing part of my lot arithmetic school at my home
23 Whent to the Canyon with br C.P. Smith after some gooseberry trees got a good many and returned attended Sword Exersise
24 Working at home planting trees etc. attended arithmetic at night
25 Attended meeting at Tabernacle Morning & Evening & took the Sacrement
26 Working at home attended soard exercise
27 Working at home
28 Working at home attended soard exercise
29 working at home attended arithmetic School
30 Laying rock for Wm. Jennings ½ day working at home ½ day
31 Laying rock for Wm. Jennings Attended arithmetic school Evening
1855
April 1 Attended Meeting at the Tabernacle morning & Evening took the Sacrement
2 Laying Adobies for Jennings attended Band meeting at night
3 finished Jennings Job about 11 o’clock
4 Working at home attended soard exercise
5 Working at home attended Band meeting
6 Attended Conference at the Tabernacle Morning & afternoon & my quorum meeting at night
7 Attended Conference in Morning
8 Attended Conference morning & Evening Conference Closed Nearly 200 sent on missions
9 hunting my oxen over Jordan found one
10 hunting all Day for the other one Did not find him
11 hunting again but no luck
12 Mr. Wilkin whent over Jordan after his horses & found my ox working at home attended Band meeting
13 Working at home
14 killed my pig weighed 130 lb took one ham 14 lb to the tithing office for tithing
15 Attended meeting at the tabernacle morning & afternoon and rec. the sacrament
16 got the loan of br. Wilkins hors whent & fetched my ox br Wilkins fetched the other one attended band Meeting
17 Storming fetched 10 bushels of potatoes from br. palmer paid 3 bushels into the tithing office for tithing
18 Whent to the Canyon after a load of wood one ox straid of in the night had
19 to return without any found him a coming hom attended band meeting
20 Whent to the Canyon after a load of wood
21 returned home with a good load planted som trees attended arc. school
22 writing in morning visiting at br Wilkins after noon
23 Working at home
24 Working at home attended Band meeting
25 Working at home attended arithmetic School at night
26 Working at home attended Bank meeting whent out a serenading till about 12 o’clock Cl. Sheplo for one
27 Working at home attended a meeting in 7th ward
28 working at home
29 Attended meeting at tabernacle morning & Evening C. Prat spoak in mrg br Hide in Evening he advised us to faithfulness to fast & pray for rain & for the grasshoppers to be Destroyed for they are eating the grain
30 Working at home
1855
May 1 Working at home attended Band meeting at Capt. Ballo
2 Working at home attended arithmetic School
3 Hunting my oxen over Jordan but did not find them Attended Band meeting at C. Ballo
4 found my oxen
5 I bought a piece of land at the back of my house & 1 bullock for my oxen valued at 20 dollars & got it recorded & my ticket attended my school
6 Attended meeting at tabernacle morning & afternoon & ward meeting at night
7 working at home
8 Working at home attended Band meeting
9 working at home
10 Working at home attended band meeting
11 Working at home ½ day and half a day on the city wall
12 working at home
13 Attended meeting at the Tabernacle morning & afternoon br Clemons spoke in morning br Bens. & br Hyde in afternoon
14 Working at home
15 Working at home attended band meeting
16 Working at home
17 Working at home attended Band meeting
18 got a hose to build for Br Jonais
19 Working at home
20 Attended meeting at Tabernacle morning & Evening & took the Sacrement brother Lewis gave the details of his mission amongst the Indians
21 working at home
22 Working at home
23 Working at home
24 Working at home Attended Band meeting
25 Working at home
26 Working at home
27 Attended meeting at the Tabernacle Morning and Afternoon President Young and suit returned from a visit South W.W. Phelps spoak in morning Pst. Young kimbol & grant in afternoon
28 Working at home
29 Working at home Attended Band meeting
30 Whent to the Canyon
31 returned with a load of wood serenaded President Young Kimbol and Grant and D.H. Wells
1855
June 1 Working at home whent to my quorum they did not meet
2 Working at a foundation for W. Jennings
3 Attended a meeting at the Tabernacle Morning & afternoon & ward meeting at night
4 finished Jennings foundation
5 laying adobies for Jennings attended Band meeting
6 Laying adobies for Jennings attended Band meeting
7 Laying adobies for do Attended Band meeting
8 Laying adobies for Jennings
9 finished Jennings job $52.00
10 Attended meeting at Tabernacle in morning
11 Working at home
12 Commenced the foundations for George Rumney Thas Griffin ½ day attended Band meeting
13 Commenced the foundations for the Music hall Layed the Corner stone quarter past eight a.m.
14 fixing my fence in sixth ward
15 Working on Rumney house ½ day
16 Working on do do 1 day
17 Attended meeting at tabernacle
18 Working on Rumney house Griffin 1 day 1 day
19 Working on Rumney house do 1 do 1 day
20 Working on Rumneys house do 1 do 1 day
21 Working on Rumneys house do sick do 1 day
22 Working on Rumney house do sick do 1 day
23 Working on Rumney house do do do 1 day
24 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle & ward meeting at night
25 finished G. Rumneys house at 12 o’clock Commenced building a kitchen for Jennings
26 Working on estimate for Babit house
27 ½ day on Jennings ½ day on Jonais house
28 1 day on Jonais house attended Band meeting
29 1 day on Jonais house Griffin 5 days do
30 1 day on Jennings 1 day t Griffin 1 day
1855
July 1 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle
2 Working on Jennings ½ day ½ day Griffin 1 day on my lot
Attended band meeting
3 ½ day on Jennings ½ day ½ day preparing for 4 of July
4 Order of the Day for Commite met with the Band on top of Gov. Young’s house played til six o’clock returned home got Breakfast cleaned up dressed wite pants blue over shirts black hats Met at Council house ½ past 7 played at king eads & at T.S. Williams & Co. Store.
Prt. Young’s Carriage drawn by six horses with six little Boys in postillions in uniform to escort the Governor & suit til 12 o’clock got dinner met in Bowery played til 5 o’clock Eate supper at Jacksons room & then to Dancing
5 resting all day
6 Working on Jonais house
7 Working on Jonais house
8 Attended meeting at Tabernacle
9 working at home
10 Working on Jonais House Attended Band Meeting
11 Working on Jonais House
12 Working on Jonais House Attended Band meeting
13 Working on Jonais House
14 Working on Jonais House
15 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle Morning & afternoon br Ross spoak in morning attended ward meeting at night
16 Commenced working at ½ past 4 Oclock til about ten t. Griffin helped playing in Band for the Legion
17 Working on Jarvis House T. Griffin 1 day do. Attended Band Meeting
18 Commenced a house for Richards Paid in tithing Office $43.70
19 Working for S.W. Richards attended Band Meeting
20 Working at S.W. Richards
21 Working do
22 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle br McBride & President Young spoke Attended afternoon & took sacrament
23 Working on S.W. richards house met with the band
24 Worked on br richards house ½ day met with Capt. Ballo’s Band at social Hall to play for the polysophical Society till about 10 o’clock was well entertained
25 Working on S.W. Richards ¾ of a day met at Social Hall to play for do
26 Working on S.W. Richards house
27 finished br Richards house wich amounted to $31.50
28 working at home
29 Attended meeting at tabernacle W.W. phelps & br Kimbol spoke Attended in afternoon took Sacrement
30 Working at home
31 Working at home at Band Meeting
1855
August 1 Working about home
2 ½ day at home ½ day at David Candlands at’d band meeting 4 cerenaded br Blon just returned from his mission
3 1 day at David Candland
4 ½ day at home ½ day at David Candlands attended a lecture delivered by O. Prat at Social Hall on the rotation mocion of the planets
5 Attended meeting at Tabernacle br S.M. Blon G.A. Smith Pr’t Young preached Attended in afternoon
6 Sold my house & lot by br Bullock for $450.00 in trade 4 cows 3 heifers 1 bull 1 ½ lots in fifth ward shair in pasture ten dollars 120 dollars in stone pay on Cash two payed by New Year’s Day
7 fixing around settling som business Attended Band Meeting
8 Commenced again at Jarvis house
9 Working on Jarvis House attended band meeting
10 Working on Jarvis House
11 Working on Jarvis House Attended Meeting at Social Hall br Mitchel br D. Candland & br W. Woodruff delivered Essays which were very interesting
12 Attended Meeting at tabernacle
13 Working on Jarvis House
14 Working on Jarvis House Attended band meeting
15 Working on Jarvis House
16 Working on Jarvis House Attended Band Meeting
17 hunting my Cows all day Stray pen $3.50 Cents damage
18 Working on Jarvis House
19 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle
20 Working on Jarvis House
21 Working on Jarvis House Attended Band Meeting
22 Working on Jarvis House
23 Working on Jarvis House Attended Band Meeting
24 Working on Jarvis House
25 finished br Jarvis house for $152.50
26 Attended a meeting at Tabernacle Morning & afternoon & ward meeting at night
27 Making a Well at home
28 Working at Well br Furman ½ day helping attended band meeting
29 Working at well
30 Working at well ½ day and ½ day at br Winder’s house
31 Working on Winder house
1855
Sept. 1 Working on Winder house
2 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle morning & afternoon took sacrament
3 Making a Cow pen at home
4 Working at Winder house attended band meeting
5 Working at Winder house
6 Working at Winder house attended Band Meeting
7 Working at Winder house
8 Working at Winder house
9 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle Morning & afternoon
10 Setting 2 boilers for Jennings
11 finished attended Band meeting
12 Settling som business with br
13 Working at Winder house at. Band meeting
14 Working at Winder house
15 Working at Winder house
16 Writing
17 Working at Winder house
18 Working at Winder house played in the band at the pol. C Meeting
19 Working at Winder house
20 Working on Winder’s house finished all but top of chimney played in band
21 Cutting my corn in 6th ward played in band for som mountaineers at br Robinsons payed us $13.70 cash
22 Cutting Corn do rained som
23 Spent the Evening at Sister Wilkins
24 finished cutting my Corn in morning Layed foundation for br. Jambell
25 Laying adobies for do self and Wife attended a social party at br Wilkins
26 Laying Adobies for do
27 Finished about 11 o’clock all but top of chimney. Walked up to Farmington to build a house for br Hess & drove a cow & two calves
28 Commenced about 1 o’clock ½ day
29 Laying adobies for do
30 Drove my stock up to Kays Creek
1855
Oct. 1 returned in morning to Farmington laying adobies 1 day
2 Laying adobies do 1 day
3 laying adobies do 1 day
4 Laying adobies 1 day do
5 Laying adobies till about 4 o’clock P.M. rode to town with br Phillips to Confrence
6 Doing som business & fixing around home
7 br Smith & family br Phillips & do & br Herris stayed at my house during Conference Attended Conference & returned to Farmington
8 Laying adobies do
9 Laying Adobies do
10 Finished about 3 o’clock P.M. job com to $60.00 paid four for board Walked to Phillips 6 miles
11 Drove my Cow & calf home & walked 25 miles
12 Laying Adobies on our new musick hall 1 day
13 Laying adobies do 1 day Attended a lecture at the Social Hall by P.P.Prat President Young made som remarks
14 Writing & visiting at br Wilkins some of his folks arrived from the Old Country
15 Playing for Navoo Legion
16 Working on Musick Hall Attended a meeting at br. L. Snows
17 Working on Musick Hall
18 Working on Musick Hall serenaded Robert Williams & Capt. Hooper
19 Working on hall
20 Working on hall
21 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle
22 Working on hall
23 Working on hall Attended Band Meeting
24 Working on hall
25 Working on hall Attended Band Meeting
26 Working on hall
27 Working on hall finished the adobie work on hall
28 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle & 5th Ward Meeting
29 Commenced a house for Joseph Neibour T. Griffins ¾ day
30 Working on Neibour house Attended Band Meeting
31 Finished br Neibour house about noon Working at home
1855
Nov. 1 Working at home Attended Band Meeting sent 2 ½ lbs of beef to the bishop for the poor 25 cents
2 hunting ½ day on ½ day in morning working at Wm. Tousack ½ day T. Griffin
3 Attended br Wilkins Sister’s funeral T. Griffin 1 day at Tussack
4 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle morning & evening & ward meeting at night
5 Working for Jennings & Co. Griffin at Toussack
6 Working for Jennings & Co. Griffin at Toussack
7 ½ day at Jennings ½ day at Toussack Griffin 1 day Wife and self whent to the Theatre at night
8 Working at Toussack Griffin do
9 Working at Toussack
10 Doing business for the musick hall
11 Snowing in morning attended meeting in Tab’e & Ward meeting at night.
12 Doing som business Snowing
13 Attending to som business Snow
14 Working at Toussack
15 Working at Toussack
16 Setting adobies for Jennings ½ day ½ at Toussacks
17 building a backhouse for br foster
18 Attended meeting at the Tabernacle morning & afternoon
19 Attending to som business for the Hall Working at Toussack ½ day Band meeting at night
20 Working at Toussack
21 Attending to som business
22 Working at Toussacks attended Band meeting Killed my pig wied 236 lb. paid one tenth to the Tithing Office
23 Attended to som business working at Toussakcs ½ day
24 Whitewashing My house
25 Attended meeting at tabernacle br P.P. Pratt delivered an excellent discourse on the first principles of the Gospell Attended in afternoon O. Pratt in afternoon on Consercration Toock Sacrement
26 Doing som Business for the Band in morning ½ day at Toussack
27 ½ day at Toussacks setting a boiler Balance of day on 5th Ward School house
28 Working on 5th Ward School house
29 Doing Business for band
30 Working on 5th Ward School house
1855
Dec. 1 Working on 5th Ward Schoolhouse by permission form Bishop Hogland I invited brothers Clements Stephons Balentine Mills to meet at my house at 7 o’clock p.m. to organize a polysophical society in 14th Ward and draw up a constitution to govern the same which we accomplished appointed Bishop Hogeland President to give out an appointment for our first meeting on the 5th inst.
2 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle morning & afternnon br. A. Lymon spoak.
3 Doing business for the Band in Morning and laying adobies for Br. Nelson in afternoon
4 Working for do attended a ball at Wilkins hall given by the band for benifet of the Music hall
5 ½ day at Bro Nelson ½ day at Jennings Attended polysophical society at night
6 Working at Jennings played with band at br Haywoods
7 finished at Jennings
8 Working at Wilkins
9 Working on Essay
10 Finished br Wilkins Chumney
11 Reading and writing
12 reading and writing read an Essay at the polysophical meeting and played with the band
13 plastering C.P. Smith house
14 finished do
15 doing Chores
16 at home
17 Working at Tonysage
18 do
19 do
20 do
21 do
22 do
23 at home
24 at home the weather very cold
25 visiting at Sister palmers
26 at home attended poly. meeting
27 at home
28 do
29 do
30 do
31 do
1856
Jan. 1 Serenading first presidence & our friends. Visiting at br Palmers in
Evening
Mar. 15 As the winter has been unusually severe so that little of no work have been don I have not kept a dayle Jurnal I have devoted my time to reading and writing.
16 President B. Young Sealed Hannett Wonfor to me and on the 21 I took her through the Endowment house President B. Young Sealed them Both to me at the proper place
27 br Wardrobe came after me today to lay up som Adobies for br Levi Abnam I commenced at noon same day. Layed up ten Thousand for forty dollars Be times gardening
April 25 whent up north with br. Wilkins to hunt my cows but without success. I returned on the 26th about ten O’Clock P.M.
29 raining and snowed
30 Doing Chores at home
May 1 Whent up North with br Wilkins after som flour
2 returned home with a load of flour
3 Working in garden
4 reading & writing raining all day
5 Gardening
6 Gardening
7 Gardening til noon started for Rear River and Cash Valley to hunt my Cows put up at br Phillip on Kays Crick
8 reached Willo Crick stoped with br Wicks
9 reached Barriver President Young Suit was there
10 Traveled with do about 20 miles up Bearriver & back to box Elder
11 I remained in Box Elder all day Pr’t Young preceeded in morning br Joseph Young & Lorenso in afternoon attended Seventy Meeting at night
12 left in Company with do for Cash Valley remained there during the night did not find my Cows
13 left in company with br Phillips for home stopped a little way from Box Elder
14 reached br. Phillips
15 reached home about 5 o’clock P.M. Without finding My Cows
16 Gardening
17 putting up som fencing on my pasture
18 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle
19 Working on my lot in 5th Ward
20 Working on do
21 Started up north to br Phillips after a steer
22 bought ten acres of land of br B. Harris for my yoke of steers 1 cow and twenty-five Dollars in store pay
23 Returned home attended poly So. meeting
24 Working at home
25 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle Morning and Afternoon
26 Plowing my lot in 5th Ward
27 Working do
28 Working on do
29 Gardening
30 Gardening
31 do
1856
June 1 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle Morning & afternoon
2 planting Corn in 5th Ward
3 do
4 do
5 Working on the canal
6 Working on do
7 Working on do returned home in Evening
8 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle Morning & afternoon
Salt Lake City, Utah. (April 1853 to March 1854)
April 4, 1853: Worked on br Robins house.
5, Finished Laying the Adobes on br Mafs house having paide nine days Tithing on the above house
6, Met with brother Ballos Band at the Council At 8 O Clock A.M. to Joyn the Prosision Proceded to the Door of the Vestry to waight the Presedence and those concerned Played the Ocean Wave Marched to the Temple growns to Lay the Four Corner Stones of the Temple after which whe Played two marches Composed by D. Ballo For the Occacion.
April 7, 8, 9, Attended Conference
10, Conference Closed
July 9, Stayed at Home to settel som bisnes
10, Prst Brigham Young sealed my wife Fannie to me and Sister Ann Coope in the Council House
12, Worked on the Temple Wall Laying adobes on tithing
13, Went to br Jenkins and br Pratt and a number of others to Hire oxen to go back to meet br Wilken but did not suckeed Attended Conference in the afternoon had a very interesting discorse from br O Hide and br Taylor
14, Atended meeting at the tabernacle in the morning Pr’t Young preeched an exelent discorce on the same subject.
17, Laying up adobes for br C.N. Smith Brother Snider brought in word that br Dixon and br Quail had been shot dead by some indiens on retrning from his saw mill with Lumber br Oyhland was shot through the arm in atempting to make his escape and got to home A Company of men started in phersute of the fugative in the afternoon
20, Gave Sister McAllister a D ye work adobe Laying on her house as she had to leave the one She was in and her husband his on a mission in Urupe.
21, Atended meeting at the Tabernacle in the morning br Young br J.M. Grant br H.C. Kimball and P’nt Brigham Young Spoke principles on the indian Difficulties and exerting the brethern to Diligence
25, Walked half a day around town to hire a team to go back to meet Mr Wilken with som provision but did not suckeed
26, Laying adobes on br Smiths House met with Cap’n Ballos Band at br Hardys to play and eat WaterNellon
22, br Sansom whent to red bute canion after wood Gave him an Order of 12 Dollars on Mr Wilken to pay for six cord of Wood that I had ordered ready to put on the waggon.
August 5, Three years ago this day My Wife gave berthe to her first Son called Alma Platt wich took Place just before whe reached fort Lareme In our waggon as it was going along about Ten O Clock A.M. one week from that day My teem turned strait round into the Platt river upset the waggon and my wife and son intoo the river it was sometime before whe could find the babe and when whe did it was nearly Ded but whe gave it som concecrated oil an laid hands on it and it came around and is now a fine boy Sister Wilken br and sister Smith br and sister Palmer took supper and spended the evening with us on this occacion
10, Finished painting br Wilkens Frunt Sister Wilken received too letters from Mr Wilken On the Playns in Which he requested me to go back to meet him with 3 Yoke of oxen an som flower to Bridger
29, Inquired around if any was agoing back to meet the Company but did not find but one Sister Wilken got the loan of a span of horses from br thomson I fetched them up out of the Bigfield hired a Spring waggon from br Phelps loaded up with flour potatoes beef and so forth
30, Left hom about six O clock with the above fitout to meet Cap’n Wilkens Company as they was out of proviseon br C Sansom whent with me for Company about one o clock we met the company about thirty miles from the Valley they flocked around the waggon to see the productions of the valley which cite apeard to pleas them much traveled about three miles to good feed camped for the night after supper br Wilkens called the brethern and sisters and sang a hym br Wilken invited me to open by prayer which I did br Wilken gave them some good instruction after wich he invited me to speak I complied cheerfully. br Sansom spoke a few minutes closed by prayer
31, Traveled about 10 miles upset one waggon no dameage broke an axle tree and a weel of br Wilkens waggons camped within one miles of the top of the big Mountain br Wilken and br Sansom left us and reached town the same night with the teem I took out I tended to prayer and retired for the night
September 1, Traveled to browns creek broke an axletree br Wilkkens replaced it the same night br Wilkens returned from the City Atended to prayer and retired from the night
2, Reached Great Salt Lake City About three o clock camped on the union square took supper at br Wilkens returned home
3, feeling fine from the journey rested this day
10, Bought thirty five thousand adobies at sixty too and alf cents per hundred for br Wilken
October 7, Visited the camp on the publick square spended most of the Day with the new commers br Phillips and family Bishop Ray and family stoped at my house during Conference
8, whent to President Youngs mill to get dome pig feed ground spended the balance of the Day in riding round town with my family
29, Played with Cap’n Ballos Band for the Legion all day
30, Atended meeting at the Tabernacle in the morning br F.M. Grant spoke on the Determination of the City Council to break up the dirty gray shop that is kept at the Deseret House on Emigration Street and likewise gace som good instructions how to treat new commers President Young spoke about gathering the Saints out of England and from the Old Countries and said he wanted ten thousand Dollars for that purpose.
31, Gave the Only Good Cow I had in to the Emigration Poor Fund valued at twenty nine Dollars I had no cash and the cow was the best property I had to turn in Met with Cap’n Ballos Band to practise musick
November 10, Atended meeting at the tabernacle in the morning br E.T. Benson took up the time in preaching Atended in the Afternoon br Ivens and Pr’t Young spoke in the afternoon Spent the Evening and took Supper at br Palmers
24, Returned from the Canion with a load of wood and killed my pig After that met at Captain Ballos to practis musick
28, Erecting a scaffold and making ready to put up the fable ends on br Wilkens House Atended the Spanish School at br P.P. Pratts
January 3, My Second Wife have been dissatisfied About three months And Wanted A Bill but not having any real grounds She dalaid going for one until December 31 when she returned she asked me to go to the Governors office that night stating that he B. Young requested it Accordingly we whent but he was gone out we whent this morning waited som time but he did not com i met with br Stains he told me go to his House which I did he siad he was not going to the Office I told him the Abuse I had took from her and how she wanted a bill three months ago he told me to go to br Bulocks and give her one
4, I signed the Bill at Doctor Richards She left took her things and signed the Bill
9, Don a snall job at br Wilkins started for Utah county after som wheat that was owing me stopped at br Smiths on willice Crick all night about twenty miles from town. reached pleasant grove stopped at br Holmans all night Settled with br Sterrit when he promised to send it in about to weeks it commences snowing and prevented me som time starting back I reached br Mercers on the American Fork And Stoped there all night Walked home about 35 miles and it snowed neerly all the way by the time I got home the snow was about 9 inches deep
13, was so sore that i could not walk read most of the day
26, Atended a social party at the Social Hall got up by the Shoemakers 4 dollars a cupple too suppers br Wilkins made me a present of a ticket
27, Atended a social party at the Social Hall given by President B. Young to the three Bands and the quier (chior)
February 1, Playing with Captain Ballos Band for the railway Convensoon at the Tabernacle
4, Whent over Jordan about 12 miles to look for an ox did not find my ox bought 27 ½ lb butter
9, br Wilkin gave a ball and supper to the first Presedency the twelve and associates this is wat I have been working at this last nine days plastering laying floors making tabels and baking myself in connection with Ballos Band serenaded the Company was invited in took supper and danced with the Company til it broke up
10, br Wilkin gave our Band and Captain Pits Band a Ball
11, resting feeling somewhat fatagued having so much cooking and waiting on table and dancing som Ordered fifty cards to be printed for another ball and supper
15, Nothing of importance whent to the theater with my Wif to see the selebrated Play Damon and Piethies
22, Whent to the Cannion with br Eddins to get me a load of wood made our bed on the snow for the night the road being so slipery we had to unload and pack it up a hill
23, returned home with a good load of wood br Kay and wife from the North came to town and stayed with us all night
27, Got br E. Oakey to soal my boots don som chores round Home Attended Band meeting at Cap’n Ballos
28, Got some lumber from br Wilken to make a wagon toung doing som chores round home and attended A Social party At br Wilkins in company with my wife
March 5, Attended meeting at the Tabernacle in the morning br O. Hyde adrefed the congregation on the subject of Obeying Council Atended meeting in the afternoon br W.Woodruff and br E. Snow adrefed the Congregation received the sacrement Atended ward meeting in the school House br F.M. Grant Delivered an exclente Discourse br I.M. Blain spoke a little after br F.S. Smith wife and child from Willow Crick come to town and staid with us all night bought a quarter of mutton of him at ten cents per lb com to one Dollar and a half
From the Diary of George Spilsbury
Dates: 1854 – 1855 – 1856
Deposited by his Granddaughter Josephine Spilsbury Bramwell
From Wilshire Camp; Center Company
Los Angeles, California
June 1954
Family of George and Fanny Spilsbury
Matilda Spilsbury born in Nauvoo August 31, 1844 Died Sept. 26, 1847
Frances Cilina April 28, 1846 Died July 18, 1846
Blessed under the hands Bp. Bishop Lewis at a prayer meeting Died Sept. 26, /47
Frances Colina born April 28, 1846 & blessed under my hand July 14, died July 18, /46 Born in Nauvoo
Clarinda born Sept. 10, 1847 blessed under my hand, Died April 9, 1849
Sarah born Dead in Saint Joseph, Mo. Aug. 3, /49
Alma Plat Born on the Plains Aug. 5, 1850
Blessed by Pr’t W. Richards at a meeting at br. Bullochs
George Moroni Born October 30, 1852
Blessed at a fast meeting in 14 ward school House
Isabela Spilsbury Born October 6, 1854 Blessed at a fast Meeting in 14th warde, Died in
Grafton, May 31, 1866
Martha Elizabeth Spilsbury Born September 21, 1856 10 P.M.
Blessed at a fast Meeting in 14th Ward
Miles Edward Born in Grafton Kane Co., October 1, 1865, died October 4, 65
Blessed by Bishop Winson C.N. Smith and myself
John Spilsbury Born November 9 1861 half past 1
blessed by myself same day died on 10th
William George Spilsbury born June 24, 1857
Georgiana Spilsbury Born October 20, 1858 Died June 15, 1866
David Spilsbury born July 6th, 1860
Susan Vilate Spilsbury Born December 22, 1863
Family of George and Fanny Spilsbury (Reformatted)
Matilda Born in Nauvoo August 31, 1844 Died Sept. 26, 1847
Blessed under the hands Bp. Bishop Lewis at a prayer meeting
Frances Cilina Born in Nauvoo April 28, 1846 Died July 18, 1846
Blessed under my hand July 14
Clarinda Born Sept. 10, 1847 Died April 9, 1849
Blessed under my hand
Sarah Born Dead in Saint Joseph, Mo. Aug. 3, /49
Alma Plat Born on the Plains Aug. 5, 1850
Blessed by Pr’t W. Richards at a meeting at br. Bullochs
George Moroni Born October 30, 1852
Blessed at a fast meeting in 14 ward school House
Isabela Born October 6, 1854 Died in Grafton, May 31, 1866
Blessed at a fast Meeting in 14th warde
Martha Elizabeth Born September 21, 1856 10 P.M.
Blessed at a fast Meeting in 14th Ward
William George Born June 24, 1857
Georgiana Born October 20, 1858 Died June 15, 1866
David Born July 6th, 1860
John Born November 9 1861 half past 1
Blessed by myself same day Died on 10th
Susan Vilate Born December 22, 1863
Miles Edward Born October 1, 1865, in Grafton Kane Co., Died October 4, 1865
Blessed by Bishop Winson C.N. Smith and myself
DIARY.
A Daily Journal of George Spilsbury
1854
April 1 Gardening ½ day. Myself and wife atended the Lecter delivered by President Kimbol at the Endowments in the Council house.
2 Attended meeting at the Tabernacle inthe morning and the Evening, Took the Sacrement. br. P.P. Pratt, br. W. Woodruff and br. Hyde spoak in the Morning. J.M. Grant and br. Kimball in the Evening.
3 Gardening planting beet seede
4 Laying adobie at br. Wilkins ½ day. Working on the City wall ½ day.
5 Working on the City wall.
6 Drove my oxover jordan river in the afternoon. Atended a seventy’s meeting in the Tabernacle at night. br. J.M. Grant br. Woodruff br. kington and br. Cluff spoak.
7 Played at the tabernacle with Captain Ballo’s band about twelve O’clock wile the breathren and sisters was comming out of meeting.
8 Got the use of br. Phillip’s team to awl manure on my lot bought it of br Gordon at 75 cents pr load and hawled six load. atended a bishop’s meeting in the 13 ward school house at night.
9 Atended Conferance at the tabernacle br. Snow and som oters spoak atended in the afternoon took the Sacrement mons morr Elders was appinted on misions br. B. Young and Kimbol Spoak one Artesty cut off Prt. Young preached the doctrin of concecreation to Us All our property our wifes and children over to the Church and to act as stewards not owning Atended meeting in our School House br. W. Woodruff preached
10 rained the fourpart of the day atended to some bisness in the afternoon met at Can. Bollo to Play.
11 Working on the City wall ¾ of a day when it commenced raining.
12 Working on the City wall all day
13 Working on the City wall all day
14 Working on the City wall all day. bp. Wilkin furnished a man to work on the wall for me and I pay him to mason work
15 Walked about thirty miles over Jordan to hunt my ox but did not find him bp. Wilkins man ¼ of day
16 Atended meeting at the tabernacle in the morning br. John Taylor preached atended in the afternoon
17 Helped by Elders to plough my lot met at bp. Felts to practis musick
18 Planting beet seed on my lot
19 rainy planting beet seede
20 rainy planting corn and other seeds
21 Cutting potatos for seed & planting beans. Met at Captain Ballo’s to practis musick
22 Working in the garden rainy moast of the day reading & writing the remainder of the Day.
23 Atended Meeting at the Tabernacle in the Morning Br. A.O. Smoot and Pt. Young addressed the Congregation br. Young on the principile of union to be of one hearte and one mind in all things. br. Wilkin took two wifes today and invited myself and wife to spend the Evening with them my Wife stoped all night
24 Rainy all night & a good parte of the Day doing some chores and writing met at br David Evans to practis musick
25 planting beet seedee and a few potatoes
26 got br. Evans teeme to all som powls to my lot and doing som Chores
27 repairing the fence around my lot Met at Captain Bollo’s to practis Musick
28 Diggin a piece of ground for beets in my lot in the Sixth Ward & getting a spade
29 playing in Captain Ballo’s Band for Legion
30 Attended meeting at the tabernacle in the Morning and in the afternoon & took Sacrement
1854
May 1 Went with br. Stephens in the big field to take a job but did not take it
2 hunting an Ox over jordan returned with him about night turned him in the pasture but he returned the same night.
3 fetched vr. Smiths’s oxon out of the pasture and we went to the Canyon after som hop powls for br. Bullock
4 returned with the powls & som wood for myself Met at Captain Ballo’s to practis musick
5 gardening planting peas & corn
6 hunting th Ox that whent back but did not find him
7 Atended the meeting at the tabernacle in the afternoon and took the Sacrement
8 Hunting the ox but no luck
9 Hunting the ox but all to no purpose
10 Diging som ground & planting som beet seed
11 Got the loan of br. Philips team to strik up my lot in the Sixth ward for corn and potatoes. Met at Captain Bollo’s to practise musick Felt very sick planting corn.
12 planting corn and potatoes
13 planting corn & potatoes
14 Atended Meeting at the tabernacle in the afternoon and reading som
15 rained moast of the Day planted som mellon seed
16 hunting my Ox but didn’t find him
17 Laying rock for David Wilkin
18 Laying rock for David Wilkin toock supper at br. Wilkins. Met at Cn. Bollo’s to practis Musick
19 Laying rock for Mr. Wilkin ¾ of day
20 Hunting My Ox found him above hot Springs & howing potatoes in afternoon.
21 Atended Meeting at the tabernacle morning & evening Cn Grant called for 28 hundred Dollars to pay for 14 hundred bushels of wheat to feed the publick hands but not having one cent in the house I could not giv any
22 hunting br. Wilkins oxon to go to the canyon but did not find them gardening the ballance of day
23 planting corn whene the grasshoppers had eaten my potatoes. Met at captain Ballo’s to practis musick
24 Fetched br. Wilkins Oxon from over jordon. We went to the Canyon after som sleepers. rainy moast of the time sleped in the Canyon
25 Got our load & started out of the Canyon the road was so narrow & sleepry from the rain that I had to unload twice in a mile reached the foot of little Mountain & camped
26 reached home about 12 o’clock drencded with rain
27 receved 31 dollars in Wheat, flour Cheese 7 money from Utah that was owing me & 1500 shingles & 250 lath from Aleandre that I paid for last fall getting my joyce & sleepers ready for hewing
28 Atended Meeting at the Tabernacle Morning & Evening toos the Sacrement
29 Snowing all day reading & writing
30 working my taxes on the road met at Capt. Ballo’s to practis Musick
31 hewing joyce for my house
June 1 Working on the road for David Wilkin. Met at Capt. Ballos to practis Musick
2 Laying rock for David Willkin
3 Working on the road for D. Wilkin
4 atended Meeting at the Tabernacle. In the Morning br. John Taylor adressed the congregation Pr. Hyde spoak a few minits after Attended in the afternoon Prts Young & Kimball spoak in the afternoon the time has com for the Gospel to be preached to the lamanites for he had seen the Spirit of the Lord poured our upon them reed the Sacrement the 13th quoron met at my house two of the prts present br Bird & foster 6 Members present
5 Working on the road for br. Wilkin
6 Whent the Canyon after a load of wood reteurned about 11 o’clock P.M.
7 howing my corn & potatoes in 6 ward
8 howing my corn in sixth ward howing my corn & beets in 14 ward
9 br C.N. Smith howed tieh me all Day. I don Som work for him last winter
10 howing corn from about 4 O’clock till 7 got breakfast, Layed rock for David Wilkins ¾ of Day then howed til night
11 Attended Meeting at the tabernacle in the Morning by John Young preached eat Dinner at br. Wilkins Met with my quorom at my house at 4 o’clock P.M. 2 Pts 7 members present every one spoak
12 Commenced building a store for br. Jennings. br. Robbins fetched my cow and calf in ...
13 Laying adobies for Jennings. A thunder Storm came over about Three o’clock P.M. A cloud bursted on the mountain & the water com down with such violance that it don a great Deal of damage & washed away a good maney gardens & filled Jennings cellar the foundation gave way in consequence
14 We had to take out doby worke. I had Don Dowse baling water out of the cellar & laying rock ½ day.
15 raining four part of the day, plabting cabbige plants & howing corn. Met at Captain Ballo’s to practis Musick
16 Laying Adobies at Jennings
17 Laying rock for Jennings. I have worked in my garden night & morning & before & after working howers from 4 to 8 hours every Day.
18 Attended Meeting to the tabernacle in the Morning. My quorum met at my house at 12 o’clock preaseant two P.M. 10 members 10 spoak atended Meeting in the tabernacle in the afternoon Attended my ward meeting in Evening
19 A verry heavy shower of rain in the morning. Laying adobies for Jennings ½ day
20 Laying adobies for Jennings met at Capt. Ballo’s to practis musick
21 Laying Adobies for Jennings
22 Laying Adobies for Jennings met at br. Cannon Grove to practis musick
23 Laying Adobies for Jennings
24 Laying Adobies for Jennings
25 Atended Meeting at the Tabernacle in the Morning br Joseph Young & br D. Fulmer preached. My quorum met at my house preasant of the Prt. brs bird & foster & nine members br foster read over the names of the while quorum
26 Laying Dobies for Jennings
27 finished br Jennings store by 10 o’clock A.M. howing corn in my lot
28 plowing my corn in sixth ward with br Phillip’s horses while he attended Conference
29 howing corn met at Captain Ballo’s to practis musick
30 Watering my lot & howing
1854
July 1 traded for a pair of shoes of br Stuart & four sash for my house & some lumber & hewed my Sleepers
2 Attended Meeting at the tabernacle in the Morning & Evening My quorum met at my house all spoak & I closed the meeting
3 getting my wagon repaired & working in my lot Met at Capn Ballo’s to practis
4 played in Capn Ballo’s band all day for the procession attended a ball at br Williams at night
5 Alled 9 hundred Adobies for my house
6 Alled 12 hundred Adobies for my house
7 Alled 2 loads of clay and 3 hundred Adobies for my house
8 Alled six hundred Adobies for my house & repaired the fence around my lot in 6th ward
9 Attended meeting at the tabernacle in the Morning & my ward meeting in Evening
10 Started to American fork for a load of lumber. Camped at the head of dry Creek
11 reached the Mill about 6 o’clock a.m. loaqded up 3 hundred 7 66 feet returned Willo Creek Camped for the night
12 reached hom about 3 O’clock having traveled about 70 miles. paid for my lumber in
13 Started for Sniders Mills 30 Miles reached their about sundown rained about 3 hours
14 loaded up 7 hundred 7 25 feet returned to the foot of the little Mountain & camped for the night
15 reached home about 12 O’clock turned my Oxen in the pasture & took a bath
16 Attended meeting at the Tabernacle morning & Evening
17 Working in My lot & squaring my house & fixing to build
18 Started to the Canyon after a load of wood passing som emmigrants in the Canyon broak my reach Camped at the Springs
19 got our load & returned near to the mouth of Emmigration Canyon & camped
20 reached home about Eight O’clock a.m. fetched some fence powls from my other lot to make a fence between br bullock & me. Met at Capt. Ballo’s to practis Musick
21 Making the fence
22 finished the fence & hewed som Sleepers for my house
23 Attended Meeting at the tabernacle morning & Evening Met with my quorum 2 Prt. present br Bird & foster 4 members present br Bird & br foster & myself spoak. Met at Captain Ballo’s to practis Musick for the Celibration of the 24th
24 Met at the Council house at six O’clock with Catain Ballo’s Band serenaded the first presidence then formed in the prosesion & played for them till we was dismissed about 1 o’clock then attended a ball at br Wilkins
25 Working at Mr. Wilkins ¾ day cutting a doorway
26 laying Adobies at Mr. Wilkins ¾ of a day Working in my garden the ballance of Day
27 building a back house for br A. Robbins
28 finished the above job & fetched My Oxon out of the pasture
29 Alled 4 loads of Sand to my house
30 Attended Meeting at the tabernacle Morning & Evening Met with my quorum meeting but not enuf to hold a meeting
31 Commenced building my house Engaged Capt. Ballo’s to attende me at 2 dollars pr Day.
1854
Aug. 1 Working on my house Met at Capt. Ballo’s to practis Musick br Ballo 1 day
2 laying up my house Ballo 1 day
3 laying up my house Met at Capt. Ballo’s to practis Musick Ballo 1 day
4 laying up my house Ballo 1 day
5 laying up my house Ballo 1 day
6 Atended Meeting at the Tabernacle Morning & Evening & received the Sact. Met with my quorum at my house Adjourned to the first Sunday in Sep.
7 prepairing my hoyce & putting the up
8 Commenced building a stable for br Wilkins Met at Capt’ Ballo’s to practis Musick
9 Laying adobies for Mr. Wilkin
10 Laying adobies for Mr. Wilkins Met at Capt. Ballo’s to practis Musick
11 finished br. Wilkins Stable
12 Laying Adobies on my house Ballo 1 day
13 not feeling well I did not attend Meeting in the morning Attended Evening br J.M. Grant & P.O. Hide adressed the Conn.
14 Laying Adobies on my house br Ballo 1 day
15 Toped out my house br Ballo ½ day Met at Capt. Ballo’s to practis musick
16 putting on the ruff Engaged T. Lattimer to shingle it 3$ pr thousand
17 up at daylight to finish my ruff Laying Adobies for Br D. Evans Met at Captian Ballos to practis musick
18 Laying Adobies for D. Evans put the ruff on my kiching in the morning before going to work got a ten Dollar Order from br Wilkins on br Nixon Store to get my buts Latches ylap &c.
19 finished laying up D. Evans hous
20 writing in the Morning Attended Meeting in the Afternoon & Received the Sacrement
21 Got br Palmer to all me two loads of Sand & on of Clay got my knife Som things from the Store working at my house ½ day
22 Digging a Cellar & pointing around my Ruff raining a good part of the Day
23 Working at my house raining Con.
24 preparing to plaster Engaged br G. Barnes to plaster My frount room. Met at Captain Ballo’s to practis Musick
25 plastering my Chickiny
26 Went to Chase’s Mill, Once for myself Once for David Wilkin
27 Attended Meeting at the Tabernacle in the Morning br Samuel Richards arrived from England yesterday gave an account of his Mission & spoak & Pr. Young. Attended in aftersnoon & took Sact. br. John Taylor Spoke
28 Alled 400 &25 adobies from Hunter & one load of Sand to my house. br. Barnes finished plastering my front room which he said com to 15 dollars
29 Working at my House
30 laying adobies ½ day at D. Wilkins, ½ day at my house
31 fetched my ox from br. Whites reaches fome a little after dark a distance of 30 miles on foot. Met at Captain Ballo’s to practis musick
1854
Sept. 1 Very sick all night and today from drinking too much water ox not fat enuf for beef turned him out again Serenaded John Taylor M.A. Peck, S.M. Felt they are agoing on Missions next Munday Played at Wilkins request
2 Gave Prt & W Richards family a days work setting furnises
3 writing in forenoon quorum met at my house at 12 o’clock present 2 Presidents Bird & foster 3 members ajourned for two Sundays Atended Meeting at tabernacle in Afterfoon
4 Attending to some business & fixing to move
5 Moved to my new house
6 Laying adobies at P. Wilkins
7 Laying Adobies half day Do.
8 Finishing up the house I have left ready for whitewashing met at Captain Ballo’s to play Commenced building a foundry on temple Square paying Tithing
9 Do
10 Attended Meeting at the Tabernacle in the Morning
11 Laying adobies on foundry met at Dat. Ballo’s to practis Musick and received an invitation to play at the Deseret Store which call was responded to
12 Laying Adobies on foundry Attended a party at David Wilkins at 7 O’clock given for Capt. Ballo’s Benefit
13 Laying adobies on foundry
14 Laying Adobies on foundry
15 Building a forge for foundry today then went to see two inndiens hung
16 Commenced building a house for George Sla
17 Attended Meeting at the Tabernacle in the morning br W. Stains & br H.C. Kimball adressed the Congregation Attended in the afternoon P.B. Young spoak receved the sacrement
18 Working on G. Sla’s house
19 Working Do Met at Captain Ballo’s to practis musick
20 Finished George Sla’s house total amount $13.50
21 Weeding in my lot in 6 ward ½ day took a job of br barton with Jackson Clotheir for 60 dollars in Cash. Met at Capt. Ballo’s to practis Musick
22 building a forge in the foundry in temple block
23 finished the above job wich was on tithing
24 Atended meeting at the tabernacle
25 Laying adobies for br barton building a stable and an ice house
26 Laying Adobies for br Barton Met at Capt. Ballo’s to practis musick
27 Laying Adobies for Barton
28 Laying adobies for Barton Met at Capt. Ballo’s
29 No sand to work with attending to some business
30 Laying adobies for Barton
1854
Oct.
1 Attended Meeting at the Tabernacle
2 Attended to som business in the morning & fetched my oxon out of the pasture
3 Laying adobies for br S Richards Met at Capt. Ballo’s to practis musick
4 Laying adobies for S. Richards
5 Laying Adobies for S. richards Met at C. Ballo’s
6 Commenced a building for Robert Berton rained a good peart of the Day My Wife was Delivered of a Daughter at 28 minutes past Eight P.M.
7 Laying Adobies for br barton My wife doing well
8 Attended Conference in afternoon President Young preached
9 Attending to som business with bishop Kay Laying adobies for R Berton
10 Laying Adobies for R. Berton
11 Laying Adobies for R. Berton
12 Laying Adobies for R. berton
13 repairing the fence around my lot in 6 Wd. & working at home
14 Commenced a barber Shpt & Chicken for D. Wilkin got an order to get som groceries for my wife from S. Richards
15 Attended Meeting at the tabernacle
16 Laying adobies for D. Wilkins
17 Laying adobies for D. Wilkin
18 Laying Adobies for D. Wilkins
19 Laying Adobies for D. Wilkins
20 finished at br Wilkins
21 Commenced a little house work for br. M. Davis
22 Doing chores in morning reading some in Evening
23 Laying Adobies for br. Davis
24 finished br Davises House
25 Whitewashed my other house rented it to robert Campbell ofr 6 dollars per month attending to things at home
26 Laying Adobies for Mr. R. Berton
27 raining in morning finished Bertons building
28 Cutting wood & fixing my other house
29 by Kay sent a teem after me to go up North to build him a house rained a Great part of the way br Thomas Griffin wished me to teach him the adobie Laying which I agreed to do br Thomas griffin took a cow up to br Kays to winter arrived at br Kays About Seven O’Clock P.M.
30 Commenced laying br Kay’s foundation Thomas 1 Day
31 finished the foundation Thomas 1 Day
1854
Nov. 1 Laying Adobies do Thomas 1 day
2 Laying Adobies do Thomas 1 day
3 Laying Adobies do Do 1 do
4 Laying Adobies Do Do 1 Do
5 Visiting my friends
6 Laying Adobies Do Do 1 Day
7 Laying Adobies Do Do 1 Do
8 finished br Kays house About 12 O’Clock Thomas ½ day Commenced James Burross’s foundation Thomas ½ day Do
9 Finished the foundation about 1 O’clock & Commenced the Adobies Thomas 1 Day
10 Laying Adobe Do Thomas 1 Do
11 Got the loan of a Hors from br Kay to com to town after leaving work at night Arived at home about eleven O’Clock P.M.
12 Sawed som wood & don som chores & Returned to br Kays
13 Laying Adobies On br Barross’s House Thomas 1 Day Do.
14 Laying Adobies Do Do 1 Day
15 building a backhouse for br Kay Thomas finished br Burross’s
16 layed the foundation to br Harris House Thomas one day do
17 Laying Adobies Do Thomas 1 Day
18 Laying Adobies Do 1 Day
19 Hunting My Cow Did not find her
20 finished br Harris House Thomas 1 Day
21 Commenced fr Jones house Thomas 1 Day
22 Laying Adobies do Thomas 1 Day
23 Laying Adobies Do Thomas 1 Day
24 Laying Adobies Do Thomas 1 Day. After leaving work & eating Supper we walked to Salt Lake City & arrived about 11 O’Clock
25 Played in Captain Ballo’s Band all Day for the Nauvoo Legion after we were Dismissed whent to serenade br who gave us some beer Crackers & Cheese
26 Attended meeting at the tabernacle
27 Staked out a house for br Wilkins foundation & don som upon it
28 Laying br Wilkin foundation Thomas went up North to finish br Jones
29 Laying rock do
30 Laying rock Do Thomas returned from the north
1854
Dec. 1 Laying Adobies on br Wilkins & whitewashing my house Thomas 1 day
2 Laying Adobies, Do Thomas 1 Day Do
3 Attended Meeting at the tabernacle Morning & Evening
4 About 6 inches of snow fell during the night which stoped our work Fixing around house
5 Do
6 Laying adobies do about 3 or 4 hours in the day. Thomas do
7 Laying adobies do verry cold nights Thomas do
8 Laying adobies do in the middle of the day Thomas do
9 Laying adobies do. Thomas Do. Jackson Clayton (Clothier) worked ½ day for me to pay a debt
10 Attended meeting at the tabernacle Morning & Evening
11 Laying adobies do Jackson Clothier ½ day Thomas ½ day do
12 Laying adobies do on br Wilkins Hous Thomas 1 Day
13 fetched my ox out of Br Allen pasture
14 Whent to north Mill Crick Canyon after wood So much ice in the canyon I could not go up Slept in the saw mill
15 returned home & wrote the fowling article At a Meeting of Capt Ballo’s Band it was moved and carried that we take up a subscription in behalf of Sister Smith & McAllister who ar destitute of the common necessaries of life in Concequence of their Husbands being on Missions preaching the Gospell. At the same time we do not wish to debar any of our friends the privilege of assisting in a good Cause. Met at Capn Ballo’s to practis Musick. The Members of the Band Subscribed seven dollars. I gave two dollars
16 I whent around With the paper & got 39 dollars & 25 cents now total $46.25 Laying Adobies ½ day at Br Wilkins
17 Attended Meeting at the tabernacle in Evening and took the Sacrement. br Hyde & Benson spoke
18 Whent to the Canyon After a load of Wood
19 Returned home with a good load of Wood
20 Commenced plastering br Davis House
21 Do Thomas Whent to the Canyon for a Load of Wood
22 finished plastering Thomas returned with a load I toped out br Wilkins Chimney
23 Attending to som business
24 Attending Meeting At the tabernacle Morning & Evening
25 Preparing for a ball of Judg Kenny at Union Hall
26 Preparing for a ball of Capn. Ballo’s Band. Attending our … about two hours then Whent to Judge Kenny & spent the night …
27 Resting today
28 took my Oxen over Jordon Met at Captain Ballo’s to practis musick Serenaded David Candlen W. Ward, T.S. Williams, W. Nixon, Si…
Mc Alister & John Neidham
29 Working at home
30 doing Chores at home
31 Attended Meeting at the Tabernacle
1855
Jan. 1 Playing in Captain Ball band Serenaded the first Presidency & porcion of the twelve that at home & the principle of the strain … in the City
2 Snowing all day My Wife very sick
3 high wind from the South Drifting the snow My Wife verry sick ha… attend on her myself
4 Same kind of weather attending my wife
5 My Wife very sick Do
6 Do Do
7 My wife som better br. D. Wilkin & Wife eats supper with us
8 Doing Chores at home Wife som better
9 Drove my oxon over Jordon Met at S. Wothen to pracitis musick
10 Doing chores reading & practicing musick &c.
11 Do Met at S. Worthney to pracitis Musick
12 Doing a little mason worke for br Riley
13 Do
14 Attending Meeting at the tabernacle Morning & Evening & received the Sacrement met at Capt. Ballos to do some business & practis. Opened by prayer Capn. Ballo Crosed out the following names from the Band list by unanimous voat of the Band because they could not play regulations of the Band
15 Laying Adobies for br. Riley & writing & Musick
16 Laying Adobies for br. Wilkin Met at Cap. Ballo’s to pracitis Musick moved & carried that we have a ball at Howard’s Hall next Tuesday 23rd inst.
17 Laying adobies for br Wilkins I rented the Hall & got the tickets printed (My ladder?) fell on the Stove & burned
18 Laying adobies for br wilkin met at S. Worthing to pracitis musick
19 Laying Adobies for br Wilkins
20 doing som Chores at home & builded a fireplace for br. Riley.
21 Attended Meeting at the tabernacle morning & Evening & practicing Musick
22 killed my pig & prepared for the Ball
23 prepared for the Ball laying rock in the afternoon for John Evins attend our Ball br Worthing Myself& br Palmer Good Order & pease prevailed Closed a 2 P.M.
24 doing Chores at home
25 Working at home my pig waid 240 pounds paied tithing 241/4 pounds
26 Laying Rock for J. Edins
27 Working at home in Morning & Laying rock do.
28 practising Music & writing in morning Attended Meeting at the tabernacle in Afternoon
29 Cleaning up my lot for plowing & digging some Ground for early seedes
30 do
31 Laying adobies for br Wilkin
1855
Feb. 1 Laying Adobies for br Wilkin
2 Laying adobies for br Wilkins ½ day finished. Laying rock for John Eddins ½ day
3 planting som peas radished Lettice onions, etc.
4 Attended Meeting at the tabernacle morning & evening C Pratt, J.M. Grant & Kimbol spoak) (Names were crossed out)
5 Doing Chores (the above line his right)
6 Do
7 Bought two loads of wood for 11 dollars
8 doing Chores at home
9 doing Chores at home
10 Laying rock for John Eddins & doing Chores
11 Attended meeting at the tabernacle morning & Evening br. O. Hide in morning took the sacrament in Afternoon
12 I whent over Jordan to hunt my Oxn but I did not find them
13 got the loan of br Wilkins horses to whent to mill with 13 bushels of Wheat got it ground & paid by br Jarivis 140 lb and barnes 150 lb and took 11 bushels of beet and 1bushels and tree pecks of corn for tithing to the Office
14 Cleared up my lot in the sixth ward and got br Herbut to plough it for 4 dollars
15 Laying rock for J. Eddins.
16 Laying rock for Eddins
17 laying rock for do band met at my house to practis musick the Constitution that Prt Young got up for the band was read and adopted with one exception Myself Worthlin & Palmer and Ballo was appointed to make an amendment
18 Attended Meeting at the Tabernacle in the Morning to hear President Young preach br Hyde requested us all to turn out which I did and a good many mor the lecture was designed for the Gentiles br C. Pratt preached an elegant discourse in the open air was be on we the Commite met according to appointment and made the amendment Attended Meeting do in afternoon I took the Sacrament
19 Stormy reading and doing chores Met at Cap. Ballo’s to pracitis musick our amendment was read and adopted br Palmer and myself was apointed to present the above to Prt. Young for acceptance
20 Storming reading and doing Chores
21 Storming do ….do. br Palmer and myself whent to the president’s office and presented the amendment to pst. Young but he explained the other one to us to our satisfaction met at Cap. Ballo’s to practis Musick we presented the above dockument for the aprovil of the Band Carried unanimous took our subscription list around got 49 dollars mor subscribed to our hall
22 reading and doing chores at home storming
23 Working at home
24 Working at home
25 Attended meeting at the Tabernacle
26 Laying adobies for J. Eddins
27 Laying adobies for J. Eddins
28 Laying adobies for J. Eddins
1855
March 1 Laying adobies for J. Eddins finished
2 Working at home
3 Working at home
4 Attended Meeting at the tabernacle rec. Sacrement
5 Working at home
6 Working at home
7 Working at home finishing by Backhouse building Chicken cupe
8 Working at home
9 Working at home
10 Whent up North to Kays Crick with br. J. Green to settle for the work I don last fall rained a good part of the way took a bade Cold
11 Settled with br Burrup
12 hunting my Stock found 1 Cow
13 hunting all Day but without sucksess
14 Snowing fourpart of day topped out rock chimney for T. Jones
15 Snowing in morning Walked home after noon 25 miles verri much fattagued
16 Working at home whent to the Sword Exercise
17 Working at home whent to the Arithmetic school
18 Attended meeting at the tabernacle morning and Evening toock the sacrament and whent to the School meeting at night.
19 Working at home met at Capt. Ballos to pr. musick
20 Working my shares on the road
21 Working do ….. whent to sword exercise
22 plowing part of my lot arithmetic school at my home
23 Whent to the Canyon with br C.P. Smith after some gooseberry trees got a good many and returned attended Sword Exersise
24 Working at home planting trees etc. attended arithmetic at night
25 Attended meeting at Tabernacle Morning & Evening & took the Sacrement
26 Working at home attended soard exercise
27 Working at home
28 Working at home attended soard exercise
29 working at home attended arithmetic School
30 Laying rock for Wm. Jennings ½ day working at home ½ day
31 Laying rock for Wm. Jennings Attended arithmetic school Evening
1855
April 1 Attended Meeting at the Tabernacle morning & Evening took the Sacrement
2 Laying Adobies for Jennings attended Band meeting at night
3 finished Jennings Job about 11 o’clock
4 Working at home attended soard exercise
5 Working at home attended Band meeting
6 Attended Conference at the Tabernacle Morning & afternoon & my quorum meeting at night
7 Attended Conference in Morning
8 Attended Conference morning & Evening Conference Closed Nearly 200 sent on missions
9 hunting my oxen over Jordan found one
10 hunting all Day for the other one Did not find him
11 hunting again but no luck
12 Mr. Wilkin whent over Jordan after his horses & found my ox working at home attended Band meeting
13 Working at home
14 killed my pig weighed 130 lb took one ham 14 lb to the tithing office for tithing
15 Attended meeting at the tabernacle morning & afternoon and rec. the sacrament
16 got the loan of br. Wilkins hors whent & fetched my ox br Wilkins fetched the other one attended band Meeting
17 Storming fetched 10 bushels of potatoes from br. palmer paid 3 bushels into the tithing office for tithing
18 Whent to the Canyon after a load of wood one ox straid of in the night had
19 to return without any found him a coming hom attended band meeting
20 Whent to the Canyon after a load of wood
21 returned home with a good load planted som trees attended arc. school
22 writing in morning visiting at br Wilkins after noon
23 Working at home
24 Working at home attended Band meeting
25 Working at home attended arithmetic School at night
26 Working at home attended Bank meeting whent out a serenading till about 12 o’clock Cl. Sheplo for one
27 Working at home attended a meeting in 7th ward
28 working at home
29 Attended meeting at tabernacle morning & Evening C. Prat spoak in mrg br Hide in Evening he advised us to faithfulness to fast & pray for rain & for the grasshoppers to be Destroyed for they are eating the grain
30 Working at home
1855
May 1 Working at home attended Band meeting at Capt. Ballo
2 Working at home attended arithmetic School
3 Hunting my oxen over Jordan but did not find them Attended Band meeting at C. Ballo
4 found my oxen
5 I bought a piece of land at the back of my house & 1 bullock for my oxen valued at 20 dollars & got it recorded & my ticket attended my school
6 Attended meeting at tabernacle morning & afternoon & ward meeting at night
7 working at home
8 Working at home attended Band meeting
9 working at home
10 Working at home attended band meeting
11 Working at home ½ day and half a day on the city wall
12 working at home
13 Attended meeting at the Tabernacle morning & afternoon br Clemons spoke in morning br Bens. & br Hyde in afternoon
14 Working at home
15 Working at home attended band meeting
16 Working at home
17 Working at home attended Band meeting
18 got a hose to build for Br Jonais
19 Working at home
20 Attended meeting at Tabernacle morning & Evening & took the Sacrement brother Lewis gave the details of his mission amongst the Indians
21 working at home
22 Working at home
23 Working at home
24 Working at home Attended Band meeting
25 Working at home
26 Working at home
27 Attended meeting at the Tabernacle Morning and Afternoon President Young and suit returned from a visit South W.W. Phelps spoak in morning Pst. Young kimbol & grant in afternoon
28 Working at home
29 Working at home Attended Band meeting
30 Whent to the Canyon
31 returned with a load of wood serenaded President Young Kimbol and Grant and D.H. Wells
1855
June 1 Working at home whent to my quorum they did not meet
2 Working at a foundation for W. Jennings
3 Attended a meeting at the Tabernacle Morning & afternoon & ward meeting at night
4 finished Jennings foundation
5 laying adobies for Jennings attended Band meeting
6 Laying adobies for Jennings attended Band meeting
7 Laying adobies for do Attended Band meeting
8 Laying adobies for Jennings
9 finished Jennings job $52.00
10 Attended meeting at Tabernacle in morning
11 Working at home
12 Commenced the foundations for George Rumney Thas Griffin ½ day attended Band meeting
13 Commenced the foundations for the Music hall Layed the Corner stone quarter past eight a.m.
14 fixing my fence in sixth ward
15 Working on Rumney house ½ day
16 Working on do do 1 day
17 Attended meeting at tabernacle
18 Working on Rumney house Griffin 1 day 1 day
19 Working on Rumney house do 1 do 1 day
20 Working on Rumneys house do 1 do 1 day
21 Working on Rumneys house do sick do 1 day
22 Working on Rumney house do sick do 1 day
23 Working on Rumney house do do do 1 day
24 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle & ward meeting at night
25 finished G. Rumneys house at 12 o’clock Commenced building a kitchen for Jennings
26 Working on estimate for Babit house
27 ½ day on Jennings ½ day on Jonais house
28 1 day on Jonais house attended Band meeting
29 1 day on Jonais house Griffin 5 days do
30 1 day on Jennings 1 day t Griffin 1 day
1855
July 1 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle
2 Working on Jennings ½ day ½ day Griffin 1 day on my lot
Attended band meeting
3 ½ day on Jennings ½ day ½ day preparing for 4 of July
4 Order of the Day for Commite met with the Band on top of Gov. Young’s house played til six o’clock returned home got Breakfast cleaned up dressed wite pants blue over shirts black hats Met at Council house ½ past 7 played at king eads & at T.S. Williams & Co. Store.
Prt. Young’s Carriage drawn by six horses with six little Boys in postillions in uniform to escort the Governor & suit til 12 o’clock got dinner met in Bowery played til 5 o’clock Eate supper at Jacksons room & then to Dancing
5 resting all day
6 Working on Jonais house
7 Working on Jonais house
8 Attended meeting at Tabernacle
9 working at home
10 Working on Jonais House Attended Band Meeting
11 Working on Jonais House
12 Working on Jonais House Attended Band meeting
13 Working on Jonais House
14 Working on Jonais House
15 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle Morning & afternoon br Ross spoak in morning attended ward meeting at night
16 Commenced working at ½ past 4 Oclock til about ten t. Griffin helped playing in Band for the Legion
17 Working on Jarvis House T. Griffin 1 day do. Attended Band Meeting
18 Commenced a house for Richards Paid in tithing Office $43.70
19 Working for S.W. Richards attended Band Meeting
20 Working at S.W. Richards
21 Working do
22 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle br McBride & President Young spoke Attended afternoon & took sacrament
23 Working on S.W. richards house met with the band
24 Worked on br richards house ½ day met with Capt. Ballo’s Band at social Hall to play for the polysophical Society till about 10 o’clock was well entertained
25 Working on S.W. Richards ¾ of a day met at Social Hall to play for do
26 Working on S.W. Richards house
27 finished br Richards house wich amounted to $31.50
28 working at home
29 Attended meeting at tabernacle W.W. phelps & br Kimbol spoke Attended in afternoon took Sacrement
30 Working at home
31 Working at home at Band Meeting
1855
August 1 Working about home
2 ½ day at home ½ day at David Candlands at’d band meeting 4 cerenaded br Blon just returned from his mission
3 1 day at David Candland
4 ½ day at home ½ day at David Candlands attended a lecture delivered by O. Prat at Social Hall on the rotation mocion of the planets
5 Attended meeting at Tabernacle br S.M. Blon G.A. Smith Pr’t Young preached Attended in afternoon
6 Sold my house & lot by br Bullock for $450.00 in trade 4 cows 3 heifers 1 bull 1 ½ lots in fifth ward shair in pasture ten dollars 120 dollars in stone pay on Cash two payed by New Year’s Day
7 fixing around settling som business Attended Band Meeting
8 Commenced again at Jarvis house
9 Working on Jarvis House attended band meeting
10 Working on Jarvis House
11 Working on Jarvis House Attended Meeting at Social Hall br Mitchel br D. Candland & br W. Woodruff delivered Essays which were very interesting
12 Attended Meeting at tabernacle
13 Working on Jarvis House
14 Working on Jarvis House Attended band meeting
15 Working on Jarvis House
16 Working on Jarvis House Attended Band Meeting
17 hunting my Cows all day Stray pen $3.50 Cents damage
18 Working on Jarvis House
19 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle
20 Working on Jarvis House
21 Working on Jarvis House Attended Band Meeting
22 Working on Jarvis House
23 Working on Jarvis House Attended Band Meeting
24 Working on Jarvis House
25 finished br Jarvis house for $152.50
26 Attended a meeting at Tabernacle Morning & afternoon & ward meeting at night
27 Making a Well at home
28 Working at Well br Furman ½ day helping attended band meeting
29 Working at well
30 Working at well ½ day and ½ day at br Winder’s house
31 Working on Winder house
1855
Sept. 1 Working on Winder house
2 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle morning & afternoon took sacrament
3 Making a Cow pen at home
4 Working at Winder house attended band meeting
5 Working at Winder house
6 Working at Winder house attended Band Meeting
7 Working at Winder house
8 Working at Winder house
9 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle Morning & afternoon
10 Setting 2 boilers for Jennings
11 finished attended Band meeting
12 Settling som business with br
13 Working at Winder house at. Band meeting
14 Working at Winder house
15 Working at Winder house
16 Writing
17 Working at Winder house
18 Working at Winder house played in the band at the pol. C Meeting
19 Working at Winder house
20 Working on Winder’s house finished all but top of chimney played in band
21 Cutting my corn in 6th ward played in band for som mountaineers at br Robinsons payed us $13.70 cash
22 Cutting Corn do rained som
23 Spent the Evening at Sister Wilkins
24 finished cutting my Corn in morning Layed foundation for br. Jambell
25 Laying adobies for do self and Wife attended a social party at br Wilkins
26 Laying Adobies for do
27 Finished about 11 o’clock all but top of chimney. Walked up to Farmington to build a house for br Hess & drove a cow & two calves
28 Commenced about 1 o’clock ½ day
29 Laying adobies for do
30 Drove my stock up to Kays Creek
1855
Oct. 1 returned in morning to Farmington laying adobies 1 day
2 Laying adobies do 1 day
3 laying adobies do 1 day
4 Laying adobies 1 day do
5 Laying adobies till about 4 o’clock P.M. rode to town with br Phillips to Confrence
6 Doing som business & fixing around home
7 br Smith & family br Phillips & do & br Herris stayed at my house during Conference Attended Conference & returned to Farmington
8 Laying adobies do
9 Laying Adobies do
10 Finished about 3 o’clock P.M. job com to $60.00 paid four for board Walked to Phillips 6 miles
11 Drove my Cow & calf home & walked 25 miles
12 Laying Adobies on our new musick hall 1 day
13 Laying adobies do 1 day Attended a lecture at the Social Hall by P.P.Prat President Young made som remarks
14 Writing & visiting at br Wilkins some of his folks arrived from the Old Country
15 Playing for Navoo Legion
16 Working on Musick Hall Attended a meeting at br. L. Snows
17 Working on Musick Hall
18 Working on Musick Hall serenaded Robert Williams & Capt. Hooper
19 Working on hall
20 Working on hall
21 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle
22 Working on hall
23 Working on hall Attended Band Meeting
24 Working on hall
25 Working on hall Attended Band Meeting
26 Working on hall
27 Working on hall finished the adobie work on hall
28 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle & 5th Ward Meeting
29 Commenced a house for Joseph Neibour T. Griffins ¾ day
30 Working on Neibour house Attended Band Meeting
31 Finished br Neibour house about noon Working at home
1855
Nov. 1 Working at home Attended Band Meeting sent 2 ½ lbs of beef to the bishop for the poor 25 cents
2 hunting ½ day on ½ day in morning working at Wm. Tousack ½ day T. Griffin
3 Attended br Wilkins Sister’s funeral T. Griffin 1 day at Tussack
4 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle morning & evening & ward meeting at night
5 Working for Jennings & Co. Griffin at Toussack
6 Working for Jennings & Co. Griffin at Toussack
7 ½ day at Jennings ½ day at Toussack Griffin 1 day Wife and self whent to the Theatre at night
8 Working at Toussack Griffin do
9 Working at Toussack
10 Doing business for the musick hall
11 Snowing in morning attended meeting in Tab’e & Ward meeting at night.
12 Doing som business Snowing
13 Attending to som business Snow
14 Working at Toussack
15 Working at Toussack
16 Setting adobies for Jennings ½ day ½ at Toussacks
17 building a backhouse for br foster
18 Attended meeting at the Tabernacle morning & afternoon
19 Attending to som business for the Hall Working at Toussack ½ day Band meeting at night
20 Working at Toussack
21 Attending to som business
22 Working at Toussacks attended Band meeting Killed my pig wied 236 lb. paid one tenth to the Tithing Office
23 Attended to som business working at Toussakcs ½ day
24 Whitewashing My house
25 Attended meeting at tabernacle br P.P. Pratt delivered an excellent discourse on the first principles of the Gospell Attended in afternoon O. Pratt in afternoon on Consercration Toock Sacrement
26 Doing som Business for the Band in morning ½ day at Toussack
27 ½ day at Toussacks setting a boiler Balance of day on 5th Ward School house
28 Working on 5th Ward School house
29 Doing Business for band
30 Working on 5th Ward School house
1855
Dec. 1 Working on 5th Ward Schoolhouse by permission form Bishop Hogland I invited brothers Clements Stephons Balentine Mills to meet at my house at 7 o’clock p.m. to organize a polysophical society in 14th Ward and draw up a constitution to govern the same which we accomplished appointed Bishop Hogeland President to give out an appointment for our first meeting on the 5th inst.
2 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle morning & afternnon br. A. Lymon spoak.
3 Doing business for the Band in Morning and laying adobies for Br. Nelson in afternoon
4 Working for do attended a ball at Wilkins hall given by the band for benifet of the Music hall
5 ½ day at Bro Nelson ½ day at Jennings Attended polysophical society at night
6 Working at Jennings played with band at br Haywoods
7 finished at Jennings
8 Working at Wilkins
9 Working on Essay
10 Finished br Wilkins Chumney
11 Reading and writing
12 reading and writing read an Essay at the polysophical meeting and played with the band
13 plastering C.P. Smith house
14 finished do
15 doing Chores
16 at home
17 Working at Tonysage
18 do
19 do
20 do
21 do
22 do
23 at home
24 at home the weather very cold
25 visiting at Sister palmers
26 at home attended poly. meeting
27 at home
28 do
29 do
30 do
31 do
1856
Jan. 1 Serenading first presidence & our friends. Visiting at br Palmers in
Evening
Mar. 15 As the winter has been unusually severe so that little of no work have been don I have not kept a dayle Jurnal I have devoted my time to reading and writing.
16 President B. Young Sealed Hannett Wonfor to me and on the 21 I took her through the Endowment house President B. Young Sealed them Both to me at the proper place
27 br Wardrobe came after me today to lay up som Adobies for br Levi Abnam I commenced at noon same day. Layed up ten Thousand for forty dollars Be times gardening
April 25 whent up north with br. Wilkins to hunt my cows but without success. I returned on the 26th about ten O’Clock P.M.
29 raining and snowed
30 Doing Chores at home
May 1 Whent up North with br Wilkins after som flour
2 returned home with a load of flour
3 Working in garden
4 reading & writing raining all day
5 Gardening
6 Gardening
7 Gardening til noon started for Rear River and Cash Valley to hunt my Cows put up at br Phillip on Kays Crick
8 reached Willo Crick stoped with br Wicks
9 reached Barriver President Young Suit was there
10 Traveled with do about 20 miles up Bearriver & back to box Elder
11 I remained in Box Elder all day Pr’t Young preceeded in morning br Joseph Young & Lorenso in afternoon attended Seventy Meeting at night
12 left in Company with do for Cash Valley remained there during the night did not find my Cows
13 left in company with br Phillips for home stopped a little way from Box Elder
14 reached br. Phillips
15 reached home about 5 o’clock P.M. Without finding My Cows
16 Gardening
17 putting up som fencing on my pasture
18 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle
19 Working on my lot in 5th Ward
20 Working on do
21 Started up north to br Phillips after a steer
22 bought ten acres of land of br B. Harris for my yoke of steers 1 cow and twenty-five Dollars in store pay
23 Returned home attended poly So. meeting
24 Working at home
25 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle Morning and Afternoon
26 Plowing my lot in 5th Ward
27 Working do
28 Working on do
29 Gardening
30 Gardening
31 do
1856
June 1 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle Morning & afternoon
2 planting Corn in 5th Ward
3 do
4 do
5 Working on the canal
6 Working on do
7 Working on do returned home in Evening
8 Attended Meeting at Tabernacle Morning & afternoon
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Dennison Lott Harris Story told by Elder Oaks
Priesthood Session 4 April 1987
Priesthood Blessings by Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
…As a boy, I was inspired by a story of courage in Nauvoo, which involved my grandfather’s uncle. In the spring of 1844, some men were plotting against the Prophet Joseph Smith. One of the leaders, William Law, held a secret meeting at his home in Nauvoo. Among those invited were nineteen-year-old Dennison Lott Harris and his friend, Robert Scott. Dennison’s father, Emer Harris, who is my second great-grandfather, was also invited. He sought counsel from the Prophet Joseph Smith, who told him not to attend the meeting but to have the young men attend. The Prophet instructed them to pay close attention and report what was said.
The spokesmen at this first meeting denounced Joseph Smith as a fallen prophet and stated their determination to destroy him. When the Prophet heard this, he asked the young men to attend the second meeting. They did so, and reported the plotting.
A third meeting was to be held a week later. Again the Prophet asked them to attend, but he told them this would be their last meeting. “Be careful to remain silent and not to make any covenants or promises with them,” he counseled. He also cautioned them on the great danger of their mission. Although he thought it unlikely, it was possible they would be killed. Then, the Prophet Joseph Smith blessed Dennison and Robert by the power of the priesthood, promising them that if their lives were taken, their reward would be great.
In the strength of this priesthood blessing, they attended the third meeting and listened to the murderous plans. Then, when each person was required to take an oath to join the plot and keep it secret, they bravely refused. After everyone else had sworn secrecy, the whole group turned on Dennison and Robert, threatening to kill them unless they took the oath also. Because any refusal threatened the secrecy of their plans, about half of the plotters proposed to kill these two immediately. Knives were drawn, and angry men began to force them down into a basement to kill them.
Other plotters shouted to wait. Parents probably knew where they were. If they didn’t return, an alarm would be sounded and a search could reveal the boys’ deaths and the secret plans. During a long argument, two lives hung in the balance. Finally, the group decided to threaten to kill the young men if they ever revealed anything that had occurred and then to release them. This was done. Despite this threat, and because they had followed the Prophet’s counsel not to make any promises to the conspirators, Dennison and Robert promptly reported everything to the Prophet Joseph Smith.
For their own protection, the Prophet had these courageous young men promise him that they would never reveal this experience, not even to their fathers, for at least twenty years. A few months later, the Prophet Joseph Smith was murdered.
Many years passed. The members of the Church settled in the West. While Dennison L. Harris was serving as bishop of the Monroe Ward in southern Utah, he met a member of the First Presidency at a Church meeting in Ephraim. There, on Sunday, 15 May 1881, thirty-seven years after the Prophet Joseph Smith had sealed his lips to protect him against mob vengeance, Dennison Harris recited this experience to President Joseph F. Smith (see Verbal Statement of Bishop Dennison L. Harris, 15 May 1881, MS 2725, Historical Department, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City; the account was later published in the Contributor, Apr. 1884, pp. 251–60). Dennison Harris’s posterity includes many notable Latter-day Saints, including Franklin S. Harris, long-time president of Brigham Young University….
Priesthood Blessings by Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
…As a boy, I was inspired by a story of courage in Nauvoo, which involved my grandfather’s uncle. In the spring of 1844, some men were plotting against the Prophet Joseph Smith. One of the leaders, William Law, held a secret meeting at his home in Nauvoo. Among those invited were nineteen-year-old Dennison Lott Harris and his friend, Robert Scott. Dennison’s father, Emer Harris, who is my second great-grandfather, was also invited. He sought counsel from the Prophet Joseph Smith, who told him not to attend the meeting but to have the young men attend. The Prophet instructed them to pay close attention and report what was said.
The spokesmen at this first meeting denounced Joseph Smith as a fallen prophet and stated their determination to destroy him. When the Prophet heard this, he asked the young men to attend the second meeting. They did so, and reported the plotting.
A third meeting was to be held a week later. Again the Prophet asked them to attend, but he told them this would be their last meeting. “Be careful to remain silent and not to make any covenants or promises with them,” he counseled. He also cautioned them on the great danger of their mission. Although he thought it unlikely, it was possible they would be killed. Then, the Prophet Joseph Smith blessed Dennison and Robert by the power of the priesthood, promising them that if their lives were taken, their reward would be great.
In the strength of this priesthood blessing, they attended the third meeting and listened to the murderous plans. Then, when each person was required to take an oath to join the plot and keep it secret, they bravely refused. After everyone else had sworn secrecy, the whole group turned on Dennison and Robert, threatening to kill them unless they took the oath also. Because any refusal threatened the secrecy of their plans, about half of the plotters proposed to kill these two immediately. Knives were drawn, and angry men began to force them down into a basement to kill them.
Other plotters shouted to wait. Parents probably knew where they were. If they didn’t return, an alarm would be sounded and a search could reveal the boys’ deaths and the secret plans. During a long argument, two lives hung in the balance. Finally, the group decided to threaten to kill the young men if they ever revealed anything that had occurred and then to release them. This was done. Despite this threat, and because they had followed the Prophet’s counsel not to make any promises to the conspirators, Dennison and Robert promptly reported everything to the Prophet Joseph Smith.
For their own protection, the Prophet had these courageous young men promise him that they would never reveal this experience, not even to their fathers, for at least twenty years. A few months later, the Prophet Joseph Smith was murdered.
Many years passed. The members of the Church settled in the West. While Dennison L. Harris was serving as bishop of the Monroe Ward in southern Utah, he met a member of the First Presidency at a Church meeting in Ephraim. There, on Sunday, 15 May 1881, thirty-seven years after the Prophet Joseph Smith had sealed his lips to protect him against mob vengeance, Dennison Harris recited this experience to President Joseph F. Smith (see Verbal Statement of Bishop Dennison L. Harris, 15 May 1881, MS 2725, Historical Department, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City; the account was later published in the Contributor, Apr. 1884, pp. 251–60). Dennison Harris’s posterity includes many notable Latter-day Saints, including Franklin S. Harris, long-time president of Brigham Young University….
Patriarchal Blessing of Issac Chauncy Haight
Patriarchal Blessing of Isaac Chauncy Haight
Brother Haight, in the name of Jesus of Nazareth and by virtue of the Priesthood and the “Holy Calling” by which I have been set apart I lay my hands on thy head to bless thee with a patriarchal or father’s blessing and I say unto thee that thou shalt be blest, for the spirit of the Most High burns in me and my heart swells with blessings on thy head. Thou art of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Joseph a descendant of Ephraim and have a right to the blessings and privileges that pertain to the Holy Priesthood, as also the blessings of the earth, which thy Father in Heaven hath ordained for thy good. Thou art a Father in Israel and thy posterity shall become numerous on the earth. Thou shalt not want for a son to act for thee or thy progenitors in the principles of redemption. Thou shalt have houses and land, and the precious fruits of the earth. Thy granaries shall be filled, thou shalt enjoy of the precious treasures of the earth, that thou mayest have wherewith to assist in the advancement of the Kingdom of thy Father on the earth, that thou mayest nourish the poor and the needy. Thy name shalt be perpetuated to the latest generation of Man on the earth. Thy days shall be many upon the earth, yea thou mayest live to behold the winding up scene of this ungodly generation. Thou shalt behold the redemption of Zion, the return of the Saints, the building up of the New Jerusalem (which shall be called Zion) the completion of the Temple, upon which the cloud shall rest and the glory of the Lord shall come into it. Thou shalt receive thine inheritance in Zion with the called and chosen. thou shalt enjoy the fullness of the Holy Priesthood, and officiate in the ordinances of the house of the Lord, in behalf of thy progenitors. Thou shalt be an instrument in the hands of the Lord thy God in bringing many of thy kindred to a knowledge of the truth. Thou shalt yet go forth among the nations of the Earth to teach them the principles of light and truth. The Holy Angels shall be with thee and minister unto thee, and in their hands shall bear thee up. Thou shalt be delivered from thine enemies; thou shalt have power over the Prince of Darkness, and all who uphold his works. Thou shalt have power over the elements, the winds and waters shall obey thy voice. Great men and Kings of the earth shall be astonished at thy testimony, and shall acknowledge thee a man of God, because of the power of the Most High which shall manifest itself in thee. Thou shalt return to Zion, bearing thy sheaves with thee. Thou shalt receive a crown of Glory, a Kingdom, Dominion, powers and Eternal lives and thou shalt be numbered with the hundred and fourty and four thousand, who stand as Saviors on Mount Zion, therefore let thy heart be filled with joy, be thou faithful, for in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, I seal these blessings on thy head. Even so. Amen and Amen.
Given in Cedar City 28th Dec. 1853.
Patriarchal Blessing of Elisha H. Greaves, upon the head of Isaac Chauncy Haight son of Caleb and Keturah Haight, born 27th May 1813 in Windham, Green County, New York. John M. Mcfarlane Clerk.
(L.D.S. Church Historian’s Office, Patriarchal Blessings, Volume 35, page 60)
Brother Haight, in the name of Jesus of Nazareth and by virtue of the Priesthood and the “Holy Calling” by which I have been set apart I lay my hands on thy head to bless thee with a patriarchal or father’s blessing and I say unto thee that thou shalt be blest, for the spirit of the Most High burns in me and my heart swells with blessings on thy head. Thou art of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Joseph a descendant of Ephraim and have a right to the blessings and privileges that pertain to the Holy Priesthood, as also the blessings of the earth, which thy Father in Heaven hath ordained for thy good. Thou art a Father in Israel and thy posterity shall become numerous on the earth. Thou shalt not want for a son to act for thee or thy progenitors in the principles of redemption. Thou shalt have houses and land, and the precious fruits of the earth. Thy granaries shall be filled, thou shalt enjoy of the precious treasures of the earth, that thou mayest have wherewith to assist in the advancement of the Kingdom of thy Father on the earth, that thou mayest nourish the poor and the needy. Thy name shalt be perpetuated to the latest generation of Man on the earth. Thy days shall be many upon the earth, yea thou mayest live to behold the winding up scene of this ungodly generation. Thou shalt behold the redemption of Zion, the return of the Saints, the building up of the New Jerusalem (which shall be called Zion) the completion of the Temple, upon which the cloud shall rest and the glory of the Lord shall come into it. Thou shalt receive thine inheritance in Zion with the called and chosen. thou shalt enjoy the fullness of the Holy Priesthood, and officiate in the ordinances of the house of the Lord, in behalf of thy progenitors. Thou shalt be an instrument in the hands of the Lord thy God in bringing many of thy kindred to a knowledge of the truth. Thou shalt yet go forth among the nations of the Earth to teach them the principles of light and truth. The Holy Angels shall be with thee and minister unto thee, and in their hands shall bear thee up. Thou shalt be delivered from thine enemies; thou shalt have power over the Prince of Darkness, and all who uphold his works. Thou shalt have power over the elements, the winds and waters shall obey thy voice. Great men and Kings of the earth shall be astonished at thy testimony, and shall acknowledge thee a man of God, because of the power of the Most High which shall manifest itself in thee. Thou shalt return to Zion, bearing thy sheaves with thee. Thou shalt receive a crown of Glory, a Kingdom, Dominion, powers and Eternal lives and thou shalt be numbered with the hundred and fourty and four thousand, who stand as Saviors on Mount Zion, therefore let thy heart be filled with joy, be thou faithful, for in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, I seal these blessings on thy head. Even so. Amen and Amen.
Given in Cedar City 28th Dec. 1853.
Patriarchal Blessing of Elisha H. Greaves, upon the head of Isaac Chauncy Haight son of Caleb and Keturah Haight, born 27th May 1813 in Windham, Green County, New York. John M. Mcfarlane Clerk.
(L.D.S. Church Historian’s Office, Patriarchal Blessings, Volume 35, page 60)
Patriarchal Blessing's of George Spilsbury
Patriarchal Blessing of George Spilsbury
Brother Spilsbury, I lay my hands upon your head in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, and place and seal a blessing upon you consonant with your lineage and rights of lineage, priesthood and rights of priesthood. Behold I say unto you, George, thou art of the lineage of Jacob, through the loins of Levi, and in this lineage there is a right inherent to the priesthood, and to an inheritance according to the covenant made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and in this lineage, are your blessings, to be administered according to the prophetic visions of your fathers, even spiritually and temporally. Nevertheless, you are in the days of your youth, and the fulfillment of the everlasting covenant, and the blessing of your inheritance, you do not understand, nor comprehend, neither the time nor the season nor the day thereof, but if your faith fail not, the day cometh when you shall know these things, and the times and seasons thereof, and your responsibilities as also the requisitions of heaven, wherein you and your house may be called upon to answer and give an account of your stewardship where you are called to serve, that your house may be saved, and that your posterity may have claim upon God, and the powers of His administrations, and again the day cometh when you shall receive a blessing in your administration, and in the exercise of your gifts and calling, wherewith you shall be called, and your testimony shall be right and pleasing, and attended with prosperity and you shall go and come and learn wisdom, and again, notwithstanding there are tribulations, you shall be blessed in your house and habitation and in your possessions, and tenements, and your name shall be perpetuated from generation to generation, and written in the chronicles of your brethren, and handed down as a memorial, with the blessings of the priesthood , and in your posterity, unto the latest generation. And if you are faithful, you shall see the coming of the Son of Man. These blessings I seal upon your head, evenso, Amen.
Nauvoo, 19, Nov. 1843.
A Patriarchal Blessing by Hyrum Smith, Patriarch, upon the head of George Spilsbury, son of Joseph and Hannah Haden Spilsbury, born in the Parish of Leigh, England, 21st of April, 1823.
(copied from typed copy included in biography of George Spilsbury in possession of Frankie Estelle Spilsbury Harris)
(L.D.S. Church Historian’s Office, Patriarchal Blessings, Vol. 41, Page 19)
Brother Spilsbury, I lay my hands upon your head in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, and place and seal a blessing upon you consonant with your lineage and rights of lineage, priesthood and rights of priesthood. Behold I say unto you, George, thou art of the lineage of Jacob, through the loins of Levi, and in this lineage there is a right inherent to the priesthood, and to an inheritance according to the covenant made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and in this lineage, are your blessings, to be administered according to the prophetic visions of your fathers, even spiritually and temporally. Nevertheless, you are in the days of your youth, and the fulfillment of the everlasting covenant, and the blessing of your inheritance, you do not understand, nor comprehend, neither the time nor the season nor the day thereof, but if your faith fail not, the day cometh when you shall know these things, and the times and seasons thereof, and your responsibilities as also the requisitions of heaven, wherein you and your house may be called upon to answer and give an account of your stewardship where you are called to serve, that your house may be saved, and that your posterity may have claim upon God, and the powers of His administrations, and again the day cometh when you shall receive a blessing in your administration, and in the exercise of your gifts and calling, wherewith you shall be called, and your testimony shall be right and pleasing, and attended with prosperity and you shall go and come and learn wisdom, and again, notwithstanding there are tribulations, you shall be blessed in your house and habitation and in your possessions, and tenements, and your name shall be perpetuated from generation to generation, and written in the chronicles of your brethren, and handed down as a memorial, with the blessings of the priesthood , and in your posterity, unto the latest generation. And if you are faithful, you shall see the coming of the Son of Man. These blessings I seal upon your head, evenso, Amen.
Nauvoo, 19, Nov. 1843.
A Patriarchal Blessing by Hyrum Smith, Patriarch, upon the head of George Spilsbury, son of Joseph and Hannah Haden Spilsbury, born in the Parish of Leigh, England, 21st of April, 1823.
(copied from typed copy included in biography of George Spilsbury in possession of Frankie Estelle Spilsbury Harris)
(L.D.S. Church Historian’s Office, Patriarchal Blessings, Vol. 41, Page 19)
Patriarchal Blessing's of Roselia Haight Spilsbury
Patriarchal Blessing of Roselia Jocosia Haight Spilsbury
Sister Rozilia J.H. Spilsbury, in the name of Jesus Christ I lay my hands upon your head. And in the authority of the Holy Priesthood seal a father’s blessing upon you. In as much as you have obeyed the Gospel and been forward in assisting in the work of the Lord and been willing to receive council your sins are forgiven and your name is written in the Lamb’s book of life no more to be blotted out. You have a right and a claim upon God according to the covenants and promises made to Abraham Isaac and Jacob for you are of the seed of Jacob you shall have a inheritance in Zion and you will be greatly blessed in your diligence and faith and perseverance in raising your children in the fear of the Lord, if your faith fail not you shall be greatly blessed and come forth in the resurrection of the just. And you shall go and come learn wisdom you shall have power to bless your family and your name shall be handed down in honorable remembrance unto the latest generation And you shall go down to your grave as a shock of corn fully ripe. Your inheritance and blessings shall be in common with your husband. be steadfast in the truth and these blessings will not fail even so Amen.
December 30, 1904
A Patriarchal Blessing by George Spilsbury, Patriarch, on the head of Rosilia J. H. Spilsbury Born October 22, 1854 in Cedar City, Iron Co Utah.
(L.D.S. Church Historian’s Office, Patriarchal blessings, Volume 263, Page 7)
Patriarchal Blessing of Roselia Jocosia Haight Spilsbury
Sister Roselia J. Haight Spilsbury I lay my hands upon your head and seal upon you a blessing Thou art of the blood of Israel and in as much as you have received the gospel you are entitled to the blessings thereof and inasmuch as you have entered into the new and everlasting covenant of marriage and have not sherked the responsibility of motherhood but have brought forth children to the honor and glory of God. And you shall have pleasure in your family and in as much as you have been called upon in a responsible position in the ward in which you live. Seek the Lord in humble prayer that he will direct you by His Holy Spirit so that the spirit of your calling may rest upon you, so that you may be able to do much good in incouraging those whom you associate with and are under your jourisdiction Your guardian angel has watched over you for good and will assist you in the discharge of your duties and if you continue faithful you shall come forth in the morning of the first resurrection and your name shall be handed down in honorable remembrance in future generations, and you shall have pleasure in your family, joy and satisfaction in your work which you have been called to do. And also the young and rising generation of this place. And the blessings of Abraham shall rest upon you. Be true to the children of Zion and the labor which has been assigned you in the ward. These blessings I seal upon your head in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
August 3, 1913
A Patriarchal Blessing given by George Spilsbury on the head of Roselia J. Haight daughter of Isaac C. and Eliza Ann Price Haight. born Oct 22nd, 1854 at Cedar City, Utah
(L.D.S. Church Historian’s Office Patriarchal Blessings, vol. 325, page 153)
Sister Rozilia J.H. Spilsbury, in the name of Jesus Christ I lay my hands upon your head. And in the authority of the Holy Priesthood seal a father’s blessing upon you. In as much as you have obeyed the Gospel and been forward in assisting in the work of the Lord and been willing to receive council your sins are forgiven and your name is written in the Lamb’s book of life no more to be blotted out. You have a right and a claim upon God according to the covenants and promises made to Abraham Isaac and Jacob for you are of the seed of Jacob you shall have a inheritance in Zion and you will be greatly blessed in your diligence and faith and perseverance in raising your children in the fear of the Lord, if your faith fail not you shall be greatly blessed and come forth in the resurrection of the just. And you shall go and come learn wisdom you shall have power to bless your family and your name shall be handed down in honorable remembrance unto the latest generation And you shall go down to your grave as a shock of corn fully ripe. Your inheritance and blessings shall be in common with your husband. be steadfast in the truth and these blessings will not fail even so Amen.
December 30, 1904
A Patriarchal Blessing by George Spilsbury, Patriarch, on the head of Rosilia J. H. Spilsbury Born October 22, 1854 in Cedar City, Iron Co Utah.
(L.D.S. Church Historian’s Office, Patriarchal blessings, Volume 263, Page 7)
Patriarchal Blessing of Roselia Jocosia Haight Spilsbury
Sister Roselia J. Haight Spilsbury I lay my hands upon your head and seal upon you a blessing Thou art of the blood of Israel and in as much as you have received the gospel you are entitled to the blessings thereof and inasmuch as you have entered into the new and everlasting covenant of marriage and have not sherked the responsibility of motherhood but have brought forth children to the honor and glory of God. And you shall have pleasure in your family and in as much as you have been called upon in a responsible position in the ward in which you live. Seek the Lord in humble prayer that he will direct you by His Holy Spirit so that the spirit of your calling may rest upon you, so that you may be able to do much good in incouraging those whom you associate with and are under your jourisdiction Your guardian angel has watched over you for good and will assist you in the discharge of your duties and if you continue faithful you shall come forth in the morning of the first resurrection and your name shall be handed down in honorable remembrance in future generations, and you shall have pleasure in your family, joy and satisfaction in your work which you have been called to do. And also the young and rising generation of this place. And the blessings of Abraham shall rest upon you. Be true to the children of Zion and the labor which has been assigned you in the ward. These blessings I seal upon your head in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
August 3, 1913
A Patriarchal Blessing given by George Spilsbury on the head of Roselia J. Haight daughter of Isaac C. and Eliza Ann Price Haight. born Oct 22nd, 1854 at Cedar City, Utah
(L.D.S. Church Historian’s Office Patriarchal Blessings, vol. 325, page 153)
Roselia Haight Spilsbury
Roselia J, Haight Spilsbury1854 - 1922
A short biography of my mother Roselia J. Haight Spilsbury, the eldest child of Isaac C. Haight and his wife Eliza Ann Price Haight. She was born in Cedar City Oct. 22, 1854.
Being the eldest of ten children in this pioneer home in southern Utah her duties were many and her training by a strict English mother helped prepare her in child care, cooking and home management which were useful in her own home.
She was married to George M. Spilsbury at Toquerville January 1, 1874. Later they went through the Saint George Temple. Her husband was interested in farming and stock raising and this meant my mother and family spent many summers on their ranch on the Kolob Mountains.
She was the mother of twelve children. Most of the older children remember the making of butter on Kolob Mountains, which was put in large earthen crocks for the wintertime, the wonderful cream cheese that we made and put on long shelves to cure. Also the home smoked hams and corned beef that were cured for future use.
She taught us how to make candles in molds from the fat of sheep. We also went on picnics with her to gather wild hops for making yeast.
She was a devoted wife and a loving mother as well as an ardent church worker having been president of the Relief Society for nearly twenty-one years from 1901 to 1922, being released upon her death.
She was one of the pioneers in the serving of Telegraph Operators also training operators for the work being an outstanding speller. She had the office in Pine Valley and Kanab and St. George. In early days this was the main line of all news.
Being the eldest child I remember while mother was Relief Society President, of carrying food from our home to the sick, clothing and bedding when babies were born. Also warm gruel, which they all enjoyed. We would go with her to sit with the sick and when death came to the home she with others would sit all night with the ones in sorrow.
Her devotion to her large family, her ideals of right living and her unselfish work in relieving sorrow and distress are among her virtues. Her effort to give her family an education when many things discouraged her has built a monument to her honor more precious than gold or tablets of bronze or marble. The seven children who grew to manhood and womanhood all attended the Brigham Young University. Her three sons and one daughter filled missions. The youngest son was on a mission at the time of her death.
Our house was the old fashioned type with floors covered with homemade carpets laid over fresh straw and pictures and mottos on the wall. The big fireplace with the crackling pine logs where we roasted corn, ate apples, and toasted our skins. The old fashioned organ lent charm and refinement to the home.
The loving care our mother gave her aged mother for years and then to her husband’s mother and father in their failing years adds honor to her memory.
She died at the age of sixty-eight in the L.D.S. Hospital. As we drove up the driveway on our return home the entire town was lined up on either side to honor her. She was remembered by her Relief Society sisters for her “cheerful smile, words of wise counsel, plea for motherhood, prayer for the sons of daughters of Zion to be true to themselves and their God.”
A line to her memory:
It is easy to pass up the things hard to do
It takes brain and courage to see a task through.
So when ever I’m tempted to quit or to shirk
I remember my pioneer mother and go back to work.
By Isabel S. Christenson
Children: Born:
Isabel 1 Dec 1874
George Chauncy 10 Sep 1876
Georgenia 12 Oct 1878
Arthur 26 Nov 1880
Archie Price 10 Jan 1882
Frankie Estella 17 Feb 1884
Florence 23 Apr 1886
Raymond 9 Oct 1888
Myrtle 5 Feb 1891
Vivian 1 Nov 1893
Victor Roland 15 Apr 1895
Erwin Roswell 28 Oct 1901
A short biography of my mother Roselia J. Haight Spilsbury, the eldest child of Isaac C. Haight and his wife Eliza Ann Price Haight. She was born in Cedar City Oct. 22, 1854.
Being the eldest of ten children in this pioneer home in southern Utah her duties were many and her training by a strict English mother helped prepare her in child care, cooking and home management which were useful in her own home.
She was married to George M. Spilsbury at Toquerville January 1, 1874. Later they went through the Saint George Temple. Her husband was interested in farming and stock raising and this meant my mother and family spent many summers on their ranch on the Kolob Mountains.
She was the mother of twelve children. Most of the older children remember the making of butter on Kolob Mountains, which was put in large earthen crocks for the wintertime, the wonderful cream cheese that we made and put on long shelves to cure. Also the home smoked hams and corned beef that were cured for future use.
She taught us how to make candles in molds from the fat of sheep. We also went on picnics with her to gather wild hops for making yeast.
She was a devoted wife and a loving mother as well as an ardent church worker having been president of the Relief Society for nearly twenty-one years from 1901 to 1922, being released upon her death.
She was one of the pioneers in the serving of Telegraph Operators also training operators for the work being an outstanding speller. She had the office in Pine Valley and Kanab and St. George. In early days this was the main line of all news.
Being the eldest child I remember while mother was Relief Society President, of carrying food from our home to the sick, clothing and bedding when babies were born. Also warm gruel, which they all enjoyed. We would go with her to sit with the sick and when death came to the home she with others would sit all night with the ones in sorrow.
Her devotion to her large family, her ideals of right living and her unselfish work in relieving sorrow and distress are among her virtues. Her effort to give her family an education when many things discouraged her has built a monument to her honor more precious than gold or tablets of bronze or marble. The seven children who grew to manhood and womanhood all attended the Brigham Young University. Her three sons and one daughter filled missions. The youngest son was on a mission at the time of her death.
Our house was the old fashioned type with floors covered with homemade carpets laid over fresh straw and pictures and mottos on the wall. The big fireplace with the crackling pine logs where we roasted corn, ate apples, and toasted our skins. The old fashioned organ lent charm and refinement to the home.
The loving care our mother gave her aged mother for years and then to her husband’s mother and father in their failing years adds honor to her memory.
She died at the age of sixty-eight in the L.D.S. Hospital. As we drove up the driveway on our return home the entire town was lined up on either side to honor her. She was remembered by her Relief Society sisters for her “cheerful smile, words of wise counsel, plea for motherhood, prayer for the sons of daughters of Zion to be true to themselves and their God.”
A line to her memory:
It is easy to pass up the things hard to do
It takes brain and courage to see a task through.
So when ever I’m tempted to quit or to shirk
I remember my pioneer mother and go back to work.
By Isabel S. Christenson
Children: Born:
Isabel 1 Dec 1874
George Chauncy 10 Sep 1876
Georgenia 12 Oct 1878
Arthur 26 Nov 1880
Archie Price 10 Jan 1882
Frankie Estella 17 Feb 1884
Florence 23 Apr 1886
Raymond 9 Oct 1888
Myrtle 5 Feb 1891
Vivian 1 Nov 1893
Victor Roland 15 Apr 1895
Erwin Roswell 28 Oct 1901
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Patriarchal Blessing for George Moroni Spilsbury
Patriarchal Blessing for George Moroni Spilsbury
Dear Son George M., in the name of Jesus Christ and in the authority of the Holy Priesthood—I lay my hands upon your head and seal upon you a blessing. You have been greatly blessed in being born in this goodly land, when the gospel was restored in its fullness. And you have been born in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and have received the gospel and the Holy Priesthood has been conferred upon you. And you are entitled to the blessing pertaining to the same. And you have been permitted to raise a large family and have had them trained and educated in the school which has been appointed for the children of Zion. In this you have been greatly blessed in raising your children in the ways of the gospel and you have sent forth and been willing for your sons and daughters to go on missions and been willing to bear the expense. And you have also entered the new and everlasting covenant of marriage. This has been a great blessing upon you. And this offering has been acceptable unto the Lord. Seek the Lord in humble prayer that the Lord will bless you with his Holy Spirit to direct his footsteps in the way of life and salvation and exaltation. And your guardian angel has watched over you for good from your birth and will continue to watch over you in the future, so that you may be able to walk in the strait and narrow path. And if you continue faithful you will come forth the morning of the first resurrection and you shall have joy and pleasure in your family. And the Holy Spirit shall rest upon you and you shall understand the signs of the time and the judgment that await the wicked.
Seek to magnify the holy Priesthood which have been conferred upon you to labor amongst those you associate with by seeking to strengthen them in the work of the Lord.
Be faithful and true to the children of Zion and the Lord will bless you and your name shall be handed down in honor with your family. These blessings I seal upon your head in the authority of the Holy Priesthood. Amen.
August 3, 1913
A Patriarchal blessing given by George Spilsbury on the head of George Moroni Spilsbury, son of George Spilsbury and Fannie Smith, born October 30th, 1852 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
(L.D.S. Church Historian’s Office)
Dear Son George M., in the name of Jesus Christ and in the authority of the Holy Priesthood—I lay my hands upon your head and seal upon you a blessing. You have been greatly blessed in being born in this goodly land, when the gospel was restored in its fullness. And you have been born in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and have received the gospel and the Holy Priesthood has been conferred upon you. And you are entitled to the blessing pertaining to the same. And you have been permitted to raise a large family and have had them trained and educated in the school which has been appointed for the children of Zion. In this you have been greatly blessed in raising your children in the ways of the gospel and you have sent forth and been willing for your sons and daughters to go on missions and been willing to bear the expense. And you have also entered the new and everlasting covenant of marriage. This has been a great blessing upon you. And this offering has been acceptable unto the Lord. Seek the Lord in humble prayer that the Lord will bless you with his Holy Spirit to direct his footsteps in the way of life and salvation and exaltation. And your guardian angel has watched over you for good from your birth and will continue to watch over you in the future, so that you may be able to walk in the strait and narrow path. And if you continue faithful you will come forth the morning of the first resurrection and you shall have joy and pleasure in your family. And the Holy Spirit shall rest upon you and you shall understand the signs of the time and the judgment that await the wicked.
Seek to magnify the holy Priesthood which have been conferred upon you to labor amongst those you associate with by seeking to strengthen them in the work of the Lord.
Be faithful and true to the children of Zion and the Lord will bless you and your name shall be handed down in honor with your family. These blessings I seal upon your head in the authority of the Holy Priesthood. Amen.
August 3, 1913
A Patriarchal blessing given by George Spilsbury on the head of George Moroni Spilsbury, son of George Spilsbury and Fannie Smith, born October 30th, 1852 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
(L.D.S. Church Historian’s Office)
Growing up in Toquerville
Growing Up in Toquerville
By Erwin Spilsbury
Son of George Moroni & Roselia Jocosia Haight
Compiled December 1988
(The following is taken from a talk given by Erwin Spilsbury at the Franklin S. Harris Family Reunion at Rockville, Utah, August, 1977, supplemented by material from a taped interview with his daughter Gail)
Memories of Childhood in Toquerville
I was born at the turn of the century when President Teddy Roosevelt was President of the United States of America and in a rustic, rural area down in Toquerville, Utah, named after a big Indian Chief, almost as big as that town. His name was Toquer. Things were rustic, as I say: we had no electricity; we had no plumbing—it was outdoors and on a bright moonlight night it was easy to find; we had no automobiles; we had no appliances to speak of. The washing was done in a tub and you scrubbed most of the time; there was no wringer. We used the water in a big brass kettle over the fire; we heated it up to boil the clothes, and to soak them we used homemade soap—Tide wasn’t known at that time.
There was only one telephone in the town where we lived. The one who owned the telephone had to run all over the town to find the party to call back the party who had made the call in the first place. We were seventy miles from the railroad where we got most of our freight and goods. It took two days to go in the wagon and two days to come back over rough and narrow roads. So you see, in those days life was rather rural; but we survived, thank goodness, and here am I.
Now, how did I spend my time? At the age of about four, they started me by milking cows. They first tempted me by giving me the strippings. This is the richest part of the milk if you have done any milking at all. It tastes very good. Then they said, “Now to earn this, you will have to start milking cows.” So at four to five years old, I began and later was milking three or four cows in the morning and the evening. I had to feed them and take them out to pasture on the hills and bring them back in the evening. I learned to work climbing up the mountain and back twice a day. When the cows were in the corral, I let them out to drink out of the ditch and take them back.
Other chores included chopping wood for the stove and fireplace because we had no coal and we had no gas or electricity. Then I had to take out the ashes. I collected lots of water from the ditches—the open ditches—every morning and evening. I dipped the water out of the ditch with a big brass bucket. We had it for drinking and cooking; we had it for washing, both for ourselves and for the dishes and the clothes. The water came from a spring a couple of miles from where we lived. Our first “running water” was from a tap built outside the kitchen on the porch the first year I came back from Logan. The second time I came home there was a bathroom in the house that Ray had paid for. Then we hoed tomatoes, potatoes, corn, and beans and so on. We had luxurious growth in Toquerville. We grew delicious fruits and vegetables. If my memory serves me right, I never found anything that tastes as good as the peaches and figs and the grapes that came from Toquerville out of this volcanic ash formation; for some reason it had a special flavor and I have tasted fruits from a great many countries including one of the best that I was ever in, Spain.
We owned several ranches: twenty-eight miles up north and west and twelve miles out of Cedar City was Quichapah; another down by Hurricane was for the alfalfa fields; the summer range was up on Kolob where we ran stock in the summertime; we had grazing land out of Hurricane Valley going into the Kaibab Forest; the farms in Toquerville included a vineyard, fruit orchards (peaches, pears, pomegranates), hay and wheat fields, and a garden with fruit trees on the lot. We lived on two acres. This lot was retained but the old house of my grandfather was pulled down.
My various responsibilities on the farm included herding sheep, marking calves, plowing with two span of horses; we farmed on the land out by Hurricane as part of the Homestead Act; we built fences, chopped aspens to make the poles, dug ditches, cleared the land, and burned the sagebrush. I did everything from A-Z: learned to cook, work the thresher; and threshing time I would get off early to fix the dinner; we had a shack with a wooden stove; I learned to cook on a little wooden stove in the sheep wagon.
We herded sheep out of Hurricane Valley and Bench Lake where we owned the area for open grazing. In the summer we would trail the sheep up to Kolob and worked them up there. It took one week to get them up to Kolob; we would ride horses or walk. When I took the cows out to pasture I rode bareback. The field was one mile from home; it was good pasture land and fenced in. As I would take the cows out to the pasture either over the mountains or over the sand hill, I would carry a 22 rifle with me and often brought back some cottontails or some quail from the hunting party. Later when I was older, I got a shotgun.
I rode a horse for as long as I can remember. My father had some pacing ponies which he got from Dr. Leonard who paid my father back this way for the money my father loaned him to set himself up in business. We had a little mare with an English saddle who was very sensitive to the cinch. One day riding her, I pulled too tight and she bucked me off.
After the harvesting of the hay and the fruit, we played some games for our recreation. I remember one of my favorite games on a moonlit night: we played pomp pomp pull away on the main street and it was a thrilling experience—the trees on either side and the ditches of course and it was hard to catch the runners and hard to be caught. That was one of the games we liked a great deal. We went swimming in Ash Creek. The water at that time had some pretty good pools in it and some slippery rocks that we would slide down but we went there au natural, that is, in the nude. We went barefoot first thing in the summer, wearing overalls and a shirt. It was no problem to shed the clothes to go swimming, but for a boy that was supposed to be hoeing the weeds, the telltale sign was always the wet hair.
We also went fishing underneath the rocks; we would get on each side of a big rock that was in the stream and catch the fish that was underneath. We didn’t have any fishing rods or reels or flies in order to do that.
We rode horses almost from the time we could walk. We rode them bareback and we had some horse races. We also rode the Rocky Mountain Canaries. These were the wild jackasses that lived up on the hills. We would bring them into the corral, push them against the fence where the fellows would line up and jump on their back, ride on their rump and lock their feet in their flanks. The donkeys would bray and away they’d go and you would try to stick on. There were also the cattle. We used to help the cowboys with the branding of the calves in the spring and the fall. Because it was essentially a cattle country along with the farming, this was one of the fun times we would have—wrestling with the calves and holding them down while the boys with the branding irons would brand them and cut marks in their ears in order to distinguish ownership of the animals.
We had strawberry and watermelon busts and some of the watermelon busts were not scheduled ahead of time and the farmer didn’t know that he was going to donate the watermelon.
One of our entertainments was having house parties and birthday parties. When the family would have one, everyone would assemble and, of course, there was a big feast. We had matinee dances and at this the Relief Society furnished ice cream and homemade cake; they charged a little to make expenses so you could take your girl to the dance and buy her a dish of ice cream. The ice cream was frozen with snow packed ice, that they brought in on packs from the Pine Valley Mountains about twenty miles distance; they would go up with pack animals and carry the ice down in Al Fogey bags, covered with blankets; I remember churning the ice cream down in the cellar where it was cool.
One of the things we had fun with was to have water fights with buckets out of the ditches. You see the water ran on both sides of the street. One was the culinary or drinking water and the other was for irrigation and sometimes people got mixed up. We used to hold the baptisms for the eight year olds by placing in the headgate and backing up the water in the ditch. If there was an overgrown kid sometimes someone had to sit on him to get him down under. It worked out all right. I, myself, was baptized in Ash Creek. Bishop Walter Flack baptized me when the creek was at flood stage, big, swift, and high. Although it was second nature to country kids to cuss and swear, I felt so clean after my baptism, I vowed never to swear again (but I didn’t remember it long).
We had hayrick rides occasionally, which were a lot of fun. My Uncle early on Christmas morning drove a hayrick covered with hay and blankets up and down the town’s two streets picking up the children who would make noises with their new toys, but mainly we sang Christmas carols and had a joy ride behind a team of fancy horses. It was great fun. It wasn’t very cold and it very seldom, if every, snowed. We didn’t have Christmas trees in the houses. We had big trees in the church which were decorated with burning candles. We put strings of candy on the trees and some paper homemade decorations. We always had a program for the whole ward. I sat up front on the floor. At home we had a big fireplace and we hung up stockings (without holes of course, usually they would put money in the toe) and I got a lot of the things I wanted—a baseball, mitt, and bat, gloves, stocking cap, books and games. In our stockings we would find nuts, candy, money, popcorn balls, or maybe a harmonica; oranges and bananas were rare and had to be shipped from California.
Halloween was a wild time. The older boys would turn over bridges, disconnect gates from fences, tip over outdoor toilets. One thing I thought was rather interesting, two boys would wax a long thread, put a nail on the window sill with the thread around it and pull it against the window; it made a terrible screech; we called it tic tacking. Or we would put a spool on a notched stick and roll it on a windowpane and it made an awful noise. It was quite a night for howling.
We held celebrations of special days outside the general store. We pitched horseshoes and had foot races in our bare feet and people would bet nickels and dimes on them. When it would rain, there was no work and everybody came to the center of town for horse races, foot races, standing broad jump, Indian wrestling, and side wrestling. I was very good at this type of wrestling, probably the best one of the boys my age. We would take hold of the back of the opponent’s trousers, hold their hand, then try to throw them over and land on top of them and pin them. One of the things would be to use your leg and trip them up.
But I didn’t spend all my time just having fun. I remember the first day of school as being a long day and I wasn’t sure I wanted to go back the next day. The school was just across the street. In the winter months I remember Mother lighting the lamp because it was dark when we got up. The teacher was the wife of the principal and they were good people. The school held three classrooms which held grades 1-3, 4-5, and 6-8. I was good in arithmetic but didn’t like to draw very much although my cousin who was in the same class was a good drawer. We were very close but she died of diphtheria when I was in the sixth grade. It was a very sad occasion.
Several people in my life were outstanding: first of all was my grandfather, George Spilsbury. He was converted in England at age seventeen. He brought his wife, Fanny, over who was also a convert. He converted and baptized her at the age of eighteen and she was disowned by her parents for joining the Church. She was the only daughter of a country squire—she had to give up everything to come; they came on a sailing vessel to New Orleans, up the Mississippi River to Nauvoo, and across the plains. They lost four children in their infancy. The fifth child was born after they left St. Louis to come west. As they traveled west with their baby in the wagon train of Saints, the oxen had become gaunt and tired from lack of water. When they came to the Platte River, the oxen broke into a run and headed down the bank of the river to drink. The wagon kept going and toppled into the river. The mother and child in the wagon were covered with water. People came running to help and at last Fanny was brought out of the water, but she was without her baby. As the men searched frantically in the wagon and in the water, Bishop Hunter called that he had found the baby. Running up and down, searching along the bank of the river, he spotted the child lodged against a stump. The baby seemed lifeless, but Bishop Hunter detected a heart beat and quickly administered to him and at the same time blessed him the name of Alma Platte Spilsbury—Alma for the Book of Mormon prophet and Platte for the river in which he nearly drowned; Alma was the oldest living son of the family; he later went to Mexico and became the father of some twenty-eight children. So that was the saving of a lot of souls. (An interesting account of “The Birth of Alma Platte Spilsbury” by Nelle S. Hatch is recorded in Viva Skousen’s book The Life and Posterity of Alma Platte Spilsbury.)
I will tell you about my grandfather as I knew him; he was in his eighties and he was a patriarch. He was a stake Sunday School worker for some fifty years. He used to travel this area, right here where we are, three or four times a year up to Springdell and Rockville, Virgin, Leeds, Hurricane, Enterprise, LaVerkin, Toquerville, and New Harmony. He kept that up for that long time and he was finally released on his 90th birthday. So you see, Brother Bradley (Mildred Harris’ husband), don’t let anyone complain that they’re overburdened when they have been in the job for a year and a half or two years, that they need a change of pace. Here’s one that was released on his 90th birthday. He was still very active at his release. For fifty years he kept the Word of Wisdom, I tell you, as well as anyone I know. (Prior to that they pressed grapes and made wine.) He had very little meat except veal, chicken, and fish. Fruit and vegetables he ate abundantly. One of the things that he liked very much was fresh buttermilk; three of his children were living in Toquerville and they would each churn on a different day so he had fresh buttermilk all week and believe me it seemed to help. I never knew him to be ill one day in the eighteen years that I knew him except once in a while he would have a sneezing spell and he would sneeze and the rocker would rock and the porch would bounce. He would sneeze for around five to six minutes—Wham! And away he’d go. This seemed to clear the atmosphere and everything else around.
My grandfather ate dinner with the family. He always dressed with a white shirt and white linen tie; he kept himself very neat; he always took a sponge bath in the morning even when it was very cold. He ate breakfast at Aunt Vilate’s, lunch at Uncle David’s, and dinner at our place. He had a general store in Toquerville at one time. He and my grandmother entertained the Prophet and Hyrum, who gave him a patriarchal blessing; Grandmother was very sociable and a good cook; she died about the time I was born. Grandfather had a little cottage on the place where we lived and I used to take him over and take him to bed. I had to take a lantern and then I’d light the kerosene lamp that he had in his house and had to wait for him to get ready for bed and say his prayers. This happened many, many times. He was in excellent health when a rather freakish thing happened. His door was locked but he got up in the night and walked in his sleep, crawled out of the window, went across the street to his daughter’s place, which was situated on the bank of the Ash Creek Stream, and fell over a very high, rocky cliff and that was what caused his death (otherwise, he would probably still be with us).
The one thing that I remember about him spiritually (I helped drive him on some of his visits—he had a one-horse buggy) was his testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith. He of course was in Nauvoo and was a contemporary of he Prophet and he bore a strong testimony of his divine calling and the restoration of the Gospel. He was one of the members of the Prophet’s bodyguard. He went to Mexico and visited his son; he went to California and visited his children; everywhere he went, he was called on to give this testimony about the Prophet Joseph Smith which was very impressive. It was one of the things that instilled faith and a desire in my own mind and heart that I wanted to do something about preaching the Gospel myself.
Some of the other pioneers that lived in that town were acquainted with the Prophet and bore very, very dramatic testimonies of their experiences with the Prophet and the things that happened with them on their trip out west. One of the polygamists that was out there—a lot of them were—came with the handcart company and his wives. This was just a little puzzlement to me because he married a widow and her two twin daughters. Their name was Savage. So that made quite an impression and also a very big question mark in my mind how this could all happen—how he could marry a woman and her twin daughters. They had some very nice children, a very fine family. But it was one of the odd circumstances that I remember of the life in Toquerville.
Another one that I remember real well was my father. He only finished about the fifth grade as I remember. He grew up down in Southern Utah, Dixieland and became a farmer. His father gave him a small heifer on his birthday and from that heifer he built the biggest cattle herd in that area over a period of years. His friend also had his father give him one but the friend dissipated it—almost like the Prodigal Son in a way. My father was a stockman; he was a breeder of fine horses. He imported them from Kansas City, Omaha, St. Louis, and other areas and purchased cattle and purebred and thoroughbred horses, fine animals for breeding purposes. We always had beautiful horses, aside from the regular work horses and cow ponies. You would notice their spirit when on the 4th or 24th of July, one of the traditions was to set off dynamite at 4:00 in the morning and these horses would just bound out and run through the streets. We just couldn’t contain them. No matter what, they would get over the gate or the fence. It was a real interesting sight that took place at that time.
Aside from the other qualities my father had, he was an out-of-pocket banker. He had stacks of $20 gold pieces, silver pieces, greenbacks, and gold backs that he kept because the bank nearest us was twenty-five miles away at St. George. It was about a four or five hour trip by horseback and so when a deal came up and someone needed money, they could get it but they had to pay something in return. He accumulated land and cattle, and this way he built a financial dynasty in this little town. Thus, I was known among the kids as a rich man’s son. That wasn’t very complimentary at that time. They used to accent it with mud pies.
He was a musician; he liked to sing and dance and he played the snare drums and the bass drum. They used to have a fife and drum corps for the town celebrations and they would get on a wagon and go riding up and down the town playing patriotic numbers and wake people up early in the morning and also put a little concert on in front of the ward house. He sang when we went off to gather wood. He was always singing a tune “O Swing That Girl,” “Do What is Right,” “I’ll Give To You Three Rolls of Pins” (cause this is how our love begins). He and my mother were good dancers. At the adult dances they would dance to music supplied by a fiddle, piano, guitar, or banjo and they liked to square dance and shoddish.
His sense of humor was well known around the area, some of it a little stinging, a little sharp. One man came in town—we were living on the north end of town. He stopped and my father was out on the street putting in a headgate. The man asked my father, “What is the population of Toquerville?” He says, “Hell, I’m it!”
My mother was the Relief Society president when I was born and twenty-one years later when I was on my mission in Belgium she died, and she was still the Relief Society president. From the reports that I have had, it was the biggest funeral ever held in Toquerville. She was the mother of twelve children and, of course, I am the twelfth, and it discouraged her, and so she stopped. This all took place without the benefit of a doctor or a physician, or hospital. They would have midwives and that was quite a flourishing business at that time.
Mother was a very hard-working woman. She was up early in the morning to take care of the household. She was Relief Society president and I can remember as a young boy being sent over to the church to ring the bell to announce Relief Society meeting which was held at 2:00 in the afternoon. I helped her carry over the hymn books.
She had a very good voice. One of the interesting things that took place in our testimony meetings—we had two hour meetings rather than an hour and a half or an hour meeting—but they were two hours no matter what. But when those bearing their testimonies took a little while to stand up, the congregation would just spontaneously break out and sing a hymn and she usually led forth on the hymn as they would sing in this special testimony meeting. It relieved the tension and I think we all enjoyed it.
She kept a big jar of yeast and the neighbor children were sent with a bowl of sugar to ask Aunt Zillie if they could “borrow” some yeast. She would mix in the sugar and give them a portion of yeast to take home.
One of the things I remember very vividly was her helping the elderly and the ones who were bedfast or shut in. She cooked dumplings, chicken, fruit, cake, pies, fresh baked bread with butter, which she would take to the sick and shut-ins. She continued to do this for years. I was the busboy, so to speak, and they were always glad to see me come. I don’t know how many dinners I carried in a bucket with a napkin over it. Some of these people were in their late 80’s and 90’s. They were converts in Nauvoo and crossed the plains in the late 40’s and 50’s. They weren’t in very good circumstances or too healthy so it was a nice gesture she performed and that was done on her own. She did much to instill in us a faith and desire to live the Gospel. Of her children, four of us went on missions—three sons and one daughter. She was an ardent worker in the church as you can guess from the fact that she was a Relief Society president for something like twenty-two years. It was written up in the Relief Society Magazine.
When I was sick with what they termed rheumatism, Mother used to read to me; one of the books she read was a book of Shakespeare plays. I well remember that she was an avid reader and she used to read the classics. She had several in her bookcase—Zachary, Pope, Holms, Dickens, Scott. She was continually trying to improve her mind and knowledge. I inherited her taste for literature to a certain extent. I was still incapacitated when Lon called mother to tell her Jean needed her to take care of her when she had her baby. They were in Cedar City. Mother sent me to stay with Arch and Maud. Jean had a rough time with the birth of Bellevue. We traveled to Cedar City in a two seater, white top buggy. We stopped at Big Creek to water the horses and have lunch. It was a rough, rocky road almost to Parowan and mostly uphill.
When I did things wrong, she would talk to me before we would go to bed. It would be an affectionate session and sometimes we would cry. She was concerned with the moral conduct of people and especially her family. She was very faithful about communicating with the married children who had gone away. Frank and Estelle were in Ithaca, Jean in Chicago, Bell in Salt Lake City, and Ray and Chauncy were in Peru. On special occasions and birthdays she sent something from the farm; sometimes she took dried figs, steamed them, wrapped them around a blanched almond, packaged and sent them.
Mother used to put up lots of fruit. When she baked bread, I would turn the bread mixer which was in a big metal container. She would take it out and kneed it and sometimes let it rise overnight and bake it in the morning so we could have fresh baked bread for breakfast. She would bake maybe six loaves at a time and send one to the neighbors. When Arch lived in Toquerville, he would come home to eat although Maude didn’t like him to.
My mother’s mother, as far back as I can remember, had become senile and couldn’t live alone. Mother took care of her until she died. When mother was busy, she had to tie her with a rope to the porch so she couldn’t get away and she had to lock her in her room at night. This went on for maybe eight or ten years. One day my grandmother got up too close to the fire in the fireplace and her clothes caught on fire; she was burned so badly that it caused her death. Mother’s brother, Isaac Haight, lived in Cedar City and we used to go visit him. He lived in a big home with a large family; our family would sleep on the floor. Mother’s half brother and sisters, born to her father’s first wife, lived in Cedar City and she visited them often. It took a day to go in a wagon or buggy. We would stay a few days and just go around and visit the relatives.
Another of the people there that was very unusual in my life was an Indian boy. My father was outside of town one day and there was an Indian camp. There was a little boy sitting on a rock and he was crying. He was between two and a half to three years old and my father talked to the Indians—he could maneuver and gesticulate so that he could understand and be understood by the Indians to a certain extent. So they told him that the boy’s father and mother had both died and he had no one to take him; they were going to leave him there and see if he survived okay and if he didn’t, he’d just die; that was the Indian position. So my father talked to them and offered them the pony he was seated on if they would let him take this Indian boy home, which he did. He gave his pony and took the boy back to his mother. My grandmother and grandfather had him in the home for a short time and then my grandmother died so my mother and father’s first child they had was an Indian boy who was given to them by my grandmother. His name was Lorum. I have a picture of him. I just wanted to say a little about him. I though it was unusual. It was hard for him to be accepted by the whites and he was somewhat rejected by the Indians themselves. He associated with the whites and he tried to be a good fellow to both sides and that was very difficult to do.
He became the best bronco buster in the area. This came about not because he was rough and tough; he was very kind to animals. Most of the bronco busters that I have known would snub the horse, get on and spur them and hit them over the head with a quirt and they just took all the fight out of them that they could and let them buck till they were exhausted; then the horses lost their spirit. But Lorum wasn’t that way. He took a lot of time; he was kind to them; he put a hackamore on them to begin with, a noose over their nose, and a blanket on the next day before he saddled them. It would be quite a long time before he ever mounted the horse at all. And as far as I know, none of them ever bucked with him and the horses retained their spirit. He was well known for this ability. He was a very good sheepherder; he became sick out with the sheep one time and died shortly after that. He was in his early 50’s.
One of the things that I did where he was involved happened when he would get money from his work as a cowboy or sheepherder or whatever; he came back and bought a phonograph and it was one of the early phonographs in the town. I had a little red wagon and he had me put this phonograph on the wagon and we’d go to the places of old people and some of his old friends, and he would play these records—they were disc records—and they, of course, would give me some candy or cake or whatever; it was usually molasses or honey candy, and give him maybe a little glass of wine; and that was very rewarding for the effort he put forth. These people enjoyed having him come because they got to hear the phonograph; otherwise, some of them would have died without hearing it, I’m sure. Well, it was just a little gesture that I was involved in.
My parents owned a big Edison recording phonograph. All the children had made some recordings and we played them for entertainment in the parlor where we went in only for special occasions. By the time I came along my parents were older and had diminished quite a lot of their activity. Of my sister and brother who died, I remember a little. I remember Myrtle waiting to become fourteen so she could go to the mutual dances. She was full of vigor. I remember seeing Victor milk the cows. He was a good horseman. Father used him as a jockey, also Ray and Chauncy. I remember going to the graveyard, taking Victor’s coffin for burial. They died between three months of each other from typhoid fever. I was between four and five years old.
I didn’t know Ray as well as Chauncy because Ray was in Peru. He came home from BYU one summer to farm on the ranch at LaVerkin cutting hay. He then attended the U of U and I remember his coming home once. When he graduated, he went to South America and didn’t come back to Toquerville for about thirty years. My first remembrance of Chauncy was when he came back from his mission to Samoa where he spent five years. He helped translate The Book of Mormon into Samoan. I remember him bearing his testimony. He was short—about the same height as Dad and Mother—and had red hair. He was friendly and outgoing; everybody liked him, including me. He traveled to South America as a tutor for the McCune family, a wealthy, prominent Salt Lake family. He met Dolly in South America and baptized her there. He was closer than any of the others to me. I lived with him and Dolly when I finished high school in Mesa and I learned to love them very much. They were very kind and always came to my activities—football games, etc. and Chauncy let me take the car to go on dates. I had a nice room in their house and Dolly was an extra good cook. Chauncy was about 20-22 years older than I.
I went to live with Frank and Estelle after I had graduated from the eighth grade; we had a county graduation and we went to St. George for the graduation. Out of twelve that graduated from the eighth grade, I was the only one who went on to the high school at that time. There wasn’t any high school in Toquerville. You either went to St. George or Cedar City. Well, at that time Estelle and Frank were established in Logan and he was the head of the Experimental Station at USAC. The children then were Arlene, Frank, Jr., and Chauncy. Helen hadn’t come along and so it was just a trio—no quartet. They used to play in the house—they had a nice place to play. Frank would come home from work and tell them to gather up the toys and get ready for dinner and sometimes they wouldn’t act as promptly as he wished and the punishment he meted out, which I well remember, very frequently was to put them in the clothes closet and there I think they made a selection of what they would wear the next day.
Well, the memories I have of Frank and Estelle are very sweet memories. Frank impressed me as a man who was interested in people. He kept in touch with me; he corresponded with me when I was out on the ranch. I stayed out of school during the war when they needed a little help. I stayed out of school about two years and worked, but Frank came out and visited me at Quichapah—that is an Indian name of a ranch about twelve miles out from Cedar City—and other places and I always held him in high regard.
Estelle, of course, was the chief correspondent of the family. She stayed out of school one year when I was born and then she later finished school; but she always was an avid correspondent and she was very determined to keep in touch with all members of the family. It was through her that I knew what was going on even when I was on my mission. When my wife and I were in Bermuda, when my birthday came along the 28th of October, I got a nice letter from her with a check and that is the last I heard from her. But she was a determined woman—determined to do what was right and determined that her children would do what was right. Together they made a beautiful team.
What I want to bring out to those of my family who read this account is that those of us who descended from this pioneer stock, exemplified by the early inhabitants of Toquerville, and are the recipients of a rich and enviable heritage; I pray that we will honor this heritage and be good examples and profitable servants in the kingdom, and I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen
By Erwin Spilsbury
Son of George Moroni & Roselia Jocosia Haight
Compiled December 1988
(The following is taken from a talk given by Erwin Spilsbury at the Franklin S. Harris Family Reunion at Rockville, Utah, August, 1977, supplemented by material from a taped interview with his daughter Gail)
Memories of Childhood in Toquerville
I was born at the turn of the century when President Teddy Roosevelt was President of the United States of America and in a rustic, rural area down in Toquerville, Utah, named after a big Indian Chief, almost as big as that town. His name was Toquer. Things were rustic, as I say: we had no electricity; we had no plumbing—it was outdoors and on a bright moonlight night it was easy to find; we had no automobiles; we had no appliances to speak of. The washing was done in a tub and you scrubbed most of the time; there was no wringer. We used the water in a big brass kettle over the fire; we heated it up to boil the clothes, and to soak them we used homemade soap—Tide wasn’t known at that time.
There was only one telephone in the town where we lived. The one who owned the telephone had to run all over the town to find the party to call back the party who had made the call in the first place. We were seventy miles from the railroad where we got most of our freight and goods. It took two days to go in the wagon and two days to come back over rough and narrow roads. So you see, in those days life was rather rural; but we survived, thank goodness, and here am I.
Now, how did I spend my time? At the age of about four, they started me by milking cows. They first tempted me by giving me the strippings. This is the richest part of the milk if you have done any milking at all. It tastes very good. Then they said, “Now to earn this, you will have to start milking cows.” So at four to five years old, I began and later was milking three or four cows in the morning and the evening. I had to feed them and take them out to pasture on the hills and bring them back in the evening. I learned to work climbing up the mountain and back twice a day. When the cows were in the corral, I let them out to drink out of the ditch and take them back.
Other chores included chopping wood for the stove and fireplace because we had no coal and we had no gas or electricity. Then I had to take out the ashes. I collected lots of water from the ditches—the open ditches—every morning and evening. I dipped the water out of the ditch with a big brass bucket. We had it for drinking and cooking; we had it for washing, both for ourselves and for the dishes and the clothes. The water came from a spring a couple of miles from where we lived. Our first “running water” was from a tap built outside the kitchen on the porch the first year I came back from Logan. The second time I came home there was a bathroom in the house that Ray had paid for. Then we hoed tomatoes, potatoes, corn, and beans and so on. We had luxurious growth in Toquerville. We grew delicious fruits and vegetables. If my memory serves me right, I never found anything that tastes as good as the peaches and figs and the grapes that came from Toquerville out of this volcanic ash formation; for some reason it had a special flavor and I have tasted fruits from a great many countries including one of the best that I was ever in, Spain.
We owned several ranches: twenty-eight miles up north and west and twelve miles out of Cedar City was Quichapah; another down by Hurricane was for the alfalfa fields; the summer range was up on Kolob where we ran stock in the summertime; we had grazing land out of Hurricane Valley going into the Kaibab Forest; the farms in Toquerville included a vineyard, fruit orchards (peaches, pears, pomegranates), hay and wheat fields, and a garden with fruit trees on the lot. We lived on two acres. This lot was retained but the old house of my grandfather was pulled down.
My various responsibilities on the farm included herding sheep, marking calves, plowing with two span of horses; we farmed on the land out by Hurricane as part of the Homestead Act; we built fences, chopped aspens to make the poles, dug ditches, cleared the land, and burned the sagebrush. I did everything from A-Z: learned to cook, work the thresher; and threshing time I would get off early to fix the dinner; we had a shack with a wooden stove; I learned to cook on a little wooden stove in the sheep wagon.
We herded sheep out of Hurricane Valley and Bench Lake where we owned the area for open grazing. In the summer we would trail the sheep up to Kolob and worked them up there. It took one week to get them up to Kolob; we would ride horses or walk. When I took the cows out to pasture I rode bareback. The field was one mile from home; it was good pasture land and fenced in. As I would take the cows out to the pasture either over the mountains or over the sand hill, I would carry a 22 rifle with me and often brought back some cottontails or some quail from the hunting party. Later when I was older, I got a shotgun.
I rode a horse for as long as I can remember. My father had some pacing ponies which he got from Dr. Leonard who paid my father back this way for the money my father loaned him to set himself up in business. We had a little mare with an English saddle who was very sensitive to the cinch. One day riding her, I pulled too tight and she bucked me off.
After the harvesting of the hay and the fruit, we played some games for our recreation. I remember one of my favorite games on a moonlit night: we played pomp pomp pull away on the main street and it was a thrilling experience—the trees on either side and the ditches of course and it was hard to catch the runners and hard to be caught. That was one of the games we liked a great deal. We went swimming in Ash Creek. The water at that time had some pretty good pools in it and some slippery rocks that we would slide down but we went there au natural, that is, in the nude. We went barefoot first thing in the summer, wearing overalls and a shirt. It was no problem to shed the clothes to go swimming, but for a boy that was supposed to be hoeing the weeds, the telltale sign was always the wet hair.
We also went fishing underneath the rocks; we would get on each side of a big rock that was in the stream and catch the fish that was underneath. We didn’t have any fishing rods or reels or flies in order to do that.
We rode horses almost from the time we could walk. We rode them bareback and we had some horse races. We also rode the Rocky Mountain Canaries. These were the wild jackasses that lived up on the hills. We would bring them into the corral, push them against the fence where the fellows would line up and jump on their back, ride on their rump and lock their feet in their flanks. The donkeys would bray and away they’d go and you would try to stick on. There were also the cattle. We used to help the cowboys with the branding of the calves in the spring and the fall. Because it was essentially a cattle country along with the farming, this was one of the fun times we would have—wrestling with the calves and holding them down while the boys with the branding irons would brand them and cut marks in their ears in order to distinguish ownership of the animals.
We had strawberry and watermelon busts and some of the watermelon busts were not scheduled ahead of time and the farmer didn’t know that he was going to donate the watermelon.
One of our entertainments was having house parties and birthday parties. When the family would have one, everyone would assemble and, of course, there was a big feast. We had matinee dances and at this the Relief Society furnished ice cream and homemade cake; they charged a little to make expenses so you could take your girl to the dance and buy her a dish of ice cream. The ice cream was frozen with snow packed ice, that they brought in on packs from the Pine Valley Mountains about twenty miles distance; they would go up with pack animals and carry the ice down in Al Fogey bags, covered with blankets; I remember churning the ice cream down in the cellar where it was cool.
One of the things we had fun with was to have water fights with buckets out of the ditches. You see the water ran on both sides of the street. One was the culinary or drinking water and the other was for irrigation and sometimes people got mixed up. We used to hold the baptisms for the eight year olds by placing in the headgate and backing up the water in the ditch. If there was an overgrown kid sometimes someone had to sit on him to get him down under. It worked out all right. I, myself, was baptized in Ash Creek. Bishop Walter Flack baptized me when the creek was at flood stage, big, swift, and high. Although it was second nature to country kids to cuss and swear, I felt so clean after my baptism, I vowed never to swear again (but I didn’t remember it long).
We had hayrick rides occasionally, which were a lot of fun. My Uncle early on Christmas morning drove a hayrick covered with hay and blankets up and down the town’s two streets picking up the children who would make noises with their new toys, but mainly we sang Christmas carols and had a joy ride behind a team of fancy horses. It was great fun. It wasn’t very cold and it very seldom, if every, snowed. We didn’t have Christmas trees in the houses. We had big trees in the church which were decorated with burning candles. We put strings of candy on the trees and some paper homemade decorations. We always had a program for the whole ward. I sat up front on the floor. At home we had a big fireplace and we hung up stockings (without holes of course, usually they would put money in the toe) and I got a lot of the things I wanted—a baseball, mitt, and bat, gloves, stocking cap, books and games. In our stockings we would find nuts, candy, money, popcorn balls, or maybe a harmonica; oranges and bananas were rare and had to be shipped from California.
Halloween was a wild time. The older boys would turn over bridges, disconnect gates from fences, tip over outdoor toilets. One thing I thought was rather interesting, two boys would wax a long thread, put a nail on the window sill with the thread around it and pull it against the window; it made a terrible screech; we called it tic tacking. Or we would put a spool on a notched stick and roll it on a windowpane and it made an awful noise. It was quite a night for howling.
We held celebrations of special days outside the general store. We pitched horseshoes and had foot races in our bare feet and people would bet nickels and dimes on them. When it would rain, there was no work and everybody came to the center of town for horse races, foot races, standing broad jump, Indian wrestling, and side wrestling. I was very good at this type of wrestling, probably the best one of the boys my age. We would take hold of the back of the opponent’s trousers, hold their hand, then try to throw them over and land on top of them and pin them. One of the things would be to use your leg and trip them up.
But I didn’t spend all my time just having fun. I remember the first day of school as being a long day and I wasn’t sure I wanted to go back the next day. The school was just across the street. In the winter months I remember Mother lighting the lamp because it was dark when we got up. The teacher was the wife of the principal and they were good people. The school held three classrooms which held grades 1-3, 4-5, and 6-8. I was good in arithmetic but didn’t like to draw very much although my cousin who was in the same class was a good drawer. We were very close but she died of diphtheria when I was in the sixth grade. It was a very sad occasion.
Several people in my life were outstanding: first of all was my grandfather, George Spilsbury. He was converted in England at age seventeen. He brought his wife, Fanny, over who was also a convert. He converted and baptized her at the age of eighteen and she was disowned by her parents for joining the Church. She was the only daughter of a country squire—she had to give up everything to come; they came on a sailing vessel to New Orleans, up the Mississippi River to Nauvoo, and across the plains. They lost four children in their infancy. The fifth child was born after they left St. Louis to come west. As they traveled west with their baby in the wagon train of Saints, the oxen had become gaunt and tired from lack of water. When they came to the Platte River, the oxen broke into a run and headed down the bank of the river to drink. The wagon kept going and toppled into the river. The mother and child in the wagon were covered with water. People came running to help and at last Fanny was brought out of the water, but she was without her baby. As the men searched frantically in the wagon and in the water, Bishop Hunter called that he had found the baby. Running up and down, searching along the bank of the river, he spotted the child lodged against a stump. The baby seemed lifeless, but Bishop Hunter detected a heart beat and quickly administered to him and at the same time blessed him the name of Alma Platte Spilsbury—Alma for the Book of Mormon prophet and Platte for the river in which he nearly drowned; Alma was the oldest living son of the family; he later went to Mexico and became the father of some twenty-eight children. So that was the saving of a lot of souls. (An interesting account of “The Birth of Alma Platte Spilsbury” by Nelle S. Hatch is recorded in Viva Skousen’s book The Life and Posterity of Alma Platte Spilsbury.)
I will tell you about my grandfather as I knew him; he was in his eighties and he was a patriarch. He was a stake Sunday School worker for some fifty years. He used to travel this area, right here where we are, three or four times a year up to Springdell and Rockville, Virgin, Leeds, Hurricane, Enterprise, LaVerkin, Toquerville, and New Harmony. He kept that up for that long time and he was finally released on his 90th birthday. So you see, Brother Bradley (Mildred Harris’ husband), don’t let anyone complain that they’re overburdened when they have been in the job for a year and a half or two years, that they need a change of pace. Here’s one that was released on his 90th birthday. He was still very active at his release. For fifty years he kept the Word of Wisdom, I tell you, as well as anyone I know. (Prior to that they pressed grapes and made wine.) He had very little meat except veal, chicken, and fish. Fruit and vegetables he ate abundantly. One of the things that he liked very much was fresh buttermilk; three of his children were living in Toquerville and they would each churn on a different day so he had fresh buttermilk all week and believe me it seemed to help. I never knew him to be ill one day in the eighteen years that I knew him except once in a while he would have a sneezing spell and he would sneeze and the rocker would rock and the porch would bounce. He would sneeze for around five to six minutes—Wham! And away he’d go. This seemed to clear the atmosphere and everything else around.
My grandfather ate dinner with the family. He always dressed with a white shirt and white linen tie; he kept himself very neat; he always took a sponge bath in the morning even when it was very cold. He ate breakfast at Aunt Vilate’s, lunch at Uncle David’s, and dinner at our place. He had a general store in Toquerville at one time. He and my grandmother entertained the Prophet and Hyrum, who gave him a patriarchal blessing; Grandmother was very sociable and a good cook; she died about the time I was born. Grandfather had a little cottage on the place where we lived and I used to take him over and take him to bed. I had to take a lantern and then I’d light the kerosene lamp that he had in his house and had to wait for him to get ready for bed and say his prayers. This happened many, many times. He was in excellent health when a rather freakish thing happened. His door was locked but he got up in the night and walked in his sleep, crawled out of the window, went across the street to his daughter’s place, which was situated on the bank of the Ash Creek Stream, and fell over a very high, rocky cliff and that was what caused his death (otherwise, he would probably still be with us).
The one thing that I remember about him spiritually (I helped drive him on some of his visits—he had a one-horse buggy) was his testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith. He of course was in Nauvoo and was a contemporary of he Prophet and he bore a strong testimony of his divine calling and the restoration of the Gospel. He was one of the members of the Prophet’s bodyguard. He went to Mexico and visited his son; he went to California and visited his children; everywhere he went, he was called on to give this testimony about the Prophet Joseph Smith which was very impressive. It was one of the things that instilled faith and a desire in my own mind and heart that I wanted to do something about preaching the Gospel myself.
Some of the other pioneers that lived in that town were acquainted with the Prophet and bore very, very dramatic testimonies of their experiences with the Prophet and the things that happened with them on their trip out west. One of the polygamists that was out there—a lot of them were—came with the handcart company and his wives. This was just a little puzzlement to me because he married a widow and her two twin daughters. Their name was Savage. So that made quite an impression and also a very big question mark in my mind how this could all happen—how he could marry a woman and her twin daughters. They had some very nice children, a very fine family. But it was one of the odd circumstances that I remember of the life in Toquerville.
Another one that I remember real well was my father. He only finished about the fifth grade as I remember. He grew up down in Southern Utah, Dixieland and became a farmer. His father gave him a small heifer on his birthday and from that heifer he built the biggest cattle herd in that area over a period of years. His friend also had his father give him one but the friend dissipated it—almost like the Prodigal Son in a way. My father was a stockman; he was a breeder of fine horses. He imported them from Kansas City, Omaha, St. Louis, and other areas and purchased cattle and purebred and thoroughbred horses, fine animals for breeding purposes. We always had beautiful horses, aside from the regular work horses and cow ponies. You would notice their spirit when on the 4th or 24th of July, one of the traditions was to set off dynamite at 4:00 in the morning and these horses would just bound out and run through the streets. We just couldn’t contain them. No matter what, they would get over the gate or the fence. It was a real interesting sight that took place at that time.
Aside from the other qualities my father had, he was an out-of-pocket banker. He had stacks of $20 gold pieces, silver pieces, greenbacks, and gold backs that he kept because the bank nearest us was twenty-five miles away at St. George. It was about a four or five hour trip by horseback and so when a deal came up and someone needed money, they could get it but they had to pay something in return. He accumulated land and cattle, and this way he built a financial dynasty in this little town. Thus, I was known among the kids as a rich man’s son. That wasn’t very complimentary at that time. They used to accent it with mud pies.
He was a musician; he liked to sing and dance and he played the snare drums and the bass drum. They used to have a fife and drum corps for the town celebrations and they would get on a wagon and go riding up and down the town playing patriotic numbers and wake people up early in the morning and also put a little concert on in front of the ward house. He sang when we went off to gather wood. He was always singing a tune “O Swing That Girl,” “Do What is Right,” “I’ll Give To You Three Rolls of Pins” (cause this is how our love begins). He and my mother were good dancers. At the adult dances they would dance to music supplied by a fiddle, piano, guitar, or banjo and they liked to square dance and shoddish.
His sense of humor was well known around the area, some of it a little stinging, a little sharp. One man came in town—we were living on the north end of town. He stopped and my father was out on the street putting in a headgate. The man asked my father, “What is the population of Toquerville?” He says, “Hell, I’m it!”
My mother was the Relief Society president when I was born and twenty-one years later when I was on my mission in Belgium she died, and she was still the Relief Society president. From the reports that I have had, it was the biggest funeral ever held in Toquerville. She was the mother of twelve children and, of course, I am the twelfth, and it discouraged her, and so she stopped. This all took place without the benefit of a doctor or a physician, or hospital. They would have midwives and that was quite a flourishing business at that time.
Mother was a very hard-working woman. She was up early in the morning to take care of the household. She was Relief Society president and I can remember as a young boy being sent over to the church to ring the bell to announce Relief Society meeting which was held at 2:00 in the afternoon. I helped her carry over the hymn books.
She had a very good voice. One of the interesting things that took place in our testimony meetings—we had two hour meetings rather than an hour and a half or an hour meeting—but they were two hours no matter what. But when those bearing their testimonies took a little while to stand up, the congregation would just spontaneously break out and sing a hymn and she usually led forth on the hymn as they would sing in this special testimony meeting. It relieved the tension and I think we all enjoyed it.
She kept a big jar of yeast and the neighbor children were sent with a bowl of sugar to ask Aunt Zillie if they could “borrow” some yeast. She would mix in the sugar and give them a portion of yeast to take home.
One of the things I remember very vividly was her helping the elderly and the ones who were bedfast or shut in. She cooked dumplings, chicken, fruit, cake, pies, fresh baked bread with butter, which she would take to the sick and shut-ins. She continued to do this for years. I was the busboy, so to speak, and they were always glad to see me come. I don’t know how many dinners I carried in a bucket with a napkin over it. Some of these people were in their late 80’s and 90’s. They were converts in Nauvoo and crossed the plains in the late 40’s and 50’s. They weren’t in very good circumstances or too healthy so it was a nice gesture she performed and that was done on her own. She did much to instill in us a faith and desire to live the Gospel. Of her children, four of us went on missions—three sons and one daughter. She was an ardent worker in the church as you can guess from the fact that she was a Relief Society president for something like twenty-two years. It was written up in the Relief Society Magazine.
When I was sick with what they termed rheumatism, Mother used to read to me; one of the books she read was a book of Shakespeare plays. I well remember that she was an avid reader and she used to read the classics. She had several in her bookcase—Zachary, Pope, Holms, Dickens, Scott. She was continually trying to improve her mind and knowledge. I inherited her taste for literature to a certain extent. I was still incapacitated when Lon called mother to tell her Jean needed her to take care of her when she had her baby. They were in Cedar City. Mother sent me to stay with Arch and Maud. Jean had a rough time with the birth of Bellevue. We traveled to Cedar City in a two seater, white top buggy. We stopped at Big Creek to water the horses and have lunch. It was a rough, rocky road almost to Parowan and mostly uphill.
When I did things wrong, she would talk to me before we would go to bed. It would be an affectionate session and sometimes we would cry. She was concerned with the moral conduct of people and especially her family. She was very faithful about communicating with the married children who had gone away. Frank and Estelle were in Ithaca, Jean in Chicago, Bell in Salt Lake City, and Ray and Chauncy were in Peru. On special occasions and birthdays she sent something from the farm; sometimes she took dried figs, steamed them, wrapped them around a blanched almond, packaged and sent them.
Mother used to put up lots of fruit. When she baked bread, I would turn the bread mixer which was in a big metal container. She would take it out and kneed it and sometimes let it rise overnight and bake it in the morning so we could have fresh baked bread for breakfast. She would bake maybe six loaves at a time and send one to the neighbors. When Arch lived in Toquerville, he would come home to eat although Maude didn’t like him to.
My mother’s mother, as far back as I can remember, had become senile and couldn’t live alone. Mother took care of her until she died. When mother was busy, she had to tie her with a rope to the porch so she couldn’t get away and she had to lock her in her room at night. This went on for maybe eight or ten years. One day my grandmother got up too close to the fire in the fireplace and her clothes caught on fire; she was burned so badly that it caused her death. Mother’s brother, Isaac Haight, lived in Cedar City and we used to go visit him. He lived in a big home with a large family; our family would sleep on the floor. Mother’s half brother and sisters, born to her father’s first wife, lived in Cedar City and she visited them often. It took a day to go in a wagon or buggy. We would stay a few days and just go around and visit the relatives.
Another of the people there that was very unusual in my life was an Indian boy. My father was outside of town one day and there was an Indian camp. There was a little boy sitting on a rock and he was crying. He was between two and a half to three years old and my father talked to the Indians—he could maneuver and gesticulate so that he could understand and be understood by the Indians to a certain extent. So they told him that the boy’s father and mother had both died and he had no one to take him; they were going to leave him there and see if he survived okay and if he didn’t, he’d just die; that was the Indian position. So my father talked to them and offered them the pony he was seated on if they would let him take this Indian boy home, which he did. He gave his pony and took the boy back to his mother. My grandmother and grandfather had him in the home for a short time and then my grandmother died so my mother and father’s first child they had was an Indian boy who was given to them by my grandmother. His name was Lorum. I have a picture of him. I just wanted to say a little about him. I though it was unusual. It was hard for him to be accepted by the whites and he was somewhat rejected by the Indians themselves. He associated with the whites and he tried to be a good fellow to both sides and that was very difficult to do.
He became the best bronco buster in the area. This came about not because he was rough and tough; he was very kind to animals. Most of the bronco busters that I have known would snub the horse, get on and spur them and hit them over the head with a quirt and they just took all the fight out of them that they could and let them buck till they were exhausted; then the horses lost their spirit. But Lorum wasn’t that way. He took a lot of time; he was kind to them; he put a hackamore on them to begin with, a noose over their nose, and a blanket on the next day before he saddled them. It would be quite a long time before he ever mounted the horse at all. And as far as I know, none of them ever bucked with him and the horses retained their spirit. He was well known for this ability. He was a very good sheepherder; he became sick out with the sheep one time and died shortly after that. He was in his early 50’s.
One of the things that I did where he was involved happened when he would get money from his work as a cowboy or sheepherder or whatever; he came back and bought a phonograph and it was one of the early phonographs in the town. I had a little red wagon and he had me put this phonograph on the wagon and we’d go to the places of old people and some of his old friends, and he would play these records—they were disc records—and they, of course, would give me some candy or cake or whatever; it was usually molasses or honey candy, and give him maybe a little glass of wine; and that was very rewarding for the effort he put forth. These people enjoyed having him come because they got to hear the phonograph; otherwise, some of them would have died without hearing it, I’m sure. Well, it was just a little gesture that I was involved in.
My parents owned a big Edison recording phonograph. All the children had made some recordings and we played them for entertainment in the parlor where we went in only for special occasions. By the time I came along my parents were older and had diminished quite a lot of their activity. Of my sister and brother who died, I remember a little. I remember Myrtle waiting to become fourteen so she could go to the mutual dances. She was full of vigor. I remember seeing Victor milk the cows. He was a good horseman. Father used him as a jockey, also Ray and Chauncy. I remember going to the graveyard, taking Victor’s coffin for burial. They died between three months of each other from typhoid fever. I was between four and five years old.
I didn’t know Ray as well as Chauncy because Ray was in Peru. He came home from BYU one summer to farm on the ranch at LaVerkin cutting hay. He then attended the U of U and I remember his coming home once. When he graduated, he went to South America and didn’t come back to Toquerville for about thirty years. My first remembrance of Chauncy was when he came back from his mission to Samoa where he spent five years. He helped translate The Book of Mormon into Samoan. I remember him bearing his testimony. He was short—about the same height as Dad and Mother—and had red hair. He was friendly and outgoing; everybody liked him, including me. He traveled to South America as a tutor for the McCune family, a wealthy, prominent Salt Lake family. He met Dolly in South America and baptized her there. He was closer than any of the others to me. I lived with him and Dolly when I finished high school in Mesa and I learned to love them very much. They were very kind and always came to my activities—football games, etc. and Chauncy let me take the car to go on dates. I had a nice room in their house and Dolly was an extra good cook. Chauncy was about 20-22 years older than I.
I went to live with Frank and Estelle after I had graduated from the eighth grade; we had a county graduation and we went to St. George for the graduation. Out of twelve that graduated from the eighth grade, I was the only one who went on to the high school at that time. There wasn’t any high school in Toquerville. You either went to St. George or Cedar City. Well, at that time Estelle and Frank were established in Logan and he was the head of the Experimental Station at USAC. The children then were Arlene, Frank, Jr., and Chauncy. Helen hadn’t come along and so it was just a trio—no quartet. They used to play in the house—they had a nice place to play. Frank would come home from work and tell them to gather up the toys and get ready for dinner and sometimes they wouldn’t act as promptly as he wished and the punishment he meted out, which I well remember, very frequently was to put them in the clothes closet and there I think they made a selection of what they would wear the next day.
Well, the memories I have of Frank and Estelle are very sweet memories. Frank impressed me as a man who was interested in people. He kept in touch with me; he corresponded with me when I was out on the ranch. I stayed out of school during the war when they needed a little help. I stayed out of school about two years and worked, but Frank came out and visited me at Quichapah—that is an Indian name of a ranch about twelve miles out from Cedar City—and other places and I always held him in high regard.
Estelle, of course, was the chief correspondent of the family. She stayed out of school one year when I was born and then she later finished school; but she always was an avid correspondent and she was very determined to keep in touch with all members of the family. It was through her that I knew what was going on even when I was on my mission. When my wife and I were in Bermuda, when my birthday came along the 28th of October, I got a nice letter from her with a check and that is the last I heard from her. But she was a determined woman—determined to do what was right and determined that her children would do what was right. Together they made a beautiful team.
What I want to bring out to those of my family who read this account is that those of us who descended from this pioneer stock, exemplified by the early inhabitants of Toquerville, and are the recipients of a rich and enviable heritage; I pray that we will honor this heritage and be good examples and profitable servants in the kingdom, and I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen
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