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■"'■'.',' ■■/^A'^-'-■;'
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TO THE
LATTER-DAY SAINTS IN ALL THE WORLD,
THIS LITTLE VOLUME
IS INSCRIBED AS A TOKEN OF
FELLOWSHIP
AND HIGH ESTEEM.
■ .
/
i/\
c
(
REMINISCENCES
•OF-
LATTER-DAY SAINTS.
GIVING AN ACCOUNT OF MUCH INDIVIDUAL SUFFERING
ENDURED FOR RELIGIOUS CONSCIENCE.
BY LYMAN OMER LITTLEFIELD,
Author op "The Martyrs."
LOGAN, UTAH:
THE UTAH JOURNAL Co., PRINTERS.
OCTOBER, 1888.
Copyright applied for according to the Act of Congress, in
the year 1888, by
LYMAN O. UTl'LKFIKLI).
PREFACE.
Books are rapidly multiplying in this age of enlighten-
ment and civilization. The taste for reading is also on
the increase in a corresponding ratio. Hence there seems
to be a demand for almost every new volume that makes
its appearance. Works historical, scientific, philosophical,
political, religious, poetic, and even fictitious — each have
their admirers, and the contents of*such, and many other
works, are liberally read and criticised while they are
fresh from the printing press.
In presenting this little volume, the author considers
his effort a very humble one. No pretensions are made
to that elegance of diction which adorns the pages of many
able writers. His object has been to relate facts without
undue embellishment of fancy. The incidents — pleasant
and disagreeable — are given as we understand them,
without exaggeration.
This book answers a long cherished desire of the au-
thor, only in part. It will require a second volume to
complete the reminiscences of his own experience and
that of many reliable persons, to which he has access;
and such a volume may be forthcoming at no very
distant day, if a generous public shall receive with favor
our present humble eflfbrt, The Author.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Youth and Early Memories — Age and its Superior Condition — Latter-day Saints
have Manifested their Loyalty. — The Gospel Restored. — The Book of Mormon
Brought P'orth. — Truth Whispers out of the Dust. - - - Page 9.
CHAPTER II.
Who his Parents Were. — How They Embraced the Gospel. — Zion's Camp. — The
Cholera. — Conspiracy Against the Prophet. — Lay the Corner Stone of a Tem-
ple and the Devil Rages. - Page 26.
CHAPTER III.
Statement of Mrs. L. W. Kimball. — Her Marriage with Joseph the Prophet. —
Her Subsequent Marriage to Heber C. Kimball. — Her Testimony Concerning
Mrs, Vilate Kimball. — A Strong Testimony Borne by her. - Page 37.
CHAPTER IV.
Imprisonment of David Osborn by a Missouri Mob. — Cornelius Gillum as a
Delaware Chief. — Wants to Decide the Conflict by a fight with Lyman Wight.
The Women and Children to be Saved, and the Men Shot. — Trouble at the
Galletin Election. — A Company goes to Defend Adam-ondi-Ahman. Page 54.
CHAPTER V.
John Hammer's Statement. — Massacre at Haun's Mill. — Seventeen Killed and
Buried in a Well. — The Dead Robbed of Clothes. — Strange Presentiment. — A
Pillar Resembling'Blood. —A Light Wagon and a Blind Horse. — With Scanty
Supplies they leave the State in Winter. . - - - Page 66.
CHAPTER VI.
Go to Liberty. — The Country Filled with False Rumors. — Governor Boggs Le-
galizes the Mob. — Joseph Smith and Others Betrayed. — Sentenced to be Shot.
Taken to Independence.— Tried at Richmond. — Sent to the Liberty Jail. — Be-
friended by Neighbors. — Melancholy Death. — Attempted Escape. — Final Es-
cape to Illinois. Page 76.
CHAPTER VII.
Go to Far West.— City and Houses Deserted. — Ancient of Days to Sit at Di-
Vlll CONTENTS.
ahman. — The Land Holy. — Center Stakes to be Rebuilt. — His Father's Home.
A Voice Heard. — Goes to IlHnois. — Marries a Young Widow. — Starts a Pa-
per. — Moves to Nauvoo. ------- Page 97.
CHAPTER VIII.
The Prisoners Meet their Families and Friends. — ^True Affection. — Bad to Love
a Murderer. — ^Joseph Energetic. — Land Purchased. — Nauvoo Prosperous. —
Gatherinjg Place Prepared. — Escape from the Columbia Jail. — Present Claims
to Congress. — Elders go on Missions. — Boggs Assassinated. — ^Joseph's Arrests.
The Martyrdom. - - - . - - . . Page 109.
CJljA-PTER IX.
Settled with the Saints. — Men Kidnapped. — Taken to Missouri, Imprisoned and
Maltreated. — Some Wicked Men in Illinois. — ^The Potency of a Mother's Love.
Her Death. — Wishes of the Dying Expressed. — Beautiful in Death. — Buried
W^ith the Saints. — Sights from the Lone Tree. - . - Page 131.
CHAPTER X.
Go on a Mission. — ^The Rapids. — An Intrusive Lawyer. — Ejected by a Dream.
In a Strange City, — A Lonesome and Dark Hour. — Find Friends and Break-
fast. — Beauties of the New 'Day. — ^Life and Death Alternate. — Find Saints. —
Return Home. — Apostates TjTouble the Prophet. — Bennett Exposed. — Death
of Joseph Precipitated . \^ - - - - - - Page 145.
CftAPTER XI.
Important Epoch. — The Test Cpmes. — Experience Necessary. — Men and Tribes
Honored. — The Tragedy. — Itigdon Calls a Meeting. — The Twelve Chosen
Leaders. — Brigham Young Calls the Quorum of Priesthood. — The Work Hur-
ried Forward. — Encounteruii Warsaw. — Men Whipped. - - Page 161.
CHAPTER XII.
r
The Church to Leave. — ^Frien<ts in Illinois. — A Trackless Waste. — ^No Bridges.
Rugged Passes. — ^Print th^iancock Eagle, — Editor Matlock. — Paper Discon-
tinued.— Go to Keokukl^Family Left. — ^Heavy Heart. — Mobbers on the
Boat. — God*s Deliverance.*-Appointed a Mission. - - Page 179.
Chapter xiii.
Go to New York. — ^Doomed Ship. — Terrible Storms. — God's Power Made Mani-
fest. — Reach my Native Shore. — Poetic Lines to the Author by Eliza R. Snow
Smith. — Conclusion. -1* - Page 200.
REMINISCENCES
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS.
CHAPTER I.
Youth and Early Memories.'—Age and its 8u orior Condition.— The True
Gospel Persecuted in all Xgea of tlie Worl I.— Latter-day Saints have
Manifested their Loyalty.—The Gospel Restored.— The Book of Mormon
Brought Forth.— Truth Whispers out of the Dust.
After being identified for^a term of about fifty-three
years with the Latter-day Saints, it is but reasonable to
suppose that the writer should have occasion to use the
pen in calling back to memory reminiscences which are
associated with the past history of ae Church. There
are hours and moments in the lives oi all, both male and
female, which are passed in undis urbed meditation,
roaming back over the paths of life. Incidents, both
pleasurable and painful, are called from out the dim
past, and stand before us in menory. As they pass
in review the emotional powers alternate with gratifying
10 REMINISCENCES
or regretful sensations according as the circumstances were
pleasing or unpleasant in their transpiring conditions.
It is ever more pleasing to look upon a pleasant than
a gloomy picture, but necessity produces both phases, as
realities do not lose their identity, but ever occupy the
place in the niche of time as they had during their real
existence. It is always pleasant to go back to childhood
— to the halcyon days of youth; for there are found the
scenes of purity and innocence, unmixed with the taints
of sin and error. There are the sports and hilarities in
which playmates mingled, whose familiar voices gave out
the gladsome shouts of exultant transports or the jocund
song of mirthful glee warbled from lips untutored in the
deceptive artifices of maturer years. The green lawns
where those games at ball were so exciting, and where
the kite was sent upward towards the vault of heaven,
and where we wrestled down our cousins and chosen
playmates and they wrestled us down in turn; and the
streams where we drew forth the shining fish or rowed
the skiff along its dappled shores; and the meadows
where we listened to the unwritten music of the bobolink
and hunted for the robin's nest; — to all these youthftil
haunts memory goes back frbm the sober abodes of age
and gathers up from those early scenes the bouquets
which friendship gathered when the heart knen- no sor-
did longings and the soul was brim full of fun and jollity.
Alas, those days of youth have ever been too exquisite to
last long. Its cup of joy was full to the brim , whjle we
quaffed it. The sun of life shone upon it from a cloud-
less sky, but as that orb mounted towards the zenith,
storm-clouds dimmed its brightness, here and there, and
ere that sun is set and the oblivious shadows gather a s a
OF LATTER-DAY SAI^^TS. 11
prelude to the tomb; then, as the bowed and trembling
limbs of age lean upon the staff, the mind journeys back
to those primeval joys and dwells upon the happy scenes
which came before the burthens of life weighted us down
with perplexities knd sorrows. Though age has made its
impress upon the form; though the limbs tremble, the
face be wriiikled and activity has departed; yet as those
halcyon sports come back in iiiemory, the bedimmed eye
grows bright with a fire like that of youth and the aged
veteran feels the momentary inspirations of his boyhood's
life again. The blissful vision passes from him; for as
he attempts to move, he finds that the agility of youth
has long since departed and his limbs are fettered by the
infirmities of time. He is young and active no more;
but if he is older, he is wiser. Though he cannot skip
away with the fleetness of a boy, his mind is matured in
the school of experience and he can reason as a sage.
The review of that earlv life reminds him of a life to
t/
come; of the morning of the . resurrection, when his
bent form will resume an erect posture, when his limbs
will receive the activity of eternal youth, and the bloom
of immortality glow in the countenance and beam forth
from the eye with the radiance of angelic felicity. At
that period, the matured mind of the patriarch is pre-
pared to grasp the situation and cope with principle.
The temporal body may have become frail and rickety
through the years of the past, yet the faculties of the
spiritual organism that dwells within the mortal house
has been maturing and only waits to be freed from the
tenement of clay to exhibit its powers of rapid motion
that will far outstrip the nimbieness of his earthly boy-
hood. When the mortal existence commenced upon
12 REMINISCENCES
mother earth, he was born a helpless child, perhaps the
most dependent for care and tender watching of all crea-
tures that breathe the breath of life. When he comes
forth in the resurrection, he will resume the full stature
of his mortal growth, and the gracefulness of his move-
ment will be superior in point of interest to that which
is exhibited in childhood, where the beauty and the
sprightliness, at best, are but the endowments that be-
long to the mortal state. Though the head maybe "white
as wool," yet the glow of immortality will radiate such an
indiscribable halo of splendor, that the beautiful locks
that adorn the youthful heads of mortals will be eclipsed
by comparison. The aged who stand close to the sunset
of life, and totter along towards the brink of the tomb,
if they could but have a momentary view of the condi-
tion of the righteous as they will appear in the resurrec-
tion of the just, when "mortality shall put on immortali-
ty," they would not look back with longing desires to the
days of their youth; but with eagerness and fond antici-
pations would long for the change to come when the
spirit will be free from mortality, and, at the appointed
time, take upon itself the powers and bloom of immor-
tality, to revel in eternal youth and be partakers of joys
ineffable. .
But, says one, how are we to obtain a knowledge of the
future concerning those things which have an existence
beyond the grave? How is mortal man to rend the veil
and receive a satisfactory knowledge concerning those
things for which the finite mind has such a longing and
which we cannot enter upon the full enjoyment of until
this mortal shall put oh immortality? These blessings
belong to the precious gifts of the gospel which was
OP LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 13
preached anciently by Christ and His Apostles, and which
has been revealed to Joseph Smith in this our day. This
is the gospel spoken of in the fourteenth chapter and
sixth and seventh verses ef Revelations: "And I saw
another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the ever-
lasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the
earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and
people. Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give
glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and
worship Him that made heaven and earth, and the sea,
and the fountains of waters." This mighty angel, seen
by John the Revelator, has left the courts of glory; has
descended to the earth in the nineteenth century and /
revealed the glad tidings to be preached to a fallen world.
It is the same that was preached anciently, but, being re-
jected by the inhabitants of the earth, was finally taken
up into the heavens and retained there until the set time
came when the Almighty was to commence His great
latter-day work; a work which is to restore all things as
at the beginning and gather the elect from the four quar-
ters of the earth. It had been taken from the earth be-
cause man rejected it and shed the blood of those who
preached it. How very strange it is that the children of
men will so harden their hearts against the truth — ^the
plan which the God of heaven has devised for the salva-
tion of the human race — as to not only turn a deaf ear to
it, but to actually fight against and imbrue their hands
in the blood of those chosen and authorized to preach it
and administer in its ordinances. This gospel, if proper-
ly observed, furnishes evidences of its divine authentici-
ty. In contradistinction to all other religious beliefs
entertained at the time it was made known to Joseph
14 REMINISCENCES
Smith, it is a gospel of revelation. Those who obey the
gospel in our day, have the promise of knowing whether
its doctrines are of God or of man, while those who do
not obey ii have not got this promise. It is a conceded
truth that like causes produce .like results. It is general-
ly admitted by religionists that the gospel taught by the
Apostles in the days of Christ was true. Jesus, soon
after His crucifixion, said to His Apostles: "All power is
given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore
and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teach-
ing them' to observe all things whatsoever I have com-
manded you: and lo^ I am with you alway, even unto the
end of the world.'' Here let us ask, how were the Apos-
ties and the doctrines they taught received by the people?
In almost every cily or country where they made a proc-
lamation of the gospel they an4 their doctrines met with
opposition,., and often the people used mob violence to
silence them, that, if possible, their doctrines might not
be promulgated among the people. Jesus, the Redeemer,
the Lord of glory, was crucified, and many of His Apos-
tles were put to death and many of .the Saints fell as
martyrs for the truth. In Jerusalem they were strictly
commanded not to teach in this (Christfs) name. "Then
Peter and the other Apostles answered and said. We
• ought to obey God rather than men." (Acts v: 28, 29.)
They no doubt were looked upon by the people as ene-
mies to the coipmon wealth and disturbers of the peace;
but the gospel they had embraced was a gospel of revela-
tion, which made known to them the will of heaven^
concerning their ministry, and they chose to be obedient
to the commandment which Christ gave them concerning
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 15
their earthly mission. Through the medium of this gos-
pel it was made known to Peter that Jesus was the Christ;
and when Peter made this declaration, Jesus answered
and said unto him: "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona;
for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, bul;
my Father which is in heaven." (St. Matthew, xvi: 17,
18.) Thus we see it was a gospel of revelation which the
ancients taught, and when that was to be restored in thie
latter days it was still to be a gospel of revelation, for
Peter, on the day of Pentecost, said: "This is that which
was spoken by the Prophet Joel: And it shall come to
pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my
spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters
shall prophesy, and your young iheh shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams, and' on my ser-
vants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those
days of my spirit; and they shall prophesy." (Acts ii: 16,
18.) We are now living in the last days, when God is
pouring out His spirit, and the blessings spoken of by
Peter are being enjoyed by those who have yielded obe-
dience to the gospel. Dreams and visions are enjoyed;
the servants and handmaidens of the Almighty are made
to prophesy under the influence of the spirit of God.
Because they do these things, as was the case anciently,
and preach the gospel in the power and demonstration
of that spirit, we are m^de to drink from th^ same bitter
cup of persecution as was placed to the lips of the former-
day Saints. Ever since the Book of Mormon was brought
to light through the agency of Joseph Smith and was by
hiin translated by the gift and power of God, the Chrisr
tiah world has been diligent in persecuting the Latter-
day Saints. It began with the Prophet Joseph simulta-
16 REMINISCKNCES
neous with his obtaining possession of the plates of gold
from which the Book of Mormon was by him translated.
Before he reached home, after taking them from
Cumorah, he was beset by a mob and knocked down.
Notwithstanding this, he thought in his then inexperi-
ence, that all good men, and especially the* ministers of
religion, would hail his message with joy; but to his
astonishment they were filled with rage and beset him
with mobs, fabricated lies, vilified his character and
sought to crush every effort made by him to bring the
eternal truths entrusted to him by the God of heaven,
to the knowledge of his fellow man.
This Book of Mormon is a translation from gold plates
upon which was kept the record or history of the once
enlightened and powerful Nephite nation, which sprang
from the family of Lehi, who left Jerusalem by command
of God 600 years before Christ, which company landed
on the coast of Chili, in South America, and after becom-
ing numerous there, many thousands of them came to
North America, where they were greatly blessed of the
Lord as long as they kept His commandments; but, run-
ning into wickedness and forgetting God, were finally
overpowered by the Lamanites and slain, their nationality
thus becoming extinct. This book also contains the full-
ness of the gospel which was understood and preached
by that people in the days of their humility. The Church
of Christ was organized among them, with Apostles and
Prophets, the same as in the days of the Savior, and the
same as it is now organized by the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. In consequence of that
book containing the precious truths of the gospel which
had not been preached upon the earth for ages, the prince
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 17
of darkness, who has from the beginning been the arch
enemy of Christ, excited the children of men, especially
the priests, to wage a warfare against Joseph Sn(iith and
all those who became co-laborers with him in giving pub-
licity to what is called the new and everlasting gospel.
Yet it is not a new gospel, but it is the old gospel
brought to light again, that was declared by the ancient
apostles under the instructions of Christ. In relation to
the coming forth of this sacred record we kindly invite
those to whom these things are new,- to read the twenty-
ninth chapter of Isaiah. The fourth verse of that chap-
ter reads as follows: "And thou shalt be brought down,
and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy voice shall be
as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground,
and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust." The Ne-
phite nation was "brought down** and after the lapse of
ages their record vvas taken from the place of its safe de-
posit, translated and published, and thus did they "speak
out of the ground" and their "speech" was "low out of
the dust." All this the majority of the religious world
reject. They will not receive these things, and have
made war upon those who have embraced them. The
God of heaven, who sees the end from the beginning,
foresaw that this would be the case, hence the fourteenth
verse of the chapter alluded to is couched in the following
significant language: "Therefore, behold, I will proceed
to do a marvelous work among this people, even a mar-
velous work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise
men shall perish, and the understanding of their pru-
dent men shall be hid." These last quoted words of the
Prophet Isaiah have had and are still having an actual
and most wonderful fulfillment. The work which has re-
18 REMINISCENCES
suited from the restoration of the gospel and bringing
to light the sacred truths of the Book of Mormon, has re-
ally been a ^'marvelous work and a wonder." The true
blaze of gospel light that it has enkindled in the hearts
of the honest among all peoples has caused the wisdom of
the wise (in their own conceit) to perish and the under-
standing of the prudent to be hid.
In writing thus lengthily upon this portion of our sub-
ject, it is our wish to show that a declaration of the gos-
pel by the righteous, in any age of the world, is followed
with persecution from the bigoted and ungodly portion of
mankind. To speak directly of our time, the real and
only cause that can rightfully be assigned for the perse-
cution that has followed the proclamation of the gospel,
is that it is heaven's truth; or that it is an association of
glorious truths that are new to the inhabitants of the
earth in the nineteenth century — truths that are not
entertained by the sects of the age and form no part of
their tenets. One of the fundamental principles of the
gospel of Christ is direct revelation and this all the sects
ignore. They do not believe that the Almighty has com-
municated Jlis will to man since the ancient worthies fell
asleep, and yet the Bible tells us that **The Lord God will
do nothing but will rev.eal His secrets to His servants the
prophets.'' (Amos iii: 7.) The people who ignore reve-
lation, according to this passage, and deny the existence
of prophets in their midst, are left to grope their way in
darkness, strangers to the will of the Father concerning
them. They have no prophets to receive the will of the
Lord for them and these (the prophets,) are the class of
men specified to whom the Lord will reveal '*His secrets.''
They neither believe in revelation from God nor in His
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 19
prophets. Yet this is the order that the Lord has again
established as well as in ancient times, and because of this
the wicked rage and imagine vain things; and because
they cannot find arguments sufficiently logical to contro-
vert the doctrines of the Latter-day Saints, they have re-
sorted to mobocracy and violence against our people
from the very first and have continued to persecute and
deprive us of our rights up to the present time. " \
Much indeed has been written and published, by many
authors, relative to the past history of the Latter-day
Saints. The world has been made acquainted, through
the agency of the press, with the leading features of the
persecutions this people have endured for their religion;
but a wonderful amount of persecutive historj' remains
yet to be chronicled. Much has laid in retirement in the
knowledge of men and women who, at the most, have
only made minutes upon their private journals, while
many others have not even done so much, and allowed
the facts of their personal experience — the whippings,
drivings, burnings, plunderings and murders entailed
upon them by mobs — to remain silently upon the tablets
of the memory. Very many of such individuals are to-
day tottering upon the brink of the grave, and when they
fall to sleep their history will slumber with them. It is
a pity they should thus pass away without contributing
their store of evidence to the bulk that might be left on
record in aid of a cause that should be fully written up,
and the facts transmitted to succeeding generations.
The years that have intervened since Joseph Smith
received the first visitations of heavenly messengers and
the plates of the Book of Mormon were delivered to and
translated by him by the gift and power of God, have
20 REMINISCENCES
been full of tribulation and peril for Joseph himself, and
for all who believed his testimony and embraced the gos-
pel which the Lord revealed through his agency. The
object of the writer is that this little volume may be an
aid in an object which, to his mind, seems of great im-
portance, believing that, to a great extent at least, men
are finally to be judged out of the books that are and will
be written. His requests have been responded to cheer-
fully as far as he has solicited the account of individual
experiences, and, over their own signatures, their state-
ments and testimonies will be read with interest bv
thousands after such witnesses have been gathered to a
glorious home where their relentless persecutors will
never have the privilege — without sore repentance and
obedience to the truth — of intruding their presence.
The writer is an American citizen, born in the glorious
land of the free, and he enjoys the right secured by the
valorous deeds of patriotic ancestors of writing and print-
ing at pleasure, an account of the perils his friends have
nobly endured for worshipping Almighty God according
to their honest convictions. He lives in the country
made illustrious by the virtues of a Washington and his
compatriots, who were compeers in arms through the
Revolution which broke off the British yoke and freed
this land from the domination of kings and foreign des-
pots. From the day of those wonderful achievements,
tyrants from beyond the seas have held no dominion
upon our shores, and the most dangerous political oppres-
sors here have grown up under the very shadow of the
flag of freedom. Many of these boast of Christianity, of
piety and of political and religious- tolerance. It is la-
mentable that some such men as these are ueally the de-
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 21
scendants of those early patriots. It is strange that they
— reared among the institutions of this great Republic —
have become political tyrants and religious bigots, and
have dimmed the lustre of the fame which still shines
upon the deeds of the Puritan fathers. It is painful to
know that sons of America have made a blot upon the
escutcheon of their country, and given the lie to the
foreign belief that the oppressed of tyrants can find at
least religious freedom here. On the other hand it is
gratifying that there are thousands still in this govern-
ment whose bosoms swell with emotions of philanthropy
and patriotism, ready to defend the chartered rights of
the Constitution and imitate the heroic and just exam-
ples set by those early defenders of human rights. May
their souls be infused with that spirit of freedom that
inspired the hearts and* nerved the arms of our forefath-
ers, for while such men live there will be a hope for our
country. While such men lift their voices, ^here will be
good desires for the perpetuity of freedom; and the help-
less, the innocent, the honest and the true, will find
advocates for their cause. And such men will always be
found in this Republic. This land is consecrated to liberty
by the sacred blood of the fathers, among whose descen-
dants will be found, through the coming years, those
who inherit that love for the human race which nerved
and strengthened the ancient arms that struck down
forever the oppressive schemes of British kings.
It is falsely, cruelly charged that the Latter-day Saints
have no real, full-souled sympathy with the perpetuity of
American institutions. A more unfounded charge could
not be made, or a greater libel forged than this. The
history of our people, for more than half a century, stands
22 REMINISCENCES
out in bold rebuke of such a slander. They have patiently
endured the persecutions of wicked men banded against
them in mobs because, in the land that boasts of re-
ligious toleration, they believed in a God of revelation
and in a religion possessing those elements of truth and
consistency proclaimed by the Apostles in the meridian
of time. Joseph Smith proclaimed, and this people em-
braced, a new revealed faith which struck at the fallacies
and dogmas of ages, against which the sects could not
successfully battle with arguments; hence they led on the
mobocratic element and schemed against us with politi-
cal demagogues. They have plundered our houses; com-
mitted our homes to the devouring element; murdered
our friends and driven the aged, the sick and helpless
through the dreary winter storms. They have robbed
this people of the accumulated comforts of honest toil;
forced them at times into destitution; violated the chasti-
ty of helpless females; fastened the chains forged for con-
victs upon their most honorable leaders; and as a
crowning evil have, latterly, sought to disfranchise our
community and take away the local government which
they have so nobly achieved in Utah. All these wrongs
and many not enumerated, have been patiently endured
by this people. They have suffered it all without rebel-
lion and without even resistance, save in a few instances,
where self defence has been forced upon them. They
have paid millions of money into the United States
treasury for land, and with the patents for much of it
now in their new-made homes, they are exiled and ban-
ished, while others plow in peace and eat the products
of its strength. They have ever honored the political,
military and all the governmental institutions of their
OP LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 23
country. They have paid taxes, worked the public high-
ways, built railroads, reclaimed and built up an extensive
area of wilderness; extended civilization to the desert;
erected colleges for the sciences and sanctuaries for the
worship of the true and living God. Their advance
emigration in 1847 planted upon the Rocky Mountain
heighfts the glorious stars and stripes, which amazed the
rude Indian in his uncivilized state, and cheered the
bosoms of the loyal band that unfurled them to the
breeze. While on the way here with their families, five
hundred of our able-bodied men, fit to endure the toils
of war, left their families in tents and covered wagons in
an unsettled region, and, at the call of their country,
marched against the Mexican foe. All this, and yet
there are in the land political harpies who impugn our
patriotism and cast aspersions upon our loyalty. They
have done this in the political harrangue, in the halls of
Congress and from the pulpit, where only truth should
be dispensed. Our motives, our deeds of loyalty and
numberless towering achievements which should pro-
claim to the nation our sincerity, our patriotism and our
faith, are all impugned by the falsifying tongue and pen
of the intriguing demagogue and the sectarian bigot.
Lecturers, for money and empty fame, scatter lies
through the country, and a misguided press falsifies and
misrepresents the noblest efforts of our lives and the
most sacred motives of conscience.
In this connection we will refer to the words of Joseph
Smith, made use of in the last public address delivered
by him just before he went to his martyrdom. The
writer heard him on that occasion. Among the many
memorable sentiments then advanced by him he said, in
24 REMINISCENCES
substance, that the wicked had hunted and persecuted
him and the Sain*s of God from the time the gospel had
been restored in the last dispensation. His life had been
one continuous succession of mob violence and excite-
ment. They had hunted him all the day long, and if
they succeeded in taking his life, said he, they will con-
tinue to persecute you. But he said the tactics employed
by the wicked would be somewhat modified or changed;
that they would not follow up the Saints with mobs quite
so much as had been the case up to that date. Never-
theless he said they would be after this people with
trumped up charges under the cover of law, and they
never would let the Saints have much rest until the
prince of darkness is bound.
In the incidents of history that have transpired with
the Church from the death of Joseph and Hyrum Smith
up to the present, the writer has had frequent occasion
to refer to the words of the Prophet Joseph here referred
to. They certainly have had a wonderful fulfillment, and
the present outlook portends a continuance of the same
programme, perhaps, for many years to come. The de-
sign of this little volume is not to take up the details of
the life of this great and good man further than to make
an occasional reference. There are able and competent
historians, however, who may devote themselves to a
complete and authentic work of tliat character in the
near future. The writer contents himself, in his humble
way, to glean from the knowledge of a few individuals,
some events which will contribute to the great bulk of
information necessary to make the history of this peculiar
people more complete. In the estimation of the world
this great latter-day work is looked upon as a strange
/.
OP LATTER-DAY SAINT?. , 25
work and a wonder, and our people are esteemed as a
peculiar people, bringing to pass w^onderful results that
attract the attention and surprise of the entire civilized
world. Much of our historv must and will be written
and printed by men in the flesh, and the invisible an-
gels who "are silent notes taking" will record it upon the
enduring annals of eternity. We shall have, to meet it all
there. Let us see to it that our credits weigh as heavy as
our debits when the scale of eternal justice shall be poised
in the hand of Him who will be the final judge of the
**quick and the dead." Who shall be happily prepared
for that momentous tribunal, when the individual fate of
all who have figured upon the earth — the haughty and
humble, the tyrant and the philanthropist — shall be de-
cided forever? In our estimation, most glorious and far
surpassing all powers of finite description, will be the re-
ward of those who patiently fight tlie fight of faith and
live in obedience to the true and everlasting Gospel. In-
finite willbethejoy that will swell the bosoms of those
who have stood valiant for the truth and defied the rage
of the wicked to turn them from the paths of life. Those
who for the gospel's sake have lost th^ir lives, will find
themselves restored to the powers of eternal life, and
throiiesi principalities and powers will appear to their
view, in all the radiant excellence of immortality. But
those who have rejected the plan devised for the perpet-
uation of life, and* shed the blood of the innocent, will
have to endure the mortification of banishment from the
Divine presence, with the words of final sentence ringing
in their ears: "Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire pre-
pared for the devil and his angels." What a glorious
boon of rejoicing it is for the Saints of God; for the
26 REMINISCENCES
robbed and plundered; for the despised and hated; for
the afflicted, the tortured and the martyred; to be able to
foresee, by the eye of faith, the reward of those who obey
God and keep His commandments. This knowledge
brings them patience in the hour of trial, and their
prayer is, as was the Savior's before His crucifixion:
"Father, forgive them for they know not what they <Jo.''
CHAPTER IL
Who his Parents Were.— How They Embrnced the Gospel.— Hyrum Smith
and Lyman Wight go to Missouri.— Zion's Camp.— The Cholera.— Church
Settles in Caldwell, Davis and Carroll Counties.— Conspiracy Against the
Prophet.— Joseph and Sidney Arrive at Far West —Lay the Corner Stone
of a Temple and the Devil Kages.
Lyman Omer Littlefield, who has undertaken in this
little volume to give publicity to many incidents connect-
ed with the experience of the Saints, is the second son of
Waldo Littlefield and Mercy Higgins. His grandfather,
Josiah Littlefield, fought through the war of 1812, for
which service he drew a pension during the latter years
of his life. He is "a native of the State of New York,
Township of Verona, Oneida County, and first breathed
the vital spark of life November 22, 1819. Counting up
the years, it is easily determined that he is now nearing
the "three score and ten,'' which so frequently fixes the
limit of human life.
When his mind wanders back over the vijBta of the
past to call up the time and place where he first heard a
rumor of anything pertaining to the strange people now
having a world-wide fame as Mormons, or, more proper-
/
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 27
ly, Latter-day Saints, the focus of his mind concentrates
upon a spot in dear old Verona which was his home by
virtue of its being the abode of his parents. In that
neighborhood he made his infantile debut upon this ter-
restrial globe and there is laid the scene of his earliest
recollections. But that halcyon period is ended now.
The actors are scattered upon the wide globe, and those
then so devoted in their friendships would be strangers
now if chance were to bring them together. But, at such
meeting, did some fortuitous chance reveal the parties'
names, the intuitive powers would be instantaneous in
throwing off feelings of restraint and prompting enquiries
into the fortunes of each since the days of childhood had
gone down forever in the great whirlpool of time.
A golden bible — the rumor said — had been taken out of
the earth in the western portion of New York State by a
young man named Joseph Smith, who said an angel of
the Lord had revealed it to him; that it purported to give
an account of a great and enlightened nation of people,
then extinct, from whom the American Indians were de-
scendants. This strange rumor became the topic of much
talk and wonderment through that part of the country.
Soon after hearing this rumor it was my lot to turn my
back upon the hallowed scenes of that natal home — scenes
still dear in memory — as my parents removed to Michi-
gan, settling near the town of Pontiac, in Oakland county.
Not long after our location there two Mormon Elders
came to our neighborhood and held meetings. Of course
we knew they were followers of Joseph Smith, whom rumor
had associated with the golden Bible, matter concerning
which we had heard in the State of New York. Natural-
ly enough we felt a curiosity to see these strange men and
28 REMINISCENCES
hear more concerning their new religion. My parents
were members of the Methodist Church and did not wish
to exchange that faith for another; but they went to hear
what these strangers had to say. Their little son Lyman
was permitted to bear them company. It was winter and
of course a sleigh was our mode off conveyance. Their
place of holding meeting was in a log school house built
in the edge of some timber 'and as we turned from the
main road to drive, near we knew th^at meeting had com-
menced, for we heard the speaker in a full and animated
tone of voice enunciating his doctrines. It is said in the
Scriptures: "Blessed are they who know the joyful
sound;" so the writer must just then have been one of the
favored, for at the very first sound of Jared Carter's voice
— for it was he who was speaking — a strange, unaccount-
able feeling came over me, and before hearing one word
pronounced by him, there was something connected with
the tone of his voice that convinced me he was a man of
God and was telling the truth. The writer went in that
meeting prepared to believe all the speaker said, and
your humble friend has been a believer in what many
call Mormonism from that hour.
After attending one or two more meetings and reading
the Book of Mormon all she could, my mother was fullv
convinced of the truth of the Gospel: My father did not
believe so readily, but after a few weeks he, too, was con-
vinced and my parents became members of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — they being bap-
tized by immersion for the remission of sins and having
hands laid upon them for the reception of the Holy
Ghost. Quite a number of people in that vicinity em-
OP LATTER-DAY SAINTS.
29
braced the new faith and a branch of the Church was or-
ganized and presided over by Elder Samuel Bent.
In the spring of 1844 Elders Hyrum Smith and Ly-
man Wight came there on a special mission. They were
en route for the State of Missouri and some eighteen of
the brethren of that branch of the Church and three wo-
men got ready to accompany them. Among that num-
ber was my father, my brother Josiah and myself. t
The mission of these brethren was in the interest of the
Saints who had a short time previous been driven from
their homes in Jackson, County, Missouri, by a ruthless
mob, because of their religion. The object was to use
their influence with the authorities and people of upper
Missouri to have our brethren reinstated in their posses-
sions and rights as citizens in Jackson County.' A much
larger company had been gathered from the branches of
the Church organized in different parts of the eastern
States, and had started from Kirtland, Ohio, having the
same object in view.
Our little Michigan company had to travel, of course,
across a large portion of Michigan, across Indiana and
Illinois to Quincy where we crossed the Mississippi river.
During this journey our whole company walked almost
the entire distance, as the teams were too heavily loaded
to admit of our riding. Our feet were often blistered and
bleeding; but all were patient and endured the fatigues
without murmuring. Memory does not serve us whethe^
it was in Indiana or Illinois that we camped at the resi-
dence of Brother Rich, father of C. C. Rich. The latter
joined us upon our journey and as is well known, at a
later date became one«of the Twelve Apostles.
After crossing the river at Quincy we traveled to Salt
30 REMINISCKNCES
River, where we formed a junction with the company
from Kirtiand. They were encamped at the farm of
Brother James Aired. There we first looked upon the
Prophet of the nineteenth century, Joseph Smith. And
there also we beheld Brigham Young, HeberC. Kimball,*
Wilford Woodruff, Parley P. Pratt, George A. Smith, Or-
son Pratt, Joseph Young, Martin Harris, Phineas Young,
Zebedee Coltrin, and many others who have been men
of note and usefulness.
The meeting of the brothers, Joseph and Hyrum
Smith, at this juncture was cordial. Hyrum ever had
been and was in after years a reliable staff upon which
Joseph could lean with confidence. The ties of brother-
hood that existed between them was strong and enduring
and they mutually relied upon each other for aid when
emergencies required it.
The company at Salt River numbered 205 soul?,
and constituted what was known as Zion's Camp.
There a complete reorganization took place, and we start-
ed on our journey rejoicing.
We finally, through the providences of our Heavenly
Father, arrived in Clay County in safety. We encamp-
ed just east of the town of Liberty, near the residence of
Brother Burget. Here the cholera broke out in our
camp and some eighteen or nineteen of the brethren fell
victims to the destroyer and were buried at night by
torch light so as to keep the fact of the presence of chol-
era from the knowledge of the inhabitants, and thus pre-
vent, if possible, unnecessary excitement and trouble.
Being aware that a complete account of the many re-
markable arid very interesting circumstances connected
with the journey of this camp has been fully written and
OP LATTER-DAY SAINTS. . 31
will some day appear as a part of the Church history,
the writer declines to dwell upon it here to any greater ,
length. He was then a mere boy, only about thirteen
years and six months old and his greatest regret at the
time was that he was not a man in stature so that he
might participate more in the performance of camp du-
ties, as was the privilege of the men. He is not quite
certain whether Bradford Elliot or himself was the
youngest member of the company; but as Bradford, as re-
port has it, has long since passed behind the vail, the
writer is to-day the youngest man living who had the
honor of traveling, with blistered and bleeding feet, hun-
dreds of miles in one of the most important campaigns
ever performed in the interest of the great and glorious
latter-day work. But few of that faithful company are
now remaining and when a few years more shall have .
rolled into eternity the residue will be gathered to that
grand encampment of Saints now rapidly forming in the
world of spirits.
The Saints who had been cruelly and unlawfully driv-
en from their possessions in Jackson county numbered
some fifteen hundred souls. They had found friends and
were permitted to settle in that region bordering along
on the east side of the Missouri River, but were forbid-
den to recross to their former homes.
The Prophet Joseph used every peaceful, lawful and
persuasive means to accomplish their reinstatement; but
the mob spirit so predominated over the minds of the
people that the voice of reason and the stern demands of
justice could not make sufficient impression upon the
people. He even petitioned to the Governor of the
State to have them reinstated upon the lands for which
32 REMINISCENCES
they had paid their money into the government trestsury;
but to no purpose. The' Jackson County mob was ram-
pant and blood-thirsty, and the authorities of the State
did not feel disposed to encounter the turbulent tide of
Opposition which existed against our people; so there
was no alternative but to accept the situation, as unjust
and cruel as it was, and leave the event with the Al-
mighty. '
My father rented a farm about two miles west of Lib-
erty on the way to the Liberty landing, of a Mr. Hawks.
John Corrill was our nearest neighbor, and Bishop Ed-
ward Partridge, who had been tarred and feathered at
Independence, and W. W; Phelps, lived in the neigh-
borhood, — also John Burk and Henry Rollins (now of
Minersville) lived near by. Soon after our settlement
there my father let me go to the Missouri Enquirer print-
ing office to learn the printing business. The
paper was edited and published by Mr. Robert
N, Kelley, who was politically a Democrat and re-
ligiously a Methodist preacher. There were one or two
boys in the office who were Mormons. Mr. Kelley was
friendly disposed towards our people and Mrs. Harriet
Williams Kelley, (his wife) was a talented, kind hearted
and most estimable lady in whom the writer ever found
a friend and sympathizer.
•
Joseph used his utmost energies to accomplish what,
good he could in the interest of those who had been
driven out of Jackson county, and after organizing a High
Council and otherwise setting the Church in order he
and a portion of the members of the camp returned to
land and the residue located themselves to the best
• OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 33
advantage according to the opportunities that were pre-
sented.
Soon after the departure of Joseph an opening was
presented for the Saints to settle in the two new counties
of Caldwell and Davis. Caldwell joined Clay county on
the north and Davis lay still northj joining Caldwell.
Splendid opportunities were afforded the brethren in
that new region for pre-empting land and making them-
selves homes, which opportunity they availed themselves
of and went to work with energy to make themselves
comfortable.
That country abounded in delightful locations. A
high rolling prairie, with a black loam soil, interspersed
with groves of timber and producing in many places
heavy crops of delicious grasses for stock grazing (or for
the cutting of hay, and watered here and there by clear
streams of running water — made it a desirable region for
settlers on the public domain. Upon a delightful and
sightly location the city of Far West was surveyed and
soon a beautiful and thriving town sprang up as if by
magic. The Latter-day Saints, witlr their habits of indus-
try and thrift, in a little time were established in comfort-
able and happy liomes and the voice of praise and thank-
fulness to the Almighty w^as heard in their abodes and in
newly erected places of worship.
In August, 1836, the Saints commenced settling in
Caldwell county. My father moved there and selected a
place about two miles south of Far West, on the road
leading to Liberty, Clay county. In addition to opening
a farm, he formed a partnership with Mr. Calvin Graves,
and purchased a stock of dry goods and family groceries
and commenced business in Far West. Also, they took
34 REMINISCENCES *
a stock of goods to Grand River, in Davis County. In
both of these places they were selling many goods and
prospering. About this time the writer left the printing
office and clerked in the store at Far West.
Father purchased a farm on Dog Creek, about half way
between Far West and Adam-ondi-Ahman, which was
generally called the "half way house,'' where he moved
his family, but still continuing to sell goods.
During this time the work of the Lord had wonderful-
ly progressed in Kirtland, Ohio. The Temple had been
completed and dedicated to the Lord and great blessings
had been received therein by the Saints. In consequence
Satan began to work in the hearts of many prominent
men there. They run after the things of the world and
became lifted up in the pride of their hearts At length
they became rebellious and conspired against the Prophet
Joseph. In relation to this it is stated as follows in
the Biography of Lorenzo Snow:
"Five of the Quorum of the Twelve were in this apos-
tacy. Wherever the spirit of speculation — a grasping for
the things of the world — obtained, the light of the Spirit
of God departed, and impenetrable darkness ensued.
Some even became so blind as to seek to depose the
Prophet of God. At length the hostility of the belliger-
ent party assumed such a threatening attitude that late
in the autumn of 1837, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rig-
don had to flee for their lives; and at a moment's warn-
ing started for Missouri."
The arrival of Joseph Smith, and his first counselor,
Sidney Rigdon, at Far West, wag a cause of great rejoic-
ing among the Saints. They had fled from the intrigues
of a dangerous conspiracy in Kirtland, originating in the
bosoms of those very men who had been blessed with the
OP LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 35
enlightening influences of the Spirit of God, which flowed
to them through the channel of the Gospel which the
angel from the courts of glory had revealed to the very
man whom they persecuted; — that man Who had given
them his confidence, placed them in positions of promi-
nence and trusted them as true servants of God*s kingdom,
and personal friends. Truly, "a Prophet is not without
honor savp in his own country and with those of his own
household.'' Joseph had escaped from the machinations
of his own brethren, it is true, and the snare they set for
his feet; but he was destined not to find much peace in
Missouri. A few months, at most, were all the time al-
lotted him for a partial rest from the turbulence and suf-
ferings to be inflicted by a powerful foe. But then — as
was ever the case with him — ^the whole energies of his
soul were absorbed in the glorious latter-day work to
which he had been called by his Divine Master. Of
this great man the humble writer of this little volume
had been an admirer ever since the time he first looked
upon and watched his career in Zion's Camp. And here,
in Far West, his admiration and respect for him person-
ally, as well as for his calling, was heightened day by
day. We watched his intercourse with the people, and
listened to his preaching from the stand, with sentiments
of profound respect and pleasure. There was something
in his manner, liis countenance and spirit that was not
associated with mortal man that we had ever looked up-
on before.
Sidney Rigdon was a fikie looking man, polished in ad-
dress and powerful in oratory; but he was far behind
Joseph in the possessioqr of those magnetic powers of the
mind which attracted the multitude, and chained the at-
36 REMINISCENCES
tentian of his auditors. In comparison, Rigdon's elo-
quence was delightful, like the ripple of the merry brook-
let that glides over its pebbled bed or dashes down a nar-
row declivity; but the testimony of Joseph struck through
the heart, and, like the thunder of the cataract, declared
at once the dignity and matchless supremacy of the Crea-
tor.
There were various causes which produced dissatisfac-
tion with the people of the adjacent counties against us.
In Caldwell and Davis counties we were strongest at the
polls and enabled to elect the men of our choice, as is the
right of American citizens everywhere. We elected to
the Legislature, John Carrill, a member of our church.
At the polls in Gallatin our opponents tried to prevent
our men from voting by mob force, but our brethren
stood for their rights like men, and cast their ballots;
This took place at the August election of 1838.
On the Fourth of July, 1838, the corner stone for a
Temple was laid on the public square at Far West. A
liberty pole was erected and the stars and stripes un-
furled to the breeze. An address was delivered on that
occasion by Sidney Rigdon, to which our enemies took
great exceptions, and from which milch excitement re-
sulted in Caldwell, Davis and Carroll counties.
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 37
C^ AFTER III.
Statement of Mrs. L. W. Kimball.— A Brief but Intensely Ititeresting
Sketch of her Experience Written by Herself.— Her Marriage With Jo-
seph the Prophet.— Her Subsequent Marriase to Heber C. Kimball.-r
Rears a Large Family.— Her Testimony Concerning Mrs. Vilate Kimball.
— A. Strong Testimony Borne by Her.
We will here give place to a very interesting and im-
portant contribatipu kindly furnished for these pages by
Mrs. Lucv Walker Kimball, as follows:
Lucy Walker Kimball was born April 30th, 1826, town
of Peacham, Caledonia Co., Vermont. Was the daughter
of John Walker and Lydia Holmes. Her father was born
June 20th, 1794, town of Woodbury, Conn. Her mother
was born April 18th, 1800; married April 18th, 1819.
Father was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ in
1832; mother, two years later. They left Vermont in
1834 for the west. Found a small branch of the Church
in Ogdensburg, New York; some of Bro. Kimball's first
converts, preparing also to go west. My father was in-
duced to remain with this branch until 1837. During
the year 1835 the children who w^ere eight years and up-
wards were baptized by Elder Abraham Palmer. They
were full of faith, having been taught to pray by their
parents, and received the Holy Ghost by the laying on
of hands, and the signs followed them. Some spake in
tongues, others prophecied; again others had the gift of
faith to heal the sick, etc. One of this little band prophe-
cied that before we reached our destination we would be
surrounded by armed mobs with blackened faces, and
would need much faith in God to endure the many per-
secutions and trials before us, and that some of our num-
ber would lay down their lives; others would see their
38 REMINISCENCES
brethren shot down before their very eyes. This was
verified at the wholesale slaughter at Haun's Mill.
Notwithstanding all this we did not falter in our faith,
but started on our perilous journey trusting in God. We
passed through Kirtland just after the Saints had left for
the far west. When we arrived in Caldwell Countv
we were surrounded by a mob of about forty persons
with blackened faces. They hooted and yelled and
looked more like demons than human beings. It was
early one December morning when this occurred. They
ordered my poor, delicate mother out into the deep*
snow, searched our wagons, took from us our arms and
ammunition, pointed their guns at us children to intimi-
date us, and cursed and swore in a most frightful man-
ner. One of the neighboring women had intruded her
hateful presence into our camp, urging them to shoot.
"Shoot them down," she cried, "they should not be al-
lowed to live!" The question may be agked, how did we
feel under these circumstances? I can speak for one, I
did not tremble — I did not fear them. They looked
to me too insignificant and I felt to trust in One, (al-
though but a child) who held our destinies in His own
hands.
We continued our journey until we came to a set-
tlement on Shoal creek, five miles distant from Haun's
mill; my father and another of the brethren went to
the mill to hold council with Bro. Joseph Young and
others, as to what course was best to pursue under the
circumstances. They were in a blacksmith shop when a
mob appeared in sight, formed in line and commenced
firing, without giving any warning whatever, upon men,
women and children. The first ball fired by the enemy
lodged in my father's right arm. He returned the shot
but found it impossible to reload. He then ran down the
bank of the creek, and just before him one of the breth-
ren in ascending the opposite bank, was shot down. He
'^pped under some lumber leaning against the bank.
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 39
which afforded very little if any protection, but, in an-
swer to prayer, their eyes were blinded, and, although
they looked directly at him, yet apparently did not see
him, passed on, declaring with an oath that not another
Mormon was to be seen. He remained there until all was
silent, then ventured forth to witness the dreadful scene
of the massacre.
In the shop lay the lifeless body of the son of Warren
Smith with his brains beaten out with the breech of a
gun, and another of the same family with his thigh torn
entirely away, and apparently mortally wounded. A lit-
tle further on an aged man, Father McBride, lay welter-
ing in his gore. It was not enough t6 shoot him down,
but the murderers had found an old scythe with which
they had mangled that venerable head in a most horrible
and sickening manner. A young woman was also found
behind a huge log, where she had fallen in a fainting
condition with a wound in one of her hands, several bul-
let holes through her clothing and a volley had lodged
in the log. If a man had on a good coat or a pair of
good boots they were stripped from their bodies in a most
brutal and inhuman manner, while the victims were in the
agonies of death. My father aided in dressing the wounds
of those worse off than himself and to bury the dead as best
he could with his left hand. His own arm was not cared
for or scarcely thought of, in the midst of the terrible
suffering of others, until it was in danger of mortifying.
Besides, the country was in such a state of excitement
he had to hide from place to place, and came near losing
his arm. Two weeks later he rejoined his family, pale
and emaciated. My brother William had gone in search,
having learned that his life had been spared, but was
wounded. These two weeks were full of the keenest
anxiety.
On the night of this fearful slaughter, a young man
came running through the woods and deep snow, bare
headed, telling us that an armed mob had surrounded
40 REMINISCENCES
those at the mill, and were murdering men, women and
children, and would soon be upon us. This news caused
a regular stampede in our little company, as some of our
company had gone to the mill. Sonle of the women took
their little ones in their arms, while others clung to their
clothes;aloaf of bread andablanketor two, were carried by
older members of the family, and all rusheddeeper into the
snow and adjacent timber. Mother plead in vain for all
to remain in camp, as there would be no possible safety
in such a flight. The cries of the famishing children would
betrav them, besides thev could have no fire, as this too
would attract the attention of the mob. Mv mother and
sister Davis, (whose husband had died en routes and whose
loss was deeply mourned by all), remained in camp,
called their children together, prayed with them, soothed
their fears, and assured them that the same God wliose
watchcare had been over us during our journey thus far,
was our friend still and would protect us. We went to
bed feeling that we were safe, and God was our friend; but
when the morning dawned and I looked into my mother's
pale face, I was positive she had not closed her eyes, and
felt, child as I was, almost guilty that I had suffered my-
self to be lulled to sleep by her magic words of comfort,
while she had kept a vigilant watch during that fearful
night of keenest anxiety. Those who left camp returned
exhausted and almost famished.
Early next morning a fine looking young oflficer rode
into camp, and said he had corrie as a friend to save us
from the fate of those at the mill. Referred to the
dreadful scene with words of sympathy and regret. Said
he was forced to join the rnilitary to save his own life,
but had done and would do all in his power to save the
oppressed. If we would follow him he would lead us to
a place of safety, to a friendly neighborhood, where we
would find shelter from the cold storms of winter. We
followed him, and here was where my father found us.
James Flanagan, the young missionary who died with
OP LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 41
smallpox in England in 1848 was one of our company.
He was an exemplary young man; in fact an exception
among men. His zeal for the. cause of truth was unex-
celled.
We left the State of Missouri in 1838; went with the
Saints to Quincy, Illinois, and to Nauvoo in 1841.
My father performed two missions to the Eastern
States; emigrated with the Church in 1846 to Council
Bluffs; was appointed president of a branch of the Church
in that locality. In 1850, came to Utah and settled in
Farmington, Davis Co., where after many years of suffer-
ing, caused by the hardships he had endured, he passed
away, Oct. 18th, 1869, aged 75 years, 5 months and 8
days. Thus ended the life of one whose great grandfath-
er came from Scotland and was one of the first settlers in
Connecticut. His grandfather, Jos. Walker, was born in
Connecticut, town of Woodburv. His wife's name was
Elizabeth. They had five sons and several daughters.
The sons' names were as follows: Joseph, Simeon, Ca-
leb, Timothy and Reuben. The names of the daughters
I do not know. He subsequently moved to Peacham, Cal-
edonia County, Vermont. He was over 95 years of age.
His wife died at 90. His father, Simeon Walker, was
born in Connecticut, town of Woodbury, and served
faithfully his country in the revolutionary war, in which
he was severely wounded by a cannon ball, in the
thigh, which produced lameness during life. I fancy I
see him now as he comes down the hill from Peacham
bowed with the infirmity of age and hardship, leaning on
his staff. He takes me on his knee and tells me the
story of the war; how he became lame, how bravely they
fought for freedom, for liberty; "Liberty or death!" was
the watchword. My grandfather was one of the first
settlers in Peacham. There they were compelled to
stand guard to prevent being kidnapped by the Tories.
After the Tories were subdued he made a farm, married
Mary, a daughter of Reuben and Beulah Miner, and had
42 REMINISCI^NCES
a family of nine children, namely, Solonion, Simeon, Abel,
John, Charles, Ruth, Clarinda, Mary and Elizabeth.
William Holmes, my grandfather on my mother's side,
was born Jan. 15th, 1770, in Kingston, Plymouth Coun-
ty, Massachusetts; Lydia Adams, his wife, was born same
town, county and state.
Lydia Holmes, my mother, was an only daughter, al-
most an idol in the home where there were seven sons.
There was gr'eat grief in the hearts of her family and
friends when she received the gospel and came west.
Their sorrow knew no bounds when they received news
of her death, which occurred Jan. 18th, 1842, at Nauvoo,
Hancock County, Illinois. I will state here, however,
that my father and second brother, Lorin, came to Nau-
voo in the spring of 1840, to attend conference and se-
cure a home. At this conference Orson Hyde was called
to go to Jerusalem. Father concluded to leave Lorin
with the Prophet until harvest, with the understanding
that he then should return and help him through har-
vesting; but when the time came, the Prophet told him
to write to father to hire some one in his stead, and at
his expanse, as he could not part with him. In the
spring of '4/ father took his family to Nauvoo. My
brother met us with an invitation to dinner, which we
gladly accepted and were introduced to the Prophet
and his wife, Emma, and the dear children who in
after years I learned to loVe as my own brothers, and
Julia, an adopted daughter, as my sister. During the
summer mother was taken with chills and fever. At
length one after another of the children were attacked
with the same disease until all were in a helpless condi-
tion. Mother was invited to spend a few days at the
Prophet's house, they thinking a change would benefit
her. But she could not be content away from her af-
flicted family. At her earnest solicitation they sent her
home to her family by placing a bed in a sleigh, as the
summer had passed and it was now good sleighing; cov-
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 43
ered her closely with blankets and, beside, ^ent many
comforts to those at home, as they had often done during
her stay.
My mother lingered until Jan. *42, then passed away.
Calling her children around her bed she bore a faithful
testimony as to her convictions that Joseph Smith was a
Prophet of God, and that through him the Gospel of the
Son of God had been restored in its fullness, whereby
we might return into the presence of the Father; exhorted
her children to never depart from the truth, but to live
so that she might meet them in that world where there
would be no more sorrow, no more suffering, no more
tears of anguish at pronouncing the sad word good-bye.
She then closed her eyes and her sweet spirit passed
away, leaving a beautiful smile on her dear face. It did
not seem to us that it was possible she was dead, but only
in a sweet sleep. When at length we were forced to be-
lieve she would never speak to us again we were in the
depths of despair. Ten motherless childreni And such
a mother! The youngest was not yet two years old.
What were we to do? My father's health seemed to give
way under this heavy affliction. The Prophet came to
our rescue. He said: "If you remain here. Brother
Walker, you will soon follow your wife. You must have
a change of scene, a change of climate. You have just
such a family as I could love. My house shall be their
home. I will adopt them as my own. For the present I
would advise you to sell your effects, place the little ones
with some kind friends, and the four eldest shall come
to my house and be received and treated as my own chil-
dren, and if I find the others are not content or not treat-
ed right, I will bring them home and keep them until
you return." I wrung my hands in the agony of despair
at the thought of being broken up as a family, and being
separated from the loved ones. But said the Prophet,
'*My home shall be your home, eternally yours." I un-
derstood him not. However, my father sought to com-
44 REMINISCENCES
fort US by saying two years would soon pass away, then
with renewed health he hoped to return and make us a
home where we might be together again. Soon after he
left, my sister Lydia, aged 8 years and 11 months, was
attacked with brain fever. We had visited her several
times and found that all that was done did not relieve
her sufferings, and when we told the Prophet how very
sick she was he told the boys to put a bed in the carriage
and he went with them. Told the family that they must
excuse him, but hew-asunder the greatest obligation to
look after her welfare and had come to take her to his
own house w^here he could see to her himself. He took
her in his arms from the carriage and baptized her in
the Mississippi Kiver; but in a few days she too passed
away. Everything that could be done was done. But
she was to join her dear mother in the spirit world, and
we were left more lonelv than before.^ Here allow me to
say that our own father and mother could scarcely have
done more or manifested greater solicitude for her recov-
ery than did the Prophet and his wife Emma. They
watched with us by her bedside and when all was over
accompanied us to her last resting place beside her moth-
er. One after another were brought home until all the
younger members of the family were there except the ba-
by. Judge Adams and wife, of Springfield, 111., came to
Nauvoo and desired one of the girk to live with them.
We reluctantly consented for sister Jane to return wnth
them, where she had a pleasant home until after their
death, when she returned to Nauvoo. Mv brother Wil-
liam married Miss Olive Hovey Farr, in the fall of 1843.
They boarded at the Mansion six months, then went to
housekeeping and took the children with him. I begged
the privilege of going with them! I thought it too great
a task for his wife to assume so great a responsibility.
The Prophet and his wife introduced us as their sons and
daughters. Every privilege was accorded us in the
lome. Every pleasure within reach was ours. He often
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS.
45
referred to Bro. Lorin aa his "Edwiu." He was iadeed
his confidential and trusted friend. lie was ever by liis
side; arm in arm they walked aud conversed freely on
various subjects. He was with him when he was arrest-
ed at Dixon by Wilson and Reynolds, who were deter-
mined to take him down the river into Missouri, but were
foiled in this attempt. It was in this case "Uncle Billy"
Rogers aa he was familiarly called, made liimMelf con-
spicuous in his defense; declared, with an oath, that
they could not come there and kidnap a man and take
him away in that manner. Said he would be d — d if
Smith should not have fair play. They were forced to
take him through the state by way of Nauvoo. Ero. Lor-
in hurried on home, brought his favorite horse Charley,
and met him on foot, weary and covered with dust. He
warmly embraced him, mounted his horse, and rode into
Nauvoo. As they drew near tlie city tlie people turned
out en maaa to greet him. Bro, Lorin went with hira to
Springfield to attend his trial, and had the exquisite
pleasure of seeing him acquitted.
At the time he crossed the river aud was actively mak-
ing arrangements to go beyond the Rocky Mountains, he
said, "I have the promise of life for five years, if I listen
to the voice of the spirit." But when Emma and some
of liis brethren besought him to return, he said, "If my
life is worth nothing to you it is worth nothiug to me."
He well knew it was in the programme that he must sac-
rifice his life for the principles God had revealed through
him. Death had no terrors for him, although life was
dear. I have often heard him say he expected to seal
hia testimony with Iiis blood. He anticipated great joy
in meeting his parents and friends beyond the grave.
He believed that as soon as the spirit left the body we
were shaking liands with and greeting our friends.
He often referred to the feelings that should exist be-
tween husband and wives, ttiatthey, his wives, should be
his bosom companions, the nearest and dearest objects
46 REMINISCENCES
on earth in every sense of the word. He said men must
beware how they treat their wives. They were given
them for a holy purpose that the myriads of spirits wait-
ing for tabernacles might have pure and healthy bodies.
He also said many would awake in the morning of the
resurrection sadly disappointed; for they, by transgres-
sion, would have neither wives nor children, for they
surely would be taken from them, and given to those
who should prove themselves worthy. Again he said, a
woman would have her choice; this was a privilege that
could not be denied her.
In the year 1842 President Joseph Smith sought an
interview with me, and said: "I have a message for
you. I have been commanded of God to take another
wife, and you are the woman." My astonishment knew
no bounds. This announcement was indeed a thun-
derbolt to me. He asked me if I believed him to be a
prophet of God. . "Most assuredly I do,'* I replied. He
fully explained to me the principle of plural or ce-
lestial marriage. Said this principle was again to be
restored for the benefit of the human family. That it
would prove an everlasting blessing to my father's
house, and form a chain that could never be broken,
worlds without end. "What have you to say?" he asked.
"Nothing." How could I speak, or what could I say?''
He said, "If you will pray sincerely for light and un-
derstanding in relation thereto, you shall receive a testi-
mony of the correctness of this principle. I thought I
prayed sincerely, but was so unwilling to consider the
matter favorably that I fear I did not ask in faith for
light. Gross darkness instead of light took possession
of my mind. I was tempted and tortured beyond endur-
ance until life was not desirable. Oh that the grave
would kindly receive me, that I might find rest on the
bosom of my dear mother. Why should I be chosen
from amopg Thy daughters. Father, I am only a child in
years and experience. No mother to counsel; no fath-
OP LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 47
er near to tell me what to do in this trying hour. Oh,
let this bitter cup pass. And thus I prayed in the agony
of ray soul.
The Prophet discerned my sorrow. He saw how un-
happy I was, and sought an opportunity of again speak-
ing to me on this subject, and said: ''Although I cannot,
under existing circumstances, acknowledge you as my
wife, the time is near when we will go beyoiid the Rocky
Mountains and then you will be acknowledged and hon-
ored as my wife." He also said, "this principle will
yet be believed in and practised by the righteous. I
have no flattering words to ofifer. It is a command of
God to you. I will give you until to-morrow to decide
this matter. If you reject this message the gate will be
closed forever against you."
This aroused every drop of Scotch in my veins. For
a few moments I stood fearless before him, and looked
him in the eye. I felt at this moment that I was called
to place myself upon the altar a living sacrifice — per-
haps to brook the world in disgrace and incur the dis-
pleasure and contempt of my youthful companions; all
my dreams of happiness blown to the four winds. This
was too much, for as yet no shadow had crossed my path,
aside from the death of my dear mother. The future to
me had been one bright, cloudless day. I had been
speechless, but at last found utterance and said: "Al-
though you are a prophet of God you could not induce
me to take a step of so great importance, unless I -knew
that God approved my course. I would rather die. I
have tried to pray but received no comfort, no light," and
emphatically forbid him speaking again to me on this
subject. Every feeling of my soul revolted against it.
Said I, "The same God who has sent this toessage is
the Being I have worshipped from my early childhood and
He must manifest His will to me." He walked across the
room, returned and stood before me with the most beau-
tiful expression of countenance, and said: "God Al-
48 REMINISCENCES
mighty bless you. You shall have a manifestation of the
will of God concerning you; a testimony that you can
never deny. I will t^U you what it shall be. It shall be
that joy and peace that you never knew."
Oh, how earnestly I prayed for these words to be ful-
filled . It was near dawn after another sleepless night
when my room was lighted up by a heavenly influence.
To me it was, in comparison, like the brilliant sun burst-
ing through the darkest cloud. The words of the Proph-
et were indeed fulfilled. My soul was filled with a calm,
sweet peace that **I never knew." Supreme happiness,
took possession of me, and I received a powerful and ir-
resistable testimony of the truth of plural marriage,
which has been like an anchor to the soul through all the
trials of life. I felt that I must go out into the morning
air and give vent to the joy and gratitude that filled my
soul. As I descended the stairs, Prest. Smith opened the
door below, took me by the hand and said: "Thank God,
you have the testimony. I too, have prayed." He led
me to a chair, placed his hands upon my head, and
blessed me with every blessing my heart could possibly
desire.
The first day of May, 1843, I consented to become the
Prophet's wife, and was sealed to him for time and all
eternity, at his own house by Elder Wm. Clayton.
To-day I have but one regret, which is that I have not
been a more worthy representative of the principle of
plural marriage, and that I have not lived a more per-
fect life. I can also state that Emma Smith was present
and did consent to Eliza and Emily Partridge, also Ma-
ria and Sarah Lawrence being sealed to her husband.
This I had from the Prophet's own mouth; also the tes-
timony of her niece, Hyrum Smith's eldest daughter,
(my brother Lorin's wife), as well as that of the young
ladies named themselves, with whom I was on most in-
timate terms, and was glad that they, too, had accepted
that order of marriage* Instead of a feeling of jealousy.
f
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 49
it was a source of comtort Id me. We were as sisters to
each other.
In this I acted in accordance with the will of God. Not
for any worldly aggrandizement; not for the gratification
of the flesh. How can it be said we accepted this principle
for any lustful desires? Preposterous! This would be ut-
terly impossible. But, as I said before, we accepted it to
obey a command of God, to establish a principle that
would benefit the human family and emancipate them from
the degradation into which they, through their wicked cus-
toms, had fallen.
In all this God had in view a road marked out for me
that I knew not; to struggle against the tide of opposition,
prejudice and tradition; to aid in establishing a principle
that would exalt mankind and bring them back into His
presence. A tie has been formed that will guide me to
the highest and most glorious destiny, if I continue to
walk in the regeneration, which is the grand object of
my life.
No one can possibly feel more deeply to regret than I
do, the course taken by the sons of President Joseph
Smith, knowing that they have been misinformed; that it
is through prejudice, through yielding to popular opinion
that they have been misled. They might heir their father's
priesthood, if they would take proper steps, and honor the
principles revealed through him. Thus they might be
called to occupy prominent positions in this dispensation,
to aid in forwarding the great work of redemption and to
seek to bring every honest soul of every nation to a knowl-
edge of theGospel of the Son of God. 0,that they had eyes to
see and ears to hear the sound of the Gospel, and walk in
the footsteps of their illustrious father, knowing as I do
that he was the grandest personage that has stood upon
the earth since the days of our Savior. O, that God
would in His boundless mercy, His matchless charity,
withdraw the curtain and let but one ray from His mag-
nificent countenance shine upon them, that like Saul of
50 REMINISCENCES
Tarsus, they might turn to God and becDme his g^postles
in very deed. That they might also accept the many tes-
timonies given by those whose lives have been pure and
spotless, who have sought to aid in establishing eternal
principles that will exalt the human race in the presence
of God. How gladly we would have them in our midst,
did they walk in the spirit of their father.
They seem surprised that there was no issue from as-
serted plural marriages with their father. Could they but
realize the hazardous life he lived, after that revelation
was given, they would comprehend the reason. He was
harassed and hounded and lived in constant fear of being
betrayed by those who ought to have been true to him.
Since 1845, I have been the wife of President Heber C.
Kimball, by wjiom I have had nine children, five sons 1
and four daughters: have lived in the same house with
other members of his family; have loved them as dearly
as my own sisters, until it became necessary, as our child-
ren began to grow up around us, to have separate homes.
Every mother has her own mode of government, and as
children grow in years, it is more pleasant to have them
under the immediate dictation of their own mother. I can
truthfully state, however, that there is less room for jeal-
ousy where wives live under the same roof. They become in-
terested in each other's welfare; they love each other's chil-
dren ;beside,in my experience,! find the children themselves
love each other as dearlv as the children of one mother.
In sickness, it has been a pleasure to minister to those in
need of assistance. I will say here, too, that it is a grand
school. You learn self control, self denial; it brings out
the nobler traits of our fallen natures, and teaches us to
study and subdue self, while we become acquainted with
the peculiar characteristics of each other. There is a
grand opportunity to improve ourselves, and the lessons
^earned in a few years, are worth the experience of a life-
ime, for this reason, that you are better prepared to make
i home happy. You can easily avoid many unpleasant
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 51
features of domestic life that through inexperience you
otherwise are unprepared to meet.
The study of human nature is a grand study. I can only
speak for myself in this regard. When I separated from
others and went to a home with my own children I placed
many little safeguards around our home that experience
had suggested, and my children grew into their teens
without having heard an unkind word between their father
and mother. When the father was there everything was
done necessarv for his comfort. To make our home a
pleasant one, was the chief object of life. When absent I
knew he was in good company and where he had a right
to be. I stood in no fear from his associations with oth-
ers, because I knew their purity of life. It is needless for
ine to say anything in regard to the life and character of
Prest. H. C. Kimball. He lives in the hearts of the peo-
ple called Latter-day Saints, and his acts and works are
known abroad.
As time passed on he seemed to appreciate more than
Bver his wives and growing children. His last words to
me were that he had been agreeably disappointed in my
course of life; had appreciated my example as a wife and
as a mother; that none had excelled me in the home life.
Wherever mv lot had been cast, there he had found a
place of peace and rest. "Let me now thank you kindly,"
he said, "for every kind word, for every kind act of your
life, and when I am gone, which will not be but a short
time, you shall be blessed and find friends." He went on
to say that if he never spoke to me again, I might rest as-
sured that I had his most sanguine good feelings; his un-
bounded love and esteem. "What can you tell Joseph
when you meet him? Cannot you say that I have been
kind to you as it was possible to be under the circum-
stances? I know you can, and am confident you will be
as a mediator between me and Joseph, and never enjoy
anv blessing vou would not wish Heber to share."
These words were more precious to me than gold, as
52 REMINISCENCES
they were his last, with the addition of **I leave my peace
and blessing with you. May the peace of Heber ever abide
in your habitation."
I do not pen these facts thinking that others did not
share equally in his esteem; as every woman carves her
own niche in her husband^s affections.
Heber C. Kimball was a noble whole-souled son of God,
and was as capable of loving more than one woman as
God Himself is capable of loving all his creations.
Sister Vilate Murrey Kimball, first wife of Heber Chase
Kimball, was one of the noble women of earth. She was
dearly beloved by his wives and children, as well ashy all
who intimately knew her. Too little has been said of her
exemplary life. She was as a ministering angel to those in
distress, ever readv to aid those who had not been so for-
tunate as herself in regard to the comforts of life. She
never seemed so happy as while seeking to make others
happy. Every year it was her custom to invite all the fami-
ly to dine at her table, and insisted that it was her privi-
lege to wait upon and make them happy and comfortable.
In her last sickness she expressed her regret that she could
no longer have the pleasure of seeing the family together
as she had been in the habit of doing. On one occasion
when one of her old time associates was urging her to
come often, as she had done in former years, she answered,
^*You must excuse me, as our own family has grown so
large that by the time I visit them all, I want to begin the
rounds again." This shows the good feelings she cher-
ished towards her husband's many wives and children.
Too much cannot be said in praise of her example. In her
demise, Zion lost one of her noblest daughters.
Very sincerely, your Sister in the Gospel,
Lucy W. Kimball.
The above from the pen of Mrs. Kimball is written in
an entertaining style. Her statements are all unequivo-
OP LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 53
cally straightforward and will convey to the reader the
impression that she speaks of circumstances and facts
wherein she was an actor. The writer was well and fa-
miliarly acquainted with her in the Nauvoo days, when
she was Miss Lucy Walker, a blooming and vivacious
young lady of fifteen or sixteen summers. She possessed
a character above reproach and has ever been universally
esteemed as an upright person, whose veracity has never
been questioned upon any matter. With the relationship
concerning which she speaks, between herself and Presi-
dent Joseph Smith, deceased, the writer became familiar
during the residence of the Saints at Nauvoo and of course
previous to the death of the Prophet. He then knew
that a marriage existed between them, by a variety of
circumstances not necessary to be enumerated here. If
it were possible for a doubt ever to have existed, Mrs.
KimbalFs statement herein made, after the lapse of so
many years — during which time the Prophet's mortal re-
mains have reposed in the grave — would most effectually
remove such doubts. We give it here to establish a fact
— persistently controverted by some — in the history of
the remarkable man who brought forth a faith which
has indelibly marked the nineteenth century with a neiv
religious era destined to revolutionize the opinions of the
moral world, before mankind can be made to see the Gos-
pel eye to eye and travel together the straight and nar-
row path which alone leads to eternal life hereafter. It
is true that the restoration of the fullness of the Gospel,
through the agencj^ of this remarkable man, has already
engrafted upon the theories of manj'^ renowned theologi-
ans numberless ideas and views which they have gleaned
from the doctrines given through him and from the ser-
54 REMINISCENCES
mons and writings of the various elders who have been
prominent in advocating his doctrines. And there is one
marked feature in all this. These theologians, as much
as possible, reproduce these doctrines as being new with
them, to make the world believe they possess a genius of
mind fruitful in the origination of new ideas, far in ad-
vance of the age, which no brain but theirs has been pow-
erful enough to grasp. Also, it would be too great a
bending of the dignity of those learned divines to confess
they found such grand ideas among the doctrines of a
people which the combined efforts of the world cannot
vanquish with argument, and hence persecution and de-
famatory subterfuges become the prolific missiles hurled
against them by a union of the religious brotherhoods.
CHAPTER IV.
Imprisonment of David Osborn by a Missouri mob. — ^They take him to Far West.
— Cornelius Gillum as a Delaware Chief. — ^Wants to decide the conflict by a
fight with t^y^an Wight. — The women and children to be saved and the men
shot. — Gets a pass to go to his family. — Finds them camped in the snow. —
Trouble at the Galletin election. — A company goes to defend Adam-ondi-
Ahman. — Lyman Wight vigilant.
That the reader mayunderstaixd more clearly the char-
acter of the troubles that existed in Davies and Caldwell
counties, we will insert the following extract from the
journal of Brother David Osborn, Sen., who is now resid-
ing in Hyrum, Cache Co., Utah. Brother Osborn was
born in Greenbrier County, Virginia, March 31st, 1807,
making him now about eighty years old. He joined the
' OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 55
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-daj' Saints, July, 1835,
and has shared in the persecutions which the Saints have
suffered up to the present day. He moved with his fana-
ily to Caldwell County in the fall of 1836, in good time
to share in the troubles soon to be inaugurated there:
About the i5th of October, 1838, I concluded to go to
Fort Leavenworth in company with Charles Stoddard to
chop cord wood. Times had been rather squally but at
that time the excitement was laid. The night previous
to starting I had a dream warning me of trouble, and also
showing me that I would be delivered out of it. I related
it to my wife who persuaded me not to go, but I should-
ered my knapsack and axe and went on with Brother
Charles. We got employment with a Mr. Grover; chopped
about three weeks, and began to hear awful reports of war
and bloodshed in the vicinity of Far West. We had not
told that we were Mormons. I told Charles I must go
home and see to my family and he consented to stay a
little longer and bring the money for our services. I told
(irover I was tired of chopping and thought I could make
more to go home and bring my team and haul. I set out
60 miles to Far West; got about half way and the road
was IBlled with mob-militia^ The rumor was that the
Mormons were burning houses, taking stock and driving
the'old inhabitants out of their borders, and on Thurs-
day night next, Plattsburg was to be burned. I joined in
with them, having to pass through Plattsburg; told them
I had a family near where the Mormons lived, if they had
not been burnt out; inquired where they intended to
rendezvous. They replied "near Hunter's mill." They
told me to go on and get my rifle and meet them there,
which I promised to do. I had not proceeded far through
Plattsburg till I was overtaken by three gentlemen offi-
cers, who, having had a dram, were talking very fluently.
They halted; eyed me closely and commenced asking me
56 REMINISCE^X'E3
questions. I told them I lived a few miles from the Mor-
mon settlements; had been to Fort Leavenworth at work
and was on my way home and if my folks had not been
burnt out or driven awav I would soon meet them at
Hunter's with my rifle. One of them swore I was a spy.
I showed them my axe, clothes, etc., but all would not do;
I must go with them. So I got on behind one of them,
and, after traveling a few miles, met a man that told them
he knew I was a Mormon. I them acknowledged it, tell-
ing them that when they first accosted me I was afraid
they were a set of ruffians and would abuse me, but since
I found them to be gentlemen I could tell them the truth.
We arrived in the camp of the mobocrats late in the even-
ing. It was soon noised abroad that they had taken a
Mormon prisoner. They came from all parts of the en-
campment to see and ask me questions. Among others,
Wm. Hunter and some others with whom I had had deal-
ings, came up. They spoke in my favor; said they be-
lieved if there was an honest Mormon that Osborn was
one. To me such information at that particular time was
very welcome. After this their Colonel, Cornelius Gil-
lum, told them the prisoner should not be abused nor in-
sulted, and told them to quit asking so many fool ques-
tions. This was a great relief to me, for they soon scat-
tered, though they had two men to guard me while they
staid in that place which was but two or three days, in
which time they got together all their forces from the Piatt
country. In their counciling thej' talked much of send-
ing me to Far West w^ith an express, giving them [the
Mormons] the privilege of taking their women and chil-
dren out of the city,as they felt loth to kill them with the
men, but all the men must be shot and the city burnt and
Joe Smith, it seemed, they all wanted the privilege of
shooting,and several swore they would skin him and make
razor straps, tugs, etc., of his hide. In the morning, be-
fore starting, they painted themselves with red and black
stripes all over their faces, Gillum calling himself the
OP LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 57
Delaware Chief. After marching out onto the prairie, Gil-
lum called a halt and raade a speech to them, telling
thera that he expected to nriarch into Far West that day,
and he expected to prove to them that he was not a cow-
ard, but that he was willing to fight in defense of his
rights and to rid himself of a people whom he considered
to be the enemies of the country, reminding them of the
blood and treasure spent by our revolutionary sires to
purchase the liberty which we were now called upon to
defend; urged them to be valiant and true to each other
and also to American institutions, though he said he
wished, and intended to propose, to decide the contest in
a single combat between Lyman Wight and himself.
There they brought in another prisoner, Asa Barton, whom
they captured with his horses and wagon loaded with corn.
They gave Asa and me the privilege of riding on horse-
back — without saddles. We moved on and joined the
main army on Goose Creek, in fair view of Far West,
three-fourths of a mile distant. Here they had forty or
fifty prisoners whom they had picked up in diflFerent
places, suspicioned to be Mormons, but some were not.
These were kept under guard. One man named McRary
lay in a wagon almost dead, having had his skull broken
by some of the gentlemen soldiers, I saw quite a body of
soldiers move on towards the city. I looked and waited
in great suspense to learn the issue, expecting to hear the
report of fire-arms; but nothing could we hear. Finally we
saw them returning, and when they got near, . we saw
Joseph and Sidney, Parley and others of our brethren,
marching in front, and about the time they crossed the
creek the soldiers commenced shouting and screaming as
if the woods were filled with panthers. These prisoners
they took to another place and put them under a much
stronger guard. I, with my fellow prisoners, were liber-
ated next day; went and saw Joseph and his comrades put
into a wagon to go to visit their families and thence to
prison. Such a spirit as was manifested on this occasion,
58 HEMINISCENCES
could not, I think, be equalled on this side (if the low^r
regions. I now started to go home, but could not pass the
guards around the city, so I had to go back to, the gentle-
men officers and get a pass by which I was enabled to pass
^he guards and proceed homewards. When I arrived I
found all vacated; my family had gone with the rest to
Adam-ondi-Ahman, twelve miles distant. Two or three
hundred of- the militia camped the same night at my
house. 1 staid all night at Brother Amos Stpddard's— rhe
and. his brother Franklin being prisoners at Far West at
this time. The mob helped themselves to corn, fodder,
potatoes, chickens, honey and hogs, without any cere-
mony. I started next morning for Adam-ondi-Ahman,
got half a mile and was hailed by a gentleman soldier. 1
showed him my pass. He took it, but could not read it;
so I read it for him. He said, **Lei^ve this place d — d
quick/' with a spirit that savored strongly of fire and
'brimstone. I got to Adam-ondi-Ahman, an<;l, by virtue
of my pass, got through the guards thefe.
I found my family camped out in the stiow and frost
by the side of a big log. My wife seemed considerably
cast down in spirits. Our child was quite sick, having
been so much exposed to cold. Hundreds of brethren
were there, camped out in the cold, which was truly a mel-
ancholy sight. They kept us guarded there near a week
before we could get to go home. Finally our case was
decided. We must all go into Caldwell County within
ten or twelve days; stay there during the winter and then
leave the State. We all received a pass to that effect. We
returned homie, got things together a little and went across
the prairie into Caldwell to look out a place to camp
through the winter. The snow wa^ six or eight inches
deep. We found a little grove of timber in a low place with a
small stream of water running through it. Seven families of
our neighborhood pitched their tents there for the winter.
Judge Smith and two or three other men came round and
OP LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 59
told US to be .gone against the next' Tuesday or we would
be drove by force.
Our little William died November 12, 1838, two or three
days before the time set for us to go. We had setup and
watched him night after night and he died in my arms
when we were all alone. We went over to Brush creek;
made a half-faced camp at first and afterwaWs made a log
shanty. My horses stood out in the cold all winter, when
I had good stables at home.
One cause of the war was the difficulty that took place
at our August election, which was held at Gallatin, the
epuntj'^ seat of Davies County. I livedeight or* ten miles
from that place; was not at the election;. but some of my
neighbors were, who took an active part in the fight, for
such it terminated in. Some of the old Jackson mobo^
crats, having removed to, an!d . settled in that new coun-
try, had exercised their influence of hostility against the
Mormons; and when the time t6 vote came on' thfey- fbrbid
the Mormons voting,' which they (the Mormons) were de-
termined to do. One of our men walked' up With fhis
ticket. A Missourian dtew back to strikfi him,' but a
Mormon, standing close by, was too quick. for him. He
knocked him over, and then commenced a gerieralfight
with .clubs, brickbats and knives. John Butle'r,'one of
my neighbors, a l^rge mao of over 200 povinds, got- hold
ii^f a pie<?ie of timber with whiph he defended the rights of
our friends. Riley Stuart, another Mormon, cut away
with a knife or dirky wounding one man very badly. So
the report was; that the Mormons came off victorious. The
«other' party left the ground and there was but little voting
done. . Butler ^nd Stuart hp-d to abscoi^d for a long tinie.
The mobocrats went off. and told what- the Mormohs had
been doing and raised. a mob of some 300 in number, who
collected at Millport, a little town some three or four miles
below Adam-ondi-Ahman, the latter commenced and pre-
sided over by Uncle John Smith and Lyman Wight,
twelve miles north of mv residence, on Grand River.
BO HEMINI8CENCE8
Joseph said this was the identical place where Adam
called his children together and blessed them previous to
his death. Our brethren at this place, hearing of the
mobs gathering together at Millport, sent a spy into their
camp to ascertain their movements and designs. He act-
ed his part well and obtained all the information he
wished; came back and reported that some 300 were paint-
ing themselves and preparing to go up next night and
wipe out the Mormons and set fire to their houses. Well,
there was no time to waste. The number of men in the
village, I suppose, was not half that of the mob. Lyman
Wight commenced immediately to prepare for action and
defend themselves to the last extremity. Runners were
sent all over the country to gather in our brethren to help
defend the place. 1 remember well of James Robeson
coming to my house about 11 o'clock at night. He woke
me up and said I was wanted immediately to go and meet
my brethren at James Bingham's, two-and-a-half miles
distant on the road to Adam-ondi-Ahraan, as that was the
place of rendezvous. This was news indeed. I had not
come up to Zion with the special object of fighting and had
no shooting tools whatever. Robeson was off in a few
minutes to go and notify others. We were in a new coun-
try, thinly settled — about a mile to the nearest neighbor.
"Well, mother,'' said I, "what do you think of the case?
Can you take care of the children and manage affairs till
I get backf'
"Why," says she, "don't be foolish or go crazy. What
can you do without a gun? Or if you had one you don't
know how to use it. You had better lay down and go to
sleep. You've had no hand in causing the difficulty and
I would let them settle it themselves."
This reasoning did not satisfy me. I looked upon it as
a religious persecution and a test of our faith, and in a
few moments, bridled my gray mare, left my folks to do
the best they could, saj'ing, "I hope I may get a gun on
the way, but if I can't I can use a club."
OF LATTEB-DAY SAINTS. 61
About twenty men in all met at the place appointed. I
l>orrowed a pun of brother Waldo Littlefield. We appoint-
ed J. Bingham, an old Missouri hunter, to be our captain.
He then saw that all were as well prepared as possible for
any emergency and told us to ride in single file; not to
speak and make no more noise than we could help. He
thought about the crossing of Grand River we would come
in contact with a party of the mob, but we went on and
met no mob and had no hindrance till, we came to the
picket guard. They were wade awake and thought we
wer^ an enemy; but, knowing one of our company, let us
pass. Before we got to town we had another guard to
pass. It was about daylight, and all were in arms, pre-
pared for defense.
Lyman Wight received us gladly and made a small
stump speech telling us "not to be excited or afraid; but
be cool and remember that we are called upon to d^
fend our religion, our wives and children and our homes,
and while we are here in self defense we are not going to
suffer for food. Now you that have horses take them
down to my field of corn. I have twenty acres of it and
just help yourselves. Yes, boys, eat, drink and be merry
for to-morrow we — fight."
That day was spent in training and preparing to re-
ceive our visitors the following night; but no mob ap-
peared. They found out we were expecting and prepar-
ing to receive them, and, believing caution to be the par-
ent of safety, scattered to their homes. Still they kept up
a howling and threatening attitude against the Mormons,
till the authorities of Missouri stationed a company of
1500 or 2000 men at Galletin, I think under the charge of
Gen. Atchison of Liberty, Clay Co., Mo.
This account of the imprisonment and exposures to
which Brother Osborn and family were subjected in Mis-
souri, during the perilous days of mob rule in Caldwell
and Davies counties, not only tells the sufferings endured
62 REMINISCENCES ^
in their case, but it serves to illustrate, iu some degree,
the hardships and cruelties endured by hundreds of the
Saints whose lot was cast in that region of country. What
was it all for? Were they in the wrong? Had tHey—
the Saints— merited imprisonment and was it just that
they should be thus dispossessed of hom^s and cofnforts
to eutduife the rigor of winter blasts and the peltings of
the driving snow? According to the enactments of Con-
gress they had availed themselves of the rights granted
to all good citizens to pre-empt and build themselves
homes on the public domain. In doing so they had im-
proved and fertilized that before unsettled region and ex-
tended the areapf civilization. They had caused seed time
and harvest to produce their beneficial- results there, for
the seeds' that were cast into- that rich soil sprang fortU
and yielded abundantly, inkiring prb'sperit^ to the hus-
bandman. Houses and barns, neighborhoods and towns,
sprang upj dotting the prairies and groves in all direc-
tions. Thrift and the evidences of much comfort. iwere
visible to all visitors from the neighboring counties, and
envy soon began to find place in their hearts. They
could not well be reconciled to the fact that these counties,
so recently settled, should outstrip the older ones laying
adjacent. . ThjPy grew jealous of this pjpsperity and sooii
began to covet these homes of comfort -^nd pleasant sur-
roundings. They could find no pretext against them jus-
tified by civil law. The only chance ^yas to renew the old
tactics that had so successfully cast out hundreds of loyal
citizens from Jackson County, because they belonged to a
sect which they called Mormons, whose religious ideas
were so susceptible of proof that the ablest men among all
the sects were not able to disprove them by any rule of
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. ftS
argument. For this cause they were induced to unite
against and devise plans by which to persecute, and drive
them and thus gain possession of their improvements. Be-
cause they were prosperous they were envied and because
they believed in the Gospel which Christ commanded to
be preached to "every nation, kindred, tongue and people
under the whole heavens," they must be persecuted,
hunted and cast out. Herein lies the secret of all the
conflicts by mobs and the litigation of lawyers and courts
that have followed up this people from the time the Fathr
er and the Son visited Joseph Smith and the ang^l of the
Lord delivered into his possession the records of the Book
of Mormon. Because the Saints believe these things to be
true and declare also that the Almighty has again spoken
from the heavens to a Prophet on the earth, as He did
to Moses and many of the ancient prophets and apostles,
they are looked upon by many of the children of men as
being deluded; they are denounced as imposters and as un-
worthy of citizenship. They declare, without blushing;
that they, like the ancients, should have no abiding place,
are not entitled to equal rights with other citizens
and should be followed up with the relentless lash of
persecution so long as they persist in preaching doctrines
of this kind which all the old religious sects denounce as
heresies. So were these sflime doctrines of faith in God,
repentance and baptism for the remission of sins, de-
nounced as heresies by the Scribes and Pharisees in the
olden time, though they were declared by the mission-
aries whom Christ sent into all the world to preach to
"every creature." Because our people so faithfully sup-
plemented those apostolic doctrines the mob forces -of Jack-
son Countv, in 1833, drove hundreds of them from their
64 REMINISCENCES
homes, across the Missouri River, and in 1838, the time of
which we now write, the mob element of Caldwell, Davies,
Carroll and Saline counties, unitedly came against this
peaceable, law-abiding and loj'^al people, determined on
the destruction of their homes, the confiscation of their
property and their final expulsion from the State. There
was no alternative; our people must go. In those fertile
regions they had erected new homes of peace; caused
agriculture to flourish; had established marts of trade; en-
gaged in mechanical enterprises and the legitimate pur-
suits of business, — but this, all this, must be oversloughed,
trampled down by the ruthless brigands and scattered as
by a terrible cyclone of ignorant intolerance, which infu-
riated the breasts and brains of the worst men of that
country. They could establish no wrong the Mormons
had done; could point to no law that they had broken;
but their tidiness and prosperity outstripped that of their
neighbors. Their morals far surpassed those who lived
adja(ient, and for these good qualities they must be driven
out. They must go into the cheerless prairies and face
the winter snows; must be hurried over the frozen earth,
— away from their home-fires and sheltering roofs — many
sick, destitute, shoeless; without sufficient raiment, and
apparently no friend but God! In that exalted Being the
Saints trusted, and His angels, in safety, guided their des-
tiny.
Lyman Wight, alluded to by Mr. Osborn, was vigilant
at his post to guard the rights of the people of Di-Ahman,
exhibiting the same characteristics of braver)^ and energy
which, in 1833, he displayed in defending the Saints in
Jackson Countv, and which there made him the terror of
the mob about Independence, the Blue river and other
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 65
places where the Saints were menaced by their enemies.
That history gave him wide notoriety, which caused Cor-
nelius Gillum, the self-stvled Delaware Chief, to court a
personal conflict, alluded to as a final termination of the
troubles surrounding the devoted city of Far West.
The writer ever has been quite an admirer of the career
of Lyman Wight, because of the bold independence of char-
acter generally exhibited by him in the various positions
he was called to occupy. He might have been, however,
on some occasions, rather hasty and impulsive in action.
He was quick to make up his mind and equally ready to
execute his plans, but a little too slow to listen to the ad-
monitions of his friends. Joseph Smith was about the
only man whom he cared implicitly to obey; and when
Joseph was taken and he felt no longer to acknowledge
any restraining influence from other sources, and acted up-
on his own wisdom, he then fell into the onlj' snare of his
whole useful life, so far as we are informed. Herein this
great man showed a weakness; for if he had listened to
Brigham Young as he used to listen to Joseph, he never
would have led oif a ^company to Texas, and probably
many more years of usefulness might have been added
to his earthly existence by that Being whose cause and
people had been defended by him so many years. . His-
tory, however, will ever chronicle the name of Lyman
Wight among the early defenders of the truth, who la-
bored faithfullv to establish the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, and make God's people secure in their
privilege to worship Him in a free land, according to the
dictates of conscience. Brother Lyman Wight, once a
member of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a man
generous in his nature and effective in defence, has
66 REMINISCENCES
gone to his final account, and our faith and hope is that
a just and merciful God will reward him according to
his works, which doubtless will entitle him to great bless-
ings in that bright world where mobbers can trouble the
just no more.
This valiant man died in Mountain Valley, Texas,
March 31, 1858. His death came suddenly and was
caused by a violent attack of epileptic fits. .
CHAPTER V.
John Hdmmer's statement. — Massacre at Haun's Mill.— Seventeen killed and
buried in a well. — The dead robbed of clothes. — His mother husbandless. —
Strange presentiment. — A pillar resembling blood. — A light wagon and a blind
horse. — With scanty supplies they leave the State in winter.
Austin Hammer (ray father) w^as the son of John Ham-
mer and Nancy York Hammer. He was born in the
State of South Carolina, May 6, 1804, and obeyed the
Gospel in 1835 in Henry County, State of Indiana. He
moved to Clay County, Missouri, where he stayed a short
time and soon after settled in Caldwell County, and made
a cash entry of 120 acres of land and raised one crop of
corn: His farm was within three or four miles of Haun's
Mill; both situated on Shoal Creek. In the fall of 1838
the mob threatened to burn this mill because it ground
grain for the Mormons, and all the mills in that section
of the country, controlled or owned by the mob party, re-
fused to grind for them, hoping by so doing to starve the
Mormons out. In consequence of these threats a few of
the brethren assisted in guarding the mill. This duty
they had performed for several days and nights. The
mob kept repeating their threats of violence. Finally
%-
N
OP LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 67
some of our leading men interviewed the mob leaders who
agreed upon a certain day when they would send a com-
mittee to the mill to confer with our brethren and see if
terras could be agreed upon whereby a compromise could
be arranged. On the day thus fixed, being the 30th of
October, a number of our brethren were at the mill hop-
ing to have something of a reasonable talk, being of
course anxious that peace and security might be restored.
With this understanding entered into, no violence from
the mob party on that day was anticipated, and the breth-
ren stacked their arras. The mob committee, however,
did not make their appearance; but as the day was draw-
ing to a close a cprapany of the mob, some two or three
hundred strong, were seen partly' sheltered from observa-
tion by the heavy tiraber near by. Our brethren imme-
diately hoisted a white flag. When the mob saw the
flag they knew they were discovered. They rode rapidly
on, led by Boreg^^rd and Comstock, and on their arrival
at the mill one of thera — without saying a word to our
raen — gave orders for their men to fire, which order was
obeyed. Their leader then said to the brethren: **A11
who desire to save their lives and make peace run into
the blacksmith shop;" whereupon my father and my
uncle John York, together with others, ran into the shop,
which was immediately surrounded by the infuriated as-
sailants, who comraenced firing between the logs, as there
was no chinking between them. They. also fir^d through
a long opening made at one sifle of the shop by one of the
logs having been sawed out to admit light; and at the
S£trae tirae they fired through the door which was standing
open. Several were killed in the shop, my father being
one of the number, seven balls being shot into his body,
breaking both thigh bones. Sorae of the brethren thus
shot down were dragged out into the yard so that their
murderers might have a better chance and more room to
strip them of their clothing. All who had on good coats
and boots were rifled of these articles. My father had on
68 REMINISCENCES
a new pair of boots that fitted him tightly and in the ef-
forts to get them off he was dragged and pulled out of the
shop and about the yard in a barbarous manner. In his
mangled condition this cruel treatment must have caused
him the most excruciating pain.
The brethren, seeing that the mob party were so nu-
merous and bloodthirsty, concluded that it was Useless to
make any defense. Their only safety was in every one
making their escape the best way they could, which they
did by fleeing into the woods and brush, or wherever
they could secrete themselves. When the mob had mur«^
dered all they could find and robbed a number of their
clothing, they retreated.
After the darkness of night had come on, the brethren
who were in hiding began to make search for* those who
had been killed and wounded. My father was found and
carried into Haun's house, where he died about 12 o'clock
that night. During that night they kept up the search
as well as the darkness would permit, but were only able
to find the wounded by their groans. All they were able
in this manner to find were taken into Mr. Haun's house
as soon as possible so as to be protected from being torn
or mangled by the hogs with which the woods at that
place were full. When daylight had fully come the breth-
ren who had been spared had to move with great caution,
knowing that the mob were liable to fall upon th«m at
any moment, for the purpose of finishing their bloody
and damnable work. • ^
Of course, there was no opportunity for affording the
dead a decent and respectable burial. There was an old
dry well near by, and the only thing possible to be done
was to place all the bodies of the dead into it. They were
all put into this well together and the only burial clothes
with which they could be clothed were just what this rti-
pacious band of murderous vampires had left upon them.
In this manner seventeen bodies of our brethren found
there their place of rest, my father and my uncle
OP LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 69
York being among the number. At the time of this sad
occurrence I was in the ninth year of my age.
I wish here to record a circumstance which occurred
exactly at the time this bloody deed was being enacted.
I stood in the yard with my mother, my aunt York, my
cousin Isaiah York and some of the smaller children of
our two families. Our anxiety, of course, was great as to
the fate of the brethren at Haun's mill, knowing also that
my father and uncle had gone there to aid in its pro-
tection and assist those of our friends who lived there.
We were standing there exactly at the time this bloody
butchery was committed -and of course we were all look-
ing eagerly in the direction of the mill. While in
this attitude a crimson colored vapor, like a mist or thin
cloud, ascended up from the precise place where we knew
the mill to be located and was carried or streamed up-
ward into the sky apparently as high as our sight could
extend. This singular phenomenon — like a transparent
pillar of blood — remained there for a long time — how
long I am not now able correctly to state; but it was to be
seen by us far into that fatal night, and, according to my
best recollection now, my mother*s testimony was that it
was to be seen there until morning. At that hour we
had not heard a word of what had taken place at the mill;
but as quick as my mother and aunt saw this red, blood-
like token, they commenced to wring their hands and
moan, declaring they knew that their husbands had been
murdered. Our uneasiness through that night was too
great to be described, and when daylight came my cousin
rode to the mill in order to learn the facts in relation
to what had taken place. On his arrival there he learned
concerning the massacre and brought us word back as
soon as possible. The following morning my cousin and
mvself went to the mill and found that the dead
had all been buried in the well by our brethren as
before mentioned. We found the hat of mv uncle York
with a bullet hole made through it on the two. sides at or
70 REMINISCENCES
uear the place usually occupied by the band, showing
that my uncle must have been shot through the head.
We, at this time, went into the blacksmith shop previous-
ly spoken of, and there saw a sight truly appalling. The
earth constituted the floor and in places where there were
small hollows in the soil the blood stood in pools from,
two to three inches deep. A boy had tried to hide by
creeping under the bellows, but was discovered by th^e
ruffians and killed. The boy begj^ed piteously for his
life exclaiming, beseechingly, "Oh! don't kill me, I am an
American boy!^' But this touching appeal to their patri-
otism was unheeded, and the innocent and noble boy — -
while thus appealing to the memory of his native coun-
try — had his brains dashed out which were plain to be
seen upon the logs at the time of my visit.
As before stated, during the time of this bloody onslaught
the brethren and sisters tried to save their lives b}'' se-
creting themselves. One young lady by the name of
Mary Stedwell secreted herself behind a large log. While
in the act of hurriedly throwing herself behind this log,
one of her hands received one of the enemy's bullets
which passed through it at the palm.
The death of my father left our family in a very lijelp-
less and unprotected condition. It would have been aii
event sufficiently melancholy had he died of sickness, at
home, where his family could have administered to his
wants, and his last moments been soothed by those atten-
tions which the hand of kindness and affection alone can
satisfactorily administer. But to be cut down in his
prime and torn thus suddenly and ruthlessly from wife
and children so intensified the gloom which rested down
upon our bereaved circle, that for a time it seemed that
no ray of hope or joy would ever be able to penetrate our
bosoms. And could we have been left, uninterrupted, to
pass our season of grief — that would have been a boon
which we had not the privilege to enjoy. Those prowl-
ing fiends who — like demons of hell — had murdered the
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 71
innocent and robbed them of their raiment, were still
lurking around watching for new victims. Especially all
the male members of the neighborhood had to keep con-
cealed. The moment the mob got sight of them they
were shot at. The women were not quite sp closely hunt-
ed and they, by being extremely cautious, managed to
convey water and food to their husbands, sons and broth-
ers, to keep them from famishing. Myself and cousin
had to sleep in shocks of corn or in the brush for two or
three weeks, not daring to enter the house, and we were
Kept from starving by the food which our mothers and
sisters managed to convey to us. The nights were cold
and frostv, which added seriouslv to our aflBiction.
After about three weeks from the time of the massacre:
the mob sent our people word that we were all to '
leave that country inside of ten days or we would all
be killed. They were doubtless stimulated to make this
announcement because of the order of extermination which
was issued by Governor Boggs. Whatever the cause was
it was equally cruel to be borne by our people. It affected
our family equally with other members of the church. The
burthen of all this preparation and removal, on our part,
rested first upon my mother. A less healthy and reso-
lute woman could not have had the courage and endur-
ance to grapple successfully with the obstacles that lay
in her path. A family of six children upon her hands to.
be made ready for removal in ten days time, would have
been a wonderful undertaking in a time of peace with an
abundance of means at her command. But she had
neither peace or available means. True, my father left
her 120 acres of excellent land, with a government title, a
good crop of corn, already matured and ten or fifteen
acres of fall wheat. But all this she had to leave for the
enemy to appropriate to their own use. In fact all the
comforts of home had to be sacrificed, and with the Saints
of God we had to flee destitute and hunted, because of our
religion.
72 KEMINISCENCES
The names of her children were Rebecca, Nancy, John,
Josiah, Austin and Julian. My mother's age at that time
was about 32 years.
Well do I remember the sufferings and cruelties of
those days. But we knew when the ten days were up
that we would have to be on the move or our lives would
be sacrificed. , The Saints had no opportunity to sell their
possessions, except in a few cases, and this is exactly
what the mob wanted, knowing that they could take pos-
session after they had compelled our removal.
Our family had one wagon, and one blind horse was all
we possessed towards a team, and that one blind horse
had to transport our effects to the State of Illinois. We
traded our wagon with a brother who had two horses, for a
light one horse wagon, thus accommodating both parties.
Into this small wagon we placed our clothes, bedding, some
corn meal and what scanty provisions we could muster,
and started out into the cold and frost to travel on foot,
to eat and sleep by the wayside with the canopy of heav-
en for a covering. But the biting frosts of those nights
and the piercing winds were less barbarous and pitiful than
the demons in human form before whose fury we fled.
The stars looked down upon us from the vaults of heaven,
reminding us that God ruled on high and took cognizance
of the conditions of those who peopled His earth. When
night approached we would hunt for a log or fallen tree
and if lucky enough to find one we would build fires by
the sides of it. Those who had blankets or bedding
camped down near enough to enjoy the warmth of the
fire, which was kept burning through the entire night.
Our family, as well as many others, were almost bare*
footed, and some had to wrap their feet in cloths in order
to keep them from freezing and protect them from the
sharp points of the frozen ground. This, at best, was very
imperfect protection, and often the blood from our feet
marked the frozen earth. My mother and sister were the
only members of our family who had shoes, and these
OP LATTER-DAY 8AINT8.
became worn out and almost useless before we reached the
then hospitable shores of Illinois, All of our family except
the two youngest — Austin and Julian — had to walk every
step of the entire distance, as our one horse was not able
to haul a greater load; and that was a heavy burthen for
the poor animal. Everything bulky or anyways heavy
waa discarded before starting. Such articles as ray fath-
er's cooperage tools, plows and farming implements we
buried in the ground, where they may have remained un-
discovered to the present time. There was scarcely aday
while we were on the road that it did not either snow or
rain. The nights and mornings were very cold. Con-
sidering our unsheltered and exposed condition, it is a
marvel with me to this day how we endured such fatigues
without being disabled by sickness, if not death. But
that merciful Being who "tempers the winds to the shorn
lamb," sheltered and gave us courage; otherwise strength
and our powers of endurance must have given way and
we perished by the roadside. My mother seemed en-
dowed with great fortitude and resolution, and appeared
to be inspired to devise ways and plans whereby she could
administer comforts to her suffering children and keep
them in good spirits. Her faith and confidence had ever
been great in the Lord; hut now that all this care and re-
sponsibility came upon her shoulders, with no h\,isband to
lean upon, she felt indeed that God was her greatest and
best friend, and she realized that He alone must be the
deliverer of herself and family and conduct them to a peo-
ple possessing the sympathies of humanity.
At last we reached the Mississippi river and were hap-
py indeed. We gazed upon the opposite shore with
hearts overflowing with thankfulness to our heavenly
Father; for that indeed was our land of refuge, an
asylum, and we hoped there to find a home where
mobs would not lay in wait to slied our blood or
place the torch to our houses and barns. We crossed
the river at Quincy, Illinois, where not only our family
74 REMINISCENCES.
but the entire host of exiled Saints found protection and
friends whose hearts and hands were open and ready to
administer relief.
Our family went to Pike County, where we made the
acquaintance of Mr. Hornback. He was kind and fur-
nished us a small house to live in through the rernainder
of the winter. In the spring my uncle William Ander-
son came and took us to Indiana, to my grandfather Ham-
mer's. After staying in Indiana about three years my
mother was extremely anxious to go .to the church at
Nauvoo, and an old friend by the name of Fielding Garr
furnished an outfit for our entire family and moved us
near to the town of Laharp. All this he did at his own
expense, and continued to see that we were provided for
until we could provide for ourselves. His two oldest sons
— Richard and John Garr — would haul our wood and
chop it up for us.
We remained at Laharp until the Church were again
driven; and we with them were compelled to seek an asy-
lum in the wilderness regions of the Rocky Mountains.
My mother's name was Nancy Elston Hammer. She
was born in February, 1806, and died at Smithfield,
Cache County, Utah, October 10, 1873. She died full in
the faith of the Gospel and all the doctrines revealed
through the Prophet Joseph Smith. She rests from her
earthly sufferings, which will make her resurrection glo-
rious.
During the last years of her pilgrimage, her mind was
much occupied in reviewing her long and useful life. In
conversing with her children and friends she expressed
much satisfaction that she had acted, her part so well and
that the Lord had been merciful in giving her the light
of His Holy Spirit, which had been a lamp to her feet to
direct her course safely through the darkest perils of life.
She has gone to her glorious reward, where the turmoils
of the wicked cannot afflict or drive the children of the
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 75
righteous from the eternal dwellings prepared for them
from the foundation of the world.
Yours truly,
John Hammer.
When the reader considers that it is really true that
fifteen thousand people were actually dispossessed of their
homes and the comforts they had accumulated for their
families, in the fall of the year, and many of them forced
to take the road for Illinois with but ten days notice —
and that the longest time given extended only to the
month of April — some little estimate may be formed as to
the amount of suffering the Saints must necessarily have
endured by their cruel exposures along the highways,
during the storms and freezing cold weather of that mem-
orable winter in which they fled from slaughter to the
hospitalities of a neighboring State. The details which
Brother Hammer has given as to the destitution and
cruel exposures to which his father's family was sub-
jected, and the fortitude and faith in God manifested in
what may be called the moral or religious heroism of his
mother, may serve as a specimen of what was necessarily
endured by other families and other noble women of the
Church who were called to act a part similar to that re-
lated by Sister Hammer — his mother — whose name upon
the long list which might and should be recorded — de-
serves to embellish the pages of history yet to be printed
and transmitted to the inspection of millions who will
live during the future ages.
76 REMINISCENCES
CHAPTER VI.
Go to Liberty. — ^The country filled with false rumors. — Governor Boggs legalizes
the mob. — Joseph Smith and others betrayed. — Sentenced to be shot. — ^Taken
to Independence. — Tried at Richmond. — Sent to the Liberty jail. — Befriended
by neighbors. — Melancholy death. — Attempted escape. — ^Joseph's account of
it. — Remembered of the Lord while in prison. — Final escape to Illinois.
A short time previous to the commencement of the hostili-
ties alluded to in the previous chapters, the writer left
Far West, bidding adieu to his young associates, and re-
turned to Liberty, Clay County, where he renewed his la-
bors in the Missouri Enquirer office.
In time, exciting and exaggerated reports began to
spread through the country and fill the columns of news-
papers, respecting the troubles existing in the counties
previously named. These accounts were all garbled in
such a manner as to place the Mormons to great disad-
vantage and make them the aggressors. Every subter-
fuge was seized upon with avidity and colored with false
representations, so as to place the Mormons' cause in a
false light before the country. The majority of the in-
habitants of Clay, Ray and other counties, became pois-
oned in their feelings by these insidious and often re-
peated exaggerations, and finally the greater portion of
the people of upper Missouri were influenced and preju-
diced thereby. Nothing could be related too horrible and
unreasonable for them to swallow as a sweet morsel. To
the cause of the Latter-day Saints, they turned a deaf ear.
Even at the capital of the State this baneful influence
bore sway. Governor Boggs — an old enemy of the Mor-
OF LATTE^t-DAY SAINTS. 77
mons during the Jackson County troubles — was ready
and willing, without investigation, to act upon these ex
parte reports and lend his official aid to the mob parties.
He even went so far as to mobilize their forces about Far
West, into the militia of the State, until their ranks were
swelled to sixteen thousand men, who were commanded
by, perhaps, as efficient officers as held command in any
portion of that country.
It is a sad commentary upon the American institutions
that tlie executive of a sovereign State should allow him-
self to become so corrupted as to use his official power in
a way to pander to a ruthless mob who were actually deso-
lating one of the most beautiful and productive portions
of the country and inaugurating terrorism and devasta-
tion, where an industrious people had erected and conse-
crated to civilization the sacred altars of happy homes,
and those homes possessing the associations' of clustering
joys, without which a nation can never be truly happy or
enlightened. Yet this was actually done by Lilburn W.
Boggs, in the nineteenth century, a period which boasts
that its enlightenment and tolerance surpasses that of any
previous age of the world's history. And this he caused
to be done, not only to exile a portion of his own loyal
subjects, but, if possible, to exterminate them wholly
from the face of the earth. His notorious order of exter-
mination is sufficient evidence of this.
This, in brief, is the nature of that force which was mar-
shaled at Goose Creek, at the time Mr. Osborn was
brought there a prisoner by Gillum and his men. It was
an army of this doubtful character there encamped
against Far West, for the purpose of subjugating it and
to imprison, if not slaughter, its inhabitants. This over-
78 REMINISCENCTES
reaching stretch of gubernatorial duty virtually legalized
all the lawless acts of those marauding bands that had
laid waste the farms and homes of the Saints, so far as
the official action of the chief executive of the State could
render them such.
The various legal departments of Missouri were peti-
tioned for redress, but no attention was paid to the repre-
sentations of our people. A majority, at least, of the of-
ficial men lent their influence on the side of this whole-
sale mobocracy, and the legislature appropriated a large
amount out of the State treasury to pay the expenses of
what was denominated the **Mormon war.''
At the reduction of Far West, by the treaqhery of Col-
onel George M. Hinkle (a Mormon) Messrs. Joseph
Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Hyrum Smith, Lyman Wight,
George Robinson and Parley P. Pratt were delivered up
to the enemy, under the assurance that "as soon as peace-
able arrangements could be entered into," they should be
set at liberty. Notwithstanding these preliminaries were
arranged, the very first night of th^ir imprisonment,
on Goose Creek, a court martial sentenced them to be
shot the next morning at eight o'clock on the public
square in Far West. This treacherous decision was pre-
vented from being executed by the noble interference of
Brigadier General Alexander W. Doniphan, who threat-
ened to withdraw his command if they did not retract.
He said: "It is cold blooded murder, and I wash my
hands of it."
This heartless execution thus prevented, the prisoners
were permitted to take a brief leave of their families, when
they were hurried away, under a strong guard, to Inde-
OP LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 79
pendence, Jackson County, where, strange to say, they
received much kindness and leniency from both the offi-
cers and people.
After remaining at Independence a few days they were
taken to Richmond, Ray County, where they underwent
an ex parte examination before Judge Austin A. King,
which continued from the 11th to the 28th of November,
1838, and resulted in the committal of Joseph Smith, Hy-
rum Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Lyman Wight, Caleb Bald-
win, and Alexander McRae, to the jail in Clay County, on
the charge of treason. There were other prisoners also
tried before this court, namely: Morris Phelps, Luman
Gibbs, Darwin Chase, Norman Shearer and Parley P.
Pratt, who were committed to the jail at Richmond, for
the alleged crime of murder, said to have been commit-
ted at the battle of Crooked River, while in the act of dis-
persing the notorious Bogart and his gang.
It must have been about the first of December when
the prisoners assigned to the Liberty jail were conveyed
to that place.
It was the privilege of the writer — if it may be called
such— -to witness their entrance into the place. They, of
course, traveled upon the main road leading from Rich-
mond, and entered the town of Liberty on the east. They
were all in one large, heavy Wagon with a high box, which,
as they were seated, hid from view all of their forms, ex-
cept from a little below the shoulders. They passed
through the center of the town, across the public square,
in the center of which stood the court house. After
crossing this square the wagon containing them was
driven up the street northward about the distance of two
blocks, where, at the left hand side of the street, was a va-
cant piece of ground, upon which, close to the street,
80 REMINISCENCES
stood the Liberty jail, ever to be rendered famous by the
entrance into it of these illustrious prisoners. If that jail
is still standing, it would be a commendable enterprise if
some one of our Utah artists would sketch it for the satis-
faction of all who are now and shall be hereafter interested
in the details of history so far as relates to Joseph Smith.
The inhabitants of Liberty, and many from the sur-
rounding country, were out to witness the entrance of the
prisoners into the place, and many, on that occasion, in
my hearing, expressed their disappointment that the
strangers should so much resemble all other men of pre-
possessing appearance.
This large, clumsy built wagon — the box of which was
highest at each end — finally halted close to the platform in
front of the jail,which platform had to be reached by means
of about half a dozen steps, constructed on the south and
north sides of the same. The jail fronted the street at
the east.
The prisoners left the wagon and immediately ascended
the south steps to the platform, around which no banis-
ters were constructed. The door was open, and, one by
one, the tall and well proportioned forms of the prisoners
entered. The Prophet Joseph was the last of the num-
ber who lingered behind. He turned partly around,
with a slow and dignified movement, and looked upon
the multitude. Then turning away, and, lifting his hat,
he said, in a distinct voice, "Good afternoon, gentlemen."
The next moment he had passed out of sight. The heavy
door swung upon its strong hinges and the Prophet was
hid from the gaze of the curious populace who had so
eagerly watched.
Because Joseph used the term "good afternoon," some
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 81
of the people* became excited and made various threats.
The custom of a Missourian would have been to sav
"good eveniug/' They thought his expression implied
a covert meaning that he should make his escape before
morning. Joseph being am eastern man, expressed him-
self after the custom of the eastern people. Finally the
excitement subsided, the people»dispersed, and the pris-
oners were left to seek the best rest their hard, dark, and
cheerless prison quarters might afford them.
We, also, retired from the scene, full of anxiety and
concern. In the Missouri Enquirer office, after that day,
ample opportunities were afforded for meditation, as the
past and present came up for review. Joseph and his
fellow prisoners were men whom I knew and loved — men
who with me possessed "like precious faith" in the Grdd
of heaven. These men were actually, so to speak, within
a stone throw of the place of my employment. So very
near, and yet 6o far were they beyond my power to render
thenv aid! For mie^-or any others of our faith in that place
to have tried to aid- them would have been useless, if
known to the people. There were those, however, who
did aid them in a certain wav. Just across the street,
directly.; opposite the jail lived a family of Latter-day
Saints, who were full of sympathy for their imprisoned
brethren. This family befriended them in the only way
within their power. Having heard it whispered that
their food was not, at all times, of a very good quality,
they, as often as convenient, and when safe to do so, found
means to pass to them through the prison grates, (which
could be reached by a: person standing upon the ground
from the outside) various articles of food, such as cakes,
pies, etc., which they themselves prepared. This had to
82 REMINISCENCES
be done very cautiously, under the cover of^night. The
names of those who performed these good Samaritan-like
deeds, were Samuel Kingsley and his wife Olive Martha;
also his sisters Rachel, Eleanor and Flora. The doubtful
character of the food sometimes placed before the prison-
ers, by those to whom that duty had been assigned (it is
said that human flesh had actually been given them to
eat) doubtless caused them to duly appreciate and relish
these wholesome rejpasts, knowing, as they did, that they
had been carefully prepared by the hands of sympathiz-
ing friends.
We will here digress a little and relate a melan-
choly episode connected with the termination of the
earthly existence of Miss Eliza Kingsley, who, was the
sister of Brother Kingsley, just named. The circum-
stances, briefly related, are as follows:
Sister Eliza's age, at the time of her demise— which
took place in Liberty — was perhaps a little over twenty
years. In appearance and manners she was highly pre-
possessing. Her character was above reproach. She
had been for some time under engagement of marriage to
John McDaniel, a merchant of Liberty. Twice the wed-
ding day had been fixed upon, and each day the mar-
riage had been postponed; the first time, in consequence
of the death of Mr. McDaniel's mother, which was a le-
gitimate reason; but the second ceremony was prevented
only by some alleged important business matter. He
gradually grew indifferent and finally absented himself
altogether from her company. Her affections were firmly
fixed upon him and an abandonment on his part was
what Eliza could not endure. She sank into a settled
melancholy and her declining health was noticed with
nP LATTER-DAT SAINTS. 83
alarm by her friends. She was usually reticent about the
occurrence, only alluding to it in the presence of her
roost tntiiTiate friends and those whom she knew were
conversant n'itli the circumstance. While laying very
low upon her bed of death, she frankly spoke of her sad
condition and blighted hopes to her friend, the writer.
Earth, to her, was henceforth bereft of enjoyment, and
she felt willing to seek a place of rest in the bright world
beyond, where slie hoped to have strength and knowledge
sufficient to counteract the sting of disappointed hopes
that had darkened her earthly path. Death came to her
relief and she welcomed the raeasenger without any ex-
pressions of regret.
Her remains were conveyed, by her friends, to the
burial ground at Far West, some forty miles distant, that
they might rest where the ashes of the Latter-day Saints
reposed.
When we had performed the sad rite of burial we re-
turned to Liberty, where we again resumed the cares of
life. But there is a sequel to this episode which must
not be omitted: John McDaniel, not long after her
death, took a trip out west to 8auta Fe. Soon after his
return he was arrested, charged with the murder of a
Santa Fe trader, for his money. He was tried, convicted
and finally hung for the crime in the city of St. Louis,
Missouri. These facts were subsequently chosen as the
foundation of a romance which was published in the
Illinois Republican, entitled "Eliza, or, the Broken Vow."
The prisoners had been some time confined in the
Liberty jail when a circumstance of some importance oc-
curred in which they were among the principal actors.
A good manyyear.s have pa.ssed away since its occurrence
84 KEMINISOENCES
1
and any memory is not sufficiently retentive .now to de-
tail only the general particulars:
I was just returning from supper on my way to the
printing, office and had reached a position in front of the
ja^il, when suddenly and unexpectedly was heard tbe- sound
of anxious voices and a quick rush as if made by
strong and determined men. Above the tumult was
distinguished the well known voices of my friends — and
that of Joseph's distinctly — asking in earnest tones for
freedom. Also the .voice of Mr. Samuel 'Kllery, the
jailor, was plainly heard resolutely denying their petition.
This struggle continued only for a brief period, when the
jailor's light shone at the outside of the jail walls, and
the door lock gave a clicking sound as the key turned in
the heavy lock. Just thea a man jumped from the plat-
form, and Mr. Tillery's assistant, with an oath, fired a
shot at him as he ran a few rods north, sprang upon a
horse that was hitched to a fence, and rode rapidly away.
This was some friend of the prisoners', who had tried to
render assistance to his ijmprisoned brethren. I have
heard that it was Brother Cvrus Daniels, and that he was
wounded in one of his arms by the shot of the assistant
jailor, but have no means of knowing as to the correctness
of this.
Mr. Tillery and his man then hastened past the place
where I was standing, and ran down the street into the
town alarming the people with their. cries for help, calling
them to rally to the jail, as the prisoners were trying to
make their escape. As soon as Mr. Tillery passed me
down the street the situation was quickly taken in and
the conclusion formed that that was not a safe position
for a Mormon to be caught occupying at such a juncture,
OF LATTER-DAY SAINT§. 85
unless willing to be arrested as an accessory to the
attempted escape, which charge could not have resulted
in the least good to my brethren and would only have
made me unnecessary trouble. I ran westward past the
jail, across the then vacant square through which deep
gutters had been cut by the heavy rains. Into these, in
my hurrv, I tumbled and turned a number of somersaults.
Scrambling along as well as possible I finally gained the
first street west from the jail, then ran south about two
blocks and turned east, in which direction the public
square or centre of the town was soon reached. By this
time a large number of the citizens were on the move,
in a very excited manner, towards the jail. Knowing
myself then to be safe from suspicion, I ran along with
the rest and .«oon was standing at the spot where the alarm
from the jail first saluted me.
A large crowd gathered there, and every one was filled
with the most intense excitement. Sevferal demanded of
the jailor the keys, but he stoutly refused io let them pass
from his possession. He had wished the people to gather
there lest the prisoners might make their escape ; but
when he found that they were securely locked within the
walls and everything was all safely arranged, he was
satisfied for the prisoners to remain in their secure
quarters, and would not consent that they should be
delivered to the populace in their excited and enraged
condition, knowing that the consequences would be fatal
to the defenceless men. In this he filled the requirements
of the law.
Some time was spent around the jail in vain attempts
to get possession of the men to whom they desired to do
violence. Wicked profanations were freely indulged in
86 REMINISCENCES
and a variety of threats made ; but finally, growinsj dis-
heartened, they withdrew, and the precincts of the jail
soon were raade lonely in the still shadows of night.
The most orderly portion of the citizens repaired to
their homes, but the profligate a.nd rowdy class resorted
to the groceries and saloons and spent the night in
drinking, gambling, and cursing " Joe Smith" and the
Mormons.
The attempted escape was the topic of conversation,
and the most exaggerated stories and rumors were told.
Their imaginations were so wrought up that many of
them believed there was a chain of Mormon forces all
along the road to Far West determined to effect the
release of their friends and carry them away in triumph
to some place of safety. But as time wore away, in a few
days their excitement was allayed and they began to
breathe freely, so far as the terrible Mormons were con-
cerned.
Two or three of those who attempted to rescue the
prisoners were shut into the jail, and they were taken
before the court to answer to the charge of attempting to
release the prisoners. The following is what Joseph
himself says in reference to this attempt to regain their
freedom:
" We should have taken out a writ of habeas corpus and
escaped the mob in a summary way, but unfortunately
for us, the timber of the wall being very hard, our auger
handles gave out, which hindered us longer than we
expected; we applied to a friend for assistance, and a very
slight uncautious act gave rise to suspicion, and before
we could fully succeed, our plan was discovered. We
should have made our escape, and succeeded admirably
well, had it not been for a little imprudence or over-
iinxiety on the part of our friend.
The sheriff and jailor did not blame ue for our attempt ;
It was a fine breach, and cost the county a round sum.
Public opinion says we onght to have been permitted to
have made our escape, but then the disgrace would have
been on us, but now it must come on tho State. We
know that there cannot be any charge sustained against
us, and tliat the conduct of the mob — the murders nt
Haun's Mill — the exterminating order of Governor
Boggs, and the one-sided, rascally proceedings of the
Legislature, has damned the State of Missouri to all
eternity. General Atchison has proved himself to be
as contemptible as any of our enemies. We have tried a
long time to get our lawyers to draw us some petitions to
the Supreme Judges of this State, but they have utterly
refused. We have examined the laws and drawn the
petitions ourselves, and have obtained abundance of proof
to counteract all the testimony that is against us — so that
if the judges do not grant us our liberty they have got to
act contrary to honor, evidence, law or justice merely to
please the mob; but we hope better things, and trust that
before many days God will so order our case that we shall
be set at liberty and again enjoy the society of the
Saints." — Times and Seasons, Vol. I., No. 7, Page 101.
It is beyoud my power to record but a small portion of
the acts, the oaths and criminal threats of that angry
crowd of men, who, doubtless, would have murdered
those innocent men could they by any means have gained
possession of them. My poor prayer ascended to the
God of Israel for their preservation. For that once I was
rejoiced that the building was a strong one, for although
it was a prison, it was, under the eircumstaneea, a very
ark of safety for them when furious and wicked men were
filled with rage and vengeance around its walls. Other-
88 REMINISCENCES
wise, had it been frail and vulnerable enough to yield to
the attacks of assailants, their lives would have been
sacrificed — even as lambs that fall among ravenous
wolves. And within its uninviting courts the Lord com-
muned with the Prophet Joseph by His Spirit, revealing
unto him the counsel of His will concerning Joseph
himself and also for the welfare and safety of His pieople
in their then scattered and forlorn condition. Section
121 of the Doctrine and Covenants was written in that
jail, by the Prophet, March 20, 1839 and Sections 122 and
123 were written by him a few days later while he was
held a prisoner for his religion because he dared proclaim
to the world that God lived and had again spoken to man
upon the earth. From this jail Joseph also found means
of writing and sending letters of counsel to his brethren
who had arrived in the State of Illinois. And when I —
though but a boy some nineteen years old at that time —
heard the voice of this great man appealing earnestly for
that freedom of which he and his brethren had been so
unjustly deprived, the emotions which were awakened
within my bosom were kee.n and earnest in the wish that
his effort might be successful. As well as was possible,
under circumstances so peculiar, I was engaged in mental
prayer to the Father of Mercies for the liberation of the
Prophet, and those associated with him, from the power
of their enemies, that they might again breathe God's
free air in a land once liberated from the tyranny of
kings in those glorious colonial struggles in which their
immediate ancestors bore a conspicuous part.
That a man honored by the Almighty, as was Joseph
Smith, should thus be beset by men whom he had never
harmed and against whom no charge of violated law
OP LATTER-DAY BAINTS. S!l
could be sustniiied by impartial witueasea, was iDdeed to
bo duplored. These men, first by the treachery of Hiiiklo,
Hiid secondly by the violated pledge of honor made by
General Clark and hia officers, had been deprived of
liberty and dragged ruthlessly from their families and
friends; and that they were thus defenceless and seem-
ingly at the mercy of a rabble who thirsted for their
blood, was a condition painful for me then to look upon
and contemplate, with no power to extend them aid. That
they were really placed in conditions so perilous, was
then, and still is, cause for sincerest regret; yet still there
is a kind if satisfaction indulged, that the writer, at
Liberty, saw them still preserving their dignity while
wearing the oppressor's chaina. They were deprived
of liberty without the justifiable warrant of law; for
they had violated no statutory enactment of the State
or nation. They had ever been supporters and not
violators of law and order. It was the genius of their
morality and religion to promote peace in society and
extend the area of liappitiesa to the largest possible
numbers of their fellow beings. If the citizens of
Clay and Ray counties, — in fact of the entire upper
Missouri — had known those prisoners as T then knew
them, the doors of their prison would have been thrown
open in a moment. But their true character and the
grand motives of their life-labor was not understood. The
cry of false prophet and delusion had filled their ears and
closed up those benign channels which lead to the heart
and awaken the finer sensibilities of humanity. They
were strangers, and, in their estimation — for such had
been the battle-cry of mobbcrs and bigots — they were de-
serving of chains, fotters, and the dreary dungeon. The
90 REMINISCENCES
demoniac spirit of vengeance within the breasts of hun-
dreds around their prison, vented itself in wicked male-
dictions. Myself, a mere boy, powerless and alone, had
to listen to all these coarse and wicked epithets against
men whose characters, for honor and noble deeds, I knew
to be as far above that of their defamers as the heavens
are above the earth, in point of perfection. Though in
the midst of that infuriated rabble — many of whom
thirsted for their blood — the brethren did not feel en-
tirely alone and friendless. They were not forsaken, for
the Omnipotent Ruler of the heavens and the earth com-
muned with them, and the Prophet, in the midst of that
faithful imprisoned band, received Divine instruction.
To render the history of that imprisonment more com-
plete, the following revelation is inserted:
The loord of the Lord to Joseph, the Prophet, while in Liber-
ty jail, Clay County, Missouri, March, 1839.
1. The ends of the earth shall enquire after thy name,
and fools shall have thee in derision, and hell shall rage
against thee.
2. While the pure in heart, and the wise, and the no-
ble, and the virtuous, shall seek counsel, and authority,
and blessings constantly from under thy hand.
3. And thy people shall never be turned against thee
by the testimony of traitors;
4. And although their influence shall cast thee into
trouble, and into bars and walls, thou shalt be had in
honor, and but for a small moment and thv voice shall
be more terrible in the midst of thine enemies, than the
fierce lion, because of thy righteousness; and thy God
shall stand by thee for ever and ever.
T). If thou art called to pass through tribulation; if
thou art in perils amon^ij false brethren; if' thou art in
OF LATTH»-PAV SAINTS.
perils among robbers; if thou art in perils by hind nr
by sea;
6. If thou art accused with all manner ef false accu-
sationa; if thine enemies fall upon thee; if they tear thee
from the society of thy father and mother and brethren
and sisters; and if with a drawn sword thine eneniies tear
thee from the bosom of thy wife, and of thine offspring,
and thine elder son, although bnt six years of age, stall
cling to thy garments, and shall eay, My father, my
father, why can't you stay with us? 0, my father, what
are the men going to do with you? and if then he shall be
thrust from thee by the aword, and thou be dragged to
])ri9on, and thine enemies prowl aroumi thee like wolves
for the blood of the lauib;
7. And if thou shouldat be cast into the pit, or into
the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed
tif»on thee; if tbon bo cast into the deep; if the billowing
surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine
enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the ele-
ments combine to hedge up the way; and above all. if
tlie very jaws of hell shall gope open the mouth wide
after thee, know thou, my son. that all these things shall
give thee experience, and alial! be for thy good.
8. The Son of Man hath descended heluw them all;
art thou greater than he?
9. Therefore, hold on thy way, and ihe Priesthood
shall remain with thee, for their bounds are set, they can-
not pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not
be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do,
for God shall be with you for ever and ever.
This revelation must have been of inestimable worth
as a comforter to the minds of the imprisoned brethren.
If it is pnysihle for the reader to fully consider their cir-
cumstaiici':; and tlieii renlize tho fai;t that in the midat of
all ihi'i — iu till.' very dejitlis of imminent peril of life itself
Rdf I
92 REMINISCENCES
— the heavens were exercised in their behalf, and the
voice of the Lord was sent to the Prophet to speak peace
to their troubled souls — as Christ once spoke peace to the
agitated waves of the sea of Gallilee — then can we have
some faint conception of the tranquil joy which must
have been enkindled in their hearts on receiving this
great testimony that God was their friend and would be
their deliverer from the hands of their embittered foes and
the clanking chains that held them in confinement. The
voice of profanity might pronounce maledictions and
curses; the wicked, with murder in their hearts, might
caucus for their death; the cunning lawyer and the subtle
judge might encompass them around by a cordon of un-
just writs, charging them with treason against their gov-
ernment; the cruel and unfeeling, like barbarians, might
glory in their unjust confinement and boast that their
doom was sealed and a restoration to libert}'^ and friends
was impossible; the despotic vampires might glut them-
selves with the hope that the loved ones of their familes
and the brethren of their peculfar and precious faith
would never greet them more or listen to their voices;
but now, that Jehovah haid spoken what was all this in-
significant clamor to them? The oil of gladness had
been poured upon the troubled waters; their acceptance
with God was declared, and all was tranquility and re-
conciliation in the hearts of these devoted followers of
the meek and lowly Jesus.
A profitable lesson may be learned by all who carefully
read this revelation. It demonstrates the fact that the
Divine Ruler, from his heavenly abode, ever watches
over His faithful servants, even noting the minutest move-
OV LATTER-DAY SAINTS.
ment on the part of the wicked who lift up weapons
against tlie lives of the innocent and helpless. It is edi-
fying to note the carefulness and precision with which
the Almighty alludes to, and describes, the heart-rending
scene which took place when tlie Prophet Joseph Smith
Wtts torn from hia home, his wife and children, by the
relentless officers at Far West. Hii who numbers the
hairs of the heads of those who trust iu Him and suffers
not a single one to fall to the ground without His notice,
guards, unseen, the lives of His chosen ones, and palsies
the hostile arm that it cannot strike them down before
their days of probation are numbered and their earthly
missions are fulfilleil.
Hyrum Smith also was subjected to a similar ordeal.
He, too, had to make the sacrifice of all his home endear-
ments. He was one of the most noble and exemplary
men that everstood upon the earth. But. like his hrothar
Joseph and the patriarchs of early ages, he counted the
consolations of home as secondary to the providences of
the Great Creator; and committing his wife and children
to the keeping of the guardian angles of their presence,
he passed from the sheltering roof of his humble abode
and obeyed the stern command of men whose mission
was to slaughter the innocent.
The other prisoners who were destined to accompany
them, also had tender wives and helpless children; but the
entreaties of none of these companions nor the childish
petitions of youthful offsprings, could awaken one single
emotion of those holy feelings of humanity which are
found in the hearts of all mankind not rendered callous
by sin and the shedding of blood.
94 REMINISCENCES
On April 6th, the prisoners were taken from the Liberty
jail to Gallatin, Davies County, Missouri, for the purpose,
as the officers of the State said, to have a trial. The cir-
cumstances that transpired there, will be best understood
by inserting the following account given by Patriarch
Hyrum Smith:
I
''When we arrived at that place, instead of finding a
court or jury, we found another inquisition, and Birch,
who was the district attorney — the same man who was
one of the court-martial when we were sentenced to death
— was now the circuit judge of that pretended court, and
the grand jurj'' that was empaneled were all at the mas-
sacre at Haun's Mill, and lively actors in that awful,
solemn, disgraceful, coolblooded murder; and all the pre-
tence they made of excuse was, they had done it, becausf*
the Governor ordered them to do it. The same jury gat
as a jury in the day time, and were placed over us as a
guard in the night time; they tantalized and boasted oyer
us of their great achievements at Haun's Mill and jbther
places, telling us how many houses they had burned, and
how many sheep, cattle, and hogs they had driven off,
belonging to the Mormons, and how many rapes they had
committed, and what kicking and squealing there was
among the d^-d bitches, saying that they lashed one
woman upon one of the d — d Mormon meeting benches,
tying her hands and her feet fast, and sixteen of them
abused her as much as they had a mind to, and then left
her bound and exposed in that distressed condition. The^e
fiends of the lower region boasted of these acts of bar-
barity, and tantalized our feelings with them for ten
days. We had heard of these acts of cruelty previous
to this time, but were slow to believe that such acts of
cruelt}'^ had been perpetrated. The lady who was the
subject of their brutality did not recover her hoalth, to
be able to help herself, for more than three montlis after-
■ LATTKR-DAV SAINTS.
95
wards. This grand jury constantly celebrated their
ncliieveraents with grog and glass in Iianr!. like the Indian
warriors at tliuir danfes, singing and telling each otlierof
their exploits in murdering tht; Mi)rLH(iii:j, in plundering
their houses, and carryini; off their property. At the end
of every song, they would bring in the chorus, 'God d — n
God, God d — n Jesus Christ, God d — n the Presbyterians,
God d — n the Baptists, God d — n the Methodists!' reiterat-
ing one sect after another' in the same manner, until they
came to the Miirnions; to thorn it was, 'God d — n, the God
d — n Mormons! we have sent them to hell.' Then they
wouUI slap their hands and shout, 'Hoiannah, hoaannah,
glory to God!' and fall down on their hacks, and kick with
their feet a few moments; then they would pretend to have
swooned away in a glorious trance, in order to imitate
some (if the transactions tit camp meetings. Then they
would pretend to come out of their trance, and would
shout, iind again slap their hands, and jump up, while
one wovild take a bottle of whiskey and a tumbler, and
turn it out full of whiskey, and pour it down eacli other's
necks, crying 'D — n it. take it, you must take it;' and if
any one refused to drink the whiskey, others would clinch
him, wliile another poured it down his neck, and what
did not go down the inside went down the outside. This
is a part of th« farce acted out hy the grant! jury of Davifs
(loniuy, while they stood over us as guards for ten nights
successively. And all this iu the presence of the great
Judge Birch! who had previously said in our hearing that
there was no law for Slormons in the State of Missouri.
His brother was then acting as district attorney in that
circuit, and, if anything, was a greater cannibal than the
judge. After all these ten days of drunkenness, we were
informed that we were indicted for treason, murder, arson,
larceny, theft, and stealing. . We asked for a change of
venue from that county to Marion county, but they would
not grant it; I'Ut llicy ;:avr Un ii clmnge uf venue from
Davics to IJuoii county, ami ii niitlinius was niudo out by
96 REMINISCENCES
the pretended Judge Birch, without date, name, or place.
They fitted us out with a two-horse wagon and horses,
and four men, besides the sheriff, to be our guard. There
were five of us. We started from Gallatin, the suu about
two hours high, p.m., and went as far as Diahman that
evening, and staid till morning. There we bought two
horses of the guard, and paid for one of them in our
clothing which we had with us, and for the other we gave
our note. We went down that day as far as Judge Morin's,
a distance of some four or five miles. There we staid un-
til the morning, when we started on our journey to Boon
County, and traveled on the road about twenty miles dis-
tance. There we bought a jug of whiskey, with which we
treated the company, and while there the sheriff showed
us the mittimus before referred to, without date or signa-
ture, and said that Judge Birch told him never to carry
us to Boon County, and never to ahow the mittimus, *and,'
said he, 'I shall take a good drink of grog, and go to bed,
you may do as you have a mind to.' Three others of the
guard drank pretty freely of whiskey, sweetened with
honey; they also went to bed, and were soon asleep, and
the other guard went along with us and helped to saddle
the horses. Two of us mounted the horses, and the other
three started on foot, and we took our change of venue
for the state of Illinois, and, in the course of nine or ten
days, we arrived in Quincy, Adam's County, [Illinois,]
where we found our families in a state of poverty, although
in good health, they having been driven out of the state
previously, by the murderous militia, under the extermi-
nating order of the Executive of Missouri.
Thus we end this chapter, which gives a brief account
of the hardships endured by these prisoners, for con-
science sake, and of the injustice inflicted upon them by
debauched judges and juries, and by the ignorant rabble
who joined in the popular clamor against them in their
helpless condition. God delivered tliem in the manner
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 97
shown by the now martyred Hyrum Smith, and a few
days of weary travel and fatigue, restored them to their
families and the society of the Saints, who had found an
asylum in a neighboring State.
CHAPTER VII.
Goes to Far West. — City and Houses Deserted. — ^Young Associates Missed.—
A Prosperous Region. — Ancient of Days to Sit at Diahman. — The Land
Holy. — Center Stakes to be Rebuilt. — ^.His Father's Home. — Returns to Lib-
erty. — Hears a Voice. — Goes to Hlinois. — Marries a Young Widow — Starts a
Paper. — Moves to Nauvoo.
Soon after the occurrence of the incidents, as related
at the Liberty jail, my friend Samuel Kingsley, his wife
and sisters, left for Illinois. I was uneasy in mind con-
cerning the condition of my remaining friends in Cald-
well and Davies Counties, and obtained leave of absence
from the printing office, in order to take a trip there and
see for myself their true condition.
At Far West the principal buildings stood intact, but
many of the private dwellings were not occupied by their
owners and builders. Those of the inhabitants still there
were preparing to go upon their forced exit, as the gub-
ernatorial mob edict had fixed the time when they must
depart.
I contemplated, with sadness, the change that had taken
place in such a brief pferiod of time. Those residences
where I had passed happy hours and months, with the
friends of my youthful prime, were deserted and desolate.
My feet, as I stepped towards the threshholds where once
98 REMINISCENCES
I met with friendly greetings, awoke no responsive
echoes. The voices of my young associates pronounced no
word of tender recognition. The hand of affection was
not there to grasp mine, as in the past. Those smiling
faces; that once beamed with gladness at my coming,
while the eye sparkled with brightness and bosoms heaved
with emotions of fidelity — alas, where were thev all? Mv
God! why were they not there? The cruel truth full well
I knew and my spirit was crushed! They were gone to
hunt an asylum from oppression! Was not that the new
city our parents had built? Had they not acquired law-
ful titles to the soil? Was not that their country and
rightful place of abode? Yes, but they were what the
world call "Mormons;" and such, in the estimation of a
cruel, wicked populace, had no rights that should be re-
garded.
That townsite — Far West — and as far as the eve could
extend over the rolling prairie, towards the four points of
the compass — was not marked by a single habitation for
the abode of man, when our people halted their wagons
and pitched their tents there in 1836. But, within the
short period of their residence, the scene had been trans-
formed, as if by the hand of magic, and small towns, set-
tlements and farm-houses, with their accompanying im-
provements, heightened the broad and dappled beauty of
the undulating landscape, exhibiting evidences of the in-
dustry and skill of the hunted and ever toiling Morjmon
people. A short time previous, I had looked over this
romantic region with pride, hope and inspiring joy; but
now with emotions of sadness, despondence and grief.
Wherever I turned, loneliness and desolation were un-
broken by any feature calculated to awaken cheerfulness
OV LATTBH-DAY BA1NT8. 99
or mollify tlie tnidenfy todespnndeiioe. My people were
not tlierel They liad left'their homes empty and deso-
late — .i\\ savo a few. and thoy were struggling to prepare
for the dreary journey. The hoUBea, nearly all, were hi
tile midst of stillness — save the sweet melody of birds,
which fell upon my ear like a requiem dirge. No axmen
were in the entlosiires or groves; no curling smoke arose
from the (.-himneys, indicative of bright firesides and
tempting repasts; the voices of ))leating lambs and lowing
herds sent fortli no eohoesiipon the ambient air; no, not
even the barking of the faithful watch-dog broke the nn)-
notolious silk'nce. At that time, what was missed more
than all else, were the voices of the loved ones which had
saluted mo in the past. Their cheerful music was hushed
and the melody of their Sabbath orisons no more sent up
anthems of praise into the ears of the God of Sabbaoth.
Alas, where were they all? The forma of those early asso-
ciates, those trustworthy young men, and the rosy cheek-
ed bevies of happy girls — once so vivacious and merry-
htarted — indeed, where were they? Once we mingled
there, in life's halcyon prime; but now 1 walked alone.
and the happy past lived but in memory. The aged,
also, with gray heads and bent forms; the mother, with
the suckling babe, and the father with his group of plod-
ding boys — all, all, had left, and at that hour were on the
weary march, exiled and cast out from the homes their
hands had built, and from the streets they had surveyed
Hud converted into thoroughfares for enterprise and traf-
fic. In the midst of those scenes, endeared by so many
tender memories, I felt as a stranger, and almost as an
intruder; for why should I he there, and they, the owners.
ejected and driven awa\-? That hour, though peculiar.
J
100 REMINISCENCES
was full of interest, as the past and future were contem-
plated.
To me, that was an interesting spot. A great future
awaits it. Twenty-five miles to the north, on the north
side of Grand River, was Adam-ondi-Ahman, the place
where Adam built an altar, oflEered sacrifice, and blessed
his posterity. Also, that "is the place where Adam shall
come to visit his people, or the Ancient of days shall sit,
as spoken of by Daniel the prophet." — D, and C. Sec. 116.
"I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the An-
cient of days did sit, whose garment .was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne
was like the fiery flame, and. his wheels as the burning firei.
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him:
thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thou-
sand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment
was set, and the books were opened." — Daniel VII: 9-10.
About fifty miles from there, in a southerly direction,
the Center Stake of Zion is yet to be organized and a mag-
nificent city and Temple built, by command of the Al-
mighty, at Independence, Jackson County. Far West
will then cast off its gloomy aspect; for it will be rebuilt
by the Saints and a Temple erected there, the corner stone
for which is already laid. Concerning the erection of
this house unto the Lord, and also the building up of Far
West, the reader will please read Section 1J5, Doc. and
Cov. Let the reader especially note this language made
use of in the sacred revelation: "Let this city. Far West,
be a holv and consecrated land unto me, and it shall be
called most holy, for the ground upon which thou stand-
est is holy."
Yes, I have looked upon that land when it was the
OF t*.TTB»-DA¥.flAINT8. 101
peaceful iiliodo of the Saints, wlio had fouiifi refuge there
from Jackson and CIhv Counties, from Kirtland and many
otlier places. It was a delightsome country to look upon.
It had been hut little inhabited for hundreds of years,
perhaps cvei' since the Jaredite and Nephite nations
dwelt there. The chances favor tlie idea that its soil had
not been stained with human blood, at least since the era
just alluded to. unless the "red men of the forest" have
since that early period, made that the scene of some bloody
strife. But when Joseph stood there, on April 6th, 1838,
the Lord said "the land" on which he stood was "holy."
We may hope from this that that delightful region had
escaped much of the pollutions of all the races that have
dwell upon it since Father Adam offered sacrifice upon
the time-ruined altars of Adam-ondi-Ahmau. While the
Latter-day Saints dwelt there, a groat majority of them, at
least, tried to walk circumspectly before the Lord and
serve Him. Lucifer, the arch enemy of Christ, was not
pleased that this should continue, and so inflamed the
hearts of the people against them that the strength of the
wicked were marshaled and drove them from their in-
heritances. Inasmuch as this was the case, the Lord, so
far as the Saints are concerned, will not hold them re-
sponsible, because His House is not built at Far West
and the residue of His people are not gathered there; and
because that beautiful country is not filled with cities
and those sanctuaries of worship which He is ever pleased
to accept at the hands of a sanctified people. But there is
a most glorious future in store for that and other por-
tions of the Land of Zion, to be revealed at the appointed
times, when the Saints shall return with strength and
wisdom sufficient to obey His laws and build up the waste
i
102 KEMINISCEXCES
places, that Zion may .arise and put on her beautiful gar-
ments.
A few miles north from Far West, towards my father's
rightful home — the "half-way house/' as it was called — I
found that persecuted parent. He had fled with his
family from his home, a few miles, and, in a retired spot
in the woods, had constructed a rude cabin, by rolling
together some logs. He had put chinking between the
logs and filled the openings with moistened earth, as well
as he could, to make it warm and protect his family from
the cold and piercing winds which were already there as
the preludes of winter. My heart sank within me! Was
that indeed my father's home? W^as there nothing left
to him of his home comforts? Nothing to smooth his way
or sooth his bodily pains, now that he had performed a
weary march over the summit of life and was, with feeble
step, descending the downward path that led to his
final rest! Was it really true that an honest man, an
upright citizen and peaceable neighbor, because of his
religious convictions, was forced to seek shelter in a wil-
derness, there to combat the rugged blasts of winter, as
best he could, in the noble endeavor to preserve the lives
of wife and dependent children! With an aching heart
I watched his form, already beginning to bend under the
efifects of a life of weary toil, and discovered in the halting
movement of his limbs the growing effects of that rheu-
matic affection which, though hereditary at first, had now
been inflamed because of the exposures and extra toil
forced upon him by a relentless mob. And that shape-
less hut was his present abode, and the tyrannical edict was
that, before he could again enjoy the sheltering consola-
tions of a comfortable home, he must build it under the
OF r.ATTER-nAY SAINTS. 103
protective sympathies of a more loyal people. A little
from that improvised abodo, was a warmer and more
comfortable house; a farm where eighteen acres of 6plen-
ilid Missouri corn, and other products, had been raised by
him that season. All the conveniences there were right-
fully his. He had acquired a lawful privilege to possess it
in peace. But the cavalry of the mob had trampled down
the nutritive substance of his fields and wasted the remu-
nerative increase of tht; summer toil. He had ventured
back under the cover of night — his dreary way being lit
by the dim moon — and stole away a few loads of his
own corn. Tliis furnished him with bread which kept
his family from starving while he remained there. To
accomplish this, he dried the corn, shelled it from the
cob, iind ground it iu a large hand-mill which he was
lucky enough to have in his possession. This was the
only kind of bread he was able to provide for his family
under such straightened circumstances; but this, with
milk, butter, and sometimes with moat or the stewed
pumpkins purloined from his own enclosure, became
quite palatable food. The family were thankful to obtain
it, for it kept the deadly wolf from their humble door.
Rude and tasteless as was the fare, atill I partook of the
plain repasts with a thankful heart, because it gave
nourishment and strength to my aged father, mother-in-
law, and my brothers and sisters. But the thought that
pained me was intensified by the reflection that soon
those loved ones must vacate even the comforts afforded
by those sheltering logs, aud travel the drifted roads of
winter to some more humane and hospitable people. In
a little time they took their departure and patiently buf-
feted the storms and endured untold hardships in con-
Ip4 REMINISCENCES
nection with the many hundreUs who fled during that
memorable exodus.
Immediately upon the breaking out of the trouble, the
fitm of Graves & Littlefield notified the firm from whom
their goods were purchased that they were obliged to sus-
p.end business and wished them to come and take pos-
session of the merchandise and indemnify themselves with
the assets to the best possible advantage. This was done
and those gentlemen were entirely satisfied that they had
been dealing with honest men.
Such were the gloomy prospects under which I fotind
my father and family, and the future was ominous for
them and the retiring Saints. I bid them good-by with
a multitude of crowding emotions and returned again to
my employment in Liberty. Mr. John Rodgers, one of
the editors of the paper, advised me by all means to re-
main there, as the people knew me and I would not be
interfered with. In giving this advice, Mr. Rodgers spoke
his friendly sentiments; but my friends and brethren
were exiles and in trouble and I was anxious to share
their fortunes.
One day, at noon, I was the first of all the employes
to return from dinner. While near a "standing galley,"
from which I was about to lift some type for distribution,
a voice, clear and distinct, said, "you must go to Illinois
and marry a young widow." This was indeed strange
and excited my surprise, as no person was visible in the
room. I knew not how to understand it. Neither did I
know a "young widow" in that State. However, after a
few days, the circumstance passed out of mind.
Soon after I purchased a pony, (Santa Fe by name)
a saddle and bridle,*and, with a few dollars in my pocket,
OK LATTER-DAY ^AINTa.
started uiicjii my jouruey to Illinois. My brotVier Josiali
saddletl his linrse aiid mde with rae about ten miles,
when he turned back and I pursued ray journey alone.
Since that parting Joaiuh aud Lyman have never met,
and the only tidings I have had concerning him ie that
lie, soon after our separation, went in company with a Mr.
Strode to Texas.
Solitary and alone, Santa Fe and his rider plodded
nioug tlie weary road, meeting with nothing but kind
treatment; but of course the people were uot informed
that I was a Mormon. When within about forty miles
of (.iuincy I found that Santa Fe's back was too sore to
endure the saddle and rather than be detained several days,
so near my friends, I offered a young man the outfit if he
would take me immediately to the Mississippi River,
opposite the City of Quincy, which proposition he ac-
cepted. Saddling two fresh horses we mounted tliem,
and one day's ride lauded me at the place agreed upon.
My escort returned and I crossed the river, where I was
soon made happy in the society of many of my exiled
friends. I found my father and family quite comfortably
»;ituated, on a farm he had rented, about one and a half
miles east from the city. The account of suffering to
which they were subjected after their departure from
that temporary Missouri cabin, was painful for me to
listen to. It is needless to recount those hardships now.
Suffice it to say they were much similar to those experi-
enced by most other families of the Saints who endured
the constant succession of perils incident to a compulsory
march of so large a number of people, illy provided for
during those cold winter months. I found temporary
employment in the office of the Qa-iricy Argus.
106 REMINISCENCES
Among many other acquaintances^ I found Lysander
Gee, who had beeil a Par West associate. Enquiring of
him of the whereabouts of many friends, I asked concern-
ing the residence of our friend Samuel Kingsley. Said
he, "he has been dead a few months and his -wife and sis-
ters are living but a few blocks from lis." Accompanied
by him, I soon made them a call. Mrs. Kiiigsley had a
babe then about ^ve months old. She informed me she
had buried her husband near Beardstown, on the Illinois
river, and, being left among strangers, she concluded to
remove to Quincy and live with her sisters-^in-law. I called
several times at that residence. That lady and myself
attended a few parties together, and, not to be circum-
locutional, right here it might as well be told the reader
in plain words, that, in due time, Mrs. Kingsley, at my
suggestion, consented to substitute the name of Littlefield
for that of Kingsley. This arrangement being confirm-
ed with the usual covenant and agreement, we took a trip
about twenty miles to a little place called Liberty, in
Adams County, and, at the residence of her uncle, Benja-
min Andrews, the marriage ceremony was pronounced
which constituted us lawfully husband and wife by Elder
Elisha H. Groves, a preacher of the Gospel in the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For a legal permit,
or license, authorizing this act of matrimony, I had^revi-
ously taken my father to the clerk of the County Court
at Quincy, and took out a marriage license-^t then being
the State law there that a minor could not obtain a license
without the consent of the parents. An examination of
the records of the County Court of Adaiiai ^County will
verify the truth of this statement. The marriage took
place about 11 o'clock in the forenoon, when we stepped
OP LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 107
into a sleigh lincj drove back to my father's home. Singu-
lar enough the occurrence of my hearing the voice in the
printing office in Liberty had not occurred to me until
that prediction thus had its fulfillment.
The all absorbing. question then was how and where
were, we to live? We were both poor; I was out of a per-
manent situation in business; but we were young and
willing to employ our energies in the accumulation of
the comforts of life. Just at that time I saw in a news-
paper an advertisement stating that a printer was wanted
at Rushville, Schuyler County, to take the charge of and
print a Democratic paper in that place, the office and
jnaterial being then in position for immediate operation.
J told my wife that was our opportunity. She was of my
opinion, as is always the case with a devoted wife during
the honeymoon period. Leaving her at my father's home,
I took the stage for Rushville, where Hon. Mr. Richard-
son, th^ proprietor, made an agreement with me. A pa-
per had been printed there entitled The IllinoU Republi-
can, and I continued it, retaining the same title.
In a few weeks the stage brought Mrs. Littlefield and
little Samuel Omer. We rented two rooms in the saiiie
building of the office, bought furniture, and in a few days
our home presented a comfortable and cozy aspect. My
little step-son was a treasure, daily developing new indi-
cations of sprightliness, to all of which his mother called
my attention in sentences of lavish panygerics, such as
are employed by most young mothers. I grew extremely
fond of the boy baby and named him Samuel, for his
father, and Omer for his step-father. That appellation,
the name of Samuel Omer Kingsley, has since become
quite familiar to those who delight in witnessing exhi-
108 REMINISCENCES
bitions of skill in the execution of daring feats of horse-
manship. Ere that boy grew to manhood he had won
the applause of thousands of admirers who had assembled
under the broad canvases stretched upon American soil,
as well as that of many countries in Europe. It was he
who rode the female character of "Ella Zoyara*' through
the "old world," creating an immense sensation, when Mr.
Spencer Q. Stokes filled his lady costume with glitter-
ing stones, put diamond rings upon his fingers and caused
the admiring multitudes to believe he was really as Mr.
Stokes represented: a young lady of rank and station
among the very nobility of those regal lands. He was
caused to ride from city to city in magnificent carriages,
drawn by richly caparisoned steeds, and being attended
by liveried servants. Periodicals have paraded fine cuts
to illustrate his matchless horsemanship. One of those
asserted that he was of French parentage, and a writer
who gives a lengthy account of his career in the New
York Sun, states that he was born in Louisiana. Both
of these statements are erroneous, innocently made by the
writers alluded to, for the want of the real facts. He was
born of "Mormon" parents in the city of Quincy, Illinois,
as already related. In later years he became a partner
in the Wilson Circus, which has performed several tinges
in Salt Lake City, in Ogden and in Logan, Utah. He
went with this circus to India where he died at Bombay,
April 3, 1877.
Our residence in Rushville terminated in about one
year, during which time my mother passed a few pleas-
ant months at our home. After le^iving there we resided
a short time in Quincy, but not being contented short of
Nauvoo, we moved and took up our abode there.
OP LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 109
CHAPTER VIII.
The Prisonei-s Meet Their Families and Friends. — ^True Affection. — Bad to Love
a Murderer. — ^The Twelve Meet Joseph. — He Goes to Commerce. — Jose])h
Energetic. — Land Purchased. — Nauvoo Prosperous. — Gathering Place Pre-
pared. — Escape From the Columbia Jail.— ^Elders Go on Missions. — Present
Claims to Congress. — Bogs Assassinated.— Joseph's Arrests.— -The Martyrdom.
As has been already shown, the Prophet Joseph Smith,
his brother Hyrum, and their fellow prisoners, reached
in safety their families and friends in Quincy, Illinois,
after having suffered a most unjust and cruel imprison-
ment for about six months in the State of Missouri. The
joy resulting in consequence of such a meeting cannot be
fully described by my poor pen. The actors themselves
were alone able to comprehend it because it was their im-
mediate cup of joy that was filled to overflowing. The
full sympathies of their hearts were enlisted in those ten-
der ties which ever bind closely together family unions.
In sympathy with them was also that brotherly love of
the Saints which was stronger than death blending in that
happy reunion, which hid been permitted in the provi-
dences of the Supreme Ruler who eventuates for good the
joyful seasons allowed to those who tru«t in His provi-
dences. Husbands and wives, parents and children,
met with that enraptured thrill of delight which none
can describe bv the use of words. Brethren and sisters,
of like precious faith, grasped the trusted hands with
eagerness and warmth that gave evidence of that undying
confidence that outlives the periods of oppression and de-
fies the chains and edicts of tyrants to annul. Prayers of
1 10 MfEMINISOENCES
faith had gone up to the Father of mercies for the libera-
tion of those noble men during their incarceration, and
thus were they answered. The fetters that had kept back
the captives from the ranks of the fleeing exiles, were
struck from their manlv forms, and thev were once more
free to seek the pursuits of happiness and the welfare of
the human race. That was a meeting: where each heart
was stirred to the depths with emotions sacred within
their recesses — emotions which the presence of strangers
could not have awakened. Those identical persons were
Jiecessary there, for none others had the right to claim
and call forth, from the pent up fountains, those treasures
of affection that had been so long ind faithfully garner-
ed for an occasion like this, and fondlv cherished bv
the brightest anticipated hopes of those very parties, dur-
ing many months of cruel separation. Those wives and
children had prayed for this meeting while treading paths
through the drifted snows that led them to the friendly
shores of Illinois; and those faithful men, while im-
prisoned captives, and when the blazing torch of suffering
was industriously swayed by the persecutive hand of re-
lentless oppression, they too, in faith and confidence, had
asked the Supreme Ruler for deliverance, that they might
be permitted, in a friendly land, to hail their friends where
family associations were respected and where the obliga-
tions of reciprocal friendship were fostered.
Blissful moments of exultant joy! Who can measure
the full volume of that love — stronger than death — that
pours from the hidden fountains of the heart! Who
can fix limits to that Divine emotion which **casteth out
all fear;" that love which emenates from the Divinity,
the very incipient germs of which are rooted in a soil
OP LATTER-DAY SAINTS. Ill
consecrated to thje production of those fruits which are
destined to blossom, mature, and be perpetuated through
an eternal existence beyond the grave. We see even the
wicked influenced by its benignance, and nations swayed
by its potency. Its mild tapers glow around the altars
hap pitied by domestic felicitude. Its beacon fires send
out the cheering blaze of hope to the weary toilers of the
imperiled bark; and where the clang of war tells of death
and slaughter, prayers of the wounded and dying are
breathed for the remembered dear on^s sheltered beneath
the connubial roof where cluster the tenderest ties known
to the heart of mortals. Yes, the wicked — they who obey
not God^ — are obedient to this all prevailing influence; but
they understand not fully its divinity or why its pow-
ers hold dominion in the hearts of the children of men.
They often yield to its sway without consulting the
promptings of wisdom or the teachings of correct princi-
ples to control its indulgence. The writer once read a
beautiful poem written by a young lady to her affianced
who was then in prison convicted of murder. Two lines
of it were:
**I ask not, I care not, if guilt 's in thy heart,
I but know that I love thee whatever thou art."
This couplet showed the depth of this lady's affection
for the man she had chosen for her husband, but, poor
girl, what would have been her reflections if she had con-
sulted these few words of divine inspiration: '*No murder-
er hath eternal life abiding in him."
The parties of whom I have been writing had not fixed
their attachments upon unworthy objects. A far-seeing
Providence had directed their union. Their choice was
112 RKMINISCENCES
founded upon the revealed and immutable principles of
Jehovah. The ties that bound them together in their
various relationships, were destined for an eternal durar
tion, and neither bonds or imprisonment had power to
render them void. They were united for this life with
the expectation and knowledge that, if they proved faithr
ful to God and his cause, those attachments would be
perpetuated and have an eternal existence through the
eternities to come in the bright realms of the great here-
after. In this happy meeting can be seen the fulfillment
of the words of the Lord to Joseph in the Liberty jail :
"My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and
thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then if
thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou
shalt triumph pver all thy foes; thy friends do stand by
thee, and they shall hail thee again, with warm hearts
and friendly hands; thou art not yet as Job; thy friends
do not contend against thee, neither charge thee with
transgression as they did Job." — D. and C, page 4^1.
On the third of May six of the Twelve Apostles met
Joseph Smith near Quincy. On the 9th of that month,
Joseph left Quincy with his family, and arrived at Com-
merce on the day following.
The Prophet was naturally a man of ceaseless energy
and at that time his anxiety was so great concerning the
situation of the Church that he could not find but a brief
period to devote to visiting and associating with his
family and friends. He commenced at once the task of
arranging for a location where the Saints could gather,
and for this purpose purchased the tract of land where
Commerce then stood of a Mr. Galland, the improve-
ments of which, at the time of the purchase, consisted of
OP 1,ATTRR-DAV SAINTS.
of one Htcint! liouse, three fraine ami twii block liousea.
Thither the Saints began to gather and build up the
placfi. Ill a short time it was an astonishment to look
Upon a people so comfortable after having been driven
from their homes aiirl .stripped of the moat of their prop-
erty, But they were industrious and frugal and the Lord
hleflseil them. This place seemed to have been reaerved
for the then poor and persecuted Missouri exiles, who
fled, for conscience sake, from the fury of mobs and the
vengeance of a corrupt executive.
In addition to the land procured at Commerce the
(liurcli purchased the town of Nashville, in I^ee County,
Iowa Territory, and twenty thousand acres of land adjoin-
ing, and Joseph advised that a town be built upon the
tract, opposite Nauvoo, to be called Zarahemla.
(.'ommerce wus surveyed off in excellent order, which
covered a very large area of ground, extending from
the river far hack in an easterly direction beyond the
gradual rise of ground that overlooked the country for
miles around. The majestic Mississippi flowed down
from the regions of the north and swept around its west-
ern edge, while on the opposite shore was Zarahemla and
the undulating prairies of Iowa,
When, in the providences of the Almighty, Joseph was
enabled to shake from his manacled body the chains of a
cruel iraprisonmeut and flee from his oppressors, he step-
ped upon those hospitable shores imbued with the reali-
ties of experience that enabled him to comprehend the
full value of freedom. He had been made to feel how
bitter is the tup that tyrants can place to the lips of inno-
cent men when, within their hearts, the lamp of justice is
vxtinguished ancj^rthe night of bigotry gives forth no
114 REMINISCENCES
beacon lights fro hi the hallowed altars of mercy. This
created within his sensitive nature new stimulants which
gave almost superhuman impetus to his wonderful ener-
gies, enabling him to overcome many obstacles in order
to plant his people in* that goodly spot, where economy
and toil, thanksgiving and the worship of the Supreme
Being, already blended together in mutual endeavors to
garnish their new place of refuge and make it desirable
for all the oppressed and down-trodden who might seek
after a sheltering place from tyrants. Under these stimu-
lating influences the city sprang up and was being built
with astonishing rapidity, and once more the Latter-day
Saints were happy.
In their cruel expulsion from Missouri, the exigencies
of their situation rendered it impossible for the Saints to
adopt any organized system governing their order of
travel. That systematic skill in organization, which
ordinarily governs their movements, was necessarily dis-
pensed with in this instance. The mob and Governor of
that State had fixed the early part of the month of De-
cember for the Saints all to leave Davies County, and
none were permitted to tarry longer than April in the
county of Caldwell. For fifteen thousand people, includ-
ing families with children of all ages, to be forced from
the limits of a State, during those cold months, is truly a
merciless and heartrending picture for enlightened people
to contemplate. Families and individuals took their
course according to the best wisdom they possessed, many
hardly knowing their destination; but Illinois seemed to
possess every mind as being their "city of refuge." Go
they must, as the consequences to them, according to the
conditions of the Governor's order, was^ "extermination!"
OP LATTKH-DAY SAtNTB. 1J5
Tlie rjubh; David Patten, an Apoatle, had been slain, many
otiier men had been imprisoned, maltreated and slain,
and instanct's have been already shown where the ehasti-
tv of defenceless women had beon violated. While thus
advprting to Ihosc Missouri scenes the heart sickens and
all sensibilities of humanity are shocked and we feel that
the exit of tlie Saints was perhaps not too quickly com-
menced nnd not too speedily ended.
As our people stepped upon the soil of Illinois they felt
that they were freed from their pursuers, for the people
there reached out the friendly hand and gave those who
needed it. shelter and sustenance. But as long as chains
were upon our brethren and leaders in the prisons of
Missouri, a cloud overshadowed the Saints, and now
that those captives were freed and the Prophet of the
Lord was in their midst, they thanked God and took cour-
age. He was the great leader, and the Lord, through his
instrumentality, soon prepared a gathering place, as we
have seen.
1839.
At a conference held the 6th of May, near Quiney,
about fifty miles below Commerce, William Marks was
appointed to preside in Commerce.
About the 11th of June, the first house erected on that
location, by the new comers, was raised by Theodore Tur-
ley, and up to June 1st, 1840, about 250 houses had been
built.
For a considerable time the Saints were afflicted by
sickness, principally chills and fever, and Elijah Ford-
ham and others were instantly healed under the adminis-
tration of Joseph Smith.
After more than seven months' imprisonment without
1 16 REMINISCENCES
conviction, P. P. Pratt and Morris Phelps escaped from
the Columbia jail, Boone County, Mo., and arrived in
Quincy, 111., after days of dreadful suffering from hunger
and fatigue. King Follett, who also tried to escape, was
retaken. He was retained until October when he had
his trial, was acquitted, and made his way to Illinois.
August 8, Elders John Taylor and Wilford Woodruff
started on a mission to England.
August 29, Elders P. P. Pratt and Hyrum Clark started
on a mission to England.
September 18, B. Young and H. C. Kimball left on a
mission to England, leaving their families in sickness.
September 21, Elders George A. Smith, R. Hedlock
and Theodore Turley left for England on a mission.
At a general Conference held October oth, Wm. Marks
was appointed President of that Stake, E. Patridge, Bishop
of the upper Ward, and V. Knight, Bishop of the lower
Ward. Geo. W. Harris, Samuel Bent, Henry G. Sher-
wood, David Fullmer, Alpheus Cutler, Wm. Huntington,
Thomas Grover, Newel Knight, Charles C. Rich, David
Dort, Seymour Brunson and Lewis D. Wilson were chosen
members of the High Council.
October 29, Joseph Smith, accompanied by S. Rigdon,
Elias Higbee and 0. P. Rockwell started for Washington,
to lay the grievances of the Saints before Congress. He
presented claims against Missouri from 491 individuals
for about $1,381,000. To all this he was answered by
President Van Buren that his cause was just but he (Van
Buren) could do nothing for him.
1840.
April 6, Elder Orson Hyde was appointed a mission to
Jerusalem.
nP LATTER-DAY SAINTS.
September 15, the (ioveruor of Missouri made a de-
mand on Governor Ciirlin, of Illinois, for Jaseph Smith,
S. Rigdon, Lyman Wight, P. P. Pratt, Caleb Baldwin and
Alansnn Brown, as fugitives from justice.
1841.
January 19, an important revelation concerning the
building of the Nauvoo Temple, the order and authority
iif the Priesthood, etc., was given to Joseph Smith at Nau-
voo. See D. C. Sec. m.
January 24, Hyrum Smith received the office of Patri-
arch of the Church, in place of Joseph Smith, Sen., de-
cGiised. Wm. Law was appointed one of the first Presi-
dents, instead of Hyrum Smith.
January 30, at a meeting held in Nauvoo, Joseph
Smith was elected sole Trustee for the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, the office to be vested in the
First Presidency of the Cliurch continually.
February 1, the first election took place for members
of the City Council of Nauvoo, John C. Bennett was
elected Mayor; Wm. Marks, Samuel H. Smith, Daniel H.
Wells and Newel K. Whitney, aldermen; Joseph Smith,
Hyrum Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Charles C. Rich, John F.
Barnett, Wilson Law, Don Carlos Smith, John P. Green
and Vinson Knight, councilors.
February 4, the City Council elected Henry G. Sher-
wood, Marshal; James Sloan, Recorder; Robert Thomp-
son, Treasurer; James Robinson, Assessor; Austin Cowles,
Supervisor «f Streets.
February 4, The Nauvoo Legion, originally consisting
of six companies, was organized with Joseph Smith as
Li euten ant-General.
April 6, the corner stones of the Nauvoo Temple were
118 REMINISCENCES
laid. A General Conference that continued until the
11th was commenced in Nauvoo.
May 24, the First Presidency in Nauvoo called upon
all scattered Saints to gather to Hancock County, III., and
Lee County, Iowa. All Stakes outside of these two coun-
ties were discontinued.
June 5, Joseph Smith was arrested on a requisition
from the State of Missouri, tried on the 9th, and libera-
ted on the 10th on a writ of habeas corpus ^ at Monmouth,
Warren County, Illinois.
July 1, B. Young, H. C. Kimball and John Taylor ar-
rived at Nauvoo from their mission to England.
The above items are brief but expressive of events
which might be enlarged upon with advantage to the
reader; but as the limit of this book is small and much
other matter is to be presented, these will do without en-
largement. We cannot but rejoice, however, that the
Saints had been blessed with so goodly and delightsome
a location connected with such cheering prospects. The
Hebrew word Nauvoo, which interpreted means delightful,
furnished the most appropriate name for the city; for the
location in its entirety, in point of scenic beauty, is seldom
surpassed. But for a time the place was very unhealthy.
In fact, the people who had attempted to make successful
settlements there previous to the coming of the Saints,
were compelled to abandon the place for this cause. But
after the land had been extensively plowed and the lower
places drained, it became probably as healthy as any
portion of the surrounding country.
Our homes there began to put on an air of comfort and
assume that attractiveness and thrift that has always
attended the efforts of our people wherever they have been
I
OF LArPKH-DAy SAIHTS.
pcrQiitted Ui ihvoll in peace for a few moiitha or years.
Tlie Sninta flocked there from the surrounding Stakes,
and on the 16th of February, 1841, the ship Echo sailed
from Liverpdol with 100 Saints, under the direction of
Uaniel Browett; and on March 17th, of the same year, the
whip r7s(er sailed from that port with 45 Saints, under the
direction of TlinraaM Smith and Wm. Moss. These emi-
grants united tlinir efforts in enhancing the interests of
the new settlement. The city and suburban diatricta
grew in prospprity, in nnrahers and prominence. Plun-
dered as they had befii, and poor as they were at the be-
ginning, their prosperity was so great that they soon were
placed upon an equal footing with the older inhabitants
of the country who had dwelt in tliat region for many
years. The Lord blessed thera because they helped
themselves by iheir habits of industry and economy. In
this relation the Historical Record says:
"A foundatio[i had been laid for a Temple in the eity
of Nauvoo. A charter had been obtained for the eity,
conferring liberal powers upon the city council, A uni-
versity and manufacturing association were duly incorpo-
rated, and a Legion chartered. The university was or-
ganized and put in operation in general departments.
The manufacturers' association commenced the erection
of large buildings for the manufacture of pottery. Thou-
sands of people Hocked in from every part of the United
States and the British Isles. Streets were opened, and
hundreds of fine buildings erected. A company was in-
corporated for the purpose of building an extensive hotel
with a capital of 1(200,000; a considerable amount of the
stock was Hold, and the basement story of the building,
with 240 feet front, was finished. An extensive printing
vstablishniont, storootypo foundry and bookblndery was
put in active operation, two Masonic lodges established,
120 REMINISCENCES
and a large and commodious masonic temple built. Sev-
eral flourishing 'Villages of the Saints were established in
different parts of Hancock and neighboring counties, as
well as in Iowa. In the meantime, Joseph Duncan, an
aspiring party leader, anxious to become governor of Illi-
nois took the stump at Edwardsville, and from that place
visited different parts of the State, rousing all the vile
passions and religious prejudices that could exist against
the Saints, promising that if he could be elected governor
of Illinois, he would exterminate the *Mormons.' This
formed an extensive anti-*Mormon' partv who, although
unsuccessful in the election which elevated Thomas Ford
to the executive chair, continued its operations.*'
Our enemies did not relish this prosperity. They
could not understand how it was that a people, made poor
by the plundering hordes of the western counties of Mis-
souri, could in so short a period become so comfortable,
possess such large estates of landed wealth, and make
such advances in mercantile, mechanical, manufacturing,
agricultural and educational interests. They could not
trace in all this the hand of Jehovah, who possesses the
power to lift up and pull down at His pleasure. But
the Saints could discern the overruling hand of Jehovah
and trace His benign providences in all these successes.
Our enemies went so far as to charge dishonesty against
us. That was their only subterfuge for solving the enig-
ma of our advancement, and this was far from having
a truthful foundation; however it became a weapon which
was vigorously brandished by fanatical zealots and polit-
ical harpies. If our people could have been let alone a
few vears thev would not only have become wealthy them-
selves, but would have enriched the population of all the
adjacent country and made that portion of the State the
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 121
most attractive within its borders. But this they could
not do. Their jealousy became so intensified that they
rapidly grew quarrelsome and vicious in their demeanor
towards us. Joseph began to be harassed with vexa-
tious lawsuits and some of the settlements were menaced
b}'^ mobs. Law and order was trampled under foot of
men and our fields by the hoofs of the invading cavalry.
Neither could Missouri rest in peace and be content to
withhold her persecutive and bloody hand. The hun-
dreds of our people who had fallen beneath the sway of
their despotism were not enough victims. Their Execu-
tive sent to us writs and demands for our principal men;
again to place them in prison, load them down with
chains and consummate the original purpose of many in
that State, that of shedding their blood.
On the 6th of May, 1842, an attempt was made to as-
sassinate ex-Governor L. W. Boggs, by some party un-
known, at his residence in Independence, Jackson Coun-
ty, Missouri. His injuries, however, did not prove fataL
Boggs made affidavit that he had reason to believe that
the assault upon him was made by O. P. Rockwell as
principal and Joseph Smith as accessory before the fact.
He applied to Thomas Reynolds, Governor of Missouri,
to make a demand on the Governor of Illinois to deliver
Joseph Smith up to an authorized agent of Missouri to be
dealt with according to the laws of that State for the
crime charged. Governor Carlin, of Illinois, accordingly
issued a warrant for the arrest of 0. P. Rockwell as prin-
cipal and Joseph Smith as accessory to the shooting of
Boggs. The papers for their arrest were placed in the
hands of the deputy Sheriff of Adams County, who at
once came to Nauvoo, and, on August 8, 1852, made the
122 REMINISCENCES
arrests. A writ of habeas corpus was applied for and
granted by the Municipal Court of Nauvoo. But the
Sheriff refused to comply,claiming that that tribunal had
no legal jurisdiction in the case. Leaving the prisoners
in the care of the City Marshal — but failing to leave the
original writ without which they could not be held — the
Sheriff returned to Quincy and the brethren were, under
the circumstances, allowed their liberty to go where they
pleased. When the Sheriff returned on the 10th, he
was unable to find the whereabouts of the prisoners, rela-
tive to which the following extract contains interesting
particulars:
"Joseph crossed the river and stayed at his uncle John'.s
house for a few days, in the settlement called Zarahemla;
but on the night of the eleventh of August, he met by ap-
pointment, his brother Hyrum, Rockwell, his wife Emma,
and several other friends at the south point of the island,
that we have already described as being midway between
Montrose and Nauvoo.
It has been rumored that the Governor of Iowa had
also issued a warrant for the arrest of Joseph and Rock-
well, whereupon it was decided that it would be better for
them to remain on the Illinois side of the river. Subse-
quent events, however, proved that this rumor was a false
one. Joseph was rowed up the river by a brother Dun-
ham to a point near the home of a brother Derby. Rock-
well had been set ashore and had proceeded to the same
point on foot, where he built a fire on the bank of the
river, that Dunham might know where to land. At
Derby^s the Prophet remained in hiding for some time,
and Rockwell w^ent east, remaining for several months in
Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
From his place of concealment, Joseph directed the
movements of the people at Nauvoo, and managed his
own business through faithful agents, who met with him
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 123
occMsionally. Emma spent considerable of her time witli
liim, and beguiled the loneliness of those weary hours of
inactivity, that he whose very life is the synonym for in-
tense activitv, had to endure.
During those days of exile, one gets a glimpse of the
Prophet's private life and character, that in part explains
the mystery of his power and influence over his friends
and his people: — it was his unbounded love for them.
Speaking of the meeting with his friends in the night at
the island, in the account he gives of it in the Book of tm
Law of the Lord, he says:
**How glorious were my feelings when I met that faith-
ful and friendly band on the night of the eleventh [of
August], on the island, at the mouth of the slough be-
tween Zarahemla and Nauvoo. With what unspeakable
delight, and what transports of joy swelled my bosom,
when I took by the liand, on that night, my beloved
Emma — she that was my wife, even the wife of my youth,
the choice of mv heart. Many were the vibrations of mv
mind when I contemplated for a moment the many
scenes we had been called to pass through, the fatigues
and the toils, the sorrows and sufferings, and the joys and
the consolations, from time to time, which had strewed
our paths and crowned our board. Oh, what a comming-
ling of thoughts filled my mind for the moment! — And
again she is here, even in the seventh trouble — undaunt-
ed, firm, and unwavering — unchangeable, affectionate
Emma!"
Of his brother Hyrum on the same occasion he says:
**There was brother Hyrum, who next took me by the
hand — a natural brother. Thought I to myself, brother
Hyrum, what a faithful heart you have got! Oh, may
the Eternal Jehovah crown eternal blessings upon your
head, as a reward for the care you have had for my soul!
Oh, how many are the sorrows we have shared together!
and again we find ourselves shackled by the unrelenting
124 REMINISCENCES
hand of oppression. Hyrum, thy name shall be written
in the Book of the Law of the Lord, for those who come
after to look upon, that they may pattern after thy
works."
So he goes on to call the faithful by their names and
record their deeds of love manifested towards himself,
and pronounces his blessings upon them. As as one
of old said, "We know that we have passed from death
unto life because we love the brethren" — surely Joseph
Smith possessed that witness — he loved his brethren bet-
wr than his life!
Some of the brethren proposed that Joseph go up to
the pine woods of Wisconsin, where a number of the
brethren were engaged in getting out timber for the
Temple and Nauvoo House, until the excitement shall
subside in Illinois. Of this proposition, Joseph said in
a letter to Emma:
"My mind will eternally revolt at every suggestion of
that kind. * ♦ * My safety is with you if you want
to have it so. * * * If I go to the pine country, you
shall go along with me, and the children; and if you and
the children go not with me, I don't go. I do not wish
to exile myself for the sake of my own life. I would
rather fight it out. It is for your sakes therefore that
I would do such a thing."
This plan, however, was abandoned.
It appears that Joseph had resolved to submit no longer
to the injustice he had suffered from the hands of the
people of Missouri. It was rumored that the officers qu
leaving Nauvoo, breathed out threats of returning with
sufficient force to search every house in the city and vi-
cinity; and Ford, the agent of Missouri, threatened to
bring a mob against the Mormons, if necessary, to arrest
the Prophet. Hearing these rumors, Joseph exchanged
several letters with Wilson Law, who had been recently
elected major-general of the Legion, vice John C. Bennett
cashiered, in which he admonished him to have all
OP LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 125
things in readiness to protect the people in their rights,
and riot for one moment to submit to the outrages that
were threatened.^
**You will see therefore," said he, in a letter written on
the fourteenth of August, to Law, "that the peace of the
city of Nauvoo is kept, let who will endeavor to disturb
it. You will also see that whenever anv mob force, or
violence is used, on any citizen thereof, or that belongeth
thereunto, you will see that that force or violence is im-
mediately dispervsed, and brought to punishment, or meet
it, and contest at the point of the sword, with firm, un-
daunted and unyielding valor; and let them know that
the spirit of old Seventy-six, and George Washington yet
lives, and is contained in the bosoms and blood of the
children of the fathers thereof. If there are any threats
in the city, let legal steps be taken against them; and let
no man, woman or child be intimidated, nor suffer it to
be done. Nevertheless, as I said in the first place, we will
take every measure that lays in our power, and make
every sacrifice that God or man could require at our
hands, to preserve the peace and safety of the people
without collision."
To these sentiments there was a willing response of
acquiescence on the part of the major-general, and he
pledged himself to faithfully carry out Joseph's orders,
provided the emergency for doing so should arise. After
a little, however, the excitement began to subside; and as
Joseph's hiding place at Derby's was discovered, by a
young man who suddenly came upon Joseph and his
kind host, while they were walking out in the woods for
a little exercise, the Prophet moved quietly into the city,
staying first at the house of one friend a day or two, and
then removing to that of another.
In the meantime the situation was plainly placed
before Carlin; and the course that Joseph had taken
fully vindicated by letters written to him by Emma, his
wife, who displayed no mean ability in the correspon-
126 REAflNISCENCErt
dence she opened up with the governor, which so nearly
concerned the peace of her family. She directed the at-
tention of the governor to the fact that Joseph had not
been in the State of Missouri for some three or four years
— that if her husband had been accessory before the fact,
to the assault upon ex-governor Boggs, the crime if com-
mitted at all — which she stoutlv averred was not the case
— was done in Illinois, and there was no law to drag a
a man from a State where the crime was committed, into
a State where it had not been committed, for trial; and
as her husband had not been in the State of Missouri for
several years previous to the assault on Boggs, he could
not have fled from the justice of that State, and therefore
ought not to be given up under the fugitive-from-justice
law. — B. H. Roberts, in Contributor,
Joseph was finally arraigned before Judge Pope at
Springfield. The question of jurisdiction was brought
before the court.
"The matter in hand," said Judge Pope, "presents a
case arising under the second section of article IV of
the Constitution of the United States, and an act of Con-
gress of February 12th, 1793, to carry it into effect. The
Constitution says: "The judicial power shall extend to
all cases in the law or equity arising under this Consti-
tution, the laws of the United States, and treaties made
and which shall be made under their authority."
"Therefore, on that line of reasoning," continues Mr.
Roberts, "the judge concluded the court had jurisdiction.
As to the second objection — the right of the court to en-
quire into facts behind the writ — the judge held it un-
necessary to decide that point, as Smith was entitled to
his discharge,^ for defect in the affidavit on which the
demand for his surrender to Missouri was made. To jus-
tify the demand for his arrest the affidavit should have
shown "First that Smith committed a crime; second, that
he committed it in Missouri. And it must also appear
OP LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 127
*that Smith had fled from Missouri.'" None of these
things the aflRdavit of Boggs did, and the judge held that
it was defective for those reasons and added:
"The court can alone regard the facts set forth in the
affidavit of Boggs as having any legal existence. The
mis-recitals and over statements in the requisition and
warrant are not supported by oath and cannot be receiv-
ed as evidence to deprive a citizen of his liberty, and
transport him to a foreign State for trial. For these rea-
sons. Smith must be discharged.*'
And Joseph had scored another victory over his old
enemies of Missouri.'' — Ibid.
Still another demand was made for Joseph Smith by
the governor of Missouri, and his arrest took place near
Dixon, Lee County, Iowa, June 23, 1843. The officers
making the arrest were Joseph H. Reynolds, Sheriff of
Jackson County, Missouri, and the other was constable
Harmon T. Wilson of Carthage, Illinois. He was most
shamefully treated by them. They attempted to run him
into Missouri without giving him any chance to obtain
legal or other aid. But they failed in this as Joseph found
an opportunity to procure assistance from two lawyers
at Dixon through whose aid a writ of habeas corpus was
obtained and made returnable before the nearest tribunal
in the Fifth Judicial district authorized to hear and deter-
mine such writs, Joseph informed the lawyers that the
nearest tribunal possessing such jurisdiction was the Mu-
nicipal court of the City of Nauvoo. This was found to
be correct A writ was sued out against Reynolds and
Wilson, Joseph claiming $10,000 damages. The Sheriff
in charge took Reynolds and Wilson also into custody,
and the company began to travel in the direction of Nau-
voo,
128 REMINISCENCES
Immediately after Joseph's arrest, Wm. CIa3'ton had
been dispatched to Nauvoo, and Hyrura Smith, upon
learning the condition of his brother, forthwith obtained
over three hundred volunteers who immediately started
in various directions through the State, they not know-
ing what direction Joseph might be compelled to travel.
Also the steamboat Maid of Iowa, with Elder John TaV'
lor, and others, on board, steamed down the Mississippi
and up the Illinois river to Peru, then back to Nauvoo,
to have an eye on steamboats and detect, if possible, any
move that might be made to take Joseph to Missouri by
such conveyance.
Joseph started from Dixon on the 26th of June. When
about forty-five miles from that place, he began to meet
the advance of the company from Nauvoo, when he said:
**I am not going to Missouri this time. These are my
boys." The joy that was felt by Joseph and his accom-
panying friends at this meeting was beyond description;
but his brutal captors were seized with trembling and de-
clared they would "never go to Nauvoo .alive.'' The
sheriff demanded their arms. They remonstrated, but
finally delivered them to the sheriff.
On the 30th day of June, 1843, Joseph was met by the
Nauvoo brass and martial bands, his wife, brother Hy-
rum and hundreds of the citizens, who escorted him in
triumph through the streets to his residence, while Hail
Columbia was being played. His grounds were throwa
open to receive the multitude that assembled to welcome
their great leader, who, through God's interposing mercy,
had once more triumphed and been permitted to reach
his home and the protection of friends.
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 129
Joseph's table was sumptuously spread with every lux-
ury, and Reynolds and Wilson were seated at the head of
it and served with the utmost kindness by Mrs. Smith in
person.
Once more the Prophet was free, and he, as well as the
entire Church over which he presided, felt to thank the
God of Israel for his deliverance. As he stepped inside
of his enclosure, before washing or brushing away the
dust with which his clothing was covered, he sprang
quickly upon the fence and obtained a firm footing upon
one of the gate posts which had quite a broad top; then,
taking off and swinging his hat, exclaimed, in a loud
voice so that all might hear: "Hosannah! Hosannah!
Hosannah! to God and the Lamb! I am once more de-
livered from the hands of the Missourians!"
A shout went up from the assembled thousands of his
friends, and, springing from the fence, he passed into his
house to exchange happy greetings with the members
of his familv.
A full hearing of the case was had before the Muni-
cipal Court of Nauvoo, and Joseph was discharged.
Soon a general excitement spread through Hancock
County and then through the entire State against our
people. Reynolds was deeply mortified in being defeated
in his expectations of taking back with him, to Missouri,
the Mormon Prophet in chains.
This was the forty-ninth time Joseph had been in the
custody of his enemies to answer to trumped up and
malicious charges, from which he had, in every case, been
set at liberty, for the reason that, as he had violated no
law, nothing could be sustained against him. But the
fiftieth and last arrest was soon to follow — with a deeper
130 REMINISCENCKS
and far more subtle intention of violence than was ever
before intended on the part of his enemies. A little
more time and the schemes of malicious plotters, aided
by an apostate and wicked element, would have reached
the acme of merciless villainy, and the papers would be
served to place him in prison where **powder and ball"
would do the fatal work, for which no protecting shadow
of law could be found upon any of the statutes of his
country.
The circumstances attending his arrest and murder, as
well as that of his brother Hyrum, have already been
minutely detailed by me in my book, The Martyrs, which
is still on sale at the Juvenile Instructor office, and as there
is not sufficient room in this volume, we shall speak but
briefly of that most melancholy event. Suffice it to saj''
that in the afternoon of the 27th of June, 1844, Joseph
and Hyrum Smith fell martyrs for their religion in tbe
jail at Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois, while prison-
ers under the pledge of the Governor of the State for their
personal security from mob violence.
President John Taylor, also was terribly wounded by
four of the bullets fired into the jail; his flesh was torn
in a shocking manner and the blood flowed freely upon
the floor and spattered against the walls of the prison.
Apostle Willard Richards who was also in the jail, was
more fortunate, as he escaped without being hit by a
bullet, or in any way receiving injury by violence.
Some three or four days after this horrible murder was
committed. Elder Taylor, though very weak and feeble
from the effects of his wounds, was conveyed eighteen miles
to Nauvoo; part of the time being drawn upon a sled
to which horses were attached, and being carried the re-
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 131
mainder of the distance, by men, upon a hand litter. He
was greatly fatigued, but the carefulness and kind atten-
tions of his attendants so husbanded his strength that
he was enabled to meet the many hundreds of his friends
who went out .several miles to greet and escort him to his
home.
CHAPTER IX.
Settled with the Saints. — Work on the "Times and Seasons*'. — Name Changed.
— Men I<^idnapped, Taken to Missouri, Imprisoned and Maltreated. — Some
Wicked Men in Illinois. — Impression to go to St. Louis. — The Potency of
a Mothers Love. — Her Death. — Wishes of the Dying Expressed. — Beautiful
in Death. -rBuried With the Saints. — Death of His Two Sisters. — Sights
From the Lone Tree.
The thought of being settled, as we supposed perma-
nently, in the midst of the Saints in a land of peace, as
it then really was, gave much comfort to myself and fam-
ilj\ Our sympathies were enlisted in all that pertained
to the happiness of the people who dwelt there; and the
prosperity that shed its dawning influence upon our
growing city yielded its increase of satisfaction as those
blessings were developed from month to month and from
year to year. We had hoped with them to build a home
where violence and the rage of mobs would no more in-
vade the settlements of an innocent people who had been
hunted and pursued from the beginning of their religious
identitj' — though their ideas of Gospel truths had their
earliest inception in **the land of the free.*' This desire
had also been fondly cherished by our entire community,
Hnd it gave strength to the nerve and muscle when heavy
132 REMINISCENCKJ^
toil and persevering diligence were necessarily em^Vioyed
in the development of the country.
The Times and Seasons was being published by Don
Carlos Smith and Ebenezer Robinson, who were also th6
editors and proprietors. They gave me employment as a
compositor on the paper. I found them courteous and
kind mea to work for and everything moved along satis-
factorily. This was the business of my choice; we were
in the midst of the people we loved; and had no desire
only to remain with them, worship there and share their
destiny.
Not long after the founding of this city the name of
Commerce was discarded and that of Nauvoo substituted.
On the 21st of April, 1840, the Postmaster General at
Washington changed the name of the post office to that
of Nauvoo and appointed George W. Robinson postmas-
ter. On the 27th of that month Bishop Edward Partridge
died there, aged forty-six years. His death was attributa-
ble to the exposures he was forced to endure during the
troubles in Missouri. On the 27th also of that month
James Allred, Noah Rogers, Alanson Brown and Benja-
min Boyce were kidnapped from Hancock County, by
Missourians, and taken to Tulley, Lewis County, Mo.,
where they were imprisoned, whipped and ill treated,
until nearly dead. Brown and Allred escaped a few days
after this treatment; but the others did not succeed in
escaping until August 21st, during which time they had
been put in irons and endured much suflfering. Many
things of a persecutive character began to be inaugura-
ted against us which tended to open our eyes to the fact
that in Illinois there w^ere wicked men enough intermixed
with those who were law-abiding citizens to foment strife
OF LATTEK-DAT SAINTS. 133
and enact evil agaiiiftt our people. In the precediiig
chapter we have seen to what extent this wickedness was
carried, culminating in the martyrdom of the Prophet
and Patriarch of the Church and the serious wounding of
a distinguished member of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles. The occurrence of this tragedy brought a dark
and gloomv dav to the members of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-da V Saints in all the world.
The writer wishes here to refer to certain events in
which it became his duty to take an active part:
About the 10th of June, 1845, I began to be impressed
with a desire to go to St. Louis, Mo. I tried to throw off
this feeling as I had no business to transact there; but
my efforts in that direction were entirely futile. The
influence increased upon me until it reached a most in-
tense condition. Finally I concluded to follow the
promptings and about the middle of that month started
for that city. As I rapped at my mother's place of abode,
mv sister Joanna answered at the door. Her noiseless
and subdued manner instantly impressed me with the
knowledge that sickness was in the habitation. Though
she welcomed me with the genial warmth of a kind-heart-
ed sister, she did not fail to communicate the fact that
positive silence was necessary to be observed. Notwith-
standing our meeting was conducted with that view, my
mother's quick ear caught the pronunciation of my name,
and, in her reduced and enfeebled condition, arose from
her bed and attempted to come from her room to see if
it really was me. As soon as we saw her advance we
sprang to her with all the quickness possible and caught
her reeling form just in time to prevent her fall. We
lifted her gently to her bed and as she sank upon it I
134 REMINISCENCES
was encircled by the emaciated arms of my beloved
mother. We spoke soothing words and ministered all
the little restoratives we thought would quiot her agita-
tion and quiet the nerves. In a reasonable time she
became composed and was supremely happy because her
son had come before the flickering lamp of life was ex-
tinguished.
O, that I could wield a pen skilled to relate' the emo-
tions and remembrances that crowded into those fleeting
moments! Full well then I knew the Supreme motive
that directed thither my footsteps. I was there to see my
dear mother in the last hours of her mortal life; to receive
her dying benedictions and tender, though feeble, ca-
resses. I was present to gratify the anxious yearnings
of an affectionate heart and mollify the pangs that must
be attendant upon the last hours when mortality is to
part with the dear ones of earth and launch out from the
shores of time and cross over to the eternal realms forgot-
ten by us in our mortal incarnation. I was sent there
by a divine impulse, to receive the last instructions and
listen to the wishes of a parent at the close of a weary
life; to lull the tempest of a troubled existence and off'er
consolations to a bosom rent and torn by the disappoint-
ments and sorrows of her earthly stay. There she lay,
pale and weak, my mother; her form emaciated and thin;
but with all the functions of intellect endowed with
strength and vigor to enunciate sentiments of tender
recognition.
Kind reader, have you stood by a mother's death bed
and watched life's taper as it paled in the increasing shad-
ows of death? Have you made note of the failing pulse
which quickened into life your own existence? Did you
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 135
watch when the eye's sparkling rays, that were wont to
fire your bosom with thrilling transport, were being ob-
scured in the gathering mists that render dreary the
portals of the tomb? Have you bent downward for the
ear to listen when the trembling voice gradually lost
its power of utterance? If you have your knowledge will
qualify you to imagine the emotionate tumult that
crowded and filled my being as I watched by that bedside
until all that was mortal of my mother's remains were
rendered inactive in the oblivious shadows of death.
Does manhood lose its dignity of bearing while bend-
ing meekly beneath the weightiness of such a blow,
that the eye sheds tears of weeping, or the faltering
tongue utters tender regrets at the final parting? No,
proud man looks noble and exalts his being while thus
lowlv bowed in the solitude and awe that invests a shrine
so hallowed by those sacred memories that appeal to rea-
son for the sanctifying incense that nature's God has
fixed to blaze within the deep recesses of the human
heart. The proudest monarch that ever wore a crown,
or the most illustrious commander whose fortune it has
been to subjugate empires, are melted into contrition
when she who nursed the incipient fires of his mortal
existence is passing from earth to be hidden from his
gaze through the appointed seasons of revolving time.
Even the obdurate and depraved turn to her with rever-
ence, and though crime may have placed his feet upon
the scaflFold where his offense is to be expiated, yet even
there the obdurate heart melts into contritioti as regretful
recollections crowd his bosom that his life had not been
mDulded by the plastic hand of a mother's watchfulness
and the words of gentle admonition that fell from her
136 REMINISCENCES
lips. We reverence father for his protection and justice;
for sheltering abodes tliat have secured us from the pelt-
ing storms; for his continued kindness as we grow from
infancy to manhood; for his wise counsels and expendi-
ture of means, perhaps to polish and refine us with edu-
cational science; but through all these bestowments the
mother's vigilence has been co-equal, and through all she
has ministered as the guardian angel of our existence.
Her gentle hand is remembered in every circumstance and
condition that has intervened. In health she has spoken
kindly congratulations, and in sickness has patiently
watched through the midnight vigils to bathe the burning
brow and still the raging pulse with grateful emollients.
She moves in a sphere where unselfish affection holds do-
minion and wins its votaries by the charms of gentleness
and grace, which draw upon the most enduring sensi-
bilities evolved in the bosom of mortals. The adoration
that may be revealed in the responsive blushes that glow
upon a maiden's cheek, may be more impulsive and bril-
liant, but cannot be more lasting or conducive to the
perpetuity of more substantial benefits. The holy flame
of a mother's devotion will burn on undiminished in its
brightness, while that of the trusted bride and bride-
groom may wane and be extinguished upon the bleak
shores swept by the unwelcome winds of adversity.
My mother lingered for four or five days after my arri-
val. In the warmest terms she expressed her thankful-
ness to her Heavenly Father that I had come to be with
her through her sickness. I conversed with her freely
concerning the doctrines and principles of the Church,
in relation to all of which she expressed her firm belief,
and spoke of her great desire to get well that she might
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 137
renew her covenant by being re-baptised. She felt that
this would be a great satisfaction, inasmuch as she had
been absent from the Church for several years. She said
this had been her desire for a long time, but she had
put it off from time to time; **but now," she said, *4f
the Lord permits me to get well, I will^ attend to it, and
nothing shall hinder me." She would have me by her
bedside as much as possible except when she thought I
was weary, and then she would beg me to lie down in the
other room, where I would not be distui'bed, and get some
sleep and rest. I was troubled, at that time, with in-
flamed eyes, and the day before she died she would insist
on bathing them with some eyewater, notwithstanding
she was so verv feeble. She said no one could do for her
**darling boy" (for so she often called me), "like his own
poor mother." She dreamed the night before her death
of purchasing some fine book muslins, a cap, etc., and
when the cap was brought with her burial clothes, I found
it precisely answered the description of the one she
dreamed of purchasing. She expressed much concern
about her children. She was entirely resigned to her fate
and I am thankful that I can say truthfully that I never
saw a person die more perfectly happy. About 3 o'clock
a. m. of the 23rd of June, 1845, I was startled by the rat-
tles in her throat I was quickly by her side where I
found my ever faithful sister Joanna watching over her.
Then I knew all hope was lost. The fond dreams of fu-
ture days of comfort and happiness with that affectionate
parent, that previously occupied my mind, had now
flown forever. There lay my beloved mother, struggling
for a few more breaths to prolong her earthly existence!
O, God! what feelings chilled my frame! I knew a few
1 38 REMINISCENCES
minutes were all she had to stay, and, with an effort, I
summoned all ray. fortitude to put on at least an external
appearance of tranquility. Placing my lips to her ear, I
whispered low: **Mother, if you should not live would
you like for me to Have some one re-baptised for you and
see that all thipgs possible are done for your benefit
hereafter?-^ 0. what joy beamed in her countenance as
she faintly replied: *^0, yes, my dear son, to be sure; by
all means, by all means." Again I enquired: **Would
you like for me to take you to Nauvoo and have you
buried with the Saints?" Then her countenance glowed
with satisfaction, as she but poorly articulated: **0, yes,
to be sure, my kind, dear son!" And again I whispered:
**Mother, you will see my little children." She made an
effort to raise her head, as if she expected they were
present, and eagerly asked: "Where?" To correct her
understanding, I answered: "In the spirit world." She
then sank back upon her pillow as if satisfied, and said:
*'0, yes, yes." These were her last words, and she soon
fell asleep in death.
As soon as it was light, I started to see Mr. Benjamin
L. Shaw and met him on his way to enquire as to ray
mother's condition. This gentleman was a relative, him-
self and my mother being first cousins; in consequence
of which, and being a man of great wealth, he had ex-
tended to the family much financial assistance. He
asked if my mother had made any request before her
death. I told him of her desire to be buried at Nauvoo.
He said that her wishes must be complied with. We
went together to the undertaker and he ordered a coffin,
and a suitable strong box in which the casket containing
her remains were to be placed. Some ladies came and
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 139
she was suitably made ready for burial. The habli-
ments with which she was to be clothed were made
and her body was invested with the robes for her final
rest. She was placed in the coffin and then O, how peace-
ful and pleasant seemed her rest! Then, my mother, your
troubles were ended. The storms of life were passed and
your spirit could soar to a world of peace and joy. No
more shall you endure the tempests of mortal suffering^
or the winds of malevolence roar around your pathway,
nor the clouds of adversity shut out the genial sun-light
of connubial joys. Your career of sorrow now is over.
Well and patiently have you endured the reverses attend-
ant upon the mortal existence. You have accepted of
God's revealed and redeeming truth, and the celestial
consolations of the future life will heal the wounds in-
flicted along the dreary shores of this life.
The coffin containing her remains was placed into a
strong box which was nailed up securely and conveyed
on board a steamboat. My two sisters — Joanna and Al-
mira Harriet — and myself took passage. We had a rea-
sonably pleasant trip and arrived at Nauvoo about 10
o'clock a. m. of June 25th. I engaged the sexton — Wm.
Huntington — to dig the grave. A few friends rode out to
the cemetery and about 4 o'clock p. m., my mother's in-
animate form was consigned to her final resting place,
where she, with the Saints who sleep around her, will
rest until the trump of God shall call forth the pale na-
tions of the dead from the sleep of death. Until then, my
mother, we must be separated.
My sisters, after visiting at my home for a few days re-
turned to St. Louis.
It will be a little out of place in the order of dates per-
140 REMINISCENCES
haps, but I wish here to insert the obituary notices of two
of my sisters. The St. Louis, Mo., Evening Gazette, dated
Tuesday, January 20, 1846, cont#i^ined the following:
**Died, at about 2 o'clock on the morning of the 19th
inst., Almira Harriet, aged 11 years.
And never did the cold and unrelenting frost of death
nip a sweeter bud! Already had the affectionate amia-
bility of her heart — the mature and womanly dignity of
her manners, and the flattering promise of her high in-
tellectual endowments — tenderly endeared her to a circle
of sincere and disinterested friends. The religion of
Christ was the ruling passion of her soul. Conscious
that her dissolution was approaching, she expressed a
calm and cheerful resignation to her early doom, and
met the fell destroyer with a serene smile upon her pure
lips, that was still lingering there, when the coffin-lid was
closed over her forever. Enshrined within each heart
that knew her, the bright vision of her spotless life must
forever,
'Still lingering, haunt
The greenest spot on memorv's waste.'
A. H. H. D.' ''
*'Died, in this city, on Saturday, July 26, after an ill-
ness of many months' standing, Caroline Matilda, beloved
wife of John W. Newman, in the 46th year of her age.
The funeral will take place this morning ot 10 o'clock,
from the family residence, corner of Carpenter and Sixth
streets, to which the friends of the family are invited.
A devoted wife and mother whose affection encircled
her home's loved ties most tenderly, sleeps in death. Like
the evergreen garland on the brow of honor and valor,
that affection encircled to bless, to grace and to cheer,
while it leaves its mark on the world after the possessor
has passed beyond the toils, trials, loves and well-earned
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 141
esteem of her life labors. She has laid aside the tender
wand of affection,
*'With which she o'er a household ruled/'
and **climbing the golden stair/' has gone to receive the
reward of a life pure and spotless.
Her life was best appreciated where best known,— in
her home and in the neighborhood. More than ordinarily
intelligent, made Mrs. Newman the cherished companion
of those who delight in mental culture, while her kindly
nature and Christian-like relations with all, made her ad-
vice valuable and appreciated when given.
She was in the truest sense a Christian woman, wheth-
er administering to the felicity of her own household,
discharging the duty of a neighbor, or as a member of
the great sisterhood in which she so modestly performed
a sister's part. She leaves behind her a Christian moth-
er's best legacy to loved sons, — the record of a spotless
life. Her home was her all, and first of earthlv considera-
tion, and she the brightest sunbeams of cheer, the light
of its brightest joys to husband and sons of her home
quartette of felicity.
Outside of her domestic joys the Church was next akin
to her first care, and here she modestly endeavored to fill
the consistent Christian woman's part devoutly.
Her kindness of heart, conscientious convictions, hon-
esty of purpose and charity for all, in happy union with
her other and many Christian graces, makes her loss by
death a calamity not only to those bound by the sacred
ties of blood, but through every other channel her virtu-
ous life deeds ramified.
She was a native of New York; married in St. Louis,
and for nearly twenty-five years had been a resident of
this city; respected, loved and cherished by all. She had
only returned "home to die" from a visit to a sister in the
country the day before her final summons came to fill
another grave and make another home sad and gloomy
142 REMINISCENCES
by the departure of a loving wife, a devoted parent and
cherished friend.
Sympathy turns with pitying eye,
Mingling warm tears with those of sadness,
While friendship calms the rising sigh
And grieved hearts are filled with gladness
By the thought of life in the orb supernal,
In the rest to her through life eternal."
— Sangamo Monitor^ Springfield, 111., July 28, 1879.
By request, we here insert the following descriptive
article from the pen of the author of this book, which
appeared in the Nauvoo Times and Seaaona, of November
15, 1841:
SIGHTS FROxM THE LONE TREE.
Twas morning — the sun rose under the brightest aus*
pices, and the thin, vaporous clouds, that flitted in the
heavens, continued gradually to flee away before the gen-
tle morning breeze, that seemed wont to greet their
golden visages with the soft rustle of its dewy wings —
until not a hand^s breadth of them were seen remaining
to mar the spotless beauty of the ethereal blue. Qh! how
beautiful and sublimely grand — as I sat beneath the Lone
Tree, on this delightful morning, — did the scenery of na-
ture, which was there spread around me> clad in the lux-
urient robes of summer's brightest green, appear to my
enamored vision! Sweet, too, as the mellow cadence of
the jEolian harp, when its chords are swept by the artful
fingers of a maiden's tiny hand, was the distant music of
birds offering up their morning orisons to the Author of
their joy, as they twittered from spray to spray among
the green foliage of a neighboring grove.
I was bounded by a vast and fertile prairieonthe west,^
whose superabundance of wild but beautiful flowers waved
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 143
their proud heads in the passing breeze, as if rejoicing at
the sublime appearance of the *'King of Day;" on the east
by a wide-spread valley that intervened between me and
the great ^'Father of Waters," whose disporting wavelets
wore the gay smile of the rising sun, as they rode gently
on towards the mighty ocean; and on the north and south
by seemingly interminable woods, whose foliage danced
gracefully in the morning light, and sent its peaceful and
unwritten whisperings away upon the balmy wings of the
passing zephyrs. Upon this valley were seen numerous
herds of cattle eagerly feeding upon the green, unbroken
surface, while the melody of their tinkling bells stole upon
my ear, and made me for once, envy the cheerful shep-
herd his humble lot, which calls him from the monoto-
ny of village traffic, to muse, undisturbed by any of the
litigated topics which always agitate the mind in the
busy walks of life, amid scenes so romantic and delight-
ful as those wuth which I was surrounded.
On the opposite side of the Mississippi, lay a broad and
beautiful plain, which stretched up and down its waters as
far as my sight could extend, and was thickly covered
with dwellings, which, for their simple neatness and rural
beauty, were, to me, far preferable to those gaudy palaces
where aristocracy sits gorged in the lap of affluence and
surrounded by all the paraphernalia of inexhaustible
wealth. Ye§; for that spot, so truly picturesque in its
scenery, and where, but a few years ago, nought was seen
save the curling smoke from the Indian wigwam, or heard
but the fearful twang of the savage bow-string and thrill-
ing yell of the fearless war whoop, my soul felt'an attach-
ment which all the alluring pageantry of an opulent world
would fail to inspire. Oh! what calm and unbroken se-
renity dwelt in my bosom as I contemplated its match-
less beauty of landscape and thought of the many endear-
ing ties that bound me to its inhabitants, which now
numbered near eight thousand souls. That was the delight-
ful city of Nauvoo — the home of her whose destiny was
144 REMINISCENCES
united to mine through the many conflicting changes of
this transitory life; her, who, with tiraerous heart and
reciprocal affection, I had led to the sacred altar of Hy-
men, and whom I now delighted to call by the ever dear
and consecrated name of wife! There, too, dwelt my
brethren; who, after being driven from their peaceful
homes in the west, by the barbarous hand of religious
persecution, had made it their place of refuge, and, from
an uninhabited waste, converted it into a flourishing and
populous city. They had been delivered from their ene-
mies, and they dwelt in peace. The eff'ulgent morn of
prosperity beamed bright upon their hopes; happiness
smiled in every countenance, and friendship, pure and
unalloyed, reigned supremely in every bosom. But the
sight of the beautifully sloaping hill — situated near half
a mile from the Mississippi— -on whose delightful sum-
mit the Temple of God was being erected, filled my mind
with emotions still more pleasing and delightfully intense;
emotions to which the corrupt and profane world is a
stranger, and which the acknowledged pen of sublimest
eloquence and profound erudition, would prove infinitely
inadequate to describe. That Temple was fast approach-
ing a state of completion, and, in the eagerness of my
soul, I said: the day is not far distant when its mag-
nificent walls of grandest architecture and most skillful
masonry, will post their penderous and polished fronts
upon that beautiful eminence, and become the beauty
of Ziou to sentinel the sacred land.
My attention was now attracted by a congregation of
people who were assembled in a beautiful grove, near the
summit of the hill, and seated in the unbroken redund-
ance^ of its shade. It was Sunday, and they had met to
worship Him who is the divine author of their holy reli-
gion. Now me thought I could hear the heavenly chant
of their song of worship send its mellow notes, rendered
more soft and harmonious by distance, through the ambi-
ent air, and, being inspired with love for its sweetness, I
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 145
hastened from the place, where my bosom had been so
emulated with feelings of transport, to join my brethrei)
in worship near the Temple of God.
CHAPTER X.
Go on a Mission. — The Rapids. — Intrusive Lawyer. — Ejected by a Dream. —
In a Strange City. — A Lonesome and Dark Hour. — Streaks of Daylight Bring
Relief. — Morning Dawns in Splendor. — Find Friends and Breakfast. — Beauties
of the New Day. — Life a;id Death Alternate. — Find Saints. — Hold Meetings.
— ^Return Home. — The New Babe. — How She Got Her Name. — Apostates
Trouble the Prophet. — Bennett Exposed. — Death of Joseph Precipitated.
In the spring of 1843, I was sent on a mission to the
southern portion of Illinois. Taking a steamer at Nau-
voo, at what was generally called the upper stone house
landing, we wended our way down the broad majestic
stream which ran rapidly from the place of embarkation
for a distance of twelve miles, the facilitated current be-
ing caused by the water flowing down a gentle declivity
whiclji gave to the river at that point the title of The
Rapids — at the foot of which, on the Iowa shore, was the
flourishing business place widely known as Keokuk.
I had taken passage for St. Louis, Mo., intending at
that place to cross the river east and travel out into Madi-
son County and commence mv missionarv labors. This
was my first mission from home with the sacred object in
view of trying to disseminate the truths of the Gospel, as
a missionary, by lifting up my voice to the people and
giving my reasons for the hope that had been inspired
146 REMINISCENCES
within me. Hence the undertaking was a most import-
ant one to me, considering ray youth and inexperience.
But at the start I committed myself to the keeping of my
Heavenly Father and asked Him not only to aid me by
His Spirit in enunciating the saving truths of the Gospel,
but also to overrule for my personal safety that I might,
in due time, return to my family and friends.
While traveling down the Mississippi, a certain legal
gentleman, whose name I here omit and who had been
identified in some of the later lawsuits that had been
vexatiously brought against the Prophet Joseph, obtruded
his acquaintance upon me. He asked some inquisitive
questions and I discovered he was not pleased with some
of my answers. Finally, he sullenly withdrew from my
company, after expressing some interestedness in my
welfare. The last item that betook special pains to elicit
from me was that I was to leave the steamer at St. Louis.
I noticed in him a gratified expression upon gaining this
intelligence.
The city of Alton, on the Illinois side of the river, is
distant above St. Louis about thirtv miles. In the latter
part of the night I was awoke in the midst of a frightful
dream, and, springing from my berth, put on my clothing
as quickly as possible. Then, taking my carpet sack, I
hastened from my state room and down the flight of
stairs; when, stepping quickly along the plank that ran
out upon the shore, found myself in a place strange
to me. One of the men standing there informed me we
were in Alton. My reasoning faculties came quickly to
my aid and a feeling was inspired within me, as quick as
thought, not to be uneasy for all was right and intended
for my preservation. I acknowledged the hand of the
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 147
Lord in the circumstance. The steamer immediately
withdrew and soon the heavy and lonesome sound of the
escaping steam was heard far downstream to echo along
the sable shores.
I could not account fully for the strange incident that
had just occurred. I had escaped no visible danger, and
had I reasoned entirely as an uninspired and doubting
naturalist often does, I might have felt like finding fault
with the Providence that had disturbed my sleep with
unpleasant dreams and propelled my powers of locomo-
tion to that then lonely shore. Thus it is with man often-
times. Because they have not seen with the natural eye
some danger thej'^ have escaped and their quick percep-
tive powers of sight did not detect the adder that was
coiled in the path, or because the sleeping reptile failed
to rattle a signal for the deadly spring — they fail to ac-
knowledge the hand of God in their deliverance from
harm and attribute their preservation to their own sagaci-
ty and precaution.
After spending about one hour in solitude the first
gleams of approaching light shot upward along the east-
ern horizon. Welcome tokens! Glad presage of ap-
proaching day, when the shadows would be scattered
by the king of light while mounting to the zenith of his
diurnal circuit. Never did a morning's dawn bring to
me more exultant joy. Never did the human heart over-
flow with fuller transports of thankfulness to the Divine
Creator, who — as in the beginning— caused light to spring
forth and scatter the darkness that enveloped the earth.
It gradually revealed to me the buildings and signs of
civilization and domestic care before the drowsy denizens
ventured forth into the streets or filled the marts of trade.
148 REMINISCENCES
That light ever drives away the general distrust occa-
sioned from a knowledge of the crimes sheltered from
sight beneath the curtains of night, and renews confidence
in the Great Supreme which gives distinctness to the
matchless splendor of His works. Never has day dawned
upon me when my whole being was more completely
filled with emotions of thauKfulness. Mysteriously eject-
ed from the steamboat and left in an unknown citv en-
veloped in darkness, the reaction from despondence by
the transporting light was rendered gratifying beyond all
power of description.
Morning is ever a welcome period. Its influences are
hailed by all as the night's repose is ended and the slum-
berer — refreshed in the oblivious hours — first opens the
organs of vision upon the green earth made radiant in
the early beams of light. The dews of night hang pen-
dent from the lillies and refresh the green grass; but the
resplendence of such gems has but a brief existence.
Like the most innocent and lovely of mortality that
expire in the hours of their brief existence, such spark-
ling brilliants do not always last to bless and give en-
during charms to the sanctified circles of connubial life.
The voluptuousness of that hour glitters through the for-
ests and in the silent dells, upon the foliage of the trees
that sway in the winds over our heads and on the moun-
tain brow where the untamed roe tosses his broad antlers
upward into the brightness of a new born day, sniffs the
freshened breeze, and shakes the tears of night from his
shaggy neck. As the sorrowing heart — when a rayof
hope steals kindly through the soul and lifts the dispair-
ing spirit up to catch the phantoms of some filial joy — so
do the world's denizens bask in the exultant extacies of
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 149
the early dawn, before the mounting sun melts into vapor
the dazzling dews of beauty and float away into denser and
sullen clouds to be shaken by pealing thunder and envel-
oped in the lightning which sends down its firey bolts and
claims mankind and his accumulated comforts for its vic-
tims. Because the hour is brief and beautiful we love it.
The blessed moments of life which cannot last — we quaff
their glories with a zest all the more exquisit because
they are transitory. But though the soaring sun drinks
up the fragil freshness from the trembling foliage, its
warm rays quicken the earth with reproductive powers
and the roots of the forest oak, with the fragil stems of
flowers, ' send^ upward the spirit of life to clothe the
tops with leaflets and blooming petals that survive the
summer solstice until December's blasts hurl them with-
ered from their stems. This tells us that there are de-
partments in the domains of nature w^here existence is
not so transitory and where happiness and beauty can
endure until ripened for the change which preludes the
resuscitation of another life that will not be shaken by the
blasts of death. The statistics of mortal life declare that
the natural man may endure to "three score and ten;"
but the inspirations of a higher divinity begets faith and
knowledge in an existence that is immortal where joys
are more than ijiomentary and where the beauties of the
paradisic 'fields will never fade. ' Where the flowers
bloom perennially and the fornis created in the image of
thq Eternal Father will not be cut down, but forever en-
dilre in the fullness and vigor of perpetual prime.
Yes, the dawn of morning — as the beginning of life —
is*full of promise. The bow of hope spans the horizon
as the precursor of promised joys. All creation is decked
150 REMINISCENCES
in the habiliments of gorgeous attire — as the blusliing
bride is led to the hymeneal altar by smiling maidens to
meet the greetings of her chosen lord. The rays of rising
glory light the beacon torches upon the towering moun-
tains and chase the shadows from the lowland vales. The
feathered songsters awake from drowsiness and silence to
hail the welcome light and chant their welcome notes,
and the bee hums its tiny tunes as it sips honey from the
rich petals of the rose. The nimble kine skips upon the
hills and through the meadows in glad revelry of the efful-
gent fragrance, while old and young, of the human race,
bathe the smiling cheek in the playful dalliance of the
radiant darts that chase away the shades of gloom and
make all bright and glowing in that perpetual flood of
light that has blessed the revolving ages with seed time
and harvest. But, alas! much of that gush of delight is
obscured in the glooms of care and toil, for man is doom-
ed to eat his bread by the sweat of the brow. The bright
day lives but through a few brief hours. The glorious
sun slowly but surely descends from the exalted point of
meridian splendor and sinks to rest behind the western
verge where the^emblems of its departed glory is refracted
upon the gorgeous sky, itself soon to become oblivious in
the broad curtains of the gloomy night.
Such are the days and nights allotted to mortals
whose abode is upon this fallen earth. !rhe light of day
gives place alternately to the shades of night, and the
mortal spark of life is as surely extinguished in the solemn
hush that darkens the passage to the tomb. That wl^h^
is earthly in the tenements of the human race mus|
slumber through the night of death, but the intelligent
portion — the living soul — will be awakened in a morning
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 151
that will eclipse the early splendor of the diurnal day;
for that will be the full fruition of the matchless splendor
of the Eternal King of Glory. Then mankind will be
fully redeemed, the earth exalted to its destined orbit,
and all will be merged in the boundless region of unfad-
ing light that illuminates the celestial cities where the
thrones of the Gods are eternal and the brightness of
His glory will bless the beatified worlds with perpetual
dav.
A stranger, I wandered through the streets of the city,
wondering how to proceed and contemplating upon the
singular manner by which I was made a wanderer there.
As soon as the people began to walk abroad I commenced
making inquiries and by the usual breakfast time I found
the abode of a Latter-day Saint by the name of Brown
and was seated at his table partaking of the morning's
meal with himself and wife. This is the same Brother
Brown who was murdered some twenty or twenty-five
years ago in Salt Lake City over a trouble concerning the
water with which his lot was being irrigated. The man
who committed the unjustifiable deed went by the name
of Cockroftl He received the sentence of the law and
was shot for his crime.
I found in Alton several families of the Saints and held
a few meetings in that place. I done what good I could
in that vicinity and then traveled out into the interior,
conversing with the people as opportunity presented upon
the* principles of the Gospel, and at the same time try-
ing to disabuse their minds concerning the false rumors
thsy; had been put in circulation regarding Joseph Smith
the Prophet and the people of Nauvoo generally. To
converse with the people by the wayside and in their
152 REMINISCENCES
dwellings was about all the opportunities presented for
me to promulgate the doctrines of the Gospel. After a
few days travel in this way I came across a few families
of Saint$ by whom I was kindly entertained as often as I
desired to be a participant of their hospitality. Brothers
Joel Ricks, now a resident of Logan City, William Steele
of the Smithfield Ward, and Levi Stewart, now residing
in the southern portion of Utah, are the only names I
can now remember who, with their families resided there.
I held some meetings in their houses. They manifested
much faith and interest in the progress of the latter-day
work. But aside from the Saints not much spirit of in-
quiry could be awakened in that section of the country.
Much faithful preaching had been done there by the
Elders, and all that were honest hearted enough to obey-
the sacred truths had already done so and a considerable,
number of such had removed to Nauvoo. But while
there, in my wanderings, circumstances in which I was
occasionally placed caused me to reflect upon the jour-
neyings and missions performed by Christ and His Apos-
tles, who went forth without purse or scrip, and these
memorable words were frequently brought to mind:
"Foxes have holes and the fowls of the air have nests, but
the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.''
Elders James Butler and Thomas Edwards had done a
good work through that country and I was much pleased
to meet with them while there.
In proces of time, Brothers Joel Ricks, William Steele
and Jaines Olive were going on a visit to Nauvoo, and,
by their kind permission, I returned with them. We ar-
rived in the town of Ramus, Hancock County, about the
25th of August, where I joined my wife whom I had left
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 153
there, at the residence of her uncle, Benjamin Andrews,
to remain during my absence.
I was there presented with ray little daughter who had
been born on the 19th of that month. My fathily and
friends were pleased at my arrival at such an interesting
juncture and I partook freely of the prevalent feeling of
gratification. We named our little daughter Donna Isora,
a name gleaned from a Spanish romance during the few
days leisurely passed by me and which I read for the
amusement of Mrs. Littlefield while she was approaching
to convalescence.
As soon as circumstances permitted we returned to our
home in Nauvoo. Our little daughter grew finely and
became the pride and pet of the family circle.
It will be well to state here that this was the third child
that had been born to us during our residence in Nauvoo.
The first born was a daughter whom we named Mariah.
The second was a son and we named him Edward Lytton,
out of respect to Edward Lytton Bulwer, who, in recent
years has been familiarly known as Lord Lytton, and
who, in the early years of my life, ranked, in my estima-
tion, among the most chaste and beautiful writers in ficti-
tious literature.
Those two first born little treasures were laid in their
early death-depositories where their ashes will rest until
awakened by the resuscitating power of Omnipotence
which is to call forth the inanimate forms of the dead,
and reconstruct them suitably for the abodes of the spir-
its which are eternal and consequently require habita-
tions to dwell in which are rendered secure from anv fu-
ture periods of decay. Their stay was brief in our do-
mestic circle; but those few hours were enough to fix their
154 REMINISCENCES
family identity, to receive the names by which they are
to be distinguished from others in the family group which
is to have an existence and an organization beyond the
grave, whqn the work of the resurrection shall have
''raised to newness of life". those who are heirs to the fe-
licities which are to bud and blossom forever upon the
fair fields of those celestial landscapes that have been
preserved, or redeemed, from every curse and made ra-
dient in that matchless brightness and purity that reflect
the true imagery of the deific forms of the Father and the
Son.
The loss of those two babes made our watchcare over
our little Donna Isora all the more vigilant lest some ac-
cident should befall her or some contagious disease lay
hold of her system, by which she should be snatched
awa}'' from us. And this created within the bosom of my
wife an early anxiety; for soon after the birth of the
child, and before my arrival home, she knew by the
movements of the attendants in the room, that they were
trying to conceal from her the fact that spasms were
threatening a fatal result. She summoned her strength,
and, turning her face to the wall at the back side of the
bed, she engaged in mental prayer to her Heavenly Father
to spare the child's life, and she there, at such a time,
made a covenant that if the Lord would spare her child
she would in all things yield submissively to His will and
try to keep His law the remainder of her days. Her
prayer was answered and that then tiny form has since
expanded into womanhood and beautiful children have
been the fruits of her marriage with an honorable man.
How well the mother kept her covenant belongs to the
final Judge of us all to declare.
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 155
In Nauvoo, on the morning of the 7th of August, 1841,
at 20 minutes after 2 o'clock, in the 25th year of his age,
Elder Don Carlos Smith, the publisher and one of the
editors of the Times and Seasoiia, departed this life. His
funeral obsequies took place on the 9th inst. amid a vast
concourse of relatives and friends* He was bijried with
military honors, holding at the time of his death the office
of Brigadier General of the 2nd Cohort of the Nauvoo
Legion.
Concerning this good and great man the writer pub-
lished an article in the Times and Seasons, from which
the following is an extract:
"Few men ever lived more universally beloved and
respected — by both strangers and acquaintances, kindred
and friends — than did our lately deceased brother — Don
Carlos Smith. His worth, his amiability, his hospitality,
his generosity of sentiment, his benevolence of principle,
his capability as an officer and his usefulness as a citizen
— are too indellibly impressed upon the hearts of this
community, and the numerous circle of friends who are
united to him bj'^ the endearing ties of natural affection,
to be soon forgotten. With his brethren, he felt the
grievous yoke of persecution — which he was willing to
bear for the sake of the religion he had espoused and
which he ever struggled to perpetuate — but the unpropi-
tious hand of death has taken him untimely from our
midst, and his ashes now slumber in the silent tomb.
"He lies full low, but he lies in peace;" his spirit has
gone to the God who gave it. Death has torn him from
the wife of his bosom, and from the society of his little
children; but he is at rest; his soul is emancipated; he
feels no more the heavy hand of persecution; and the
turmoils and adversities of this life no longer agitate his
peaceful bosom. He is taken from us for a little season;
but we shall meet him again in that bright world, where
156 REMINISCENCES
the weary are at rest, and where sorrow and parting can
never come. Then let the. Saints cease their lamenta-
tions; and thou, bereaved one, let those panojeiit sighs of
heart-felt anguish be hushed into repose; let that heaving
bosom be calm; let that widowed heart be comforted, and
those tears of sorrow dried up! You soon shall join hini
in a bettey world than this."
During the period of which I am now writing (1843-4)
a subtle and malicious undercurrent was silently and
stalthily running and spreading through the circles that
composed the society of Nauvoo. As well as the glorious
doctrines of baptism for the dead, there were many other
truths of vital moment which were revealed to the mem-
bers of the Church through the agency of the Prophet
Joseph Smith. Some of the doctrines were construed by
evil disposed persons in a way to place them in a false
light before the people by placing upon them interpreta-
tions different from what their real import would justify.
There were those ready and willing to embrace the op-
portunity of fabricating false deductions for the purpose
of counteracting or lessening the great influence which
Joseph wielded against all who practiced any species of
evil in society. Among these were disaffected persons,
some of whom possessed ability, cunning and a degree of
influence. Some of them were persons who were aml)i-
tious for promotion and advancement into public favor;
a portion seeking social, political or religious advance-
ment, according to their taste. But Joseph was the man
who stood boldly in the Thermopylae to defend the in-
nocent and unsuspecting and direct their minds in the
true channel that pointed the way to eternal blessings.
In order to fan the excitement and intensify the feeling
of animosity against Joseph and the Saints, and cause
OP LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 157
that to become the general sentiment of the country, they
commenced the printing of the Expository a paper that
was to be the organ through which they could issue their
vituperative tirades upon the personal character of both
sexes, whom they desired to make victims. The first
number of this paper was issued on June 7, 1844. Its
contents, as was expected, was very insulting. It attack-
ed their domestk*, circles in a way to misrepresent the
morals of the people and impugn the integrity and loyal-
ty of every man of prominence who was considered to be
especially favorable to the advanced doctrines of the
leaders. It was plain that they intended to wage a war-
fare, through the agency of the press, to break down every
influence favorable to the citizens of Nauvoo and to de-
prive them, as far as possible, of their legal rights.
The contents of the first number of this sheet was so
libelous, and evidence gathered from other sources so con-
clusive, that the City Council resolved upon immediate
action and issued the following:
*^Bill for Removing of the Press of the Nauvoo Expositor.
Resolved by the City Council of the City of Nauvoo, that
the printing office from whence issues the Nauvoo Expos-
itor is a public nuisance; and also of said Nauvoo Exposit-
ors which mav be or exist in said establishment; and the
Mayor is instructed to cause said establishment and pa-
pers to be removed without delay, in such manner as he
shall direct,
Geo. W. Harris, President pro tern.
Passed June 10, 1844,
W. Richards, Recorder."
Foremost among the disaffected cabal was the notorious
John C. Bennett The Prophet fully exposed his corrup-
158 REMINISCENCES
tions and he fell from every position of trust that he
had ever occupied among the Latter-day Saints. By the
Prophet's influence in his favor, during the time that
Bennett labored to aid in establishing the people in their
Constitutional rights, he' done a good work in helping to
procure the Nauvoo City charter by enactment of the
Legislature. But when he corrupted himself and pros-
tituted every possible virtue that \vas presented in his
path — and he was destitute of any spirit that prompted
him with a desire to reform — the confidence of Joseph
and the Saints was withdrawn; he fell, and his fame was
at an end. His lechery had debauched every virtuous
sentiment that morality had ever taught him. There
was no scheme of villainy, within his grasp, that he would
hesitate to employ to gratify his lust. Many of his nn-
virtuous acts in Nauvoo were ventilated, and his attempt-
ed defamations of the Prophet proven utterly false.
A circumstance with w^hich the writer was familiar now
occurs fresh to mind, concerning which the following
are a few of the facts:
During the winter when a lyceum was in progress in
the upper room of Joseph's store, this same Bennett be-
came enamored of a lady of good repute and comely mien.
The lyceum sessions were held regular each Wednesday
evening. The husband of this lady was a member of that
institution and a' regular attendant of the same. The
Doctor selected these particular evenings as being propi-
tious for the success of his wicked design, and commenced
to make calls upon her at such hours. Notwithstanding
he was well skilled in the etiquette that belongs to social
life and knew how to ape refinement when he chose, yet
upon these occasions he was grossly rude and impulsive
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 159
in his advances. The lady, from the beginning, knowing
his influence at that time, dreaded to offend him and
tried to argue and reason with him against his unjustifi-
able course. She also dreaded the consequences in case
she informed her husband of the facts. She took this
course during two of his visits; but finding her efforts in-
effectuar she resolved to detain her husband at home
when the next evening for the Ivceum should arrive.
Her pleadings grew so earnest that she became success-
ful, her husband not suspecting the real cause. He was
somewhat surprised, of course, when the great Doctor
Bennett called at his humble abode. The door of this
residence opened immediately on the sidewalk and it was
quite handy, the next morning, for this invader of do-
mestic happiness to open the door, after the husband
was seen to go to business, and threaten to take ven-
geance on her husband because she had detained him
at home the previous evening.
The Doctor instituted slanders against her husband and
tried to hamper him with the law^ which, for a short time,
threatened serious trouble. The husband being innocent
of what the Doctor had caused to be charged against him
treated the matter deliberately and in a short time was
fully vindicated in the estimation of those w^hose minds
had been disconcerted by the poison which this unscru-
pulous defamer had prescribed. And soon after, the ex-
positions that the Prophet caused to be made public
against him hurled him from the pinnacle of his influence
and he could no longer crush the innocent beneath his
relentless step.
Besides Bennett, there were the two Laws, the two Fos-
ters and the two Higbees, who were the leaders and prime
160 REMINISCENCES '
instigators — among the apostate element — of the move-
ment which culminated in the murder of Joseph Smith,
the Prophet, Hyrum Smith, the Patriarch, and the se-
vere wounding of Apostle John Taylor. All these in-
triguers were members of the Church at the time they
commenced to lay their plans, if possible, to weaken the
confidence of the Saints in their successful and popular
leader. They were enabled, for a time, to work for the
advancement of their schemes without having: their mo-
tives suspected, from the fact that they labored to retain
as long as possible their membership in the Church, and
also to guard against their misrepresentations coming to
the knowledge of those who were known to be staunch
members in harmony with the movements and counsels
of the Prophet. They were also mambsrs, and, I think,
officers of the Legion. William Law was a member of the
First Presidencv of the Church. Their abilities and at-
tainments were good enough, and if they had been Latter-
day Saints really at heart their record might not pass
down attainted through the ages; they might have contin-
ued to labor for the advancement of God's purposes with
honorable results to themselves. They coalesced with
the outsiders who were envious of the influence Joseph
very properly wielded in the community. As our people
responded to all the requirements of good citizens by
paying taxes, improving the highways, and'in many ways
building up and beautifying the country, it was right
and proper that they should have a voice in all legiti-
mate measures adopted for the public weal.
It is not the intention of entering upon an elaborate
detail of the many causes that led to the bloody tragedy
that was enacted at Carthage, which stained the honor
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 161
of the State and branded the actors with the guilt of
shedding the blood of innocence. It has been our object
here to record who were the first instigators of the trouble.
They were men who professedly had been Joseph's friends
and had espoused the religious truths which he, in the
providences of God, had been made the instrument to
enunciate.
CHAPTER XI.
Important Epoch. — He Was Not Seen at Their Homes. — The Test Comes. —
Experience Necessary. — Men and Tribes Honored. — The Tragedy. — Rigdon
Calls a Meeting. — The Twelve Chosen Leaders. — Brigham Young Calls the
Quorums of Priesthood. — The Work Pushed Forward. — Encounter at War-
saw. — Men Whipped.
We now come to a most important epoch in the history
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Joseph,
the Prophet of God, the President and leader of the Saints,
and the first head — under Christ, of the dispensation of
the fullness of times — was gone behind the vale. He
was not seen, as in days gone by, upon the streets —
not in the oft repeated visits to the homes of his people,
and not in the earnest worshiping congregations of as-
sembled thousands to listen to the instructions which the
Great Jehovah, in his life time, caused to flow from his
lips. The First Presidency was by his death made vacant,
and hence the organization of God's Church, upon the
earth, was, for the time being, just that much deficient
in its organization. Joseph, the wonderful leader, had
ended his mortal career and his inspired spirit had gone
to mingle with the nobility that dwell in a world where the
162 REMINISCENCES
warfare over the besetments of the flesh are ended, and
where eternal life is to assume supreme dominion. The
wicked had at last prevailed over his temporal body, and
his blood had been spilled to fix the broad seal of testi-
mony to the saving truths he had enunciated during his
ministry among the children of men.
The Church was now brought to a severe test. Pre-
viouslv, we had formed no verv distinct idea how it was
possible to move forward in the track of a glorious des-
tiny without the daily supervision of the man whom
the Lord had placed, in order, as His leader and Prophet,
to bring in the stupendous regenerative work of the latter
times, which is to prelude the coming of the Messiah in
the plenitude of His righteous reign, which is to be eter-
nal. We lacked an experience necessary for our edifica-
tion that we might be more thoroughly schooled in the
knowledge of the Lord. To this end a new leaf had been
turned in the volume of His providence whereon was
written a lesson; a lesson which, though bitter and pain-
ful, was necessary to be learned to prepare us for the
events through which the Saints of the last days were
destined to pass. Joseph had acted most nobly his part,
and as his place was then left vacant and the First Presi-
dency was consequently disorganized, of necessity other
men must be introduced and another leader chosen.
Upon whose shoulders was to rest that great responsi-
bility? Who was able to fill up the void and lead suc-
cessfully on the vast numbers destined to be augmented
through the preaching of the gospel amonsj the nations?
Before this question was mooted in the minds of the
people, the bodies of Joseph and Hyrum were brought to
Nauvoo, dressed and laid in state at the Mansion House,
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 163
where thousands of people, bathed in tears, passed in
procession, two abreast, to view their mangled remains.
The writer of this, with his wife, thus had the mournful
privilege of looking one sad and brief adieu upon the no-
ble forms of those men of God.
That was an hour marked in the history of this people,
and although forty -four years have since passed away, the
powers of memory seldom go back and review the scene
— though in gleams of momentary fleetness — without
sensations of pain.
They were indeed gone. We had then to learn the great
lesson that God's work does not depend upon one man, and
that He has many servants whom He designs to honor
and make conspicuous through their devotion to the cause
which is destined to benefit and exalt all who fill the mis-
sion of life with faithfulness. Neither does the labor and
the honor all belong to one branch or tribe of the house
of Israel. The following gives a glimpse of the final re-
nown which is to be achieved and the manner in which
the fdme of the tribes is to be perpetuated:
**And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and
high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy
Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having
the glory of God:, and her light 'M;as like unto a stone
most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
and had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and
at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon,
which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children
of Israel: On the east three gates; on the north three gates;
on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in
them the names of the twelve apostles of the lamb." —
Revelations xxi: 10-14*
164 REMINISCENCES
As is well known, this terrible tragedy was enacted at
Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois, in the afternoon of
of the 27th of June, 1844. To give the reader further
light as to the manner in which the massacre of Joseph
and Hyrum Smith was accomplished we make the fol-
lowing extracts:
, '*The Governor was made acquainted with the threats
that had been made against the lives of the prisoners, but
on the morning of the 27th, he dispatched the McDon-
ough troops, and sent them home; took Captain Dun's
company of cavalry and proceeded to Nauvoo, leaving
these two men and three of their friends, to be guarded
by eight men at the jail; and a company in town of sixty,
men, eighty or one hundred rods from the jail, as a corps
in reserve."
Says the Times and Seasons: "About six o'clock in the
afternoon (June 27th) the guard was surprised by an
armed mob of from one hundred and fifty to two hundred
and fifty, painted red, black and yellow, which surround-
ed the jail, forced in — poured a shovver of bullets into the
room where these unfortunate men were held, *in durance
vile,' to answer to the laws of Illinois, under the solemn
pledge of the faith of the State, by Governor Ford, that
they should be protected! but the mob ruled!! They fell
as martyrs amid this tornado of lead, each receiving four
bullets! John Taylor was wounded by four bullets in his
limbs. Thus perishes the hope of law; thus vanishes the
plighted faith of the State; thus the blood of innocence
stains the constituted authorities of the United States,
and thus have two among the most noble martyrs since
the slaughter of Abel, sealed the truth of their divine
mission, by being shot by a mob for their religion."
At that time most of the Twelve Apostles were on mis-
sions in the Eastern States; but they returned home as
soon as possible after receiving the sad news. Immedi-
OF LATTEU-DAY SAINTS. 165
ately after reaching Nauvoo, on Thursday, August 8, 1884,
they attended a very large meeting that had been called
by Sidney Rigdon, at the grove east of the Temple. Mr.
Rigdon did not occupy the stand which had been erected
for the accommodation of speakers; but, leaving that va-
cant, he stood in a wagon which had been purposely
placed more central in the congregation, as he complain-
ed of being quite feeble and thought he cotild more easily
cause the people to hear from the new position. He
spoke perhaps a little over an hour and advanced his
claims to what he called the guardianship of the Church.
The writer noticed from the beginning of his remarks
that he fell far short of enjoying his usual amount of
freedom in addressing his audience. His usual flow of
eloquence was much abated, he seeming rather nervous
and disconcerted. He also seemed to close abruptly, in
ai way to leave his propositions in rather an obscure and
ambiguous condition. I attributed this to the entrance
of some of the Twelve Apostles who passed down one of
the aisles and took seats upon the stand.
After Mr. Rigdon dismissed his meeting, Apostle
Brigham Young arose and called the people to order.
There seemed to be felt a general feeling of relief and all
gladly kept their seats to listen to the new speaker, who
stated very feelingly, in substance, that it was con-
trary to his wishes to so soon have to speak upon the
matter of choosing a successor to our beloved Brother
Joseph Smith, the Prophet, whom God had raised up to
establish the great work of the last days. He felt like
annointing his head, as did Aaron, and mourning for
his brethren for thirty days in sackcloth and ashes, be-
fore entering upon the duty then forced upon him.
166 REMINISCENCES
He said Brother Rigdon seemed to be in a hurry about
the matter and the course he had taken made it necessary
that the people should come to an understanding and
find out upon whom the mantle had fallen.^ The follow-
ing are some of his memorable words, which will at once
be recognized as being characteristic of that great man:
**There has been much said about President Rigdon
being president of the Church, and leading the people,
being the head, etc. Brother Rigdon has come one thou-
sand six hundred miles to tell you what he wants to do
for us. If the people want President Rigdon to lead them
they may have him: but I say unto you that the quorum
of the Twelve have the keys of the kingdom of God in all
the world.
**The Twelve are appointed by the finger of God. Here
is Brigham; have his knees ever faltered? have his lips
ever quivered? Here is Heber and the rest of the Twelve,
an independent body, who have the keys of the Priest-
hood — the keys of the kingdom of God to deliver to all
the world. This is true, so help me God. They stand
next to Joseph, and are as the First Presidency of the
Church."
He then went to work as a workman understanding his
business. He called for the quorums of Priesthood to be
seated together, in order, as much as the circumstances
would permit, and then presented the matter under con-
sideration in a manner so plain and convincing that all
could readily understand that Joseph's mantle had fallen
upon Brigham Young. It was self-evident that the
power and influence that had rested upon Brother Joseph
in the performance of his official duties, rested upon him.
This became at once so satisfactory that he, at that meet-
ing, became the unanimous choice of all present. In
other words, the quorum of Twelve Apostles became as
or LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 167
the First Presidency of the Church, and Brigham Young
being the President of that quorum made him the first
representative man, or President of the Church.
"President Young and the Twelve pushed forward the
work on the Temple as fast as possible, and took a very
wise course for the promotion of peace and to restore con-
fidence in the community generally. They published an
epistle to the Church at large, which was timely and re-
plete with good counsel, and they also used all their in-
fluence to correct the mind of Governor Ford, which had
been much abused upon the Mormon question, which at
that time agitated the people of the entire State, — also to
have the wrongs of the Saints redressed. Every effort to
restore peace proved ineffectual, and Hancock County
continued to be the scene of mob violence until 1846."
We would be pleased here to present the causes that led
to the martyrdom — and the particulars of its accomplish-
ment — in a more amplified form; but, as previously stated,
we have given them in detail in a former publication and
with that shall have to be content, so far as this little work
is concerned. Many may read this volume after the
writer has passed away, his body to slumber in the silent
earth, and to those it might be pleasing, perhaps, to hear
my testimony in relation to many facts and incidents of
those times; but such all are found printed in the Church
publications to which they may doubtless have access.
The following extracts will show the cruel treatment to
which some of the brethren were subjected:
"On the 11th of July, [1846] John Hill, Archibald N.
Hill, Caleb W. Lyons, James W. Huntsman, Gardiner
Curtis, John Richards, Elisha Mallory and J.. W. D. Phil-
lips, who were engaged in harvesting wheat about twelve
168 REMINISCEN'CES '
miles from Nauvoo, while working in the field, were sur-
rounded by an armed mob, who completely hemmed
them in, thereby preventing their escape, and then ran-
sacked their wagons for their fire-arms. After taking
from them every weapon they had, the mob sent to the
woods for some long hickory switches. Then taking the
defenceless, one at a time, they forced them to assume a
stooping position in a ditch, while each of them received
twenty lashes across the back with the switches, wielded
by one of the mob party. As there were but eight of the
brethren, they were so completely in the power of these
merciless creatures they could not do otherwise than sub-
mit to the torture. The mob then smashed some of their
guns to pieces over a stump and returned the fragments
to them, while they retained the rest of the guns and
pistols. The brethren were then ordered with an oath to
get into their carriages and drive for Nauvoo, and not
look back, and the mob fired a parting shot at them as
they did so."
*'Two of the mob engaged in this shameful affair were
soon afterwards arrested, in retaliation for which Phineas
H. Young, Brigham H. Young, Richard Ballantyne,
James Standing and James Herring were pounced upon
while near Pontoosuc and forciblv taken into custody bv
a })arty of the mob. They were not accused of any crime,
but were informed that they would be held as hostages
for the safety of McAule}' and Brattle who were held
under arrest by the civil authorities of Nauvoo. The
guilty, conscience-stricken wretches who held these breth-
ren in their custody were constantly imagining that the
friends of their prisoners were close upon their track, and
accordingly 'hurried them from one place to another,
traveling a great deal in the night, sometimes halting for
a short time, when fear would come upon them and they
would again take up their hurried flight, through woods,
thickets and marshes, urging their prisoners on at times
by goading them with the points of their bayonets, and
OF IJ^TTER-DAY SAINTS. 169
this too. when they were almost fainting from sickness and
fatigue. Once the mob were on the point of shooting
their prisoners, and had even cocked and pointed their
guns at them, when the alarm was sounded by one of their
party that the ^Mormons' were on their trail and it would
not do to make any noise, when they again took up their
flight.' These breth^^ren were held in captivity twelve
days. During this time poison w-as given to them, which
failed to accomplish the fatal result that was intended.
Finally the mob again determined to shoot them and
their prisoners were ordered to form in a line and be
shot. At this juncture Phineas H. Young plead with the
mob to spare the lives of his brethren, and offered his
own life if they would only do so. The delay occasioned
by this appeal saved their lives, as just then one of the
mob party came riding by and reported the 'Mormons'
three hundred and fifty strong coming upon them; and
again the prisoners were hurried off. Finally the breth-
ren made an earnest appeal to the guard whose feelings
were softened and they even aided them in makinsj their
escape. — The Martyrs.
The following account of the whipping of Hichard
Ainscough, never before published, has been furnished
for this volume:
My brother, Richard Ainscough, was born in Eccleston
Township, England, in the year 1815, where he embraced
the gospel and was baptized in 1837, by Elder Heber C.
Kimball. On the third day of June, 1839, he sailed from
Liverpool in a company of thirty-six Saints, myself being
one of that numbers We landed at Keokuk, Iowa, Sep-
tember 9, 1839, This filace is situated at the foot of the
rapids twelve miles below Nauvoo. Some of our com-
pany went up to Nauvoo and received counsel from the
Prophet Joseph for our company not to come to Nauvoo,
170 REMINISCENCES
but remain back and obtain employment as opportunity
might offer. Accordingly my brother and myself crossed
the river and found employment at Camp Creek — where
the notorious Col. Williams resided — a little place about
three miles below Warsaw.
The next spring my brother and myself obtained em-
ployment at a flouring mill in Warsaw, owned by D. S.
Witter and R. L. Robinson.
In 1843 I removed to Nauvoo where I married and set-
tled down. My brother Richard remained in the em-
ployment of the mill company until the summer of
1844. A short time previous to the assassination of the
Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum, he made
me a visit. At that time the county was full of excite-
ment against our people, and, as he had left all his things
at Warsaw, started back with the view of getting them
and returning to Nauvoo. On arriving at Warsaw, he
found that the man with whom he left his things had
moved to Keokuk and he went there for them. After
obtaining them he started back intending to go to War-
saw; but the steamer, from some cause, failed to touch
at that place and he was put off about thirty miles below^
and fell into the hands of a lot of mob ruffians who were
told by the men on the boat that he was a Mormon thief
and they must attend to him. These roughs confined him
in an ice-house until near sundown when a gang of about
twelve men returned to the place of his confinement quite
intoxicated. They took my brother a few steps into
the woods and told him to take off his clothes, which he
did, all except his pants and boots. They then tied his
wrists together. Drawing up his arms they hitched them
over the limb of a tree at such a height that his toes just
touched the ground. They then told nim they were going
to give him sixty-five lashes. They then gave him fifteen
lashes with a cowhide when they stopped and asked him
if he believed "Old Joe Smith" was a Prophet. He an-
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 171
swered, **j'es/* Then a fresh hand took the rawhide and
gave him fifteen more lashes. They then said to him,
**Do you still believe Old Joe is a Prophet?*' He replied,
**yes. I do not believe but I know it, and if you want to
kill me, kill me at. once and don't kill me by inches.''
At this juncture, one half, or a little more, of the mob
began to soften and feel some sympath}^ for him and op-
posed his being whipped any more. The most sympa-
thetic of the assailants finallv said that he should not be
whipped any more, and if there was any whipping to be
done they would have a hand in it.
The result of their division of feeling was that my
brother was taken down, handed his clothes, and, not giv-
ing him time to dress, he was told to leave, which he did.
His back was terribly lacerated, the flesh being whipped
ofl^ so that some of his ribs were bare.
Notwithstanding his condition he walked that night
several miles through a swampy bottom. In the morning
he came to the main road, and, being much fatigued, lay
down to rest. After awhile a man with a team came
along. Upon learning his condition and the cause of the
same, my brother was taken into the wagon, but not being
able to stand the jolting, he was left at a tavern to be
taken care of.
This friend then went to Warsaw and informed D. S.
Witter of my brother's condition. Mr. Witter sent a
buggy after him and had him brought to his house and
offered five hundred dollars reward for the apprehension
of the men who had committed the outrage; but none of
them were ever identified.
From the eflfects of this terrible mistreatment my
brother suffered untold torment. He lived between three
and four months and on the twenty-second or twenty-
third of December death came to his relief.
He died and was buried in Nauvoo, never having seen
a well day after the heartless punishment, herein related,
was inflicted upon him. He continued in full faith of
172 REMINISCENCES
the gospel and entertained the brightest hopes of a part
in the resurrection of the just. ^
William Ainscough.
Smithfield, Cache Co., Utah, July 24^ 1588.
Notwithstanding many of the men who were guilty of
the Carthage outrage— both against th-e law and the lives
of the prisoners— were well known to the officers of jus-
tice as well as to the citizens generally, still not a man
has ever been convicted for that crime. It is true that
complaints were lodged against some of the men in due
form and they were brought before the court and testi-
mony produced sufficient to have convicted them of
murder; but the judge and the jury being entirely influ-
enced by the mob element of the country, verdicts of
guilty were impossible.
William M. Daniels, who went all the way from War-
saw to the jail with the mob that committed the deed,
and who was an eye witness to the whole transaction, gave
his testimony before the court, but the lawj'^ers turned
his statements into ridicule and the court itself took good
care that the account he gave had no weight in the scale
of justice poised by him with persistent partiality. This
account — quite lengthy, but very important — will be
found in The Martyrs, It was written by me and first
published in pamphlet form at Nauvoo, and because it
brought to light the whole plot, as well as the names of
the agitators and committers of the murder it brought
against Mr. Daniels and myself threats of vengeance. He
was hunted and if he had fallen into their hands outside
of Nauvoo, his life would have been in great jeopardy.
He was not a member of the Church at the time of the
murder, but joined it soon after. It was owing princi-
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 173
pally to compulsory means that he was kept with that
company during their march from Warsaw.
Mrs. Daniels, his wife, was then in^ Quiney and he
would not Iiave been safe in passing through the excited
mob districts through which he would have to travel
in order to join her. It was thought the wiser plan to
send for her to come ta'Nauvoo, and as I was going to
that place on some business, he made arrangements foi'
his wife to return with me. I took passage down on a
steamboat, expecting to return to Nauvoo by the same
conveyance. But circumstances rendered it necessary
for me to return by stage. I would not ventured to have
douQ so had I not been under the impression that the
stage ran through to Nauvoo without having to lay over
for the night.
About sunset the driver informed us that we were to
stay at Warsaw for the night. This disconcerted both
Mrs. Daniels and myself, as we kniew that to be one of
the strongholds of the mob leaders. There was no alter-
native. We had to put on a bold front and trust in God.
She was much agitated lest it should be found out that
she was the wife of the witness against those who had
sworn to be avenged upon her husband. I told her not
to be excited, for no violence would be used during our
stay there; told her to inake the acquaintance and secure
the friendship of the ladies of th^ house, and she would
have their assistance if necessary.
A gentleman passenger, a stranger, and myself called
for a room, went immediately to it, and soon retired. In
the morning we arose early. My friend passed out into
the bar room and on to the street several times, and at
length informed me that there was trouble brewing for
174 REMINISCENCES
me. He said there was a man in the bar room by the
name of Jackson, backed by two or three others, all arm-
ed, threatening vengeance against me when I should
make my appearance.
I comprehended at once that there was danger of real
trouble. Jackson was considered to be a desperado; but
I knew he had no just cause to be offended with me and
the only pretext he could bring was that he had been
implicated in the Daniels pamphlet of which I was known
to be the writer and publisher. The circumstances called
for calmness and stlf-possession on my part. I told my
friend that I thought the danger would be averted.
Soon I was visited by the landlord himself, Mr. Hamil-
ton. He was a brother to the Mr. Hamilton who kept the
hotel at Carthage to which Apostle John Taylor had been
taken after being wounded in the jail. He confirmed all
that had been reported to me and said further that Jack-
son declared that I had on some occasion insulted him
while on board a steamboat, which was an entire fabrica-
tion. Also, he said I was ad — d polygamy "Mormon" and
that the lady who was a passenger with me in the stage
was one of my '^spiritual wives." All this was false, and
was resorted to by Jackson that he might have a popular
excuse for interrupting me in that hot bed of mobocracy.
My only cause of offense against him or his friends was
as has been already related.
Mr. Hamilton said he had stood neutral through all the
difficulties that had existed in the county wherein the
"Mormons" and other citizens had been involved, and be
wished still to maintain that attitude, and he disliked
very much to have any difficulty at his house. To avoid
this he wished me, after breakfast, to pass away from the
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 175
hotel by a back passage through the lot and make my way
to the residence of Mr. Odell, who always had felt quite
friendly towards our people, and he would direct the stage
driver to call for me there.
Mr. Hamilton's request was so reasonable and so cour-
teously made that I consented.
When the breakfast bell rang I was the first man to
enter the dining hall. A long table extended from the
door of the bar room down to the further end of the hall,
where Mrs. Daniels, with some of the ladies of the house,
were seated. I passed around and seated myself oppo-
site to Mrs. Daniels, extending to her and the ladies with
her, the compliments of the morning. She was certainly
a lady very attractive in her personal appearance.
Just at that juncture the bar room door opened and
the first man to enter was my opponent. He walked
down the entire length of the table — passed by numerous
chairs, plates, and the smoking repast — to seat himself
close to my left arm. Upon being seated he said to
me: "Good morning, Littlefield. Rigdon has cut the
church oflF, up at Nauvoo, has he not?" I replied: '*No,
Jackson, the Church has cut Mr. Rigdon off."
Without attempting to eat, Jackson arose quickly fron^
the table and returned to the bar room.
After finishing breakfast, I passed into my room, and,
after requesting my traveling friend to see Mrs. Daniels,
with her luggage, into the stage, I left by the route indi-
cated by my landlord, and soon reached Mr. OdelPs abode
in safety. The stage called for me in due time and we
were soon upon the road to Nauvoo.
"What transpired at the hotel after my 'underground'
departure?" I enquired of my friend. The term is a
176 REMINISCENCES
proper one, for, though strangers, there was a ^'mystic
tie" that made ns friends. He said:
"When Jackson went from th'^ breakfast table into the
bar room he declared that he'was then convinced that
the lady at the table was a 'spiritual wife.' H& said he
knew them by a certain colored ribbon which thev alwavs
placed in their hair when arranging their toilet. He
was very angry at the independent but correct reply you
gave to his question at the table, and declared' he would
have shot you then if there had been no ladies present.
When Mrs. Daniels and myself passed into the bar
room, Jackson and his two men-in-arms were there in anx-
ious waiting. Upon not seeing you, he quickly asked:
^Whereis Littlefield?'"
Mr. Hamilton. — "He must be gone."
Jackson. — "It is d — d well for him. He is too smart to
put himself in my bands."
This was a splendid starter for a merry and lively con-
versation during the remainder of the journey. I con-
gratulated that lady that she had become a reputed "spirit-
ual wife" to a "Mormon" to whom she had but just been
introduced and who was running a risk to escort her to
the man whose real wife she was. She laughed hearti-
ly at the peculiarity of the situation and related our ad-
Venture with much cheerful gusto to her husband when
they met.
"During all this time mobs filled the County of Han-
cock, in every neighborhood where the settlements of the
Saints were in anywise isolated, and many were shot at
and otherwise maltreated.
"Edmund Durfee, an inoffensive man, while assisting to
extinguish a fire that the mob had set in a stack of straw,
OF LATTE1>DAY SAINTS. 177
in the Green Plains precinct, was shot by the raob who
were cciicealed near by.
"The governor was petitioned to interpose his power,
but failed to inaugurate any thorough measures to check
these outrageous proceedings. He seemed in a great de-
gree hardened against all such intercessions.
"The genius of Brigham Young antJ the Twelve Apostles
was equal to the emergency, yet the removal [for a re-
moval had been agreed upon] of such a vast number of
people, among whom were very many poor, aged and
infirm, was a stupendotis undertaking, requiring skill and
financial ability. But they set about the work in earnest
and trusted in God. Companies of mechanics were or-
ganized and set to work to build wagons, make tents and
wagon covers, purchase and trade for teams, etc., etc.,
and in the month of February, 1846, a majority of the
Saints were ready for the great exodus into the wilder-
ness.
"It should be here stated that this removal was agreed
upon and stipulations entered into to this eflPect between
the Church authorities and their enemies, the under-
standing being that tlie whole of the Church should leave
the State as soon as their property could be disposed of.
This agreement, however, was entirely disregarded by the
mob party, for the Saints were driven from the State be-
fore they had a chance to sell more than a fraction of
their property. The main body crossed the Mississippi
in the early part of February, 1846, but Brigham Young,
Willard Richards and George A. Smith did not cross the
river until th^ 15th of the month.
"The minority who were under the necessity of remain-
ing a few months longer to try to sell their property and
make an outfit, were warred against and hunted night
and day during the entire summer of that year, and on the
11th of September quite a formidable mob force began to
menace the suburbs of Nauvoo. Their cannon, loaded with
grape and canister, were fired at the companies of volun-
178 REMINISCENCES
teers who were endeavoring to check their advance. They
also fired three rounds at Esquire Wells' house, occupied
by his family at the time. William Sheen and his party,
who had charge of a cannon, succeeded in checking their
advance somewhat, and though the mob made several
attempts to outflank the volunteers thev were unsuccess-
ful.
'*0n the morning of the 12th, Major Clifford, not a
*Mormon,* who had been commissioned by the governor
and commander-in-chief of the Illinois militia, who was
Stationed in Nauvoo, notified the mob party to disperse
and suspend hostilities. To this they paid no heed, but
fired upon the city with increased vigor. Soon the firing
on both sides became very brisk. Captain W^illiam
Anderson, who displayed great bravery in the fight, was
shot in the breast by a musket ball. He lived fifteen
minutes, all the time encouraging his men. As he was
hit, he exclaimed: *I am w^ounded; take my gun and
shoot on.' His son, Augustus L. Anderson, was killed by
a cannon ball. David Norris was killed by a cannon
ball. Hvrum Kimball, Benjamin Whitehead, John C.
Campbell and Curtis E. Bolton were wounded.
''Some of the mob were killed and wounded and thev
were compelled to retreat.
The mob continued their firing upon the city until the
16th. In the meantime a correspondence was in pro-
gress, which resulted in a treaty between the citizens of
Nauvoo and the mob party, in which it was agreed that
the mob forces were to occupy the city, and the *Mor-
mons' were to deliver up their arms and leave as soon as
they could cross the river. ^* — The Martyrs,
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 179
CHAPTER XII.
The Church to L^^ave. — Friends in Illinois. — Could Not Fit Out. — A Trackless
Waste. — No Bridges. — Rugged Passes. — Money and Toil. — No Delightful
Utah Then. — Move to St. Louis. — A. W. Babbitt Writes a Letter. — Print
Tlie Hancock Eagle. — Editor Matlock. — Paper Discontinued. — Go to Keo-
kuk. — Family Left. — Heavy Heart. — Mobbers on the Boat. — God's Deliver-
ance. — Go to Winter Quarters, — Appointed a Mission.
According to the agreement entered into by the leaders
of the mob party and those of the Church, the Saints were
now to leave their homes and seek a new place of abode.
Mob rule was in the ascendancy, or, at least, there was a
tendency in the minds of the people of the State to suffer
the recklessness of the lawless portion of the people to go
unchecked in their aggressions upon the rights of those
citizens known as **Mormons." There was no middle
ground reserved to be occupied by the sick, the helpless,
the aged, or infirm; but positively all the Latter-day Saints
had to leave the State of Illinois, to hunt another asylum
from oppression. Very many of our people w^ere posi-
tively unable to make a fit out for their families, especially
in cases where they could not find purchasers for their
property and homes. Cases of this kind were numerous
and perplexing. To be overpowered by bands of armed
and incendiary mobbers, and forced to leave with wives
and children, was the result of that sad condition of socie-
ty which never should have sway within the borders of
any enlightened nation, especially in a Republic. Dark-
er and sadder still becomes the picture to know that the
motives that impelled such a condition of things were
189 REMINISCENCES
engendered in religious prejudice. To the writer it was
painful to contemplate a picture so revolting to patriotism.
Himself, his family and friends were stripped once more
of their rights as American citizens. What had we done
to merit such treatment? We had dared to worship God
according to the dictates of conscience. This was the
stupendous total of our offending. We certainlj'^ had not
infringed upon the civil, political, moral, or religious
rights of any people. We had thought well of our coun-
try, loved its institutions, and had never resorted to force
except in self-defense. We had fondly lioped to live in
peace with the people of Illinois. Hundreds of them had
received us with kindness when driven destitute from
Missouri to their borders. This we were not disposed to
treat with ingratitude. But the influence of those gener-
ous and noble souls had gone down in the turbulent
whirlpool of strife which illiberal and biased minds had
since awakened. We have not even now forgotten the
kindness of friends who perhaps brooked the prejudices
of neighbors to ^minister to our people at the time when an
adjoining State had tried to crush us beneath the iron
heel of oppression.
We had to go. We must bid adieu to the many homes
we had built, to the farms we had improved, to the city
we had adorned, and to hundreds of warm hearted friends
who still would have befriended and retained us as citi-
zens and neighbors had it been discretionary with them
to so have shaped affairs.
The writer of this was one of the many who were un-
able to make an outfit for the removal of his family at
that time. To provide for a journey of at least thirteen
hundred miles, and one thousand of that distance through
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 181
a trackless waste, was no small undertaking. It was one
which required much exercise of wisdom, prudence and
sagacity as well as outlay of means. The present facili-
ties for travel did not then exist. There were no rail-
roads and not even wagon roads, for the greater portion
of the distance that lay between us and the Rocky Moun-
tains. There was then no prosperous Utah — like a garden
of beauty — to gladden the scene where clustered our pros-
pective hoped. An unexplored desert plain lay between.
Unbridged rivers intervened; mountain passes existed in
their native roughness, to increase toil and augment the
dangers to be met. To surmount obstacles such as these,
called for the most indomitable will as well as abundant
means. Hundreds who had the pluck to undertake the
journey, had not the means to provide for all contingen-
cies, hence they were under the necessity of waiting until,
by industry, they could accumulate suflBcient. In order to
do this many retired into the friendly districts and obtain-
ed employment, with a determination to follow those
pioneers who had so nobly led the way.
The Times and Seasons, of course, was discontinued.
Hence the WTiter had no employment in "the art pre-
servative of all arts." He concluded to move with his
family down to St. Louis, expecting there to find employ-
ment on some of the many papers published in that city.
Accordingly, with my wife, Samuel Omer, and our little
Donna Isora, w^e embarked on board a steamer for the
place named. We arrived safely, rented rooms, and I
began to search for a situation as a compositor. We had
been there three weeks and no opening was presented to
me and the prospect began to look gloomy.
Mrs. Littlefield, with her accustomed habits of industry,
182 REMINISCENCES
readily obtained all the sewing she could do from the la-
dies. At that juncture I received a letter from A. \V.
Babbitt, Esq., wishing me to return to Nauvoo, as he was
about to start a new paper there in defence of the rights
of our people, until the Saints could all sell their property
and prepare for the removal of those who were necessarily
left behind.
After a consultation with mv wife, we came to the con-
elusion that it was best for me to comply with the wishes
of Mr. Babbitt, and she would remain, for the present,
and accomplish what she could in her line. Of course, 1
was to remit money for the support of the home in St.
Louis.
The paper we started was called The Hancock Eagle.
Mr. Babbitt paid the expenses of the paper. It was edited
by Dr. Matlock, whose given name I have forgotten. He
was one of the "new citizens." This was an appellation
applied to all non-Mormons to distinguish between the
two classes. In justice to Dr. Matlock, I will state that
in addition to his possessing more than ordinary talent,
and being a gentleman of much refinement, he was deep-
ly devoted to the interests of his country; was a lover of
the Constitution and a patriot. During the course of the
struggle, as he witnessed the unjust encroachments upon
the rights of the people of Nauvoo, and saw that their
constitutional rights were utterly disregarded by the Gov-
ernor and most of the officers of the State, he was filled
with sorrow. His able pen had been vigorously used in
elucidation of those sacred inherent rights which never
should be infringed by any who hold dear the sacred
rights which the early patriots died to secure to everj^
American citizen. He gradually lost his health, sickened
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 183
and (lied. It was thought by some of his most intimate
friends that his death was hastened in consequence of
his having hiid the matter here alluded to seriously to
heart. Ever}'' citizen entertained for him profound re-
spect. Even his opponents in the editorial arena honor-
ed him for his ability, and none rejoiced at his loss, ex-
cept perhaps it might have been the incendiary editor of
the Warsaw Signal. He has made an enviable record
and must be classed among the honorable men of the
earth.
After I had been there a few months Mrs. Littlefield
came up from St. Louis to visit me, bringing with her
our pet girl baby, but leaving Samuel Omer in school at
St. Lotiis. Remaining with me four or five weeks, she re-
turned, and I continued my labors on the paper, which,
however, was discontinued in the fall.
I then went to Keokuk and obtained a situation as
clerk in a store, rented a house and went after my family.
My wife received me most cordially and the children
expressed their delight in those untutored ways so pleas-
ing to all who delight in the innocent artlessness of child-
liood. She seemed as satisfied as possibly could be ex-
pected without the company of her husband, she only
regretting that I could not remain in St. Louis. She
finally asked my acquiescence in her wish to remain there
during the winter. After much conversation upon the
subject, I reluctantly consented for them to remain.
When the time came for my departure, with a reluc-
tant and heavy heart, I stepped on board a steamer for
Keokuk.
Soon after leaving the wharf I found myself seated in
the main cabin in moody meditative silence. A feeling
184 REMINISCENCES
was forced upon me that I had made a mistake in con-
V senting to let my family remain in St. Louis; and, to
make amends, resolved to send a letter back for mv wife '
to take the next steamer for Keokuk, which I did. I do
not know that she received my letter, but she did not
reach Keokuk as I desired.
After having been in the cabin a few hours, I noticed,
seated at the opposite side, some four men observing me
with scrutiny. I recognized two of them as being among
the leading mobocrats of Hancock County, who had been
identified in the Daniels pamphlet as having been in the
company that committed the murder at the Carthage jail.
After eyeing me closely for a time and indulging in low
conversation among themselves, they walked out and
passed up the side-stairs that led to the hurricane deck,
doubtless to consult together as to the most appropriate
manner of disposing of me. In due time they returned
and sauntered back and forth along the entire length of
the hall, at intervals observing me with much interest;
but to all the attentions bestowed upon me I maintained
an oblivious demeanor.
At one time one of them, whom I recognized as being a
Justice of the Peace at Warsaw, by the name of Grpver,
seated himself at a side table and engaged himself in
preparing a paper shaped as if it might have been a legal
document.
I was satisfied evil was intended me. What was I to
do? was the question that revolved quickly and earnestly
in my mind. Trust in God, was my mental resolve.
After importuning Him, I determined to follow, step by
step, the whisperings of His spirit.
While standing before a large map that was suspended
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 185
at the side of the hall, apparently trying to glean some
information from it, but really, on the alert if possible
to learn something from the movements of these men,
one of them for the first time approached me. This was
John 0. Elliott. The following talk occurred between us:
Elliott. — ''I believe I have seen you at Nauvoo?''
•Myself. — **It is quite possible, sir, I have frequently
been in that city.''
Elliott.— '^Is your name Littlefield?"
Myself.— ''Yes, sir."
Elliott.— "Do you know William M. Daniels?''
Myself. — "I have heard of a man by that name."
Elliott. — "Do you know where he is at the present
time?"
Myself. — "I cannot tell you where he is."
At this, Elliott turned away, pettishly exhibiting ill
suppressed signs of displeasure.
The next best step for me to take seemed to be to se-
cure a state room, as it was approaching the evening
hour. I applied to the clerk of the boat who informed
me that all the rooms were occupied, as the boat was
crowded with passengers. I went away and in an hour
or two from that time I felt impressed to apply to him
again for the accommodation. This time he gave me a
similar answer. I asked him to grant my wish if it were
possible, as I was a stranger and was not feeling in the
best of spirits. He studied a moment and said: "Well,
there are a couple of gentlemen to get off at Hanibal, and
the best I can do is to give you their room after our arri-
val at that place. I thanked him and told him that
would do. Just as the boat left the wharf at that place I
applied to the clerk again and he gave me the keys with
186 REMINISCENCES
which I unlocked the doors and entered the apartment
with a light heart. I could then lock out intruders and
retire from the vigilant gaze of my enemies.
I found the room exactly to my liking. It was situated
just at the foot of the side-steps that led down from the
hurricane deck where there was a door opening opposite
to the one that led into the main cabin. This was ar-
ranged to suit my purpose. Locked within this little
apartment, my spirit could peacefully commune with my
Heavenly Father. I did not retire, for sleep and rest was
no part of my programme.
I knew that sometime during the night we should land
at Quincy, on the Illinois side. When the boat lay at
that landing I took my carpet sack and walked boldly
into the cabin and saw that it was convenient for me to
pass close by my enemies, whichi did, wishing to create
within their minds the belief that I had left the boat at
that place. Instead of passing down the steps which led
to the planks which were launched out for persons to walk
to the shore upon, I turned to my right and quickly ran
up the short flight of steps that led me to the hurricane
deck; passing over which, to the opposite side of the boat,
I descended the short flight of stairs and found myself at
the door opposite to the one through which I had just
passed. I opend it and soon found myself in my room
again with both doors securely locked. I lay down and
slept until morning. When I awoke the sun was shining
in all its splendor. I learned, from the conversation in
the cabin, that we were at Warsaw. While meditating
upon my situation, which I considered to be somewhat
peculiar, two men were promenading to and fro in the
cabin, in conversation with each other. As they were
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 187
passing opposite and close to my room, one of them said:
**Your Mormon left the boat last night, did he?" "Yes,
he got off at Quincy, and it is d — d well for him that he
did,'' was the reply. These words satisfied me that all my
suppositions regarding their designs of mischief against
me, had been well founded. They were baffled by sup-
posing I had gone ashore at Quincj', and thereby I was
delivered out of their bands. In a quiet way I had fol-
lowed the v^hisperings of the Holy Spirit faithfully and an
intense feeling of thankfulness filled my heart at the
happy termination of the. affair. This to me was an im-
portant lesson which showed me the ease with which the
Lord can frustrate the designs of the wicked when His
servants act by the dictates of His Spirit, to which, had
I not have given heed, I have no doubt but what the evil
designs of these men would have been successful.
My conclusions, at the time, were that Squire Grover
had made out a paper for my arrest which was to be made
while the boat was laying at the wharf at Warsaw with the
view of getting me off the boat, after which they would
have me in their power to treat me according to their
wicked designs. But I was no\v free from their hands.
As soon as the boat passed up stream towards Keokuk,
I left my room and walked out into the cabin to enjoy the
freedom of the boat.
I arrived in safety at Keokuk and went to my situation
in the store.
My wife not coming up from St. Louis as I had desired,
disappointed me very much. I felt lonesome and discon-
tented and longed to know how my Nauvoo friends were
situated w^hom I knew to be scattered along the pioneer
trail as far west as Council Bluffs and Winter Quarters.
188 REMINISCENCES
I got ready and started. Followins on their trail, T
visited their various encampments or locations. At Pis-
gah they had opened and fenced farms, built residences
of various kinds, from the dug-out and rude hut to that
of quite comfortable log houses.
Many of the Saints having died and been buried at
Pisgah induced Sister Eliza R. Snow Smith, at my solici-
tation, to write the following poem:
Three Hundred Graves In Pisgah.
Pisgali was then a wilderness,
Where none but redmen's feet had trod,
Until its dearest sands were pressed
By the mob-driven Saints of God.
We'll stop and drop a loving tear
O'er those we leave in sacred trust;
Three hundred graves are huddled here,
And each enwraps a sacred dust.
Robb'd of our wealth, and driven forth
From homes, and lands, and country dear,
As exiled wanderers in the earth.
We stopped to rest a season here.
But sickness came and added care
To destitution's pressing woe,
And death, soon following, met us there,
And laid three hundred dear ones low.
Why are they buried on the wild?
O, tell us wherefore did they roam?
Why not the father, mother, child.
Lie in their sepulchers at home?
OP LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 189
'Twas persecution's purple rod
That drove them to the wilderness;
And whv? Thev dared to honor God
And do the works of righteousness.
And now we leave them here to rest,
As Abram went not knowing where;
We turn our faces to the w^est,
And hope for peace and justice there.
These lines, from the pen of this celebrated waiter, were
written under date of July 29, 1887, at Salt Lake City.
Her death occurred at the Lion House, December 5, 1887,
at five minutes past one o'clock. These dates show that
this must have been among the last, if not the very last,
of her poetic effusions. For this we prize it all the more,
as we can place it on record in evidence of her faith in
the gospel, and her fidelity to the memory of the Saints,
to the very close of her mortal career. As to her superi-
or ability as a writer, we do not here undertake to eulogize
her. Her writings are printed upon the historic page of
the Church, which, combined with her pure and spotless
life, will continue as a monument down through the years
that are to swell the future ages. She requires no meed
of praise from our pen to brighten the examples, which
link together the chain of her long and useful life. She
w^as born at Becket, Berkshire Co., Mass., January 21,
1804.
Garden Grove also contained many improvements for so
new a place. Besides these two places there were several
smaller encampments of the Saints before reaching Coun-
cil Bluffs and Winter Quarters. I crossed the Missouri
river about eight miles above the site where Omaha now
190 REMINISCENCES
stands. The place was then called Winter Quarters, as
a large portion of the journeying Saints passed tlie winter
of 1847 there. After their departure, the name of the
place was changed to that of Florence.
On the night qf the 12th of April, 1847, a vote was
passed in Council of the Twelve Apostles appointing me
a mission to preach the gospel on the British Islands.
My letter of appointment was signed by Brigham Young,
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and
Willard Richards, Clerk, on April 14th, 1847.
On the 10th of May I left Winter Quarters for Liver-
pool, England. I left that place in company with
Brother Alexander McRae who took me in his buggy as
far as Savannah, Missouri. -From there I rode with
Brother Daniel Spencer to St.^ Joseph, from which place
I went with Brother Campbell and daughter. Brother
Jesse W. Fox, and Miss Polly Thompson, thirty miles to
Weston, at which place Brother Fox, Miss Thompson and
myself, took passage on the- steamer John Hardin. We
arrived in St. Louis on the niqrning of the 28th. A large
number of Saints resided there. They were in good spir-
its and held meetings regularly for the preaching of the
gospel.
On the morning of the 29th we left the wharf at St.
Louis. The morning was alovely one. Brother Fox and
myself were seated on the hurricane deck to enjoy the
pleasure of a "good bye" sight of the city. The view pre-
sented to us was splendid. , The distant city with its
towers and bright domes — the many steamers at the
wharf, motionless and still, while others passed and re-
passed on the bosom of the broad Mississippi — presented
a scene of business and wealth. But my mind was oc-
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 191
cupied with other matters, from which it could not be di-
verted by the alluring prospect. I had expected to have
met my family in that city. But upon learning that
Mrs. Littlefield had gone to New Orleans, the disappoint-
ment fell with crushing weight upon my spirits.
While at Winter Quarters — previous to my being ap-
pointed a mission — I wrote her a letter which I sent by
Brother Frodscham, requesting her to come with him, by
steamer, to Winter Quarters*. He was to fetch his family
when he returned and it appeared to be a lucky opportu-
nity for her to come comfortable, as I sent money to pay
her expenses. This was strange to me. For my part, I
had not got tired of following the Church, though it should
be in exile.
There was but one path for me to travel and that was
the one to which the finger of duty pointed.
On the morning of May 30th we entered the mouth of
the Ohio river. Its clear water presented a strange con-
trast to that of the riley appearance of the Mississippi.
The scenery along the Ohio river, in many places, was
very fine. Cincinnati is certainly a very tidy place, with
streets clean and neat. We left Cincinnati June 3rd.
At the junction of the Erie and Cleveland canals we part-
ed company with Br. Campbell, daughter, and sister Polly
Thompson. They followed up the Erie canal and we the
Cleveland. We had to pack our trunks three-fourths of
a mile before we could find a tavern, which gave us a
relish for our bed. At Warren, Brother Fox and I parted,
as he had to go by way of Akron. I walked across the
country to Kirtland where I arrived at 4 o'clock, June
9th, with swollen and blistered feet. I was received by
my father-in-law, John Andrews, and his family, with
192 REMINISCENCES
the utmost kindness and treated with perfect respect dur-
ing my stay.
In two or three davs Brother Fox arrived. We found
there several members of the church — some of them firm
in the faith, some rather lukewarm. There were plenty
of apostates, the leader of whom was William E. McLellin,
once one of the Twelve Apostles.
Being anxious to see the inside of the Temple, on Sun-
day I went to meeting, feeling doubtful whether I would
have another opportunity, as McLellin had possession of
the key. A man by the name of Knight — who joined
J. J. Strang but at that time a follower of McLellin —
occupied the stand. He dwelt upon the abominations
he said the Church had entered into, in consequence of
which the Saints had been driven into the wilderness to
suffer.
McLellin followed him and talked of the secret orders
which he falsely said were in the Church — said they were
contrary to the Book of Mormon. Said David Whitmer was
the man to lead the Church; that Joseph Smith trans-
gressed about the year 1831, and only had power left
with God to appoint another in his stead, which he said
Joseph did in 1844 by appointing David Whitmer. To
confiriti this he referred to a conversation he had in
Pittsburg with Benjamin Winchester.
After meeting I was show^n through the interior of the
Temple. I also went upon the top or roof of that noble
structure where a delightful view was obtained of Kirt-
land and the surrounding country.
While in Kirtland McLellin called upon me at Jacob
Bump's residence. He commenced upon me in relation
to the Church, its authority, its transgressions, etc. I
*..
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 193
argued in defence until 12 o'clock at night, when he
withdrew, but returned the next morning before break-
fast. This time Mr. Bump joined with him against my
arguments. I bore my testimony faithfully which made
no apparent impression; but I felt that I had done my
duty towards them.
While there I made the acquaintance of Brother Lu-
man Heath and wife, and re-baptised her mothejr in the
Shagrin river for the renewal of her covenant, according
to her desire. Also, made the acquaintance of Brother
and Sister Kent and many others.
I preached twice to full houses and on Monday, June
21st, Brothers Fox, Heath, Wilcox and myself, attended
McLellan's conference in the Temple. I counted seven-
teen of bis followers, all apostates from the Church of Je-
sus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The speakers indulged
in a tirade of abuse tigainst the authorities of the Courch.
Monday, June 27th, Brother Reuben McBride took
Brother Fox and myself to Painesville, ten miles, where
wo took passage in a stage for BuflFalo. At Lockport,
I left the canal boat and took a stroll several miles in
search of relatives, but was unsuccessful.
July 4th, about noon, I enquired again concerning my
namesakes and the man of whom I enquired pointed to
my Uncle Lyman Littlefield's house which stood within a
few rods of the canal. Not more than ten minutes from
the time I made the enquiry, I knocked at my uncle's
abode and a hospitable voice bid me enter. Being seat-
ed, the scene presented within the compass of that room,
to me, was of vast moment. I knew that venerable head
was my Uncle, that the matron, at his side was my Aunt,
and the young men and the one young lady at the table
194 REMINISCENCES
I felt sure were my cousins! This was an auspicious mo-
ment, to occur on the anniversarv of our nation's inde-
pendence! The memories of childhood were instantane-
ous in crowding among the most sacred recesses of recol-
lection! My uncle so much resembled my father! I
could not wait longer for recognition! The following con-
versation ensued:
Myself. — "Is your name Littlefield?"
Uncle.— *' Yes, sir.''
Myself. — "Have you relatives in the west?''
Uncle. — "I suppose I have a brother somewhere in the
western country. He went away with the ^Mormons'
and I have not heard much about him for twenty years."
Myself. — "What was his given name?"
Uncle.— "Waldo."
Myself. — "I am well acquainted with a man out there
by that nanie."
Uncle. — "That must be my brother. How long have
you known him?"
Myself. — "My earliest remembrances are of him and
my mother."
Uncle. — "You are not his son!"
Myself. — "I am his second son, Lyman, and was named
after my uncle, in whose habitation, and in the midst of
these, my cousins, this is a happy moment!"
As I entered, the family were partaking of an early sup-
per. I had not seen them since a little boy, some twenty
years previous to that meeting. To be thus ushered into
their presence filled me with emotions of pleasure. Their
joy was exhibited as if by an electric wave. Simultane-
ously, uncle, aunt and cousins sprang from the table to
salute me with eager and hurried words of welcome.
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 195
They did not stand upon the strict order of etiquette.
The influence that impelled them was imperative, and
they followed the impulse of those consanguineal ties
which spring from the purple tide that pulsates the kin-
dred heart. To them it was as if I had suddenly, from
regions unknown, sprang into their presence to apprise
them that I still lived. To me, to be thus gemmed around
with such brilliant specimens of human form, and they
my own blood kindred, was an event gratifying beyond
all power of the tongue or pen to delineate. Their joy
was evidenced in the sparkling eye and glowing counte-
nance. I tried to expatiate and felt what a boon, to me,
would have been the enrapturing powers of eloquence.
But life's transports and its woes are alike evenescent.
At times the glorious sun pours down upon the green
earth its broad sheen of glittering radiance, showing the
romantic landscapes in the full lusciousness of their na-
tive array, and this gives a charm like that which be-
decks the fair edens of the blessed; then a change —
the curtains of night are drawn, the revolving globe shuts
out the brilliant day, with the warble of birds; but the
musical roar of gliding streams that leap down declivities
and thunder from the cataracts, lull us to slumber with
the mingled dignity of their voice, that declare a cease-
less harmony in the flow and order of nature's vast crea-
tions.
A little time explained all, calmed the tumult of joy,
and I united with them in completing their anniversary
repast.
My visit and acquaintance with my uncle Lyman and
family, as well as with many other uncles, aunts and cous-
ins in that neighborhood, was most agreeable and satis-
196 REMINISCENCES
factory to them and myself. On the 22d of that month
I reluctantly bid them all adieu and went to Rochester
where I spent one day in visiting cousin Sidney Higgins
and other relatives on mv mother's side. I took the steamer
Lady of the Lake and went down Lake Ontario to Sack-
etsharbor, ten miles from which place I found Brother
Fox, at his father's home, whom I was happy to meet
again. I took the stage for Rome, sixty miles distant,
which place called up many youthful memories. Ten
miles from there was the place of my birth. With my
father I had attended "general trainings'* at Rome and
looked at the grand officers on prancing steeds, and the
wheeling columns. My twenty years' absence had render-
ed strange to me all the scenery; but I was gratified to
travel through my native State.
Cohose is a delightful place, situated on the Mohawk
river. Standing on the Erie canal, one half mile west of
the village, a magnificent scene spread before the behold-
er. There is a long succession of canal locks. The Cohose
Falls, down which the clear waters pour, send upwards
a mist of spray to dance in wreaths of playful phantacy
in the glancing sunbeams, while the waters of the "old
canal" rested in their basins, a few feet below. There
was a quiet green beyond, over which the aged and the
youth, the merry and sedate slowlv sauntered arm in
arm. The river bluffs arose just beyond, skirted with
young growths of cedars; the bridge, with lattice work,
stretched across the stream. The quiet village in the
vale below, sent up its modest spires above the foliage
of the trees, and the high lands spread out their broad
limits like a map of sublimity beyond. There were
broad, well cultivated farms with fine residences; and
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 197
woods, groves, wild clumps of trees and trees ornamental,
that here and there, in fantastic array, dotted the check-
ered landscape. Over all this, the yellow radiating tints
of the retiring sun reflected a gorgeousness that mellow-
ed the ambient air into an enchanting halo that captiva-
ted the mind of the beholder.
Night soon hovered over the scene, and Dr. Daniel Olts,
of Courtland County, (that State), and myself returned
to our boat and passed the evening with our books.
On August 2d I arrived in Albany. I did not like
the citv much : but I saw onlv the lower streets. Was told
it was beautiful further back. I took passage on the
passenger steamer South America, — ^leffcthe wharf at 6:30
a. m. The North River is a most delightful stream. It
is not rapid. It runs clear and deep— free from rocks,
sand-bars or "snags'* which makes it safe and easy to
navigate. No freight was carried by passenger vessels.
The burthens of commerce were conveyed in sail vessels
and it was interesting to view the many sails that floated
over the bosom of the Hudson. The shore sceneries are
romantic and beautiful. The bluffs for many miles seem
to be solid rock that rise up to a great height. There is a
view of the Catskill mountains towering their blue sum-
mits to the skies, at the base of which are table lands and
sequestered vales. We see Poughkeepsie, Newburg, West
Point, Sing Sing, Nyack and Tarrytown. Beautiful bath-
houses were erected along the water's edge, every little
distance for fortv miles above New York, for the benefit
of bathers in the salt water from the sea. We arrived at
New York at 2 p. m.
The Saints in New York and Brooklyn were very kind
198 REMINISCENCES
in providing me with necessary comforts while I should be
crossing to Liverpool.
On Monday morning, August 23, 1837, Elders Appleby,
Wm. H. Miles, Brother Burnett and four or five sisters
who had just come from England, and several of the
New York Saints, w^ent down to the docks and saw me
on board the sail ship Liverpool, which was towed out
by tug boats to the open sea. . - . •
The limit of this volume is now nearly filled. Conse-
quently I shall not give a full account of my voyage. One
or two incidents only I will briefly relate:
At four o'clock, a. m., August 29th, a woman died. Her
body was wrapped in canvass, by the sailors, which was
sewed up securely, then carried to the small side-door
and placed upon a plank with a bag of sand tied at her
feet. The end of the plank was then lifted to a proper
angle, and the weight of the sand drew her, feet foremost,
into the *'dark blue sea." This was the first burial at sea,
I had ever witnessed. It was a melancholy spectacle to
witness a human form thrown into the deep ocean where
nothing can mark the place of interment! The sand was
not of suflicient weight to sink her, and, as we pursued
our course, she was seen far behind amid the bounding
waves. •
A young lady by the name of Eliza Cherry was among
the passengers. She sickened and became a great suflfer-
er. She was remarkably patient. Her modesty and
general quiet demeanor won for her the sympathy and es-
teem of all who were quartered in the portion of the ship
adjacent to her berth. She expressed no particular anxi-
ety except a strong desire to live to see her father who
resided in England and who she was going to visit. On
OF LATTEB-DAY SAINTS. 199
Monday, September 20, 1847, this young lady died and
was lowered from the ship to find a se[)ulcher in the
mighty deep until the **sea shall give up its dead."
September 23d, we entered the Irish channel; sighted
Cape Clear, the Irish coast, the Dungowan and Water-
ford Mountains, etc. 0, how the Irish passengers rejoiced
as they gazed upon their native shore! On the 25th we
passed the Welch coast, the islands of Anglesy, the villa-
ges of Bumorris, Amwich and Middlemouse. We took
on board the Pilot; the tug boat hitched to the Liverpool
and we were safely moored at the Liverpool docks.
I went direct to 39 Torbock Street, the publication of-
fice of the Millennial Star, Was rejoiced to meet Presi-
dent Orson Spencer and family, and Apostle Franklin D.
Richards there,
I labored in the Millennial Star office about six months
— preaching frequently in Liverpool and its suburbs. I
was treated with much courtesy by President Spencer and
family. Apostle Richards and the Saints generally. After-
wards I went to labor in the Cheshire Conference, under
the presidency of President J. Goodfellow.
On the 9th of February, 1848, I was appointed, by
President Spencer, to preside over the Staffordshire Con-
ference. During my labors in that Conference, I enjoyed
the friendship and confidence of the Latter-day Saints and
labored diligently for their welfare in the things pertain-
ing to their advancement in the principles of the Gospel,
also to bring unbelievers to a knowledge of the truth.
I made a couple of pleasant, and, as I believe, profitable
visits into Woostershire, where L. D. Butler presided, and
he visited and labored in the Staffordshire Conference in
return.
200 REMINISCENCES
I made a trip to London and took in the sights of that
mamoth city. I would be gratified had I space to give
in detail an elaborate account of the London sights, of
England and its people, and of my mission.
CHAPTER XIIL
Go to New Vork. — Doomed Ship. — ^Terrible Storms. — God's Power Made Mani-
fest — ^Reach My Native Shore. — Poetic Lines to the Author by Eliza R,
Snow Smith. — Conclusion.
July 6, 1848, 1 went on board the sail ship Forest Mon-
arch for New York, in company with four of the English
Saints. The ship had moved a little way out from the
docks and had cast anchor. I observed a row boat steer-
ing for our ship and one of the men who left it clambered
up the vessel's side and I was made happy in the presence
of my old friend. Elder Lorenzo D. Butler, the President
of the Worcestershire Conference.
Salutations exchanged quickly, and he explained the
object of his visit. Said it might be the case that I had
»
been unfortunate enough to be on board a doomed ship.
Said a friend of mine was strongly impressed with that
belief and he had been solicited to interview me about
the matter. It was feared, if I started to cross the ocean
upon it, I would be lost.
I told my friend I had come on board with good inten-
tions, and if it were really true that the passengers
were [in^danger, that perhaps my presence might not be
detrimental to their safety. I confessed that I might
OP LATtER-DAV SAINTS. 201
have my hands full before reaching America; but my con-
fidence was in God and His Providences and I would look
to Him who ''tempers the winds to the shorn lamb/'
for the outcome. I told him I loved my friends and
felt grateful for their solicitude; but I believed in the
overruling providences of God, and that if I should be
careful on the voyage to do nothing with an evil intent,
and followed the promptings of His Hqly Spirit, that all
would be overruled and I would again stand upon the
soil of my native shore.
My friend saw that I was firm in the position I had
taken, and, with feelings of disappointment, left the ship.
I watched, with melancholy interest, as the distance
widened between us. The Forest Monarch lay quietly
at her naoorings, as an experienced warrior might have
done when resting for strength at the thresh hold of con-
flict.
The next morning by daylight the tug boat came along
side and towed' us out into the channel. The weather
was delightful. In the afternoon, off Hollyhead, a breeze
struck up that caused waves to dash against the bow of
the ship with sufficient force to burst open the port hole
of the vessel and the water rushed in among the steerage
passengers in large quantities. Great alarm seized upon
all. Screaming, crying, praying, and swearing were al-
ternately heard and the Irish Catholics commenced
counting their beads, crossing themselves, etc.
The captain ordered **tack ship." The vessel's bow was
held from the wind and the Captain gave orders for mak-
ing fast the port hole. The regular or original block
that filled the opening had been taken out at Liverpool
and a temporary one swung on hinges from the top of the
202 REMINISCENCES
opening on the inside and fastened with a catch at the
lower edge. This was done for the purpose of admitting
air while loading the vessel at the docks. When the waves
forced themselves against the bow of the ship the catch
was found too weak and was broken, while the temporary
door swung upward upon its hinges and admitted the
water. They fastened it again by placing an iron bar
across and lashing it at each end w^ith ropes inserted
through auger holes bored through the hull. This was
accomplished, with much trouble, and the ship put on its
course. In a short time it burst open again. This time
universal consternation prevailed, more intense than be-
fore. Many, pale as death, threw themselves upon the
deck, apparently with little power to move or speak.
The bow of the ship was turned from the waves. The
next morning was more calm and the port hole was fast-
ened securely, which was accomplished by suspending a
platform from ropes over the ship's bow, upon which the
carpenter descended, inserted the block originally made
for the purpose, and filled it around with oakum. This
made it permanent. Had this occurrence been postponed
for some of the storms destined to meet us in our course,
certain destruction would have been our portion.
On the 12th of July, 1848, a very heavy gale came up
from the west and continued for forty-eight hours. The
ship lay to under close reefed top sails, while she wallow-
ed through the waves like a monster of the sea. I can
but imperfectly describe the scene in the lower decks,
among the 480 passengers; but those who have been in
storms on the ocean can view something of the incidents
through the glass of imagination. The ship, rolling from
side to side; some of the passengers holding to posts, ropes,
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 203
or whatever they could grasp. Many were thrown entirely
across the deck and back again, among boxes, trunks,
and all kinds of articles. Cries with pain from bruises
received in the heterogeneous mixture, mingled with the
enjoyable laugh of the reckless ones, strangely blended
with the roar of the winds and the pelting of the waves
against the ship's sides, which seemed but frail protection
against the combined fury of the elements.
The storm continued to rage. There was not a mo-
ment's lull in the wind, which all the time blew direct
from the exact point of compass for which we wished to
steer. At 12 o'clock a. m. of July 13th, there was no
sign of the storm abating, but, if possible, it seemed to
rage with greater fierceness. The danger appeared immi-
nent. A respousibility seemed to point to me, as if a duty
were assigned me. I felt convinced that there was but a
brief period remaining until the Prince and Power of the
Air would consummate his designs, did not the Divine
Powers interpose. I was clinging with both arms clasped
tightly around a post from which it seemed, at times,
that I must be hurled by the plunging fury of the vessel,
which indeed behaved as if doomed for destruction.
While in this position a panorama of my life passed
in review before me. Two or three words, as if shaped
in letters of burnished gold or written by flames of fire,
were presented. These words were so chosen as to be
indicative of some unwise act or sinful deed. They would
remain there, undiminished in brightness, until I had
earnestly and humbly implored the forgiveness of my
Heavenly Father. When I had duly repented, that set of
words would pass away and others take their place, until
mental restitution was made as before. These mani-
204 REMINISCENCES
festations continued to alternate for a time and then
passed away.
Realizing the full extent of the threatened peril, I im-
portuned my Heavenly Father and asked that His good
Spirit might direct me, if there was anything possible for
me to accomplish, as an humble instrument in His hands.
I acted as the Spirit of the Lord directed. Taking with
me a bottle of olive oil that had been consecrated by
the authority of the Priesthood, I made an eflFort to reach
the hurricane deck which I succeeded in doing after much
difficulty. The dense darkness of ^he night shut out
from sight the surging billows, which were only brought
to view by the rapid lightning flashes, while the booming
voice of terrible thunder shook the sea. The scene,
though awe-inspiring, exhibited a little of the majesty of
the Creator's works. Our ship mounted each succeeding
wave with trembling and unsteady motion and then de-
scended into the foaming troughs with a reckless madness
that WU18 portentious of an inevitable tomb down in the
unfathomed abyss.
No power but that of omnipotence, thought I, can save
us from the perils of this terrible moment. The puny
arm of man was far too short and feeble to extend to us
a rescue. The eighty colored sailors that manned the
toiling ship were skulked away in some place of fancied
security and the captain and his officers (I was informed
afterwards) had given up for lost and retired to their own
apartments. The sails were closely wreathed, except one
or two of the lowest, left purposely, if possible, to hold the
vessel a little steady.
At such an hour — in the midst of darkness and the
electric flashes — I wrestled against the dangers that threat-
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 205
ened to hurl me into the foaming immensity that
gleamed and sparkled in the lurid light. 0, the terrible
majesty of that scene! I cannot portray it! That bound-
less expanse of ocean was stirred up from its depths
and piled around into mountain heights; and as our ship
descended along each crested wave, it seemed that at the
base might be our sepulchre!
Reaching the bulwarks with safety, with my left hand
I grasped a rope to keep from being hurled across the
deck or into the sea. With my right hand I took from
my pocket (for so was I impressed) the bottle before men-
tioned, and, in the name of the Lord, poured out the oil
upon the winds and the waves. Then, rebuking the
anger of the elements in the name of the God of Israel, I
turned from the scene and reached in safety my quarters
below the deck. It seemed but a few moments after my
arrival there when I heard some one speak out earnestly
from the gangway: ''Good news; the wind is going down
and turning in our favor.'' The wind died away by de-
grees and the next morning not a breeze was wafted over
the blue crest of the ocean. All was calm and placid as
is the humbled human breast after passion's terrible hur-
ricane has subsided and left it once more to the empire
of peace.
I place this matter upon record as an evidence of God's
power and to show that He has conferred His Priesthood
upon men in these last days through the instrumentality
of His Prophet Joseph Smith. I relate these facts with
much diffidence lest some may think I do so with boastful
motives, which is foreign from me. I feel myself as being
one of the weakest instruments that our Heavenly Father
has chosen in this age of the world and honored with
206 REMINISCENCES
the authority of His priesthood. To Him belongs all the
glory and to Him, for this and many other evidences of
His preserving mercy, I offer the tribute of a grateful
heart.
On the twentieth of July another storm set in which
lasted twenty-four hours, in which the mercy of our Heav-
enly Father was made manifest in our preservation. Also,
on the twentieth of August, the elements seemed to be,
if possible, more determined than ever on our destruction.
The storm raged all day and night. We were in a very
dangerous part of the ocean, between Sable Island and
the main land, as I understood, among rocks and shoals.
The squalls struck us repeatedly w4th such fury that the
sails were rent in pieces and the greatest peril was threat-
ened. This time it seemed to me that all the hosts of the
infernal regions were determined to destroy us. I stood
at the bulwarks holding to the rigging about twelve
o'clock at night. Again faith was exercised in the God
of Israel and again His Omnipotent power was manifested
in our preservation. All the powers of my soul were era-
ployed as I exercised faith in the name of the Lord and
humbly asked Him to rebuke the fury of the winds and
the waves and after a time my heart was filled with grati-
tude when the squalls came with less fury and less fre-
quency. We were again preserved by the power of Jeho-
vah and He alone it was who stilled the terrible motion
of that angry sea.
That was a terrible night. In addition to the horrors
of the storm, we were near having a collision. A vessel,
for the first that it had been discovered, through the
darkness and fog, was lying across our ship's bow. Every
effort was quickly made by the officers of our ship and
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. 207
we passed thein safely. Had the vessels struck, under
such circumstances, the disaster must have been great
to both. The captain, two days after, speaking to me of
that night, said: **I took good care that nobody but my-
self knew the danger we were in."
From New Foundland we had a fair wind, the first
since we left the Liverpool docks. All sails were stretched
to catch the wooing breeze, and we were able to make
excellent headway. A sight of my native shore filled me
with a supreme gratitude I had never before felt — grati-
tude to God that we had been brought safely through so
many dangers and again permitted to enjoy the privi-
lege of looking upon the shore of my beloved country.
To New Foundland we had almost incessant storms,
with the wind blowing exactly from the point of the com-
pass for which we wished to steer.
On the evening of the 25th of August, 1848, two steam-
ers came along side, to which the luggage of 480 passen-
gers was transferred and we all were soon landed on the
wharf of New York, thankful to place our feet upon
land, once moro, after having been denied that privilege
for fifty-one days.
In the midst of these interesting reminiscences* we are
under the necessity of closing our labors for the present.
From the exodus of the Saints from Nauvoo^taking in
the many unpublished incidents connected with their
unexampled journey to the Rocky Mountains, and the
founding of a prosperous Territory — much of interest re-
mains to be chronicled. All this, and much that has
already been furnished us, may afford material for a
second volume.
208 REMINISCENCES OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS.
LINES
Addressed to Elder Lyman O. Littlefield, on his departure from America, on a
mission to Europe.
BY MISS E. R. SNOW.
Go, brother, go forth in the Spirit of Jesus,
Enrobed with salvation, encircled with power;
Go forth as a herald and publish glad tidings —
Go call to the nations and tell them the hour.
Go, brother, be humble — hold fast your profession —
Continue to cling to the strong **iron rod":
*Twill lead thro* the mists and the clouds of thick darkness,
. To the fountain of light and the glory of God.
Go, brother, thy country has chased thee in exile,
With an oft oppress'd people, the Saints of the Lord;
Who are passing the furnace of deep * 'fiery trials,"
Rejoicing in hope of the "better reward."
Go, brother, go tell our dear brethren in Europe
The sufTring and patience and faith of the Saints,
Who, for righteousness sake, on the earth are but strangers —
But God is their Lord , and their spirit ne'er faints.
Go, brother, and say to the Saints that are faithful
That God is preparing a kingdom of rest;
And when they have pass'd thro' the tide of affliction.
With the fullness of blessing they'll truly be blest .
Go, Brother, be faithful, and God will protect you
And bear you in safety across the great deep;
And your guardian angel will bring you instruction,
And whisper sweet comfort to you when you sleep.
Go, brother, and when from the friends now around you.
You are breathing the air of a far distant clime,
Look oft in the mirror of your recollection
And the sweet sounding harp-strings of friendship will chime.
May the God of our fathers preserve you from evil.
And fill you with wisdom and light evermore;
And when you with honor have finished your mission.
Return you in peace to America's shore.
Winter Quarters of the Camp of Israel, America,
April 25, 1847..
Psge 121, boltom lini, trad 1&43 iniui'L -.( 1%;
Page 16;, top lint, mA 1S44 uMai of 1I84.
P^e 198, tluni line fiom lop, toA 1S47 L-^ita.
4;S
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