Transcript
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Joseph lee
robinson
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M O R M O N P I O N E E R
The Journal of
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mor mon p i one e r
Captured by Dr. Oliver Preston Robinson and Mary Robinson Egan
. . . . . . . . . .
Published journal scanned by David and Joni Nielsen
. . . . . . . . . .
Illustrated and formatted as an ebook by Kevin Merrell
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T H E J O U R N A L O F J O S P E H L E E R O B I N S O N
Introduction
Project Cover 1
Table of Contents 3
Note from Kevin Merrell 6
ebook Navigation 6
Note from David S. Nielsen 7
Note from Dr. Oliver Preston Robinson 8
Reference Materials
Photos of JLR & his wives 10
11
World events chart 12
A map of JLR’s life 13
JLR and his frst three families, 1864 14
Joseph Lee Robinson’s handwriting 14
Map of Nauvoo showing JLR’s property 14
Life sketch of JLR by Preston Nibley 15
JOURNAL of Joseph Lee Robinson
Family Background 20
Birth to fve years old
Early Adult Years 21
• Marriage • Joining The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints
October 1835 21
August 1836 22
Winter 1839 31
June 1838 32
April 1839 32
October 1840 33
Spring 1841 37
Nauvoo, Illinois 37
• Memories of the Prophet Joseph Smith
• Jospeh Lee Robinson Accepts Polygamy
Fall 1841 41
1844 49
August 1842 51
September 1843 52
June 1845 57
January 1846 65
Crossing the Plains to Utah 70
• Assignment to return to Nauvoo
• Winter Quarters, Nebraska
March 1847 80
CONTENTS
�
To bring up a table of contents fy out menu click on the left edge of any
page, choose the section you’re interested in and click on it to go there.
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T H E J O U R N A L O F J O S P E H L E E R O B I N S O N
July 1848 93
Salt Lake Valley 95
• Starting out in North Cottonwod, Utah (Farmington)
• Justice of the Peace • Bishop
February 1849 96
Mission to Southern Utah 105
• Helping establish Parowan, Utah
Spring 1850 105
Spring 1851 114
April 1853 122
Return to North Cottonwood
(Farmington) Utah 132
• Farming • Building a wall around the town
March 1854 137
January 1855 142
June 1856 149
January 1857 156
The Utah War 157
• Diffculties with the U.S. Federal Government
January 1858 160
May 19th, 1859 170
Mature Years 172
• Farms in Mountain Green & Farmington
• Marries Mary Taylor
• Wives Lydia, Maria & Susan pass away
May 1860 173
January 1861 177
October 1862 180
March 1863 181
January 1864 184
September 1865 186
February 1867 195
February 1868 202
February 1869 204
October 1871 204
September 1872 205
1874 211
October 1875 211
February 1876 212
Last Years 215
• Farming • Traveling • Writing • Giving
Blessings of Health & Patriarchal Blessings
January 1877 215
February 1888 275
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T H E J O U R N A L O F J O S P E H L E E R O B I N S O N
January 1889 285
January 1890 302
January 1891 313
January 1892 326
Second Section 354
• A second, shorter journal, written by Joseph Lee
Robinson in his last years
February 1885 358
January 1886 364
Additional Letters
of Joseph Lee Robinson 376
JLR to family & friends back in NY, 1848 376
Nathan Robinson Sr. to his son, JLR, 1850 380
JLR to his father, Nathan Robinson Sr. , 1854 382
JLR, to his nephew, Milton Robinson, 1884 385
First chapel in Farmington, Utah. Joseph Lee
Robinson helped found Farmington, serving as the
frst justice of the peace and the frst Mormon bishop
of the town. Hold your mouse cursor over the D‹R
above to see an enlarged view of the door.
Lower right: Farmington, Utah cemetery. Joseph Lee
Robinson’s headstone is the light colored square pillar in
the center right of the photo. Next to his headstone is that
of beloved frst wife, Maria Wood. Both Joseph Lee and
Maria wrote of having divine revelations that caused them
to overcome their individual misgivings and embrace the
principle of polygamy. Joseph Lee described deep, tender
feelings for all of his wives, children and grandchildren.
Hold your mouse cursor over their HEADSTONES to see an
enlarged view of the headstones.
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Note from Kevin Merrell
I have designed and programmed this ebook form
of Joseph Lee Robinson’s journal. In this effort
I stand on the shoulders of giants, starting with
Dr. Oliver Preston Robinson. Oliver read Father
Robinson’s actual journal pages into a tape
recorder, then had the recordings transcribed
and published. Oliver in effect translated the
journal, giving the published version the benefts
of spelling, punctuation and paragraphs that
make it easier for us to read today.
Decades later, descendants David & Joni
Nielsen scanned the published journal and shared
it on their website, bringing the journal to a whole
new audience.
In the process of producing an interactive
CD-ROM biography about one of Joseph Lee’s
granddaughters, Pearl Bennett, I found David’s
website and made his aquaintance. Along the way
I felt prompted to offer to format the journal fle
as an interactive ebook. I’ve enjoyed collaborating
with David on this project honoring his great,
great, great, great grandfather.
While I am not a descendant of Joseph Lee
Robinson, his life has touched my life; I would
invite you to let his life as refected in his journal,
touch your life. I am honored to be a part of the
collective effort to tell his story. SEPT 2003
Navigation
u
Click the mouse cursor on the BACK and
NEXT buttons below to turn the page, or click
on the Left & Right keys on your computer
keyboard.
u
Click on a Bookmark on the left to go
directly to that topic.
u
Click on Contents in the bookmark list to
return to the Table of Contents.
u
Click on “Help” in the menu bar above to
learn more about other Reader tools.
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T H E J O U R N A L O F J O S P E H L E E R O B I N S O N I N T R O D U C T I O N
Note from David S. Nielsen
I have electronically scanned the pages of
the journal and am distributing them to my
family and anyone else interested in Robinson
family history. I am a descendant of Joseph Lee
Robinson through his oldest son, Oliver Lee
Robinson. My Robinson genealogy is as follows:
Joseph Lee Robinson > Oliver Lee Robinson >
Harry Stratford Robinson > Geraldine Robinson
Nielsen > Richard James Nielsen.
I truly feel it is a miracle that I found this
journal and have been able to publish it. The
journal was loaned to me by Joyce Anderson
Steed, another descendent of Joseph Lee
Robinson. In the summer of 2001, I began to work
on my genealogy, concentrating on the journals
and histories of my ancestors. I had already found
a copy of Oliver Lee Robinson’s journal which
my wife and I have transcribed (located on http:
//www.planetnielsen.com).
That summer, I was browsing through the
names of people who had submitted Joseph Lee
Robinson’s and Oliver Lee Robinson’s genealogy
on familysearch.org. Out of the 50+ names listed,
I noticed that one of the submitters was from
Pleasanton, CA – a town of about 50,000 people
in Northern California and my current residence.
I felt impressed a number of times to call her, and
after several months I fnally did call.
We talked about how we were related and she
mentioned that she might have some books on
the Robinson family. We arranged a meeting and
she agreed, reluctantly, to loan me her precious
copy of Joseph Lee Robinson’s journal. As of this
writing (January, 2002) she is leaving Pleasanton
for Utah. If I hadn’t called when I did, none of us
would have had the chance to read this incredible
journal.
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T H E J O U R N A L O F J O S P E H L E E R O B I N S O N I N T R O D U C T I O N
Note from Oliver Preston Robinson
This is a complete and as accurate a copy as
possible of the main journal of Joseph Lee
Robinson, entitled “History of Joseph Lee
Robinson”. The journal is beautifully handwritten
and reasonably legible. J. L. R. arranged it in
sections according to dates selected by himself.
The pages, about 71- by 12 inches in size, are
colored with age with edges a bit frayed, due to
considerable handling by members of the family
and some words are missing on page bottoms.
By assignment by the offcers of the Joseph
Lee Robinson Family Organization, this copy has
been dictated by Joseph Lee’s great grandson,
Dr. Oliver Preston Robinson. Cousin Preston
was selected because he has had considerable
experience as an editor and writer. For many
years he was general manager of the Deseret
News Publishing Company and editor of the
Deseret News. While serving as president of
the British Mission in London, was editor of the
Millennial Star.
This dictation was commenced on the 10th
of March, 1978 and continued over a period
extending to October, 1980 The typing was
completed over this same period by Mary
Robinson-Egan, a great, great granddaughter.
As each original page was completed and the
dictation carefully checked, the original journal
page was inserted in a plastic cover and the entire
journal, fully preserved, has been deposited for
safekeeping in the Historical Department of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It is
anticipated that suffcient copies of the dictated
journal will be made available to members of the
family who are interested in having a copy.
Joseph Lee Robinson hand bound his journal
using the cardboard top of a box which had
contained Martha Washington Genuine Turkey
Red H’DK’FS. He also used the bottom of this box
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T H E J O U R N A L O F J O S P E H L E E R O B I N S O N I N T R O D U C T I O N
and then bound the whole journal together with a
plaid cloth for the back, or spine, of the book. This
cover is interesting and has been preserved with
the original pages of the journal. Those wishing
to examine it may do so at the Historical Dept.
For some reason, J.L.R. wrote a second journal,
shorter and duplicative of his main one. This
second journal has been read carefully and any
information in it not contained in his original one,
has been included in the dictated material.
It has been a privilege to have accomplished
this work of dictation so that members of this
great family may have access to the interesting
and inspirational story of the life, activities and
fne selfess service of our great ancestor.
Right: Joseph Lee Robinson bound his journal in the
cardboard of a Turkey Red handkerchief box. Manufactured
at the Clyde Bleachery and Print Works in River Point Rhode
Island, the popular handkerchiefs were named after a
British process for dyeing the cloth. The handkerchiefs in
Joseph Lee’s box featured Martha Washington in honor of
the American Centennial in 1876. CLICK on the image for
a closer view; CLICK again to return to the whole page.
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T H E J O U R N A L O F J O S P E H L E E R O B I N S O N C H A R T S , P H O T O S , O T H E R D O C U M E N T S
Joseph Lee Robinson 1st wife, Maria Wood 2nd wife, Susan McCord &
daughter, Mary Jane
3rd wife, Laurinda Atwood 4th wife, Lydia Foster 5th wife, Mary Taylor
YEAR
JLR
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Joseph Lee Robinson
BORN: 18 February 1811
Shaftsbury, Vermont
DIED: 1 January, 1893
Uintah, Utah
MARRIES Maria Wood Family
One
Family
Two
Family
Three
Family
Four
Family
Five
CHILD: Oliver Lee Robinson
CHILD: Ebenezer Jay Robinson
CHILD: Anna Maria Robinson
CHILD: Joseph Robinson
CHILD: Zephaniah Wood Robinson
CHILD: Mary Elizabeth Robinson
CHILD: Joseph Elijah Robinson
MARRIES Susan McCord
CHILD: Susan Aseneth Robinson
CHILD: Mary Jane Robinson
CHILD: Solomon Robinson
MARRIES Laurinda Marie Atwoo
MARRIES Lydia Foster
CHILD: Amos Gilbert Robinson
CHILD: Josephine Elnora Robinson
CHILD: Mary Robinson
CHILD: Laurinda Eliza Robinson
CHILD: Jedediah Nephi Robinson
CHILD: Annette Luella Robinson (twin)
CHILD: Jenette Orella Robinson (twin)
CHILD: Jane Geneva Robinson
CHILD: Nathan Benjamin Robinson
CHILD: Lydia Ann Robinson
MARRIES Mary Taylor
CHILD: George Alva Robinson
CHILD: Emma Sophia Robinson
CHILD: Stephen Robinson
CHILD: William Foster Robinson
CHILD: Lee SidwRobinson
CHILD: Samuel Taylor Robinson
CHILD: Harriet Alice Robinson
CHILD: Lucy Robinson
La urinda Ma ria At wood
Sus a n McCord
Lydia Fos t e r
Ma ry Ta ylor
Olive r Le e Robins on
Sus a n As e ne t h Robins on
Ja ne Ge ne va Robins on
Amos Gilbe rt Robins on
Le e Sidwe ll Robins on
Na t ha n Be nja min Robins on
Ma ry Ja ne Robins on
Jos e phine Elnora Robins on
Solomon Ja me s Robins on
Ebe ne ze r Ja y Robins on
Anna Ma ria Robins on
Jos e ph Robins on
Ze pha nia h Wood Robins on
Ma ry Eliza be t h Robins on
Jos e ph Elija h Robins on
Ma ry Robins on
La urinda Eliza Robins on
Je de dia h Ne phi Robins on
Anne t t e Lue lla Robins on ( t win)
Je nne t t e Orilla Robins on ( t win)
Lydia Ann Robins on
Ge orge Alva Robins on
Emma Sophia Robins on
St e phe n Robins on
Willia m Fos t e r Robins on
Sa mue l Ta ylor Robins on
Ha rrie t Alice Robins on
Lucy Robins on
Ma ria Wood
» Hold t he mous e curs or ove r a
na me t o bring up more informa t ion
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Joseph Lee Robinson
BORN: 18 February 1811
Shaftsbury, Vermont
DIED: 1 January, 1893
Uintah, Utah
History
War of 1812
Washington
D.C. burned
Erie Canal completed
Joseph Smith
publishes The
Book of Mor-
mon; founds The
Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-
day Saints
Potato famine in Ireland prompts large
scale emmigration to United States
Mormon Exodus to
The Great Salt Lake
California
Gold Rush
Wells Fargo begins stagecoach
service between Missouri & SLC
American
Civil War
Transcontinental
railroad completed
Population of SLC,
UT & surround-
ing towns exceeds
100,000
Global depression
Congress
outlaws polygamy
Francis Scott Key
writes The Star
Spangled Banner
Residence
Shaftsbury, Vermont
Boonville, New York
Rome, New York
Nauvoo, Illinois
Iowa, Nebraska, on to Utah
North Cottonwood (Farmington) Utah
Parowan, Utah Mountain Green, Utah
Religious
Great desire for spiritual reformation
Baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Ordained an Elder; chosen as Branch President in Rome, New York
Ordained a High Priest in Navoo, Illinois; serves as a bishop
Serves as bishop of the 7th Ward in Winter Quarters, Nebraska
Serves as the frst bishop in North Cottonwood, Utah
Ordained as the frst patriarch of the Davis Stake, North Cottonwood, Utah
• called to the frst Davis Stake High Council
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T H E J O U R N A L O F J O S P E H L E E R O B I N S O N C H A R T S , P H O T O S , O T H E R D O C U M E N T S
1849
North Cottonwood
(Farmington)
Utah
1850
Parowan
Utah
1847
Winter Quarters,
Nebraska
1846
Mt. Pisgah,
Iowa
1841
Nauvoo,
Illinois
1832
Rome, New York
1816
Boonville, New York
Wyoming
1811
Shaftsbury,
Vermont
���� �� ������ ������������������
BORN
Shaftsbury
Vermont
1811
Rome
New York
1832
DIED
Uintah
Utah
1893
Boonville
New York
1816
Winter Quarters
Nebraska
1847
Mountain Green
Utah · 1859
Nauvoo
Illinois
1841
North Cottonwoood
(Farmington) Utah
1849–1893
Parowan
Utah
1850
Mormon
Trail
• CLICK on t he t hre e dot s in nort he rn Ut a h t o s how or hide a more de t a ile d ma p of t he a re a .
• On t he popup ma p hold your mous e curs or ove r Fa rmingt on t o s e e a n a e ria l phot o of t he a re a .
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Left: Joseph Lee Robinson and his
frst three families, 1864. The two
small girls in the foreground are
twins, Annette and Jennette. See
the twins twenty years later HERE
Top left: Sample of Joseph Lee
Robinson’s handwriting from the
opening page of his journal.
Top: Map of the Nauvoo, Illinois
area. Orange squares represent
property owned by Joseph Lee Rob-
inson. Records list Joseph Lee as a
lieutenant in the town milita known
as the Nauvoo Legion. Joseph Lee
records a warm appreciation for
the leader of the Nauvoo Legion,
the Prophet Joseph Smith.
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a short history of
Joseph Lee Robinson
From Preston Nibley’s series,
“Stalwarts of Mormonism”
J
oseph Lee Robinson, a convert to the Church,
resident of Nauvoo, friend of the Prophet
Joseph Smith, pioneer of Utah in 1848, early
settler of Davis County, was a pioneer of southern
Utah, and one of the founders of Parowan.
Joseph L. Robinson was born at Shaftsbury,
Vermont, on February 18, 1811. He was the son
of Nathan and Mary Robinson. When Joseph
was fve years old, his father moved to Rome,
Oneida County, New York, where he acquired a
farm. There the boy grew to manhood, and there,
on June 23, 1832, at the age of twenty-one, he
was married to Maria Wood. Four years later his
older brother, Ebenezer, brought the message of
the Restored Gospel to him, which he heard
and believed. He was baptized by his brother in
October, 1836.
In the fall of 1841, when he was thirty years of
age, Joseph L. Robinson moved with his family to
Nauvoo. He was pleased that he had the privilege
of meeting and knowing the Prophet Joseph
Smith, of whom he wrote in his journal:
“We have long since believed and known that
Joseph Smith was a true Prophet of God, but now
our eyes do see him and our ears hear his voice.
There is a power and majesty that attends his
words that we never before beheld in any other
man.”
Joseph L. Robinson made himself useful in
Nauvoo. He built a home, acquired a farm and
was made bishop of the Ninth Ward of that city.
He entered wholeheartedly into all the activities
of the Saints.
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After the death of the Prophet, Joseph L.
Robinson followed the leadership of President
Brigham Young and joined the Saints in their
exodus to the West. He left Nauvoo on June 10,
1846, “fve years to the day since I left the city
of Rome, New York.” He did not regret leaving
his home in the East and coming to Nauvoo. “I
have never looked back or seen a moment I was
sorry for, but to the contrary I have always been
thankful to God for the privilege of hearing
and obeying the Everlasting Gospel.” Arriving
at Winter Quarters, Joseph L. Robinson built a
two-room log home. He was also made the bishop
of the Second Ward in that frontier settlement.
During the winter he constructed an additional
log cabin for school purposes and hired a teacher
to instruct the children of the neighborhood.
In the spring of 1847 he helped to outft the
pioneers who were to journey west and seek a
new home for the Saints in the Rocky Mountains.
During the absence of the pioneer band he relates,
“We who remained behind began with all our
might, plowing, planting, sowing, and fencing.”
Fortunately they raised good crops and had
enough food to sustain themselves during the
winter of 1847–48. In the spring of 1848 nearly all
the Saints who had wintered on the west side of
the Missouri River, departed for Salt Lake Valley.
Joseph L. Robinson and his family were among
them. He relates:
“I could only muster up teams enough to start
three wagons, by hitching up or yoking cows. We
had faith in God and great love for his cause; we
knew that he was with his people, therefore we
had joy and rejoicing, even with our sorrows and
tribulations. Nothing daunted or discouraged
us.”
The journey across the plains was long and
arduous, but the heart of Joseph L. Robinson
was happy. “We are traveling in the wilderness,”
he wrote in his journal, “singing, praying, and
rejoicing, because God is with his Saints.” There
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were diffculties on the way: “Many of our cattle
got afficted and died. We had to use a great deal
of precaution to save enough to get through to
the valley. I lost several, by breathing the alkali
dust, and one by wolves. . . . We traveled along,
crossed several streams, Ham’s Fork, Bear River,
through Echo Canyon to the Weber, up and down
over mountains. Surely it was rough and tumble,
but through the blessings of God we reached the
last mountain before dropping down into Salt
Lake Valley. We halted and gazed with wonder
and admiration, with tears and joy. There was
an emotion in our bosoms we cannot describe.
We descended and entered the Valley the frst of
October, 1848. We drove to the fort our brethren
had built to protect themselves.”
As soon as Joseph L. Robinson arrived in
Salt Lake Valley, in October, 1848, he traveled
both north and south of the city, “six to eight
miles,” in order to fnd a suitable place to locate.
It appears that he was more impressed with the
country north of Salt Lake City as he took his
family to the vicinity of Bountiful and built a log
cabin on North Canyon Creek. The winter was
very severe. “The canyon winds came down cold
and raw,” he wrote in his journal. “We lost two
cows, but still we lived and rejoiced in the Holy
One of Israel, believing he would sustain us and
never suffer us to perish.”
In the spring of 1849 he had an interview with
President Brigham Young and asked him if he
should remain where he was or go elsewhere.
“He told me my name was down for a bishop
in Salt Lake City, but that they could put another
in my place. . . . He said that I should go north;
that I could do as much good there as here, and
better for myself; also that they wanted a bishop
there.”
On March 24, 1849, Joseph L. Robinson was
ordained as the frst bishop of North Cottonwood
(Farmington) Ward, and shortly thereafter
established his residence there. The boundaries
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of his ward were from Bountiful on the south to
Ogden on the north.
After having served about one year as bishop
of Farmington, Joseph L. Robinson was called
by the First Presidency to accompany George
A. Smith and a colony who were being sent to
the southern part of the Territory to found a
settlement. He was thus numbered among the
frst settlers of Parowan. In 1851 he assisted
President Young and a group in locating Fillmore,
the frst capital of the Territory.
Having completed his mission in the south,
Joseph L. Robinson returned to Farmington in
1853. Grasshoppers attacked the felds of the
settlers that summer, and he lost all his wheat
crop except twenty-eight bushels, yet he did not
despair. “We rejoice in the Holy One of Israel,” he
again wrote in his journal, “knowing that he will
deliver us, and feed us, if need be, as well as he
did the children of Israel in Moses’ day.” It was
this frm, true, and abiding faith that brought
the Mormon pioneers of Utah through all their
trials and diffculties, and made them at last
triumphant. Without that faith they might have
failed.
With the approach of Johnston’s Army in
the spring of 1858, Joseph L. Robinson loaded
his portable possessions into “three wagons”
and moved with his family to Utah County.
When peace was made with the government a
few months later, he, with hundreds of others,
returned to their homes. “We felt thankful that
our God was with his people; that he was fghting
their battles, and that we had obtained so great
a victory.” He found his crops growing nicely,
wheat, hay, corn, and fax; nothing had been
destroyed.
In the fall of 1858 he went to Weber Valley
and bought a farm and house. He extended his
holdings and labored hard to support his large
family. He joined in every move that would be for
the betterment of the Church. He noted that he
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T H E J O U R N A L O F J O S P E H L E E R O B I N S O N C H A R T S , P H O T O S , O T H E R D O C U M E N T S
had contributed to the building of schoolhouses,
meetinghouses, tabernacles, an temples, “and
also in supporting the families and furnishing
the means to Elders laboring in the mission felds.”
He sent teams back to the Missouri River to bring
in the poor who had no means of making the
journey themselves.
On December 1, 1872, his beloved wife, Maria
Wood, died at Farmington. “She was not seriously
sick but a few days, and when her time came, she
passed away without a struggle. She died as she
had lived, a good, consistent Latter-day Saint.
She shall receive a glorious resurrection and
shall live forever.”
When Davis Stake was organized on June 17,
1877, Joseph L. Robinson was chosen as a member
of the high council. Three years later, on October
24, 1880, he was ordained a patriarch by Apostle
Franklin D. Richards. The good and worthy man
died on January 1, 1893, while visiting at the
home of a daughter, Mrs. A. B. Bybee, of Uintah,
Weber County. He was approaching his eighty-
second birthday, and was ill only a few hours
before his death. The funeral and burial were at
Farmington.
The family of Joseph Lee and Laurinda Robinson, 1884.
Joseph Lee met and married Laurinda Atwood, his third
wife, in Winter Quarters, Nebraska in 1847. They raised
their family in North Cottonwood, (Farmington) Utah,
where Joseph Lee served as the frst bishop and justice
of the peace. The daughters on either end of the photo
are twins, Jeanette (R) and Annette (L). See the family
twenty years ealier HERE
For an enlarged view of the photo, CLICK on it; to return
to the whole page, CLICK on it again.
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M O R M O N P I O N E E R ∙ 1 8 1 1 – 1 8 9 3
Family Background
Birth to fve years old
I, Joseph Lee Robinson, was born of goodly
parentage in the town of Shaftsbury, Benington
Co., St. of Vermont, February 18, 1811. My father’s
name is Nathan, his father’s name was Joseph,
his mother’s name was Rosanna.
My mother’s name was Mary, her father’s
name was Samuel Brown, his mother’s name
was Mary who was the wife of Joseph Lee, after
him I was named.
I feel very much interested in him according
to the workings of the spirit in me. I should say
that the blood of the Prophets courses largely in
his veins. That he was a noble son of Joseph who
was the son of Jacob and of Isaac who was the
son of Abraham, the father of the faithful. He is
through the loins of Ephraim so that when he has
an opportunity he will immediately receive the
gospel even the new and everlasting covenant for
we shall do for him in holy temples what he would
have done for himself were he here in this our day
so that he may obtain the holy priesthood and be
sealed with his holy wives for time and eternity
and exaltation in the kingdom of God.
Now with regard to my grandfather Samuel
Brown, I say but little at present. He was a pious
and good man. A son of Abraham through the
loins of Joseph that was sold into Egypt. He also
shall receive the holy gospel, for we his noble
sons and daughters shall take great pleasure in
performing all the ordinances in the House of
God for our father and son of the faithful and
our noble mothers, the daughters of Abraham
and Sarah. Now my fathers, the Robinsons, were
morally honest and my own father was very
religiously inclined, not so much of the blood of
JOURNAL
T h e
Of J o s e p h L e e R o b i n s o n
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Israel as upon my mother side, but they shall be
saved in the kingdom that is if they will believe.
My father sold his farm in Shaftsbury,
Vermont state, and moved his family into the state
of New York the winter that I was fve years old.
Early Adult Years
•
Marriage
•
Joining The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints
But as I fnd in some of my writings, I have
written somewhat of my history from my birth
until marriage so I will place these writings
at the commencement of this work and let it
suffce for the present. Therefore I will proceed
to things of later years, in them we mention the
birth of our frstborn son, we named him Oliver
Lee. He was a very spritely little fellow, of him
we are very proud and the Lord smiled upon us
very much and blessed our labors. We were very
much devoted to the cause of our dear Redeemer.
That is, we served the Lord the best we knew
when we set up housekeeping we commenced our
worship by reading a portion of the scriptures
and developed a family capacity to kneel before
the Lord and offer up our prayers of thankfulness
and gratitude. We offered both family and secret
prayers and also were very punctual in attending
our meetings and always took an active part in
speaking and bearing testimony and all in which
we took great delight and we strove diligently to
have our lives and conduct correspond with our
profession.
..... .·
The Lord gave us the second son, we called his
name Ebenezer. He was a fne promising child,
he was born October 19, 1835.
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E A R L Y A D U L T Y E A R S: M A R R I A G E • T H E C H U R C H O F J E S U S C H R I S T O F L A T T E R—D A Y S A I N T S
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About these days my mind was wonderfully
wrought upon the Lord, the spirit constrained me,
I prayed much and earnestly unto the Lord for
the people that God would pour out of his spirit
and cause a revival, or a reformation among the
people, and I received a testimony in the spirit,
that the Lord would grant my request and that I
should see the day when the people should bow
to the mild scepter of King Emmanuel.
I also prayed earnestly that I might see my
Savior, that he would manifest himself to me, as I
greatly desired to see him in person. At this time
I knew nothing of the work of God on the earth,
that he had revealed the holy gospel to man, that
the angel had fown through the midst of heaven,
having the everlasting gospel to preach to man
on the earth, as John the Revelator prophesied
should be away in the future of his day. I did not
understand that the holy gospel had been taken
from the earth, that there was no man on the
earth that held the priesthood of God, or that had
authority from God to administer the holy gospel.
That is, to baptize for the remission of sins and
to confrm the same, members in the church of
Christ, by the laying on of hands and give to them
the Holy Ghost, and also to heal the sick.
..,... .·.
I knew nothing of this until my brother Ebenezer
came to me in the month of August 1836. He
brought to me the holy gospel. He was an elder
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
and he opened up the holy scriptures to me as
I had never seen them before. I saw the light
of truth, I received it readily in a few days and
believed every word he said. I received it with
great joy and he, my brother, baptized me and
confrmed me a member of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints and in the name of
Jesus Christ he gave to me the Holy Ghost, for
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E A R L Y A D U L T Y E A R S: M A R R I A G E • T H E C H U R C H O F J E S U S C H R I S T O F L A T T E R—D A Y S A I N T S
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he had said to me as Peter said, to repent and
be baptized and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost
that he shall know the doctrine that it is of God.
I believed his testimony and took him at his word
and in a few days I received the Holy Ghost and
spake in tongues and prophesied all which proved
to me that he was called of God as was Aaron that
he had authority to preach the gospel and to give
the Holy Ghost. I received from him the Book of
Mormon and a copy of the Book of Covenants.
I read them much and thanks to my Heavenly
Father that I lived in this day in the which God
had spoken from the heavens and has committed
the dispensation of the fullness of times. That our
God was about to gather his people Israel from
their long dispersions and built up his kingdom in
the earth and bring forth his Zion preparatory to
the millennial reign of Christ on earth which is to
last for 1,000 years according to the predictions
of the holy prophets.
We received a periodical published by the
Latter-day Saints in Kirtland, Ohio but soon the
Saints were driven from that place and they had
settled in the state of Missouri. But soon their
enemies were upon them and the fall after the
winter of [????] they, the entire Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, were driven from the
state of Missouri.
We had adopted the rule of attending to our
family prayers precisely at six o’clock in the
evening and about this time while the Saints
were in this deepest trouble one Sunday evening
after reading a portion of the scriptures as usual,
we knelt down to attend to family prayers after
addressing the throne of grace saying a few words,
we commenced to pray for the Saints in Zion. A
heavenly vision opened to my eyes and I saw a
beautiful light which was before me and was
present in my sight.
[The vision] was in shape and color of a
rainbow only the bow was down. It was perfect
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in shape and its motion was as the pendulum
of a clock. It moved back and forth with perfect
exactness. I gazed upon it for a length of time as it
grew brighter and brighter until it was the purest
and brightest light I ever saw. Then as quick as
thought a very large building was present before
my eyes. It was far enough from me to have a
good view. I gazed with wonder and astonishment
upon a very large and beautiful house built of
hewn stone, gray rock polished in blocks with
white joints with large and beautiful window and
door sills and caps. I had a quarting view, more
of a side view. It was altogether the largest and
beautifully imposing building I ever saw.
As soon as the house appeared in sight this
extraordinary light was out of my sight. Presently
the voice of the Good Shepherd said to me “This
house you see is the temple of the living God that
shall be built in this generation by the hands of
the Latter-day Saints upon the consecrated spot
in Jackson County, Missouri.” Presently after
this communication as quick as thought I found
myself standing in one room in that house. To
me it was a heavenly place away in front of me.
In the end of the room there was a stand, a rich
and beautiful stand with cushions and curtains
and over the stand this marvelous light that had
led me up to the Zion was waving magnifcently.
Then again the voice of the Good Shepherd said
to me again, “This is the temple of the living God
that shall be built by the hands of the Latter-day
Saints in this generation upon the consecrated
spot in Jackson County, Missouri and the pure in
heart shall see the face of the Father and live and
this light you see is the glory of God that shall fll
the house again as quick as thought.
I was removed to my former position where
I gazed with wonder and amazement upon that
wonderful house of God and while I was gazing
upon the exterior of the house that wonderful
light was not visible to me but I gazed with
admiration upon the house until I was removed
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E A R L Y A D U L T Y E A R S: M A R R I A G E • T H E C H U R C H O F J E S U S C H R I S T O F L A T T E R—D A Y S A I N T S
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from the house which seemed to be instantaneous.
Then the light in its glory, in its perfect motion,
was waving before my eyes and it continued to
grow less until it went out or passed away which
seemed to occupy about the same length of time
that I was going to the temple. The vision closed,
I then arose to my feet and dropped into my chair,
sitting, my face wet with tears exclaiming glory
to God in the highest, hallelujah. I have seen the
temple of the living God. I felt exceedingly happy,
my wife smiled upon me saying, “Joseph, I guess
you will get to heaven.”
I inquired of her how I had acted. She said
after I had said a few words that I remained quiet
upon my knees a considerable length of time, so
that I have always known and have many times
testifed and bore my testimony when preaching
the gospel to the people that I knew that I knew
that whatever became of the Saints, the temple
of the living God should be built by the hands
of the Latter-day Saints of this generation upon
the consecrated spot in Jackson County, Missouri.
Previously to receiving this heavenly vision, as
soon as my brother Ebenezer was gone, I read the
revelation on the Word of Wisdom over and over
again. I believed it was the word of the Lord so I
made a resolve that I would leave off drinking my
beer and keep the Word of Wisdom strictly which
resolve I have strictly lived up to until this day.
But it was with some diffculty that I got rid of my
tea. My wife was a lover of her tea and she did not
like to drink it alone so she would frequently set
a cup on for me. After I drank one or two cups I
saw I had to say something desperate or I should
never leave it off. I told her if she set another cup
on for me I would throw it out of the window and
break cup and saucer all to smash. The tea came
no more.
We remarked that I had prayed earnestly
to the Lord and that I had received a testimony
that God would pour out his spirit and cause a
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E A R L Y A D U L T Y E A R S: M A R R I A G E • T H E C H U R C H O F J E S U S C H R I S T O F L A T T E R—D A Y S A I N T S
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reformation in this place which came to pass in
a few years after.
Also I saw the Lord in a bright vision soon
after I was baptized into the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. It seemed to be just
at night. I knew him as soon as I saw him. He
turned in and came to the house. He was a man
as he was when he was upon the earth. He was
a beautiful, heavenly man. He had a new book
white and clean. He held some argument with
some of the family. His appearance, questions and
answers was well worthy of the Son of God. After
he had been there a while I met him in the door
and embraced him and kissed him and he did me
also. I asked him some questions. He answered
them very wisely and then he was gone. I was the
only one that knew him but I knew I had seen my
Savior Jesus and I was glad.
I defended the truth which they called
Mormonism boldly and manfully and I was
faithful, very much devoted to the cause of God.
My wife thought it too much a disgrace to be a
Mormon. She opposed me some two or three years
but fnally concluded that she had better obey the
gospel and be saved. But while she was standing
out I told her I should certainly go, or gather with
the Saints to Zion. Then the Lord opened the way.
For the spirit of gathering with the Saints was
always upon me until she did obey the gospel.
Some of her pretended friends labored hard to
save her from falling into the error of Mormonism.
They told her that they would assist her if she
would not go with me and that they would help
keep the children. She went so far at one time as
to say that she would never go with me together
with the Mormons. I told her as the Lord lived, I
should certainly gather with the people of God
when the time arrived and then if she did not
wish to go with me, that I would leave with her
and the children the farm and all of my property
clear of encumbrances save enough to simply take
me away that I might be with the Church as I
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E A R L Y A D U L T Y E A R S: M A R R I A G E • T H E C H U R C H O F J E S U S C H R I S T O F L A T T E R—D A Y S A I N T S
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thought that a very liberal offer. But she took it to
heart severely and grieved and wept bitterly that
I would offer to go and leave her. I repented that
I had been so faithless that I had offered to leave
her behind, I then told her I should never make
her such an offer again but that I should certainly
go to the Saints but I should never go without her
and that I should not take her until she wanted
to go with me or when I wanted to gather with
the Saints. She also would want to go too and so
it was that she was anxious to go.
I remained alone [in the Church] for three
years. Only there were a few Saints about seven
miles distant and I would sometimes meet with
them. We enjoyed ourselves remarkably well. The
Lord was with us. We contended earnestly for the
faith once delivered to the Saints. In the fall and
winter of 1839, Elder James Blakesly came to our
place. He commenced to preach the gospel in one
neighborhood and in the region round about. He
had a family, wife and several children at quite
a distance north of us. We wished to secure his
services which we could do if we would send for
his family and take care of them. A neighbor of
mine by the name of Thomas S. Johnson, not
yet a member of the Church, but friendly offered
a room if I would help him raise and plaster it
so that we could put his friend and his family
in. This we did and the Brother Chancy Nobley
with team went and moved them in and I mostly
supported them for quite a length of time.
Elder James Blakesley was a very fuent,
interesting preacher and that was about all
there was of him. The people all about the
country felt curious to hear what the Mormon
had to say and would open their meeting and
school houses and in several of their dwelling
houses for him to preach in. He soon began to
baptize and the consequence was that Mormons
sprang up all over the country. Soon there was
a small branch organized in the neighborhood
where I resided and presently he ordained me
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E A R L Y A D U L T Y E A R S: M A R R I A G E • T H E C H U R C H O F J E S U S C H R I S T O F L A T T E R—D A Y S A I N T S
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an elder and at his request the Saints there in
our neighborhood chose myself to preside over
them which offce and appointment I received
very reluctantly for I felt my weakness. It was so
great I felt it was almost more than I could bear
but the Lord strengthened me, the Holy Spirit
helped me so that the burden was lightened and
the task made easier.
Now I realize and saw the spirit of God poured
out upon the people and that reformation that I had
so anxiously prayed for and received a testimony
that I should soon see in my neighborhood, for
that was the kind of reformation that the Lord
would get up that will count. It consisted of the
gospel in its purity preached by a man or men
having authority, people believing their testimony
and yielding obedience by going down into the
water and being baptized for the remission of
their sins and their receiving the Holy Ghost, the
Comforter, which we did certainly receive. Some
received the gift of tongues and some prophesied.
I, your humble servant, did receive the gift of
tongues which I covet very much, particularly
the gift to sing in tongues which I did receive in
a remarkable manner. Many times we sang in our
congregations for Saints, for the Lord did pour
out his spirit abundantly upon me, not only in
singing in tongues, for we have seen strong men
sit and shake like a poppy leaf, also to the great
edifcation and comforting of the Saints. Not only
that, but we have seen the sick healed. Not only
in singing and speaking in tongues and speaking
also, but in preaching the gospel, expounding
the scriptures and in bearing testimony and in
prophesying as well as in healing the sick and in
casting out devils and also of visions and dreams
and seeing also all which blessing we testify in
the name and in the fear of God. These blessings
were poured out upon and enjoyed by Latter-day
Saints, or Mormons, in that neighborhood which
proves to us without a shadow of doubt the truth
of the work of God and his power attending his
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gospel and his servants on the earth. There were
many baptized and several branches of the Church
were organized in the regions round about by
Elder Blakesley and others. Now with regard to
miracles in healing, we might mention many of
healing the sick. We will mention one.
There lived in our neighborhood a man by the
name of Bell. He has a wife, a very respectable,
amiable woman. She was a member of the Baptist
Church in that place. She was taken very sick with
what is called the asthma, for a number of days.
It was with diffculty they kept her alive. They
despaired of her life. They had an only son, a
young man grown, he was not a member of the
Church but he had heard me speak several times
and was somewhat believing. He loved his mother
and felt very anxious and concerned for her. He
pled with his mother that she would consent to let
him go for me as I was an elder, to administer to
her for her recovery. He believed that she might
be healed but she thought it would such a disgrace
to have a Mormon elder to come and lay hands on
her, it would hardly do. But he continued to tease
and entreat his mother, thus she consented, and
also his father who was a wicked man, he gave
his consent. He came for me. I went with him and
found her sitting up as she felt a little easier since
he went for me. I had some conversation with her.
It was with great diffculty that she could talk at
all. I asked her if she wished me to administer.
She replied that Henry, her son, was very anxious
and that she had no objection.
I told her that I was a servant of the living
God, that I did not feel at liberty to administer to
any person that was not a member of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, unless they
would covenant that inasmuch as they received
a blessing and was healed that they would obey
the gospel and that if she would agree to obey
the gospel I would administer to her, in case
her husband was willing. He ascended and she
promised to obey. I knelt with them and prayed
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E A R L Y A D U L T Y E A R S: M A R R I A G E • T H E C H U R C H O F J E S U S C H R I S T O F L A T T E R—D A Y S A I N T S
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for and with them. I then arose and anointed her
head with holy oil in the name of the Lord and
laid my hands upon her head and prayed for her
and blessed her in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ and by the authority of the holy priesthood
which I held. We sealed the holy anointing which
she had just received and rebuked the disease
by which she was afficted and commanded it to
depart. We told her that she should be healed and
would recover, live and not die. She was healed
that night. The very next morning she arose and
dressed herself and went to work as usual. She felt
well, as well as she ever did but some weak. She
thought of keeping it a secret from the world, but
the spirit of the Lord said to her she must publish
it to her church and to the world what great thing
the Lord had done for her and how it was done in
one or two days. After, it being the Sabbath day,
she got their breakfast and did up the work and
dressed herself and walked on foot to her meeting
three-fourths of a mile. After the preaching, she
asked liberty and bore her solemn testimony to
what God had done for her, that she had been
healed and that a servant of God had anointed
her as Jesus and his apostles did in their day and
laid his hands upon her head and blessed her and
healed her. She said that she knew that God had
blessed her and that she was healed and that she
would publish it loud and long. She wished then
to repent and obey the gospel. She then walked
home, got her dinner and walked three-fourths
of a mile to the meeting of the Saints where I
presided. She there bore her testimony to what
God had done for her, restating for that meeting
the circumstances of her sickness and to how
near death’s door she was considered and how
she considered herself, how very sick she was
and nigh unto death’s door. That, through the
interposition and pleading of her son, she had
sent for me, elder of the Mormon Church, and of
the severe attack of the evil one, of the mighty
struggle she had with the devil and how the Lord
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delivered her from the two or three days she was
so very sick. But now she was well and happy. She
thanked her God with all her heart that she was
not ashamed now but felt proud to be called a
Mormon. She declared herself a ready and willing
candidate for baptism. We will hear say it was
but a few days and I buried her in the waters
of baptism unto Jesus Christ and she became a
humble and devoted follower of the meek and
lowly Jesus.
At the waters of baptism when this sister was
baptized, there was a pretty large attendance. The
solemnities of eternity rested upon the audience,
the ordinance and ceremony was beautifully
performed.
.... .·,
In the countenances of some in the audience it
was plainly manifest by the heinous grin the
displeasure of their master, the devil, but there
was no threats nor any violence offered. The
spirit of God was poured out, the reformation
continued. For a season that neighborhood was
left exclusively to the Mormons or Saints. So
there were many that repented and were added
to the Church by baptism. So much so that in and
through the winter of 1839 we kept a hole cut in
the ice of the creek where we baptized nearly all
winter. The ice being about three feet thick, the
boys cut a hole in the ice about ten feet long and
wide enough. The congregation would gather
all around the ice and we would sing and pray.
I would jump down into the water, they would
hand the candidate to me and they would come
out like ducks. They would help them out, then
we would quickly go home. We might mention
many cases of healing during these baptismal
ceremonies.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE: J. L. R. tells of Caleb Lampeir’s
baptism.]
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Soon after this they sent for me. We anointed
the child and laid our hands upon it and blessed
it in the name of the Lord and it was immediately
healed and his wife was baptized that winter.
There were many believing the gospel that
were never baptized and some fell away but
the devil soon waked up and persecuted. Lies
and slanders were soon got up and held against
the Saints but this was nothing strange, for so
persecuted they the disciples of Jesus and the true
worshippers of God in all ages of the world.
;.. .··
In June 8, 1838 we had a daughter born to us. A
blessing from the Lord, a spritely beautiful child.
My wife was still not a member of the Church, but
I had faith that she would someday join for the
Holy Ghost had told me that she would embrace
the gospel. This took place in April 1839. (Wife,
Maria Wood, baptized)
..... .·,
It was a great satisfaction to me to have my
precious, bosom companion, one with me in the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for
it came to pass that she did not dare to resist
it to stay out any longer for she believed that
Mormonism was true and she was afraid that
God would smite her if she fought against it any
longer. She was baptized in a beautiful clear pool
of water that came up on my farm in April 1839,
for which I thank my Lord and my God.
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..... .·.
It came to pass that the Lord gave us another son.
We called his name Joseph. He was a very sober,
intelligent looking child. He was born October
31, 1840.
There were several families of Saints who
came from the north and settled about Boonville
in the neighborhood about us which made it
more interesting for us. I was very industriously
engaged in the work of the Lord and preaching the
gospel everywhere round about for to go which
way or where I would I could have a house to
preach in and the people to preach to and I never
failed to bear my testimony in the name of the
Lord of the truth of the Book of Mormon and of
Joseph Smith, a prophet of the living God.
I took great pleasure in preaching the gospel
for I found it to be the power of God unto
salvation for the holy spirit was poured out so
profusely upon me, the spirit gave me utterance
and my whole body was charged highly with the
Holy Ghost so that my whole body was full of joy,
yea joy that tongue cannot describe.
I was almost always blessed with a good, quiet
attentive congregation, so much as you could hear
a pin if it should fall upon the foor.
We will mention one circumstance of interest
which occurred where I held a Sabbath day
meeting in a large stone schoolhouse. It was
flled to overfowing and it was among strangers.
I was alone. I had been preaching for nearly
two hours and was about to close and dismiss
the congregation when a gentleman arose and
wished me to permit him to ask two questions. I
said yes if the congregation was willing. He said
he would vouch for the congregation. His frst
question was if we had a gold Bible. I answered
no sir, and I gave him my Bible. He said this is
the English version. I said yes sir, but we have a
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book we call the Book of Mormon. But sir, do you
believe this Bible, said I, He said yes sir. Then sir
I can prove to the understanding of any candid
man by this Bible that a book should come forth
like the one the Book of Mormon purports to be.
He wished me to give them the proof. I said no
I would not. That I should want two hours to do
that subject justice and that I had an appointment
for that evening at a place where I had held
several meetings. I would take that subject at
that meeting if he or any other ones wished to
come and hear.
The second question was if I would show
them a sign or perform a miracle. And it came
to pass I said unto him, have I not preached the
gospel unto you today as it is recorded in this
Bible. Yes sir he said. A wicked and an adulterous
generation, they seek a sign. But no sign shall be
given it but the sign of Jonas the prophet and
several other passages of Jesus’ sayings to sign
seekers. Then I proceeded to work a miracle by
saying unto him, sir, are you willing to be struck
dumb and remain dumb for a season in order
that you may know and that this people may
know that I am a servant of the living God and
that the gospel that I have been preaching to you
is the gospel of miracles. Then you shall have a
sign sir and now, I Joseph, repeated this three
times raising my voice each time. The third time
speaking with a great deal of emphasis and power
probably such as he had never heard before, for
it was spoken under the infuence and power of
the Holy Ghost. Then said I, you shall have a sign.
He said no, no sir. I say he was afraid it would
come upon him. The house, notwithstanding it
was so very full of people, it was as still as death.
Behold silence reigned a short time. I gazed with
a feeling of surprise upon the countenances of the
congregation and could read their feelings. We
dismissed the meeting, and the people withdrew.
There was not a word spoken, not even a whisper
that I heard. Not a dog to move his tongue. They
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got into their sleighs and upon their horses arm
their feet and went home.
This was the most remarkable sight that I had
ever seen. My feeling I could not describe the
refection that I had been preaching the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ unto a people professing
Christianity who had the Bible in their hands and
in their houses. That they should ask for a sign
and that I had boldly offered to strike a man
dumb, it produced a remarkable sensation in
my mind. But my feelings were mild and serene.
I felt assured that I had done my duty, had born
my testimony and preached the truth and that
the Lord was pleased with me. I felt remarkably
solemn and good, but felt to pity the poor
unbelieving Gentiles. God sends his kingdom
unto them. His humble servants offer them life
and salvation in the name of the Lord but their
stumbling stone is so great they do not discern
the day of their visitation. Therefore they must
remain in their sins and perish. Wo be unto us
if we preach not the gospel and wo be unto the
Gentiles if they receive it not. For the hour of
God’s judgement is at hand and beginning already
to be born out. I preached to a very attentive and
good house that evening. I bore my testimony to
the truth and on my way home on Monday, visited
the grave of my mother reading the inscription
on her gravestone. Looking upon her grave we
offered a prophecy that my mother should come
forth in the morning of the frst resurrection
and receive a crown of honor and glory in the
celestial kingdom of our God notwithstanding
that she had died without hearing the fullness of
the gospel of Jesus Christ. She was, in her day, a
very exemplary, devout, praying woman. She was
a daughter of Abraham, an Israelite indeed in
whom there was no guile, a pure Ephraimite.
When I drove into the neighborhood and
where I went to school where I was principally
raised and in the evening the schoolhouse that
my father had helped to build, I there lifted
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up my voice and preached to that people the
frst principles of the everlasting gospel. This
was the frst time that they had ever heard the
gospel in its purity. At another time I preached
in a schoolhouse that had been built near the
spot where the barn stood in which I had
been visited by the Lord, had received such a
remarkable conversion. I preached to a very full
house and attentive congregation. It being the
frst gospel sermon that was ever preached in
that place, for there never was a man before that
dared to promise to the people the Holy Ghost
on conditions of repentance and baptism for the
remission of sins.
The Lord had blessed me with a good sleigh
and horses and things of comfort. And it came
to pass that I labored much in traveling and
preaching the gospel of the kingdom in the
regions around about besides preaching to our
little fock at home. And it came to pass that in
every congregation of the wicked I bore a faithful
and solemn testimony to the restoration of the
gospel of miracles, that Joseph Smith was a true
prophet of God, that the Book of Mormon was a
revelation of God, a true history of a branch of the
House of Israel who was led to and lived on this
continent. I testifed that it was true that it had
sprung out of the earth as the prophet David had
said it would come and that it was certainly the
book that the prophet Isaiah said should be read
and that the deaf should hear the words of the
book, that the blind should see out of obscurity
and out of darkness and that the poor among
them and the meek of the earth should rejoice
in the Holy One of Israel. Some would believe my
testimony but the great majority would discard
the idea of there being any more revelation. They
had the Bible and it was enough.
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...., .·..
It came to pass that in the spring of 1841, as I
was visiting with a Brother Charles H. Lang and
family, that he requested me to bless him before I
left him in the morning. We had a very interesting
visit. I laid my hands upon his head in the name
of the Lord and began to bless him in my mother
tongue. I had said a few words and the spirit of
the Lord rested upon me to talk in tongues. I
broke out in an unknown tongue which I spoke
to some length. Then, before I took my hands
from his head, I gave the interpretation of that
tongue in English. There were many good things
said but among others a prophecy was uttered.
We said to him that the Lord should open up the
way for him and family that they should go up
to Zion that season, as all the Saints that could
expected to go that season. As he was a poor man
with a wife and several helpless children, he had
nothing else not so much as one cow.
Nauvoo, Illinois
•
Memories of the Prophet Joseph Smith
•
Jospeh Lee Robinson
Accepts Polygamy
It came to pass that I went up to Nauvoo that
summer and took my family and three other
families also, namely Brother Vosburg and
family and Brother Thomas S. (R. L.) Johnson
and family and a widow Lincoln and two children.
Some of these I had baptized, but I could have
taken Brother Lang [that name could be Oaug or
Dany] and so fulflled that prophecy. But, I knew
the Lord had promised him and I was confdent
that he was able and that he was faithful to do
all that he had promised. It came to pass that the
company in the branch where Elder Dany lived
[this name here looks like Dany but in any event
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it is the same person whose frst name, as above,
is Charles H.] was making preparations to start.
The time had arrived within one or two days
and as yet there was no prospect. But, behold
the Lord remembers his promises and is faithful
to perform. He sent Father Thayer to inform him,
Brother Dang, that he had a good team of horses
and a wagon well covered and ready for a move
and that he could have the team to move his
family to Zion. He thanked him very much but
said, you will have to send me some money to
bear my expenses, which he did. And it came to
pass that Elder Dang loaded his family and goods
in and was ready to move with the company. He
came up all right in the fall of 1841 to Nauvoo. He
was a happy man. Now the circumstances were
that Father Thayer had a crippled wife but he
thought to take her by land. Then it occurred to
his mind that his wife could not stand to go by
land, that she would not live to get there. Then
said he, what shall I do with my team? It was
immediately put into his mind that Elder Lang [or
Dang] had no team, though he lived several miles
from him. So he got his team taken to Nauvoo, but
he charged him $18.00 for the use of it.
He set sail or left the city of Rome, Oneida
County, New York, the 10th day of June 1841. We
had a good journey, we traveled pitching our tents
by the way as the children of Israel did. We arrived
in Nauvoo in the month of August. We found the
temple in progress of building. The walls were
protruding above the ground. The round or oval
windows were just forming above the surface
of the earth. This temple was commenced in
the spring of 1841 on the 6th day of April. The
cornerstone was in the formation walls. The
Saints were remarkably well in rearing a house
unto the Most High as God had commanded his
Saints to build a temple speedily in that place.
I immediately set in [apparently Joseph Lee
means that he immediately began to work on
the temple].
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Now with regards to the Latter-day Saints,
they had built a temple in the land of Kirtland,
Ohio and they had been driven from there by
mob violence and they settled in the state of
Missouri as the Lord had commanded them.
Then, because they worshipped the true and
living God, the governor with the entire state
formed a mob and robbed the Saints of their arms
and ammunition and then aimed to slaughter
the Saints, men, women and children. This mob
had received exterminating orders from the
governor of the state but they modifed it a little
and drove the Saints in mass from the state of
Missouri from their homes and their lands that
they had bought and paid the government of the
United States and had received their titles for the
same. This was done in the winter. Several of our
leading men, they imprisoned and purposed to
kill them, but the Lord delivered them. The Lord
our God softened the hearts of the people in the
state of Illinois and they received the Saints and
showed friendship. The Lord had prepared a
place for them, the Saints, called Commerce. It
was situated on the curve of the east bank of the
large, grand Mississippi River. A more beautiful
sight for a city there never was than this place
that the Lord had prepared for his Saints. It was
sickly for the Gentiles, they had died there. They
had undertaken to build a town or city but they
were scared to stay there. Some men owned
the land and they were glad to sell it to the
Mormons on very reasonable terms. They, the
Saints, purchased the land and moved directly
there and commenced to build a city. The Lord
also softened and blinded the authorities of the
State that they gave them, the Saints, the most
liberal charter that ever was given to any people
on the earth. It was a blessing from Almighty God
to our people. So our people gathered and rallied
and commenced to build a city with a will. It went
up like magic, a house of God as well. Thank God
this city is situated upon the east bank of the
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Mississippi River. There was a large curve in the
river. The river was three-fourths of a mile wide
and there was a large bottom in this side with
gravel rising to a bench which made it very sightly
or beautiful. In this bottom there was a marsh or
swampy place. The Saints drained that swamp
and the same became healthy. The Saints builded
houses and had good rich gardens on the same.
It came to pass that the Lord gave to the
prophet Joseph a very lengthy and important
revelation with regard to that place and building
a temple to the most high God. He, the Almighty,
also instructed him to build a Nauvoo House
and gave him directions with regard to the
organization of the Church. As a most chosen
and perfect organization of the same, naming
many and giving them for offcers in the Church
of Jesus Christ. He was instructed in many more
things of importance, saying that this place,
Nauvoo, should become a cornerstone to Zion,
giving the Saints a set time to build that temple.
He said that if it, the temple, was not builded in
or within the said time, that this people should be
rejected with their dead. Knowing this to be the
word of the Lord, it inspired the Saints to exert
themselves exceedingly to use all due diligence
to build that house. They soon proceeded to
organize this city into wards, ordaining bishops,
placing one to preside over each ward.
Now we will return to our history when we
arrived into the city of the Saints. I soon found
my brother Ebenezer. He had a house for us to
go into. It was a log house and very near the
printing house, himself, Brother Ebenezer, being
the printer of the Church as he was editing the
Church’s organ. He had built himself a good
house with two stories. He used the second for a
printing offce. It was near the river.
In that house the worst enemy we found or
that found us was the rat. The long tailed rat
which bit our little children, biting their lips
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and trying to eat their noses off while sleeping
at night.
Our beautiful temple that we were building
was situated on the bench, an eminence, a
beautiful sight about the center of the city near
a beautiful grove in which we had our public
meetings in summers.
,... .·..
It came to pass that I, Joseph Lee Robinson,
purchased a lot with a small log cabin on it of
a brother in the Church and moved my family
into it late in the fall of 1841. It was situated
about three-fourths of a mile southeast of the
temple on Warsaw Street, between Mulhollon
and Parley Street. We had for neighbors Martin
H. Peck, Ezra Taft Benson, John Pack, George
Pitkin, Elisha Edwards, James Pace, John D.
Lee, Joseph Horn, Thomas Graver, Dunbar
Wilson, Father Thayer, Brother Carico, Bishop
Jonathan H. Hale, and a great many others. We
found ourselves in rather a new and strange
country, subject to somewhat different diet, but
we never looked back nor wished ourselves back
to Babylon from whence we had come, but we
greatly appreciate the blessings and privilege of
being gathered and associated with the Saints
and to assist in building holy temples and of being
taught in the ways of the Lord and of enjoying the
blessings of the holy gospel that we might receive
our washings and anointings and endowments
and sealings and baptisms for our dead. That
we may hear the prophet’s voice. That we might
see eye to eye and bring forth the Zion of our
God and carry the gospel to the nations of the
earth, gather the Saints abroad on the earth to
the place of gathering in this, the dispensation of
the fullness of times according to the testimony
of holy prophets.
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We are now living in the day of prophets and
apostles and evangelists. Yea, a day of vision and
dreams of revelations of miracles and tongues.
We have long since believed and verily known
that Joseph Smith was a fne and humble prophet
of God, but now our eyes to see him and our ears
hear his voice, which is like the voice of the mighty
thunder of heaven. Yet his language is meek and
instructive. It edifeth much, but there is a power
and majesty that attends his words and preaching
that we never beheld in any man before. For he
is a mighty prophet. A holy man of God. He had
seen the Father and Son and heard their voices
and had seen holy angels and heard their voices
at sundry times and in divers places. He truly
had been educated in the things pertaining to
the kingdom of God. He was highly charged with
the Holy Ghost which was a constant companion
and had seen many holy prophets and apostles
and had been ordained under their hands and
by the gift and power of God had translated the
Book of Mormon, which is the best of all books
and the work of this translation was done under
the most trying circumstances.
He had received many revelations from
Almighty God on very important matters, had
organized the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints according to the apostolic order with
prophets and apostles and patriarchs. With high
priests and seventies and elders, bishops, priests,
teachers and deacons, with all the gifts and graces
that adorned the ancient church of Christ. And to
all this we do bear our solemn testimony in the
fear of God and in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ. I, Joseph Lee Robinson, do verily know it
is true so help me God.
My love for the prophet Joseph was truly
stronger than death. It was greater than for
any man that ever lived except Jesus, the frst
begotten of the Father.
We heard him say a great many good things.
One was that if the Latter-day Saints would hold
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fast to him or to his garments that he would pack
or carry them safe into the celestial kingdom of
God. We never doubted his word. We also heard
him say that God had revealed unto him that any
man that ever committed adultery in either of his
probations that that man could never be raised to
the highest exaltation in the celestial glory and
that he felt anxious with regard to himself that he
inquired of the Lord that the Lord told him that
he, Joseph, had never committed adultery. This
saying of the prophet astonished me very much.
It opened up to me a very wide feld of refection.
The idea that we had passed through probations
prior to this and that we must have been married
or given in marriage in those probations, or
there would be no propriety in making such an
assertion, and that there were several exaltations
in the celestial kingdom of our God. The highest
exaltation we suppose to be the godhead and we
conclude there are several grades of exaltations
in servants to the Gods.
Be this as it may, this is what he said and we
will all know the truth of the matter some day.
We will mention several of his sayings—there
is not one key or one power to be bestowed on the
Church to lead the people into the celestial gate,
but I have given you, showed you, and talked it
over to you. The kingdom is set up. You have the
perfect pattern and you can go and build up the
kingdom and go in at the celestial gate taking
your train with you.
Joseph Smith’s instructions to the Quorum
of the Twelve before his death. Again “though we
or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel
or introduce an order of things other than those
things which ye have received and are authorized
to receive from the First Presidency, let him be
accursed” Joseph Smith.
Again we heard the prophet Joseph Smith
say upon the stand in Nauvoo in a grove near
the temple when he was speaking to a large
assemblage of Saints. With many other things
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he said, “That if I should reveal the things that
God had revealed to me, there are some on this
stand that would cut my throat, or take my heart’s
blood.”
We wondered if it was possible that that
saying could be true. And again while speaking
to the people in that place he supposed a case, he
said suppose we send one of our elders to Turkey
or India or to a people where it was lawful to have
several wives. Where they practiced polygamy
and suppose he should say to them your laws are
not good, you should put away your plural wives.
What would they do to him? They would kick him
out of their realm. Said he, what right has he to
speak against their laws and usages. Said he, God
doesn’t care what laws they make if they will live
up to them. What shall they preach? Said he, they
shall preach the gospel and nothing but the pure
gospel and some will believe and be baptized. He
shall say nothing about the gathering but confrm
them members in the Church and give to them
the Holy Ghost and he shall pass along, preaching
and baptizing and a man shall receive the Holy
Ghost, and that shall teach him of a land of Zion
and of the gathering, and when the elders shall
come around again, this brother shall accost him
thus saying, elder, is there not a land of Zion, a
place where the Saints should gather to? The elder
should not lie to him. He shall say, yes, brother,
there is a land of Zion where Saints of God are
required to gather to. Then, said he, to the elder,
I have fve wives and I love one equally as well as
I do the other and now what are the laws in that
land? Can I bring my fve wives there and enjoy
them there as well as I can here? Said the prophet,
yes the laws in Zion are such that you can bring
your wives and enjoy them here as well as there,
the elder shall say to that brother.
The prophet went on preaching the gospel of
the kingdom as if he had not said anything strange
or awful, but this to me was the frst intimation
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that I ever received that polygamy would ever be
practiced or lawful with this people.
The prophet went to his dinner and as it might
be expected, several of the frst women of the
Church collected at the prophet’s house with his
wife and said thus to the prophet Joseph. Oh Mr.
Smith, you have done it now, it will never do for
it is all but blasphemy. You must take back what
you have said today. It is outrageous. It would
ruin us as a people.
The prophet knew it would not avail anything
to contend with the sisters. Said he, I will have to
take that saying back and leave it as though there
had been nothing said. For he was aware it was a
very large pill for them or the people to swallow.
But, as the Lord had revealed the principle of
plural marriage to him and had informed him
that the time had fully come that that doctrine
should be taught and practiced by his people,
the Latter-day Saints, as it was a very important
item pertaining to the fullness of the gospel. He
deemed it wisdom to throw out something for the
people to refect upon that they might begin to
digest that very important doctrine which belongs
to the dispensation of the fullness of times. But
prior to this, he had besought the Lord to take
this instruction from him that he might not have
the responsibility of introducing and putting into
practice that order of things because of the great
opposition it would meet because of the traditions
of the people.
But it came to pass the Lord instead of
releasing him from that burden, he sent an holy
angel with a drawn sword unto him, saying unto
him, Joseph, unless you go to and immediately
teach that principle (namely polygamy or plural
marriage) and put the same in practice, that he,
Joseph, should be slain for thus saith the Lord,
that the time has now come that I will raise up
seed unto me as I spoke by my servant Jacob as
is recorded in the Book of Mormon, therefore, I
command my people.
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Now with regard to other sayings of the
prophet, but a short time before the martyrdom
of the prophet Joseph as he was Lieutenant
General of the Nauvoo Legion, he called the
Legion together and addressed them in a very
affectionate and powerful manner as he was
standing before a little frame near his mansion
with the Legion and a great many others around
him. He addressed us with regard to many things
and several of his sayings I shall always remember.
He says, do you love me? We answered in a loud
affrmative, yes. He says, will you die for me?
Yes, with loud acclamation the Legion responded,
heartily responded yes. Then said he I will die for
you. You are my boys and you shall be my boys
through all eternity. He unsheathed his sword and
raised it towards heaven and said with, a voice
like thunder, he said, in the name of the Lord God
that if there was one drop of innocent blood shed
by our enemies in this time of persecution (as he
was at that time under an arrest as the offcers
had served a writ on him and he would have to go
immediately to Carthage to be tried and it looked
gloomy and dark) that he would never sheath his
sword again until victory was won for the Saints.
That he would fght them with the thunder of
heaven with lightnings, whirlwinds, hailstones
and pestilence and devouring fames until they,
his enemies, should be wasted until there was
not a dog to move his tongue against Zion. And,
as he was on his way to Carthage he said, I go
as a lamb to the slaughter. I die innocent, I have
a conscience void of offense toward God and
men. Suffce it to say that he was slaughtered in
Carthage Jail so that he never returned alive to
Nauvoo. We shall say more of him hereafter.
We will now return to his preaching in favor of
polygamy. In the morning he declared the law in
Zion should favor plural wives. It surprised) me
much. It was the frst intimation that I ever had
as we remarked in favor of polygamy. I retired to
my dinner. Several of the brethren stopped into
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my house and we talked about the preaching. I
remarked to them that it was not likely that we
should have the privilege of getting more wives
but that the law would be framed so that they that
had several wives could retain them and they did
not know any better.
We attended the meeting in the afternoon.
The prophet Joseph came upon the stand. He
arose to address the meeting. He said brethren
and sisters, I take back what we said this morning
and leave it as though there had nothing been said.
It amused me somewhat, but did not take with
me for I was satisfed that he meant what he had
said in the morning. The meeting passed and the
day also and two or three days passed away and it
was in my mind constantly. I felt satisfed it was
of God for the spirit bore testimony, and it came
to pass that on Wednesday morning following
as I was working with E. T. Benson, I received
the frst revelation upon that subject. It came as
a fash of lightening to my mind. I stopped short,
saying I have received a revelation. I said this to
Brother Benson. What is it, said he. I will tell you
inasmuch as the Lord reveals the law that shall
give the brethren a right to bring his fve wives
and enjoy them in Zion and inasmuch as you and
I are members of the Church of Jesus Christ, in
full fellowship, it cannot prohibit us from having
more than one wife and be just. Said he, that is
true.
That was the frst revelation that I received
on polygamy and also the frst that Brother Ezra
T. Benson received, except what the prophet said
the sabbath before, but it was not the last that I
received for it continued to reveal to me from
time to time as the scriptures sayeth, the Lord
giveth line upon line, precept upon precept, a
little and there a little, and so He leadeth His
Saints along from step to step. But that one
word from the prophet gave me a starting point.
It was as Alma in the Book of Mormon explained.
The word implanted in my heart as a good seed
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sown in good ground. It was received in faith. It
commenced to swell and it sprouted and grew
from faith to a perfect knowledge so that I can
say, as Paul, if any man or an angel from heaven
preacheth any other gospel than we have preached
and ye have received, let him be cursed. So, I can
say with propriety, if any man or an angel from
heaven comes and preaches any other doctrine
than what the prophet Joseph did preach. If he
says that polygamy is not of God I do verily know
he lies, therefore let him be accursed.
And now my dear readers, while I am on this
subject, I propose to make known to you in my
weak and clumsy way of writing how the Lord
revealed to me the truth of the doctrine of plural
marriage, or polygamy.
I had been talking to some confdential
persons on polygamy. As we have remarked, I
never had received one word from any man living
except that one word from the prophet, only as
the Holy Ghost taught me and it also taught me
some of the future destiny of this people.
As I remarked to some, being interrogated,
what will become of this people, this being soon
after the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum?
As the remarkable vision, also which, or in
which the Lord revealed to me, unworthy me,
the certainty or truth of that very remarkable
sacred, interesting doctrine, pertaining to the
fullness of the gospel of the Son of God, which
had to be revealed in the dispensation of the
fullness of times or at the commencement of
that dispensation. The Father had a large number
of spirits, very intelligent, noble spirits, spirits
that had been kept back, kept in reserve because
they were needed to come forth to be born under
or in the priesthood to perform a certain very
important work. This is what the Lord meant,
when I will raise up seed unto me. I will command
my people. The time now has fully arrived and it
became necessary to command His people. I feel
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very, very thankful to my Father and God that he
thought enough of me or thought me worthy to
reveal unto me His will and a knowledge of that
sacred doctrine.
Now one word with regard to the future of
this people as we should have remarked in answer
to that question. I told some of them that the Lord
would take this people and lead them way west
into a goodly land and plant them and multiply
them and discipline them and bring them under
the rod and into the bonds of the covenant and
make them a great and mighty people and that
they should never come under the Gentile yoke
again as they had been or that this kingdom
should never be given into the hands of another
people to drive them again.
.·..
I will now proceed to relate a heavenly vision
and revelation which was given to me, Joseph L.
Robinson, on the subject of polygamy in Nauvoo,
Hancock County, Illinois in the year 1844 or
1845. As we remarked, my mind was exercised
upon that subject after hearing the prophet of
God declare it should become a law in Zion. The
Lord chastened me in the spirit for the space of
about 20 hours in a manner or more severe than
I had ever been chastened before. But behold the
cloud of darkness passed away and the sun of
righteousness did beam forth. My mind became
calm and serene as the summer morning. I felt
exceedingly happy in my mind. I was alone in my
shop and I was a chair maker. It was about four
o’clock in the afternoon and I was standing at my
turning lathe, the sun shining brightly.
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The vision opened on this wise. Presently
before me there was a light, straight as straight
and narrow, very narrow, its color very bright
and beautiful. The lower end of this remarkable
light, or path, was about three feet from the
earth before me and its elevation some 30
degrees and it extended away out of sight into
the heavens. Presently there came a voice in the
spirit, saying, this light you see is the straight
and narrow path that leads to life. A pause for a
few moments between each sentence. Polygamy
is an institution of heaven, as pure a principle as
ever emanated from the gods. It is for the purpose
of raising up seed unto the Lord. No man has
the right to crook a fnger or wink an eye or do
anything whatever to court a second wife until he
frst obtains permission from him that holds the
keys of the kingdom of God upon the earth.
Any man that enters into this holy order in
any other way other than upon the principle
and with an eye single to the glory of God, he is
damned. Also, a man should be very careful not
to interfere with the rights of any good man as
this would be handling sharp edged tools.
And it came to pass that I looked and beheld
multitudes of people upon the earth. They looked
very much like a swarm of bees as they were
buzzing and all seemed searching altogether
after the things of the earth, as I could see
myriads of them and could not discover one of
them searching after God or the things of God. I
then saw things in a clearer light than I ever had
before. It was then that I quaked exceedingly
with fear and trembling before having my eyes
on the straight and narrow path and being so
exceedingly straight and narrow and the only
chance to get to life was to fnd that and follow
it, whilst the way was so broad that leads to
death and the multitudes seemed to be travelling
therein.
There was a pause of a few moments between
each sentence and through this entire vision this
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remarkable straight and narrow light was before
my eyes and as Paul said, I did not know whether
I was in the body or out of the body, I could not
tell.
The vision closed. I found myself standing by
my turning lathe. I had seen a vision and received
revelation from Almighty God through the
medium of the Holy Ghost so that I did know that
polygamy was of God and learned of its purpose
and design and learned how to proceed in that
holy order. Now with regard to this doctrine, of
the truth and certainty of the same, I never did
nor never can doubt again.
..,... .·.
As we remarked, we moved into a small log cabin
with our little family in the fall of 1841, but our
little son Joseph was taken sick and remained
sickly until he died which was in August 25th,
1842. It was quite a sorrow and grief for us but
we felt to kiss the rod and acknowledge the hand
of God in it. We tried hard to save him. He was
such a bright, spritely promising child.
The Prophet Joseph Smith came to me on
some business whilst this child was sick. I had
him in my arms and I went out to talk with him
as he sat upon his horse. He remarked, your child
is sick, said he, you should get some bitters for
him. I then asked the prophet what my tithing
was. Said he, your tithing is one-tenth of what you
have when you commence to pay tithing. After
that, one-tenth of your entries annually.
Through the blessings of God and with my
little means and hard labor and management,
I soon built me a good brick house with three
rooms one above the other with a good freplace
in each room. One was a cellar kitchen with three
windows, a good freplace and a brick oven. The
third, or upper room, the entire size of the house,
16 by 24, with a good freplace and windows,
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suitable for a schoolroom. I ftted it up for a school,
put in benches and writing tables and benches
and table and water bucket and broom. I got it
all in readiness with my own hands and means
and I hired a good female teacher or sister in the
Church. I agreed to pay her, I then informed the
neighbors that a school would start at my house
on Monday morning next and I wanted them to
send their children to school and those that could
I wanted them to help me pay the teacher while
them that were not able to pay, that it should be
free and that they should send their children to
school just the same.
Monday morning came and children also.
They flled the room and all the teacher could do
justice by. We had a good school and in the fall I
hired a good man teacher on the same principle
and the house full to overfowing and it continued
to be so until the burning took place in Lima, a
town about 30 miles distant. The mob swore
that the Mormons should not stay there. They
gathered in bands nightly and set fre to their
houses and hay and grain stacks and upset their
lives and played regular smash with them the
Saints in that town.
Consequently we had to go to help them to
come to Nauvoo and to take them into our house
and give them succor, and then and not until then
did our school stop. We had to stop our school and
let one of the families in the room. All this and
similar atrocities were ftted upon the Mormons,
not because they were wicked but because they
feared God and kept his commandments.
..... .·.
In this house was born to us another son, our
frst born in Zion. We called his name Jeremiah
W. A bright promising child. We were proud of
him. We thank God our Heavenly Father for him
but we had to part with him also. He was born
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in the city of Joseph. Hancock, County Illinois,
September 21, 1843.
He died August 25, 1844. One or two days
before his death, as I held him in my arms just
after the setting of the sun, his mother was
milking the cow, the Holy Ghost said to me,
Ordain this child to the high priesthood, I did so.
I laid my right hand upon his head and there and
then said the ceremony and gave him a regular
ordination to the high priesthood. I never had
heard of the like, but was satisfed that it was
right. I said to his mother, Let us try to save this
child if we can, if not let us be thankful for the
three we have. She says, Don’t say that. How can
we spare this child? But we had to spare it. We
buried him by the site of his brother Joseph in our
lot, here together let these sweet dear brothers lay.
Sleep in peace until the resurrection day.
As we remarked, the city of Nauvoo was
organized into wards and was named or called
the city of Joseph. Jonathan H. Hale was ordained
Bishop over the 9th Ward, where I lived. And he
selected Thomas Casico and me for his counselors.
He ordained me a high priest and set us apart as
his counselors and we acted with him as such.
We had in our ward a great many poor and
sick and also a great many cases of diffculties
to settle so that we had an abundance to do,
sometimes busy night and day administering to
the sick and gathering something and taking it to
them and burying their dead. We acted as bishop
and counsel and teachers, did all the work and we
tried to perform our duty and do our work well.
Sometimes the bishop and his other counselor
were sick and the entire labor involved upon me
alone and when I had I would impart of my store
of provisions to the sick and poor. When I had
none, I would take sometimes my little wagon and
sometimes my basket on my arm and go and beg
for them and carry it to them that they, the poor,
did not ask in vain for we always administered
to their wants.
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As yet we had no meetinghouse or tabernacle
to meet in but we were doing the best we could
in our poverty. In the winter season we would
meet where best we could, but generally in our
ward in my house as I had the largest room in
the ward. There were some 14 high priests in the
9th Ward. They have a practice of meeting one
evening every week and we had good meetings, a
punctual attendance and a very good fow of the
spirit in our quorum meetings and also in our
ward meetings we were greatly blessed.
We will now mention our exhortations or
prophecy given in tongues one Sunday evening
in my house. On this evening Brother Archibald
Patten gave us a very lengthy and spirited lecture
in tongues. E. T. Benson wished someone to give
the interpretations on Brother Patten and said
Brother Robinson could give it. I immediately
arose to my feet and commenced by saying the
Saints should continue their labors in building
the temple of God in that place to completion so
far that they should receive their endowments in
the same and after the Lord should remove the
Saints west out from these United States into a
goodly land among the Lamanites in the midst of
the Rocky Mountains. And there that they should
preach the gospel to the house of Joseph and that
many of them would be baptized and that the
elders should go to the nations of the earth and
preach the gospel to them and gather out many of
the honest in heart and gather them out and that
the work of the Lord should prosper with mighty
power and that he would establish His Saints
and increase them and bless them abundantly
and that he would raise a mighty army of the
Lamanites and that they should come forth from
the mountains and that they should fall upon the
Gentiles with mighty power and that a trembling
and fear should fall upon these Gentiles but they
should have no power to resist them that as well
might the puny arm of man be raised to stop the
mighty northwest winds for the Gentiles to stop
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this mighty army. At that time when I was saying
these words I could see them coming over the
hills across the river west of Nauvoo. They looked
terrible as a dark cloud. Then I said they should
avenge the blood of the prophets that was shed
in Carthage Jail and that Governor Ford would
not execute one man (as Governor Ford at this
time with an armed force was in pursuit of the
murderers saying that he would bring them to
justice).
But that this army of Lamanites should
avenge the blood of the prophets. Yea, that they
should make a clean job of it. This is only a
synopsis of the prophecy but it gives some of the
particular parts of the prophecy. We consider it a
very interesting prophecy that would be literally
fulflled.
We will mention one incident or case of healing
which took place in my house, myself being the
blessed party. I was at the time very sick with
pleurisy of a very bad form so that I was unable
to do any work. I had been administered to the
Sunday evening before by Brother Archibald
Patten and was partially healed but not entirely
so that I went to work on Monday at the lathe. I
did get very warm and then I would go out in
the cold wind and it came on worse than ever.
I suffered severely until the next Wednesday
evening the time the high priest quorum should
meet. I fasted and prayed myself the best I could
for a blessing. When the brethren of the quorum
came and told Brother Patten how unwise I had
been and how bad I was, that it was with diffculty
that I could get my breath and that they wished
him to take the lead and to proceed as he felt, and
that I wanted all the brethren to lay on hands. He
said that I was old enough to know better than
to have been so careless but they must try again.
He had them all kneel while he was mouth in
prayer then he anointed me with oil in the name
of the Lord. They all laid their hands upon me
and all touched me with their right hand and
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Brother Patten was mouth and sealed the holy
anointing and rebuked the destroyer with all his
infuence and power over me. Then he uttered
an extremely rich and unbounded blessing. He
pronounced upon my head it seemed to me there
were no things omitted in the shape of blessings,
but he pronounced upon. I was wonderfully and
joyfully surprised. One part of the blessing I do
know that I received instantly and I was healed,
clean perfectly healed of this pleurisy pain for
it was clean and gone forever and in the midst
of this administration I breathed out but could
not feel the least particle of pain and could never
after. So I do know that the gift of healing is in
this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
vulgarly called the Mormons. We the servants of
the Lord or we Mormons labored diligently and
faithfully in building the temple of the living God
in Nauvoo for the Lord had said unto us that He
would grant unto us a suffcient time to build
that house and that if we would go to with all our
might and build that house in the time appointed
that we should be blessed and not rejected as a
Church with our dead. So, we felt determined to
build that holy house. I labored constantly the
tenth day. I well remember one tithing day for
our ward in the fall, a great many were sick and I
was quite sick but not confned to my bed. I took
my team and started for the quarry to haul rock
for the temple. While on the way to the quarry I
felt inspired to say, in the name of the Lord, I am
going to haul rock for the temple but I am sick,
wilt thou help me oh Lord. Yes, the Lord will heal
me. I know he will and surely he did heal me right
up at that time. Yes, I was healed right there and
then I drove to the quarry but found no one there
but heavy rocks quarried out. Presently Brother
Jonathan Taylor came with his team. He was
in a grunting order but we went to work with a
will and rolled on rocks on our wagons. We two
alone that should astonish the world, rocks that
to my judgement would weigh from ten to twenty
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hundred pounds or uppers we handled all day the
Lord helping us.
One more little incident I might mention
where I received a blessing. At the time our
dear brethren in Lima were visited with fre
and the mob came by night and put the torch
to their stacks and stocks and dwelling houses
and burned them out. We had to go out with
our teams and bring them into Nauvoo. Some of
our people were sick, but they had to hustle out
into the open air or burn up. I was at the time
afficted with the shaking ague, every other day
regularly would be very sick but a call was made
and I went on Monday, my well day, and got my
horse shod. Tuesday was the day set for the team
to go for them. The day for me to have my shake
and fever but I started out for a load and as the
Lord lives the ague did not fnd me. I had no more
while in Nauvoo.
;.. .·.
And it came to pass the Lord gave unto us a
daughter, a beautiful Intelligent child. She was
born June 12, 1845 almost one year after the
martyrdom of the prophet Joseph and Hyrum
Smith, Patriarch. We rejoiced greatly and thanked
God for in the gift of our dear little daughter. We
named her Mary Elizabeth a heavenly treasure.
But the destroyer seemed bent on the destruction
of this child also. For some cause or reason we do
not know, she became afficted. She had fts and it
seemed we could not stop them. We prayed for her.
We administered oil and the laying on of hands
and called in the elders. We doctored her but to no
purpose only she would seem to get a little better.
We took her to the patriarch, Uncle John Smith,
he blessed her and after he administered to her he
looked at her and said, There is a very intelligent
spirit in that tabernacle and if you save her on
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the earth you have to exercise a large amount of
faith for the destroyer seeks to destroy such that
they should not remain on the earth. I then told
him what I had done for our deceased son, that I
had from the impression of the spirit, ordained
him a high priest. He said that was right. He had
ordained one a high priest, a little chap that was
about to die. He considered it very proper.
Those stubborn fts would not stop. We had
heard the prophet Joseph say inasmuch as any
member of a family was sick, if the heads of the
family would fast three days they should get
better. We knowing him to be a true prophet
of God therefore we believed what he said. My
wife proposed a fast, I replied if you think that
you can stand it nursing a child I certainly will
try it. She said that she would do anything she
could to save that child. So we set about it with a
will. We ate our dinners today as usual but when
night came we ate no supper and morning came
we ate no breakfast. She did her housework and
I went to our wagon shop and worked all day as
usual and this was the winter before our exit from
Nauvoo to the Rocky Mountains. Our ward was
organized into a company to build wagons and
to make preparations to leave that place in the
spring so that I was obliged to work whether sick
or well, whether eating or fasting although at this
time I was severely afficted with rheumatism
in my back and hip and had taken cold through
taking off some fannel underclothes and sudden
change of weather. With all this we had also to
fast and pray for this we had decided. The frst day
was the hardest day for me. The second day came
and no eating but plenty of work and I did not
suffer as much that day. On the third day I came
to work as usual. I proposed to my wife that she
was nursing a child so that she must have a little
crust and some food occasionally. But neither
of us ate a mouthful at any time or anything
whatsoever. During the breakfast, the third day
noon came we ate no dinner until suppertime
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came and we feel satisfed that our three day fast
was complete. We ate our supper and as yet there
had been no change with the fts and the child
or with my lameness. We retired to our beds to
rest after saying our prayers as usual, but as the
Lord liveth, these fts upon our dear child stopped
and she had no more while we lived in Nauvoo
and my lameness went entirely away this night.
We testifed that we received and acknowledge
this signal favor and the great blessing from the
hand of God our Heavenly Father. We are led
to believe that if the Latter-day Saints would
more thoroughly repent of their sins and clean
themselves up, fast and pray more and use the
doctors less, we would be a great people and there
would be a great many more cases of healing
than there are.
It came to pass that the devil was mad, the
people imagined vane things and the wicked
raged and mashed upon us. It was with great
diffculty we could keep them off of us, till we
could build that temple so that we could get our
endowments, washings, anointing and sealings
which the Lord had purposed we should receive
before we should go into the wilderness. The Lord
did truly purpose to take his people into a good
land from under the Gentile yoke where he could
plant them, multiply them and teach and train
them to his liking preparatory to the redemption
of Zion. The Lamanites have to be taught and
be baptized and a great army organized and
prepared to redeem Zion and avenge the blood
of the prophets, which mighty work shall be
accomplished as the Lord liveth.
They, the Illinois legislature, performed the
ceremony of tearing up our charter. Yes, they tore
our Nauvoo city charter all to pieces and left us
without a shadow of law or have any law offcers
to protect us. But there was no law against an
organization of bishops and deacons, so that there
was some chance for us poor Mormons yet. We
were soon set up into groups with a bishop and
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deacons. I was a bishop with several brethren as
deacons. I stood guard with them. A part of us
would watch till 12 o’clock until our relief came
and when they were on the ground they would
retire but while we were a chartered town we had
our police and military in good running order.
Our military was named the Nauvoo Legion and
when mustered presented a very formidable force.
They were a fexible army. I had a commission
signed by the Governor of Illinois, a commissioned
offcer in the Nauvoo Legion. There were many
reports of gatherings and threats by our enemies,
that they would come and capture some of our
citizens or cause great destruction among us so
that we were obliged to keep constantly a strong
guard. I was always on hand to do my part many
a night on guard some nights all night long with
our arms expecting every moment that a heavy
mob would be in upon us. But they feared to come
after our city charter was taken from us and some
strange suspicious characters would make their
appearance in our city. When they did so our boys
with their long ugly looking broad knives would
collect around these strangers with a stick in
their hand would gather around and commence
to whittle with their knives while slowly moving
toward the strangers keeping up their whittling.
This would greatly frighten the men and they
would leave. Our boys would leave an opening
for the stranger if he inclined to move but if he
refused to go they would advance until their knives
would stop against his coat.
Some of these gentlemen would enter
complaints to President Young of how they were
treated by these whittlers. All the satisfaction they
would get he would say to them, they have taken
away our charter we have no laws. We can’t do
anything for you so if they would not leave in a
hurry they would be whittled out of town.
It came to pass the work on our temple was
pursued with vigor. We will here relate a very
interesting vision one of our brethren had given
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unto him as near as I can remember it. He related
that when he was a laborer up on the temple it
was manifested unto him a short time before the
death of the prophets Joseph and Hyrum. As he
was returning from his home one evening, it was
sometime before sunset, a beautiful day, he had
reached his small gate that led to his house. The
vision opened, he saw our people in commotion
seemingly in trouble. They were in arms and
a dark cloud arose. It looked very gloomy and
doleful, yea, frightful as the cloud passed over and
when they came out their arms had passed away
and so had their prophets Joseph and Hyrum, for
he saw them no more and the people were in great
mourning. Presently the twelve with Brigham at
their head, they led the Church and next he saw
the Church moving west. He could see them for
hundreds of miles with their covered wagons
and tents moving west. He saw them settling in
a lovely land. They built up cities and temples and
spread abroad exceedingly. By and by he saw the
dark cloud rising and spreading over this people.
It looked gloomy and fearfully dangerous. He saw
there were three iron hoops around this church
and the twelve and others with their wooden
mallets thumping away brightening up these
hoops. It still grew more dark and fearful and
they kept turning up the hoops and it came to
pass the hoops burst and the people went right
away directly every way. They were so scared they
ran. As near as he could calculate nearly or quite
one half of the people left the body of the church.
Then he said it seemed that before the hindermost
of them were fairly out of sight, this dark and
dreary cloud passed away and the sunbeam of
righteousness shined forth and all that were left
were exceedingly happy. Now, with him a time of
refection and inquiry, says he, “I came within a
hair’s breath of leaving also. Oh how thankful I
am, said he, that I did not leave the Church.” Then
an inquiry arose in his mind and he explained,
“Oh Lord why was it so that such a dark and
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fearful cloud and feeling should have come over
and upon the people?” The answer came directly
that God had a great blessing to pour out upon
his people and that there were a great many that
had a name with his people that were not worthy
and that in his wisdom he took this method to
purge them out. Said he (the temple laborer) the
answer that I received perfectly satisfed me. He
saw no thing but these afrighted ones who went
to join, but that they were so frighted that they
ran away. Then it came to pass that the authorities
of the Church led the Saints to a kind of a large
grand room where the tables were set and loaded
with the sweet meats and all the precious things
and the people feasted and they were exceedingly
happy.
Many things transpired with us while in
Nauvoo of a very interesting character. One
important question was raised which never
left my mind nor inquiry until a satisfactory
solution was obtained. I received a revelation
on the subject. The question was this, did our
spirits exist in eternity with a father or eternally
with God? Some elders said that the prophet
Joseph should have said that our spirits existed
eternally with God. The question arose then,
how is it that God is the father of our spirits?
I wondered, studied and prayed over it for I
did want to know how it could be. I inquired of
several of the brethren how that could be a father
and son and the son as old as the father. There
was not a person that could or would even try to
explain the matter.
But it came to pass that in one time a vision
was opened, the voice of the spirit came unto me
saying that all matter was eternal. That it never
had a beginning and that it should never have an
end and that the spirits of all men were organized
of a purer material or matter, upon the principle
of male and female, so that there was a time when
my spirit, my immortal spirit, as well as every
other man’s spirit that was ever born unto the
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world, that is to say there was a moment when
the spirit was organized and begotten or born so
that the spirit has a father and the material or
matter that our tabernacles are composed of is
eternal and as we understand are organized on
the principle of male and female. This revelation
explained this mysterious question so that I
understood it and that our bodies are organized
of a coarser material.
It came to pass that I, Joseph, did thank the
Lord for this intelligence. And it came to pass
that the Gentiles that should have been our
friends became our bitter enemies, as they had in
Kirtland, Ohio, as also they were In Missouri, our
people had been driven from both of these places
and now they meant to drive us from Illinois.
They sent a delegation to confer with our
leaders to see whether we would leave the state
and when, saying the Mormons had to leave
at all hazards. Our leader consulted with the
people and we all agreed to leave the country
in the spring. They made arrangements to that
effect with the mob. We thought it better for us
to leave than to be slaughtered which we should
have been, so that we worked with all diligence
to prepare for our exit. We did not like the idea of
leaving our beautiful temple until we had received
our endowments, washings and anointings and
sealings.
And behold it came to pass that the old
serpent, the devil, sent a food of waters after her,
the church, to swallow her up, to destroy her. For
it rained torrents upon them but the earth helped
the woman so that she swallowed up the water, as
she was not destroyed. It came to pass when the
devil found that he could not destroy her with the
food of waters, he went directly to Washington,
to the seat of government and inspired our head
offcials to set a trap for the Church of Jesus
Christ to destroy her, to demand and bring, up
500 good effcient men to immediately muster
into the service of the United States to fght their
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battles. This was one of the most unreasonable,
wicked requirements that could be made under
the circumstances of a religious, law abiding
community of American citizens, exiled, driven
by mob violence and murdering their prophets,
driven three times from their temples and cities
and hard-earned homes. A people driven away
from civilization (falsely so called) among the
wild savages to hunt for themselves a home and
have to make it the fourth time. Never under
such circumstances had a people had such an
unjust requirement made of them. They (the
authorities in Washington) had no idea that we
would respond. Then, said they, we will have a
pretext. We will send an army and we will easily
destroy them, yea exterminate them from the
earth. But, they knew not the mind of the Lord,
neither understood they His counsel. And it came
to pass, yes Your Honor, says the prophet Brigham,
your men are on hand. Yes brother, said brother
Brigham, we must respond to this call. The 500
soldiers must be sent immediately said he. If they
cannot be raised without, I shall go. The 500
were forthcoming. They went and what were the
consequences? It is, or was, or vital importance
to this Church. It saved the Saints the heavy brawl
that was aimed for her destruction and it left 500
families, or less or more, as the case might be,
without a husband, a father, or protection in that
Indian wilderness country with scanty allowance
of bed and clothing, with but little or no prospect
of raising or getting more. Yes verily, they were
left upon the mercy of God and the people of the
Saints who like Abraham, by faith were seeking
a country that they knew not of, even an asylum,
a land of peace, a place where they might raise
some bread and prepare themselves a home once
more upon this our mother earth. A land away
from Christian civilized mob violence, even to
a place which God had reserved for them, His
people.
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Our people made a beautiful font in the
basement of the temple underneath resting
upon twelve beautiful oxen where many had
been baptized for their dead and many for their
health. I had been baptized for some of my dead
and had one of my little sons for health.
We prepared some rooms in the temple so that
the holy ordinances could be performed, so that
the Saints could receive their blessings.
;....., .·..
Our enemies were so desperate and determined
that we should leave the country (so much so)
that our brethren were obliged to arm themselves
while working on the temple. We labored with
all our might and the Lord helped us so that we
commenced giving and receiving our endowments
about the commencement of the year 1846. I
received my endowments about this time and my
frst wife, Maria, was sealed to me January 13,
1846. My second wife, Susan, January 31, 1846.
It was a hurrying time. A great many thou-
sand people received their endowments in a com-
paratively short time and we were very thankful
to get so great blessings in that holy, holy house.
Surely, it was a very beautiful, imposing house.
It cost us so much labor and means, but we never
regretted what we had done for we considered
ourselves well and amply paid for all we had done.
We counted it the Lord’s house and we considered
ourselves the Lord’s also. All that we do, we do in
the name of the Lord and for the Lord and all that
we have is the Lord’s, for it is in Him that we live
and move and have our being and truly we are
very exceedingly happy people, hated, slandered,
belied and persecuted, the most of any people on
earth. Yet, we are full of charity toward all men,
but more especially for or toward the household
of faith. We pray for our enemies. We know they
do not realize what they are doing, that they are
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fghting against God and persecuting His high
priests.
On July 12, 1843, the Lord gave to the prophet
Joseph a revelation on the eternity of the mar-
riage covenant, including plurality of wives. But
this revelation was not made public so that we
do know the heavy persecutions and murderings
and drivings and robbings that were perpetrated
upon the Latter-day Saints prior to their being
driven into the Rocky Mountains. These were
not on account of polygamy, but as it always has
been, the true worshippers of God were always
unpopular, drawing down the wrath of their en-
emies upon them.
It came to pass, the twelve with many others
left Nauvoo in the winter of 1846, with their
families and set out verily to seek an asylum in
the west. Yes, verily, also those 500 of our dear
brethren performed their mission admirably
well. They were subjected to a great amount of
hardship and privation and suffering, so much
so that some few had to succumb to death. But
they accomplished a perfect victory for the United
States, for it came to pass when the word was
conveyed to the Mexicans that the Mormon army
was coming, that they would soon be there, that
they were a legion and that nothing could stand
before them, verily this report was the cause of
bringing the Mexicans to terms of a treaty which
was effected between the Mexicans and the
United States in which a large territory of country
was deeded to the United States and it was the
very place where our people afterward located in
the midst of the Rocky Mountains. In the treaty
with the Mexicans they agreed to receive them
with their religions as they were and behold our
people are here in the Rocky Mountains with their
publicly proclaimed polygamy in practice, so by
rights the United States should leave us alone
with out polygamy.
And it came to pass that our brethren, the
Mormon Battalion, did not have to fre a gun just
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as it was said to them before they left the camp of
Israel. Yes, President Brigham Young prophesied
they should not have to fght not so much even
as to fre one gun which is another testimony in
favor of a prophet.
We will now narrate some little Incidents of
a little journey out to Chicago. When we left the
State of New York we sent a box of goods by water
to Chicago. I engaged a load of passengers, elders
going on missions, mostly elders Father Sessions,
Thomas Grover, T. J. [or T. S.] Johnson and son,
and one Alfonso Green and wife. I took my team, a
pair of horses and wagon and all aboard and away
we went fying across the prairie through Laharpe
and Monmoth and several very nice little towns.
But the whole country of these western states is
one whole plain or vast prairie only some small
skirts of timber in places of water only where it
is formed and fed down by animals, it is a vast
meadow of very rich soil when well tilled will
produce largely of corn and other grains.
On our way out we had a very lively, interesting
time. I discussed many important religious
subjects and the scenery mostly was interesting.
I well recollect one evening indeed I never shall
forget it. We camped by a lone house by a small
stream of water. The place was called the Halfway
House. It was away in the prairie some ten or
twelve miles from a house either way. We arrived
there a little before night. We had a good pleasant
time, supper over, the company, it became dark.
Our company had made their beds and all retired
to rest, some in the house, some in the wagon
and some under the wagon, all but myself. The
spirit wrought upon me and I could not feel like
going to bed. I felt like taking a stroll out into the
prairie. I longed for a good season of prayer to
commune with the heavens. I retired to where my
horses were hobbled and grazing quietly. I here
knelt down upon the ground and poured out my
soul to God in solemn and humble prayer and
had an exceedingly sweet and interesting time.
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I probably remained there for hours, but before
leaving the place I was standing upon my feet
gazing with wonder and amazement upon the
bright and beautiful stars in yonder heavens,
admiring their beauty and order. In a particular
manner, the North Star which always remains
to us stationary and in the dipper and all that
train being of one class of stars all so majestic
and with such order and exactness circling around
the North Star every 24 hours. While I was thus
contemplating the wonderful works of God and
praising his holy and great name, the voice of
the spirit came unto me saying, inasmuch as you
will do what you can in the times of your poverty
for the building up of the kingdom of God on
the earth, the time shall come when you shall
become rich in gold and in silver, in houses and
in land, in horses and in chariots, in wives and
in children, in silks and in satins, in focks and in
herds, in servants and in handmaids. And while
these different kinds of goodies were called over,
they did glisten with exceeding luster before my
eyes. I felt to thank the Lord God of my fathers for
this great and good promise. I thought the sight
of this could abundantly pay me for the time and
trouble, yea a thousand times, I asked the Lord
to help me to fulfll on my part.
I retired to my bed more than satisfed. I well
knew it was no fction. I knew the voice of the
good shepherd.
In the morning we travelled on all right and
arrived in the city of the Gentiles. It is a very
large and fne city. We parted with the brethren
and received my goods, took one passenger and
returned home in safety and found all well.
In the winter of 1846 I took my second wife
and went into Missouri. She had some land and
property there which we sold bringing back
with us three yolk of cattle and some cows and
other property which proved a great help to us
insomuch that we were obliged to go in the spring.
At about this time we received a letter from my
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frst wife’s father stating that he thought we had
gone far enough on the Mormon track and that if
we could think so too and stop and that I should
go out into the country and hunt me up a farm
that would suit me that could be bought him and
send him the price that he would send the money
to pay for it. Then we could have it an go into it
and go to living. But said he, I would not wish to
advise you in this matter. If you think best to go
ahead and see it out, well I have $200 you can
have if it can be safely sent.
I sat down and wrote him a letter and sent di-
rectly to him saying to Father Zephenia Wood,
Dear Sir,
Your letter came only to hand. We receive the
same with pleasure. We were exceedingly glad
to hear from you and mother and friends. We
only wish that you all were in the faith and with
us together with us. We thank you very much
for your very kind offer. We say God bless you
but as it regards Mormonism, we are greatly
in love with it simply because it is the truth. Yes,
the plain simple solid truth and nothing else,
and that truth will prevail. We look for the little
fulfillment of the prophet Daniel’s prophecy
speaking of the little stones taken out of the
mountain without hands, which is nothing less
than Mormonism or the kingdom of God which
shall roll forth and fill the whole earth. It shall
break in pieces all other kingdoms and grind
them to powder, simply because our gospel
is a gospel of peace and is truth, therefore
all the world is or shall be arrayed against it
with deadly hostility and will persecute rob
and murder and drive the Saints until they
the Saints shall become thoroughly cleansed
from the false traditions and impurities of the
earth.
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Crossing the Plains to Utah
•
Assignment to return to Nauvoo
•
Winter Quarters, Nebraska
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE: Great Grandfather’s journal page number
46 is missing. Apparently it told of the group of saints with
which he and his family were travelling had left Nauvoo and
were on their way to the great Salt Lake valley].
June 27, we camped at a beautiful grove and
stayed over the Sabbath. We found several of
the brethren there and had some conversation
with Brother Benjamin Clapp (he put us in mind
somewhat of a clap of thunder when he spoke) but
he was considered a very good speaker. We were
talking upon the principle of adoption. Said he,
when in the temple at Nauvoo, in conversation
with patriarch John Smith, I said to him, Is a man
obliged to be adopted to someone or can a man
build up his kingdom alone? Said he, I guess he
can if he chooses. Then said Brother Clapp, here
is one that is going it alone. I said to him I thought
it would be risky, that it would be necessary that
we be tied up very close in order that the enemy
did not get in and burst us up and from that
expression alone I felt afraid that he would make
shipwreck and be lost, but hoped not.
We got along quite well, but had some affic-
tions. Our little daughter Anna Maria was crippled
in one of her legs and one of Brother Johnson’s
little boys came down with the measles, and one
of my drivers (a colored man, a member of the
Church which was the property of my second
wife — a good and faithful man) while yoking a
cow one morning hurt his knee and he became
a cripple. So we had two cripples which made it
very hard on me but the Lord helped us and we
kept along. We had a very good road and before
we got to Mount Pisga we passed over some of
the most beautiful lovely country we ever saw,
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beautiful springs and streams of water (Whig
Paras) and small groves of timber. Our cripples
soon got better of their lameness.
On July 7, 1846, we arrived at Mount Pisga
to the camp of Israel and found a good many of
the Saints and a meeting in session. Several of
the twelve had come back from the Bluffs the
evening before, namely Presidents Brigham
Young, Heber C. Kimball, Willard Richards and
E. T. Benson. They had just received orders from
the government of the United States that the
Mormons should send 500 good, effcient men to
California to help fght the Mexicans. They were
at war with the Mexicans at that time. As we have
stated heretofore, the council decided to raise the
500 as called for and that would leave us with a
great many teams without drivers and as we had
a good many cattle that should be cared for, so
they decided to send a letter of instructions to the
traveling Saints back and have help come on to
us here (where we had a great many wagons and
teams and needed much help). The instructions
stated that the brethren behind should come and
help to locate the camp of Israel that they may
prepare for winter and they, the brethren, should
take back teams and bring on the poor that we
may go together, live or die, and it came to pass
that the brethren sat in council and labored
almost all night counseling and preparing the
letter of instructions to all of the back traveling
Saints. The letter of instructions called the gospel
to send to the committee left in Nauvoo.
And it came to pass that I
Joseph L., was the
man that was called upon to take my team and
return immediately to Nauvoo and read the letter
of instructions to every company of Saints on the
road from Nauvoo and deliver the gospel to the
community and also to get the terms the lowest
fgures that the Demoins millers would let us,
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
have four for we probably might want to get large
quantities from them. Yes, Brother Brigham, says
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Brother Joseph you have a good team, a nice little
wagon a perfect horse. We want you to pitch your
tent and unload your little wagon and go with
these important documents. He said we must send
these 500 men and we must gather out the poor
left back; that they are not destroyed. As these
500 men have to leave our camp we must have
some help from the brethren back and then we
can send teams back and bring their families also.
I said to Brother Brigham, I told Brother James
Pace that if he would go, he should be a captain.
Brother Brigham says I don’t know. We have been
looking up some for captains but said we will do
the best we can for him. On July 8th, it came to
pass that I, Joseph started about 12 o’clock this
day, 1846, upon my mission east. I took Brother
William Snow back as I had to go on a mission
and a brother by the name of Parker and made a
very good drive. We met several companies and
read the letter to them all. All of the brethren sent
letters and words to their friends and some sent
money by me to get things for them.
The reading of this letter made many joyful
and light hearts for they were getting discouraged
not knowing where they were going or what would
become of them.
On July 13th we arrived in the city of Nauvoo
and I left my team with Brother Murray in Black
Jack Grove and went to the river, crossed on the
ferry about sunset and went to Brother Fulmer’s
house. He was not at home. I called on Brother
Haycock, found him sick and informed him that
I had the gospel for him.
The gospel, he said, and sprang up as he was
lying upon his casket. Yes, said I. The gospel
according to Saint Brigham and maybe it will
cure you. What, he says, he received it and read it
with great eagerness. Well, said he rejoicing, just
in time, said he, us trustees had met today and
what to do we did not know, we had come to a full
stop and I have just returned home discouraged
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and had just lain down sick. Now said he, how
glad I am, now we will know how to proceed. We
are thankful indeed.
On the 14th, in the morning, I found myself
once more in the city of Nauvoo with peculiar
feelings. I viewed the beautiful temple and a
portion of the city contemplating to some extent
the past, the present and the future of this
beautiful city. It is not now an asylum for the
persecuted saints of God, but I could feel in the
spirit that their house or place of rest was away
in the far west.
This morning, mother Works died at the
house of her son-in-law. She was the mother of
Brigham Young’s frst wife, fy brother Ebenezer
Robinson’s wife, she was a good old lady, she died
and I helped to bury her.
I delivered some letters in the city that I had
brought with me and found a large excitement.
The mob had taken up their old trade. They had
unmercifully whipped several of our brethren
while in a feld at work and had taken three or
four prisoners, and were expecting, as they had
threatened to come directly upon the city and
drive every last Mormon out of their country, as
they termed it.
I met in the evening with the brethren for
prayers in the temple, wrote one letter to my
brother Ebenezer Robinson who had been sent
to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by the Prophet
Joseph Smith with Sidney Rigdon to print for
him and counsel him and was told by the prophet
to never leave nor forsake him. I surmised there
was something wrong or Joseph would not have
sent him away that way and with that man,
but Ebenezer thought sure that his character
stood clear in the eyes of the prophet. Ebenezer
Robinson had edited the Times and Seasons there
for several years and had joined the Church in
Kirtland and had been through the Missouri wars
and he and Don Carlos Smith were appointed
to edit a paper for the Church called the Times
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and Seasons and as Brother Carlos took sick and
died, Ebenezer carried on the paper. I knew that
Angeline, Ebenezer’s wife, had some time before
this had watched Brother Joseph the prophet and
had seen him go into some house and that she had
reported to Sister Emma, the wife of the prophet.
It was at a time when she was very suspicious and
jealous of him for fear he would get another wife,
for she knew the prophet had a revelation on that
subject. She (Emma) was determined he should
not get another, if he did she was determined
to leave and when she heard this, she, Emma,
became very angry and said she would leave and
was making preparations to go to her people in
the State of New York. It came close to breaking
up his family. However, he succeeded in saving
her at that time but the prophet felt dreadfully
bad over it. He went to my brother’s and talked
to Angeline on the matter and she would not give
him any satisfaction and her husband (Ebenezer)
did not reprove his wife, and it came to pass the
prophet cursed her severely, but they thought it
would not take effect because he, the prophet, was
angry supposing the offense was not suffcient to
merit so great a curse.
They came to me for advice for they felt
considerably bad over it. I told them I would do
anything before he (the prophet) should curse me,
but I saw they felt quite sanguine, that they were
not to blame, but I thought that I would not have
a wife of mine do a thing of that kind for a world.
If she had done it, she should get upon her knees
at his feet and beg his pardon or she should bear
her own sins. But suffce it to say, he sent him
away with Sidney Rigdon.
I remained several days at Nauvoo but as I
was somewhat anxious to get back and fnish my
mission and as I had no gun with me I concluded
it best for me to return back.
On July 18th, 1846, I hitched up and started
for the camp of Israel in the west. I stopped at
Bonepart and got the miller’s terms in writing
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that he would let the Latter-day Saints have four
or he would have Joseph L. Robinson on his order
have four, what they wanted at $2.50 for one cwt.
[100 Ibs.]. I had very good luck, saw Uncle John
Young, took some messages from him for Joseph
his brother, stayed one night and took breakfast
with Bishop Edward Hunter. I arrived to Mount
Pisga [or Tisga], Friday 24th. Felt very thankful
to God, my Heavenly Father, for his kindness to
me, that I had been so wonderfully blessed, that
he had been with me and had preserved my family
that I see them again alive.
My frst wife and child were sick. We anointed
and blessed them, the child is better. At this place,
old Brother Thayer and wife died and were buried
here and Brother Johnson went along with us.
While here, I took the shaking ague every other
day and was not well. The weather was not good
at this place. I told the boys we must hitch up
and leave this place. My ague and fever were
very severe and it came to pass, on July 28th,
we rode out from Pisga, my sick day. We crossed
Grand River, I crawled off my wagon and saw,
with others, Brother Balding, (whom I had seen
at Kirtland at the house of Oliver Granger’s. I had
sung in tongues and Brother Balding interpreted
it.)
I said to him, I am sick with ague and fever
and I want you to lay hands on and heel me. I
sat in a chair, he blessed me and sure enough
I had no more of that ague. We drove about six
miles and camped the next day. We met Brother
Thineas Richards. I told him how I had been. He
said I should have no more ague and fever, and
so it was.
This evening, my oldest son Oliver was taken
sick and my wife Maria had chills and fever. On
August 2nd, we met Brother E. T. Benson going
east on a mission. We found at this place a cold
spring and a beautiful stream of water in which
I baptized several persons.
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We drove past an Indian settlement and found
a land of springs. Brother F. J. Johnson’s little boy
was very sick. We stopped over for the Sabbath.
August 10th, Brother Johnson’s little son died
and we buried him in the side of a little hill. Our
sick are getting some better. Susan did some
washing.
August 12th. We past Tea Creek, found some
brethren there preparing for winter. We arrived
at Council Point on the Missouri River the frst
time we ever saw her rily face. We found Bishop
Jonathan H. Hale and several of the brethren at
this point. We turned out and my cattle strayed
away. We hunted several days and found some of
them. Others we never found.
August 20th. It came to pass, with my team,
I took patriarch Isaac Morley, Bishop Jonathan
Hale and Elder Phineas Richards, crossed the
river and drove up to the camp of Israel at a
place called Cutler’s Park. Found them feeling
well, organized into divisions, attended a council
meeting.
While there, I heard Brother Brigham say that
the man possessing property, money who was
perfectly willing at any time and at all times to
use the same for the building up of the kingdom
of God on the earth verily that said property was
just as safe in his own hands as in the hands of
a bishop. That God did not care just so men did
not covet their money, but every man that did
covet his money and was not willing that the
same should be used for the work of the Lord,
that God would certainly dispossess that man of
all he had, yea, would strip him naked.
We returned back and it came to pass that
beloved Brother Hale took sick and in a very few
days he died and we buried him. He was a good,
faithful Latter-day Saint. I am a witness that he
did thoroughly perform his work and duty well
as a bishop while in Nauvoo. It came to pass also
his wife took sick and in a few days died also and
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was buried by the side of her husband, sleeping
here together.
September 1846. We gathered up our teams
and took along with us a Sister Roylance, her
husband had gone with the Mormon Battalion.
She had a wagon and one yoke of oxen, a family
of small children. We drove down and camped
by the river near old Council Point, as the ferry
was there.
That night I was awakened with distress
feeling very bad. It was with, some diffculty
I could get my breath and behold there was a
general outcry in the camp. In every wagon there
was a disturbance. Some children were crying
and several were panting for breath.
We inquired, what is the matter, the answer
was we do not know but we feel dreadfully bad.
I presently took the matter into consideration.
It was plainly manifested to me it’s the devil
or evil spirits. They are trying to choke us to
death. I immediately arose, got out of my wagon
and walked out among the wagons feeling very
much oppressed and hearing the uproar, knowing
it was evil spirits, and in my heart I called upon
the Lord and in the name of Jesus himself and
in virtue of the holy priesthood which I held,
we rebuked those evil spirits and commanded
them to depart or leave us to rest in peace, and
it was so no quicker said than done. They went
directly away and all was quiet in the company.
We felt very easy and quiet and could go to sleep.
I knew there was power in the priesthood for I
had known of devils being cast out before. I felt
so comfortable and happy to thank the Lord my
God for this manifestation of his divine power
and goodness in delivering us from the powerful
grasp of the devil.
We were blessed in crossing the river and
getting up to camp, but our little daughter Mary
Elizabeth was taken very sick and in spite of all
of our efforts to save her, she died in a few days
after we arrived in camp.
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As I remarked, we were organized into
divisions and a foreman for each division and I
was appointed a foreman in the fourth division
in the camp of Israel on the 13th of September,
1846.
It came to pass that we buried our sweet
little daughter in the edge of the little mound
near Cutter’s Park and there were some ten others
buried there. We felt lonesome and to mourn the
departure of our dear little daughter, but we felt
proud and very thankful that we had entrusted
to our care so great a treasure and so pure and
precious a daughter of Zion, but we had to part
with her.
But our stay in this place was but short, as
the summer was passing away and people had to
prepare for winter, as it would soon be upon us.
It was deemed wisdom to seek a good winter
resort that the brethren could be preparing, to
build and gather hay and go to settlements to
procure supplies. Accordingly, an exploring
committee was appointed. They found a beautiful
place near the river about three miles from
Cutter’s Park, good land, good water, and plenty
of wood handy. We soon repaired to this place,
were very much pleased with the location. A few
days, yea not many moons, and here was a city.
The country was dotted with houses. They rose up
like mushrooms. I pitched my tent on the south
line of the city. We kept Sister Roylance with us
as she had no tent and some of her children were
sick. I deemed it wisdom to build her frst a house.
So, I with my little force, went to with our mights,
cut and hauled logs and put her up a little house,
built a freplace and covered it in and moved her
into it, and built two rooms for my two families
and moved them in out of our tent.
We cut some hay and helped to build a council
house and then we put up another room adjoining
my house and hired Brother McGuire to teach us
school and we soon had it going. The Lord was
with us and helped us and we were happy in him.
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Bishop Edward Hunter built himself a house. He
was a near neighbor to me.
This place was named Winter Quarters. This
place is situated between old Council Bluffs and
Council Point and is located on the west side of
the river.
November 16, 1846. And it came to pass that
in this city was born to us a daughter, a fne
promising child by Susan, my second wife, our
frst polygamist child. We gave it the name of
Susan Asenath. We loved her very much.
December 29, 1846. It came to pass that this
city was organized into wards. By appointment
Joseph Lee Robinson was bishop of the 7th Ward
and I selected for counselors, James Blake and
Joseph Matthews. It came to pass we performed
our duties and labors to the best of our abilities,
having many poor and some sick and several
deaths. Among the deaths, was our daughter
Susan Asenath. She died March 12th, 1847. Also
died, Charity Campbell, whose husband was
one of the battalion boys. We buried them in
our burying ground. We composed some verses
ftted to the occasion, but we do not have a copy
to insert here. We only say, let them sleep sweetly.
Sleep until the resurrection day.
A pioneer company was organized to go up
and search out the land of promise for the Latter-
day Saints. As yet, we knew not where we should
go, but the prophet Joseph was very anxious to
get this people into the Rocky Mountains. He said
at one time he wanted temples built all over the
Rocky Mountains. George A. Smith (in this last
winter, the First Presidency was restored by a
clear vote of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints electing Brigham Young president and
Heber C. Kimball his frst and Willard Richards
his second counselors.)
We felt happy and very thankful that we had
such good men for our leaders. The presidency
deemed it wise to take a good company of
pioneers and go and search out the land and to
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take a portion that was well prepared with them
and leave them to commence operations and
hold the fort.
In the fall, a company was organized to go
down to St. Joseph, Missouri, to freight up goods,
and I sent one wagon and three yoke of good
cattle. But through bad management on the trip
and bad usage, I lost fve head out of six and we
sent back to pick the poor. I sent one yoke and
surely I never saw them more. I also lost one yoke
of burrows before crossing the Missouri River
and also lost one cow in the winter which placed)
me in a fx so that I was under the necessity of
stopping this season at least.
... .·.
While here, I became acquainted with a lady by
the name of Laurinda M. Atwood. We formed an
attachment and agreed with the consent of my
wives to marry. The President being agreeable, we
were sealed at the house of E. T. Benson on the
20th of March, 1847 by President Brigham Young.
Verily, if I had not been stored with a pretty good
portion of faith, I certainly would not dared to
have taken so much responsibility. Being driven
from my home and exiled in an Indian country
not knowing whether we should ever fnd another
home, but trusting in God, the holy spirit saw I
should take her that it should be for the glory of
God and also for her good and my good also.
This, may appear strange in this generation.
Nevertheless it is verily true for if I had not had
taken her, I should have been condemned of God.
In taking her into my bosom for a wife I verily
know that I was under no condemnation, for
after receiving what I had, wrapped in a heavenly
vision with the straight and narrow path before
my eyes continually and receiving through the
holy spirit, revelation from Almighty God on that
very important subject, I knew verily the time
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had come for the humble servant of God to enter
into that holy order.
As Jacob was teaching his people in the Book
of Mormon, forbidding them to practice the order
of plural marriage for he, God, had commanded
Lehi that his people should have wives, save one
and concubines, they should have none. But,
he adds if I will raise up seed unto me I will
command my people otherwise you shall abide
by these words. Now, it is plain and certain that
God had the right to command his people just
what he pleased, whatever he commands, that
is virtue to obey the same. Now if any man is
worshipping a God that cannot tell him what he
would have him do today, it is not the God we
worship. For we worship the God of Abraham.
Notwithstanding, it is written thou shalt not
kill. Nevertheless, he commanded Abraham to
take his son Isaac up to the mount and slay him
and offer him in sacrifce. Now Abraham went
about it and certainly would have done it as he
was told if the Lord had not stopped him. That
showed to God that Abraham would obey him
and it was counted to him for righteousness.
Abraham knew that God commanded him to do
that thing. Now if Abraham had refused to obey
this commandment he never would have been the
father of the faithful. Now Jesus came through his
loins and all the faithful from Adam down to the
last one who will ever be born on this earth of the
faithful that will be admitted into the golden city
described by John the Revelator, will be adopted
into the family of Abraham.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE: J. L. R. then continues with a
discussion of the prophets from Adam to Abraham and
concludes with his testimony by saying]: We do know
that God has spoken from the heavens and that he
has brought forth the fullness of his everlasting
gospel and that it does embrace the doctrine of
plural marriage and if that was not included in it
would not be the fullness of the gospel.
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They wanted me to look after Sister Roylance
and family, saying, when Brother Roylance drew
wages and sent money, I should receive pay out
of the same. I furnished her four, provisions,
and wood out of my own private means, but I
did never ask them for a dollar. I could not, for
I did consider that these battalion boys were
performing one of the most important missions
that event was performed for this Church. Also
one of the most hazardous, attended with a great
amount of hardship and suffering.
Now to get our bread and many necessaries,
we had to go down into Missouri like the children
of Israel did for corn, go into Egypt.
Now, many of us had to stay and go to farming
in order that we might live and prepare to go on
to the promised land. For surely it now has been
promised for the Lord had told us by the inter-
pretation of tongues and the spirit of prophecy
and we felt it powerfully in the spirit that our God
had a choice land in the west for his Saints. We
knew verily that erelong the center stake of Zion
should be built up by the Latter-day Saints and
that an holy temple should be built there in this
generation where the God of Israel should show
his face to the pure in heart.
So, our faces were sent Zionward. It seemed
that we must not be diverted from the great
prize that lay before us. Truly we have received
an earnest of our inheritance and it is so very
rich. Yea we have received the Holy Ghost and
it brings to us such a food of light, intelligence
and knowledge. Yea, an assurance so that we are
greatly in love for we have found the prize and we
are willing to sell all we have for that prize.
And it came to pass that in addition to the
building of a large city at Winter Quarters, the
Saints built a grist mill so that we could grind
our corn and grain without having to grate it or
to boil it, which thing we had done very much to
keep from starving to death.
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1847. Early in the spring, the First Presidency
and a good company of pioneers and families left
to search out the place for the Saints to gather
into. It came to pass that we that remained behind,
went to with our mights in plowing, planting and
sowing and fencing and going down into Missouri
for supplies.
And it came to pass that I sent our colored
man, John, with some feed grain and provisions
to raise something for us to come to. He went as
a teamster for a brother with the pioneers. And
behold the Lord went with them. They arrived
in the Great Salt Lake Valley, 1847, on the 24th
of July. They were exceedingly happy, planted
some seeds and left the brethren and returned
to Winter Quarters late in the fall, cheerful and
happy and they were happily received by the
brethren and sisters and we had a good time
through the winter in meetings and dancing
and in instructing the commandments. Behold
we labored with all our mights to prepare to
start in the spring to leave our homes again and
continue our journey to the land of peace.
It came to pass that prior to the death of the
prophet Joseph, he spoke largely and lengthily
upon the situation and upon the importance of this
government, the mighty and once happy nation
regardless of the situation that the government is
in at the present time. He (the prophet) proposed
many important improvements in the management
and policy of the rulers and lawmakers, offering
himself as a candidate for the presidency of
these United States. Not that he desired offce,
or wished to take so great a responsibility upon
himself, but merely to save the nation from ruin
and utter destruction and from the vortex of ruin
which he prophetically saw the government was
rapidly sinking into. Now there is a pamphlet, or
book, containing the governmental policies of the
nation by Joseph Smith, Jr.
It came to pass there were many elders called
as missionaries to go into the United States to
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preach the gospel but also, in particular, to
electioneer for the prophet Joseph Smith for
president. A good portion of the Twelve and
many others were gone already. I, Joseph Lee,
was called to go into the state of New York and I
was making preparations, expecting to start in
two or three days, but as I attended meeting on
the Sabbath, expecting to start the next Tuesday
or Wednesday upon my mission, the prophet, or
patriarch Hyrum Smith, came upon the stand and
said, he did not want any more elders to go out
upon this electioneering mission, as there was a
storm brewing and he wanted all that was here
to stay at home.
This, to me, was enough. I stopped at home.
There were two brethren that I knew of who went
to Brother Hyrum and begged to go as they were
preparing to take their wives with them back to
the state of New York and they were anxious to
go. He told them to go if they wanted to, so they
went but never came back again.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE: Although this section of J. L. R. ’s
journal is in proper page sequence, obviously, this is
earlier material of Nauvoo days which he is inserting
in this place in his journal. It may, possibly, have been
already covered in other sections of the journal, yet we
feel to repeat it or at least insert it here.]
It came to pass that Satan became very angry
and stirred up the wicked rulers and they became
mad, also saying if we let this fellow (Joseph
Smith, Jr.) alone he will surely take away our
place and nation. We must dispose of him in some
way. So they go up persecutions and sent offcers
to Nauvoo that the prophet might be stopped. But
he had crossed the river into Mount Rose, feeling
very anxious to get his people into the Rocky
Mountains, but his wife Emma revolted, saying
she would not leave Nauvoo. She thought she had
suffered enough. She wanted him to come back
and give himself up and some of the very pious
brethren went over and carried Emma’s message.
They begged him to come back and give himself
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up, saying they didn’t think it looked very well for
him to run away and leave the people to perish
as they would fall upon the people if they could
not get him. So, he turned back and called the
Legion and addressed them at length. He spoke
with a great deal of power saying this Legion was
his boys and that it should exist and these should
be his boys forever and ever. He asked us if we
would die for him and after receiving an answer
yes, he then said he would die for us. He then
unsheathed his sword and raised it high and with
a voice like thunder, he said, if our enemies, at
this time shed one drop of innocent blood this
sword shall never be sheathed until victory was
won in behalf of the Saints. Said he, we will fght
them with thunderings and lightnings, hailstones
with whirlwinds and devouring fame until they
are wasted and are no more.
He went with them to Carthage to be killed.
He said I go as a lamb to the slaughter, if I die,
he said, I die innocent. I have a conscience void
of offense toward God and all men.
He was murdered in cold blood by a ruthless
mob directed by the devil (we should have said
when he returned to Nauvoo he said if my life is
not worth anything to this people, it is not worth
anything to me, I die willingly.)
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : We continue J. L. R. ’s journal from
Winter Quarters.]
It came to pass that we prepared for a start
with best outft we could gather with the means
we had at hand. We got provisions and clothing
and seeds to go to the Valley of the Great Salt
Lake, away in the Rocky Mountains where the
Lord said, Stop ye, my Saints, and till the soil
and in my name build to me a city and through
yourselves habitations to dwell in and serve me
the Lord, your God, and I the Lord will bless and
multiply you abundantly.
The prophet Brigham said, We have found
a land that will do for the Mormons. It came to
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pass that after losing so many cattle and some
horses, I barely could muster teams enough to
start three wagons by hitching up our yoking
cows, one wagon for each wife and family.
In this spring we again left our homes in the
city of Winter Quarters. We are organized in
Amasy Lymon’s company, we set out and traveled
west upon the Mormon trail. We were divinely
inspired to go ahead in the name of the Lord.
We had faith in God and great love for his cause
and people. We have an assurance, yea, we knew
that God was with his people, therefore, we had
great joy, and in rejoicing with all our sorrows and
tribulations, for surely our tribulations were great
and many. But, nothing daunted nor discouraged
us, we never looked back nor repented that we had
taken upon us the name of Jesus Christ which
the world called Mormonism.
Now, before we get far along from Winter
Quarters, it might be proper to say a few words
upon the subject of plural marriage and some of
its effects upon our wives and sisters. Now with
the selfshness and traditions that they possessed
and had received, it could not be expected that
they could enter into this new order of things
without diffculty and some severe trial. Polygamy
is calculated in its very nature to severely try the
women, even to nearly tear their heart strings out
of them. Also, it must severely try the men as well.
Surely, a man needs to possess an abundance of
grace, wisdom and patience to manage several
women as wives and treat them with equality or
in a way that he may stand justifed before the law.
Now the Lord has not given any law nor set any
precedent saying how we should manage, but has
left it all together to ourselves. Only, he has told
us that if we lacked wisdom, we might ask God
and that he would give liberally and upbraid not
and that we would have a right to the Holy Ghost
and that should act as an interpreter and revelator
and a man should never get a plural wife unless
he gets her by the Holy Ghost, or he should know
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the will of the Lord or else he should better never
marry if he cannot get the mind of the Lord. This
is what I have done in every instance so that I did
know that it was the will of the Lord that I should
take her to wife. Therefore, I have truly had great
joy and satisfaction, more or less with every wife,
mixed with cares and diffculties and severe trials,
but can truly say I never looked back and never
but have always felt glad and very thankful to God
my Heavenly Father for every wife and for every
child, for every brother and for every sister and for
every blessing. But, fnd myself very weak indeed,
have done many wrong things which have caused
me much sorrow and very bitter repentance, but
the Lord, for Christ’s sake, has forgiven me all of
my sins and blotted them from the book of his
remembrance so that my garments and character
are spotless clean and white before the Lord as he
has shown unto me which fact has only created
in my bosom joy, unspeakable and full of glory,
so that, as Paul said, I do rejoice in tribulations
knowing that tribulations worketh patience, and
patience, experience, and experience, hope and
hope maketh not ashamed for the love of God is
shed abroad in the land by the Holy Ghost which
is given unto us.
Now we must say something for the sisters.
There was a subject got up among the sisters while
in Winter Quarters which created a considerable
anxiety with some of the frst wives. The saying
was this, that the frst born son in the priesthood
would take the birthright. Sister Benson, Apostle
E. T. Benson’s frst wife, felt sorry over that for
fear some of his plural wives would produce the
curtain over her children and my frst wife, Maria,
I think took it to heart some I think but she went
immediately to the Lord and sought an answer.
She made it a subject of humble and fervent
prayer. She got an answer which was that no
woman should produce me a son until after she
had. Although she was the mother of four sons
and two of them were living, but I had two wives
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younger than her and one had had one child and it
was a daughter. They both provided a child each
before her next was born but they proved to be
daughters and not long after theirs were born, she
had a son born, which proved her to have some
of the faith of Abraham, I think it rather Sarah
for faith. At any rate, it proved hers to be a child
or son of promise. It was with her, as I suppose,
as it is with thousands of others. She loved her
husband dearly.
When in Nauvoo the subject or doctrine of
plurality was frst mentioned, she felt very much
tried over it. She thought she could not stand it.
She could not certainly live and have her husband
have more wives. But the Lord was very merciful
to her insomuch that he gave her a heavenly
vision. They took her into another world. She
said she knew it was not in this world. She passed
along beautiful streets and came to a beautiful
mansion. She was politely invited to walk in. She
did so. Everything was clean, sweet and tidy with
beautiful furniture, well adorned, lovely in the
extreme. She saw a group of women. They were
the mistresses of the house, the wives of one man.
They were happy there. There was the strictest)
order and decorum, not an unpleasant look nor
an unbecoming word was spoken. Everything be
spoke perfect happiness and satisfaction. She said
the situation seemed almost or positively envious.
They were so exceedingly happy.
This dream, or vision, did for her what was
intended. She was converted. She never fought it
any more. She knew from that it was a pure and
heaven-born principle.
Soon after she had this vision, she said to me
in a meek and candid look, Joseph, when you
get another wife, I wish you would get my sister
Philana. I was surprised at such an expression,
but said why her instead of someone else?
Because, said she, I think that I could get along
better with a sister than I could with a stranger.
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I knew not what had caused such a change
in her neither did I never know until after I got
another wife. After that she told me what she had
seen. But suffce it to say, she gave her consent
to every wife that I received after that while she
lived and I do affrm that she is a wonderful
woman. She behaved remarkably, so much so
that I shall be in favor of her having a kingdom
and retaining her position as frst wife.
Now, seeing that I have gone way back to
Nauvoo and have had time to consider after
mature refection and serious consideration
upon the matter of loss and sacrifce of time and
property in the matter of leaving my home, my
lands and possessions in that beautiful city and
country of Nauvoo, with a good lot and a young
and thrifty orchard, a good brick house, with fve
rooms and two good farms in the season and my
interest in a beautiful temple which I labored hard
to help build, although that is church property,
but if we could have remained upon our land and
possessions, I could have enjoyed it in common
with my brethren.
Now the question is, why did you leave your
temple, your city, your houses, lands and posses-
sions? The answer is ready and conclusive. Be-
cause we were obliged to. The voice of the people
through a community to our leading men said you
Mormons must and shall leave the state. Now, the
question is will you go peaceably, if so how much
time do you require? The question was discussed
between them and the question was put to the
people of the Saints. We all agreed to leave in the
coming spring. This took place in the fall of 1845.
This fnally was the bargain and community did
agree that inasmuch as the Saints were making
all possible haste and showed by our word and
movement that we meant it, that most should be
let alone by the mob. We knew too well it would
not do for us to contend with them and the spirit
moved upon the people, the Gentiles, to give us a
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chance to go and upon the Saints to strain every
nerve to go.
Now, we will show you that they were in
earnest for the mob raised an army with cannon
and came into the city of Nauvoo and did fght
a few, a very few of the poor Saints that had not
got out and they had to hustle as many were sick
and many died through exposure.
Now, I propose that we estimate the value of
my property and damage over and above what
I received putting it at a low cash value. $1,000
for house and lot, $1,000 for land or farms in
Paras [or Laras] and $1,000 for wasted time for
two years before we found a resting place. This I
do charge up to the people of the state of Illinois
with 10% interest until paid. I shall hold the
government and people of the United States for
security and responsibility until it is paid, for the
reason they did not do their duty in looking after
their own number of the great family of states.
And I do solemnly affrm that I do consider it a
low and just estimate and charge and I charge it
up in the name of the Lord, expecting pay some
day.
Now while we are writing some items of
Nauvoo times, it might be interesting to relate
some remarkable dreams that I, J.L. Robinson,
had in the early days of Nauvoo. James Blakesley
was a very smart, fuent teacher. He is the man
who frst ordained me an elder. Now, James
Blakesley had done a large amount of preaching
in the state of New York where I frst became
acquainted with him. He had built up several
branches and baptized a great many converts
and had gotten himself very deeply rooted in
my confdence and good feelings. He had come
into Nauvoo but was not taken very much notice
of by the authorities and was not boosted up
high it appears. He was very much tried and
when the big apostasy came about, he went with
them. But before this took place or I knew that
he was disaffected, I had a night vision. I found
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myself some three or four miles down the river
from Nauvoo where there were two log houses,
cornered close together. I had been conversing
with the man of the house when, looking up, here
comes James Blakesley upon a horse. I recognized
him at once but oh what a feeling came over me
when I gazed upon him frothing at the mouth
with a dusty, tattered hat on and his coat vest
and pants, shoes, every vestige of his clothing
from head to foot was rusty, ragged and tattered.
The situation he was in and the feelings I had
foreshadowed misery and death for that man. I
felt sorry for him. Not long after this he went to
preaching for the apostate Law party and went
away with them and I have never seen nor heard
from him since.
Another dream I had which, if possible, made
a deeper or more serious impression upon me and
my mind. I saw in this Church of Jesus Christ
there was a very strict law passed and that a
transgression of that law meant death was the
penalty. To my astonishment, my youngest,
my own dear brother, Ebenezer Robinson, had
received a trial by the Church and judged guilty
and sentenced to die. What astonished me still
more was that I was the man to execute the
sentence. Surely a very trying crisis had arrived.
Now according to my principle and grid, there was
but one course for me to pursue which was always
to obey orders. I had no scruples with regard to
the sentence or justice of the execution and I knew
that it was required at my hand to perform the
execution. Said I in my refections, he is a smarter
man than I am. He is capable of doing more good
than I possibly can and if it would be accepted, I
would rather die instead of him. But, the thought
came again, you are innocent, he is guilty, it would
not pay the debt, he must die.
In the vision, he went with me, we passed
up Parley Street to arise up on the bench passed
through a feld to the right to a wood on Hibbard’s
farm, a secret, low place. Well, something whis-
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pered, this is a suitable place. I turned facing him
and drew a pistol from my bosom and took aim
at his breast and I saw the fre and the blood it
coming from his breast, he fell.
He was at that time the editor of the Times
and Seasons for the Church. He was considered
a good, substantial member, a good Latter-day
Saint. He was fve years younger than myself. I
always considered him a good, honest boy of good
moral principle and good character, religiously
inclined. I never saw but one thing against him
when a boy. I shall always remember when he
was a small boy, he said to me, Joseph, I think I
will become a missionary and go and preach to
the heathen. Said he, there is money in it. I shook
my head, was concerned.
This vision was given before missionary
work was introduced into Nauvoo and I had
ever heard of priesthood or endowments. I
had no idea there was any more than the frst
principles of the gospel to ever be revealed to
the Saints. I wondered and felt very bad for my
brother. He came to my house on a visit a while
after this dream. He was pacing the foor, feeling
very merry. Said I to him, Ebenezer, I have had
a dream of late which makes me feel very bad.
Said he, who was it about, was it about me? Said
I, about a near friend. Said he, if it is about me,
he slapped his hands upon his thigh exclaiming,
I will go it straight through. I thought of Peter
boasting, saying, Though all men deny you, yet
will not I. This made me feel still worse.
Let us now return to our traveling camp west
of the Missouri River. As we had set sail from
Winter Quarters, we traveled on very slowly but
moving westward toward the promised land.
Had some hinderment in crossing the River and
passing through some Indian towns and loop fork
of the Platt River and other streams.
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;.., .·.·
On Beaver Creek, my third wife, Laurinda, was
delivered of a child, a fne daughter, we named
her Jane. She, Jane Geneva, was born the 14th
of July, 1848. The mother and child are doing
well, but the mother had to suffer a good deal as
the child was born in the morning and the camp
moved on the same day. But we blessed her and
the Lord blessed her and she was strengthened
so that the camp was not hindered.
We very soon got into the buffalo country
when we obtained a plenty of meat which was
certainly a great blessing to us. Now we are
traveling into the wilderness. Now the Lord is not
feeding us as manna from heaven direct. He did
this with the children of Israel, but he is feeding
us upon substantial food nevertheless, just as
good if not better and we can discern his hand
and his marvelous power in protecting and in
feeding this people and in leading them to a land
of peace which our God has certainly prepared
and was holding in reserve for his beloved Saints
where He purposeth to feed and to nourish them
and train and discipline them and bring them
under the eye of the wicked and into the bond
of the covenant. When 40 years expire, or soon
after the expiration of 40 years, he shall bring
about the redemption of Zion and while that is
being accomplished a still greater manifestation
of the power of God will be manifest in the great
destruction of the wicked and in the building
of a holy temple upon the consecrated spot in
Jackson County, Missouri and then the work of
the Father will commence among all nations to
gather them to the land of their fathers, even
to Zion and Jerusalem and then shall greater
miracles be wrought, yes far greater than were
wrought by the prophets in leading the children
of Israel out of Egypt into the promised land. By
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that time the Latter-day Saints will have a large
experience and will possess great faith and will
possess mighty power, then great and mighty
miracles shall be performed and God shall get to
himself a great name and very much honor. Now
the little stone, very small at the beginning, and
the faith of the Saints was weak and many, very
many, have fallen away because of the power of
the devil and the wickedness of the world and the
littleness of their faith. Yet, for all that there has
been a constant addition to the little stone as all
that are born Saints and all that are baptized are
joining on, which is enlarging the kingdom and
it shall never cease growing until it shall become
a great mountain and fll the whole earth. And
it shall become so large that it shall grind every
other kingdom to powder and the dust shall be
blown away and there shall be nothing left to
show where they stood, amen.
Now we are traveling along the same, singing,
prophesying, and praying and rejoicing because
God is certainly with His Saints. They shall
rejoice and it came to pass, we passed through
Laramie and the Black Hills and the Sweet Water
and we found the devil’s gate and an abundance
of (sateratus) and many of our cattle got afficted
and died. We had to use a great deal of precaution
to save enough to get through to the valley. I lost
several, being alkalied and one by wolves, but
still we traveled along.
We passed over Green River. Here a few of
us stopped and went up the river on a hunt and
killed some elk and antelope. We saw some of the
Lamanite hunters. They looked rather sour but
did not molest us. They might have used us up.
They rode all around us and looked to see and
learn our strength, but the Lord preserved us. We
returned to camp and found all right, only one of
my cows was killed by wolves. We traveled along
very fnely, crossed several fne streams, passed
Fort Bear River and Weber, through Echo and a
very diverting and curious canyon and up Canyon
Creek and up and down and over the mountains.
Surely it was rough and tumble, but through the
blessing of God we reached the height of the last
mountain before dropping into the great Salt
Lake Valley which was destined to become the
center stake of Zion in the midst of the Rocky
Mountains.
Salt Lake Valley
• Starting out in North Cottonwod, Utah
(Farmington) • Justice of the Peace • Bishop
We halted and gazed with much wonder and
admiration and with tears and much joy. There
was an emotion of feeling in our bosoms that we
cannot describe. Suffce it to say that the valley
looked very good to us then. We descended and
entered the valley the frst of October 1848. I
drove into the fort. The brethren had built a fort
that they might protect themselves. The next day
I went south six or eight miles to see some corn
that John our colored man had raised, as he had
raised some crop for us so that with what we had
brought, we were obliged to make it do us until
we could raise something the next season.
The next day we took a brief trip north some
six or eight miles to see the country. We saw
the President and told him where I had been
and what I thought for the present if it should
meet with his approbation. He said all right go
ahead. So consequently, on Saturday we drove
up to the mouth of North Canyon and camped
for the winter.
Sunday, with a part of our family, we attended
meeting at the fort and on Monday we took our
teams and went and gathered our corn to secure
for as we discovered there had been but little
raised in the valley and it stood us in hand to save
what we had that we might not starve to death.
On October 5th, 1848, Susan my second wife
was delivered of her second daughter. A promising
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child. We held the same with joy, very glad we
now had found a resting place for the mother and
child who are doing well. In this month we got out
timber and built our house and we entered into it
with some satisfaction for the canyon winds came
down nice with a cold whine which made it very
disagreeable for those that had to sleep out in
their wagons causing them to suffer exceedingly.
But soon in the winter, we built more log cabins
which made it more comfortable for us. This
proved to be a rather hard winter. We lost two
cows. Still we live and rejoice in the Holy One of
Israel believing he will sustain us and never suffer
us to perish while we still trust in Him and keep
His commandments.
,....., .·.,
On February 2nd, 1849, this day Maria, my frst
wife was delivered of a son weighed 10 lbs., a
fne promising child, as well a child of promise.
Joseph Elijah his name.
On the 1st of March we went to Salt Lake
and had a good chat with President Young. With
other questions I asked him where I should farm,
or locate. He told me that my name was down
for a bishop in the city but that they could put
another in my place and that I should go north
that I could do as much good there as here and
better for myself and that they wanted a bishop
there.
In this month there was an election held in
the fort and I was elected to the offce of Justice
of the Peace and at the same appointed bishop
over and unto the North Cottonwood Ward and
precinct and on the 24th of March was ordained a
bishop under the hands of C. C. Rich and E. Snow,
two of the twelve and set apart to preside over the
North Cottonwood Ward so that I received two
important offces at that time. I received it as a
mission and went and soon entered my feld of
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labor as a missionary but felt my incompetency
for such a task and felt my weakness very much
and did call upon the Lord to strengthen me and
give me wisdom and grace according to my day.
We moved up to Cottonwood and commenced
to put in some crops. We moved two rooms and
set to with our might but behold our own strength
was small and our weakness was for the want
of food. For it came to pass that early in the
winter I went around to see if I could get or buy
anything in the shape of edibles and behold I
could not fnd any encouragement where I could
get one pound of anything and I came home and
examined and made an estimate of what we
had on hand counting in bran and all. I saw we
would have to come right down to half rations
or else would have to go through this three or
four months without bread. And behold I said
to my family, now said I, if we keep on eating all
we want as we have been doing—we will have
to go without bread some three or four months.
But if we put ourselves on half a pound a day we
will have bread until harvest, that is if we get a
harvest now. Said I to them, what shall we do?
Said they, we have some bread all the while. So
said I we must ration. And it came to pass that
we commenced from that time and we weighed
out our rations. I got my half pound and barely
for the frst day or two I thought it would most
certainly kill me, for I went in the canyon, worked
hard but felt very hungry and weak and after a
few days I did not feel it so much.
Now the crickets had been very destructive
on their crops this last season and our brethren
put in crops and the crickets came down and
devoured them. I will here relate an incident, a
very remarkable one which was told me by John
S., brother of George A. Smith. He with others put
in crops south of the city. They came up and the
large crickets came down and were determined
to devour them. They fought the crickets all day
and would have to lay down at nights and then
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they would rise in the morning and fght them
until they were so exhausted that they would
not stand. But as soon as they were rested they
would go at them again with all vengeance. But
as they had nothing to eat and not much but roots
and herbs they had not much strength. But the
thought that if this crop was eaten up they would
certainly have to starve to death, they hung on
like bull dogs. He said they came into their tent
one night and were clean discouraged. They
gave out entirely, saying they could do no more.
They then told the Lord, give us help or we will
perish. And it came to pass that the Lord did help
them for he sent an army of cannibals called sea
gulls. They came as if inspired. They came that
afternoon and they fell upon them and devoured
them by the millions and soon as their stomachs
were full they would go and spew them up and
then go at them again and so on until they cleaned
them out. They raised a very good crop. Now was
this the hand of God? I say yes verily it truly was
as great a miracle as the manna and the quail
story whereby the Lord fed the children of Israel
in the days of Moses while in the wilderness.
Now notwithstanding there was considerable
crop raised. There was a great many people and
many of the battalion boys had come in from
California. They had to be fed and consequently,
there appeared to be nothing I could get so it
seemed to be our only chance to make what we
had do us until a harvest.
Now we had faith that our God would feed us
in some miraculous way, either with angel’s food
in raining down from heaven or in bringing it
up from the earth the natural way. Now we had
more faith that he would do it the natural way
and we show that by our works in that we saved
or lay up seeds and when seed time comes we get
up in the morning and we labor diligently and
prepare a piece of ground and plant our seeds
and we watch that piece of ground with a great
deal of anxiety and care and we expect to see the
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little shoots spring out of the ground and then we
will do our best to guard it from the destruction
of the devourer and if it needs water to irrigate
it believing that it will mature and that we can
gather to eat it to prolong our mortal existence.
Now this is the only way that we know of to
feed mortals on this earth. But we read of mortals
being fed by a shorter cut or by a very different
process in several instances. We will now mention
a few. The children of Israel were fed with angel’s
food which came upon the ground every morning
except on Sabbath morning. The people would
gather it up every morning and live upon it for
40 years. In one instance the Lord caused an east
wind to blow quails and they dropped down for
them and they ate fesh to their full. Now this
with God was no more of a miracle than causing
it to grow what we call the natural way and then
before Christ, the prophet Elisha caused the oil
to multiply that they flled many vessels that she
could pay off her debt and that her family could
live off of the remainder. In another instance the
barrel of meat was kept so full until the famine
was past,
Our Saviour has shown us that there is an
easier way or shorter cut to feed the people and
that is the natural or proper way. In the elements,
as God has prepared them, there is an abundance
of everything that we can possibly imagine for
man for food, for clothing, for drink, for fowers,
for our moments of every variety for the use and
beneft and for his satisfaction. Now verily I say
that every man that keeps a law that will entitle
him to receive a fullness of the holy priesthood
and celestial glory shall be in possession of eternal
riches. That will be a thing that thieves cannot
steal from him for he will be in possession of
knowledge and power to organize and bring from
the elements in abundance of everything that he
needs without corroding soil labor and sweating
himself so he is so tried and weary that he cannot
rest. Now verily I say that this natural way that
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we have been speaking of is to obtain our bread
together with the weeds, briars, and thorns and
frost and every other considerable thing by which
our crops are from time to time destroyed. It is a
curse placed upon man because of transgression.
It is because man transgressed and broke the
divine law of God, his creator. Now this is the
reason that we have to labor so hard and wait
so long to get our bread and necessities of life. It
is because of this transgression of man that the
devil with his angels are let loose on this earth
to tempt, affict, worry and torment mankind
until the human family has had an opportunity
to receive the gospel again, an experience which
shall be necessary until the seventh thousand
year ushers in the order of things and when Christ
comes to reign there will not be any contention,
no want for our graineries shall be full affording
all manner of store and our streets shall be full of
innocent boys and girls playing, yea happy shall
be the people.
It came to pass that I did get about one bushel
of potatoes to plant and saved one bushel of wheat
to sow. I sowed it on one acre of ground and the
crickets came upon it and seemed determined to
eat it up, but we fought day after day and tramped
the wheat and whipped it all to pieces but it grew
for all that and made us about 20 bushels. With
my potatoes I cut each eye by itself and put one
eye in a hill and ate the heart and as soon as the
young potatoes were the size of a bird egg our
women began to grabble them and they continued
this till harvest. When we came to harvest them I
was greatly astonished at the quantity left there.
Three of us were digging them and one day the
boy stopped behind. I looked back and saw him
working away. I said what are you doing there?
Are you going to dig all day on one hill? Yes sir,
said he, if they will keep coming out like this
one is he says come here and see what a pile out
of one hill, all of these from one hill, yes sir. Let
us measure them—one twelve quart wooden
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bucket rounding full and the same bucket most
level full from one hill the largest yield I ever saw
all from one small eye in a hill. We thanked God
and laughed with joy.
Now, prior to this, after we had fairly gotten
up there we called a meeting of the people for it
was a nice inviting country and a good many had
come upon the lands. We talked to them some,
inquiring if they were able and agreeable that I
should be their president and bishop and that I
should select two of their members and set them
apart as my counselors and would they uphold us
by their prayers and faith. I wished them to make
it manifest by the show of the right hand and
there was a clear vote, yes. Then I proceeded and
called Daniel A. Miller and John Harris and set
them apart as my counselors. This was in April,
1849, and we proceeded immediately to appoint a
meeting and to look after the interests of our ward
and people. Our ward was bounded at that time
north of Cherry’s settlement and south of Weber
River, a very large ward, but a few people. Suffce
it to say, we met together often and preached and
prayed and sang songs and sometimes, spoke in
tongues. We were counseled to be rebaptized as
we had been a long time traveling and all that
wished to be Saints they should make it manifest.
Consequently, there was a number baptized on
the frst of July, 1849 by John Harris, Joseph L.
Robinson, Susan and Laurinda M., two of his
wives, Daniel A. Miller, Hannah Miller, and Jacob,
Lovica, James S., Susanna, Millers, and John
and Olive Garner, Seth Dustin, Susanna Harris,
William Harmison, all of which were confrmed
by Joseph L. Robinson and Daniel A. Miller. Also
on September 9th, 1849, there were baptized by
Joseph L. Robinson, Maria Robinson, Oliver Lee,
Ebenezer J., Anna Maria, Robinsons, William P.
and Sidney R. Burton, Elizabeth, David and Alma
Hess, and Clarica Jane Miller all of which were
confrmed by Daniel A. Miller and John Harris.
Also on September 9th were baptized by Daniel
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A. Miller, Benjamin and Rosanna Matilda Cross,
Joel Ricks, Eleanor, Louis, and Sally Ann Ricks
and Amanda Tomkins—all confrmed by Joseph
L. Robinson and John Harris.
Now about our half rations. It kept us alive
and as I told the women we would have bread till
harvest and so it was. But we termed it the frst
famine that we ever passed through. Surely: a
little piece of johnny cake was the sweetest
cake that I ever tasted, but the Lord blessed it
the little portion that we had, and we didn’t go
without bread so that we felt to thank the Lord
our Heavenly Father and we did not trust Him
in vain.
In the summer, we moved Maria from the
mouth of the canyon and put up her house. Now
the immigrants were passing through to California
for gold. They brought us many good and useful
things. Yea, we got from them some provisions and
a great deal of clothing, tools, good horses, foot
sore and poor, cattle and wagons and we traded
them provisions and recruited animals. Now some
of our battalion boys found gold in California and
that excited a great many of our Gentile friends
in the eastern states. For they worshipped gold.
So they took the gold fever and they would load
up heavy with everything that we needed and by
the time they got here their teams were given out,
so we could see the hand of the Lord to bless his
poor afficted Saints and could but acknowledge
His hand in this great blessing. I not only got
some good horses and cattle and wagons from
them, but some money also for they often get in
a quarrel and then they must have a lawsuit as
they would get near our place, there being good
feed for their animals and they would come to
the Justice of the Peace and he would judge their
diffculties and have a little of their money and
some of the brethren would have diffculties and
want a lawsuit and as we, the bishop, and the
bishop’s court in Nauvoo and in Winter Quarters,
had attended and set on a great many cases of
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differences and diffculties and inasmuch as we
had not only been servants, but slaves to the people
and had never received anything from them, we
thought that as they would quarrel about property
matters that it would be just that they should
give us something for our time. But in looking
after the poor or in encouraging fellowshipping
among Church members, these were a part of our
regular church service duties.
There were some law cases that came from
Ogden City that we had to hear and pass judge-
ment upon their disputes, but as a rule our people
were very good Latter-day Saints and were quite
attentive to their duties.
It came to pass that our pioneers frst set their
eye and foot upon the valley of the great Salt Lake.
It was July 24, 1847 and this day of all others
will ever be remembered and celebrated by the
Latter-day Saints. When the 24th of July came
we certainly did celebrate it to the best of our
abilities. We met at Salt Lake City, a committee
was appointed, they got up a program for the
day. We had a splendid dinner, a public picnic,
music and marching. Every bishop was to carry
his own banner with his own motto in large
plain letters painted. I had on my fag a large
beautiful eagle and my motto was Truth Before
Gold, thinking this to be a very ftting motto in
this gold excitement. We enjoyed ourselves very
much and we felt that the Lord was still pleased
also.
Now we went through the summer the best
we could but in the fall we talked of building a
school house that we might have a house to meet
in and that we might get our children to school.
We appointed a time for a school meeting and
met but could not agree and then another, and we
did not quite agree this time. I then appointed a
third and I had faith and felt determined that we
would get the house and that every man should
be enlisted in enterprise as I saw how it could
be done and then made the proposition where
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it should stand and how we should build it. This
plan was accepted. We were all agreed and we
then entered into agreement that a group of
men should start with me on Monday morning
to cut and hew timbers for a block house on Wills
Bottoms, being prepared to stop until the timbers
were all cut and on Tuesday morning the teams
should come and stick to until it was all hauled
and then we should put it up in quick time. It
came to pass, when the next Saturday came it
found us with a good and good sized block house
with “punchen” foor and rough and dirt on it,
clinked and dobied all over and all done ready
for use. Behold, Christmas was right upon our
heels and we held our Christmas picnic dance.
We had a jolly Christmas in that house and hired
Brother Green, a good school teacher, he taught
two months of school and he said that school had
made as great an advance as he ever knew a three
month old school to make. And behold ye, we had
a good meetinghouse as well.
It came to pass that the word of the Lord came
to Jedediah Grant and others through the prophet
Brigham, or in other words as some would term
it, counseling to go to the states upon important
missions. This was late in the fall and I had a very
excellent, favorite horse I could have taken over
$200 for him from the immigrants. I would not
let them have him but “Jeddy” wanted him and
Brother Bolton was called to go to France on a
mission. He had a horse, if he could sell him he
could go. His horse was worth about one-fourth
as much as my horse. I saw by letting my favorite
horse go I could send him and Jedediah Grant
on their missions. I could not withhold. I said
Brother Grant you must have my horse. Said he
how much, $100? I said what he was worth in
ordinary times. He said God bless you Brother
Robinson, I can give you $75 now. He gave me the
money and my brother George will give you $25
in a few days and it came to pass I went directly to
Brother Bolton and asked him what do you want
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for your horse. $75 and then he could go. I gave
him the money and took his horse. God bless you
Brother Robinson said he and it came to pass the
next morning I met Brother Brigham Young. I told
him that I had let Brother Jeddy have my horse.
What did you ask him, Brigham asked. $100 said
I, what he was worth in ordinary times, said he.
Yes sir, said that is all. That is right
,
said he, God
bless you Brother Joseph and you shall be blessed.
So you see I got three blessings for one horse and
surely did get them.
It came to pass the next season the gold
immigrants came along thicker and more of them
and they brought to me two (too) very fne horses,
yea the Lord gave me three. Although I paid the
parties all they asked for them, but they proved
to worth over a $1,000 more than they cost me.
Mission to Southern Utah
•
Helping establish Parowan, Utah
• Visiting the southern settlements
with Brigham Young
...., .·
Now in the spring of 1850, I hired a good teacher,
a young lady and she taught an excellent school
through the summer season. Through the bless-
ings of God we raised very good crops and took
cows from some of the brethren in the city on
shares so that our women made an abundance
of butter and cheese and behold we had plenty to
eat and we were in prosperous circumstances. We
tried to do our duties temporally and spiritually
the best we could and the Lord helped us so much
we got a good carriage and a new wagon, or wag-
ons, and cattle and horses. But the Lord saw that
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we were a going to get rich, and He, well knowing
the dangers of wealth in this wicked world saw
proper to call me on a mission. From the fall of
1850 to Little Salt Lake Valley about 200 or 300
miles south. The President felt very anxious to
extend our settlements south. He called upon
George A. Smith to raise 100 men and proceed
immediately to Little Salt Lake Valley and form a
colony, to go to farming and hold the place until
the immigration should come suffciently strong
to relieve us.
Brother Brigham told me if I would go and
help Brother George to start a settlement there,
then I could, stay there or come back or go
where I had a mind to. As he wanted to start
the manufacturing of iron as soon as he could,
as there was an abundance of very rich iron out
there, soon after he received this call, Brother
George saw me. He says, Brother Joseph, would
you like to take a little trip with me down south?
Then he kept letting out a little by little until I
received the whole story. That was, I am called
to select 100 men and start forth on a mission to
Little Salt Lake Valley and start a colony, as we
have remarked. But, said he to the President, I am
no farmer, and not much experience in business
matters. But said he, if you will allow me to select
15 or 20 men that I can depend upon that are
businessmen and farmers, then, said he, I will
enter upon my mission at once. Now, said he, I
suppose you would not allow me to take a bishop
or anyone in authority. Yes, said Brigham, take
any man you want but bring their names to me
and if they can be
;
spared, unless I have some
particular use for him, you shall take him.
(Brother George A. Smith then said) now
you are about the third man that I have spoken
to. Now Brother Robinson, I would really like
to have you go with us, now what say you. Yes,
certainly, said I. If the Lord is willing I certainly
should be. I will go and do the best that I can
with all my heart. Now what shall I take. Well,
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said he, take provisions, see farming utensils
and tools whatever you can and probably you
had better take some family. And, said he, we
should get started as soon as we can. It is a way
in November now.
And it came to pass that I set about getting
ready to start upon our mission. My family was
agreeable. Susan said she would go with me
and she seemed to be the most suitable one for
the mission. Laurinda had a young child, a son
who was born August 6, 1850 and his name was
Nathan and she had no children to help me, and
Susan had (children old enough to help me).
Maria’s boys I wanted to stay and carry on the
farm. So we ftted up the big wagon and loaded
it down and I moved Laurinda to the city as she
had friends there to remain with while I was
absent.
It came to pass that I packed four bushels
of potatoes in my carriage with bran and shorts
and put a small stove in it. Also, we made our
bed on the potatoes and took my family in the
carriage and hitched on three or four yoke of
oxen and cows on the big wagon and while in
the city I blessed my youngest son Nathan and
added Benjamin, calling him Nathan Benjamin
and drove to Kefs Mills and loaded in our four
and stayed the frst night with Brother Joseph
Matthew.
On December 10, 1850 we set sail upon our
mission with hearts full of gratitude to the Lord
that he had brought us to so good and healthy a
land and that he counted us worthy to go on a
mission in the interest of his kingdom. For the
Lord had said unto me that inasmuch as I would
do what I could in the times of my poverty for the
building up of the kingdom of God on the earth,
the time should come when I should become
rich so that I am looking forward with hope to a
recompense of reward.
It came to pass that in ascending a long and
heavy hill on the divide between Salt Lake and
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Utah valleys our cattle refused to pull their load.
As John, our colored man, was singing away with
all diligence, for he was a good Saint, and the
little boys helping him (for Susan was a widow
with two little boys when I married her) and I
came down to him, I saw the situation and told
John to unhook the wagon and relieve them and
then come back and hitch them again and I would
bring my $1000 horses hitch on and they must
pull it. And the Lord helped us and they pushed it
up. We thank the Lord and we drove to Lehi and
camped. George A. and most of the company was
ahead of us. We passed through American Fork
and Battle Creek, very few houses in those places.
Provo, a small town. Springville, a small but a
very pretty town and then to Payson. Here we
had some considerable diffculty getting through
the mire but succeeded in reaching this fne city.
Here we found two families, Brother James Rice
and Elias Gardner, two log cabins is all there was
in this town and it was the settlement, the last
settlement, or house we saw going south until
we built them in Little Salt Lake Valley which we
called Parowan.
It came to pass we now began to realize our
situation just in the commencement of winter,
leaving our homes in civilization and trusting in
the Lord and what we had ahead of us.
And it came to pass that before we left our
homes, I saw President Brigham Young and he
asked me if I was going with Brother George A.
to the south. I said, yes sir if you say so. And he
said yes. I am glad for I feel very anxious about
that mission. He said we want to extend our
settlements south for good reasons, I said to
him, Brother George says that he thinks I had
better make my calculations to stop down there
and make my home, he says he thinks maybe he
will also. Brother Brigham said to me, Joseph you
go and make you a place there and perform your
mission and when that is done, said he, you can
do or go where you like. You can stop there, or sell
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or rent your place there or come back here or go
where you please. So I thanked him kindly and
told him I would go and do the best I could.
We will now return to Payson. Here we
found George A. and the company. We set sail
with quite a formidable company for behold, he
had raised his 100 men, several from my ward,
namely Daniel A. Miller, Thomas S. Smith, James
Harmison, Ezra T. Clark went and some others
were called but did not respond.
Passing over the summit we camped at a
place I named Willow Springs and it retained
that name. We camped one night on Salt Creek,
it was a bitter cold night and I was afraid my
potatoes would freeze. But we kept fres going
and having blankets around them to save them,
if possible. We passed Chicken Creek and found
the Sevier River here. It was bleak and cold and
I dug into the banks and prepared for fording the
river. Here the Indians shot some of our cows
and some of the cattle, but we did not lose many
at this place and passed over and through and
came into (Pasvant) Valley and camped at some
springs which I named Cedar Springs for there
were cedars there and they kept that name. We
drove up and camped on Chalk Creek and here
we found a very large valley. We found in this
valley, at a creek, some corn the Indians had
grown. We named it Corn Creek. We also named
one creek New Years Creek for we camped here
and smoothed a piece of wire grass ground and
on New Years had a dance.
There was no snow and the Lord favored us
and we felt to acknowledge His hand. We had been
greatly blessed. We moved slowly along passed
Pine and Cove Creeks as we named them down to
Beaver Creek. We camped on the Sabbath days and
held meetings, had some of the elders preaching
to the camp and had some very interesting times.
And when we got over to the Elk Horn Springs,
there was a large camp at that place but there was
quite a few of good horse teams that had gone on
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ahead over on Yellow Creek and camped, namely L.
S. Smith, Tom Bringhurst, Charlie Harper, Daniel
A. Miller and James Harmison, David Brinton and
several others. This was a Saturday evening but
our president and a large company with him were
back some miles and the captain of the brethren,
Brother Hoffheims, with a small cannon, as we had
a small ordinance with us. Those of the weaker
teams were behind. We had gotten our suppers
and were comfortably seated in my carriage doing
some writing with a pan of milk sitting on the top
of the carriage away from the dogs. Bang went a
cannon back north of us. We knew very well it
was our gun and it created a great excitement in
our camp. Brother (Maman Johner) was elected
captain of the horse company. Hurry, boys, the
Indians are upon our brethren and they will be
massacred. Some said they could hear the women
and the children screaming. Captain (Palmer)
came to my wagon in haste saying bishop what
shall we do, those Indians are upon our President
and company and I am afraid they will all be
massacred. Said I, Brother Falmer, no cause of
alarm. They have fred the canyon for a salute
because of arriving into the valley of the Little
Salt Lake, that is what it is. Said he, some say
they can hear the women screaming. Well
captain,
what do you wish and it shall be done, said I. We
think it wisdom to send a posse of the camp before
us and have the men come and help us and we
wish to corral our wagons as soon as possible
and send a company to help them if they need
help. All right, said I, but you will fnd it as I have
told you. We pushed the wagons together and the
milk spilt. The company departed, and it turned
out to be just as I had told them. The President
and boys with him laughed at us and said it was
good enough for us for it was no business for us
to have gone and left them. So, we had our fun
for our pains. The boys ahead of us came back
and it took them all night but we were glad that it
was no worse, but they had to acknowledge I had
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it right and when our breakfast was over in the
morning we hitched up and drove up to Red Creek
and camped with the foremost company. It being
Sabbath there, there should have been a meeting
called to worship God that in so doing we should
have sanctifed the Sabbath day and kept it holy,
but some of the men wanted to see the goodly
land. And I discovered the move and went and
inquired where they were going. Out to see the
country said they. Said I, will you let me go with
you. Yes
get your horse and come along said they. I
never stopped to consider. I got my horse directly
and we went up to Center Creek about fve miles
from Yellow Creek. We explored up the canyon
a ways, found it pleasant and lovely with a very
moderate upgrade of considerable breadth, grassy
with some lime and (altamond) a good quality
of soap in the ground. We crossed the creek. It
was but a small creek and passed down a ways a
little below the city of Parowan afterwards was
built. Now the soil was red as the hills above us
did abound with a red rock in different shapes
and form, they did present a most beautiful and
grand appearance, but verily the land did not look
very inviting to me, but I had faith.
We were riding along and Brother Thomas
Smith remarked, said he, I do not want to see
any white man imposed upon so much as to be
required to settle on such land as this. I heard
the remark and called a halt. Said I, hold on boys
let me tell you this very land that we stand on
right here will produce abundantly of all kinds
of grain and vegetables. Brother Thomas says, do
you believe that bishop. Most certainly, I do said
I. Do you suppose the Lord would ask His Saints
to form a settlement upon a poor piece of land?
No certainly He will not, said I, this ground will
certainly produce abundantly. They shook their
heads, we passed on down to camp. Brother Bur
Frost came out to meet us. Said he, boys you will
get chastised severely. The President and company
have arrived. He scolded, saying elders, seventies,
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and bishops going out on Sunday. Why did they
not call a meeting and worship God and get His
spirit on them. Said he, I had my horse saddled
and in a few moments would have been astride
him and after us, but President Smith came up
and inquired where such and such ones were and
being, how he commenced to scold for he felt the
spirit of discontent which was with the brethren.
Said he, I sneaked off and pulled the saddle off my
horse, felt glad that I was not gone with you. We
turned out and retired to camp, saw the President,
he had done his scolding and he took me out by
ourselves and inquired of me what discoveries
we had made and what I thought of the land. I
told him it would do. Said he, I can feel there is a
dissatisfaction with the men in camp. I told him
what had passed between us, the expressions they
had made that I was surprised to hear from them
and what I had prophesied of the land. I told him
it would do, for I dare not bring an evil report of
the land for I knew the Lord had sent us there to
form a settlement, consequently it must be good.
I told Brother George A. the soil was red and very
inviting but it must be good. He seemed pleased
with my report of the goodly land. He made an
inquiry of the other boys for he knew the spirit and
feelings they had which he could discern and on
the morrow the entire camp moved up to Center
Creek and camped on the south side in fort form
and turned out. It being on the 13th of January,
1857. There was plenty of grass but no snow. The
winter, by the hand of the Lord was shaped for our
salvation and that of our animals, for surely my
horses fattened as fast running out in January as
I ever saw a horse do on a plenty of good hay and
grain. There was a plenty of good cedar and pinion
pine on low hills nearby and by exploring down
three or four, found plenty of good pine timber up
a canyon of nice grade and easy to make a road.
We soon opened a road up to timber, moved our
camp on the north side of the creek where we built
a town which is called Parowan. We turned out in
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mass and got our timber and put up a building of
a house for a meeting house and then the brethren
were set at liberty to build for themselves. I laid
the foundation of the frst dwelling house ever
built by a white man south of Payson.
And it came to pass that a city sprang up not
in a day but in a very few days. We laid up a city
and made a strong corral, enclosing about three
acres in the center of the fort.
We were soon organized into wards and it
came to pass that I, Joseph Lee Robinson, was
appointed to preside over the Fourth Ward. This
duty I tried to perform to the best of my ability.
The Lord was with us and Brother George A,
Smith proved to be a very good captain, a wise
counselor and a very interesting president. By his
appointment we had our meeting every Sabbath
in the forenoon preaching, in the afternoon we
were organized into a community of the whole. In
these meetings we would fetch out of the brethren
their best views and experience in agriculture
and in every branch of business pertaining to our
mission and labors. Then when he had gotten all
the information he could get from us he would
spend his best judgement and would say, boys,
let us do so and so. Our farming was divided
into three surveys namely the upper, the rabbits
and the wire grass surveys. I took a farm in the
rabbit bush and upper surveys and was appointed
one of the committee of three to divide the water
for the three farms and then I was made water
master of both those farms, namely upper and
rabbit bush. Our practice was to notify every
man what hour he should take to water and how
long he would have it. I think we had the most
satisfactory and the best order that I have ever
seen in the mountains and in good time when
spring came we were on hand to plow and sow
and plant our crops. And it came to pass that the
self same spot of ground upon which our horses
stood, when the remarks were made and I offered
the prophesy in favor of the goodness of the soil,
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even that was tested and proved all that had been
said in its favor. This very season experience has
since taught us that where lime rock lies in the
hills above, the soil will be good and productive
and that is why this land was good for we found
lime in quantities lying above this land.
Now we found ourselves sorrowed with
redskins, our Lamanite brethren in their wild
devilish state, and it came to pass some of our
horses and cattle came up missing. A mass
meeting was called and the result was a law was
passed that the entire stock of the camp (in all
about 500 head) should be herded with three
effcient men or grown boys on horses with good
guns and ammunition, and it was motioned and
carried that I should have the job and see that it
should truly and faithfully be done. I accepted,
but not until I had it fxed in the shape to suit me
and the entire camp agreed to it and that was the
price was fxed for men and horses per day and in
the case that I could not get volunteers, I should
have power to press any man owning stock into
service, and that each head of stock should be held
to pay Its proportion of the expenses until it was
paid, and they all said amen even so. And upon
those terms I took the job which placed upon my
shoulders more public responsibilities than upon
any other man in the camp.
It came to pass that I made it a rule to attend
to all of my public duties frst and then what time
there was left I could improve for my own beneft,
but I have always felt that I was upon a mission on
this earth and that I was and should be laboring
for Zion and that it was the kingdom of God or
nothing for me.
...., .·.
We all labored very faithfully and in a short
time, even very soon, we had a city built, the
ground broke for our seeds to be put in and in
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the spring of 1851 President Brigham and party
visited our place and stopped with us a few days.
They preached and fortifed and cheered us up a
bit and they returned rejoicing.
While they were with us we went to Red Creek
and just across the north side of the creek there
had been evidently a town in some formerly
time as there were a large number of (tombs
or mounds) small ones and we opened several
of them fnding cooking utensils and broken
pottery of a superior quality in abundance and
several relics and some corn on the cob in very
good condition. And it came to pass that many
of the brethren were homesick and begged to be
liberated that they might return home, but that
was something that I never had done for I went
prepared to stop until my mission was flled
and was fully accepted and should be honorably
discharged. Brother George A. asked the President
(Brigham Young) if he might come up with him
but he says no, you and Brother Robinson stay
until the last of August to attend the September
conference, saying my team would bring us up
in six days and then we could come back in six
days so that we had our instructions.
And we soon had a saw mill in operation
so that we soon had an abundance of splendid
quality of fne lumber. The Indians took one of my
cows, a very large milk cow with bell and strap
so that they are in debt to me that much. But I
suppose they will be abundantly able to pay all
their debts when they get their land, for it came
to pass when Jesus visited them or their fathers
rather after his resurrection, he gave them all
this continent and South America also. But the
Gentiles have come since and taken possession of
the most of their lands and they shall redeem it
for they will receive the gospel. They shall become
the battle ax of the Almighty God and their horns
shall be made iron and their hoofs shall be made
brass and they shall go through the Gentiles and
tred them down and tear them in pieces and all
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of their enemies shall be cut off, so we think they
will become possessors of their land and be able
to pay all their debts. For it is the eternal decree
of the great God that every man shall pay all his
debts or he shall be shut up in prison and where
God and Christ are, they can never come worlds
without end.
And it came to pass that we, George A. Smith
and I, Joseph L. Robinson, started for Salt Lake
in my carriage. The Lord had given me a very
excellent fne span of large black horses, great
travellers. We set sail on the 22nd of August,
1851. In the morning one of them (the horses)
came up very sick and our company started, but
we did not know whether we could go or not. But
we prayed for the mare and the Lord heard our
prayers and she got better and we started after
noon and overtook our company in good time. In
Corn Creek in the Parvant Valley we met Brother
[Goot?] and others going to Parowan. I wrote a
letter to my wife Susan and sent it back by him to
her in which I told her to be of good courage that
she should get along well, that she should bear
a son and that his name should be Solomon. We
were blessed of the Lord, got through all right
and found my family well and very glad to see
me, as well as I was to see them, for it was the
longest time that I had ever been absent from
them since we were married. It was now going
on ten months. We attended conference the 6th
of September, it being held one month before the
time to give the missionaries more time to cross
the plains. It came to pass that I soon received
a letter from my wife in Parowan. In it, she gave
me the good news and I received a very pleasing
intelligence that I had a son in Parowan, that he
was born the 27th of August, 1851. The mother
and child were doing well, thank the Lord.
Sometime after the conference, the President
with a good company started for the Parvant
Valley south to hunt a place to locate a state
house for it was even so that the government of
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the United States had given unto us a territorial
form of government and had made Brigham Young
governor of the same, even over Utah (this was
October 21st, 1851 when the party started its
return trip to Parowan). Now this was effected
(the territorial government) under the reign of
President Millard Fillmore. He was a very sensible
and good man and it came to pass that Brother
George and I went with this party. We had a good
time with them and arrived at Chalk Creek on
the 27th of October, 1851. And it turned out that
Brother Brigham, or rather President Young and
I assisted Apostle Orson Pratt to clear away some
cedar boughs on a tree that he could hang up his
instruments to get the altitude or something of the
kind. When this was effected the President said to
me, will you walk with me, and we two passed up
south to a beautiful, sightly spot and halted at the
place where the state house was afterwards built.
And as we arrived Brother Heber C. Kimball and
another brother met us. Brother George A. Smith
saw us and he came tearing toward us. Brother
Brigham made the remark, there comes Brother
George forking out. Yes said I, that is a right good
man. Well he is, said Brother Brigham and he has
a brother John L. Smith who will make another
good man for he will go for counsel where he
should. President Young said (in locating the
state house) as a very sightly spot, a lovely place,
yes said Brother Heber this is a very nice place
for the state house, yes said I this is the spot and
there is a beautiful cedar tree that ought to be left
standing. Yes, said Brother Young, pointing to a
beautiful cedar grove, those tree ought not to be
cut down. No, said President Kimball, they should
not be cut down, no said I, it should be $40 fne
if any man cuts one down, and at this junction
Brother George came up, said President Young to
Brother George, we have located the state house,
this is the spot, we will go right down and have
the boys make the stakes and set Brother Joseph
to surveying out the city.
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We passed right down to camp and work
was commenced immediately. Brother Anson
Call, with his train just arrived. Brother Anson
come, said Brother Brigham, to him Brother
Call, we have located the state house and the
city will be right above here and here will be
your fort for the present and he continued his
instructions to Brother Call saying, the boys are
now at work making stakes. Brother (Frose) will
go immediately to surveying the city. There is a
beautiful grove of cedars (pointing to that grove
we just alluded to) we don’t want that grove cut,
saying it is a $40 fne for any man that cuts the
green cedar in that grove. Now Brother Anson
Call has just arrived with his company to locate
and start the settlement in that valley as the
President had relieved him from the Little South
Stake Mission (as he was called upon that mission
with us) to preside over a mission in the Pasvant
Valley (that’s Parvant or Pasvant Valley), now this
valley received its name and was from this time
called Millard County and that city was named
Fillmore in honor to that man that gave unto us
a territorial form of government and gave unto
Brigham Young for governor. Now Brigham Young
was the best governor that Utah has ever had and
Millard the best president.
Now President Young assisted me with his
own hands to adjust my own carriage and prepare
it for Brother George and I to start in the morning
for Parowan. Now verily, the President and I had
had a considerable of a conversation upon the
subject of Brother George returning to Parowan.
Now Brother Brigham was a very cautious man.
He said he wanted us to go to Parowan but he was
afraid it would not be safe on account of Indians.
I told him that I understood the situation of the
mission and that it greatly needed his presence. I
told him we did not fear to go, we carried 21 shots
ready and that we should not stop out only one
night. He said if we could get a company of wise
men we should go. I told Brother George, he was
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pleased, and he set right about to hunt the men.
He found three that agreed to go with us and we
were making speedy preparations to start in the
morning. Now the three were Chandler Holbrook
and son and Chuging Smith.
Now morning came and we hitched up for a
start but one man ready to go with us, namely C.
Smith, but the other two decided not to go. We
three started from Fillmore to Parowan and the
President and party returned back, but we three
were speedily were carried on our way by a large
beautiful pair of black horses, the feetest team
or pair of animals that we ever travelled with
in these mountains. We took great pleasure in
riding after them, we had no use for a whip. They
would take us as far as we wished to ride. We
drove on and camped at night in the midst of
a (valley) more than a gunshot from any brush
and watched my horses until dark then tied them,
fed them oats and found ourselves all right in
the morning. We thanked our God and away we
went to Parowan before night. There we found a
people wonderfully blessed to see us. We attended
meeting the Sunday following and we both spoke
wonderfully good to the people. An appointment
was given for the afternoon for Brother George to
preach. I called and saw Brother Smith between
meetings. He said to me, bishop, what shall I
preach this afternoon. Said I to him, open your
mouth wide and God shall fll it. Said he, I’ll do it
so he did so and I say to you that Brother George
A. Smith did deliver one of the most powerful and
instructive discourses that I have ever heard him
preach in my life.
We remained at Parowan for some time.
Brother Smith was very busy counseling and
regulating and setting in order the mission and
we left them and returned home to Salt Lake
in the fall. But they were sorry to have us leave
them.
We had very good luck, found the brethren of
Fillmore well and in very good spirits and very
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busy. We found our oats all right that we had left
with them until our return for Governor Young
had given us directions that we should leave some
with them until we should return, and directly
after our return we saw in the Deseret News the
names of the committee that had been to Fillmore
and had located the state house. And it came to
pass that Joseph L. Robinson was one of those
and I drew $83.09 ($84.00) for my services which
came very good for which I felt very thankful
to God, my Heavenly Father. And it came to
pass that we in the Latter-day Saints labor with
all our might to build up the kingdom of God
on the earth. We labored and God blessed our
labor, He began to bless the earth for our sakes,
for verily we had prayed earnestly to our Father
that he would abundantly bless the seasons, the
soils, the mountain, the waters, that they would
greatly increase them and he would increase our
faith and so he did. By the holy priesthood he
did bless the lands, the mountains, the waters,
and the seasons and truly they were blessed for
it is a marvelous fact that where there was but a
very small mountain stream, there came down
from the moutains scarcely suffcient to water
our good large farm as in the case of the Sessions
settlement at Centerville. Brother Sessions and
one or two or some few families settled there.
They didn’t want any more land taken in that
vicinity or said they there will be no water for you,
we claimed what there is and shall need more to
water the farms already taken and so said Brother
Cherry on Cherry Creek that he would need all
of that stream to water his farm and after this
Brother Thomas Grover took up a piece of land
on Cherry Creek and commenced farming and
they got to quarreling over the water, came very
near fghting over it and Brother Grover left and
settled on a small creek, a little south of North
Cottonwood. So that we discovered that the Lord
would certainly perform a miracle to increase
the waters for the beneft of and the salvation of
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the Saints of God in these last days. It is just as
great a miracle as when Moses smote the rock
and brought water for the salvation of the House
of Israel in his day. Our God works in mysterious
ways His wonders to perform.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE: For the next four pages of Grand-
father’s journal I shall dictate exactly as he has written
with his own spelling and punctuation.]
“And at our return to Salt Lake, we learned,
the president, or rather the governor, and suit,
had been in, about one week, but we were paind
to learn that President Young had ben very sick,
but was happy to learn he is better now.
As we have remarked we labored with all our
might very diligently, to build up the kingdom
of God, on the earth, and we rejoiced greatly in
our labors, for we knew, verily I did know, that
God, had restored the holy gospel, in its purity,
and fullness, and that he had committed the
dispensation of the fullness of times, and that it
behold us as elders in Israel to assist, yea to labor
with all our mights, that we might earn an interest
in that kingdom, for surely the scriptures do say,
that every man shall be rewarded according to
his works, now with regard to works for worship,
we discover as we refect upon the works that
have to be accomplished, in the great latter day
work, some seem to think to preach, sing, and
to pray, was the great bulk of the worship of
Almighty God. But behold ye, these things are
very proper and nesesary in their place and time,
but preaching, is but the smallest part of this
great latter day work. We will now ennumerate
some of the essential part of the great labor. The
mannuel labor that have to be performed by the
sons of Jacob, but will be performed principally
by the sons of Ephraim, and Manasseh, truly
the gospel has to be preached, to the nations
and people of the earth, and also the poor, the
elect of God that receive the gospel, among those
nations have to be gathered up to Zion, but where
is the money coming from to defray expences, to
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sustain the families of those elders performing
this great work, well, we will come right home and
see what there is to do, we begin to annumerate,
roads have to be made, bridges have to be built,
roads into the canyons, timber got out, saw mills
built, farms to be opened, and fenced, and billd,
dobies to be mad, bricks also, rocks to be halld
and laid into foundations, dwelling houses to be
built, school houses to be built, meeting houses
to be built, tabernacles to be built, temples to
be built, and large numbers of men and women
have to be supported, while they labor constantly
in those temples, to perform ordinances for the
living, and for our dead, canals to be made, to
draw water out to irigate our crops, cities to be
built, orchards to be set and cared for, viniards
all so, horses, cattle, and sheep raised and cared
for, all these, and a thousand other things, that
might be mentioned, which are really essential
and nesesary, for the convenience and comfort
of the people which God, requires at our hands,
and in which he is highly pleased, when these
important labors are performed, in his name, and
with an eye single to his glory, yea the meeting
together often and speaking often one to another,
and offering up our sacraments unto the Most
High, baptizing and confrming and blessing our
children, keeping the Word of Wisdom, marring
wives, and raising up children to the Lord, now
verily, I say, that inasmuch as any or all these
things are faithfully done, in the spirit of the
gospel, they shall be acceptable unto God our
Heavenly Father for Worship, shall be just as holy,
and shall be counted works, which shall receive
merrit or reward, as preaching the gospel, or
doing any other work in the kingdom of God.
..... .·
On April 20, 1853 I left my home in North Cot-
tonwood, to take a mission south with the Presi-
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dent, and Governor, Brigham Young, and party,
expecting to take Brother George A. (Smith) to
visit my family at Parawan and preach the gospel
to the people, as I had been voted for a house
missionary at our April conference, expecting to
perform a preaching mission south, left Salt Lake
City 21st in company with Brother Peck, Bullock,
and others, took John S. Smith with me, as far
as Provo, expecting to take Brother George A.
from that place, as him and President had gone
there, and when we arrived on the 22nd, found
Presidents Brigham and Heber C. and George A.
there, a meeting was called in the afternoon, and
we had the great pleasure of listening to some
very interesting discourses delivered by Brother,
or President, Brigham and Heber and others, I
put up with Brother George A. and family.
The next day, 23rd, Governor Young called a
council as he had been credibly informed that there
were several hundred Spaniards in our territory
travelling contrary to law, and that they were
cottegeing with the Indians, to turn them against
us, so that he thought it expedient to, and he did
issue a proclamation, ordering a distachment of 30
or 40 men to be raised immediately to travel with,
and in front of this company south as far as the
settlements did extend, reconortering the valleys
and to take into custody all groops of Spaniards,
or any suspicious characters. Brother Deminicus
Carter concluded to take Brother George A. and
wife in his carriage, so that John S. could go with
me, drove to Springville, a meeting was called in
the afternoon, and some very rich instructions
was given by President Brigham Young, all those
meetings were, very largely attended, 24th Sunday
we travelled to Palmira on Spanish Fork, a meeting
had been apointed Apostle John Taylor spoke,
and was succeeded by President Young, who
informed us that his people had to fort up or we
should not be safe for ten years to come, for said
he these mountains would be full of robbers, like
the Gadiantan robbers of old, and that he had
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been wearied with the foolishness and teasings
of this people. They wanted to scatter abroad,
thereby exposing themselves to becoming the
easy prey to their enemies, he said this people
must be wide awake, and have their arms and
amunition, in readiness, and build strong holds,
or we should be swept of from the earth, and
after dinner the President and suit (party) drove
to Payson. We put up with Brother Mclellen, the
President of that branch called a meeting in the
evening, elders Amasa Lyman, and C. C. Rich
talked good to that people, 25th Monday there
were some Spaniards taken into custody, at this
place, and we drove to Nephi on Salt Creek, to
put up with Brother Hoyts people, a family of
Saints that I became acquainted with, where I
frst received the gospel in 1836 in the town of
Boonville, Oneida Co. St. of NY. They lived in what
was called the Black River country, seven miles
from my place, the frst Mormon meeting that I
ever attended after I were baptized, was at their
house, at our frst and earliest experience in the
new and everlasting gospel, oh what a sweet time
we had together, and how I loved to meet with
them, and how they loved to have me come and
meet and talk to and with them, they said when I
came it seemed to them that Israel had come, oh
Israel in all your abidings prepare for your Lord
when you hear these glad; tidings, now the good
times we enjoyed together we shall never forget,
no never, the Lord was with us then and we can
safely say he has never left us yet, that is not all,
we hope and pray he never may, while we dwell
on this earth, for surely we are only strangers
and pilgrims here, and we are seeking a better
country, a house not mad with hands eternal in
the heavens, and it came to pass when we arrived
at Nephi, I found mother Hoyt sick, and I anointed
her with holy oil in the name of the Lord, and in
His name administered a blessing unto her and
she was blessed indeed, meeting was held in the
evening preaching by the twelve, and succeeded
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by Brother President Kimball he spoke in his usual
earnest energetick way, and he profesied that every
settlement in the mountains would have to fort
up, or they would be cut of from the face of the
earth, or be swept out of existence.
This evening the detachment arrived about 40
in number with their baggage wagons trimmed
and equipped as the law directs prepared for
duty. Tuesday morning 26th, President Young
informed us that he should proceed no farther
south than Sanpete that he would take Brother
G. W. with him, that Brother Amasa and Rich
would proceed directly to San Barnadeno, that
Brother Erastus Snow would go to Iron County
on the iron business, and that Judge Snow would
go to hold courts, and that he wanted Brother
John L. and I to go south and preach the gospel
to every settlement of Saints, preach to them
what the spirit should dictate, and God should,
bless us, and it came to pass, that we proceeded
on our journey and mission, Brother Brigham
said we should be gone about 15 days, and about
30 of this detachment under the command of
Captain Wall, proceeded south with us, which
made a good lively crowd, we camped near the
bridge on the Severe River, Wednesday 27th we
drove to Fillmore found the people in a very good
condition, Brother Call the president of that place
apointed a meeting in the evening for Brother
Snow to preach, and he called on me to take the
lead in speaking, and I had very good liberty a
good fow of the spirit and next Brother John S.
and then he spoke good to the Saints an excellent
good meeting, for the spirit of the Lord was truly
with us.
Thursday 28th we passed the brimstone
mines and camped on Pine Creek the soldier boys
and company with us, we had a very windy knight.
Some carriages blown over and covers of, other
ways we found ourselves all right in the morning,
we fed our horses and got our breakfast early and
John S., Friday 29th, and I set out for Parawan,
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the company would be too days, but we drove it
in one day, we fronted a very heavy south wind,
and we drove into the creek before dark Brother
Jame gave us some supper we had a good chat
with him and left an apointment for a meeting
with them there, and we drove up to Parawan
found our people all well and all the people very
glad to see us, we rested, and visited, until the
company came up the next evening, Saturday a
snowy day the company and soldier boys came
in and a meeting was called and Amasa and Rich
preached to the people, Sunday frst day of May
we attended meetings, I was called up the frst
speaker and had very good liberty, felt myself
very much at home, Judge Snow sucseded me
in the morning and in the afternoon John S.
Smith preached to the people, in the evening we
attended the prayer circle and had a good time
there.
The twelve went to Seder City and held meeting
in the evening, Monday the 2nd visiting with the
people all well, Tuesday the 3rd I went to Seder
City took my wife, and Aunt Mary Smith and
Gritta George A. Smith’s wife with us to Seder
City to visit while we went south on our preaching
mission we visited the iron works the furnace
was in operation, saw a specimen of the ore, it is
said there is a considerable silver in it probably
enough to pay for working it.
Wednesday 4th we drove to Harmony put up
and visited with John L. Lee [or John S. Lee] and
family had an interesting visit with theme and on
the 5th we administered the word of life to them,
and they seemed to greatly appreciate the same,
we had very good liberty, in our meetings, I spoke
frst and Brother John S. followed from there we
drove to Shirts Fort held meeting had a good time
with them all so they agreed to obey counsel, we
again returned to Seder City staid with Brother
Lunt and family we preached to them and gave
them good counsel they seemed to apreciate our
visit and instructions much, we saw the iron
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foundary in operation and we rejoice, that our
people were engaged in so good a work.
Saturday 7th took the too Sisters Smiths and
drove to Johnsons Fort held a meeting had a good
time with them they rejoiced much and said they
would obey counsel, then we drove to Parawan
found all well. We went to Red Creek and held a
meeting, John S. took the lead we spoke by the
Holy Ghost and the brethren greatly rejoiced,
and several of them spoke, and surely we had a
very affecting time it was with diffculty that we
could get away from them, and it was at a late our
in the evening, we returned home. Sunday 8th
we atended meeting at Parawan, Brother James
Brown a returning missionary from the Cociety
Island was called to the stand, he gave a brief
history of his success and percicutions while on
his mission. And Brother John S. followed him,
and he gave us a very fne discourse. In the
afternoon John D. Lee gave a very good preach,
and Apostle Erastus Snow, spoke, and gave us
a very interesting discourse, informing us that
God would take care of his priesthood, Brother
Snow informed me that he could not go home
until the last of the week and he instructed the
President to give an other apointment for me to
preach next Sunday evening and also a party for
us on Monday at four o’clock I atended a corum
meeting with the brethren in the evening, Monday
9th. I went into the feld and plowed and put in
some oats, the boys whitewashed the house and
decorated it with fowers, that it looked very
beautiful indeed.
(May 1853) At four o’clock, the horn blew for
the gathering, the people gathered, the President
called on me to open the party by prayer, and
also to make a speech, while the people were
gathering which I did, the spirit rested down
upon the people, the music was on hand, the
party commenced their exercises about fve, we
were favored with some very nice songs by the
brethren, at sunset and intermission of one hour,
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we had good order, a splendid party, a better one I
never atended, we enjoyed ourselves so well, I am
sure the Lord must have been there, or we could
not have been so happy, my wife and I retired at
two o’clock, the youngsters kept it up until day.
We should have remarked, at eleven or twelve, we
were treated with refreshments, cake, pies and
cheese in abundance, but no spiritous liquors.
Thursday 12th Brother Smith and I went up to
the main mines and gathered (ofthiun) and and
gum, in the evening atended meeting, I preached
to the people, and enjoyed a good fow of the spirit,
John S. spoke after me and several of the brethren,
spoke all so, the Holy Ghost rested down in powr
we had a good time.”
[Editor’s note: The foregoing is a sample of
Great Grandfather’s writing with his punctuation and
spelling. The following and remainder of his journal will
be edited as dictated by his great grandson Dr. Oliver
Preston Robinson.]
Friday, May 13th, snowing fast and a powerful
rain through the day, and rained considerably
Saturday while we were preparing some hay feed
for our journey home.
On Sunday, May 15th, Elder Erastus Snow is
on hand to start for home. I took leave of my wife
and little children. They hated to have me leave.
My little Mary Jane was determined to go with
me, but I could not take her from her mother. At
Red Creek we broke one arm to the tongue of my
carriage, but got it mended there. We took dinner
with Brother William Dame and drove over the
Beaver Mountain where we camped. We were in
number of men three wagons and twelve animals.
It was storming some and I was elected captain.
I wish here to remark that my mission and
visit here in Parowan and Iron County has been
a very pleasant one and I trust our labors have
not been in vain. Brother John S. Smith is of a
very lively turn, harmless inoffensive, a good
counselor, frst rate company, a very fne young
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man. I have enjoyed myself with him the best and
a better partner I could not wish for. I feel to ask
the blessings of our Father which art in Heaven
upon the good people of Iron County that they
may live and be inspired to keep the counsel given
them and that they may be blessed in all things
especially in getting good wives and bright and
interesting children, also in extracting the iron
from the elements.
Monday. May the 16th, we passed the brin-
stone mines [possibly brimstone mines] and two
of the boys went and gathered a quantity of good
specimen of good brimstone. We camped in Cove
Valley where there was very good feed for our
animals. Now this valley, because of its peculiar
location and formation named it as we went down
in January 1850, as we also named a good many
valleys, creeks, and springs.
Tuesday the 17th, some of our animals were
lost this morning but through the blessings of
God they were soon found and we were on our
way travelling and rejoicing. But, while crossing
Corn Creek some of our horses and wagons mired
down and were all got out without damage. We
now fnd ourselves in the Parvant Valley and at
fve in the evening we arrived at Fillmore, Millard
County. I put up at Brother Hoyt’s remaining with
them about two days and was very kindly treated
by them. We stopped for Judge Snow to hold court
in that town, the capital of this territory, because
the state house was or had been located there. We
fnd the people well but not yet forted up as we
had counseled them as we went down, but they
were making preparations to in the near future
perform that laborious and important work. Now,
we can discover what an easy matter it would be
for the Spaniards and Indians to smite and use up
the entire people of the Saints in their scattered
settlements so far apart from each other unless
we were forted or had strongholds and were
fortifed. Now, Brothers Brigham and Heber saw
it clear but for the interposition of Almighty God
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and our Heavenly Father we should be used up
now and long before this. We should have been
swept off from the earth but for the promise that
God had made that this kingdom (which is no
less than the kingdom of Almighty God which
Daniel spoke of that should be cut out of the
mountain without the hands of men) should not,
no never be destroyed in this nor in no other or
future age or time, worlds without end, but it will
be wisdom in us, his Saints to be very energetic
in obeying counsel. When the holy priesthood
prompts we should learn to be quick to respond
to the promptings of the spirit of God for God
knoweth all things, he knows our faith is weak,
our knowledge very limited, that the enemy is on
the alert watching for an opportunity to destroy
the Church or Saints of God from off the face of
the earth. Now how much better it would be for
us to go to work with all our might and throw up
some kind of wall of defense than to be invaded,
our animals stolen from us and cut off from the
earth like our brethren were at Hawn’s Mill there
in Missouri. For as the Lord lives, if our brethren
had obeyed the counsel of the Prophet Joseph and
had gone so far west as he told them they would
not have been killed at that time, and so in many
other cases, if the Saints would obey counsel they
should have escaped many calamities and deaths
also.
In the evening that we arrived at Fillmore
Judge Snow opened court and it was in ses-
sion about ten days and we had to wait for him.
Thursday the 19th we left Fill more and camped
in Round Valley. There was some rain this eve-
ning and as the gentle rain distilled from the
heavens, our hearts were chuck full of gratitude
to Almighty God for His goodness unto us and
for his blessings unto His beloved Saints. Yea,
we refected with wonder and admiration in the
marvelous power of God which had been manifest
in the entire history and travels of this people,
thus far, yea, we received a refreshing from the
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presence of the Lord, we rejoice greatly in the
Holy One of Israel, we felt that the Lord was with
us and that we stood strong and would not want.
We felt that He would certainly bear off this king-
dom triumphantly and that this people should
not be moved nor be brought under the Gentile
yoke any more.
Now, had I not been taught of the law, and
had I not great confdence in God and in His holy
promises and ability and willingness to perform
on His part all that the Holy Ghost had spoken
through His servants, the prophets, I should not
dare venture a prophecy of this kind. We dare
venture a prophecy that 40 years or thereabouts in
the wilderness and the Prophet Joseph shall come,
Zion shall be redeemed for surely the battle-ax of
the Almighty God shall be sharpened up and shall
be placed in the hands of the mighty and strong
and it shall beat in pieces many people and their
gain shall be consecrated unto the Lord and their
substance unto the Lord of the whole earth and
all of the enemies of the house of Joseph shall be
cut off by this battle-ax of the Lord our God.
Friday the 20th we drove to Nephi on Salt
Creek and put up with Brother Timothy Hoyt
and found his father, the old soldier, sick and his
mother, the old lady, not well. Yet I anointed them
both and laid my hands upon them and blessed
them in the name of the Lord. Here is where we
parted with the prophets of Brigham and Heber,
about 23 days gone by.
Saturday the 21st I drove to the Spanish Fork
and found this stream very high, about one-fourth
of a mile wide and with much diffculty we crossed
it. We worked some four hours wading through
mud and water and had to haul our wagons over
by hand. The horses having all they could do to
get over loose. At nine o’clock at night we got all
over and built a campfre, dried ourselves, and
felt to thank the Lord that we were prospered
thus far on our journey home. We felt humble
and submissive in the hand of God.
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Sunday the 22nd we started very early, drove
to Provo, stopped with Brother George A. Smith,
He gave us some breakfast and he wished us to
attend the forenoon meeting and preach to them,
which we did. We found a very full house and
Brother James Brown was called up to give a
brief account of his mission to the Society Islands.
Then I was called up preach to the Saints. I had
a very good liberty, a good fow of the spirit,
talked good to the Saints. Brother John S. was
next, called up he spoke about the same length
of time with energy and power. We drove to the
point of the mountain and camped.
Return to North Cottonwood
(Farmington) Utah
• Farming
• Building a wall around the town
Monday the 23rd we drove into Salt Lake City,
fed and got dinner. Sister Nancy Russet gave us
our dinner. I left my partner John S. and I drove
home to North Cottonwood and found my family
alive and well, except my frst wife, Maria. She
had been very sick and through the blessings of
God she was better. I felt truly thankful that I was
again at home and that I had been so abundantly
blessed and favored of the Lord. The very thought
and knowledge that we were in the service of the
true and divine God and being inspired of God
and that he was with us and did really accept
our labors was truly a source of great comfort
and joy to me.
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Tuesday May 24th, 1853. I am well and at
home with my family. It has been raining all
this week. Thursday 26th I took some wheat and
milk and two of my wives to Brother Harrison’s
to a wool picking and my little sons, Oliver and
Ebenezer went on the mountains for poles. They
went several times this week and they have a fne
lot of them. They have worked hard and have
sheared my sheep and made a considerable fence
while I was gone and also put in a considerable
crop. They are extra good boys.
Sunday the 29th — a very pleasant morning.
Some of my family have gone to meeting but I
stay home and attend to the sick. My wife Maria
is very sick.
There is a great amount of rain these days
and we have to labor hard to keep our milkers
out of the mud.
On June 4th we sent one wagon to work on
the temple. Ebenezer is mowing hay to feed his
team on the temple.
On Sunday the 5th, the frst pleasant day
since I arrived home from my journey south, I
drove up our black horses the frst time since
they returned home and they look very well
considering the hard trip and the long journey
they had just fnished.
I took two of my wives and my son Oliver to
the city and attended meeting. We heard some
very interesting discourses from Elder Parley P.
Pratt and President Brigham Young and others.
We took dinner with George Slade and family and
agreed with Brother James Cummins to board
my son while working on the temple. I agreed to
furnish them with butter and cheese. Sister Jane
Slade came home with us on a visit. We arrived
home at dark found my wife Maria very sick nigh
unto death. I immediately prayed for her and laid
my hands upon her head in the name of the Lord
and she revived and seemed a little easier. We
found it was the turn of life and with her it was
within a hair’s breadth of going.
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On June 6th, Monday, we loaded a load of
hay and sent my son Ebenezer with it and a team
to Salt Lake City to work on the temple and he
labored there several weeks with one yoke of
cattle and wagon excavating for the foundation of
that holy house. This afternoon my wife is much
worse, I again administered to her in the name
of the Lord and I baptized her for her health and
she was a little better.
On June 7th my wife is a little better. I bap-
tized her again for her health and went to the city
and took my wife Laurinda and her sister (Stad)
to Brother Cleveland’s on a visit and went to the
city and got some medicines for my wife and
arrived home at dark. I was exceedingly happy
to fnd my wife still better and felt to praise the
name of the Lord for His great goodness to me
and to my family for I do positively declare that
in my estimation my wife, Maria, is as pure a
daughter of Zion and as virtuous and as honest
a daughter as lives in the 19th century.
Sunday, June 11, 1853, a part of the family
attend meeting. I am writing some in my jour-
nal and one letter to my wife Susan in Parowan,
Iron County. The waters are higher this season
with us than ever known before we came to this
country and through this entire season we were
very diligent in all our labors in hauling wood,
timbers and poles from the mountains in fencing
and farming and hauling wood and hay to Salt
Lake and making adobes and in working on the
temple.
August the 17th, I sent my son Ebenezer
with one yoke of cattle with a company to Fort
Hall to fetch wagons and other property for the
Church.
September. I sent one letter to Father Woods
people living in the State of New York and stopped
over night with Brother George A. Smith. We
went and saw President Young and had a talk
with him about the subject of building forts. I
told him Major Smith had located the little fort at
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Farmington in a very improper place. I told him
that in my feelings I felt very much opposed to
hauling and laying up a rock wall in such a place
as that especially if I should be required to build
a house and live there. He President said to me we
have formed a very favorable opinion of Brother
Thomas and we would not like to interfere with
his operations and location as we have appointed
him to locate a fort for the people of the ward in
North Cottonwood. Brother George A. remarked
to the President just then said he, Brother Joseph
has a very good idea of a suitable spot to locate
a fort and he has been with me and assisted in
locating several forts in the south and I think
his judgement very good in such matters. Then
President Young said to me, Joseph I’ll tell you
what to do, as Brother Smith has authority to lo-
cate and perform that work or see that it is done.
He lays up a piece for you to do and you go right
to work and perform your part and it shall be all
right. Then when you have authority to perform
a work of public nature, said he, you can say boys
I want you to do as you are told for I have done
just what I was told said I Brother Brigham has
instructed me and that is what I will do. After this,
said President Young to me, Brother Joseph it will
have to be right if it is not right as it is, it will be
changed until it will give satisfaction. After we
had left the President I said to Brother George S.,
I don’t know but I may have done the wrong thing
in saying anything about it to him. No
,
said he, it
may be you will have from this very circumstance
a job similar to perform some day.
Sunday, June 26, 1853, I obtained from
Brigham Young a permit for Brother Bastion of
Iron County to get a second wife and sent it and
also a letter to my beloved wife Susan in Parowan,
sent by Brother Benson of Parowan whilst he was
in the city. My sick wives are some better but very
sick yet. I, with a portion of my family attended
meeting at the tabernacle in Salt Lake City and
heard Elder Orson Hyde and President Brigham
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Young preach upon the subjects of angels being
our guardian spirits, proving from the scriptures
the importance of their mission and also the
great and mighty part they have to take in the
great work of the last days, even the marvelous
work and wonder that God our Heavenly Father
is performing and that the Latter-day Saints are
engaged in and have embraced and are assured
of being the authors of. But it is God’s work. He
is the great author of what is called Mormonism.
He is responsible and there are myriads of angels
also which are very deeply interested in this latter
day work. They certainly will act well their part in
this great drama doing all in their power to bring
to pass the restoration of the House of Israel, even
God’s elect and the fulflling of all the promises
of God and the predictions of the holy prophets.
They have their mission to perform. They will
have as it were the bulk of the burden to bear,
and how thankful we ought to be as servants of
the most high God. How we the elders of Israel
ought to be encouraged to press on, not to get rich,
but to build up the kingdom of God on the earth,
realizing that all depends upon the kingdom of
God being established on this earth. If that is
not accomplished, then surely there will be no
riches, honor, power, glory and happiness for us
the Latter-day Saints hereafter. For surely there
is not a son or daughter of Zion on this earth but
what there are angels which are charged to watch
over them and there never was a prophet or any
important event transpire on this earth but that
there were angels sent to instruct, regulate and
prepare them for their work and to bring the
necessary intelligence with regard to that event.
Now with regards to the agency of men, God has
made man a free agent. He has given unto him
power to choose and to refuse. He can perform
a work that shall be meritorious. He may and
can earn an inheritance in the kingdom of God.
The power is within him if he will rise up in the
name of the Lord and in faith make a mighty ef-
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fort and call upon the name of the Lord to help
and surely He will help him. As Paul said through
Christ, strengthen me and I can do all things but
then again, man left to himself is very weak and
without faith he can do nothing. But as man has
his agency he must be responsible for his acts.
Now, in these last days God has revealed himself
to man and hath sent his holy angels which have
communicated to man the great plan of salva-
tion. He has sent his angels and committed the
everlasting gospel with all its gifts and graces and
his angels have given the power and authority of
God the holy priesthood to administer the same
to all men and give unto them the Holy Ghost
even to every one of the whole human family that
will receive it, while those that will not receive it
shall be damned, saith the Lord God.
On February the 16th, 1853, I received in holy
wedlock Lydia Foster, an amiable young woman
of 22 from the hands of the Prophet, Brigham
Young, for which blessing, I thank my God.
Now with regard to our Fort Wall business,
the Indians had in several places killed some of
our people and had stolen and drove away some
of our stock and an excitement was created
among our people and it has been decided that
the people should build walls around our cities
or forts. And it came to pass that our people
of North Cottonwood were called together and
consulted and did agree to lay out a city and
called it Farmington and agreed to build a fort
or rather a dirt wall around the same.
... .·.
On the 19th of March, 1854, the people of Farm-
ington were called together and informed that we
should go right about to be putting up our wall
around the city of Farmington. Our walls should
be of dirt four feet thick and six feet high. And
it came to pass that we prepared our molds and
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brought them and set them up and commenced
to make our wall, it being the frst wall that was
made in Farmington. I had taken three lots and
my oldest son had taken one and our share of wall
for the lots would be 24 rods and we worked very
hard and faithful and remained at work during
this week and made about eight rods of wall.
A few days since, Dr. Willard Richards passed
away and has gone to rest — a counselor to Presi-
dent Brigham Young, a good man and a good
scholar he will be missed.
The 25th — the day to muster, we trained, the
Nauvoo Legion met often and drilled.
April the 6th, 1854, I attended conference in
Salt Lake. There were a good number of elders
called on missions and a number of the twelve
appointed to preside over stakes which are being
organized in the states and one in California and
President Young at this conference introduced a
new order which we termed a new and old and
an excellent order, that is for the Saints, one and
all, to deed all their property to the Church that
we should become Church property which order
was hailed with a great deal of enthusiasm by
many and a good many what are called Mormons
are going to California this spring there is gold
there.
On April the 17th I attended meeting at our
school house and by appointment I preached
to the Saints and had a good fow of spirit and
taught the Saints to be humble and obedient
to counsel recommending this new order our
all becoming Church property, advising them
to honestly and faithfully enter into it with all
their mind, might and strength, saying to them
that God would bless them, saying this is the way
I feel, that it is an order sent from God. Some
were afraid there would be some catch about it
but I do not think so. I consider our President to
be an inspired holy man of God and what he said
was all inspiration.
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We are now preparing with all our might to
obey counsel, and that is to till well our farms
and build up our fort walls, to build and move
into the cities. We have dug some cellars, laid a
foundation for an adobe house and are making
shingles and fencing and performing much
labor. We are attending our meetings, fast and
Sabbath meetings and as God has blessed me
with a good team and carriage often on Sabbath
days and always on conference occasions, go to
the Salt Lake Tabernacle. It was such a feast and
treat also to us to get to our meetings and hear
the pleasing word of God dispensed from time to
time, knowing as we certainly did, that God was
with his people and that our elders and apostles
were inspired and holy men of God.
May the 1st, 1854. President Young and
company start this week on a trip south to visit
and bless the Saints, but on account of the press
of business I could not go with him this time.
June 12th, Alva Foster Carpenter, commenced
working on my house building in Farmington
City. A great hailstorm came about the middle
of this month destroying crops and doing much
damage.
June the 25th. On this Sunday, Brother
Thomas Grover and I preached to the Saints in
Farmington.
June 27th. Tuesday, we attended a good two
days conference.
Sunday, July 2nd, 1854. We attended meet-
ing in the Tabernacle and on the 4th attended
celebration in Salt Lake.
July the 6th, 1854. My fourth wife Lydia bore
to me my eighth son. Mother and child are doing
well thank God.
On Sunday, the 8th, we attended meeting in
the Tabernacle and again on the 15th attended
meeting in the Tabernacle.
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On the 16th of July, 1854, a dreadful storm
of grasshoppers are eating up my wheat and
garden.
On the 24th we went to the City and attended
the celebration, but we forgot not God nor His
goodness for He is delivering us from bondage
and is giving us a land of peace and plenty.
On Sunday we attended meeting in the Tab-
ernacle then on Monday began laying adobes,
making wall, haying, watering crops. This week
we gave this, our labors, for a sample that every
day and every week is occupied in hard labor.
On August the 1st, 1854, I have now built one
house 42 feet long with three rooms, a freplace
and each room ready for plastering in the city of
Farmington. We are performing a large amount
of labor all for Zion getting along very well with
our wall building and also with our farming.
August 31st. I ftted out one man and sent
him as teamster to meet and help in the Mormon
immigrations as we had covenanted with the Lord
in the temple walls in Nauvoo that we would
never cease our exertions until all the poor were
gathered out and up into the great gathering place.
I suppose at the time the covenant was made it
meant the last poor left in Nauvoo. But it seems
according to the wording of our promise before
God that we are bound until the last poor Saint
is gathered out of Babylon. Now the Lord will
require at our hands that we keep our covenants
and the law of tithing and the word of wisdom
strictly as we shall not retain a blessing and
standing in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints. Now I think it will certainly come to
that for the Lord says that all that can be shaken
will be shaken and I greatly fear that such ones
will be shook out and be lost.
October the 6th, 1854. Attended conference,
a very interesting conference for this meeting
President Brigham Young said thus, that Adam
and Eve were the names of the frst man and
woman of every earth that was ever organized
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and that Adam and Eve were the natural father
and mother of every spirit that comes to this
planet or that receives tabernacles on this planet.
Consequently, we are brothers and sisters and
that Adam was God our eternal father. This, as
Brother Heber remarked, was letting the cat out
of the bag and it came to pass I believed every
word for I remember saying to the brethren at a
meeting of high priests in Nauvoo while I was
speaking to them under the infuence of the spirit,
I remarked then, that our father Adam had many
wives and that Eve was only one of them and that
she was our mother and that she was the mother
of the inhabitants of this earth, and I believe that
also. But behold, there were some that did not
believe, saying of the Prophet Brigham, even our
beloved Brother Orson Pratt told me he did not
believe it. He said he could prove by the scriptures
it was not correct.
I felt very sorry to hear professor Orson Pratt
say that. I felt he should apostatize but I prayed
for him that he might endure unto the end, for I
saw verily it was possible that great men might
fall. I remember Apostle John E. Page. I saw him
take from his pocket a plug of tobacco and bite
off a mouthful and put it back. It surprised me. I
said old chap you will apostatize. But, still I really
hoped he would not, but he is gone and I am very
sorry for the poor man.
November 3rd. Our daughter Josephine is
taken very sick. We anointed her and blessed her
in the name of the Lord. There is much sickness
and death in the city nowadays.
November 12th. Sunday, attended meeting at
our school house. I received an appointment to
preach there next Sabbath.
November 13th. Our little daughter Josephine
is better and my wife Laurinda was the mother
of another fne daughter, mother and child doing
very well. But the child only lived fve days. She
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took very sick, I blessed her and dedicated her
unto God and gave her the name of Mary.
November 23rd, 1854. Little Mary passed
away at three o’clock this morning. We were
pained to part with her, but Thy will be done, oh
Lord.
Sunday, I preached to the Saints to a good
house, had good liberty and blessed the Saints.
We were plowing and sowing wheat and hauling
timber and making shingles and serving the Lord
with all our might and strength and our God is
with us, His Saints. George A. Smith came up and
preached to us on Sunday evening. I gave $25 in
the poor fund.
December 25th, 1854. Christmas, we enjoyed
ourselves very much in the dance in our school
house. The ward recreating themselves all week
in parties and dancing. Moved my log house and
put it up and put on the roof this week. Oliver and
James Wilcox helped me. It is very fne weather
now but there was some snow the frst of the
month.
;....., .·
January the 1st, 1855. A very windy day. We
attended a fne party at our schoolhouse. It was
snowing that evening and makes good sleighing.
We moved our log cabins this week and put them
up for stables to make our animals comfortable.
We are now located in the city of Farmington with
a dirt wall partly around us to protect us, but
whether it does or not there is one thing certain,
it doth snow. Our willingness to obey counsel
whether or not verily there is one thing more that
is certain. This is the kingdom of God and this is
the people of God and also this and here are the
priesthood of God and by that priesthood this
people are counseled, governed and controlled
and by this priesthood the Saints of these valleys,
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the mountains and the timbers, the waters, the
rocks are blessed. Yea, all things are blessed to
the people of God only so that His people do love
and fear God and keep His commandments for
surely as the prophet David said, happy is that
people which are in such a case. Their granaries
shall be full affording all manner of store. Their
children shall be as olive plants around their
tables. Their streets shall be full of innocent
boys and girls playing, for their God is the Lord
and blessed be His name forever.
January 21st, 1855. We attended meeting in
the Tabernacle and heard Elder Kimball preach,
very interesting. Saw Elder James Works just
returned from a long mission in England and on
Monday called my three wives together as there
were some feelings between them. I labored with
them in the spirit of meekness. Advised them
some and understanding and forgiveness and
union was affected. How thankful to our God.
How happy we feel when we are united and one.
February 1st. Attended fast meeting. A good
turn out, blessing of children, the Saints very
faithful in their meetings.
February 11th, Sunday, Brothers John and
Lorenzo Snow preached good to us today. Very
fne weather.
February 15th. The presidents of Seventies
visited with us, namely Joseph Young, John Pack,
Jacob Gates. We had a good time and on the 16th
they advanced J. S. Smith, president of the 40th
Quorum of Seventies and two of my sons and one
son-in-law were received into and ordained the
40th Quorum of Seventies, namely Oliver and
Ebenezer and James Wilcox. Brother C. C. Rich
came and we got up a good party.
February 18th, 1855. My birthday, 43 years
old today. It seems that I am making very poor
progress but have obtained favor of the Lord. He
has given me four wives and ffteen children and
a very good understanding in the things of God, a
frm and unshaken faith in the gospel of the Son
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of God for which I feel very thankful to God. My
prayers are that I may continue in favor of the
Lord and never get out of His favor.
February 25th. Attended meeting and Brother
Daniel A. Miller and I preached to the Saints. Had
a very good liberty and our people turned out
well to the meetings these days.
March 4th. This Sunday we heard President
Kimball preach and prophesy in round numbers.
Said he to the brethren, now is the time to lay up
grain for a famine would surely come and that
this people should be like Joseph of old that was
sold into Egypt and that they should yet buy the
world with grain and stock.
April 5th, 1855. Attended fast meeting. John
W. Hess being appointed bishop, chose and
ordained his counselors Thomas S. Smith and
James Leatherhead and they were voted in.
April 6th, 1855. Attended conference. Many
good things were taught, the most interesting
was that President Brigham Young said the key
was turned. The gospel should be sent to the lost
sheep of the House of Israel and there were a good
many elders called to take missions to the House
of Joseph at this conference.
April 15th. Sunday, in the Tabernacle heard
Brother Brigham preach on the Word of Wisdom
urging the necessity of laying the foundation for
a long lived posterity.
On Sunday the 22nd a choir was organized
today and Brother Cotrel was elected chorister.
We practiced a bit after meeting. On Sunday
May 5th a meeting was held in the Tabernacle
which I attended with my three wives. Some of
the missionaries start on their eastern missions
this week and the President and company are
visiting the missions south. Grasshoppers are
visiting us in great abundance these days.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : On the dates of May 14th through
June 17th, July 1st and onto September 7th Joseph Lee
enters some personal but not historically important
events in his journal.]
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September 7th, 1855 – At one o’clock in
the morning I received my eighth daughter, a
beautiful babe by Laurinda, my third wife. Mother
and child are doing well and father very happy
and not only able to get about but is obliged to
get about pretty lively to get the bread and meat
and shoes and stockings for so many mothers and
children. This especially when the grasshoppers
and cattle eat and destroy all or nearly all our
wheat, potatoes and corn like they have this year.
The Lord only knows what will be next year when
they have laid their eggs, yea flled the ground full
of them, but I do rejoice greatly in the Holy One
of Israel, believing He will deliver us and feed
us if need be as well as He did the children of
Israel in Moses day. I took tithing melons, butter
and eggs to the city tithing offce. We do pay our
tithing because it is the Law of God, therefore
we can claim a right to enter into the House of
the Lord and when we build holy temples we may
enter into the House of God and inasmuch as
we keep strictly the Word of Wisdom and all the
commandments we will have the right to claim
all the blessings pertaining to that holy house,
our washings and anointings, sealings, frst and
second, and ordinations for ourselves and for
our dead and an inheritance in Zion. And also
we may with propriety claim life until we have
flled the measure of our creation, performed our
mission, according to the program that we were
sent here to do.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE: We skip now to the 14th of
October.]
On Saturday, the 14th of October, very early
in the morning, I anointed and laid hands on
Ebenezer, he was sick. Oliver helped me to load
tithing hay and I anointed and blessed his wife
also, as she expected to be confned and I started
for town but was greatly bothered on the way. It
seemed the devil was determined to hinder me
that I should not get back. Ebenezer came down
for a doctor but could get none. He told me that
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Lucy was very sick if yet alive. I had promised her
she should have strength to be delivered and that
she should live and that she and her offspring
should be blessed. But soon after I left in the
morning she was taken with fts of seizures and
continued to have very hard ones until about 12
o’clock at night. She gave birth to a son while she
was insensible. I came home late in the night, my
son Oliver was in the yard looking for me to come.
He was weeping and wringing his hands, saying
Lucy was dying. She would die, oh Father Lucy
will die, she is dying. I said to him, hush my son.
She will not die yet and I walked immediately
into the house which was full of very serious,
solemn persons. I said not a word to anyone but
went directly to her bedside and in the name of
the Lord Jesus laid my hands upon her head and
in His all prevailing name and by the authority
of the holy priesthood, commanded the ftts to
leave and the destroyer to cease to grasp and to
depart from this house and to my daughter Lucy
to be healed and strengthened and be comforted
that she and her little son should be blessed.
Immediately the ftts left and she rallied and was
both surprised and pleased to see her child. It was
a nice, beautiful child and through the blessings
of God, Lucy is recovering slowly, but gaining.
But her child is sickly. Anna Maria is also gaining
very fast and all feel very thankful and humble.
Oliver and Lucy’s little son passed away. I blessed
him before he died on Thursday, October 18th.
Also this evening, I blessed our little daughter
Laurinda Eliza, a spritely and beautiful child.
Oliver and Lucy’s little son I gave the name of
Oliver Joseph. His stay was short with us, only
fve days but still long enough to receive a good
home and blessing, a perfect tabernacle, tasted
death and went by—even to his Father in Heaven,
to him that gave him life, to live again forever.
Now my oldest son, Oliver Lee, and my eldest
daughter, Anna Maria, were both married the
same day, November 20th, 1854. Oliver Lee, to
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Lucy Miller and Anna Maria to James Wilcox.
October 7th, 1855, was the day Anna Maria’s
frst child was born. It was a fne son, also was
named James Henry.
On the 20th and 21st of October we attended a
two days meeting, a conference at our place, a very
precious interesting meeting. Some of the twelve,
namely Parley and Orson Pratt, Wilford Woodruff,
Erastus Snow and Uncle John and Lorenzo
Young, able and spirited preachers entertained
us Farmington folks away up exceedingly. We
enjoyed it much. Apostle E. Snow notifed me
that he wanted me to be in readiness to start for
Iron County the frst day of November as I was
expected to go and take George A. Smith and Elder
Snow was interested in the iron manufacture at
Cedar, Iron County.
Our children are getting better. Ebenezer is
laboring hard getting out our winter’s wood and
shingle logs. I am extra busy in building a house,
doing falls work and preparing for a trip south
as I have a large interest in Iron County. There
I have a wife, more precious than fne gold and
children, more precious than rubies and also
many friends, brothers and sisters, that I had
formed an acquaintance with and an attachment
unto.
On November 2nd and 3rd we were visited
with a remarkably heavy wind, unroofng the
house and scattering our hay with dreadful fury.
It took us one day to gather hay that was scattered,
shucking com, digging potatoes, hewing and
putting up joists, fxing my carriage for a start.
On November 7th, Monday, I started for
Iron County and for some cause Brother George
could not go, but he wanted me to take his wife
[Eliza?]to Parowan, as she was here on a visit. But,
when we arrived in the city Brother Kay Wood
was not ready to go yet and he and Brother Snow
wished me to wait for them a few days, so that
I returned and helped some more on my house
until Monday the 12th.
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On the 12th I drove to the city, stayed two
or three days waiting for Brother Snow and Kay
Wood then went to Provo and stopped there
several days, stopped with George A. family,
Lucy and Hannah, and while there I received
a patriarchal blessing. In it was said that I was
chosen to lead a company of valiant men up to
redeem Zion and that my wives should bless me
and a great many other good things. I felt very
good under it, yea, very good indeed. I remarked
to some brethren with me, that that blessing was
worth a large farm and a thousand yoke of oxen.
So you see I was well paid for waiting a few days
and Brother Kay Wood [possibly Haywood] came
along. He said Brother Snow was not yet ready
and that we should not wait any longer for him
and that he should not go any farther than Salt
Creek, and as Brother George A. had been sick
he did not go with us.
I took Zilpha and her little daughter and
trudged along. Was blessed of the Lord. Met some
of our brethren, a good company of Lamanites,
we were some scared but not hurt, thank the
Lord. They were very good-natured, and we gave
them some biscuits and they let us pass and we
went on our way rejoicing and were prospered
exceedingly.
We arrived at Fillmore on Sunday morning,
November 25th, put up with commandments of
God.
Snows, storms and cold weather are increasing
upon us very fast. We are gathering our stock and
branding and sending them on the range to live
or to die as best they can. I heard that my sheep
were dying, starving to death.
On January 3rd went to South Weber and
hauled home 22 head of sheep. Our people are
digging a canal to bring the waters of Jordan to
Salt Lake City. I have one man working on it.
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;.. .·.
On January 13th, 1856 Sunday, attended meeting.
On the 16th I took my black horses and turned
them out on the range at the Hooper Springs. It
is very cold and foggy weather, we hope for warm
but more cold comes.
January 12th, 1856. The perpetual immigra-
tion fund was legalized January 12th, 1856. We
turn our stock, horned cattle and horses on the
range hoping they may live as we have a consider-
able of stock, horses, cattle and sheep. But very
little hay. Now the reason for our not having hay
is because the grasshoppers had eaten it up dur-
ing the last summer as they came in multitudes
the summer before on wings and ate my wheat
all up so that I did not thresh one bushel. They
laid their eggs on the ground full of them and the
next year they hatched out in great abundance.
I planted my lots (as I had three of them) and
the grasshoppers hatched and ate up everything
that came up, weeds and all close to the ground.
I planted a second time and again came they and
ate everything again and they ate our meadows
and grain also but along in June they began to fy
away and I planted my lots the third time.
I commenced the 22nd day of June and
fnished the 24th at dark planting corn and some
melons and squash and they all came up quick
and matured and this corn saved our lives, for
in this summer the famine came for the winter
of ‘55 and ‘56 that was what we called the hard
winter and as the grasshoppers had eaten our
grass and grain then the famine came upon us
the second time and behold ye it was a very trying
one indeed but the Lord saved us for He blessed
what we had and it strengthened us and we lived
and did not die, thank the Lord. But when I saw
that I could not get any more than what I had, we
placed ourselves upon half rations even upon half
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a pound of corn, oat, or wheat meat, bran and
all. That was all that we had of bread kind and
we had not till harvest. As I told my people that
if we would come on half rations we should have
bread all the time and so it was. We did not do
without bread of some kind until a harvest but in
the last winter we lost in horses and in cattle and
sheep an estimated $2000 and I came out in the
spring poor in worrying and laboring in trying
to save some stock but I felt to acknowledge the
hand of God in it all. But I frmly resolved there
and then to never be guilty of the like again that
after this in the fall if I found that I had more
stock than feed that I certainly would dispose of
them and sincerely hope I may always remember
and do so.
I, Joseph L. Robinson, had been exercised for
some time of the importance of more faithfully
living my religion of Jesus Christ more faithfully
than I had been doing but not so much as I have
since the reformation which took place among
the people through the preaching of President
Jedediah M. Grant. His frst meeting was held
in Farmington at our courthouse where we had
meetings, (as the people of the county had built
a very good house and they gave the Farmington
Ward the privilege of assisting to build it offering
them the privilege of ftting up the upper room
to hold meetings in and I as an individual placed
$40 in building materials in the same so that we
had a very nice room). It was in this room that
the greatest reformation that was ever got up in
Utah and with the people of Farmington which
spread through the length and breadth of the ter-
ritory, reaching also into the old countries, but
it rather was look and start in Kays Ward but it
proved to be a very deep and pungent reformation.
It started on the 17th and 18th of September 1856
and on the 19th in the meetings he weighed us in
a balance and a great many were found wanting.
Previously President Brigham Young did say there
must be a reformation among the people called
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Latter-day Saints for the spirit of God moved
upon him and he said I shall take my knapsnack
under my arm and I will travel through this ter-
ritory and preach repentance unto this people
until they do repent. Behold ye that listen and
repent did take that load off the shoulders of the
President and he struck out in the name of the
Lord and did preach repentance to the people
with such tremendous power as we never heard
any man before and behold ye he took such a load
upon himself that he did use him up and as it is
generally learned it did kill him.
More of this reformation hereafter, as there
are some things we would note preceding this
very important occurrence which took place.
Verily, on the 1st day of March 1856 I commenced
to weigh out to my family half the bread stuff as
the famine must come so it did. On the 13th of
April I with several others were baptized and we
did prepare a place and start a prayer circle for
the frst time in the Farmington Ward and in the
performance of this duty we felt ourselves greatly
blessed of the Lord.
On May 8th, 1856 several of the Carson
Valley missionaries stopped with us overnight
as they were come to sell that valley but that
proved a failure and on the 9th I went to the
endowment house, the house of the Lord and I
need to report that on the 17th of March [possibly
14th of March], 1856, my wife Lydia, several of
my children received their endowments namely
Oliver Lee and his wife and my daughter Anna
Maria with her husband James Wilcox and my son
Ebenezer J. and they seemed to appreciate them
very much. They considered these endowments
as great blessings from their God.
June 1st, 1856. I started on a trip to Iron
County expecting to fetch my family from there,
but only brought our servant John back with me
as we decided they (the family) would remain
there until the next spring that they might take
care of their crops they had had in.
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I had a very pleasant trip, a good experience.
I carried several passengers down and brought
some back with me and traveled some with
Apostle Parley P. Pratt and Elder Jacob Gates
and heard them preach several times as they are
very able, good preachers. It was a great treat. We
were gone three weeks from home and found all
well at home and I felt to rejoice and thank the
Lord for His goodness and great loving kindness
to me, unworthy me, as I am.
On September 4th, my son Ebenezer was
called on a mission to Salmon River.
I desire to add more in respect to the great
reformation with this people. As we stated, it
commenced in Farmington on the 17th and on the
18th a host, of us were baptized for the remission
of our sins and on the 19th we were confrmed.
On the 21st, Sunday, we were at the Bowry in Salt
Lake City where we heard the First Presidency
preach to the Saints as we never had heard them
before. They reproved the Saints with such
sharpness for their sins and transgressions. Yea
the fery darts from the Almighty were hurled at
the center of the hearts of the people that pierced
them to the very inmost soul. A reformation is
decreed throughout the length and breadth of
the territory. An important time and awful crisis
had arrived for thus saith the Lord through His
servants, the voice of the Holy Ghost, yea the
voice of God unto this Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints, they must repent of their
sins and covenant anew before Him, confessing
their faults and verily the people did repent,
with weeping and as in dust, and ashes. Behold
ye, when the criticism was put to the people it did
disclose sins, wonders, that were heart sickening
and we did not wonder that our great and good
God could not and would not put up with the sins
and transgressions of His people any longer. They
must and should repent and do their frst works,
renew their covenants, and obtain forgiveness that
His great peace and blessings might rest down
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upon the people. And so it was, even so for truly,
this reformation was a deep and pungent and
very extensive and the blessings and the peace
of our God has rested down upon His people in a
wonderful manner in that His people have been
so marvelously preserved from the hands and
power of our very bitter enemies who have, so
diligently and ardently sought our destruction.
There have been friends raised up unto us from
time to time. Men of infuence and power so that
their (the enemies) well aimed and heavy blows
have not taken effect to destroy this kingdom and
this people as they intended. But this people are
becoming rich, spreading abroad, and building
up in a wonderful manner. The waters are being
greatly increased and the frost being withheld so
that the land has produced very abundantly in all
kinds of grain, fruits and vegetables, grasses and
timbers in great abundance and also in focks,
herds and horses of the very best quality and in a
thousand other things too numerous to mention.
That is not all, only if this people shall continue
faithful they shall never be destroyed, neither
reproved but they shall continue and increase
and improve and live forever. Now, all that our
very bitter enemies could do is to hasten the work
of God and drive His people to unite more closely
together, to stir them up to greater diligence in
keeping His holy commandments and also to the
purifying of the Church, and cleansing it from
unworthy members.
Also, in flling up their own cup of iniquity,
which now nearly brims full, and after it shall run
over it shall ignite and take fre and shall work a
dreadful destruction and behold ye Babylon, the
great, the mother of harlots, the whore of all the
earth, shall fall and great and mighty shall be
the fall thereof. Surely the kingdom of God that
the prophet Daniel said should be set up, is now
set up and it is not to be thrown down but will
certainly grow into a great mountain and fll the
whole earth and it shall grind Babylon together
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with all other kingdoms to powder, because it is
the most righteous kingdom of God and because
of the great wickedness they (Babylon and all
other kingdoms of the earth) have practiced and
the large amount of innocent blood they have
shed.
October 6, 1856. Our son Ebenezer, with
several others, start on their Salmon River
mission.
October 24th. This day Alva Foster, my
brother-in-law, came to my house very sick with
infammatory rheumatism. He remained bad for
about two weeks and then the Lord had mercy
upon him and healed him up. He is a very good
young man, a Latter-day Saint, a good mechanic
and has been laboring for me doing the carpentry
and joiner work on my house. He has obeyed the
holy law so far and has married a wife, a very nice,
amiable good looking young wife, and we hope all
the good Lord will bless their union with a house
full of good bright intelligent children.
The First Presidency and home missionaries
are laboring hard to get the people to reform and
live their holy religion, that they might escape
the judgements of God and be prepared for the
great things that await them. Our meetings are
very spirited and interesting, but there are some
questions put to the people, with commandment,
that those that are guilty shall not partake of the
sacrament. There were a great many that would
not partake. The Presidency is determined on
thorough reformation and that is a cause of
great joy to me. I feel exceedingly happy. Also,
we have a good, well attended prayer circle in
good running order. Brother Thomas Grover has
ftted up a good room for that purpose which he
graciously offers us where we hold our meetings at
present. This is an exercise that I feel very much
interested in.
November 30, 1856. We have sent a great
many teams out to bring in our immigration
people. The brethren of the handcart company
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have got in, some have died and some have frozen
their feet. Their sufferings have been great but
the Lord has greatly blessed them. We have felt
very anxious about them we have prayed much
for them and we felt very thankful to see so many
of them alive.
And now I want to say a few words in truth
with regard to myself. I had repented of my sins
long before this reformation came to us and in
fact many of them were never committed so
much so that when we were weighed in balance
I happened to come up right every time and when
the criticism was applied and the questions put,
my (conscience), every time, was not guilty and
for that reason I feel exceedingly happy. Why
was it that I was not guilty of the heinous sins
that many had to plead guilty of? It was because
I did always remember my prayers. I did see the
seriousness of sin. I looked upon lying and upon
stealing and upon bearing false witness and of
seducing females and of committing adultery and
of profane swearing, or drunkenness, all these
things, I always looked upon to be very heinous
sins. From my youth I always despised them and
I have always pled with and asked the Lord to
watch over me and to help me to overcome the
weaknesses of the fesh, the allurements of the
devil and therefore the Lord has helped me. I do
not attribute it to my own strength, but to the)
goodness of God. I give him all the glory.
And now I will say a few words about for, and
in behalf of, our very dear, and very much beloved
brother, and President, Jedediah M. Grant. Truly
he is a great and mighty man, one of the mightiest
men that God ever had on this earth. He is sick
but he took hold with such vigor, with such
almighty power or with such exceeding great
fervor in the ministry to wake up the people to
realizing a sense of their true condition and the
necessity of repentance. It has prostrated him on
a sick bed and we fear it will take him from us
entirely, our very dear brother Jeddy.
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December 1st, 1856. This day, the great man
Jedediah M. Grant has fallen to sleep. He passed
away quietly, he is not dead but sleepeth, he liveth.
We are very sorry to part with him but we cannot
mourn for him because we know he is better off.
We say that he will do us more good up there than
he could here and that they did need him there
and therefore they have taken him and will have
plenty for him to do there. Yes, and for a thousand
times more besides!
President Grant was buried on the Fourth. The
reformation is progressing fnely. I have visited
Ogden and talked some to the people, visited
some with the Saints, heard some very excellent
preaching and discover that the reformation is
doing a great work there.
We take great, pleasure in our prayer circle
meetings and we have great pleasure in attending
all our meetings and we do attend them very
punctually. My family is doing well. I feel so
happy with them in my holy religion. Surely the
Lord is with us we shall not want.
December 25th. We enjoyed the best Christmas
that we ever did. Several of our children were
with us. I turned one yoke of oxen and one pair
of steers, two years old, in the Weber Canal and
placed one cow in the poor fund, to help to gather
the poor Saints.
;....., ... .·
January 1st, 1857. We attended fast meeting
and had a good meeting. We feel so very happy
we enjoy this new year very much. We feel and
covenant with the Lord to try and live our holy
religion and to keep a celestial law so far and
good as we understand it. May God our Eternal
Father help us to do so and that we may endure
to the end.
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May, 1857. The spring has opened up fne with
an abundance of work, a plenty of work and we
faithfully attend meetings on the Sabbath and
our prayers always. My beloved Susan from the
South has come home again. She feels very happy
and humbled. On Tuesday 26th, President Young
(party) passed our home and Brother (Vance?)
took William Burton to Parowan as he did not
like to stay with us here.
The Utah War
• Difculties with the U.S. Federal
Government
George A. Smith and John Taylor returned from
Washington. They reported that they achieved no
admittance to the Union. The Gentiles are mad.
They would like to kill the Mormons. At a con-
vention of delegates which had met in Salt Lake
had adopted a state constitution and had elected
these two brethren as delegates to Washington
to present their memorial for admission into the
Union.
July 2nd, 1857. Brother Jay S. Smith returned
home and Ebenezer will come soon. We had a
fne rain today, our crops look well, our haying
is on hand. Reports say that Uncle Sam (U.S.)
is sending a company of troops here to set us to
rights, but we have peace here and fne crops for
which we feel very thankful to our God whom we
do both love and only fear him.
July 7th, 1857. We went into Weber Valley and
gathered about eight bushels of sarvis berries.
There are a large number of immigrants passing
through to California in search of gold.
There is very much plain, sound preaching
with us nowadays and our President has declared
our independence and all the people say Amen
and we think we will have it even if we have to
fght for it.
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September 3rd, 1857. Captain Vanfeet was
detached by General [Hamey or Kamey] the great
U.S. squaw killer to come here and purchase a
small town and some lumber and feed for the mob
and for their animals for the winter. President
Young informed the gentlemen they could not
come in here at all that if they would not admit
us as a free and independent state, that we would
be free anyway. He indicated that he had count
the cost and Uncle Sam had not and that this
detachment could not come in at all. He went
away seemingly satisfed that they could not come
in. He said he would use his infuence to turn
them back. (George T. Barnhish was sent with
him to Washington to persuade them again to
admit us as a state. If they will, all right, if not,
we say we will be free or die trying, for we pray
for freedom. Our church has been driven four
times and the Lord says for us to assert our rights,
maintain our freedom and He will help us and
we feel determined to do so.
September 23th, 1857. An express came into
Salt Lake City, that the U.S. Army sent to Utah.
The Army had got to Bridger and they were
determined to come in and we, our people, are
determined that they shall not come in at all
and 500 men were dispatched to cooperate with
those already out. All the men in the county are
in readiness with their arms to go at a moment’s
warning.
October 1st, 1857. Oliver and James start
today on their mission to Salmon River. There
is now a considerable amount of sickness with
our children. My daughter Anna Maria’s little
son died today (October 12th). He was sick but
a few days. I have hauled two loads of wood for
Bishop Hess for the poor and for the boys on duty.
The mob is now on Hams Fork. Our boys have
burned 70 odd wagons with all their loading and
have found 700 or 800 head of cattle and have
driven them into Salt Lake City, or into the valley.
We are very busy getting wood, and helping the
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threshing for our soldier boys. There is plenty of
hard work.
November 3rd. It commenced raining. Rained
very hard then snowed and began blowing for
over a week. Our enemies are yet at Hams Fork
waiting for Lieutenant Johnson to come and tell
them what to do, for they dare not undertake to
come in for our boys are prepared to use them
rough in Echo Canyon.
Sunday, November 8th. I was called to address
the Saints which I did upon the subject of the
redemption of Zion and upon the signs of the
times. We hope in God and expect prevail over
our enemies. Colonel Johnson has come and he
swears he will come in at all hazards. The boys
are called out to meet them if they dare presume
to come in. I have sent two loads of hay to the city
for the soldier boys. It is very cold.
November 16th. I went into the canyon and
got a load of wood for the public. My son Ebenezer
came home this evening, built a grainery and got
my oxen shod this week.
Sunday, 22nd. At eight o’clock this morning
the Bishop called all the men and boys together
and organized them into a company to get wood,
do the threshing and other public work.
November, 1857. Henry W. Miller was elected
to take charge of the men in doing public work
and I together with Brother Rose were called
upon to meet with and assist Brother Miller to
organize the men. We organized the city in two
divisions and we appointed Joseph Aldrige frst
captain of the frst division with two assistants
and I was appointed to take charge of the same,
to receive the wood and to keep an account of
the same. Brother Card, captain second division,
and twenty teams and teamsters to each division
and these two divisions are for getting wood. We
met again in the evening and divided the city
into two districts and appointed Brother Ervin
and Birk to take charge of the same, giving them
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all the remainder of names to do the threshing
and cutting wood for the widows and doing other
public duties about home.
December 1st, 1857. Laurinda, my third wife,
was delivered of a fne boy, weighed nine pounds.
He was born at half past nine a.m. Oh Lord, let
him live and become a good substantial man in
Israel.
December 3rd. The new governor has sent a
proclamation ordering all organized armed men
sent home. Our enemies are at Bridger and all our
soldiers of this county, or nearly all, came home
today. We were one week in the canyon piling
wood, halting tithing hay, and laboring excessive
hard and faithfully, the Lord with us.
;....., ... .··
January 1st, 1858. I and my family arose early
this morning and washed our bodies clean with
pure water and we prayed to Almighty God,
our Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus for
ourselves, our friends, our brethren and sisters
and for all Israel, for these peaceful valleys, and
for these mountains and for everything there unto
pertaining. I did dedicate myself and all of my
family unto the Lord together with these valleys
and mountains and rocks, streams of water and
fountains, timbers unto the Lord my God for the
beneft of His people even for all the Saints of
the Most High. We got a good breakfast, fed our
animals well and had a very pleasant, beautiful
day outside and indoors and in the evening the
high priests got up a good supper and we enjoyed
ourselves remarkably well and had a right down
good day of it, thank the Lord.
January 3rd. Sunday, attended meeting and
prayer circle in the afternoon and at half past
six in the evening, Lydia, my fourth wife, bore
to me a son, weighed eight pounds, a fne child,
my tenth son born to me and my twentieth child,
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may the blessings of Almighty God rest upon the
lad and upon my all, Amen.
January 20th–26th, 1858. The thrasher came
to my place and thrashed my wheat, 215 bushels
this last year, thank the Lord we are likely to have
bread. On the 26th our legislature has decided to
raise 1000 well armed men for a standing army
and our ward has to raise 38 and I have to ft
out one man. I have bought two ponies for that
purpose. I have to pay one yoke of oxen and two
cows for these. It will be quite a stunt for me, but
we will try to obey orders and the Lord will bless
his servants. We have raised a considerable of fax.
I am working hard getting it out and preparing it
for weaving. My second wife, Susan, is a weaver
and my other wives are good spinners and so we
have to make our cloth and the Lord does bless
us abundantly, for the elements are full of silks
and fne linen and wool and everything that we
need. So if we will call upon the name of the Lord
and labor diligently we may have an abundance
of everything we need.
January 31st. Elder Gates and Clements came
and preached to us in the day and Apostle Orson
Pratt and E. T. Benson in the evening. They have
just returned from a mission in England. They
report that the world is dead on Mormons.
February 1st. I have bought two ponies for
this is my business. I gave one yoke of oxen and
two cows for them, the boys that were called to
go in the army were enrolled Tuesday the 4th.
James Simmons came to me and said the Bishop
wanted me to ft him out instead of Jesse Clark.
He came to live with me the last of the month.
He was a good boy but poor. I had to dress him
up from the stump. I purchased for him a saddle,
bridle, arms and ammunition, blankets, clothing
and everything. It was very extensive. We felt to
do all we could well and we did so cheerfully. We
thought it was the best thing and wisest thing for
us to do as the Lord has said to us to assert our
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rights and stand up for them like men of God. If
we do so the Lord will help us as we have been
driven so many times, robbed and murdered for
no offense whatsoever only for our holy religion.
Even if our religion was man made like others,
we knew that we had a constitution and a right
to enjoy it as well as any and all others. We have
faith in the Lord. We said we would never come
under the Gentile yoke again, unless we were
obliged to do so.
March 1st, 1858. The boys are plowing, the
weather fne, sowing some wheat this week. It has
been a very fne winter. We are laboring exceed-
ingly hard and getting out wood from the canyons
for the widows and the families of the poor. The
boys furnish them hay and are going around look-
ing after the poor and needy and taking care of
their wants. I was appointed a teacher and one of
the council and was determined it would be never
said in truth that I had been slack in performing
my public duties.
March 8th, Monday, bad news came this
morning from the north. The Indians have fallen
upon the Salmon River Mission and have slaugh-
tered two of our boys, namely George McBride
and James Miller and have crippled some fve or
six others namely Thomas S. Smith and Oliver
Lee Robinson, my eldest son, Brothers Shirtleff,
Jonathan Walch and Andrew Grigley and drove
off the most of their stock. President Young sent
100 or 200 men to their assistance. A company of
50 was sent from this place, Farmington. My son
Ebenezer went for one of them. They left there on
Friday the 12th.
Colonel Cane came in from Washington and
went immediately to the United States Army at
Bridger. They are swearing mad. They say they
will fght, that war is declared and that they have
a treaty with the Indians, that they have hired
them and given them arms and ammunition and
that they will come in. Brother Brigham says that
we should put no more wheat up. He says that
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the north of Utah must immediately move south
and if the soldiers do come in that we will burn
every house and everything that we can burn. I
was called upon with my team to go north for
wagons with Brother Austin.
April 1st, 1858. Near Bear River the people
in all the settlements north are making and
repairing wagons and some are moving south.
We are at work hard repairing and making beds.
We attend the meetings every Sabbath, sent a
load of wheat to the city Saturday the 3rd and
we were informed that the Davis County people
were to stop at Salt Lake City. The Salmon River
Mission came in on April 12th and took a load of
wheat to the city. On the 15th we took one load
of wheat and one of potatoes down making four
boxes, repairing roads and harness this week.
The people are moving very fast from the north,
working on wagons.
May 2nd, I moved Lydia to the city. Took two
loads of wheat to Springville and got it plowed.
Came home on the 6th and found a dreadful wind
blowing.
May 12th, Tuesday. Oliver and James Wilcox
start to move south. Oliver’s mother goes with
them and her little son Joseph Elijah also. On
the 14th I took two loads of wheat and one team
to the city. We are repairing fences and fxing our
wagons for moving south.
On May 18th, 1858, we left Farmington with
three wagons loaded heavy with Brother Madsen
and family to take them to Provo together with
our stock. They were all started but one team
that I was to drive. I left alone, went into my
house and did solemnly and mightily humble
myself upon my knees before God of my fathers
and in the name of the Lord Jesus did I suppli-
cate His throne of grace in my own behalf and
in behalf of my individual family that we might
be preserved from material harm and accident
and that we might be blessed in our move south,
that we might please God and gain an experience
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which should be of great worth to us and that my
name might be glorifed and that this church, thy
covenant people might receive thy holy protec-
tion. I there and then dedicated myself and my
house, my orchard and farm and my improve-
ments altogether to my God into His hands for
safekeeping that inasmuch as the word had come
from our President to set the torch to my house
and property, Oh Israel, I felt that I would and
could do so with great cheerfulness. I did make
the sacrifce cheerfully, without any reservation
whatsoever.
I did try to put up my fence around my farm
and orchard that in case the Lord should send
us back, we might have something to come to.
I did remember the prophecy that I had made
in Nauvoo after the martyrdom of the Prophets
Joseph and Hyrum that this Church and people
should be permitted to build our temple and
therein get our endowments, and then our God
should take this, His people in mass, and lead
them out of bondage into a goodly land among
the Lamanites away into the Rocky Mountains
and that He should plant them there and that He
should greatly bless and increase them there, and
that they should never come under the Gentile
yoke again. Now, thinks I, it certainly must turn in
our favor and God shall surely work with us and
bring us out victorious. So, make it be then.
We drove to Salt Lake City and remained
there four days through a dreadful storm of
wind and dust. We improved the time I ftted or
ringed two wheels and had three tires set and my
stout horses shod, a thousand dollar horse, one
that I had raised.
On the 23rd we left the city, camped on the
Jordan. The next day we drove around the point
of the mountain and camped in Utah Valley. My
son Ebenezer came to us. He is driving a team
for Captain Hooper.
On Tuesday the 24th, we camped on the
Provo bench. We are getting along very well. On
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Wednesday the 25th we moved on and passed
through Provo, left Brother Madsen and family
there, saw Brother Shirtleff at the mouth of Provo
Canyon and had quite a talk with him.
May 27th, 1858. President Brigham Young
and suit [party] are at Provo. We passed through
Springville and Spanish Fork getting along fne
by stopping at [Pond Town?]. There we had a
good camp and facilities. The boys went into the
canyon for wood and poles and gathered willows,
fxed a shade and cut some hay for my horse. On
the 30th we returned for loading and brought two
loads which we left with Brother Alphonso Green,
of American Fork and returned to fanning and
brought two heavy loads home.
On June 10th, we went to Willow Creek in
Juab Valley where the farming ward had mostly
gathered. My sons Oliver and James Wilcox,
my frst wife Maria were there. They were in
very good health and spirits — and several of
their cattle and sheep had died, supposed to be
poisoned. Now the Saints were trying to take care
of themselves, their families, their animals and
all they had and to serve the Lord the best they
could, anxiously waiting, praying, watching the
movements of the waters. They hoped—and then
again they hardly dared to hope. We hitched up
and moved our camp a little west of Payson in a
grassy feld in Bunkers Camp. I went to Willow
Creek and brought up my beloved wife Maria.
We received tidings that sounds encouraging for
our return home again, so that I sent George and
William to Farmington to plant some seeds and
put up a fence and do some hoeing. I took my
wife Susan to Brother Whipple’s in Provo and
made than a good visit and left her with a friend
in Battle Creek. I went to Cottonwood and got
a load of wheat, ground it, packed my four and
went to Salt Lake City. There I learned the facts
that peace is declared and our people pardoned.
President Young and Kimball will return home.
They propose that the Saints return—all that
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wish to. In returning home from the city we met
the President’s family and many others going to
their homes again. We returned home, found it
all well. William came with teams, we loaded up
and started for home in Farmington.
July the 6th, 1858. We start back, thank the
Lord our God, we go by Goshen, the west side
of Utah Lake. We saw some of the soldiers as
we crossed the Jordan and had some talk with
some of them. They thought our people very
presumptuous to defy the United States. We told
them we could not do any better, we meant all
that we said. We got along very well. The Saints
are gathering back to their homes, feeling very
thankful that our God was with them, these His
people and that He was fghting their battles for
them and we had obtained a great victory, for the
stand our President had taken, for his frmness,
for his wise movements and counsels and that
we were permitted to return to our homes. We
returned with great joy and satisfaction and
arrived at our homes with all of our stock.
July 1858. We fnd our home, our fences,
our wheat and hay and good crop of fax, with
plenty of weeds, but in as good or in a better
condition than we expected. George had put up
fences, planted some grain hoed some potatoes
and had commenced haying. We felt so thankful
to our God, the spirit of God moved upon me
and I proceeded forth within it in a solemn and
humble manner.
I, Joseph L. Robinson, did dedicate myself, my
family, my houses. my orchard, my felds, crops,
wheat, hay, fax and garden and all the lands that
I have a right to claim, a right to cultivate, with all
our domestic animals, with all we have and are
unto the Lord our God exclusively for His service
and kingdom forever and ever, Amen, and even
so Amen. May God Almighty bless His Saints and
especially our President.
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On Sunday the 18th we went to meeting
once more and Elder Joseph Young preached
to us. On the 21st I went to Gardner’s Mill and
brought home some four and one sheep we had
left there.
There are plenty of goods and Gentiles in Salt
Lake City now. No meetings are held there at
present, the Presidency keep very close just now.
It seems to be their policy that they should do so,
but it is quite a trial for the people. The soldiers
have gone to Rush Valley and located about 40
miles from Salt Lake City, as it was agreed that
they should do so. They are quiet but it sticks in
their minds (crops) they do not like it, but the
Lord has a hook in their jaws. They cannot fall
upon this people and destroy them. We have
confdence in our governor. He will take care
of His elect. The new governor has come in, he
has succeeded our governor Brigham Young. His
name is Cumming, a very good, honorable man.
He has become a substantial friend to President
Young and our people. He is doing all he can for
us. We feel to thank God and take courage, our
God is for us.
August 8th, we attend meeting, but all public
meetings are stopped all over the territory. We
are laboring very hard trying and praying, haying
and harvesting our wheat, putting our fax, we
have a fne crop off that as well as of wheat and
hay. I was very diligent in the spring before we
moved away. I sowed some wheat, some fax and
kept up the fence while most of the people put in
no seed, put up no fence and consequently they
had no such crops or hay to harvest.
September 6th, I left for Payson for the four
and things we had left at the American Fork.
There were many trains of goods and government
supplies for the soldiers and all the more soldiers
are coming. I came home Sunday evening and
found one of my children very sick. I anointed
him with holy oil and laid my hands on him
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and the Lord healed him for which, and for all
blessings, I feel to thank the Lord, my God.
We are laboring very hard. We bought two
yokes of oxen and the boys are getting out wood,
building one loom. We have a weaver with us.
October 4th, we are preparing to build adobe
house this fall for Saint Maria, my frst wife.
We have our wheat thrashed and have 140
bushels this season, a very good crop, thank
God.
October 6th we attend conference in the
Tabernacle. The bishops and the presidents of
the several quorums with the bishops counselors
were in attendance and we had a rich time for two
days. My wife Maria went with me on a visit to
the City and on the 10th attended meeting in our
courthouse. President Joseph Young and Amasa
Lyman preached to us. It seems so good to go
and hear the gospel preached again. I have been
several Sundays at home reading and writing and
rejoicing and praising the Lord my God for his
marvelous goodness toward His people.
November 4th, George and the girls have
gone to the city. I went into the Weber Valley
and stayed overnight with Brother Higley, and
bought a house and farm of Gordon Begsted. I
am building another house this fall.
November the 13th, Saturday, we went to con-
ference, Susan and Laurinda, with me. Presidents
Young and Heber were there. They gave us much
rich instruction and counsel. There were many
cut off from the Church at this conference. The
conference adjourned until the sixth of April
next year.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : Grandfather now tells of fnishing
his house and moving his wife and family into the
same. He records that they were able to move out of
their log house but that they had an abundance of
labor to perform. He writes about the work they had
done when they frst came to the valley of the Great
Salt Lake in 1848 and the various homes that had
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been built in North Canyon, on the Jordan and then
on their farm in Farmington. He also refers to the great
battle which the Lord had fought for them and the
great sacrifce they had made in their move south and
their return again and the building of school houses,
meeting houses, tabernacles and temples and also in
supporting the families and furnishing the means of
hundreds of our elders that we kept constantly in the
mission feld. He writes about the fear and concern they
had as Johnson’s Army moved in but that the supplies
they brought were a great blessing to the people and
ends this section with a statement that “surely our God,
moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform.”
Then continuing, Great Grandfather records:]
The Lord did move upon a man to come from
the United States, round by California and over
the mountains through the dead of winter, if pos-
sible to save the shedding of blood and to save the
army of the United States, and to save the credit
of the United States. Also he went out to the army
and did persuade the newly appointed governor to
come right in with him, without arms, or guard.
He, Governor Cumming, did so. He was warmly
and very respectably received and he became
the warm friend of our people. This wonderful
man, Colonel Cane, went back to Washington
and he did persuade the government to immedi-
ately send a peace commission to treat with our
people, bringing a full and free pardon for all our
sins on the condition that we would let their army
come in and pass through Salt Lake City and that
they should not disturb a thing belonging to the
Mormons. Also, that they should camp some 40
miles from Salt Lake City — all which they did.
The treaty was entered into and it was agreed that
our people should not be molested by them and
that our people might return and we did.
And also, in the great amount of time, men
and teams and the thousands upon thousands of
dollars in money we do expend yearly in gathering
the poor from the old countries. And now verily in
the performance of all this vast amount of labor,
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this people must be supported by our Great God,
that is my testimony.
We are laboring incessantly hard all this fall
and winter. We attend our meetings and all our
duties faithfully and in so doing we have great joy
for we do know our God is with his people. Even
now, the wheat that I sowed in Weber Valley on
the 19th of November last, was covered with snow
until spring and as the snows melted in the spring
it laid under the water for three weeks and then
the water receded and the wheat lived, came up
and it made a very good crop. Brother Higby told
me that all the people of that neighborhood were
watching that piece of wheat, for as yet they had
not fairly tested that valley for raising wheat. But I
had faith in God that he would certainly bless that
valley and it came to pass that as I had bought
a farm there I wished to put a part of my family
there and it was decided that Laurinda, my third
wife, would go there with her little family.
., .,.. .·,
We started May 19th, 1859, stopped at Brother
Simmons place at the mouth of Weber Canyon.
My family did stay there for two or three weeks
because of high water, the Weber River being
very high. And when we did get up it was very
dangerous. We had to cross the river in a raft
but the Lord helped us and the brethren with
their boat helped us over. We thanked them very
much. My wife was very courageous. She packed
her little son, then only over a year old, over a
rough place at the devil’s gate. The water in the
road was such that she had to spring from rock
to rock. I admired her ambition, she was a hero.
But, we got through all right and moved into our
log cabin, keeping house.
Now I wish to say a few words with regard to
this great move and its effects, and some other
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things. Now many of this people had never been
driven, although many of us had been driven from
Nauvoo. Now, the Lord would know whether the
Latter-day Saints would make the sacrifce that
He required of them in the frst place, to obey
counsel, which was to resist a formidable army of
the United States and to say with determination
that they should not come into Utah. And then to
make a bold resistance with a formidable army, to
burn their wagons with ropes and supplies, and
to drive in hundreds of their cattle and make use
of them, and to assert our rights as American
citizens. To declare our independence, that inas-
much as they would not admit us into the Union
as a free and independent state, that we would
be free or fght. Then to show them we meant
what we said, we were counseled to move, leave
our homes, and go south with the understanding
that when the word came, to set the torch to our
houses, and burn everything that we could. To
take cash and our provisions with us so we did
move. We left our homes cheerfully with a frm
determination that if our President said so, to
set the torch, we would burn everything we did
not take with us. (Surely the God, our Lord and
Savior did test us.)
April 8th, 1859. I bought and brought home
and set 52 apple trees and I have 52 peach trees
set in my orchard. We now have planted a good
orchard and we do hope to enjoy our homes and
to be permitted to eat the fruit of our orchard,
for the Lord told me that we might now build
permanently. Nevertheless, there are reports
that the soldiers in Camp Floyd say they will
come into Salt Lake and lay it as in ashes and
take Brigham and some of the authorities to
try them for treason. These reports are that our
mighty judges are conspiring with Johnson to
bring his army into Salt Lake and they would
take the leaders of our Church and they would try
them for treason and they are teasing Governor
Gumming to let them come in, but he would not
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consent. Yet, they were determined to come in
spite of him. The Governor came to President
Young and Heber and said to them, what shall we
do. They are determined to come in. Brigham said
to Governor Gumming, you tell Colonel Johnson
if he does come in he shall be used up. Tell him
we will call out the Nauvoo Legion and they shall
be used up. But verily they did not come in and I
guess it was for the best that they did not come,
the best for both parties.
Mature Years
• Farms in Mountain Green & Farmington
• Marries Mary Taylor
• Wives Lydia, Maria & Susan pass away
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : Great Grandfather now records some
events of the winter of 1858–59.]
I fnd some things in my journal worthy of
note that I had passed over. In December 1858, we
were visited with a dreadful hard, cold mountain
wind, unroofng houses, freezing some persons
to death and many of our stock, doing a large
amount of damage. We were very busy laboring
with all our might. Christmas and the holy days
came and we witnessed many things. We went
to the city, enjoyed Christmas with some of our
friends but found that the Gentiles were killing
one or more of our police, some drunken, some
talking of apostasy, some of going to California
for gold, some to the states. But with we Mormons,
all is well. We want nothing better. We rejoice
greatly in it for it is most certainly true.
We held New Years with George [Slade?] fam-
ily. We attended meeting in the Tabernacle, the
frst public meeting since we returned. Brothers
Joseph Young, Jacob Gates, Joseph Smith, held
forth in forming doctrine and principles that were
sublime. This caused us very much joy. Apostle
C. C. Rich preached to us instructing us with a
fne discourse.
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Now surely the hand of God was visible in all
this great movement. It shows us that our God
will and can fght our battles for us. Also that we
should not doubt and must obey counsel. That
we should make the sacrifces as Abraham did,
even the sacrifce that God should require at our
hands. We made the sacrifce and it was accepted.
He brought us back again and placed us in our
homes and for a proof positive to me is that the
Lord did tell me after we returned home. Said he,
now you, my people may build permanently. This
to me said that we might now expect to stay. The
Lord will fght our battles for us. I did remember
the prophecy that I did make in Nauvoo after
the death of the prophets Joseph and Hyrum. I
did say that after we should get our temple built
and we should get our endowments, then that
God would take his people west away into the
Rocky Mountains and plant them in goodly land
among the Lamanites and that He should bless
and multiply them and that they should never
come under the Gentile yoke again. Now, I want
to say that Brigham Young was the man that
brought this, God’s people, out of bondage like
as did Moses bring the children of Israel out of
their Egyptian bondage. Even with a high hand
and a stretched out arm hath God Almighty
brought this people out of bondage by the hand
of Brigham Young, His mighty prophet, even so
Amen.
., .·.
May, 1860. We planted our new farm in Weber
Valley in Mountain Green, fve miles. My wife
Lydia bore a fne daughter, weighed eight and a
half pounds. Mother and daughter are doing well.
Our farm is about fve miles from the mouth of the
canyon, about 15 miles from Farmington, a nice,
grassy, well watered valley with an abundance of
wild fruit. We built a saw mill, a school house in
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this place and had a very good meeting and school
in a few years at this very quiet settlement. With
the help of my boys and with some hired help I
carried on this farm and the one at Farmington
also. We got along very well with an abundance
of hard labor and the blessings of God upon our
labors.
May 25th, 1860. I built there a new house and
a large log barn rejoicing constantly in the holy
one and it came to pass that my wife Laurinda
gave birth to a pair of twin girls, two fne daugh-
ters of Zion. Mother and babes are doing well.
We felt exceedingly thankful to the great giver
of all good blessings. We blessed them, we said
let them grow up and become the mothers of a
great people.
November 4th, 1860. This evening, the spirit
moved me to go out and have a season of prayer.
I followed the promptings of the spirit. I went
past my barn into my feld. I fell upon my knees
and did pray mightily to my God and He heard
my supplications. He flled my soul with joy. I
remained there for some length of time. I was
standing upon my feet, gazing at the stars, ad-
miring their beauty and order. I was exceedingly
happy and verily the voice of the Lord came to
me saying, you shall live and go up and help
redeem Zion. You shall help to build that holy
house, namely the temple of the living God upon
the consecrated spot in Jackson County, Missouri.
You shall enter into that house and see the face of
the Father and live. You shall work in that house.
He said to me so much and no more. Now verily
there was no tongue that could describe the joy
that flled my soul. I shouted and praised the Lord
my God. I went directly to my house and a mes-
senger was there for me. He said a man was dying.
I went directly to the man, laid my hands upon
him, rebuked the Destroyer and commanded him
to arise. He was healed. And I felt as strong as a
lion and my God was with me, even so amen.
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January 11, 1860. The high priests were called
together this evening and Gidden Brownwell
was cut off from the Church. Bishop John Hess
stated he had received word from President John
Young that he wished him to take charge of the
high priests in that ward, or appoint someone
to do so. Joel Ricks was elected president and
Brother Pugh and myself his counselors, and a
good humble childlike spirit prevailed in all the
meeting seemingly to the perfect satisfaction of
all the brethren. Some diffculties were settled
and the brethren felt to forgive and bless each
other and our meeting continued the next evening
also.
February 18th, 1860. I, 48 years old, did
enjoy a good supper, attended quorum meeting
this evening and Brother Grover preached a
continuation of the heavenly call and its effects
and I did feel greatly revived in my spirit and
wonderfully blessed and happy.
March 20th, a heavy snow fell. Hay is scarce
and high and much stock dying but I have been
very lucky, lost only two oxen, one sheep and one
young calf.
April 1st, 1860, Maria and I took supper with
our daughter, Anna Maria. May, 1860, my son
Ebenezer and others start for California to get a
threshing machine and other things. There is a
great stir in Congress about polygamy. September
9th, we fnish our mission and on the evening of
the 10th was called to preach. September 10th, I
blessed Lydia’s little girl, we named her Emma
Sophiah.
October 5th, I came down from Weber, drove
my black horses to the fair and on October 6th
attended conference. A very good meeting, I came
home on the 9th. On the 22nd, Sunday, attended
meeting in Weber Valley. President Farr from
Ogden was there and organized the valley by
appointing Brother Peterson President.
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October 23rd. Some of my little children are
very sick and on Monday my little son George
Alva died. He was two years, nine months old.
On Tuesday the 24th, little George Hadfeld
with a match set his father’s and my stack of
wheat a fre which was in Farmington. I had a
large stack of very excellent wheat and his father
a good stack, altogether worth $500 or $600.
Brother Hadfeld lived in my log house and had
put his wheat by mine so as to thrash it when I
did. I was in Weber at the time the machine was
to come next day to thrash. I went down, heard
the report, felt very bad but nothing could be
done about it. As for the wheat, I was concerned.
I naturally felt sorry for I supposed I would need
all that I had to support all my large family. I had
labored very hard for that wheat and had hired
out much. I only wonder that there is not many
times more houses and property burned the
carelessness of parents leaving matches where
little children can get them. But I felt that I must
and would acknowledge the hand of God in all
things. I felt and said, Father I thank thee that
it is no worse.
I came home and found the neighbors had
saved some of my wheat but it was so wet and
smokey that it was only ft for feed. Verily I say
the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed
be the name of the Lord.
I buried my little son, George Alva, he had
been sick for some time. I did blame myself for
not staying and taking care of my dear little sick
child. They said that several times before he died
he had said where is my father, I want to see my
father. I did regret very much that I did not stay
with him. I felt ashamed on this occasion. I did
ask my Father in Heaven to receive him unto
Himself and for Jesus’ sake to forgive us inasmuch
as we, or either of us had done wrong. Surely an
awful responsibility rests upon parents. It is their
individual duty to use diligence and take special
care of those heavenly treasures that the Lord
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doth commit to our care and unless we do so and
live very near unto him, even to serve our God
faithfully, we certainly will not be counted worthy
to receive them again when they shall return to
earth and raise them up, for surely somebody
will have that job. Surely the Father loveth little
children for of such is the kingdom of heaven,
they are redeemed from the fall.
November 11th, I thrashed my grain and had
325 bushels in Weber Valley. We have our saw mill
running and it is doing very well. We have our
school house built and our big job of birch lumber
out. I am getting out saw logs and the boys will
build a log barn. We are doing a large amount of
work and we attend all conferences.
On Sunday the 27th I preached to our people
in our school house in Mountain Green and as a
general rule we always attend our Sabbath meet-
ings and always attend to our prayers, both secret
and family prayers and always try to do right, but
we found through the weakness of the fesh that
we failed very much. But we repented every day
and did obtain forgiveness and consequently we
did receive and keep the holy spirit with us and
that is why we were always so joyful and happy.
December 25th Christmas. This day I blessed
our little twin girls, named them Netta and
Rosetta. May they live forever.
;....., ... .·..
January 1st, 1861. Our son Oliver and family
got for us a royal good supper. We had a joyful
time and hope the redemption of Zion will soon
come for the southern states are seceding from
the northern states and as our prophet Joseph
prophesied, the wars will surely come upon this
nation, human blood shall fow profusely and
great shall be the distress of this nation and the
judgement of God shall from time to time be
poured out upon this people.
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February 1861. Verily, and it shall come to
pass, the Latter-day Saints shall step forward
and save the Constitution from falling into the
hands of other nations. That heavenly, inspired
instrument, got up by the fathers of this republic,
and by them, independence was declared, which
was maintained through the blessing of God and
a mighty struggle in war which cost the shedding
of much precious blood and many lives were
sacrifced. Now the Constitution of these United
States was inspired of God, consequently it was
perfect. It surely did give to every man liberty to
worship God just as he pleased. He could baptize
for the remission of sins, or sprinkle or not baptize
at all. He could receive by the commandment of
God seven wives, or have no wife at all. He could
fall down and worship a real god, or he might
have no god at all. He could fall down under the
wheels of his juggernaut, or sacrifce to idols, if
he chose. So, he remains on his own dunghill. For
surely the Constitution forbids Congress to make
any law, to bind men’s consciences or to prescribe
rules for men to worship, if it were not so, this
would not be a land of liberty for us, or for any
other people, amen.
March, 1861. In this month I built a house
in Weber Valley and hauled the rocks for under
pinning and have the timbers for a barn in
Farmington, sowing wheat and stock for our
mill.
April 1st, I hired Brother Cornelius Evans, a
very good man, for seven months, and also for
the year.
April 6th, I went with my wives to conference
and had a very enjoyable time. At this conference
Brother Brigham gave to me a mission to go and
bring my brother Ebenezer here. Said he, you
had better write to him frst and then when I felt
like it to go and fetch him and that I should be
blessed of the Lord. He is off the track. He lives
in the state of Iowa.
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I will now relate a very remarkable dream I
had one night in the city of Nauvoo. It was before
the prophet Joseph’s martyrdom. I dreamt that
there was a very strict law passed and that a
transgression of that law merited death. And
presently, a charge was made and preferred
against my brother E. Robinson, a court set,
judgement rendered, that he was found guilty.
The sentence of death was pronounced on him
and that I was to be the executioner. Now, this
was a great trial to me. I did not hesitate to obey
the summons, but I thought he was more capable
of doing good than I was and that if I were to
die in his stead, I would prefer that. But, I was
innocent, he was guilty, he must die.
Now this remarkable dream made a very deep
and very serious impression on my mind. I felt
very bad even to the shedding of tears. I felt, oh
Lord, it is not so. Cannot I be excused?
The southern states are strengthening
themselves against the northern and will soon
be fghting and when this war will end, the Lord
only knows. But we have peace in these valleys
for the Lord is with us and He will sustain this
His people at all hazards.
I received a letter from Susan in Iron County,
all is well.
May 22nd, 1861. President Young and party
start on a visiting trip south. I have written one
letter to my brother E. Robinson. I have put in
upwards of 20 acres in grain in Weber Valley,
laboring incessantly hard.
June 8th. I preached to a very attentive
congregation in the courthouse in Farmington.
Brother Brigham and Parley returned, all is well.
There is considerable sickness with us this spring
and some deaths, mostly with children. There is
great excitement and fghting in the war.
One, Joseph Morris, a pretended prophet, is
creating an excitement and is gathering lots of
Mormons into his fold, but we presume no Saints,
their headquarters in south (blank torn page).
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July 4th, I went with a part of my family to
Salt Lake City, and attended a very interesting
celebration in which the birthday of our nation
was honorably and royally celebrated.
July 24th, we attended a celebration in Weber
Valley with speeches, a good dinner and dance.
The wars are raging, many people are feeing
they think from trouble, they say our south? is
all gone, we are left alone. Oh God, what shall
we do? Have mercy on us. But, our country is
envious. We have peace and quiet. There is a large
immigration this season.
August 3rd, we attended a very interesting two
days meetings held in Brother Thomas Grover’s
grove. The First Presidency and several of the
Authorities were there and we received much
valuable instructions, a very good meeting. We
had peace and plenty. A fne crop of wheat and hay
this year. My barns are built and a large amount of
labor performed, which is marvelous in our eyes
and for which we thank the Lord, our God.
October 8th. We attended a very interesting
conference in which we agreed to send 200 or
300 families south to raise cotton, indigo and
grapes. We have peace and quiet. My family
is in very good health. We feel extremely well
and very thankful to the great giver of all good.
However, we have some trouble. The crickets and
grasshoppers destroy our crops, several seasons
and the fres and rains destroy part of our crops
during two seasons and this fall the Indians stole
four of my horses, two valuable black studs worth
from $500 to $1000 and two large valuable young
mares.
..... .·.
October, 1862. The United States is in a dreadful
vice, being divided and fghting each other. I have
written the second letter and sent to my brother
Ebenezer. Our immigrations are coming in
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considerable this fall and our teams are returning
loaded with Saints. A large amount of rainy
weather this fall. I am writing and getting letters
and sending them to my family in the south.
I spent Christmas in Weber Valley and New
Years in Farmington, it was raining most of the
month.
February came in warm, the grass growing,
cattle out feeding the second day of February
but it has now commenced snowing which is
continuing so that we had a long, hard winter
and much stock died. But, I had plenty of feed
and raised a fne crop of beautiful wheat in Weber
Valley about 200 bushels. But, the rains came and
wet the stacks so that we had got only about 30
bushels and the last fall my wheat in Farmington
was burned, but still we lived and felt to thank
the Lord because it was so well with us.
... .·.
March, 1863. It is still snowing and raining, all
this month. The stock is not doing well. The war
is still raging and thousands are being killed.
Our territory is now organized as a state
called Deseret, with Brigham Young for our
governor. We hailed the day of our deliverance
and our lit when our governors shall proceed
from ourselves. The spirit, power and infuence
of Mormonism is spreading mightily in the earth
and God is working marvelously according to the
predictions of the holy prophets. The Church has
voted to send 300 teams to the states this year
for the immigrating Saints.
May 1st, 1863, about 3 o’clock this morning
Lydia, my fourth wife, bore me a son, weighed 10
pounds. A nice child.
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The snows are melting and the sun shining,
the rivers rising and fooding much land.
About the 20th of May, the Church teams
start for the states. I send one yoke of oxen. The
Weber River is several feet higher than ever
before known. The prospects are favorable for
an abundant harvest of all kinds.
June 13th and 14th. At this time, an army of
our men surrounded the Morrisite Camp and a
war is on hand. The camp had resisted the of-
fcers that were sent with a writ to bring them
to justice but they showed fght and would not
be taken prisoners, so that an army was sent to
them and the remainder were taken prisoners.
And in the fght, the two leaders, Joseph Morris
and John Banks were killed. In my judgement, the
most simple, unreasonable and foolish teachings
and doctrine that I have ever heard were taught
by these men. This was done by the authority of
the United States. It looked bad but if they had let
other people be alone and if they had not taught
their wicked doctrines this trouble would not
have developed.
I spent New Year’s Day with Oliver and family.
We had a fat turkey and a royal good dinner and
felt very happy indeed.
April 4th, 5th. My wife has been very sick. On
March 25th
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : This is cassette number 21 and
I am dictating from page 144 of Great Grandfather’s
journal. The writing here is very small and tight and it
is difcult to read. In the previous dictation, I missed
some important dates and shall fll in here.]
On the 18th of February my birthday was
celebrated in Weber Valley. We had turkey, a
very good dinner and a dance in the evening. I
preached to the Saints in Weber Valley, returned
to Farmington where I heard Elder Lyman preach.
Lydia’s children have the whooping cough and
the baby is very sick. I have written a letter to
Susan at Parowan and one to my son Ebenezer
J. in California, and one to my brother Ebenezer
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in Iowa. I ask God, my Heavenly Father, to bless
those boys and bring them home again.
March 25th, 1863, at about 4 o’clock, our little
son Steven died. We felt very sad to have one of
our little precious ones go and leave us, but we
feel to say, the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh
away and blessed be the name forever we do
mourn for them.
On April 5th I attended a meeting in the city
and heard our President Brigham Young preach.
We take great delight in attending meetings and
in hearing the prophets and apostles and elders
preach the gospel of the Son of God. Even I, as
weak as I am, do take great delight in bearing
my testimony to the truth and in sounding the
gospel trump and preaching it to a dying world.
I have many times felt full, even to overfowing
with joy and thanksgiving.
We must be careful not to suffer ourselves
to do anything unlawful, impure, unholy so that
the spirit of God will be withdrawn from us.
When that is withdrawn from a person, unless
that person speedily repents and humbles him
or herself mightily before the Lord and obtains
forgiveness and does again receive and enjoy the
holy spirit, unless this is the case, he will most
assuredly apostatize. Jesus said, if a man looked
on a woman lust after her he shall not have the
spirit, he hath already denied the faith.
I received a good letter from my daughter in
Iron County. They and our people are doing well
there. I wrote and sent a letter to them and one
to Brother Russels in Iron County.
On the 19th a span of my colts harnessed to
my wagon ran furiously away with a little boy in
the wagon. I cried and tried to stop the horses
but seeing no mortal arm could help I did cry
mightily unto the Lord my God to help me and
he certainly did help me. The horses ran with
all might through rough ravines and threw the
boy up high and out unhurt. The wagons were
steadied for they ran between a large rock and a
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log house just room for a wagon to go between,
across a small creek and through brush and
there was great danger of the wagon breaking
and killing both the little boy and the horses,
but just before they came to a precipice on a
smooth piece of ground they both stopped as
quick seemingly as if they had been shot. They
never stirred until I came to them. Nothing was
broken and no one was hurt.
August 30th, 1863. John [Sevet?] and I are
talking of putting up a water wheel and a molasses
mill on my lot near my house as there is a good
water fall, but Brother Ezra Clark went to Bishop
John Hess and talked with him on the subject
and Bishop Hess wrote a note to Brother Sevet
telling him, or advising him to desist and not
put the molasses mill on my lot but to run it by
horsepower or put it somewheres else. Directly
after this, Brother Clark put up a water wheel
and molasses mill on his place a few rods by my
water privilege as there is a suffcient fall for a
water wheel at each place, but I found no fault.
Some thought it did not look very good. I think
it savors some of selfshness and shows weakness
of the fesh.
On October 6th we attended conference in
Salt Lake City and now are making our molasses
at Brother Sevet’s by horse power. We made 130
gallons.
I went to Cache Valley and bought some wheat
and hauled it to Salt Lake City to pay for building
our meetinghouse. Reports say that Ebenezer is
on his way home from California with his wife.
;....., ... .·..
January 1st, 1864. My son Ebenezer returned this
evening from California with his wife Cloe. We
hailed them with great joy, so very glad to see and
embrace our son again as he has been gone for
some time. He has found and got to himself a nice
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looking and smart little wife and we congratulate
them in the enjoyment of each other and we do
wish them much joy with long life and many good
children which may God grant.
On January 8th I took Laurinda to Salt Lake
City and with our friends attended a party in the
17th Ward assembly hall and I think I never en-
joyed a dance so well before nor since. President
Joseph Young presided and I danced with two
of Brother Jesse Harvey’s wives. They were such
good dancers and with several of the sisters, it
was to me so rich.
January 9th and 10th, 1864. This Saturday
and Sunday was the dedication of our new
meetinghouse in Farmington. The First Presidency
and some of the Twelve were with us. We have
a good house, the Lord helped us to build it and
we did hear from our presidency and the apostles
some very sound and frst class preaching to
christen our new house. We enjoyed our meeting
so very much, the spirit of God has been on several
occasions poured out upon our President Brigham
in preaching to us in Farmington. He said it was
easy to preach there. He said it must be there
were some extra good spirits there and whether
he meant of old or at the present time he did not
say, but I can say that he did preach to us some
wonderful good, rich, extremely interesting
sermons. We are being considerably waked up here
in Farmington in religious matters. We do feel so
very thankful to Almighty God for his great love he
has for his people, for his wonderful compassion
he has and does manifest toward his Saints. The
pouring out of his spirit upon the Saints and the
blessings to them in such a wonderful manner,
spiritually and temporally, surely he holds his
people as in the hollow of his hand. Oh how we
do love him and how we ought to do his will and
keep all his commandments.
January 31st. We attend meetings, very nice
sleighing all this month.
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February 4th, 1864, about 4 o’clock this
morning my wife Lydia was delivered of a fne
son. So the good Mormons will build up the
kingdom with all their might to do what the
prophets say.
We had some very heavy winds this month
and had to put our stock into the barn and let
them eat for if we put any hay out it all would be
blown away before the animals could touch it.
February 18th, my birthday, I am 53 today and
went to Farmington thrashing wheat. Ebenezer
moved into his own house. He has a smart little
wife. Thursday I blessed my little son William
(Lanster), Lydia’s son, a nice promising child, let
him live oh Lord and not die.
..... .·.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : From March 28th, 1864 to September
1865 Great Grandfather condenses his history into one
paragraph on one-half page of his journal, page 148.
He writes about his visit to Cache Valley to buy some
wheat, taking Laurinda with him. Tells about meetings
and conferences attended and work on his farm and on
30 days of work on a Weber ditch. He sent some things
to his wife Susan and daughter Mary in Parowan and
bought a stove for $25 and sent it to his wife Susan in
Parowan. He writes about the wars still going on in
the states and indicates that a great many missionaries
are called to go to Dixie and to the Colorado to form
settlements.]
Farmington, Davis County, September 3rd,
1865. I, Joseph L. Robinson, leave my home
with my horses and carriage to take a Dixie trip
with President Brigham Young and company. I
take Elder Wilford Woodruff, one of the Twelve
Apostles, a very interesting, sociable, good man.
He is a good company, a holy man of God. He
also takes his little daughter Bula, she wanted to
go with him.
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I took two of my wives to Salt Lake City,
Laurinda and Lydia, on a visit and from there I
took Lydia’s mother Foster down to Grafton Dixie
to leave with her children there.
I drove to Lehi, we fnd the President and
company there with a meeting. We stopped
with Sister Hatch, her husband is on a mission
to England. We were treated so very kindly and
in the evening such beautiful music, it was so
sweet and delightful. I should have said, Elder
Woodruff took me to his beautiful orchard on
his farm south of the city. He has a good variety
of fruit, a beautiful orchard and they loaded us
down with very choice fruit. We took some fruit
with us to eat, had breakfast with him there and
drove to Lehi. From there we crossed the Jordan
River west of Utah Lake. I drove about 25 miles,
halted too late at a lone house. When I drove up
Brother Brigham was standing looking at us. He
says to me, Joseph, you have great, big horses.
Where did you get such great big horses? I said I
raised them, that is the kind I raise, I said Brother
Brigham, do you remember, I well remember, that
you blessed me once when I let Brother Jedediah
Grant have my pet, favorite horse for $100 late
in the fall for him to cross the plains when just
before, only a few days before, I had been offered
over $200 in good pay by the California gold mine
immigrants and you asked me what did you ask
him for your horse. I replied, $100, only what
he was worth in ordinary times. You said that is
right, Brother Joseph, you shall be blessed, God
shall bless you. So you see he has blessed me with
some of the royal family of horses.
From this place it was 15 miles to Goshun.
He drove that 15 in one hour, and 30 minutes. I
kept up with them. I saw he liked to make a big
drive once in a while, then he would laugh about
it. He held a meeting at Goshun. He chided the
people there. He said you have apparently a
good country here and why don’t you build good
houses and set out good orchards and show that
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you are somebody and that you expect to stay.
He talked very kind and good to them, the fact
was learned that there was a spirit with them, a
portion wanted to build a town some distance
from that and that they were nearly evenly divided.
It seems that was the cause the President talked
good to them. He advised them by all means to
hang together. He thought they had better stop
there but he proposed that they should obey the
counsel of their President and build where he
said. He wanted them to say whether we will or
we won’t. They did not say that night. But the next
morning we drove a little distance. We came to a
large high gate and upon the beams above it was
written in large capital letters, WE WILL.
The brethren were pleased. We drove to Nephi,
a very nice town. They have a fne meetinghouse,
a meeting was called at 4 o’clock and they were
praised for their taste, enterprise and industry.
He blessed them.
We stopped with my brother-in-law, Alva
Foster, he has a good family. They treated us well.
We had good music here. They have a good brass
band, they discoursed choice music for us.
Now we found on this entire trip that the
people had built good houses and good fences and
had set good orchards and vineyards. Also from
almost every town, before we arrived at a proper
distance out, we would be met by an escort. They
did manifest and show one and great respect to
our President and to the priesthood of Almighty
God, and well they should for verily I say unto
you that since Jesus Christ’s day or before his day
there never have had greater or better men who
have graced the footstool of Almighty God, than
Joseph Smith and President Brigham Young. We
might say in truth and with great propriety, many
of the apostles of the Lamb and presidents and
patriarchs and high counselors, and behold ye,
the elders of Israel, the great and mighty work
they have already performed. It is marvelous
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in our eyes. And also the great and marvelous
work the Lord through His servants the prophets
hath set upon their shoulders to perform in this
dispensation of the fullness of times. The bishops
also, what an enormous load is laid upon their
shoulders and what an amount of patience and
frmness, perseverance, diligence and charity they
will be obliged to possess if they perform their
labors and work acceptable to God.
September 7th, 1865. We drove to Round
Valley facing a heavy south wind and just this
evening the wind changed to the north and
it is snowing some. I took some cold. Brother
Woodruff was rather feeble. We stopped with
Brother Payne. We held a meeting in the evening.
Some valuable and timely instructions were given
to the people of this place. We drove to Cedar
Springs and took dinner with Brother Johnson.
He has a fne orchard there. These are the springs
I named Cedar Springs when we frst went to
Little Salt Lake to establish a colony there.
We drove up to the beautiful city of Fillmore.
They have a nice town, some splendid orchards.
The President held a meeting and in the evening
they gave us a good party and a dance. I had the
privilege to and did dance with two young ladies,
the daughters of Sister Eliza Daisy Gibs. She was
an old acquaintance way back in the state of New
York, real friends, a good family.
We held two meetings here and also in Beaver.
They had in Beaver been visited with a severe
frost doing them much damage.
On Tuesday the 12th we drove to Parowan and
found a great improvement. Found my family well
except the measles. I was very glad to see them.
On the 13th the President held two meetings.
We drove to Cedar City and stopped with Brother
Isaac Waite and had a meeting in the evening, the
Lord with us.
On the 14th we drove to Tokersville, Dixie and
put up with Brother [Milaraly?]. Here, we had our
fll with grapes and enjoyed them very much. This
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is a nice thrifty little town and they treat us very
kindly. Here I left Mother Foster as she would be
taken up to Grafton where two of her daughters
were living a few miles up the river.
On the 15th we drove to Dixie, passed through
several pretty towns and took dinner with Henry
[Heiman?]. He lives in the city of Washington.
a beautiful city six miles from St. George. Here
we found John L. Lee and James Pace and sev-
eral of our old Nauvoo brethren. We arrived in
St. George at fve o’clock just in time to witness
the rich products of Dixie in their fair as it had
not yet closed. There were rich specimens of the
products of Dixie Land. We put up with Brother
Copeland and family and by them we were very
kindly entertained during our stay there. They
have a wall around a beautiful plantation. They
have been there about three years. They have
shade trees, orchards and vineyards and other
things which denotes a settlement of from ten to
twenty years at least.
Well, St. George is a large and beautiful city,
as large as any one except Salt Lake City. It is
kind of an S form, upwards of two miles long, a
beautiful city. The inhabitants are very industri-
ous. They have done a vast amount of labor. Most
of my old Nauvoo people, I fnd more of them here
than in all of the settlements in the mountains
put together. On Saturday the 16th we attended a
meeting through the day and a free dance in the
evening, a very good dance and on Sunday two
very good meetings. We enjoyed ourselves very
well for the Lord, our God was with us. We put
up with Brother McMillen who treated us very
kindly. On the 19th we held two meetings in this
place. I was called upon to speak in the forenoon
and had a good meeting. I blessed Elder Wood-
ruff and he felt poorly, but much better. On the
20th we drove through sand and over rocks into
Harmony and put up with the President at that
place. Brother Brigham came and ate breakfast
with us, he stayed over night with John D. Lee. A
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meeting was held at four o’clock yesterday and I
saw many of our old acquaintances in this place.
This is a very rich little valley.
On the 21st we drove over to Cedar City and
they made for us a public dinner and a fne dance
in the evening. On the 22nd Bishop Lunt presided
and we held two meetings here. We stopped with
Isaac Halt and drove to Parowan meeting in the
evening, and found my daughter Mary Jane. I
visited some of my friends there and we drove
to Beaver, stopped with the Cartwright family
and on Sunday held two meetings there. Brother
Brigham blessed the people there. We drove on
the 26th to Corn Creek and put up with Peter
Robinson, meeting in the evening. On the 27th
we drove to Fillmore, took breakfast, held one
meeting and drove to Round Valley. We then
drove to Springville, stopped with Brother and
Sister RoyTins, and drove to Provo and went to
their fair. They had a very fne exhibition of the
fruits and the energy and the economy of the
state of Utah.
We drove on to Lehi and had a public dinner
there for the President and his company. We
drove up to a brother who said to us that dinner
was waiting and for us to go in and that he would
feed our horses. When we came out this brother
showed me what he had fed my horses. It was
about a half bushel of heavy black oats with a
considerable amount of wheat in them and one
of the horses had eaten most of it. I was scared
for fear it might kill her but we drove to Salt Lake,
but the one horse took sick before we arrive to
Brother Woodruff’s. But she, the horse, brought
him home but that was all she ever did. She died
that night. They were a pair of very large and
fne and valuable young mares that I had raised.
Apostle Charles C. Rich was looking at them when
he was on the Sevier River. He said my team was
the best in the outft. He said they were worth
$500. So I said thank the Lord that we got home
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all right only minus one $250 mare, but we had
a good time, thank the most high God for his
mercies and his kindness with us forever.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE: On page 148 of J. L. R. ’s journal he
indicates that he will later add some material from dates
October 1864 to September 1865. This material was
added on page 153 of his journal, as follows:]
October 6th, 1864. We will now continue
the subject as it was left on page 148 of this
date, as I have found that portion of my journal
that had got misplaced when I sketched out the
lines of that Dixie trip. A warehouse has been
established on the Colorado and it is calculated
that our immigration and freight will come that
way in the future. This has now come and I have
purchased for myself a frst class wagon and
harness. On November 30th, went to the city, got
my outft for purposing to go right on to make this
southern trip but the snows and cold weather set
in so that I did abandon the idea of going until
some future time.
December 1st. It is very cold and snowing. I
returned to Farmington and on the 3rd took a
load of hay to the city. It is worth $15 a ton now
and I beheld a site in that city that I never beheld
before. So many people, so many buildings going
up, business so lively, stores in abundance, so
many goods, cotton goods, and groceries very
high. The First Presidency and Twelve and some
of the brethren have been holding two days
meetings all over the territory this last summer
laboring with and preaching to the people to try
to get them to lay up grain. They are laboring with
the people to save their grain. They organized a
convention and set a price upon the products of
the valley.
I brought up some of the young people from
Salt Lake City and took up to Weber Valley for
Christmas. My son Oliver and son-in-law James
Wilcox with their wives came also. We had roast
turkey, a splendid supper and a royal party, a
regular good time, thank the Lord.
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April, 1865. It continues being very cold. We
attend conference, much very rich instruction and
sweet interesting conference. Some missionaries
are being sent to Europe and Scandinavia and the
Islands. The wars are still raging in the south and
the north are taking many cities from the south
and causing great destruction of property and
murdering each other by the thousands.
I advertized some stray cattle that had win-
tered in Weber Valley and took a load of hay to Salt
Lake and found the stores and shops all shut up
and dressed in mourning for the death of Presi-
dent Lincoln and Secretary Seward which were
assassinated the evening before and they died
this morning about nine o’clock. Seward’s son and
a number of others were mortally wounded and
surely the judgements of God must and will be
poured out on the ungodly nation of very wicked
Gentiles for they have murdered our prophets and
rejected the holy gospel of the Son of God. They
have assassinated our president and secretary and
others and they are at war one with another and
murdering one another by the thousands, even
a million and undoubtedly will murder many
more. Must they not be looked after? Yes, surely,
in the very far distant wars shall be poured out
upon them and rivers of blood shall drench the
earth and wo be unto them for they shall perish
and famines and pestilence shall be poured out
upon them and also dreadful destructive earth-
quakes shall be poured out and whirlwinds and
devouring fres shall be poured out upon them
with other judgements until they are washed
away that there shall not be but few then left to
mourn their death.
April 16th, 1865. Amasa Simon [could be
Lyman] preached in Farmington and in his
discourse he said some persons, did charge a
great many things to the devil. He said there is
no devil, only what there is in you or in the people.
Also in the course of his remarks he said there was
no more virtue in the blood of Christ than there
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was in the blood of any other good man. Verily I
did know at the time and do know now that those
assertions were false. To believe or to admit them
would be synonymous to rejecting the gospel of
salvation altogether. I was very much surprised to
hear such assertions but having such confdence in
him I did not for a moment suppose that he meant
that, but I thought he supposed the people were
charging the devil with too much and that they
were depending too much upon the blood of Jesus
Christ, so that he leaned over too much the other
way. For surely they would strike a death blow to
two of the most cardinal points in the gospel. For
if we should admit these things we might with the
same propriety say that there is no god.
May 22nd, 1865. There were this day some
strays sold at my place in Weber that I had win-
tered there and I bought seven of them. In this
month, my daughter Mary Jane and Brother
John West came from Parowan on his way to
the Islands as he had been called on a mission
to go there. He asked me for my daughter for she
would not marry him or any other man without
the consent of her father. I gave my consent and
they were sealed in the endowment house in Salt
Lake City and she stopped with us until August.
She returned to Parowan.
The wars have abated in the states. This season
we have had good peace and great prosperity in
and with this people in these valleys for these
great blessings we feel very thankful to the great
giver of all good even to God.
July 14th, 1865. On this day I married my
daughter Janeva to Biram Bybe, a young man
of Mountain Green, Weber Valley. May the Lord
bless my daughters and their companions. May
they be very fruitful and happy and live long and
have many children. Those, were two of our very
choice daughters, daughters of Zion. The oldest of
the two, Jane Janeva, was born in Beaver Creek
Indian territory July 14th, 1848 upon our road to
these valleys. Mary Jane was born October 24th,
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1848 in Great Salt Lake Valley. Their husbands, to
appearance, are honorable, good upright young
men. We pray for them that they may be success-
fully preserved in life, in peace and in happiness
and that they may be fruitful, raise up good fami-
lies that shall be honorable in Israel.
September 1865. This is a month that that I
made the Dixie trip the history of which com-
menced on page 148.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : In the next few paragraphs J. L. R.
records in his journal the work that faced him when
he returned from his Dixie trip and the production of
his crops both in Weber and in Farmington. He also
writes that he had word from his daughter in Parowan
that she is the mother of a fne son a also some things
about Indian troubles in the south.]
November, 1865. The weather is fne with
some snow and rain. We have plenty of work.
We are hauling a considerable amount of grain
out east and bringing in coal. My boys are a great
help to me. We are building a fne school house
near us in Farmington and a good road in Weber
Canyon.
,....., .·.
On the 4th of February, 1867, Mary Taylor was
sealed to me, formerly the wife of Brother [Sim-
mons Levey?]. The same month I moved her to my
place in Weber Valley as we had moved Laurinda
to Farmington. We have had a very hard winter.
Spring, 1867. We put in a fne crop in Weber
Valley but the grasshoppers came again this
season and destroyed almost all our crop. In
this we did thank God that it was no worse and
acknowledged his hand.
Some brethren have explored the Hooper
Range near the Great Salt Lake ten miles south-
west of Ogden City, a large farming community.
Thomas Reed, and father Garner, William Garner’s
father, they have surveyed a canal to take the water
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from Weber River a little below Ogden City. I have
concluded to turn in and help open the canal and
make me a farm there. I have put a good force
on that canal, the frst best working team on the
canal. I put on three good workers, [Dealveret?]
Joseph, and Nathan. I furnished them with tent,
tools and provisions and we drew some land to
make us some farms there and the Lord worked
with us, he did help us, he hath remained with
us. We do labor for Zion. We do labor with all our
might for Zion to build up the kingdom of our God
on the earth. It is and it was and it always must be
the kingdom of God or nothing with us for we do
know that what the world calls Mormonism is the
fne, the genuine, the holy, the everlasting gospel
of the Son of God, that same gospel that John
the Revelator saw an holy angel fying through
the midst of heaven to earth, that he did commit
the same to man or to men on the earth. That
gospel is, or shall be preached to every nation
under heaven and when that is accomplished our
Savior said the end should, or shall, come.
Now the question will arise with some, the
end of what? If Jesus meant the end of the world,
then that would seem to confict with other
scriptures for we do understand the scriptures
to say that Jesus Christ did and should come into
the world at the meridian or middle of time. Then,
according to that, the end of the world will not
come for at least two or three thousand years. Yet,
for the Savior is to come and reign with and over
his people for one thousand years yet and then
after the thousand years are ended, then Satan
is to be let loose to range and go forth upon this
earth for probably one or two thousand years
until the people become wicked or until the last
half of time is flled. For the scriptures are very
explicit that this earth shall die, the end thereof
shall come, it shall be cleansed by fre. This old
earth shall pass away and it shall be resurrected
again and there shall be a new heaven and a new
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earth wherein shall dwell righteousness. It shall
surely then and forever become a ft, a pleasant, a
heavenly habitation for the millions to dwell upon.
Even so with man. As Jesus told Nicodemus, that
man had to be born of the water and of the spirit
or he could in no wise enter into the kingdom of
God. Now there is an exact pattern that this, our
mother earth sets for man to follow. Or rather the
great Creator of this mighty universe has caused
her to set for man an exact pattern. This mighty
earth has been baptized, emerged in water for
the remission of all her sins and she has to be
also baptized or emerged in fre and the Holy
Ghost. That is also to die and be quickened and
resurrected and become a clean, pure, heaven
and earth that she may be prepared to take her
place at the head of all of the celestial worlds
of our Father’s kingdoms. For surely, as she has
occupied the lowest, in this important probation
state, and as she has become the mother of the
son of God and also the mother of the greatest
and most intelligent spirits of our Father’s. She
also has had to drink the blood of all of those holy
innocent men, or some of them at least, so the
celestial law will require that she and they that
have gone or descended below all things shall
surely be raised above all things. So verily man,
in order to inherit even this earth, will have to
repent of all his sins and become a true believer
in the Lord Jesus Christ and be baptized, emerged
in water for the remission of his sins by a man
having authority from Jesus Christ and that same
authority must be by his hands upon his head and
in the name of Jesus Christ confrmed a member
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
or Former-day Saints and give unto him the Holy
Ghost. That man shall have to, not only think,
and say that he has received the Holy Ghost but
he must positively be baptized with fre and the
Holy Ghost and become cleansed from all his sins
and then he must keep the faith by obeying the
law of the gospel enduring even to the end of his
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probationary state or else he cannot, he shall not,
enter into the holy city of eternal life even that
new Jerusalem which shall come down from God
out of heaven which shall ever remain upon this,
glorifed earth when it, the earth, shall become
as a sea of glass, celestial pure, glorifed like it
shall be.
And now, my beloved friend, if you, or I can-
not or do not fll the bill according to the pattern
then surely you or I will have to enter into some
other kingdom, or lesser kingdom of glory or of
no kingdom at all as the case may be, amen.
Now with regard to the end that Jesus said
should come, well, the scriptures are extremely
plain and pointed with regard to Gentile rule.
Their time must be set and when that set time
expires certainly the Lord should have to organize
that the gospel shall be preached to every nation
under heaven that the end may come.
April, 1867. The end of what? Surely the end
of Gentile reign on this earth. They, our brethren
the Gentiles, must and probably have all the time,
or nearly so, that was granted unto them in the
great program got up by the gods when they
sat in council and decided where and when the
earth should be located and of the peopling of the
same. The set time when the seven or the great
dispensations of the gospel should be committed
to man on this earth. The times when, and who
were to head those important dispensations
and of the great changes and revelations that
should take place, the dividing of the earth, the
mighty deluge, the baptism of this earth and the
destruction of all the wicked at that time as well
as the time of the second coming of the Lord
Jesus Christ. The time set for the fullness of the
Gentiles to come in, when and where the great
and the grand council of Father Adam and his
wise council shall sit, when they shall commit the
kingdom to the people of the Saints of the Most
High, when the grand restoration of this earth
shall take place, the mighty waters be driven
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into the north country where they belong, when
Zion and Jerusalem, the eastern and western
continents shall come together, even the land
given to Abraham, all the land that was given
to Joseph through Jacob his father, North and
South America shall be married. These and a
thousand other things that the prophets have
said about the restoration of all things spoken
of by the holy prophets since the world began. For
surely all things that pertaineth unto this earth
and also of man for when their sanctifcation
and glorifcation is effected, then surely their
restoration is completed to the glory of God.
When there shall be no more use or labor for
the devil and his angels for death and hell and
the grave when as the Lord will, they may be
dispensed with then they may be destroyed even
according to the scriptures.
As we said, I did move Mary, my ffth wife
with her family into my house at Mountain Green
and we put in a nice crop on that place. But the
grasshoppers came this year also and almost
destroyed our entire crop. We let her farm at the
mouth of the canyon for this year.
Now verily, it did come to pass that I labored
extremely hard and had to struggle and contrive
to support fve families. I did take this last one
with fve children, all from virtual poverty, to the
shame of her former man, the father of their fve
children. I will say that when I took the family
on my hands all their individual clothing, their
bedding, and the household furniture, cooking
utensils, all put together would not have brought
$15. I will say that I did not take her because
(humanly desirous). Brother Brigham Young did
say that some men took more wives because they
were pernicious and we do never understand and
know verily that polygamy is a holy institution
and that certainly it is a pure principle that did
emanate from the gods and that it was for the
purpose of raising up seed unto the Lord. Also
we know that any man that enters into that holy
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order on any other principle but with an eye
single to the glory of God, that he is damned.
The Lord did certainly bless me this much, and
more also, that before I ever took a second wife
I did know also that had not God commanded
me I never should have taken a second wife. You
will say why did you take this one? You will not
believe me when I do tell you the truth which
is that this the Lord told me if that man, her
husband Brother [Simmons?]died that I should
have to take the family on my hands to take care
of them. I secretly said, or felt rather, how can I,
with all the families that I have upon my hands,
how can I do it? And I can honestly say that I did
plead with the Lord and pray more earnestly to
God for that man that he might be healed and
live to take care of his own family. But at this
time, the Lord heeded me not, die he would, and
die he did probably one year or more before this
as I was travelling past their house I was called
in. His frst wife and some of her family were
there to see him die. They expected him every
minute that he would die. His head was as large
as two heads and almost as red as blood, sick with
irrecipolous. I had faith, I told him in the name
of the Lord he should live and that he should be
healed. He was healed. I told him to get up and
tend to his business and worship God.
Verily, the Lord saw that I was a little thought-
ful. He took me back several years to Nauvoo times
before the death of our venerable prophet Joseph
Smith. I shall never forget the night, nor what the
Lord did tell unto me. The company with me had
all retired to rest. The spirit constrained me that
I must go out into the [feld] and have a season of
prayer. I was obedient to the call, remained out for
some hours and prayed and shouted and praised
the Lord and became wonderfully happy. I was
standing upon my feet gazing at the stars, admir-
ing their beauty and order and there the voice of
the good shepherd said unto me; inasmuch as you
will do all you can in the times of your poverty
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for the building up of the kingdom of God upon
the earth, the time shall come when you shall
become rich in gold and in silver, in houses and
in lands, in horses and in chariots, in silks and in
satins. In focks and in herds and in servants and
housemaids. Well these were all mentioned over
and as they were mentioned they did all glisten
with exceeding luster and richness before my eyes.
I rejoiced greatly for I knew verily these words
and promises were from God and my rejoicing
was mixed with wonder and astonishment. This
promise with the condition was brought before
me. The Lord said to me, I will be with you, I
will help you. I said in my heart I said, enough
Lord I will do all thou requirest of me on these
conditions. Be then, with me and bless me and
I will forever be thine. And it came to pass that
my feelings were so drawn out toward them that
after this I found myself saying that I would not
take millions of dollars for her and I would work
my fngernails off to support her and her children.
So you may judge why I took her and I will say
that I never was sorry but, on the other hand,
was always glad.
While I am upon this subject, I will say what
wives I have had all the Lord did give them unto
me and I do feel so very thankful unto him for
each and every one of them and also for every
precious son and daughter of Zion that our God
has so graciously given or rather lent unto us—his
precious sons and daughters.
I do certainly consider them, these wives and
children, the richest and greatest blessings that
God ever bestowed on man. So, that man does
prove himself worthy to hold them, yes in every
particular worthy to hold them through time and
eternity. That man’s happiness and fullness of
glory is made sure unto him this is the blessing
of the eternal life.
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,....., .·.·
February, 1868. On the 16th, my wife Mary gave
birth to a fne son. We called his name Lee Sidwell.
He was born in Mountain Green. Mother and child
doing well. We say that the blessings of God rest
upon this lad... Let him grow up before thee and
live and become a mighty man in Israel.
I will now write a bit of her history, a very few
of the words that she related to me sometime after
she was married to me. She said it was some time
or months after Brother Simmons was buried one
evening she felt very poor and lonesome. She said,
oh, Lord, what will become of me, what shall I
do? And the voice of the Good Shepherd came,
kneel down and pray, wash your body clean with
pure water and then anoint yourself all over with
consecrated oil. She did so. Her children were
all asleep and then she bowed down before the
Lord and did humbly supplicate his throne for
mercy and that she might receive forgiveness of
all her sins and that He would pour out of His
holy spirit upon her even the spirit of prayer. She
felt exceedingly humble before the Lord. She told
the Lord she would give unto Him all her children
and that she would do all that she could to teach
them in the ways of the Lord. That she wanted
Him to send her a man that she could live happy
with in time and in eternity, and that she would
faithfully serve him the remainder of her days.
She said that within a few days after this
prayer, she heard a wagon coming from the
canyon. She looked out and it was myself, alone
in the wagon. And she said such feelings came
over her that she never felt before in her life so
that she could not take her eyes off of that man
till he had gone out of sight over the hill.
She said after that day that it would be of no
use for any other man to seek her hand, for she
would want her hand and body to go with her
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heart. There is one thing she told me, a request
that she made of the Lord in her prayer and
supplication that God would sanctify her and
make her like she was when she left her father’s
house.
The man also, did pray much unto the Lord
that he might know the will of God and that
he might be enabled to do it and only that the
consequences be what they might. For when the
doctrine and principle of plural marriage was
revealed unto me from heaven, the straight and
narrow path was presented before me as vivid
as lightening and the Lord God did say unto
me that any man that enters into the holy order
or any other principle but with an eye single to
the glory of God, he, that man is damned. This
caused me to fear, quake and tremble before the
Lord God when I heard this declaration from
His mouth and saw before me the way was so
straight and so very narrow that leadeth to life
eternal. So that I dare not, I would not take to
myself a plural wife unless I did know it was with
the commandment of God. Indeed, I never did
take one or either of them only with an eye single
to the glory of God and consequently upon that
score I am clean before the Lord. I am under no
condemnation. I do feel justifed before my God,
which thought and knowledge affords me great
joy and satisfaction. I am exceedingly happy in
my Redeemer for I do know that He liveth and
because He lives I shall live also.
February 12th, 1868. This day, I with three
of my wives, namely Maria, Laurinda, and Lydia,
we received our second endowments in the en-
dowment house in Salt Lake City. We do receive
it as a very distinguished favor and a wonderful
blessing from heaven to get our second anoint-
ments under the hands of the servants of God in
the holy priesthood. We rejoiced greatly and were
exceedingly happy. Praise God.
February 16th, Sunday morning. At half past
eleven, Mary was delivered of a fne son at ten
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and a half pounds weight. We feel to implore the
blessings of God upon all of our children. We
receive them as very high prizes from heaven.
April 6th, 1868. I removed my family from
Mountain Green to our little place at the mouth of
Weber Canyon. The grasshoppers are very severe
on our crops this year.
April 6th, 1868. We attend General Conference
at the large tabernacle in Salt Lake City. As usual,
a very large assemblage of Saints, or Mormons
rather. Would be to God that they were all Saints.
Jesus said, by their fruits ye shall know them. He
said again that half of the virgins were or would
be found foolish, the Lord help us.
We received very good instructions and we
do esteem these things of more value or of far
greater worth than gold and silver or the world’s
goods, for we both love and fear God.
And it came to pass that I did build a good
rock house on this place. The little boys helped me
some, but the Lord helped me a good deal more.
,....., .·.,
[EDITOR’ S NOTE : From February 12th to October 16th J. L. R.
writes about his farm and crops in Weber Canyon.)
October 16th, 1869. At this place, Mary gave
birth to our second son, named Samuel. Let the
spirit and the blessings of God rest upon the lad
that he may become a great, a wise and a holy
prophet, a holy man of God. We drew some land
in Hooper as we had a canal built to a large tract
of land suffcient for a large settlement lying
about ten miles southwest of Ogden near the
Salt Lake.
..... .·.
October, 1871. I built two houses there and moved
two of my wives, one on each farm, namely Lydia
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and Mary [Maria] so we did labor exceedingly
hard in building, plowing, sowing, planting and
we raised an abundance of grain, all for Zion, for
surely that was what we labored for.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : This was after the facts writing and
dates are a bit mixed up.]
October 1st, my wife Maria [Mary] gave birth
to a fne daughter. We named her Harriet Ellis.
We bless her that she may grow up a pure daugh-
ter of Zion. The blessing of God rest upon her and
upon her good mother also.
November 9th, the ground was broken and
the site was dedicated to God in St. George for a
second temple in these mountains.
March 12th, 1869 is the date that our beloved
daughter Lydia Ann died, age 13 and a few days
old. She was an amiable, lovely, pure daughter
of Zion. She was greatly beloved by her parents
and friends, we mourn her loss or rather she
the loss of her society. We prayed for her, we
teased the Lord to leave her with us but we had
not faith of suffcient to hold her but we tried to
feel resigned in the will of God. We said at that
time, she should lose nothing and that she should
become the wife of a noble Lord. We gave her unto
a nice young man, by the name of Ezra James
Clark. She has been sealed to him. He was on his
way home returning from a preaching mission in
old England, the eldest son of the honorable E. J.
Clark of Farmington.
..... .. .·
September 25th, 1872, my fourth wife, Lydia
Foster, departed this life. She dropped to sleep
a few minutes before one o’clock this morning. I
will here related some of the circumstances of
her sickness and death. She was living in Hooper.
She had borne to me six children, the youngest
a son. She had taken a violent cold and was very
sick for several days and Laurinda and Mary were
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both nursing her and this evening I had laid down
to rest a little. She called me or sent for me to
come and bless her that she might go to sleep.
She told the women that she had promised to go
at 12 o’clock and that I must get up and bless her
that she might go, and I did give unto her a very
peculiar blessing. She was told that an holy escort
was in readiness to escort her to home, and that
she should go in peace and that she should be
greatly blessed. This was about 12 o’clock. In a few
minutes after she says to me, oh father, I cannot
go to sleep what shall I do. I placed my hand upon
her head and said, Lydia, close your eyes, be quiet
and you shall go to sleep. In a moment she closed
her eyes, she was very quiet and breathed for a
few minutes. We watched her, but we noticed her
breathing grew slower, shorter, and weaker. We
called her and shook her but it made no difference.
She went fast and easy to sleep and then she awoke
no more. She looked very pleasant, but she was
gone and had left us in a troublesome world, to
do the best we could, but we felt and said farewell,
dear and much beloved wife and sister and mother
to a family of very precious and very interesting,
lovely children. We mourn her loss, but we do
rejoice in the great victory that she has achieved
from the fact that she did receive the gospel, in
that she did obtain favor of the Lord, in that she
did receive the remission of her sins and that
she became the plural and precious wife of an
holy man of God. She did become the honorable
mother of six bright, intelligent children, sons and
daughters of Zion. She did keep the faith and died
in peace, fell to sleep in Jesus. She did receive and
was favored with an honorable escort with songs
of joy and gladness unto God her father that she
might join the Church triumphant and that she
might join with them in the great labor in making
preparation for their friends that are yet to come
and for the coming of the Lord and in preparing
for the great marriage supper of the Lamb.
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We took her and buried her in our burial
ground in Farmington where several of our
family were buried.
It might be interesting to relate a very singular
phenomenon which was said to her on the same
night that she died. There was an old gentleman
that was camped about half a mile from our place.
He was by some means awakened from his sleep.
He started up his campfre and was sitting by
it musing and refecting and he told me that he
heard such beautiful singing it was in the air over
his head. It seemed to be coming in the direction
from my house. He said he exclaimed, heavenly
music, he said it was very heavenly music about
12 o’clock that night about the same hour that
she died.
December 1st, 1872. We are under the painful
necessity of recording the demise of my very
precious and beloved wife Maria Wood, the choice
of my youth. She was born December 5th, 1806
and she died December 1st, 1872. She was living
and died in Farmington. She was not seriously
sick but for a very few days and when the time
came, she passed away easily without a struggle
or a groan. She died as she had lived, a good,
consistent Latter-day Saint. She was baptized into
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
April 1838. She was married to me on July 23rd,
1832 and she bore me fve sons and two daughters.
She loved her husband dearly and was greatly
devoted to her family. After she resolved to leave
the world, take up the cross and go with me in
the service of her God and become a despised
Latter-day Saint or Mormon, she became very
zealous and devoted to the Church and to the
cause of God on the earth. She received great
faith from and in God and she was many times
healed and also she received many promises
and communications from the Lord through the
medium of the Holy Ghost.
I might with propriety mention of some few of
them. After coming to Nauvoo, some time before
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the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith it
was rumored that the Saints would and should
go into polygamy so that the ancient patriarchal
order of marriage would come to this people. She
thought, could I endure to have my dear husband
take another woman beside me and make her
his wife. Oh, no, no. I certainly could not endure
that — no never. Behold ye, I could see that that
thing did worry her very much. I certainly said
nothing to irritate her. I could see that thing did
worry her very much. But I was like they said old
David Crockett was, he said frst know that you
are right and then go ahead and the Lord knew
very well that was my constitution regardless of
the consequences. So the Lord loved her enough
to open to her a vision. She saw herself and she
said she knew it was not in this world. She was
travelling and came to a very beautiful mansion.
She was invited to walk in. She felt inclined
and she did so. She was delighted to see so very
beautiful a mansion with every room furnished
with such beautiful furniture and it was so very
pleasant and neatly and beautifully arranged. And
to her great surprise, she saw a large group of
women there and they were all the wives of one
man and they were as happy and friendly and
quietly together as a band of loving sisters could
be. No unbecoming word. Neither an unpleasant
look. She saw nor heard not any discord. This
she saw was polygamy and it was so lovely, it
captivated her. She was thoroughly convinced it
was of God.
Soon after this was shown to her she said to
me, Joseph, when you get another wife, I wish you
would get my sister. I said, why her in preference
to some other one. She said, because I think that
I could get along better with a sister than with
a stranger.
And behold ye, I was very greatly surprised for
I did perceive that she was in earnest, but, what
in the world had happened I could not think. She
did not relate to me her vision for a very long time
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after she had received it for fear that I would be
more anxious to get more wives. But she never
thought against or fought the principle any more.
Yet she fear that I might get another wife and I
should think more of her (the second wife), than
of her (Maria). So, she besought the Lord on
that matter and she said the Lord told her that
no woman should ever get between her and her
husband.
That promise settled another important ques-
tion in her mind and verily a great many things
the Lord did tell unto her and surely it was to her
as wisdom.
I could tell many things that would extol
her virtues very highly. She surely was a very
thorough going, neat, tidy, prudent, frugal and
industrious housewife. She was a very honest,
virtuous, devoted wife and a very kind mother
to her children and a true and faithful friend to
her God and to the Latter-day Saints. She was
good to everybody. She has given birth to seven,
I think very exceptional and good children and
some presume to say that they do not make any
better children. Well, I think that I can say, she
was a God blessed woman and that she is way
up high in my estimation and shall ever be so. If
there can be any better women, I certainly will
be very glad for them. I feel so very thankful that
she is resting. She is not dead, but liveth. She
is laboring faithfully with her sisters and with
the good Saints up in the world of spirits. She
shall receive a glorious resurrection and shall
live forever. She shall wear a very bright crown
and shall become very glorious and in very rich
splendor, for I have certainly seen her in her
glorifed state.
Now verily, with regard to myself, I propose to
say a few words. I do feel my weakness very much
but through Christ strengthening me I shall live
to see Zion redeemed and the Saints possessing
liberty and freedom. The House of God set in
order, the United Order in full, blessed will be
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the Saints having received the perfect law and
keeping it in the center stake of Zion. All which,
my God grant me, for Christ’s sake amen.
I have received great and precious promises
from God my Heavenly Father and I do greatly
desire to live here, labor with and suffer with
the Saints of God and to sanctify and prepare
myself to labor with the holy and the sanctifed
ones. I desire to accomplish all these things and
a great deal more. Surely, the Lord is working
marvelously in the earth.
March, 1869. The Union Pacifc Railroad
was built through the mountains and their cars
were running into Salt Lake Valley. A mighty
work has been done by our Gentile brethren. I
can remember of prophesying that the Gentiles
would have to build a railroad through the Rocky
Mountains for the beneft of His people. God has
surely endowed them with skills and with an
abundance of means to build these beautiful but
expensive roads for the ancient prophets have
plainly predicted that a highway shall be cast
up for the ransomed of the Lord to pass over.
Now verily, does not this mean that when the
fullness of the Gentiles is come in and their time
of holding rule, even when their day shall be over
and the day of God’s redeemed shall come, the
gospel then shall go to them in great power and
the spirit of God shall rest upon them, the spirit
of gathering. Also the ten tribes shall come from
the north country and shall come to the land of
Ephraim, even here in Zion and then shall fall
down and receive baptism and their washings
and anointings, endowments and sealings in the
House of the Son of God, even unto the hands of
the elders of Israel.
And they shall visit the house of Joseph in
defending themselves against their enemies and
they shall have to pass on, they shall go east even
to the land of Palestine, even to the land that God
gave to Abraham. Israel has to be gathered in this
the dispensation of the fullness of times from out
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of the nations and from the islands of the seas
unto Zion and to Jerusalem, as the prophets have
plainly predicted and foretold.
We shall need many of these highways to be
cast up and railroads built upon them for the
nations of the ransomed of the world to pass
over and then they shall be dedicated unto God
for His holy purposes, even for transporting the
redeemed of the Lord the millions of His precious
people and they shall pass safely over and not any
of them, shall perish, not one. Not from railroad
collisions, neither shall they perish upon the seas
in the mighty steam vessels for they also have
been prepared for the purposes of gathering the
House of Israel.
March, 1869. There was a large amount of
sickness and deaths in Farmington. Our brethren
James Smith and John Leevett both buried their
only wives which left each a family of small
motherless children and weeping husbands to
mourn their loss. Our daughter Lydia Ann was
taken also and several others, which deaths
caused mourning and lamentation in several
families.
.·.
1874. I have hired Nelson Levy to build for me
two houses. One in Hooper for Mary and family
and one in Farmington for Laurinda and family.
We have been well underway.
[EDITOR’ S NOTE : On the remainder of pages 167 and
168, J. L. R. writes about the hard work in which he was
involved in providing for his families and in attending
to his church responsibilities.]
..... ... .·
October 4th, 1875. My beloved wife Mary at 11
o’clock a.m. provided to me her fourth child, a
splendid daughter which we receive with great joy
and thanksgiving unto Almighty God our Heav-
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enly Father. The mother is doing so well that she
said that she could attend conference and I found
a very long concourse of Saints and the richest,
sweetest conference that I ever attended.
December 1st, we named our little daughter
Lucy and we blessed her to become a sweet singer
in Israel and also to become a precious and pure
daughter of Zion.
,....., .·.. .·.
On February the 18th, 1876, my birthday. The
Hooper band came and did surprise me. They
produced beautiful music and Aunt Mary had
made plenty of good (root) beer and she prepared
us a splendid supper. We had a very interesting
and enjoyable time and a merry dance.
April 6th, 1876. We received a letter from
our family this month bringing the sad news of
the death of their dear mother, my beloved wife
Susan. She departed this life the 19th of April,
1876 without a struggle. She has gone to associate
and labor with the great family of Saints behind
the veil. She was a very good Latter-day Saint
and an affectionate wife and a very kind mother.
We mourn her loss and the loss of her company.
We feel that our loss is her gain that she has
fought a good fght and that she has won a great
prize. She did receive the gospel into a good and
honest heart. In the love of it she was driven
from Missouri with all the. Saints in the winter
of ‘38 and ‘39 with her husband and two little
sons and with a servant man who did belong to
the Church. He, Mr. Burton, stopped still in the
state of Missouri with some of their friends. He
said if the Lord would forgive him for following
the Mormons so far, that he would never be guilty
of following them any more. And he was as good
as his word. He soon sickened and died without
showing any symptoms of repentance. She, Susan,
as soon as she could came to Nauvoo with the
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remainder of her family. She lived with and tried
to serve God with the Latter-day Saints in the city
of Nauvoo. She was born December 4th, 1808.
She received her endowments in the temple at
Nauvoo in January 1846 and she was sealed to
me the same date. She was driven from there with
the Saints in the spring of ‘36 and she did endure
persecutions and diffculties with fortitude and
a large amount of patience.
She was a very affectionate and a very devoted
wife. She bore to me three children, a son and one
daughter living and in all things a very goo and
very substantial Latter-day Saint. I have reason
to be very proud. They did receive good Latter-
day Saints for companions, have families of good
bright interesting children.
Aunt Susan, my very much beloved wife,
came with me into these valley and has always
been very patient and faithful. She, with us, did
pass through two very severe famines with us
in the Salt Lake Valley and in I860 the fall of
1850 in December she went with me to fll a very
important mission in Iron County and helped to
build up Parowan in Iron County. She has lived
and died a Latter-day Saint. She is my second
wife. She is mine for the Lord did say that she
is thine. She does belong to thee and I do feel so
very thankful to him for so good and worthy a
wife. I do receive as a very great blessing from the
mighty God my heavenly father. She shall wear a
crown of immortal glory and shall receive a glori-
ous resurrection and receive a kingdom and shall
inherit celestial glory with her beloved compan-
ion. These blessings I seal upon her head in the
name of Jesus Christ: and by virtue of the holy
patriarchal priesthood, even so, Amen.
April, 1876. My wife Laurinda is now doing
what she has been telling us that she could do.
She is manufacturing silk from the silk worms
eggs. She has totally done the work: Hatched
the eggs, fed the worms, prepared the cocoons,
reeled and prepared the abundance of sewing
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silk. Brother Joseph Hadfeld of Farmington
has woven it into a considerable number of silk
handkerchiefs and dress goods. But Laurinda
prepared it from the loom. This is the frst silk
ever made in the mountains, a triumph for which
she shall be blessed.
I have obtained from President Brigham
Young 150 mulberry trees and sat them in my
lot in Farmington this month, April, 1876, for
silk purposes.
June 18, 1876. We are receiving letters from
our son Nathan from Arizona. They have founded
a very good community in the country there and
they are working in the United Order and are very
well. But we were very sorry to hear of the death
of our much respected brother, Bishop Lorenzo
Roundy, who was drowned in trying to cross the
big Colorado River.
In August, at Farmington, I attended meet-
ings, prayed for the people and had a very in-
teresting time. Took dinner with my son Oliver
and laid my hands upon his frst wife’s head and
blessed her, as she is in confnement. I should
note that on June 21st, we went to the endowment
house, my wife Laurinda, my eldest son Oliver
and my daughter Anna Maria and were baptized
for several of our fathers and our mothers and
friends and had several of our grandmothers
sealed to their husbands. And for my father,
his frst wife Sarah Clark, sealed to him. We do
esteem it a great privilege to do a great work for
our forefathers.
September 2nd, we attended a very interesting
two day meeting at Farmington touching largely
upon the United Order and other general matters
of interest. John Taylor, Orson Pratt, Wilford
Woodruff and Joseph F. Smith were there. We
found our son Nathan there from Arizona and
he is very feshy. He looks and feels well. He has
been very much blessed. Missionaries have been
called to go into the United States, to Europe and
into the south. We have continued to do the work
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for our dead with endowments and sealings which
will now cease here and will be adjourned to the
St. George temple in Dixie. The conference was
adjourned, to be held in the St. George temple,
the 6th day of next April, 1877. The Saints are
required to fnish the Salt Lake temple and to
build one in Manti or in Sanpete Valley and also
one in Cache Valley. My oldest son Oliver is called
on a mission to the United States.
December 5th, Tuesday, Nathan starts with
his family to Arizona with a good outft and
between this time and Christmas I made several
trips into the mountains and brought wood and
lumber and also to Coalville, two trips, and
brought coal.
Last Years
•
Farming
•
Traveling
•
Writing • Giving
Blessings of Health & Patriarchal Blessings
;....., ... .·
January 1st, 1877. We had a letter from Nathan.
They had got to Parowan, Iron County, and had
good roads and were getting along well.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : On page 171 J. L. R. tells about his
meetings and preachings to the people in Farmington
and in Hooper. He also outlines the great amount of
work they did during the winter, indicating that they
had received letters from missionaries including Oliver
and others.]
April 20th, 1877. Friday, April 20th, Lucy,
the frst wife of Oliver Lee Robinson died after
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an illness of about two weeks. My dear son, her
beloved husband, was upon his mission in the
east. We have written to him of her illness and
we did try to save her, but stubborn death would
not be diverted. Our faith was not persistent to
save her. Her time had come to go so that we had
to bid her farewell for the season. We pray for her
poor afficted husband that he may be spared to
take the fatherly care of her motherless children
and that God would grant unto him grace that sad
bereavement may not overcome him and that he
may be able to kiss the rod and to acknowledge
the hand of God in this as well as in all things.
For surely, the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh
away. They were very good children, believers
in the holy gospel, son and daughter of Zion and
the Lord had given unto them a large family of
children, very bright, interesting, good children,
God blessed children, heavenly treasures, how
thankful they ought to be unto their God for
them.
Lucy was buried on the 22nd of April. The
neighbors and her friends were very attentive and
kind and did sympathize deeply with their dear
weeping almost heartbroken children and they
turned out largely at the funeral. The brethren
Job Wellings and Edward Stratford did talk so
very feelingly, beautifully upon that occasion and
the services were very impressive.
May 10th, three of our boys, namely Amos,
Jedediah and George start for the Promitory to
get cedar logs or to cut and bank them with teams,
tools and provisions. We asked the blessings of
our God upon them that they may be preserved
and prospered and that they may be successful
and that the Lord may abundantly bless them.
May 12th and 13th, 1877. We attended a good
conference meeting in Salt Lake City. The priest-
hood is getting waked up and is in earnest about
organizing this church, this kingdom of God
into stakes of Zion. The Holy Ghost is moving
upon the presidency of the Church to organize
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this people into stakes that we might have more
perfect discipline and order and that the Saints
may have their lamps trimmed and burning and
that our people may get to building temples more
thoroughly for we have to build them as well as
to preach the gospel. My son Oliver arrived home
from his mission in New York. He grieved sadly
over the death of his wife, Lucy.
May 19th, 20th and 21st. A conference was
held in Logan, Cache Valley, to organize now into
stakes of Zion. The program is in full blast. The
President has selected the spots and they have
dedicated the same unto God for a temple in
Logan and the ground is broken and the people
are committed to build it.
May 22nd, the eldest daughter of Joseph E.
and Dory Robinson died. They took her death
very hard. She was a very lovely child and while I
was sitting by the side of the corpse at the time of
the funeral, a very sweet and a very happy feeling
burned in my bosom. I shall never forget it was
extraordinary.
May 26th, 27th, 28th. There was a conference
held in Ogden City in which there was a more
perfect and complete organization effected. The
presidency and apostles that were present in their
teachings and preaching and instructions to the
Saints were extremely rich and instructive. They
talked upon many important subjects, and silk
culture was one. My wives Mary and Laurinda
who live in Farmington, were there at this meet-
ing and as Aunt Laurinda had upon herself rich
beautiful silk dress that she had made with her
own hand, except the weaving, but even from the
elements and they called upon her to rise up in
the congregation that the people might see the
rich and the beautiful silk dress that she had
made with her hands.
June, Mary is making cheese and Laurinda is
making silk. We help her gather mulberry leaves
to feed to the worms that they may return to us
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the beautiful silk we are needing. We are writing
a letter to our son Nathan in Arizona.
June 16th and 17th. We attended a very in-
teresting conference in Farmington. President
Young and some of the twelve were there and
at this conference the Davis Stake of Zion was
organized, by ordaining Bishop William Smith
of Bountiful President and Christopher Layton
Bishop of the Kaysville First Ward and Anton Call
Bishop of Bountiful for second counselor. Twelve
high priests were organized into the twelve high
councilors. Thomas Grover the frst and myself
as one of them. There were some other bishops
ordained and Brother John Tibbits was ordained
patriarch. Thomas S. Smith of Farmington was
ordained and set apart as president of the high
priest quorum in Davis Stake of Zion. Thomas
Steed is frst and Joab Welling his second coun-
selor.
At this conference also there were several
of the brethren down from Ogden. President
Perry and one of his counselors and Professor
Monch and also others. They came to my house
in Farmington to see our silk and worms. Some
of them had never seen any before. Meetings were
held in different wards and a very good spirit
attended all their meetings. Also, a meeting was
held in Hooper and our president Gilbert Belnap
was ordained bishop. Charles Parker his frst and
William (Felinders) his second counselor.
June 24th. Sunday we attend meetings in
Hooper. The bishop called upon us to address
the people and the Lord was with us. Our boys
are home from the Promitory. We shall prevail.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : At this point there are seven blank
pages in J. L. R. ’s journal.]
February 1887. I put up with Brother Edward
Richens and family. He lives one mile north of
Echo Summit County, a family of good Latter-
day Saints and a well to do of this world’s goods.
I feel very much at home with them. I have been
acquainted with them for many years. I found
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Sister Sary [probably Sarah] his wife very feeble,
and while with them about six days I anointed
and blessed his wife and gave to their eldest
daughter, Sary Ellen, a good patriarchal blessing,
a daughter of about 19 years.
It is very stormy these days (February 12th
and 13th). There is much snow sleighing in this
country. We attend meetings at Coalville, the
Summit Stake quarterly conference. A very good
meeting, they were trying to get up a reformation.
They seem to feel the need of it very much. They
are a very good people and are building a very
fne, large beautiful stake house which would
be a credit to any people on this earth. I took
dinner with Brother and Sister George Beard, a
nice family and on the 14th, Monday, drove to
Enterprise, took some coal, put up with Brothers
Joseph and Silas Card. They both had buried each
of them a wife, they have their very aged mother
with them and their sister Harriett who had left
Elkany Smith to keep their house. She is a very
good saint, good woman. While here, I was sick
some and she administered to me a good dose of
ginger tea. I received from the Lord a good word
for her and told her to keep the Word of Wisdom
strictly and the commandments of God and her
sins should all be forgiven her. Also that she
should take good care of her aged mother while
she should stop with them. This would not be long
and also that she should take good care of her
brothers while they should need or want her to
that she should have strength and that God would
provide her a good man that should lead her into
the celestial kingdom of God and that man should
preside over her there and that she should inherit
celestial glory with her companion.
On the 15th I visited a few minutes with
Brother and Sister Havens. They both had been
very much afficted with the rheumatics this
winter but are better now.
I drove down the canyon, a warm day, and put
up with my daughter Janie and family.
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My son-in-law, Byran Bibie, lives in Uintah
in Weber, a very good man with a very good,
comfortable home and a large orchard. He is a
good provider. He has a very excellent, good wife
and family. She is my third wife Laurinda’s eldest
daughter. They received me very kindly. I stopped
with them two nights. It is very stormy with much
snow. My wife, her mother, was there on a visit, a
very smart old lady of 66. Now I certainly do feel
myself highly favored of the Lord for He has given
me fve wives. They were all living at the same
time, good affectionate wives and they all bore
to me children, good and well disposed children.
My frst wife Maria, bore me seven sons and two
daughters. My second wife, Susan, bore me three
children, one son and two daughters. Third wife,
Laurinda, bore me eight children, two sons and
six daughters. Fourth wife, Lydia, gave me six
children, four sons and two daughters. Fifth wife,
Mary, bore me four sons and two daughters and
notwithstanding we are in jeopardy every hour,
yet we feel exceedingly happy and do rejoice with
exceeding great joy, for God is with me. I shall
not want.
On the 17th I drove down to Hooper and
home—heavy wheeling, the children are well,
no snow here.
I think I shall copy a letter written by myself
to my afficted children soon after the death of my
dear son, Oliver Lee Robinson. He died August
18th, 1886. I was some 200 miles north at the
time of his death, was at Eagle Rock on a Sunday
the day of his funeral and preached to the Saints
in that place. I saw an account in the Deseret
News of his death on Monday the day after.
[This is a copy of the letter.]
Willow Creek, Idaho, September 12th, 1886.
To my dearly beloved and afflicted children:
Joseph Eliza and family, Anna Maria Wilcox
and family, Alma Robinson and family, Ester
and all of Lucy’s children and their families,
greetings:
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I received the very sad and unlooked for
news of the death of my dear son Oliver and
your very dear brother, husband and father.
We felt very gloomy and sorrowful. We truly
mourned the loss of so good a man. We said oh
Lord, why is it so, why should he be. stricken
down in the prime of life? Is it thy will oh Lord
that he should be taken from us? But I felt to
say, like one of old, the Lord giveth and the
Lord taketh away and blessed be the name of
the Lord. I felt it is the hand of the Lord, let Him
do what seemeth Him good. I said God bless my
dear children, strengthen them that they may
be comforted, that they may not any of them
go distracted, but that they might have grace
sufficient to their day. I know it is extremely
hard to bear and I will try to say something to
comfort you. His present life was not his first,
he lived long before the foundations of this
earth was ‘laid. He was one of the noble sons
of God that set in the grand council, or when
the grand council set to take into consideration
the propriety of organizing this earth. He did
help to get up the program for all of the great
and mighty series that should transpire upon
the same, the mighty revelations that should
take place and all the important dispensations
that should usher in and the times when they
should be introduced. He also voted for every
man that should head those dispensations. He
was well acquainted with those men. He was
an intelligent spirit and shall become a ruler
in God’s kingdom.
Now, behind the veil there is a great and
mighty work to be done, a thousand times
more people to preach the gospel to than there
is at the present time on this earth. He was
wanted there. They will use him well, he will
have plenty of work, he is very willing and
ingenious and will give good satisfaction and
in taking him he will be taken from the evils
to come. He died in the faith, he is happy, our
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loss is his exceeding great gain. Now my dear
children I want you to be reconciled to the will
of heaven.
Thank God that He gave you so good and in-
teresting a father and husband and brother, as I
thank Him that He gave me so good and dutiful
a son and that He left him with us so long. How
thankful we ought to be to the Lord. Now, our
lives are in the hands of God. We know not how
soon our turn will come. Therefore, I would
say, dear children, each and every one of you,
seek the Lord, seek Him diligently for surely
everyone that seeks the Lord Jesus diligently
shall find Him precious to your souls. Now we
shall go to him, he will not come to us until the
resurrection and that shall not be very, very
long before he shall receive his body again and
it shall be a perfect, healthy and immortal body.
Now, if we desire it and we are faithful, and are
willing to suffer with the Saints and will assist
to build up the kingdom of God on this earth,
some of us will live until the Savior comes. Still,
we shall have to die, but we shall be changed
in the twinkling of an eye from mortal to im-
mortal and our work will continue. We shall
no time to rest, so must it be.
I received a note last evening from Joseph
informing us of the death of Oliver, but the
first we heard was in the Deseret News. The
day of his funeral we were at Eagle Rock and I
preached to the Saints in that place. I expect to
come down soon and hope I shall see you and
talk with some of you.
God bless you all, my mother used to say it
in prayer. Prayer makes the (darkness) almost
bright. So don’t forget your prayers, by no
means don’t and the Lord will comfort you.
Mary grieved very much over the death of
Oliver, she sends her love to you all. We are
all well at present. She says she prays for you
all the time. Now, we mourn not as those that
have no hope. Now Oliver has a great many
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friends and relatives and acquaintances over
there. He lived and died in the faith of the
gospel. It is certainly well with him. I had
rather a thousand times rather bury a child or
a friend of mine pure and innocent in the faith
of the gospel than that they should apostatize
or disgrace themselves to bring a strain upon
their characters. I will tell you more when I
come, so no more at present. These few lines
from your father and best earthly friend to all
my children and grandchildren, signed Joseph
L Robinson.
March 1st, 1887. There has been a monstrous
bill before the House of Congress of these United
States. It has passed through both Houses of
Congress and is now awaiting the signature
of the President that it may become law. It is
a very ugly, ungodly, unconstitutional thing, a
thing far beneath the character of white men,
a thing calculated to destroy the people of the
Saints, supposing it will drive them mad so that
they may resist a United States offcer and that
they may have a pretext to bring an army to bear
against Mormons, the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. They suppose it will be an easy
matter for 50 millions of people to wipe out a few
hundred thousand poor despised Mormons.
This is called the Edmans-Tucker Bill. But
surely God is with this people, the Latter-day
Saints and He has sworn to defend His people.
He has promised a wo unto them that fght against
Zion. Now this people are improving, they are
doing better, they are certainly making up to
a greater sense of their duties. They say their
prayers better, they pay their tithing better, they
better keep the Word of Wisdom, they send their
fast offerings better and their Sabbath meetings
and their offerings and they look after the wants
of the poor better also. Now verily, this land in
the midst of these mountains is and has been
greatly blessed unto and for the Saints and surely
also it is God’s thrashing foor and the wicked
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are His rod and He will surely thrash His people
and clean them until they become very clean. He
certainly will try them as Abraham was tried and
as gold seven times tried, in the fre. Yea, He shall
test them, that He shall know verily whether we
will be willing to die for God and for our friends
as Jesus was willing to die for His enemies or
whether we will rather save our own dear lives.
Now, we may see the necessity of our living
near to God that we may always have His spirit
with us, for surely everyone that is faithful so
that He does get the spirit of the Lord and keep
it for a bosom companion, shall never fall away,
no never.
Now the Father is very anxious to save His
people and He knows surely and so do I know that
the only possible chance for us to become Saviors
upon Mount Zion, to become kings, to wear a
bright crown, to come into possession of eternal
riches, yea, to receive eternal lives, or to possess
eternal lives is to become pure as God is pure.
Now the wicked are acting under the infuence
of the evil one. They are acting themselves. They
must be held responsible for what they do. They
have gone so far and have so much of wickedness
and abominations, they have brutally beaten and
in cold blood murdered and robbed and drove
the Latter-day Saints, yea four times they have
smitten and driven them and the Saints have
borne it very patiently and we have importuned
at the feet of their judges, have importuned at the
feet of their governors, and have importuned at
the feet of the President, yea three times and they
have not one of them heeded our prayers, neither
done anything to redress our wrongs, neither
have they ever executed one man for murdering
a Mormon. Now surely, will not the Lord come
out of His hiding place and vex this nation with
a sore vexation? Will He not in His wrath cut
off those wicked and unjust stewards, those
wicked and ungodly presidents and those proud,
wicked and high minded senators, representative
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and high supreme court and all the house of
Congress, the ungodly, unmerciful governors,
and all the unjust, ungodly judges, marshalls
and juries? Yea and verily, shall those escape
who have encouraged them in their murdering
of the prophets and elders and Saints and in all
their unholy proceedings? In imprisoning good
men? In breaking up families?
Yea cursed is he or all they that parteth the
man and wife and cause little children to suffer.
Verily shall any one of those escape the vengeance
of an offended God? For in behalf of a sorely op-
pressed and affict people, shall not the people
of this nation not only suffer in the agonies of
death in a very sore and severe suffering? Verily
shall they not also pay the debt they owe to the
people of the Latter-day Saints for the loss of time
and property as they have by them been driven
from their temple and homes and possessions in
Kirtland, Ohio and from their homes and pos-
sessions in Jackson County, Missouri and from
all their homes and possessions and property in
and from the state of Missouri? They have also
been driven from their lovely temple which was
built expressly by the command of the Almighty
God by the hands and means of the poor afficted
Latter-day Saints from the rich and beautiful city
of Nauvoo which was built on as lovely and beau-
tiful a site as the mighty Mississippi, the father
of waters, as ever the great creator of heaven and
earth ever formed. Yea a lovely city. They have
also been driven from their homes in Lima and
from all the countries round about in the state
of Illinois and from our large and extensive and
valuable possessions and improvements in Iowa
and the surrounding country. Yea, driven by mob
violence from ffty to one hundred thousand
people entirely away from civilization into the
deserts, into the Rocky Mountains among the
wild men of the forest to perish, as they hoped
and expected we should. Verily, when they saw
that we were up and going and then, to be sure
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that we should perish as they were watching our
movements, Stephen A. Douglas, a man who was
aspiring to be president of these United States,
did propose to President Polk that they should
make a demand of our people for 500 good, ef-
fcient able bodied men to be sent immediately on
route to California to assist the United States in
fghting the Mexicans as the United States and
Mexico were at war at that time.
Now in the event they refused to give these
500 men to go, what shall we do, after consulta-
tion President Polk did agree to enpower Stephen
A. Douglas with authority from the United States
to go into the western part of Missouri and beat
up for or raise an army of volunteers suffcient
to use up and wipe out the Saints, yea the entire
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Then again, their conclusion, in case we did
send the 500 men, that the Indians and the desert
would certainly use up the remainder of this
much despised and poor and afficted people.
Now, we wish to ask a civil and solemn ques-
tion. What shall be done with that nation, or
people, that have dealt so very wickedly with the
religious sect whose only fault was in believing in
and striving in their weakness to keep the com-
mandments of God, their Heavenly Father, and to
believe in and pattern after the Lord Jesus Christ
and love their neighbors as themselves. They
have always sought diligently and manifested a
disposition to keep inviolate the Constitutional
laws of the land. Now, before we pass sentence on
this mighty and proud nation which has grown
to such dimensions upon this choice land of Jo-
seph, a portion of the land of Zion, we would like
to examine this sect of despised Mormons and
see if we can ascertain their true character and
what their work has been and something of what
they have done ecclesiastically and mentally and
physically. In the frst place, they have become
organized with a complete set of offcers, fully
and grandly equipped with a more complete set
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of offcers than any other sect or society on this
earth or that ever has been according to history.
Furthermore, this people claim to be inspired of
God that they have received authority from Jesus
Christ and that this organization was given by
inspiration and it is an exact pattern of the orga-
nization in the heavens. Our elders do preach by
the power of the Holy Ghost, they do baptize their
converts by immersion in water for the remission
of their sins, they do in their confrmation lay on
hands for and do give the Holy Ghost to these they
baptize as the apostles in ancient times. Now this
Holy Ghost does come and rest down upon the
faithful Latter-day Saints which does open up to
their minds things of God and of godliness and
their minds do expand far and wide and giveth
unto them utterance which in many instances
far exceeds the wisdom, the understanding, the
language and minds and intellect of this wise and
learned generation.
Now verily, God our Heavenly Father, in this
our day has surely revealed himself to man on
this earth and hath revealed and sent the holy
gospel in its fullness with authority to preach and
administer the same in that He has conferred the
holy priesthood, called the Melchizedek priest-
hood, with some branches or an appendage called
the Aaronic priesthood and also evangelical or
patriarchal high priesthood. In a presiding priest-
hood, the Aaronic is the lesser, its offcers consist
of priest, teacher, deacon, bishop, the bishopric is
in, or holds the presidency over that priesthood
and to attend to all temporal affairs of the gospel.
An important offce in the Melchizedek priest-
hood is that of Patriarch who comes through a
particular lineage of chosen seers holding the
right to bless. A patriarch should be a seer and a
revelator, yea, a mighty minister, yea, the order
of celestial and eternal marriage comes under
that head or branch of the priesthood. One high
priest is selected by inspiration and nominated,
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seconded and voted in by the members of the
Church. He thus becomes the President of the
Church of Jesus Christ in all the world. He choos-
es for frst and second counselors two high priests.
They too have to be voted in and accepted by the
Church or the baptized members or disciples of
Christ and ordained also and set apart to that
offce. Then, we have the First Presidency of the
Church. They can proceed inasmuch as they have
timber suffcient to build, they can proceed and
ordain and organize the Church complete with
every offce and offcer necessary and with every
quorum requisite.
Now, there must be a quorum of twelve
apostles, or travelling high council. There must
be a local quorum of twelve high councilors with
their president. There must a quorum of seventies
with their presidents. There should be a quorum
of high priests, a quorum of elders, a quorum of
priests, a quorum of teachers, a quorum of dea-
cons with their presidents with their patriarch,
also, now all these quorums should meet each by
themselves to be instructed in the duties of their
offce and callings.
Now this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints was organized the sixth day of April, 1830,
with six members and now they will number some
hundreds of thousands.
But, now, what have they done? Have they
accomplished anything much? I will answer, yes
indeed, a great deal. As we have stated, they had
been driven four times from four different places,
many have been slain, mobbed, robbed and
driven. Yet, they have built a great many cities
and a great many large and splendid tabernacles
and a great many meeting houses and a great
many school houses and several academies, one
temple in Kirtland, Ohio and the church owns
it yet. They have built one temple in Nauvoo,
Illinois and one has been destroyed which was
commenced in Missouri but our people were
driven away so soon they could not fnish it. They
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have sent thousands and thousands of elders to
the nations of the earth and have preached the
gospel in and unto a great portion of this earth
or nations.
In these mountains they have built four
temples, two of them fnished and two of them
not yet fnished. They have expended millions of
dollars in gathering the poor from the nations
of the earth. They have made one move south, at
the suggestion of our president and great leader
Brigham Young. All of this great people north of
Utah Valley spent one season with a fxed purpose
of setting the torch to everything combustible if
that horrible destructive army should come in. If
our leaders should say fre, we should certainly
have fred all our cities and everything that
would burn. This the Lord had done to prove us
for verily He would know if we loved Him or if we
would do as we were told to sacrifce all and trust
in God. When He saw what we would do He says
you may go home and we felt like humble, faithful
children. We returned to our homes with joy and
rejoicing. We felt to praise the Lord our God and
thank Him with all our hearts and verily the Holy
Ghost said unto me you may now (meaning the
people of the Saints) build permanently which
said to me, you Latter-day Saints will remain.
Then again the Lord tried His people on this
wise to see if they would certainly obey Him in
other things also. We had been once tried and
had paid one-tenth of all we had for tithing. He
says to us again through His servant Brigham
Young, he says brethren it is the will of the Lord
that we should be tithed again one-tenth of all you
possess. Now what say you? Yes, we say, yes we
do these things without grumbling. Then again
he said, boys you must go to and fort yourselves
in by building a wall about your cities. Behold, we
went to work like good boys and expended a large
amount of labor and means which gave a great
amount of labor to poor men and behold ye we
went to work with a will until the Lord said it is
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enough. He said, I will accept these testimonies
and you may stop this work for I will be a wall of
defense. I will protect this people and so it was
our Father accepted these three testimonies and
verily He has placed a hedge around this people
that they shall not be moved. For this blessing
we truly feel very grateful unto Him our God and
now is this suffcient to establish the character
and worth of this people? We could say a great
deal more in favor of this people, but we think
this will do.
And now we say, inasmuch as this nation
has sought diligently to destroy this people, let
them be destroyed and whereas the Gentiles have
sought to take away our liberties and to prevent
us from governing ourselves even so wilt thou
rend from them the government and give it to
a people better than they who will frame none
but constitutional laws and administer them in
righteousness that all people may possess their
rights and have liberty to worship God as they
choose. If it should cost the lives of all the wicked,
amen and amen.
We look for the judgement of God to be poured
out without measure upon this very wicked and
adulterous, murderous, ungodly nation and that
in the near future our Father and God shall come
out of His hiding place and vex this nation with a
sore vexation. And He shall cut off those unwise
stewards and unjust stewards and He rather shall
send them to their own place—and it shall come
to pass that wars shall be poured out abundantly
upon this nation. Yea and upon all nations also
and it shall come to pass also that great hailstones
shall be poured out so, which shall destroy the
crops of the earth. Also, our God shall send great
and mighty storms and whirlwinds which shall
fall with pain upon the heads of the wicked and
they shall perish.
Yet, in all this we rejoice not in the sufferings
of the wicked (but rather they would repent and
live) but we do and will rejoice in the Lord our
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God, in that He is mindful of His people Israel,
that He will yet choose Jacob for His inheritance
and Jerusalem for His resting place and that
He doth have mercy upon poor grieving Zion.
Yea our God shall comfort her, He shall surely
redeem her, for surely she shall be very beautiful
in her situation, the joy of the whole earth, in the
lives of the north, the city of the great king, for
surely Zion shall become very pure. Out of her
shall proceed them all, for it shall come to pass
as saith the prophets of God that our venerable
father Adam shall come (in the near future it
shall be) to the center stake of Zion and shall
sit in council with a host of the ancient and
modern prophets, with many of the venerable
fathers and a host of the mighty sons of God and
a large concourse of angels. They will certainly
take into consideration the situation, they shall
certainly understand the true character of the
Latter-day Saints and shall understand how many
times they have been smitten by the Gentiles,
their ungodly enemies. How many have been
murdered by them and robbed and plundered
and driven and how patiently they have borne
all their persecutions. How many times they
have importuned at the feet of their judges,
their governors, their presidents, also and that
they have not ever heeded their prayers neither
have they ever executed a man for murdering a
Latter-day Saint and that their law makers have
made many unjust unconstitutional, ungodly
laws and on purpose for our destruction have
sent very beastly, wicked men here among us to
execute these ungodly laws, which they have done
with a vengeance. They have very unmercifully
abused and beaten and imprisoned and murdered
innocent men, women, and children and there
were but few that had the virtue or the moral
courage to plead the cause of or protest against
the abuses of the Saints. And they, this grand
council, shall decide that the government, the
kingdom and the greatness of the kingdom under
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the whole heavens shall be rent from the Gentiles
and they shall decide that the people of the Saints
have proved themselves worthy. That they have
earned the kingdom, and they, this grand and
mighty council, shall take and give and confer
the kingdom and the greatness of the kingdom
under the whole heavens unto the people of the
Saints of the Most High and they, these poor
despised Mormons, Latter-day Saints, shall
take the kingdom and possess it under the whole
heavens. Then they, the Saints, shall organize an
exact, just, holy constitutional laws and appoint
just and righteous judges. Then and not until
then, shall the law go forth of Zion and the word
of the Lord from Jerusalem and then there shall
be an end of kingdoms. There shall be but one
kingdom and that shall be of God. And behold
ye, it shall last forever, which may God grant for
Christ’s sake, amen.
February 28th. I wrote two letters and sent
one to Mary F. Robinson and one to Amos G.
Robinson and sent some recommends to unite
with the branch of the church there.
March 3rd. Attended fast meeting, the full-
est house and the best fast meeting I have ever
witnessed in Hooper. Very many bore their testi-
monies. It was plainly manifest the spirit of God
is striving with the people and to the true Latter-
day Saints it is very cheering. Several children
were blessed. We administered to Bishop Belnap
for his health.
March 5th. Getting out and sorting potatoes,
laboring hard this week at home. Fine weather
came in with March. Our boys are plowing.
March 6th. We attend meeting, a full house
to overfowing. Partook of the sacrament of
the Lord’s supper. There was manifest a very
solemn and humble spirit. Elders Henry Man-
ning and William Garner were called to the
stand. They spoke very good to strengthen and
instruct the Saints. Administered to counselor
John (Jolinders). Went to Brother Manning’s,
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administered to a very sick sister. Had a good,
rich conversation with the brethren, sisters, sev-
eral sisters wished me to give them a patriarchal
blessing, I have to promise them.
March 7th. I took my wife and Laurinda
Parker to Farmington. Arrive eight o’clock one
evening. Found the children mostly well. Found
Joseph Elijah with a very bad foot. I anointed
and blessed him. We promised him in the name
of the Lord he should recover and become sound,
saying to him, be of good courage, be very humble,
exercise faith in God, and He shall surely visit
thee, He shall heal thy feet, and set them on high.
Thy body also shall be healed and thou shalt be
exalted in His presence.
March 8th, 1887. We visited my daughter,
Anna Maria, at her house. I gave to her a pa-
triarchal and father’s blessing. She feels herself
very greatly blessed. She is an exceedingly kind,
affectionate and a faithful daughter of Zion. She
received a very choice blessing. Eugene Robinson,
my grandson, is getting better, visited with him
and Lorin and Ester and their families which was
very interesting because of the spirit and love of
God which is shed abroad in our hearts by the
Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Visited also
with sisters Mary Clark and Mary Elizabeth, her
daughter. Had a very good, interesting talk with
them, upon important and family matters.
March 9th. Visited with Anna Robinson and
family. Prayed with and took breakfast with them.
She is my son Oliver’s [deceased] second wife. A
very amiable, good woman with a very good
family of seven living children. She has buried
four. She shall be blessed. We came home to
Hooper with my daughter Sister Parker. Had a
good visit, received letters from Willow Creek.
My wife Mary and Lee, my son. They are having
a long and hard winter there. Was pleased to hear
they were well and that they were interested in
the work of God as the Saints are alive and trying
to do their duties in that part of the vineyard.
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March 13th. Sunday attended meetings, a
full house. Opened the meeting by prayer, broke
bread and Brothers George Towers and Ollie
Olson talked good to the Saints. After meeting,
by request, went to Brother Ollie Olson’s and gave
him and his wife and Brother Jones a good sound
patriarchal blessing. Brother Olson brought me
home. We feel ourselves greatly blessed, I, under
the infuence of the Holy Ghost in giving, and
they in receiving.
March 14th. Monday, my son Samuel, a fne
lad of about 17. He has gone as a teamster to work
on the railroad. I pray for him that the spirit and
blessing of God may be poured out upon him that
he may be preserved from gross sins, from death,
or even much sickness, as also all our brethren.
Burt and I, putting in wheat and some gar-
den, peas, turnips, cabbage. It has been for two
weeks very fne weather. I am writing some
these day evenings. My faith is strengthening,
very happy.
March 20th. Sunday morning I gave to my
step-son Burt Simmons, and his wife Sarah
Jane, a patriarchal and good father’s blessing.
They felt very humble. Attended meeting, a very
full house, missionaries from Pleasant View.
Our meeting, very interesting today. One of the
speakers told a very thrilling incident of moving
that he experienced and passed through in a late
mission in one of the southern states. A mob of
wicked men, determine to stop the Mormons
from preaching in that country gathered around
and shot at the elders with intent to kill them,
this brother said. One bullet came so close to
his head it knocked him down and that several
pierced close by his head but through the mercy
of God he escaped death at this time. But, he
knew Mormonism could be true and that God
was with this people.
After the meeting closed I repaired to Brother
Henry Manning’s house and partook of a good
supper and then gave three patriarchal blessings
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upon the heads of Sister Lee and Sister Manning
and one of her daughters, Sister Belnap and
surely they felt themselves greatly blessed and
manifested a determination to try if possible
to render themselves worthy before the Lord to
receive them.
The past week, very fne weather, working
very hard upon the farm to help Burt put in our
crops.
That monstrous bill, called the Edmans and
Tucker Bill, has become law, but we hope to live
for all that. We look unto God and He shall bear
us up victorious. We continued working, fnished
sowing small grain.
March 26th, Saturday, took some molasses
and salt up Weber. Put up with Brother and Sister
Hadens. Had a good visit with them. Sold some
and bought some potatoes for seed.
March 27th. Sunday morning drove to my
daughter’s in Richville and visited with them.
Found them well and with them attended meeting,
the young men’s conference held in the morning.
Spirited meeting. I was invited to the stand and
I felt honored with having the privilege to speak
in their house and bear my testimony to the truth
of the work of God in these last days. I told them
that Mormonism was a creature of God and that
God was with this people, that they should never
be moved. That this was His thrashing foor and
that He should thoroughly purge out from among
His people those that offend and make a lie. That
this people should continue the good work of
building holy temples and that work should never
cease until thousands of them should be built and
that the sons and daughters of Zion should work
in them all through the millennium or until the
last son and daughter of Adam that was worthy
should be administered for and unto. That our
young men, sons of Ephraim, had a mighty work
to do and that their sons that were yet in embryo
should come forth and rise and perform a greater
work than ever had been performed yet on this
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earth. And that we seventies, elders, presidents,
bishops and everybody had to better themselves
and purify ourselves before the Lord or He would
remove us out of the way, for this kingdom was
destined to go ahead and kingdoms had to be
thrown down and that truth must prevail on this
earth for as the Lord saith, wickedness shall not
reign.
We told them that Jesus Christ was the great
prototype, a pattern for us to try and imitate,
a pattern for piety, a pattern for meekness, a
pattern for obedience, a pattern for prayerfulness,
and patience and always doing good. He was the
one, altogether lovely, the chiefest among the
thousands and altogether the most amiable and
lovely person that ever lived on the earth.
We told the young men to fear God and keep
His commandments better than their fathers had
done, for them to improve every opportunity of
doing good and of learning that they might
become very effcient and mighty men in their
day and in the world, for great things should be
required at their hands and we blessed them in
the name of the Lord.
After the meeting, we retired home, to my son-
in-law’s house. He has a very good house and he
is a very good man, a good Latter-day Saint, a
home missionary, a just man, a preacher of the
gospel and a very good school. I employed him
to write for me some as I had given some fne
previous blessings to Elder Edward (Richany) and
his good wife and they had been taken in such
a clumsy way that they could not read them and
I deciphered and read them and he wrote them
in a good, plain, intelligible hand, and it came to
pass it did take us until after ten o’clock in the
evening and I had a good interesting visit with
my children.
March 28th. In the morning, drove to Brother
Richen’s. He lives near Echo. Found them in usual
health and had a good visit with them. Prayed for
and with them and delivered and read their bless-
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ings to them and they were very much pleased
and delighted for they were saintly, good, sound,
rich blessings, but none too good for them (if they
live for them).
March 29th. Drove to Enterprise. Stopped
with Brother Havens and family. We adminis-
tered to their little granddaughter as she was very
unwell. Sold all I took to sell and bought what I
went for that was some early seed potatoes. Was
blessed of the Lord greatly.
March 30th. A good day but cool. Drove down
to Hooper, home, left fve bushels with Brother
William Fowler for seed as he greatly needed them
and he had let me have some fruit trees which I
sent to my boys and family at Willow Creek.
March 31st. The last day of March, spring has
come, travel is good, the weather dry, preparing
to attend conference at Provo this spring. The
Lord be with His people.
April 3rd, 1887. A Sabbath day, a day of
rest and we feel truly to keep the Sabbath day
holy unto the Lord, but as Brother Parker and
I concluded to attend conference and travel we
concluded to start today. But as our bishop, and
counsel and people of this ward are very busy in
trying to build for themselves a meeting house
(which they greatly need and ought to have built
long since) Brother Parker must stay until after
the meeting. Consequently, we set out at about
half past four in the evening, arriving at Farm-
ington at dark. Good weather, the roads very dry
and dusty. We feel well and truly very zealous
in the work and cause of God our Heavenly Fa-
ther. Knowing as we do by the Holy Ghost, that
Mormonism is verily true and that God loves His
people and that He is with this people and that
He does always pour out His spirit and blessings
upon the Saints and elders at His general and
semi-annual conferences, therefore we go in the
name of the Lord with joyful hearts and with
cheerful countenances.
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We fnd the children and family very well and
my son Joseph Elijah greatly improved as he had
been very sick for several weeks. We had prayed
for him very much. We felt very thankful to our
God that He had restored him so much so that
he could commence his labors once more, for
we do know it is the hand of God for he is a very
honorable and useful man and a man beloved of
the Lord and a man greatly beloved and respected
by his brethren and the Saints generally.
April 4th Monday we leave Farmington. I take
my wife Laurinda M. and my daughter Laurinda
E., Brother Charles Parker’s wife and we drove
to Salt Lake City and called at Sister Annette
Cummings. She gave us a good dinner. Salt
Lake City is very large and beautiful, a city of the
Saints, but at the present time there is much in it
that is not Zion or righteousness, but is Babylon,
but we hope the wickedness of the city will not
become so great that the entire city will have to
be destroyed or burned up.
We drove about 15 miles into what is called
West Jordan and stopped with Brother William
Bills and family. They were very much pleased to
see us as we were old acquaintances. They treated
us very cordially. We had a very good time and
visit with them. They seemed very anxious we
should come and stop with them on our return.
They said that the marshalls had very lately
given that neighborhood a thorough scouring for
polygamist men. They did not fnd the bishop but
they gathered in one of his sons and one of his
wife’s brother’s polygamist wives, but the bishop
fell not into their clutches at that time. He said he
has never kept the Edmons law one hour but still
he does not wish to be cast into the pen, if the
Lord will, he rather stay out. He ate supper with
us and spent with us a portion of the evening. He
believes very much like I preach that the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shall never
again come into bondage, that she shall not be
moved for truly God hath planted a hedge about
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this people and He shall see to it that the enemy
shall not break it down so as to drive, scatter and
destroy this people, His elect. So, Brother Bills
says he believes with all his heart and. mind and
strength as I do. So it is, I do fnd now and then
one or two that believe same as I do.
April 5th. Tuesday, the bishop was with us this
morning. He blessed us and seemed very anxious
that we should certainly stop with them when we
returned. He lives west of the Jordan River. We
feel very much refreshed and comfortable and
thankful. At rather a late hour this morning we
resume our journey, crossed over the Jordan and
away south with the Utah southern wind around
the headway, way up from Jordan. We looked
down with admiration upon the crooked Jordan
moving the fresh waters from the great reservoir
in Utah Valley depositing it in the Great Salt Lake
and also the Rio Grande road by the side of her
and the canals also on either side of her to water
the thirsty land in Salt Lake Valley, a great work
done by the hands of the Latter-day Saints. God
bless the Saints.
Passing through the city of Lehi, a large town
more than twice or three times the size it was the
last that I saw it before, also through American
Fork, a very large and beautiful city, as also
Pleasant Grove. I was greatly astonished to see
the great improvements in this valley and also on
the Provo Bench, the many streams of water we
crossed, the many farms they watered, arriving
into the large and noted city of Provo. Here
we found Sister Mary Peck, with her daughter
Sister Grayham, a good home and family with
plenty. We put up with them, they gave us
tickets to enter into their hall and we witnessed
their theatrical performance that evening and it
brought considerable laughter to the surface and
some out of us.
April 6th. A beautiful morning and conference
opened at ten o’clock in a very large and beautiful
tabernacle which was very well built. Singing was
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by a good choir. There were fve of the twelve on
the stand, Apostle John Taylor, the frst speaker,
he bore a good testimony saying there was never
a great miracle wrought or any great blessing
obtained without fasting and that that was a
very important ordinance and that a real Latter-
day Saint fasted much and that the people of the
Saints must repent of their sins, fast and pray
much that they may come into the possession of
a greater amount of the spirit of the Lord and that
they may get deeper into his graces and favor.
Abraham H. Cannon was the next speaker.
He bore a faithful testimony and with much
spirit and energy exhorted the Saints to greater
diligence and faithfulness that they might obtain
the victory and win a prize.
In the two o’clock afternoon meeting, the
frst speaker was Apostle H. G. Grant. He gave
us a very interesting discourse edifying and very
instructive, encouraging the Saints. President
Angus M. Cannon spoke at some length, very
spirited and good to the Latter-day Saints saying
the brethren “that had not entered into the holy
order of plurality might with propriety take that
best oath and save their fathers and brethren from
falling into the hands of those hellish skunks and
cut throats. On account of my deafness, I could
not understand all his words but suffce it to say
he spoke extremely well.
April 7th. The house was called to order by
Apostle Lorenzo Snow followed by singing and
prayer. The frst speaker, John Henry Smith. The
second, delegate Cain and a man, I don’t know his
name. The next speaker was Elder John Stacy?
All of those brethren spoke with boldness and
a great deal of earnestness being interesting to
the Latter-day Saints, I should judge from what I
heard. Also, Apostle Franklin K. Richards made
a splendid talk and the authorities were voted in.
Apostle Lorenzo Snow spoke, I could not hear, but
from appearances he greatly interested the people
for he is an able speaker, a good man.
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In the two o’clock afternoon meeting Bishop
Whitney read a very lengthy and a frst class more
than sound epistle from the First Presidency and
the conference closed. All in all, a very interesting
conference and it is raining nicely which will be a
great blessing to the people, but will make it very
unpleasant for the people who get a good soaking
in their best attire.
We drove to Pleasant Grove ten miles on our
return. We brought Sister (Heljion) to her home
there and we stopped with them over night,
thankful for rain.
We might have stated that we drove to
Springville while we were in Provo and stayed
and visited with some of our friends and stopped
with them overnight. Springville has grown won-
derfully into a large and beautiful city and we
should judge the people are getting wealthy from
appearances now with regard to riches it has to
my certain knowledge been prophesied that riches
should be poured out upon the people of the
Saints and that many of them would apostatize.
While they did stand poverty and kept the faith
and their standing in the Church, but riches will
in many instances get them down and out of the
Church. Yes, many will apostatize.
April 9th. A fne rain last night. Thank the
Lord it will do such a vast amount of good. Have
a good road. Drove to Salt Lake City. Stopped
with Aunt Jane and George Slade. It rained good
this night also. We acknowledge the hand of God,
but we fnd many have gone the wrong way and I
fear for them muchly.
April 10th. The Sabbath Day we returned to
Farmington and Hooper and home again, thank
God. We feel exceedingly happy, the Lord is with
us. He has blessed our conference and blessed
us on our journey and also with our friends, we
always try to remember him. For he, the Lord, is
all our joy and in him we trust and in the service
of our God we take great delight, for we try to
do his will and also to bear with patience all of
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our affictions. We know as Paul said, We joy in
tribulation as tribulation worketh patience and
patience experience, and experience hope, and
hope maketh not ashamed for the love of God
is shed abroad in one’s heart by the Holy Ghost
which is given unto us. Knowing this also that
the trial of our faith is more precious than fne
gold. For after much tribulation then cometh the
blessing for the blood of Christ cleanseth from
all sin. But we must be willing to suffer even as
he suffered and not murmur even as he never
murmured. He always sought the will and the
favor of the Father, even so should we, not only to
say, but to do his will. To do the will of the Father
in all things, now should we expect to earn a great
reward, to obtain the kingdom and to enjoy the
greatness and glory of the kingdom without
sacrifce. Now what is sacrifce? What does
sacrifce mean? Now if I have got into the habit of
using tobacco, drinking imported tea and coffee
and of drinking to excess or imported spiritous
liqours or in eating swine’s fesh to excess or any
other fesh other ways but sparingly, and wisdom
prompts leave of any or all of those habits, now
we will all admit it will be a sacrifce. Now can
we make such a great sacrifce? Well now, I must
make it in order to be worthy to obtain hope
in Christ and greater sacrifce than these I will
have to make I expect before I will get into the
kingdom. Now that will be taking up our cross
and following Christ.
Jesus did set us an example worthy of imi-
tation. He did sacrifce a good name, earthly
honors and pleasures and wealth and instead of
laboring for himself to gain wealth, comfort and
the good things of the earth, he labored entirely
for the beneft and comfort of the people, both
his friends and his enemies too. He not only
sacrifced his good name and pleasures in this
world but his life also. He did all this to do the
will of the Father and in doing this he certainly
will obtain a kingdom, honors and glory, even in
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obtaining a seat at the right hand of the Father
on his throne, also he has earned eternal riches,
eternal honors, eternal powers, dominion and
might, eternal happiness and pleasures.
Time and language will not fail to describe
all the benefts and blessings he shall receive
just by doing not his own will by the will of the
Father and behold ye I do not begrudge him his
happiness, amen.
April 10th. Hooper City, we are at home again
in Hooper and while at Provo I saw my grandson
Joseph West looking well and feeling frst rate,
very much interested in his studies at school.
I am helping Burt this week hauling manure,
planting potatoes, preparing water ditches,
sheering sheep and plowing to get our crops
in before I go north. I feel cheerful and happy
laboring hard through the day and writing and
reading evenings to a late hour.
April 14th. A very pleasant day. I took a trip to
west Weber, called and saw Brother [Ferndland].
His hand is getting much better and will get well.
Saw Brother Greenwell, a good Ogden butcher, a
very good man, he has lately emerged from the
pen. He feels frst rate, cheerful and happy. He
talks good sound Mormonism, good sense. He
says he has to live alone by himself or they will
plunge him right back into the pen.
I had a good chat with him, sounded him and
pronounced him good in the faith of the gospel,
well up in my estimation, an honorable man. Two
of his sons were in the pen with him and the third
barely escaped only by taking the underground.
He says they like to have got the whole family.
On my return, settled my water bill and
called at Sister John Manning’s to see her sick
baby. It will recover I think. Its father, Brother
John Manning, is on a preaching mission in New
Zealand and we pray much for all such. I also
called a few moments at my son-in-laws, Charles
Parker. He is on work driving for a fowing well.
We hope it is successful, as many are fowing
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and doing nicely in this country now. I saw
my daughters, his wife Laurinda and she gave
me some honey and also my daughter, [Welle
or Wette Rice]. We brought her with us from
Farmington for a visit, then called at the house
of Brother Bachelor and gave to him and his
wife Sister Bachelor, a good patriarchal blessing.
Brother Bevins, our school teacher, wrote them.
April 23rd. I took Brother Case and we vis-
ited Brother John Flinders, he is in rather bad
condition of mind. The enemy is worrying him
and tempting him. We tried to instruct and com-
fort him. We prayed with him and for them. We
anointed and laid our hands upon his head and
blessed him in the name of the Lord. He will get
better soon we think and I do frmly believe.
Go to Farmington, took to our folks some
four, potatoes, meat and molasses. I found Aunt
Rinda and Dora on the sick list, but they soon got
better. I found several new born grandchildren
to bless.
April 24th. It is the Sabbath, attended meet-
ings, several spoke and spoke very good. I broke
bread and administered to my little afficted
grandson Joel Rose as he was afficted with crap-
ping. I blessed Jedediah and Lora’s daughter and
gave it the name of Lora. It was born on Sunday
morning April 17th, 1887. I also blessed George
Clawson’s daughter, born January 1887 and
gave it the name of Pearl, a fne daughter. Also
blessed one of LeGrand Robinson’s little daughter
and also administered to Eugene Robinson, my
grandson for his health. He is poorly yet but is
going north by rails. He starts this morning, the
25th. He goes to Elgin, Idaho. I came to Hooper
and found all to be well and very busy. I helped
Burt put in the crops and repair the canal. We
are working very hard. The weather is cool and I
am writing late evenings.
April 30th and May 1st. I wrote two letters
and mailed them one to our son Samuel and one
to Harriet our daughter.
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Sunday, very cool, I drove into the Basin and
saw my son William and family, all well. He will
let me have his new wagon to take some of our
loading north. I drove over to Uintah and visited
with my daughter Janie and family, was late for
meeting by reason of hinderment. The road being
fenced up and I had to turn around so far, but had
a good visit with my children. They are trying to
be Saints, they are Saints.
May 2nd, Monday. It came to pass, early even
before I arose from my bed, the Holy Ghost did
manifest many good things unto me such as it
had never done before. Which manifestations and
revelations caused my heart to rejoice exceed-
ingly. Yea, my joy was very full, almost beyond
measure.
Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief. I did
exclaim, praise to the Lord hallelujah, glory to
God in the highest I will praise thy name forever
and ever.
The promise is, the Holy Ghost shall lead you
into all truth, shall take of all things of the Father
and show them unto you and show you things to
come. Now Jesus saw this but who is there that
believes it? I feel very anxious to live up to my
privileges and to perform my duty to keep all
the commandments. These are my sincere and
honest desires.
May 3rd. Visiting with Brother Migley. He is
very sick and his case is doubtful.
Burt went to Ogden. He got some goods for
me to take to Snake River County.
May 4th–8th. Planting potatoes and working
on water section mostly this week. Visiting with
Father Migley and blessed him, he may leave us
soon. Writing on my history. William came to see
me today. He is a good boy.
May 10th–12th. Visited Brother Migley and
we blessed him. It took effect, he will recover,
thank the Lord and will stop with us yet awhile
we hope.
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Leave Hooper for Willow Creek and Snake
River country. Will take some supplies to my boys
and family there. Little David Fowls went with
me and drove our team. We made the journey in
eight days. We were greatly blessed and favored
of the Lord and found our family well and much
pleased to see us. Once more, we encountered a
sharp hailstorm today, the last day of our drive
up here.
May 20th. A splendid rain, said by some to be
the best rain they had ever seen in this country.
In my stay this time I attended four Sabbath
meetings and one fast meeting and preached
the gospel to and for a faithful testimony to the
Saints of that place. Gave six patriarchal blessings,
attended a Relief Society meeting and set some of
them, or one, apart as teacher and blessed several
others. Visited some others, did considerable
labor, set an orchard and put in some garden
and some corn and sowed some barley, plowed
some potatoes, made one cupboard, repaired one
plow and watered my lucerne and barley. I did
some trading and blessed the land even the whole
country for the sake of Latter-day Saints. Surely it
is a very good and a very large country prepared
for the people and there is room for thousands of
families where they can make themselves good
homes and it is hoped the Saints will improve
the opportunity and secure a large portion of the
goodly land, the prospects are fattering for very
good crops in this country this season.
My boys have a very nice crop in and they
are laboring hard to water and take care of the
same. The waters are very high this season and
are fne. I had a very interesting, enjoyable good
time while there with my family and friends. The
Saints seem to be willing to serve the Lord and
perform their duties. They have a Relief Society
formed or organized with a good substantial
president with very good counselors, or they
ought to be for my wife Mary is her frst counselor
and according to her faith and works and her
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patriarchal blessing and my certain knowledge
of her, she is a chartered, good woman, a faithful
Latter-day Saint.
Our son Amos, as well as a great number of
others from this settlement and county, have gone
to Montana to help build a railroad and there is
many being built these days. The Gentiles are
inspired to build roads for the beneft of the
Saints, yes for the gathering of God’s elect in the
last days.
The Gentiles are building them for the pur-
pose of making money. They care not for God,
nor his people. They will not work for them only
to be able to destroy them, but they will work
hard for themselves and for their God. That God
is money. But, the earth is the Lord’s and the
fullness thereof and all the cattle on a thousand
hills and all the gold and silver is his also and
he is about to rest these goods and things from
the hands of the ungodly and place them in the
hands of a righteous people that will serve God
and keep his commandments.
The Lord has a great work on his hands to
perform for he has sworn by himself (for there is
none greater) that he will surely gather all Israel
from all parts of the earth and all the islands of
the seas. Consequently, he needs a great many
railroads with a great many roads for many will
have to travel on foot and pitch their tents by
the way.
Now, we proposed to help the Lord do all we
can in our weakness. To build up his kingdom
and to bring forth his Zion and gather his elect
in these last days. After a little when he has
thoroughly chastened his Saints and purifed
his Church, he will show how he will redeem his
Zion and set his Saints free that they may serve
him and their shant be a dog to move his tongue
against Zion, when there shall not be any ungodly
Gentile courts or judges to abuse our innocent
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women and children and fne and imprison men
for keeping the commandments of God.
Still the work of prosecuting the polygamists
is going on. The papers state of late there were
14 sentenced in one day to serve the term of fve
months or more in the penitentiary for living with
their wives, but it is by the law (mob law).
June 16th. I leave my dear family and friends
at Willow Creek for Utah. Had very good roads
and good fne time except one accident. One wheel
ran off of the boys wagon. We hunted for the burr
but found it not, but the Lord helped us. He gave
us another burr too large. We placed a leather
inside it and turned it on. It worked well.
We made the trip in fve days, traveled 200
miles or upwards. I stopped with Ely and family
in Marsh Valley over the Sabbath and attended
meetings with him and preached good to the
Saints in that place, and partook of the Lord’s
supper with them. We arrived home at Hooper
Tuesday evening, the 21st, found all well, felt very
thankful to my God for his goodness to us on our
way home.
June 22nd. I fnd myself at home again in
Hooper with the crops looking better and the
farm in better shape than I expected, but plenty
of work to do. I set directly into work repairing
pasture fences and preparing for watering. I am
working hard, watering and attending crops. I
learned that Brother Higley is dead and buried.
He suffered a great deal, poor soul, he was a very
good man of long standing in the Church. A frm
believer in the gospel who had a very extensive
experience in the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. He was very industrious, a
hard laborer and a very well-read and excellent
researcher of the scriptures. A very kind husband
and father to his children. He suffered much.
He shall be saved and he will certainly receive
a glorious reward, even a glorious resurrection.
The Father, for Christ’s sake, will forgive him all
his sins and he shall be happy.
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26th. The Sabbath, attended meeting, heard
Elder Guiliams that had lately emerged from the
pen. He gave us a detailed account, very particular
of his treatment while there and of matters and
things pertaining to that department. He talked
very good, we were pleased to see him look and
feel so well. We hope it a blessing to him.
27th. In Farmington, visiting with my be-
loved family there. Find them mostly well. Find
my grandson Eugene Robinson very poorly. I ad-
ministered to him for his restoration. We hope
and pray for him that his faith fail not that he may
recover and become well and sound again. Took
breakfast with my beloved son and family Joseph
Elijah, had a good chat with him, was pleased to
see the marked improvement in his health. Was
very happy to see and visit with my dear grand-
son Ebenezer Wilcox. He had just returned from
a two year’s mission preaching the gospel of life
and salvation to the Gentiles and of men that will
receive it, that the Lord, our God, may gather out
the honest in heart, even his elect for he willeth to
save them, even all men if they will listen to the
sweet invitations of the gospel of his son, Jesus
Christ, which he sends unto them through his
humble servants, the elders of Israel, even the
sons of Ephraim, the horns of the unicorns which
are to push the people together to the ends of the
earth. He (Eugene) feels frst rate, his heart is in
his work and spirit of the gospel. If he continues
faithful he will make a mighty man in Israel. He is
a good boy and man. My wife and daughter Rosa
came up to Hooper with me for a visit.
I strive to make myself useful in doing all the
good I possibly can both in temporal labors and
in spiritual labors also in teaching the people and
also in administering blessings to the Saints and
their children and in setting a good example, one
worthy of imitation. I feel very much encouraged
for Zion because of the marked improvements
with the Saints, in some respects. We pray for
them that they may still improve a great deal
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more. We feel they must most certainly become
more punctual attending to their family duties, to
their prayers, both in secret and family prayers
and in observing the holy sabbath and in keeping
their covenants and in paying their honest tithing
and in obeying the celestial law of plural marriage
and in strictly performing their duties to their
wives and children in that holy order and lastly,
and not least in keeping strictly the Word of
Wisdom. Inasmuch as they will do these things
honestly and faithfully in the name of the Lord,
they shall have health in their navels and marrow
in their bones. The destroying angel shall pass
by them and not destroy them. Also they shall
become very intelligent and if they will not
observe to do these things, to improve in those
duties, and keep the words of wisdom strictly,
they shall be visited of the Lord, his hand shall
be laid upon them, even all of us that transgress
God’s holy laws. The destroying angel shall visit
them and the grim messenger of death shall be
commissioned and there shall be weeping and
mourning and lamentation in Israel, even with
and in the families of the Latter-day Saints and
very many gravestones will be needed. For, saith
the Lord, shall my people which have tasted of
the good word of God and of the powers of the
world to come, that have been instructed in the
things of God, in the doctrines and principles of
the gospel—if they heed not my holy laws and holy
commandments, shall they escape chastisement?
Verily no saith the Lord.
Would they have the Lord their God punish
the ignorant and uncircumcised Gentiles with
death and destruction by famines and pestilence
and sword, with thunderings and lightnings, with
earthquakes and whirlwinds and devouring
fames? Verily not so until his Saints and Church
have become pure and clean before him, as gold
seven times tried in the fre. For surely God has
chosen his people in a furnace of affiction.
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Now, my dear brethren and sisters, and wives
and children, we must purify ourselves before
the Lord and keep all his commandments that
we may claim his promised protection and have
faith and power to overcome all things.
June, 1887. Now, God’s people shall be made
willing in the day of his power. They shall be
saved, but it shall be through faith and obedience
and also shall all the wicked be cut off in the own
due time of the Lord and they shall be cast into
the prison and there shall be weeping and wailing
and gnashing of teeth, while the Saints, those
that prove themselves such shall be taken into
mansions where there shall be light, liberty and
peace and plenty to do to carry the work. That
is, the work they should have done here on the
earth and to make preparations for a glorious
millennium, the peaceful reign of Christ here
on this earth. Which event is very near and not
very far off.
I would now say a few words with regard
to myself. I can say my mind and body is in a
very healthy condition. I can see God, in the
sun, in the moon and in the starry heavens and
in the earth also among and over the nations
of the earth. Surely he is working marvelously
among the people in preparing the Saints to
take and possess the kingdom under the whole
heavens and in multiplying them and in giving
them peace and prosperity and in spreading
themselves abroad. Also in giving the Gentiles
the loose halter, to see what they would do with
God’s holy people and with that holy instrument,
the glorious Constitution, that sacred instrument,
that inspired the fathers of this republic to pledge
their sacred honors, their lives and their all to
maintain and to keep sacred and inviolate that
sacred instrument. They faithfully charged their
children and their successors to do the same. Our
fathers fought, they bled and many of them died
to obtain that Constitution and liberty of speech
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of the press and to worship God according to the
dictates of their own conscience and did bequeath
to their posterity and successors that they should
enjoy this very rich legacy. But, oh how far, how
very far their successors have departed from the
letter and spirit of that sacred instrument.
The history of this Church will tell a dreadful
tale. It will tell of the martyrdom of the prophets,
of the murdering of the Saints and the robbing
and driving of them four times and also the
murdering of our elders whilst in their felds
of labor preaching the pure gospel of the Son of
God to the world of mankind. Also the mighty
persecutions brought to bear against our elders
and also the mighty effort that was made in
President Buchanan’s day when he sent Johnson
with an army to hang and destroy our leading
men and to break up the Mormon organization
that they might bring us into bondage or drive
us the ffth time from our hard earned homes.
Also, the many ungodly, unconstitutional laws the
lawmakers of these United States have made for
the express purpose of destroying the Latter-day
Saints. But behold ye the Father hath brought his
poor and afficted people out of bondage by the
hand of his servant Brigham Young with a right
hand and an outstretched arm unto these valleys
of the mountains. Yes he has brought them here
to stay and saith the prophets they shall never
come under the Gentile’s yoke nor into bondage
again.
Now these, our Gentile friends, have become
our very bitter enemies. They have not only made
those unconstitutional laws but they have selected
men, wicked men of the worst type, and sent them
here to govern us and to judge us and to execute
those laws. They do justify them in selecting
the wickedest men for grand and petite jurors
and they have arrested and sent men and have
sentenced them to the full extent of the law. Now
our mighty government has presumed to measure
arms with the Almighty which is no less nor more
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than the Mormon’s God. He (our God) says to his
Saints, you shall do a certain work or you shall be
damned. Saith the Lord, but this mighty nation
says you shall not do that work for if you do you
shall be imprisoned and fned severely. Hence,
this mighty raid against the polygamist portion
of this community. But what shall it prove? It
shall prove a great blessing to the Latter-day
Saints. It shall terminate in glorifying God and
in overthrowing of this government and in the
destruction of this mighty nation, as the Lord God
liveth. Yet, before this nation goes out of power,
we do predict that they shall do one good thing
for Utah. They shall admit her as a state. She shall
become a free and an independent state. Utah for
Utah and the Mormons.
June 29th. I wrote one letter to Aunt Mary and
sent it. I took Aunt Rinda to Janie’s for a visit.
July 2nd. I brought my daughter Janie and
her mother to Hooper to celebrate the 4th of
July. This 4th is the 111th anniversary of the
independence of these United States of America.
This sacred day was thoroughly and heartedly
celebrated in north Hooper by Bishop Belnap
and his ward. Now Hooper has good reason to
be proud. For surely they can boast of a very well
uniformed and well disciplined brass band which
did certainly discourse very sweet and heavenly
music on that day and upon that occasion. The
ward turned out in mass and did justice to the
occasion. They did very well.
July 16th. I drove to Farmington on my way
south and found several of our people and chil-
dren sick. I administered to several of them in the
name of the Lord and some got better. I visited
with several of my children and friends, had a
good visit with my old friends and acquaintance
Keddick [or Reddick] Allred and his frst wife
who was Lucy Hoyt. They live in Sanpete County.
They are on a visiting tour.
Many of our grandchildren are sick with
whooping cough. We have administered to them.
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We hope they will live. If our children and friends
would keep the Word of Wisdom strictly we could
promise them in the name of the Lord.
July 23rd. I drove to Salt Lake City. Took my
wife Laurinda. We purpose to take a visiting tour
south and to be gone a few days. Took dinner
with Aunt Dawn Cummings and heard that our
beloved President, John Taylor, is very sick and
that his recovery is very doubtful. We hope he will
not suffer very long. We feel very, very sad over
the prospect of losing so good a man from our
head, God forbid unless he is wanted up yonder.
We feel and say the will of the Father be done.
He (John Taylor) is a master, he has fought the
good fght, he has nearly fnished his work, he has
kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up a crown
of glory for him in heaven, his eternal abode. I
wish our prospects were as good as his. Let him
depart in peace and never again be abused by
his enemies.
Drove into West Jordan, stopped with Bishop
William Bills and family. They treat us very kindly.
We have a very interesting visit with them.
July 27th, Sunday. It is very warm, dry
weather. We attend ward meeting with him and
family. There were a very good number of people
in attendance. He has a very good ward. They
passed the Lord’s supper and I was called upon to
speak. I felt very thankful for the opportunity. I
solicited an interest in their prayers that the spirit
of God might rest down upon their speaker that
he might be inspired to speak the things of God
and that they might be edifed, interested and
comforted. And behold ye, the Holy Ghost did rest
down upon the speaker and while explaining or
trying to explain some things they were opened
to my understanding with a light and clearness
that I have never beheld before. Consequently, I
was very much interested and had good liberty
teaching them the duty and importance of
deacons and also of teachers and how they
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should perform their duties and also upon the
subject and importance of baptism, using it as
the fgure of speech showing up the importance
and necessity of death and the resurrection.
Also setting forth the order and organization
of this Church of Christ that its organization
was an exact pattern of the organization in the
heavens and that the teachings, doctrine and
organization of any other denomination was
nowhere in comparison to the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. These people are the
only ones that dare to promise the Holy Ghost to
baptized believers and that we did promise the
Holy Ghost and did explain to them the offce and
work of the Holy Ghost testifying frmly that the
Holy Ghost was actually given to the Saints. I did
testify that it should show them things to come.
I rehearsed to them a heavenly vision wherein a
holy temple was seen and that it was actually built
and fnished upon the consecrated spot in Jackson
County, Missouri and that it was entered into and
received revelations from Almighty God and the
glory of God was seen in that house. Yet, behold
ye, that house is not yet built but as the Lord lives,
it shall be built in this generation and the pure
in heart shall see the face of the Father in that
house and live. I showed them how the Prophet
Joseph did see the Father and the Son and that
the holy angels did visit and instruct him and
that he, Joseph, was a very great and holy man
of God and showed the need of Joseph testifying
and dying for a very important purpose, even as
Jesus died for an important purpose. Until Jesus
died and went and opened the prison doors, they
could never be opened, neither until Joseph died
could the prison doors be opened for he held the
keys of this last dispensation and after his death
he went and opened the prison doors and started
Mormon meetings there and never until he came
was that door and that his testimony was not in
force until he, the testator, was dead and sealed
it with his own blood. Many things we told them
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which we have not time to say here. Also we did
prove by and say unto them many good things
that God had brought this people and that this
people is here to stay. That Brigham Young was
that prophet like unto Moses to bring this people
out of bondage, that the Latter-day Saints should
never come under the Gentile yoke again. That
they should not be hindered in the good work
of building holy temples, working in them, and
in their increase and improving and spreading
abroad and in opening up new farming and
forming new settlements.
From the signs of the times and workings of
the spirit, we expect soon to be admitted into the
Union, free and independent as a sovereign state.
And many more good things we told them.
June 25th, Monday. This day we celebrated a
very memorable day, a day that should always be
remembered and with humble praise and thanks-
giving to Almighty God for all true Latter-day
Saints and their children after them forever, be-
cause he had brought them and their generations
with them out of bondage and planted them into
so goodly a land. We had a good time and visit
with them.
A good warm day and we traveled and as
we travel we behold with much pleasure much
interesting scenery and many beautiful and
interesting towns, homes and cities. We put up
with our old friends the beloved John Gleason
and family and found them well and in very
good circumstances with a good farm, good,
crops of hay and grain. I attended celebration
with him in their beautiful town, Pleasant Grove,
in the afternoon and had a good time and a very
interesting visit with him and family. Promised
to call again.
June 26th. Passed through the large and
beautiful cities of Provo, Springville, Spanish
Fork and in Payson we stopped with Brother and
Sister [Bringhurst?]. Found them well and a good
visit with them. Found them good in the faith
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and with a considerable of fruit in their orchard.
In almost all the valley of Utah their fruit were
blasted with late frosts. This [Payson] is also a
large and beautiful city, population 1500.
June 27th. This morning the report says
our venerable President is dead. He has gone to
rest, he died easy at fve minutes to eight o’clock
Monday afternoon. So that the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints are called to mourn
the loss of their third president, prophet, seer
and revelator. Surely a great man has left us. We
sustain a great loss, but it is wisdom in the Father
to take him. His work is done and well done on
this earth. He has fought the good fght, he has
kept the faith, he has died a martyr, he shall wear
a master’s crown, receive his kingdom and crown,
shall receive a glorious reward according to his
works and it shall be well with him.
July, 1887. We drove to Santaquin. Called
on several brethren and agreed to call and see
them when we return. Put up with Sam Foster
and family, found them well, they were very much
pleased to see us and we them. She is marry to a
good man by the name of David Ostler and she
has six children. Their names are Harriett, Maria,
Anna, William, her youngest is Lula. A very nice
and interesting family. We enjoyed ourselves and
visit with them very much. I administered to a
very sick child while there. He got better. And also
to several sisters that were afficted.
Nephi is a very interesting town, a large city
with a population of about___ inhabitants.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE: no population number is given.]
July 29th. The funeral of President Taylor.
Drove to Sanpete Valley through several beautiful
towns, their fags at half-mast, their public and
some private houses draped in mourning. A very
solemn day. We mourn, but we have a bright hope
of the glorious resurrection.
Stopped with Bishop Reddick Allred’s family.
Were very kindly entertained by them. Feel very
thankful to our God for his goodness to us and
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ours and to his people for he is blessing them
abundantly. They are becoming wealthy. We fear
many will apostatize and forsake the Lord their
God.
July 30th. Saturday, drove through Ephraim, a
beautiful city of 2,000 inhabitants, and passed the
beautiful temple at Manti. Stopped with Brother
and Sister James and Rebecca Wareham, good
faithful Latter-day Saints. They received us very
kindly. He is sick and has been for a long time,
but he’s not that fast. By his request I anointed
and blessed him. He felt a little better. We had a
good visit with them, we hope he will recover. He
is a worthy president of the high priest quorum of
Manti. The people in these counties are doing well.
They shall be blessed and abundantly rewarded.
They are pushing their temple marvelously. They
will soon reach completion. God Almighty bless
them in their mighty good work.
The marshalIs are very busy these days. They
have arrested several of late in this place and also
in Davis since our departure. They have captured
our worthy and very much respected President
William Smith of Centerville. He has remained
frm at home and with his people laboring faith-
fully for the beneft and salvation of the Saints.
A few days since, our worthy brother and near
neighbor, Ezra T. Clark, came home hale and
hearty from the pen where he has been confned
for six months. We were happy to see and shake
hands with him. Once more God bless him, for
we love and so respect all good men that are frm
and willing not to go back and discard their wives,
their religion, their covenant and their God.
August 1st. Election day for Utah, and a
lively day it was with the people generally in
all the cities and towns in the territory and the
people’s ticket was largely in the excess except
in some mining camps. But as the general thing,
it passed off very quietly, but largely in favor of
the Constitution.
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While in Manti, we visited with several of
our friends, went to the house of and had a good
visit with our old friend and worthy brother Pa-
triarch James Works and with our aged Brother
and Sister Smith. She repaired immediately to
her kind bishop, Reed, and he gave her a recom-
mend for her man and myself and wife to visit
the beautiful temple of Manti in the tops of the
mountains, or rather, it is high and lifted up on
an eminence, beautiful and grand. It affords
as much joy to look upon at a distance. But to
enter into and behold some of the beautifulest
rooms we ever saw, and to contemplate it as a
house of God and for the holy angels, and for
men and women that are worthy to enter therein
secluded from the outside world that they may
there be brought the things of God and receive
their washings and anointings, even their holy
endowments and sealings for themselves and for
their venerable dead. Even the contemplation af-
forded us much joy almost respectable and full
of glory. We were admitted into the temple and
very cordially shown and passed through all the
rooms that were permitted to visitors and we gave
the “widow’s mite” which will help a little and get
our names enrolled in the big book. We visited
the house in the forepart of the day. Sister Smith
gave us a good dinner and we drove 15 miles to
Chester, put up for the night with Bishop Allred’s
family again on the way to Castle Valley. We were
very kindly entertained by them. We told Sister
Allred to write to her husband, and tell him to
stop with our people in or at Farmington as long
as he wished to do so.
August 3rd. Wednesday morning, left Chester,
drove through three very interesting and nice
towns, namely Springtown, Mount Pleasant,
and Fairview, then up a canyon into the tops of
the mountains. A very interesting scenery and
a very passable road. Saw an immense quantity
of timber and splendid grass in abundance and
plenty of water of the best quality. We camped
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two nights in the mountains and dropped down
into Castle Valley. Found it a big desert, it with its
surroundings only where the water was applied
and that beautifully. It would produce very good
crops of fruit, grains and grass. Found our son
Solomon and family in the city of Huntington,
with castles around the valley. He and his family
well and very much pleased to see father again.
Attended meeting on the 7th, Sabbath, par-
took of the sacrament with the Saints of that
place and did preach to them the holy gospel and
prophesied good for Israel. While there helped
Sally gather some hay and built for them a small
house, and did some writing.
He (Solomon) was taken sick the evening
we arrived there. Was sick all the next day and
not hardly able to be out at all. In the evening I
anointed him with holy oil in the name of the
Lord and laid my hands upon him and he received
a great blessing for he was healed and the next
day, Sunday, he went to his meeting and remained
well until we left.
We had a very excellent good visit with them
and attended a quarterly conference which was
held in Orangeville, a nice, thrifty little town in
a good large bowery.
I would liked very much to have occupied a
portion of time in their conference in speaking to
them in the name of the Lord. But as I received
no introduction, I was not called upon, but the el-
ders were very interesting in their remarks. They
talked like Saints and they looked like Saints for
they are very good looking people. Well, glad,
intelligent looking and as the spirit moved upon
me I blessed their valleys, their waters, their tim-
bers, their rocks, their mountains and all things
pertaining to them and their country. While we
were there we had some very excellent rains,
although their country looks so very uninviting
it will certainly be strengthened and blessed
and the Saints will certainly, through their faith
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and industry become very wealthy and build for
themselves very beautiful and substantial homes,
meetinghouses, and tabernacles. Yes and may an
holy temple, yes one at least.
August 18th. I have written two good letters
and mailed them today, one to Mary and family
and one to my daughter Mary Jane South. We left
Huntington and passed up Huntington Canyon. A
very good road with some bad places, my son Solly
(Solomon) with his family with us. He is to pilot
us and be in our company over the mountains and
he wishing to visit their family in Manti. We were
favored of the Lord, camped out one night in the
mountains, we enjoyed ourselves well, splendid
feed and water for our animals.
We passed some coal mines, saw and shingle
mills. We stopped with Brother Riley Howard’s
family in Mount Pleasant. They were holding
conference in Sanpete.
19th, Saturday. Take our leave of Solly and
family, blessed them in the name of the Lord.
They pass on to Manti and we over and down to
Nephi. Put up with Ann and family.
20th, Sunday morning. Preparing ourselves
for meeting, visit Brother Andrew Love, an old
friend and acquaintance. Attend meeting the
Nephites in their roomy tabernacle. A good house
of respectable Saints and I was invited onto to
the stand and introduced to the congregation.
I occupied the afternoon in speaking to the
people, told them that we were ministers of God,
that we were engaged in a great work and that
the angel had been sent from heaven and with
a dispensation of the gospel. That this was the
seventh and the last dispensation of the gospel to
the children of men on this earth. Showed them
that God had committed a dispensation of the
gospel to Adam after the fall and to Enoch also,
and to Noah, and also to Abraham, Moses, also
to Jesus and his apostles and lastly to Joseph
Smith and his apostles. That the kingdom of God
had come this time to earth to stay, that it should
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stand, forever that it should break in pieces every
other kingdom and grind them to powder. That
this people had come here into these mountains
to stay and they never should be moved or driven
again from their homes and from their lovely
temples. That Brigham Young was that prophet
that God has raised up like unto Moses to lead
his people out of bondage, that he had led them
out of bondage and planted them here in these
mountains and that this people had never been
in bondage since they left Nauvoo. That they are
not in bondage today and that they never shall
be in bondage again. We told them this people
should become wealthy, yes rich, that they must
certainly be tried in riches for God had said it,
but that I greatly feared and trembled for his
people and that many would apostatize. Yea, I
feared half or more would leave the ranks of the
Saints and be lost. We told them that this people
were under the rod and they should be chastened
until the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints had become thoroughly cleansed, until
every unworthy member, or dry branch was
taken away and that a thorough and mighty
test was surely coming which would split them
out by the wholesale. I told them that the good
work of the Lord should go on, that this people
should continue building holy temples and that
they should hold possession of them and work in
them until the Lord should come.
We did exhort the Saints to diligence and
faithfulness and not neglecting their prayers, pay
their honest tithing, keep all their covenants and
the Word of Wisdom strictly. Also, they should
keep the Sabbath day holy, the fast days also,
pay their fast offerings and verily not one of
them that would do these things shall fall. Many
more things we said unto them in the name of the
Lord and by the power of the Holy Ghost. We had
liberty and good fow of spirit. We told them the
truth for the Holy Spirit beareth record and we
rejoice greatly in the Holy One of Israel.
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We traveled the length of and through almost
all the towns of Utah, Juab, Sanpete and consid-
erable in every stake. Called on Brother Simons,
our faith doctor. He blessed me on account of my
deafness. He had instructed me how to proceed,
he said I would get better of my deafness. He also
gave me some instruction how to proceed with
my little grandson, poor afficted Joel Rose. He
sent a handkerchief to put next to his person and
that I should visit him after a certain set time
after I arrived home. The exact time was set that
his mother and I should sit one on either side of
him for some time. Then I should administer to
him and he would be there and that he would use
me as proxy.
We visited some with Brother Stickney and
family. I administered to one of his wives, she
was sick. She got better.
We stopped with and had a very good visit
with Brother John Gleason [or Clayson] and
family and also with Sister Laury. That was
Bishop Hunter’s wife. She came with us to Salt
Lake City to visit her sick daughter. We stopped
with our beloved sister Annette Cummings and
arrived home in Farmington Sunday evening,
the 27th. Found our children and grandchildren
that had been so very sick with whooping cough
comparatively well. Felt so happy and thankful
to Almighty God for his protecting care and great
goodness to us and ours. We were gone one month
and four days.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE: Great Grandfather has dates on the
left-hand margins of his pages and in view of the fact
that this last trip took him over a month apparently
these dates are writing dates and not actual dates when
the events occurred.]
I delivered the handkerchief that Brother
Simons sent to our dear afficted Joel. His mother
fastened it to his little bosom and he rested good
that night and had no cramping as he had had
formerly for a long time before. On Tuesday
evening, the 29th, at half past eight p.m., the
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time set and agreed upon with Brother Simons,
I visited him, seating myself on the one side of
him and his mother on the other side of Joel for
half an hour or more, conversing about him and
his sufferings and other matters pertaining to
her family and children. She there told me that
I had promised her in a blessing on her head
that she should have power to heal the sick in
her house and that in many instances when her
little children were afficted with a fever and great
pain, she had laid her hands upon their heads,
and blessed them and prayed to the Lord for them
and they were healed instantly. So, she knew that
she possessed that gift from God. But, when she
laid her hands on Joel, he never would get better
but if anything he would get worse which thing
caused her to marvel. Still, she had faith that she
could heal her other children but not him.
According to agreement, I blessed Joel as
proxy instead of Brother Simons.
I fnd it in my journal written thus while in
Farmington last winter that I received a word
from the Lord in regard to that child that we
should bless that child and ordain him to the holy
priesthood and dedicate him unto the Lord and
leave him in his hands. Further, that inasmuch as
his father and mother would covenant and agree
before the Lord, that they would keep the Word
of Wisdom strictly and the commandments and
they should fast three days, advising them to get
what help they could in the past, then that boy
should commence to get well and should continue
to mend until he should become well and sound.
But his father said he thought he had gone so
long that he could not recover. But, I do frmly
believe, had they been willing to have made the
sacrifce and tried the experiment, the child
would certainly have been healed. It certainly is
a mystery to us for this child is so afficted, but
we hope it will be revealed to us some day.
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September 10th and 11th. Drove to Hooper,
visited some with our friends and children.
Worked very faithfully on the farm a few days.
Attended a stake conference, held in a beautiful
grove in Farmington. We were blessed with some
very lovely weather also with fve very interesting
discourses from the following brethren, namely
Doctor Seymor Young, and our delegate Cain,
Brother Cornwall [Carnwel], Jacob Gates and
Apostle Heber J. Grant. They were all very
spirited and instructive. The bishops also gave
very favorable reports of their respective wards.
I anointed and administered to our afficted son
and brother, Eugene Robinson. He will get well,
we hope. I anointed and blessed my son Willey’s
wife Diana, she is very poorly. She is better and
will get well. Also administered to Sister Baker’s
baby. It was sick and will get well. (This was on
the 13th and 14th.)
Took some melons to Farmington. We loaded
my wagon with peaches and drove them to
Parley’s Park and sold out in Centerville.
September 18th, Sunday. Attended meeting
with the Saints in that place and was called to
the stand and preached the gospel to the people.
Had good liberty and they seemed very much
interested. The bishop requested me to come and
preach to them again. Partook of a very excellent
dinner with Hyram Workman and family. He has
a very excellent wife.
I stopped with Brother Theodore Johnson and
in the evening gave to his wife, a very promising
young woman, a good sound patriarchal bless-
ing. Her mother, being present, was very much
interested, very kindly invited me to stop and
make myself at home with them if I should ever
come that way again, that I should be very wel-
come. I have many invitations of that kind which
make me feel very humble and very grateful to
my Heavenly Father and to my dear friends also.
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Feel myself greatly blessed, the Lord is with my
all the time.
September 19th. Drove to Farmington, we
loaded again with fruit and I made another trip.
Sold out. Visited with some of my old friends
and returned to Hooper. Made two more trips
to Summit County. Took some fruit and molasses.
Sold and brought home two loads of coal and
blessed Sister Croft. She was very sick. She will
get well.
October 7th, 1887. Visited Eugene Robinson.
He is yet poorly but some better. I drove to Salt
Lake City, drove my wagon into Sister Smith’s
and took with me my horse feed, provisions, and
bedding and attended a very rich and interest-
ing conference held in the mammoth tabernacle.
There were six or seven of the Twelve Apostles in
attendance. Yes, we were favored with the privi-
lege of attending the 57th Semi-Annual Confer-
ence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints and we do consider it a very important and
interesting day with this Church and people of
Latter-day Saints. Many of our dear brethren are
in exile and many also imprisoned for keeping the
commandments of God. A mighty nation, with as
it were with a drawn sword unsheathed drawn
over our heads threatening us with annihilation
and other destruction unless we will renounce
our holy religion and deny our God which thing
we cannot afford to do, no never. Our God is
greatly blessing this people and pouring out his
holy spirit upon his Saints and multiplying them
greatly both in numbers and in spirit and bless-
ings and in temporal blessings also. For surely,
he has promised to make them rich and also we
look for a great and mighty test prepared for this
people. Which test, in that this mighty nation
with drawn sword will threaten this people with
other destruction. For their armies shall be very
great and terrible and they will offer protection
to every soul that will come out and renounce
Mormonism.
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Yes, if we will forsake the Lord and his cause
and kingdom and come over on the devil’s side
and join them, they will protect us, saying all
those that will not come over on their side shall
utterly be destroyed. for they have decreed in their
hearts or shall manifest by the laws that they have
made and those laws which they shall hereafter
enact against us, and by their armies they shall
send, that Mormonism shall be a thing of the past.
That all Mormon organizations shall be burst up
and cease forever. Which thing they will perform
if they prove to be the strongest party.
Now this will be the question with some, yes
with many so that many will probably leave our
ranks, yes go to leave us to perish by reason that
they have not kept the Word of Wisdom, neither
the commandments and laws of the gospel as
they should have done. They have failed to get
the spirit of the Lord which bringeth a testimony
and giveth a knowledge of the work of God on
the earth. That the God of Abraham is with this
people so that they cannot be destroyed, neither
hindered in performing the work of God on the
earth. For our God shall come out of his hiding
place and shall surely vex the nation, even this
Gentile nation, in his wrath, for his anger shall
be greatly kindled against them.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE: Here again, J. LR. repeats his
predictions of destruction and the blessings to the
people, the members of the Church if they will live
the commandments.]
Now, let us return to our 57th Semi-Annual
Conference. It was a success. We might say or
write pages of interesting matter concerning
it. But one of the most interesting things, or
circumstances, was a very lengthy, intelligent
epistle from President Wilford Woodruff. His
person was seen in the afternoon of Sunday the
9th of October in the President’s stand in the
mammoth tabernacle and his precious voice was
heard by the thousands, even a vast multitude
was greatly diverted and pleased again to see his
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face and hear his voice. It was more than music
to them. He talked to some length, said the last
time he had met with the people in that large
house some two or three years ago. President
John Taylor was with us there but he had done
his work and had gone to join those above and
that he, himself, was the last one of the Twelve
yet living that received their endowments from
the hands or by the Prophet Joseph Smith in
Nauvoo. And also had received from him and
under his hands all the keys and powers and
authority of the holy priesthood that he (the
prophet) had received to carry on the work of
the kingdom of God on the earth and had given
unto us a solemn charge—saying upon you Twelve,
even upon your shoulders, I bestow the burden
of this kingdom, for I am going to rest exhorting
us to be courageous to round up our shoulders, to
bear the burden, to bear this the mighty kingdom
of God on earth.
President Woodruff occupied some half hour
in talking to us. We enjoyed it hugely, and then
he was gone and we saw him no more. But, we
hear from him from time to time. The marshalls
were watching for him and Brother Snow but
found them not.
Now, Brother Erastus Snow had been preach-
ing long and good to the Latter-day Saints the
afternoon of the previous day. Now the Twelve,
and brethren, talked very encouraging and good
to the Latter-day Saints.
October 23rd, Sunday. Attended meeting in
Farmington, visited several of our children and
administered to my daughter Josephine Rose. She
was very sick. Also, administered to and blessed
Eugene Robinson. We hope he is improving, some
better.
My good wife Laurinda came to Hooper to
stop with me a while at least. She is a good cook.
A very interesting, good Latter-day Saint. God
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bless her. Let her live yet many years upon this
earth oh Lord, and see many good days.
October 18th, 1887. I would now record a
very remarkable circumstance as I was called
to administer to a very sick child, a daughter
of Sister Ann Parker Wadsworth. I felt to enter
deeply into sympathy with them and promised to
do all I could to help them save their child.
I was sent for and while on my way there had
very serious refections. It occurred to my mind
some of the words that were spoken when I was
ordained a patriarch. It was said that whomsoever
you bless, shall be blessed and whomsoever you
curse, shall be cursed and whatsoever promise
to anyone in the name of the Lord and by the
virtue of my calling and priesthood, it should be
verifed.
Now, I tried to reason with the Lord as I knew
I was clean before him. Therefore, I besought the
Lord earnestly that he would heal that child and
restore it to health and cause it to live to the joy
and satisfaction of its parents.
I came into the house, saw its mother and
several others in tears. I looked upon the child
and verily it seemed to be struck with death and
I discovered there was little or no faith in the
house unless I possessed some.
I prayed for the child and waited some time.
Besought the Lord earnestly that he would show
me that he would teach me what to say. I knew
verily there was power with God to heal if there
was faith it should be done and I tried to exercise
faith for that child. I asked the Lord to give unto
me the Holy Ghost and put words into my mouth
what I should say and I would lay my hands upon
the child and leave it with the Lord.
We did so and promised the child it should
live and grow up to womanhood and become a
mother in Israel, and there was no condition, nor
may be so, and we naturally supposed the child
should rally and live and get well.
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I told the mother I would do all I could for her.
I tried to encourage them to exercise faith and
it certainly would be all right. I related several
remarkable cases of healing that I had been
knowledged to hoping it would strengthen their
faith and encourage them some.
I left the house feeling frst rate and on my
way home felt wonderful happy and said the child
will certainly get well. But to my astonishment
the next morning was told the child died at 12
o’clock that night, October 19th.
Now, says the tempter, see how much you
know. You said that child should live and grow
up to womanhood. Now see where you are, where
you prophesy is now. How can you depend on your
God. You might as well give it up. If your God will
deceive you in that way.
Surely it was a great trial to me. I felt bad
over it and said Lord, what can it mean, why was
it that I should be so deceived. Said I, would like
to know, oh Lord, wilt thou tell me.
And it came to pass after two or three days
the Lord did tell me. He showed it up plain to my
understanding and when I saw it my heart was
full of gratitude and thanksgiving to Almighty
God my Heavenly Father, for surely thou art
a revealer of secrets, full of mercy and truth.
Thou art almighty, full of wisdom and truth. I
will speak for thy goodness and praise thy name
forever more, amen.
And it came to pass the Father did reveal unto
me through the medium of the Holy Ghost on this
wise. That child is not dead, but sleepeth. It liveth
and when the trump shall sound for that kind of
dead, to awake, it shall come forth. It shall wake
up and shall look sickly and poor. It shall look
just as it did when it went to sleep and died, as
you term it. It (the child) shall be the same size
and its mother, if she is worthy, shall receive it
into her arms and shall nourish and cherish and
it shall be healed and become healthy and grow
up to womanhood as you promised it, not one jot
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or tittle shall fail of all you promised it. If her own
mother is not worthy, a mother shall be prepared
to receive it and raise it up and she shall be called
a mother in Israel.
Now, saith the Lord, in my wisdom, chose
this way to fulfl your words with regard to that
child, to try your faith as well. Verily, you will
fnd in your writing it is written that I the Lord
shall visit the families of the Latter-day Saints
and inasmuch as they do not observe to keep the
Word of Wisdom and my commandments better,
that there should be weeping and mourning in
the House of Israel and families of the Latter-
day Saints and there should be need of many
gravestones. And now, saith the Lord, if my
elders should have power to heal the sick, then
how would that prophesy be fulflled. Be thou
faithful and it shall be well with thee for I will
reveal unto you many things pertaining to my
kingdom and people. For verily, I say unto you
that all the meek and obedient shall be visited of
the Lord. Their understanding shall reach unto
heaven and they shall comprehend many things
pertaining to this earth also.
Now my soul doth magnify the Lord for I
know that my Redeemer liveth, I will praise his
name forever. He shall reign over my people on
the earth. Verily, the time is nigh, yea very near,
when the prophet Joseph shall come. He shall
receive his body, his martyred feshy body. It
shall contain the very scars where the bullets
pierced his body and caused his death. Yea as
Jesus carries his scars, the nails, the spear which
opened the vein so that every drop of blood was
extracted from his precious body, as the prophet
Joseph, also, and they too shall carry the scars
in their bodies to all eternity so there shall be no
cause of doubt, nor chance for deception.
It shall come to pass, the Prophet Joseph, the
seer, the great and mighty man, the man that
heads the dispensation of the fullness of times,
the man that helped to organize and build this
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mighty earth of ours or upon which we dwell, the
man that hath been elected lieutenant general,
the head general, the commander in chief of
the armies of Israel, and the armies of Israel
shall be organized and come under the head
of the Nauvoo Legion. Now legion signifes
many without number, verily I say unto you
the Nauvoo Legion was organized in the city of
Joseph, called Nauvoo, and the Prophet Joseph
was elected lieutenant general, and now verily, he
Joseph, shall hold that position in and through
all eternity and the Nauvoo Legion shall remain
in and through all eternity. The house and sons
of Jacob is God’s and they all shall belong to the
Nauvoo Legion.
Now, the time is near, yea very nigh, when
the gospel shall be preached to the Lamanites in
great power. The spirit of God shall be poured
out upon them and they shall listen and obey
and the spirit of the mission shall rest upon them
for they shall avenge the blood of the prophets,
Joseph and Hyrum, and Zion shall be redeemed.
The Prophet Joseph shall in person be the head
general. He shall order the whole affair and his
blood shall be avenged.
November, 1887. We went to Farmington, at-
tended a very interesting meeting. The presidency
of the stake was in attendance. They seemed to be
very meek and the elders seemed very humble and
talked very good and encouraging to the Saints.
The choir sang with a spirit and the understand-
ing also. It was very marvelous, a very interesting
meeting.
I again anointed and laid my hands upon the
head of Eugene Robinson and blessed him and
called upon the name of the Lord to heal him
by his power and his holy angels to come and
administer to him and that he should be healed,
and he felt much better.
I took a trip into Morgan County and fnd
there a sickness called diphtheria in the worst
form which proved fatal taking from several
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families two and three of their numbers. This
is in south Morgan City. I visited my son-in-law,
Frederick Clark, and my beloved daughter Emma
Sophia, his wife. While there, musing in my bed
in their home, had some of the most interesting
and the purest refections I ever had in my life. It
was on the subject of the turning key, when the
kingdom should be rent from all Gentiles and
placed upon Israel and remain with that house
and people forever. For the time is near. That
happy time when Christ shall come on earth to
reign for the thousand years in which time a great
work shall be performed in preparation of the
people and this earth. In this time, thousands
of temples shall be built and God shall visit
them and many thousands of Saints, sons and
daughters, of Zion shall be working in them
performing a very important mission.
I also passed up into Summit County and
also transacted some temporal business. Had
an excellent good time in visiting some of the
Saints.
November 20, 1887. Sunday, we attend meet-
ings in Hooper. A very good house of respectable
Latter-day Saints. The sacrament was adminis-
tered and we were treated with a very excellent
good discourse from Elder Francis M. Brown
from Ogden. He related some of his experiences
and very energetically, plainly and honestly
taught us or preached to us pure and holy gospel
of the Son of God.
November 25th. We received word that our
beloved daughter Josephine Rose was very sick.
She had just been delivered of a son, her ninth
child, and that several of our grandchildren were
sick. We went down immediately, found it even
so. I administered to my grandson and several
of our grandchildren that were very sick and I
returned home to Hooper.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE: On several pages in his late
November writings, Joseph Lee Robinson discusses in
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detail the organization of the Church and the duties of
the various ofces within the Church. These writings are
based upon and in accordance with instructions in the
Doctrine and Covenants.]
January 1888. The presidency of this stake
of Zion has appointed a two days meeting to
be held in this, the Hooper Ward. They were in
attendance and it was an excellent meeting. The
spirit of God was poured out upon President
(Denney) and on the elders and people. It was a
very good meeting, indeed.
I enter upon this New Year with pleasure
and delight, because God is with this people
and we feel to serve him with all our might. If
it be possible, to do better than we have done
for the year past. My sons Jedediah and George
Clawson and grandson Joseph West came here on
a visit last week. The boys to do some work on our
house. They drove some cattle for me to winter.
Joseph A., my grandson, a very fne interesting
young man. He is attending, or going to the Provo
Academy. On vacation, he is to visit here and he,
himself, and William went up to Morgan on a
visit today. He seemed to enjoy himself well while
with us. The boys, while here, built us a stairway
and did some painting and other work. They are
good boys.
January 3rd. I wrote and mailed two letters.
One to Mary in the north and one to Mary Jane
in the south.
January 5th, fast day. We attend meetings. A
house full, a good meeting, a very liberal portion
of the spirit. We had a house full this evening,
William Baker, Charles (Turk), Jedediah and
George and Lee and Willy with all their families
and Aunt Rinda got us a royally good supper.
January 6th. The winter is fast upon us and
we gather the most of our stock because of the
cold weather. The boys fnish up their job and are
preparing for home to Farmington. All is well.
January 13th. We receive a good letter from
Aunt Mary. Amos is on the road. We fear he
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will freeze. We receive a letter from Charles E.
Robinson from New York. He is trying to trace out
the Robinson records and he wants a genealogy
of my family. He sent to me blanks for me to fll
out for my own family, also for my father and
grandfathers.
January 19th. Received two letters from Amos
with a $25 check. He is all right but says there is
a large amount of sickness among the children
mostly. Several have died causing much weakness
and grief with the parents and friends. We will
mention one family in particular, Brother John
McGreger. They have been called to part with fve
of their children. We feel to sympathize with them
very much. May the Lord comfort them.
,....., ... .···
February 1st, 1888. Received a letter from my
daughter, Josephine Rose. They are mourning the
loss of their youngest, a very promising bright
child, the frst one they have ever buried, their
ninth child. We sympathize with them in their
bereavement and we ask God to bless them and
give unto them comfort and enable them to repent
of all their sins and become as pure as that child
and endure in faith and good works unto the end
in order that they may be as sure of salvation as
that child is.
Then they have, cause to rejoice, for surely, if
that mother proves worthy to receive that child
again when it shall wake up, for the trump shall
sound, yes, for that kind of dead and it shall come
forth. It shall wake up and look just as it did when
it was laid down. So, it shall want a mother to
receive it, nourish it, and cherish it. And she
(the mother) shall raise it up to womanhood and
inasmuch as the Holy Ghost has promised that
children, such as this child, shall receive it just
whatsoever was promised it and then her joy
shall be full. We shall say, and verily, in the fear
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of God, the same shall be verifed with regard to
her lost child.
February. We attend fast meeting, a very good
meeting. We talked good to the Saints. Amos
talked good to us all also. Jeddy and George came
and helped us some with some painting on our
house. We had a good visit with them. They are
very good.
Preparing my family genealogy to send to
Charles E. Robinson. I also went to Sister Henry
Manning’s and gave to Sister Mary Ann Manning
Robinson a good healthy, sound patriarchal
blessing. We administered to a great many sick,
children mostly, we take pleasure in blessing
them, innocent children of the Most High.
February 14th. We received fve Perry’s maga-
zines and Deseret News. Christmas gets us that
and Brother F. S. Johnson gave us a book, titled
The Apocryphal New Testament, a wonderful
good book. It speaks largely on Jesus Christ, of
his infancy and early days so that we are blessed
with an abundance of good reading matter. We
also take the Juvenile Instructor. The snow is
gone here except drifts.
February 18th. My birthday. It is as I dreamed
last night, snowing all day. I, at our place, am
very busy all day reading good books. Felt very
happy and comfortable thinking, oh how good
the Lord has been to me that he had so graciously
spared so unworthy a servant as I for seventy and
seven years, that he had been with me most of
that time. That he had imparted information to
me, so many rich blessings that he had revealed
to me and to the world of mankind the fullness
of his everlasting gospel in its fullness. Very
particularly for the law of celestial marriage
including plurality of wives that has given to
me by law and revelation so many amiable, good
looking, honorable daughters of Zion for wives.
Also that the Lord has so graciously given so many,
such good, well disposed, honorable children
and also so many good, honorable sons-in-law
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and daughters-in-law and also a host of bright,
intelligent, grand and great grandchildren. It
begins to put me in mind of the hosts of Israel.
Now, while refecting on these important and
very interesting matters, it almost surprised me,
now thinks I, wonder if my children and friends
don’t think they will surprise me today, it being
my birthday. But thinks I, guess they won’t. I had
not seen any person come in, had heard no noise,
not a thing.
Come, father, says one, we want you to go into
Laurey’s room. She says, you have not been in her
room today. Well says I, I will a little while.
My wife, with brush in hand gave my hair a
little touch. I rose up and went toward the door
not in the least of seeing any person except some
of the family but you may judge of my surprise
when the door opened I saw the room literally full
of people. Well, well said I, what can this mean.
Truly, I was so surprised that I hardly knew what
to say, and while my surprise was way up, my son
Jeddy says to me, Look here Father, pointing to a
beautiful piece of furniture. I looked at it. What
said I is that, an organ? No he says, look here,
dropping at the same time the front door. What
I saw was a writing table and seeing the drawer
and place for books and shelves and papers, I
saw at a glance what it was but had not time to
say anything. He then opened a drawer, look
here he says. What is this for says I. This is all
yours, see here, a fne suit of clothes, slippers and
socks. All this is yours he exclaimed with a look
of high pleasure. But with myself, surprise and
wonder and astonishment mixed with a thought,
is it possible? This thing I had wanted so bad
and a nice suit of clothes in the bargain made
ready for me.
Oh God, I thank thee. Wilt thou bless these
my dear children. Wilt thou provide for them.
May they never want, that through their faith
and diligent industry they may always have, and
to spare.
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Now, says Jeddy, let us go right upstairs, you
put on these clothes, see if they ft. Yes, says
Joseph E. and others, go and put these on. So
upstairs we clamor like little innocent children.
I, feeling so happy and the children feeling so
very good. When tried on, all ft to a tee, clothes,
slippers, socks and all. Then the boys got up a
program for the evening exercise. Brother E.
Rose, Joseph and others got up the program.
Then supper, and a splendid one too. We had a
feast, a royal supper. Thank God and all the good
people that helped get it up. We will now insert
the program.
Program rendered at the 77th birthday of
Brother Robinson, February 18th, 1888. Supper
at 6:30 o’clock p.m. Song by the group with organ.
Speech by C. Kirkham on the Word of Wisdom. A
tune by the band. Harmonica solo by Frank Steed.
Recitation by G. A. Robinson. Song by Miss Mary
Robinson. Recitation by Miss Maggie Wilcox.
Song by Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Robinson, speech
by Mr. J. E. Robinson. Speech by father Joseph
Lee Robinson. Organ solo by Miss Mabel Walker.
Comic song by Mr. Hyrum Rice. Comic recitation
by Mr. E. Wilcox. Sentimental verses composed
for the occasion, toasts, dancing. 63 persons
present. We will here insert the verses.
We have met here to greet dearest
Grandpa
To cheer him and make his heart glad
Seventy-seven long years he has tarried
We never knew his heart to be sad.
Oh the wealth of a heart that’s
contented
A treasure more precious than gold
To the riches of heaven
To the blessing and Christ’s happy fold
To Grandpa this chorus we sing.
Sweet songs, precious songs of the
heart
His precepts we honor and cherish
From truth we will never depart.
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The winter of life is approaching
But still not a cloud on his brow
Just calm and serene as a summer
Or in springtime when gliding the plow.
When the great book of records are
opened
And his deeds the kind Savior will scan
There will be to his credit recorded
Title clear of a good honest man.
Chorus
In the midst of his wives & his children
A patriarch honored he stands
Respected, beloved, and cherished
Choice blessings they claim at his
hands.
There will be stars in his bright crown
of glory
That he’ll wear on eternity’s shore
Oh then what a joyful reunion
When all meet to part never more.
Composed by Lucy A. Clark by request of
—GRANDDAUGHTER, MAGGIE WILCOX
Farmington, February 18th, 1888. These
verses were composed for Brother Joseph Lee
Robinson on his 77th birthday. Verily, every part
was performed well. We had a beautiful dance in
our hall all evening.
February 20th. We came home to Hooper.
Sister and Brother Ausker [Oscar] Rice and his
family came with us on a visit, he to help me some
to get out manure. He is an extra good man. He
helped me very much as I had a large amount
of manure to get out. It had accumulated very
much in two years that I had rented the farm
and my income was small also. I now purpose
to till the farm and put out the manure to see
whether I can make it produce. Consequently I am
laboring exceedingly hard. There are many things
transpiring these days which is of great interest
to Latter-day Saints. The Lord is chastening his
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Saints, the destroyer is taking away many of our
children which causes many parents and people
to mourn. Also many severe judgements are being
poured out upon the inhabitants of the world such
as very destructive fres, earthquakes, storms
and tempests, whirlwinds, shipwrecks, railroad
disasters, hailstorms, famines, and so forth.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE: Here Joseph Lee Robinson repeats
again his prophecy or predictions that the world will
be destroyed unless the people repent.]
March 1st–12th, 1888. We attend fast meeting.
It was very well attended. The brethren spoke
well. There were several little children blessed
and oil consecrated.
I sent one letter to Aunt Mary in the north and
received a good letter from her. Amos returned
from his visiting with his brothers and sisters and
friends. He helped me some,, Amos started for
his home in the north. Oscar and family for home.
Sent letter to Solomon in Emery County.
May the blessings of God rest on all of our
dear sons and daughters. I bless them in the name
of the Lord. We are favored with a beautiful rain
today. The frst for a long, long time. We thank the
Lord very much, it will do the land so much good.
(On 12th) Am writing a good letter to Charles E.
Robinson in the city of New York. He had written
a long letter to me asking me many questions
with regard to Mormonism. He is searching for
and obtaining a very extensive genealogy of the
Robinsons, our progenitors and kindred. He will
publish a book. He will give me one.
My son Jedediah [Jeddediar] came today to
help me put in my crops this spring. He takes
hold good even with a will. God bless him and his
little family. We labor with our might. We labor
for Zion exclusively in the name of the Lord. We
desire nothing, but the kingdom of God and his
righteousness. We trust in God, we are friends of
God and hope, and mean, ever to be.
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We are having very beautiful weather now.
But in the eastern states, a dreadful storm, such
as one as they have never known before. The
chastisements of Almighty God are coming upon
them. It may be the prophet Joseph is fghting
them for they have spilt his innocent blood and
he did threaten them in the name of God.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : Here, J. L. R. repeats what he has
written many times before, his predictions of the last
days, of the destruction which will come upon the
wicked.]
March 13th. We commence putting in our
wheat. I receive a very lengthy and very choice
letter from my beloved ones in the north. They
are all well. Have had a very severe winter in
that country.
Emera Sales and Ephraim Garner have buried
each of them a son.
March 20th. I engage a good boy by the name
of David Fowls for the summer and fall. On the
27th we attend a funeral for George (Amis) little
boy. He was a fne and noble child. Brother
Johnson and I preached the funeral sermons.
We told the Saints that the child should return
to earth and receive its body again and that his
mother, if worthy, should receive it into her arms
and should with pleasure nourish and cherish
it.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : J. L. R. now repeats what he has
said basically before in respect to the resurrection of
little children.]
March 31st. Jedediah has gone home. We have
performed a large amount of labor. Jedediah came
to help me what he could before conference. We
are laboring hard, enlarging the beet canal that
we may have an abundance of water. We are very
hard and faithful laborers but poor scholars.
April 5th. We start to attend conference, the
58th Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, how rich, the title.
Took Aunt Rinda, Vee’s wife and Jeddy and Rosy
and stopped at Farmington.
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April 6th. We drive to Salt Lake City. Took
Oscar and Willy, his wife with us and stopped
with Sister Bridges, George (Arms) mother. Put
my horse in Sister Smith’s stable, my wagon in
her yard and we attend a live and interesting
conference. There was a very large concourse of
people attending this 58th Annual conference.
We did receive a very large amount of very bold
and fearless, good substantial preaching and
teaching which caused our minds to expand and
our hearts to rejoice exceedingly. It showed us
that Mormonism is neither dying nor dead, but
that the Latter-day Saints were alive and that they
were improving some. We heard a very sound
and interesting epistle, good for all the Saints,
from President Woodruff. Also, from the Twelve.
There are a good many of our elders in exile and
many in prison while we have a large army of
elders out in and all over and among the nations
of the earth promulgating the gospel and the Son
of God that if possible we may gather out the
elect of God and gather them home to the place
of gathering that they might be brought under a
rod and into the bowels of the covenant. Yes, that
they may become educated in the things of God,
yes in the doctrines of Christ that they, with us,
may be prepared to receive the Lord when he
shall come. (Many other choice instructions were
given at this conference.)
April 9th. We drove to Hooper. Found things
in very good shape. Find two ewes with six very
beautiful, live lambs for which we thank God
the great giver of all good. We also fnd upon
our hands an abundance of work, hard work,
also health and strength and a disposition to
perform the same for which we thank God. We
are enlarging our public large canal, laboring
hard with our mights for water.
April 12th. By invitation, my wife Laurinda
and I attend a grand party at the house of Eli
Mannings, Farmington, my eldest daughters,
Anna Maria and second daughter Mary Wilcox,
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married to Eli Manning’s eldest son. They are
good children. They had been to Logan Temple
and married prior in April, 1888.
We are treated to a splendid supper. We had
a good party and by invitation I talked to some
length on important subjects.
April 20th. We attend a meeting, the presi-
dency of the stake and President F. D. Richards
and Brother Joseph Stanford, our superintendent
Rich Balentine and others were in attendance.
The ward was reorganized by appointing Warren
Childs bishop and Ollie Olsen and Nephi Hardy
his counselors. These three brethren were all
ordained high priests and also set apart in the
bishopric. They are good, interesting, smart young
men. They will make a good team. We pray for
them that they may take hold with their mights,
fll their high and important offce with honor.
April 25th. While moving my young horse
this morning I became severely injured having
my left shoulder put out and my upper arm
bruised severely. I acknowledge the hand of the
Lord in this severe hurt, but it probably was
my carelessness. I thank the Lord in it and if I
thought it was his will that I should suffer thus
then I would certainly thank him for it.
This evening, while I was laboring in my feld,
one of Brother David Bibey’s sons came to me
and informed me that his brother William had
been stabbed in his breast and that he was very
bad. They wished me to come and administer to
him that he might live and not die. Accordingly
I went about eight miles this evening and stayed
with him all night. We administered to him in the
name of the Lord that evening and the next morn-
ing we very earnestly sought the Lord to spare
his life that he might live for the Lord’s sake and
for his own sake and for his wife and children’s
sake and for his dear father and mother’s sake,
his brothers and sisters and many friends’ sake
also that he was stabbed so severely that he bled
inwardly. He was appointed unto death or at least
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we did not exercise faith suffciently to save him.
The next day, April 18th, 1888 in the afternoon
he departed this life. He left a wife and three or
four little children to mourn his loss and also
many friends to weep for the loss of a loving son
and an affectionate brother. He was surely a very
good, kind, interesting young man. We surely
weep and feel sad for him and his family but we
would many times rather be in their place than
in the place of him that murdered this good man.
We do earnestly pray our Father in Heaven in the
name of Jesus, to bless and comfort the widow
and fatherless children and many relatives.
May 1888. I received a letter from Mr. Tullege
asking for historic information as he is about to
publish the history of Utah. We tried to give him
some of the desired information. We hope he
received it in time.
My son Jedediah is helping me very much. He
is a famous worker and a good boy.
This morning, very early, I awoke my son
Jedediah asking him if he would arise and
anoint and bless my shoulder for I was and had
been suffering for several hours with a dreadful,
cutting pain in my shoulder and that it was
dreadful in the extreme. Now I did think, surely,
the hand of the Lord is in this severe hurt, in
the way it was brought about and that it became
me to bear it with all the patience and fortitude
that I possibly could. But, this present pain was
more than I was required or more than I need
to bear. So, in my heart, I prayed earnestly that
this present pain might be rebuked and taken
entirely away. Surely it was done, for my son
commenced with pain killer rubbing it with the
same for some time. But, that did no good, not
one particle. This dreadful pain continued. Then
he took the consecrated oil and anointed it in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ. As he commenced
to anoint, the dreadful commenced to leave my
shoulder. When he got through administering
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the pain was certainly all gone. So, I did verily
know it was the Lord and how thankful I was
and certainly should be unto the Lord, my God,
even unto my Redeemer, even for this wonderful
manifestation of his power. I do know that my
Redeemer liveth and because he lives, I live also,
and we do certify now that that very severe and
very extraordinary pain did certainly leave and
it never came back, thank the Lord, although my
shoulder is very weak and gets very tired and
painful but that kind of pain never did return.
May 8th. Elder F. S. Johnson came and exam-
ined my shoulder and he pronounced my shoul-
der in place all right. By request, he anointed my
head and shoulder in the name of the Lord and
administered to me. He rebuked the pain and
soreness from the foundation. Suffce to say, I
feel much better and expect to get well and sound
again, if the Lord will, we expect he will, we trust
in him.
;....., ... .··,
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : The J. L. R. journal now skips to January
1st, 1889. It is obvious that there is no material in
between these dates because the journal continues
on the back of the page from which we have just been
dictating.]
January 1st, 1889. This day we took dinner
with Jedediah and family in Farmington with
several of our children. Had a good dinner, we
enjoyed ourselves very much. Our daughter,
Laury, prepared our dinner but the next day I
was quite sick. However, I read 150 pages in the
life of apostle Heber C. Kimball which was very
interesting which related the very interesting
account of the dedication of the Kirtland Temple
and of his appointment and call to a mission
in old England. This was the frst Mormon
missionary work done in foreign land. The book
told of his success, the wonderful power of God
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manifested there and also the power of the devil
in opposition to the gospel of the Son of God who
attacked the elders and nearly killed some of
them. The account told of his wonderful success,
the great numbers that were baptized there and
of his return and travels to Missouri and the
dreadful persecutions the Saints received there,
while some were killed and some were imprisoned
and the whole Church was driven from the state
of Missouri.
I also fasted that day and visited some and
got much better through the mercy of God. The
next day I traveled to Hooper, found all well,
Aunt Laurinda stayed in Farmington to nurse
and comfort a sick daughter. The weather very
cold these days.
January 5th, 1889. Saturday, this morning
before I arose from my bed my mind became
lit up by the power of the Holy Ghost and I
received a solution and explanation of several
very important subjects. In my weakness, I may
attempt to explain or I’ll reveal some of them
and these are subjects I never had explained
to me before but had heard many opinions but
they greatly differed as they always will without
revelation to establish the facts.
One was, the Lord gives a man a wife in the
new and everlasting covenant. She is sealed to
him for time and all eternity and by any means
she may wish or thinks she does want to go to
some other man to become his. If the man that
she thought she desired was in a lower state or
could not exalt her any higher or not so high, as
her husband. In that case he should not let her
go. But in a case a woman gets sealed to a man
that cannot exalt her as high as she is worthy
to receive, because she may be one that is very
intelligent and has never committed adultery or
any other capital crime in either of her probations
so that there never was a stain upon her character
and she has earned a very bright crown and that
she is worthy to go up higher than her man can
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take her. She can claim the privilege of the hand
of her Father in Heaven. He certainly will not
deny her and in that case her husband cannot
hold her back.
Never until such times that we have temples
built with an apartment in the same where the
true character of every person can and will be
brought to life, their truth and worthiness, as it
is before God, can and shall be revealed and the
fullness of the law revealed and after this, if a
woman knowing the true worth of the man and
she is willing and wishes to be sealed to that man,
then she will be informed that she can never leave
him. Now verily, until such times as the fullness
of the law is revealed, in all cases, the daughters
of Zion, cannot be compelled to remain with
a man that she might happen to get sealed to
because she can’t have but one man, therefore it
would not be just and equitable and strictly just
before the Lord, as our God is just, he therefore
cannot do wrong, his precious beloved daughters,
for he loves them. I do love them also, even all
those who are virtuous and true, thank God.
It is very cold weather, some slow sleighing.
I visited my beloved daughter Oaney and her
family. Stayed over night with them. Had a very
interesting chat with her husband Byran Bibe and
he gave me two sacks of corn and one of apples
for which I thanked him very much and upon my
way home I took dinner with my son William and
family. Consecrated a bottle of oil and blessed a
sick child. I feel like David said, I give thanks
unto the Lord for his very rich mercy.
I drove to Farmington and visited with several
of my children and had a regular good time with
them. Blessed two of my daughters that were sick,
namely Ester and Sarah. I also gave to four of
my granddaughters a good patriarchal blessing,
namely Lucy, Mary, and Rosy Robinson and
Anabel Rose. They are good, nice daughters of
Zion. God bless them.
February 1st. Left Aunt Rinda, still with her
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February 1st. Left Aunt Rinda, still with her
daughter and brought up Sister Elizabeth, Oscar’s
good mother, as my son-in-law Oscar Rice and
his family is living in one of my rooms this winter.
He is helping me, feeding our stock, Having a
good winter.
February 3rd. The Sabbath, I attended
meeting and after meeting had a good talk with
Brother John Manning, a returned missionary
and gave two of their children a good patriarchal
blessing. I also read the magazine sent to me by
C. E. Robinson.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : J. L. R. ’s journal now skips to 1889.]
Many things have transpired of vital impor-
tance during the last few months and also many
very remarkably wicked, hard sickening and
ungodly murders and suicides, robbings and
sudden deaths and a great loss of life and many,
very many have gone to a watery grave. Surely, it
is evident God is angry with the wicked and not
many years hence great and mighty cities shall be
destroyed and sink with the inhabitants thereof,
shall be burned with fre from heaven and that
is not all but there shall be dreadful wars and
bloodshed which shall make the hardest heart
of wicked man to ache.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : J. L. R. inserts this 1888 material
here.]
November 4, 1888. My eldest son Oliver’s
seventh son, Eugene, died, leaving a wife and
three small children to mourn his death and to be
cared for. We mourn with them, but not without
hope for he was a good man and has surely gone
to rest for a while, but his work will follow him
and he shall perform a good missionary work
in the spirit world and in the near future shall
receive a glorious resurrection and strike hands
with his family and friends and live forever.
At his funeral in the Farmington meeting-
house, which took place November 6, 1888, I
was called upon to address the large assembly
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that was assembled upon that solemn occasion.
(Eugene was born August 11, 1862.)
In our remarks, we testifed that this our be-
loved brother lying before us, was a Saint and that
he had died in the Lord and that he was blessed
that he had earned a glorious resurrection and
that he should receive that same body again and
that it should look just like it did when he died
and that he should be healed, become healthy,
and live forever. All that the Holy Ghost has
promised him should be given him and his work
should follow him and he should enter directly
into the work of the ministry in the spirit world.
That he would most certainly perform a large
missionary work there, as there was a thousand
times more people to preach to there than there
are here on this earth at the present time. Our
elders holding the holy priesthood, they would
have that work to perform in the spirit world the
same as they have to preach it, the gospel, here
upon this earth.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE: J. L. R. then continues to outline the
things that would transpire before the second coming
of our Lord, Jesus Christ. He concluded the recording of
his address by assuring the congregation that Eugene
would be reunited with his father, Oliver L. Robinson,
and that they never would be separated again. Also,
he concluded by asserting that there never would be
a better man than he (Eugene) was.]
This morning, before I arose from my bed, in
my serious and deep refection, the veil seemed
to be drawn and the Comforter kindly introduced
several very important matters and subjects
giving me an understanding and knowledge
upon those matters, clearing up several to my
understanding and leading me into other very
great and important matters. Truly, the Lord
is very gracious and extremely good unto his
covenant people, as the Savior said to his disciples,
that he would send the Comforter and he, the
Comforter, should lead them into all truth.
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Now, we wish to be understood, that any per-
son that exercises true and genuine faith in Jesus
Christ and renders obedience to the requirements
of the gospel, whether this obedience, or baptism,
and all other ordinances are performed by him, or
her, or whether they are performed by others.
Well, with regard to polygamy, it is in my
estimation certainly a very interesting and very
important tenet or item of our holy religion, yet
not in a general sense essential to salvation. It is
left optional with any and every man to enter into
that holy order, or into polygamy, or not, as it may
please himself only if he does break the laws of
the land he will have to abide the consequences.
But, with the hundreds and the tens of thousands
and hundreds of thousands of members of this
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there
are comparatively few that have ever entered into
polygamist marriages and still those members are
held in full fellowship in the Church just the same.
But, I probably will say more to you upon this
subject at some other time. We do not term this
(polygamy) the gospel—no not by any means.
I would like to leave this subject for the pres-
ent and would like to preach the gospel of life
and salvation to you. Well, I think or suppose
you will say, we have already got the gospel, have
we not? Well, as to that we will have to leave it
to the Bible to say and that is what I meant, do
you really think that you do believe the Bible or
do you believe your own or some other man’s
interpretation of the Bible. We will now inquire
and see what the Holy Bible will say about the
subject of the gospel.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : J. L. R. then continues for several
pages preaching the gospel to Mr. C. E. Robinson—the
gospel as contained in the Bible. J. L. R. ends his letter
to Mr. Charles E. Robinson in New York with “I remain
your very obedient and sincere well wisher”, Joseph L.
Robinson, Hooper, Utah.]
April 6th, 1889. We attended our general
conference, held in the large tabernacle in Salt
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Lake City. Many thousands of people attended
this conference and it was a very excellent,
good meeting. Much very rich instruction was
imparted to the Saints. We enjoyed this meeting
extremely well. We feel ourselves highly favored
of the Lord, for he has given unto us a First
Presidency, again. We voted for our beloved
brethren, Wilford Woodruff, for our president
and George Q. Cannon, our frst and Joseph F.
Smith, our second counselors. The vote was a
hearty unanimous one. We thank our God very
much for so good men, for presidents and that
he, the Lord, is with this people and that he is so
wonderfully blessing this dear people and that
he has lead them into so goodly a land, out of
bondage and that he has placed a hedge about
them to protect them.
June 20th. Our Hooper Ward has built a very
large and nice bowery and several Sunday Schools
met in the same on this day. There were speeches
from different individuals, the recitals of choice
scriptures, the singing and beautiful music from
the band, a sweet and good spirit through the
exercises altogether which made it one of the most
interesting exercises we have ever attended. It
manifested to us that our Sunday Schools are
doing a vast amount of good.
June 26th. We attended the old folks
celebration in Ogden. It was a decided success,
a beautiful day, a very large gathering and
abundance of good dinner. Many very nice, good
presents to the old and poor, good speeches and
a very interesting, general good time, all seemed
to feel well.
August 4th, Sunday. Our new and very fne
meetinghouse was dedicated today. The Hooper
Ward has reason to feel proud and thank their
God for their splendid meetinghouse. It would
be a credit to any ward in Zion. President Shirtlif
and his counselors, several of the twelve and
others were there. It was a very rich meeting.
The President and all hands did talk so very well.
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Apostle Franklin F. Richards made the dedicatory
prayer. It was truly a feast, we were so very happy,
the Lord was there.
August 12th. My William came to me very
sick. I anointed and blessed him in the name
of the Lord. He was healed immediately and
returned to his work, praising God, his good
Lord for his goodness and his matchless love
and power. Surely our God is with us. We shall
never be moved.
Now verily, this present season has been the
driest season we have ever experienced in these
valleys. Our potato crops have almost proved a
failure. Our corn and cane and other kinds, about
the same. Many fruit and shade trees have died
with thirst, but I truly felt it was a marvel that my
Lucerne hay did yield so very much. I do thank my
God very exceedingly. It surely is his holy hand.
August 18th, Sunday. I was watering my vines
this morning by pouring water on the hills but
this evening a soaking rain, a wonderful heavy
shower.
May 5th, 1889. As I have been writing a good
letter to my nephew, Milton Robinson, a resident
of the state of Pennsylvania. He is a very candid,
interesting young man as he has undertaken
the task and is getting up the Robinson family
records. He has written to me several good let-
ters and has requested me to write him a good
Christian letter, I have written one and will copy
the same, hoping it will beneft some others as
well as himself.
Hooper City, May 5th, 1889, Weber County,
Utah.
Mr. Milton Robinson, my very dear
nephew.
I have many times thought of you and had
wished I had time to write a good, long letter to
you, but I am very busy, as I am alone on my
farm, but do not intend to have it so always.
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I am in very good health and in good spirits
through the mercy of God and feel very happy in
my very much despised religion. I have certainly
taken, joyfully taken, the spoiling of my goods,
and I have been driven once from Nauvoo,
State of Illinois, with the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints and they, the Church, has
been driven four times from their homes and
hard earned possessions. Still this people is
becoming a great people, numerous and many
very wealthy, but I am not rich in the world’s
goods but have a plenty to make us comfortable,
for which I feel very thankful to the great giver
of all good.
But, if faith in God and in his gospel and also
in good works and in a large, good family, are
riches, then I am rich. That is, I feel to say I am
very thankful to Almighty God, my Heavenly
Father for what I do possess in that line and feel
that these things are worth more to me than a
large amount of gold and silver, houses and
lands, focks and herds in great abundance.
Well, my boy, I acknowledge the receipt of a
very good, kind letter written by your hand to
me. And since you have invited me to write you
a good, kind Christian letter, something like I
had written to you before and as you seem to
be a candid, sensible young man, a man of good
habits, interesting and enterprising, just the kind
of a man that is worth saving and that would be
worth being saved of the gospel of the son of God
and become instrumental in saving others. Also,
as a large mission is on hand which will require
smart and willing young men to perform a
preaching mission for dispensation of the gospel
has been committed to man and it has been
preached to many people, to many nations for
the last 50 years or more and very many people
have received it. Yet, this missionary work has
but just commenced. But as the Lord liveth, that
everlasting gospel that John the Revelator saw,
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the holy angel fying through the midst of heaven
having the everlasting gospel to preach to men
that dwell on the earth, which he did commit to
man to preach to every nation, kingdom, tongue
and people that dwell on the earth. As Jesus said,
that when this gospel of the kingdom should be
preached to every nation then should the end
come. But our sectarian Christian friends will
say that the everlasting gospel was preached
by Christ and his apostles and that in their day
it was preached and that there is never to be
any more dispensations of the gospel of the son
of God on this earth. They say that there shall
never be any more apostles and prophets, gifts of
healing by the laying on of hands and anointing
with oil in the name of the Lord, etc.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : J. L. R. continues in this letter to
outline the restoration of the gospel and renders his
testimony to this young nephew. He continues for
several pages in his journal quoting the scriptures to
this young man. Then on November 17th writes another
letter to his beloved nephew Milton Robinson in
response to a letter which he had received from him. He
ends his letters-with renderings of his strong, powerful
testimony of the gospel and continues as follows.]
Well now I want to say that I did not think of
writing very much on religious matters, but have
written some this time, but have still said but
little. If you do not want to hear any more, you
must not invite me to write you a good religious
letter any more. I beg your pardon, you must
not be offended.
I will now say I have just received a very
kind, good letter from you. My very best wishes
and I am much pleased to hear that you were
well and that you were still engaged in the
good work, in looking after and tracing out
the records of the Robinson family. I do really
hope and pray that you may in some way trace
out the line and lineage of our forefathers way
back for a long ways. I do not doubt but that
Charles E. Robinson has gone into them and that
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he and us are connected. But, I suppose that is
not ascertained for certainty. Yet, he has taken
up the offer that I gave to you, to ask questions
and I would answer them and I have written a
considerable to him. He is a gentleman, a very
good man, I am highly pleased with him and his
letters. I fnd no fault with them. I should like
very much to see him as well also yourself and
have a good long and sound talk with you both
as I do entertain the best feelings for both of you.
God bless you.)
September 28th. It is, or has been Thanksgiving
Day. My wife got us up a royal dinner. We have
had a good time and some of our friends with
us to partake with us.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : This, apparently, is another letter
addressed to Milton Robinson.]
I wish, yourself, could have been one of them,
one of our guests. I should like to see you very
much but would more like to have you receive
the gospel and become a member of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But then,
you would be called a poor, diluted Mormon
and you should be belied and persecuted and
would be cast out as evil. And how would you
like that, my dear boy. Well the Lord bless you
with a pure heart and clean hands and good luck
is my humble prayer and blessing. Yours truly,
with kind love and charity to my beloved nephew
Milton Robinson signed Joseph L. Robinson.
August 22nd, 1889. Thursday morning we
were called to administer to Bishop Williams
Childs, our bishop, he was a very sick man. We
united and prayed for him and administered to
him. I was mouth. We promised him he should
live. I felt very much interested for him and
through the day I retired to secret places and
knelt down and prayed very earnestly to the Lord
that he would look in mercy upon him and spare
his life. That for his name’s sake and for his and
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the ward’s sake that he might be healed as he was
a very good man, a very enterprising, industrious,
useful man and we did not know how we could
spare him.
We were all called together again in the eve-
ning and on my way there I did pray earnestly to
the Father, in the name of Jesus, that he would
spare our bishop, that he would not take him
from us, not at this time. And I did also tease
the Lord, my God, that he would graciously give
unto us something through the gift of the Holy
Ghost with regard to that man.
There were some eight or ten elders together.
We formed a circle and Bishop Belnap was mouth
in prayer. Elder Case was mouth, I anointed him
and gave him oil inwardly. After the administra-
tion, a very few minutes, and the spirit of the Lord
came widely upon me and flled my soul with
great joy even to the shedding of many tears and
the Holy Ghost did say unto me in plain words,
the prayers of the brethren have gone up into
the ears of the Lord of the Sabbath. The heavens
have decided they shall be granted. Your bishop
shall remain with you for a season. He shall not
be taken at this time.
These precious words to me were very consol-
ing. I felt to praise and magnify the name of the
Lord for he had heard and answered our prayers
and that we did possess some of the faith of Abra-
ham and that Abraham’s God was our friend and
that our bishop should remain.
Presently, Elder F. S. Johnson came in, he
was late, but he wished to do something for
him. He requested and we formed a circle and
in order we prayed. Elder Case was the mouth
at this time. Elder Johnson anointed him and by
request I blessed him and told him his prayers
were heard and his brethren’s also in his behalf
and they should be answered. For thus saith the
Holy Ghost, that he, our Bishop Childs should live
and remain with us for awhile. So, in accordance
to the word of the Lord, we knew that our bishop
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would certainly get well. But it was said by some
that most of the brethren thought he would die
but I did know that his word could not fail for we
have always proved him in every word that he
saith for he cannot lie, he will not leave us and
we trust in him.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE: Although J.L.R, does not so record,
apparently Bishop Childs did get better.]
August 25th, Sunday. I drove to Brother
Ausmaus. He is very low, he will soon pass away.
Several of the brethren met and we prayed for
him. We hoped he would get easier. I went and
blessed Brother Ausmaus today that he might
depart in peace inasmuch as it was not the will
of the Lord that he should remain with us as he
has suffered long and much. It has been several
months since I took paper and a good man with
me and went to his house and I did in the name
of the Lord give unto him a good patriarchal
blessing and he received the promise of many
good things and this good brother wrote it and we
left the copy with him. He had been sick for a long
time, we hoped he would have faith to be healed
and remain with us and with his dear, nice family,
but no, our beloved Brother Ausmaus passed away
easy today, gone to sleep. Died today, August 30th.
Sleep on dear brother and take your rest and let
your industrious spirit labor with the blessed.
September 1st, 1889. Sunday, 4 o’clock p.m.
at the meetinghouse, Hooper, funeral services
were held over the remains of Brother George
Ausman and being called upon I preached the
funeral sermon. We addressed the people and
friends of Brother George Ausman in the fear and
in the name of the Lord. We said he is a good man
and that he had died in the Lord, or more proper
that he slept in Jesus and that God, for Christ’s
sake, had forgiven him all his sins and that he had
a great work to perform in the spirit world and
that he had suffered very much in this world and
that he should be rewarded for all his suffering
and that he should perform a very meritorious
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work in the spirit world and that his work should
go on here and that he should lose nothing but
should receive all that the holy patriarch had
promised him in the name of the Lord. He should
not remain very long in the grave, that when the
trump should sound for him he would awake and
he should look just as he did when he went to
sleep but that he should be healed and become a
sound man, a healthy and holy man of God and
that he should carry on his own work and that
he should receive all that had been promised him,
not one word, jot or tittle should fail and that he
should live forever with the Lord. We labored to
comfort the mourners of our dear brother and
friend. We said many things for the living and
pertaining to the dead.
September 8th. Jeddy and his mother went
to Farmington, attended a wonderful good two
day’s meeting there. Presidents Woodruff and
Cannon did most of the preaching. They were
full of the Holy Ghost so surely the Lord is with
this people. My son William came for me. They
were all sick.
I went with him to Brother Baker’s and conse-
crated some oil and we administered to his wife
and child and also to Brother Baker and child and
they all did get better.
September 12th. We met and united in prayer
for and administered to our bishop, William
Childs. He is very sick again but he will certainly
get well. We remember the promise the Lord
made to us for him.
September 14th. We thrash our grain. We
have about 150 bushels of wheat. There are many
very sick, the most of them recover but some die.
Brother William Garner has buried two of their
little fock, two little sons. He himself and the only
two sons left were very sick. We blessed them,
they will live and get well and so they did.
September 29. My wife and I drove up to see
our daughter Oanie and family and we attended
one of the most interesting and sweetest little
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meetings, a conference at Uintah that we ever
attended. The presidency of the stake and several
of the brethren were there and they did talk so
very good. Brother Joseph Stanford talked so
very sweet, we felt to bless them all in the name
of the Lord.
As their bishop had died they organized the
ward by appointing a president and several of-
fcers and blessed the people.
We had a good visit also with our children
and my son-in-law Byron. They gave to me a good
pair of new shoes and they gave me a large nice
book, entitled “A Beautiful Story”. Only, when
we had done with it that it, the book, should fall
back to their own children. Our son-in-law Oscar
Rice and his wife, Welle [or Wette] from the poor-
house (?). Brother John Wadsworth is driving a
fowing well for us in Hooper.
October 6th. We attended the 59th Semi-An-
nual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. Our President, Elder Woodruff
and his frst counselor and six of the Twelve and
a host of elders were in attendance. It was the
largest and we think as good and as interesting a
conference as we ever had. The spirit of the Lord
did richly attend the many very rich instructive
and very interesting discourses that were deliv-
ered at this conference. They were well calculated
to encourage and strengthen and bless the Latter-
day Saints. God is with the Saints, therefore they
cannot be moved out of their place never unless
they do worse so that the Lord has to leave them.
Wo unto them that fght against Zion.
November 10th and 11th. Our new meeting-
house in Hooper was christened with a very in-
teresting conference. The presidency of the Weber
Stake of Zion with several of the High Council and
elders from Ogden were in attendance. The breth-
ren were in good spirits. A considerable amount of
business was transacted and the presidency and
brethren talked so very extremely well and good
to the Saints in Hooper. We had a regular feast.
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We are blessed with a very fne and comodious
meetinghouse to worship God in for which bless-
ing we feel very thankful to Almighty God, our
Heavenly Father, and also to all the good people
of Hooper who have so cheerfully and faithfully
contributed of their means and labor to build
the same. We are laboring hard, putting in some
wheat, the rains are falling copiously.
November 18th. Our beloved son, Lee Sidwells,
came in from the north. We were much pleased
to see him looking and feeling so well. He is a
very nice lad.
December 23rd. The prophet Joseph Smith’s
birthday. We were invited to celebrate this day by
our presidency. To fast all day and meet together
and pray to Almighty God, our Heavenly Father,
that he would graciously look in mercy upon his
beloved people, the Latter-day Saints. That he
would soften the hearts of our enemies toward
them. That the Saints may not be brought into
bondage and be destroyed, but that they may live
and prevail against all their enemies.
Behold, the Saints with all their children did
fast and meet together in all the valleys in the
mountains and behold, shall not the heavens be
moved? Yes, verily they most certainly will be for
the good of the poor (yet rich) persecuted, Latter-
day Saints. Our God shall soon come out of his
hiding place and he shall vex this ungodly nation
with a very sore vexation.
December 24th. Wrote one letter to my family
in the north. Administered to Sister Elgren. We
promised her she should recover. Took some meat
for Christmas and charity to a widow.
December 25th. Held our Christmas with our
own beloved daughter Janie Bybe and family. We
had an excellent good time with them.
December 29th, 1889. Sunday, we attended
the funeral of our grandson Joel Rose. We had
received the intelligence that he had passed away.
He had died and gone to rest.
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While viewing the corpse I saw in his coun-
tenance the spirit of the great rest, felt a solemn
holy infuence. It struck me like a fash of lighten-
ing. I had such feelings as never had before while
viewing a corpse. I had to turn away and weep
like a whipped child, the tears ran like a food
and that was something that I never had done
before, never to my remembrance did I weep
while viewing a dead person. He seemed to me a
very superior, majestic spirit, not by no means a
common person. I was struck with wonder and
amazement. My refections were, this child, okay
my God, what about this child. He was the frst
bom of our daughter Josephine who is probably
as good a woman as they make, a Saint, a pure
daughter of Zion. He was a remarkable, intelligent
child of a very serious religious turn. At about 2
years of age he was stricken down and after he
was stricken he never walked one step or spoke
one word. He lived the past 21 years, he was born
(1868) and he died December 29, 1889.
He had never sinned against his God or any
person living. It is very probable that another
such an instance had never been since Adam’s
day, except Jesus, our Savior. He never sinned,
but every man is counted a sinner but him. And
if Jesus had committed one sin, then surely he
could not have atoned for one man, let alone his
blood to atone for the sins of the whole world.
Brother James Smith and counselors Jona-
than Wood spoke and Bishop Seacrist also. They
spoke so very good, interesting and comforting
upon that occasion. I was called on and I made
a few remarks, something of my feelings of the
remarkableness of this child before us, for we
had administered to him many times and by
the Holy Ghost had promised him he should be
healed. Many blessings we had pronounced upon
his head, all which we knew must and should be
fulflled because there was no act or sin on his
part to prevent those blessings. The Holy Ghost
has promised him and we did say so that he was
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as innocent as a new born babe and that he should
be blessed with them and when the trump should
sound for that class of dead to awake, that is in-
nocent children, that he should wake up and that
he should come forth and that he should look just
like he did.
Now as he lies there and he should be healed
just as it had been promised him, that he should
become a sound, healthy, intelligent and holy man
of God and that he should forever remain so, and
that there should be no power that should hinder
him from doing the will of the Father. This was
the most solemn funeral that I ever attended.
After this meeting, the funeral was held at
Brother Rose’s house, we attended a meeting in
the meetinghouse and surely there was such a
good spirit. It seemed that I never heard men talk
so good before.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE: Here, again, J. L. R. repeats the
promises of the resurrection.]
;....., .·,
January 1890. We returned to Hooper, found
our people well but several brothers and sisters
were sick. We went out and administered to Sister
Johnson. She got immediately better. Also to
Brother Oliver Manning and he got better, also
to a sick child and it got better.
January 19th. The snow was very deep. We
attend conference in Ogden, a very good meeting.
William Blanthem, a very good, nice young man
came to live with me, to help me as I have 40 or
50 head of stock to feed this winter and it may
be he will stay with me. We have an abundance
of work to do.
January 28th. I took a load of hay to Jeddy
in Farmington. Blessed my grandson Joseph E,
Robinson, Jr., gave him a patriarchal blessing. I
went to patriarch John Tibits. He is very “feeble,
he has suffered very much, he wished me to bless
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him and I did so with pleasure. He feels that his
work is done here. He feels very anxious to go
if it can be the will of the Lord. I said to him
what kind of a message would you take to our
brethren up there. He said he would not take a
bad message and it came pass the Lord, by my
hand, and through my mouth, gave unto him such
a blessing as I never gave to a live man before. We
told him that when the day and the hour came
for him to go, that he should go in peace and that
he should have ‘a pleasant look and a smile upon
his countenance that would prove to all that saw
him that he was happy and that also a holy escort
should be prepared and that he should receive
a welcome, well done good and faithful servant,
enter thou into the joy of thy Lord, for when I was
in hungered, ye fed me, when athirst ye gave me
drink and naked, ye clothed me.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : J. L. R. continues with the promises
of a joyful resurrection.]
Brother Tibits said he wanted to say some-
thing for Brother Robinson before he left. He was
very weak, he was trying to get strength to speak.
I stood by his side, my right hand upon his head
and secretly prayed to the Father to give unto him
strength to speak and that the Holy Ghost should
speak to him what he wished to say to me. His
wife was at his feet waiting to catch every word
he might say.
I could see his lips move, his wife said she
understood every word. He said he felt very
thankful for the great blessing he had received
and that Brother Robinson was a great and good
man and that he was a patriarch of the highest
order and that he should hold that position and
priesthood through time and all eternity. I said,
all right, that is true, but surely it was more
than I expected. I did thank my Father and God
exceedingly. I felt so happy, such a holy solemnity
prevaded my soul and my bosom, a feeling I
cannot describe. I delivered to him the message
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to take to the spirit world and blessed him and
bade him farewell and tears ran from my eyes
like raindrops. I left him.
I visited some with my son Joseph E. and
transacted some business with him.
January 29th. This evening the Farmington
choir met at his house as a surprise party. He
was the leader of the choir. They made him some
birthday presents, a large fne rocking chair. My
wife came up from the city this day and we joined
them in this surprise party. We enjoyed ourselves
remarkably well. We partook of a very rich picnic
supper with them, we were very happy indeed.
February 2nd. It is Joseph Elijah Robinson’s
birthday, born February 2, 1849.
I received a letter from a nephew, a 15 year
old boy. I think I will copy the same and also the
answer to the same.
Chagrin Falls, Ohio, January 28, 1890.
Mr. Joseph L. Robinson, Dear Sir:
I am a boy, 15 years old, and am the son of
your brother Samuel’s daughter Carria. I go
to school in the grammar department in the
Chagrin schools. I have been reading a book
on the Mormon question and am very much
interested in the same and I thought I would
write to you, thinking that you would kindly
answer all questions regarding them.
I think they have stood a good many trials
and persecutions. After reading that book I
learned how they had been driven from one
place to another and finally to Utah. What
kind of soil is that of Utah and also what is
raised there? I heard a letter read that you
wrote to Charles E. Robinson in New York
at the Robinson family reunion. I remember
that I was interested in it at the time, but so
much so as I would be if I were to hear it now.
I wish you could come out here for the family
reunion next August as it is to be held at our
house, and would be very much pleased to have
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you come. We would warrant you a good time
as we do always have good times. I also wish
the Robinson family would hire a special car
and go to Utah and hold the reunion out there.
Wouldn’t it be a great trip for us and just to
think of the beautiful scenery we would all
have a chance to see. But I suppose that never
will happen.
I suppose you would like to know how I got
your address. I got it from Milton Robinson
who lived in Pennsylvania. Now, I am afraid
I am asking most too much when I ask you to
give me a full account of the Mormons, but if I
am, I trust you will forgive me as I do not know
how long the history will be. Hoping to hear
from you soon, I am yours truly. I also want
to ask you if the Mormon question is growing
or decreasing and about how many Mormons
there are in Utah. That is, if you know very
accurately. Yours truly, (signed Glne Eliss
[must be Glenn Ellis]).
As I have written a good letter to my young
nephew in Ohio, I will copy the same, hoping it
may do some good.
Hooper City, Weber County, Utah, March
26th, 1890.
To my dear young nephew, very good sir:
I acknowledge the receipt of a very kind and
inquiring letter written by your hand which
came some time ago. I should have answered
it long before this but being very busy have
neglected it until the present time. You asked
me several questions and I would be very much
pleased to answer them all but shall not be able
to at this time.
I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints (we are vulgarly called
Mormons).
I was baptized into this church in August,
1836. Consequently, I am something of an old
member, as this church was organized, April
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6, 1830, but with only six members in it. Now
it numbers some two or three hundred thou-
sand and is rapidly increasing in numbers,
notwithstanding the severe trials they have
passed through. They are despised and ridi-
culed. They are belied and slandered. A great
many wicked, disgraceful reports are and have
been circulated against our people. Many have
been murdered outright and they have been
driven from place to place, even four times as
this church has been driven four times from
their homes until they are found here in these
valleys of the Rocky Mountains.
You ask about the soil and about our coun-
try generally. The soil is black loam, dark
sandy, light sandy, different kinds of clay, in
some places a red soil. The land generally is
very productive, but it has to be watered. It
will produce all kinds of grain and vegetables
and the choicest fruit of almost all kinds. The
land is generally highly cultivated from small
to large beautiful farms and it is very fine
stock country also. (It raises) horses, horned
stock, and sheep are raised in these valleys by
the hundreds of thousands. There are a great
many large and beautiful cities besides many
small cities and villages. Our settlements ex-
tend several hundred miles north and south and
there are a great many valleys which are very
thickly settled. The capitol of Utah is Salt Lake
City. We have several beautiful temples built
here and many very elegant tabernacles and
meeting houses to worship God in.and a large
number of academies and school houses.
You will want to know why it is that our
people are so much persecuted and why it is
that they are so much despised and so unpopu-
lar. Is it because they are so corrupt, or disloyal,
or dishonest, or irreligious? No, it certainly is
not, for our people are a very religious, devoted,
humble, praying people. They do believe the
Bible and they do believe the gospel of our Lord
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Jesus Christ, the same kind of gospel that our
Saviour and his apostles did preach and which
he commanded them to preach to all the world
and to every creature, saying that he that be-
lieves and is baptized shall be saved and that
he that believes not, shall be damned.
[Editor’s note: J. L. R. continues quoting the
scriptures and outlining in detail the beliefs and
teachings of the church recorded on his pages
numbered 116 and 117. J. L. R. concludes the letter by
telling this young man that it would be necessary to
write an entire book to tell the whole story. He invites
him to come to Utah and stay with him as his guest,
then writes –]
Now, I hope this small letter will find your-
self and your father’s family well as it leaves
me. Your grandfather, how is he? You must
tell him that I, his younger brother, would like
wonderfully well to see him once more in this
world and have a good long talk with him and
his good wife. You must tell them when you
see them that brother Joseph is yet alive and
well and hearty and that he is a hard laboring
man and that he was born on the 18th day of
February 1811.
Well, now, my dear boy, we have several, I
don’t know how many, very nice academies in
good running order in Utah, with good first
class teachers with the rudiments of common
learning, bookkeeping and everything neces-
sary to prepare young men and women for
teachers. Also, theology and all the rudiments
and principles of Mormonism or of the gospel
of Jesus Christ are thoroughly taught in them.
Now if you could only come here and attend
one of these schools for a year or two it might
be the best thing that ever happened to you. If
you can get the consent of your parents and
can get a little means, and feel like it to come
ahead and I will do you all the good that I can.
You have undoubtedly heard that your Uncle
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Joseph was and had been a polygamist. I have
had and raised several families which all put
together won’t make more than one large fam-
ily. Yes, several of them so that I have never
become very rich. I am and also have been a
very hard worker and industrious and what is
called a good and very honest man. My chances
for learning have been very limited indeed but
I have always tried to give my children as good
a chance for learning as I possibly could and
if I can be allowed to say it, I think I can say
it in truth that all my children are reasonably
bright, intelligent, well- inclined, respectable,
moral and religious and what we call worship-
pers of the true and living God.
Now my dear boy, I will if you will allow me
to ask, are you a praying child? If so I will say
all right for it should be so. We certainly should
all of us be found calling upon the name of the
Lord even upon God that gave unto us a being
and that doth feed and clothe us and that doth
give unto us so very many rich blessings here
on this earth. All our lives are in his hands and
he has made unto us many rich and precious
promises that inasmuch as we will repent of all
our sins and call upon his high and holy name,
in faith believing, nothing doubting, asking for
the things that we do really need, he says we
shall receive the things that we ask for.
Now our Mormon elders would say unto
you, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ who
did come into the world in the flesh and did
perform many mighty works such as none but
a God could do. He taught as a man having
authority, doctrine and principles such as no
other many ever did teach on this earth
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : J. L. R. then bears to this young man
a most powerful testimony of the truthfulness of the
gospel of Jesus Christ and of its restoration.]
Well, this is a little of Mormon preaching
but only just a little. Now, with regard to the
Robinson family reunions, I am well pleased
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that they are held somewhere and I presume
that I should be a great deal better pleased
could I, myself, attend them. But, I am so far
away and time and money so scarce with me
that I do not know when or whether I shall be
able to attend.
Now, I would like to hear from you soon and
if I have your right address and if you wish to
hear anything more on the Mormon question. If
so, ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall
find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.
The Lord bless you my very dear young
friend and brother. With kind regards I re-
main yours very affectionately, Joseph L.
Robinson.
To Glenn Ellis. Write sooner than I have
done and I will try to be more prompt. J.L.R.
February 12th. We attend the funeral of
Brother Flowers [Towers?]. Several spoke of him
and of his virtues and zeal and faith and energy
in the cause of his Redeemer. We knew him for
years as an honorable man, a faithful saint.
The funeral was well and largely attended.
The people showed to him a great respect. There
were 50 carriages. The bishop requested me
to dedicate Brother Flowers’ grave and we did
dedicate him to God.
February 18th. My 79th birthday. Some of
my children with us. We have an excellent good
dinner. My son-in-law presented me with a warm
pair of boots and overshoes and my daughter
Laurinda E. Parker with a nice pair of slippers.
The spirit of the Lord rested upon me. My mind
reverted back 79 years. I said, bless my mother
that bore me and gave me suck and my father that
begat me. They were honorable, good people and
the blessings of God shall rest upon both of them
and they shall rejoice in the kingdom of God.
April 6th. My son Willie and the folks have
gone to conference. Jeddy gone home and I left
alone to feed all the stock, milk the cows and do
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all the work alone. Verily I felt very solemn and
humble before the Lord, thinking it probably is
our Saviour’s birthday. I felt it would be wisdom
for me to fast and surely I did fast all day, feeling
sorry that I could not attend the 60th conference
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
I bowed down before my maker and did offer up
exceeding humble, earnest and solemn prayer to
Almighty God, my Heavenly Father. An unusual
spirit of prayer rested down upon me and I prayed
earnestly for the conference that the Holy Ghost
might preside through the entire session and that
all necessary business might be attended to in
the name and the fear of God.
I also prayed that the Saints might be inspired
and permitted to continue building holy temples
in these valleys in the mountains of Ephraim, and
that we may be permitted to fnish the building of
the Salt Lake temple from the foundation to the
top stone thereof, even in every part. That the son
of God, even our Lord, Jesus Christ, and the holy
prophets, Joseph and Hyrum Smith, might be
seen in their resurrected bodies by some in that
house, be heard to speak, be felt and handled in
that holy house, before the great day of the Lord
shall come. Also, that all those holy temple might
be well manned with good and suffcient teams of
good and faithful workers, brethren and sisters,
to perform holy ordinances for the living and for
our venerable dead.
April 13th, Sunday. Attended meeting, ad-
ministered to J. S. Johnson. He came sick from
conference. Just received word our daughter
Emma Josephine Clark. They have a fne son born,
their frst son. Also administered to my daughter,
Brother Charles Parker’s wife. She is sick.
April 20, Elder Johnson preached today, a very
good talk. I consecrated oil and administered to
our school teacher, Brother Sevens. And also to
my daughter Arwilla Clawson, she was healed.
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April 24th. Our son-in-law’s birthday, Oscar
Rice, and we went up and took a good dinner
with them.
July 14th. Our beloved daughter Jane Geneva
and her good man, Byron Bybee, made a good
feast and we with a great many others by invita-
tion attended. We partook of a royal dinner, a
feast of fat things as they had prepared in great
abundance. This was her birthday and their wed-
ding day. We surely did enjoy ourselves very much
for we certainly do take pleasure in visiting and
blessing our children for we have good children.
Our God has graciously given or lent them to us.
We bless them.
July 15th. Our daughter Laurinda E. Parker
was safely delivered of a beautiful daughter born
half past eight this evening. Mother and child are
doing well. This day is the old folk’s excursion. We
were taken upon the cars and were so well treated,
watered and fed, with a splendid dinner.
July 24th. We celebrate this day. Our people
should never forget the mercy of God in bringing
us here and planting us here in these rich and
beautiful valleys of the mountains where we have
been so wonderfully blessed.
September 4th. We attend a very good fast
meeting in our meeting house in Hooper. A good
turn out and a very good sweet spirit. We fast
and pay our fast offerings. We are blessed by
the Lord.
October 2nd, This morning our beloved
brother Emery Sales, Jr. departed this life. He
had been very sick for some time. We and sev-
eral of the elders had administered to him in the
name of the Lord. We looked for him to recover,
but he was appointed unto death and the Lord
revealed not unto us that he would live. He was
a very sedate, nice promising young man. It was
the wisdom of God he should be taken away for
he has a mighty and great and important work
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for him to perform in the spirit world. We do
sympathize with his parents and friends.
October 6th. Took Sister Ausman and children
to conference and they wished to visit their
friends in Tooele. We attended one of the richest
conferences that we have ever attended. The very
rich infuence of the spirit. The preaching by the
elders was excellent. Their language was so meek
and edifying. The Lord’s tabernacle was flled to
overfowing and thousands that could not obtain
admittance. We enjoyed a nice sweet onference.
The weather very favorable. The Lord is with us.
October 13th. Burt Simmons came in from
Snake River with his mother, my beloved one, and
his family to make a visit and he helped me some
make some molasses and I let him take some
home with him for himself and for Lell and my
family there. Aunt Mary came down to see us a
few days. She went to the Logan temple and did
work for her dear and very precious dead father
and mother. She returned home with her son
George. We do very much appreciate the society
of our friends and especially the society of those
we love so dearly. We visited some of our children
in Farmington and some of our friends there.
October 19th. We attended a good conference
at Ogden. President George Q. Cannon made
himself more than interesting and the elders
did talk so very, well to us.
November 16th, Sunday. We took Elder F. S.
Johnson and his wife to Cainsville meetinghouse
and attended there with them. After their mis-
sionary had talked about half an hour Bishop
Peterson called upon us to occupy the time and
we did so with pleasure.
November 22nd. I took my wife, Elder P. S.
Johnson, on a visiting tour to Uintah a town at the
north of Weber Canyon, some ten or twelve miles
from Hooper City. We had a good visit with our
son-in-law Byron Bybee and our daughter Lucy
and others. On Sabbath attended meeting with
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the Saints in that place. The bishop called upon
us to administer the gospel to the people and as
Elder Stewart was there with us, we gave them a
good preaching.
December 7th. Sunday, this morning I was
sent for in haste. Myron Childs worse. We prayed
for him and dedicated him unto the Lord. He must
and will die. He departed this life at 2 o’clock. He
was a seventy, a very devout, nice young man of
20 years. His parents and friends take his death
very hard and we feel to sympathize very much
with them. We attend the funeral of Myron
Childs, the eldest son of Bishop William Childs
of the North Hooper Ward. Funeral held at our
meetinghouse.
December 21st. Bishop Milton Atwood was
buried today. He was the acting bishop of the
13th Ward (S.L. City).
December 26th. Amos and Lee Robinson came
from Snake River. Her husband, Frederick Clark,
is gone to England on a preaching mission.
;....., .·,.
January 1891. This is the frst day of the New Year.
The old year is gone, it gave us more in return
and a new year has come. We feel to thank the
Lord that we are spared and that we have done
so well.
We took dinner with Brother and Sister
Johnson. This is his birthday. He is [?] years
old.
Our C. S. Robinson has returned home. He
is a good boy.
January 4th. Our beloved and worthy daugh-
ter, Josephine E. Rose and children have returned
home. Her husband, Erastus Rose, has indulged
in drinking and became abusive to her. She came
to our place with some of her small children. He
repented sorely. He sent out and plead for her to
come home. He promised faithfuly he would not
drink and that he would treat her better. Now,
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without a drink, he is a kind, good husband and
father, a very ingenious, industrious, good man.
We really hope he will let spirituous liquors en-
tirely alone and save himself and his family.
I have let my farm to Jeddy and Willie
(Blanthom) for this year.
January 18th. A two days conference in
Ogden. President Cannon preached to a more
than good and very full house. The singing was
very excellent, music sublime. We visited Brother
Elgren, anointed and blessed his wife. She will
get well. I administered to two of his children
sick and to Brother Starkey. He and some of his
family are sick.
Also Laurinda and Wella at the poor house,
they were sick. I have been visiting and admin-
istering to the sick very much and blessing the
Saints striving to do good with all my might and
mind as the prophets say.
January 23rd. I took hay to Ogden, visited
Willie Robinson, found him a happy man, his
wife Diana alive with a newborn son three hours
old. He wished me to come and bless the child. It
lived until it was eight days old and then died. We
buried it today, the fourth of their sons.
February 1st. Took a grist to Kays Ward Mills.
Stopped with my beloved daughter, Anna Maria
Wilcox. Gave unto her a patriarchal blessing and
one also to her son Oliver Wilcox and he gave me
one dollar. I went to my son Joseph Elijah and
blessed him as he was sick and had a very good
visit with them. LeGrand, my grandson. He was,
as some say, on the underground but he feels well.
He loves his two wives. I had given unto him a
blessing some time before this.
February 4th. Went to the poor house (as they
were keeping that for the county) and consecrated
a bottle of oil and blessed Laurinda and her babe,
children, and consecrated some bottles of oil.
February 6th. Sent an epistle, a letter to my
son-in-law Frederick Clark in England. He is
there on a mission. This morning Brother J. S.
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Johnson’s house burned down with some of his
furnishings and goods. It being a lumber house,
they could not save it.
Young Nephi Hardy went directly around the
neighborhood with a subscription paper. The
brethren subscribed very liberally and he went
directly to Ogden and got lumber so they could
start to build a new house. In one week they had it
built. My son Jeddy helped do the carpenter work.
Brother and Sister Johnson came and stopped
with us until it was done.
February 16th. John Wadsworth’s wife was
buried today. Elder F. J. Johnson preached her
funeral sermon.
Brother Johnson’s new house, built by the
people of the ward, he speaks well of them and
I say that the blessings of God rest down upon
them they shall be blessed.
February 18th. My birthday. This morning
I received from the Lord a very extensive and
enlarged view of the promised blessings of God
unto me. I am happy and have continued to be
all day. I have received several presents, a nice
hat, a splendid pair of shoes, a beautiful pair of
slippers and from Jedda, a superb dinner. He
said if the families of my children had not all
been sick, that a multitude would have been here
and would have surprised me and would have
presented me with a fne overcoat. Then, would
I have been more than happy, as it is I do bless
them all and I say let the blessings of my God rest
down henceforth and forever upon them. I have
seen 80 long winters and the spirit doth manifest
unto me, and some of the humble servants of God,
have said that I should live just so long as I could
desire to live. I have always labored hard and God
has always been with me. My soul doth magnify
the Lord and I do feel to honor him and the holy
priesthood of my God, here upon the earth, even
every appointment and ordination that I have
been favored with, that hath been placed upon
my head and also for every precious wife he has
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given unto me, for every child lent unto us by our
Father in Heaven.
February 19th. Took Sister Johnson and her
things to their new house. They moved today.
They have been with us two weeks. Took Jeddy
and family to the poor house. They take the train
for home. I administered to several sick. It is a
very sickly time and Rinda and several of our
children are sick.
February 27th. Brothers Todd and Shores
came to my house today for a blessing and they
received a very good patriarchal blessing and our
Will Blanthorn wrote them.
March 6th. Laurinda Parker came to see
me yesterday. They have gotten well and have
received letters from Samuel who says there are
several who are sick there yet. But, the most of
them are recovering and our own children are
all getting better. Brother William Garner’s baby
died but the most of the sick are getting better.
March 15th. We attended meeting today and
talked to the Saints. William Robinson came
to see us. He is moved to the Basin and our
William Blanthorn has gone to the city to attend
a Democratic rally. He is a married man and will
tend my farm this season.
March 18th. Willie came this evening with
his family and Amos came down from the valley.
He, with Aunt Linda, have gone to Farmington.
Our grandson Jeddy is very sick. The foods are
raging in that place.
March 27th. Brought my wife Laurinda and
Ella to Hooper. Received word that my dear broth-
er Ebenezer Robinson is dead. He died March
11th, 1891. His home was in Davis City, Decater
County, Iowa. He has lived in that place for many
years and has been editing a pamphlet, a little
paper called the Return. He was sent away with
Sidney Rigdon by the prophet Joseph Smith and
the prophet told him to go with Rigdon, for him,
and counsel him and never leave nor forsake him.
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His sending him away was not long before the
prophet was martyred in Carthage Jail. Although
my brother claimed and seemed to be frm in the
faith he believed that the prophet had fallen from
his high calling and he was at the time and for
some time before his death advocating the cause,
and doctrine of David Whitmer, one of the three
witnesses to the Book of Mormon.
But, we believe and do know verily that the
Prophet Joseph Smith lived and died and was
a true and holy man of God and that all the
principles and doctrines that he taught were
clean, pure and holy, as God is holy and that he
was not a fallen prophet oh never, no.
At some future time, when I feel like it, I
may give a brief history of my brother Ebenezer
and of Sidney Rigdon and something of David
Whitmer. In so doing, we will try to deal justly
and fairly with them, as we should with all men.
But, we do frmly hold that all men whether great
or small, friend or foe, that do discard either of
the principles of the Prophet Joseph or either of
the doctrines which he taught, practiced and left
with this Church, are apostates. That they, and all
such will have to repent and obtain pardon of all
their sins or they will certainly be shut out of the
Church and kingdom of our God even so, amen.
March 29th. President Daniel H. Wells de-
parted this life March 24th, 1891. His funeral was
very impressive and solemn. He has left a good
record, he was a wise counselor, a great and a very
good man, greatly beloved and much respected
in our Church by the people.
We took the streetcar and dropped in to
Sister Jane Slades. We found her very sick, or
rather weak. She had been sick for a long time.
She was very humble. She wished me to pray for
her and administer to her that she might live and
I did inquire of the Lord what I might, with his
sanction, do for her and the Lord told me that I
might bless her and that he would forgive her and
that inasmuch as she would believe, she should be
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healed and remain for a season to enjoy her new
home and the society of her friends and have time
to refect and to prepare to meet her God.
I did bless her in the name of the Lord. We
told her that God, for Christ’s sake, should forgive
her sins that she mush humble herself before
him. That the Lord loved her for the integrity of
her heart and for the liberality of her soul and
because he loved her, he chastened her. That it
was the hand of God that she must repent and
acknowledge his hand. We prayer for her and
blessed the medicine she had to take that it
should not hurt her and the faith that might be
exercised for her that it might do her some good.
We told her that all men had faith, but the true
and genuine saving faith, there was but little in
the world at the present. She replied to me, you
always have it. I said yes, a little of it.
Her children and friends with her were unbe-
lievers. They would have the doctor to continue
his visits and she must continue her medicines,
but she did get better. I felt if we could get her
away from them and keep her awhile with us and
get some faith in her and get her to be baptized for
the remission of her sins and also for her health,
that we might be able to save her. She might re-
ceive the blessings that she desired.
April 5th, Sunday. We attend meeting. The
house was full and the preaching excellent, the
music good. There was a very general attendance
of the authorities, only Joseph. F. Smith was not
with us. We miss him, we hope it will not be
long before we will have him with us again, to
hear his voice and to receive his counsel and his
instructions.
The drift of the teachings was to instruct,
edify, the believers and to convince the believers
and unbelievers of the truth of the great work
of God on the earth and to persuade all men
to repent and to obey the gospel of the Son of
God.
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April 6th. Went to Sister Relies Atwood’s. We
blessed her. She felt blessed, stayed with them
over night and had a good visit.
The tabernacle full, the assembly hall also. A
splendid meeting and we enjoyed this conference
hugely. We feel very thankful for the privilege
we have of meeting with the Saints, of beholding
holy apostles and prophets, holy patriarchs and
seventies, elders and holy high priesthood, men
inspired of God holding the holy priesthood of
God.
April 19 and 20. We attend our quarterly
conference in Ogden. The tabernacle flled to
overfowing. There were four of the Twelve and
others who did talk so good to the Saints and
surely we were richly and highly entertained. The
speaking was divinely inspired. We did enjoy this
conference very much.
April 16. We attend meeting and I was called
upon to address the Saints today. The Lord is
with us. I went to the poor house to administer
to Willie’s sick child. Jeddy and his family came
up. We have been driving a fowing well in my
pasture. We drove 170 feet of pipe, a good fow of
water. We thank the Lord for this blessing. Took
Jeddy and family home.
May 3rd, Sunday. Attend meetings in Farm-
ington. Opened by prayers and a good meeting.
May 7th. Fasted today and attended the
funeral of old Sister Hardy, Elders Case and
Johnson. Preached and went to Salt Lake
City to see the President of the United States
of America. He was in Salt Lake City today
(May 9) he was very enthusiastically received
(President Harrison). He was especially received
enthusiastically by thousands of the children. He
seemed very much pleased. He made several good
speeches. He left the city at 12 o’clock.
I saw President Woodruff, had a good chat
with him at his house, got his signature to go
to Logan temple to do a work for the living and
other dead friends. Visited some in Farmington,
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administered to some sick, wrote a letter and
sent to President Woodruff. Wrote and sent
letters, one to Aunt Mary north and one to Mary
J. West south.
April 17th. I drove to Wellsville on my way to
Logan temple. Stayed with Brother Whiting in
Logan. Drove to Logan temple and met my son
Joseph Elijah Robinson and my daughter Anna
Maria Wilcox with her husband James Wilcox
and Loren, my eldest son Oliver’s oldest son, also
Henry Wilcox my eldest daughter’s Anna Maria’s
eldest son and her daughter Julia Steed.
May, 1891. These two of my children were
our eldest daughter Anna Maria, she was born
June 8, 1838 and Joseph Elijah, our youngest
son, he was born February 2, 1849. These two
are the children of my frst wife Maria Wood. She
had born me seven children, namely Oliver Lee,
Ebenezer J., Anna Maria, Joseph, and Zephenia
Wood and Mary Elizabeth. All these had to be
adopted to us as they were born to us before
we were sealed according to the law of heaven.
But Joseph Elijah was born to us after we had
received our endowments and sealed. This week
we had all those children sealed to us, adopted
and we got endowments for several of my dead
friends. We had been baptized for the spirit and
the blessing of Almighty God rested down upon
us abundantly. I put up and stayed with Brother
and Sister Benjamin Williams.
They entertained us very kindly. I was made
more than welcome and was more than happy
with them.
May 20th, We were all at the temple. Had
all those children adopted and my daughter
Anna Maria was endowed for Mary (Rube or
Rule, dead). She was sealed to me. Also she
received endowments for my own mother, Mary
Brown, and my dear sister Asenath and my son-
in-law James Wilcox and my grandsons Loren J,
Robinson and Henry Wilcox. They all helped me
get endowments for my dead friends, endowments
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for 12 at this time. While there, this week, I also
gave fve or six patriarchal blessings. One to Sister
Mary Williams and her sister Rebecca, their
widowed daughter, she is such a good woman
as well as her mother and all her sisters are very
splendid good women, they are a choice, good
family. We also gave to Brother Williams’ son-in-
law, William Evans and his wife Emma, all good
patriarchal blessings.
Also, I found in the temple a brother, Joseph
Robinson. He is a resident of, or his family resides
in Millard County, Fillmore. He is at the temple
doing work for all the dead. I had never seen him
before but he has been at Snowfake, Arizona and
has seen my daughter Mary Jane West there. He
had heard of me there. She (Mary Jane West)
showed him some of my letters. He read them and
he then and there vowed that if the Lord would
be willing, he certainly would fnd me and that he
would get from me a patriarchal blessing. He told
me that he knew by my handwriting that I and
his fathers came from one family. That we were
connected and I had a considerable chat with
him. Went with him, took dinner with him and
with his two sons where he boarded and I gave
to him a good patriarchal blessing. He gave me
two dollars. I told him, no, I did not charge him
anything. His son wrote the blessing.
I also went and saw my friend and son, James
Simmons living at Hyde’s Park a few miles north
of Logan. Took dinner with them and blessed a
very sick child of theirs. He, George, used to live
with me. He was with us in and before and after
the great and important move south in 1858. He
is a good boy. He seems like one of my family, I
bless him. While at Logan this week I also visited
the agricultural farm and college and barn, far up
above the temple up on the bench. A grandson of
Brother Williams that attended the college school
went with me and showed me a good deal more
because he was acquainted with the farm and
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barn. It is well worth one’s time to go and see it,
a grand sight.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : J. L. R. tells about his return from
Logan and passing by the Hot Springs summer resort
crowded with pleasure seekers. There were many
carriages and cars there seemingly waiting to take
loads of passengers back to Ogden].
May 24. When I arrived home I found our
daughter Josephine with some of her children
at our house. Her man had been drinking again
and had abused her but he says he feels very bad
about it. He said he will not drink nor abuse her
any more. We would be very glad to exercise
faith for him. We pray for him, hope he will let
strong drink alone for without drink he is a smart,
intelligent and very ingenious, industrious good
man. Oh Lord, wilt thou help him.
May 25. Our twins birthday, 31 years old
today. Let the blessings of God rest down upon
them.
June 3rd. I took the girls to Uintah, visited
with Byron and Janie, We attend a fast meeting
but there were only a few in attendance. The
president wished me to talk to them. And the
spirit of the Lord rested down abundantly upon
me.
June 10. We partook of a royal dinner in the
Farmington meeting house, got up by that ward
for the old folks. We received it very thankfully.
There were several visitors from Salt Lake, a very
Interesting time indeed.
July 1891. John Wood from Richfeld, Morgan
County, came down to inform me that my grand-
son Frederick Park, the only son of my daughter
Emma Sophia Clark, was lying at the point of
death. I prayed for her and for her dear child. He
was a bright and promising child. His father was
in Old England on a preaching mission and we did
earnestly entreat the Lord to spare that child for
his parents’ and our sakes if it could be pleasing
unto the Lord. But, we felt to say, not our will but
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thine oh Lord be done. The child was appointed
unto death. He died about 1 o’clock today. We
feel to sympathize very much with his parents for
surely they are good children Latter-day Saints.
We say, God bless them. We pray our Father in
Heaven to give unto them supporting grace and
that he would sanctify this sad bereavement to
their present and everlasting good.
My son William, her brother, went with me.
We attended the funeral. It took place today, July
16. Her neighbors, brethren and sisters, were so
very kind and friendly just as they should be. They
were so much so that we not only felt to bless
them but we did bless them in the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ.
I was invited along with others to speak at the
funeral and in my remarks I felt to comfort the
mourners and try to instruct the Saints. We did
say that “that child, lying before us, should have
power and infuence in the spirit world to do a
good work for his parents and friends.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : J. L. R. then outlines the promises of
the resurrection and that the mother would have the
privilege of raising her son.]
July 19 and 20. We attended a proftable con-
ference in Ogden. Apostles Lyman, Richards, and
Cannon. They brought us good sound doctrine.
They were very interesting, but they hewed us
down to the quick. They made us appear if Saints
at all that we were very poor ones. They made us
ashamed. We resolved to improve. Yes we must
do better.
July 23rd, 24th. We drove to Farmington. We
had received a letter from Jedediah that they
would celebrate at Lake Park, wishing us to come
and attend with them. We, with a multitude of the
people from Farmington assembled at the park.
We had a very interesting and pleasant time. The
weather was lovely. We celebrated the 24th of July
for the day, that our dear brethren, the pioneers
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
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did enter this large and beautiful valley of the
Great Salt Lake, 44 years ago today.
Let us now look back some 50 or 60 years and
very briefy sketch some of the most particular
incidents of this now, great and growing and very
interesting, despised people.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : J. L. R. reviews briefy the conditions
and circumstances in the history of the Church.]
July 25. A young sister, a near neighbor to
us in Farmington, wished me to bless her little
son. She says her little son is some unwell and
she felt anxious that I should give unto it a patri-
archal blessing. She said she would rather that I
should bless it than any other man she ever saw.
I thanked her and in the name of the Lord gave
unto her son a good patriarchal blessing.
Drove to Hooper, found the water turned in
and all well with our farm and garden.
August 1st. Drove to Farmington, visited some
and administered to a very sick grandchild.
August 2nd. Drove to Salt Lake City, saw
President Smith of the Davis Stake of Zion and
President W. Woodruff and conversed with them
upon the subject of doing work for our dead. My
eldest son, Oliver Lee, found all right with him
and attended meeting in the large tabernacle.
A full good meeting as usual. Received some
very good pictures, photographs, sent one to my
nephew, Milton Robinson in Pennsylvania.
August 3rd and 4th, Came home and drove
to Ogden. Visited some that evening and gave
three patriarchal blessings to Joseph Obern and
to his wife as they were going north. They were
very anxious for their blessings and one to his
brother-in-law.
November 1891. Aunt Jane Slade died Novem-
ber 21st, 1891. She is gone. We tried to save her
from death. The Lord told me he would forgive
her and that I might bless her and if she would be-
lieve she should remain for a season and enjoy her
new home and the society of her friends and have
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time to refect and prepare to meet her God, We
were really in hopes we could get her well enough
that she could come and stop with us awhile, that
we might get suffcient faith in her that she might
get rebaptized, renew her covenants and baptized
for her health. We did feel very anxious to her to
save herself. She was a very good woman, for the
Lord said he loved her for her integrity of heart
and for the liberality of her soul. Her sister, Aunt
Laurinda, has gone to attend her funeral.
December 1st. Went to the Logan temple,
received anointings and second endowments
for my eldest son Oliver Lee Robinson as proxy
with his two wives now living, namely Anna and
Esther. His frst wife, Lucy, who was dead. We
do esteem it a great blessing from the Lord our
God that we can enter into the holy temples and
receive holy ordinances for ourselves and for all
our venerable dead. My eldest daughter there,
Anna Maria Wilcox, she received endowments
for Sarah Clark, my father’s frst wife, also for
Mary Lee, my mother’s mother, my daughters-
in-law, Anna and Esther Robinson received
the endowments for my mother’s mother, my
grandmother Mary Lee. Also for my eldest half-
sister, Aurilia Robinson, wife of Orrin Paper.
On my way to Logan, found several sick. I
administered to them and stopped as usual
with Brother and Sister Williams. They received
me with great kindness. I gave to one of their
neighbors a patriarchal blessing and one also to
Brother Elijah’s daughter. Sister Williams gave
me two pounds of butter and several pounds of
good cheese. She is very kind to me.
Drove to Wellsville. Stayed with Brother and
Sister Parkinson, they treat me very kindly. It is
snowing.
December 6th. Stopped with Brother Jensen
and family. Blessed them and arrived home safe
this evening. Jeddy and George are fnishing
Charles’ house and they are building a house
for William Baker. Oscar Rice has moved into
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my place in Hooper. He and Jedediah will take
my farm. I shall be at liberty to go on a mission,
to visit and bless the Saints. That will please me
very much.
December 24th. I took Jeddy and George with
tool chest to Farmington. Had a good Christmas
dinner with them and Rast S. Rose and their
families and while there I gave to my daughter
Mary Lysia and to three other children namely
Ezra C., and Mary and Burt, very good, sound
patriarchal blessings. Received several letters,
one from Charles E. Robinson, New York City
and one from son Solomon from Huntington,
Emery .County. He wants some help to get his
‘little children to his sisters in Arizona. I sent him
$25. We had a good time in Farmington for the
Lord is with us all the time.
My children help me some. They donate some
for Solomon. He is their beloved brother, his good
wife has been dead some two years and the poor
boy is left alone with several little helpless chil-
dren. His sister, his mother’s only daughter, living
in Arizona said if he would get his children to her,
she would take care of them.
;....., .. .·,
January 3rd, 1892, Sunday. We have two mis-
sionaries. They talked good to us, they are sent to
spend some time with us as missionaries to try to
wake up the Saints, to encourage them that they
may better do and perform their duties, that they
may become more united and that they might en-
joy a greater portion of the holy spirit and also to
convert all the sinners if possible. These brothers
are Parker and Butler and are in my estimation
very highly recommended for they bring a good
spirit with them and are humble and meek.
January 10th. We attend conference in Ogden
Tabernacle. The house is full to overfowing. On
Sunday, Apostles John Henry Smith and Abram
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H. Cannon spoke twice each, more than good, we
felt and said Lord we do thank thee for the great
blessings of sitting and hearing these precious
inspired words of truth.
January 23rd. We received very encouraging
words and news. Utah will be becoming a state.
The bitterness and the very hostile feeling against
Utah and the Mormons are wonderfully giving
away and the prospects look more favorable than
ever before for Utah. She must sometime receive
statehood for we are sure of it, we prophesied
it years ago that this mighty nation, before she
goes out of power or before the kingdom is taken
from the Gentiles, they will certainly have to give
Utah statehood that she will become a free and
sovereign and independent state.
February 18th. My birthday, 81 today. They,
the girls got me up a good dinner. We had a good
company and we enjoyed ourselves extremely well.
My daughters Anna Maria Wilcox and Laurinda
Parker gave $1.50. They shall certainly be blessed
of the Lord that they shall never want. They shall
become rich. My grandson Joseph Robinson and
Jedediah came from Farmington with a sleigh.
I truly feel thankful to my God for his great
promises and blessings unto me and mine.
February 23rd. I am reading some old letters
from my aged father and sisters and friends, very
interesting. I received a very welcome letter from
my daughter Mary J, West, written on birthday.
March 15th. My wife and I visit my son Wil-
liam Robinson. He now lives in his own house
in Ogden, We had a good visit with him and I
blessed their frst daughter at 8 days old and her
name is Lydia Celestia.
March 17th. We attend a celebration of the
50th birthday of the Relief Society, 50 years ago,
March 17th, 1842, the prophet Joseph Smith met
with the sisters in Nauvoo and he approved the
organization of the Relief Society. It was done
by inspiration and behold it has been or proved
to be a great success. It is proving a great and a
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grand helpmate to the holy priesthood. We were
invited to talk to the assembled congregation
on that occasion. I did remember well the day it
was organized, for I was in Nauvoo. I had arrived
there in ‘41, August 1841.
March 18th. Our daughter Janie and her
husband came to see us. We were very much
pleased to see them.
March 19th. I took Byron and Welly to Ogden.
He bought for me a pair of pants.
I received a letter from my son Solomon. He
informs me that he has arrived safely in Arizona
with his little children. He was happily received
by his sister and family and he feels very thankful
to God and to them and their families for their
kindness. They are all well. He is well pleased
with the country and prospects.
April 3rd. We are preparing for conference. It
is very stormy these days, my health is improving
some, thank the Lord.
April 3rd. Aunt Laurinda, Oscar and Well a
go down on the cars and attend the 62nd Annual
Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints. It is very stormy but there is a very
large body of people like we never have seen
before in Salt Lake City. We never had better
preaching. We saw very interesting sights on
Wednesday. The Lord did favor us greatly on this
day. This temple of our God is truly a very grand
structure and the thousands upon thousands of
people witnessing the laying the topstone on this
temple and the shouting hallelujah and glory to
God in the highest which flled the air, the waving
of handkerchiefs, was something that can never
be forgotten. The covenant we made to fnish that
house that must not be forgotten nor be neglected.
My prayer is, oh God, my Heavenly Father, wilt
thou graciously inspire thy Saints to perform that
work within the time specifed and wilt thou give
unto them means and ability to accomplish it that
it may be dedicated to God our Heavenly Father
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the next April conference and that we may live
to assist in that laudable work. Let thy servants
Wilford Woodruff and his counselors live to
dedicate that house unto the Lord our God and
furthermore we do humbly ask that we, or at
least some of us, have the unspeakable privilege
of seeing in that house the faces and hearing the
voice of the prophet, our beloved president Joseph
Smith. Also, may we be found worthy and have
the privilege of seeing the face and hearing the
voice of the Lamb of God which taketh away the
sins of the world.
The angel Moroni was placed soon after we
left. He has a large trumpet raised at his mouth
looking east. He is that angel that John the
Baptist saw fying through the midst of heaven
having the everlasting gospel to preach to them
that dwell on the earth.
While in Farmington, I visited my daughter
Anna Man a Wilcox. Made her a good visit and
others of my children and found them all well. I
wrote and mailed one good letter to my family
north, feeling much better now.
April 17th. It is storming this morning, but
I attend conference in Ogden. Was called in to
anoint and bless a very sick sister, the wife of
Brother Tory. I anointed and blessed her, but she
was appointed unto death. I fasted and prayed
earnestly for her that the Lord would spare her
with her good husband and young family of little
children. But we did not have suffcient faith. She
died this morning, April 18th, at about 6 o’clock.
Left a young babe of fve months old.
April 20th. We attend the funeral of Sister
Tory today. Went to his house before the funeral,
blessed his little motherless babe, it is quite sick.
We think the mother will want it for company. If
she does, she will get it and she shall raise it to
womanhood after they wake up in resurrection.
April 21st. I attend the funeral of Lester J.
Harrick today at 2 o’clock. The Ogden tabernacle
is full to overfowing. He was a fne, as perfect
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a man as gets to in the fesh. The services were
very solemn.
I drove to and put up with my well beloved
son-in-law and daughter Janie and Byron Bybee
and found my dearly beloved daughter, Josephine
Rose and two of her children there.
April 23rd. I heard this morning that my
second son, Ebenezer Robinson, was in Farm-
ington and as I had some business that I wished
to transact there, I took my daughter Josephine
Rose and her little children and drove immediate-
ly to Farmington and presently found my prodigal
son, E. J. Robinson, my dear boy, the Lord my
God bless him. I did embrace him and he did
embrace me. We hugged and kissed each other,
I blessed him and he blessed me. I was so glad
to see him and he appeared to be so very glad to
see me. He had been gone only 14 years. He went
with me immediately down to our place. We had
a good chat all the evening at Jeddy’s place.
April 25th. At half past four this morning our
son Jedediah became the father of a newborn
son. A nice plump promising child, mother and
child doing well and the father very happy. He
immediately drove to Salt Lake City and brought
up Laura’s mother to nurse and bless her little
child.
April 26th. Jeddy with his little son, Jeddediar,
came to Hooper with me to help us a few days on
the farm. My son Ebenezer J. declined coming
with us at this time. He said he was looking every
day for news by mail which would come there and
after he had received it he would come up on the
cars. The Lord bless the lad and his family.
May 6th. I had been laboring hard this week,
writing and sometimes late evenings and on this
day without much fre I had severe numbness of
my right hand, rheumatism in my right arm. It
became very lame and sore. I also had severe
sickness at my stomach and for a few hours I felt
very bad, but the sisters washed and rubbed me
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with camphor and we called upon the Lord and
rested my arm from writing a few days and the
Lord blessed me and I was able to pursue my
labors.
May 10. Jeddediar, with his mother, came
home to Hooper. They had been in Salt Lake
and Farmington on business and visiting. My
son Ebenezer came with them to visit us here and
also some of my extensive family in these parts.
We are wonderfully well pleased to see him here,
yes all his friends and relatives. Ebenezer is very
zealous in the latter day work, but he argues that
young Joseph is the man to stand at the head of
the Church. He thinks Brigham and the Twelve
are usurpers and that polygamy was a very wrong
step and that it certainly will have to be repented
of and that all of us, if we wish to please God, and
be saved, in his kingdom we must certainly halt,
fle right, come into line, be baptized or we will
miss the fgure.
But verily, verily we say unto him that we do
frmly believe and do verily know that the Prophet
Joseph Smith was and is a holy prophet and that
he did receive the holy gospel in its fullness and
that he did receive the keys of the holy priesthood
also the keys of the kingdom of God on this earth
and that he did give those keys unto the Twelve
Apostles, the Twelve the Lord gave to him with
authority and commandment to preach the gospel
and that Brigham Young was duly and properly
selected by the Twelve and by the Lord for his
great work.
May 11. I took my son Ebenezer to Ogden. We
had a good visit with my son William Robinson
and family. Took them through a portion of
the large and beautiful city of Ogden. It is very
surprising and marvelous to behold so large and
beautiful a city in so short a time. Surely, I felt
you say, what hath God wrought.
May 26. I took my son Ebenezer to Farming-
ton. We had a good visit with my daughter Anna
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Maria Wilcox and family and with his brother
Joseph and family and while there my son-in-law
George Clawson and his father and my son Eben
built a new base to my buggy.
I came to Hooper, several of our little children
were very sick. We anointed, administered to and
blessed them and prayed for them, and they are
better.
June 5th. We attended some beautiful confer-
ences, one in Centerville and one in Salt Lake City.
A very interesting young men’s conference. The
counselors of the First Presidency and several of
the Twelve Apostles were there and took a very
active part.
We visited some in Salt Lake City and viewed
with wonder and astonishment that large and
beautiful city. As we drove through portions
of it, we did greatly admire its beauty and its
rapid growth, growing larger and faster and our
precious, beautiful temple where the mighty angel
with the trumpet in his mouth. We enjoyed the
sights with a great deal of admiration and with
pleasure.
We drove several miles away over the Jordan
and southwest into a little town and had a very
good visit with Aunt Ann Cummings and with
a family of our late Aunt, Jane Slade. Aunt Ann
and also Jane were very liberal unto their sister,
Aunt Rinda my wife. They gave her many things,
loaded our buggy with clothing and useful articles
which made us feel good toward them and we felt
to bless them.
June 8th. This being the 54th birthday of my
eldest daughter, Anna Maria R. Wilcox. Some of
the children proposed to have a surprise party.
Consequently, they prepared a royal feast and
took it. We went a good number of us and happily
surprised her and her family and we did have a
royal, good time.
June 18th. We received a visit from our dear
sons, Ebenezer and Joseph Elijah and wife and
my eldest daughter (her sister) and her husband,
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James Wilcox. I did feel to bless them. We did
thank our God we had a regular good feast. We
took dinner with Charles and Laurinda.
June 19th. Joseph, and his wife Dora, enter-
tained with some beautiful songs. They returned
home, we had a good time. My son Jedediah help-
ing me ftting on the [Bony?] and he painting my
carriage.
The weather is cold and wet, very rainy, I
received a severe cold, an infuenza cold and
cough which was very severe and which lasted
me for some time. Yet, through the blessings of
the Lord, I have done considerable writing and
labor on my carriage preparing to take a trip and
a mission north, and several trips to Ogden and
Farmington and Salt Lake City.
I blessed Brother Ezra T. Clark. As he was
sorely afficted with an ugly carbuncle upon the
back of his neck. He is a great man and if the
riches that God is bestowing and is about to
bestow on him do not overpower and destroy him
he shall win a great prize and obtain a glorious
kingdom. He will get well. I did bless him in the
name of the Lord.
I also blessed my grandson who was sick,
Laury’s and Jeddy’s promising nice little son.
My grandson, Henry Robinson, gave to me a
nice summer hat. I promised to remember him
until he was old and a long time afterwards. He
is a good, young man, the youngest son of my
eldest son Oliver and his frst wife, Maria, and
will someday be great and good in the church.
My son Joseph gave me fve dollars, my son-
in-law George Clawson fve, and Laury one dollar
and E. F. Clark one dollar and ffty cents. My good
daughter, Joseph Eve Rose gave to me all she had
by her and my very good son William gave to me
some to help me. This is for my beneft. There
are many others who would have done liberally
if I had offered the hat to them. But, I say, that
all of the good liberal souls that would have
done something for me, as well as those that
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have done something for my beneft, whether
much or little, they shall be blessed, yea my God
shall abundantly bless all such. Yea, all those that
contribute something for the relief and beneft of
a humble servant of the true and living God, shall
be blessed in their bodies, in their families and in
their houses. They shall have friends raised up to
them in times of need I do and will bless them.
July 4th. The people of Hooper put up a bow-
ery, made preparations and the good people of
the town turned out in mass with their beautiful
brass band and they seemed to do justice to the
righteous cause of celebrating the glorious 4th of
July, the birthday of our American independence,
or rather the day in which the Constitution of and
for our American people was read in public.
July 17 and 18. My cold and cough is fast
giving way and we are faithfully laboring for
Zion. I am preparing to take a trip into Cache
Valley and the Snake River country.
We attend a very interesting conference in
Ogden. We were very richly entertained by several
of the Twelve and others and by the reports of
the wards and stake which are in a very good
condition. My wife Laurinda with me attended
the meetings. My son William also. He did help
me some put the cover on my carriage and my
wife Laurinda also helped me. Also my son-in-law
Oscar and his wife, really they gave me a good
lift and I do bless them all.
July 24th. Our people celebrate Pioneer Day in
all the settlements in the mountains. We should
never forget the day, neither the hand that brought
this very much blessed people far across a long
and weary desert into these blessed valleys.
July 29th, Friday. I leave my home in Hooper
in the name of the Lord, in my carriage drawn
by a nice beautiful span of horses which I did
raise or cared for rather and which the Lord did
graciously give unto me for which I do feel very
thankful. I drove to and stopped with Brother
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and Sister Jensen, a very choice family of Latter-
day Saints living at the south end of the beautiful
city of Brigham. This family did make me so
very welcome and I did leave my blessings with
them.
July 30, Saturday. I drove through Box Elder
valley, a very nice rich valley thickly settled
and highly cultivated by our beloved brethren
and Saints from Denmark, a very enterprising,
industrious, good people. God bless them and
prosper them.
In Wellsville, Cache Valley, I put up with
Brother and Sister Timothy and Jane Parkinson.
They were especially kind to me. They did insist
that I should stop with them that night. Had a
good visit with them and with Brother Whiting
and his family. They also pressed me to stay with
them. They were all so very kind.
July 31st, Sunday morning. I did bless and
left my friends and brother in this thrifty and
beautiful city. Found Brother and Sister Green
and wife, old acquaintance of many years gone
by: Took breakfast with them and had to promise
to come and make them a good visit.
Drove to Logan City just in time to attend a
good quarterly conference, well attended, with
several visiting authorities.
Visited Brother and Sister Benjamin Williams
and family, my old friends, and stopping place
they do make me more than welcome. I met
Brother Everett D. Norton who found me at
the meeting. I had not seen him for many years
before. He said I must call and make him a visit.
I had been well acquainted with him and wife
and with her father also. Sister Williams gave me
a good chunk of cheese and I attended meeting
forenoon.
August 1st. I drove north past and through
several nice and thrifty towns and cities, namely
Hyde Park, Richmond, and Lewiston. Stopped
with Brother and Sister Everett VanNorton and
family and was very cordially and heartily enter-
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tained by them. I held a very lengthy, interesting
talk with him. He seemed very kind and sociable,
but somewhat skeptical. I tried to ride him up
again. I do pray for him and for all such that our
God would in his mercy, take all such in hand and
if necessary chasten them severely suffcient to
bring them up to the square.
Verily, I now wish to say to my dearly beloved
family and friends and to all Latter-day Saints
that I, Joseph Lee Robinson, have entered my
name upon the docket. I have taken passage in
that safe, reliable old ship Zion for life. I have
entered into covenant, God being my helper, to
serve God, my Heavenly Father through time
and all eternity to come. That God has seen ft
in his wisdom to place upon my head the holy
Melchizedek priesthood and has caused to be
placed upon ray head also several very high and
responsible offces namely elder, high priest and
also the holy bishopric. And, again to the offce
of high councilor and I can say that I have faith-
fully and to the best of my ability offciated in
all of these offces and also the last but not the
least, the very high and very offce of patriarch.
When I was ordained to that high and holy of-
fce to bless my posterity and friends it was said
that whomsoever you bless, shall be blessed and
whomsoever you curse, shall be cursed, whatso-
ever you promise to anyone in the name of the
Lord and by the virtue of my calling and priest-
hood that promise shall be verifed. And also the
Holy Ghost will say that I was a patriarch of the
highest order and that I should hold that posi-
tion through time and all eternity. Now with all
this priesthood and holy callings upon me I can
partially, also realize something of the obliga-
tion that I am under to God to faithfully perform
my duty in these holy callings and I do consider
myself a missionary. I have taken upon myself a
mission for life and through all eternity to labor
exclusively for Zion.
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August 2nd. Passed Weston and in Clifton I
found two brothers working in their blacksmith
shop. They were very fne, nice young men. One of
them had seen me before. He was a brother-in-law
of my stepson Eli Simmons who lived in Marsh
Valley. They thought I would not be able to reach
there. I must stop with them, have a good visit. I
was made so very welcome, had a good talk with
them, gained some information with regard to the
country and their people. They requested me to
call upon them again. I left them with a heart full
of gratitude and thanksgiving to Almighty God
for friends and for so very kind treatment from
everybody. I left my blessing with them also.
In Marsh Valley at Oneida I found a store
and in that store Brother Thomas [Black?], he
was the owner, he kept the post offce and so he
learned who I was. He was so very kind to me.
His daughter got us a good dinner. He opened a
can of oysters. He gave me candies and my horse
oats. He would not take any money from me. It
seemed he could not do enough for me but sent
me to his family with a blessing. I blessed him
also with his house and forever. His eldest son
was there. He piloted me to his home six miles
northwest. They have a large and beautiful farm
(it is on the Indian reservation). His wife, a very
extra, royal good woman, a precious mother of
six interesting family of boys. A more peaceful,
industrious family I think I never saw. These boys
carried on the farm. They owned a selfbinder and
more and horse rake. It was very interesting to
see one of her sons mowing the grass, one raking
hay, two or three hauling and some others at
other work. Not one dispute did I hear as each
one worked in his place. I felt in my heart to bless
the sons.
August 4th, fast day. Sister Mary, she did
remember me so well in Farmington when she
was about a small girl, and she was so pleased to
see me there with them. She said, it is fast day,
will you stop and go to meeting with me today? I
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said, yes, I will both fast and go to meeting with
you today. The boys said there would be a ward
conference held here Saturday and Sunday and
some of the authorities would be there and that
they would have a good meeting and they joined
in wishing me to stay.
We attended fast meeting. There was a very
good turnout and the brethren talked very well.
Several were confrmed who had been baptized.
By invitation I did talk to them and left with
them a spirit of blessing which came upon me to
bless that people in the name of the Lord and by
the authority of the holy priesthood.
August 5th, Friday morning. Sister Henderson
gave me a nice cake and a new loaf of bread. She
thanked me so very much for my visit and told
me how much she felt blessed. They said they did
wish me to come and see them again. I blessed
them and thanked them very kindly. One of her
little sons got on a horse and piloted me out to
the main road. I left with a light and joyful heart
as the Lord was with me and he had graciously
said to me you shall never want. So I was blessed
on my journey two days and Saturday evening
before sunset I arrived safely at our home and
place at Willow Creek. Saw Amos at his place.
He saw me coming and met me and came with
me and I with joy and thanksgiving again met
my beloved daughter Lucy. She ran and met me
and sprang into my carriage and gave me a very
hearty welcome kiss and I was so very thankful
and blessed, pleased .to see them and they to
see me. I found them all well and in comfortable
circumstances.
August 7th, Sabbath morning. I fnd myself
with my dear ones at home in Snake River Valley.
It looks very natural but with a good deal of
improvements. I felt well and very thankful to
Almighty God that our lives were spared, that I
had been so wonderfully blessed on my journey
here.
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I was very much pleased to hear the word, we
are all going to meeting today, will you go with
us father. Yes, I said, I think so.
Their bishop had proposed that they practice
meeting at 11 o’clock and have their Sunday School
at the same time. The main reason for this was
because of the scattered condition of the people
that it would save them so much travel. Also, it
would hold the children for the meeting.
Well they had a very nice Sunday School and
meeting with a good group of people and the
spirit of the Lord was there. I was called upon
to address them and I did feel it so with much
pleasure. The spirit of the Lord was with me in
great abundance.
In coming to this place I was happily surprised
and very much pleased to behold the many large
canals, full of water that had been constructed
since I was here the last time. Also, the many new
homes and the many large and rich felds of wheat
which to me looks far more precious than gold. I
did preach a gospel sermon to them.
On our way home we called and took supper
with Brother and Sister Knowland and family.
They are a very quiet, good interesting family.
I am resting here and writing and visiting a
part of this week. My good wife, Mary, did make
me some shirts and repaired my clothes.
We went to Lewisville and visited with our
children Harriett, Alice, with her husband Jo-
seph Jones and their dear little children and
several others. They too are getting rich in this
splendid, good country. He has a large rich farm
with an abundance of oats, wheat and potatoes
and lucerne hay. Also a nice, new house. They are
a couple of very smart, interesting, industrious
children and are greatly favored of the Lord. He
has given to them, as the fruits of their union, a
son and a daughter, two very bright, smart little
children, yes, as smart as a whip.
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They have set up the family alter in this
house and are trying to be Saints, which thing
doth greatly please me.
August 14 and 15, Sunday and Monday. The
Bannock stake of Zion did hold a very interesting,
good conference in the Lewisville meetinghouse.
We attend the same and Brother Thomas Ricks,
their president, said it was the largest and best
conference that had ever been held in the Bannock
stake of Zion. Elder Seymore Young did entertain
that people at this very interesting conference. He
spoke very extremely well. Apostle John Henry
Smith and others were very interesting also.
I have written two letters and sent them to
my family in Farmington and Hooper.
August 18th. We came home and found our
bishop raking hay (we should have stated that this,
our bishop, is my very worthy stepson Alfonso
Bird Simmons). He has a very smart little wife
with an interesting little family of children. He
has one son and three daughters.
Also George Simmons, he has a very interest-
ing good wife with two very smart, pretty little
children, a daughter and son. He also is one of
my very worthy stepsons, the bishop’s second
counselor.
Brother Amman Shirtleff is a brother to
our very much respected and beloved brother
and president Shirtleff, president of the Weber
Stake of Zion.
August 18. We did attend a very good inter-
esting meeting held in the (lona) meetinghouse.
A good ward, some six or eight miles easterly
from Eagle Rock. There were several of the good
sisters from Salt Lake City, namely Sisters Horn
and Freeze, with President Ricks’ frst wife they
had attended the conference, held one meeting
in the evening, and gave good talks to the sisters
and people.
August 21st, Sunday. Attended meeting with
my wife. Bishop Simmons presiding, we were
very highly entertained by the preaching and the
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talks of three of the brethren. We consecrated
one bottle of oil and feel extremely happy in the
service of the Lord.
[EDITOR’ S NOTE : One-half of page 161 and pages 162
through 165 of J. L. R. ’s journal are written with such light
ink that they are too difcult to read. Consequently, we
are skipping to page, his numbering, 166.]
September 25th, My wife, Mary and I, this
morning, broke a fast of three days which we
did successfully make unto our God and I do
testify that the Lord was well pleased with that
sacrifce and he did forgive us and did pour out
his blessings abundantly upon us.
By her request, I blessed her in the name of
the Lord and she did manifest and her counte-
nance did show that she was greatly blessed of
the Lord. I am very certain that I did receive a
marvelous blessing from the hand of God and in
answer to my prayer I did receive by the testi-
mony of the Holy Spirit some promises and things
of great importance. We did fast from Thursday
evening, 7 o’clock to Monday morning, 8 o’clock.
Surely the Lord our God was and is with us. We
expect that through our faithfulness and the
grace of God we shall prevail and triumph most
graciously, even so.
September 26th. Aunt Mary wrote a patriar-
chal blessing that I placed upon the head of our
eldest son, Lee Sidwells, and also one upon the
head of Anna Peterson, a nice young daughter of
Zion. We feel to say, let the blessings of our God
rest down upon the two that their hearts and
hands may run together. That they might become
one and remain so forever. They are very good
children, God bless them.
We visited with Burt and family and George
and his good wife. They have each of them a very
nice little family of children and we feel to bless
them in their families, in their homes and also in
connection with their counselor, Brother Shirtleff,
in their labors and in their bishopric labors in the
ward capacity. We pray that they might be very
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humble and faithful, that they might discharge
their labors and duties honorably and acceptably
to God and the good and holy priesthood. We left
them feeling well and happy.
September 7th. We drove to Taylor, a ward
seven miles from Eagle Rock. Saw several of
the brethren, stopped with Brother and Sister
George Wadsworth and Ann Parker, his wife.
They seemed very much pleased. They had been
baptized and want to be Saints. I labored faith-
fully with them to instruct, to encourage, and to
strengthen them. We told them to pray. He told
me he had never prayed, that his father and his
mother had never taught him to pray. He told his
wife if she would do the praying that he would
do everything else. But, she told him, as she was
willing to do her part to help him but she could
not do it all. I told him he must pray and I got him
to pray and I did pray for them and left them in
the hands of the Lord and commended them to
his grace asking God to bless and to strengthen
them.
We saw old Bishop Wadsworth and his family.
We also blessed him and his wife. We had good
luck, from his place we drove through Ogden City
in four and a half days. Stopped with Brother
Henderson in Oneida. They treated me so very
well.
October 4th. Arrived home safely and found
all well. Felt very thankful to Almighty God my
Heavenly Father for his goodness unto me and
for his protection and for the abundance of the
Holy Spirit that he had shed forth upon me in all
of my journey.
October 6th. We attended one of the richest
conferences that we have ever had in the moun-
tains. The Lord our God is with this people, for
surely he is greatly blessing them.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : Here, again, J. L. R. expresses his
gratitude for the great blessings which have been
poured down upon the people in these valleys.]
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October 12. I wrote and sent one letter to
my wife and children Aunt Mary and our good
children in the Snake River country. I feel so
very thankful to the Lord, I fnd myself at home
and for the good health we are enjoying, that my
family and friends are striving to be Saints and
for the great blessings that our God is bestowing
upon the people of the Saints of the Most High.
October 16, the Sabbath, We attend a very
excellent conference in the Ogden Tabernacle, a
very full house. A very profound attention was
paid to the rich and very interesting remarks
made by several of the Twelve and President
Seymore B. Young, Their instructions were so
very consoling and heavenly.
October 21st. I brought my son Eben from
Farmington to Hooper. This day the 400th an-
niversary of the discovery of the land and con-
tinent of America, or more proper very likely it
should have been called Columbus Land because
it was discovered by Christopher Columbus 400
years ago today. This is a very choice land above
all other lands. The spirit of God did rest upon
Columbus and he was divinely inspired to search
out this very choice land. Yea, the land of Joseph
that was sold into Egypt, the land where our frst
parents Adam and Eve dwelt, the land where the
rich and beautiful garden of Eden was planted.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : Here, for two and a half pages in
his journal J. L. R. outlines the blessings that have been
poured down upon the land of America.)
October 22nd. A very busy day getting my
horses shod and repairing my carriage. I con-
template making a trip north to the Snake River
country which is a distance of from 200 to 300
miles. This trip to be on business in part and
also to visit and bless several of my friends but,
mostly to fetch our sister Elizabeth Rice and her
daughter May as they were very anxious to come
to Utah and as they had not money to come on
the cars. I proposed to go and fetch them, feel-
ing very much disposed to try to do all the good
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that I can, feeling assured that the Lord will be
with me and that he will make my way prosper-
ous for I do go in his holy name and his spirit is
always with me and I feel to glorify and praise
his holy name.
October 23rd. I am visiting and writing some
today and feel very happy in the Lord. I feel it
is my duty to go and I start in his holy name,
praying for his protection,
October 24th. I drive to my son William
Robinson’s and fnd him a cripple, on crutches.
I anointed him and blessed him in the name of
the Lord. He soon got well and they were greatly
blessed, they said, that I came to help them.
Drove to Wellsville in Cache Valley. Stopped
with Brother and Sister Isaac Green and they were
so very pleased that I came. They seemed so very
kind and good to me and we had a very excellent
visit and talk of old times.
He said his wife had never received her pa-
triarchal blessing and that she had been waiting
and was very anxious to receive one from under
my hands. In the morning, I did give unto her a
good patriarchal blessing and she was so happy,
so much pleased. She has a very amiable, nice
daughter of about 20 years. She too, with a daugh-
ter-in-law also were very anxious for a blessing.
I told them I would have to come again to give
them one and that I would like to introduce a very
good Mormon son of mine, for I felt very anxious
that he should get him a good wife. The parents
seemed very willing and I blessed them all in the
name of the Lord and left them. Both Brother and
Sister Green wished me well and invited me to
stop and make it my home with them whenever
I came along. I told them that I would call and
see them but that I have other children and that
they would be very jealous if I did so.
October 25th. I drove to Brother Everett
Norton’s. They were greatly pleased and they
said I must never pass them.
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I had good roads and good luck and put up
with Brother and Sister Blocksom in a settlement
called Nine Miles in Marsh Valley. They fed my
horses and wanted to feed me. They treated me
so good, I blessed them and preached good to
them.
Called at Oneida and took breakfast with
Sister Henderson. They wished me to be sure
and stop with them when I come back.
October 27th. Drove to Pocatello, a very nice
city and railroad town in the Snake River valley.
I put up with Brother and Sister Margraves. They
were so very pleased and I must be sure to call
them when I return from the north.
October 28. I drove about 40 miles and was
very royally entertained by Brother and Sister
Hubert, a cheerful grand-daughter to Brother
Austin’s family of the Centerville Ward. A very
nice, good sister. She had a clever, good hard-
working man but he has not as yet established
a family alter in his house. But I taught him the
importance of the same. I talked good to them
and preached to them a good gospel sermon. We
got him to pray in his family and I prayed for
them and left my blessing with them.
October 29th, Saturday. I drove about 20
miles and arrived home safely at our place in
Willow Creek. I found Aunt Mary and the chil-
dren all well and very much pleased to see me
again and I felt so very thankful to my God for his
signal blessings unto me not only for the extreme
good weather, good roads and seeing them, this
branch of my family and to fnd them all well and
cheerful and happy.
October 30th. Am writing some and visiting
some with my family and children. My stepson,
the bishop, and his counselor George Simmons
and their families and Elizabeth Rice. She herself
and daughter Mary were there waiting for me
and we did thank God for the fact of their good
health. We had a good visit and are grateful for
this also, for it being so late in the season and we
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wish to get back to Utah before the stormy and
very cold weather set in.
October 31. The last day of October, We parted
with our friends at Willow Creek, took Aunt Lib
and her little daughter, called and took dinner
with Sister Margaret Rice. She lives at Eagle
Rock. She is keeping house for one of her sons
and taking care of his motherless children. She
seemed very much pleased to see me and wait
on us and wished we would stay with them for
a day or two.
We drove to the home of Jake Kucherson’s. His
wife is a daughter of the late Captain Lotsmith,
one of the heroes of the nineteenth century. Her
man was not at home. She lives in a good, large,
strong new house. She said that her man had
built that house. I told her she should be blessed
and for her to tell her man that I said that he
should be saved. I had never seen her man but
from the appearance of and the strength of that
house and its improvements, I judged him to be
good. We blessed them and drove to the city of
the railroad, Pocatello. I stopped with Brother
and Sister Hargraves and in the evening I gave to
Sister Hargrave a very rich patriarchal blessing.
She seemed to be very thankful, her health was
quite poor. We hope she will get well. (The above
at Pocatello was on November 1st.)
November 2nd. Aunt Lib stopped with Wil-
liam Rice, Margaret’s son and we stopped with
our friends, Brother and Sister Henderson, at
Oneida, Marsh Valley, this being the name of
this stake of Zion. They received us with great
kindness. We had a very pleasant and agreeable
visit and meeting in the evening.
November 3rd. Brother Henderson says,
Brother Robinson, you will have to give my wife
Mary a patriarchal blessing. She will not let you
go away without it. Certainly, if any woman in
the world said she must have one he says that he
had to go to Pocatello, that his clerk will write
her blessing. She did receive such good blessing
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for she was worthy. God bless her and her house
forever.
Presently, her husband came in. I said, I
thought you were gone to the city. He said, I
was too late for the train. She said I told him he
had better stop today and go tomorrow. He took
the chair and said, I want a blessing, will you
give me one. And he did receive a good blessing
from the Lord through his humble servant and
they were such a happy couple for they did feel
blessed and they truly were blessed. She gave me
a handkerchief and one dollar in money and said
they would pay me more another time. I told her
that I was in debt to them. They thanked me a
thousand times and I thanked them more. He
gave me a sack of oats and wanted to give me
more. We left them with a blessing and drove 20
miles, stopped with my stepson Eli Simmons and
his good family and they were very kind to us and
we left our blessing upon them and their house
and upon their farm and upon their children.
November 4. Made a long drive through
Malad Valley. Good roads and the blessings
of God were upon us. We met Brother Joseph
Hadfeld of Farmington with his eldest daughter.
He has built himself a good house and is making
a farm in Malad Valley.
November 5th. We made a long drive and
came to the city of Ogden. We stopped with Willie
and family and found them well and pleased to
see us.
November 6th. Sunday morning we drove
home and found all well. We felt very thankful
to God for he had greatly blessed us upon this
little journey of about 500 miles. We had been
gone two weeks.
November 7. Ebenezer helped me load some
apples and I made a trip to Coalville, Summit
County, Stopped with my daughters Janie and
Emasophia with their families in Richville, Mor-
gan County. Visited with and blessed them. Her
good man was at home from his mission.
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I saw Jeddy and George building a mill in
Morgan. Stopped with Brother and Sister Richins
and had a good visit with them. Sold out, got a
load of coal and drove safely home Saturday
evening, the 12th.
November 13th. Back in Hooper. Attended
meeting and preaching good to the Saints. Visited
Brother Thomas Johnson. We blessed him and
his family.
November 20th. Sunday. Ebenezer and the
family attend meeting. I writing a good letter to
my children Solomon and Mary Jane in Arizona.
The weather is very cool. Oscar paid our taxes
in Ogden.
November 23rd. Me, Aunt Rinda & Ebenezer
go to Farmington to attend a wedding party. We
fnd some sick, Aurelia, George Clawson’s wife and
Laura’s youngest daughter. I anointed and blessed
them. They got immediately better. Visited some
with Brother dark’s family and others.
November 24th. Thanksgiving Day. I vis-
ited my son Joseph Elijah and family and took
Thanksgiving dinner with them. They said, our
son William wants you to give him a patriarchal
blessing and in the evening we repaired to the
house of Timothy and Lucy Clark by invitation
to celebrate the wedding of our worthy son and
brother, or rather our grandson, Oliver Wilcox
and their daughter Eva Clark, A royal feast of fat
things were prepared in great abundance and
a very large and extremely civil company was
assembled. There was a royal supper, a mam-
moth wedding cake and an abundance of rich
food. After supper was over the boys got up a
very good program. I was called upon to make
a few remarks which I did with pleasure. The
bridegroom wished me to give his wife, the bride,
a patriarchal blessing as she was very anxious for
one. As he had obtained his sometime since from
under my hands and it was decided they should
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meet me at the house of Joseph E. Robinson, the
next day at 12 o’clock noon.
November 25th. At my son’s house, Joseph
and Dora’s, this day I gave to my grandson Eddie
West and unto William Robinson, Joseph E. and
Dora’s son and also to Eva [or Eda], the young
bride, patriarchal blessings. And the Lord did
give unto them or promise unto them good and
great blessings through his humble servant.
November 26th and 27th
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : J. L. R. ’s journal on these dates
contains his testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith,
“the only hand that has the legitimate right to lead and
to control the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
and the kingdom of God here on this earth.” He then
again gives his testimony of him and concludes with
the statement that “Ebenezer and I were acquainted
with the Prophet Joseph Smith and did know him to
be a true and a holy prophet of the most high God and
that he was called and chosen to lay the foundation
of a great work. He was chosen of God to head the
dispensation of the fullness of times and also to know
that he, Joseph Smith, was responsible for what he
taught, that he had good backing, and that Almighty
God will bear him out in the things he taught to the
Saints.” J. L. R. again states that he knows that he, Joseph
Smith, taught publicly that the law in Zion should be
such that if a man received the gospel in Turkey, he
could bring his fve wives to Zion and enjoy them here
the same as he could in his own country and that was
synonymous to saying that polygamy will be practiced
in this Church of Jesus Christ and I do know that the
Prophet did say not very long before he was martyred
he said it in public while he was speaking on the stand
that he held the kingdom and the authority thereof
and that this kingdom was put on the shoulders of the
Twelve and that they were to bear it, for he was going to
rest.” J. L. R. then proceeds to give his justifcation of the
original doctrine of the plurality of wives even though
conditions made it necessary for this law to be lifted
from the Church. His writing on this subject occupies
pages 176, 177, 178, 179, 180 and part of 181.]
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[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : Joseph Lee Robinson concludes
his testimony with these words.]
Very straight is the gate and very narrow is the
way that leads to life eternal and Jesus said, that
few there be that fnd it. Now if I was to express
my mind upon this subject it would be that a great
portion of the people who were baptized into this
Church and do become members of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in my candid
opinion, they had better let the courting of the
second wife alone unless they are commanded
of the Lord to enter into that holy order, for it
certainly is an holy order.
You may ask, why then is or was it offered to
all? I could give it as my opinion that it should
be offered to all so that it could not be called a
partial or personal doctrine. Brethren Brigham
and Heber C. did say that they had sealed more
to damnation than to salvation. Now I wish to
say that polygamy in the world in any shape is
another thing and altogether, why so? Because
men cannot be sealed or are not sealed by the
authority and according to the law of God and
by the holy spirit of promise. Any other kind of
marrying will only last for time,
But the laws of the land are framed on the
purpose to kill and stop this doctrine, or tenant
of our holy religion. So that we will be obliged to
obey the law. We must not preach nor practice
this while the law is in existence. For this is the
word and will of the Lord according to Saint
Wilford, our president and his counselors.
December 1st. It is snowing. I attended fast
and teacher’s meeting. Took meat and butter
donations.
Saturday evening, the 3rd, our Ebenezer
talked in our meeting house, a very good house.
His subject charity. My son Ebenezer seems to
be very zealous and he is or feels quite certain
that he is on the right track and young Joseph
is the right man to lead this church. But, I told
him that I do know that the same Holy Ghost
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that was given to the Saints at the start and also
when I frst embraced the gospel is the same that
I and all the faithful of the Latter-day Saints do
enjoy today.
Also, that same Holy Spirit has certainly
remained with this Church ever since the death of
the Prophet Joseph Smith, and that the authority
and power of the holy priesthood is certainly in
this Church and with this people here in these
mountains. Also, that God is with them, I do
know and furthermore I do know and do testify
that God has not rejected this people with their
great faith and with their dead. Consequently I
could not receive any man into fellowship, much
more follow after him, low here and low there,
no, never, no man unless he does come into this
Church by the door of baptism and become a
member in good standing and in full fellowship.
Then he must be anointed by inspiration. Then he
must be voted in by this entire Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints before I could, or
would, go after or acknowledge him my leader.
So, there is no other rule by which I could ever
become a member of young Joseph’s church.
December 4th, I received a good letter from
Aunt Mary. All is well. Lee is married to that good
girl to whom I gave a blessing.
December 8th, 1892. This morning, at 4
o’clock, our daughter Loella Rice, gave birth to
a nice, fne son. This is their ffth child. He is
a very nice, promising child. As my son-in-law
Oscar Rice was living with his family in my
house in Hooper he had taken my farm and I
had blessed her some weeks or two before this.
We had promised her in the name of the Lord that
she should go the full time with that child and
that she should have strength to be delivered of
a good child, the spirit said a son but that child
should be blessed and so it was.
She was blessed of the Lord. She was im-
mensely blessed with an easy time and good
luck and was well attended to.
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The room was kept warm and she was getting
along splendidly. She had an abundance of nurse
for the child. It was growing nicely.
She, Loella, had a good appetite. She ate her
breakfast yesterday morning and after she took a
good nap and after her breakfast this morning as
usual turned herself to us and we supposed she
had gone to sleep. She appeared cheerful, made
no complaint. Her husband came to see her to
tell her something, and she was dead. This was
about 10 o’clock in the morning of December 16th.
He screamed and cried, My wife is dead. My God,
my God. My dearest, my darling wife has gone
and left me. What shall I do? And her mother, my
wife Laurinda came to my door and I was writing
in my room adjoining to where she was sleeping
(my daughter).
My wife was screaming and wringing her
hands saying Wella is dead. Oh father Loella is
dead and the whole house was crying, almost
distracted.
I went immediately, saw her, she was lying
quiet with her eyes closed tightly as a person’s
eyes could be when she is fast asleep. She was
looking more pleasant and sweet comfortable and
fast asleep. Her hands were getting cold and there
were no symptoms of life at all with her.
Surely, she had gone to sleep, to rest. She did
look so very pleasant and sweet. Surely she had
never before this looked so sweet and good to me,
so sweet and lovely, .And verily, I do term it one
of the most remarkable cases or circumstances
that ever happened. This was on Friday morning,
just eight days and six hours after her child was
born.
Bishop Childs came down and did as well
as a bishop could do. He and I took that little
motherless child into our arms and gave unto
him a name and also a good father’s blessing. The
neighbors, as good brothers and sisters came in
and greatly sympathized with the afficted ones
and the Lord will surely greatly reward them.
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They did dress her so beautifully and put her
in a very nice coffn so that she was buried very
decently. But while she was lying in her coffn, in
my house I came to her secretly and placed my
hand upon her forehead and in the name of the
Lord I did bless that sleeping tabernacle of fesh,
saying rest thou in peace and in quiet until the
morning of the holy resurrection when the spirit
which shall have performed a very noble work
with her sisters and good friends in the spirit
world shall reunite with and shall become
immortal. Thou shalt die no more, then thou shalt
embrace thy husband and thy friends with great
joy and thou shalt wear a bright crown and live
forever. These were the blessings that I placed
upon the head of this very pleasant sleeping child
and we have writing so much of it and it may be
recorded, further credit for our satisfaction,
December 18th. Her funeral was solemnized
in our ward meeting house at 2 o’clock Sunday
afternoon. It occupied the entire meeting, the
Sunday services for that day. The house was flled
to overfowing. The songs, the sermons were very
impressive and solemn, the speakers were George
Powers, Henry Mannings, J. S, (F.) Johnson and
they did all talk so very well and consoling.
There was a very large crowd of well-dressed,
good looking, very solemn, very respectful people.
They did all manifest their great respect to our
departed dead.
I never felt this entire people and ward before
like I did this day. There was a very long train
of carriages that went to the burial and when
they were all gone from the grave but the bishop,
William ChiIds, and Oley Olson and Nephi Hardy,
his two counselors, the others had all started but
these three waited for a blessing. As I drove past
them the spirit of God rested down upon me to
bless them. I said, Bishop and counselors, the
blessings of the Lord Almighty shall rest down
upon you and upon your house forever and as I
prayed, Brother Joseph Fowley, I did
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[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : With this testimony, with this tragic
experience and with this blessing to the bishop and his
counselors, Joseph Lee Robinson ends his journal. He
died about two weeks later, January 1st, 1893.
Second Section
• A second, shorter journal, written by
Joseph Lee Robinson in his last years
Our great grandfather, Joseph Lee Robinson also wrote
another shorter journal which was separated and on
the bottom of his larger, more complete journal. This
journal begins with April 18, 1884 and ends December
1892. We will study it and incorporate all items of
importance in the proper places in the main journal.
Repetitive material will not be dictated.)
..... .. .··.
Saturday, 25th April 1884. Elder Johnson came
to me and asked that we administer to his wife as
she was very sick. We consecrated one bottle of
oil. I went with him and anointed her and blessed
her. She is much relieved. Lee came home from
Promitory. He had been quite unwell. We were
glad to see him. George came also and my son-
in-law Oscar Rice [J. L. R. spells Oscar “Ausker,”]
and his wife my twin daughter Wella came from
Farmington to see us.
April 27th. Took one bottle of oil, consecrated
it and gave it to Sister Anna Blake and Elder J.
S, Johnson. Anointed her and several elders and
with myself laid our hands upon her and blessed
her in the name of the Lord, as she is sick.
May 4th. Attended a funeral, spoke to the
people, opened the meeting with prayer and
spoke to the Saints, had a very good liberty of
speech, a very fne day.
May 8th. Drove to Farmington, saw the chil-
dren, anointed and blessed my daughter, Anna
Maria as she was sick. Drove home.
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May 11. Sunday, a funeral, Sister Moore was
buried. Elders Johnson, Cook and Flanders spoke
well at the funeral. Administered to Brother Rube
Belnap’s little son.
May 14th. Paid Joseph seven dollars. Traded
some with him. Blessed my daughter Anna Maria
Wilcox as she was sick with rheumatism and
brought up Aunt Laurinda to Hooper.
May 15th. I start for Logan with my team and
buggy to attend the dedication of the temple, as
it is built and fnished. Took my wife Laurinda
and Sister Lary Johnson. We drove to Brigham,
stayed with Brother Jensen’s good family.
May 16. We drove around to Bear River and
put up with Brother Israel Whiting. They treated
us well. He lives in Wellsville 10 miles from Lo-
gan. We had a good visit with them.
May 17. Drove to Logan, the temple was
dedicated this day and attended meeting in the
afternoon in the tabernacle, a rich meeting. We
stayed at Sister Hannah’s over night.
May 18. We received tickets and went through
the house of the Lord, a heavenly sight. We found
Brother Benjamin Williams and family. Stayed
with them and had a good visit.
Monday evening we drove to Wellsville and
stayed with Brother Whiting again, he made us
welcome.
Certainly had a heavenly time. Thousands of
Saints met at Logan to witness the dedication of
the temple of God dedicated. It was open three
days and was flled to overfowing. The people
who attended were admitted by tickets. The
dedicatory prayer was read each day and there
was preaching and singing each day. It is a beau-
tiful house, the second temple fnished in these
mountains.
May 19. We found Brother Benjamin Williams,
took Sister Annette Cummings with us. We had a
sweet visit with them. He took us in his carriage,
saw some of his children and much of that large
and beautiful city. They have a large and splendid
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tabernacle and a beautiful temple. They are far
richer now than they were when they commenced
to build them.
May 20, We drove over the mountains through
Copenhagen out at Brigham City, We found the
sailing rough and tumble but the Lord blessed
us.
Dark found us at Byron Bybee’s house in
Uintah near the mouth of Weber Canyon. We
found our daughter Jane and family well, had
a good visit with them. We had driven 48 miles
that day.
May 21st. Drove to Ogden and did some trad-
ing and drove to Hooper and found all well.
May 24th. Drove to Farmington, took Aunt
Rinda home, she was sick that night and the
doctor helped her to get some better. Went and
visited my daughter Anna Maria. She has been
very sick but is better now. Took dinner with her
and took my wife down to Millie’s, our twins
birthday. Took supper with them. Drove home.
June 9. George Clawson, my son-in-law came
up with me and he helped me this week. He did
us a good job upon our house and other things,
putting up a good porch and bedroom and milk-
room. Mary stopped with the children and I took
George to Farmington.
July 3rd. Fast day. Attend meeting, pay
fast donations. This meeting very interesting.
President Shirtleff in attendance said we should
leave off working on Sunday and keep the Word
of Wisdom strictly.
July 6. Took Amos to Salt Lake City. Aunt
Rinda went with us on a visit. Got Wella to
Hooper.
July 23rd. Took my daughter Laurinda Parker
to Farmington. All is well, the crops came in.
July 24th. Attend meeting in the grove. The
stake bet for a celebration. However there were
funeral services for Elders Barry and Gibbs who
were martyred by the hands of a mob in the state
of Tennessee one Sunday morning as they had
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met at a private house of Brother Condor’s to
hold a religious meeting. They were shot down
like wild beasts in the land of religious liberty,
liberty for which many of our noble fathers bled
and died.
October 6th. Attend conference in big taber-
nacle with an overfowing house. Good attention
was paid to rich preaching and teaching by the
First Presidency and Twelve. The reins are be-
ing drawn a little tighter. The Lord requires his
people should come up to a higher standard of
purity. There is a marked improvement in the
people of the Saints. Many are paying their tith-
ing and keeping the Word of Wisdom better and
performing their duties better and the devil is
howling longer and louder to wicked men.
October 15. Aunt Laurinda and I started for
Logan with recommends to go to the temple to
do some work for our dead. Stayed the frst night
with the family of George Marsh in Willard. He
was absence but had a good visit with his family.
We joined them in family prayer. The prayer was
held in a circle the same as we do in our family
prayers.
November 17. Monday, we went into the
temple and registered for those for whom we
wished to be baptized. Then we drove to Brother
Benjamin Williams where we stopped with them
that night.
November 18. Went to the temple and were
baptized, I for the renewal of my covenants and
for the restoration of my hearing and for several
of Rinda’s male friends, also she for the renewal
of her covenants and for several of her friends.
Brother Williams said we must stay with him
while we were in Logan.
November 19. Went to the temple and received
endowments for my father Nathan Robinson and
she for her sister (Jemsha). I received a great
blessing after being baptized for my hearing.
November 20. We again went to the temple
and received endowments I for my grandfather
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Samuel Brown and she for her sister Orril. We
were exceedingly happy while in that house.
November 21. We were in time arriving at
the temple by half past eight in the morning, I
received endowments for my great grandfather
Joseph Lee and she for her friend Rebecca Smith
who was dead. She also had her two sisters sealed
to their former husbands. We acted as proxy. The
spirit of peace dwelt there with us.
November 22nd. This temple is a beautiful
house in a beautiful city. We drove to Wellsvilie
and stayed all night with Brother Israel Whiting
and family. I gave his stepdaughter a patriarchal
blessing. It was a good one, she is a very good girl.
Also laid my hands on their heads and blessed all
the family. They felt themselves greatly blessed.
And I myself, if I dared to say it, while in Wells-
vilie was blessed almost beyond measure, for the
voice of the spirit said to me, You are clean before
the Lord, I have no doubt.
November 23rd, Sunday. We drove to Hooper,
had a very interesting time. The Lord was with us.
Have considerable writing in a life book from
September 1888 to February 1885, which I
have not in this book.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : J. L. R. indicated on a previous page
that he had written considerably more in another book
than he was writing in this book. As a matter of fact, this
account is sketchy and skips many days.]
,....., .· .··
February 18, 1885. My birthday, 74 years old
today and a very excellent good time. Was very
greatly and happily surprised in that we had
plenty of good beer (root, undoubtedly) and a
splendid supper with a large and lively company
and last but not least the Hooper brass band
which discoursed for us very excellently. Yes,
they appeared and behaved and performed (in
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music) magnifcently. We were entertained with
songs, speeches and a super abundance of choice
food and plenty of drink of our own make, no
imported wines or liquors. We had truly a most
enjoyable time. All seemed to feel so good and
happy to celebrate my birthday. It was planned
and got up through the labors and dictations of
my wife Mary, she is good, God bless her.
February 19. Elder F. S. Johnson [it is diffcult
to read these initials] anointed my daughter
Emma Sophia for her health and we laid our
hands upon her head and I blessed her in the
name of the Lord.
February 20th. Took my wife Mary and
daughters Laurinda Parker and Emma Sophia
and Sister Baker up to Willie’s and made them a
visit and blessed his little son. He was eight days
old. His name is William Jesse.
22nd. Wrote two letters to my children in
Arizona.
April 1st. We had a fne rain and Joseph came
from the north on a visit fxing to go for confer-
ence.
April 2nd, Start for conference at Logan this
time. I took Aunt Rinda and Charles Parker and
his wife our daughter Laurinda and babe with
us in my buggy and we drove to Willard the frst
night. We stayed with Brother and Sister Evans,
Charlie’s friends.
April 3. We passed over a hilly and rough
road with some snow and mud, into the south
end of Cache Valley fve miles south of Paradise.
Passed through Paradise and Hyrum, two very
nice cities, into Wellsville and found good dry
roads in Cache Valley. We stopped with Brother
and Sister Parkinson.
April 4th. Saturday, a fne day. I drove to
Logan. Was in time for conference. On the stand
was fve of the Twelve Apostles namely Franklin
D. Richards, presiding and John Henry Smith,
F. M. Lyman, Grant and Taylor and a number of
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the presidents of stakes with many bishops and a
house full of Saints, but no First Presidency. This
was the frst general or annual conference ever
held without some of the Presidency attending.
They are sought after by our enemies and we
deem it wisdom for them to hide themselves as
they are wise and good men and we do not want
them to be abused or slain by the wicked mob,
as they are persecuting and afficting the Saints,
some of them, and we do not know whether they
will ever cease their raid against the Latter-day
Saints, probably not until the Lord shall stop
them. We had a very excellent meeting.
Sunday 5th, Apostles F. D. Richards, John
Henry Smith, Marion Lyman were the speakers.
Their preachings and teachings were sound and
logical and very interesting.
April 6th. The conference closed, but these
apostles spoke today instead of yesterday and
we had a very excellent conference. The house
packed and many that could not get in.
We stopped with Brother and Sister Benjamin
Williams and family, were treated very kindly
and we feel to bless them very much. Drove to
Wellsville, stopped with and took breakfast with
Brother Whiting and family.
April 7. Drove around the mountain to Bear
River down to Willard. Stopped with Brother and
Sister Edwards and were well entertained.
April 8. We drove home in good weather.
April 12. Attended meetings in Farmington.
My grandson Ebenezer Wilcox, who is going on
a mission to the states, spoke with some others,
I spoke and went to my daughter Anna Maria’s
in the Monday evening.
April 14th. Ebenezer Wilcox starts on his
mission to the state of Indiana.
April 26th. Brothers Bidolph and Farandland
and families came to visit us.
May 3rd. Attended Sunday conference in
Salt Lake, a very excellent meeting. The mob
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courts and U.S. marshalls are raiding heavy on
polygamist Mormons.
May 17. The U.S. offcers and courts are mak-
ing a heavy raid on our polygamist Mormons,
fning and imprisoning several for their crime of
marrying wives and owning their children and
educating them. Our councilmen have visited
President Cleveland and delivered their state-
ments of grievances and protest. The President
says he will appoint offcers who will execute the
laws impartially. We hope he will.
June 6. A pleasant day. Took a cow to Farm-
ington for Rilla Clawson.
June 13. Brought Aunt Rinda up, Joseph and
Henry with their wives came to see us. We took
dinner at Charlie’s, had plenty of strawberries
and a good visit.
June 26. Took Anice and her crippled son
David to Salt Lake City to get him doctored..
Consulted with Doctor Anderson. He prescribed,
she got some medicines and we left her and
children with Brother Joseph Kingsberry and
family.
June 28, Sabbath. Brought Janie and children
and we attended meeting in Hooper. Elders Henry
Manning, William Garner and Joseph Belnap
spoke and gave good talks.
July 24. Pioneers Day. It was celebrated in
the Farmington Grove, a good turn out, a very
enjoyable time faired sumptuously. General Grant
is dead and the fags are draped in mourning.
Visited some with my children.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE: The entries for the months of
August and September are primarily about the weather,
farming, and incidental activities.]
October 2nd. Go to Farmington, gather
some peaches and brought a load of apples. I got
Joseph’s carriage from him to go to conference.
October 6. We start, Mary and our daughter
Lucy and I, to attend conference at Logan. We had
Joseph’s good carriage with a comfortable ft out
(outft) expecting to take a trip north to the Snake
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River country and to visit some of our children
and friends. Also to see the temple at Logan and
some of the settlements of the Saints.
We drove to Denmark, Box Elder Valley, a
small well watered with a very nice large town
built exclusively by the Danish Saints. Put up with
Brother and Sister Jacobson. They treated us so
kindly. The name of their place is Mantua.
October 7. Arrived in Logan and took dinner
with Brother Ricks. Attended conference. They
have a very large and commodious tabernacle
and it was packed to its utmost capacity, a very
excellent conference. The preaching and teaching
was very interesting and instructive. Seven of the
Twelve were in attendance. We put up and stayed
with Brother and Sister Benjamin Williams. They
treated us very kindly. We visited Brother Elison.
He wished us to come in the morning and bless
his wife which I did the next morning and felt
her blessed.
October 8. We all attended conference, a
splendid meeting and after meeting we visited
Brother and Sister Williams’, son-in-law. He was
very sick and I anointed and blessed him in the
name of the Lord and he received a blessing.
We drove around the temple, a beautiful and
striking building in a large and beautiful city.
We visited and blessed Sister Williams, got some
cheese from them and drove across Bear River
about 18 miles and put up with Sister Hause and
family.
October 9. We passed through Trenton. Here
we found Brother James Harrison, then drove
on passing through Whiston and Clifton and
Oxford and some other places. Put up with Sister
Thornton, a good woman and a good house. She
was very kind to us.
October 10, We drove into Marsh Valley.
Found Ely this morning. Stopped with them
over Sunday. He and his wife are doing very
well. We enjoyed ourselves very much with
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them. They treated us well and we had a good
time together.
October 16. George took me over to Amos’
farm. There is a fne stream of water running
through it. On Sunday, 17, Amos took me some
eight or ten miles to a settlement called Louisville.
We saw Brother Thomas Sairs [Sears?] and wife
and sons. They are making a good start, are
not far from the river, but a few miles from
Rexburg.
October 23rd. Left Marsh Valley and Ely’s
place, drove over the Divide, through Malad City,
stopped with Brother Joseph Harris then crossed
over the Bear River and put up with Brother
Chester Loveland. He was an old acquaintance.
October 25. Drove home and stopped to do
some trading in Ogden. Arrived home in the eve-
ning, found all well with a considerable amount
of work to do.
November 2nd. Took Aunt Rinda and Rosa
to Salt Lake. Stopped with Aunt Ann Cummings,
sold some wool and some white beans, then came
to Farmington.
November 16. Attended a ward meeting, a
good turnout seeking to effect ecclesiastical
organization in the ward in order to save our
church’s property and take care of the same.
Drove to Byron Bybee’s and stayed overnight with
them. He is getting along extra well.
November 18. Took Rilla and her children
to Farmington. Her husband has gone north
working. Took Aunt Rinda and Ester to Anna
Maria Wilcox’s and had a good visit with her.
November 20, Sunday. Drove over to Briga
Stowel’s place to see my daughter Alice and David.
Her little son has one of his legs amputated. I
anointed and blessed him.
December 22nd. It is raining. I drove to Croy-
don and Henifer. Sold some apples and molasses
and dried fruit. Arrived at Edward Richins at
dark. Had a good visit and stay with them.
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Drove to Enterprise, Put up with Jesse Haven,
Got myself a pair of blankets, boots and comforter
for a Christmas present.
December 24. Drove home. Found all well,
had a good time, received money, paid school
taxes and fve dollars to Joseph on store debt.
Took dinner at Janie’s table.
December 25, Christmas. A very good day.
Felt thankful to my Father in Heaven for the
privilege of enjoying the 74th Christmas in my
probationary state. A happy Christmas it is
indeed. I have the great privilege of enjoying
the society of Saints, I’ve received in the gospel
peaceful ness and of entering largely into the
work of assisting to build the kingdom of God
on the earth.
;....., . .··.
January 1. New Year’s. A happy New Year’s day.
Had a good dinner and company at home. Spent
the evening with some of our friends and had a
pleasant supper.
The past year has been a very pacifc one. The
earth has yielded bounteously which blessing we
heartily thank the great giver of all good. We have
great peace and some severe persecutions. Our
Gentile friends are very bitter because we believe
in and are striving to obey his holy command-
ments. Our great and glorious Constitution
says we shall not be proscribed in our religious
exercises and worship, but our government says
we shall not. Therefore, because we obey God,
they put into execution their mob law and fne
and imprison some of our brethren. They have
murdered and robbed and imprisoned many of
our brethren and may be many more of them as
they always have done when the true worshipers
of the true God was on the earth.
January 3rd. We had with us Brothers Farnd-
land and our son William Robinson and families
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and Mary got us a royal good dinner. We had a
good visit.
January 4. Took Aunt Rinda and our daughter
Laurinda to Farmington, found our children well.
On the 5th, visited with the children and in the
evening attended a theatrical performance. My
son Joseph Elijah gave me a ticket. Saw my son
Oliver, he offered me one.
January 6. Came up to Hooper, very cold
weather. Mary and Burt and his wife and I went
to Brother Farndland’s for a visit.
February 4. Attended fast meeting. Bore my
testimony, a very good attendance. Several of the
brethren spoke and we had a very good meeting.
Took dinner with my daughter Laurinda Parker.
Received some mail including paper and some let-
ters, one from a grandson of my brother William,
his name is Milton Robinson, Bradford, McKene
County, Pennsylvania.
February 17. Drove to Croydon, travelled some
then to Henifer. Sold some fruit and meat. Then
to Richins. Put up with them. Found them mostly
well, mostly good for the time of the year.
February 18. My birthday, 75 years old to-
day. Three-quarters of a century, I have been a
sojourner on this Lord’s earth. It is through his
blessings we live and in him we live, move and
have our being. Many have been things of great
rejoicing, and many are the heavenly visions and
rich manifestations of his love and power and
knowledge and intelligence hath the Lord God
manifested unto me, unworthy me, for which I
feel very grateful unto him.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE: J. L. R. ’s pages, his numbers 15, 16,
for February, March, 1886 are so badly smeared as to
be unreadable.]
April 23rd. Took Aunt Rinda to Salt Lake
City, sold some wool and bought Mary a churn.
Went to the Historian’s Offce, saw Brother
Franklin. He said I could search the records for
our dead, I engaged Laron Cummings to search
for us, Laurinda and me. We studied the New
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England state records as they have them there.
We visited with Sister Annette and Jane and
drove to Farmington, attended meeting and
drove to James Wilcox’s, visited with them. Got
my records prepared and came to Hooper. Found
all well. Had a good time copying my records this
week and working about home. I received one
letter from my daughter Mary Jane West.
April 29. Drove to Ogden and went to the
mill. Did some trading, preparing to go forth
for a while. Received a letter from our children
Fredrick and Emma Sophia. They have a fne
daughter they are very proud of. Her name is
Lydia Ann.
May 3rd. Sent a letter and my family records
to Milton Robinson in Pennsylvania. Also one
long letter to my daughter Mary Jane West and
family. Went to Ogden, heard from Anise and
children. She found her man waiting for her.
They had a good trip and David is better. They
are gone to Old Mexico.
May 9. Went to Baker’s house in the morning
and gave seven patriarchal blessings. The parties
blessed were William Baker and wife, my son
William Robinson and wife, Chancey Garner and
wife, Brother Bevans our school teacher. He wrote
all the blessings. At four o’clock, went to Charles
Parker’s and gave fve patriarchal blessings to
Uncle Charles Blake and wife, Charles Parker
and wife, and Sister Bevans, the school teacher’s
wife, he being the scribe. This, on the Sabbath
day, before leaving Hooper.
May 10 and 11. Preparing and covering our
wagons for our trip north. On May 12, we start
with three wagons, Burt goes with us with his
team and little David Fowls drives one team and
our Harriett drives one and Lee went with Sam-
uel to start the stock. Brother Thomas Johnson
came and brought some chickens to send to his
daughter at Eagle Rock, He helped me prepare
my buggy and also Willie and Chancey came with
their wives to see us start. They helped also to
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put covers over the buggy. After dinner, I gave
Brother Thomas a patriarchal blessing.
We, Mary and Lucy, start our Snake River trip,
two or three hundred miles north.
We drove to the hot springs and camped. Lee
returned. We passed through Brigham City, but
Brother Lorenzo Snow, one of the Twelve Apostles,
is in the Pen which circumstance we regret very
much.
May 14. We camped in Dueyville last night.
We repaired our wheel this morning, all is well.
On the 15th, we camped in Malad Valley, drove
through Malad City and over the divide into
Marsh. Put up with Ely, found them well and
looking for us to come.
May 16th, Sunday. I took Ely’s wife to Oxford,
had some talk with Brother Smith and took din-
ner with them and brought Sarah’s sister with us
to stop with her while Ely was gone, as he went
with us.
May 17 and 18. Herding stock and preparing
to move onto Snake River to Amos’s and George’s
place.
May 19. We leave Marsh with some of George’s
and Ely’s stock and a very rough road and a good
time. And Ely took his team and three pigs and
several of our load. Mary and Lucy drove the
buggy and Harriett drove one wagon and I drove
one and two boys drove the stock.
Saturday evening brought us into Eagle Rock.
The folks put up with George and Amos, but the
boys and stock and I with one team stopped with
Brother and Sister ?
May 24. We fnished our journey on Sunday
and we rested, for we felt tired. We thanked the
Lord and was encouraged to fnd that the boys
had a good crop in and had done well.
May 30th, 1886, on Willow Creek, eight miles
northeast of Eagle Rock, Idaho. The boys, Ely and
Burt started back home on the 29th. David with
them, gave him [cents?].
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Sunday at home, reading, writing and resting
as we are laboring hard. Had put in several
acres into lucern barley and potatoes and other
things,
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : J. L. R. ’s page 18, his numbering,
covers the rest of June and July and their activities
primarily on the farm and in visiting friends and
relatives.]
August 1st, Sunday. Attended meeting. Mis-
sionaries Parley P. Pratt’s son preached to us. He
looks very much like his father. He talked well to
us together with a young bishop of the ward,
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : In the August days that follow
to the 18th, J. L. R. tells of farming and visiting some
members of the family. On the 11th he took Aunt Rinda
to Farmington and got some peaches from Brother
Wilcox and some apples from Sister Bybee and Sister
Sales. He wrote]
All my children were well at Farmington.
Oliver had built a house for his second daughter
Alice Richards and a greenery for his brother
Joseph. August 13, packed some fruit and start
for Willow Creek near Eagle Rock, Idaho. Drove
to Mark Bigler’s, he gave me hay for my horses.
Drove all day to fnd a meeting but found none.
Reached Marsh Valley on Monday. Arrived at
Ely’s at noon but found my peaches spoiled, sold
some apples and honey. On Sunday, August 22nd,
Mary, Amos and I attend meeting at Eagle Rock.
I was called upon to preach to the people.
August 23rd. This evening, through the news,
we received the sad news that Oliver, my eldest
son, my dear son, died. He departed this life on
the 18th and was buried on the 22nd, Sunday, at
Farmington. There was a great gathering for he
was a very much respected and very useful man in
the Church. His family took his death very hard.
We mourn very deeply for him. We ask our God
to give unto us grace that we may feel reconcile
to his death. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh
away and we feel to bless his holy name and try
to be reconciled to his will and his rod.
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August 26th. Went to James Michel’s and
brought his machine to cut my barley and some
hay for the boys.
August 29th. We attend meeting east of us.
Bishop Cordon met with us. He called on me to
speak. There was a large ward and the families
of the Saints are very much gathered.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : J. L. R. , during the frst days of
September, 1886, spent his time helping on the farm
and attended meetings.]
September 12, Sunday. Wrote a letter to my af-
ficted children in Farmington. At home, reading
and writing and preparing to start for Utah.
September 16. Samuel and I start for Utah on
business. Took with us to Ogden James Smith and
James Michel. We arrived at Ely’s place in Marsh
Valley. Stopped with him over the Sabbath.
September 21st. Arrived in Ogden two days
from Marsh. Stayed overnight with Brother Mi-
chel. He has a fne crop of apples.
September 22nd. Arrived in Hooper, found
all well. The boys are busy making up molasses.
I went immediately to work helping, repairing
gates, hauling cane and lucern seed and cutting
peaches.
September 24. Visited and anointed Brother
Charles Blake. He is very sick. We feel to thank
the Lord our God that he has of late removed
several of our bitterest and very ungodly offcial
enemies.
September 26, Sunday, Drove to Farmington,
found all well but the marshalls are making a
heavy raid on our polygamists. Have arrested
Brother Watson, E. T. Clark and Peter Barkdoll
and had writs for several others.
It is very remarkable, if not strange, the Lord
has removed by death several of our brethren
from their families, namely Thomas Grover, 0. L.
Robinson, Job Welling, Joseph France, Leonard
G. Rice.
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I visited several of my very exceedingly af-
ficted children of Oliver’s family.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE :The frst days of October, J. L. R.
spent time on the farm, paid some tithing in Ogden,
saw several of his aficted children and took Aunt
Rinda to Hooper.]
October 4. The boys shod one horse and I
drove up to Byron Bybee’s. Took Rinda Parker
and her mother and visited with our daughter
Janie and family.
October 5. Drove to Jesse Havens, took dinner
and had a good chat with them. Took supper with
Brother and Sister Thackrey, sold them some
molasses and drove over to Brother Richens.
October 6. We attended conference at
Coalville. Four of the Twelve were in attendance
namely F. S. Richards, presiding and John Henry
Smith, Heber J. Grant, John Taylor and some of
the presidents of the stakes and other brethren.
It was the 56th Semi-Annual Conference of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A
very interesting conference, a good demonstra-
tion of the spirit.
We administered to Sister Richens. She is
some better. Brother Richens gave me some early
potatoes for seed.
October 9. We drove to Fredrick Clark’s, my
son-in-law, he is absent attending a Seventies
meeting. Found our beloved daughter Emma Sofa
and beautiful baby.
October 10, Sunday, raining hard, but drove
to Janie’s and stayed over night.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : these last few pages of J. L. R. ’s
journal, the second one, covering the ending months
of 1886 are very fnely written and crowded in lines
that are crowded close together making the journal
very difcult to read. They cover primarily mundane
things such as crop planting, writing, visiting, and the
like. Except where names are mentioned or signifcant
events occur, they will be abbreviated here. We refer
to his pages numbered 20–24 and covering September,
October, November and December, 1886.]
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October 15. Went to Farmington, took Aunt
Rinda and some salt and wheat to Joseph and
to Fred Combs. Wrote and sent one letter to my
nephew, Milton Robinson. On 16th, visited my
daughters Ester and Anna Maria and came back
to Hooper.
November 3rd. Fine weather. Lee and I start
for Snake River with two good loads. Laurinda
gave us some cakes and butter and we butchered
a sheep. Had plenty and camped at Coal Springs.
On 4th, crossed Bear River and drove to Willard.
The Wellings treated us kindly.. I drove over to
Ely’s. He and his wife are blessed and prospered
by the Lord and have a fne, new, big son.
November 11. Drove to Eagle Rock, stopped
at John Hill’s. Patience gave us some dinner. He
owes me $1.50 for salt and apples. Left one cake
of molasses and arrived home, felt thankful.
November 13. George, Mary and I start for
conference, cross Snake River for the frst time,
a great river and beautiful water. Put up with
Hyrum Simmons. They treat us very well.
November 14. Hyrum went with us to Rex-
burg, found a good meeting and a large city. It
surprised me very much. Apostle John Henry
Smith preached to us most of the day. His sub-
ject was on the law of tithing, purity of life and
the frst principles.
December 9. Had a good chat with Elder
Johnson and was very happy to see them home
again. Had a very excellent breakfast and a very
enjoyable time reading a portion of the Apocry-
pha of the New Testament. It was an uncommon
treat for me. I enjoyed it very much, about the
virgin Mary which was a child of promise, of
her being taught and educated for the express
purpose of bearing the Son of God, the Savior of
the world. Also the birth of the Savior and many
important cases of healing which the Bible never
mentions and many other things equally as mar-
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velous and interesting. Read until late hour in
the morning.
December 10. Drove to my place, found the
children well and things in as good condition as
I expected.
December 11. Visited Charley and Ruby Parker
this evening. Burt took some things and some
tithing to Ogden. I paid Burton $20 on a note
and on account.
December 12, Sunday. Writing some and
visiting the sick, my grandson David has got well.
December 20th. Traveled with Dora and came to
Willie’s and blessed his second son. His name is
Joseph, then drove to Hooper.
December 21st. Working on gates and fences,
reading Juvenile Instructor and the Bible.
December 22nd. Burt and I are plowing and
picking up potatoes. Visited Mother Blakes at the
same time. Samuel is gone to Ogden to get him
some clothes. It is snowing some this evening.
December 24th. Drove through the mud to
Farmington, found all well and much blessed to
see them, felt very happy.
December 25th, Christmas. My 75th anni-
versary of that auspicious day we celebrate as
the birth of beloved Savior Jesus Christ and if I
was certain he was born on that day I would cel-
ebrate it before any other day in the world for I do
certainly love him more than any other one that
ever lived in this world. Yea, better than all the
rest put together, and the Prophet Joseph Smith
the next. Because they exhibit so much nobility,
charity and godlike majesty.
I love my wives with all my heart and my
children dearly and my neighbors and myself
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE : A few lines illegible.]
chiefest among 10,000 and all together
lovely.
We had a lovely dinner and a good time. Aunt
Rinda surely knows how to do it and the girls got
it up for us. We had for guests in company our
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children Janie, Josephine, and Rita and Wells
with their husband and children. Also Jedda
with his family, a good house full and plenty of
dinner and a very pleasant time indeed. Yea, a
time we shall long remember, Christmas and New
Year’s and my visit with them and the blessings
we received.
December 26. I attended Sunday School, a
very good full school, well conducted under the
able superintendence of Brother James Smith. I
was called upon to make a few remarks, spoke a
few minutes to the children. We feel very much
interested in the childrens welfare. We took din-
ner with my daughter Anna Maria and Henry
Wilcox.
Attended 2 o’clock meeting. Brother Thomas
Steed was called to the stand. He spoke very good
to the Saints, told a very interesting incident of
two brothers who live in Scotland, the one a Mor-
mon, the other a Methodist. The Methodist died
and after a while he came into the room where
his Mormon brother was and he says, James, it
is you. I did not expect to see you again until I
came to you. But, James says, I have obtained
permission to come and bring a message to you.
Now my dear brother, will you forgive me for my
abuse to you while I was with you and when I was
with you on the earth. Yes, said he the Mormon,
with all my heart, said he, I forgive you. When
we took you to the grave, said the visitor I thank
you kindly, now, said he, you will go up into the
mountains, there will be temples there and you
will do a work for me that I may come out of
prison. Yes, certainly, I will. How is it, James?
Are you not happy? I thought when you died you
were going right to heaven.
Oh, but it is not so. I am in prison and will
have to remain there until someone does a work
for me in a temple here upon the earth. The visitor
said further that when the Prophet Joseph Smith
died, he came and started Mormon meetings
there and that they were rather poorly attended
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at frst but that they were very well attended now.
Said he, there are Methodist meetings and Pres-
byterians, and other denominations held there
also. The visitor then left and said Brother Steed
this morning. But he has since come here and
done the work in the Logan temple for his brother
and also for hundreds of others. While he was
doing this, it was the happiest days of his life.
I note this for it is very interesting and a
striking proof of the magnitude and importance
of this latter day work in the human family. It
shows very frmly that the priesthood is God’s
authority and that the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints is indeed the true Church.
Therefore, the importance of temples and also the
magnitude of the work of the latter day people.
Regardless of how good this Methodist
brother was, a work has to be done for him in holy
temples. Now, how very thankful we should be
to our God that he has led us into the mountains
of Ephraim even unto his strong holies where
we can and will be thrushed and cleaned, where
we have liberty and are not in bondage, neither
indeed shall we be.
The Saints shall not be moved again but shall
be added to and spread abroad and many of the
peaceful and meek people of the earth shall say,
“Let us go up to Zion,” and some of them shall
come to Zion, even to a people that shall be at
peace with each other and shall be very happy.
It came to pass that I stopped with my fam-
ily, children and grandchildren and friends three
weeks visiting with and blessing them and at this
time gave upward of twenty patriarchal blessings.
I did considerable writing and preaching. Sent one
letter to Mary Jane West to Arizona and one to my
daughters Emma Sofa and family in Morgan and
one letter to my family and sons at Willow Creek,
Snake River County. I wrote a description of the
transfguration of our Savior and his translation
and ascension into heaven, how he was met in
mid-air by countless thousands, thousands of
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angels who surrounded him and escorted him
up to heaven with more sublime music than earth
ever heard before, singing, and chanting, lifting
up their heads, ye everlasting gates and the king
of glory shall enter in.
[EDI TOR’ S NOTE: Here, J. L. R. ends this, his second
journal. The next part of this second journal begins April,
1887 and is duplicative of the material already covered,
or to be covered in his main journal. Consequently, this
duplicative section will not be dictated and reproduced
but the original pages will all be preserved with the
regular journal which will be placed, as indicated, in
the Historical Department of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints. All pages carefully protected in
plastic covers.]
Oliver Preston Robinson
Dictated 1978–1980
Typed 1979–1980 by Mary Robinson Egan
Published for the Robinson Family, 1981
The published journal was scanned and posted
on the Internet as a PDF fle by David and Joni
Nielsen, 2002
The scanned journal was designed and formatted
as a PDF ebook by Kevin Merrell, 2003
Call for Addtional Materials
If you have additional materials relating to the life of Jo-
seph Lee Robinson that aren’t included in this project we’d
invite you to share! In particular we’re looking for photos
of the entire frst generation of the Joseph Lee Robinson
family to complete the interactive family chart on page 11.
In general, anything relating to this great soul would be of
potential interest. 300-dpi scans of photos and documents
would be an ideal format for your material. In the spirit of
sharing family history we are not selling this project.
Contact us:
Dave Nielsen:
[email protected]
Kevin Merrell:
[email protected]
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T H E J O U R N A L O F J O S P E H L E E R O B I N S O N C H A R T S , P H O T O S , O T H E R D O C U M E N T S
Additional Letters
of Joseph Lee Robinson
Joseph Lee Robinson copied several of his letters into
his journal. Here are several more—including one from
his father, Nathan Robinson—that were not copied
into the journal. These letters are presented true to
Joseph Lee’s original spelling, puctuation and habit
of generally not using paragraphs.
The letters were originally published in descendant,
Nola Valantine’s landmark work, “Genealogical Research
For Joseph Lee Robinson Ancestors”. Nola added the
notes and interpretations of a number of mystery
words that appear in the letters. Descendant, Christie
Roberts, retyped the original publication into the
computer, clarifying a number of details and bringing
the document to a whole new generation of Robinson
researchers.
Joseph Lee Robinson to his family
and friends back in New York State, 1848
“Winterquarters Janry 2nd 1848”
“beloved Parents Brothers & sisters & friends in
all the world greting with pleasure I improve
this opertunity in adressing a few lines to you.
through the blessing of the Lord we are all well,
& buisily engaged in preparing to prosicute our
journey in the coming spring over the mountains
we feel truly like Pilgrims & strangers on the
Earth exiled from our native land but we trust in
the Mighty God of Israel in him we trust & hope
for salvation he has in reserve a goodly land
where many of our people have gone to the valey
in the tops of the mountains where the House
of the Lord is to be built to which all nations
will fow to be taught in the ways of the Lord,
as says the Prophets Isaiah & Malici. we left
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T H E J O U R N A L O F J O S P E H L E E R O B I N S O N C H A R T S , P H O T O S , O T H E R D O C U M E N T S
Nauvoo one year last June & came to this place
which is called Council Bluffs on the Mo. River
in the Indian country about 3 hundred miles
from Nauvoo & 5 or 6 hundred from St. Lewis.
about sixty miles above the line of the state of Mo.
which is the nearest white settlements of Gentiles
this is very fertile rich country. we broke the
raw prapara [prairie] on the bottom & put in &
raised the largest crops the last year that I ever
saw grow on the ground I have raised 70 or 80
bushels of corn to the acre without ploughing
or howing it at all after planting. the valley to
which our people have gone & we are going is in
the tall & lofty mountains about one thousand &
30 miles from this place a very good road to it it
is a very rich fertile country well watered in it
is a salt lake four barrels of water when boiled
down will make one barel of the fnest of salt, it
will produse all kinds of grain & gardens an the
air and watter is as pure as can be therefore it
is perfectly healthy & in it are warm and hot
springs there is a spring of tar & oil which is as
good as the boughten tar, there is allso lakes of
salertus as good as the boughten & allso bourse
[browse] in abundense, there is on the rought
between here & there almost innumerable
multitudes of buffaloes the bufalow country
commences about one hundred & ffty or too
hundred miles west of this. there was a company
of pioneers about too hundred with the Twelve
[Apostles] started from here in the spring early for
the mountains to seek a location for the saints to
go to, they staid there about one month broke &
put in a large quantity of seeds of almost every
kind which grew remarkably fne they also built
a good many houses, these are in the best water
priveleiges in America fnally I expect it the best
place in the world, so I think it will do for the
laterday saints, at any rate it seems to be the
only place for them, these pioneers left there
the frst of sept. & arived here the frst of Nov
well & in good spirits & with them some of the
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T H E J O U R N A L O F J O S P E H L E E R O B I N S O N C H A R T S , P H O T O S , O T H E R D O C U M E N T S
solgiers who enlisted for californiia for Uncle
Sam as he made a demand for fve hundred of
our boys while we were exiled from our Mother
country, Moving without house or home in the
wilderness among the wild men of the west but
notwith standing our situation the fve hundred
volunteered & went immediately, they started
one year last July & have had a very hard time
of it a part of them have returned but the most of
them are yet in calafornia because they were not
able to come over the mountains, we have heard
by the by that if we had not turned out the fve
hundred men, they intended to cut us of & not
let us go any further in the wilderness, but they
sliped up in their calculations, so we continue our
course west where we intend to locate ourselves
in the name of the Lord & build unto his name
fne temples & for our selved fne fne houses &
make splendid farms & plant vineyards & eat
fruit of them & if we need to dig up the gold and
silver & the precious things of the mountains all
in the name of the Lord. & now my exortation &
invitation to you all is, in the frst place repent
of all your sins & sectarian traditions which are
incorrect & be baptized for the remishion of your
sins, & then come and go with us & I will doo
you good & you shall be blessed & shall rejoice
in the fullness of the everlasting Gospell of Jesus
Christ I say it not in my own name but in the
name of the lord my God, believe me for I know
in whom I trust for he is the God of revelation
now whether you believe in my God or not you
can act your pleasure about it. but I want you
to come & settle with us in that goodly land &
then you can judge for your selves about the
matter, for any people that wish to settle with
us can if they will be in subjection the the laws
by which we will be governed. the weather is
fne the roads dry & dusty have had but one or
too furries of snow, Sunday evening Janry 22
a pleasant fre & wife and children They go to
scool learn well we lost our youngest girl this
379
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T H E J O U R N A L O F J O S P E H L E E R O B I N S O N C H A R T S , P H O T O S , O T H E R D O C U M E N T S
side of the river she died on e year last sept. we
have many good log houses very comfortable
about one thousand built in this city & as many
on the east side of the river, I intend to go on over
the mountains this year will start in may next. I
have sent a man to be making preparation for
us I have 1 horse 3 yoke of cattle 6 cows I lost en
head of cattle last winter, I have allso 3 waggons,
so I fnd in the wilderness prosperity & adversity,
peace & plenty, friends & foes why is it that wer
must be so scattered in the world is a question
that I will answer when you come to see me,
where is Ebenezer if you knw tell me in your
letter I want to hear from him report says he is
crazy I do knot wonder at it but hope it is not so
I am dreadfull sorry that he should depart from
the right track but I am aware of the cause of it.
wish he would come back, says one I wish I had
wisdom enough to know whether Mormonism is
right or not, such I would refer to the scriptures
he that lacketh wisdom let him ask of God who
giveth liberally & upbraideth not & allso ask &
ye shall receive now without revelation we know
nothing about God nor salvation I have witten to
John & Asenath, left them in ILL. Is my Father &
Mother yet alive I would be glad to see them once
more in the world would be glad to say much
more but cannot with ink and pen now I want
you should wright as soon as you get this so that
we may hear from you before we go from this
place but if it should not it would follow me over
the mountains be sure to wright, the Lord bless
you all & save you from sin & death Maria & the
children sends their love to you all. my love &
best respects from your son Brother & friend”
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T H E J O U R N A L O F J O S P E H L E E R O B I N S O N C H A R T S , P H O T O S , O T H E R D O C U M E N T S
L E T T E R S • N A T H A N R O B I N S O N T O J O S E P H L E E R O B I N S O N , 1 8 5 0 ( U N S E N T )
Nathan Robinson Sr. to his son,
Joseph Lee Robinson, 1850
“July 12th AD 1850 I forgot to say Newbury”
“Deair Children after so long a time I take pen in
hand to let you no that the blesed King in Heaven
hath been pleased to let us live until I am 86
years old although I have been very sick and
have Just recovered and hold may own since
and I desire that these lines may fnd you and
your wife and them Deair Children alive and well
o that it had been so ordered in provenddnce
that you had been placed neair me now Joseph
I heaird about two yeairs ago that you was dead
from Elenois [Illinois] bit Ebenezer rote me a leter
in may last that he had a leter from mr Snow that
said that his Brother Joseph was alive and was
a Bishap [Bishop] at Calaforna [California] Now
my dead son have you forgot your old father
that hath labord hard all his Days Did you forgit
them things that I let you have when I moved
from york state to oioh [Ohio] I must one [own
up?] that I forgot a long time after you mved out
to the west Now it was over 50 dollars Now that
would help a pore old man that is past labor Now
my deair son do remember me now as it respets
you brothers and sistor that livs in this contrey
are well and are doing well as fair as I know
and nathan and Samuel are very good to us Now
Ebenezer has ben very good and has maid the
most what he was to pay me for 5 eairs time that
I let him have upon condision that if he should
take good conseses and if i should liv to bee an
old man he should pay me one dollar a month
for that time and he has paid the most of it Now
you are so rich you must come and see us
now this has been Laid a side until now January
25 1851
now my children you see that I am an old man I
have seen Eighty seven New Years Days I have
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L E T T E R S • N A T H A N R O B I N S O N T O J O S E P H L E E R O B I N S O N , 1 8 5 0 ( U N S E N T )
got all my wood until yeaster Day a babtest
Brother sent me a load and I am now very sick
with a hevy cold on the Lungs and my Deair
children I can say that god my hevenly father
is good and has given me a Long time to do do
good in now I feel to say as did my blesed Savour
Except a man is converted and becomes as a
litel child he can in no case enter in I remember
seventy one yeairs ago the blesed Lord was
pleased to show me that i was a siner and I
cryed to Jesus for mercy and for a bout a weak
I could hardly work or sleap until I found peas
in beleving in Jesus as my only savour and the
frst time that my voys (voice) was ever heaird
in publik in a religes meeting was I belive that
Jesus Christ has redeemed my soul and I belied
what I said and he feels to bee the same to me
now as there is salvation in no other now I am
sick of a havy cold abut ten days and I feal as
the time is about to com to an End with now as
it respects my children that livs in this contrey
are well Sarys Husband [David Robinson, the son
of Jonathan and Sarah’s 2nd husband] is ded he died
the last of november she has two children and
has a comfortable living Nathan and Samuel and
familys are well Nathan and Samuel and wivs
and Samuels two oldest girls have been babtised
and united with the Camiellits [Campbelites] I have
not heaird from Ebenzer since June I sepose you
have heard that they have a dater [daughter] now
my son do starte and rember me in your prayers
so leve you all in the hands of the Juge of the hol
Earth So no more poscrpt My Dear son Joseph
if you cannot com out here no how at all do send
me a letor right a way and send some of your
gold in it as you no I let you have all my farming
tols you no how as I am an old man goodby to
Joseph Robinson”
The above letter was never mailed to Joseph Lee, but
was among the papers of Nathan Robinson when he
died.
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L E T T E R S • J O S E P H L E E R O B I N S O N T O H I S F A T H E R , N A T H A N R O B I N S O N , 1 8 5 4
Joseph Lee Robinson
to his father, Nathan Robinson, 1854
“To my dear Father, after so long a time I take
my pen again to adress a few lines to my aged
Father. I had suposed that he was sleeping with
the fathers, but I fnd by a letter i received a few
days since that my old father is yet alive for
which I thank the Lord I have knot heard one
word from him nor any of the Boys for a long
time untill now, when in Nauvoo I wrote some
letters to father and the Boys but got no answer
from them then I concluded that if they did not
think enough of me to wright that I would stop
wrighting to them untill I heard from them again,
I am sorry to hear that your circumstances are
as bad as they are, but father you must yet
trust in the Lord and acknowlege his hand in
all things if you was here I would build you a
room that you could have by your self and let
you have a horse and buggy to drive when you
wished and a cow and pig and a garden and
more if you wanted, but you are knot here but a
great way of, and I supposed would knot wish
to come if you could. if you was in the same faith
with myself you would be glad to come here but
you are knot. but for all that I think as much of
you and would do as much for you if I had the
opertunity. but I dont see how I can help you at
present. I dont know when if ever I can come
and we have nothing but specie currency here if
I should undertake to send you anything I should
knot have confdence that you would get it. but
I am knot rich as you supose knot that I know
of but I am living in a good country where if
worldly gain was all that I was after I could get
rich but in thruth I am seeking the kingdom of
heaven and its richeousness which if I am lucky
enough to obtain. I shall after that be rich yea
posess all things. if I dont get them in this life I
383
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L E T T E R S • J O S E P H L E E R O B I N S O N T O H I S F A T H E R , N A T H A N R O B I N S O N , 1 8 5 4
shall in that which is to come, then my father if I
dont see you an do any thing for you in this life I
shall be able to there. and than you will be sur to
want some help as well as many of my brethren
and fathers and friends. however this may seem
like foolishness but verily will be true. If it was
knot for Gospel or Dispensation of gathering
I should knot be here but it is all wright I am
where i should be connected with a good people
and engaged in a good cause. father I was knot
aware that I was owing you anything but for
my raising and I supposed I was paying that
debt by raising my boys you wished me to give
an account of myself since I left you. or rather
my children we have nine children living theyr
names are, Oliver Lee. Ebenezer J. Anna Maria,
Jane Jeneva, Mary Jane, Joseph Elija, Nathan
Benjamin, Solomon and Josephene Elinora, as
smart and interesting children as we commonly
see. my oldest son will be 21 in too weeks from
this time he is not married yet, I give him a good
mare and a fne pair of steers one cow and one
year old higher [heifer] and too sheep and when
they drove us from Nauvoo I had to leave my
house and lot and land that I had paid for. I only
got about one hundred dollars for property that
cost me about one thousand dollars. but I was
glad to leave there because we was obliged to,
since I left there I have had some long and [?]
egious [rigorous?] journeys to make to get here
I have lost since I got to the mo. river 20 head
of oxens and cows, and have a large family to
maintain but I have a fne little stock growing
I have some as good horses as there is in the
country I have seven or eight head of horses and
forty or ffty head of cattle and thirty of sheep
and a fne farm. I am building this season, we
build here with adobies that is sun Dried bricks,
which do frst rate for building, we do knot have
very much snow here in the winter time for
common, but a great deal in the montains, we
raise fne crops of wheat in these vallies and it is
384
T H E J O U R N A L O F J O S P E H L E E R O B I N S O N C H A R T S , P H O T O S , O T H E R D O C U M E N T S
L E T T E R S • J O S E P H L E E R O B I N S O N T O H I S F A T H E R , N A T H A N R O B I N S O N , 1 8 5 4
a fne stock country it is very dry in the summer
season we have to irrigate our land to make good
crops there is a good many things that I could
talk about but I have room was time now, Maria
sends her respects to you and mother and all of
the rest of our folks, we are all well at present
we would be glad to see you father and mother
and all of the children again. tell Samuel if he
pleases to wright to me and let me know how
he gets along and what he is about tell him to
sell out and pick up his duds and come here with
his family and bring Asenath and her children
with him if they will come & tell me when Nathan
died and how much family he has left and where
Sarah is and how whe is getting along and if you
see Ebenezer again tell him to be sure to wright
to me and let me know where he is for I want to
wright to him but I do not know where to direct
my letter.”
“July 20th as I missed sending this letter the
last male. I again resume my pen to adress a
few more lines to you my aged Father. since I
commenced this letter I have had another son
Born to me. and I have received another letter
from you but I do knot know how to send you
any help at present it may be that I will have an
opertunity of sending by some one that I know,
something to help you a little before you leave
this world. but Father you must knot wory nor
fret yourself for you shall have food and rainment
while you live in this world and you know Paul
said to the saints in his day having food and
rainment therewith be content make yourself as
comfert able as you can while you live if I could I
would be glad to help you but as I said I don knot
know how I can at present, with in a few days
past the fing [fying] grasshoppers have made us
a visit in great numbers and given a touch have
nearly destroyed my wheat and have done much
damage to some I live about 17 miles north of
great Salt Lake City which is quite a large City
and building very fast the Indians have been
385
T H E J O U R N A L O F J O S P E H L E E R O B I N S O N C H A R T S , P H O T O S , O T H E R D O C U M E N T S
L E T T E R S • J O S E P H L E E R O B I N S O N T O H I S N E P H E W, M I L T O N R O B I N S O N , 1 8 8 4
very troublesome the last season and we are
now building in Cities all through the Teritory
which is setled by the latter day saints upwards
of three hundred miles in length there are a good
many incorporated Citys in the Teritory I am
now building in the City of Farmington I have
my wall allmost built as we are building walls
about our Cities, as time and room fails I must
close for the present.
I remain your afectionate son
Joseph L. Robinson”
[Added later]
“To my Father Nathan Robinson and Lydia my
good mother May God bless you my dear Parents
I would be glad to see you
I want you to write and tell me where Ann and
Lydia maria is [these are daughters of his stepmother
Lydia.] if you please get that little girl to wright
[Mary Shipper?]
My love to all enquireing friends and to all the
mores (the Moores, Lydia’s relatives) and more the
Lord bless you all Amen”
Joseph Lee Robinson, to his nephew,
Milton Robinson, 1884 (partial letter)
“And now, with regard to our fathers, I can
remember my father said his Fathers name was
Joseph, and it seems he said his grand Father
Robinsons name was Samuel, but I could say
sertain as to that, but I feel very sorry that I do
not know or that I do not remember more about
them. but it is certain that if i had time that I
thought I could spare, and money to spend, I
most certainly would search the records of the
Eastern States untill I found more about them
well I should have written to you long before this
but I have been so very buisy all this season, as
my son Jedediah was expecting to have tended
the farm or helped me, he bought another farm
386
T H E J O U R N A L O F J O S P E H L E E R O B I N S O N C H A R T S , P H O T O S , O T H E R D O C U M E N T S
L E T T E R S • J O S E P H L E E R O B I N S O N T O H I S N E P H E W, M I L T O N R O B I N S O N , 1 8 8 4
and then hired a young man to help us, he got in
debt some for his new farm, and then he engaged
for all summer doing Carpenter work, as there’s
a large amount of building going on here in our
Cities and in this Country, and as he was some in
debt for his new farm, and then the boy that he
had hired left me, and then I found myself alone
mostly this summer and I have got along the best
I could have had an abundence to do, and a good
many letters to wright, that I have neglected you,
but you must pardon me this time once more,
and i may do better in the future, I am some what
aficted with a Coughf now otherwise my health
is remarkable good, and have ben all the Summer
past, my family generaly are in very good health,
there have ben I dont know how many Births of
Grand and great Grand Children, and probably
some deaths, and there have several marriages
with our Grand Children, but not many plural
marriages, for that is against theyre law, they
say we must Cohabet with but one woman in
the Marriage relation, but they say cant you
Mormons be like us, do as we do, they could
very easily skip over other relations but we
must not marry, but that we can never do, we
must be virtuous, and true to our God and our
Covenants, now with regard to these matters
we could tell you a great deal if we had time
and you would like to hear it, I will try to get
my ugly picture taken so that I can send it next
time I write, I have ben taken of it a good many
times but have not got on yet that I would like
to send to you, we were at a picture gallery not
long since and had my picture, with my third
wife, that is living and all her children that is
living, in a family groop, we have them in large
frames they look very good, but my separate
ones are all gone, I was intending to have had
one taken at that time but just then as ours was
taken there was a fre in the town and they could
do no more then, but I will try to get some to
send to you, you must try to be patient as you
387
T H E J O U R N A L O F J O S P E H L E E R O B I N S O N C H A R T S , P H O T O S , O T H E R D O C U M E N T S
L E T T E R S • J O S E P H L E E R O B I N S O N T O H I S N E P H E W, M I L T O N R O B I N S O N , 1 8 8 4
can but dont forget your prayers, and now with
regard to births, deaths and marriages, with our
Children and Childrens Children, do you wish,
the names, and dates, of them all, if so I will
gather them and send them right along to you,
I ought to have them, to kep a record of them by
all means I should. I think I had better bring this
little letter to a close and send it to you sometime
this year, hoping that fnd you, and all yours in
good health and in a good humor and doing well,
it is or has ben thanks giving day for th enation
my wife got us up a royal dinner we have had
a good time and some of our friends to partake
with us. and I wish your self could have ben one
of our guests. I should like to see you very much,
but would more like to have you to receive the
Gospel and become a Member of the Church, of
Jesus Christ, of Latter day Saints, but then, you
would be calld a poor deluded mormon, and you
should be belied, and percicuted, and your name
should be cast out as evil, and how would you
like that, my dear Boy. well, the Lord, Bless you,
with a pure heart, clean hands, and good luck
is my humble prayr and Blessing
Yours truly with kind love, and Charity,
Joseph L. Robinson, To My Beloved Nephew,
Milton Robinson”