Day in the Life

Mar 16, 1839

Journal Entry

March 16, 1839 ~ Saturday

16th MOST INTERESTING DAY I rode to Mr Cleavelands & once more had the happy privilege of
greeting Sister Emma Smith who had taken up her abode for a season with her children in the house
of Sister Cleavland. we dined with Sister Smith she had passed through a scene of affliction since I
last saw her & even now Joseph her husband is in prision with other Saints through the power of persecution
we next rode to Quincy 4 miles & here an interesting scene presented itself to my view I first called at a
house which was occupied by Father & Mother Smith &the patriarch of the Church & also Samuel & Carlos
& their families. I then went out into the street & the Saints that I have formerly been acquainted with met
me on every hand such as [Petty], Clapp, Allexander & A. O. Smoot & their families from the south, & B. Young
John Tailer, J. P Green, R Cahoon, B Andresws A & S Milliken with most all of the other Kirtland Saints & soon

Br Jonathan H. Hale comes along with a shovel on his back & says how do you do Brother Woodruff & in fact I
saw so many of my old friends I hardly knew who to go home with first finally I concluded to go & spend the night
with Brother Hale & we had an interesting time together in talking about our travels together upon the Islands of the
sea & also Br Hale gave me an account of his sufferings & those of his family & all the Saints in Moissouri during
the past winter for they have suffered much from the inhaditants of Missouri who have turned mob with Governour
Bogs at their head they came upon the Saints from time to time in battle aray they shot the Saints down
like wi[l]d beasts & butchered others in cool blood & nocked the brains out of some after they [had] taken them prisioners
the soldiers shot down the cattle cows & hogs of the Saints for the purpose of destroying them. The Saints
at times stood in thieir own defence & some of their enemies fell befor them & In consequence of which the
Governour Issued orders for the final extermination of the Saints out of the state & sent a general after his own heart
to execut his orders forthwith & this is the cause of there leeving the state & coming to Quincy. the whole city
far west had to surrender to the melitia the Presidency with about 60 others was cast into prision & cha
ins. they are all delivered excepting eleven persons the mob used ever[y] exertion to take the life of Joseph
& others but through the mercy of God there lives were in the hands of God & not there enemies. Elder
David W. Patten one of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
chosen to bear the keys of this last kingdom was one of the marters of the persecution in Missouri
in the winter of 1838 he sealed his testimony with his Blood. He died strong in that faith that he
had boldly declared through the U. S. A. for the last 7 years of his life &c. Distance 20 m[iles]

People

Browse people Wilford Woodruff mentioned on this day in his journal. Click on the person's name to view a short bio and other pages they are mentioned on or click on "View in Family Search" to view their FamilySearch profile.

Smoot, Abraham Owen
17 Feb 1815 - 6 Mar 1895
583 mentions
1835 Southern Convert
Petty, Albert
10 Aug 1795 - 19 Jun 1869
76 mentions
1835 Southern Convert
Millikin, Arthur Milliken
9 May 1817 - 23 Apr 1882
Clapp, Benjamin Lynn
19 Aug 1814 - 21 Oct 1865
141 mentions
1835 Southern Convert
Young, Brigham
1 Jun 1801 - 29 Aug 1877
3423 mentions
Apostle, Family
Patten, David Wyman
14 Nov 1799 - 25 Oct 1838
140 mentions
Apostle
Smith, Don Carlos, b. 1816
25 Mar 1816 - 7 Aug 1841
Smith Bidamon, Emma Hale
10 Jul 1804 - 30 Apr 1879
Cleveland, John
21 May 1790 - 24 Nov 1860
Greene, John Portineus
3 Sep 1793 - 10 Sep 1844
Taylor, John, b. 1808
1 Nov 1808 - 25 Jul 1887
1940 mentions
Apostle
Hale, Jonathan Harriman
1 Feb 1800 - 4 Sep 1846
151 mentions
Missionary
Smith, Joseph (Jr.)
23 Dec 1805 - 27 Jun 1844
Smith, Joseph (Sr.)
12 Jul 1771 - 14 Sep 1840
Boggs, Lilburn Williams
14 Dec 1796 - 14 Mar 1860
Smith, Lucy Mack
8 Jul 1775 - 14 May 1856
Alexander, Randolph
22 Mar 1802 - 12 Mar 1879
55 mentions
1835 Southern Convert
Cahoon, Reynolds
30 Apr 1790 - 29 Apr 1861
Lucas, Samuel D.
19 Jul 1799 - 23 Feb 1868
Smith, Samuel
11 Jun 1807 - 28 Jun 1850
65 mentions
Family, 1835 Southern Convert
Dell, Sarah Milliken
22 Sep 1813 - 28 Jun 1901

Places

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Related Documents

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Autobiography 1858 Deseret News

Quincy, where I arrived on the . I dined with Emma Smith at Judge Cleveland's. I then went on to the bank of the river near Quincy, and saw a great many of the Saints, old and young, lying in the mud and water, in a rain storm, without tent or covering, which suffering was caused by the unhallowed perse- cution of the State of Missouri. The sight filled my eyes with tears, while my heart was made glad at the cheerfulness of the Saints in the midst of their affliction.

Autobiography 1865 Millennial Star

I dined with Emma Smith, at Judge Cleveland's. I then went on to the bank of the river near Quincy, and saw a great many of the Saints, old and young, lying in the mud and water, in a rain storm, without tent or covering, which suffering was caused by the unhallowed persecution of the State of Missouri. The sight filled my eyes with tears, while my heart was made glad at the cheerful- ness of the Saints in the midst of their affliction.

Autobiography 1857 Draft 1

in Quincy on the . I dined with Emma Smith at Judge Clevelands I then went on the bank of the river near Quincy and saw ^a great^ many of the Saints old and young man wom & children lying in the mud and water in a hard rain storm with^out^ scarcely any tent or covering which ^suffering^ was the fruits ^caused by^ of the unhallowed persecution of the State of Missouri the sight filled my eyes with tears while my heart was made glad at the cheerfulness of the Saints in the

Autobiography Volume 1 circa 1842-1865

The was a most interesting day. Reaching Mr. Cleaveland's we once more had the happiness of greeting

Events

View selected events in the two months surrounding this date in Wilford Woodruff's life. Click on the dates to jump to that day in Wilford Woodruff's journal.

Church leaders escape while being transported for trial with the help of their guards; Church members move to Commerce, Illinois and establish Nauvoo.
Wilford receives the official call to serve his third mission.

Mar 16, 1839