Day in the Life

Aug 24, 1839

Journal Entry

August 24, 1839 ~ Saturday

24th We left the state of Illinois & passed into the state of Ia. We crossed the wabash & spent
the day & night with Dr Modesett a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints. I was much
fatigued & had a fever. I had an interview during the evening with a Mr Adams that
had been a constant companion of Br Asahels for several years & appeared to be the most
capable of giving me a correct account conscerning him in evry point of view, of any
man in the West. He informed me that in the main point he was vary steady & temporate
in his habits, & did not believe in the principle of white lying or misrepresenting in order to
carry on his business or merchantdize. he got along well in his business untill the last year of his
life. he had bought a large quantity of Books & they did not sell as well as he expected & he was
not able to meet all of his payments. this was a source of much regret to him & the main cause
of his esstate becoming insolvent. During the last year of his life he manifested a desire to more
fully improve his mind than he ever had done. he read many of Thomas Paine's writing & they
more fully esstablished him in the gospel of Jesus Christ although hisPains writings were again[s]t
the gospel. Asahel considerd his writings eisily to be refuted. Asahel was more free to open
his mind to Mr Adams than any other man. Consequently he was more capable of Judging of
his views & feelings upon spiritual subjects he informed me that his mind was deeply ingaged
in the subject of the faith of the latter Day Saints. At first he said but little about it but before his

[sideways text]
ASAHEL H. WOODRUFF
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death he warmly contended for the principles & defended the cause of the Latter Day Saints when
it was assailed. Asahel (in one sens of the word) was not himself but another man during the last four
months of his life he was ab[s]ent minded & overwhelmed in deep study & thought for hours together
at times he would ride half a day beside Mr Adams & not utter a word, & at other times he would
speak to him towo or three times before he would notice him or speak to him. he lost his former
cheerfulness & during those four months he more freequently spoke of his friends & relatives
than before esspecially myself & most of father's family. he was making preperation to go east &
was ownly hendered by his sickness & death. He freequently spoke of Death & of the uncertainty
of life. he was teacher in the Sunday School in the Presbyterian church for a length of time
in Terr Haute though not a member of the church, by any means. He had freequently argured against
against the principles of Dancing schools, but got to attend a part of a quarter during this peculiar
state of mind and also some parties. But Mr Adams thought he would not have done it if he had
been perfectly himself. Mr Adams was absent from Terre Haute During Asahel's sickness
and Death selling Books for him. Asahel wrote him two letters And Mr Adams judjing
from the contents of these letters that he was evidently growing worse, immediately returnd
to Terre Haute & on his arival found that Asahel Hart Woodruff one of his most intimate &
best friends on earth was dead & buried. He immediately inquired into his sickness & death and
he thinks he would have been more comfortable if he could have been in a private family
& been kept from exposing himself to cold and damp air as he was in some degree while
under the operation of medicine. Mr Adams also confirmed the statement that his loss
was deeply felt in the west by all of his acquaintance & that those peculiar traits which
Asahel possessed that interested so many in the east had the same effect in the west. Asahel maintained
that the cause of the Latter Day Saints was worthy of a thorough investigation & ought to be carefully
searched into. Mr Adams was in Asahels employ untill his death & at the administrators sale he purchased
$1000 dollars worth of his books, & is now supplying Asahels former customers. Mr Adams gave me

some letters directed by Asahel to him distance of the day 20 miles

People

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Woodruff, Aphek, b. 1779
11 Nov 1779 - 28 May 1861
567 mentions
Family
Woodruff, Asahel Hart, b. 1814
11 Apr 1814 - 18 Oct 1838
203 mentions
Family
11 mentions
Paine, Thomas
1737-1809
3 mentions
Historical Figure

Places

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Related Documents

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Autobiography 1865 Millennial Star

the with Dr. Modisett, of Terre- haute.

Autobiography 1857 Draft 1

our journey we spent the night of the with Dr Modasett, at Terrehaute. On the while travelling Elder Taylor had a suddent attack fell to the ground as though he had been knocked down we administered to him and he revived, on the following day he fell again and fainted several times, it seemed as though the Destroyer would take his life, we travelled with him 4 days after he was taken sick, ^his sickness proved to be^ it was then evident that he had a hard attacked of the billious fever we stoped with him ^two^ at a Jerman Tavern in Germantown Wane County Indianna with a k kind family with whom he was acquainted, we stoped with him two days, untill Father Coulton would stop no longer, I offered ^proposed^ to remain with Brother Taylor but as I was sick with the fever and ague and not able to take care of myself Brother Taylor he ^Brother Taylor^ advised ^me^ to continue my journey, with Father, Coultrin^ ^saying it was easier to take care of one sick man than two^ saying that one such man could get along better than two, according to his council I committed him into the hands of God and the family promised to do all in their power to make him comfortable

Autobiography 1882 Leaves from My Journal

On the , we rode to Terre Haute, and spent the night with Dr. Modisett. I suffered much with the chills and fever. Elder John Taylor up to this time had appeared to enjoy excellent health, but the destroyer did not intend to make him

Autobiography 1882 Leaves from My Journal Notes 1

lumber waggon shaking with the ague on the we rode to Terre haute and spent the night with Dr Modesett

Autobiography 1883 Tullidge's Quarterly Magazine

On the , we rode to Terre Haute, and spent the night with Dr. Modisett. I suffered much with the chills and fever. Elder John Taylor up to this time had appeared to enjoy excellent health, but the destroyer did not intend to make him an exception to the rest of the

Autobiography Volume 1 circa 1842-1865

and on the we left the State of Illinois and passed into Iowa. We crossed the Wabash and stoped at Dr Modesett a member of our Church. I was much fatigued and had fever Notwithstanding my fatigue and fever I had an interview during the evening with a Mr Adams who had been a constant companion of my brother Asahel for several years. Mr Adams spoke highly of my brother and of the strictness of his principles. He said Asahel got along well in his business until the last year of his life. He bought a large quantity of books and they did not sell as well as he expected and he was in consequnce not able to meet all his engagements This was a source of much regret to him and the main cause of his estate becoming insolvent During the last year of his life he manifested a greater desire than ever to improve his mind. He read many of Tom. Paine's works and they tended more fully to establish him in the Gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed through the Prophet Joseph in the last days. Ashahel considered Paine's writings easy to be refuted My brother was more free in opening his

Autobiography 1858 Deseret News

We spent the night of the with Dr. Modi- sett, of Terrehaute.

Daybook (8 August 1839 - 12 January 1840)

24th We left the state of Illn & passed into the state of Ia. We crossed the Wabash & spent the day of& night at Doct Modesett's a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints I was much fatigued & had a fever I had an interview During the evening with a Mr Adams

Events

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Aug 24, 1839