24^th 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
[end of sideways text]

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