Montrose Lee County
Beloved Willford
I have just sent a letter to the office for you but
as another oppo[r]tunity offers itself I avail myselfe of the same in writing
to you, thinking you would like to know how I and my little ones get along,
today our little Willford is 10 days old and I have been out of doors, and sit up
the most of the time and feal to render praise and thanksgiving to my
heavenly father for all his loveing kindness to me through by life, but more
particularly of late through my late confinement. You (probably with
many others woho have called to see me) would say be careful and not
take cold or sit up to long at first, I have tried to do so. Our little Will
ford is a verry bright looking child with dark eyes his hair almost exactly
the colour of yours. Sarah E. is as bright as ever and highly delighted with
the babe. I often think how pleased you would be to see him and how
happy we might be with our little family if you could be at home with
us–may the Lord grant that it may soon be the case. Was I surroun
ded by thousands I should in one sense be like the lonely dove that mourns
her absent mate, who from hill, to hill, from vale, to vale, her sorrows doth
relate. As my babe lay seeping sweetly on my arm thes^e^ words came to my mind
I write them just as they come to my mind.
Sleep sweet babe and take thy rest,
For God looks down and will the[e] bless,
With all that's good, in earth, or heaven,
If thou wilt keep the commandments eleven.
Sister Smoot desires the addition of Owen
to our babe's name. I think that I
shall have quite a present for you when you return if we are spared
all of us to see each other. I have lately received a letter from Maine, Father
Mother and sister Foss wrote in it, they they much desire a visit from you when
you return, could you not take a ship bound for Portland instead of N.Y.
and pass two or three days there, they all much regretted my not comeing
home and passing the time of your absence with them. Father tells me if I
am ever in want to come to his house where I shall find an asylum – sister
Foss wants you to take Ichabod if you come that way – Mother says that she
expects to loose Shuah soon – brother Ilus is married – sister Mary failes
more and more. I have not heard from father Woodruff's family since you left.
I heard that Sarah Milliken was expecting to be married to a man out of the
church and likewise intemperate the sisters about here, wished me to write to her
on the subject I did, mentioning sister Eliza Grants case to her but have received no
I forgot that I told you about Shuah and Ilus in the forepart of my letter as I have been
sometime writing it. Will. is laying looking at
me as I write in my lap
answer – dont know but that she was offended with me for my plainness, but could
not well help it, for I felt interested in her wellfare as we have been so intimately
acquainted. I told you in my other letter that I had been liveing by the wayside
as it were since you left me, I have moved 4 times since you, left home; that is
something for one whose health was as feeble as mine. I moved from Montrose
to brother Smoots, thence to my new house then to father Clarke's then into a small
house of his in the same door yard, just before I was confined–I chose to
go there that I might be more retired. I had every thing at that time that
was necessary to make me comfortable and have been much blest of the Lord.
I missed you much more at that time than before Oh! thought I if I
could but have my Willford to call on instead of strangers what a comfort
it would be to me but that time is past and over now, thank the Lord for it.
Your prayer was answered in my haveing friends to stand by me when I needed
them – the brethren are verry kind about here likewise the family where I now
live. I shall probably stay where I am untill you return – father Clark says
that you need not be concerned about ^me^ untill you get back only pray for me,
he is verry kind.
Have you forgotten our hour for prayer, we have the third
one to join us – sister Foss in Maine – she tries to observe the time & although
far distant from each other we have the same God to call on, woh who hears
the prayer of his children. We know not how to appreciate blessings untill
we are deprived of them. We often see people who are permitted to live togather
men to stay at home with their families but me thinks they do not realize
their privileges. I often look on such families around me and think how happy
they must be but I suppose they do not realize it, I even look on black Jack and
think if I could have my Willford live at home ^with^ me even if we had to work
verry hard I should not mind or value that for then we might enjoy our
humble pittance ^in^ each other's society which gives a relish to every blessing. You prob-
ably remember our last ride togather out to brother Hawley's settlement to see our
little Sarah, the prairies were most delightfuly clothed with flowers and
verdure and I thought it the most pleasent ride we ever had togather, the sabbath
following I rode out to the same place in company with a number of others
to a meeting and to see Sarah the flowers were there but they with every thing
else were dressed in gloom and looked lonely as I felt, nothing looked cheerful
but my little Sarah, I found her health much improved which was
much satisfaction to me – these with many other reflections pass and repass
through my mind – but in the midst of them something whispers Phebe
do you want your companion to come home to you before he has filled his pres-
ent mission my heart answers no but Lord give me patience and a willingness to
wait his return and hasten the time that he shall be returned to the bosom of his
family after haveing filled [his] [miss[ion]] thy love and fear which may God grant for Chris[ts]
sake.
It seames to be my turn now to write to you mostly now as this is
the third letter I have written you since I received any from you. I feal verry
anxious to hear from you to know how you prosper in that country–hope you will
tell me all about it when you write. In my last letter to you I gave you an acc-
ount of my sickness likewise somethings concerning the church as correctly as I could get
them, liveing at a distance from the body of the church but shall now leave it princip
ally for the bearer of this (brother Orson Hyde) as he as more of an opportunity to
know correctly about church business than myself. The pre sent present prospect is
that Congress will do nothing for our Church now as a letter from Washington has
lately been received bearing that I inteligence–brother H. will probably give you
the particulars concerning it and all other church affairs I suppose. Brother
Hawley has got back to his place again–brother Petty is expected back from Tenn
esse every day now–brother Murphy has been here from that place and wishes to be rem
embered to you he said he used to be acquainted with you and had quite a curiosity
t to see your wil wife which I perceive is characterestic of all your southernefe
friends, I suppose they think that I am a curiosity. I must give way for your son
to write some to you. (O papa come home and see me. W.) now Sarah wants to writ[e]
some to pa to. (O pa pa come home and se me and baby S.) Thus you see your [page torn]
have written to you in their childlike state, Sarah cryed to write more.
I had like to have forgotten to tell you that brother Ilus is married to Miss M.
Sloan and Mother says she expects to loose Shuah soon. We have lately
heard that brother Willard Richards and wife was expected here soon. One of
Morris Phelpse's girls live with me now about 12 years old. Please give my
respects to brother Taylor and all of the quorum who are there, likewise all
of the saints there. I should like much to go and see them. The sick
ness has abated although many have the chills yet. I have had a num
ber since my confinement but am better of them now–want to kn-
ow how your health is–want to see you verry much. Ah! my dear
Willford hasten your mission as much as you can by being faithful in
the dicharge of your duty and come home to us–tell me in your next
when you think of comeing home I hope next autum–that looks most
like an age to me to look forward. I expect to write to morrow to sister
Carver if I am well enough. I received a letter from her a month since
but have not b^e^en able to answer it yet. brother J Herrett called to see me
a while since and says he thinks I had better have stayed in his family and
wishes to be remembered to you
I remaine as ever your true friend and companion
P. W. Woodruff
(Willford Woodruff)
[sideways text] I sppose that all of the wives of the 12 here will write by brother Hyde. I believe they are all well
[sideways text]
April 6th Conference commences here to day and I am now sitting at sister
Taylors table writting I rode down here yesterday to go to meeting but the weather
is dull and damp and I think it not wisdom to [illegible] go uoout to day. Willford is 2
weeks old to day and I feal quite smart. Commerce is building up verry fast, there was
one thousand people came in yesterday some to attend the conference but the most of them to live
there. brothe Joseph Meakam has just come in and wishes to be remembered to he has got better of his
lameness. yesterday I had the satisfaction of hearing from you by receiveing a letter from you–the breth
ren and sisters many of them ask what are the news what are the news. I suppose that it will be read
to day in meeting as they have carried it acrost the river to day. brother Joseph says that he will have
4 houses built in Commerc one for sister Taylor Young Pratt & Woodruff–their families are well
Brother Hyde expects to start for [Eng]. as soon as this meeting is over
[end sideways text]
Phebe W. Woodruff Montrose
April 1st 1840
Mr. Willford Woodruff
Preston
Lankinshire
England
[sideways text]
Brother Hawly has just come in and wishes to be remembered
to you. will you not get your son a pair of shoes. I often kiss him and
Sarah for you wish you had the privilege of doing it yourself. So I must
bid you good night and undress the babe as it is growing late.
Brother Ames has [illegible] sent for me to go and satay with them
untill you return
[end sideways text]
[Wilford Woodruff] Phebe. W. Woodruff Montrose
April 1st 1840