Lee Montrose Lee County Iowa Territory
My Dear Willford,
With pleasure I seat myself at this time to
acknowledge the reception of your kind letter which came to hand 10 days since
and I should have answered it immedately after its reception had it not been that my
babe was quite sick but he is better now I had been an[x]iously looking for a letter from you
for a long time and to my greate satisfaction received it from the hand of a brother, brought
by some of the brethren from Eng. on the 27th of Aug. 4 families arrived in Commerce from
Eng. and report says that 30 families more stopped in Cincinata Ohio for a little season
to labour and obtain more means to bring them here. I was truly glad that you recei
ved that letter you spoke of that I sent you in march for I conclude you must feell verry
an^x^ious to hear from home judging you by myselfe for if I do not get a letter from you of
ten I get quite uneasey — this is the 7th letter I have sent you since you left N N.Y. I have
taken much pains to write you since you left home and much lament that you have
not received my letters, for I have written them verry full and one was a long sheet like your
mamoth sheet-filled full, I wrote you once in Jan. then in Mar. then in Apr. then
in May then June then July then this in Sept — the April letter I sent by brother O. Hyde
and J. E. Page, who who started soon after the April conference on a mission to the ^Jews^ via
of Eng and the one in july I sent by brother L. Snow containing an acount of Sarah
Emma death he expected to go d^i^rect to Eng. and I hope you have received that one this
time, one I directed to you in Liverpool in the care of J. Taylor thinking you would be more
likely to get it. You say you have sent me 4 letters since you arrived in Eng. I
have received them all and they brought much news, and afforded me and others much
satisfaction for all the brethren and sisters seam anxious to hear from Eng. and I
with them rejoice with you much in the prosperity of the work with you and that the Lord is
blessing you labours and the brethren’s there - The work rolls on there swiftly but the
time of your absence seames long to me it is 13 months today since I last saw you and it seames
to me to be almost an age but I will try to wait patiently your return which I know will be as soon
as the Lord^’s will^ is done with you there and did I not know that the Lord required you to be in his vine
yard I could not endure your absence but the Lord has promised strength equal to our day
and I find he has fulfilled that promis to me, for I have been enabled the most of the time
to be contented and reconciled to my situation although I have had much sickness and a
severe trial to pass through in looseing my little Sarah even in the absence of her father the little
dear had no relatives to follow her to her grave but her mother and little brother whome she
tenderly loved, she d there was quite a number of the brethren and sisters accompanyed me but
it was a peculiar trying scene for me, more so because of your absence she did not forget her pa,pa,
for she used to call him many times in a day, but I trust she rests from the toils and
troubles of this life. I have not heard from father Carter or father Woodruffs house
hold for sometime, but lately learned by a letter from br. D. Webster that Eunice had late
ly received a letter from you and that she had been unwell but was better, the others
were well br. Webster went to the south in june in company with br. Smoot as far
as Tennessee he makes good progress in the work and is pleased with his calling
br he thinks of spending the winter in the south if so he will be ordained an eld. and
have charge over the churches there, thus writes br. Smoot to his wife and says he
and br W. has baptized 15 he (Smoot) is soon expected home and will bring his mother
in law McMeanes with him he and his wife send their respects to you likewise
br Albert Smith and rejoices in the progress of the work with you also br. S. Smith
and wife. Br. D. Webster spent a week with me in june I suppose you know
of the engagement between him and sister E. Woodruff he told me of it himselfe when
he was here. I think him to be a fine man and will make a worthy companion
he wrote some in a letter that I was writing to you when he was here.
The siskness in Montrose and Commerce is not so greate as it was last season
but there has quite a number died this season some of which I know Seymour Brunson,
widow Beman, J. Holme’s wife, J.P. Green’s wife, Bishop Partridge, and daughter,
S. Rigdon and father Joseph Smith are verry low, and many others that I do not
know I had our little Sarah buried in Commerc and have got a picket fence around
it ^her grave^ painted white and trimed with black — I miss her company much. If you
have not received my letters there are many things that contained in them you
would like to hear our family matters &c. In my Jan letter I told you about my
temporal affairs and situation and I have just written you a letter which I
shall not send you but shall keep it for you when you come home come home
those are pleaseing words shall I ever realize them I hope to. I am now at
father Clark’s where I have been since last Dec. they are verry kind to me and have been
ever since I have been there he makes me welcome to stay here untill you come home there
is a branch of the church here of about 50 and they are well united Ephraim Luce belongs
to it and family N. Thoma's and family they wish to be remembered to you. Stephen
Luce lives in Commerce - one part of it is call Nauvoo it is building up verry fast indeed
they have appointed a stake on the west side of the river and Nashvill is the place
appointed to build up a citty. I have seen brother William Benbow from Eng. where
you made it your home for 2 months when they were there and the little girls that used
to sleep with you, or the man of God as they called you, they were as much pleased to see me as
though we had always been acquainted I had a verry pleaseing visit with them they
seem much pleased with their situation they appear to be worthy people I think mu
much of them perhapse more for haveing been acquainted with you, he said you told
him you thought you should see him in Amrica in about one year from that
time which was last April I count the time verry particularly up to that time
O my dear W. must I wait longer than that time to see you, br. Joseph says that the Lord does
not require a man to be from his family more than a year at one time. brother
O. H Hyde and J.E. Page have started on a mission to the Jews have been gone about 5 months
and have not got near N.Y. yet they are going to Eng. and then to constan
tinople, - if you do not get the times and seasons I would just say that there
is verry interesting letter in it from the Jews, it is lengthy and you would be high
ly edefied to have a perusal of the whole of it but I can only give you some items
from it, They say the Lord has oppened the way where by they might get possession
of their beloved citty and they lost no time but exerted themselves to rebuild their beloved
citty and the undertakeing prospered in their hands so that they have completed
the Medrash and greate is the glory of the house and also of the houses of the teachers
of the law and they have authorized one Aaron Selig Ashkenazi to go forth with a
proclamation to all their brethren soliciting them to come and assist them they
seam greately rejoiced at their present prospects. There has been an Indian his wife
and daughter baptize in Commerce last April they were much pleased with the book
of mormon and said every word of it was true he was an interpreter for 6 tribes he
said that his brethren would receive the work every one of them they come 6 or 7
hundred miles to be acquainted with it. Brother Joseph has been dilivering a course
of lectures of late upon the eternal judgment the eternity of matter &c &c I often thought
how interesting they would have been to you as well as others he made it so plain
that a child could understand it — the work is progressing in every part of America
but not as fast as in Eng. I showed your letters to brother Joseph there was quite a
number present he to^ld^ them to give audience while the last one was red as I had
shown him the others before they all gave attention and was much pleased with
the contents none more so than Joseph he wants me to let him see your letters which
I have done he says he would not leave his family so but would take them with him
if he took them on his back — The church began to build a house on the other side of
the river ^for us^ but they do not think of finishing it this fall sister Young has moved into
her house on that side but it is not quite finished the body of ours is up to the roof and there
it stands sister Taylor's is not finished sister Pratt had one bought for her — brother
G.A. Smiths father lives in our house in Lovely street I did think of moveing there this
fall but expect now to stay where I am now untill you return as father Clark has
made me welcome he says tell br. Woodruff I that he will take as good care of me as he can
and he wants you to get as many souls as he can sends his respects likewise, — we
have had a wedding in the family her[e] of late that sister Church that I mentioned in
my March letter has lately been married to one of father Clark’s sons John Wesly
the[y] send their respects to you likewise all the family. Sister’s Young Taylor Kimbal
Pratt Clark Turley and Hadlock and families are well likewise br G A Smiths fathers
and family he wishes me to say for him that he has lately received a letter from
him and answered the same. my he My health is quite good at present and has been
since last june when the fever and ague left me little Willford Owen has got it now and
it is hard for him but I think he will get over it hope so at least he and I needs
a large share in your prayers that we may be supported by the grace of God. I have sold my
youngest calf the cow does do as well this season as last. I should be muchfor
pleased to have you get your likeness taken if you can. The next time you go to Eng. I want to go
with you I have not forgotten your promis of staying at home 3 years after we were
married and I presume you have not — yet when you come home we will talk about
those things. I have not yet received those papers you mentioned the Millennial
star but earnestly hope I shall as I feel anxious to see them. I feel verry sorry
you do not get the times and seasons, I want you to write often. as brother William
Clark wants to write some to you I must soon give way for him he will occupy
the next page he is father Clark’s oldest son at home and a worthy man so I must
close by wishing you further prosperity and that the grace mercy and peace of
God may rest upon and preserve you from all evil accidents and harm and enable
you to fill your mission in meekness and the love and fear of God and return you
safely to the bosom of your family is the daily prayer of your true friend
W. Woodruff P.W. Woodruff
You sell tell me to kiss the children for you that I did verry often before little Sarah
died and she used to kiss me many time for pa,pa, as she called you and a little before
the breath left her body she kissed me for you and little Willo as she called him I wish
you could have seen her she was much mor interesting the last 2 weeks of her life than
before because she learned to talk much she possessed a lovely disposition you would
have been pleased with it. I often kiss little Willford Owen for his pa. and think
the poor child never had the privilege of seeing him but hope he will ere long - la it is
said he resembles his mother much, he grew finely before he was sick. If you could
get me a wrought muslin or lace cape I should be much pleased with it. If little
Sarah could have lived I should have thought ^my^ troubles and afflictions were
light but now I think they are serious. Please give my respects to all of the Amer
ican brethren and the Saints around you particularly to br. Kingston and family
where you make it your home. So farewell dear W.
you know I want to see you dont you
I do not know as you can read these mixed pages
Br. Woodruff Dear
Sir— having for a long time Perused
with great Interest— your lines to your Dear Phebe
by her Permishon this Morn— I thought I would drop
a few lines to you for your Comfort & Alltho the
buisness of the Day Limits my time they will therefore
be few— as Sister Phebe has informed you of the general
items of Worth to you but I would say as to the jew
al the Prosperity of the Church it is Superior to any time
since its— Rise as the Elders in All Parts of the world have
the most unlimited Influence in the Proclamation of the
Word Pres. Smith has just went through A co^u^rse of
lectures in (Commerce ^Nauvoo^) & Allso on this side of the River
that has been of Great worth unto us— on the subject of
Eternal Judement Organization of the world &c Allso
Apointed a branch of A stake of Zion At Nashville
I— T— the Saints are Rappedly Gathering to the Plases A[ppoin]tid [page torn]
thar is Allso to Meating houses to, ^be^ built the Comeing [page torn]
one at Nauvoo — the other at Nashville thare is No mob or
Exulting foe to interrupt the Saints at the Present thare
has been some sickness in Montrose (Commerce) Nauvoo)
& up & Down on the River but Not as mutch as Last year
the Saints are held in higher Repute in this Land at
Present than Ever Before in fact mobocracy is Gitting out
of fashion Among the Gentiles arround us— (but I must
hasen) Now Br. Woodruff Give your self no uneasiness About
Phebe & Little Wilford Shall Not Suffer for anny thing that
we Can bestow & may God hold it as an everlastting coven
ent between me & thee (for I have found her Worthey &
it is true I Expect to Be absent on A mishon before vary
Long but that shall make No Difference Br. W. be asurd
I am with you in Spirit in the ministry But business of
the Church & — Require our Presents a Short time but if
you Stay a Nother Season it would Not be impossable or unco
mmon for me to Se you face to face but I must Close
may the Lord bless you with all Spiritual & temporot Blessings in
Christ Jesus our Lord is the Prayer of Wm. O. Clark
Montrose I T.
Sept 10th
^Paid 25^
Mr. Willford Woodruff
Ledbury
Herfordshire
England
To the car of
M H Corner
52 Ironmonger
St Lukes Row
London
^G ◊^
[stamp in black ink] LIVERPOOL
SHIP LETTER
[stamp in red ink] NEW-YORK
SEP
30
[stamps in red ink] LEDBURY
NO
5 1840
To be left at the office untill called for
Phebe W. Woodruff & W Clark
Sept 8th 1840
Answered in Geo W Robinsons Letter
London Nov 5th 1840