I have ben a month
on the road traveling to this place
with Emma and her children. We came
to have an out in the mountains
and to visite Henry & Nellie my nephew
and Daughter. Of course we have
tried to keep by ourselves on our journey
as far as circumstances would permit
On our way here we fell in with my
son David returning from Salt Lake
with freight, and through some of his
company it was know that I came
into this valley. I am stopping with
Henry who is nearly out of town by
himself. We camped the night before
our arrival on uintah bridge, and the Marshal Brooks, he was on the way
to Salt Lake for various purposes; some
say to entre suit against the canal
company & the to get papers against
Polygamest. He camped on one side of the
road and I on the other; he was anxious
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to form an acquaintance with the
Allen family, especialy the old gentleman
but I dont think he learnt much.
But it is now reported that he is
returning to this place with other
marshals with papers for men, and
some think for L. A. and others, and
in consequence I think it wisdom I think to take a place out of sight
for a season. But bretheren it is not
for this purpose that I write to you
It is upon the situation of this Ashley
ward that I wish to write. I do not
know of a ward or stake in the whole
Church that is more divided than this
Ashley ward. It seems that the people
want an organization of this county
into a stake, which I think they ought
to have. But the great majority of the
faithful Saints think there is not a man
in the ward that the people will unite
upon to preside over them. It appears
nescessary for a man to be sent from
abroad of decission and firmness to
preside over this stake if it ever
prospers as a branch of the Church of
Later Day Saints. It is reported that Abram
Hatch the President of the Stake wants
his brother Jeremiah now bishop to be
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appointed president, and I think Bp. Hatch
wants the office. And although my son David has married his daughter I cons-
ider him unfit to preside over the Stake.
I will now give some of my reasons
at the last election Bp. Hatch united
with one of his counselors Nathan Davis
and the outside element to nominate
and elect Liycurgus Johnson one of the
seclectmen of the county. He has served
a term as Deputy Marshal, is not in the
church, and report says is now offering to
supply money to Marshal Brook to prosecute
the canal campany and for other purposes
It is said that he now controles the
whole county court excepting the Judge—
who is Bp. Glines. Bishops Hatche's second
councelor—Bro. Clark with every Bishop
in the ward except one opposed Bp.
Hatch in this nomination and election
of Johnson. Still with the Bishop's
influence and Davis his counsellor they
carried the election over the heads of
the people and elected Johnson and his party
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to the offices of the last election, and
Bro. Davis told me to day that this Johnson has reported that F M Lyman John Henry Smith both promised him
that if he would be baptizsed they would
make him president of this Stake. I
have more confidence in these two
men than to believe any sutch report
he is an enemy to this people, and I
believe would sell us all far a few dollars
apiece. The same Johnson has married
Bro. Davise's Daughter which I suppose
is one cause of his being in favor of
him I have received reports from both
parties, and I can see that the division
is universahl and growing continualy
wider and more bitter. Every bishop in
the ward feels that bishop Hatch and
councillor Davi's course in electing an
outsider, and a bitter enemy is entirely
wrong as I do myself. I told Bro. Davis I
thought very strange that he and bishop
Hatch should have united with the
outside element to elect a man outside
of the church and of his character for
a selectman. It is said there is a petition
in circulation to the Presidency of the Church
to have bishop Hatch elected President of this
Stake. But I do not think that he is a man
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with that decision of characture
that a man shauld possess who
presides over this Stake; for his infuence
is with those who are against the
interest of the Church. This Johnson is a
brother to Johnson whoe's wife shot
a man in Bearlake. I do not think him
a friend to the Saints of God. Bishop Hatch is a good hearted man, and I think
means to do what is wright, but he is
easily influenced, and I think his influence
is on the wrong side at present. Of cours
I am ^not^ in a situation to attend their
conferences or teach in public, but I
am satisfied with what I have learned
from the various parties that there will
never be any union or prosperity with this
people, until there ^is^ some man sent from
abroad with firmness and decision of
character who will act upon the principle
of rightousness in presiding over this
Stake of Zion. I am in the enjoyment
of usual health and good spirites, and
still know that God reigns, and will
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reign until he puts all enemies under
his feet. I feel thankful that your
are still free men, and my daily
prayer to God is that you may be kept
out of the hands of your enemies unto
the end, and that you may be blessed
with health and peace and joy in
the Holy Ghost
I remain your Brother in the
Gospel of Christ
W Woodruff
Page 7
I will further say I had an inter-
view yeasterday with Bishop Glines
the Probate Judge and C. C. Bartlett the Tithing Office clerk & they gave me a
general history of the political and
temporal situation of the whole Ashley
Ward and the trouble lies in this
that Bishop Hatch and his first councillor Nathan Davis claim the wright to
govern controll and dictate all political
conventions, caucuses & to get up the
list of nominations & control the
elections, and the influence of bro's
Hatch and Davis is with Lycurgus Johnson
who is Davi's son-in-law, and it is
said he runs the county, controls the
county funds which he manages to put
a good share in his own pocket
And they are intending at the next
election to leave aut Bishop Glines
as Probate Judge and put in Davis
who is with Johnson and the outside
element and are so managing the card
as to deprive the Saints from holding
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convention or having any voice
in the nomination of a ticket, &
the way the thing is moving it looks
as though the power was going into
the hands of our enemies, and the
misfortune is that Bishop Hatch and
councillor Davis is useing their influence
to carry out this programme. This is
about the way it looks to me from
the testimony I get. Again, Brother Bartlett the Tithing Clerk says: "there
has never ben any settlement by any
one of Bishop Hatch Tithing affairs
or with myself as Clerk during the
time that I have officiated in that
capacity which has ben for several years
All who have called upon me as Church
or Bishop's agents, have merely looked
at the wheat or what was on hand
but never have looked at the books
or asked for or made any settlement,"
which I think aught to be done by
some one