Farmington June 26th 1838
Dear Brother
I have passed through such a variety of scenes, time,
places, change, events, & experience since I last wrote, & my mind is now impressed
with so much I wish to communicate that I hardly know whare to begin, or what to
say. As I sat down to write in company with Mother, Sister Eunice, & Aunt Cossett. by
the N.W. window of our kitchen a little putty [pretty] bird came & lit on the window case
by the side of my hand bearing a feather in his mouth & he tried to take hold of my pen
with his bill, what this omen is I know not, whether the bird had a message to you or what his
object could have been remains yet to be revealed I am not verry superstitious concerning
such matters & I leave the subject & haste to my business. I have had an interesting journey
through the eastern sea board towns since I last wrote you. after visiting a number of towns
& churches I arived at the city of Boston it being the ^[my]^ first time visit to the city of cours
I spent some time in visiting the different parts of it I went to the top of the splendid
State House & paid some attention to most of the objects that would be of interest
to common historians I walked about Bunker Hill monument & in fine I
spent a busy day in visiting Boston, Charleston, Cambridge, &c. with the exception
of a few hours of the latter part of the day & part of the night following I was closly
confined with locks, bolts, & bars, in Cambridge goal, not for crime but I
went in voluntarily to comfort an Elder of Israel that was cast into prison ahwile
for dept [debt]. I spent several days in Boston and preached several times among the Saints in the
city & I found the church there firm in the faith after visiting Holliston I took steem
Boat at Providence & traveled by water to the city of N.Y. of cours I saw many
things to interest me here The shipping, the city, the rich, the poor & the market made
me think of Babylon ^x^ more then any thing els. I had a glorious ^time^ here with the Saints
the work of God was progressing rapidly I spent several days in this great city & pre-
ached several [it] times to the people. Our Elders had just returned to NY. from England
they brought cheering intelligence they had Baptized about 2000 & ordained 100 Elders &
the work was progressing rapidly when they left. After spending a few days in the city I
took steam Boat for Newburg on North river from there I walked 40 miles west
to Westtown & Greenville the people here flung open their public houses, Academies,
S^c^hoolhouses, private houses, &c. & I preached about 10 days to the won⬦dering multitude
& quite a number manifested their faith in the work & several offered
themselves for Baptism but it was finally omitted for a season & 9 fondly left
without Baptism any in the places but I sowed the seed some of which will bring
forth fruit I next traveled by land to Farmington & was again
joyfully receeved at a Fathers House I have often wished I could have had your
company while on this visit. I never have enjoyed a visit of my fathers house
more agreeable than this, every thing looks more natural at home at this time
than it did last season. Father works hard. Uncle Ozem was sawing shingles
for father last week. I have spent most of my time at Fathers since my return.
I have preached several times since I returned to my fathers house. I have generally
had full attendance, some are believing the fulness of the gospel. Last friday I
went out to Uncle Adna's; I found a bea tree on the way, I showed Adna where it was.
I had an interview with Aunt Hannah, she is better in health, but does not yet have her
reason. I spent the night with Uncle Thadeus, next Day I saw grandmother Thompson
& Abie. Also Michael, Woodruff, little Joseph Hart, Uncle Aseph Woodford, Michael Bouler,
cousins Caltha, Eldad, Lavilla, Uncle Titus, Capt's Francis & Erastus ^[{shorthand}]^ Woodruff, Adna
& Silus, Julius Fuller, & Mirah, after spending the day visiting such folks all looking natural
I spent the night with Uncle Alson Thompson. I preached twice Sunday in
the Lovely Street Schoolhouse to an attentive congregation. Cousin Horace W
was present, I had a talk with him, I dismissed the meeting & bid them farewell &
perhaps for the last time, & walked down to Adna's with Ozem, & I preached there at
5 oclock to a congregation from Cider Brook Baldwin, Eben [Ebenezer?] & Harlow Miller, &c. I ret
returned to fathers with Aunt Cossett. I have an appointment at Fathers next Sunday
& some are going forward in Baptism Aunt Cossett for one. I shall leave on Monday
for Maine. Asahel I want to say a great Deal to you about Eunice and Mother there
minds &c. & Father but you see I cannot now, I never saw Eunice in a better state
of mind than now, I am troubled with weak eyes or I should have written more & oftener.
what destruction there is among the steam Boats. & it appears some like war to. w^W^rite to me
when you receeve this & direct to Scarborough Maine. Eunice works hard & is vary busy or she would
write to you more. I will give way for her to write the next page. Pardon my simple manner
of communication. NB NB I took a letter out of the Post Office for Aphek Woodruff from Asahel H. Woodruff
containing a treasurey Note for $50 fifty dollars which I put into his hands under date of June 9th
yours with respet
Willford Woodruff
Asahel H. Woodruff
[Eunice Hart Woodruff Webster]
Farmington.
Brother Asahel,
I suppose you have given up the idea by this time of ever hearing
directly from me again, but I can tell you brother, that nothing but a multiplicity
of business, would have caused this long delay, and in fact I have for a few weeks
past had no time comparatively speaking but what has been devoted to ^necessary^ household
affairs, have not retired to rest much of the time before midnight, and arise at
4 or 5 in the morning, and you must be aware I think, that after laboring quite
hard so many hours in the day. I must of course, become weary, and consequently
not in much of a writing mood, but the above apologies, bungling as they
are must for the present suffice.
I have, now, Asahel, a privilege which I have never before been favored
with, and may never be again viz. that of addressing a few lines to you upon
the same sheet with Brother Willford. you have learned of course by Willfords
communication that he is now at his fathers house in Farmington, a few mornings
ago, after breakfast, says I to mother, "I will get the front room in order, for
Willford will be here to day I guess." I accordingly did, and paraded the [wax seal]
in the afterpart of the day, and about four oclock, I cast my eyes out of the [wax seal]
window, and to my astonishment shall I say, when I was expecting it, saw the
well known form of my Brother. I suppose it would be needless for me to express
our happiness in seeing him. for you are well aware that your fathers sons would ever
recieve a hearty welcome from Father, Mother, Sister, &c. I have so much that I
want to say to you that I very much fear I shall not say any thing of any consequence
we have had uncomonly pleasant visit with Willford so far, and ^are^ especially pleased
with his christian character, which is in perfect accordance with the word of God, and ^as^ for
myself after striving with the assistance of the spirit of God to investig[at]e the subject, which is looked
upon by the worlds people, (and even those who consider themselves no more of the world) I [very]
[looked] with contempt, permit, me to say, (by being brief) that I have "viz that
of Mormonism
to be brief permit me to say I have concluded, [the work], and that too I think ^know^ by the
spirit of God) to be from the Lord, and of coure according unto the word,
Willford has mentioned you I think, of the intended Baptism next sabbath. I really
most want to go forward with others to recieve the ordinance and ^would^ you Dear Brother
advise me not too supposing I felt it to be a duty incumbent upon me! I tell you
what Asahel, I feel satisfied in my own mind, that I shall never enjoy more
religion, if I am not willing to bear the cross and take up on me the name of
Christ. would you for the fleeting honor and pleasures of this transitory world wish
your only sister to barter, her souls salvation for the same, no. I am sure you
would not, and have confindence in you to believe, that in all the anxiety you have
for your sister, you endeavor to keep her best good in view.
[sideways text]
You see how it is sheet filled over, and I but just begun, to express my feelings.
Aunt Cossetts respects to Asahel, have 7 or 8 in our family about all of the time
have two regular boarders, young men that boarded with us last fall, work at
the Methodist meeting house. I must tell you that Uncle Ozems Letter
will be amongst
the number
baptized next
sabbath.
Eunice
[end of sideways text]
25
Mr. Asahel H. Woodruff
Terre Haute
Indiania
[upside-down text]
We have desired father to write to you in answer to your last letter
& he has talked about it But he is very busy & you know he does
not write much so you [wax seal] [m]ust excuse him you will
hear from me again the [best] [wax seal] [o]pportunity I took tea at
[cChaning] Hills in company with [illegible] [wax seal] {[shorthand]}
{[shorthand]}
[end of upside-down text]
[upside-down text]
Willford & Eunice
June 26th 1838
[end of upside-down text]