Lee County Iowa Territory, Sept. 6th
My Dear Companion
To day I came down to the Hawly settle
ment and there I received a letter from you which I had long looked for, it
afforded the pleaseing of your health inteligence of your health and prosperity in
the gospel and many kind words to the children— the former I was much pleased
to hear but the latter even those to Sarah Emma were like daggers to my heart think
ing She was torn from my embrace and laid in the silent grave when she could not
receive a kiss for her pa, or a fathers blessing but just previous to the departure
of her spirit from her body, she left a kiss with me for her pa, pa, whome ^she^ called many times
in day— the little dear was not permitted to see you after you left her in her little
carriage at brother hawly’s door. I often think of her traveling from Maine with
us though that toilsome journey and of her suffering with me in my cold house in
Lovely street when we were both sick, and suffered much for want of wood &
fire I could not sit up all day and was verry feeble and alone she was sick &
had to crawl about on the cold floor alone these things grieve me, but she has gone,
her deposition was to lovely to long remaine long on the earth her spirit to pure to mingle
with the spirits of the earth a more affectionate kind and lovely disposition never
inhabited a human brest than she possessed & I was anxious for the time to come that
I could teach her the things of the kingdom of God.
Ah! Sarah’s gone—Dear Babe—Her journey’s ore!
She breathe'd— she wept.— but she shall weep no more.
How short her time by providence assigned!
About 2 years she was on earth confine'd!
Angelic bands her spirit did convey,
To happier realmes in everlasting day:
Our lovely child has first arrived at home,
to see the splendor of the eternal throne.
And shout us welcome to the promised land.
Our Sarah—Lovely Babe—Her infant frame,
No more shall feel the smart of mortal pain,
She only sleeps! Though motionless she lies.
Her sacred dust, refined, again shall rise,
to shine in bliss most exquisitly bright,
Surpassing far the sun’s refulgent light.
And is she dead? O no! She entered life
the moment she escaped this world of strife:
She’s now from earth removed, her soul expands,
And by the throne in holy rapture stands;
Expanding still, she drinks the blissful streames,
And basks unsully' delighted, in unsully’d beames;
Now hears with wonder the melodious strain,
And joins to celebrate Mesiah’s name;
Her mind illumined now with glad surprise,
Sees happier worlds, unseen from mortal eyes.
She now perhaps ^from^ Zion’s hight sublime
Looks down and views the simple things of time;
Or, if permited, to the earth descends,
And gladly mingles with her earthly friends;
Although unsee her happy spirit near,
May hear the sigh, and see the falling tear,
May with concern behold maternal grief,
And fondly wish to sooth and give relief.
On the 15th I received another letter
dated july 8th, which also bore
pleasing inteligence of your
health and prosperity and
also of the brethren with you.
The friends flock around to hear
your letters and seam much inter
ested in them. I send them to
Joseph to read as he wants to
see them. Perhapse you may
think that I have forgotten to
tell you anything about our little
Willford Owen, O no, for he is now
in my lap pulling & scratching
round so that I can hardly write.
he has just ^torn^ up the almenack before
I saw what he was doing, he grows
finely considering the sickness he has
had, has been sick much of the time
since he was born, he has the chills &
fever now. He is now reaching
and trying to get my pen I will
give it him and see what he
will write. Dear pa pa do come
home and see me I want to see you
Dear wants to see you to, she often
cries about it. W. O. Woodruff.
Thus he has written some to his
pa pa himself they say the it is
said that fools and children tell
the truth— Enough of this.—
I have thought of not writing to you
any more for two reasons one is
I fear that you will not get them
and another is I heard that our letters
were oppened before you get them by a set of men, but I trust your good sense will
cause you not to have my weak letters exposed for they are designed for no eye but yours.
I have received all the letters you mentioned haveing written and they have affor-
ded me much satisfaction, & sometimes I get quite lonely and disconsolat then the reception of
a letter cheers me up and I live hopeing that the time will come that you may be retu-
rned home once more, this is the 8th letter I have sent you since you have been in
Eng. and paid the postage on them to N.Y. I regret verry much that you do not get
more of them. My health is comfortably good— I was verry glad yours was so
good. We hear that brother P. P. Pratt has taken his family to Eng. But brother Joseph does
not approve of it I hear. When I commenced this letter I thought I would keep
a little kind of a journal untill after the conference on the 2nd of Oct. I attended the con
ference though from the beginning I will give you some items of it as my mem
ory serves me and in my next letter will coppy the minutes as you do not get the papers
should have done so now but Brother R Thompson had not got them made out
yet— The [illegible] conference commence was appointed the 2[nd] of Oct but in consequence
of bad weather they did not meet 3rd to-day there was a large assembly many brethren
came from a distance, we had a address from our prophet after which it was
voted that Kirtland should be built up and three ^one^ man was appointed to preside
over it I think they ^it^ was brother Almon Babbit father Granger & brother Higby
—then it was motioned that a committee be appointed and commissioned to
appoint & lay up stakes for the gathering ^from Commerce to Kirtland.^— Hiram Smith Lyman Whight
and Judge Higby were chosen— then they proposed building the Lord's
house by tytheing the people they commen^ce^ to collect materials this fall and begin to
build next spring— the people meet togather and work every tenth day
br. R. Cayhoon H. Smith & one more were appointed for the committee – the house
is to 100 feet by 120 and much other business was done the meeting closed
by an address from Dr. Bennet (a quarter master general who has lately been
baptized) upon the subject of war. And by his talk you wo^u^ld conclude they
that the brethren expected war with Missourie sometime – he is a great orator.
4 th Sun. meeting commenced to day at 9 oclock and it was judged that
there was 5000 people on the ground. I shall not particularize the business of
this day or the morrow for my babe was quite troublesom which took my at
tention much, 5th. brother Joseph was expected to preach today on the Priest
hood but his health would not admit of it so A. Babbit took the stand and
delivered an interesting discourse upon the same subject.— yesterday brother Joseph spoke
a short time from 29 verse of the 15 chap. of first Cor. of which I will here after speak
& this afternoon brother L. White spoke on the same subject which was very interes
ting. To-day we hear that brother Turly and his company are within 2 or three days
journey of here, and I stopped a week, to see them expecting to hear from you by then
spent most of the time with sister Kimbal she sends her respects to you— She and
family are well likewise sister Pratt & child I went to see sister Young She was not verry
well but was getting better, Elizabeth, and Vilate have been sick but are better— sister
Taylor & family are comfortably well— likewise sister Clark & Turleys family's also
sister Woodruff is comfortably as to health but her babe is not well. It has got now to be
the 15th of the month and brother Turley has not yet arrived here – I see my subjects and
sentences are verry broken but if you knew how I have to write you would not think
it strange, for I often have to leave my pen every minute and take the babe ^and^ but have to
write with him in my lap so that I make but poor headway about this business,—
although my sentences are more broken & disconnected than they otherwise would
by reason of my little son, I do not consider it any task to take care of him and
presume you will excuse me for these reasons and to ask the Lord to spare him for
future usefulness and for a comfort to his parents.— I feel that without my babe I
should be miserable indeed – yes much more lonely than at now - you cannot think how
much I miss little Sarah Emma her death has disarmed me of all courage faith &
fortitude, I have had almost one scene of trouble since you left me by sickness &c but
I ^feel^ as though they were all light afflictions when compared with that – O pray for
me Willford that I may have grace and strength equal to my day - for I feel like a
lonely child on the earth now but I endure it as for Christ sake knowing that nothing
but a sense of duty to our heavenly ^father^ would cause us to part with the enjoyment of each of
each others society; but I will try to be patient and take as good care of our little lad as
I can untill you return, which I pray God may be soon, for it seames that you
have been gone an age,— Only ^think^ most 15 months, do tell me something about when
you think of comeing HOME - Well I have wandered far from my subject the
conference, it hend 3 days and closed on the 5th (Monday) and I returned home after
spending a week in Commerce - We had a verry interesting conference and often did I
wish that Yo you and your quorum could have the privilege of being there. 16th today
I hear that the brethren have commenced to draw stone for the meetinghouse. Now a few
words from Brother Joseph sermon on the living’s being baptized for the dead that they
may be judged according to men in the flesh; he has learned by revelation that those in
this church may be baptized for any of their relatives who are dead and had not a
privalege privaledge of hearing it this gospel even for their children, parents, bothers, sisters,
grandparents, uncles, & aunts,— but not for acquaintances unless they send a mi
nistering spirit to their friends on earth,— as soon as they are baptized for their
friends they are released from prison and they can claim them in the resurrection
and bring them into the celestial kingdom— this doctrin is cord^i^ally received by the church
and they are going forward in multitudes, some are going to be baptized as many as
16 times— they have to be baptized and confirmed separately for every friend— once
in one day— How many can a spirit be baptized wh— why not deputize a friend on earth
to do it for them— John Wesly can receive this work but how can his spirit be
baptize in water— It is the privilege of the oldest one in a family to be baptized
for their friends if they desire it but they can give it to another if they choose
Brother Joseph makes this doctrin look verry plain and consisten— he
has been bringing strange things forward to the church this season— strong
meat— he has delivered a course of lectures this season which were verry
interesting— I could not attend only apart of the time but often wished you
could be present— he says that the throne of God stands on the earth like this earth
only it is cleansed &c &c— says that this earth is the wickedest planate that ever God made
and that its inhabitants are will have the greatest glory if they overcome evil— and
that it was the largest when made but at different times there has been parts
taken from it, for instance when the ten tribes were lost and says they will
all be restored again.— Paul says I die da^i^ly [1 Corinthians 15:31] brother Joseph says that he actually
died and was raised to life again— says the beasts that he fought with at Epesus often
killed him and he came to life again— if so Willford why may not our little
Sarah be raised to life again— He, brother Joseph has brought forth many new
things this season.— There has been quite a number of deaths in Commerce
the past season I believed that I mentioned some of them in my last
letter to you Seymour Brunson, he was buried under armes— bishop he said that
brother D. Patten was calling him and desired brother Joseph to let him go for
he needed him— likewise bishop Partridge is dead and his wife is married again to
father Huntingdon who lost his wife last fall – Mother Beanam— father John Jo
Joseph Smith the patriarch a little previous to his death he called his children around
him and blessed them and appointed Hiram Patriarch in his stead— There are
many things I have mentioned in my other letters to you which would be
interesting to you which I could mention if you have not received them.
such as some of the brethren’s going among the Indians, I saw two of them
on the 2nd of this month and they said the prospects were good - last April
there was an Indian his wife and daughter baptized in Commerce.— I have
not heard from Main or Connecticut since I wrote you last. - Did you
know that brother Ilus in N. Y. was married— Brother Dwite Webster
came here in june and went to the south with brother Smoot &
expects to spend the winter in Ten. brother Smoot has ordained him an
elder and given him charge over the churches there, he makes great pro
ficiency in the ministry— brother Smoot has got home and with his wife sends
his respects to you Sister Smoot says to tell brother Woodruff not to forget my hymn book
and while you are thinking of hers remember that I have no hymn book or bible.
Brother John Herrett has been walking in your steps even on the fox islands
with some other elders and there has been quite a stir among the people there again
and there has about as many come into the church lately us when you was
there— sister Jane Herrett say give my respects to br Woodruff I have lately had
a letter from her— I have lately seen sister Bently she that ^was^ sister Pattin she says
give my love to brother Woodruff and tell him he knows that I love him with
all my hart, her health is poor and she desires the prayrs of all that quorum
that it may not turn with her as it did with brother Pratts first wife in her
last day but that she may be spared through it and do good on the earth
she wants that little portrait of brother Pattins which you have as she has n[one]
I [page torn] you to get your portrait painted if you can conveniently— a[page torn]
if you [page torn] [ca]n get me a wrought black lace veil I should like it much and [page torn]
cape and collar I should be much pleased as they come much cheaper the[page torn]
here. The families of the 12 have rather snug times to get along here— brother
Kimball was a wise man to build his house and get his family into it before he
left them. I have seen sister Moon sister Sutton and another sister from Eng I
have forgotten her name they were from Preston they have seen you all.
I was glad to see them. I read some of your letters to them they were
much pleased with them. Please give my respects to brother Kimbal and
all the quorum that are there likewise all the saints around you.
19th Yesterday Sunday, we had an interesting sermon we had an interesting
subjec upon the living's being baptized for the dead it was made so plain that none
could dispute it reasonably and I should be glad to be baptized for my grandparents
and some others but want to wait for you to do it would it not be best, I had ra
ther you would do it than any person living.— Sister Swasey one of my good
neighbours sends her respects to you and says tell brother Woodruff that she wants
him to come home for my sake. I am now at father Clarks and think I shall
stay here untill you come home. I am comfortable here and if I want any thing
can call on brother William Clark who wrote to you in my other letter makeing
a covenant with you that he would supply my needs and wants untill you
come home, He is a fine young man— belongs to the 70s and is father Clarks oldest
son at home he know you and says he is some acquainted with you— therefore
give yourselfe no uneasiness about my temporal wants but give me and our
babe an interest in your prayrs. I fell anxious to see my presents you spoke of
in your last letter— Ah! what shall I do when those little shoes come for Sarah
I don’t know sometimes how to bear her loss it seames as though I cannot endure
it, but I must stop for it seems line a neverending subject for me to speak or
write on. Sister Young and Kimbal received some very pretty presents I saw
them when I was there they (like me) thought much of them; more on account
of their comeing from their husbands – If you could get some articles of clothing for
your family it would be quite acceptable— the sister who gave you the bed in N. Y.
apostatized in about 2 weeks after so sister Stone told me from N. Y. Sarah
Milliken is not married yet but expects to be to a man out of the Church she
is in Commerce.— Aphia Woodman has sent a letter to Sarah Milliken asking
her advice and mine about coming west with Milton she is about 60 miles east of
father Carters with her brother - Milton has lately sent here to know who of the
brethren are going to Eng. this fall and when they will be in N.Y. so it appears that
he is thinking of going but there are none who are thinking of going from here this
fall, I hear that brother Joseph dont think it is best for them to go. Brother Johnathan
Homes has lost his wife, and babe about 3 months old, O The church have
bought a steamboat and have got it running on the river— they gave 4000
dolls. for it. Brother Vanosdel has been appointed chief magistrate this season
Brother Rigdons health is verry poor. I am weighting for you to come home before
Sarah Emmas funeral sermon is preached or Willford O. is blest. Please Tell Brother G. A.
Smith that his mother and sister have been sick but are now quite smart like
wise his father and brother. Brother Hawley sends his respects to you likewise
Brother A. Smith. Brother Joseph has received a letter from you and brother
G. A. Smith. May the Lord Bless preserve and keep you from all harm is
the desire and prayr of your companion
Phebe W. Woodruff
Willford Woodruff
If you could get me a good brass kettle when you come trough N. Y. I should
like it if is not convenient let it go I suppose they are much cheaper there than
here— I should like to have it hold 8 or ten gall. I can get it bailed and hooped
bu Dont deprive yourself of the comforts of life for any of these things for I had rather
do without them— I have not got the paper you spoke of now any one
here has received any one of them. The elders journal is sent to you
LIVERPOOL
SHIP LETTER
Nov 22
Montrose I. T.)
Oct 25th)
Paid 25
To N.Y.
[stamp in red ink]
A
PAID
3 DE 3
1840
[stamp in red ink] MANCHESTER
DE 2
1840
F
Mr. Willford Woodruff
No 40 Ironmonger Row
St Lukes
London
149 Oldham Road
Manchester
England
[stamp in red ink]
NEW YORK
NOV
10
[stamp in red ink] 9
Phebe W. Woodruff
Iowa T.Y. Oct 6th to 19th 1840
& W.O. Woodruff
Answered London Jan 13th 1841