Br Willord Woodruff.
Dear Sir,
I received your favor on the 12th inst
dated July 1st 1857. you may be assured it was well received it being
the first I have received from any of the twelve for the last 12 years.
I had come to the conclusion that they had become so far advanced
in the order of the kingdom and become so popular in temperal things
that they had entirely forgotten that such an uncouth old plough goger [goer]
as Lyman Wight had an existance on the face of the earth, but I yet
live and am bold to say that of the doctrine of Joseph Smith the Angel
of the seventh dispensation there is not a firmer believer ^or defender^ on the face of
the earth and hold every ordination given me as sacred as I did the day
they ware given, and if the death of Br Joseph gave one of the twelve
a supremacy ^over^ the others I have it yet to learn, did Brigham Young have
any authority at Joseph death more than he received from Br Joseph
If you answer no I ask whe[n]ce did he receive aurtohority to disanul revela-
toions given by Br Joseph? See Book of Doctrine & Covenants p 396 par 7th
concerning building the Nauvoo house and by carful examination you will
find that I have a revoelation given to me which is not to end while
I live on the earth, and no man on the earth has a right to take that
mission from me being ^given^ of God the highest of all, yet I did consider it
my duty to counsel with the twelve, and the fifties had not circumstances
ordered it otherwise the mission I am now on Br Willford I received of the
prophet of God, and it was well known by the twelve at that time that
Joseph was striving very hard to come to this very place with 250,000 men
he therefore requested me to come and establish a church in this region
and such a mission was even talked of while in jail where I had the
advantage of six months teaching and received many things that is yet unknown
to the church, never having refiused to obey the prophet I starteded in all good
faith, had but just got out of hearing before I was accused from the stand by
who would be big of beging the mission of Br Joseph who to passify me gave
his consent and that I run away from Nauvoo to get rid of fighting and that he
could chase me all over Nauvoo with a plug of tobacco. I acknowlege I am afraid
of tobacco but should have no fear of the person for I believe he was to lazy to
have chased me all over Nauvoo, he pitched into me largely on many occations
but I care very little about the whole. I did not so much wonder at this having
been with him for four weeks after the death of Br Joseph and I do not recolect
of hearing him use the pronoun we when speaking of the twelve for the first time
but got the pronoun I so comploetely to perpection that I consider^e^d myself out
all together. I soon learnt that I was cut off from the church but never learnt
what it was for, after learning this I found I had no where to go but to my
beloved Br Joseph and to the Saviour with the former I have had many com-
munications face to face without a dimning vail between, and received many
good instructions this has been to me fully satisfactory, and as I am a litt[l]e
timid about meeting men ^with^ such dangerous we^a^pons I have kept one steady
course doing what I considered my duty according to my ordinations. I will
now proceed to answer your questions according to the best of my recolection, as to
Military or civil offices I could have had as much as I pleased when I was young
if I had aspired after it therefore I never went higher than corporal, sergent, Cap,
and so on, after the county Coldwell was set off I consented to run for Col, of which
I received a unanimous voice, at Nauvoo I receeved 2 commissions one of Brig.
Gen, and one of Brevt, Maj. Gen. I have held the office of Chief Justice since I have
been in Texas in Glaspie County where the other inhabitants ware duble that of
the mormons this comprises about all the civil offices of my life.
As to church offices I have nentioned two in my journal first an Elder
and then a high preaiest. In Jackson Co while the mob was raging tareir down
chimbles, tairing open the store there was much said concerning who should go
up to Independence and put a stop to the unholy work, and it was agreed
that I should take the lead and go up. I did so with 50 men and put a
stop to their unohallowed performancces. Br Patredge oberved that I was the
man for such a work and put his hands on me and ordained me to stand
to it, at this time the mob was very busy in unroofing houses in different
branches, had unroofed 13 in the Whitmer branch and we suposed, was going
to attackedt a branch on the big road we had sent off all of our men except
Br E Higbee and myself to help that branch, we soon after received a message
enforming us that the mob had taken a tact and ware comeing in on our
branch, it is true we ware somewhat at a loss to know what to do but
to let them come would not do, and we started out to see if we could make
any discoveries of what they was intending to do after traveling about 3/4 of a
mile we found they ware on the other side of a cornfield from us, taking
some refreshments I told Br Higbee if he would go round on one side I
would the other and in joke we would surround them, and if ^he^ heard me
fire my gun and hollow come on boys, to do the same at his end of the
field, on hearing this the mob immediately fled, ^hollowing^ we are surrounded and
never come near our branch afterwards, shortly after this I was called upon
to go up to Inde^pe^ndence with 200 moen which brought the mob to a compromise
but the next day they ware ten time worse than ever, on this day 60 of them
gave ^me^ chase but they droped off till they ware but six to pursue me they run me
5 1/4 miles I having distanced them one mile, as for the ditch their horse could not
come it but had to go round, but the greatest miricle of all was my horse
did not either sweat or puff. I have already related the circumstances of my
leaving my family in the wilderness and going to Kirtland when I landed
there Br Joseph laid his hands on my head and blessed me and ordained
me to lead the saint up to Zion even as Moses led the children of Israel
out of Egypt and said I was of the lineage of Joseph who was sold into
Egypt without amalgamation of blood, [Exodus 37:27-28] again while at Father Bosley's in
his sugar orchard in 1834 he thare ^blessed and^ ordained ^me^ to the office of Baneemy. And
in the fishing river revelation says Baneemy whom I have appointed, and
you will very well recolect at salt river I was ordained to take the command
of the army, and done so till it was disbanded, when I was ordained as co^u^ncilor
to the president of the high council and to take the census of the joining Coun-
ties, and to say who should return home and who should stay. In Diamon I was
ordained a councilor to the Prs of the high council and retained the same in Iowa
While in Nauvoo I was ordained one of the committee to build the Nauvoo house,
one of the twelve, and one of the fifties. Father Smith in my patriarckical blessing
pronounced me to be of the lineage of Joseph who was sold into Egypt ^without^ mixture
of blood. Simeon Carter done the same while washing my feet in the house of ^the Lord^
Joseph blessed me many times while in jail and prophesied m^u^ch on my head
and give me much good instruction which is long to be remembered. This makes
a summary of my ordinations, and the revelation that I should continue to preach
for Zion till the Lord should take me to himself. I only ask that I may have
the priveiledge of fulfiling them honerably so that I can give an honerable account
to my Saviour and Br Joseph in a coming day. I say had the twelve stood in
there place I would have been glad to have cooperated with them but
immediately after receiving those insults from the stand I received a letter
from the eleven teling me to mind my own business and they would
mind theirs, which gave me to understand there was now an entire seperation
And to show you that I have been obedient to this command. If you
should requst any further corespondence I will then comme[n]ce at the
date of that letter and give my journal down to the pre^s^ant date.
It is so extremely dificult to give any thing like a journal of my
life ^in this hurried maner^ that I should regret very much to have any part of it published
untill it can all be published in good order. I know of nothing of an
earthly nature that would pleace me any better than to spend six or twelve
month with my beloved Br Js Wilford Woodruff in preparing my life and
journal together with many geographical skectches for the press, be assured
those days and hours you speak of have been held as sacred by me as they
could be by you, and I can heartily wish to spend an eternity to gether with
that increasing friendship ^that^ then existed. And as to my ^belief^ in Mormonism
I have never wavered one hair, but have grown with its grown wit[h] its growth
and still preach it with unabated force, and as for my moral character I am
read to put it beside those who feel so much beyound me, and as for
the company with me I am willing to have them catechised upon
Mormonism by your most experenced or adapt critics, and I verily believe
they would ^be^ great service to you in this critical hour.
I cannot help reflecting upon by gone times when I hear of the enemys
surrounding you.
When the enemy was prowling around Jackson Co I was
ever called upon to take the lead in quelling insurrections and when Barukale
called upon the strength of the Lords house and 200 men turned out I was ordered
to take the command of the same and done so. And again when the mob
militia infested Far West they sent 35 mile for me in the dead of the night
by this means I was thrown into prison for 6 months which mostly came
through false sw^e^aring by false Brethren and false letters writiten by the same
after all those insults and slanderous conversation I feel so fired with indignation
at a mob let them be where they may, I feel as I did then as if I wanted
to have a hand in quelling the cursed spirit of mobocracy.
I must now come to a close with a thousand things on my mind
which I would be as glad to communicate as those I have already communicated
we have had two very dry seasons but have a plenty to eat, to drink and
to wear which is all we ask. My family joins with me in sending my
best respects to you and yours. Give my respects to Geo. A. Smith; A. Lyman;
and C. C. Rich; and all others who enquire after such a mortal as I am.
Respectfully Yours
P.S. I like to have forgotten your requst concerning Willian E McLellan when
the Elders went up to Mo he became convicted under the preaching of David Whitmer and Harvey
Whitlock and followed them from one of the middle counties and rarrived in jackson Co a few days after
they did Hyrum Smith arrived about the same time he convinced and baptized him on the 27th of Aug
1837 in a small stream about 10 miles west of Independence. One or two qustions more and I am done, was it
necessary that Br Joseph should be of the lineage of Joseph who was sold into Egypt in order to receive
the Melchezedec priesthood, and rule over the church? Is it necessary that the same Priest-
hood should be handed by lineage from father to son? Can the priesthood be transfered
to the lineage of Judah? Is it necessary that the lineage of that priesthood should be
kept up through all ages of the world to carry out the purposes of God? Can you tell
me why I was cut off from the church and such men as Orson, Hide; W. W. Phelps; T. B.
Marsh received in, have they ever asked Joseph, Smith; Hyrum, Smith; Sidney, Rigdon or myself
to forgive them for writing letters to the Govenor and sw^e^aring agains[t] us with a view of swearing
away our lives? W. W. Phelps said under oath that he was baptized to save his property.
One of Joseph's prophesies in jail was, if he was taken away Brigham Young Cahoon and
others would cut me off from the church whether they had any accusation against me or not
which I have lived to see fulfilled. I have written you a short sketch of my life consisting
of 12 pages the first 4 p[ages] will be sent in the envelop with this letter the
other 8 p[ages] in an other envelop
Lyman Wight son of Levi Wight and Sarah Corbon was bonrn the 9th of
May 1796 in the township of Fairfield, Herkimer Co, N Y. The commencement
of the Wights in the US ware from two brothers emigrating from the Isle of Wight
one landed in Mass and the other Virginia. Levi Wight who landed in Salem
Mass settloed in Leister. The other one we have known ^nothing^ of till within the
last half century. I have found quite a number that sprung from that family
during my travels and preaching sufficient to know that they sprung from
the one that landed in Virginia, but like those of the other family ware never
very numerous till within the last falf century. But to return to the one that
settled in Leister his family consisted of several girls and boys but he was
so unfortunate as to raise but one of the males his name also was Levi he lived
and died in the same place he raised a family of three boys and two girls
the oldest by the name of Uzial died at sea the second by the name of
Caleb went to sea and was never heard of more nor vessel or cargo the third
whose name was Levi died in Leister after raising a family of five boys
and four girls two of the boys died without families namely Uzial and
Abner the other three namely John, Levi, and Caleb raised large families
Levi was my father he was the first to move ^from^ the township the township
where they first commenced settleing he moved in the month of March 1796 to
the state of N Y where I was born I was the seventh child a and the sixth
son three brothers unitedly had 26 children and the four girls 46. In a few years
after my father moved, his brothers and sisters all followed and their descendants
are scattered over the western world. My aquantance with my ancesters on
my Mothers side is very limited indeed I know nothing further than that
my Mother's father name was Jabes Corbon his wifes name was Sarah Ab^b^ot
they had but two children my Mother and a brother older; their father died
when they was quite young their Mother married a man by the name Chapman
of whom I know nothing except that they had no children the two ware raised
as orphans in Mudy Brook Parish Ct joining Mass there ware four children
in my father's family younger than myself I was six years old when my father
moved 12 miles east into Montgomery County bought a farm and settled and here
I lived till I was 18 years old. There are but ^few^ instances in the early part of my
life that would be interesting, my paretns ware very strenuous believers in the
Universalian doctrine, strictly moral and perfectly honest, and if I have any
immorality about me it is not chargable to my parents I was strictly taught
to rise above all degridation and never to aspire to any thing that was above my
abilities. There is many instances in my life that will be to tegious to come into
this sketch I shall content myself for the preseant by saying that I was kept at
a common Country school till I was old enough to help support a numerous
family after this I continued to go to school some winters till I was sixteen
which left me with a very limted education but I must ^say^ in honer to my
parents that it was not their fault but it was their desire that I should go
to school longer, from the time I was old enough I took great interest in attending
meetings and many times felt seriously affected, but about the time I left
school I began to feel as many other youngsters do that the pleasures of this
life was about all I should ever get and if I missed of them I should miss
a good chance I was light minded fond of company and with all quite
fond of music and in order to keep up my end with the family and gratify
my feelings and not fall behind in my youthful career I besought my father
to let me go and work by the month, accordingly in the month of March after
I was sixteen I hired out for six months and worked it out manfully. I now
commenced a career a sixteenth part of which would be to much for this communicatio[n]
In the month of Sep 1813, I hired to a man to take his place in the militia
and go to Sacketts Harbor not being old enough to go for myself for which
I received $30$ a month after being there 14 days I was chosen as one of a guard
to escort 236 prisoners to greenbush three miles below Albany and 200 from
Sacketts Harbor where we delivered them in good order and returned as far
as Utica and ware honerably dismissed I having served just two months to a
day received my money and went home in good health and spirits although
but 17 years of age I began ^to^ think myself quite a man. I shall not mention
any particulars that transpired from this till the next Sep, although at this
time I was old enough to have went for myself yet as the truth is not to
be spoken at all times it was not known that I was old enough to go for my
self till I had hired out for $36 a month and was half way to Sacketts Harbor
again. I here served three months received an honerable discharge and got home
with over $100. I now concluded that I was man enough to look out a better
country than the one we lived in accordingly in Dec I shouldered my knapsack
and traveled westward 170 miles and stoped in Henrietta 6 miles north of
Rochester and a prettier or better country I never have seen before or since
I was gone from home about one year and the extraordinry circumstances of
this year meeted me about $500. I returned and my father and brothers moved
to the same place I was now 20 years old and my father gave me my time
and I went to work here and there and every where, or wherever I could do
the best. In 1819 I went to Upper Canada from there to Mich and back to
Henrietta having been gone about one year. In 1823 I marreied a wife named
Harriet Benton daughter of John Benton and Sarah Bradley moved 60
miles south into the genesee country and after having two children moved
to Warrensville Cuyahoga Co Ohio I resided in this place till 1829 about
the month of May when I heard Sidney Rigdon preach what was then
called the Rigdonite doctrine after hearing him go through the principle
of baptism for the remission of sins I went forward and was baptzised by
his hands amidst the scorns and derision of several hundred souls and
thus became became a bold and fearless defender of the Rigdonite doctrine
I should have said up ^to^ this period of my life I had never imbraced any particu-
lar tenit of doctrine; my ^wife^ had been a presbyterian and I frequently attended meetings
with her and had my three first children sprinkled but never believeved in
any of the religeious creeds of the day in consequence of their not carrying out
the whole doctrine of the Apostles ever believing that it took as much to save
a man in one age of the world as an other. In the month of August my
wife, John Murdock, and many others ware ^baptized^ by Sidney Rigdon. I now began
to look at the doctrine of the Apostles pretty closely especially that part contain
ed in the second chapter of the ^acts of the^ Apostles where they had all things common
In consideration of this doctrine I went to Kirtland about 20 mils to see
Br Isaac Morley and Br Billings after some conversation on the subject we
entered into covenant to make our interests one as anciently. I in conformity to
^this^ covenant moved the next Feb to Kirtland into the house with Br Morley we
commenced our labors together in great peace and union, we ware soon joined by
eight other families our labors ware united both in farming and mechanism
all of which was prosecuted with great vigor we truly began to feel as if the
Millenium ^was^ close at hand every thing moved smothly on till about the first
of Nov about this time 5 families concluded to join us in the town of May-
field about seven miles up the river they each owning a good farm and
mills it was concluded best to establish a branch there accordingly I was
appointed to go and take the charge of the branch when I had my goods
about half loaded four men came along namely P. P. Pratt; O. Cowdry; P.
Whitmer; and Ziba, Peterson; and Brought with them the book of Mormon
which they wished to interduce to us. I desired them to hold on till I
got away as my business was of vital importance and I did not wish to
be troubled with romances nor idle speculators, but nothing daunted they
ware not to be put off, but ware as good natured as you please curiosity
got uppermost and I concluded to stop for a short time, we called a
meeting and one testified that he had seen Angels, and an other therat he
had seen the plates, and that they had seen miracles rought and that
the gifts was again in the church, the meeting became so interesting
that I did not get away till the sun was about an hour high at
night and it was dark before I arrived at my new home and I amused
myself by thinking that the trouble was over and that I should not
see them again for a long time supposeing they would start the
next morning for the western boundary of Missouri but in this
I was very much disappointed, but to discribe to you the scenes of the
next seven weeks one sceene of which would be as interesting as an
other would fill quite a large volume. I shall therefore content
myself by saying that they brought the Book of Mormon to
bear upon us and the whole of the common stock family was
baptized and dureing the seven weeks they tarried they succeeded in
buil[d]ing up a church of 130 members myself and family was baptized
by P. P. Pratt; on the 14th of Nov 1830 in the shagreen river at Kirtland Ohio
I was confirmed on the 18th and ordained on the 20th by O. Cowdry; my ordintion
was a little novel we traveled into the woods a bout falf [half] a mile and placed
ourselves behind a large oak tree after a most solemn prayer he intended
to ordain me ^a^ priest but ordained me an elder he after wards told me
he done it in conformity to a vocal voice but in all these matters I confess
my knowlede was very limited indeed, there was but four elders in the whole
branch namely Sidney, Rigdon; John, Murdock; Levi, Hancock; and myself;
Isaac Morley a priest, the four brethren first spoken of together with F. G.
Willams left the same day I was ordaineed for the west Elder Rigdon for
the state of N Y, Elder Murdock for Orange, Elder ^Hancock^ for his place of abode
about 30 miles off; thus you will see I was left alone with the whole
church on my hands and the first Elders I saw after this ware from the
state of N Y. In all this I give you but a afew instances out of hundreds
I next come to the commencement of my preaching and labors in the church
On the 21st I made an appointment to preach and filled the same with
out any serious difficulty and on the 22nd I was called upon to baptize
three persons namely Ira, Smith; Louisa, Smith; and Benjamin, Crandle;
thus performing all the rites and ceremonies of the church with but little
further embarrassment, fully believing that I was authorized of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ, to administer in all the ordinances of init^i^ation
into the church of Jesus Christ, my travels being limited to the borders
of Penn, Sandusky river, and the intermediate counties make^ing^ a distance of
two hundred miles. ^baptized 373, organised 8 churches, ordained 50 elders, many priests, teacchers, & deacons^ On the 4th of June 1831, a conference was held at
Kirtland ^Ohia^ represented by all the above mamed branches; Joseph Smih our
modern Prophet presided; and here I again saw the visible manifestations
of the power of God as plain as could have been on the day of pentecost,
and here for the first time I saw the Melchisidec priesthood introduced
into the church of Jesus Christ as anciently; whereunto I was ordained
under the hands of Joseph Smith, and I then ordainded Joseph and
Sidney and sixteen others such as he chose unto the same priesthood.
The spirit of God was made manifest to the heeling of the sick, cast^ing^ out
devils, speaking in unknown tongues, discerning of spirits, and prophesying
with mighty power. After two days the conference broke up receiving the revolation
which appointed 28 elders their Mission to Missouri which you will find in
the Book of DC. Myself and John Corrill was appointed to travel together.
All things being now ready I started on the above named mission
on the 14th day of June 1831; and on the 13th of Aug landed at Joshua
Lewis's ^Jackson Co^ a member of the church, here I found many of the brethren named
in the foregoing revelation this being the first time I had seen them
since I left home. We stoped with a ^small^ branch of the church thad had
went up by water and camped in a school house. On the 14th I dlivered
a lecture ^to^ the branch on the subject of the geathering comparing their
circumstances with the perilous circumstances of the ancient churches.
From the 25th of Aug to the 21st of Oct I continued labouring in
the land of Zion with the exception of makeing two journies the Snybar
Creek and back makeing 200 miles preach eight times, and also one journey
to Clay County 50 miles. The remainder of this time I preached at
home twice a week besides my daily labor.
From this time to Jan 26, 1832 I confined myself to hard labor
preaching with the church, makeing preparations for my family, and to
return to the eastern land according to an other revelation which says
"Mine Elders s[h]all return." From this you will disc^o^ver that I filled the
mission with due diligence according ^to^ the requarements of the revelation
having traveled through the states of Ohio, Mich, Ind, Ill, and Missouri
being 1200 miles on foot, and having either waded or swam forty seven
rivers and creeks and ferried three. In the mean time on the 6th of Sep
1831 my family arrived with a small branch of the church I doubled
my exertions which gave me but a small portion of rest either by day
or by neight, yet by the memorable 26th of Jan. 1832 I had accomplished
my designs of prepairing a comfortable house with food and raiment
sufficient to make my family comfortable for 6 months, and again
shouldered my valise to bear the glad tidings of the gospel through the
broad spreading prairies of the west and to the scattering inhabitants
thereof, even eastward to the city of Cincinnati. After being absent
seven months and arived at home on the 14th of July, having filled a
most laborious mission traveled 2,650 miles, baptised one hundred persons
and brought many others to a kowledge of the truth. Br Elias Higbee accom
panied me home from Cincinnati and I baptised him on the 19th of July
From the last mention date I shall make a summary account of my travels
and business proceedings up to the date of June 6th, 1833. I[n] which time I traveled
to Clay Co, & back 20 times makeing 600 miles, to Lafayette Co and back 6 times
making 400 miles one journey on business for S Gilbert through Clay, Ray,
Fayette counties 120 miles. Baptised 33 persons, & in Co with 3 others broke
& fenced 40 acres of prairie, planted 23 acres. Had the watch care of a branch
of 160 members, in which branch I preached thre times every Sabbath and
once every Thursday with the exception of the two Sabbaths and thre Thursdays.
During these travels and preachings I bought and sold the following named
property as an agent of the agent of the church 80 head of cattle for $500.
22000 lb of flour at $2.50 per cwt. ^$550^ 4 hourses $175. Pork 141. Leather $92. Corn $50.
Potatoes $75. Store goods $15. Bacon $120. Thus having completed the business
and travels of ten months I find on suming up that I had traveled 1080
miles. Baptized 33 persons, preach at least five ^tines^ a week and traded as an
agent for the church $1598 and planted a crop by the labor of my own
hands sufficient to have supported my family and an othe as large.
From June 6th 1833 to Jan 12th 1834 I was infested with a ruthless mob
during the whole of which time I have a minute historical account
during this time I moved my family five miles to the big blue river and
opened a new polantation. Met once a week with about 40 or 50 Elders who
spoke in different tongues and languages all of which I interpreped for
two months, having always to be on our lookout for fear the mob would
be upon us, and on this account we generally met in the woods in by
places. The mob continued to commit depredaitions, and outrages upon us
untill the 13th of Nov 1833 such as tariing down the printing office, destroying
books, unroofing houses, thrusting rails into the windows, whiping many
in a horible manner, and shooting others. On which day they finished
the work of driving every mormon about 1200 out of the county.
Our crops became free booty to their horses, hogs, cattle, &c. I was chased
by about sixty of these ruffians 5 miles (or there was about 60 when they
commeced and dwindl^e^d down to 62.) I fled south and my wife was driven
north to Clay Co and for three weeks I knew not whether my family was
dead or alive, neither did they know what was my fate, at one time
I was three days without food. When I found my family I found them
on the north bank of the Missouri river under a rag carpet tent sort
short of food and raiment, in this deploriabl condition on the 27th
of Dec my wife bore me a son. And according to the councl of the
church on the 12th of Jan 1834 I again left my family, my wife with
a babe two weeks old and started to Kirtland Ohio and to Genesee
N y a distance of 1300 miles of which I have a daily journal.
I filled this mission and returned to my family on the 20th of June
after a most laborious and fateiegueing journey of foive months and
eight days I was permitted by the kind hand of providence, who had
sustained me through my journeyings, to spend a p[e]aceable night at home
with my family who received me with feelings of gratitude towards
their Heavenly Father who had so kindly preserved and sustained them
under the adver[s]e circumstances in which they had been left.
The result of this mission. The journeyings of the company that went
up to redeem Zion. The p^l^ace that I occupied in that company together
with the fishing river revoelation, and breaking out of the cholera.
With all these things you are perfectly familiar, as also with my labors in
the church, and on Arthur's house and I therefore pass hastily over them
to my next mission. You will recollect after all the jobs on the house
whare finised that in the fall of 1834 you left my house on a mission
to Arkansas. The next Dec I moved seven miles east where I bought a
farm and spent the time till the 13th of March 1835 in preaching in
the church and out, for many miles around haveing been counsiled
by Br Joseph to labor in that region of country meeting often in
council and prepairing things necessary for my family, and after having
done all that duty required I started on the above date to the east, and
and preched my way to Cincinnati in this city as also in KY I preached
much, baptized many, and strenghen ^the^ Brethren. I completed this mis-
sion and arrived at hone on the 18th of May and held meetings every
day till the 29th of Sep on which day I started for Kirtland traveled
through many churches, baptized many, and arrived at Kirtland Nov
the 3rd and as school opened that morning, I commenced study that
day. I left school the 13th of Jan and went south 120 miles to collect
some money for Br Joseph ^got $500 returned on the 27th of Feb. &c on the 1st of March I^ then started to see my mother in the state of
N y, 200 miles. And returned to Kirtland the 10 of March, and from
this time till the 5th of April we ware busy in organiseing, washing of
feet, and preparing to^and^ receive^ing^ our endowments. I started for home the
^same^ day and arrived there on the 6th of May; having filled one of the most
important missions of my life, from this to the 22nd of Sep I done much
to help the Br enter land in Caldwell Co, preach almost d^a^ily. On that
date I started for Ill, traveled through all the different branches most of
which I had built up myself. I returned home on the 1st of Nov
in company with Br Charles, C. Rich; after traveling 1200 miles, baptizing
many, and strengthing the Churches. Feb 17th 1837. I moved my family
to Caldwell Co, and untill the 6 of June was busily engaged in settleing
them in this new Co on which day I again left for Ill, fill^ed^ a short
mission among the brehren, and preached in many other places
and arrived at home July 17th from this until Feb 9th I done mmuch
temperal business, as theirre was a large flood of emigration, and preached
twice a week, on this day I landed in Davis Co having purchased a
small preemption right on the bank of Grand river the location
proved to be a beautiful one, and in June Br Joseph Smith comme-
nced laying out a town on the same, which he finished laying out
by 15th of Aug and named Adam ondi Ahman a flood of emigration
poured in, and in thwo months over 200 houses ware built and many
living in their wogons and tents, houses ware going up at a raped [rapid]
rate till the 30th of Oct, at 2 O clock A. M I was called upon to ^go to^ Far West
in consequence of ^illegible^ a large body of men having assembled near ^that^ place which
might pro^p^erly be called mob militia. I was accompanied by 120 men.
we arrived there by breakfast time I took my station at the right wing
of the army, and in the course of the day there ware several propisitons
made by the different sides, at a little before sunset Hinkle had manageed
for the pitiful sum of $600 to seell the following named persons into
the enemy's camp Joseph, Smith; Sidney, Rigdon; George, W. Robison; and
myself, we entered the camp amidst the screams and shouts of 1200
demons in human shape, we ware there placed upon the ground with
a relief guard of 90 men, 30 on each relief. Up to this date I have kept
a daily journal from my first labors in the minsistry, together will all
the most imporant acts; and it is utterly impossible to give you a
satisfactory sketch, all the most touching incident of my life are couch
in history of some length. During the six months I was in jail I combined
my daily journal into a daily history covering thirty sheets of paper.
We are now in the hands of our enemis, and I will give you short sketches
till we get out, or rather refer you to the Times & Seasons Vol 4, No 17,
p[age] 263 to 269th. After I was libe[r]ated I traveled to Ill, and found my
family in Quincy ^Apr 22nd 1839^ I here rented a house and made my family as
comfortable as possible; and was here appointed by Br Joseph to receive
affidavits for the loss of life, and damages sustained by the Brethren
in Mo, which amounted to near 200. Not being satisfied without
preaching the gospel I started again traveled east as far Alton found
many of the brethren that had been driven from Mo, and had a time
of rejoiceing, taking a curcuilous [circuitous] rout for home, I found hundreds that
that had been driven, preach much and baptized many new members
into the church, and arrived at home on the 8th of Sep. And on the
3rd of Oct started to Nauvoo to attend conference where I met with thou-
sands that was driven from Mo and had a great conference. I then
visited many parts of Iowa Ter, and returned home on the 1st of Nov,
And on the 15th moved my family to south Augusta Iowa from this to
the 7 ^1840^ of Aug was spent in temperal concerns not preaching but once or
twice a week. I was then attacked with the typus fever which deprived
me of doing any bisiness untill Sep 2nd from this time to Jan 7th 1841 I confined
myself to preaching in, and around Augusta, built up a branch of between
60 and 70 members in that place, and had equal success in the regions around
there. On the above date I started to visit the first Presidency with a view of
going to K. Y. But he appointed me one of the committee to build the Na^u^voo
house, and advised me to preach in Iowa till the Apr conference. We had a
glor^i^ous conference. And from that time to the 27th of May I built a boat
and furnished the Nauvoo house with 500 bushels of meal, and 35 barels of
flour deliverd in Nauvoo. And on that day started to the southern part
of Ill, traveled through all the churches from Jackson Co to Nauvoo where
I arrived on the 17th of July with 70 head of cattle, $200 in noney and sold
several shares for other property. from this to the 19th I ^was^ busilyy in fixing for the
Nauvoo house. On which day (without visiting my family) I started again and
traveled extensively through all the different branches and returned to
Nauvoo Sep 2nd with 60, or 70 head of horses and cattle and much other prop-
erty for building the Nauvoo house. And $85 in money for the temple. From
this to the 15th I was buissily engaged in making preperations ^for^ of an other
journey, on which I started on the above date and vis^ited^ the branches for about
100 miles and returned home to Nauvoo. (I had previously moved my family to
Nauvoo) on the 30th of Sep. From this to the 2nd of Jan 1841, my time was
wholly taken up in my temperal affairs and business for the Nauvoo
house. On this date I started on a tour through Ill, KY, Tenn, Miss,
and Lou, to New Orleans. And after traveling through these states receiving
many donations, and selling many shares in the Nauvoo house, I left N[ew] O[rleans]
March 15 with 47,500 lbs of sugar & molasses,^and 10 sacks of coffee^ a small quantity of dry goods
and 100 mormon passengers, and landed all in Nauvoo on the 27th in good
order. From this time to the 22 May I was busy almotst day and night
in the affairs of the Nauvoo house. On which day I started for the south
again after visiting all the branches in Ill, I landed in Tenn the 8th of June
There in company with Br Amisa Lyman I traveled and preach much,
baptized many, organized many churches, and after a tedious mission
returned home Aug 2nd. And was busy in my domestic affairs and in
preparing for a tour of 1300 miles to the state of N Y untill the 3rd of Sep
when I started with my wife and two small children for that place and
after visiting a numerous host of relitives and friends which I had not seen for
many years, I returned home on the 16th of June 1843, having filled one of the
most important missions of my life, for the particulars ^of^ which I shall refer
you ^to^ the ^to^ Times & Seasons Vol 4, No 18th p[age] 282, to 286th & Vol 4, No 1st p[age] 13 to 15
& Vol 4, No 2, p[age] 36 to 39th.
From this to the 22nd of July very little
trraspired worthy of notice on which date I started with my family for the
pine country—Black river Wis, for the purpose of making lumber for the
2 houses—having labored faithfully in this mission till April 1844 when I
received a call from Br Joseph, which call I immediately obeyed and landed
in Nauvoo on the 23rd, from this to the 21st of May received much good in-
strution from President Smith, and attended many interesting meetings, having
received an appointnent from Pres Smith to visit the eastern cities I started
on the date above mentionded after having traveled through all the most noted
cities in the eastern States, and whilst deeply engaged in my mission we heard
on the 9th of July of the death of our beloved Prophet we arranged our busin-
ness and left immediately for home where I arrived 6th Aug, after traveling
upwards 5,000 mines [miles] was favored once more with the society of my family, and
having had a mission appointed me by Br Joseph to go to Texas with the
black river [lumber] conpany, we made all preperations necessary for a start and on
the 28th of Aug started up the river to Prairie La Crosse for the purpose
of win^t^ering, and making an early start in the spring, here we s^u^ffered some
in conveniences, but made ready and started on the 28th of March for Texas, we
passed smoothly down the Miss to the upper rapids opposite Rock Island where
we sold our boats—purchased wagons and teams, and on the 14th of June started
through by land. (from the day I left Nauvoo till this date I kept a daily journal
not mising a single day) we passed smoothly on through Iowa, Mo, and Indians [notw[ithstanding]]
and crossed Red river Nov 16th where we stoped for the winter, and in Apr s[t]arted
for Austin capitol of Texas and landed on the Colorado 6 miles above Austin June 6 1846
As I intend writing you a letter seting forth the most important ^ev^ents of my life I shall include Texas
as it is to tedious to foullw a daily journal through for 12 years. Respectfully Yours.