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JosephSmithSr.
So shall it be with my father: he shall be called a prince over his posterity, holding the keys of the patriarchal priesthood over the kingdom of God on earth, even the Church of the Latter Day Saints, and he shall sit in the general assembly of patriarchs, even in council with the Ancient of Days when he shall sit and all the patriarchs with him and shall enjoy his right and authority under the direction of the Ancient of Days. |
GRIFFIN, Charles Emerson
1836 - 1900 (64 years) 
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Name GRIFFIN, Charles Emerson Birth 10 May 1836 Essex, Chittenden, Vermont, United States 
Christening Jun 1845 Gender Male WAC 20 Mar 1854 EHOUS _TAG Reviewed on FS Death 17 Jul 1900 Antimony, Garfield, Utah, United States Burial 19 Jul 1900 Escalante, Garfield, Utah, United States Headstones 
Submit Headstone Photo Person ID I9237 Joseph Smith Sr and Lucy Mack Smith Last Modified 19 Aug 2021
Family ID F4798 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 1 SMITH, Sarah , b. 2 Oct 1837, Kirtland, Lake, Ohio, United States Kirtland, Lake, Ohio, United Statesd. 6 Nov 1876, Ogden, Weber, Utah, United States (Age 39 years) Marriage 16 Jan 1854 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States 
Children5 sons and 6 daughters Family ID F2429 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 24 Jan 2022
Family 2 STOUT, Lydia Maria Fisk , b. 16 Apr 1849, St Joseph, Buchanan, Missouri, United States St Joseph, Buchanan, Missouri, United Statesd. 14 Sep 1888, Washington, Utah, United States (Age 39 years) Marriage 22 Sep 1866 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States Divorce Yes, date unknown Notes - .
Children + 1. GRIFFIN, Allen Joseph , b. 15 Jan 1868, Saint George, Washington, Utah, United States Saint George, Washington, Utah, United Statesd. 9 Mar 1925, Portland, Multnomah, Oregon, United States (Age 57 years)Family ID F4729 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 24 Jan 2022
Family 3 JARVIS, Sarah Elizabeth , b. 30 Jun 1853, Whiston, Northamptonshire, England Whiston, Northamptonshire, Englandd. 25 Jan 1925, Escalante, Garfield, Utah, United States (Age 71 years) Marriage 5 Mar 1877 Ogden, Weber, Utah, United States Children8 sons Family ID F4691 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 24 Jan 2022
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Charles Emerson Griffin 1st wife sarah smith.tif
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Notes - Being now a little over forty-six years of age and not having kept a journal of my life, I shall have to write from memory with the exception of a few dates that I have of incidents of my life.
Having no knowledge of my ancestors farther back than my grandfathers, I shall not attempt to guess at their history, but hope that before I die I may be able to trace back and get the genealogy of my forefathers.
I dedicate this sketch to my children, wishing all to have access to it, and each to have the privilege of copying it if they wish.
My name is Charles Emerson Griffin, son of Albert Bailey Griffin, who was the son of Samuel Griffin. My Mother's name was Abigail, daughter of Paul and Ann Varney. I was born in the town of Essex, Chittenden County, State of Vermont, May 10, 1836.
When I was about one year old my parents moved to the State of Ohio in the township of Monson County of Geaugo, (now Flake), about 12 miles from Kirtland where the Latter-Day Saints, or as they were more commonly called Mormons, had a stake and had built a Temple.
My father bought a farm and followed farming for a living. We resided here about six years. I attended school from the time I was three years old until I was seven and learned to read and spell very well for one of that age. During that time my grandfather Griffin visited us. I have a faint recollection of him and how he looked.
My Mother's parents had also moved to Ohio and resided a short distance from us where I visited them often. My Mother had three brothers, William, George, and Hamilton.
The two former died quite a number of years ago. Hamilton moved to Michigan where he was living some seven years ago. My Grandfather and Uncles were all wagon makers (that is the Varneys).
I think it was in the year 1842 that some Mormon Elders, as they were commonly called, came along and held meetings in the neighborhood. They were the first I had ever
seen or heard of.
I recollect of going with my parents to hear them preach. My father invited them home with him and the Elders ever after made our house a stopping place when they came into the neighborhood.
My Father sold out and was preparing to move to Nauvoo in the State of Illinois where the Saints were gathered when we heard of the martydom of the Prophet and Patriarch, Joseph and Hyrum Smith.
I well remember the taunts and slurs cast at me by my school mates after my parents joined the Mormons, and when the news came of the death of the Prophet and Patriarch they were worse than ever in trying to aggravate me and they very often succeeded to the extent that I would often resent it with blows, and many was the combat I had with them.
After my parents joined the Church they made a visit to Kirtland where a few families of the Saints lived, and I of course was their only living child, accompanied them. My Mother had two children, both boys older than me but they both died in infancy.
While in Kirtland we visited the Temple, and I have at the present time a very good recollection of how it looked.
In the fall of 1844 my father having completed his preparations for moving, we started for Nauvoo, going by water, first by canal to the Ohio River then by steam boat down the Ohio to the Mississippi River then up the Mississippi to Nauvoo, arriving there in the fore part of winter.
In the spring we moved our ( ) about 14 miles from Nauvoo to a place called Pilot Grove, my Father having bought a farm in this neighborhood as he supposed from a man by the name of Brooks, Paying for it before we left Ohio by turning out property to the amount of four hundred dollars. Brooks proved to be an apostate and all we could find of the supposed farm was about 20 acres of wild prairie land. We resided at Pilot Grove through the summer I was eight years old and was baptised into the Church. In the fall
it was thought advisable to move back to Nauvoo as the mob was committing depredations all around us, and we knew not what day or night they might visit us.
Accordingly in the fall we moved back to Nauvoo, living in a rented house through the winter, preparing as much as possible, wagonmaking and mending, parching corn for food to take along on the journey. I spent my time in various ways often visiting the Temple and its vicinity.
My Father succeeded in getting one yoke of oxen and an old wagon that he repaired sufficiently to venture to start west with, and in the month of April, I think, we started, not knowing where we were going but glad to get away from persecution. The State of Iowa (or rather Territory) was very thinly settled and our journey was mostly through a wild country.
After crossing the Mississippi River we travelled in company with a few others over good and bad roads until we came to a place called Garden Grove, so named by the Mormons here. We found quite a camp and quite a number of the Twelve.
We stopped a day or two and then started on with a small company headed by Bros. Parley P. and Orson Pratt, two of the Twelve. Having our own roads and bridges to make as we went along, we traveled some time in this way until we came to a place they named Mt. Pisguia, here we stopped I believe two weeks, until Prest. Young and company came up. We then journeyed on in company with different ones until we came to the Missouri River
which I believe was called four hundred miles. Here was a small trading post owned by a half-breed named Sarpe, the only sign of habitation we had seen for a long time.
Here all hands went to work to build a flat boat to cross the river on. It took some three or four weeks I think, to complete the boat when we crossed the river in connection with the rest of the Saints. My Father in connection with some others was called to go still farther west to the Elkhorn River to build a bridge across it. The river was some eight or ten rods wide as near as I can recollect and from two or three feet deep. The men commenced by going up the river and cutting large logs, roll them in the river and floated them to the place where they had located for the bridge and with ropes and men enough to hold them until they were gotten in place and they were placed by laying them up as one would a log house. These bents, as they were called were about a rod apart. I think they had the bents all completed when we were called back to the main camp.
While we were camped at the Elkhorn, Col. Thomas L. Kane (who afterwards visited Salt Lake at the time of Johnson Army was at Bridger) came and camped there with us.
Upon our return we found the main camp at a place they called Cutlers Park, about three miles west from the Missouri River. Here we remained until we moved with the main camp down by the river to a place known as Winter Quarters. Here all hands went to work building log houses to winter in. Here we stayed through the winter but how we lived or where our food came from I hardly remember. In the spring we with some 30 or 40 other families moved up the river some five or six miles and opened farms, planting mostly corn, some buckwheat and a little wheat, I herding cows through the summer or the for part of the summer. Some time in August my first experience ague commenced. My Father, Mother and myself all had it at the same time.
Towards fall bread began to be pretty scarce and as soon as any of the crops were matured enough to use we commenced using our corn we had to pound in large mortors made by digging out a large log some 3 or 4 feet long. One end set in the ground and the other end hollowed out. The pestle was a pole attached to another pole at the top like a well sweep only the end of the pole that was on the ground was fastened down so as to answer as a spring pole. We wintered here the next winter and I for the first time since we left Ohio had the priviledge of going to school. During the winter we lost one of our oxen, which left us with but one. My father worked and got a pair of young steers which he traded for another ox. Father had succeeded in getting two cows for work, and that was to be our team to go to Salt Lake with. President Young and the rest of the Pioneers having gone and returned the year before. Next spring we started for the valley with one yolk of oxen and one yoke of cows with the understanding that we would have to take provisions enough to last until we could raise a crop. Besides taking our other things, farming tools, etc. Our wagon cover was a few strips of carpet and a couple of old quilts or blankets. Our bread stuff was principly corn meal with the exception of one barrel of flour. Flour bread, I remember was quite a rarity and only used once in a great while.
We started in Prest. Kimball’s company and traveled in it the most of the way. My father was a captain of ten. Nothing of importance occurred on the plains excepting one stampede, which resulted only in a good scare to all. Our traveling was necessarily slow on account of our heavy loads. We were on the road three months. At last we arrived in Salt Lake Valley. My Father succeeded in getting a little work for which he got some provisions from those that had come in the year before.
That fall the plot of Salt Lake City was laid out. My Father took a lot some six or seven blocks west of the Temple Block in the 16th ward and as soon as he could he went to the canyon and got logs and put up a cabin about twelve feet square with poles, brush and dirt for a roof and a dirt floor, but we were glad to get as good a place as that to winter in. Our fire wood consisted of willows which we hauled from the Jordan River about a mile on a hand sled, having turned our oxen off to winter. My experience that winter I thought was rather severe. I herded cows most of the winter and in the place of shoes which I did not have I had to tie rags around my feet. However, we passed through the winter and the next spring we moved about four miles south of the city on the Church farm. There I herded cows all summer bare footed. We went to work there for the Church. The Church farm was one mile square, we lived on the east side. I had to go to the center of the farm every morning after the cows and fetch them back and take them towards the mountain, east of here. I had a slough to wade through every morning and night which kept my feet very chappy and sore, and I could hardly step on them in the morning when I got up. On account of the scarcity of bread stuff we were rationed so much bread each for breakfast and dinner, at supper we had none, but in the place of bread we had thickened milk and in that we were rationed. Milk was plenty and one pint of flour stirred in milk was the ration for six, there being three hired men boarding with us that summer. Beef was pretty plenty. One of our oxen died the winter before the other was killed on the farm for beef.
I well remember the first pair of shoes I had after we came into the valley. It was late in the fall. I herded all summer on foot and bare foot and my feet were so sore I could hardly step on them in the morning when I got up. My father managed to get me a pair of shoes which seems to me now when I think of it to have pleased me more than anything I had ever had before. The next winter I went to school. I herded cows for four or five summers. I here first became acquainted with Hyrum Smith’s family who lived half a mile south of us.
Joseph F. and myself herded together three or four summers. After I quit herding I worked on the farm, saw several times of scarcity in consequence of crickets and grasshoppers. When I was 16 years old I joined a minute company under Captin Robert G. Burton and from that time until I moved to Summit County, I held myself in readiness with horse, saddle, bridge, arms and forty rounds of ammunition to go at any time when called upon. At that time we knew not when or where we might have to go. Indian expeditions were very frequent. I have received notices in the night and started before daylight and sometimes have been gone for two and three weeks at a time.
The winter before I was 18 years old I married Sarah Smith, the third and youngest daughter of Hyrum and Jurusha (Jerusha) Smith, who was born in Kirtland, Geauga, now Lake Co., Ohio, October 2nd, 1837. Her Father was absent when she was born, having gone to Missouri in Zion’s camp. Her Mother died when she was three days old, and she was raised by a old lady by the name of Grennels that lived with the family, and who died a short time before we were married. We were married by President Heber C. Kimball on the 16th day of January, 1854. I still continued to live on the Church farm. My Father and myself working together until the news of the invasion of what is commonly called the Johnson Army, had started and we believed with the avowed purpose of doing us harm. This conclusion was forced upon us from hearing of the threats they made of what they would do when they got to Salt Lake City, and believing they meant what they said, and feeling that the liberties of our families and ourselves were dear to us, it naturally created an anxiety in us to prevent their carrying out their threats. Brigham Young was then Governor of Utah Territory and not having them officially notified of the intention of the Government to send an army to Utah, and knowing that there was no necessity for such an act, he had the right to forbid and prevent, if possible by force if necessary, and armed bodies from entering the Territory. Consequently taking everything into consideration it was considered advisable to send out a small force and prevent the army mob or company of whatever nature it might be from coming into the city to carry out their threats. Accordingly a company of about 75 were called from Salt Lake City, and about 50 from Provo. On the 14th of August I was in the city, and received notice to be at the tithing yard that night armed and equipped for a campaign I did not inquire where. I returned home, saddled my horse, took my blankets and gun, that being all the arms I then had and returned to the city, where I found the company assembled. We camped there that night and next morning the 15th of August we started east. I found that all necessary preparations had been made for a lengthy campaign, horses, baggage, wagons and provisions had been prepared and everything as convenient as could be. We traveled leisurely along, doing soldier duty such as camp guarding, horse guarding, etc.
Four men were placed on horse guard at a time, each man holding his horse by a lariat so that in case of a stampede they could mount their horses and follow, and recover them, but nothing of the kind occurred to us. We went as far back as the Devil’s Gate of Sweet-water, having frequently met Government freight trains on the road, we now and then heard of the progress of the soldiers, and as they advanced we fell back up the river. We lay sometime opposite Strawberry Creek waiting for the army to come up. Our orders were not to engage in battle with them or take life, but to hinder them in every possible ay we could be stampeding their animals, etc. At last our main camp moved up the river nearly to the upper crossing. 33 of us remained behind to keep a look out while there our provisions ran out with the exception of one sack of chopped wheat that had been brought for horse feed. We had no groceries nor salt or grease. The only thing in the shape of flour was this sack of chopped feed, which we lived upon as long as it lasted. We wet it up with cold water and baked it. We also made our gravy by stirring it into water.
At last the army came up and we fell back up the river to our main camp. We then all moved up the river about three miles above where the road left the river. Here we pitched camp.
From here it was decided to make our first attempt at stampeding the soldiers animals. Our baggage wagons and pack animals were sent back this way so as to have them out of the way, we only keeping one blanket apiece and a small supply of provisions. At last the advanced regiment under Colonel Campbell came up and passed by, camping at the Pacific Springs. Magram’s Company was sent back to make an attempt on that. By this time there was only 43 of our company remaining, several having gone home sick and quite a number gone with the baggage wagons. It did not take long to make our preparations. Two men were sent out in the afternoon to ascertain the locality of the Soldiers camp and animals. I will here correct a mistake. I should have said Colonel Alexander instead of Campbell.
About sundown the two men returned and reported the Soldier camp consisting of one hundred and fifteen wagons camped in a straight line by drawing the front of one wagon up even with the hind end of the one ahead. Their tents were pitched by the side of the wagons, and their animals were being herded about three-quarters of a mile below camp. This report sounded favorable to us to make a success as the animals were all we wanted so as to cripple and detain them. Our supper was eaten and about dusk we started each having one small cake rolled up in his blanket and tied on behind him to last, we did not know how long. After we had proceeded part way two more men were sent on to reconnoiter. When the returned they reported that the animals had been brought up to camp and were guarded there. However we concluded to make the attempt so on we went arriving near the camp about 3 o’clock in the morning. We stopped and tightened our saddles then rode down towards camp, increasing our speed as we neared there. When we came upon the upper end of the camp we all commenced hollowing as loud as we could. Their guard soon got out of sight. Their animals started but did not run far. We soon found that they were hobbled. The bugles sounded, the soldiers began to turn out. We found we could not succeed so we retreated. We then rode to little Sandy, about 22 miles, arriving there about sunrise. Here we stopped 2 hours, then traveled until somewhere about midnight and camped nearly tired out. We started next morning about daylight and reached Green River about 10 o’clock pretty hungry, having had nothing but our small cake since we started. At Green River we overtook our pack animals, the wagons having gone on. The men with the pack animals had just killed a beef and we were not long in appropriating some of it to our stomachs. Here we heard that four wagons were on the lower road going back to meet Alexander’s regiment with supplies. It was thought best to try to intercept them. A part of the company went back about 12 miles when they met the regiment, they having started and traveled until about 2 o’clock in the morning when we came to Ham’s Fork, about a half a mile below where the Government supply trains were then camped.
We laid down until nearly dailylight then started and arrived at Fort Bridger about the middle of the afternoon. A few days after I was taken sick, and had to retire from duty for the present. In time I reached Echo Canyon and remained there for sometime.
After I got well I performed various duties. Our company went north and I was not with them any more that fall. After a while I was permitted to return home, having been gone eleven weeks, by that time quite a large force was out. After remaining at home about a week I went out again in company with two or three others with a drive of beef cattle but did not stay long. The next spring I went out again and went from the mouth of Echo Canyon up through the Lost Creek country on an exploring expedition and was at the mouth of Echo when Colonel Thomas L. Kane and Governor ******* came in from Bridger. I did not stay out long that time. AT last a treaty was made and the army that had wintered at Bridger was to be allowed to come in. But it was thought safest for all in Salt Lake and north of it to move south. Accordingly all of the families were moved south. We moved to Lehi. The men were all called in from Echo.
A company of wagons started east after goods. I went with Porter Rockwell and five or six others with them as far as Bear River to see if they were molested or not by the soldiers but they were not and we returned home. After the Army had passed through the city we moved our families back again. I continued living on the Church farm until the Winter of 1860, when I lived about half a mile north near the Sugar Works. That winter I spent considerable time guarding at the Penitenciary though I had done consideration guarding there years previous. When I was about 19 years old I was ordained a member of the 32nd quorum of seventies to which I still belong. Shortly afterwards I was set apart and appointed a teacher in the Sugar Ward, in which capacity I acted until I left the Ward. The year the handcarts came in I went out as far as the Sweet Water River and assisted them in. I was gone five weeks. On the 29th of September, 1860 I was elected a school trustee of the Sugar House School District and on the 2nd of October following I received my Certificate of Office. In the spring of 1861 I went in company with others over on the Weber River which part of the country they had commenced to settle up the year before and where I had been the year previous and taken up a farm for my Father and myself, my Father intending to come over sometime during the summer.
We had remained on the Church farm about 12 years, some of the time renting and some of the time giving the Church all we raised, excepting what we needed to live upon and for two or three of the last years we had done considerable fencing.
We had the priviledge of keeping cows and other stock of our own, and when the Johnson Army came I made several trades for oxen, etc. and when we left the Church Farm, the Church gave us one thousand dollars in stock, wagons, farming tool, etc. I had one span of horses and two wagons, four cows and about thirty head of sheep. After I got to the Weber I put up about eight rods of fence and put in 10 acres of wheat and put up a log house, one of the first built in Coalville. My farm was about one mile south of Coalville. About the first of June I moved my family over the Weber, consisting of my wife and two children, Alice and Joseph. The night of the fourth of July, we had a heavy frost that killed all of the wheat so that it was fit for nothing only feed. That summer I cut and put up forty loads of feed by hiring some help. During the summer I was away considerable of the time having been appointed assessor and collector of Summit County which office I held for three years. I was also appointed Deputy Sheriff and was also appointed and set apart to the office of second councelor to the Bishop of Coalville which position I held until I went south in 1865.
While working in the hay fields one day a man came in search of me. He said he was on the road to California and while riding on ahead of his train one day some distance back east, some parties stopped him and robbed him, taking some three hundred dollars in money and his mule from him. When the stage came along he got on and came to Coalville to get out a writ to have the parties arrested as they were coming west. The Probate Judge and Sheriff both being away, he came in search of me.
I advised him to go on in to Salt Lake City, and there get out a writ. He urged and insisted upon my going with him. I at last consented and left my work, saddled my horse and we started about sundown, when we got to Echo Canyon we found thye parties that we watched for had come into the city, but they eluded us and we did not find them for several days. In fact, the two McRays did not come in but stopped at the foot of the little mountain to Emigration Canyon where one of their brothers lived. I was sent south about 15 miles to Willow Creek where the Manharts lived to see if they had got home. The next day a posse was sent down to Willow Creek and the Manharts were arrested and brought to the city and lodged in jail. I was kept on the go about all the time watching for the other two. Their father lived in the city and at last I discovered one of the two at a house near his brothers. I hastened to the Court House and reported the same. Two others and myself were sent out to arrest him. They were on foot and I on horseback. Their Father lived on the south west corner of the block so when we got there I rode a little past the house east so as to watch the back of the house while the other two went up to the front.
Pretty soon I saw one of the men that had come with me running back and forth with a pistol in his hand and calling upon someone to stop. Pretty soon he hollered to me and told me to ride around the block. I had gotten off my horse and started around the block thinking he had got into the lot, and expecting to see him come out every minute, when about half way around, I heard two pistol shots and of course concluded they were having desperate work.
I kept on until I came to the northwest corner of the block, and as I came out so as to look south down the side-walk here came a man on horseback about two rods from me and as soon as he saw me he commenced yelling and I saw he had a pistol in his hand which was swinging about. As soon as he saw me he drew it on me and snapped but it missed fire. Before I could stop my horse he ran in behind me and turned east. He then sent a shot at me which I returned and started in pursuit. He proved to be on the fastest horse and gained on me. In going up the hill on the beach towards Emigration Canyon my saddle worked so far back that I was obliged to stop and move it forward and while doing so, two men came riding up the hill towards me.
One of them proved to be one of the men that had come with me to make the arrest, when McRae got on the horse and escaped, this man had started to follow on foot and kept going until he came across a man riding one horse and leading another. He persuaded the man to let him have the spare horse and they both started in pursuit. I soon joined them and we rode as fast as our horses would go, each putting his horse to its best speed. The man that came with me taking the lead, I next, the other man behind. After awhile both men were out of my sight on ahead, and the other behind. When I got within 3 or 4 hundred yards of the house of the young McRaes at the foot of the little mountain, I met the head man coming back with the two McRaes as prisoners. I turned and rode with them. We soon met the other man. He turned also and we rode down the canyon quite a distance when we met the sheriff and a posse in a light wagon. As soon as we met we all stopped the teamster, unhitched his horses from the wagon and took them to the creek and watered them. The Sheriff had mounted a horse and he and I also rode to the creek and watered our horses.
The McRae boys seemed anxious to go on and had started when we started to the creek. Two or three had started on behind them to watch them. I heard the Sheriff caution them not to try to get away and also cautioned the guard to watch them. After they had been gone a short while and while our horses were drinking we heard gun or pistol shots down the canyon. We immediately rode down the canyon about a quarter of a mile, when we came to one of the McRae boys lying upon the ground dead and the other we found about fifty yards farther on partly over a willow fence, also dead. The guard explained that they attempted to escape and they were obliged to fire upon them. When the wagon came down the bodies were put into it and we started for the city and arrived at the City Hall a little after dark. Thus terminated the day and that part of the affair altogether different from what I had anticipated.
The Manharts were tried and sentenced to the penitentiary for a number of years. The blame of the whole affair was laid upon me, or the principle part of it and many threats were made. I have stated the facts of this case, as they existed, and have been particular in stating them so that if the story should be told or attempted to be told in the future the facts might be known. This affair kept me from home about three weeks and when I did go I went disguised on account of the many threats that had been made against my life.
The following winter and the next summer passed without anything of particular note. In the fall of 1862 I moved my family back to the Sugar House Ward, living in my brother-in-law’s house, John Smith’s, one mile south of the Sugar House, intending to move back to the Weber in the spring. During the winter another son, Ernest A. was born. During the winter I was chosen second Councellor to Ira Eldredge, Bishop of the Sugar House Ward. The next spring I was called to go to the Missouri River after the Emigration. I left my family in the Sugar House Ward and started about the first of May taking two of my oxen. I went down in Horton Haits Company. We arrived at Florence, as it was then called, but formerly Winter Quarters, the same place where we had wintered in 1846. We arrived there I think on the 22nd of June and laid until the 9th of August waiting for the Emigration. While there I hired a yoke of oxen and a wagon, and loaded it with our own goods. I then bought and took home the first stove that I ever owned. Stoves were very scarce in those days, the majority of people done their cooking at fireplaces. On the 9th of August we started home. My load consisted of 80 kegs of gun powder.
Nothing unusual occurred until we got to Big Sandy, where we had stopped to noon, and while we were nooning two men came to our camp and informed us that the Soldiers at Fort Bridger were searching all of the Church trains as they passed there for powder and taking it whenever found. I hitched up my team and started about three o’clock in the afternoon and drove to Green River at the upper crossing. Arriving there I found 12 or 15 men waiting for me, who when I arrived took and knocked in the heads and emptied 70 of the kegs into sacks. They then put the sacks on pack animals and started before daylight across the mountain for Salt Lake. The next day the train I belonged to came up. I had 10 kegs of powder left. I unloaded vinegar barrels, put three kegs in it and headed it up again. Three kegs I set in the front of my wagon and put my blankets on them for a seat. Four kegs I distributed around among the other wagons. Two days after as we were traveling along a Company of about 50 mounted Soldiers came up with us, rode to the front, stopped the train and commenced searching the wagons for powder. As they came to my wagon I stepped out on the wagon tongue. A Soldier got in and looked through the wagon and got out again without finding any powder having climbed over the three kegs in the front without seeing them. After they had got through searching we went on and arrived in the City on the 6th of October.
I concluded not to move back to the Weber until the next spring. In the commencement of winter a man was hired to teach school in the Sugar House Ward. He taught about one week when he went away and did not return. I as requested to go into the school and keep it until another teacher could be found and employed. So I went into the school with the understanding that a teacher should be employed as soon as possible. But the winter passed away without one being found and I think without one being sought. However I taught the quarter through but it caused me considerable hard study to keep ahead of some of my scholars.
My schooling had not been hardly sufficient to justify me in attempting to teach school. I had been a part of three or four winter and one whole winter after I was married that I have not mentioned heretofore. I also went two nights a week, one winter to John V. Long and studied shorthand writing, or photography, and learned it so that I could write the corresponding style very well. I never went to writing school only 4 or 5 nights, but I always took a pride in writing and adopted a style of my own.
In the spring I again went to the Weber and put in a crop of wheat and oats. In consequence of my being away all of the summer before I had no feed and word was necessarily slow. I would have to hunt my oxen in the morning on foot and when I got them I could not work them more than three or four hours each day. I harrowed my grain in on the stubble and raised a better crop that year than I ever had before or did after on the Weber. I put a house up on my farm that spring and then moved my family out.
** Late in the fall President Kimball counseled my Father to move south which he did, starting in the fore part of winter. He also councelled me to sell out and go south in the spring. In august 1864 I was elected to the office of assessor and collector. During the winter I sold our farm for two thousand five hundred dollars, taking two thousand in stock and wagons the other five hundred in money and store pay. That winter proved to be one of the hardest winters we had ever experienced there. A great number of cattle died all through the country. I lost seven cows, although I had considerable feed. When spring opened I had 19 cows left and quite a number of young cattle. My Father came up from the south and the next summer and I went back with him on the first of August, knowing we were going into a new country I laid in a pretty good supply of necessaries.
We started with between three and four thousand dollars worth of property. I still owned 10 acres of land in the Sugar House Ward which I did not sell, valued at four hundred dollars. We were on the road one month arriving in Long Valley on the first day of September, having had good luck all the way, although it was in the time of Indian trouble. We found a small settlement or rather a few settlers considerably scattered. A town had been laid out and some had built on their farms.
I bought two town lots and commenced putting up a long house soon after I got there and worked at it until I got it finished and moved into it on Saturday. The next day Bishop Winsor and three other brethren came up from down the river and held a meeting and it was decided that we build a fort on account of the warlike disposition of the Indians all around us. The next day, Monday, I moved out of my house and commenced pulling it down and moving it to the ground that had been laid out for the fort, it having been decided that we build our houses in two lines about 8 rods apart and enclosing the two ends with pickets or logs one end set in the ground, the other end sticking out about twelve feet.
Soon after I got to Long Valley the settlers met together and organized themselves into a military company and I was elected ajustant of the company. The company was attached to Colonel Wm. Maxwells Regiment. A short time after I was appointed ajustant of the Regiment. I also received the appointment of Postmaster but as there was no mail service the appointment was useless. After I had pulled my house down it took me some two weeks before I got into it again. We kept a strong guard all winter both day and night. The winter was a very hard one, one of the hardest ever known in the part of the country. As we had no mail we did not know what was going on around us only as we now and then went to the other settlements after news.
Wm. Merry and myself made several visits of that nature. On one occasion we made a trip to Maxwell’s ranch about forty miles from our place, starting in a rain storm and going to the lower end of the valley that day. Camped in an old house that night. Next day we traveled about 12 miles on account of the deep snow. That night we camped in the cedars tying our animals up and sitting by the fire all night drying our clothes. It stormed all night. Next morning we started in the storm and traveled in it until we got to Maxwell’s, which place we reached about the middle of the afternoon.
After we had gotten all the news we could, we started on our return and traveled about five miles and camped, turned our horses out to browse and had a pretty good nights sleep. We learned afterwards that the Indians took a herd of stock that night only about three quarters of a mile from us. From there it took us two days to get home, it having taken us five days to go forty miles and return.
** About a week after the same man and myself went to Kanab upon a similar errand. Some time in February Dr. Whitmore and a man by the name of McIntire were killed by Indians and a large number of cattle and sheep were driven off. This occurred I think at Pipe Springs, about forty miles from our place. There came on a heavy snow storm and the bodies were not found for some twelve days after they had been killed. As soon as the snow had gone off enough to see tracks, we received an order from Col. Maxwell to get up ten men in our place with provisions, pack animals, riding horses, etc. and retire to Kanab, there to join a company from down the river. We accordingly got ready and went to Kanab where we found twentyone men from down the river, under Major James Andrews.
** We started from Kanab taking along two wagons and teams. The third day we arrived at Peter Shirts’ place on the Parier, where we found the old man and family unmolested with the exception of having his stock stolen by Indians with the exception of one cow. Here he had lived with his family forty miles from the nearest settlement for a year or two and right on the Ute and Navajo trail. Here we laid over one day and shelled corn to take along with us for feed, he having raised quite a crop the year before. The next morning the wagons started back with the Shirts and family and we started on.
We soon struck the trail made by the cattle and sheep stolen from Pipe Springs. We followed the trail over a very rough country to the ford of the Colorado River and found that the stock had been taken across the river. It was now very evident that it was the Navajoes that committed the deed. The settlers were undecided what Indians it was. It was useless to follow them farther as they had some two or three weeks the start of us. We saw that only a portion of the Indians had crossed the river, that a part of them had gone down on the side we were on and we concluded to follow them. We camped on the river bank that night and next morning we started and followed the trail for three or four days over the roughest country I ever saw.
Water was very scarce and the weather very hot. Their trail at last led us to what was then called Jacobs Pools, a few small springs or seeps. So far the trail had led us towards home or partially so, but here it turned off in a different directions from what it had been going. Some of our animals were getting tired and foot sore so it was decided to leave eleven men at the pool and the poorest animals and the rest of us follow up the trail.
Accordingly, 1 of us started taking two pack animals with us. The first day we traveled all day without finding any water but just at dusk we came to a small patch of snow in a ravine on the north side of a mountain. Here we camped and some of us sat up all night or rather took turns sitting up and melting snow and watered our horses although we had only one tine pan and one frying pan to melt in. The next morning we started early and traveled until about 10 o’clock when we discovered a smoke ahead and a little to the left of us.
We kept on until we came opposite the smoke and then turned off and made for it as cautiously as possible. When within a short distance of the smoke we separated into three parties one party going to the left down a hollow another going down a hollow to the right and four or five going down the ridge between the two parties. All parties managed to arrive at the place where smoke proceeded from at the same time.
There we found a camp of Indians. The Interpreter who had gone down the ridge endeavored to talk to them but they would not talk. The squaws and children ran in every direction. The cedars were very thick and it was thought best to form a larger circle several of the boys had dismounted but had stopped at the camp a few minutes until I thought I would not be needed there so I started off to where I saw some Indians squaws or something running through the cedars. I had not gone but a few rods when I heard something behind me and on looking around saw an Indian coming at full speed and just behind him Gus Hardy with his gun drawn on him. I endeavored to get one side out of range but I was on a mule and slow in their nature, the Indian managed to keep me in range until a crossing a little hollow he stumbled and got to one side when Hardy fired finishing him there. The row it seems commenced by this Indian hacking and cutting at Hardy with a butcher knife. When we first came upon them they snatched their guns and showed fight. The first shot was the signal for several more and resulted in the death of three or four Indians and the wounding of one of our men, Wm. H. Clark in the foot.
We then drew off about a half a mile where we found a little water in a hole. Here we camped and got our breakfast although it was then about noon. We found two horses, several sheep skins and beef hides with these Indians. After finishing our meal we started on our return and arrived at Jacobs Pools the next night, having only eaten one meal a day while we were gone. We stopped over night and next morning decided to start for home. Our provisions had run out and we had nothing left but some corn which we boiled and ate. We were now about three days travel from the nearest settlement. To go direct we would have to cross the Buck Skin Mountains. If we went around it, it would be farther.
We decided to cross the mountains. The first day we got about half way across, made our supper that night on corn and snow. We took turns sitting up that night boiling corn for the next day. In the morning we started on and traveled until noon, and for a change took corn and water for dinner. About two o’clock it commenced raining. We saddled up and started. It continued to rain until near sundown when it changed to snow. Our clothes by this time were we through. Just at dusk we came to a steep cliff that we had to go up or go several miles around. We concluded to make the attempt to go up and succeeded at last after dark. Our bedding was wet through as well as our clothes.
The question arose whether we should camp here or try and reach Kanab that night which was thought to be some twelve or fifteen miles away. If we stopped we would not be able to sleep our clothes and bedding being so wet and then we had nothing for supper. It was still snowing hard. After talking the matter over we concluded to go on. We started near in the direction of Kanab as we could tell but after traveling some time we got lost; the snow was now some eight or ten inches deep and still snowing.
The rain had made the ground soft and slippery, consequently it was very hard traveling. Myself and five or six others remained behind with Clark who was obliged to travel slow. Those ahead began hollering and firing or pistols to keep trace of each other, and by so doing we all managed to go in the same direction. About two o’clock in the morning we saw a light ahead and in a short time we reached Kanab, wet, tired, and hungry.
The people brought us first in some empty houses and getched us some bread, cheese, milk, and butter, and I can say that I never ate a meal that I enjoyed more than I did the meal we ate then. We had not had a good meal of vistuals for several days and for the last three or four days nothing but boiled corn. We did not attempt to sleep any that night but sat by the fire the remainder of the night drying our clothes. The next day we went home and glad to get there too. Having been traveling about three weeks over the roughest country I ever saw.
When spring opened it brought an increase of watching and guarding. It was not considered safe for one or two to go out any great distance from the fort alone. We kept a mounted guard on the hills through the day and a strong guard in the fort at night. Twenty men from the lower settlements had been sent up to strengthen our settlements. The two youngest of the Berry Brothers had gone on a visit in the fall to some of the northern settlements and they were expected home in the spring. Word came that they were on the road. Time passed and they did not come. At last Wm. Berry started to meet them and found them about 35 miles from our place murdered and from appearances they had been dead about a week.
A short time after Colonel McArthur and four or five others came up to our place from St. George and as there had been a reorganization of the military, several offices had been done away with. The office I held as ajustant, no longer existed, and as all of the neighboring settlements had been called into Long Valley there was enough men to form two companies. Accordingly we all met together and two companies organized, making a Battalion and I was elected Major of the Battalion, Wm. Berry was elected captain of one company and Lorenze Roundy, Captian of the other. Bro. Roundy a few years after was drown in the Colorado.
About the last of June word come for us to vacate Long Valley and move down in to the other settlements below and twenty mounted men were sent to assist us in getting our stock away. We accordingly got ready and started making a company of about eighty wagons. We had got our crops in. I had eight or nine acres of wheat and oats in that was up and looked nice. I had also set out an orchard, put in a garden, etc., and had as I thought, commenced a home, but I have never seen it since. Some of the settlers went back and harvested and hauled out some of their grain, but on making a second trip for that purpose were attacked by the Indians.
One man was severly wounded and I believe their trip proved a failure. When we moved out it was thought best to go by Kanab for it we went by the road we would have forty miles to go without water, though by Kanab would be considerable the farthest.
The first day we went to the lower end of the valley. The next morning on leaving the valley we had to double the teams for five miles on account of the up hill and heavy sand. It took us till after dark to make about ten miles but then we found water. We were seven days on the road from Long Valley to the River, about three miles below Toquor. Here we stopped three or four days. My Father and myself were councelled to go to Kannarra where we arrived about the first of July.
On the night of the fifth we had one mule and three head of horses stray off. I commenced hunting the next day and continued hunting for four weeks but could not find them and had to give them up. I now had one horse and one mule left for a team. A new town was laid out. I drew a lot and commenced putting up a house. I worked almost day and night until I finished it. I had to go twelve miles to the canyon to get logs and would get my load and return the same day or night. I finished my house about the middle of September and moved into it.
I then started north to Salt Lake on a visit and to settle up some affairs that were unsettled when we went south. I took my family along, only taking enough bedding, etc. for camping purposes of the road. We were twelve days going to Salt Lake.
About conference time President Kimball sent word to me by Joseph F. Smith to not go back south. On receiving this word I hardly knew what to say. My team was not fit to make the trip to Kanara and back that fall. During conference I met with Bishop Cluff of Coalville. He suggested the idea of my going out to Coalville and teaching their school the next winter, which I concluded to do.
It was necessary to get a new outfit for keeping house, as we had left everything in that line at Kanarra. I sold my ten acres lot in the Sugar House Ward for three hundred and seventy five dollars. I got two hundred and seventy five down which I had to make go as far as possible. I had to pay one hundred and thirty six dollars for a cooking stove and everything else in proportion. I moved to Coalville, rented a house and commenced the school.
I had from Seventy to eighty scholars, and there again I had to do some hard studying to keep ahead. The next spring I bought a lot and put up a log cabin on it. I spent the summer making a living the best way I could. Some of the time working my team and some of the time working at carpenter work. I was sick considerable of the time this summer. The next winter I hauled coal to Salt Lake City and made one trip to Hams Fork with flour for Granger which took me two weeks. The next spring I rented some land and put in eight acres of wheat. In October previous I was elected Batallion Ajutant and received my commission from Governor Durke dated Feb. 1868.
During the summer I took a job of putting up a frame house for Henry Wheaton for which I got one hundred and fifty dollars. Prospects looked very favorable for making a living, until about the first of August, when I was taken down with the small pox. I was removed about two miles from the town where there was three or four others down with it. A tent was pitched for me where I remained six weeks, my wife going and staying with me five weeks and took care of me although she never had it and did not take it then. At the end of six weeks I moved down into the hayfield thinking I might work a little but I did not have strength to do much. I had a covered wagon to sleep in and some of my family brought my food to me. After a while I borrowed a mowing machine and succeeded in getting my hay out. At last I returned home and succeeded in getting my hay and grain hauled up.
The next winter I fitted up a turning lathe and worked at a cabinet work most of the winter. The next spring I went about twenty miles up Chalk Creek to work on a saw mill that Alonzo Winters and E. Eldridge were erecting. I went to do the hewing, some five or six others were there to do the chopping and schoreing. After the timbers were all out I went to work framing them as the mill wright was not ready to come. After the frame was up I put down the pentstock and put in the water wheel and got everything for the machinery ready before the mill wright was ready to come. That was my first attempt at millwrighting. I then went and worked for S. P. Hort about a month at carpenter work. I spent the rest of the season cutting and putting up hay, etc.
At the August Election I was elected Sheriff of Summit County. I worked in shop during the next winter. That winter I was appointed city surveyor for the City of Coalville, and the next spring I was appointed city assessor and collector, and at the next August election I was elected county Surveyor.
The next season I was elected a member of the city council. In the spring of 1870 I sold my house and lot and bought another and put up a new house. The next winter I had no particular employment only as my duties called me away. The next summer I worked for Bataman and Buel who had bought out the Spriggs coal mine, doing their carpenter work and got three dollars per day. The next winter I went into a wagon shop and worked all winter.
During the winter I made three new wagons besides doing considerable repairing and also worked considerable in the same shop the next summer. About the first of October I sold out and moved my family to Farmington in Davis county.
The last three years I remained in Summit county I spent considerable time in attending to the duties of my several offices. I surveyed in almost every town in the county. The office of sheriff took up considerable time. I had to attend to all of the sittings of the probate court, serve all papers issued by the court, collect the different licences throughout the county. In the fore part of the summer 1873 there was considerable horse stealing from Salt Lake, Davis and Weber counties. Bands of horses were taken from the range in these counties and driven east passing through Summit County. Though they would avoid as much as possible the main traveled road, the Probate Court of Summit county issued an order to me as Sheriff to have the guards place at the different passes in the county. I accordingly appointed deputies in all parts of the county and gave them a copy of the order and gave orders to arrest all suspicious characters. The consequence of these precausions were that several bands of horses were intercepted though the thieves generally escaped. One band of thirty two head of horses that had been stolen from Davis and Weber counties were intercepted and one of the thieves captured. An investigation was held and he was committed to prison to await trail. As we had no prison in Summit county I took him to Salt Lake for safe keeping and arranged to have him kept in the city prison.
While I was gone the sheriff of Weber county came to Coalville and got the horses. The Indians frequently came in from the east and made raids on the stock in our county and I sonetimes had to gather up a posse and follow them. After I moved to Farmington I went to Salt Lake City and worked on a barn for President Young about two weeks until the weather got too cold to work out doors. On the 18th of September I went to Ogden City. He proffered me a job guarding at the county jail which I accepted. I returned to Farmington the same day and on the 20th I moved to Ogden, rented a house paying twelve dollars a month for two small log rooms.
The next day I commenced guarding and continued at it about a month, the prisoners all being disposed of by that time. While ther I made four dollars and a half per day. About two or three weeks after I got through guarding at the jail (W. H. Clark, the man that got shot down south in the Indian Fight)and who had moved to Ogden some time before and been employed in the business part of town as nightwatchman got shot by a man by the name of Dan Wood, which disabled him for some time.
I went on the street as nightwatchman in his place as was soon after sworn in as policeman. I spent nearly three months at that business. In the fore part of the next summer I went to work for a man by the name of Farley, in his wagon shop and continued to work there all summer. I still had the care of the jail and prisoners whenever there were any.
During the summer Dan Wood became insane through hard drinking and was taken into custody. At times he was particularly sane and at one of those times he requested to be put into jail and there kept until he got well. The Sheriff requested me to feed and take care of him which I did for twenty four days. When he considered he was sufficiently well to go at large. I was to have one dollar a day which Wood paid himself all but four or five dollars. He soon left Ogden and went East to Evanston where I suppose some lawyer or lawyers heard of his imprisonment and thought they could make some money out of it, persuaded him to institute a suit for false imprisonment which he did against the Probate Judge, select men, sheriff and prosecuting attorney and also including myself, claiming fifty thousand dollars damage.
Papers were served on us from the Third District Court. WE made answer according to law by Wood soon withdrew the suit, but not until it had cost us somewhere in the neighborhood of three hundred dollars. The next winter I had very little work and still renting a house, but not paying quite as high rent as when I first went there.
My Mother had come up from the South with me and had been living with me ever since. On Christmas day she was taken sick and on the fifth day of January she died, only being sick eleven days. My wife also was taken sick about the same time but recovered although her health was very poor for some time after. Not having but very little work and so much sickness, funeral expenses and so much sickness, house rent and everything, we lived on buy it cramped me very close although I managed to live and keep out of debt. Towards spring prospects began to look better. Brother Farley proposed building a frame house and also a frame barn and wished me to do the work and two or three had also spoke to me about work on houses for them. And I also procured a building spot or had the promise of one and proposed building a house of my own and thereby stop house rent which was quite a tax. I had about two hundred dollars coming to me that was yet due on the place that I sold at Coalville which I intended using to buy material to build with but I soon found out that another use would have to be made out of that, for on the tenth of March I received the following letter:
Presidents Office, S.L.C. March 9th, 1875
Elder Charles E. Griffin, Ogden, Utah. Dear Brother:
By request of President Brigham Young I write to learn from you by letter at your earliest convenience how it will suit your feelings, circumstances, etc. to go on a mission to the British Isle to be ready to start soon after next April Conference. Your early attention to the foregoing will much oblige. Your brother in the Gospel, Albert Carrington.
Upon receiving the above letter I hardly knew what to think or say or rather I thought of a great deal. It did not take me long to think over my circumstances. No home to leave my family in, no means to leave for them to live upon and no prospect to get any money only the two hundred dollars that I have mentioned above, and it would take at least one hundred and fifty dollars to bear my expenses to England, and then I ought to have a little money to fit myself out with before I started and the prospect was that I would not have much to leave with my family. If they had have called me without raising a word about it beforehand it would not have been half as much of a puzzle as it was now. I had been on a great many expeditions of different kinds in response to calls and if I went on a mission it would be of course to preach, and to stand up before a congregation to speak was one of the hardest tasks I ever had to perform. I never had felt to shrink from my duty and did not then, I concluded to write the facts as they were, as near as I could. Accordingly the next day I wrote the following letter:
Ogden City, March 11th, 1875
President A. Carrington
Dear Brother,
Your letter of the 8th came to hand last night and in answer to the same I will say it is my desire and determination to respond to any call that may be made or perform any duty that may be required of me. My feelings are if I can do more good on a mission than I can here, there is where I want to be, My circumstances are not exactly as I could wish they were and perhaps they never would be. I have money enough due and the promise of it to bear my expenses to England and unless there should be some unforeseen failure I could manage that part in time to go. I could not leave my family in quite as good circumstances as I would like to. Yet if I am called to go I shall go and my faith is that they way will be opened for me to go and for my family to obtain a living. My family is small. I have one son sixteen years old past. A good faithful boy to work and with his labor and a little means I could leave. I think they could get along. In conclusion I will say that I will be subject to the counsel and decision of the President.
Your brother in the Gospel, Charles E. Griffin.
On the 15th of the same month I received another letter which read as follows:
Presidents Office, S.L. City,
March 13th, 1875
Elder Charles E. Griffin:
Dear Brother:
I have just read your letter of the 11th to President Brigham Young and he has instructed me to inform you that you are selected to go on a mission to the British Isles to start soon after next conference. Trusting this information will be very acceptable to you and with kind regards, I am your brother in the Gospel,
Albert Carrington
The above letter ended all uncertainty, that is in relation to being called, but not in relation to money. I wrote to the man that was owing me at Coalville, urging him to raise the money for me in time. Feeling a little afraid he might neglect or fail to get it. About the first of March I had a singular dream or it seemed singular to me, and after I received the above letters and after I was called to go on my mission it often occurred to my mind.
I dreamed I was in Salt Lake City on the street that runs east and west past the north side of the temple block. I thought the people or rather those of our people that desired had moved across Jordan near the bridge and were living in tents. I had left my family there and had started on a journey and had got up within two or three blocks of the temple when I stopped and looked around at the camp. All at once the camp began to move in a south easterly direction. I thought the tents moved along all in unison, and without being taken down. They did not move but a short distance and stopped. I thought my family for some reason did not go. I thought there was a great deal of travel on that street where I was, going westward and crossing the Jordan bridge and so on westward as far as I could see. There seemed to be a continual stream of people and seemed to all be very rough characters, cursing and swearing as they traveled along.
I thought I did not feel like leaving my family where they were so I turned back and moved them on after the camp. Where the camp had moved to everything seemed green and a large bowery had been erected. I thought Joseph and Hyrum were going to preach. After I had moved my family I again started on my journey and woke up.
I often wondered what my dream meant. It often came to my mind before I went away and when on my mission it came to my mind on hearing of the reformation. I wondered if that was the move and even now the dream seems plain to my mind. But I have never yet seen the place where the camp moved to only in that dream. If ever I should see such a place I should know it the instant I set my eyes on it.
About the middle of March I commenced framing Brother Farley’s barn and on the 5th of April I finished getting the frame up. The next day I went to Salt Lake City and attended conference which lasted six days. During conference I was called and set apart to go on my mission, and the fifth of May was the day set for starting, but afterward it was postponed until the 12th.
Nothing seemed to turn up to unravel the puzzle of how my family were going to subsist in my absence until a few days before the time of starting when Ernest got a job helping a man with his cows that lived just out of town at twelve dollars a month. About a week before the time of starting I received a telegram from Coalville or rather and order on Crissman in Salt Lake for the money due me. I accordingly went to the city and got it and while there I had some eight or nine dollars given me by friends to help me on my mission. About a week or so before I started Bro. Wm. Fife gave me five dollars. This is not all that I had given me but I mention it because they were private gifts. About three days I think before I started Haskel Shirtliff came one morning and told Joseph that If he would go to the depot that day at noon he could get a job of work. He accordingly went to the depot at noon and commenced working for the railroad company at sixty dollars a month in gold. Gold was then at quite a premium so it seemed at last that everything was working out for the best.
At last the morning of the 19th came and almost eight o’clock I bid my wife farewell and started, my children going with me to the depot. There had been some few others called from Ogden besides myself. When we got to the depot we found quite a crowd of acquaintances to see us start. Bro. Joseph Parry, President of the district I lived in gave me forty dollars a portion of some money that had been collected for the missionaries from Ogden. With that addition I was enabled to leave a little with my family.
We got out tickets at half fare to Omaha and at 10 o’clock the train started. It is not necessary for me to state what my feelings were at bidding my family goodbye for I know not how long. On entering the car I found about twenty other missionaries but only one that I was acquainted with and that was Bishop Wm. Maughn of Cache Valley. I happened to take a seat with one of the Elders whose name I soon learned was Arnold Goodliff and from that time we were room mates until we arrived at Liverpool.
At Echo Bro. John Hopkins joined u
- Being now a little over forty-six years of age and not having kept a journal of my life, I shall have to write from memory with the exception of a few dates that I have of incidents of my life.
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