As I left England, my native land, soon after I was married, and all my children, thus far, have been born in Grantsville, Toole Co., Utah Territory, United States of America, and as it is possible, and probable too, that my children may not have many opportunities to become personally acquainted with my relatives, I purpose writing, in this book, my autobiography, so that they may learn a little of my life and parentage from my own pen, and not be entirely ignorant of those items of family history which personal acquaintance and association with my relatives would enable them to obtain.
Wm. Jefferies.
Grantsville
Mar. 12, 1886.
Chapter 1.
Birth and Parentage.
I was born at Goodeaves, Kilmersdon Parish, Somersetshire, England at 3 A.M., Tuesday, March 8, 1831. My Father's name was Wm. Jefferies, and my Mother's maiden name was Lita Flower. They had six children, two boys and four girls. Here are their names in the order in which they were born, and all the genealogical information I now possess concerning them. Will add or change hereafter, if necessary:
Elizabeth, born Nov. 1, 1828. Died at Westbury, Wiltshire, England on saturday, Mar. 6, 1886.
William, born Mar. 8, 1831.
Sarah, born Mar. 25, 1834. Died Sept. 27, 1875 at Scruton, Yorkshire, England.
Ann, born Feb. 4, 1836. Died March 11, 1900 at Bathampton, England near Bath.
Frederic,
Charlotte.
I do not possess the dates of the births or deaths of Frederic, and Charlotte. All the children were born at Goodeaves, Somersetshire, England, and the two named died there while they were nursing babes.
Elizabeth was married but had no children -- at least, I never heard of her having any.
Sarah was married to a man by the name of Joseph Blacker. She was the mother of six children, whose names and dates of birth are here given:
Lita Frances Blacker, born July 16, 1862.
Eva Ann Blacker, born June 15, 1864.
Lucetta Blacker, born May 27, 1866.
Seward Wm. Blacker, born June 18, 1868.
Major Blacker, born June 9, 1871.
Edith Ethel Blacker, born April 28, 1873.
Ann was married to a man by the name of Robert Parsons, who subsequently died leaving her a widow with three children, whose names are:
Wm. Parsons, born Mar. 30, 1863.
Annie Parsons, born Aug. , 1865.
Lela Parsons, born July , 1868.
An account of my children is given elsewhere in this Record.
My Father was the son of George Jefferies, and Elizabeth Clark. They had ten children, whose names I here give in the order of their birth, if they are given to me correctly:
Susan Jefferies,
George Jefferies,
Elizabeth Jefferies,
Caroline Jefferies,
John Jefferies,
Mary Jefferies,
Ann Jefferies,
William Jefferies, born Oct. 20, 1808. [Died Feb. 9, 1895 at Trowbridge, England]
Sarah Jefferies,
Isaac Jefferies, [born April 1814, died Jan. 25 1888, at Bristol, England]
All are dead but William and Isaac, but I have no dates of the births and deaths of any of them, except the date of the birth of my Father.
My Grandfather, George Jefferies, was from Gloucestershire, so I have been informed, but I have no account of the date or place of his birth. He died Jan. 5, 1850, aged about 79, at Coleford, Somersetshire, England, and was buried at the Church of England grave-yard of the same place.
My Grandmother, Elizabeth Clark, was a native of Frome, Somersetshire, England, so I was told, but I have no date of her birth. She died Nov. 17, 1844, aged about 74, at Coleford, Somersetshire, England, and was buried in the same grave-yard Grandfather was buried in.
My Mother was the daughter of Edward Flower and Sarah Flower. Grandmother's maiden name I do not know. They had six children, whose names I give in the order of their birth, and all their genealogy so far as I possess it, as follows:
Cornelius Flower, born Oct. 12, 1795.
Alisha Flower, born Sept. 30, 1797.
Jemima Flower, born Nov. 5, 1799. Died Mar 11, 1866.
Eliza Flower, born Feb. 13, 1802.
Lita Flower (my mother), born Feb. 19, 1804. Died Jan. 12, 1842.
William Flower, born Oct. 3, 1806.
These were all born, I have been informed, in the Parish of Kilmdersdon, Somersetshire, England, and the two deaths reported above occurred there.
I cannot give my lineage further back than I have here given it, for I do not possess the information.
Chapter 2.
Childhood.
There is nothing very remarkable to record in relation to my childhood. My Father was a blacksmith, and worked at his trade. My Mother was a Farmer's daughter. My Father's earnings, the produce of several Cows and a good garden, and the economy of my Mother, placed the family in comfortable circumstances. A Lady by the name of Hanham taught me my letters in a private, preparatory school. I next attended a school connected with the Church of England, at Coleford, where Mrs. Hanham's daughter, Ellen was the Teacher. I next attended two schools, connected with the Church of England, at Holcombe and Leigh-on-Mendip, but I do not remember how long I attended each. My next and last schooling was at a Boarding School. The principal's name was Baby. I was not a boarder, as I lived near. I had the advantage of three terms, of three months each, and soon after I was ten years old my school days ended. The principal reason for this was: My Mother's sickness and death. If I remember correctly, seven Doctors and Physicians were engaged to attend her at different times. Their bills were large, and they did but little good. I well remember our last cow, with a calf by her side, being sold for 15.0.0, to help defray the expenses of her sickness. I, therefore, had to go to work in order to increase, though in a small way, the income of the family.
But I do not wish it understood that previous to this time I had been allowed to grow up in idleness. For some time previous to this I had to assist in milking. In addition to this, in the proper season of the year, I had my tasks set me in the garden, and this duty I had to perform before going to school and after returning therefrom on school days, and I had special duties to perform on days when school was not held. I was not allowed run wild and spend my time in play and mischief. My Father was a Methodist Class leader, and local preacher too, I believe; and he was very strict with me. This strictness was at its zenith on one day of each week, and that day was Sunday. This principle he applied to himself as well as to me. He attended his meetings, many of which I had to attend; and I had to attend the Methodist Sunday School especially. While attending these meetings and this school, I received some religious impressions. I wanted to be a good man and a preacher of the gospel, and I would pray to the Lord about this matter when I was alone in the fields. This strictness of my Father; the religious and strictly moral influence of both of my parents; and the good instructions I received in Sunday School, were of much benefit to me in after life -- the influence and instructions of my loving Mother being my guiding star in many of the temptations and trials of my earthly pilgrimage.
Chapter 3.
Youth.
My beloved Mother died Jan. 12, 1842. This occurred about 5 P.M. of a Wednesday, and she was buried in the grave-yard connected with the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel at Coleford, Somersetshire, England on the following Sunday, her last two babes being placed on her coffin as she lay in the tomb. This was a very sorrowful time for me, for I loved my mother dearly.
Then commenced a struggle for existance. I had to sustain myself. About three months after the death of my mother, as near as I can remember, my Father married again. Our home was soon broken up. My eldest sister went to service. My two younger sisters were placed in a neighbor's family, and Father paid their board bill. I went to lodgings. At this time I was earning eighteen pence, or about thirty six cents per week, one third of which I paid for lodgings and washing, and the other two-thirds had to furnish me food and clothing. I worked tending thatches of houses and grain stacks. Subsequently I worked for Elijah Bull, tending masons, when the weather would permit, for which I was paid at the rate of half-a-crown, or about sixty cents, per week; and, in doing this, I frequently had a good deal of walking to do night and morning.
I next worked in a Coal Mine at a place called Huish. This involved a good deal of walking morning and night. At this time I lodged at a widow's. Her name was Ann Gane. She had two sons working in the Coal Mines, too. She used to call us boys about half-past two o'clock in the morning, in winter and summer, it mad no difference, for we had a long distance to walk and had to be at the mine, irrespective of weather, at four o'clock in the morning ready for work. It was dark when we came up out of the mines in the evening, in the winter season, hence, at that season, we saw day-light only once a week, and that was on Sunday.
After working in this mine about a year, I left and went to work on a farm for Wm. Flowers, a cousin of my mothers. This was quite a change from working in the bowels of the earth. But I had not worked for him very long before I sustained an injury which laid me up for many weeks. One of my duties was to drive a nice lot of cows and a bull a short distance over a public road to a pasture. As I was doing this one morning, the bull suddenly turned and dashed towards me, and that, too, without the least provocation on my part. I ran from him; and, as it happened, there was a field gate nearby, which I sprang on to and over as soon as possible, out of his way, but in my doing so I struck the cap bone of my knee against the gate. I paid but little attention to it at the time, but a few mornings after, when Mr. Flowers called me up, and I attempted to get out of bed, I found my knee so badly swollen that I could not bend or use it without causing severe pain.
I felt very sorry about this and during the day which was Sunday, I limped along as best I could, some four miles, to my former lodgings at widow Gane's. It took me the most of the day to do this, and I suffered terribly while doing so; for my knee was badly imflamed and gathering. My Father was sent for. My knee had to be poulticed and lanced, and probed and doctored for some time, how long I don't remember. Finally, it healed up but it left the knee joint set, and it was a long time before I had the proper use of it.
My Father had, to settle what expenses was incurred in this of course, for I had nothing to pay with. As soon as I could walk a little, with the assistance of a stick, I wet to live with him for a few weeks, for he was then living alone, a separation having taken place between him and his second wife. During those few weeks my knee increased in strength, the stiffness of the joint gradually decreased, and I began to think about hunting work again. My mind was set on going to North Wales, I was now in my fourteenth year. Between five and six o'clock on Monday morning, Dec 8,1844, my father gave me a half-a-crown and a peice of pudding to eat, and I took my little bundle of clothing, which constituted my little all of this world's goods, excepting the little money in my pocket and the clothing I wore, and walked about twenty miles to the city of Bristol, and there found the residence of my uncle Issac, my father's brother. He was not at home. The day before he had gone to visit some of his relatives in the neighborhood I had started from, and had not returned. I told my aunt that I purposed going to North Wales, but she did not like the idea. After resting a little and getting some refreshment, I wended my way into the city, hunted up the docks, found where a steamboat would start form at four o'clock in the morning and returned to my uncle's fully determined to go to Wales the next day. My aunt learned this and used all her influence to prevent it; and she finally succeeded in getting me to consent to wait a few days till uncle returned.
Shortly after he returned I obtained work at a shoe-tip and nail manufactory in Wilder street. I boarded at my uncle's till the following March, when, on account of dissatisfaction and lack of sleep at night, through uncles's drunkeness, and my giving all my earnings to aunt and not being able to get necessary clothing, I took my little effects one fine day and left without their knowledge or consent.
Without any previous application or arrangement, I found a good boarding place at the home of a Mr. Thomas Davis, whose son I worked with in Wilder Street. They lived at Clay Bottom, in Gloucestershire, about two miles from Bristol. I worked the tip and nail works about eighteen months. Trade was dull, and I left and worked in a blacksmith shop in the same street about four days, but then left, as the owner did not give me wages enough.
The next day was Whitsunday, 1847, then the Whitmonday holiday, and on Tuesday, the next day, I succeeded in getting work in "Room and Grazebrook's" Blacksmith shop in Marsh Street. There I worked a good part of a year, but exactly how long I do not remember. Trade became dull there, hands were put on short time, and I returned to the Wilder street Iron Works and worked there awhile. While work was so slack at "Room and Grazebrook's" I had tried to get a job at "Stothert Slaughter & Co.'s" locomotive and steam boat manufactory, or "Avonside Iron Works", where my uncle Isacc was working as a engineer, but I had failed. After my return to the Wilder Street Iron Works, it appears that the foreman, to whom I had repeatedly applied for work, remembered my applications, told my uncle there was a job for me, and I was duly notified.
At this time I also had a chance to go to work for Williams and Green, from the firm of "Room and Grazebrook's", who had startedn in business for themselves. I had worked with Williams before he left the firm, and he had previously promised me what was now offered me. Business was now brisk in Wilder Street, too, where I was now working, and where I could make the most money; but being in love with the engineering business, I preferred to take the job at the "Avonside Iron Works." I worked there till the thursday evening before Christmas, 1848, when, with about fifty others, I was discharged on account of dull times. Up to this time I had continued to board with the Davis family who had always treated me kindly. But now, having nothing to do, and it being holiday time, I concluded to leave them awhile, visit my relatives, and look out for some other employment.
Chapter 4.
About six monthes in North Wales.
My visit to my relatives, referred to in the last chapter extened to a number of weeks, probably two months, I do not remember exactly. And it was in the early part of this visit, either during the last few days of Dec. 1848, or during the first few days of Jan. 1849, that I first heard "Mormonism," as it is commonly called, from an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. It is true that I might have heard some slight references made to it before this date, but this is the first occasion that is fixed clearly in my mind. I was going from Coleford where my father resided, to Stoke Lane, to visit an uncle by the name of Taylor, when I met with Elder Edward Hanham, with whom I was acquainted in my early boyhood. He was peddling tea and preaching the gospel, and he talked to me about the Church and its doctrines.
After the visit and other holiday visits were through, my father found me some employment for a few weeks, but I began to think about going elsewhere to find work, as my father would not furnish me steady employment, neither could I get suitable work in the neighborhood where he lived, and I again set my mind on visiting the Iron Works of North Wales.
My Father gave me a half-a-crown, and I went to Bristol. The next morning I took steamer at four o'clock to cross the Bristol channel to Newport. This was a rough passage. My determination was to make Victoria, about twenty miles from Newport, where my mother's brother William lived, the same day. But I had spent a little of the half-a-crown before paying my steamboat fare, which was eighteen pence in my pocket. I needed a little bread to eat, if I could get nothing else, and there was no alternative but to walk the twenty miles to Victoria. This I was prepared to do without any difficulty; but I had a clothes box, say about thiry two inches long, sixteen inches wide, and sixteen inches deep, which contained all my worldly goods, excepting a few pences and the clothing I had on; and, although this was not very heavy, it was very awkward to carry, and would prove heavy enough if I had to carry it on my shoulder twenty miles, and all up hill. But I could see no alternative; therefore, I shouldered my box, and away I trudged through the sea-port town of Newport, and on to a place call Risca, about six miles, I think, from Newport.
At this place I heard a Locomotive and a train of empty Coal Trucks coming behind me, and I instantly made up my mind to give my box a ride. Just ahead of me was a cutting through which the train had to pass. I mounted the bank on one side of it, put the box on my head, and prepared to pitch it into one of the empty coal trucks as they passed. Up came the train. The engineer and fireman were watching me closely. From the expression of their eyes I believed my box would be all right. I took aim, and away went the box into an empty truck. I descended to the railroad track, and walked on briskly after the train, being relieved of my burden, but being fully satisfied that I should find it again. I walked what I understood to be about nine miles from Risca, and arrived at a small place called Abercarne, if my memory serves me correctly. Here the railroad forked, the fork to the right leading to Blaina, and that to the left to Victoria, my destination. At this fork stood a public house, or, to be better understood here, a tavern, and I felt satisfied that I should find my box there. I enquired for it in all confidence, and directly I did so, a smile spread over the countenances of the person I enquired of which answered my question without words. They related the story of the engineer, who was much pleased with the adventure, and who said he would have gladly taken it further for me if he had known which way I was going; and he described me and was very anxious for them to deliver me my box all right. I desired them to tender to the engineer my sincere thanks for his kindness. I thanked them for theirs. I examined my box, and found it but slightly damaged through pitching it into the coal truck. I then shouldered it, and carried it the other five miles to Victoria, where, on inquiry, I soon found my uncle's residence.
He worked at the Ebbw Vale Iron Works, about a mile from Victoria. He was required to work one week by night and another by day, and, as this was the week he worked by night, he had left for his labors before I arrived; but, after resting, and refreshing the inner man a little, I went to the works and found him. when I presented myself before him, in the midst of the rolling mills and furnaces, he did not know me. However, I soon made myself known, greetings were exchanged, but there was but little time for talk, hence I soon left and returned to aunt and the family. The next day was sunday, but it was mostly spent in looking around the locality, and ascending a mountain close by, and getting a beautiful view from its lofty summit. The next day I obtained work in a Blacksmith shop, to fill a temporary vacancy for a day or two, and then I obtained work at Ebbw Vale Iron Works, where my uncle worked. I was engaged at a rolling mill which rolled railroad rails, and I had to work by night one week and by day the next. The firm had six rolling mills running night and day. They had their own blasting and other furnaces to supply these mills, and they also mined their own coal and Iron ore. While there I was informed that they employed about three thousand persons in all their works. They had what was called a company shop, or store, in which they kept a general assortment of merchandise with which to supply their workmen. They paid their employees monthly. During the month however, each man could obtain a limited supply of goods from the store, but this credit was watched closely to prevent loss through dishonest transients. The time of the monthly pay was a time of much drunkeness, and more or less quarreling and fighting. There were a few religionists in that neighborhood, who attended to the service of their various churches, but by far the greatest number were irreligious, and having no regard for the sabbath day only as a day of relaxation from toil, and affording an opportunity for the gratification of some of the baser passions of our race, and some of them were base indeed! I was unaccustomed to a week without a sunday, and to spend six months without a Sunday, was more than I could endure for more than six months, to say the least; therefore, I settled up and returned to the city of Bristol, England.
Chapter 5.
Accident.
After my return to Bristol from Wales, I again boarded with the Davis family, who then lived in Armory Square, Easton Road, a suburb of the city, and I soon secured work at "Stothert Slaughter & Co.'s" Locomotive and Steamboat Manufactory, from which I had been discharged just before Christmas of 1848. Sometime after being reingaged at this place, I was placed in charge of all the machinery which was run by the steam engine which my uncle was driving; and still later, I went to board and lodge at my uncles's as he lived so near the works that I could go home to breakfast and dinner, but Mr. Davis lived more than a mile away.
Nothing very unusual occurred to me till about eleven o'clock of Tuesday, Jan. 27,1852, when I met with an accident which crippled me for life. I had charge of machinery, as before stated, and a man who worked a pair of powerful shears was absent for a few minutes. During this temporary absense, a copper-smith came over from the brass foundery to get some scrap copper or brass cut up, and I started to cut it up for him at these paricular shears, so as not to keep him waiting. The jaws of those powerful shears (which were run by eccentric shaft and fly-wheel, propelled by steam) stood about two feet above the ground; and while I was in the act of picking up a peice of copper or brass from the ground, I lost my balance, fell forward, stretched forth my left hand to save myself from falling. The upper jaw of the shears was up, I caught hold of the lower jaw, and immediately the upper jaw came down and caught my hand, crushing it across the back, and just back of the knuckles of the finger. The end of my thumb was cut off between the joint and the nail, and the part fell to the ground. My hand was completely severed, across the back of it, excepting a small peice of skin near the little finger joint, by which the severed part was hanging. I was immediately taken to the office. I lost much blood. A cab was sent for and I was hurried off to the Bristol Infirmary. Here I was detained about four hours before the surgeons operated. During this time I was persuaded by quite a number of surgeons and students to have my hand amputated at the wrist. They reasoned that a part of my thumb, with a finger or part of a finger to use with it, would be no use to me; but, if cut off at the wrist, something artificial could be attached which would be of great advantage to me. But I would not yield a particle to any of thier persuasions or reasonings. Mr. Morgan, who afterward performed the operation, done the final persuading and reasoning; but I was unyeilding. I was alone. I had no friend near to sympathize with me, or to advise me, but I positively refused to have it amputated at the wrist. I told Mr. Morgan that I wanted every particle of my hand saved that could possibly be saved, and I would risk the use it would be to me. He consented to make as good a job of it as he could for me. I was put under the influence of chloroform. The thumb was taken off at the first joint, and the hand was cut off back to where the bones were not crushed, which was across the palm about straight with the fork of the thumb and forefinger.
And here I will remark, that soon after my accident there was a quarrel, and nearly a fight, between Farnham Lane, a nephew of my uncle's, on aunt's side, and who boarded at my uncle's as I did, and some of the men in the shop. This is explained thus, as near as I can now remember the facts as they were given me a few days after the accident: near the shears which crushed my hand, stood another kind of shears and punching machine combined, at which was suspended from a crane, a side frame-plate of a Locomotive, which a number of men were punching and shearing. This plate was being swung aroung while I was stooping in the act of picking up the brass of copper from the ground, and Farnham Lane charged that the man at the end of the said plate, while turning side-ways and backwards, pushed against me from behind and caused me to fall forward into the machine. Hence the angry words, and the prospect of a fight. On the first sunday after the accident, I was visited in the Infirmary by men from the shop, who questioned me very particularly upon this point, but to all their questions I could give only one truthful answer, and that was: I don't remember being pushed by any one. I slipped, lost my balance, fell forward, stretched forth my hand to save myself from falling, and it was caught and crushed by the shears. I consider it an accident, and blame no one.
But to resume. After the amputation, and the influence of the Chloroform had passed away, my hand done well. I suffered a great deal with it. For many days and nights I could not sleep. Medecine to produce sleep was given to me. My diet was low. I lay for seventeen days and nights, as near as I recollect, without setting up or turning on either side. I then begged the priviledge of getting up and was allowed to do so a little each day; but I took the advantage of this, although I was too weak to stand when I first got up, and was up from early morning till reasonably late at night, helping other wounded in the ward, and gaining strength every day. As fevers and erysipelas were afflicting the other patients, and I was in good health and my hand was doing well, I was released, after being an inmate for about a month and three days, to become an out-patient. I was required to attend daily at first, to have my hand dressed, then once in two days, then twice a week, and then I was given some dressing and desired to attend to it mysleft, but to call if the healing did not progress favorably. I go along first-rate and did not need to call any more. The institution furnished me good treatment. The nurses were kind to me. And Mr. Morgan, who performed the operation, was good to me, and was particularly interested in my case; and he asked me to call on him after my hand was well and let him see it, but I am sorry to acknowledge that through shyness and carelessness I did not do so.
I still lived at my uncle Isaac's. I was not in haste to get back to work, and wished my hand to become sound before I did so; and I was not pressed to do so by financial considerations; for I had a little money saved at the time of the accident, and, in addition to this, my shopmates, as was their custom, donated a nice little sum for my benefit. But after four months, lacking one day, had passed away since the accident occurred, I started to work again for the same firm. This brings me to the latter part of May 1852.
Chapter 6.
Embracing the Gospel, and some early experiences in the Church.
After resuming work, as mentioned in the last chapter, I gradually found that my accident was not going to be such a serious detriment to me as I at first expected it would be. I could do the work assigned me as satisfactorily to my employers as a man with two hands. Time passed, but how long I forget, and I changed my boarding place to the house of Richard Adams, Alfred Street. The reason for the change was this: My uncle was accustomed to get drunk as formerly; and, one evening as I returned home from a temperence lecture, I found him at home drunk, received considerable abuse from him and just barley escaped a personal encounter. This was on a thursday evening, I think, and on the following Saturday I left for my new boarding place.
Although I could write many interesting items of history, yet I pass them over. Nothing of very great importance occurred to me till Tuesday evening June 3, 1856. For several years I had been associated more or less with some few Latter Day Saints. I attended many of their meetings, believed their doctrine, was sometimes called a "mormon" and shared the opposition feeling which was manifested against them. But on Tuesday evening, mentioned above, I attended their meeting in Milk Street Chapel. During the services the spirit of the Lord rested down upon one. Thomas Phillips, the president of the South Conference was present. He arose in the stand and delivered a prophecy, which filled me with the spirit of God, and nearly raised me from my seat. This spirit continued upon me. The meeting closed. I went out and stood on the sidewalk. Brother Phillips came out and as he passed, shook hands with me. He asked me if I was ready to be baptized. I told him yes. He wanted to know when. I told him I wanted to be baptized that night. He then told me that the prophecy he delivered in the meeting was directly for me, and that I was called into the Church by revelation. He obtained an article of clothing for me to be baptized in and we proceeded to Baptist Mills, a suburb of the city of Bristol, where he baptized me for the remission of my sins, and I went home praying and rejoicing in the Lord. On the following thursday evening I was confirmed. The spirit of God rested down upon me mightily. The adversary attempted to afflict my body. I would feel sick and weak, and concluded that when I went to meeting I would ask the brethren to administer to me. I would go to meeting, mingle with by brethren and sisters, the feeling of sickness would pass away, and I would say nothing about the administration. This continued for a number of weeks. I was administered to once only, and this trial passed away.
About two months after my baptism I was ordained a deacon and, as far as I recollect, I faithfully performed all the duties required of me in that office.
Another two months or thereabouts, passed by and I was ordained a Priest. This occurred in Milk Street Chapel on a Sunday afternoon. At the close of this meeting I was called upon by Simon Irwin, the President of the Bristol Branch, to go to Baptist Mills and baptize a young sister; and John Francis, an elder, was called to go and confirm her by the water's side. I had to ask Bro. Francis to tell me the proper words to use in the ceremony, for although I had read them, and had tried to inform myself in many things, yet under the circumstances, I could not call them to mind. The baptism and confirmations were attended to all right. And here I will remark that this sister, who had been baptized when a young girl, and was now a young women living in service, informed the brethren that she did not possess the positive testimony of the truth of the work of God which she had heard others testify that they possessed, but she earnestly desired it. Rebaptism and recomfirmation was suggested, hence we were called upon to perform the ordinances for her benefit and I understood afterwords that she obtained the testimony she sought for.
I was required to act in the capacity of a teacher and also as a clerk of the Branch, and with these and other duties, which I cheerfully and prayerfully performed, I was kept activiely engaged in the work of the Lord.
Chapter 7.
Missionary Labors in my Native Land.
At a conference held in Milk Street Chapel, Bristol, Jan. 4, 1857, I was appointed to succeed Elder S. W. Lucas as Traveling Elder in the Launton District of the South Conference. Jan. 11, 1857, I was ordained an Elder, Robt. L. Neslen, of S. L. City, then Pastor of the South Pastorate being mouth. Of course, the appointment I received on the 4th necessitated the giving of my employers, "Stothert Slaughter & Co.," for whom I had worked some eight or nine years, a week's notice to leave. This was gladly done, and I received a very liberal amount of pity. I had been a party to many a little "mormon" debates with Sunday religionists who were my fellow-workmen, and although they pitied yet they respected me. After receiving my ordination on the 11th, I was ready to start to my field of labor, which I did on the 13th. I traveled, testified, baptized and performed my duties till the tenth of March 1857, when I was called upon to leave the Saints and travel in Wellington and the surrounding country.
The Taunton District was in the County of Somerset, and so was my new field of labor. I labored in this mission, suffering more or less privations, till about April 20, 1857.
About this last named date, I was called upon to travel in and preside over the Sherbourne District of the South Conference, where I labored till nearly the close of the year, and where I hope I done some good.
Dec. 14, 1857, I received a letter from Pastor Robt. L. Neslen informing me that I was appointed to succeed Elder Edward Hanham in the Presidency of the Wiltshire Conference. I was to report myself in the City of Bristol on the 21st or 22nd, and I arrived there about 2 P.M. of the 22nd. Dec. 26, 1857, I walked from Bristol to Bath, the head-quarters of the Wiltshire Conference, and entered upon my duties as President of the Wiltshire Conference. I continued in this position till Dec. 1858, when I received an appointment to preside over the Norwich conference.
Near the close of the year 1858, I went to Birmingham to attend the European Conference of the Church, which was presided over by Asa Calkin, he being President of the European Mission at the time. This Conference commenced Jan. 1, 1859. At this Conference I was publicly appointed President of the Norwich Conference, and left for my new field of labor Jan 5, arriving at Norwich at 1:30 P.M. Jan. 6, and entered upon the duties of that important position.
Mar 17, 1860, I received an appointment from the Presidency of the European Mission to take the pastoral charge of the Norwich Pastorate, thus succeeding Elder Wm. Bayliss, who was appointed to take charge of the Manchester Pastorate. The Norwich Pastorate was composed of the Norwich and Bedfordshire Conferences. My field of labor was enlarged and my responsibility was increased. But I tried to be humble and prayerful, so that I may be sustained in my labors by my Father in Heaven.
Near the latter part of the year 1860, I was on a visit to the City of London for a few days, and was sitting in a room at 42 Islington, in company with John Book, President of the London Conference and James Brown, Elias H. Blackburn and F. M. Lyman from Utah, when the spirit of the Lord rested down upon one powerfully, and showed me how my emigration could be brought about the following spring. We attended a meeting in the evening. This emigration spirit remained with me, burning in my very bones. At the close of the meeting, and while on our way to our sleeping place, I told Bro. Blackburn about this spirit of emigration that had rested upon me and was still inspiring my whole being. He advised me to write to the Presidency at Liverpool immediately for my release. C. C. Rich, Amasa M. Lyman, and George Q. Cannon were the Presidency at this time. I wrote. My release came promptly. I had the privilege of emigrating in the spring, and, in the mean time, I was to introduce my successor Bro. Blackburn, turn matters over to him, and then I was free to visit the Saints for the last time, and do all the good I could till emigration time arrived. And they pronounced the blessings of God upon me, throughout my generations, for ever and ever. I traveled and labored according to their counsel till the last day of March, 1861.
In this brief account of my missionary labors for the last four-and-quarter years, I have said but little about my real labors in detail. I did not purpose doing so. All I designed to write was a brief outline for the information of my children when my body is mouldering in the tomb. It is a very important part of my life. It has been all the world to me. No man can estimate its value. And as to my labors in those precious years -- they are before the heavens -- they are recorded on high; and I can meet their results with joy in the great day of accounts when I shall be weighed in the balance of the Eternal Father.
Chapter 8.
Marriage and Emigration.
I had been advised by one of my file-leaders in the ministry in reqard to marriage. This occurred nearly three years before the period to which this chapter brings me. But a few moments consideration of the curcumstances surrounding a traveling Elder soon led him to a agree with me that it had better be deferred till emigration time. This principle guided my course in this matter.
Some time after receiving my release to emigrate, I made arrangements for marriage, and I was married to Mary F. Ould, on Tuesday, April 3, 1861, by a clergyman of the Church of England, at the Church of St. Phillips and Jacobs, in the city of Bristol, thus honoring the law of the land; and the evening of the same day I honored the Priesthood of God by having Elder George Halliday marry us at the residence of my wife.
Having made arrangements to emigrate, we went to Liverpool April 11, 1861. We went on board the ship Manchester (Captain Trask) on Saturday April 13,1861, and on the next day, Sunday the 14th, the Presidence C. C. Rich, Amasa M. Lyman, and George Q. Cannon came on board and organized the company. Claudius V. Spencer was appointed President, and Edward Hanham and myself his counselers. We set sail on the 16th. Our family consisted of myself, my wife, my wife's mother, and my wife's two brothers, James and Franklin. We had a pretty good passage, arriving in New York in about twenty eight days, where we found the war spirit rife, and Castle Garden occupied by United States soldiers. We passed officers, got passengers and luggage on board the cars as soon as possible, and started on our trip to Florence, Nebraska, the latter part of out trip being by steamboat up the Missouri River. Our company was the first of the season, and we remained at Florence some seven or eight weeks. A Church Store was started for the emigration season, and I was engaged in it for a time. Joseph W. Young came from Utah with a team for the transportation of the Saints and their luggage form this point to Utah, and I was appointed to act as his clerk in emigration business. All the companies were started, and six days after the last company started, in which were the members of my family, J.W. Young, Orson Pratt, Erastus Snow, B. Stringham, and a few more of us started out to overtake the trains. We overtook the last company at Loupe Fork Crossing, and after remaining with them one day and two nights, we went on to Wood River. There I stayed, at Bro. Johnson's, from Monday till the following Friday afternoon, working at emigration accounts, and particularly preparing lists of names of emigrant to sent to the Deseret News for publication. Our company arrived at Wood River. I joined it, and found the family doing pretty well -- better than when they were at Loupe Fork, for my wife was pretty sick about that time. I continued with the company the remainder of the trip. I was appointed Chaplain and Marshall. From this on I walked the praire, waded the streams, attended to the duties of my offices, and got along as well as I could, arriving in S. L. City on Monday afternoon, Sept. 23 1861, feeling thankful to our Heavenly Father for His preserving care over us.
Chapter 9.
Over twenty-four years in Utah.
On our arrival on the eighth ward square in S. L. City, I agreed to remain there awhile and guard some wagons and freight belonging to President Brigham Young, and, in consequence of this, we could not accept, for a few days, the kind offer made us by Sister Hannah L. King, of a room in her house to occupy till we had concluded where to go and what to do. This offer was made by the request of her son Thomas O. King who was on a mission in England, and who had been treated kindly by my mother-in-law previous to our emigration. However, we accepted the offer in a few days. I was engaged more or less for two or three weeks with Joseph W. Young in the emigration clerking business. In the mean time I was appointed by President Young, principally as I understood, through the influence and recommendation of Joseph W., to act as Clerk for Bishop Chancey West, at Ogden; but, just as I was ready to start to Ogden, word came to the office that the clerk who had intended to leave had concluded to stay, and President Young said that I would have to go to Grantsville instead. I went to Grantsville with Bro. A. M. Musser, Oct 17, 1861. Commenced my labors as Clerk of the Tithing Office next day, and on this day my wife and her mother arrived from S. L. City. We were rebabtized Oct 19 1861, and reconfirmed on the 20th, which was Sunday.
James got work at Bro. Harlow Redfield's in the 19th ward, S. L. City. This accurred before we had been on the Camp Ground an hour, Sept. 23rd. Franklin worked a few days in S. L. City for a man by the name of Brown, and then he went to work for Bro. Henry Bawden, at Cottonwood.
And here I will remark that James seved Bro. Redfield faithfully, and was much respected by him and the family, and, after a few days illness, he died of what was supposed to be putrid sore throat, Sept. 24, 1862. Franklin left Bro. Bawden's and took James'place at Bro. Redfield's. Some years after he worked for me awhile. Then he went to Ogden and worked in a cabinet shop for a time. He then worked on the railroad as a secion hand, then as Fireman, and then as a engineer, which business he is now engaged in. He got married, has four or five children, and now lives at Ogden, I believe. I do not write in positive terms concerning the number of children he now has, or his present residence, for he does not give us much information by letter of late years.
I continued to act as Tithing Clerk in the Grantsville tithing office till the first day of March 1878, when I was succeeded by Thos. Williams. During this time I had built me a house, made a comfortabe home for a working man, raised some cattle, and bought a few acres of land, and it may be said that I was in a condition to live and support my family.
I continued to attend to my own affairs till March 1880, when I was elected Sec & Treas. of the "Grantsville Cooperative Mercantile and Manufacturing Institution." I had filled these offices for some time after we started the store in March, 1869; but later I had sold my shares to make myself ineligible for office, as I did not want to serve. Some time before the election in March, 1880, as stated above, I again became a shareholder through receiving a share from Bro. W. C. Rydalch in a trade for a machine I let him have.
April 3, 1880, I was appointed the superintendent in the building of a new store. This duty I attended to, the foundation stone being laid and dedicated May 19, 1880, and the building being completed, goods placed in it, opened for business, and dedicated Dec. 23, 1881.
At the beginning of August, 1882, I was solicited to take charge of the store and run it under the direction of the Board of Directors. I was not willing to do this at first, but afterwards consented. My daughter Mary F. and son Richard acted as Clerks. These continued to act in this capacity till April, 1885, when Richard was released at his own request, and his place was filled by Albert Erikson, Swen Erikson's son; and myself, my daughter, and Alvert Erikson are aperating the store at present.
I have had many duties to perform in the Church, and some as a civil officer, a part of which are noted near the end of this record. The number of children born to us will also be found in this record, under the proper heading. And the number we have placed in the silent tomb will also be found recorded. We have not been without trials and hardships -- we have had our sorrows as well as our joys. But we have got along thus far, and have no reason to compain, but many reasons to be eternally grateful to the Great Giver of every temporal and spiritual blessing.
Chapter 10.
General Remarks.
In reading the foregoing, it will be noticed that I have not made special mention of my faults of evil deeds. This is true. And I believe that it is not customary or fashionable to do so. Further, it is generally advised when speaking of others -- "To speak of all the good we can;" and why not apply this principle to oneself when writing an autobiography? Now, as far as I am concerned, I have not observed this principle strictly. I have not failed entirely to refer to faults, neither can I say that I have spoken of all the good I could speak of, for their are many good things I have failed to refer to which I could have placed on record here; and, certainly, my special object has been to make it appear that I had no faults; for I certainly have had tehm, and am still weak, frail, and faulty. But I have been fortunate enough to get along without showing myslef to be a very great criminal.
I have also failed to introduce many historical details, which would be interesting, I think; but in writing of myself I did not want to say too much; and another reason was this: My purpose was simply to write a brief autobiography for the information of my surviving children.
I have dwelt somewhat lengthily on several incidents in my early life, because I perceive in them the visible hand of my Father in heaven, in leading, guiding and directing my course, so as to bring me into his fold, and give me a chance to secure unto myself eternal lives, in his celestial Kingdom. Others may not percieve nor acknowledge His hand in such matters, but I do, and I feel thankful to Him for the benefits of His guiding Hand all my life through, thus far; and I hope to be able to serve Him faithfully all the remainder of my days, so that when I shall have to give an account of the deeds done in the body, I may be considered worthy to be an heir of God and a joint-heir with Jesus Christ, and dwell in the mansions of celestial light and glory for evermore.
Note -- The preface to this little work was written on the date placed under it; and the autobiography was written between that date and March 17,1886, on which date I finish it and write this note; therefore, should any disagreement appear between my statement I have made and genealogical dates and facts, it will be because those dates and facts have been recorded after the date of this note.
Second Note -- It is possible that in the foregoing chapters, I may not have been exactly correct in every detail, as to dates and events, for I had to write almost entirely from memory, and many years have passed away since the events of youth and early mangood occurred; but, though I omitted many interesting things, I have not recorded any error, knowingly, and believe I have written the exact truth -- as near as I can, or could, remember it.