September 1898

The Mormons arrived in Salt Lake City under the leadership of Brigham Young on the 24^th. July 1847. On the 28^th the temple spot was seclected and on the 6^th. of April 1853 the corner stone to this now completed temple was laid.

On the 29^th. of August 1877 Pres. Brigham Young died, surrounded by the members of his family and friends he peacefully passed away.

Wilford Woodruff now become President after John Taylor the successor of B. Young, on the 7^th. of April 1889. The temple was completed and dedicated on April 6^th. 1893. Pres. Wilford Woodruff passed away his spirit took its flight on the 2^nd of September 1898— He was laid to rest on the following Thursday. He left a large family and a host of friends, (gentiles as well as saints.) to mourn his loss. He died at the great age of ninety-two Pres. Snow took this great work upon his shoulders and is now Church President. [verso of cover page]¹

On the 12^th. day of August, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and ninety eight, I recieved a letter from Box B., which stated that my name had been suggested to take a mission,² to become an embassador of Christ, to leave my home on the seventeenth for Great Britain; (17^th. of Sept.) on the fifthenth of August I answered the call in the affirmative.³ On the third of September I went to Salt Lake City expecting to go through the temple on the Tuesday, but on account of my forgetfulness, I was compelled to wait until Friday, my mind, however slow, has not forgot that it is a very bad thing to be in the habit of forgetting. On account of forgetting my temple pass, I enjoyed the week visiting relatives and friends and also attending the funeral of our worthy Pres. Wilford Woodruff. While it is not enjoyment to attend funerals, yet to attend the funeral of one so prominent in the works, one whose life has been one continual round of kindness toward his fellowmen, love and charity forwarded to all in need of the same, in temperence he was a model man, in patience did he perform the work which was required of him by our Heavenly Father, he endured faithfully to the end, his life being an example of [p. 1] virtue, honesty, truthfulness, benevolence, and numerous other qualities necessary to constitute a man of God, which Pres. Woodruff surely was. He died in San franscisco at the home of Mr. Isaac Trumbo, on Friday the second; was brought to his own home and family within a few days and the funeral services were held in the tabernacle on Thursday, Sept. 8^th.1898.

On the 9^th. of September, I went through the temple and recieved my endowments, and enjoyed it very much, my blessing was also given on the same day, by Apostle John W. Taylor. (A blessing is given to all departing elders, this blessing is the setting apart.)⁴

On the 10^th. [11th] I attended my last sunday-school, for a short time, and bid the teachers and scholars good-bye.

The following week was spent in visiting relatives and friends and also finishing up the sewing I had begun.

On the 17^th. of September, at one minute to six Bro. John R. Hindley <and myself> stepped aboard the R.G.W. train, (in company with my sister Ida [Chipman], cousin Syd, and friend Dr. A. [Atlantic] Christensen, who went as far as Provo with us) after bidding our relatives and friends good-bye. I was really glad to know that the train was on the move, because I cried like a calf, but could not help [p. 2] it; when a brother, or sister, or friend would bid me good-bye and leave a piece of money in my hand, which was given to help me perform my mission, it seemed too much, I think I could have left without crying had it not have been for this; it was too much kindness. And a sister Nelson presented us each with a lovely bouguet of flowers, which were very lovely, a constant reminder of home and friends, they lasted until we reached Omaha, I kept them as long as there was anything left of them. Cousin Syd said I would wake up some morning and find them all withered and dried still clinging to them, and so it was.

We bid good-bye to sister, cousins and friends for the last time at Provo, at eight o’clock we had pulled out for sure and seen no more of beautiful Utah. We enjoyed our trip immensely well. Our first change was made at Grand Junction, we took the Chicago Midland at about five o’clock on Sunday morning. We met brothers Steward and Johnson Thomas, here at this change, we could tell that they were mormons’ by the shape of their ‘mugs’, the cut of their coats, etc. Steward had been a missionary to England and Thomas to the Southern States, they were now off for Chicago, or rather Anarbar [Ann Arbor] [p. 3] where they were going to study law. Our next change was at Colo. Springs, where we had two hours to wait so we just took the town in. The next train we took was Chicago Rock Island We enjoyed traveling through that country because it is so unlike our own. We reached Omaha at four o’clock p.m. and Council Bluffs at five o’clock, Monday, where after some little difficulty we found our cousins, Emma, Frank [Currie] and Will, who escorted us to the Exposition grounds; on our return we found to our happy surprize another cousin, Lydia <Lydda> Walton, we all stayed at Newmeyers Hotel and the next morning, John R. and Will went back to attend the fair, Emma stayed at work, and Lydda Frank and myself went to Underwood, where I met cousins Annie Fisher, and Aggie Schemaedeke. Annie & Frank took me out to see Uncle John, in the afternoon, who lives about three miles from Underwood. I found he and his wife to be very agreeable indeed and glad to see me. In the afternoon I returned to Omaha, met Will and bid him good-bye and at half past four we were on our way again.

I must not forget about loosing my jacket between a little station called Menden [Minden] and Omaha. It was supposed [p. 4] to have blown out of the window, one half hour after which it was found and a telegram was recieved after a fifteen mile travel, “a jacket found 15 mile from station! Menden Agent.” But I never believed that it was lost but taken. I payed fifty cents, for my jacket, however at Omaha.

We reached Chicago at eight o’clock a.m., where we took lunch after which we went and procured our tickets on to New. York. We visited Lincoln Park, found it to be very interresting, containing all sorts of flowers growing in various figures, surrounding monuments which were numerous, and beautifying the grounds. Especially was the hot house or horticultural building interresting because of its beautiful trees, ferns, and flowers. The Zoological collection was very good, being made up of most every specia of animal, of the zones there is an animal to represent every kingdom. The ponds were very fine with their pond-lillies, which represent the specia of the floral world, as regards pond-lillies.

We experienced a ride on the Ferris Wheel, and viewed with interest the immense city of Chicago. We started from there to our train and having twenty-minutes, we thought that [p. 5] ample time. We aboarded the first street-car and asked the conductor to put us off nearest the depot, he said he would; well it seemed a very lengthy ride but we thought it O.K. until we observed that we were passing the same streets all over again; we changed cars and rode back to Adams Street and were necessitated to gallop about four blocks and just aboarded the train in time, a two minutes more and we would have been, very much unlike a good pudding, left. We went out on the Silver Plate, which was a rocky train. The farther east we come the more uncomfortable was the train service.

We landed in Buffalo about eight in the morning and went from there to Niagara Falls, they are very fine I have never seen a picture which done them justice, the width of the river, the depth of the water and its swiftness combined in making the most beautiful shades of green, this coloring together with white foamy spray which was formed by the swiftness of the water which come dashing with great force and racket over the rocks and fell for a great number of feet, down, down, down, [p. 6] with such a tremendous roar as would make one thrill and grow pale. On paying a toll of fifteen cents we crossed the expansion bridge and over to the Canada side, where we viewed once more the grandeur of natures product. John R. went underneath the fall. The wind coming from a southerly direction brought the mist over onto the Canada side and it was just like being out in a heavy rain storm, the ground being very muddy and every thing wet. At half past two we arrived at the Buffalo station and ate the last of our lunch which we brought from home. On account of the rain we could not get out to see the city, but judging from what we did see it must be very clean, and pretty. We left Buffalo on the Delaware and Lackwanna R.R., at about five Thursday evening and arrived at New York City at about eight o’clock Friday morning; we landed on the Jersey side and was ferried over to the city. When we arrived there my baggage had not yet come, so we took ourselves to the Cosmopolitan Hotel. We got located and went out for breakfast, after which we [p. 7] visited the renowned Brooklyn bridge, took a walk over and back, munching an apple on the way, each of us, they tasted very good because we had not had any for a day or six. On returning we dropped into a resturant where the dinner tasted very good, I was not able to walk any more that day, my feet and legs were swollen so badly, but enjoyed a nap and a bath in the evening.

On the morning of Saturday September 24^th. we visited the navy yard in company with some elders who we met at the hotel and who were going to sail with us, namely: Oleson, Raspensen, [Moroni S.] Leaver, Lockalt and Jensen. Bros. Lockalt, and Jensen from Salt Lake City, Bro. Leaver from Eureka, Bro. Oleson from [blank] and Bro. Raspensen from Murray.

We saw the Indiana, the Iowa, and several of the great battleships which had taken part in the late Spanish- <and> American War, and also many other vessels.

At eleven o’clock my baggage come and we went on board our vessel, the Belgianland [Belgenland], which sailed at twelve o’clock sharp. [p. 8]

24^th. Aboarded the Belgenland at half-past eleven and set sail at twelve o’clock sharp, the water in the harbor was very calm and the day clear. Veiwed the ‘statue of liberty,’ a lighthouse in the New York harbor, a goddess of liberty with hand uplifted in which she holds the light which enables the night travelers to find their way in safety. Staten Island was a very pretty sight with her white buildings dotted among the green lawns on her banks. After viewing sandy-hook in the distance we realized we would soon be at sea, out into the wild ocean amid storm or calm which ever the Father deemed to give. At one o’clock dinner gong was sounded and we all assembled for dinner, after which we went on deck and enjoyed seeing the paupus [porpoises] frisk about among the briny waves. Retired at nine.

25^th. Breakfast at eight, sea-sick at nine, better and at Sunday services at ten. Episcopal services the Captain playing part of Minister. Lunch at one o’clock; sea-sick the rest of day, retired at seven; an uninterresting day.

26^th. Could not get out to breakfast so had toast and chops [p. 9] at my state-room, which I gave to the fish an hour later, when on deck. Steward brought my lunch, and dinner up to the ladies saloon. Retired about ten.

27^th. On account of the night being very stormy not very many rested very well. I felt some better but rather squirmish [squeamish], but, I attended all my meals, however. We attended to our prayers night and morning, and discussed the Articles of Faith twice per day, after lunch and after dinner, as Bro. Lockalts state-room was good size we met three times per day. Considerable rain and possibility of a rough night.

28^th. Another rough night, still squirmish but not sick. Beautiful morning, sunshine and rain at intervals, a beautiful rain-bow, was seen and admired by all. The sea is very calm at evening time, and a clear sunset, we watched the sun go to rest in its watery bed. We played the game called ‘shove blocks’ during the day.

29^th. I felt very squirmish, but rushed up on deck into the fresh air. This was a most beautiful day, a little sunshine and a little rain; we sang and told jokes in the ladies salon, made friends with Mrs. Bennett and Mrs. Warwick.

30^th. Rain and sunshine. Met these ladies husbands who extended an invetation to call. Played games. Sang songs in the evening. [p. 10]