July 1893


1 July 1893 • Saturday

Tooele Weather warm. Made hay & made monthly report. Did not haul hay, waiting for it to dry Priesthood day at Grantsville but I remained at home and took my sister Nerva to the depot on her way home [p. 140]

2 July 1893 • Sunday

Tooele Weather very warm.

I attended school & meeting. Richard Symore just returned from Ann Arbor & his Father were in the stand. The former spoke in meeting & school. A testamonial meeting though some were requested to speak.

3 July 1893 • Monday

Tooele Weather pleasant & warm. We continued the hauling in the afternoon. I did some writing in forenoon & made hay. In the evening I attended a School Trustee’s meeting and called on F. M. Lyman to show him sample brick. James Simpson called on me with brick.

4 July 1893 • Tuesday

Tooele Weather warm. I attended the morning services and offered four toasts. Telephoned our School Archetect about letting cont. on building and agreed with him to meet at Garfield in the afternoon. Accordingly Peter Clegg & J. W. Tate Trustees accompanied me to the beech, where we met the Architect Anderson & had a talk with him. Saw the Balloon ascension which was a success. Returned before dark and retired early. [p. 141]

5 July 1893 • Wednesday

Tooele Weather favorable. We continued haying full forces and at night I retired to bed early.

6 July 1893 • Thursday

Tooele Weather favorable We continued the haying with much success. I wrote up my Journal from June 27th until date from memory, took Alice & babies for a ride in the evening. Estella came home, arrived about 7 P.M. Ezra Robinson brought her in a one horse buggy. We bought some cherries at Bro. Craner’s @ 10¢ per qt., 5 qts. All well.

7 July 1893 • Friday

Tooele Weather pleasant.

I worked at the hay making &c laid off the haulers in the afternoon while the hay dried. &c.

8 July 1893 • Saturday

Tooele Weather pleasant. Continued the haying. Stopped off the hauling in afternoon waiting for hay to dry. Attended a School Trustees meeting in the evening at School house Called on Apostle Lyman before meeting. My throat is a little sore.

9 July 1893 • Sunday

Tooele Weather warm and [p. 142] the night hot. I attended Sunday-school and meeting. Offered the opening prayr in meeting. The speakers were Bro Lyman & Ezra Robinson. Bro. Lyman spoke excellently. After school Bro. J. W. Tate & I called on Bro. Lyman and explained what we were doing in relation to letting the work of constructing the new School house. After meeting the trustees J. W. Tate, Peter Clegg & myself, called on Edwin Broad to see what he thought of doing the carpenter work our selves & engaging him or some one else to supt same. He favored the idea. Retired early.

10 July 1893 • Monday

Tooele Weather windy.

We hauled hay in forenoon and had to discontinue about 3 P.M. on account of the wind. I attended a Trustee’s meeting in forenoon, telephoned to W. J. Robinson and G. J. S. Abels of Grantsville in relation to teachers and tried to reach Miss Mamie Clark but failed.

Raked hay from 4 to 8 P.M. and then attended a meeting of the Irrigation Dist. Board in evening. Called in store basement and took Ice cream with Peter Clegg and D. T. Hedges. after meeting.

My throat still sore with white spots. [p. 143]

11 July 1893 • Tuesday

Tooele Weather Windy.

Worked at hay hauling in the afternoon also raked hay for several hours. In forenoon I wrote to Abram & to Miss Mamie Clark, to the latter in relation to school teaching. Wrote up my Journal from Friday the 7th inst to date. My throat continues sore, about same as a couple of days previous. Folks all usually well Ezra Robinson left for home having been with us nearly a week. The wind eased up in afternoon. <cool night.>

12 July 1893 • Wednesday

Tooele Weather pleasant but warm. Continued the hay hauling. Finished the mowing &c. In the evening I took Alice and babies for a ride. cool night All usually well.

13 July 1893 • Thursday

Tooele Weather windy most of the day. Put 23 loads of hay in the stack. I worked hard. My throat is better and all are usually well.

14 July 1893 • Friday

Tooele Weather pleasant.

We finished haying excepting two loads left in field for Geo. McLaws. Paid the men excepting $47.70 total bal. short. [p. 144]

15 July 1893 • Saturday

Tooele Weather hot.

Loaded two loads of hay for Geo. McLaws which finished cleaning the field.

Posted up my books, wrote letters and in the afternoon took horse and buggy and went to Grantsville and attended a meeting of the Stake Board of Education Estella accompanied me & we took supper at Bro. C. L. Anderson’s, returned in the evening. The boys cleaned up the yards

16 July 1893 • Sunday

Tooele Weather warm.

I attended School and meeting at home (Tooele) offered the closing prayr in meeting. Archie Bevan just going on a mission to Southern States & Prest. Gowans occupied the time speaking. Attended a lecture <in evening> delivered by Elder William O. Lee of Salt Lake Subject. His experience among the Samoans while on a mission to the Samoan Islands.

17 July 1893 • Monday

Tooele Weather hot.

I recorded minutes of Stake Board of Education meeting, wrote letters, waited on Co. Court to get a reduction in taxes.

In the evening I waited upon City Council for same purpose. Very warm night.

All usually well. [p. 145]

18 July 1893 • Tuesday

Tooele Weather extremely hot.

I had the boys at work cleaning out water ditches &c. I attended Water Co. Board meeting, went to see the City Recorder about action of Council on equalizing taxes, called on Bro Lyman. Attended to some Trustees business, did some writing &c. Bought 50 feet of hose $5.00 so we could reach the front porch from hydrant. In the evening I attended Prof. Beesley’s Concert, Alice Estella & Geo & Legrand were in attendance. It was very good.

19 July 1893 • Wednesday

Tooele Weather extremely warm The Grasshoppers being so thick I concluded to save the lucern in small pasture north of barn yard, I would have to cut it, and acted accordingly. Attended to some School trustee business at 11 A.M.

Used the City water after 1 P.M. Took Children for a ride down to Marshalls with me while I attended to some business. Took Mamma for a ride. Posted notices asking for brick haulers.

Wrote Simpson about brick and left the letter with James Martin for delivery. Estella went to the Besley dance in evening. [p. 146]

20 July 1893 • Thursday

Tooele Weather hot

I repaired horse rake, raked hay in small pasture. Loaded it and sent it to N. Dunyon @ $6.00, Used City water until noon. Read the news, studied the history of Utah and persecution of Saints. Went down to School house and stopped the hauling of brick fearing they are not good enough.

Spent the evening home studying.

All are usually well.

21 July 1893 • Friday

Tooele Weather hot.

I took team and buggy and with J. W. Tate Met School Archetect H. H. Anderson at Erda and with him went over to the kilns (brick) and from there to Tooele Saw Prest Gowans about his conference with Attorney Richards in relation to our doing the carpenter work our selves. Called on E. Broad our proposed foreman and gave him the necessary instructions. Took Anderson to Depot, called at T. D. blacksmith shop and arranged to have my buggy fixed. Sent it over for repairs. read papers and studied. &c.

22 July 1893 • Saturday

Tooele Weather clouded part of the day not so hot at night.

I did some writing, pruned grape vines; [p. 147] shaved bathed, hitched Jumbo in buggy and took Estella & Nerva with me to Grantsville and attended the Quarterly conference there, it commencing in the afternoon. Held Stake Board of Education meeting at 4 P.M. and Priesthood meeting in the Academy building at 6 P.M. I took dinner with Gustave Anderson. Estella and Nerva took dinner at C. L. Andersons.

At the Priesthood meeting the Subject of choosing a Patriarch or Patriarchs for the Stake was considered. Bro. Lyman Suggested the names of Samuel W. Woolley, George F. Richards and Israel Bennion as Patriarchs for the Stake. He had presented these names to the Presidency of the Church who had approved them. The Priesthood approved Bro. Lyman’s choice and voted unanimously to sustain them in that calling. We returned home after the meeting leaving Grantsville at 9 P.M. Had a pleasant ride.

I was very much surprised at my name having been presented for a Patriarch but could not oppose the Spirit of the Lord which d[i]rected in the matter.

23 July 1893 • Sunday

Tooele Weather warm. Had a nice rain in fore noon between 11 & 12 A.M. [P.M.] I took Bro. Craner and my boy George with me and took the single buggy & team and went to Grantsville to attend Conference. [p. 148] Attended both meetings and took dinner with Bro. C. L. Anderson. Offered the opening prayr Sund. Afternoon meeting. We had with us who spoke to us. Bro. Lyman, Rulon S. Wells, & Bro Spry. Had an enjoyable conference. Bro. Lyman treated upon the Subject of Church discipline. After the Conference I was ordained a Patriarch especially to this Stake and to my fathers house. Can give blessings elsewhere by permission of Bishop where officiating Can bless all who come to me in this stake. All Patriarchal blessings must be recorded. Should occupy about a page to the blessing. The name of the Son should only be used once and that more properly at the close.

Held a meeting of the Stake Board of Education & Building Committee of Academy building at 4:30 P.M. Bro. Lyman present. Returned home arriving at 9 P.M. Bp. Atkin rode back with me Bro. Craner having come with Bro Tate. Called at Bro Boothes and got $200.00 he was owing me and gave him his note for that amount & int. for 5⅔ months.

All usually well.

24 July 1893 • Monday

Tooele Weather pleasant.

The sun being under the cloud most the <day> [p. 149] The people met at the Meeting house at 10 A.M. and a suitable programme was gone through with included in which was a speech from myself. Alice and smaller children did not attend owing to her physical condition. After the services we made ice cream, had dinner and went for a ride with team and two seated buggy. All the family except Estella went along. She was seeking a beau and it seemed that she found one in the person of Frank Beesley he having invited her to accompany him to the party in the evening. We witnessed the races for about an hour. Frank Walters & wife had the single buggy and Jumbo in the afternoon. In the early evening they ate cream (frozen) with us. The folks retired early but I sat up until nearly 12 o’clock reading the Book of Covenants and Bible.

All usually well. Myself enjoying a good spirit having a measurably clear conscience, no enemies that I know of and many friends, and having plenty of food and raiment and a good position & favorable prospects for the future. A good prospect also for meeting my obligations when [p. 150] they become due which is the exception to the rule of menkind these hard times.

25 July 1893 • Tuesday

Tooele Weather cloudy.

I wrote letters, pruned grape vines called on Apostle Lyman and spent perhaps two hours talking and listening to him read from his Journal Left with Bro. Lyman between $400.00 and $500.00 to deposit in the State Bank to my credit. Bro Abels of Grantsville called to see me about schools and Bro John Tate called also. I took horse and buggy & took bro. Tate down to See Edwin Broad on school business. Took J W Tate home and saw Bp. Atkin about taking an excursion to Garfield. Took Alice for a short ride called on Bro. Lyman and got the money left with him for deposit with Bank Bro. Tate and I having concluded to go to Salt Lake next day & I could make the deposit.

26 July 1893 • Wednesday

Tooele Weather pleasant with a nice storm in the evening.

I shaved, did the chores, put tung in buggy & greased it. Took Bro. J W Tate with me and we drove down to the Beech and from there took the train for Salt Lake on [p. 151] school business. Purchased a record at Juvenile Office in which to record Patriarchal blessings. It cost me seven dollars. Returned home a little after ten P.M. While in the city I called on my father and had a chat with him.

27 July 1893 • Thursday

Tooele Weather warm light rain in the afternoon.

I hitched up team & buggy and took Alice with me to try and raise some money from parties owing me to pay off a note held by Abel Parker Failed, but met Bro Parkers wishes with what means I had on hand and renewed the note for 60 days for balance.

I looked up my Patriarchal blessings also Alices and recorded them in my Daily Journal See opposite page. Went down to the Meeting house to attend a meeting of the Tooele Ward Amusement Committee of which I am a member and chairman. Postponed till next evening. Paid F. H. Lougy $2.00 for work done in the Middle Canyon on creek. Engaged B. L. Bowen & F. J. Barber to haul brick for school house. [p. 152]

Patriarchal Blessings1

Farmington Davis County, Utah

April 14th 1876.

A Patriarchal blessing given by Thomas Richardson, Patriarch, upon the head of Alice Almira Robinson, daughter of Oliver L. and Lucy Miller Robinson born in the town of Farmington, Davis County, Utah Territory on the 14th day of May A.D. 1864.

Alice Robinson, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I lay my hands upon thy head to give thee a patriarchal blessing. Thou art here as pure as an angel before God and I bless thee with the spirit of decernment. Thou shalt never be deceived for thou shalt live a holy life and the Lord thy God shall give his angels charge over thee to protect thee in danger. Thou hast come through honorable parentage and for this thou shalt be an honorable mother in Israel and the time shall come that thou shalt receive an honorable companion who shall lead thee back to the presence of thy God, for thou shalt be filled with the revelations of Jesus Christ, and thy society shall be among the honorable women in the kingdom of God, and this very head that [p. 153] I lay my hands on shall wear a queenly crown and in time thou shalt go into the temple of our God and receive all thy washings and anointings, and when thou art passing through thine afflictions, the Angels of God shall be with thee both by night and by day and thou shalt be one of that number which shall let thy light shine and lead many to glorify thy father in heaven. Thou shalt live to see the face of the Son of Man and thou shalt be one of that number which shall stand on Mount Zion when he shall make his appearance. I bless thee with long life and good health and thy table shall always be spread with the good things of this life. I bless thee with power to come forth in the morning of the first resurection and I seal you up unto Everlasting Life

even so amen. [8 lines blank] [p. 154]

Farmington, Davis County, Utah Ter.

October 22nd 1882

A blessing by Patriarch John H. Tippitts upon the head of George Franklin Richards, son of Franklin Dewey and Nanny Longstroth Richards.

Born in Farmington, Davis County Utah February 23d A.D. 1861.

In the name of the Lord Jesus, I lay my hand upon thy head to seal upon you a Patriarchal blessing which shall continue with you through your life and all time to come.

You are of the Seed of Israel through the Loins of Joseph who was sold into Egypt and a decendent of Ephraim. You shall inherit a great portion of the blessings that were pronounced upon the head of Ephraim which have come unto you through the loins of your father and they will continue with your posterity after you, for you have been a lover of truth from your childhood and you shall merit these blessings by your faithfulness and diligence in time to come. You shall inherit the earth in this life and eternal riches in the life to come for it has been your [p. 155] desire from your childhood to know the mind and will of the Lord and the blessings and privileges <that> you can attain to that you might inherit the earth with a resurection of the Just.

These blessings I seal upon your head for you are a literal decendent through this liniage that has been pronounced upon your head in the name of Jesus Amen.

St. John, Tooele County, Utah.

April 19th 1891.

A Patriarchal blessing by George W. Burridge upon the head of George Franklin Richards, son of Franklin Dewy and Nanny Longstroth Richards born February 23d 1861 at Farmington Davis County Utah.

Bro. George Franklin Richards, according to the desire of thy heart, I lay my hands upon thy head and by virtue & authority of the Holy Priesthood vested in me, I pronounce and seal upon thee a Patriarchal blessing. I say unto thee that thou hast been reserved according to the mind and will of the God Lord in the eternal heavens and didst covenan[t] [p. 156] to come forth to labor and perform a mission upon this earth in aiding and publishing the Everlasting Gospel and bringing together the remnants of Israel and aiding in establishing Zion on this continent in the latter days until Zion shall flourish in magnitude, power and glory and thou shalt receive of the glories of Zion. The spirit of thy office and calling in the Holy Priesthood shall abundantly rest upon you. Thou shalt be blessed in all thy labors. The Holy Ghost shall rest upon thee and enlighten thy mind and reveal and manifest unto the pertaining to the great things that are to transpire during thy mission through all the days of thy sojourn in this life. Thou shalt comprehend many things that have been revealed down to the present day and also many things that yet remain to be revealed. Though [Thou] art of Israel of the Sead of Joseph through the loins of the Seed of Ephraim. Thou shalt be blessed with health and strength and in all things thou puttest thy hands to do in righteousness. Thou shalt be blessed with wives and a numerous posterity who shall live to appreciate thy goodness and to bear a [p. 157] kind remembrance of the[e] and of thy labors. Thou art destined to attain to a fullnes of the everlasting Priesthood. Holy angels shall be round about thee to ward off all evil from thee and to watch over thee and suggest many things that shall be for thy guidance in the labors thou mayest be appointed unto by the Authorites of the Holy Priesthood.

Thou shalt labor in the Temples of the Lord for the Living and the dead and shalt have great joy in these great works. pertaining to those who have been called away in the days that are past I seal these blessings upon thee and say unto thee that thou shalt come forth in the morning of the first resurrection and shall return to partake of all the blessings with the redeemed and be with the Redeemer in the Millennium and be abundantly satisfied in all that thou hast been brought through and witnessed in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ even so Amen and Amen. [6 lines blank] [p. 158]

28 July 1893 • Friday

Tooele Weather real warm. I pruned grape vines, moved and repaired the hay press, attended to some school business, the Contractors on carpenter work of School house came out and returned on return train.

Had the boys haul a load of hay in to Vick’s Stall and grub Sweet clover out of Poplar corner. All usually well.

Alice attended Relief Society meeting and two or more of the sisters expressed their pleasure at my having been called and ordained a Patriarch and one testified of having been healed under my hands. This is a source of great joy unto me and to the Lord I ascribe all the praise and glory. In seeing others blessed is sufficient blessing or reward for applying the ordinance. In the evening I attended a meeting of the Tooele Ward Amusement Committee where it was decided to go to Garfield beech Friday Aug. 4th 1893 for an outing. I was to arrange for the day and invite the other wards to Join with us.

29 July 1893 • Saturday

Tooele Weather warm.

I took team and buggy and took with [p. 159] me Bro. J. W. Tate and went down to the brick Kiln at Batesville to see the brick just burnt for school house. Found the brick satisfactory. Returned and called at Edward Greens and at James James’. Telephoned to Garfield and learned that we could get the Garfield beech for Friday Aug 4th Telephoned to Pp. [Bp.] Wrathall of Grantsville inviting him to join with us. I wrote all the other Bishops in the Stake extending the invitation to them and the people of their wards. I made out my July Statement for the Ranch Had the boys grubbing weeds &c.

All are usually well.

30 July 1893 • Sunday

Tooele Weather very warm.

I attended Sunday school and spoke to the children. Attended Afternoon meeting and a meeting of those who intend going to the temple to work during next month. By request of Sister Karrie Kester anointed her and Prest Gowans sealed the anointing. On my arrival home I found Ruby very sick and administered to her. She seemed to feel better and shortly after had a sleight spasm caused by stomach troub[le] & teathing. I administered & rebuked the disease & she was better instantly. Sent for [p. 160] the Doctor who prescribed for her.

31 July 1893 • Monday

Tooele Weather warm.

The County teachers examination begins at Grantsville to day but owing to sickness I was unable to attend. Ruby is some better to-day. I took Alice and little girls out for a ride. Called at at our lots on Main St. and rested in the shade of the trees for about a half hour. In the evening I attended a meeting of the school Trustees.

Cite this page

July 1893, The Journal of George F. Richards, accessed March 19, 2024 https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/george-f-richards/1890s/1893/1893-07