February 1894


1 February 1894 • Thursday

Fast Day

Tooele Weather stormy.

I did the regular work caring for animals, dug potates out of pit. Fasted & staid at home being nearly sick with cold. I made Jan. report for Ranch, recorded statement and mailed same with letter to A.F. Doremus. Recorded blessing No 24 and mailed to A. G. Johnson of Grantsville. Talked with B. L. Bowen about water owner’s interests. Tunnel in Middle Canyon and Legislative provision for Water masters. &c. John Lee called to see about hay. Bro. Lyman & wife left home for California where he is to fill a mission among his relatives.

In evening I soaked my feet and retired early. Cold no beter than yesterday

2 February 1894 • Friday

Tooele Wp Weather pleasant during the day but very cold at night.

My cold being no better I stayed in the house all day & had Joseph Henson working in my place on the Ranch. During the day [p. 243] Copied a blessing & mailed to I did some writing, Arranged the Home Missionary Appointments for 4 month and prepared lists for the eight missionaries.

Studied civil Government, Roberts Rules of Order, Doctrin[e] Covenants & Spencer’s Letters. Read aloud from the two latter to Alice & Mary Hammond for about two hours. Wrote to Fred in answer to his of 25th ult. relating to a proposed trip to the Mid-winter fair at San Francisco. Spent the evening at home.

3 February 1894 • Saturday

Tooele Weather pleasant in daytime but very cold at night perhaps as cold as at any time previous during the winter. I had Joseph Henson working and I attended Stake Board of Education meeting at 10 A.M. being a member and Clerk. Attended Stake Priesthood meeting at 11 A.M. where was set apart Six of the eight Home Missionaries I was mouth in setting apart two of them John S. Lee & Davis Hunter the former also as second assistant Stake Religion Class instructor. Bp. James Wrathall & Wm Spry put up their horse with me and Charles L. Anderson took dinner with us. Attended High Council trial in the Case of Sister [last name redacted] Mill Precinct vs. [p. 244] [first and last names redacted]. of Batesville from 2 P.M. until 8 P.M. Then attended Civil Government class and presided also lectured upon Bro A J Stookeys Subject he being absent Subject Classification of motions in Roberts Rules of order.

4 February 1894 • Sunday

Tooele Weather same as yesterday I was excused from going to E.T. to-day on account of my cold and I attended School afternoon & evening meetings. Spoke in afternoon meeting attended Sunday School teachers meeting after School & Ward teacher’s meeting after Sacrament meeting. Wrote up my journal for three day to date after evening meeting. I Still have a bad cold and Mamma & Ruby are ailing.

5 February 1894 • Monday

Tooele Weather cold.

I drove bay mare to depot and got a ton of coal. Drove up Middle Canyon to see & investigate the Hanks tunnel. Took Bro. Parker up with me. Received flour from F. D. Horman Got receipt from Warburton for hay on tax acc’t. and wrote to Abram enclosing same. P. A. Droubay talked with me about taking stock in his store and Vowles wanted me to take stock in his mill. Received balance postes from C. Pocock making in all 250. [p. 245] Spent the evening at home reading and writing. I am feeling much better to-day & other folks also.

6 February 1894 • Tuesday

Legrand is 8 yrs. old to day.

Tooele Weather pleasant.

I took team and wagon and went to Basin pasture. Took the bay filley (Dazy) and turned her out. Found all the horses and found them to be all right. Repaired fence and attended to sundry other work. Milked new milched cow & fed calf.

Ward teachers visited us Bro’s. Geo Atkin & Rob’t. McLaws. In the evening I went down and visited Bro. Gee for about an hour. Wrote to Des. Nat. Bk. wrote in my Journal and read until bed time.

7 February 1894 • Wednesday

Tooele Weather pleasant. I hitched up team and went down to J.S. Lee’s & Jos. Hensons. God [Got] lumber from E. Broad and put a division in flour bin & received 600 lbs. flour of F. D. Horman on account of interest. Sold a load of hay to John S. Lee for labor. Hauled baler around to north end of stack for baling purposes. Received Shoe-making tools from Z.C.M.I. Spent the evening at home reading & writing. Administered to Bro. John S. Lee’s baby. [p. 246]

8 February 1894 • Thursday

Tooele Weather pleasant with about four inches of fresh snow that fell last night. I had John S. Lee helping me haul bale hay all day. He took dinner with us. Jos. Henson hauled postes and scattered around land bought of Bowden & Bowen. In the evening I attended Special meeting of Ward Teachers and by request read a continued article on Church Judiciary from Juvenile. Spoke to the brethren a short time. Called at Court House and got papers which I read after meeting until bed time. All are usually well.

9 February 1894 • Friday

Tooele Weather pleasant.

I baled hay in the forenoon had J. S. Lee helping me and in afternoon Jos. Henson took my place and I went down town and attended to business there. Talked with A. F. Doremus through the telephone, signed J. W. Tates bond as Director & President of Tooele Z.C.M.I., bid $425.00 on the John Larson 7½ A land & water. It was sold to Isgren for $430.00 Attended Relief society meeting spoke, set apart Elizabeth Gowans as the Secretary of the Society and offered the closing prayr. Bp. Atkin & Counselors were present & each spoke. In the evening I attended a General water meeting in the Hall. [p. 247] After meeting, wrote to A F Doremus enclosing check of $285.00 to apply on my note fav. of B. L. Bowen ($350.00) for land.

10 February 1894 • Saturday

Tooele Weather cold & snowing. I stayed in doors most of the day studying and writing. I attended a Civil Gov. Class meeting in the evening. Shaved &c. Our little ones Amy & Lucena were sick & I administered to them with good results.

11 February 1894 • Sunday

Tooele Weather clear & cold. I attended Ward conference here at Tooele in afternoon & evening. Attended School in the morning. Prest. Gowans & I occupied the time in the evening I occupied about 40 minutes & he about 50 minutes. In setting apart Sunday school teachers I was mouth in setting apart Geo. A Rimmington & Sister Annie Lee. Accompanied Prest. Gowans, Bp. Atkin & Geo. Craner over to Gee’s & I anointed him & Prest. Gowans sealed the anointing after afternoon meeting. In the evening I administered to Sarah and Lucena. Wrote in Journal. Later administered to Amy.

12 February 1894 • Monday

Tooele Weather Snowing lightly all day (cold). I had J. S. Lee helping me bale hay in forenoon and in the after[p. 248]noon hauled manure &c.

In the evening I read from the Juvenile and helped George with his arithmetic examples and Gave Legrand a Patriarchal blessing. George wrote for same. Babies not yet well. Estella went down to Marshalls to a surprise party.

<Gave Legrand a Blessing.>1

13 February 1894 • Tuesday

Tooele Weather pleasant.

I baled hay all day. J. S. Lee helped me & took dinner with me. In the evening I repaired Legrand’s shoes. Sick folks are better.

14 February 1894 • Wednesday

Tooele Weather pleasant.

I baled hay J. S. Lee helping me. C. D. Hanks called and I bargained for a half interest in the 80 acres of Hans Larson land & one acre of water for $210.00 In the evening I recorded Legrand’s blessing. No 25.

15 February 1894 • Thursday

Tooele Weather windy & cold. Snow drifted terribly at night.

I met the train for Abram but he did not come. Received letter of explanation from him by mail. Attended to sundry items of business and in the evening attended a meeting of the water owners of Middle cañon where a tax of $400. was levied & other busi[p. 249]ness done.

16 February 1894 • Friday

Tooele Weather stormy. Snowed about 10 or 12 inches. I finished the bargain with C. D. Hanks for land and obtained the deed & filed same for record. Made snow paths shoveled snow &c. Wrote letters to Fred, Abram, & W G Crabbe of Washington D.C. In the evening I attended the Sunday school concert.

17 February 1894 • Saturday

Tooele Weather windy.

I attended to the regular work of the ranch wrote letters, studied Civil Government &c. I attended Civil Government in the evening and acted as chairman. Rec’d a letter from Mother and answered it.

18 February 1894 • Sunday

Tooele Weather stormy.

I took George with me in buggy and went to Lake View started by way of Rimmington’s but could not get through the snow and had to go back and around by Johnson’s field Main st. Held Ward Conference Prest. H. S. Gowans was present I spoke in meeting put up team and took dinner with Bp. Shields. Between School and meeting I gave blessings to Bp. John G. Shields and Robert G. Shields the latter writing for the former & my son George writing for the latter.

On my way home we called at Sister [p. 250] Miller’s who was sick and by request Prest. H. S. Gowans prayed for her while we all kneeled down. Arrived home safely and after doing the chores and getting supper it being too late to attend meeting I remained at home visited with the folks and wrote in Journal copied blessings &c. All are well and happy.

19 February 1894 • Monday

Tooele Weather stormy.

I attended to the regular chores caring for the animals, shoveled snow, sold hay to F. P. Hansen. Presented a bill to Co. Court for 10.00 Services Examining County teachers, allowed. In the evening attended Lesser Priesthood meeting and spoke to the boys.

20 February 1894 • Tuesday

Tooele Weather stormy. Snowed most of the day. I visited the schools and in the evening attended Trustee’s meeting until a late hour. John S. Lee & E Green hauled three loads of hay into stables and loaded a small load each for E. Green and Lougy.

21 February 1894 • Wednesday

Tooele Weather stormy snowed all day. I made paths, horse broke hydrant I attended schools as a visitor and did the regular Ranch work. In the evening I wrote to A F Doremus & C. R. McBride, Journal. [p. 251]

22 February 1894 • Thursday

Washington’s Birthday.

Tooele Weather cold & clear some wind. Red cloud having the appearance of fire seen in the north at night.

I had J. S. Lee & Ed. Green baling hay. I attended concert by school Abels department. Bought tickets for theatre Sat. night. Alice accompanied me to concert and I acted as chaplain. In afternoon I had Wm Vowles up to see our beef cows, got quotations on chop. barley and mail to Abram. In the evening I recorded two blessings, wrote in Journal &c.

Folks all well. Estella is at party Half. without a partner.

23 February 1894 • Friday

Tooele Weather pleasant but cold in shade, cold night. I dug up hydrant, had it repaired and put back and hauled hay into log barn. At 4 P.M. I was sent for to go to the house that Bp Atkin wanted to see me. I left my boy George driving the horse while I went to the house and to my surprise found a number of my friends assembled and others came in later to give me a birthday entertainment. There were present. Bp. Atkin, his son Edward & wife; Bro & Sis. Beesley; A. J. Stookey & wife; Sister Gowans, Mary & Maud [p. 252] Hammond; Bro. Geo. Craner. Prest. Gowans was in Salt Lake working in the temple. We had a nice supper at about 6 P.M. and spent a very pleasant evening in chat. Our children furnished songs & recitations and flute & drum music. Dispersed about 9:30 to 10 P.M. All seemed to have a pleasant time. Some who were invited could not be present.

My wife had invited them and made all preparations unbeknown to me so that it was a complete surprise.

I also received letters from My Mother and Aseneth which were much appreciated. Cold night. Two of the children were sick & vomited in the night effects of candy, nuts & rich food.

24 February 1894 • Saturday

Tooele Weather pleasant.

I baled hay all day. In the evening I attended the theatre My wife the four oldest children and Mary J. Hammond accompanied me. Shaved & bathed.

25 February 1894 • Sunday

Tooele Weather pleasant, deep snow. I took team and buggy and Prest. Gowans with me went to Batesville to attend conference there. Attended school and both of us spoke to the school. We took dinner with James Woods. Prest. C. L. Anderson met us there [p. 253] in the afternoon and all three of us spoke. I occupied 32½ minutes. The General, Stake & Branch Authorities were sustained. Barny Wayland’s baby was blessed by Prest. H. S. Gowans. I offered the closing prayr. Returned home did the chores, wrote a letter to Abram and attended evening meeting. A. J. Stookey lectured upon the people of America in 1500 A.D. After meeting, Jessie Dunn being here with Estella and they desiring a blessing I gave them each a blessing my son George did the writing for me.

26 February 1894 • Monday

Tooele Weather thawing. I had E. Green helping me and we baled hay all day. In the evening I copied the two blessings given the evening before. All are pretty well. Letters from Fred, S. J. Robinson and several others.

27 February 1894 • Tuesday

Tooele Weather pleasant I sold hay to F. P. Hansen, E Green and Thos. Horman. Cleaned up about stacks &c. Wrote letters and in the evening attended School Trustees meeting. Letter from W. G. Crabbe. [p. 254]

28 February 1894 • Wednesday

Tooele Weather thawing.

I attended to the regular work of the ranch, made out monthly ranch report and wrote to Abram. Received a letter from Abram in relation to continuing on the ranch at reduced compensation. A letter from my Bro. Fred I answered both. In the evening I recorded two blessings, Janet S. Dunn’s and Estella Robinson’s.

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February 1894, The Journal of George F. Richards, accessed March 19, 2024 https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/george-f-richards/1890s/1894/1894-02