January 1895

Tooele Weather pleasant. Welcome! New Year, may you bring us much to cheer and little to regret:

Since I became a man grown I do not remember having been freer from guilt cleaner & more nearly prepared to meet my Lord than at the commencement of this New Year of 1895. and I hope to make more improvement in the coming or present year than I have done in the past. This day I took all the family for a sleigh ride at three lots single horse changed horses. Estella, Nerva, Sarah and Legrand attended the children’s dance. I spent the evening at home wrote to Mother, read the paper and played games with the children. Are All are pretty well. The children were made glad with candy, Nuts, raisins, popcorn balls, tarts, cake &c. And a good dinner. A letter from Mother.

Tooele Weather pleasant for winter, cold night.

I caught up the Brown colts, hitched one with Pet and got bran & chicken feed from the granary, Got 1600 lbs. of oats from Abel Parker, loaded a barrel of vinegar & made up my load for Salt Lake. Sarah was sick [p. 62] in the night <last night> with ear ache, head ache and sore throat. I administered to her and she rested better. Wind commenced blowing from the South towards evening.

Tooele Weather past night & today South wind & thawing.

I turned out younger brown horse & caught up larger bay horse and with larger bay & Brown colts & Brandy went to Salt Lake taking 1600 lbs. of oats and a barrel of vinegar. Left home at 8:30 A.M. and arrived in Salt Lake at 7 P.M. Staid all night at Abram’s.

Salt Lake Weather clowdy & storm like. I left Salt Lake at 10 A.M. arrived home at 3:15 P.M. found all well. Attended. School Trustees meeting at J. W. Tates Residence in the evening where we made resolution to borrow of A F Doremus $1350.00 Sent copy of resolution, Statement of District finances and note to him by mail. Wind blew hard from South.

Tooele Weather stormy a part of the day. Pleasant.

I attended Stake Priesthood meeting at Grantsville and Spoke. Bro. Geo. Craner [p. 63] accompanied me in cart. Put up horse at Bp. Wrathall’s and took dinner at C. L. Andersons Arrived home at dark. Arthur Stayner Jr. arrived from Salt Lake soon after by team on his way to Vernon. Staid all night with us. Read the News & Transcript in the evening & bathed before retiring.

Tooele Weather stormy in the afternoon for an hour or two.

Apostle Lyman accompanied Prest. Gowans to Lakeview and I by arrangement of Prest. remained at home to be present with Circle. I attended School, meeting in afternoon and evening. Alice accompanied me in the evening. I spoke for about 40 minutes in afternoon meeting. Attended Prayr Circle & presided. Legrand was prayed for in Circle and I brought Bp. Thos. Atkin J A Bevan & Chas. McBride home with me and we administered to Legrand for his leg. Bp. atkin anointed his leg and head and J. A. Bevan was mouth in Sealing the anointing.

Tooele Weather pleasant.

I sharpened saws, made tree ladder and trimmed apricot trees. Mailed letters to Abram and Dr Stephen. Spent the evening at home writing reading &c. Received [p. 64] two insurance policies of $5000 each on our New School house for a term of three years.

Tooele Weather moderating, cold towards evening and at night.

I hitched up team & hauled load of hay into yard for animals; Hitched up Brown colt & Brandy and went to Basin Pasture. Geo. Horman accompanied me and we led his colt beside team. While at Pasture I traded him bay & Iron gray mares for his horse & 7½ day’s labor on demand. Hitched the Horman colt in and worked him home. Spent the evening at home reading. All are well.

Tooele Weather warmer.

I received letters from Abram, Stephen & Fred. Abram’s letter contained deposit slip for $1350 for Schools, Stephens conveyed the news of Mrs Davidson’s Death also Mamie Whitney Dunn’s baby. Said Legrand should have another plaster put on. Fred’s card said two of his children were sick with scarlet fever. I wrote J. B. Bowden in the morning in relation to his note & interest. Went over to Stockton & saw Sam. Bethell about Jacks. Saw Mr Scott and arranged for headstone for Amy’s grave $18.00 [p. 65] Put washers on buggy and repaired brake block. Spent the evening at home writing. Made Water Co. Report Treasurer. Wrote in Journal & Book accts. Wrote to Stephen & Fred. Folks well.

Tooele Weather warm.

I trimmed trees in forenoon and in afternoon went over to Basin pasture, met Mr Bithell there and traded him brown riding mare for 8 Jacks & Jenneys and caught & rode the mare for him and drove the Jacks home. Wrote letters to owners of other Jacks. &c.

Tooele Weather pleasant.

I trimmed some trees and at 3 P.M. attended the Religion Class exercises the first of the series and opened by prayr and spoke to the children. Spent the evening at home.

I repaired Legrand’s shoe sole & crutches and Georgies Gun by putting a site in it. and shaved & bathed and took Legrand to Salt Lake on cars to have new plaster put on. Staid at Stephens, We attended Gleasons horse training exibition in the evening.

Sugar Hous[e] Ward Weather clowdy & some rain. Had Legrand put in plaster and read considerable of the day. We went [p. 66] up to Abram’s & Staid all night.

Salt Lake Weather Stormy looking. I arose early and got breakfast & with Legrand came home on cars. Georgie met us at Depot. Called at Granary & got a couple of sacks of bran, went up to C. D. Hank’s. and traded single harness for carpenter tools. Let Jos. Henson have 13½ bu. wheat per Jno. England, Sold hay to Droubay & Gordon & Marsden. Trimmed trees &c. Wrote & mailed letter to Fred. Prest. Gowans called in the evening and we decided on Ward Conferences, Home Missionaries &c. I spent the evening writing. James James called in the evening. All are well here.

Tooele Weather pleasant.

I trimmed trees, had Geo. Take horses to Basin pasture. I attended a meeting of the Water Co. Board and presided. Recd a letter from Fred dated 12th His boy Leo was very sick at that time. Recd Dividend Ck of $7.50 from State Bk and mailed back for deposit and mailed $6.00 Ck to U.C. & S. Bk. for NASL & B Co. Jan. payment. Spent the evening at home reading.

Tooele Weather windy and rain towards evening. [p. 67]

I trimmed trees. & had J. M. Isgren trimming in afternoon at my expense.

I went up to C. D. Hanks’ and traded him a Donkey for tools. Went out horseback to hunt for Donkeys that got out of lot did not find them on account of rain which drove me in. In the evening I attended a committee meeting at Prest. Gowans office to audit Water Co. accounts & not finishing the business adjourned to following evening.

Our baby was sick in the night and I got up and administered to her.

Tooele Weather windy Snowed some towards evening. I went to Basin pasture & got ten donkeys, had Isgren trimming trees and I helped him in afternoon. In the evening I attended Auditing Committee of Water Co. accounts at Prest. Gowans office & finished the business. I wrote out Auditors report Geo. Speirs & C. R. McBride were the other auditors. Wrote letters to Henry Thomas & Heber Russell about donkeys. Baby better to-day than last night.

Tooele Weather very windy.

I accompanied Prest. H. S. Gowans to Grants[p. 68]ville where we attended High Council meeting trial of Elizabeth Palmer vs. James Palmer. The trial lasted all day and the decision of the Bishops Court sustained giving the Plaintiff $1500.00 Ate lunch at Prest. C. L. Anderson’s and Supper at Sociable in the Meeting House. Returned home in the night arriving at 1:30 A.M. Baby feverish and fretful in the night. Letter from Mother.

Tooele Weather continues windy. I wrote to Mother & Stephen.

Put in window lights, cut wood, Repaired Sewing machine boxes &c. Had Jno. Isgren trimming trees for me. Spent the evening at home, reading, writing &c. Sold load of hay to E. Beesley. &c.

Tooele Weather pleasant. I went to Batesville accompanied by Prest. Gowans in my conveyance. Attended School & meeting, took dinner at James Wood’s & returned home at 5 P.M. Spent the evening at home reading & writing and attending the baby who though sick was much improved after 4 P.M. Was prayed for in Prayr Circle. She had a good night’s rest. Others usually well. [p. 69]

Tooele Weather fine. I trimmed trees, sold hay to James & to Gordon pr Mrs. Green. Attended Water Co. Board & Share Holders meeting both of which were adjourned until Friday Jan 25th at 3 & 4 P.M. In the evening I attended Kanacka concert. Baby better.

Tooele Weather pleasant.

I finished trimming Apricot trees, sent a grist to mill by Jno M. Isgren. Spent the evening at home. Baby improved. Sold & loaded hay to Abel Parker.

Tooele Weather Stormy.

I had Geo. Horman helping me & we hauled out brush from orchard, got donkeys into field, sold & loaded hay to Abel Parker, got queenbolt welded, God [Got] a New Gleason bridal made for 50¢ and pd 15¢ for rope for same. Spent the evening at home writing &c. Baby better. Litter [Letter] from Nerva.

Tooele Weather Stormy, about 4 in. of snow fell. I hauled manure and did sund[ry] small jobs. In the evening I talked with A F Doremus through telephone. Shaved &c. [p. 70]

Tooele Weather clear & cold with about 12 or 14 inches of snow most of which fell last night I made paths, cleaned snow off hay, took donkeys out of East & put in South field. 8 of the 17 head were taken away by young Kelley. Abram & Polly cam[e] by team at 2:30 P.M. and after eating a good dinner Attended a Board meeting of Water Company at 3 PM. and a meeting of the Shareholders at 4 P.M. Did the chores & Spent the evening reading and visiting with the folks. I[t] was mutually agreed between Abram & Me that our contract be extended for a period of one year from the date of expiration which would extend to April 15th 1896. I gave him my copy of contract to write across it the extension.

<Extended Contract with Abram. to Apr. 15/96.>¹

Tooele Weather clowdy & cold. Filed bonds as Director & Treasurer of Water Co: Attended Water Co. Board meeting at 11 A.M. Was elected Treasurer. Abram & Polly left <for> home at 10:30. I sold hay to Davie & went to Basin pasture and got 11 head of horses & one Donkey In the evening I went down to Bro. Robert Skelton’s by request and with John K. Orme Administered to him.

Shaved, bathed &c. Our folks well. [p. 71]

Tooele Weather very cold and snow about a foot deep. I took team and with me Bp. Atkin, B. L. Bowen and J. W. Tate and went to Grantsville to Attend Stake Conference. Put up team and staid with Prest. C. L. Anderson while there. I attended forenoon, afternoon and evening meetings and between the two latter went down with Bro. Cline and gave him & his wife Angelia Cline blessings. Had good meetings Apostles Brigham young and F M Lyman were present and both staid at Prest. Anderson’s.

Slept with Prest. Gowans at Prest Andersons.

Grantsville Tooele Weather still clear & cold. I attended forenoon & afternoon meetings and spoke briefly in forenoon. Assisted in Setting apart John Gillespie to preside over the High Priests Quorum Bro. Jefferes his 1st counselor & in the evening at Bro Lymans residence assisted in setting apart John K Orme 2nd Counselor to Bro Gillespie. At Grantsville I assisted also in setting apart J. W. Tate Stake Clerk & was mouth in setting apart Thos William Assistant Stake Clerk Historian & Clerk of High Council. Returned home arriving about 6 P.M. Spent the evening partly at Bro Lyman’s & partly at home. [p. 72]

Tooele Weather cold.

I did numerous small chores & attended to sundry business down town. Received letters from Mother & Prest. Gowans.

Settled tithing $150.00 for 1895. Delivered load of hay to F M Davis & sold load to Sarah Walters on order of Geo. Speirs. Caught & handled colt Stabled cow for 1st time. &c.

Tooele Weather moderated and snowed some in Afternoon.

I took horse & got donkeys & put back in field. Visited the Sick. Father Meiklejohn & Robert Skelton. At Bro. Skeltons Bro. Jno Gillespie anointed him & I sealed the anointing Bros. Craner, Saml Orme assisted. I washed the buggy, took Alice & little girls for a ride, and Estella & Maud Hammond took horse & sleigh & Geo. & Nerva later. In the evening, I attended a committee meeting at Prest. Gowan’s office where we audited Water Co. accounts. Folks all well.

Tooele Weather moderated. Alice took Pet & Sleigh in afternoon and took Miss Nana Hammond for a ride. The children took Tobie & sleigh and [p. 73] went for a ride. John M. Isgren took team and went down to Mill & got a grist for me & one for himself.

I made monthly report, got donkies in the field and repaired South field fence. Attended to the regular work of the place. In the evening I attended Bro. Beesleys concert, Estella & the three boys accompani[e]d me & Nerva took part. Was called on to go down and administer to Bro. Robert Skelton & took with me from concert Prest Gowans, Bp. Atkin & John Gillespie.

The folks being resigned to his condition desired that we pray for his release. We laid on hands and Prest. Gowans was mouth then before we left by the request of Prest. Gowans we laid on hands and I was mouth. Retired at 12 oclock. Mary, Maud & Adie Hammond spent the evening with Alice in my absence.

<Seven Years ago to-day I arrived in Tooele Jan. 31/88 To take charge of this ranch for A. F. Doremus. Took possession Feb. 1st 1888. My Family arrived Feb. 3d 1888; by train>²