April 1896


1 April1 1896 • Wednesday

Tooele Weather cold at night pleasant during the day.

I sold several loads of hay. Took a load of wheat to the mill and got a grist of flour & bran. Attended a Ry Committee meeting. In the evening I went over to Peter Gillespie’s Alice accompanied me & I pronounced blessings upon Peter & his wife. Returned at 11 P.M.

2 April 1896 • Thursday

Fast Day.

Tooele Weather pleasant

I fasted & attended meeting & by request made opening remarks. Was mouth in consecrating the oil. Sold hay &c.

In the evening I attended a party at John Gillespies Peter’s Missionary party & gave $2.50 [p. 51]

3 April 1896 • Friday

Tooele Weather pleasant.

I attended to some business down town & hauled some wheat to mill, Sold hay &c.

4 April2 1896 • Saturday

Tooele Weather pleasant. I went to Salt Lake to Conference by special train Alice and <5> Children accompanying me. Attended two conference meetings. Did some trading & accompanied Alice & children <by U P. Ry> to Farmington staying at Joseph Clarks. After getting the children to bed Alice & I went up to Nerva’s & visited her a couple of hours.

5 April3 1896 • Sunday

Farmington Weather fine.

I went by Ry U.P. Ry. to Conference & attended two meetings morning & afternoon also Priesthood meeting in the evening & returned at a late hour to Farmington & Slept with Joseph Clark. <Went down to Stephens.>

6 April4 1896 • Monday

Tooele Farmington Weather pleasant

I went from clarks up to Nervas & then to the City by U.P. Ry. Attended both meetings & staid all night at Sarah’s. Spent the evening part at Abrams & part at Sarahs. Mother with me. [p. 52]

7 April 1896 • Tuesday

S.L. City Weather pleasant.

I attended a meeting of the Authorities at 10 A.M. Did some trading and in the Afternoon with Mother went north to Farmington Spent afternoon at Nervas. Called on Sarah Richards Robinson & administered to her, she being sick. Slept at Clarks.

8 April 1896 • Wednesday

<Mother’s Birth Day Celebration.>5

Farmington Weather pleasant & we celebrated Mother’s birth day which will occur on 15th when she will be 68 years old. There were present. Mother, Aunt Alice, Aunt Ann, Alice Ann, Asenath & her two girls Katie & Nina, Stephen & wife & baby & Alice, Nerva & familiy, Alice & I & our 5 girls Fred & Carlie & 3 children Willard Richards & wife, Joseph & wife Sarah Ellen & Joseph F. Polly & Abram Frank Knowlton Eva Natt & Luella Whitney Kimball. We had an excellent dinner & an excellent tim[e] in the evening. I staid at clarks at night. Some of the folks went home in afternoon. I gave Sarah Richards Robinson a Patriarchal blessing. Her daughter Rhoda acted as scribe. [p. 53]

9 April6 1896 • Thursday

Farmington Weather clowdy. We had a nice dinner & visit at Nerva’s and in the afternoon I with some others took leave for Salt Lake where I took attended to some business and staid all night at Abrams. Nerva accompanied me while Alice & little Girsl [Girls] staid at Farmington.

10 April7 1896 • Friday

At Abrams

SL City Weather Stormy

Came home on 7:45 A.M. train. George & Estella met me at depot. I sold a number of loads of hay & attended the closing exercises of High Dept of Schools.

11 April8 1896 • Saturday

Tooele Weather Stormy most all day. I brought horses up to water from Basin and took Martins horse out & sent the others back by George. I sold several loads of hay Had the shoes taken off my team, and new hames put on my harness. In the evening I bathed & retired early. Hyrum Lee came to see Estella & staid until nearly 2 A.M. Had not seen Estella Since Jan 1st [p. 54]

12 April 1896 • Sunday

Tooele Weather pleasant.

I shaved, made ready and attended school & afternoon meeting. Occupied 20 minutes reporting conference. Attended Circle & was mouth at the alter. Offered closing prayr at School & opening prayr at evening meeting. Between Circle & evening meeting I gave blessing to Sister Lillias Smith Crosland. Retired early.

13 April 1896 • Monday

Tooele Weather pleasant. Commenced to rain about 4 P.M.

I measured land in S. Field plowed by B. L. Bowen. Met the train with team & carriage for Alice & children but they did not come. I sold several loads of hay, went up to mill, down to Green’s & Hormans on business, put two gates in two wheat bins to draw off wheat with. In the evening I did my usual writing and recorded a blessing.

14 April 1896 • Tuesday

Tooele Weather stormy. rained all day. I sold some hay, attended to some business down town, got water tax [p. 55] receipt, received a letter from Alice at Farmington & answered it. Took Bro Lyman to Station. Was introduced to the Surveyors of the New Ry. Arranged to take the Chief over the ground as far as Lake View in the morning. Took my buggy to the Shop & got reach bar repaired. Read the papers. <&c.> Retired in the evening early. Estella attended the Calico ball.

15 April 1896 • Wednesday

Tooele Weather cold Froze hard last night. I got up early and took my team & buggy & took C. R. McBride & Capt. H. D. Page Ry. Surveyor over the proposed route as of new R.R. as far as the point of the mountain. I sold a couple of loads of hay in the afternoon & plowed & planted potatoes &c. In the evening I did my usual writing and recorded a blessing.

This is the last day under my contract with abram & am waiting on him to decide whether or not he wants my services for another year He has offered to employ me 6 months more. [p. 56]

16 April 1896 • Thursday

Tooele City Weather stormy. I sold timbers to Jas Gowans & hay to sundry persons. Hauled hay into barn. Put add into Transcript Price of hay here after $7.00 In the evening I visited the Surveyor’s camp & conversed with them about road. Called at Bro. Lymans & promised to meet train tomorrow & bring Bro. Lyman up. Alice & Children may possibly come out also. Wrote to Mr. Chamberlain of S.L.C. & Mr Brown of Mercur about horses we are pasturing.

17 April 1896 • Friday

Tooele Weather Stormy & cold. I met the train with team & carriage. Alice & children did not come. Apostle Lyman & Sister Gowans rode up with me.

In the afternoon I took team & Lyman, Gowans, McBride & Shields out & met Ry. Surveyors. Attended R.R. Meeting in the evening & was appointed on a committee to see for what right of way can be obtained. Sold hay during the day. Went up to Cemetery towards evening & did some work cleaning off grounds. [p. 57]

18 April 1896 • Saturday

Tooele Weather Stormy & cold I met Alice & children at Ry. Depot, Attended Sunday School Conference forenoon & afternoon. Bp. Shields took dinner with us. I sold hay to sundry persons and wrote several letters. Alice & I walked up to the Cemetery towards evening where we did some work on lots.

19 April 1896 • Sunday

Tooele Weather stormy & fine. I attended three meetings & Circle. Offered opening prayr at morning exercises and spoke a few moments in afternoon meeting. OP Bates & Son took supper with us.

20 April 1896 • Monday

Tooele Weather pleasant.

I sold hay to a number of persons & hauled three loads of wheat to mill George working on the Ranch while I was doing it. Received a letter from Abram in which he indicated that he would take charge of the Ranch May 1st 1896. In the evening I was busy writing. [p. 58]

21 April 1896 • Tuesday

Tooele Weather preasant [pleasant].

I arose at 4:40 A.M. attended to animals, sent George up to Pococks & I went down & urged Green to come & clear ground. I went over to My field & got my horses & brought over and caught George’s pony & Clegg got his horses out then I sent horses back to pasture. George rode his pony & went to the Basin & got horses took out Brown horse & Dallons horse & sent others back to Basin. Sold hay to Bowen on acct plowing per DeLaMare Bought of John C. DeLaMare a 3 in Studebaker wagon complete with top box bows, spring seat & springs used since last fall Paid $67.50 Bought of John England a set of heavy harness without pole straps for $45.00 & halters for $3.50 a pair. Took Bros. Lyman & Gowan & Surveyor Page out to look over surveys of Rail Road. In the evening I did some writing & retired early.

22 April 1896 • Wednesday

Tooele Weather threatening & windy. I got my new harness from the Shop & my wagon from DeLaMare [p. 59] hauled two loads of wheat to Mill. Sold hay to Sundry persons. Bought Cedar posts from man from St. John. Had men at work in the field preparing for lucern planting.

23 April 1896 • Thursday

Tooele Weather windy.

I attended the funeral services of Sister Nordquist & spoke for 40 minutes.

Had H Marshall helping the boys to plant the Garden & plow among trees.

I did work on the Ranch.

24 April 1896 • Friday

Tooele Weather windy. I had men at work on ranch putting in lucern & Marshal planting my garden. I hauled two loads of wheat to the mill 60 bu each. Sent my madam mare over to Scribner’s Frank Whitehouse finished plowing my pasture. 5 A. I traded my mare Maud S. to Geo. Remington for his black mare I to keep the Mare to raise the colt until 5 mo old. & pasture a yearling colt for him. [p. 60]

25 April 1896 • Saturday

Tooele Weather windy.

I had men at work on ranch and H. Marshall with boys on my lots. George got Berdie shoed and watered animals at Basin pasture. I attended High Council meeting from 11 A.M. until 2:20 P.M. & from 4 P.M. to 6:30 P.M. in the Case of K. A. Ely vs. J C Sharp & C R McBride & formulated the decision. I attended the funeral of Dan Houtz’s 6 yr old girl held at Apostle Lymans & spoke for 15 minutes. Bp. Sharp, Benion Bros. David & Israel & O. P. Bates took dinner with me & Benion Bros staid all night. I went over to field after dark & watered animals. Wrote in Journal & did other writing, bathed & retired.

26 April 1896 • Sunday

Tooele Attended Conference meetings there. Bro J. W. Tayler came by team & staid with me was with us all night. Had good Conference meetings.

27 April 1896 • Monday

Tooele Attended Conference meetings two & Council meeting one Spoke for 25 min in conclusion of fore noon meeting & in afternoon reported as Patriarch [p. 61] When the declaration of principles was read & presented for adoption J C & Thos DeLaMare & F. D. Horman voted against it & J C DeLaMare being a High Councli [Council] alternate was dropped. In the evening I gave blessings to J S Lee’s wife & his two boys. Loaned Minister my team & carriage to bring the remains of Mr Hoper from Depot & to take them or mourners to Cemetry.

289 April 1896 • Tuesday

Tooele Weather pleasant except some wind. I finished <commenced> moving from A. F. D’s ranch into our own home. Just as I got up from a later dinner & Slept in our own house at night for first time.

29 April 1896 • Wednesday

Tooele Weather windy.

I finished hauling our things from A F D’s ranch & moved into our own home. J C DeLamare’s house burnt down in the afternoon & I assisted in extinguishing the flames. Had my team shawed [shod?] &c. Had 3 men at work on the ranch. All usually well. In the evening I sat up late writing wrote Mother. [p. 62]

30 April 1896 • Thursday

Tooele Weather pleasant.

I sent two teams to Depot & met Newel Whitney & family & brought up his furniture. I took him over to my field & got straw for his carpets & I got a box load of straw & brought home.

I attended to the irrigating and hauled a load of wood from ranch over here in exchange for wire doors, brought carriage & buggy over which means a finish moving. Had a letter from Abram saying he would be out to-morrow or next day sure. Attended a meeting of the water owners on Kelsey ditch held at Mrs Meiklejohn’s in the evening where Peter Cligg was elected ditch master in my stead I having served for five years or more.

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April 1896, The Journal of George F. Richards, accessed March 19, 2024 https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/george-f-richards/1890s/1896/1896-04