December 1910

Orderville.

Weather beautiful dry ground & warm.

We held a meeting with the Stake Presidency & New bishopric with Bp. Esplin & Elders Smith & I added. We kneeled and I offered prayr and then instructed them for about 50 minutes questions asked were answered and Elders Smith & Woolley gave some counsel. I issued certificates to those whom I had ordained.

Elder Smith & I left with Pres Woolley for Mt. Carmel 4 miles distant about 11 A.M. We put up at Bp. Hans C. Sorenson. I wrote up my journal & did other writing. Wrote a letter to Pres. Samuel F. Smith of Snowflake expressing my regrets at hearing of the destruction by fire, of the Snowflake Academy building.

Attended a public meeting at Mount Carmel. Elder Jos. F. Smith Jr spoke first and occupied about 30 minutes; read D.&C. sec 59 & commented. I followed for 60 minutes with fairly good freedom. Subject [p. 67] The Gospel demands the practice of Self denial & Sacrifice and obedience, a willingness to sacrifice all & to even lay down the life if required as did the Savior & his Apostles but the reward is Eternal life & Celestial glory. Works then are necessary to Salvation; faith is necessary to works and hearing necessary to the possession of faith, hence we preach. Concentration & evidence. Josephs Story of his first vision and the word of the Son. God who created all and knows the end from the beginning would forsee the apostasy and inspire his prophets to predict it. That he did. references. History should give account of it. It does, references. Without apostasy there could be no restoration; Conditions are found to be as Joseph was told by the Son. Had Joseph been an imposter, he never would have received the visitation of the angel, neither the plates but three and eight re[s]pectable witness testify they saw the plates, the three having seen them in the hands of the angel and heard his voice declare that they had been translated by the gift and power of God. This then witnesses the truth of Josephs story & [p. 68] the saying of the Son as to apostasy for if the first story had not been true he never would have had, after telling such a falsehood, a manifestation &c.

Mt. Carmel. Ut.

Elder Jos. F Smith Jr. and I with Pres E. D. Woolley drove from Mt Carmel to Kanab. 22 miles between 9 A.M. & 3:20 P.M. Called and looked over their dam.

Attended a meeting of High Council & Bishops in the evening and took an expression from them of judgment as to whom we should have for new Stake Presidency. Attended to other business. We received a letter from Pres. Lyman written from Bighorn requesting us to investigate Pres. Chamberlains case which we did after the H. Council meeting. Pres. Woolley being present and we there agreed to not present the name of Thomas Chamberlain to be sustained as patriarch.

Kanab.

Attended Conference meeting 10 A.M. Attendance 210. Speakers in order as follows; Pres E. D. Woolley, Bp. J. B. Heaton of Alton; Bp. Carpenter, Glendale Bp. Seegmiller, Kanab; Bp. Sorenson of Mt Carmel, Bp Esplin & Self. I occu [p. 69] [p]ied about 40 minutes, Subject loss of dam, Snowflake Academy & other missfortunes, Read Job 1: & 2:1–11 & commented Such losses when sustained in the Spirit of Job are sanctified to our blessing. Sacrifice & tithing.

From 12:20 to 1:50 oclock attended Council meeting with the brethren arranging the officers for presentation.

At 2 P.M. meeting, attendance 277, The speakers were as follows, Prests Chamberlain & Johnson, Jos. F. Smith Jr and Stake Supt. Schools, A. C. Nelson an excellent meeting.

After meeting, the wind commenced to blow hard, heavy clouds and radical change of weather. It has been ideal until now. Later storm blew over and fair weather obtains. We attended a meeting of the High Council Presidencies of the Stake the retiring & incoming presidencies in the evening and completed our lists.

Kanab.

Weather fine My health good.

I ordained Daniel Knapp Judd of Fredonia an High Priest and set him apart an alternate member of the High Council to which office he had been previously [p. 70] sustained. Attended High Council meeting at 9:30 and presented our entire list of releases and new officers and all were unanimously sustained. Attended 10 A.M. Sunday School Session of Conference, the attendance being [blank]. The sacrament was administered. Reports were had from the Superentendents of S. Schools, Primary & Religion classes. I occupied with much freedom 35 minutes in talking to parents, officers & children. Told two stories, “Gerhardt,” & Abram & Zimry. Elder Jos. F. Smith followed about 25 minutes subject baptism. At close of meeting a Priesthood meeting was held and the business of the conference was presented and unanimously sustained

Later at Pres Woolley’s home Bro John C. Carpenter was ordained an High P. & Set apart an alter a High Counselor by Elder Jos. F. Smith.

Letter from home, one enclosed from my son Joel in Liverpool Eng.

At afternoon session attendance was [blank]. After the opening exercises I made a talk on church government & disciplin[e], read letters of Correspondence between Pres E. D. Woolley and the First Presidency relation to the former’s release and [p. 71] presented the authorities who were sustained unanimously. I was followed by Pres Woolley, Bros Chamberlain, Joel Johnson, Bros Seegmiller, Meeks & Heaton, Geo. H. Robinson & Bro. Dalley & Elder Jos. F. Smith. Pres. Woolley before the Conference commended Elder Smith & myself on the manner in which we conducted the business of the chang<es> made in the Stake & said “The brethren Elders Richards & Smith have been just as formal & systematic and detailed as could possibly be, no detail having been overlooked and complete harmony & satisfaction had prevailed[”] Pres Chamberlain made similar comments. Took dinner with Bro. Thomas Chamberlain having fasted until about 5 P.M.

At evening Mutual meeting reports were made by sister Esplin, Bro. Heber J Meeks & a talk by bro. Carroll Elder Smith & I each spoke. I talked on character.

Kanab.

Attended a 9 A.M. meeting for the purpose of ordaining and setting apart officers sustained at the conference and instructing the Same. Elder Smith and I attended to that work taking more than two hrs time [p. 72]

I ordained Edwin D. Woolley a Patriarch; Set Wm W. Seegmiller apart President of the Kanab Stake; and ordained Israel H. Heaton an High Priest and set him apart second Counselor to Wm W. Seegmiller in the Kanab Stake Presidency; I ordained Geo Heber Robinson a Bishop and set him apart to preside over the Kanab ward. I set apart other minor officers the Stake record will show as well as those ordained & set apart by Elder Jos. F. Smith Jr.

Elder Smith and I left with Henry Esplin and Melvin Luke at noon for Orderville. We were overtaken while nooning by a Bro Stevens and on his invitation to lighten out load I rode with him to Mount Carmel and later with Elder Smith and others to Orderville.

Attended Orderville Special meeting and occupied about 60 min. Subject Example & obedience.

Orderville, Utah.

Patriarch Henry Esplin took Elder Smith & me over the divide 20 miles on road to home. We were met there by a Bro. Riggs and taken 13 miles to Hatch and with Bro. Rigg’s Son we [p. 73] went on to Panguitch 18 miles, arriving there at 6 P.M. and with Pres Jos. E. Heywood rode on to Circleville <30 mi.> stopping at Bp. James E. Petersons where we went to bed & slept until 1:30 A.M. Left Circleville with Bp Peterson at 2:30 A.M. and drove 25 miles to Marysvale reaching there at 7:45 oclock just in time for the train

Rode from Marysvale 198 miles by train home. We were due in Salt Lake about 6 P.M. but were detained on account of a wreck of a freight train just above Mapleton where 13 Box cars were wrecked. Arrived in Salt Lake about 7 P.M. Folks all well.

Home.

I attended regular weekly Council meeting and received an appointment with Pres. Lyman to Malad Stake Conference.

Bro. John Gray a member of our prayr Circle died yesterday having been sick but a week, cause Bronchitis & Heart failure. I went up and saw the folks. Attended to some business down town and later made checks in payment of bills wrote up my journal &c. [p. 74]

Home.

I went down town and assisted Alice in buying a dress and attended to other business. Visited my mother at Sister Sarah’s. In the evening my Sones George & LeGrand and their wives and Geo. L. Tate from Tooele came in and we played Croconole the first I have plaid for several years and I enjoyed it. Folks usually well.

Home. Raining.

I accompanied Pres. F. M. Lyman to Malad to attend Stake Conference.

We left on 7:10 A.M. train and arrived at Malad about noon. We were met by a brother Evans with team and driven to the home of Lewis D. Jones where we took dinner and I slept & made my headquarters while in Malad. Pres. Lyman ate but one meal there and the remaining time he staid at brother Jenkin Jones’.

Attended afternoon meeting. Attendance light. Speakers. Pres. Wm H. Richards, Pres Lyman 65 min, Self 20 min. Attendance at conference a duty and a means of manifesting our love of the Lord & His work. If we love the Lord we will love to worship & serve Him. The more we do for the cause the more we love it and the more we love it the [p. 75] more we do for it and vice versa. There is real joy in religious duty well done.

Attended High Council meeting at 7 P.M. and Stake Priesthood meeting at 8 P.M. Pres. Lyman not present. I spoke at both meetings at latter I occupied 35 minutes. Subject. Perfect church organization. Graduating from the Priesthood quorums, the High Priests should be qualified teachers both by precept and example. Our standard should be high, even the perfection of the gospel.

Home Malad.

Raining.

Attended 10 A.M. Conference meeting <present 500> children present. Sacrament administered. Stake Supt. S. Schools H. P. Randal, Counselor Lewis D. Jones and Pres Lyman were the speakers the latter occupying 57 minutes. We attended a meeting of the High Council and bishops from 12:20 to 1:20 o’clock.

At afternoon meeting. Attendance 595. The authorities were sustained. Pres. F. M. Lyman Said to me, “The time is yours.[”] I occupied 50 minutes. Subject sacrifice and tithing. Read from Job. 1 & 2nd and from Luke 14: & Mark 10: Had good liberty. Pres Lyman occupied 40 minutes over running the time 15 minutes. [p. 76]

After the afternoon meeting Pres. Lyman and I met with the Stake presidency and a brother Harding, Prof. Giles present an effort being made to get him to continue his musical work in Malad. Pres. Lyman gave it as his opinion that Prof Giles would do better in Malad than elsewhere, his services being appreciated here in a community of 1800 people with practically no competition.

At 7 P.M. Conjoint Mutual meeting the attendance was 444. The two associations were reported and Pres Lyman occupied 45 minutes and I, 35 minutes Subject. “Character Development.” Did not exhaust the Subject but closed for want of time. Excellent attention.

Malad.

Storm over Weather fine.

We left Malad at 7.15 and arrived in Salt Lake about 11:45 oclock A.M. On train met a number of friends. Prests Hansen & Jensen of Bear River Stake consulted me about releasing my Brother Myron J. Richards from his Bishopric of the River Side ward and putting him in the High Council, also re-organizing the Plymouth ward bishopric releasing Bp Archibald on account of his using tobacco and the evil effects following same. I indorsed [p. 77] their proposed action and advised them how to proceed. For the presidency to select new bishops and present the names to the High Council for their indorsement and then write their recommendations to the First Presidency.

I wrote Pres Welling a two paged letter explaining fully what I had counseled his Counselors in person. I called on my mother and spent an hour with her. Bathed and retired to bed early. A Mr. Candland called and tried to sell me some stock in a steel tie patent or stock in a company handling the patent.

Home.

Weather pleasant but quite cold.

I spent the forenoon at home and in afternoon Alice and I went up to my son LeGrand’s and from there down town and did some shopping. I bought and commenced to read Nelsons “Scientific Aspect of Mormonism[”] Administered to my little boy Oliver, who is not feeling well. A letter received from Pres. Samuel F. Smith of Snowflake Stake answering a letter I wrote him from Orderville relative to the burning of the Snowflake Academy.

Home.

Cold night last. Frost stays on roofs [p. 78] during the day. I ordered fertilizer for the lawn and with hose washed the lawn of leaves &c. Shut off the water for the Season; put up clothes line &c. in forenoon. I did some studying and attended my circle meeting in the evening. After meeting my sons George & LeGrand and their wives came and we played checkers and Croconoles until eleven oclock, a very pleasant evening.

Home.

Weather foggy and cold.

Attended regular weekly council meeting in temple from 10 to 1:30 Received appointment to Centreville to attend ward Sociable to-morrow representing the First Presidency and the Twelve. I also received the appointment with the Patriarch and Pres. Seymour B. Young to attend the Salt Lake Stake conference next Sunday. After meeting I did some shopping returning home about 3 o’clock. Put in new switch in hall way &c.

Alice, Sarah, Lucena and I attended the wedding reception of Wesley Smith held in the Beehive house between 8 & 11 P.M. [p. 79]

Home

Weather cold & hazy.

I worked out doors putting up more clothes lines, put window lights in cellar window &c and at 10:30 took train with Elder Heber J. Grant for Centreville where we attended an Annual Ward Sociable. We both spoke briefly.

We returned on 5:19 PM train reaching Salt Lake before 6 P.M. I went up to my sister Asenaths and had a brief visit with my Mother. Later Alice and I attended the Salt Lake theatre on invitation of Elder H. J. Grant and sat with him & his wife & Sisters Ivins & Bennion in his box.

Home

Weather cloudy & Cold.

I had a load of manure come yesterday and put on front lawn. I this morning raked it over and swept off walks &c then attended to my writing, read papers and studied I have taken cold; the baby has cough Ruby has sore throat; Oliver poorly. It seems to be an unhealthy time.

I spent the afternoon in Study my cold developing. At night I was really sick with severe headache, sore throat, aching limbs &c.

Ground dry. Cold & Smoky out. [p. 80]

Home.

Weather Same. I spent a miserable night, am hoarse, stuffed up with cold and generally out of commission. I arose about 8:30 A.M. Phoned Pres. Nephi L. Morris of Salt Lake Stake Presidency informing him of my condition and asking to be excused from attending the Conference meetings of that stake. I remained in all day and notwithstanding I was so indisposed physically, I read about 130 pages of N. L. Nelson’s “Scientific Aspect of Mormonism.[”] Committed to memory the hym p. 66. “Should you feel inclined to censure” LeGrand and Ina called and saw us.

Home.

Weather Same Am still poorly. Had severe headache again in the night.

Received news of the death of Alice Smith Robinson the wife of Mama’s Bro. LeGrand, her burial to take place in Rexburg to-morrow. I wrote him LeGrand a letter of Condolence. I also wrote to Joel & to Nerva my children.

Spent afternoon & evening reading and committed to memory the hymn, p. 184. “Think Gently of the Erring <One”> [p. 81] also re-learned hymn. “Truth reflects upon our senses.”

Home.

My cold is changing form and somewhat abating I think A letter from my Son Joel in England I answered and mailed him my check for $25.00 on his request.

I finished reading N. L. Nelson’s Book “Scientific Aspect of Mormonism.” All but a few pages read during the past three days.

I spent a half hour in the evening at Pres. Lyman’s at his request talking over church matters.

It commenced to snow about noon and snowed an inch or two during the afternoon & night.

Home.

A light coat of snow on the ground and snowing. I had fairly good night. My cough was troubleson.

My sister Nerva from Farmington called and spent a half hour.

Alice and I went down town and took Oliver with us. We went to the Bureau of Information on Temple grounds and I wrote in an Album intended [p. 82] to be presented to Elder Geo. Albert Smith from the Vermont party, a sentiment and we three members of the Vermont party signed same. Following is the sentiment.

Dear Brother Smith:—

With a fervent prayr for your speedy and permanant convalescence and wishing you the compliments of the Season, we are, with affectionage regard, your Co-laborer and members, under your wise chaperonage, of the Vermont party.

Geo. F. Richards

Alice A. Richards

Oliver L. Richards

While down town we did some trading, got suit, overcoat, Shoes &c for Oliver. I went home done up. Went to bed, had my feet soaked, LeGrand & George came and administered to me. I got better and got fairly good rest through the night.

Home.

Weather clear. Cold, the ground covered with snow.

I attended my meeting of the Council from 10 to 3 P.M. Bought books at Des. News Bk Store for which I paid $8.15 Christmas books. [p. 83]

Pres. Lyman called me in to his home in the evening and Chas. McBride of the Tooele Stake Presidency being present we talked over the proposition made by the Stake Presidency to the First Presidency Stating that Bishop Silas C. Orme of Tooele had tendered his written resignation and recommending that the ward be divided into three wards.

I told the brethren that I question<ed> the wisdom of dividing the ward but in view of all the conditions I thought it would be well to accept of Bp. Orme’s resignation. If we require him to continue we may not hope for a better administration than he has given. If we make Peter Clegg the bishop we will at least have as good with chances in favor of improved conditions.

Home.

Weather cold. I am much improved. This is the Prophet Joseph Smiths birth day anniversary.

I wrote letters to my friends. My brother Fred came down from Logan and I spent an hour with him and my mother at her home and after his depature at 3:30 to go down town and attend to business, I talked with [p. 84] Mother upon a subject about which we have never before conversed.

She told me about President Brigham Young’s treatment of Fathers Willard’s family after his death. Father Willard as Church Historian had his office in his home where my mother and her sister sarah lived. At his death the office effects, papers, records &c were removed from there and when certain papers were wanted and could not be found Brigham came over to their home and charged them with having purloined them for the purpose of getting money out of them later “as did Emma Smith,” Mother and Aunt Sarah disclaimed any knowledge of them and he in a gruff manner insisted that they had them and commanded them to tear open their feather beds, which of course they did not do, and when they shed the tears of broken hearts and wounded spirits he charged them with shedding crocodile tears. Bro. Robert Campbell later told the folks that the papers had been found but no apology was ever offered. The women took in sewing and did what they could at maintaining themselves, and raised what they could in their garden. It was in a [p. 85] conspicuous place, where the Present Des. News building stands & in the rear. Brigham told Thos L. Kane the administrator of the estate that that family must be moved from there Brigham told him to have them moved to Farmington and it was done to the sorrow and almost breaking of their hearts. This the cause of the move because these widows were seen working in the garden which was a shame and a disgrace, to whom? After property had been recovered, Brigham instructed Bp. J. W. Hess to not let the Doctor’s widows be baptized at time of the reformation and it became known and they were under a clowd in Farmington in consequence, but later word was sent to them that they might be baptized. At one time the properties were consecrated to the Church. Brigham told our folks they owned nothing it all belonged to the Church but when he came to try & sell the property he found the title vested in the family (Estate) Jennings Corner I allude to particularly as it was he who was trying to buy the property. Mother’s justification for speaking of these things even now for the first time when I am in my fiftieth year is as a partial paliation for the weak faith of Heber, Willard & Joseph, not justi[p. 86]fying them but accounting for their condition of faith. It was drawn out by the thought expressed by me that if the boys wronged their father’s widows <& younger children,> and had never righted that wrong it would naturally result in loss of the spirit and spiritual darkness.

This night Alice Oliver and I attended an entertainment of the Vermont party in the Social Hall. A spelling match was one of the chief features. Pres. Lyman & Pres. Jos. F. Smith chose sides. I was on Pres. Smith’s side. The other side wone, Arthur winter being the last up.

Home.

Weather foggy & Cold.

I fixed up tree, wrote up my journal for yesterday, wrote letters &c. Made two trips down town shopping.

George & Edith and LeGrand, Ina & Mercedese were with us in fixing up the tree &c and remained with us over night. We retired to bed at 1:30 A.M. I paid $11.25 for a tricycle for Oliver. In the early evening I visited for a short time, my mother.

Home.

Christmas. Sun shining through the fog. My cold not yet vanquish<ed> All went down stairs at 6 A.M. and [p. 87] there were many presents for each and all are happy. A nice letter from Joel written from Liverpool, Eng. opened & read. I visited my mother about noon for about an hour. Hyrum and Estella and family and Geo. L. and Nerva & children came in on the noon train. We had our turky Christmas dinner about 4:30 and had a merry time.

Home.

Ground barely covered with snow and frozen hard. Foggy or smoky for many days.

I still have cold and cough.

Estella & Hyrum and children and Nerva and Geo. L. and children are with us also Geo. F. & Edith and in the evening LeGrand & Ina came. They spent the past night and the day with Ashtons. We gave our selves up this holliday to the playing of game and had a splendid time retiring at 12 o’clock. I mailed letter to Joel.

Home.

Weather same.

Folks all with us still. The day and evening spent much as before i.e. yesterday. I called on my Mother. [p. 88]

Home.

Weather same. A light snow fall last night.

Last night I received a letter from Pres. Edward J. Wood of Cardston, Canada, stating that he had secured for me a farm of 160 A two miles from Glenwood a 10 A lot and a 1 A lot at Glenwood on terms as follows:

I this day wrote Pres. Wood enclosing to him my check for $58.40 and asked for more time on balance $300. at same time thanking him.

Received from Mrs. Dr. Ellis R. Shipp “Life Lines” a book of poems with her compliments. I wrote my acknowledgments & thanks.

My daughter Nerva, her husband and children went home to Tooele this morning.

George & Edith spent the evening with us the former returning home with me after Circle meeting.

<This day my mother went to bed sick having taken a severe Cold and she never recovered but passed away on Jan 7, 1911 having suffered greatly all the time.>⁷

Home.

Weather pleasant & seasonable.

I attended regular weekly council meeting from 10 to 2 o’clock. Called and saw my mother on my [p. 89] way to meeting and found her sick in bed. Alice was very poorly last night in consequence of having taken cold. After my council meeting and dinner I went down and saw my Mother and administered to her. Both she and Alice were prayed for in Circle to-day.

Hyrum and Estella and children are still with us. Hyrum, Estella, Alice and I played one game of croconole in the evening.

I paid to Bp. Maxwell $44.00 in settlement of my tithing full for 1910. $274.80. I made settlement for Mother $44.70. Mother took sick last evening.

Home.

Weather same I am better of my cold. Alice has a severe cold and Grandma is quite sick. Hyrum & Estella and children went home this morning.

I wrote my son Joel in answer to his of 17th inst from Liverpool, Eng. I sent him a $25.00 check to be used in a search by Bro. Minns for Longstroth genealogical hist<o>ry in Yorkshire, Eng.

Alice and I went over to Grandma’s about one o’clock and found her in intense pain as she had been during the past night and forenoon [p. 90] Dr Stephen had called about noon & prescribed Ice pack on her side for the Pleuricy pain. This did not seem to help her. At about 3 o’clock I phoned my sister Nerva at Farmington and she promised to come down & stay over night. At about 5 P.M. I phoned Dr. Joseph who came at 5:45 and put a plaster on her Side and back and left some tablets for her and she seemed to get almost immediate relief the first for about 24 hrs. I then went home to dinner. I administer<ed> to Mother also to Alice Grover who was also sick. I returned to Asenaths and spent the night, my sister Nerva was also there. The relief which came to Mother by the application of plaster was but temporary. She had a bad night of intense suffering.

My wife Alice had a bad & troublesome night with sore throat chilliness &c.

Home.

Snowed several inches last night. I am most well of my cold. Alice had poor night last account of sore throat, chilliness &c. Mother suffer<ed> [p. 91] greatly all night. I staid all night with her i.e. at my Sister Asenath’s where she is. I made paths at Asenath’s and then went home and swept paths and got breakfast. I was back and forth several times during the day & administered to Mother a time or two also to Alice Grover, my niece.

Elder Heber J. Grant and I phoned me that I could use five chairs in his box at the theatre, so I went and took Sarah, Ruby, Lucena and Nina. The “Traveling Sales man.”

My Mother had a better night than for several nights previous. My sister Nerva is with her. [1/2 page blank] [p. 92]