February 1852


1 February 1852 • Sunday

Commenced raining in morning and continued almost all day without intermission.

2 February 1852 • Monday

Translating Book of Mormon. Quite cold.

3 February 1852 • Tuesday

do. do. This evening received a letter from Bros. [Charles C.] Rich and [Amasa] Lyman in answer to mine of Aug. 29th, they were all well and doing well and had built a fort of one hundred houses; they had bought about eighty or one hundred thousand acres of land for $77,500; $25,000 to be paid the 1st of March next and the remainder two years from that time1. They were in receipt of news from home up to Aug.; they were all well and prospering there. They justifyed me in my course and said I should be blessed. Bro. Rich intends leaving for the Valley in March or the 1st of April. Bro. [Francis] Hammond wrote to Bro. [Richard R.] Hopkins and I wrote a few lines to Bros. Amasa and Rich.2

4 February 1852 • Wednesday

Bro. H. started for Makawao with two horses to bring down Sister [Mary Jane] Hammond. I went over to Wailuku. Preached in afternoon.

5 February 1852 • Thursday

Got a horse from Bro. Napela to ride to Kula as I intended to go [to] Koolau [Ko‘olau] as they had sent for me to go over there, there being a good many that were anxious to do right. I rode to the beach to where Bro. Keeler was living and got him to accompany me; we got to the Kula in the evening and found Bro. Hawkins, who was living there, well. The horse I intended to ride was not convenient and as I wanted to see Bro. Hammond before he left Makawao, and therefore I concluded to start this evening afoot and leave Bro. K. to bring the horse in the morning; Bro. Hawkins chose to accompany me. We arrived after they had all gone to bed, and awakened Bro. [John] Winchester.

6 February 1852 • Friday

Bro & Sis. H. started for Waiehu [to make their home]; and Bro. K. arrived from Kula but in consequence of a mistake in regard to a saddle, Bro. Hawkins started back to change it and returned again in the evening.

7 February 1852 • Saturday

Arose this morning and found the horse had got loose in the night and had left. Searched awhile but not finding him we (Bro. K. & I) started on foot and arrived in the evening at Keanae [Ke‘anae] well tired.

8 February 1852 • Sunday

Called a meeting for the purpose of settling the difficulties; I had difficulty in talking it being hard work rather repelling than otherwise the spirit. I stated to them in what they done wrong and I had come to set them right if possible. Bro. [Paulo] Maewaewa arose and said that he was sorry and repented of what he done for it was wrong and wished to be forgiven. They all said they wished to do right; Bro. K. arose and said that it was all over with him and that his feelings were over.3 In afternoon met again and spoke at some length and was followed by Bro. Keeler testifying to the truth.

9 February 1852 • Monday

Bro. K. concluded to return [to Makawao] to-day. I could not go as I had promised to stay until over Wednesday meeting.

10 February 1852 • Tuesday

Rode to meeting at Wailua. One thing that I omitted in yesterday’s record was the marriage of a couple from Hamakua.

11 February 1852 • Wednesday

Reading &c.

12 February 1852 • Thursday

I spoke to a native owning a boat about sailing down with him to Hamakua, and waited all day for him; but the sailing was deferred until morning.

13 February 1852 • Friday

Embarked this morning and sailed some <little> distance and was so very seasick that I requested them to set me ashore. Upon landing I had a very high steep mountain to climb; if I had not been accompanyed by a native to help me up I rather think I would not have been able to accomplish it, as I was very weak and dizzy and several rocks that I had to climb over were overhanging. I arrived at Makawao about sundown and found Bro. Keeler there.4

14 February 1852 • Saturday

Raining all day.5

15 February 1852 • Sunday

Showery. A planter named Capt. [P.] Perry had invited one of us to preach at his place and the brethren had given out an appointment with the exception expectation of one of us being there to fill it. We descended there and found a few there in attendance. Held meeting and I spoke upon the first principles. <stayed and> Eat dinner upon Capt. Perry’s invitation conversed upon the principles. In evening held conference at Bros. Winchester & [Albion] Burnham’s house, the brethren all assembled at the appointed time and opened the meeting and spoke at some length upon the organization of the Church and upon priesthood and other principles. I had a good flow of the spirit and felt extremely well, they brethren also partook of the feeling they all spoke around. Bro. Judson A. Gaston was ordained Priest; Bro. John Davis teacher; Bro. M. [Marcus] A. Baker deacon. Bro. Winchester was set apart as Presiding Elder.6 Wednesday evening was appointed for meetings as well as Sunday.

16 February 1852 • Monday

Bro. & Sis. Hammond and Bro. Hawkins arrived here to-day on a visit.

17 February 1852 • Tuesday

Rained this evening.7

18 February 1852 • Wednesday

Rode <down> to Waiehu in company with Bro & Sis. H. After which went over to meeting at Wailuku.8

19 February 1852 • Thursday

Writing &c.9

20 February 1852 • Friday

do. do.10

21 February 1852 • Saturday

Stormy very violent wind and rain all day.

22 February 1852 • Sunday

Went to Wailuku to meeting and held meeting in morning and afternoon.11

23 February 1852 • Monday

Accompanied Bro. Napela to Waiehu, afterwards Bro. Keeler came up from the beach and shortly <after> Bro. Winchester joined us from Makawao. They returned to Wailuku in company with N & I.

24 February 1852 • Tuesday

<In morning baptised one woman> In afternoon started on horseback for Kula to fill an appointment for tomorrow afternoon. I arrived there at the house of Napela and put up.

25 February 1852 • Wednesday

Rode to where Bro. [H. K.] Kaleohano was living & found Bro. Hawkins; they were all well and were building the meeting house. In afternoon had a good meeting; after which we started to Makawao to the evening meeting. The brethren12 all met with the exception of Bro. Gaston Bros Hammond & Rice had also rode up from Waiehu. We had a good time the brethren feeling very well. I felt quite unwell from the effects of a cold.

26 February 1852 • Thursday

Left Makawao about noon in company with Bro. Hammond arrived at dark at Waiehu.

27 February 1852 • Friday

Raining nearly all day. Writing journal. Quite unwell from the effects of a cold.13

28 February 1852 • Saturday

Attended meeting in morning and exhorted the brethren to perseverance. I felt quite unwell all day. In afternoon attended meeting again; having appointed the meeting in the morning meeting—a very good attendance for this place and I enjoyed a good flow of the Spirit.

29 February 1852 • Sunday

Rode over to Wailuku to attend to morning meeting. I preached but felt quite feverish and unwell; there was a good attendance. In afternoon Bro. Hammond spoke; it was the first time that I ever sat and listened to one of the brethren speak in native, (with the exception of a few words by Bro. Keeler at Koolau.) He spoke about 15 or twenty minutes and would have spoken very well if he had not been somewhat afraid and consequently confused. I arose and spoke and was followed by Napela & Maiola.14 Baptised seven Bro. K. officiating and gave them instruction in relation to the laws of the kingdom and their obligations to live in obedience to King Immanuel. Returned in company with Bro. H. to Waiehu and attended meeting there and gave them instruction on the nature <& efficacy> of prayer.

Bro. Napela is quite unwell—his Mother died last Wednesday—She was a member of the other Church & a short time ago had come in company with another to try and persuade him to the <return> bosom of the Calvinists. While <she was> sick he told her that he wanted her to get well that she might be baptised. for he would not have felt near as bad if she had died before hearing this gospel.

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February 1852, The Journal of George Q. Cannon, accessed October 14, 2024 https://chpress-web.churchhistorianspress.org/george-q-cannon/1850s/1852/02-1852

Footnotes

  1. [1]This reference is to the settlement the Latter-day Saints established on the site of present-day San Bernardino, California. On September 22, 1851, Rich and Lyman finalized arrangements for the purchase of a substantial tract of land known as Rancho del San Bernardino, although the actual acreage was significantly less than originally reported. Shortly after the more than four hundred Latter-day Saints began settling their new home, word was received of a possible Indian uprising, and the residents quickly constructed a fort for their protection, where they would live for more than a year. Eventually the colony grew to 3,000 residents. In 1857, following the outbreak of the Utah War, Young counseled the Saints in the colony to return to Utah. Although many returned, some of the residents stayed in California. For a detailed look at Mormon San Bernardino, see Lyman, San Bernardino.

  2. [2]See Appendix 2, Item 12.

  3. [3]Keeler reported that Cannon “opened the meeting by prayer then Comenced to speak to them he had not liberty to say mutch to them after he had got done the preaching . . . he asked them what they wanted to doe whether they would keep the Commandments of the Lord they said that they would the teacher said that he had done rong in aposeing Brother Hawkins & my self” (Keeler journal, Feb. 7, 1852).

  4. [4]Cannon’s arrival at Makawao had been anxiously anticipated. Hawkins had previously “started to meet Bro G[e]orge but returned without him[.] after dark the people Came together to be organised but we thought it best not to organise untill Bro G. Cannon Came” (Keeler journal, Feb. 11, 1852).

  5. [5]The “rainy weather & hard winds from the North” prevented Hammond “from going to Makawao, But Br. Cannon will be thare which will awnswer every purpose” (Hammond journal, Feb. 14, 1852).

  6. [6]The Makawao branch consisted of seven haole, all males (Hammond journal, Feb. 16, 1852; Farrer diary, Feb. 19, 1852).

  7. [7]The rain prevented the missionaries from holding a scheduled meeting: “They had a meeting appointed for this evening, but it came on to rain about sundown & continued until bed time to rain hard. we ware all disappointed some what on account of it” (Hammond journal, Feb. 17, 1852).

  8. [8]Hammond wrote of this meeting: “Not a great many thare but we had a good meetting Br C spoke well & to the point” (Hammond journal, Feb. 18, 1852).

  9. [9]The missionaries spent the day writing in their journals (Hammond journal, Feb. 19, 1852).

  10. [10]Hammond reported that “Br George & Myself took a walk up into the Mountain we had a good time in praying before [the] Lord felt his spirit to be with us in a good measure. Latter part employed in study all well & in good spirits” (Hammond journal, Feb. 20, 1852).

  11. [11]During the morning meeting “Br. C. preached from Dan 2–44. thare was not a very large congregation” (Hammond journal, Feb. 22, 1852).

  12. [12]An undecipherable word was added above the line at this point.

  13. [13]Hammond noted of the day’s events: “Rainy weather, & cold winds from the North. . . . [Our] house is not yet done tharefore we are not so comfortably as we might be. . . . Br. Keeler & Br. Cannon are both here yet employed in studying the language &c” (Hammond journal, Feb. 27, 1852).

  14. [14]Hammond wrote that Cannon preached “from the 24 chap of Matt on the coming of the Son of Man,” while Keeler recorded that Cannon “preached on the Building of the Church in the Last days & on the first principals of the gospel” (Hammond journal, Feb. 29, 1852; Keeler journal, Feb. 29, 1852).