On Sunday, the Saints in the fort woke up to three inches of snow on
the ground. On that day, five wards
were organized in the fort. The bishops
were: Joseph B. Nobles, Tarlton Lewis,
John S. Higbee, Jacob Foutz, and Edward Hunter. On Tuesday, the High Council discussed raising funds to purchase
the property of Miles Goodyear, located to the north on Weber River. On Saturday, Jefferson Hunt asked permission
from the Council to return to California with a small company. His request was granted. Patty Sessions wrote: “The ground is getting bare, it has been
covered with snow nearly for ten days.
Warm and pleasant yesterday and today.”
Robert Bliss, a battalion soldier who had
recently arrived in the valley wrote:
From the 27th of Oct to the present time
employed my time in assisting Mr.
Turner in building a house; we go 12 miles to a canyon of the mountains
for timber & obtain beautiful fir which makes find cabins to live in. There has arrived 556 wagons this season
besides the soldiers of the battalion & we have nearly enclosed by blocks
of buildings about 40 acres or 4 ten‑acre lots built around each 10
acres. There are from 2 to 5 miles
north of us many warm & hot springs & several small lakes full of ducks
& geese. . . . The Great Salt Lake
is 20 miles from us laying west & north from the town; Salt is so plenty we
can go to the lake & shovel it up & soon load waggons & the water
of the lake is so salt that 4 barrels of water will make by boiling one barrel
of find table salt as good as can be made.
On Sunday, a meeting was held in the Winter Quarters Council
House. Brigham Young recorded that
Orson Pratt “gave an account of the pioneer journey and described some of the
lakes and valleys of the mountains.”
Other meetings were held in the various wards. The Saints eagerly listened to the pioneers relate accounts of
their journey to the mountains and back.
Mary Richards wrote: “Bro
[Stephen] Goddard who was one of the pioneers came and spent the AM with
us. He told us many things concerning the
valley and their journey which were very interesting and sung us some of the
journeying songs.”
The first snow fell on Monday morning. Orson Hyde gave a report of his mission to
England, to the Twelve. The Council
voted to vacate Winter Quarters in the spring and go westward. Bishop George Miller and James Emmett were
disfellowshipped from the Church.
During the week, a group of Omaha Indians
passed through town on their way north.
William Kimball recovered a horse from them which had been stolen. Some of the Indians lingered around town
begging and stealing.
On Wednesday, the Twelve heard a report about
the Oneida Indians, who were friendly to the Saints. They desired mechanics, farmers, teachers, and missionaries. Alpheus Cutler was appointed to see what
help could be provided. The Council
discussed distributing the Nauvoo library, which had been brought to Winter
Quarters.
On Saturday, W.W. Phelps reported that he had obtained a printing press and paper
to be taken to the valley. The Twelve discussed
sending the members of their quorum again out into “the vineyard.”
Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 17, p.95‑6;
Smart, Mormon Midwife, 102; Beecher,
The Personal Writings of Eliza R. Snow, 211; Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 3:290;
Brooks, On the Mormon Frontier, 286‑87; Harwell, Manuscript History of
Brigham Young, 1847‑1850, 76‑77; Ward, Winter Quarters, 179‑80;
The Journal of Robert S. Bliss, Utah Historical Quarterly, 4:127
Among the duties of the High Council at that time was to judge divorce
cases. Battalion member James R. Hirons
and his wife, Mary Ann Jameson Hirons had separated. They had spent the previous winter at Pueblo with the sick
detachment. Sister Hirons' father,
Charles Jameson presented a petition to the High Council to decide on the
disposition of the property. After
hearing testimony, Charles C. Rich said:
“My decision is: give the woman
half the blankets and the cow and let Hirons see that she is supplied with
breadstuffs until after harvest.” City
marshal, John Van Cott, was ordered to see that the decision was carried out
because James R. Hirons was about to leave for California.
On Monday, the High Council discussed sending
an expedition to California. Asahel A.
Lathrop, Orrin Porter Rockwell, and Elijah K. Fuller were appointed to go to
California, to purchase goods for the Saints.
They were each given a blessing for their mission. This group would travel with battalion
soldiers, including Jefferson Hunt. The
expedition consisted of eighteen men.
The brethren took instructions to the battalion members still in
California: “We counsel all of you not
to re‑enlist as soldiers . . . But as fast as you are liberated from your
previous engagements, and as you circumstances will permit repair to this
place, bring with you all you can of things that will be of value.” Part of the company left on Wednesday, the
rest of them left on Thursday.
On Tuesday, Jesse W. Crosby wrote: “Snow fell four or five inches deep, frost
pretty severe. Thus far in November,
since our arrival all have been busily engaged in hauling wood, timber,
building houses, sewing wheat.”
On Saturday, Captain James Brown of the
Battalion, returned from his brief trip to California.[1] Captain Brown reported that he had
government authority to act as deputy quartermaster or agent to dispose of the
government property in the valley. He
had brought back with him pay for the battalion soldiers and requested that he
receive 10% of all the pay as a fee for his labor in getting the money. The Council agreed to this plan. They also authorized Henry G. Sherwood and
Captain Brown to purchase Miles Goodyear's property on the Weber River.[2]
An outdoor meeting was held at the Winter Quarters stand. The Twelve gave an account of their journey
to and from the Great Basin. Brigham
Young suggested to that those who could not move west during the spring should
vacate Winter Quarters and move to the east side of the river, into Iowa. The government continued to pressure the
leaders to get off the lands of the Omaha Indians. The proposal was sustained.
Brigham Young spoke out against the way
dances were being conducted in Winter Quarters. He said that the Bishops would control the dancing. They needed to be present at all such
parties held in the various wards.
On Monday, Orson Pratt introduced a subject
to be discussed. What were the rights
and standing of President Brigham Young and what were the rights of the Quorum
of the Twelve? Other members of the
Twelve shared their views. On Tuesday,
the Twelve voted that President Young should have the right to reprove, rebuke,
exhort, and to teach as led by the Holy Ghost.
Mary Richards wrote: “Weather rather cool. Was pressing the juice out of pumpkins, and
boiling it down to make pumpkin butter of or with it. I found it most too hard work for me. Evening felt very tired.”
She forgot her weariness when she received a letter from her missionary
husband, Samuel W. Richards. She wrote
that the letter “made my heart swell with gratitude to my Heavenly Father for
all his goodness both to my husband and me.
Oh that his mercies may continue toward us, so that we may be preserved
to meet again, and enjoy the pleasure of knowing that we have his approbation
in all we do and say.”
On Friday, the Twelve met in the council
house and selected twenty‑seven brethren to be called on missions to
preach the gospel. Those selected
included Luman H. Calkins, Jonathan C. Wright, Elisha H. Groves, and James W.
Cummings.
On Saturday the police learned that an
unlawful dance was being held because there was no bishop present. An officer was sent to disperse break up the
party. The people went home. Many of them had not heard of the new law.
Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 17, p.96‑7;
Dewey, Porter Rockwell, 144‑45; Harwell, Manuscript History of Brigham
Young, 1847‑1850, 77; Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 3:290‑91; Brooks,
On the Mormon Frontier, 286‑87; Ward, Winter Quarters, 180‑81;
History and Journal of Jesse W. Crosby, typescript, BYU, 46
Eliza R. Snow wrote on Thursday, “For some days past, the brethren have
been ploughing & dragging with the ground cover'd with snow. This day they commence baptizing.” On Friday, she was rebaptized along with
about twenty others, as a sign of rededication in their new valley home.
On Saturday, Abner Blackburn and Lysander
Woodworth charged Captain James Brown for not supplying them with beef
according to a contract agreed to for services during their recent trip to and
from California. After considering the
case, the High Council rules that Captain Brown should furnish them four
hundred pounds of beef each and if that was not enough, he should give them
enough to last until spring.
Robert Bliss, a discharged member of the
battalion wrote, summarizing the previous two weeks: “The weather has been generally fine with the exception of a few
warm snow storms. The snow fell from 6
inches to 12 inches in depth. The snow
is now nearly gone & it is warm like summer. We have moved into our cabbin in the fort & I am as
comfortably situated as I could expect, but still am lonesome on account of
being absent from my family. I pray God
to bless them in my absence until I can go to them in the spring.”
On Sunday, the Twelve held an outdoor meeting at the Winter Quarters'
stand. Brigham Young was feeling
ill. Orson Pratt gave a powerful talk
on the resurrection. Wilford Woordruff
commented: “He showed that however
miraculous it might appear unto us, it was just as easy for God to perform this
work as it was to run water into wine or make bread without flour to feed a
multitude.” Elder Woodruff testified to
the congregation that the words spoken by Elder Pratt were true.
A case was presented before the Twelve
involving Hosea Stout (leader of the police) and Brother Murdock. Two weeks earlier, a confrontation occurred
as the police were driving stray cattle into the stray pen. Charles W. Patten, Brother Murdock and
others confronted Hosea Stout's group.
Brother Stout recorded that “the result was quite a knock down.” Brother Murdock was charging Brother Stout with
assault. At the trial, John L. Butler
testified that “he could hear the licks distinctly which sounded like beating
an old dry buffalo skin.” Brother Stout
believed this to be a lie, that he only struck Brother Murdock once across the
arm. After the trial, the house was
cleared. President Young met with the
police and gave them words of encouragement for trying to maintain the law in
the city.
On Monday, the Twelve met together and wrote
a letter to Oliver Cowdery (one of the three witnesses). They exhorted him to be rebaptized.
On Tuesday, the Twelve and the Presidents of
the Seventy spent much time selecting brethren to be called on missions. They chose 30 High Priests and 80 from the
Seventies.
On Thursday, The Twelve met with the captains
of the emigrating companies to give them further instructions for their
organizations. They also wrote a letter
to Nathaniel H. Felt, president of the St.
Louis Branch. He was encouraged
to send the Saints to Winter Quarters who were ready to emigrate.
On Friday, Brigham Young wrote a letter to
Orson Spencer in England. Elder Spencer
was sent to England a year earlier.
President Young wrote about the pioneer journey and their labors in the
Salt Lake Valley. A group of Omaha
Indians set up camp in a field to the south, near the city. Hosea Stout, William Meeks, and T. Rich were
sent to order them away by sunset. The
Indians quickly left.
On Saturday, Wilford Woodruff and George A.
Smith crossed over the Missouri River and rode to Miller's Hollow. They spent the night at Brother Guyman's
home. A member of the Mormon Battalion,
who was part of the Kearney detachment, related his account of the journey.
Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 17, p.97; Beecher,
The Personal Writings of Eliza R. Snow, 212; Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 3:291‑92;
Harwell, Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 1847‑1850, 77‑8;
Brooks, On the Mormon Frontier, 288‑89; The Journal of Robert S. Bliss,
Utah Historical Quarterly, 4:127
On Sunday, President John Smith and his counselors were appointed as a
committee to regulate the prices for grinding and other services in the
community. The price of twenty cents
per bushel was later established.
Brother Crismon would perform the grinding and keep a detailed account
of the transactions. President Smith
and his counselors were also appointed to locate a road east from the fort and
one block south, and to build a bridge over the “third creek from City
Creek.” Men would be organized to
provide the labor. A road would also be
constructed to the north canyon. The
roads would be four rods wide (64 feet). On Wednesday, William William Leffingwell was granted permission
to build a turning lathe on City Creek.
Robert S. Bliss summarized the previous two
weeks in his journal. “We have had find
weather, a light frost nights, but warm days insomuch that grass is now growing
so that cattle &c are doing well.
The ground has not been froze except in places where the sun cannot
come. If this weather continues a short
time there will be probably 1000 acres of wheat sown & some corn
ground. Plowed besides onions, lettuce
&c put in Gardens. The prospect
looks fine for this people here.”
William Clayton wrote: “During
the last 4 weeks, I have spent part of the time writing and part attending on
my family. Gloomy prospects seem to
thicken around my family and it requires a constant effort to keep pace with
crowding scenes of suffering and sorrow.
. . . We have had two rain storms which beat into the houses and wet
every thing.” His brother James Clayton
became very ill and died on Monday.
On Sunday, across the river at Miller's
Settlement (later called Kanesville) a Sabbath meeting attended by a large
congregation was held at the meeting house.[3] Speakers included Wilford Woodruff and
George A. Smith. At Winter Quarters,
the other members of the Twelve met with the High Council in the morning. Theodore Turley and Joseph Fielding were
sustained as members of the High Council.
In the evening Brigham Young spoke to the Seventies and High Priests
about plans to move across the river, back into Iowa, and then prepare for the
journey to the mountains.
On Monday at Winter Quarters, a meeting was
held for those who had been recently called to go out on preaching
missions. Brigham Young instructed
them.
On Tuesday, the Twelve met in council. Wilford Woodruff recorded this historic
entry in his journal: “The subject of
appointing three of the Twelve as the Presidency of the Church. Brother Young said by pursuing this course
it would liberate the quorum of the Twelve that they might go to the Nations of
the earth to preach the gospel. Many
remarks were made upon the subject.”
On Wednesday, Brigham Young and the other
members of the Twelve crossed the Missouri River, into Iowa and preached to the
Saints at Council Point.
On Friday, the Twelve held a conference with
the Saints in Miller's Settlement.
Sessions were held in the morning and in the afternoon. The Saints received instructions from five
members of the Twelve. Brigham Young
recorded: “I introduced the subject of
organizing a carrying company hence to the Salt Lake country, for the purpose
of taking as many thither as possible.”
He called on the bishops to help assist about three hundred poor
families on the west side of the river.
The conference continued on Saturday. The block meeting house was so crowded, that
after President Young made his remarks, the conference was adjourned for three
weeks. The conference sustained a
proposal to build large log meetinghouse (Kanesville Tabernacle) for the people
to meet in. Henry Miller was appointed
to supervise a building committee.
About two hundred volunteers were quickly raise to go to work
immediately on the building. The
building size was planned to be 65 by 40 feet.
Brigham Young told the conference that they should not be surprised if a
city should be built at this location.
The Twelve selected a site for the tabernacle and then traveled to Ezra
Chase's settlement for the evening.
Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 17, p.97‑98;
The Journal of Robert S. Bliss, Utah Historical Quarterly, 4:127; Wilford
Woodruff's Journal, 3:292‑94; Holmes, “The First Mormon Tabernacle is
Rebuilt in Kanesville, Iowa” in The Nauvoo Journal, Volume 8, Fall 1996;
Harwell, Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 1847‑1850, 78‑9; An
Intimate Chronicle, 394