THE LIFE OF JAMES jaees W A sueton OP 01 HIS MS CA james willard Cummin cummings gri grf who died may 1883 about 3 a m was the bon son of james cummings and susannah willard cumming cummings cum Cam mino ming born march loth luth 1819 in the town of wilton county of kennebec beato of maine he heard the gospel for the first time when about eign eighteen teen teon years old in his hib native land did not embrace it at that time blit but on several occasions stood in defence of elders against his fa fathers theris family having mostly become members of the church he emigrated with them to nauvoo where he arrived about the iet let of july julys 1841 istl an arg ang was baptized on the ath aay day of the following october lie he started on his first mission july ath 1812 traveling in the noah eastern part of illinois ho he met with little success it being a time of severe revere persecution about nauvoo and excitement generally through the country he returned to nauvoo in the forepart of the summer following he was one of the posse who rallied and went up to dixon on the mississippi river above nauvoo and rescued the he prophet joseph from the hands of parties from missouri who had kidnapped him with the intention of taking him into that state on a pretense of his being a fugitive from justice in the fall fail of 1813 he went on a mission to the southern states laboring mostly in mississippi and alabama doing a good work baptizing quite a number and scattering extensively the good seed of the gospel the fruits of which have aiace since been gathered he returned again to nauvoo in the fall of 1814 where he re mined remained until the commencement of tiie tile re moval boval of the church wes west was al always w by s ou on hand band and taking an active part in all of the operations of def defence ence against the persecutions and mob bings that were continually being waged against the tsa tia ints he assisted in ferrying the first emigration of the saints across the ap mississippi pp 1 from nauvoo when they ataru start started west in the month of february 1846 was appointed captain of a company of men called pioneers 1 whoso choso duty it was to assist the emigration forward on the road in any manner their services might be available and to perform guard duty under the direction of president brigham young he started march aoth 1816 in company with john butler who had just returned from a company of saints that left nauvoo the summer previous under the leadership of one james emmet and were then at fort vermillion on missouri biven biver jn in a state of starvation for the purpose of inducing them to return and go with the church after aften a journey of many hardships they reached their thel r destination found the company in the condition represented and conducted them down to where they joined the moving camp of the westward bound saints he then returned home to nauvoo arriving june 1846 1816 and found hib hla fathers family hib hia wife being with them about ready to start west A few days after they all started and in due time joined the main camp on oan the west side of the tho missouri in the spring of 1848 1849 he went from n winter quarters to england on a mission leaving his wife sick in connecticut with her friends ss while in england he be labored faith fully being greatly blee blea blessed obed of the ji lord and instrumental in bringing it til many adula into the fold of christ j in 1851 he returned to the united states antime in time to cross the plains n with that seasons season s ing his family with him during the period of his life here it i he has served in many responsible i positions for several years in the early history of utah he was an aoi nai tive five and energetic member of the r legislature several years a mem ber bar of the city council of salt lake like city clerk of the county anspro and aud pro 9 bate courts and county Treas treasurer the latter office being held by him at the time of his demise n in 1858 1888 he was sent by gov brig e ham hain young in command of a acom com n pany of scouts to meet moot the army to sen sent bent there he re by prest buchannan channan Ba to watch their movements and com corm L muni cate with him they first sighted the army near old eort fort laramie and to use his own words j they herded them from there up to near green river biver when he was vas y compelled to return home homo on aca count of a severe affliction of 4 the eyes disqualifying him for the time being for duties of that q character his labors labon as a home missionary are well weli understood by the people he being very energetic in that capacity hla his life was always on the altar for the advancement of the T kingdom of gody god the defence of the rights of the saints and the true principles of constitutional liberty he has left a highly creditable j record and gone gong to join the armies of the just fust on the other side of tho the vail vall there to continue his active caha rear in the cause of truth hla hia labors A stretching into the ete eternities 1 1