| Show ABOUT THE the dvork of he elders amongst them st john was settled by william bickerton and some of his followers about i and called at that time zions valley the object was a gathering place for what they called tho saints it is a fine looking country and this year the crops arbun usually I 1 suppose it does not look so inviting in dry seasons the Bickerton ites came from west virginia and seemed to be quite united and somewhat prosperous for a while but dissension got among them and two churches grew out of it each one cutting off all the members of the other and in this condition the elders found them some however had left both churches and that class the elders found to be friends to them since then there have been baptized into the true church some 35 souls most of them having been at one time with one or the other of the churches mentioned there are others hinves prospects conversion most of whom also are now or have been identified with bickerton either stem or branch the saints here almost without an exception are very anxious to cleaye the country for utah but being in straitened circumstances for money it is an inconvenience and almost impossible to sell out and leave there ore good prospect for crops bat money is very scarce JS all the land is under mortgage given by the owners then there is a city debt county debt and debt all drawing interest taxes are therefore so high that coupled with interest capitalists are very shy of investing and especially in bubmer land lack of money however does not at all interfere with tho hospitality of the saints in sheltering and providing foi tho elders or so far as th eyare able in assisting each other if they remain as true to their faith when they gel to utah as they are here they prove worthy of the blessings of the lord temporarily and the health of the elders is good so far learn excepting the caso of J B morrison TV ho is in holt mo and who has been overcome by the heat A death occurred here recently of which I 1 have seen no note it was that of a sister whose life has been so noble and true that I 1 feel it ought to bo recorded I 1 refer to sister clarissa E kendall wife of eli kendall of this place asue died on july of consumption jho deceased was born on march 27 1849 at mannington ManD ington west virginia her maiden name was cartwright she married eli kendall on october and moved to kansas in the spring of 1875 she was the mother of six boys and four girls all of whom are living she was a loving wife mother and friend always ready to assist the needy and distressed the deceased sister and her husband were the first to receive the elders in that place and from then till now their homo has been open to them she was baptized by elder W M palmer and confirmed by I 1 0 swenson july she had a great desire to gather with the saints and go through the temple her testimony to the gospel was strong and consistent si stent and many will bless the memory of sister kendall JE BOOTH ST JOHN kansas july |
