Show IN EARLY DA DAYSOn DAYS Y On June aist 2858 1858 soon on after arriving within the Salt Lake City limits I learned it had been vacated and only a afew afew few watchmen left with instructions to burn and destroy everything in case the United States army did not keep its pledge to let everything belonging to the citizens alone their families having removed to other settlements while the army passed through and camped on the west side of the Jordan My family had been moved with others part of them to Parowan Iron county and part to Provo Utah county the Presidency of the Church making the latter place their present head head- headquarters headquarters headquarters quarters I obtained a horse I had left with Bishop Thomas Callister Cal lister ot of the Seven Seven- Seventeenth Seventeenth Seventeenth ward and rode to Provo and the reported at the Presidents President's office arrival of the company of returning missionaries at Salt Lake City from the East hey they having passed the United States army on a side track at Yellow creek a few miles east of Echo canyon I was warmly welcomed by the Presidency Presidency Presidency dency and instructed to rest a few days daysI before proceeding to Parowan to bring those of my family that were there back to our home in Salt Lake City They stated that President Buchanan's pardon had been granted allowing the Mormons Mor Mor- Mormons Mormons mons to live a little longer andall and all would soon return to their homes which had been vacated The returning mis mis- missionary missionary missionary train arrived and camped in 10 the tithing office yard on the of June 1858 I spent some days visiting among family and friends also receiving in- in instruction instruction in instruction from the Presidency with re- re regard re regard regard gard to business to be done in the South and on the started with some others who were going for their families and arrived at Parowan on the theist 1St of July at 10 zo o'clock p m I toW found my family in good health and spirits A son John L Smith jun born bom six months after my departure for Europe October 1855 now nearly three years of age was as much pleased and andas andas andas as well satisfied with my Uly arrival as any of the rest I spent the time visiting with old friends holding meetings and doing what was required as per instructions instructions and started on my return for or Salt L Lake ke City on the loth of July preaching at nearly every place to large congregations congregations and arrived at home at n II o'clock p m of the aist On the I visited President Young at his office office and re- re reported reported re reported ported my return and success in ac- ac accomplishing accomplishing ac accomplishing all I had been required to todo todo todo do to the best st of my ability President Young replied You hav have done well Now go home and see if you can ar- ar arrange arrange ar arrange range your finances and make things comfortable and get a few days rest For said h he you are wanted in in the Historian office office with your brother George A I spent the rest of the month fixing up at home trimming trees and garden of surplus limbs and weeds In August 1858 I was much engaged in cutting and drawing hay and wood with an occasional visit to the different wards off OF the city and some of the nearer settle settle- settlements settlements settlements ments preaching to full congregations being thankful to be at home in in the enjoyment of Hof excellent health and a gG goodly Odly portion of the Spirit that only comes tr our Heavenly Father In I 1 was called was called to to- In September 1858 1838 work in t the office where I spent my time both day and night as watchman watchman- On the I was chosen and enrolled as one ODe oi of the city police presumably to give me authority as office watchman I met with police and answered roll call an and report reported d various items that transpired in in my section I spent much time in revising Church history and consolidating items of the burning house burning and in Illinois in 1845 In October 1858 Conference was held on the and in Salt Lake City and adjourned until the sec sec- second second second ond Saturday in November Brother Reuben McBride and son reported the finding of the bodies of Josiah Call and Sam Brown killed by Indians between Chicken Creek and the Sevier River The Indians reported that United States army officers were trying to hire them to fight the Mormons saying they in- in intended in intended tended using up the Mormon leaders as soon as there was snow enough to prevent their escape to the mountains mountains The Indians said aid three men came out of I the ground round and told them not to tight fight the Mormons They also said their old I chief was collecting the tribes I and uniting them to use up the Meri I cats but they will do what Brigham says about it as they know he i is their best friend November 13 1858 Conference as assembled as- as assembled at 10 o'clock aper as per appoint appoint- appointment appointment Mento ment It adjourned to April I 18 1859 59 9 On the of Nov 1858 Bishop Ed ward Hunter and Thomas Callister Cal lister Bishop of the Seventeenth ward called at th the Historian office ordained me a High Priest Priest and set me apart as first counselor in Seventeenth ward On the oth United States Marshal Dotson served papers on President B Young to attend court as a witness next day in inthe inthe inthe I the case of Burr vs Jas Ferguson December 1st 1858 court met at Salt SaltI I Lake City and adjourned till the 3rd I f President B Young answered by his presence dayto Court adjourned from d day y to day doing as little as possible Legislative On On Monday Dec the Legis- Legis ASsembly met at the Social Hall HaU Salt Lake City tat at 10 a m I was elected as- as as assistant c clerk erk of the council The assembly adjourned to meet at 10 o'clock a a m on Saturday next at Fill Fill- Fillmore Fillmore more Fill more city Millard county At p pm m in company with Samuel H B Smith an officer of the assembly I started from Salt Lake City for Fillmore on horseback arriving on the On Saturday the 10 a m roll was called a quorum being present Three hours were spent in session when they adjourned back to Salt Lake City and at 4 p m I started to return to that place and arrived at p m of the I put in my time taking minutes o othe of f the council engrossing bills bis writing out certificates for members to draw their r mileage and per diem Secretary Hartnett t being tobe very changeable and striving to be very technical I also attended court law school grammar school Ger Ger- German German German man class studied the Deseret alphabet attended police roll call caU and revision revision of o f history journalizing items of history correspondence writing per dictation of o f historian and general supervision and ana care of the Historian office both day and night Thus I was kept pretty buy busy The endeavors ende of judges lawyers United States officers e etch to tw twist t all law to suit themselves kept those 0 wh who o were ere o on the alert wide awake that no I Item might detection escape I i A AIn In March 1859 court washer a aPr a Pr bravo George A being in attendance On the went to Provo and released Brother George A to return to Salt Lake City through h failure in conveyance I walked the last ten miles and arrived one hour after he had left The court was try try- try ing trying to run by military rule ordering soldiers for every arrest and ignoring all county and city officials The U S marshal and deputies failed to find some individuals at Springville for whom writs had been issued and the court ordered the U S army to locate near Provo An express arrived saying that men were ordered to start from Camp Floyd and proceed to Provo to act as a posse in carrying out the wishes of the court On the aist court met at 9 a m and andset andset andset set aside the array of grand jurors threatening to turn the soldiers loose upon the inhabitants the petit jurors were also discharged Judge Cradlebaugh sitting in chambers and offering ottering as in inducements inducements inducements for tor witnesses mules oxen wagons provisions cash liquor and protection I received a number of statements of this kind on the of March 1859 from reliable citizens of Utah county A pe petition was circulating circulating ing through Utah county asking the governor to remove the troops from Utah county I will give here a sample of the feel feel- feeling feeling ing and conversations occurring At Atan Atan Atan an hotel several were at the table One said Governor Cummings has gone to Salt Lake City A lieutenant replied Its well for tor him that he has for it if i f meet him Ill I'll waylay him On the our men arrived from the settlement having 1500 names to the petition for the Governor The court ordered 1200 men United States troops to camp one mile and a half north of State Street Provo I received a note by mail from Salt Lake City to return and arrived there at 5 p m on the June 1859 Uni United United d States dra dra- dragoons goons goODS Pons turned tm ned their horses into John wheat field When h he ordered them out the they arrested him and aDd placed him under military military guard On IOn the Judge Eckels arrived from the East and on the a battery of United Mates States troops passed through the city en route for Oregon About the first of Secretary Hartnett cawed caused cam d a liberty lit pOle pole that h had d been erected near his office to be bored down Some of our boys replaced it With twenty feet added and said Every time the United States flag is cut down we w will Jl add twenty feet On the Governor Cummings gave S Secretary H Ha a sound cl cursing for tor having the pole cut down The army and arid city officers were nearly at loggerheads On Monday August A gust 1st 1859 I was acting as clerk of election at the court courthouse courthouse house Salt Lake City precinct votes were polled On the and I went into the mountains on a ex- ex expedition expedition ex expedition near Little Mountain and picked fifty quarts ot of service berries Spent Spent some days haying and cradling wheat On the the first first copy of the Mountaineer appear appeared d Blair Ferguson son son and Stout StO editors On n the 2 I James ames Brown and company of ol severity seventy five wagons wagons of immigrants arrived and cp ped on U Union pt Square ua Ef r rOn On Sunday epe Sep er crt cart band trains began to arrive arrive On the T B H Stenhouse arrived from the the Tast ast I wept went with ith him and introduced h im t to President Brigham Young On October I received instructions to learn and took my first lesson I I continued d studying deeply During November much of my time i iwas was spent in the office writing corres corres- correspondence correspondence correspondence journals and copying history in Tt l l ll T Ting in Deseret alphabet as well as attend attend- ing ing attending to ward meetings and some ward business All put together kept me pretty well engaged Still I kept up my studies in every department as far as possible I have seldom missed a call made studying law and German and assisting in compilation of history etc giving me little time for forrest forrest forrest rest or to spend at home On February 1 nth I th tb 1860 in addition to tomy tomy tomy my other duties Imade I made arrangements to start a shop hop for mechanical work as numbers of my acquaintances wanted me to manufacture some spinning wheels looms for weaving and many items that to detail would become tiresome So I will only say that I mixed in my labor where it seemed to be tobe doin doing the most good among Israel to help in manufacturing implements and clothing etc March April May June and July were spent in various ways and the mechanical business seemed increasing daily On August I received word from President Brigham Y Young oun that I was wanted to return ret to Switzerland on a mission and was instructed to be ready to start by the last of September JOHN L SMITH |