Erastus Fairbanks Snow autobiography

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  Erastus Fairbanks Snow report to Historian's Office

  Manuscripts

  Report from Erastus Snow on settlements in Washington County and Kane County, Utah, as well as settlements in Arizona. Includes descriptions of the acreage, cost, and irrigation qualities of the St. George Field Dam on the Rio Virgin, canals on the St. George Field on the Santa Clara, and canals on the St. George Heberville Field. Snow also lists populations and crop (mainly cotton) conditions for various settlements in southern Utah, including St. George (pop. 1030), Washington and Harrisburg (pop.603), Santa Clara (pop. 247), Toquerville (pop. 180), Harmony (pop. 140), Kanara (pop. 85), Rockville (pop. 430), and Virgin City (pop. 405). He also lists populations for St. Thomas, Arizona (pop. 129) and Mill Point, Arizona (pop. 167). Crop reports for Grafton, Springdale, Shonesburg, Northup, Duncan's Retreat, and Mountain Dell are also included.

  mssHM 72841

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  Autobiography of George Pectol [microform] : 1858

  Manuscripts

  Microfilm of the autobiography of George Pectol, covering the years from approximately 1846-1858. Portions of the volume are missing, but it opens with George's examination of the Book of Mormon and his decision to travel to Nauvoo, hearing Mormon preachers, and deciding to join the Mormon Church. He also writes of performing baptisms and preaching the gospel around Jackson County, Missouri, of anti-Mormon experiences in Missouri, of his overland travel to Utah, of leaving home in Iron County due to Indian attacks, of moving to Sanpete, and of life in Washington to 1858.

  MSS MFilm 00195 item 01

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  Wandle Mace autobiography

  Manuscripts

  Manuscript of Wandle Mace's autobiography, a vivid and thorough firsthand account of the early days of the Mormon Church. Mace writes of the "extermination" of Mormons in Missouri, the order from Joseph Smith to purchase land in Illinois, the election of Brigham Young as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the arrests and trials of various Mormon leaders, the founding of Nauvoo, Smith's trips to Washington, the story of the seeing stones Urim and Thummin, a variety of Church conferences (including notes on charters, the organization of the Church, and doctrinal debates), Smith's death, a speech by Lucy Mack Smith to Mormons in Nauvoo after her son's death, the exodus from Nauvoo in 1846, the death of Parley Pratt, discord between Church members and Brigham Young, the arrival of Thomas B. Marsh in 1857, and many theological thoughts and quotations. Mace also recounts events in his personal life, including his early years as an apprentice, his invention of a portable mill and other mechanical devices, his observance of a meteor shower on November 8, 1833, his doubts about organized religion and impromptu preaching to the poor, his introduction to and acceptance of Mormonism, the deaths of his wife and nine of his children, and moves throughout New York, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and Utah. The end of the volume includes handwritten copies of various essays, including Celestial Family Organization by Parley Pratt (1845); a funeral sermon preached by Joseph Smith on the death of Elder King Follett (1844); One Hundred Years Hence, 1845-1995: A Vision (published in the Millennial Star, 1845); Two Minutes in Jail, an account of the death of Joseph Smith by Willard Richards (published in the Nauvoo Neighbor); a discourse on priesthood by Joseph Smith (1839); The Origin, Object, and Destiny of Women by John Taylor (1857); and another discourse by Joseph Smith dated 1844. The final pages include genealogical notes on the Mace family that appear to have been added at a later date. The manuscript is in the handwriting of Mace's wife, Rebecca E. Howell Mace.

  mssHM 26318

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  Sarah Studevant Leavitt autobiography

  Manuscripts

  This autobiography is the original handwritten manuscript of Sarah Studevant Leavitt, dated April 19, 1875. It describes her life including her childhood days in New Hampshire; the many visions and spiritual manifestations that she experienced; her conversion to Mormonism; and frontier and pioneer life as she and her family traveled from New Hampshire to Kirtland, Ohio, to Nauvoo, Illinois, to Council Bluffs, Iowa, and to Pine Canyon, Utah. Additional topics that Leavitt covers are the murder of Joseph Smith (1805-1844), her opinion of polygamy, and the persecution of Mormons.

  mssHM 66386

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  Diary and autobiography of William Huntington

  Manuscripts

  Typescript of William Huntington's autobiography and diary. The autobiography focuses on his conversion to Mormonism in the 1830s, and also traces his family's movements through Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa. The diary entries commence around May 1841, although they may have been written after that time as part of the autobiography, and conclude on June 1, 1845. Some topics mentioned by Huntington include the Nauvoo Legion, the arrival of Sidney Rigdon in Nauvoo, the departure of troops from Nauvoo to "arrest the murder[er]s of Joseph and Hyrum Smith," his work on the Nauvoo Temple, and family news.

  mssHM 27969

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  A short sketch of the life of Levi Jackman [microform]: c.1832-1848

  Manuscripts

  Microfilm of Levi Jackman's autobiography and diary, which begins with an account of his childhood and conversion to the Mormon faith. He also gives an extensive account of mob violence in Missouri in 1833 and of his journey to Kirtland by way of Louisiana. He describes his missionary work in Illinois from 1835-1836, writes of the death of Joseph Smith in 1844, and mentions his work on the temples at Kirtland and Nauvoo. Much of the volume is a detailed diary account of his overland travels to Utah with the first company of Mormon pioneers in 1847. He gives a daily account of scenery and landmarks passed, as well as an account of camp life. He specifically describes Pawnee Indians, passing through a prairie dog town, sighting buffalo, and meeting Sam Brannan on the trail near the Salt Lake Valley. Jackman also writes of his reaction to his first sighting of Utah, declaring that "like Moses on Pisgah's top we could see a part of the Salt Lake Valley, our long anticipated home. We did truly rejoice at the sight" (July 19, 1847). The remainder of the volume includes Jackman family genealogy and a brief continuation of the autobiography, in which Jackman describes his life in Utah from 1847-1848, including a mention of the Mormon Battalion. Portions of the text are very faint and may be partially illegible.

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