Manuscripts

Diary and autobiography [microform] : 1854-1855 1909

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Description: Microfilm of two volumes kept by William Fotheringham. The first - kept at Milford, Beaver County, Utah, in 1909 - includes the text of patriarchal blessings given by Fotheringham from 1907-1909, notes on the St. George Temple, and part of Fotheringham's autobiography, including accounts of his leaving Scotland, traveling through Utah, and settling Beaver County. The second volume describes Fotheringham's mission work in India from 1854-1855. It includes references to his time at Manickpatna, Cuttack, Kunderpara, Calcutta, and the Bay of Bengal. The diary concludes with Fotheringham's return voyage to San Francisco by way of Singapore and the China Sea, as well as his travels through San Jose, Union City, Soledad, and Santa Clara.
Type: Manuscripts(Opens in new tab)
Date: 1854-1855 1909
Call number: MSS MFilm 00204
Creator: Fotheringham, William (1826-1913)(Opens in new tab)

Autobiography and diary of William Athol McMaster [microform]: 1854-1887

Manuscripts

Microfilm of an autobiography and diary by William Athol McMaster. The autobiography recounts McMaster's life through 1854, including his early years in Scotland, conversion to Mormonism, proselytizing work in Scotland, voyage from Liverpool to New Orleans, and his overland travels to Utah. McMaster describes facing hardships during the journey, and while traveling to Utah endured illnesses, supply issues, and the death of one of his sons. The autobiography is followed by some miscellaneous notes dated 1855-1857, as well as a diary volume describing McMaster's life in Utah from 1882-1886. The diary volume also contains excerpts from "Brigham Young's Important Discourse on Priesthood," dated 1877.

MSS MFilm 00383

Diary and autobiography of George Lake [microform] : c.1870-1938

Manuscripts

Microfilm of the diary and autobiography of George Lake, beginning with diary entries of his mission trip to England from October 1870 to August 1871. Lake appears to have been living at Workington in Cumberland, although he frequently traveled to Newcastle and surrounding areas. The mission entries focus on Lake's attendance of Church conferences and his interactions with local Mormons, including notes on births, marriages, and deaths. The remainder of the volume is a mixture of autobiography and diary entries, and recalls Lake's move to Oxford in Round Valley, Utah, following his return from England in 1871; his flight to avoid polygamy charges in 1874; his being placed in charge of the northern division of Arizona missionaries in 1876, including a list of names of fellow missionaries; and his involvement in creating the United Order at Yavapai, Arizona, in 1877. The volume includes the text of the "last address by Gen. Joseph Smith the Prophet to the Nauvoo Legion in June 1844," followed by a brief summary of Lake's life in 1879. The final pages, in another hand, include a family record with genealogy up through about 1938 and the texts of patriarchal blessings on the Lake family in 1913.

MSS MFilm 00047

Autobiography of David Lewis [microform]: 1854

Manuscripts

Microfilm of the autobiography of David Lewis, written in 1854. The front page includes an unidentified photograph. The text begins with an account of Lewis' birth and childhood in Kentucky, including his family history (with physical descriptions of family members), his family's agricultural pursuits, his knife fights with his brothers, and his working at spinning cotton from the age of 12. Most of the manuscript focuses on the expulsion of the Mormons from Missouri and the events of the Haun's Mill Massacre, during which David's brother Benjamin Lewis was killed. Lewis thoroughly describes the event and its aftermath, including a latter meeting with James Campbell. He also writes of being captured by Missouri soldiers and interrogated about whether he was a Danite. Lewis also describes traveling to Illinois in 1838-1839, returning to Kentucky in 1839, and finally ending up back in Illinois in 1840. The account ends with a brief mention of the death of Joseph Smith. It also includes a patriarchal blessing for Lewis from 1839. The next portion of the volume begins with clippings from the Vernal Express on Sinley Lewis Sr. (1931). It is followed by a biography of David Lewis' son Siney Lewis Sr. (1848-1928) written by his daughter-in-law Crystal P. Lewis. It describes his birth in Council Bluffs, his father's work as a cooper, the death of his mother's father, who left her enough money to emigrate to Utah along with "one negro slave called Jerry" (who spent the rest of his life with the family), their journey to Utah in 1850, Siney's school days, and his leading emigrants to Utah in 1866 with a company of "bull whackers" (teamsters).

MSS MFilm 00157

Diaries of Samuel W. Richards [microform] : 1851-1909. Reel 6b

Manuscripts

Microfilm of forty diary volumes kept by Samuel Whitney Richards from 1851-1909. The first three volumes, dated 1851-1852, 1853, and 1854, were kept during Richards's mission to Great Britain. The fourth diary, dated 1857-1858, was kept in Utah and includes commentary on the Utah War. The fifth diary, dated 1869-1870, was kept while Richards was traveling through Utah and also includes some poems and genealogy. The fifteen diaries dated 1870-1889 were kept yearly (excluding 1873, 1875-1878, and 1887) and include almost daily entries on Richards's life in Utah, specifically the Ogden area, and focus on his temple work, agricultural and farm labors, visiting friends and relatives, church news, the weather, and his health. The three diaries dated 1895-1897 were kept during Richards's time on the Eastern States Mission, primarily in New York (mainly the Nassau County area) and New Jersey. The remaining seventeen diaries, dated 1898-1909, also describe Richards's daily life in Utah. The diaries are arranged on eight reels as follows: Reel1 - diaries dated 1851-1879; Reel 2 - diaries 1880-1885; Reel 2(b) - diaries dated 1886-1889 and 1895-1897; Reel 3 - diaries dated 1890-1894; Reel 4 - diaries dated 1898-1898; Reel 5 - diaries dated 1900-1904; and Reel 6 - diaries dated 1905-1909. Reel 6(b) contains miscellaneous diary fragments from 1854, 1870, 1882-1883, 1890, 1895, 1897, 1902-1904, and 1909.

MSS MFilm 00193