Autobiography of George Washington Brimhall [microform] : c.1888-1889

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  Autobiography and diary of William McIntosh [microform]: c.1857-1889

  Manuscripts

  Microfilm of the autobiography and diary of William McIntosh. The early part of the volume focuses on McIntosh's early years in the United States and his emigration to Utah. Many of the entries focus on his involvement in preparations for the Utah War from 1857-1858. He also describes the presence of soldiers in Rush Valley and seeing Indians in army uniforms while traveling around Pond Town (now Salem, Utah) in 1858. The early diary entries end in 1866, and the latter part of the volume resumes with entries from 1884-1898. McIntosh includes anecdotes about his family, his life in Mt. Pleasant and surrounding areas, his work on ditches and other forms of irrigation, water rights in southern Utah, and being advised by a bishop not to vote against Utah statehood. Toward the end of the volume is the transcribed text of "A Fatal Accident at St. Johns," which recalls the death of John McIntosh (probably William McIntosh's son) after he was crushed by wagon wheels in 1889.

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  Autobiography and diary of John Clark Dowdle, [microform] : c.1852-1894

  Manuscripts

  Microfilm of the diary and autobiography of John Clark Dowdle. The volume recounts his childhood and conversion to Mormonism, gives a detailed account of his journey across the plains to Utah in 1852-1853, and recounts his daily life in Utah. Some specific events he writes about include finding the body of Bailey Lake, who had apparently been killed by Bannock Indians, in 1858; his 1862 trip to St. George; his journey to Las Vegas in the mid-1860s; his involvement in Utah schools; and spending 1873 looking for work before settling in Willard City. The last entries were made in about 1894. The first few pages of the volume include a summary of each chapter.

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  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.

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  Autobiography of Joseph Smith Black and related materials [microform]: c.1840-1947

  Manuscripts

  Microfilm of the autobiography of Joseph Smith Black, along with biographies of his parents, a continued biography of Joseph Black by his son Peter Thompson Black, and assorted letters and notes. The volume opens with a genealogy of the Black family; a biographical sketch of Joseph Black's father William Black (1784-1873), who served in the 72nd Regiment of the British Army, joined the Mormon Church in Ireland in 1839, immigrated to the United States in 1842, and helped colonize southern Utah; and a biography of Joseph's mother Jane Johnston Black (b.1801). Joseph Black's autobiography recounts his childhood in Ireland and England, his travels to the United States and later Utah, his baptism into the Mormon Church, his colonizing and homesteading efforts in southern Utah, his mission to Arizona and Mexico in 1886, a detailed account of his mission to Missouri in 1888, and a chronicle of his time spent in the Utah Penitentiary, along with the results of a phrenology exam he was given before his release. Black's account ends in about 1889, and his son Peter Thomas Black extended it in 1947, writing of Black's work in building water reservoirs in Nevada (1893), his contract to deliver lime rock to Leamington, Utah (1895), and his work clearing farm land (1906). Following the autobiography is a typescript entitled "Visit to Millard County Recalls Fate of Capt. Gunnison and Party," which recounts Black's 1888 expedition to locate the site of the Gunnison Massacre, as well as later efforts by the Andrew Jensen party in about 1922; copies of letters from Black's children and friends; letters sent to Black by fellow prisoners while he was at the Utah Penitentiary, as well as copies of some letters sent by Black; and a newspaper obituary for Black (1910).

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  Autobiography of Edward Walker Clark [microform] : c.1820-1904

  Manuscripts

  Microfilm of Edward Walker Clark's autobiography, kept through 1904. Clark begins with describing his young adulthood in England, including working as an attendant for a wealthy family and as an apprentice carpenter. He traveled to London in 1840 and describes his conversion to Mormonism in 1847. He mentions working at a furniture store in 1848 before he and his family sailed to the United States on the ship Ellen. Clark arrived in Council Bluffs in 1851 and worked as a coffin maker for emigrants to the gold fields until 1852, when the Clarks traveled to Utah with the Henry Miller company (Clark's eldest daughter was killed by a wagon wheel during the trip). The Clarks settled in Provo, and in 1858 Clark was posted at Echo Canyon during the Utah War. He describes his 1874 mission to England, followed by notes on his life in Utah through 1904.

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  The family record book and autobiography of William Leany [microform] : c.1891

  Manuscripts

  Microfilm of the Family Record of William Leany (filled in printed family history book, published in Salt Lake City in 1877). The first twelve pages consist of genealogical information. The rest of the volume contains Leany's autobiography, begun January 1, 1888. Leany begins with more genealogical and family history (including the Revolutionary War service of his relatives), and then recounts his early life in Kentucky. His family left tailoring to begin raisin tobacco, and, according to Leany, "thereby sold ourselves to the merchants." During his childhood in Kentucky Leany "toiled under all the disadvantages of frontier life," and he and his twin brother Isaac traveled to Missouri in 1836. While on the way they converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Leany writes that his father belonged to no specific church, his mother was a "Republican Baptist," and his stepmother a "Hell Redemptionist"). Debts and various health issues kept Leany from traveling to Nauvoo until 1843, and in the meantime he was present when Isaac was shot during the Haun's Mill Massacre in 1838 (Isaac survived). After finally arriving in Illinois, Leany describes hearing Joseph Smith preach and deciding to go west to Utah in 1846. In 1850 he was part of the company sent to Little Salt Lake and settled near what is now Parowan. He describes troubles with the Walkers Band of Ute Indians and his later moves to Cedar City and finally Harrisburg. William Leany's account ends with a letter to his "Dear Children and Grandchildren," written at Harrisburg on May 5, 1891. In it Leany describes his spiritual beliefs and what he believes to be the religious and temporal obligations of his descendants. The final pages of the film contain a brief autobiography entitled Struggles of an 1847 Pioneer by I.C. Leany. Leany gives an in-depth account of Isaac Leany's experiences at Haun's Mill and describes traveling to Utah with Edward Hunter's company in 1847.

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