Manuscripts

Autobiography of William Ellis Jones [microform] : 1896

1 of 83

Description: Microfilm of the autobiography of William Ellis Jones, covering his experiences from childhood through 1896. The first few frames contains notes for ditches for the West Field Canal Co. (appear to be part of Walter S. Tolton, MFILM 00056). The autobiography describes Jones's childhood and family history, his early interest in religion and conversion from Methodism to Mormonism, his arrival in Nauvoo, his experiences in Council Bluffs, his move to St. Joseph in 1855, living in Nebraska in 1856, traveling to Utah in 1861, living near Clover Canyon and Bear Canyon, living in Santa Clara and St. George, teaching school in Hebron and Santa Clara, a list of names of baptisms and endowments (1887), and genealogy notes.
Type: Manuscripts(Opens in new tab)
Date: 1896
Call number: MSS MFilm 00055
Creator: Jones, William Ellis (1817-1898)(Opens in new tab)
Provenance

Autobiography of William Decatur Kartchner [microform]: approximately 1881

Manuscripts

Microfilm of the autobiography of William Decatur Kartchner through about 1881. It covers his early life and family history, conversion to Mormonism, living in Nauvoo, traveling overland to Utah, living in Snowflake, various family illnesses, a biographical sketch of Father Henry Gale, and a detailed genealogical account.

MSS MFilm 00081

Autobiography of Sarah D. Pea Rich [microform] : 1893

Manuscripts

Microfilm of a typescript of Sarah D. Pea Rich's autobiography, copied at the Church Historian's Office by A.M. Rich in 1933. Includes a brief forward by Sarah Rich dated 1885 (the autobiography was finished in 1893). It begins with stories about Sarah's family history and her childhood in Illinois and Tennessee, and goes on to describe her family's conversion to Mormonism in 1835, of her first meeting with Charles C. Rich, experiences during her early years of marriage, mob violence against Mormons in Missouri, living in Nauvoo, her positive reminiscences on polygamy, the family's 1847 travels to Iowa, living in Mount Pisgah, traveling overland to Utah, and life in Utah during her husband's seven year mission to California. Also includes some genealogy.

MSS MFilm 00340

Years in the sheaf: the autobiography of William Alfred Moody [microform] : 1959

Manuscripts

Microfilm of the William Alfred Moody's typed autobiography Years in the Sheaf. The autobiography covers Mood's ancestry and family history; life in Eagle Valley; his childhood in Deseret; his move to Arizona and life in the Gila Valley; a bout with amnesia; his trip to Mexico and work on the John W. Young Railroad; his dealings with the "influence of profane associates;" his mission trip to Samoa; his activities in Utah, including those surrounding his family, Church, and as school superintendent; presiding over the Samoan mission and his second mission trip from 1908-1910; the reestablishment of the Tonga mission; his time in the state legislature; his meeting with Theodore Roosevelt and doing the "Hopi Snake Dance;" and his work in Arizona real estate. Includes a table of contents.

MSS MFilm 00429

Diary and autobiography of Christopher Jones Arthur [microform] : c.1875-1915

Manuscripts

Microfilm of Christopher Arthur Jones' diary and autobiography, covering events from about 1859-1915. The diary is in multiple hands and is not always in chronological order. It begins with a brief account of Jones' birth and young adulthood, including the death of his father after being struck by lightening in 1859. It also recounts his arranged marriage to Caroline Haight, the daughter of Isaac C. Haight, and includes diary entries for 1860-1862. A section entitled "A Brief Sketch of my History for the year 1874" includes notes on his work with the United Order in Cedar City and lists of general births, marriages, and deaths. An added note lists Arthur's own death in 1915 (he may actually have died in 1918). Diary entries for 1877-1878 record Arthur's experiences in Beaver, Parowan, and Cedar City. A brief note from 1883 recounts his mission to Great Britain. Portions of the diary are very faint and partially illegible, but the rest of the volume appears to be Arthur's autobiography, focusing on his life in Cedar City and elsewhere in Iron County, Utah. Scattered throughout the volume are records of blessings, dreams, letters, accounts, copied notes such as "the History of King Arthur" and "Facts About the Bible," a list of account notes for the Cedar City Co-op (1889), and a list of volumes Arthur gave to the Cedar City Public Library in 1910.

MSS MFilm 00045

Autobiography of Peter Wilson Conover [microform] : before 1892

Manuscripts

Microfilm of a typescript of Peter Wilson Conover's autobiography. Conover writes of his ancestry, his childhood in Kentucky, his father's decision to move north "on account of slavery," his life in Illinois, his experiences in the Illinois Militia under General Whitesides, with whom he marched to Wisconsin and along the Mississippi to capture an unidentified man and send him to Washington, and of his conversion to Mormonism. Conover also writes of working on the Nauvoo Temple, of joining the Nauvoo Legion, of meeting Joseph Smith at Rock River in 1843 and escorting him back to Nauvoo, of mob violence in Illinois, of moving to Iowa and Missouri, of the death of his wife in childbirth in 1847 and his decision to travel west, of becoming a captain in the Jefferson Hunt Company, and of his experiences in the Black Hawk and Walker Wars.

MSS MFilm 00220

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.

MSS MFilm 00036

Autobiography of William Ellis Jones [microform] : 1896

Opening Hours

Admission Info and Tickets

You might also be interested in

Autobiography of William Decatur Kartchner [microform]: approximately 1881

Autobiography of Sarah D. Pea Rich [microform] : 1893

Years in the sheaf: the autobiography of William Alfred Moody [microform] : 1959

Diary and autobiography of Christopher Jones Arthur [microform] : c.1875-1915

Autobiography of Peter Wilson Conover [microform] : before 1892

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