Autobiography of John Powell [microform]: c.1849-1901 | Collections | The Huntington

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Manuscripts

Autobiography of John Powell [microform]: c.1849-1901

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Description: Microfilm of the autobiography of John Powell. Powell begins by recalling his early life in England, including his conversion to Mormonism and his mission to Stratford in 1849. He then describes his family's immigration to the United States, sailing from Liverpool to New Orleans on the ship Ellen. The family rented a room in St. Louis, and Powell describes the sickness and poverty that prevented them from starting for Salt Lake City until 1856 (in the interim he mentions his mission to Calhoun County in 1855). He describes the family's overland journey to Utah, including meeting with Indians near the Platte River. Once in Utah Powell joined the Utah Territorial Mormon Militia, and he briefly describes his experiences in Echo Canyon in 1857. The rest of the autobiography focuses on Powell's life in Fillmore, Utah, and includes references to his work on the settlement at Deseret, his furniture store in Fillmore, his trips to St. George in 1877 and 1884, and his time in the Utah Penitentiary after pleading guilty to unlawful cohabitation in 1889. Also included in the volume are descriptions of Powell's visions and dreams; copies of letters; transcriptions of blessings and articles from the Deseret News; and transcribed texts of the Constitution of the State of Utah, The Edmunds Bill (also known as the Edmunds Anti-Polygamy Act of 1882), the Declaration of Principles from the People's Convention (1882), and the Origin and Destiny of Women by John Taylor (1897). The volume ends with lists of local births, deaths, and blessings given; some Powell family genealogy; and a list of the residents of Fillmore in 1858.

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