Manuscripts

Diary of William Nelson [microform] : 1877-1900

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Description: Microfilm of the diary of William Nelson, kept in St. George from 1877-1900. The first several frames contain a family record for William's grandparents, James Nelson and Sarah Alcock, and a biography of his father Aaron Nelson (1823-1908) and his second wife Selina Palfreyman Nelson (1843-1930). The biography describes Aaron and William's journey to the United States, their work in Salt Lake City, and Aaron's involvement in the Black Hawk Indian War in Sanpete County. William Nelson's diary includes very brief daily entries made from February 1877 to October 1900. He writes of his work shoemaking and of traveling around Cedar Ridge and Parowan playing music, often with his father. Most of the entries focus on his daily activities such as digging ditches and attending choir practice at the St. George Temple, the weather, and news about various family members and acquaintances. The final page of the diary includes notes on William's children.
Type: Manuscripts(Opens in new tab)
Date: 1877; 1878; 1879; 1880; 1881; 1882; 1883; 1884; 1885; 1886; 1887; 1888; 1889; 1890; 1891; 1892; 1893; 1894; 1895; 1896; 1897; 1898; 1899; 1900

Diary of Daniel H. McAllister [microform] : 1876-1877

Manuscripts

Microfilm of the diary of Daniel H. McAllister, kept from 1876-1877 while he was traveling between Utah and Arizona. The volume opens with a brief autobiography, including McAllister's decision to travel to Arizona in 1876. He records in detail his journey from Salt Lake City to Pima County. Once in Arizona his entries focus on daily activities such as digging ditches, cutting timber, agricultural work, and attending meetings. Later entries also cover his 1877 visit to Utah, including stops in Salt Lake City and St. George.

MSS MFilm 00258

Diaries of John E. Bennion [microform] : 1855-1877

Manuscripts

Microfilm containing five diary volumes kept by John Bennion between 1855 and 1877. The diaries include entries on Bennion's daily activities in Utah, including shearing sheep, agriculture, attending meetings, and visiting acquaintances. The first diary volume covers 1855-1857; the second 1858-1862; the third 1862-1873; the fourth 1870-1873 (kept beginning when Bennion was at Panaca, Utah, which is now in Nevada); and the fifth 1873-1877.

MSS MFilm 00118

Diaries of John B. Fairbanks [microform] : 1877-1902

Manuscripts

Microfilm of nine diaries kept by John Fairbanks from 1877-1902. The first diary opens in Payson in 1877, and recounts Fairbanks's mission to the southern states, including Alabama and Tennessee, in 1883; the second opens with a list of subscriptions for the Zion's Cooperative Mercantile and Manufacturing Institution in Payson (1869) and also includes an 1881-1882 diary kept at Payson and on the southern states mission; the third diary opens in 1881 when Payson was traveling to St. Louis and tracks his mission through 1882; the fourth diary is a continuation of the third diary; the fifth diary is another notebook and diary kept during his mission from 1882-1883; the sixth diary is also from 1882; the seventh diary is undated but also appears to be from the southern states mission; the eighth diary is dated 1890 and was apparently kept in Utah; and the ninth diary was kept while Fairbanks was traveling in Central and South America, including to Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Colombia, in 1901-1902. It closes with a brief biography by an unknown author tracing Fairbanks's artistic endeavors from 1914-1917. Also included on the reel is a typescript by an unknown author entitled "South America Trip," which recalls Fairbanks's travels there.

MSS MFilm 00063

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

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Diary and autobiography of George Lake [microform] :

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.

Autobiography and diary of David Candland [microform] : c.1841-1900

Manuscripts

Microfilm of the autobiography and diary of David Candland, which covers the years from 1841-1860 and 1900. The autobiography describes Candland's conversion to Mormonism, his immigration to the United States, a brief account of his mission to Britain in 1846, notes on his time in Winter Quarters and Kanesville, his 1853 mission to the Green River, his involvement in theatre work, and his work as a store clerk. The diary entries describe the arrival of Col. Thomas Kane in Utah and the coming of the Utah War from 1857 ("I am ready for the War of Independence," Candland wrote, "I hope to be brave"), the 1859 opening and closing of the Globe Hotel ("The hotel enterprise has failed," Candland lamented), and his dislike of work at the mercantile store ("The place does not suit me," he wrote, "I hear so much profanity and see so much drinking that I am ill at ease"). The diary entries end in 1860 before briefly resuming in 1900. Included in the volume are genealogical notes; lists of Candland's ecclesiastical, military, and legislative offices; and lists of marriages, births, baptisms, and deaths.

MSS MFilm 00062

Diary of William Nelson [microform] : 1877-1900

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Diary of Daniel H. McAllister [microform] : 1876-1877

Diaries of John E. Bennion [microform] : 1855-1877

Diaries of John B. Fairbanks [microform] : 1877-1902

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

Diary and autobiography of George Lake [microform] :

Autobiography and diary of David Candland [microform] : c.1841-1900