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

You might also be interested in

• 

  Autobiography of James McBride [microform] : 1876

  Manuscripts

  Microfilm of the typescript autobiography of James McBride, written in 1874 and 1876. McBride traces his genealogy and family history in Virginia and Ohio, describes his family's conversion to Mormonism, and recalls their moves throughout Missouri from 1834-1836. He gives a detailed account of his father's death in the Haun's Mill Massacre of 1838 and of his own examination of the area in the following weeks. McBride describes anti-Mormon sentiment in Missouri and his family's move to Illinois, where he rented a farm near Nauvoo in 1841. He writes of traveling westward in 1846, living in Iowa until 1850, and traveling overland to Utah (including inscribing his name on Chimney Rock). He then describes his life in Tooele and Grantsville, conflicts with Indians and the building of a fort in 1853-1854, and the Utah War. Includes table of contents and index.

  MSS MFilm 00192

• 

  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

• 

  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.

  MSS MFilm 00094

• 

  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.

  MSS MFilm 00066 item 01

• 

  Autobiograhy and family record of James Bywater [microform] : c.1903-1939

  Manuscripts

  Microfilm of the autobiography of James Bywater and related family records. The first pages of the volume contain a list of genealogies and ordinances for "The Dead" (including dates and places of births, baptisms, deaths, endowments, etc.) that appears to have been kept through 1936, a sealing record of marriages, a Bywater family record and genealogy through about 1939, and a copy of the program from the Centennial Anniversary of James Bywater in 1925. The autobiography was written by Bywater at Brigham City in 1903. In it he describes his childhood in England, his conversion to Mormonism, his travels to and from England and the United States, his journey to Utah, his life in Brigham City, his missions to England in 1873 and 1893, his polygamy trials in 1874, 1889, and 1891 and stays in the penitentiary, and the death of his wife Hannah in 1906. The last few pages of the journal were written by one of Bywater's children after his death in 1909.

  MSS MFilm 00121

• 

  Sketch of the life of William Morley Black [microform] : c.1915

  Manuscripts

  Microfilm of the life history of William Morley Black, probably in the handwriting of his daughter Eva Minerva Black Palmer. Black opens with recollections of the difficulties of frontier life in Ohio and Illinois, his work as a farmer and mason after his father's death, and his marriage to Margaret Bonks in 1846. While living in Illinois in 1848, Black notes that "news of the discovery of gold in California created quite a fever in our town, and I caught the fever in the spring 1849." He describes joining William Maxwell's joint stock company, passing through Nauvoo, and crossing the plains. His overland account is limited except for his notes on buffalo hunting, of which he reflected "sad indeed it was for the Sioux nation when the white man made a through fare [sic] thru [sic] their well stocked hunting grounds." The party entered the Salt Lake Valley in July 1849, and "were all on tip toe to see what kind of civilization the Mormons would exhibit." Black learned of the "martyrdom" of Joseph Smith, was impacted by the persecutions the Mormons had suffered, and was so impressed by a church sermon that he wrote "if that is Mormonism then I am a Mormon." He writes that "any desire and ambition for gold was swept away," and he abandoned the California company to remain in Utah. In February 1850 he was selected to go on a mission to the Sanpete Valley, which he was not eager to do. "I could not see just what right the President had to call me. I understood and expected them to guide me in spiritual matters, but this was of a temporal nature and beyond their jurisdiction." Black ultimately submitted to the call and writes of paying tributes to Indians on the road to Sanpete, quoting Brigham Young as saying that it was "cheaper to feed them than it was to fight them." Black describes living with a Father Morley at Manti, building a grist mill, and marrying his first plural wife. In 1851 he was finally allowed to travel back to Illinois with the J.M Grant company to retrieve his family. He broke his ribs falling into a well and was in poor condition when he arrived in South Canton in December. He writes that he was "full of enthusiasm" for Mormonism, and when he told his family about his conversion his mother-in-law was "wild with rage" and his father-in-law would not share a house with him. His wife and two children, as well as a brother and sister he converted, traveled back to Utah in October 1852. Along the way he was cheated out of wages by a Brother Leonard, but Brigham Young convinced Black to let Leonard use the money to fund a mission to China instead of paying him. Back in Utah Black partnered with a Brother Washburn in tanning and shoemaking. When local grist millers were killed during the Walker War in July 1853, Black took over the mill. He describes running various mills, including those at Nephi (he writes that with the establishment of Camp Floyd in 1858 his "wheat was turned to gold"), Ephraim, and Circle Valley, where he was held under siege by Indians (two brothers recently arrived from Illinois were killed). After abandoning the Circle Valley settlement in 1867, Black moved to Beaver before being called to a mission in Washington. He later helped John R. Young build a grist mill at Kanab. He praised the establishment of United Orders and lived at Orderville until the late 1870s. He describes moving to Mexico in 1889 "not out of choice but of necessity," and of his various homes there. He writes that when war broke out between the Madero and Diaz parties in Pacheco, his family fled to El Paso and later returned to Utah. The final pages of the autobiography contain genealogy and a note on Black's death probably written by Eva Palmer.

  MSS MFilm 00075