Monday, February 13, 2023

Excerpts from Women’s Voices: An Untold History of the Latter-day Saints, 1830-1900

The following are some interesting excerpts from:

 

Women’s Voices: An Untold History of the Latter-day Saints, 1830-1900, ed. Kenneth W. Godfrey, Audrey M. Godfrey, and Jull Mulvay Derr (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1982)

 

Mary Fielding Smith’s (1801-1852) positive description of Thomas B. Marsh, July 1837:

 

Elders [Thomas B.] Marsh & [David W.] Patten have arrived from missouri. They met Elder [Parley P.?] Pratt 300 miles or his way thither and brought him back with them. Elder Marsh is a most excellent Man. He seems to be a Man of great faith. He seems to be a man of great faith. He says he believs the difficultys between the Presidency & the twelve will very shortly be settled. (Mary Fielding Smith, letter to Mercy Smith, July 8, 1837, in Women’s Voices: An Untold History of the Latter-day Saints, 1830-1900, ed. Kenneth W. Godfrey, Audrey M. Godfrey, and Jull Mulvay Derr [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1982], 62)

 

Drusilla Dorris Hendricks (1810-1881) Recalling David W. Patten’s Final Words

 

There was a woman in the house that I had taken care of for weeks. I told her to do the best she could with the children and I mounted the horse behind Mr. Snider. We had four miles to ride, and on reaching there we met nine of the brethren that were wounded and they were pale as death. They were just going to get into the wagon to be taken to their homes. I went into the house. Sister [Ann] Patten had just reached the bed where her husband [David Patten] lay, and I heard him say, “Ann, don’t sleep, I have kept the faith, and my work is done.” My husband lay within three feet of Brother Patten, and I spoke to him. He could speak but could not move any more than if he were dead. I tried to get him to move his feet but he could not. This was Thursday, October 25, 1838, and the next Tuesday was the battle of Haun’s Mill where men and boys were slaughtered and thrown into a dry well eighteen or forty-eight in number, out of which one (Benjamin Lewis) received a decent burial. (Drusilla Dorris Hendricks, as quoted in Henry Hendricks Genealogy, comp. Marguerite H. Allen [Salt Lake City: The Hendricks Family Organization, 1963], in Women’s Voices: An Untold History of the Latter-day Saints, 1830-1900, ed. Kenneth W. Godfrey, Audrey M. Godfrey, and Jull Mulvay Derr [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1982], 91)

 

David Patten was a member of the Council of the Twelve. Another account indicates that his last words were : “Whatever you do else, O! do not deny the faith.” History of the Church 3:171. (Ibid., 404 n. 8)

 

In History Draft [6 August 1838–30 December 1839], p. 30, it reads:

 

“Whatever you do else O! do not deny the faith.”

 

In History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838], p 840, we read:

 

Whatever you do else O! do not defy <deny> the faith”

 

Sally Carlisle Randall (1805-?) applying Revelation 6:8-12 for Joseph and Hyrum Smith

 

If you can imagine to yourselves how the apostles and saints, felt when the Savior was crucified you can give something of a guess how the Saints felt here when they heard that their prophet and patriarch were both dead and murdered, too, by a lawless mob. Never has there been such a horrible crime committed since the day Christ was crucified. It seems that all nature mourned. The earth is deprived of the two best men there was on it. They have sealed their testimony with their blood.

 

‘Joseph sent word to the Church after he went to prison to read the 6[th] chapter of Revelations and taken particular notice from the 8[th] to the 12[th] verse. I have no doubt but that he knew he should be killed when he gave himself up. He told his wife when he left her he was going as a lamb to the slaughter and many other things give us reason to believe he knew what would be fall him. He gave himself up to die for the Church that they might not be destroyed for it seemed all they [the mob] wanted was to kill him and they have done it. But I don’t know as they will let us alone now, but I hope they will be easy a little while. They say there is nine more they are determined to have, and when it will end I don’t know I expect. (Sally Carlisle Randall, letter to Dear Friends, July 1, 1844, in Women’s Voices: An Untold History of the Latter-day Saints, 1830-1900, ed. Kenneth W. Godfrey, Audrey M. Godfrey, and Jull Mulvay Derr [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1982], 141-42)

 

 

 

Sally Carlisle Randall (1805-?) on the Nauvoo Temple and J. J. Strang

 

You think there is no need of going from here, but the mob are threatening continually to come upon us. We heard they were coming today but I have not seen anything in the least, for I believe there is faith enough in the city to keep them back until the Saints all get away. We have to make a great sacrifice in order to get away. The most of the Saints are selling out although at a very low price. I expect the temple will be sold. The Roman Catholics talk of buying it. . . . I intend to follow the body of the Church and not be led about by every wind of doctrine nor by any false prophet that shall arise in these last days. (Sally Carlisle Randall, letter to Dear Parents and Brothers and Sisters, June 1, 1846, in Women’s Voices: An Untold History of the Latter-day Saints, 1830-1900, ed. Kenneth W. Godfrey, Audrey M. Godfrey, and Jull Mulvay Derr [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1982], 146)

 

From fall 1845 through summer 1847, Church agents conferred with leading Catholic priests regarding the same of the temple. The sale, due t legal entanglements, failed, and before the end of 1848 the temple interior was destroyed by fire. French Icarians started to rebuild the gutted structure in 1849, but the remains were destroyed by a tornado in 1850. Colvin, “The Mormon Temple at Nauvoo, Illinois,” pp. 161-86. (Ibid., 407-8 n. 25)

 

The ”false prophet” referred to is James J. Strang, who, following the martyrdom of Joseph Smith, produced a letter purportedly written by the Prophet designating Strang his successor and Voree, Wisconsin, as a new gathering place for the Saints. See Doyle C. Fitzpatrick, The King Strang Story: Vindication of James J. Strang, the Beaver island Mormon King (Lansing, Mich.: National Heritage, 1970). (Ibid., 408 n. 26)

 

Jean Rio Griffiths Baker (Pearce) (1810-1883) on Slavery:

 

Our ship is at anchor at New Orleans, 170 miles from the mouth of the river. . . . There is an endless variety of landscape. The only thing which detracts from its beauty is the sight of the hundreds of Negroes working in the sun. Oh Slavery: how I hate thee! (Jean Rio Griffiths Baker (Pearce), Journal, March 20, 1851, in Women’s Voices: An Untold History of the Latter-day Saints, 1830-1900, ed. Kenneth W. Godfrey, Audrey M. Godfrey, and Jull Mulvay Derr [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1982], 213)

 

 

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