Item Detail
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17592
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0
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0
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English
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Diary
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Mormon Diaries, Journals, and Life Sketches (Transcriptions) [Microfilm]
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Washington, D.C.
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Library of Congress
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Reel 4, Item 5; Reel 5, Item 1
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"Diary in five volumes. (1) Autobiographical sketch, 1849-68; then diary, 29 June 1868 to 24 September 1890. (2) 18 January 1891 to 23 October 1901. (3) November 1901 to December 1907. (4) 1 January 1908 to 1 June 1915. (5) 1 January 1916 to December 1926. The following statement on the typescript indicates its relationship to holograph: "At the request of the owner, spelling errors have been corrected and punctuation inserted. The original wording has been adhered to strictly." Family moved to Utah, 1852. Tooele County. Moved to Beaver, 1855; returned in less than year. To Southern Utah, 1865. Clover Valley. Indian trouble. Move to Shole Creek. Marriage to Mary Ann Terry, 1867. Laid off new town of Hebron. Trip to Salt Lake, 1870. Visited railroad depot. ("The old big iron horse would push and pull, puff and blow and the way he would go with a great string of cars all in a row, and on Sat. 3rd I took my first ride on a car.") Various trips to St. George. Put up poles for new telegraph line. ("This will bring us in connection with the whole world.") Built schoolhouse. Pioche mining camp. United Order, 1874. Good examples of jealousy and practical problems. Author calls it the "disunited order," says that in Hebron it "proved to be about ten months of experience and disunion. "Foundation of Silver Reef provided jobs. Built new house. On trip to St. George, camped at Mountain Meadows; witnesse. Many moves in search of better opportunities. To Gunlock. Abortive plans to move to Arizona. To Cannonville. Castle Valley. Huntington. Most activity revolves around Hebron and Enterprise. Positions of responsibility. Watermaster. Justice of peace. District poundkeeper. Postmaster. School trustee. Elders quorum president. Sunday School superintendent. Road supervisor. After move back to Hebron in 1892 author led fight for dam and reservoir. Important example of community building. Many problems, much opposition. After many years reservoir became a reality. Reluctance of Hebron people to move to Enterprise. Water division problems. Author often sought work as carpenter or freighter. Discouragement about Hebron and lack of opportunity. ("l wish someone would call me to go some place to be Bishop or water master or something. It seems to me that my calling is to see that the town of Enterprise is built up so I stay and fight odds.") 1900 election. ("This seems very strange to me that McKinley should be elected. After all Hebron voted for Wm. J. Bryon."). Vote for "no fence" law, 1908; author favored. Visits of children. Affectionate relationship to wife. Author disliked because people owe him money; demands and gets apology at meeting. First automobiles, 1910. ("Wm. Perry, the mail contractor, came in Town [Enterprise] with the first automobile, or Truck, with the U.S. mail, the first wagon, buggy or mail coach to come here bringing the mail from Modena without any horses to pull it.") Author, in his sixties, has to work long, hard hours. No time for holiday celebrations. President of Enterprise Cattlemen's Association. Helped solve dispute; diary contains many examples of ward teachers helping to settle disputes and avoid lawsuits. Cars becoming more numerous. Several references to road building. ("The State Convicts are camped near Washington, working on the State Road, doing a good job of it. Sandy and rocky roads of Dixie will soon be a thing of the past.") Much family activity noted: trips to see children, births, illnesses, etc." [Abstract from Davis Bitton's Guide to Mormon Diaries and Autobiographies, 1977]