1804; myself born . Conn., . I assisted my father in attending the Farmington Mills, until I was twenty years of age. In April, 1827, I took the flouring mill of my aunt, Hellen Wheeler, which I attended three years. In May, 1830, I took charge of the flouring mill of Mr. Collins, the ax manufac- turer, in South Canton, Conn. At the end of one year it was demolished to make way for other machinery. In March, 1831, I took charge of the flouring mill owned by Mr. Rich- ard B. Cowles of New Hartford, Conn. In the spring of 1832, in company with my oldest brother, Azmon, I went to Richland, Oswego Co., New York, and purchased a farm and saw mill, and settled in business. At an early age my mind was exercised upon religious subjects, although I never made a profession until 1830. I did not then join any church, for the reason that I could not find any denomination whose doctrines, faith or prac- tice, agreed with the gospel of Jesus Christ, or the ordinances and gifts which the apostles taught. Although the ministers of the day taught that the faith, gifts, graces, miracles and ordinances, which the ancient saints en- joyed, were done away and no longer needed, I did not believe it to be true, only as they were done away through the unbelief of the children of men. I believed the same gifts, graces, miracles and power would be manifest in one age of the world as in another, when God had a church upon the earth, and that the church of God would be re-established upon the earth, and that I should live to see it. These principles were rivetted upon my mind from the perusal of the Old and New Testament, with fervent prayer that the Lord would show me what was right and wrong, and lead me in the path of salva- tion, without any regard to the opinions of man, and the whisperings of the Spirit of the Lord for the space of three years, taught me that he was about to set up his church and kingdom upon the earth in the last days. I was taught these things from my youth by Robert Mason, an aged man, who lived in Simsbury, Conn., who was frequently called the old prophet Mason: he taught me many things which are now coming to pass. He did not believe that any man had authority to ad- minister in the ordinances of the gospel, but believed it was our privilege through faith, prayer and fasting, to heal the sick, and cast out devils by the laying on of hands, which was the case under his administration, as many could testify. In 1832, I was inspired to go to Rhode Is- land; my brother, Asahel, was also directed by the Spirit of God to go to the same place. When we met, we both told our impressions, and it caused us to marvel and wonder, what the Lord wanted of us in Rhode Island; but as we had made preparations to move to the west, we let outward circumstances control us, and Jonah-like, instead of going to Rhode Is- land, we went to Richland, Oswego Co., New

I was born , at Northing- ton, part of the Farmington (now Avon), Hartford county, Connecticut. In my early life I worked as a farmer and miller. Of course my childhood was passed under the influence of the remnants of the Blue Laws of Con- neticut. I remember the day well when the Baptists and the Methodists in Connecticut were almost as un- popular as the Mormons afterwards became. Presbyterians and Congre- gationalists were the ruling religions of New England in my childhood. In attending Sunday school in my early boyhood, under Dr. Noah Porter, and learning chapters of the Bible by heart, I saw what Jesus Christ and the Apostles taught. Those principles were so firmly imprinted on my mind that I could never join any church, because the churches of that day did not believe them, until I heard Zara Pulsipher, a Mormon Elder, preach to me and my brother Azmon, and a large congregation of neighbors, at Richland (now Dansville), Oswego

Wilford born . My Mother Bulah Woodruff died

Co Ct, . I followed the same occupation of my Father that of a Miller from my youth up until 1831. I assisted my ^Father^ in attending the Farmington Mills untill I was 20 years of age, in the spring of 1827 I took the flouring Mill of my Aunt Hellen Wheeler which I attended 3 years. In the spring of 1830 I took charge of the flouring Mill of Mr Collins the Ax manufacturer in South Canton Ct, at the end of one year it was demolished to make way for other Machinery, in the spring of 1831, I took charge of the flouring Mill owned by Mr Richard B. Cowles of New Hartford Connecticut. In the spring of 1832 in company with my oldest brother Azmon Woodruff I went to Richland Oswago County N York & purchased a farm & saw Mill & setled down in business for awhiles. Variant & divers are the lives & fortunes of man in every age of the world. While the path of some are strewn with flowers & ease from the cradle to the graves with naught to disturb their peace others apparently are marked victims of variated misfortune accidents & dangers. The last named class is the one in whose ranks I have stood through my infancy childhood youth & manhood up to the present time so much so that it has seemed as though some invisible power or fate was

born , ^at [blank] county, Connecticut.^ ^In^ My early Life was ^I worked^ ^as^ a farmer & a Mmiller. oOf course my childhood was ^passed^ under the influence of the remnants of the Blue Laws of Connecticut. I remember the day well when ^the^ Baptists & Methodists in Con^necticut^ with wasere almost as unpopular as Mormons ^are^ to day. presbyterians & Congregationalists wasere the ruling ^ only ruling^ religions of New England in my boy ^child^hood. In attendings the Su^n^day School in my early Boyhood, under Dr Noah, porter and learning [cler◊◊ts] by heart, I saw what Jesus Christ

1804; Wilford born .

My mother died with the spotted fever, Hartford County, Connecticut, March 1st, 1807. I assisted my father in attend-