Autobiography 1865 Millennial Star

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Autobiography 1865 Millennial Star
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    HISTORY OF WILFORD WOODRUFF. -[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]- In tracing the history of my fathers, I find it difficult to obtain a satis- factory account of the Woodruff family for more than three generations. My great grandfather, Josiah Wood- ruff, lived nearly one hundred years, and possessed an iron constitution, and performed a great amount of manual labor nearly up to the time of his death. His wife's name was Sarah; she bore to him nine children, as follows: --
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    ing and saw mill, and continued about 50 years; most of this time he labored eighteen hours a day. He never made any profession of religion until I baptized him, with all his household, into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on the first day of July 1838. He was a man of great charity, honesty, inte- grity and truth, and made himself poor by giving to the poor, and accomoda- ting his fellow-men by loaning money and becoming surety for his neighbors, and always saying yes ...
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    (Continued from page 168.) HISTORY OF WILFORD WOODRUFF. -[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]- At an early age my mind was exer- cised 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 practice, 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 ...
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    Elder, and a small Branch organized of twelve members, by Elder Pulsi- pher. In February following, in company with Elder Holton, I walked some sixty miles to the town of Fabius, to attend an evening meeting of the Saints in that place, where Elder Pul- sipher was presiding. I saw the book of commandments or revelations given through Joseph Smith, and I believed them with all my heart, and rejoiced therein; and after spending several days, and holding several ...
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    according to the law of God. He answered, that he had not faith enough to start on a mission through Jackson county without money, and if I did it, I must do it on my own faith. I felt strenuous to keep the commandments, so I started without money. I called upon Elder Harry Brown, and asked him to accompany me; he consented, and Bishop Partridge appointed him to go with me. Jan. 13, 1835—I received an honor- able discharge ...
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    (Continued from page 184.) HISTORY OF WILFORD WOODRUFF. -[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]- June [January] 18—We called at the Har- mony mission, and had an interview with the President, a Presbyterian minister. Although it was near sun- down, he would neither give us any- thing to eat, nor lodge us, because we were "Mormons." It was fifteen miles to the nearest house, which was Jerrew's Indian trading house. We asked the minister to direct us there. He gave us directions ...
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    were having a pow-wow. As we ap- proached, we were met by a dozen large savage looking dogs; they smelt us in a friendly manner, but did not attempt to bite nor bark. We ar- rived about midnight, covered with mud, hungry and weary, and were kindly received and entertained for the remainder of the night by Mr. Jerrew, who had an Osage squaw for a wife; she prepared us a good supper, but marvelled that we did not drink coffee. She proffered us their best ...
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    (Continued from page 200.) HISTORY OF WILFORD WOODRUFF. -[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]- June [January] 19—Mr. Jerrew gave us a good breakfast, put us across the Osage river in a canoe, and we started upon our long day's walk, it being sixty miles to the nearest house. We had not anything with us to eat. Most of our travels through the day was through prairie; before dark we en- tered timbered land; as we approached the timber, a large black bear met us ...
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    Saints, and had lately moved here, depending upon his gun mostly for his living. It was sixty miles to a house on the north, and twelve miles on the south. He and his family were living in a small old log hut, about twelve feet square, and one bed in the room, upon which lay his wife, several children and three young dogs. He lay stretched out upon the bare floor, with his feet to a small fire. There was no door to the house, but a rag- ged quilt ...
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    When I had got a few rods from his door, he was nearly treading on my heels, and fell dead at my feet, as though he had been struck with light- ning; he swelled, and immediately turned black. This created a great wailing and mourning among his family. Brother Brown and myself assisted in laying him out and burying him. He died Feb. 14, 1835. This singular dispensation of Provi- dence brought solemnity upon the people, and they began to reflect and wished to hear ...
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    (Continued from page 217.) HISTORY OF WILFORD WOODRUFF. -[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]- March 2—We cut down a large cotton-wood tree, and in two days dug out a canoe four feet wide and twelve long, put on a pair of oars, and then rowed down the Arkansas river, 125 miles, to Little Rock, beg- ging our food by the way, a meal at a time, as we had opportunity. After ...
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    visiting Little Rock, we travelled down the river ten miles, and tied up our canoe on the east bank, and stopped with Mr. Jones. I preached next day at his house. On the 16th we left our canoe with Mr. Jones, and walked back up the river ten miles, opposite Little Rock, and took the old military road, and started to wade the Missis- sippi swamp, which was mostly cov- ered with water from Little Rock, Arkansas, to Memphis, Tennessee, a distance of ...
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    Thomas, at nine o'clock, all safe, hav- ing rode twenty miles, five hours in the storm, and we felt to thank the Lord for our preservation. During the winter and spring, I continued to labor mostly alone, through Kentucky and Tennessee, opening new places, preaching daily, baptizing, confirming, and organizing new Branches. Feb. 26, 1836—At a Conference held at Brother B. L. Clapp's, in Callaway county, Kentucky, I or- dained
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    (Continued from page 232.) HISTORY OF WILFORD WOODRUFF. -[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]- June 19—A States warrant was issued against D. W. Patten, Warren Parrish and Wilford Woodruff, sworn out by Matthew Williams, a Metho- dist priest, and served by the sheriff, Robert C. Petty. Elders Patten and Parrish were taken by an armed mob of about fifty, under pretence of law, led by the sheriff, a colonel, first and second major ...
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    with a high circulation of blood and blistered hands; but our horses leapt the bank, and we went on our way to the Sandy, which we swam, and spent the night at Thomas Frazer's. —30—We preached at Mr. David Crider's, also on Sunday the 31st, where we were threatened by a mob. I baptized Mr. Crider amid the scoffs of the rabble, who went in the night and poisoned both of our horses; the one which I rode, belonging to ...
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    (Continued from page 248.) HISTORY OF WILFORD WOODRUFF. -[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]- Oct. 20—In company with A. O. Smoot and Jesse Turpin, I started for Kirtland; this was the first time I had ever travelled on a steamboat. We left the steamer at Louisville, on the 28th, and spent nineteen days visiting Elder Smoot's relations, and preaching among the people; we visi- ted the Big Bone Lick. We arrived in
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    —29—Presidents Joseph Smith and O. Cowdery addressed the Saints in the Temple. Joseph blessed the peo- ple in the name of the Lord, and said, if we would be faithful, we should arise above our embarrassments, and be delivered from the hands of our enemies. —30—I wrote an article on faith, which was published in the Messenger and Advocate. Feb. 19—I attended meeting at the Temple. President Joseph Smith had been absent on ...
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    many of the gifts were poured out upon the people; at break of day we were dismissed. I also spent the night of the 7th in the Temple, with several of the Elders, in prayer and praise before the Lord; the Holy Ghost rested upon us, and the spirit of prophecy was given, and many things were shown by the holy Spirit. April 9—President Smith spoke in the afternoon, and said in the name of the Lord, that the judgments ...
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    (Continued from page 265.) HISTORY OF WILFORD WOODRUFF. -[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]- May 5—While laboring for Joseph Young, Kirtland was visited with a sudden storm of wind and rain, a cur- rent passed south of the Temple in the form of a whirlwind or tornado, which destroyed and injured several build- ings, it crushed one of Joseph Young's buildings, and removed the one we were in some 10 feet, but no person was injured. I felt impressed ...
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    with his rabble, and asked many ques- tions; he said I had no right to my opinion, and no man had a right to preach the gospel unless he had a collegiate education. I told him I would admit that point, when he would tell me at what college Jesus Christ and his Apostles obtained their educa- tion: the priest and rabble then left. —12—I preached in a school house in West Avon to an attentive congre- gation; after meeting I baptized my uncle, Ozem Woodruff, his ...