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: -- Josiah, Appleton, Eldad,
Elisha, Joseph, Rhoda, Phebe, and
two names not given.
My grandfather, Eldad Woodruff,
was the third son of Josiah. He was
born in Farmington, Hartford co.,
Connecticut, in 1751; he also posses-
sed a strong constitution. It was
said that he performed the most labor
for several years of any man in Hart-
ford county, and from over exertion
in hewing timber, he was attacked
with rheumatism in his right hip,
which caused severe lameness for
several years before his death. He
married Dinah Woodford, by whom he
had seven children--viz., Eldad, Eli-
zabeth, Samuel, Aphek, Titus, Helen
and Ozem.
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 . 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 to every man
who asked a favor at his hand.
I was born in the north part of the
town of Farmington, now called Avon,
Hartford co., Conn., March 1, 1807.
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, Helen Wheeler,
which I attended three years. In
May 1830, I took charge of the flour-
ing mill of Mr. Colllins, the ax manu-
facturer, 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. Richard
B. Cowles of New Hartford, Conn.
In the spirng of 1832, in company
with my oldeset brother, Azmon, I
went to Richland, Oswego co., New
York, and purchased a farm and saw
mill, and settled in business.
(To be continued.)
(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
ancient Saints enjoyed, 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 rivet-
ed 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 salvation,
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 administer in the ordi-
nances 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 admini-
stration, as many could testify.
In 1832, I was inspired to go to
Rhode Island; 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 prepara-
tions to move to the west, we let out-
ward circumstances control us, and,
Jonah like, instead of going to Rhode
Island, we went to Richland, Oswego
county, New York, and there remained
until , when I heard El-
ders Zerah Pulsipher and Elijah
Cheeny preach. My brother Azmon
and I believed their testimony, enter-
tained the Elders, and offered our-
selves for baptism the first sermon we
heard. We read the Book of Mor-
mon, and I received a testimony that
it was true.
We soon learned what the Lord
wanted of us in Rhode Island, for at
the time we were warned to go there,
two of the Elders were preaching there,
and had we gone, we should have em-
braced the Work at that time.
—I was baptized by Elder
Zerah Pulsipher; he confirmed me the
same evening.
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 meetings,
we returned home rejoicing.
During the winter, we were visited
by several of the Elders. ,
Elder Parley P. Pratt called upon us
and instructed the Branch till mid-
night; we had a precious time. I
accompanied brother Pratt to Jeffer-
son county, and told him my circum-
stances; he said it was my duty to
prepare myself to go to Kirtland, and
join the Camp of Zion. I immedi-
ately settled my business.
—With my horses
and wagon, I took brothers Harry
Brown and Warren Ingles, and started
for Zion. I met with Orson Pratt,
John Murdoch and other Elders, on
the way, and arrived in Kirtland on
the day of April, 1834.
The Prophet Joseph invited me to
make his house my home; I accepted
his offer, and staid with him about
one week. I became acquainted with
many of the High Priests, Elders and
Saints. I spent one Sabbath in Kirt-
land, and heard many of the Elders
speak, and I felt to rejoice before God
for the light and knowledge which was
manifested to me during that day.
—I started from Kirtland,
and went to New Portage and re-
mained till all the company joined
us, when we were organized.
—We took up our line of
march, pitched our tents by the way,
and travelled to Missouri.
After we had pitched our tents in
Clay county, (our numbers being 205)
and many of the brethren had taken
sick, and some had died, Joseph re-
quested the camp to disperse, except
enough to take care of the sick. All
who had teams were required to leave
the ground and go among the bre-
thren. I went to brother Lyman
Wight's, in company with Heman
Hyde and Milton Holmes. Shortly,
Joseph called the brethren together at
Lyman Wight's, and told them if they
would humble themselves before the
Lord, and covenant to keep His com-
mandments and obey His counsel, the
plague should be stayed from that
hour, and there should not be another
case of cholera in the Camp. The
brethren covenanted to do this, and
the plague was stayed, and there was
not another case in Camp.
President Joseph Smith returned to
Kirtland with many of the brethren;
I remained with Lyman Wight, labor-
ing with my hands till the following
winter.
I had a great desire to preach the
Gospel, which I did not name to my
brethren; but one Sunday evening I
retired into the woods alone, and
called upon the Lord in earnest prayer,
to open my way to go and preach the
Gospel to the inhabitants of the earth.
The Spirit of the Lord bore witness
that my prayer was heard, and should
be answered. I arose from my knees
happy, and walked some forty rods,
and met Elias Higbee, a High Priest,
with whom I had staid a number of
months. As I approached him, he
said, "Brother Wilford, the Spirit of
the Lord tells me that you should be
ordained, and go on a mission." I re-
plied, "I am ready."
At a meeting of the High Council at
Lyman Wight's, Clay county, Mis-
souri, , I was ordained a
Priest by Elder Simeon Carter; Ste-
phen Winchester and Heman T. Hyde
were also ordained Priests.
Bishop Partridge said he would like
to have me go into the Southern States,
through Arkansas, Tennessee and Ken-
tucky; and if I could find any body
who had faith enough to go with me—
for it would be a dangerous country
to travel in, in consequence of the
Missouri persecutions—to take him.
I told him I was as ready to go south
as anywhere, and asked if I should go
through Jackson county, as it lay in
our route. He replied, it would be at
the risk of life, and he had not faith
enough to undertake it; if I had, I
might try it. I also asked him, if I
went through Jackson county, if I
should start without purse or scrip,
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.
—I received an honor-
able discharge from Lyman Wight,
certifying that I had faithfully per-
formed my duties in Zion's Camp.
I took my valise in hand, weighing
15 lbs., mostly Books of Mormon, and
started in company with Elder Harry
Brown, crossed the river into Jackson
county, and felt thankful. We bowed
our knees, and prayed that God might
protect us from the mob while going
through the country, and that his
judgments might rest upon the wicked
who had shed the blood of the Saints
in that land, that the land might be
cleansed from sin. I had a petition
to the Governor of Missouri, for re-
dress of wrongs perpetrated upon us
in Jackson county, for the purpose of
obtaining signatures. We bent our
way south, through Jackson county,
without any molestation; yet, in one
instance, we were preserved from a
mob of about sixty, assembled at a
grog-shop which we had to pass.
(Continued from page 184.)
HISTORY
OF
WILFORD WOODRUFF.
-[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]-
—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, but the Spirit
said to me he was deceiving us. I
asked him three times, and he declared
he was telling us the truth. We
followed his directions, and we came
to the Osage river swamp, where we
were lost in the darkness of the night.
We followed the river, but as it is
very crooked, we made but little pro-
gress. After travelling through mud
and water for one hour, we concluded
to go out on the open prairie, and lie
down in the grass until morning; but
when we got out into the prairie, we
heard the Osage Indians' drum and
shout at the trading house, as they
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
bed, which was highly ornamented,
but we declined her kind offer, as we
were wet and muddy. She made us a
good bed of mackinaw blankets, before
a large fire, and we slept comfortably.
May the Lord reward both Mr. Jerrew
and wife, and the Presbyterian mini-
ster, according their deserts.
To be continued.)
(Continued from page 200.)
HISTORY
OF
WILFORD WOODRUFF.
-[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]-
—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;
we had no weapons. When the bear got
within about six rods of us, he rose upon
his hind feet, and examined us a short
time, and went off. We were soon
enveloped in such thick darkness, that
it was with great difficulty we could
keep the road, and surrounded by a
large drove of wolves, which kept up
a continual howling, and would fre-
quently rush to within a few feet of us.
We travelled about two hours in this
situation, feeling that we were in
danger, and concluded to stop and
build a fire, and wait till morning.
Accordingly, we built a large fire,
which drove the wolves off; and as
we were about to lie down, we heard
a dog bark, and a bell. We felt
assured we were near a house; both
of us took a brand of fire, and on going
about one quarter of a mile, we came
to a log hut, which was occupied by
Mr. Williams, who had been in Jack-
son county during the mobbing of the
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 hung up in the door way; it
was past eleven o'clock at night. I
turned away the quilt, looked into the
house, and spoke three times; no one
stirred, not even a dog. I walked in,
and laid my hands upon the man's
shoulder, and spoke to him. The mo-
ment he felt the weight of my hand,
he leaped to his feet, and commenced
running around the room, leaping as
high as he could each jump. I told
him not to be frightened, as we were
travellers and friends, and did not
wish to hurt him, but wished to stop
with him over night. When he came
to his senses, he gave us permission to
stop with him till morning, if we
would take the bare floor, as he did.
We asked for something to eat, as we
had walked sixty miles without a
morsel of food. He replied, he had
nothing for us, and assured us he had
to kill game for his breakfast in the
morning. He informed us that the
reason of his fright, was in conse-
quence of his having shot a large pan-
ther, a few nights previous, standing
in his door, and he thought his mate
had lit upon him. We lay down upon
the floor, and we were glad of this
place, as it soon began to rain, and
rained through the night.
In the morning we arose, and went
on in the rain twelve miles, to a Mr.
Conner's, who was also in the Jackson
county mob. He gave us breakfast,
but damned us while we were eating,
because we were "Mormons." When
we had finished a hearty breakfast,
we thanked him very politely, and
went on our way, leaving him swear-
ing. We felt thankful for breakfast,
for we had walked seventy-two miles
without eating food. We taught from
house to house as we journeyed.
—I preached at Mr. Nathan
Tanner's, in Green county, Missouri,
the first time we had found a congre-
gation we could preach to in safety,
and the first time that I had ever
attempted to preach as a missionary.
I had great liberty, and was followed
by Elder Brown. During our preach-
ing, there was a snow storm.
We arrived at Petty John Creek, in
Arkansas, where Mr. Alexander Ake-
man resided, with a large family of
sons and one daughter, settled around
him. Mr. Akeman, and a part of the
family, were members of the Church
in Jackson county; his wife died
strong in the faith in Missouri. His
whole family were mobbed, and some
of his sons were whipped severely;
but he could not stand the persecution
and the loss of his property. He
moved to Arkansas, to get rid of
"Mormonism," had apostatized, and
was bitter against the Work. When
we called upon him, he opposed us
strongly—spoke against the leaders of
the Church and the Book of Mormon.
He had one son who received us, and
had a little faith. I dreamed the
night before, that we were required to
walk in a straight, narrow path; and
while following the path, it led to the
door of a house, which was placed in
a high wall that we could not get
around. As I opened the door to go
through, I saw the room was filled
with large serpents. I entered, and
they all coiled up to jump at me; as
they made a spring to bite me, they
all fell dead at my feet, turned black,
swelled up, burst open, took fire, and
were consumed before my eyes.
We met with much opposition from
Mr. Akeman, and many in the neigh-
borhood. Elder Brown wished to
leave the place immediately. I told
him I should stay, and see my dream
fulfilled. We staid in the neighbor-
hood twenty-five days, during which
time the Lord brought judgment upon
those who threatened to mob and kill
us; many of them died suddenly, and
I was warned three times by the Lord,
to go to Mr. Akeman, and bear testi-
mony unto him of the truth of "Mor-
monism," and the wickedness of his
course in opposing it; and the last
time I called upon him, he was filled
with wrath against me, and when I
left his house, he followed me in a
rage, apparently with some evil intent.
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 .
This singular dispensation of Provi-
dence brought solemnity upon the
people, and they began to reflect and
wished to hear preaching. We held
several meetings and preached, and
baptized Mr. Hubbel and his wife,
who had opened their doors and given
us a home; and just as we had got
the people prepared to receive the
Gospel and anxious to learn, and plead-
ing with us to stay and preach, bro-
Brown resolved that he would con-
tinue his journey south. I was fully
satisfied that should we stop, we
would built up a Church, and was
convinced it was our duty to stop;
but brother Brown held the office of
an Elder, and I submitted.
Brother Brown did not baptize ano-
ther person on the mission.
(To be continued.)
(Continued from page 217.)
HISTORY
OF
WILFORD WOODRUFF.
-[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]-
—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
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 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 about 175 miles. We
waded through mud and water knee
deep, day after day, and in some in-
stances forty miles per day, before we
could get a stopping place.
On the , while in the swamps,
I had an attack of the rheumatism, and
could not travel fast. My companion,
brother Brown, had got in a hurry,
and wished to return to his family in
Kirtland; and as I could not travel as
fast as he wished, we parted. He
left me sitting on a log in the mud
and water; I was lame and unable to
walk, without food, and twelve miles
from the nearest house on the road.
He went out of sight in great haste.
I then knelt down in the water, and
prayed to the Lord to heal me. The
Spirit of the Lord rested upon me,
and I was healed; the pain left me;
I arose and went my way. Whenever
I met with one or more families, I
preached and bore testimony to them.
I crossed the Mississippi river in the
evening of the of March, and
stayed at a public house kept by Mr.
Josiah Jackson. I was suspected of
being an impostor. Mr. Jackson
believed I was one of Murril's clan,
who were then murdering and steal-
ing negroes; and to test me, he
gathered together a large house full
of the most wicked and corrupt peo-
ple in the city, and set me to preach-
ing, to see whether I could preach or
not.
I do not think that Mr. Jackson, or
the same company of men and women,
will ever meet together again for the
same purpose, for they would not like
again to have their sins and abomina-
tions revealed to each other as point-
edly as I told them that night, through
the inspiration of the Holy Ghost;
they were glad to get rid of me upon
almost any terms.
I travelled from Memphis to Middle
Tennessee.
—I met with Elder Warren
Parrish, in Benton county. He and
David W. Patten had labored together
through the winter in Tennessee, and
baptized twenty persons. Elder Pat-
ten had returned to Kirtland. I
joined Elder Parrish, and we labored
together over three months, travelling
and preaching daily; baptizing such
as would receive our testimony; ex-
tending our labors in Tennessee and
Kentucky.
—We received a letter from
Oliver Cowdery, requesting Elder
Parrish to come to Kirtland, and for
me to remain and take charge of the
southern churches, and the Lord would
bless me in so doing.
—Warren Parrish ordained
me an Elder. We baptized some forty
persons while laboring together.
—Elder Parrish left. I
travelled alone through the year, and
extended my labors both in Kentucky
and Tennessee. I baptized forty-three
persons during this season, thirty-one
after brother Parrish left.
—While travelling in the
night, with brother Benjamin L. Clapp
and others, a tremendous storm of
wind and rain overtook us. We came
to a creek which had swollen to such
an extent by the rain, that we could
not cross without swimming our
horses; several of the company were
females. We undertook to head the
stream, to ford it; but in the attempt,
in the midst of the darkness and the
raging of the wind and rain, we were
lost in the thick woods, amidst the
rain, wind, creeks and fallen tree-
tops. We crossed streams nearly
twenty times. I was reminded of
Paul's perils by water; but the Lord
was merciful unto us in the midst of
our troubles, for while we were grop-
ing in the dark, running the risk of
killing both ourselves and animals,
by riding off precipitous bluffs, a
bright light suddenly shone round
about us, and revealed our perilous
situation, as we were upon the edge of
a deep gulf. [Acts 27] The light continued with
us until we found a house, and learned
the right road; then the light dis-
appeared, and we were enabled to
reach the house of brother Henry
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.
—At a Conference
held at Brother B. L. Clapp's, in
Callaway county, Kentucky, I or-
dained A. O. Smoot and Benjamin
Boydston, Elders, and B. L. Clapp
and Daniel Thomas, Priests.
Brothers Smoot and Clapp both
entered into the labors of the ministry.
Elder Smoot frequently accompanied
me on my mission. Elder D. W.
Patten returned to Tennessee in
April, and joined us in our labors,
accompanied by his wife. It was a
happy meeting. He related to me
the blessings he had received in Kirt-
land during the endowments. We
travelled and labored together; perse-
cution raged against us. Elder Pat-
ten bore a strong and forcible testi-
mony of the Work of God; and when
we were opposed by mobs, he would
rebuke them in great plainness; we
were threatened, but not injured. The
sick were healed under our admini-
strations.
—Elder Warren Parrish
arrived from Kirtland. We held a
Conference on the 28th, at brother
Seth Utley's. Seven Branches were
represented, containing 116 members.
Abel Wilson and Jesse Turpin were
ordained Priests, and Albert Petty a
Teacher.
——I was ordained by David
W. Patten, a member of the Second
Quorum of Seventies.
We labored over a circuit of several
hundred miles. Brother Smoot la-
bored with us, and brother Clapp
frequently. We travelled two by two,
and all met together to hold Confe-
rences.
(To be continued.)
(Continued from page 232.)
HISTORY
OF
WILFORD WOODRUFF.
-[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]-
—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, with other officers, and
a Methodist priest with a gun upon his
shoulder. I was in another county,
and therefore not taken. We were
accused of prophesying falsely, by
saying that four persons who were
baptized should receive the Holy
Ghost in twenty-four hours, and that
Christ should come the second time
before this generation passed away.
The whole concern was a mob mock
trial, contrary to law, justice, judg-
ment or truth.
On the , I went to a Baptist
meeting-house, on Thompson's creek,
to preach; the house was crowded.
As I rose to speak, a Baptist priest,
Mr. Browning, arrived at the door on
horseback, and stepped in greatly
agitated, and told the deacon to forbid
my preaching in the house, at the
same time commenced a tirade of
abuse against the "Mormons," telling
several lies, which I corrected before
the people, which increased his rage.
As I was forbidden to preach in the
house, and had been invited, and tra-
velled many miles to fulfil my ap-
pointment, I told the people I would
like to preach, and was willing to
stand on a wood pile, a fence, a cart,
or any place they would appoint. A
man rose and said he owned the land
in front of the meeting-house, and I
might stand and preach on that, and
welcome. All the congregation, with
the exception of the minister and one
deacon, arose and left the house,
walked across the street, and formed
seats of a worm fence, and gave good
attention while I preached for an hour
and-a-half, on the principles of the
Gospel.
When I closed, Mr. Randolph Alex-
ander, who had never heard a "Mor-
mon" Elder speak before, said, the
people of the present day made him
think of a pen of hogs; the keeper
would make a trough, and pour into
it hot or cold water, dish water, or
anything else, and they would drink
it; but let a stranger come along, and
pour over a basket of corn on the back
side of the pen, and the hogs would
be frightened, and run and snort all
over the pen. He said it was so with
the people; the priests would feed
them with any kind of doctrine, no
matter how false, the people will
swallow it down; but let a stranger
come and preach the Gospel of Jesus
Christ, which will save the people, as
Mr. Woodruff has done, and the peo-
ple are afraid of him.
Mr. Alexander invited me home,
bought a Book of Mormon, and was
soon baptized, and several others
followed his example.
—I wrote a letter to Oliver
Cowdery, and sent him a list of sub-
scribers for the Messenger and Advocate,
and a detail of my mission in the south.
——I rode in company with A.
O. Smoot to a ferry on the Tennessee
river. The ferryman was absent.
We were offered the use of the boat,
and ferried ourselves; but not being
much used to the business, and losing
one oar in the river, and having to
row with a broken oar, we landed a
great distance below the usual place,
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.
——We preached at Mr. David
Crider's, also on Sunday the ,
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 brother
Samuel West, died in two days after-
wards; brother Smoot's recovered;
the swine that eat of the horse flesh
also died.
—I met with D. W. Patten
and wife; he and brother Parrish had
been driven out of Benton into Henry
county, and Elder Parrish had left for
Kirtland.
——We were visited by Elders
T. B. Marsh and E. H. Groves, from
Caldwell county, Mo.
—We held a Conference at
Damon's Creek, Callaway county,
Kentucky; several Branches were re-
presented, containing 119 members.
Johnson F. Lane, Benjamin L. Clapp,
and Randolph Alexander, were or-
dained Elders, and Lindsey Bradey a
priest, by D. W. Patten, who baptized
five at the close of the Conference.
I was released from my labors in
the south, and counselled to go to
Kirtland and receive my endowments,
as was also A. O. Smoot.
—Elders Marsh and D. W.
Patten and wife, and E. H. Groves,
started for Far West. I organized
the first company of Saints who emi-
grated from the Southern States, which
numbered twenty-two souls. I ap-
pointed Elder Boydston President of
the company, and counselled them to
be united, and to remember their
prayers night and day before the
Lord.
——The camp started. I spent
a few days visiting the Branches; bap-
tized and confirmed eight, and ob-
tained thirty subscribers for the
Messenger and Advocate.
(Continued from page 248.)
HISTORY
OF
WILFORD WOODRUFF.
-[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]-
—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 , and spent nineteen days
visiting Elder Smoot's relations, and
preaching among the people; we visi-
ted the Big Bone Lick. We arrived
in Cincinnatti, , where we
saw thirteen persons dead and
wounded, taken from the steamer
Flora, which had burst her pipes
while running a race; arrived in Kirt-
land on the , and had the happy
privilege of meeting the Prophet
Joseph, and many Elders with whom
I was acquainted in the Camp of Zion.
——I heard Joseph preach in the
Temple. In the afternoon I was
called to speak, and read the 56th
chap. of Isaiah, and made some re-
marks, and gave an account of my
mission in the south; Elder Smoot
also addressed the Saints.
I was counselled by the Presidency
to attend the school in the Temple,
taught by Professor Haws. I studied
the Latin language and English gram-
mar, and boarded with brother Ira
Bond.
I attended meetings with the Seven-
ties and other Quorums, during the
winter of 1836-7, and received much
valuable instruction.
—I was present at the
organization of the Third Quorum of
the Seventies; there were twenty-
seven ordained.
—I was set apart to
be a member of the First Quorum of
Seventies.
——At early candle light, a cloud
began to arise in the north-east, and
reached to the north-west, having the
appearance of fire, and it soon spread
over the whole horizon. The reflec-
tion of the clouds upon the earth,
which was covered with snow, had
a blood-red appearance. It com-
menced at about 6 o'clock, and lasted
till past 10 p.m.
——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.
——I wrote an article on faith,
which was published in the Messenger
and Advocate.
—I attended meeting at the
Temple. President Joseph Smith had
been absent on business for the Church,
but not half as long as Moses was in
the mount away from Israel; yet
many of the people in Kirtland, if
they did not make a calf to worship,
as did the Israelites, turned their
hearts away from the Lord, and from
his servant Joseph, and had engaged
in speculation, and given way to
false spirits, until they were darkened
in their minds; and many were op-
posed to Joseph Smith, and some
wished to appoint David Whitmer to
lead the Church in his stead. [Exodus 32:1-8] In the
midst of this cloud of dark spirits,
Joseph returned to Kirtland, and this
morning arose in the stand. He ap-
peared much depressed; but soon the
Spirit of God rested upon him, and he
addressed the assembly in great plain-
ness for about three hours, and put
his enemies to silence. When he arose
he said, "I am still the President,
Prophet, Seer, Revelator and Leader
of the Church of Jesus Christ. God,
and not man, has appointed and
placed me in this position, and no man
or set of men have power to remove
me, or appoint another in my stead;
and those who undertake this, if they
do not speedily repent, will burn their
fingers and go to hell." He reproved
the people sharply for their sins, dark-
ness and unbelief. The power of God
rested upon him, and bore testimony
that his sayings were true.
was spent in the Temple
by the Saints in Kirtland, in fasting
and prayer. Patriarch Joseph Smith,
sen., presided. The Spirit of the
Lord was poured out upon the people.
A contribution was taken up for the
poor.
—I received my washings
and anointings in the house of the
Lord. I spent the whole night in the
Temple, with others of the Seventies,
in prayer and fasting; the Spirit of
the Lord rested upon us. After
twenty-four hours I partook of food.
——The Presidency of the Church,
the Twelve Apostles, and other Quo-
rums, met in solemn assembly, and
sealed upon our heads our washings,
anointings and blessings, with a loud
shout of hosannah to God and the
Lamb; the Spirit of the Lord rested
upon us. After spending three hours
in the upper room, the Quorums re-
paired to the lower court; the vails
were lowered, and the ordinance of
washing of feet was administered.
Elder H. C. Kimball washed my feet,
and pronounced blessings upon me.
After this ordinance, the vails of the
Temple were rolled up, and President
Joseph Smith addressed the Elders for
three hours, clothed with the Spirit
and power of God. He unbosomed
his feelings in the house of his friends,
and gave much instruction. He urged
upon us the absolute necessity of
giving strict heed to his teachings and
counsel, and the revelations of the
Lord to the Church, and be wise in
all things, that Zion and her stakes
may be redeemed and established, no
more to be thrown down. He said,
that the kings of the earth would yet
come to behold the glory of Zion, and
that great and glorious blessings would
be bestowed upon the Saints in the
last days. Hyrum Smith bore testi-
mony, and was followed by Oliver
Cowdery, who exhorted the Elders to
keep within the bounds of their know-
ledge, and let the mysteries of the
kingdom alone, for the Gentiles had
not a knowledge even of the first
principles of the Gospel. He said, it
is far better to preach what the people
would call the small things of the
kingdom, than to enter into the visions
of Isaiah, Ezekiel and John. The
Twelve broke bread, which was distri-
buted to the multitude, who eat and
were filled; thanks were returned,
and the meeting closed at the setting
of the sun.
The house was again filled at candle
light. President Smith requested the
Elders to speak their feelings freely,
and sing, exhort and pray, as the Spi-
rit should give utterance. The meet-
ing continued during the whole night;
many of the gifts were poured out
upon the people; at break of day we
were dismissed.
I also spent the night of the 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.
—President Smith spoke in
the afternoon, and said in the name
of the Lord, that the judgments of
God would rest upon those men who
had professed to be his friends, and
friends of humanity, and in building
up Kirtland, a stake of Zion, but had
turned traitors to him, and the inter-
ests of the kingdom of God, and had
given power into the hands of our
enemies against us; they had oppressed
the poor Saints, and had brought dis-
tress upon them, and had become
covenant-breakers, for which they will
feel the wrath of God.
—I married Phebe
W. Carter, daughter of Ezra and
Sarah Carter, of Scarborough, Maine.
The ceremony was performed at the
house of President Joseph Smith, by
Fred. G. Williams, Esq. The Pro-
phet Joseph appointed to marry us,
but his life was sought by a mob, and
he had to flee.
——I received my patriarchal bles-
sing under the hands of the Patriarch,
Joseph Smith, sen.; my wife having
received her patriarchal blessing pre-
viously.
(To be continued.)
(Continued from page 265.)
HISTORY
OF
WILFORD WOODRUFF.
-[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]-
—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 to go out upon a
mission; the Spirit was upon me, and
led me to go to Fox Islands; it was a
country I had never visited. I named
my feelings upon the subject to Elders
Kimball, Rigdon and others; they
encouraged me to go. Elder Kimball
blessed me, and said in the name of
the Lord, I should be blessed and
prospered on my mission, and do a
good work. I proposed to Jonathan
H. Hale to accompany me, which he
did.
—I left my wife and friends
in Kirtland, and walked to Fairport
with brother Hale; we were joined by
Milton Holmes, and took the steamer
Sandusky and arrived in Buffalo, , and Syracuse on the ; walked
36 miles to Richmond [Richland], Oswego county,
New York, and called upon my two
brothers, Azmon and Thomson, whom
I had not seen for several years. We
visited the churches as far as Sackett's
Harbor, called upon Archibald
Patten, and delivered to him some
letters from Warren Parish, in which
were enclosed many one hundred
dollar bills, which he had taken from
the Kirtland Bank.
We crossed Lake Ontario, visited
Upper Canada, and attended a confe-
rence, , with Elders John E.
Page and James Blakesly, in the
township of Bastard, Leeds County.
There were eight branches represented,
containing 300 members. 13 Elders,
5 Priests, 8 Teachers and 6 Deacons.
Elder William Draper and myself
ordained 7 Elders, 9 Priests, 11 Teach-
ers, and 5 Deacons: five were baptized
by Elder Page at the close of the Con-
ference.
A woman was possessed of the devil
and greatly afflicted, much of the time
was dumb; four of us laid hands upon
her, and cast the devil out in the
name of Jesus Christ, and she was
made whole, and gave thanks unto
God, and went on her way rejoic-
ing.
We visited several other Branches
and preached the word of God, and
several of the sick were healed.
We returned to Kingston, took
steamer for Oswego, and canal for
Albany; Brothers John Goodson,
Isaac Russel and John Snider accom-
panied us from Canada, and left us at
Schenectady, to join Elders Kimball,
Hyde and Richards at New York, to
go to England.
We walked from Albany to Farm-
ington, Conn.; attended a conference
of the Saints in Canaan; arrived at
my father's house . This was
the first time I had seen my father or
relatives in Conn., since I joined the
Church; they received me kindly.
On the , I preached in the City
Hall in Colinsville, and a mob gather-
ed and attempted to break up the
meeting, with fife and drum, holloa-
ing and yelling; they were urged on
by a Presbyterian priest. At the close
of the meeting the priest came to me
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.
——I preached in a school house
in West Avon to an attentive congre-
gation; after meeting I baptized my
uncle, Ozem Woodruff, his wife and
son, John, in fulfilment of a dream
which I had at ten years of age.
I visited most of my relatives in
Conn., and preached the Gospel to
them.
——I preached at Adna Hart's
in Avon, where I was met by my step-
mother and sister, also by my wife,
who had travelled alone from Kirtland,
and was on her way to visit her father
in Maine.
——Elder Hale went to New
Rowley, Mass., to visit his friends.
I had been solicited to preach to the
citizens of Farmington by many promi-
nent men, but every room which was
offered me, including the town hall,
was closed against me by the Rev.
Noah Porter, pastor of the Presby-
terian church, until the Methodist
church was offered me, which he had
not influence to close. Two hours
after I gave out the appointment, the
house was filled, and I preached to a
very attentive congregation, including
my father and his household, for an
hour and a half, upon the first princi-
ples of the Gospel; I gave liberty to
the assembly to ask any questions, or
find any fault with what I had said,
but I met with no opposition.
——I left my father's house, and,
with my wife, rode by stage to Hart-
ford.
——Not having money to pay
the fare for us both, I paid her fare in
the stage to New Rowley, Mass., and
I walked through a hot sultry day
fifteen hours, averaging three and a
half miles per hour, making 52
miles.
——I walked 48 miles.
——I walked 36 miles, and ar-
rived at Elder Nathaniel Holme's, in
New Rowley, at two o'clock, p.m.,
making 136 miles in a little over two
days and a half. I met with my wife
and Elder Milton Holmes, at his
father's house: I spent several days
in preaching to the Saints in that
region.
—We left New Rowley, and
was joined by Elder Hale, who accom-
panied us to Saco, Maine.
——I accompanied my wife to her
father's in Scarborough, Maine. We
were kindly received: it was the first
time I had seen any of her relations.
We found mother Carter very sick.
I spent several days visiting the Saints
in that region.
——I accompanied Ezra and
Fabien Carter, my brothers-in-law,
on a fishing excursion; we caught
with hooks 250 codfish, haddock, and
hake, and saw four whales; it being
the first time I had ever seen that
class of fish that swallowed Jonah.
——With Elder Hale, I started
to fill my mission on Fox Islands; we
walked to Portland, and spent the
night at Mr. Samuel Hale's.
——We took the steamer Bangor
85 miles to Owl's Head, where we
arrived at sunset, without means to
prosecute our journey further. We
retired to a high hill, and bowed
before the Lord, and prayed that he
would open our way; the spirit of the
Lord rested upon us, and testified
unto us that our prayers would be
answered. As we arose from our
knees, a sloop came into the harbor;
we went to the captain, and enquired
where he was going; he replied,
through the channel of Vinal Haven;
he took us on board and landed us on
North Fox Islands, at 2 a.m. on the
. We wandered in the dark about
an hour, rambling over rocks and
bushes, found the house of Mr. Natha-
niel Dyer, and were entertained. It
being Sunday morning, Mr. Benjamin
Kent piloted us to the Baptist meet-
ing-house, occupied by Elder Gideon
J. Newton, pastor of the only religious
denomination upon the Island. At
the door, I sent for the deacon, and
told him I wished him to inform the
minister that we were servants of God,
and wished to deliver a message to
that people. The minister sent word
for us to come into the pulpit; accord-
ingly, with valise in hand, we walked
up into the pulpit, and took a seat o n
each side of him. When he closed his
discourse, he asked me what hour we
would like to speak; I told him at
five; he gave out our appointment,
and invited us to his house. I asked
him how many school houses were on
the Island; he said four, and gave me
their names. I asked him if they
were free for any one to preach in; he
answered in the affirmative. I took
out my Bible, Book of Mormon, and
Doctrine and covenants, and laid them
all upon his stand; he promised to
read them. The hour of meeting arri-
ved, and I preached to a full house
upon the first principles of the Gospel,
and bore testimony that the Lord had
raised up a prophet, and had com-
menced to establish his church and
Kingdom again upon the earth, in
fulfilment of his word, as spoken
through the ancient Prophets and
Apostles. This was the first discourse
ever delivered by any Latter-day
Saint upon this chain of islands;
Elder Hale bore testimony. I gave
out appointments for preaching in
the four school houses. The people
came out in masses to investigate the
principles which we taught. In four-
teen days we preached nineteen dis-
courses. Capt. Justice Ames and
wife were baptized by Elder Hale.
Elder Newton, the Baptist minister,
with his family attended twelve of our
meetings, read the books, and was
convinced by the spirit of the Lord
that our doctrine was true, and he
had a hard struggle in his mind to
know which to do, receive or reject it;
he finally resolved to reject it, and
commenced preaching against us. He
sent for Mr. Douglass, Methodist
minister, on the South Island, to come
and help him; he had been long at
variance with Mr. Douglass, but they
became very friendly and united in a
war against us. We continued preach-
ing daily, until we baptized most of
the members of Mr. Newton's church,
and those who owned the meeting
house.
(To be continued.)
(Continued from page 281.)
HISTORY
OF
WILFORD WOODRUFF.
-[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]-
I followed Mr. Douglas to his own
island, and commenced preaching to
his church, and baptized a good share
of his members, among whom were
several sea captains. Ministers from
the main land were sent for, who
came over and tried to put a stop to
the work, by preaching and lying
about us; but the work continued to
roll on. They wished me to work a
miracle to convince them that my doc-
trine was true. I told them they had
rejected the truth, and they would
see signs, but not unto salvation.
Vinal Haven, which includes both
north and south Fox Island, is in lat.
44°, long. 69°10'. The inhabitants
are generally healthy and industrious,
and hospitable to strangers, the people
obtain most of their wealth by fishing,
and fit out annually over one hundred
licensed vessels, beside many smaller
crafts. The north island is nine miles
long and two wide; population 800,
and contains a post office, a store,
a grist mill, four school houses, and a
Baptist church. The land is rocky
and rough, yet there are farms which
produce good wheat, barley, oats,
potatoes and grass; the principal
timber is fir, spruce, hemlock and
birch. The rasp and gooseberry grow
in great abundance. Sheep are the
principal stock.
South Fox island is about ten miles
long and five wide, and is a mass of
rocks, principally granite, formed into
shelves, hills, hollows, and cut up into
nooks, points and ravines by coves
and harbors; population 1000. There
are some small patches under cultiva-
tion, at the expense of great labor and
toil. Many resident fishermen fish at
Newfoundland, and bring them home,
and dry them upon flakes; they annu-
ally supply the market with a great
amount of codfish, mackerel and
boxed herring. The latter island
contains two stores, three tide saw
mills, six school houses, a small branch
of the Methodist church and a priest.
The timber is pine, fir, spruce, hem-
lock and birch, also gooseberries,
raspberries, whortleberries and upland
cranberries; bushes and timber grow
out of the crevices of the rocks.
There is a great amount and variety
of fish in the waters around these
Islands, viz.: whale, black fish, shark,
ground shark, pilot fish, horse
mackerel, sturgeon, salmon, halibut,
cod, pollock, tomcod, hake, haddock,
mackerel, shad, bass, alewives, herring,
pohagen, dolphin, whiting, frost fish,
flounders, smelt, skate, shrimp, shad,
cusk, blue backs, scollop, dogfish,
muttonfish, lumpfish, squid, five fin-
gers, monkfish, nursefish, sunfish,
swordfish, thrasher, cat, scuppog, two-
tog, eyefish, cunner, ling eels, lobsters,
clams, mussels, winkels, porpoises,
seals, &c.
—The harbor was filled with
a school of mackerel, which were
caught in great numbers by the people
standing upon the wharf.
While standing upon the farm of
Eleazar Carver on the north island I
counted fifty five islands, many of
which were inhabited.
—I left the island with Elder
Hale; Cap. Ames took us to Thomas-
town in a sloop.
——We walked forty six miles to
Bath.
——We attended a baptist conven-
tion, and preached to a large congrega-
tion in the evening in Pierce's hall;
the people listened attentively.
——We walked thirty six miles to
Portland.
——Walked ten miles to father
Carter's in Scarborough, where I found
my wife and friends well.
——I parted with Elder Hale,
who returned to Kirtland. I contin-
ued preaching through various towns
on the main land until , when
I again returned to Fox Islands, ac-
companied by my wife.
——I visited the Isle of Holt,
twelve miles east, and preached to an
attentive congregation, leaving them
the Book of Mormon, which they pro-
mised to read. I returned on the
.
I continued my labors during the
winter of 1837-8, and nearly every
person had attended my meetings,
and taken sides for or against. Our
enemies made attempts to break up
our meetings.
—A company of
sailors belonging to the United States
revenue cutter, brought on shore a
swivel and joined the mob, parading
near the house where I was preaching,
and discharged it several times, accom-
panied with small arms, with the in-
tention of breaking up the meeting.
Some of the mob gathered around to
see what effect this would have. I
warned them in the name of the Lord,
and proclaimed the judgements of
God that awaited the wicked, and
shook my garments in the presence of
the people, and told them I was clear
of their blood; but they only heard
my voice intermingled with the roar
of cannon and musketry. Before I
closed speaking, the sailors went back
on board the revenue cutter. At the
close of the meeting I baptized two,
also one next day, and while baptiz-
ing, the mob again commenced firing
guns. The Baptists and Methodists
got up the mob. Mr. Douglas, the
Methodist Priest, when argument
failed him, applied to all the magis-
trates for warrants against me; they
refused to grant them as he had no
cause of complaint.
—I crossed in the mailboat
to Hampden, and ordained James
Townsend. We walked together
through deep snows, and visited and
preached in the towns of Searsmont,
Belfast, Northport, Frankfort, Hamp-
den, and twice in the city hall in Ban-
gor, to large assemblies, and returned
to Fox Islands via Casteem and the
Isle of Holt. Arrived in Vinal Haven
. Elder Townsend returned
home.
—I accompanied brother
Stirrat, at low tide, on to a bar some
forty rods from shore, to dig some
clams. We were soon joined by Mrs.
Woodruff and sister Stone, who had a
curiosity to see how clams were dug.
The ground for about twelve rods
nearer shore was several feet lower
than the point we were on, but we
were so busily engaged we did not
observe the flowing tide until we were
surrounded by water, and having no
boat, our only alternative was to wade
ashore and carry the women, which
we safely accomplished amid the re-
flection that time and tide waited for
no man.
—Mr. Kent, the post mas-
ter, showed me a letter containing two
sheets of foolscap, signed by Warren
Parrish and several of the Twelve,
who had apostatized and been cut off
from the Church. The communica-
tion was full of slander and falsehoods
against Joseph Smith and all that
stood by him. It was sent with the
intention of breaking up the work
upon these islands.
—I was visited by Elders Town-
send and Milton Holmes, who atten-
ded conferences with me upon both
islands, and bore their testimony to
the people, but the spirit of opposition
increased to a great height. I was
warned by the Spirit of the Lord to
leave for a season and take a western
mission. After visiting the Saints
from house to house, and praying with
and encouraging them, I left on the
and went to the main land with
Elders Townsend and Holmes. Mrs.
Woodruff returned to her father's.
We walked to Scarborough. I left
, and walked to Bradford,
where I left Elder Holmes, and pro-
ceeded to Boston.
—I gave out an appoint-
ment to preach at sister Vose's room,
and I went to Cambridgeport to visit
Elder A. P. Rockwood, who had been
imprisoned in jail on pretence of debt,
but in reality out of religious persecu-
tion. The jailor locked me in until
ten p.m.; but while it disappointed a
congregation of people, it gave me a
happy visit with Elder Rockwood,
conversing upon the Work of God.
On my return to Boston the people
were waiting to hear me; I spoke to
them a short time.
(To be continued.)
(Continued from page 296)
HISTORY
OF
WILFORD WOODRUFF.
-[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]-
—I left Boston, and walked
some thirty miles to Holliston; staid
at Deacon Haven's, and preached. I
walked to Providence, R. I., from
thence took steamer to New York, and
arrived on the . Met and at-
tended meetings with brother O. Pratt
until the , when I went up the
North river to Newburgh, and preach-
ed in several towns in New York and
New Jersey, and walked across the
country to Farmington, Connecticut,
and arrived at my father's
I commenced preaching at my fa-
ther's house. , I baptized six
persons in Farmington river, inclu-
ding my father, stepmother and my
only sister, Eunice; also cousin Seth
Woodruff, aunt Anna Cossett and
Dwight Webster, a Methodist class
leader, who was boarding at my fa-
ther's.
When the Patriarch Joseph Smith,
sen., gave me my blessing, he said
I should bring my father's household
into the kingdom of God, which words
were fulfilled this day.
I confirmed those baptized, and
organized this small Branch of the
Church, consisting of nine members,
eight of whom were relatives. I or-
dained Dwight Webster a Priest, and
administered the sacrament.
—I started for the State of
Maine, and arrived at father Carter's,
in Scarborough, on the .
——My wife was delivered of a
daughter at her father's house; we
named her Sarah Emma.
—I wrote to Thomas B. Marsh,
an account of my labors upon Fox
Islands and the eastern country.
——I left Scarborough and re-
turned to the islands. I preached
several times to large congregations in
the Methodist meeting-house, in East
Thomastown, and in the town hall in
Camden, before crossing to the islands,
where I arrived .
—I received a letter from
Thomas B. Marsh, informing me of
my appointment to fill the place, in
the Quorum of the Twelve, of one
who had fallen, and I was requested
to come to Far West as soon as possi-
ble, to prepare for a mission to Eng-
land in the sprlng. I immediately
visited all the Saints upon both islands,
and earnestly exhorted them to sell
their property and prepare to accom-
pany me to Missouri. Several im-
mediately sold, but many were poor.
Brother Nathaniel Thomas said he
would furnish means to help off all
the poor Saints who desired to go,
and for this purpose went with me to
the main land on the , and I
assisted him in purchasing two thou-
sand dollars worth of horses, harness,
wagons and tents for the company.
He paid about $1,500 of the expenses
himself, $1,000 of which went to fur-
nish conveyance for the poor. After
purchasing the outfit for the company,
I urged the importance of their start-
ing as soon as possible, not later than
the 1st of September.
—I left the town of
Camden, where we had prepared our
outfit, and returned to Scarborough
to prepare my family for the journey,
expecting to see the company in a few
days; but here I remained in great
suspense until , when
Elder Townsend went to meet the
company. They arrived in Scar-
borough on the , with their wagon
covers flying.
The company stopped at the house
of sister Sarah B. Foss. We nailed
down the covers and painted them,
which made them waterproof.
——We started upon our journey.
My child was in the first stages of the
whooping-cough. Our company con-
sisted of fifty-three persons; we had
ten wagons, with a pair of horses to
each. We had before us, at this late
period, a gloomy land journey of two
thousand miles, from Maine to Mis-
souri. We continued to travel through
rain, mud, cold, frost and snow, until
we arrived in Rochester, Sangamon
county, Illinois, , where I
stopped and settled my family and
company for the winter, being unable
to proceed further. My wife had
passed through a severe course of the
brain fever while upon the journey;
her sufferings had been very great.
Her spirit had left her body twice to
all human appearance, and only been
called back through the prayer of
faith and the power of God. Our
child had also been very sick, and I
had become so thoroughly chilled
through my whole system, in crossing
the bleak prairies, that it was two
months after I stopped, before I got
sufficiently warmed to feel natural.
Brother Thomas buried one child,
and nearly all the company had been
sick through exposure; some of them
had stopped by the way.
I spent the winter laboring with my
hands for the support of my family.
—I attended a Con-
ference at Springfield, Illinois.
——I took my family and started
for Quincy, where I arrived on the
. I dined with Emma Smith, at
Judge Cleveland's. I then went on
to the bank of the river near Quincy,
and saw a great many of the Saints,
old and young, lying in the mud and
water, in a rain storm, without tent
or covering, which suffering was
caused by the unhallowed persecution
of the State of Missouri. The sight
filled my eyes with tears, while my
heart was made glad at the cheerful-
ness of the Saints in the midst of their
affliction.
— (Sunday)—I had an interview
with President Brigham Young and
John Taylor. We held a meeting
with the Saints; $50 and a number
of teams were raised to bring out the
remainder of the poor from Missouri.
President Young counselled the
Twelve to locate their families for the
time being in Quincy. I returned to
Rochester for my effects. While at
Springfield, I collected $70 for the
relief of the Saints in Quincy, which I
sent to them. I returned to Quincy
on the , where I left my
family, and went to Far West with
the Twelve, and attended the Con-
ference on the Temple block on the
, where I was ordained one of
the Twelve Apostles, on the corner
stone of the Temple, under the hands
of the Twelve, Elder Brigham Young
being mouth. Elder Geo. A. Smith
was also ordained at the same time.
We returned to Quincy on the .
On the , in company with five
of the Twelve, I went to Judge Cleve-
land's, and had a happy interview
with President Joseph Smith, who
had just escaped out of the hands of
his persecutors in Missouri; it was
the first time I had seen him for more
than two years, and it was a happy
meeting. I attended the Conference
and meetings with the Saints in Quin-
cy, until the 15th, when I moved my
family to Montrose, and occupied a
room in the barracks with President
Young and family. I spent my time
in attending the meetings, Councils
and Conferences. I wrote in my
journal the teachings, sayings and
prophecies of Joseph from time to
time, as I had opportunity.
(To be continued.)
(Continued from page 312.)
HISTORY
OF
WILFORD WOODRUFF.
-[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]-
—I was with President
Joseph Smith and his Council and the
Twelve; it was a day of God's power
with the Prophet. He healed many
who were sick nigh unto death, among
whom were Elijah Fordham and
Joseph B. Nobles; even the wicked
rabble followed to see the sick healed.
As Joseph was about to cross the
river, a man came to him and asked
him if he would go about three miles
and heal two of his small children,
who were twins, about three months
old, and were sick nigh unto death.
He was a man of the world, he had
never heard a sermon preached by a
Latter-day Saint. Joseph said he
could not go, but he would send a
man. After hesitating a moment, he
turned to me and said, "You go with
this man and heal his children," at
the same time giving me a red silk
handkerchief, and said, "After you
lay hands upon them, wipe their faces
with it, and they shall be healed; and
as long as you will keep that handker-
chief, it shall ever remain as a league
between you and me." I went and
did as I was commanded, and the
children were healed.
On the , I was attacked with
chills and fever. I had a chill every
other day, and was very sick.
—I laid my hands upon
my wife and children, blessed them,
committed them into the hands of
God, and started upon my English
mission, leaving my family sick, and
with not more than four days' pro-
visions. Brother Brigham Young
rowed me across the Mississippi in a
boat; I was sick and feeble. When
I landed, I laid down upon the bank
of the river on a side of sole leather.
The Prophet Joseph came along and
looked at me, and said, "You are
starting on your mission." I said
yes, but I look like a poor instrument
for a missionary; I look more fit for
a hospital or dissecting room than a
mission. He replied, "What do you
say that for? Go ahead in the name
of the Lord, and you shall be healed
and blessed on your mission." I
thanked him. A brother came along
with a wagon, and carried me a few
miles on my road. I started without
purse or scrip, and passed by Parley
P. Pratt, who was hewing logs for a
house; he was bare-footed, bare-
headed, without coat or vest on. He
said, "I have no money, but I have
an empty purse; I will give you that."
I went a few rods, and found Elder
H. C. Kimball building a log cabin.
He said, "I have one dollar, I will
give you that to put in your purse."
He blessed me, and I went my way,
accompanied by Elder John Taylor.
I had a shake of the ague every other
day, and lay on the bottom of the
wagon while I travelled.
We staid with Samuel H. and Don
Carlos Smith at Macomb, and held a
meeting with the Saints, who contri-
buted $9 to our necessities, and George
Miller gave us a horse. Father Colt-
rin was going east; he took us into
his wagon to help us along. We
spent five days in Springfield, where
Elder Taylor printed fifteen hundred
copies of a pamphlet upon the Mis-
souri persecution. We sold our horse,
and left on the 21st, and continued
our journey. We spent the night of
the with Dr. Modisett, of Terre-
haute.
On the , while travelling, Elder
Taylor fell to the ground as though he
had been knocked down. We admini-
stered to him, and he revived. On
the following day he fell again, and
fainted several times; it seemed as
though the destroyer would take his
life. We travelled with him four days
after he was taken sick. His sickness
proved to be bilious fever. We stop-
ped with him two days at a German
tavern, in Germantown, Wayne county,
Indiana, with a kind family with
whom he was acquainted. Father
Coltrin would stay no longer. I pro-
posed to remain with Brother Taylor,
but as I was sick with fever and ague,
and not able to take care of myself,
brother Taylor advised me to continue
my journey with Father Coltrin, say-
ing, "It is easier to take care of one
sick man than two." I committed
him into the hands of God, and the
family promised to do all in their
power to make him comfortable. I
parted from him with a heavy heart.
—I continued my journey
with Father Coltrin to Cleveland,
Ohio. I there took steamer on the
for Buffalo; had a severe gale,
and did not reach Buffalo until the
. I travelled to Albany on a
canal boat; had the ague daily, was
very sick; had no companions except
sectarian priests, who were daily ly-
ing about the "Mormons." I took
stage at Albany for Farmington, Con-
necticut, on the night of the , and
rode all night and the following day;
suffered severely with fever and ague.
I arrived at my father's house in
Farmington on the , quite sick.
I found my father and family well.
On the , my mater-
nal grandmother, Anna Thompson,
died, aged 84; I was too sick to attend
her funeral. It is a singular incident
that my grandfather, Lot Thompson,
and Anna Thompson his wife, Samuel
Thompson and Mercy Thompson, all
of one family, died in their 84th year.
On the , Adner Hart,
brother to my step-mother, died, aged
43. He requested me to preach his
funeral sermon. I had been sick at
my father's house, with the ague, for
fifteen days, attended with a severe
cough, and the hour appointed for the
funeral was the time for my ague, yet
I attended the funeral and preached,
and I had no more ague for many
days. I left on the , and visited
New York, Long Island, and New
Jersey, in very poor health.
—I assisted Elders Clark,
Wright and Mulliner, to set sail for
England. Elder John Taylor had re-
covered from his sickness, and arrived
in New York on the .
—In company with Elders
John Taylor and Theodore Turley, I
went on board the packet-ship Oxford,
and sailed for Liverpool, where I
landed , in good
health and spirits. When I left my
father, he gave me some money to
assist in paying my passage; also gave
me five dollars, which he requested
me to keep until I arrived in Liver-
pool, saying, I would there need it.
This I found to be true after landing;
that money was all we had to pay our
expenses to Preston, and we had two-
pence left.
We arrived in Preston on the .
Had a happy interview with brother
Willard Richards; held a Council,
and agreed that Elder Taylor go to
Liverpool, Turley to Birmingham, and
I to Staffordshire Potteries.
—I arrived in Manchester;
met Elder William Clayton, who pre-
sided over that Branch, numbering
164 members. I was immediately
called upon to visit a woman possessed
with the devil. She was raging and
foaming, and had to be held by four
men. The more we rebuked the
devil, the worse she raged. We con-
tinued to pray and administer, until
we cast the devil out. She arose and
gave thanks to the Lord. The devil
then entered into a young child, and
we cast him out. I preached several
times, and laid hands on twenty-eight
persons. I went to Burslem on the
, and met with Elder Alfred
Cordon, President of the Burslem
Branch, which numbered 66. I com-
menced preaching in the Staffordshire
Potteries. Elder Turley left for Bir-
mingham on the . I remained in
the Potteries some forty days, preach-
ing, baptizing and confirming, and
blessing children.
(To be continued.)
(Continued from page 328.)
HISTORY
OF
WILFORD WOODRUFF.
-[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]-
—As I met in the evening
with a large assembly in Hanley, the
Lord revealed unto me that it would
be the last meeting that I would hold
with the Saints in the Potteries for
many days. I told the people it was
the last meeting I should hold with
them for a season; it created much
excitement. I had appointments out
for a week, which I got brother Cor-
don to fill. I went before the Lord in
prayer, and asked him where I should
go; the Spirit said, "Go to the
south." According to the directions
of the Spirit, on the I went to
Herefordshire, and called upon John
Benbow, at Castlefroom. I found a
people prepared for the Gospel. I
preached twice at his house. On the
, I baptized six persons, including
John Benbow and wife. I here found
a society called "United Brethren,"
numbering about six hundred mem-
bers, and about fifty preachers; Tho-
mas Kington was the presiding elder.
They came from all quarters to hear
me preach, and believed my testimony,
and I preached and baptized daily.
The ministers of the Church of Eng-
land sent three church clerks to see
what I was doing, and I baptized them.
One constable came to arrest me for
preaching, and I baptized him. In
about thirty days I baptized 160, forty-
eight of whom were preachers of the
"United Brethren," including their
presiding elder, Thomas Kington.
I established forty-two preaching
places, licensed according to law.
On the , I had an appoint-
ment at Haw Cross. As I was going
into the meeting, letters were put into
my hands from Elder Brigham Young
and others, informing me of his arri-
val with five of the Twelve, and re-
questing me to come to Preston, and
attend a General Conference. A vast
assembly had gathered to attend my
meeting; the house, yard and street
were crowded; a mob had also gather-
ed. I preached to the people; five
came forward to be baptized. The
mob surrounded the pool, armed with
stones. I dismissed the meeting and
went away, but the congregation and
mob remained on the ground till mid-
night; and as there was no prospect
of their dispersing, and the candidates
were anxious to be baptized, I went
down into the water and baptized five,
in the midst of a shower of stones.
The water was all in a foam for a rod
around me. None that I baptized
were hit, and I was only hit twice,
once on my hip and once on my head;
the blow on my head raised a large
bump, which went away while I was
confirming. Subsequently I baptized
many of the mob.
I left next morning for Preston,
and attended the Conference with the
Twelve, and returned to Hereford-
shire, accompanied by Elder Brigham
Young, on the , and was
soon joined by Elder Willard Rich-
ards. Elder Young remained twenty-
seven days, preaching, baptizing, con-
firming and counselling. Numbers
were added daily to the Church. He
then returned to Manchester.
I spent about seven months in
Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and
Worcestershire. We baptized over
eighteen hundred, including all of the
"United Brethren" save one. We
baptized over two hundred preachers
of various denominations in that part
of the vineyard. A synod of church
ministers became so alarmed for their
flocks in that part of the vineyard,
they petitioned Parliament to adopt
measures to stop our preaching. They
received for an answer, that if they
were as well acquainted with the
Bible as their hunting grounds, and
were as much interested in the welfare
of the souls of men, as the chasing of
the stags and foxes, they would not
lose so many of their congregations.
—I visited London in com-
pany with Elders H. C. Kimball and
G. A. Smith. I labored with them
in establishing a church, spending
over five months in that populous city.
We visited nearly every part of the
city, and all the notable places that
we could have access to.
I attended all the General Confe-
rences in England, and set sail with
my brethren of the Twelve on the ship
Rochester, . Arrived in
New York
(To be continued.)
(Continued from page 344.)
HISTORY
OF
WILFORD WOODRUFF.
-[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]-
I went to Scarborough, Maine, after
my wife, and also my son, Wilford,
who was born . My
daughter, Sarah Emma, had died
.
I returned to New York, and started
for Nauvoo, via the Lakes; was
wrecked on Lake Michigan in the
steamer Chesapeake, but arrived in
Nauvoo in safety , when
I had the happy privilege of meeting
with the Prophets Joseph and Hyrum,
and my brethren of the Twelve.
I bought a log house of brother
Tracy, on lot No. 1, block 106, on
Hotchkiss and Durfee Streets. Presi-
dent Joseph Smith afterwards gave
me the lot.
I spent the winter of 1841-2 attend-
ing meetings, councils, and laboring
with my hands. I attended the Nau-
voo House provision store until the
, when I took charge
of the business department of the
printing-office.
On the , my daughter,
Phebe Amelia, was born.
—The printing-office took
fire in the upper story, in the midst
of a large amount of paper, and was
with difficulty extinguished.
I remained in Nauvoo, attending
council meeting and the business of
the printing-office, until the , when I started on a mission
with Elders Brigham Young and Geo.
A. Smith, to the Eastern States, to
collect funds fo the Temple and Nau-
voo House. I gave bonds in the sum
of two thousand dollars for the faith-
ful return of all monies received.
On my return home in the fall, I
purchased a supply of paper and
other materials sufficient for the print-
ing-office for more than a year, and
arrived in Nauvoo on the
I spent the winter of 1843-4 in
Nauvoo, received my endowments
with the Twelve, and remained in the
printing-office until the , when I closed the business,
and left it well supplied with materials
in the hands of Elder John Taylor.
I built a two story brick house upon
my lot.
In the spring of 1844, I was ap-
pointed a mission to go through the
Eastern States with the Quorum of
the Twelve, and on the , I took the last parting hand
with President Joseph Smith, in his
own house, in company with J. M.
Grant. He blessed me, and bid me
God speed. I left Nauvoo in company
with Elders G. A. Smith, J. M. Grant
and Ezra Thayer. We travelled
through Illinois, Indiana and Michi-
gan, and preached and held Confe-
rences.
—I parted with Elder G.
A. Smith in Franklin, Michigan, and
went to Boston via the Lakes and
Albany; met with the Twelve in
Boston on the . I at-
tended Conferences and meetings with
the Twelve, and visited Maine. I
was in Portland, ready to step on
board of a steamer for Fox Islands,
when I saw an account of the martyr-
dom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith in
Carthage jail; the Spirit bore record to
me it was true. I immediately return-
ed to Boston, met in Council with the
Twelve, returned with them to Nauvoo,
where we arrived on the .
I attended the Special Conference of
the Authorities of the Church, when
the thousands who assembled on the
occasion, voted unanimously to sus-
tain the Quorum of the Twelve Apos-
tles as the Presidency and leaders of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints.
I have ever been impressed, since
my first acquaintance with the Church
and kingdom of God upon the earth,
with the importance of keeping a
journal and record of the dealings of
God with this people, and our official
acts in the ministry, and under this
view I have written sketches of most
of the sermons and teachings which I
have heard from the mouth of Joseph
Smith the Prophet, and many of the
teachings of the Twelve Apostles and
others. Believing this course to be
beneficial, I would recommend the
Elders of Israel to do likewise, that
what is recorded on earth may be re-
corded in heaven.
CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS.
(Written at Great Salt Lake City, Feb. 1858.)
Varied and diverse are the lives
and fortunes of men; while the paths
of some are strewn with flowers and
ease from the cradle to the grave,
with naught to disturb their peace,
others are marked victims of varied
misfortunes, accidents and dangers.
The last-named class is the one in
whose ranks I have stood through my
infancy, childhood, youth and man-
hood, up to the present time, so much
so, that it has seemed as though some
invisible power or fate was watching
my footsteps, in order to find some
opportunity to take my life from the
earth. I can only attribute the con-
tinuation of my life to the present
time to a merciful God, whose hand
has been stretched out, and rescued
me from death in the midst of the
many dangers and hairbreadth escapes
I have passed through, some of which
I will here mention.
When three years of age, I fell into
a caldron of boiling water, was in-
stantly caught out, but was so badly
scalded, that it was nine months be-
fore I was considered out of danger.
At five years of age, I fell from the
great beam of a barn, striking my face
upon the floor, which came near
breaking my neck.
Three months afterwards, I broke
one of my arms, by falling down
stairs. I soon after broke my other
arm, by falling out of a high stoop
upon a pile of timber.
When six years of age, I came near
being killed by a surly bull. My
father and I were feeding pumpkins
to the cattle, a surly bull drove my
cow away from the one she was eating.
I took the pumpkin he had left, upon
which he pitched at me. My father
told me to throw down the pumpkin
and run. I ran down a steep hill,
and took the pumpkin with me, being
determined that the cow should have
her rights. The bull pursued. As
he was about to overtake me, I step-
ped into a post hole and fell; the bull
leaped over me, after the pumpkin,
and tore it to pieces with his horns,
and would have served me in the same
way, had I not fallen.
During the same year, I went into
my father's saw mill, with several
others. I got upon the head-block to
take a ride, while the carriage was
running back, not anticipating any
danger; my leg was caught between
the head-block and the fender-post,
and broke both bones of my leg below
the knee. I was taken to the house,
and lay nine hours before my bones
were set, suffering severe pain; but
being young, my bones soon knit
together, and I was upon my feet
again. During my confinement by
this lameness, my brother Thompson
was also confined in the same room
with the typhus fever.
When seven years of age, I was
riding on the top of a load of hay,
which my uncle, Ozan Woodruff, was
driving to the barn; he turned the
load over upon me; I was nearly
suffocated for the want of air, before
the hay was removed.
At eight years old, I was riding in
a one-horse wagon with several others,
the horse took fright, ran down a
steep hill, and turned the wagon over
upon us; but again, while in the
midst of danger, my life was preserved;
none of us were seriously injured.
When nine years old, I climbed into
an elm tree to obtain bark. I stepped
upon a dry limb, which broke, and I
fell about fifteen feet upon my back,
which beat the breath out of my body.
A cousin ran and told my parents I
was dead. Before they arrived at the
spot, I came to my senses, and met
them.
When twelve years of age, I was
drowned in Farmington river, and
sunk in 30 feet of water, and after
carrying one person to the bottom
with me, I was miraculously saved by
a young man named Bacon diving to
the bottom, and carrying with him a
large stone, to hold him down until he
obtained my body, not expecting to
save me alive. I suffered much in
being restored to life.
(To be continued.)
(Continued from page 360.)
HISTORY
OF
WILFORD WOODRUFF.
-[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]-
CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS.
(Written at Great Salt Lake City, Feb. 1858.)
At thirteen years of age, while
passing through Farmington meadows,
in the depth of winter, the roads were
drifted with snow; and in an ex-
ceedingly blustering day, I became so
chilled and overcome with cold, that
I could not travel. I crawled into
the hollow of a large apple tree. A
man in the distance seeing me go in,
hastened to my rescue, realizing my
danger more fully than I did. When
he arrived at the spot, I had fallen
asleep, and was nearly insensible; he
had much difficulty in arousing me to
a sense of my situation. He procured
means to carry me to my father's
house, and through a kind Providence,
my life was again preserved.
At fourteen years of age, I split my
left instep open with an ax, which
went nearly through my foot; it was
nine months getting well.
At fifteen years of age, I was bitten
in my left hand by a mad dog in the
last stage of hydrophobia. He dented
my hand with his teeth, but did not
draw blood, and I was again pre-
served, through the mercies of God,
from an awful death.
At the age of seventeen, I was riding
a very ill-tempered horse that I was
not acquainted with; and while going
down a very steep rocky hill, the
horse taking advantage of the ground,
suddenly leaped from the road, and
ran down the steep, amid the rocks,
at full speed, and commenced kicking
up, and attempted to throw me over
his head upon the rocks; but I lodged
upon the top of his head, grasped
hold of each ear as with a death grip,
expecting every moment to be dashed
to pieces against the rocks. While in
this position, sitting astride of his
neck, with no bridle to guide him but
his ears, he plunged down the hill
under full speed, until he ran against
a rock, and was dashed to the ground.
I went over both his head and the
rocks, about one rod, and struck the
ground square on my feet, being the
only thing visible that saved my life;
for, had I struck upon any other part
of my body, it must have killed me
instantly; as it was, my bones crushed
from under me as though they were
reeds. It broke my left leg in two
places, and put out both my ankles in
a shocking manner, and the horse
came near rolling over me in his strug-
gles to get up. My uncle, Titus
Woodruff, saw me fall, got assistance,
and carried me to his house. I lay
from 2 p.m. till 10, without medical
aid; then my father arrived, bringing
Dr. Swift, of Farmington, with him,
who set my bones, boxed up my
limbs, and carried me in his carriage
eight miles that night to my father's.
My sufferings were very great. I had
good attention, however, and in eight
weeks I was out-doors upon my
crutches.
In 1827, while attempting to clear
the ice out of a water-wheel, standing
upon the wheel with one arm around
the shaft, a man hoisted the gate, and
let a full head of water upon it. As
soon as the water struck the wheel it
started, my feet slipped into the
wheel, but I immediately plunged
head foremost over the rim into about
three feet of water, and my weight
drew my legs out of the wheel, or I
should have been drawn under a
shaft and crushed to death.
In 1831, while having charge of the
flouring mill in Collinsville, Connecti-
cut, I was standing inside of a breast
wheel, 20 feet in diameter, upon one
of the arms near the top, clearing out
the ice, when a full head of water was
let on to it. The wheel immediately
started; but I dropped my ax and
leaped through it to the bottom, by
the shaft and arms, about twenty feet;
as I struck the bottom of the wheel,
I was rolled out against a ragged stone
wall, with only about two feet clear-
ance between it and the wheel. The
wheel caught me and rolled me out
into the water below, where I found
myself without any bones broken, but
with some bruises and much fright.
During the winter of 1831, while in
New Hartford, Ct., I passed through
a severe course of lung fever.
In 1833, the day I was baptized,
one of my horses, newly sharp shod,
kicked my hat off my head, and had
he struck two inches lower, would
probably have killed me instantly. In
ten minutes afterwards, while driving
the same team down a hill, on a sleigh
without any box, the bottom boards
slipped forward under the roller and
caught the ground, turned endwise,
and fell on the horses' backs, throw-
ing me between the horses; they ran
to the bottom of the hill, dragging me
with the lines, head foremost, with
the sleigh on top of me, about twenty
rods over a smooth snow path; I es-
caped unharmed, however, in the
midst of both dangers.
In 1834, while travelling in Zion's
Camp in Missouri, a rifle was acci-
dentally discharged, and the ball
passed through three tents, with about
twelve men in each, and lodged in a
wagon axle-tree, while a man was
standing behind it, and injured no
one. It passed within a few inches
of my breast, and many others es-
caped as narrowly as myself.
A few months afterwards a musket,
heavily loaded with buckshot, was
accidentally snapped within a few feet
of me, with the muzzle pointed at my
breast; it had a good flint and was
well primed, but it missed fire, and
my life was again preserved.
In April 1839, in Rochester, Illinois,
I was riding upon the running gears
of a wagon without a box, sitting upon
the forward axle-tree, when the bolt,
fastening the coupling pole, came out,
which left the hind wheels; and my
weight on the forward bolster and
tongue, turned the coupling pole over
on to the horses, turning the stakes
upside down, and shut me up fast be-
tween the bolster and tongue, but in
such a manner that my head and
shoulders dragged on the ground;
my horses took fright, and ran out
into an open prairie, and dragged me
in this position for about half a mile.
I managed to guide them with my
left hand, so as to run them into a
corner of a high worm fence, where
we landed in a pile together. I was
considerably bruised, but escaped
without any broken bones.
—President Joseph
Smith sent me from Nauvoo to St.
Louis to procure a stock of paper. I
went down upon a steamboat; was
six days on the way, during which
time I was severely attacked with
bilious fever. The day I made my
purchase, the fever was so high I was
scarcely sensible of what I was doing.
As soon as I made my purchase and
got my freight on board, I took my
berth, and lay there until I arrived at
Nauvoo on the . I
was confined to my bed forty days,
and passed through the most severe
fit of sickness I ever endured; my life
was despaired of by many of my
friends. I was administered to by
President Smith and the Twelve; my
life was preserved by the power of
God. I took a relapse twice after I
began to recover; once while in Coun-
cil with the Presidency and Twelve,
my strength left me, my breath stop-
ped, and I felt as though I was struck
with death.
—At five o'clock
p.m., I left Boston on the express
train for Portland. While passing
through Chesterwoods, six miles south
of Kennebunk, after dark, and while
going at full speed, we struck one of
the rails which some persons had
raised by rolling a log under it, and
landed in a pile; three cars were
filled with passengers, and their lives
were saved by having a long train of
freight between the passenger cars and
the engine; all of them were mashed
to pieces; the engineer was killed,
some of the passengers had bones
broken; I escaped unhurt.
(To be continued.)
(Continued from page 376.)
HISTORY
OF
WILFORD WOODRUFF.
-[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]-
CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS.
(Written at Great Salt Lake City, Feb. 1858.)
On the , while
with the camp of Israel building up
winter Quarters, on the west side of
the Missouri river, (then Indian
country) I passed through one of the
most painful and serious misfortunes
of my life. I took my axe and went
two and a half miles on to the bluffs to
cut some shingle timber to cover my
cabin; I was accompanied by two men.
While the third tree was falling, which
was an oak, over two feet in diameter,
I stepped behind it some ten feet, and
also to one side the same distance,
where I thought I would be entirely
out of danger; but when the tree fell,
there being a crook in the body of it,
which struck a knoll on the ground,
the whole body shot endways back of
the stump and bounded, and the butt
of the tree struck me on the breast
and knocked me several feet into the
air against a standing oak, and the
falling tree followed me in its bound
and caught me against the standing
tree, and I came down between them;
before reaching the earth, however,
I was liberated from them, and struck
the ground upon my feet in a badly
bruised condition. My left thigh, the
whole length of it, and my hip and
left arm were much bruised; my
breast bone and three ribs on my left
side were broken; my lungs, vitals and
left side were also bruised in a
shocking manner. After the accident
I sat upon a log until Mr. John
Garrison went a quarter of a mile to
get my horse. Notwithstanding I was
so badly hurt, I mounted my horse,
and rode two and a half miles over a
very rough road, dismounting twice in
consequence of miry places, my breast
and vitals were so badly torn to pieces,
that at each step of the horse the pain
went through me like an arrow. I con-
tinued on horseback until I arrived at
Turkey creek, on the north side of
Winter Quarters. I then became
exhausted, and was taken off my horse
and carried to my wagon in a chair.
I was met in the street by Presidents
Brigham Young, H. C. Kimball and
W. Richards and others, who assisted
in carrying me to my family. Before
laying me upon my bed, the Presidency
laid hands upon me, rebuked my suffering
and distress in the name of the Lord, and
said I should live and not die. I was
then laid upon my bed in my wagon,
and as the Apostles prophesied upon
my head, so it came to pass. I
employed no physician on this occasion,
but was administered to by the Elders
of Israel and nursed by my wife. I
lay upon my bed unable to move until
my breast bone began to knit together,
which commenced on the ninth day.
I began to walk about in twenty days; in
thirty days from the time I was hurt
I again commenced to do hard labor.
—While on a mission
to the Eastern States, I drove my
carriage, containing myself and family
into the dooryard of brother James
Williams in Iowa, to camp for the
night. I tied my mules to a large oak
tree several rods from the carriage.
As we were about to lay down in the
carriage for the night, I was strongly
impressed to go and move my mules
from the oak tree, and also to move
my carriage. I followed the dictates
of the spirit, and removed my mules to
a small hickory grove, also moved my
carriage several rods, and retired to
rest. In a short time a heavy rainstorm
came on, which broke the tree near the
ground, and laid it prostrate where my
carriage had stood. As it was, the top
struck the hind end of the carriage;
the tree was two feet in diameter.
Thus, by obeying the whisperings of
the Spirit, myself and family were
preserved.
On the ,
while assisting to remove an ox that
had died from poison and had been
skinned, I inoculated my arm with
poison and mortification ensued. The
poison worked through my system for
seven days before it showed itself out-
wardly. On the my arm began
to swell, was in great pain and showed
signs of mortification. I showed it to
President Young, who advised me to
cleanse my stomach immediately, and
put on onion poultices, and anything
that would draw the poison from my
system into my arm, which counsel I
immediately put in execution. The
was another trying day to my
life; the poison had so thoroughly
penetrated my whole system, that my
strength left me; I could not stand, I
was led to my bed, my bowels and
stomach ceased to act, my speech was
like that of a drunken man. President
Young called, in company with Dr.
Sprague, and laid hands upon me, and
rebuked the disease and the power of
the destroyer which had seized my
body, and promised me in the name of
the Lord, that I should not die but live
to finish my work which was appointed
me upon the earth. I soon began to re-
cover. The poison and mortification left
my system and centered in my arm, and
was drawn from my arm through the aid
of charcoal poultices, moistened with
a strong decoction of wormwood,
ragweed and wild sage; the dead flesh
was removed from my arm with
instruments and lunar caustic, and in
a few days I was well again.
I have occupied considerable space
in referring to those peculiar circum-
stances which have attended me
during life, and to sum the matter up
it stands thus:—I have broken both
legs—one in two places—both arms,
my breast bone and three ribs, and
had both ankles dislocated. I have
been drowned, frozen, scalded and bit
by a mad dog—have been in two water
wheels under full head of water—have
passed through several severe fits of
sickness, and encountered poison in its
worst forms—have landed in a pile of
railroad ruins—have barely been
missed by the passing bullets, and
have passed through a score of other
hair-breadth escapes.
It has appeared miraculous to me,
that with all the injuries and broken
bones which I have had, I have not a
lame limb, but have been enabled to
endure the hardest labor, exposures
and journeys—have often walked forty,
fifty, and on one occasion, sixty miles
in a day. The protection and mercy
of God has been over me, and my life
thus far has been preserved; for which
blessings I feel to render the gratitude
of my heart to my Heavenly Father,
praying that the remainder of my days
may be spent in His service and in the
building up of his kingdom.
(To be continued.)