| I now return to the subject of our liveing and proceed to state our
circumstances during the year of 1856 and the most prominent events which
transpired
In September 10 day 1855 a young man was brought to me by his father whose
name was Salkield he wanted to bind him to me for four years, and it was
agreed that I should furnish him his cloathing and board and send him to
school three months each year he was 14 years old and quite awkward to begin
with he helped me 2-1/2 months and then began to go to school and he
continued his three months and lived as the rest of my family, in spring his
father said I was going to leave the city and he said his son could live
with me no longer. I told him I did not feel satisfied for I could not
offerd to keep him in such hard times so long for what he had done finealy
it was agreed that we would leave it to John Young and we both went to his
house but he, Salkield went on with so much abuse that he left the house in
disgust, and 1 proposed that he should pay me twenty five dollars to which
he agreed to pay by the next Chirst-mass but finely when it was due he
refused to pay it and thus the matter was ended
The 7th day of Feb'y I went to Ann Snedaker and asked her to trust me with
fifteen bushels of potatoes which she was very loth to do I promised to pay
her one dollar a bushel in city scrip and if she would let me have the Lord
would bless her and finely after much persuation she consented in a few days
I went and paid her as I had promised haveing obtained it for my services as
water master I put an addition to the back side of the house and done
considerable repairing to the other part,
I made a bellows for a blacksmith by the name of Russel he paid me a plow
and some poles for the rafters to the addition I also made a cupboard for
Lorenzo Young he paid me alittle milk for the babies and some meat and left
a balance due me of three dollars the job amounted to twenty three dollars
This was about the last work 1 could get and get any provisions for And I
started out to sell my coat for some flour or some kind of bread stuff and
traveled through the city the most of the day and could get nothing I finely
saw Jedediah M Grant he said he would give me some work for which he would
pay me part money I told him I would gladly do it if I could by flour for
money and after hunting for sometime I got one hundred pounds of Levi
Stewart on the strength of his (Grants) promice at 10 cts a Ib and went to
work and he paid me and I paid for my flour After I had finished his work he
asked me rny price I told him I had no price he could pay me what he thought
fit. After this Levi Stewart furnished me some work but it was at a vary low
rate I received a little flour and some beef bones that neither he nor I
could eat as to meat thare was but vary little and what thare was we could
not eat at 7 cts a pound it was sour I again saw bro Grant and asked him for
something to do and some bread stuff he said he had no flour and could not
furnish me provisions of any kind he had some work and he could pay me a
little money. I told him my family must have provisions I was willing to
work for him at his own price if I could get bread. After spending sometime
hunting around I could not find any flour for sale and I dared not begin his
work
About this time I learned that a new settlement was to be made at Summit
Creek Utah County under the direction of Isaac Morley senior and Benjamin F.
Johnson And Father Mor-ley as we always called him invited me to join in the
enterprise I told him if it was council from the presidency I would go Being
vary familiar with bro Grant I asked him what he thought of it, he said he
had no council for me I had always been with bro Brigham and I might go to
him for council which I felt vary willing to if I could get the chance but
he was most always buisey and it was luck and chance to see him and get in a
word edgeways for thare was always so many tnat wanted to talk with him I
did not like to trouble him
But having no other way to do as I thought I determined to go and see him
and ask his council This was the 12th day of March I found him standing in
tne office door it was in the morning and thare was none but bro Kimball and
Carrington presant I asked him if he had a few leasure moments as I wished
to get some advice He said yes come in and take a seat so we walked into the
back room and I sat down on a sofa or lounge I said I had done the best I
could but in spite of my best endeavors I was about out of provisions but I
did not wish to murmer or find fault I could not get labor that would
furnish my family with provisions but the times ware hard and bread was vary
scarce but I did not consider anyone was to blame I had been invited by
Father Morley to go with Mm to Summit Creek and I would like to get his
council on the matter if he had no objection He said he had expected to see
me in that position before now you have stood it longer than I expected he
said if you had staid here and continued to work for me you would have had
your rations with the rest of my workmen whether you was in debt to me or
not but you saw fit to go away contrary to my wishes. I said I never thought
of leaving him untill he told me to go He said he never told me to leave but
I was teasing him to let me work for bishop Hunter and others and he
concluded to let me have a chance I said I never knew that Bp Hunter had a
days work for any man untill after he told me to go for myself or anyone
else He said I was a liar and I knew it, as for council he had none for me
he did not care whare I went to or what I done for a liveing I was
enthusiastic in my religion I was running here and thare to no purpose when
I might as well do all my erands at once I took a journey for each on the
same rout and refered to his own way as doing all his buisness at one
journey. And seemed to condemn me in almost everything that came into his
mind. To me this was entirely unaccountable I new for myself that I had been
faithful to him and had tried to build him up with all my might and why he
should thus chastise me was indeed a mystery, I felt as though I should sink
into the earth I could not reconcile my feelings I felt that death would be
a welcome guest to me I had forsaken every earthly friend or kindred for the
sake of the gospel had felt proud that I could boast of being a servant to
him notwithstanding myself and family fared hard many times lived short many
times without anything in the house but bread and many times a scant
allowance of that After he had concluded his remarks to me I arose from my
seat and said good by bro Brigham and left the house I cannot discribe my
feelings I was now entirely without friends and new not what to do I was in
debt and no way to pay had a large family and nothing to eat for days I
could think of anything else until I grew angry and gave vent to my thoughts
by saying he had had my laber and my money and all my influance and he was
unthankful and found he could get no more out of me and this must be the
cause for thare could be no other cause I had labered for him either
directly or indirectly for nearly nine years and I had been faithful to the
utmost,, and he well new it and his feelings must have arisen out of a
spirit of revenge or malice I then determined to leave the city and go out
into some of the settlements whare I should be likely to get food for my
family and went about immediately making arrangements for that purpose Thare
was due me from the avails of the mill in Sanpete a considerable amount and
I sent to them demanding a yoke of oxen and waggon and some provisions if
possible.
The same day I saw bro Brigham I went back and had another talk with bro
Grant he seemed vary friendly I told him all that had passed and said that
he and bro Brigham had both refused to give me council and I knew no other
way to do now but to fish and cut bait for myself for I was forced to do
business on my own hook he said that I should make money at that
I settled with the clerk of the city and received pay for services rendered
in city scrip I bought some cotten yarn to make a seine for fishing
expecting to get fish if nothing else to live on We made twine and knit the
net or seine ourselves I pawned a work stand to Williams Camp for flour he
aided me considerable in procuring provisions while I remained in the city
he went to Orson Hyde and William Prices store (for I had found that they
had a few pounds of flour for sale) He asked Price to trust me saying if he
would trust me for two dollars and a half he would do the same but Price
refused to do it. He Camp let me have some flour from time (to time) and
took his pay in city scrip which was a great help I pro -posed to Hiram
Clawson to take back the house as I had no way to pay for it I said I would
pay rent for it while I had lived in it andhe said they would do it they
charged me seven dollars a month for the use of it thirty months which
amounted to two hundred and ten dollars. I found myself still in debt
according to their books about five hundred dollars and I had labered all
the time, but I was ownly allowed two dollars and fifty cents a day for my
laber as foreman on his big house and many common hands were allowed three.
I also thought it rather hard but I felt that I would not find fault. I had
got about ready to leave the City ownly I had not yet received the oxen and
waggon but was looking for it every day
The 7th day of April I saw Thomas Thirstin I told him I was going to leave
the city he asked me what was my notion I told him I could not get
provisions in the city and I must do something I was going to try to get me
a farm if possible to rais my own grain. He said if I would take his advice
he would furnish me with provisions till harvest I said I would do any way
that was right for the sake of getting something for my family to eat He
said he owned a house and city lot in the sixth ward and if I would move
thare and build him a house like bro Grants I could work his lot on shares
and he would furnish the material and I could put up his house. Previous to
this about six months he had promised to give me one of his daughters for a
wife and I thought he felt an interest in my welfare and I agreed to build
his house for fifty dollars less than I did Grants for the sake of getting
provisions. So I took his word and moved into his house. It was a dirty
place and hardly fit for a dwelling place for human beings thare was no
floor and it was about 12 by 15 feet squair one roof and that was flatt I
got a tent and pitched it at one end to make room for us He was to furnish
me flour or wheat to last us till harvest and I was to wait on him for the
rest till fall. I moved the 10th of April. It seemed a great contrast after
liveing in a comfortable house and so suddenly changeing it for a miserable
hovel but I felt to do any way rather than be in debt. I was vary unwell at
the time I felt greatly troubled about what had hapened so much so that it
wore my flesh away that I weighed 130 pounds and my usual weight was 148
pounds. After fixing around and getting some wood and my heifer from
Moredocks herd I started the 16th on foot to see Thirs-tin about some grain
and material for his house. It was 15 miles for me to walk he promised to be
down « a few days and bring me some wheat and get some lumber for me to go
to work on for his house. I returned late in the evening completely over
done with the days trip the next day I was confined to my bed. I had chills
and fever and had a pain in my finger which proved to be the eyeresypelas it
was full of inflamation and great pain I asked the Lord to heal me And it
was manifest to me that I had done wrong for finding fault with bro Brigham
and I must repent or I had forfeited my right to live I promised to do
better in future and as soon as circumstances would permit I would go and
see him and make it right It was then manifested to me to call my three
wives to lay hands on me and pray for me that I might be healed which I did
the oldest being mouth for the others. I soon felt better. We had nothing in
the house to eat but a little boiled wheat that I had laid up for seed.
Ellen Green daughter of William Camp heard of our situation and had the
kindness to lend us 15 Ibs of flour and a little tea and sugar for which may
God bless her forever
About this time the 20th br Thirstin came down and brought me 4 bushels of
wheat he charges two and a half dollars a bushel which is ten dollars. I
hired Mathew Savage to take it to mill and bring home the flour. I paid
again the flour borrowed of Ellen Green
25th received a yoke of oxen 11 or 12 years old at 135. 00 and an old waggon
at 65. 00 and 5 bushels of potatoes of the avails of the mill at Sanpete The
oxen was vary poor in flesh and one of them was sick and they ware not fit
for service I turned them out after giveing them some tobacco that they
might recruit
29th (April) ploughed the lot 30th planted it to potatoes and corn.
I had a great deal of trouble with my heifer she would cross the Jordon and
leave her calf and I was vary feeble in health and had to walk three miles
and back to get her but I at last tied a rope to her head and passed it
between her fore legs and tied it over her back so as to keep her head down
which prevented her from crossing after I had trimed my seine for fishing
and went to the Jordon and caught a few which ware vary exceptable as we had
nothing but flour and we felt vary saving of that desiring to make it go as
far as possible 5th of May I went to look for a white heifer that ts one
year old but could not find her found one of my oxen vary sic brought him up
and give him some tobacco.
Tired out and vary unwell my last years laber has I fear ruined my
constitution or at least I can not endure scarcely anything in shape of
hardship 6th today feel some better went a fishing with br Bulin and Mathew
Savage they are vary scarce in the Jordon did not catch any.
7th & 8th went fishing got 6 for my share for which I felt vary thankful 9th
went to the mountain for wood 10th returned with a good load of wood but
obliged to go to bed sick. Br Thirstin came in and said he had concluded not
to build which had disappointed me in getting bread for my family, it is to
late to get out and get in a crop I asked him what he thought I should do he
had put me off till now and thare seemed no chan-^e left he said he did not
know I would have to do the best I jould he could do nothing for me. I felt
that he had been prejudiced by some one against me, I said I am resolved
what to do I will leave your premecie^ as soon as I can the Lord assisting
me, 10th rested llth went to meeting Sunday 1 met Dimic B Huntington and I
told him all that had befalen me, and he told me that his lot had been some
like mine but he felt to say that within 14 months I should prosper more
than I had ever done before I met Jesse C Little and he said I must pay for
my brandy at Godbies before I left for he was responcible I asked him to go
with me across the street and we would see if I had not already done so when
we came to the store he was informed that it was paid for and he went off
seeming to feel ashamed of what he had done
I called to see John Young and he told me that stories of diferant kinds had
been carried to Brigham against me as he had been told by Doctor Sprague who
said he heard Jedediah Grant say that I had determined to do buisness on my
own hook and I had the spirit of apotacy and many other like things, but he
(John Young) said that I must be pacient God was no respec-tor of persons if
I had been wronged it would return on the heads of those who had done it in
due time
One thing must be noticed here which hapened two or three months ago Br
Heber C Kimball said on the public stand that John Pack had refused to sell
flour to the poor saints at any price and had sold 8000 Ibs to the Gentiles
at 10 dollars a hundred and he belonged to the 70s but did not deserve the
name and said that if the 70s suffered such things to be done by members of
their quorums that God would curse them and censured all the 70 vary much
for not disfellowshiping such members. The next day I met bro Kimball and
asked him if his case aught to be considered before the quorums, he said yes
and if you dont cut him off I'll cut you off. I asked him what coarse I was
to persue or whare the testamony could be had. he said the gentiles
themselves was testamony enough I asked him if such testamony would be
allowed before a court of the priesthood he said yes. I then went
andinformed Prest Joseph Young of what he Br Kimball had said. He told me
that his case had been up the last meeting and I must object to the minutes
of the meeting being excepted when they was read for he had been exhonorated
by them, it seemed that bro Kimball wanted him cut off at all events.
As it was the day of the meeting I had no time to get my witnesses and when
the minutes ware read I did as I was coun-ciled objected to the exception of
them on the ground that I was not satisfied with them and it was laid over
till the next meeting I went to see the gentiles in question and they
refused to say anything about it and affirmed that it was every mans right
to sell his flour to whom and at what price he chose I then went back to Br
Kimball and told him about the matter and said I could not get testamony to
substanciate what he had said and should be unable to sustain the charge and
should be compeled to confess myself in fault He said he did not care I
might confess then When meeting came on again it was called up and I arose
and withdrew my objections and said as for myself I had no personal feelings
against br Pack I done as I did because it was required as a duty of me but
he was not satisfied he made a lengthy speech vindicating his inocence and
related his many years experiance in the church and denounced me as a
private individual and a man whose deeds could not be chronicled on the
escutcheon of fame like his honored self etc etc
Phineas Young David Wilkins Wm Thomson Daniel Wood and Salon Foster all made
corresponding speeches in turn. The question was at last asked me if I could
prove what I had made as an objection. I said I could not I was then asked
if I was sorry for what I had done I said I was not for I had done as I was
told by my superiors but I felt that Bro Pack was to be ex-honorated for the
want of Testamony. A resolution was then passed that any 70 who was
thareafter found making br Pack a subject of conversation should be in
danger of the council and the matter closed. Prest Joseph Young said the
thing should never hurt me However this was said to me privately after the
close of the meeting It now seemed that nearly every friend that I had ever
had, had shook me off and I My realized that in God was my ownly trust and
all men ware like myself cold changeable and universaly governed by interest
or circumstances
Friday the 28th day of March by their own free will and choice my three
wives went with me to the endowment house and ware each sealed over the
alter each one have previously had the privelage of leaveing me if they
chose as it would be far better to do so before this solomn ordinance was
performed than to wait and become aleianated and want a divorce after
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