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LIFE AND HISTORY OF PHINEAS W. COOK |
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| Section 8 Winter Quarters 2: The Indians had been as good as their word they burned our hay and all the rest in the vicinity in all about 100 tons and our cattle had to be taken in herds up the rivers on to the rush bottoms to winter I engaged Samuel Snider to take my 2 yoke but I had to pay him in advance, he said he wanted his floor laid and if I would do it he would take them so I went and worked three days and 2/3 when my foot was so swolen and inflamed that I was obliged to quit work and go home I sent for Brother Telshaw and Adison Everette to anoint my foot and lay hands on it and Ann Eliza put a poultice of bread and milk on it after which it felt easy and I went to sleep, he took the oxen and keep them through the winter for which I paid him $5.60 in laber and let him have my broad axe we got into our house with great dificulty the 2d week in December we lived on the ground for I could not get boards for a floor I went to work on the grist mill under the directions of Fredrick Kesler he gave me work by the piece I made about 75 cents pr day but I could do no better than to work for what I could get I worked about 40 days and earned about $30 I had my pay in provision mostly Ann Eliza was taken sick with the scurvey she came vary near dieing I called the Elders to administer to her but it did not help her she continued to sink lower and lower I saw that her breath grew shorter and shorter. I plead with the Lord to save her that I might not be alone entirely in the world the day that I made up my mind to part with her by her death I was imprest to go for Elisha H. Groves to come and lay haids on her which I did and she was healed she began to get better her breath became stronger and she revived I went to my secret place and thanked my father that she could be my companion in this cold hearted world a while longer little Eliza was a sweet child but she was not long for this world the sickness of her mother caused her milk to dry up and the poor little thing had to live on meal gruel while her mother was sick Sister Ann Snedaker took her and took care of her until she was able to take care of her family again and Sister Taft took Harriet this was a great kindness in them for which I shall ever feel greatful for it was a time of great affliction unto me I brought the babes home again after Ann Eliza got about again Seeing so many sick and destitute I had lent the most of our flour a little to one and another and could not get it again nor any part of it while we ware all well we could live on meal and a little meat vary well, but after Eliza was weaned which was at the age of about 4 months we had to live on meal and roots that I could dig and it was to hard for her She was taken sick with vomiting and purging and all that we could do was of no use she died the 9th day Sister Thomas Tanner was with us the most of the time for her house stood at the end of ours she was vary kind and done all that was in her power to assisst us I made the coffin myself and got Solomon Angel to dig the grave and he was the ownly man that I could get to help me bury her we took a rope and tied around the coffin and he took hold of one side and I the other and conveyed her to the grave. She was 7 months and 3 days. She died 12th day of May 1847. While Ann Eliza was sick I was chosen a Pioneer for the mountains I went up to President Young and told him the situation that my family was in he told me that it would not do for me to leave her and that I might be released My own health also was vary poor something was hanging about me that I did not understand My food was of no use to me I was weak and feeble all the spring. The pioneers left in the month of April after they had gone 2 or 3 days the President returned to give some council. I went up to see him he passt me in a hurry and said as he passt I want you to stay here and help the boys make a farm and do the best you can and I will help you in the name of the Lord I asked him if I should work under the direction of George Grant he said yes. My oxen had wintered through safe and returned to me. after the pioneers had all gone I went up to George Grant and told him I had 2 yoke of oxen and a waggon and all I wanted was a cow I had a good set of tools and all I had was on the alter and myself with it. he said he wanted me to help him and Solomon Angel fix the wagoons for the company that ware to start in a few days I accordingly went to work wooding plows and mending waggons and anything that was wanting to be done I forgot to mention one thing that hapened while Ann Eliza was sick I was telling Lorenzo Young how sick she was and he asked me if I had any comforts for her I told him I had not he gave me about 3 Ibs of fish and a little flour which I took with a thankful heart which done her much good Sister Rockwood gave me about 1/2 Ib of sugar and 2 or 3 drawings of tea which was thankfuly received. And after all my afflictions and sorrow I could see the hand of the Lord in all things While I was wooding plows I could get but vary little to eat one morning as I was at work John VanWaggoner came into the council house for so it was calld and he asked me how I got along I told I felt tolerable well but neither me nor my family had had half enough to eat for three days he put his hand into his pocket and gave me 75 cents I went down to John Packs and bought some lard and some meal he charged me about twice the value of it but still I was thankful to get it I took it home and salted the lard and used it for butter and we had quite a feast I was taken quite unwell again with the complaint before mentioned and was not able to sit up I sent for Doct Sprague his medicine done me much hurt and I stopt using it At this time Chaney Webb came to see me he wanted me to go down to Missouri to get an outfit for another year I told him I had been counciled to stay thare he said if I did it would be a chance if I got away atal I told him I had suffered everything almost that man could live through to get with the church and I was determined to do as I was told he said that men would council me to give them my birthright if they could get it by so doing I told him that if he counciled me to my hurt and I obeyed him I should not be the looser but he alone was responcible and I should stand acquited and I was determined to do it let the consequence be what it might he then left me to my own way and that was to welter in my poverty and sickness but I did not remain so long. la a day or two I was visited by Uncle John Young he had bargind with George Grant for my waggon to take him to the valey he told me I had the dispepcia and to take pulverised egg shells and soot tea which helped me immediately so that in a few days I was well and hearty George told me that Biigham had paid for moving my house up into his yard and it was time for me to move up he had an empty house in the yard and he wanted me to move into it and let Joseph Young have my house which I did I worked for him all summer with my team all but one ox which he sent to the mountains with the company cuting hay geting wood and everything that was necessary until fall after we had got hay enough for Biigham I asked the privelage to get some to winter my oxen on George told me the oxen would be wintered at the farm he wanted me to attend to things while he could go to Missouri to buy some wheat which I readyly complied with My oxen was the ownly team there was to haul except one ox to mate my odd one and occasionaly a yoke of black oxen but mine ware workd steady all summer one pair went two trips to Missouri so that in the fall when it was time to turn them off to the farm they ware so worn down it was hard for them to winter When it was about time for the pioneers to return George wanted to go out to meet them he left me in care of all the work which was as folows, It took two loads of wood for every day which took me nearly all day to get I could generaly get James Young to go with me to drive one team though he was but a boy and when he had done that his work was finished for the day but I had the wood to unload and a load of corn fidder to haul from the field a distance of 3/4 mile for the cows and oxen and horses which took me generaly from daylight in the morning to about 8 or 9 o clock at night I would then cut up all the wood that the women could not cut for they generaly cut all the smallest before I could get ready by the time I got done it was generaly 10 or 11 o clock at night I stood this kind of; fare about 9 days at last I took cold and had the chills and an affliction in the neck or spine which laid me up I was taken ill on Thursday and the pioneers arrived on Sunday Brigham calld at all the houses to see all the folks I was siting in a chair smoking when he came in he expresst a surprise to find me sick and passt on The Friday after I was taken sick I found the oxen had nothing to eat And knowing they must go after wood I put on my clothes and went down to the corn house and took out about a peck of ears of corn to give them just as I was comeing out of the corn house Thomas Johnson met me at the door and said Cook! dam you if you want corn for your oxen you may haul it from the field for I'll be damd if I'll haul it from the farm for you. I told him I had generaly done so but I had not been able for a day or two and James and Solomon was going after wood with them and it was necessary for them to have something to eat This Johnson had been up at the farm working with John D Lee but they had a quarel and he had been at work for George about a week or two the first acquaintance I had with him was at the farm about a week before George went off to meet the pioneers he sent me up to the farm after a load of corn and to stop a couple days to cut up corn which I did in company with Johnson and Brother Duzeth Johnson began to blackgard me the first day and kept it up until it became stale I at last became tired of it and resented it in a mild way he manifested a spirit of fopish independance and thus became my enemy, he took every occasion against me that he could get to pregudice George and President Young and wife against me he did to some extent insomuch that the president sent me word to move out of his family but winter was on hand and I did not go I was also appointed a mission but I had no means of going nor nothing to leave with my family and when the circumstances ware made known to him he released me from both About this time Charlotte was suddenly taken sick I sent for Doct Sprague he administerd medicine to her but it did her no good. I proposed to him to call a council with him he agreed to it and named Doct Clinton I went immediately after him and he come in directly he told in our presance what coarse aught to be persued we told him we did not care which administerd the medicine so long as they ware both agreed, they went out and counciled together and concluded that Doct Sprague should administer the medicine as he lived near by. this was the 3d day he commenced giving her medicine which increased her pain causing spasms we told him that it did not seem to do her any good but rather an injury he said we ware mistaken it was ownly the affect of the medicine overcoming the disease, he continued in this way until the 8th day about 4 o clock in the afternoon he came in and took all his medicine away and he could not be found I sent all around to find him but no one knew whare he was I then sent to the 70's meeting for Doct Clinton he came in shortly and as he was looking at her Doct Sprague came in after he had examined her he asked Doct Sprague what he thought of the child, he said you can see as well as I he asked him if he had persued the coarse agreed upon, he said he did, he had done exactly as they had counciled he then asked if he gave her an emetic in an hour, no sais he I nor no other man could make it operate in an hour, yes sais Doctor C I could make it operate in half an hour Well did you give her a powerful cathartic, and make a wash of the prepera-tion as we counciled and put mustard seed poultices on her feet and legs and on the back of the neck. Thare sais Ann Eliza Doct Sprague has not done a thing that you have said, he commenced giving her an emetic at 8 in the morning and she did not vomit till 4 o clock in the evening, he gave her no phisic at all after she had vomited a little he commenced giving Cayenne peper injections and said it was just as you and him had agreed. Well said Doct Sprague if you are a mind to employ another man you may and I dont care, and rushed out of the room, at this time I was shaking with the ague on the bed not able to help myself Ann Eliza said to Doct C that if it was possible to do anything to make her easy of her pains she wished he would do it, he done all he could but she died the next day about 11 o clock in the morning. It may be imagined that we did not feel exactly right towards Doct Sprague for the coarse he had taken and it came to the ears of Sister Young and while she was yet lieing on the bed before she was laid out she came in she refused to be seated but began to repremand us for our feelings saying it was better that a millstone was hanged about our necks and we ware thrown into the sea for he was one of the little ones that Jesus spoke of and we had sined before God and if we did not repent we should be damned, her mother was siting by the bed and as she was going on in this way like a mad person she caught hold of her dress saying Mary! Mary dont talk so wait and let us tell you how it is but she would not listen to anything and when she got through rushed out of the room, as she went slamd the door behind her I was on the bed shakeing with the ague again, but I was as calm as a man could be until after she left I began to think about it and I became so enraged that I could hardly master myself but by the help of the Lord I did overcome my feelings but it was a long time before I could say that it was all right and even now at times I think of it. she was a vary promising child and bid fair to mak an inteligent woman but I am resolved to not reflect any blame on anyone but leave the event with the Lord who is Judge of all. about an hour before she died I went down and asked Brigham to come up and administer to her which he did, he dedicated her unto God but gave her up father Morley came in with him I went down to Brigham and asked him for some cloth for a shrowd which he let me have. I also asked him to let me take his carriage to go to the grave which he did and sent Alva Hanks one of his men to drive it About this time a story was started that I was going to apostatize but when I heard it I told them that I was in hopes that that would be the last lie that my enemies would tell about me for such it was and it was of the devil. I told them that I thought that I had sufferd about enough for once and that the Lord was satisfied with the sacrafice that I had passt through for indeed it was a great affliction although my faith was not tried in the least ownly my pacients I had no more of the ague or anything more in the form of sickness until Ann Eliza was confined with Augusta Preundia the 9th day of March 1848. She was a large child she weighed 11-1/4 Ibs her mother was in hard laber 9 hours, the midwife Mother Angel sent for Doct J. M. Bernhisel he came and he encouraged her by saying all was right and she would be deliverd safely and went away During the winter I worked for A, P. Rockwood on a grist mill made to go on power he asked me what I should charge him a day I told him $1. 25 pr day he said I might go to work and he would pay me but when I got done he would not pay me but a dollar I worked for him about 40 days We had some words of difference I told him if he treated every body as he had me he would loose his influance and nobody would work for him and he would flat out at last but I threw off my feelings after a while and determined to let the Lord be judge The fourteenth day of Feb'y. I told president Young that I wanted an opportunity to talk with him if he felt willing, he answered he was, and I asked him to come in sometime when he had leasure. he said he would be in at 1 o, clock At the time appointed he came in I arose and set him a chair and shut the door and pulld in the string and took a chair by his side and began to talk to him I told him I wanted him to know all my feelings but did not want him to chastis any one on my account I ownly wanted him to understand the whole matter from beginning to end I told him all that I had done as near as I could and what others had said concerning me. I told him I wanted to go with him to the mountains, he said I should have it, and if he went I should go with him, he wanted me to help fix up his waggons and get ready for the journy, so the 15th I went at it with Soloman Angel we fixt all the waggons by the time to start we left winter quarters the 19th day of May, One thing I had forgotten that hapened the fall before, the Indians determined to burn them out at summer quarters or the farm, and the people was sent for to come away. It was a vary stormy time when they was coming in at night I was placed on gard to see that the horses ware safe and that no one came around the presidents carriage whare he was sleeping It rained in torants and he told me to take a lantern and go out to meet them and pilate them in for it was dark as Egyptian darkness he told me to put on his overcoat which I did it was vary thick and heavy and when it stopt raining it was a perfect load and yet it was not wet through I started out to meet the families I met some of them just coming in and enquired how far back the rest was I was informed they ware out about two miles and some of them had no cover on their waggons. I went on about 1-1/2 miles and the wind arose and blew out the candle and left me in the dark. I saw a light about half a mile from the road. I started for it and found it was Elisha Edwards from Kimballs farm about 5 miles distant he informed me that thare was families on a half a mile and no men but women and children I lit my candle and started to go to them they soon saw the light coming towards them but I did not know it until they spoke to me they had run into a mud hole and the oxen come loose from the waggon and it was so dark they could not find them, the rain fell in torants and the children had laid down with no other cover than the open canopy of heaven and the mother sat watching over them I helped them all out of the waggon and took the smallest one in my arms and the women led the rest so we started for town on foot through the mud from 4 to 6 inches deep. I took them home with me and got Ann Eliza up and she got them some food to eat and made them beds on the floor and made fire and dried their clothes and they all got to sleep about midnight, in the morning we got them some breakfast and they weot away their name was Young. It took three days for the borrowd overcoat to dry and half a day to clean the mud and tallow off from it. the tallow got on from the outside of the lantern After I had done working for Rockwood on the ox mill Brother Brigham came out one morning and gave all hands a scolding for burning so much wood he gave out word that every man to furnish his own wood and his own fit out for the mountains. I had lent Charles Keneda a rifle to hunt with in the summer before at the farm and in order to get my fit out I was obliged to send for it to sell it for that purpose. When Keneda found I had sent for it he sent me word that I could have it but he should keep one of the oxen till he had his pay for wintering them and wrote me a note to that affect I showed the writing to Brigham and he sat down and wrote under it as follows Brother Keneda you will please hold all the oxen till I call for them and oblige Brigham Young, he shortly after came after the rifle again and said he wanted to use it on the road to hunt for Brighams folks so I let him have it again, this was before I worked on the waggons, last mentionde I had heard that Brigham wanted me to work, and one day in Thomas T<ainers Blacksmith shop I asked him if he did. he said he did not know, how much do you think I owe you! I told him I did not know for I had not pretended to keep any account. Well he said suppose we should settle after the manner of the gentiles do you think I should owe you. I told him I had not troubled myself about it I had done all I could to help to get out from Babalon and if I had done any good I was glad of it all I wanted now was to go to the mountains and if the Lord was pleased to accept my labors I was glad, and I still intended to keep doing the best I could at this we parted I had asked him for a pair of boots on the work that I did the winter before for their was 4 dollars due me a few days before he had come out on all hands for burning so much wood, he had bought 100 cords of wood and he had 13 fires to furnish besides my own which was ownly while I was at work for him. It took about 1/3 of a cord pr day for George Grants fire and it ate out wood probably faster than any other four fires in the whole. I did not wonder that he scolded he did not name anyone in particular but all had to take a share guilty or not guilty. While we was in the Blacksmith shop he asked me why I dund him for money to buy boots with. I told him the reason was that I had nothing to wear on my feet and had no other way to get them, he said he did not know but I was mad because he scolded about the wood I told him it did not disturb me atall for the most of the time I had furnished my own wood ownly when I was working for him and even then I had been as prudent as possible, he said I might burn all that I kneeded all he wanted was for the families to be prudent. |
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