Monday, September 30, 2013

Joseph Standing's May 5, 1876 letter from Covington, Indiana to the "Deseret News."

Wabash Water Trail, Indiana from Wikipedia
(Continued from here.)

Elders Joseph Standing and John Morgan both wrote letters on May 5, 1876. The one Joseph Standing wrote to the Deseret News follows. I didn't find a copy of it published in the Deseret News. I did learn further about Oliver Shelby's interest in these missionaries.

Covington, Ind., May 5, 1876
Editor Deseret News:

Brother Morgan and I have been in the vicinity of the above-named place for the last three weeks. During this time we had held some eighteen meetings to large, attentive audiences, and, with scarcely any exceptions, a good spirit has prevailed.

Covington is nicely situated upon the east bank of the Wabash River. Steamboats, before railroads were built through this section of country, used to very frequently ply up and down the river, making Covington a prominent landing.

The Wabash and Erie Canal, until the past two of three  years, has been in constant use since 1846. It was originally designed to connect Lake Erie with the Ohio River, but this was never accomplished. This canal passes through Covington, which contains about 5,000 inhabitants. Its two finest buildings are the court house and county jail. The former building cost the sum of $8775,000, the latter, $105,000.

This county [Fountain] boasts of a poor house, which is a very capacious building, two stories high, built of brick, Brother Morgan and I visited this place, but we were not very favorably impressed with the arrangements made for the unfortunate creatures who are brought  there, and who are the observed of all observers.

How differently are they treated who have been unfortunate in our country. Our noble mothers and daughters  of Israel come to the rescue of the poor, and assist them with encouraging words and with the necessaries of life, without that great parade of vaunted charity which is so common among the people of the world. According to the condition that present society is in, I suppose that the poor are cared for as well as they could be.

This is a fine timbered country, the land rich and rolling. He farms are not generally so large as those in Illinois, and as a result the country is more thickly settled, the schools better attended and in a better condition.

Unless a “Mormon” Elder has traveled through this country, preaching, he could scarcely realize the vast different there is between the people of Illinois and those of Indiana. Here the people are more kind and hospitable, giving the stranger a warm welcome to their habitations, and seem more willing to let others worship God after the dictates of their own conscience. We are now staying with Mr. Oliver Shelby, whose mother died a member of the Church. He remembered to have heard several of the Elders preach. He testifies that he saw a young Elder, by the name of Robinson, who was sick at his father’s house, cured instantaneously by the anointing of oil and laying on of hands by the Elders.

We have appointments on ahead which will take us until the latter part of next week to fill. To-night we speak at the Court House, where we have spoken once before. The two weekly papers published here kindly inserted notices of the same.

We feel that we have done much good in allaying prejudice, and there are some in this locality who will shortly come to a knowledge of the truth. We know that God has endowed us with a portion of his Holy Spirit, so that we have been enabled to bear a faithful testimony to those with whom we have come in contact.

My intention is to spend a portion of this Summer in Canada, among my relations whom I have never seen. Brother Morgan will remain in this State, where he has several uncles. We shall both preach whenever there is an opportunity. After my visiting I shall rejoin Brother M. We then shall travel South, through Kentucky, into Tennessee, where we propose to stay over Winter.

Yours in the Gospel,

Jos. Standing.

Typed copy of this letter is found in the John Hamilton Morgan Collection, Special Collections, Marriott Library, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

John Morgan and Joseph Standing Mission Travels continue. April 29 - May 5, 1876.


Today's only church in Johnsonville, Indiana from Wikipedia
(Continued from here.)

“was treated very kindly by all especially by Mr. Johnson’s folks”
This statement from John Morgan's previous journal entry has become a theme for this area and time and the people he is meeting in and around Johnsonville, Indiana. They became his life-long friends. 

Perrysville, Indiana, April 29, 1876 – Stayed over the forenoon at Mr. Johnson’s during the forenoon and came over to Mr. Crouch’s where I had supper and talked with an ex-minister for quite awhile. Spoke to Mr. Wright’s to a large audience. Received a letter from Mellie. All Well.

Perrysville, Indiana, April 30, 1876 – Came over to Mr. Jones’, had dinner; put on clean shirt and walked down to the Grange Hall. Had supper with a Mr. Wright, spoke to a large house and was earnestly asked to come back again, which we promised to do. Had a good meeting.

Covington, Indiana, May 1, 1876 – Walked across the country to Mr. Shelby’s this morning. Got my box of clothing from Normal, rode around with Mr. Shelby some length of time. Cool and unpleasant.

Covington, Indiana, May 2, 1876 – Remained at Mr. Shelby’s during the day. Read. Talked and slept in the evening. Went down to town to hold meeting and found the Hall locked. Quite cool.

Over the River, May 3, 1876 – Went to town this morning and made arrangements for meeting Friday night. Walked over to Jones’ and secured two school houses to speak in; stayed all night at Mr. Jones’. Do not feel as well as I might.

May 4, 1876 – Walked up to Mr. Salt’s where I had dinner, went to see the School Marm about the School house. Had a pleasant talk; obtained her consent and appointed a meeting. Plowed a round for a man. Came on down to Salt’s who crossed me over the river in a canoe. Came on to Shelby’s and spent the balance of the day in talking with Joe and Shelby. Cool. Wrote a letter to Jimmie.

Covington, Indiana, May 5, 1876 – Wrote a letter to the People’s Paper and some letters to others. Went fishing in the afternoon and got very wet.

(To be continued.)
John Hamilton Morgan Journal, Special Collections, Marriott Library, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

John Morgan and Joseph Standing Mission Travels continue April 24-28, 1876.

John Morgan and Joseph Standing Mission Travels Continued from here and here.

Mt. Zion, Indiana, April 24, 1876 – Crossed over the river this morning and had dinner with Mr. Williams. Assisted Mr. Jones to roll some logs together and then went to Mr. Garrison’s. Spoke at Mt. Zion School House to a very full house and a Mr. Samuel Cole after asking numerous questions challenged me to debate and was accepted. Stayed all night at Mr. Garrison’s.

Bunker Hill, April 25, 1876 – Visited at a Mr. Wrights, this morning and had a talk with an old lady 86 years old. Make an appointment to preach at his house Saturday. Came to Mr. Jones’ and had dinner, then to Mr. Wm. Salt’s. Preached at the School house to a good sized audience who gave close attention. Pleasant weather.

Sumter, April 26, 1876 – Went fishing this A.M. with Mr. Salts. Laid down after dinner and slept an hour or two. Came on up to Frank Salts’ and spent the afternoon. Spoke at the school house in the evening to a small (dead) audience, who gave poor attention. The power of the evil one is at work in this locality. Stayed all night with Mr. Salts. Was treated kindly.

Brush College, April 27, 1876 – Joseph layed out last night in a clearing, alongside of a log heap. Started out to find him this morning and after walking some miles found him at the log heap. Walked some distance into the woods. Had prayer and read the first Chapter in the Voice of Warning. Came up to Mr.  [blank space] ploughed during the afternoon for him. Rained at night.

Johnsonville, Indiana, April 28, 1876 – Remained at Mr. [blank space] during the morning. Came over to Mr. Jas. Johnson’s and spent the day talking and listening to Miss Dora play the piano. Spent the day very pleasantly and nice. A lady school teacher visited in the afternoon. Spoke at night to a moderate sized audience at Brush College and had close attention paid; was treated very kindly by all especially by Mr. Johnson’s folks. Found a copy of the “Woman’s Exponent” here that I read with interest.

(To be continued.)

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

1918 Relief Society Service in the American Red Cross.



Helen Melvina “Mellie” Groesbeck Morgan was active in Red Cross Service in Salt Lake during World War I as posted here. I wonder if she marched in a parade like Relief Society members did in Chicago in 1918, pictured here (3rd and 4th pictures down)  on Keepapitchinin today.

Members of the Great Salt Lake Chapter of the American Red Cross were offered classes in first aid and home nursing. The women provided services throughout the 1918 influenza epidemic, and they shipped bandages to the front lines during the war. 

We know Mellie and her daughter Bessie Morgan Rex gathered and dried peach pits for the war effort, as their daughter and granddaughter , Helen Rex Frazier, wrote in her history.

Peach Pits were used during World War I as filter for the soldiers’ gas masks.

Thank you to cousin Karen M. for this picture of Mellie Morgan with her son John.

Monday, September 2, 2013

2013 Walton (Samanthy Ann) Gravestone Project Completed!




Samanthy Ann Walton Caldwell Witherell

A big thank-you to my brother and each of my Frazier, Walton cousins who contributed to the restoration of our great aunt’s gravestone.  Now firmly cemented in its rightful spot at the south end of the FRAZIER ROW in the Woodruff, Utah Cemetery. Evidence of what grateful, committed descendants can accomplish. 

Earlier posts about Samanthy Ann are here and here and here.

Thanks to cousin Flora Lee for stopping and taking these pictures.