Spring 1878 John Morgan returned to Rome, Georgia as Mission President. Joined Joseph Standing.

April 12, 1878. "I feel well in getting back to my old beat."

Continued from here.

After spending the Christmas of 1877 at home in Salt Lake City with family and friends in the 14th Ward, John Morgan returned to Rome, Georgia, the nearby mountains and the people living there. He spent his days at home planning and gathering others and resources to return to the South. He returned to Georgia in the Spring of 1878 as Mission President of the Southern States Mission, a calling he held until January 1888.

On Monday, January 21, 1878 he wrote, "Friday was occupied in calling on President Taylor; in the afternoon distributed a lot of prizes to the school, after which I went to the President's office and from there to the Historian's office, where myself, Bro. Johnson and Bro. Williams were all set apart to go on a mission to the Southern States. Raining and bad weather tonight."

He noted in his February 18-23, 1878 journal entry, "Bro.[Matthias] Cowley was set apart  under my hands, my first effort. ... Bro Cowley  had supper with me."

On the train East John Morgan stopped several weeks with the new emigrants he'd left in Pueblo, Colorado the previous November. It was March 30, 1878 before John Morgan arrived back in Rome, Georgia.   "Took train for Rome where we arrived at 9:30 p.m. and put up at the Rome House."

Mountains around Rome: April 12, "I feel well in getting back to my old beat and I trust that the spirit of God will enlighten our minds so that we may be enabled to do a good work."

April 18, "Learned this a.m. that Jos. Standing had arrived from Utah. Returned from Baileys to Haywood Valley where I met some of the Brethren and stayed all night at Walter Smiths."

April 19, "Joseph came up this morning early and we had quite a meeting and a long talk. Wrote a letter to Brother Barnett and Cowley and one to Mellie." [ Morgan left his wife at home feeling ill. Feb 6, 1878, "At home today. Mellie quite unwell and confined to the bed."]

April 20, "Spent the day at Walter Smiths. Wrote some letters and talked."

April 21, 1878,  "Held meeting at 11 a.m. and quite a good attendance and spoke upon the history of the church. Brother Sabin bearing his testimony and Brother Standing reading for me. Went home with Jno., Barbour. Made arrangements for a meeting with Brother Smith Monday night."

(To be continued.)

Notes: I wasn't able to locate missionaries Johnson or Williams in the "Missionaries called to the Southern States Mission" for this time period among the John Hamilton Morgan papers, Special Collections, Marriott Library, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah. John Morgan Journal Entries are from that collection. Picture is from cousin Geraldine M. 2008 trip to Rome Georgia area.