John Morgan and Joseph Standing--Missionary Companions.

Camelback Bridge, Normal, Illinois, Wikipedia

Continued from here.
The journal page (if one exists) that follows entries in the preceding post is missing from my collection. Getting a copy will require a return to the Marriott Library. In the interim I will share some of John Morgan and Joseph Standing’s shared missionary experiences as John Morgan recorded them in his journal.

John Morgan and Joseph Standing were called to serve missions in October 1875. In early 1878 they were again set apart for missions to the South.  [1]  

John Morgan received permission to visit his family in Normal, Illinois prior to reporting to his first call to the Southern States Mission.  He hadn’t seen his parents since following his 1861-1865 Civil War service.

John Morgan began his journal on November 15, 1875 in Normal, Illinois. “…I spent the afternoon in conversation with parties who are anxious to learn the truth and they appear to be honest of heart. I gave them some passages of scripture to read and think about. I was at my father’s home in the evening and listened to an argument between father and another man, and was struck with the uter lifeless character of the argument. Surely I have abundant reason to be thankful to God for the knowledge he has bestowed upon me and for the friends he has raised up to me.”

Five days later, his second journal entry, dated November 20, 1875, Normal, Illinois ─ “Have been very busy during the past few days bearing my testimony to different individuals, talking and conversing upon the scriptures and have enjoyed myself very much indeed. I have felt the good influence of the Spirit of God made manifest to me in numerous ways and on various occasions. I have met with many friends and found that the promises made to me are being fulfilled to the letter for which I feel thankful indeed and especially as to the fact that my faith can be proven by scripture and that those who try to sustain themselves by the wisdom of men fail.”

January 31, 1876, Normal, Illinois ─ "Returned to Normal Saturday night, found all well, and several letters awaiting me with news from my family and also news that Brother Joseph Standing was coming to assist me in the work here, for which I felt truly grateful.  I visited Sister Beeston, found her strong in the faith and increasing in health. Dr. Ferguson called to see me twice today, feels well, and I am satisfied he believes. Wrote several letters and fixed up a scrapbook with considerable information relative to our faith and some statistics. Feel well and thankful to God for His mercies."

February 3, 1876, Normal, Illinois ─ "Have been at Father’s since Saturday. Leave tomorrow for Towanda. Snowing hard. Have gathered together some considerable information in Scrapbook form for use. Visited Dr. Ferguson and Miss Beeston. Feel well in my work, have a little too much to do, but trust Brother Standing will be here soon."

February 9, 1876, Money Creek, Illinois ─ "Spoke last night at Wilcox School House to a small audience, owing to the inclement state of the weather. Rained very hard last night and during the day. Today almost impossible to get around.  Am staying at Mr. Wilcox’s today and tonight, who I find to be a pleasant and good sort of a man, but not a member of any Church. A bitter feeling against me on the part of some of the people while an opposite feeling is coming out on the part of others."

February 14, 1876, Money Creek, Illinois ─ "Spoke at Mr. Maple’s on Thursday night and at Mr. Lukenbill’s on Saturday night to good houses. Met. Bro. Joseph Standing from the 12^th ward on Saturday night and feel so much better and stronger. He will assist me greatly and together with the help of the Spirit of God I trust we shall do good. We are stopping at present at Mr. Johnson’s and will speak tonight at Wilcox’s School House." [2]

Map of McLean County, Illinois, Wikipedia

(To be continued.)
Notes:
[1] The New Georgia Encyclopedia, John Morgan, Joseph Standing.
[2] John Hamilton Morgan Journal, Special Collections, Marriott Library, University of Utah.
Mr. Johnson and many of the people John Morgan meets in these entries, are the Johnsons he returned to visit with his wife, Helen Melvina, in 1883.

Joseph Standing. He Being Dead Yet Speaketh!

Joseph Standing Gravestone, Salt Lake City Cemetery, October 2009.

I had the most remarkable experience at A DUP Regional Convention last week.  During the meeting I presented the “artifact” I’d been assigned to bring, a white dress my Great Grandmother Morgan made for her granddaughter, my mother, Helen Rex Frazier. And I gave a brief history of Helen Melvina “Mellie” Groesbeck Morgan.

Following the meeting a woman approached me and wanted to talk with me about my Great Grandfather John Morgan.  She said John Morgan had been President of the “Georgia Mission” when her ancestor Cornelious Stover was baptized by Joseph Standing in 1879. Ten years later in 1889 she said John Morgan was still mission president, went to Virginia, and he baptized another ancestor named William Kyle Shupe. Both Stover and Shupe immigrated to Manassa, Colorado. Stover and a Shupe daughter were married in Manassa, and she is their descendant. Incredible!   I’ve been smiling ever since.

When I read Amy’s post about Joseph Standing this morning, He Being Dead Yet Speaketh, and saw the picture she posted of the Georgia tunnels, I decided it was time to open my collection of John Morgan’s journal pages again. He Being Dead Yet Speaketh!

It’s like an old friend calling me back to study.

From John Morgan Journal, Special Collections, Marriott Library, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.

1878, October 24 -- Wrote some letters this a.m. After dinner we drove by the station [Varnell], from there to Tunnell Hill and spent the afternoon and night with Mr. Tenill? Had quite a pleasant time. 

October 25 -- Afternoon we left Tunnell Hill, having met Ed. F. Sessions and had a talk with him about R. R. matters. Drove to the station. From there to Elledges where we are tonight.

October 26 -- Wrote a few letters and looked for a place to baptize and in the afternoon drove to the station and from there to Hufakers. Late in the evening drove to Elledges.

October 27 -- At 9 a.m. went to the Creek and Jos. [Joseph Standing] Baptized Mrs. Elizabeth Elledge, Mrs. Mary Huffaker, and Henry Huffaker. After we went to the meeting house and I there confirmed them by the laying on of hands. I then preached a sermon on the first principles and in the afternoon made ready to start to Ala., but the rain fell so fast, gave it up.

October 28 -- Started early this morning for the cove. Very cold. Had dinner at Mother Parks. Arrived at Brother Bart [Jesse Bartlett] Faucetts about 4 p.m. Found all well.

Samanthy Ann Walton Caldwell Witherell, 1863.

Continued from here.

Samanthy Ann Walton Caldwell Witherell

1834, Mexico, Maine - 1919 Woodruff, Utah

Joseph Smith III from Wikipedia

The Semiannual Conference convened in North Star branch, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, October 6, 1863. Joseph Smith presided, Alphonso Young and Edward W. Knapp were clerks. The following-named elders reported: Joseph Smith, E. C. Briggs (by letter), Hugh Lytle, Colby Downs, Eli Clothier, Wheeler Baldwin, W. A. Litz, J. A. McIntosh, William Redfield, Alphonso Young, D. M. Gamet, George Morey, Nathan Lindsey, Frank Reynolds, E. Page, George Medlock, Lehi Ellison, George Sweet, John Jamison, D. H. Bays, and W. W. Blair. 

“On the 7^th Barton Parker and S. W. Condit reported. The following branch reports were presented: Plum Creek, Camp Creek, Fremont, Union, Little River, Glenwood, Nephi, North Star, Galland’s Grove, Bigler’s Grove, Omaha, Farm Creek, Raglan, Crescent City, Onawa, Council Bluggs, Boyer, Boomer, Weeping Water, Wheeler’s Grove, Little Sioux.

Elder D. H. Bays baptized Elizabeth Frazier, Sumantha A. Coldwell, Benjamin E. Ballowe, and J. F. Speight. On the 8th Elder Colby Downs baptized Ellen Chadburn, William Traver, David Wilding, Emily Smith, William Bowers, and Jacob Stoker.

Elijah B. Gaylord, Uriah Roundy, James Newberry, John Smith, and John Outhouse were ordained high priests, by Joseph Smith and W. W. Blair.

The following resolutions were adopted:-

“Resolved, that the counties of Shelby, Crawford, Audubon, Guthrie, Dallis, Polk, and Sac, be under the presidency of J. A. McIntosh; Mills, Fremont, Page, and Taylor counties, under Wheeler Baldwin; Decatur and vicinity, under George Morey; Central Nebraska, under George Hatt; South Nebraska, under Elders A. Young and William A. Litz; Harrison and Monona counties, under Silas W. Condit; Pottawattamie and Cass counties, under Hugh Lytle.

 "Resolved, that this conference authorize the committee of publication to publish the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, with such corrections in arrangement as may be necessary."

-True Latter Day Saints' Herald, vol. 4, p. 122. 

Anna's cemetery headstone late summer 2011.

Looking North along the Frazier/Walton row in the Woodruff, Utah Cemetery, 2011. Samanthy Ann's broken headstone is in the foreground.

Stephen Vestal Frazier's vacant Rock Home on the old Frazier Ranch. 

Consider this a call to Walton/Frazier family members to support Samanthy Ann's headstone repair. Last summer I received a couple of bids and it will be $400 to have the stone up-righted, repaired, and re-attached to the base. You can contact me at the e-mail on this blog for donation mailing instructions.

Samuel Waltons daughters were in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, on October 7, 1863.

In Amy’s recent post here at The Ancestor Files she explained who the Josephites were.  She explored their relationship to the Reorganized Latter-day Saint (RLDS) Church, and the use of the term Brighamites. It is a very interesting account, and while she is following her own ancestors, I recommend you read the account, because there is much there to be learned. I followed one of the links in her post and discovered a history book that led me to more answers about Samuel Walton’s family.

The book is called The True Latter Day Saints’ Herald, a Semi Monthly Magazine, Published by The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints [RLDS]., Vol. XV., 1969.

Samuel and Susan Walton traveled from Mexico, Maine in 1844, following their conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They’d intended to join the Saints in Nauvoo, Illinois, but following the Prophet Joseph’s Martyrdom, they were misplaced, and caught up in the confusion in the area.

Their surviving family members were over thirty years traveling west across the continent to get to Woodruff, Utah. I discovered that during the interim some were baptized into the RLDS Church as I posted here. Great Grandmother Elizabeth Walton Frazier always said she was a “Josephine.” And she and her sister Hester, both with the last name of Frazier, were baptized into the RLDS Church. They were easy to search for and I found them in Early Reorganization Minutes, 1852-1871, Book A. pp. 133, 190.

In the history book Amy linked to in her post I found the minutes from the conference meeting Elizabeth was baptized in. Another family member was baptized the same day. I’d have never found her without the link. 

(To be continued.)

71st anniversary of the loss of Sgt. John Morgan Rex.

From this morning's e-mail:

Hello Bessie,

Just a short note to express my thoughts to you and your family today on the 71st anniversary of the loss of your Uncle Sgt John Morgan Rex.

I plan to go out today to the beach over looking out towards the search area where we believe the Liberator went down to pay my respects.

It may sound strange but I am emotionally connected to these missing men and their families, I can’t help it going through all the information, learning about families and crew and of course the search itself to find it, many hours so far.

This week in Darwin there is a new plaque been put on a 60 meter memorial wall for all those who died during the attacks on Darwin and other towns including Broome. A total 1670 people killed.

You will be happy to know that the crew on the Liberator are on that wall including your Uncle Morgan.

I will send you a photo of it once I can obtain one.

God Bless and we are thinking of you and others this day.

Kind regards

Dion Marinis

Broome

Western Australia

Percy Harold Rex. Letter to his son August 2, 1937.

Visiting Rex family members - the hay-field, Randolph, Utah

about the time this letter was written

Percy Harold Rex 1940s

Randolph, Utah

Aug. 2-37.

My Dear Son,

(I added some punctuation to make the letter easier to read.)

I will try and write you a few lines to let you know we are still alive up here in the land Northward. All the rest of the family are in bed except Helen she went to Evanston this afternoon with Uncle Will. He is talking of getting another new car. Don’t you wish it would have been you. Do you still hear from the young lady up there.

Winnie will be home Sat for 2 weeks if will be nice to have her here for a while again. In another year we will be counting [on] both of you coming home for a while. Afton and Ben are going to be married on Sept. 2 and I think Dallas J. and a Lady Missionary are to be married this month some time. Helen and Glen have it rather Bad and I think it will happen with them before so very much longer.

We celebrated the 24 of July or rather your birthday we had some time. There was a parade in the morning and also a program in the afternoon, foot races, soft Ball game between the girls and men. Rodeo and horse races.

Your little brother won a dollar with old Louie, she isn’t what she used to be as one hind leg has gone bad and she can’t start [on] cue [to] go as well. Even then she beat a sorrel horse Earl Wilson used to have. J. Thornic has him now and it sure got a. w. and Kays goat to have the old mare beat them because they are so important. We are going to have a fair and rodeo Sept 14 & 15. You will just be getting this letter about the time we will be celebrating, your spring will be coming and our autum.

We are just going to start on our hay tomorrow. We helped Monroe Smith with his alfalfa, it took us the best part of two weeks up there and it seems like it takes a long time to get started. It wont take so long as the boys are bigger and better men, and we have two mowers now so we can cut a piece down and then put it up.

There is quite a lot of work around here this year, they are building the road between here and Woodruff ready for oiling another year, and the mutual creamery is going to build a new cheese factory out south of town on the little hill just North of the Big Creek

Where the pioneers camped it is to cost between 6 & $10,000.00 so it will be quite a nice Building and a credit to our town.

Mary and Eldon have been here. They are on their vacation and are they fat. Eldon can put his brother to shame for fat and Mary was always quite plump. They are the same Jolly good sports so different from Freddie, but he will be different when he gets older. Leland and his Family live in the front two rooms of Mis Kennedy house so we have them for neighbors, but you don’t see a lot of them.

Bishop Johnson and his wife had a car reck [sic. wreck] two weeks ago and almost died. Mrs. Johnson was broke her collar bone again and has all three ribs and Bruised him up quite badly. She is still in Bed part of the time, But he has been going all the time outside of a day or two. He has been to Chicago to see if he could buy the Shield ranch and put some colonies down there, he want [s] to get a part of the Range land and the church is more or less behind the movement.

I have about run out of talk and it is after 10 p.m. and we have to get up quite early to get anything done in the hayfields. By the time we go out and milk and eat our breakfast and get to the field it is late. We have just received one letter from you in the last three weeks and I think it was just two pages.  If you could, send us a few pictures of the country. Have you ever run on two any of the old Nephi Ruins in your travel, and by the way I think you Promised Sister Clawson a letter when you got in the mission field. I was talking to her not so long ago, she hinted you owe her a letter so write one to her. She would like to go down to Peru and see the natives of South American. 

Aunt Gail and Uncle Jack [Picture of Jack and Gail Morgan Clayton here at the bottom.] are going to bring Winnie home Sat. and visit over Sunday. I am out of paper so I had better close now praying the Lord Bless you in your labors in accordance with your needs is the prayer we so ask for you.

With lots of love your Daddy

Please excuse the pencil. 

Grandfather Percy Harold Rex at work about the time this letter was written.