John H. Seely and Margaret Peel Seely ~~~ Pioneers of the Month ~~~ June 2025

 

Photo Shared by Marlane Harless

John Henry Seely as remembered by his grandchildren, Margaret Merrill Nelson and Madeline Merrill Mills

Contributed By

John Henry Seely (1855-1920)

As remembered by his grandchildren,

Margaret Merrill Nelson and Madeline Merrill Mills

John Henry Seely was the son of Justus Wellington Seely (1815-1894) and Clarissa Jane Wilcox Seely (1821-1908). They were married on 10 March 1842 in Charleston, Iowa. Both of their families had earlier converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They lived across the Mississippi River from Nauvoo, Illinois in Iowa. They joined the exodus of the saints from Nauvoo in 1846 with their three children; Orange, Sarah and Don Carlos. They spent the winter of 1846-1847 in Pigeon Grove near Omaha, Nebraska. They arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in September, 1847 with the John Taylor Company.

In March 1851, Justus Wellington and Clarissa Jane were called by Brigham Young to take their family of five small children; Hyrum and Justus Wellington, Jr. had been born in Salt Lake City; to San Bernardino, California to make a settlement there and to grow olives. They traveled with the Charles Rich and Amasa Lyman groups. His brother, William Hazard, was born in 1852 in San Bernardino.

John Henry Seely was born on 29 April, 1855 in San Bernardino, California. When he was only two and one half years old, his parents responded to the call of Brigham Young to return to Utah at this time. His grandparents lived in Pleasant Grove, Utah and they first went there to live until they were called in the spring of 1859 to colonize Mt. Pleasant, Utah. He would spend the remainder of his life in Mt. Pleasant.

Life was hard and luxuries were non-existent in a pioneer settlement. Our mother told us that as a small boy, our grandfather had no shoes and played with things from the yard for toys. He had a toy made from a board with a nail half pounded in to which he attached a rope to pull it and he used it as a sled. When his little brother, David Alma Seely, died on 20 October, 1860, he gave up his sled to make a coffin for David.

The young children in the family worked hard. The boys went along with their father and learned from him to do a man's work. John Henry herded the sheep and cattle from the time he was a very small boy and he told Dwight Lincoln, a colleague in the Rambouillet Sheep Association that he had day-dreamed as a child of having his own great herd.

John Henry was a veteran of the Black Hawk Wars but we never heard about this from him. He was seventeen years old when he was honored in 1872 so he was a very young soldier having served before that. He hurt his arm about when he was fifteen when he was carrying his gun and climbed through a fence. The gun caught on the wire, discharged, and a bullet ripped through his arm. He injured a tendon and he had a stiff forefinger on his right hand for the rest of his life. Our mother told us that his mother insisted that he carry buckets of water, milk or whatever with his right hand to strengthen his right arm.

John Henry Seely and Margaret Folkman Peel were married in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City on 15 January 1880. They had known each other most of their lives. Both were raised in Mt. Pleasant of pioneer parents. Margaret's parents, Peder Madsen Peel and Christiana Folkman Peel, were Danish converts who came to Utah in 1854 and settled in Lehi, Utah where she was born 1 March 1858. They were later sent to Mt. Pleasant to colonize and lived there the rest of their lives.

At the time of their marriage, John Henry was the owner of two horses, one cow and a small amount of money. With these two horses and a wagon, and in the company of many others, the couple left Mt. Pleasant on the 10th of January, 1880. A large amount of snow fell that day so they only got as far as Fountain Green, Utah. The next morning, the ladies in the group waited for the men to make a trail over the summit to Nephi, Utah. A friend from Castle Valley, Utah was driving the team until a young boy in the group contracted diphtheria and he and his father took the train so the friend took over driving their wagon so John Henry had to drive the rest of the way. They drove to Mona, Utah the second day and to Pleasant Grove the third day, and Cottonwood, Utah on the fourth day. The ladies in the group slept in the wagon and the men slept on piles of hay under the wagon.

On the 14th of January, the couple and others drove into Salt Lake City where they stayed with Patriarch Hyde. Patriarch Hyde's son notified all of his friends that there were "newlyweds" staying at the home so that a crowd came with noisemakers and "shivereed" them. John Henry gave the young boy money so he could buy shrimps for the participants.

While in Salt Lake, they purchased a stove, some dishes, a lamp and a clock at the ZCMI store. When they returned to Mt. Pleasant, her parents had a lovely wedding supper for them at their home. John Henry and another bridegroom, Peter Anderson, organized a big wedding dance to which the whole town was invited. John and Maggie went to Antone Beauman's furniture store and a bed, six chairs, a rocking chair, a table and a mirror. This cost $35.00.

At about this time several members of John Henry's family left to settle Castle Valley, Utah. John Henry bought the home of his brother, Justus Wellington, Jr. (Wink) for $200.00 giving his older brother some needed cash for the upcoming journey. He also traded a horse for 200 acres of land in Chester, Utah.

The home was on Main Street and about 500 West. Four children were born to this couple while they lived in this little home; Ethel Alberta, 7 October 1880; Zella Gertrude, 6 December 1882; Earl Henning, 10 December 1884 and John Leo, 4 April 1887.

During this period of time, John Henry and his father, Justus Wellington Seely, and several of his brothers, changed the spelling of their surname to Seely from Seelye for the purpose of securing a brand. It was cheaper to use less letters.

In May, 1887, they moved into a larger home on 400 West and 100 South. It was purchased from Peter Meiling. They later put on a second story. It was a very comfortable home and they lived in it until their deaths. Six more children were born to them in this home; Leonard Joseph, 13 June 1890; Abrelia Clarissa, 19 September 1892; Lucretia Vern, 26 January 1895; Chesley Peel, 20 March 1898; Margaret Rae, 27 September 1901 (she died young); and Oliver Dwight, 27 April 1902.

While they lived in the small house, Grandpa had started a small sheep herd but over the years, he acquired more animals, more land for grazing and through breeding obtained better quality animals for which he was recognized throughout the world by the people in his field. At the National Ram Sale in 1918, he sold a ram for $6200.00 at auction. This was the highest price ever paid!

Grandpa was an organized man, loving and kind, but high expectations for good behavior. He did not like rowdiness or disobedience. If he saw us sliding down the banister, we were pulled off and told in no uncertain terms that banisters were for hands. Once Uncle Will Candland was saying the blessing on the food and he prayed so long that the children got to tittering and we all were banished from the table.

He respected his children as individuals and allowed them to make their own decisions. They had many advantages that other young people in Mt. Pleasant did not have the opportunity to enjoy. Uncle Bob Hinckley related that when he went to ask Grandpa for permission to marry Aunt Arbrelia, Grandpa seemed to avoid him. Finally, Uncle Bob asked Grandpa and Grandpa responded, "Have you talked with her?" "Yes." "If it is alright with her, it is alright with me. I don't have to live with you."

Grandpa made annual trips to Salt Lake City to the Utah State Fair. He always came to our house to stay bringing suitcases filled with home-made casing sausages, hams, bacon and often he would bring the head of a dead animal so mother could make head cheese. It was gruesome to look into the big, dead eyes! Once when he was there, we were at the dinner table. The adults were talking and three-year old Madeline wanted some of his attention so she crawled under the table and tickled his ankle. He thought it was our dog, Brown Socks, and he kicked her right in the face. He felt terrible when she cried. He picked her up and loved her and soothed her but from this we knew that he did not want dogs under foot at the dinner table.

Grandpa had a gentle temperament and was darling with our Grandma. She knew he loved her and so did all the children. He never went on a trip - and he went on a lot of trips - that he did not bring her home a present, even if it was only to Salt Lake City. He was generous with his children, too. He was called Uncle John by a lot of his acquaintances and friends, especially those in the livestock trade.

This man was very community minded. He served as Constable Deputy in 1882, was a member of the Mt. Pleasant City Council from 1891 to 1893, and elected Mayor of Mt. Pleasant from 1899 to 1901. He was a Utah State Senator for Sanpete County from 1906 to 1910, and a member of the Utah State Fair Board from 1903 until his death. He served in the Rambouillet Sheep Association from 1900 until he died in 1920.

Even as we remember him now, he was not a big man physically. He stood about 5 feet 8 inches tall, and was the smallest son in his family. He was handsome with wide shoulders, brown hair and smiling brown eyes. He seemed a big man to us!

John Henry Seely, our grandfather, was a "great" grandfather. All of us who were at least three or four years old when he died remember him well. We have wonderful, warm memories of visiting with him and Grandma - the snuggles and hugs we enjoyed and "dry shaves" which we would struggle and try to get away from - but not really. It was nice to be his friend. He always carried XXX mints in his pockets and we were always free to reach in and take one.

He never learned to drive a car and the reason, he told Will Clos, his secretary, was because he would never have to go alone. Because he wanted company, the children and grandchildren who were around would be gathered up in a car or pickup truck and away we would go to the or to the hay field. He loved being with people and he was noted for his comradeship, generosity and sympathy, He was always helping someone. People came to him in times of need and he never turned them away. He gave them meals, beds, and very often found jobs for them. One man who had been convicted of rustling was eligible for parole but could not find a sponsor. Grandpa took him in and gave him responsible jobs and the man proved to be a good employee. He still worked for Grandpa when Grandpa died.

Grandpa was a good fisherman and he loved to go to Fish Lake. There are pictures of him showing large catches. There were several family reunions held at Fish Lake. Two of his friends, Doc Easton and his wife, ran the lodge at the southwest end of Fish Lake and the family stayed there. He died there from a stroke on July 31, 1920. It had been a hot summer and he wanted to go to Fish Lake to relax. So he and Grandma, Uncle Oliver, Aunt Abrelia Hinckley, and Aunt Vern Winters Erickson went to Fish Lake. He had been out fishing since early in the morning and when he came in about 11:00 am, he said he was tired and was going to lie down but to wake him when it was time to eat. When Grandma sent Uncle Oliver to wake him he was already in a deep coma. He died shortly thereafter. Our mother, Zella, was devastated. He died on Ina Morgan's 7th birthday and she was heard to say, "It wasn't very nice of Grandpa to die on my birthday."

His funeral is one of our most vivid remembrances. It was very hot in Mt. Pleasant and Grandpa was laid out under the west window of the parlor of their home. Ice was piled underneath the casket. Myriads of people passed by to pay their last respects. Three carloads of flowers were sent to express compassion and sympathy to Grandma and her family. There was a very long cortege to the services - 78 automobiles followed the hearse. The funeral was held in the L.D.S. Assembly Hall, sometimes called the Pavilion which was jammed with people - townspeople, shepherds (one had walked 30 miles to get there) and his large family, Utah State Senators, other notable people from around the state and the United States. The speakers included Senator Reed Smoot; former Governor, William Spry, W. D. Candland, President Lund, W. C. Winder of the State Farm Board. As children, we thought it was a very long funeral!

The McCall issue of August 7, 1920 had a long article about John Henry Seely, our grandfather. It began with:

"Speaking for the city -

Our friend is dead, his soul went out

And left its impress on our own;

Now life's more clear, and death less drear;

We'll reap where his clean hands have sown,

He is not dead to us!

And he is not dead to us either. We revere his name and are proud to be his progeny!

Rewritten by Katherine Mills Olsen, June 26, 2015.

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HISTORY OF MARTIN GEORGE AND EMILY L. WILLIAMS MILLER ~~~Pioneers of the month March 2025

 

 

George M. Miller: bottom right

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Letter written by Mina Miller and found in Mable J Palmer's genealogy papers

Contributed By

My name is Mina Miller. I was the 5th child in a family of nine. 4 boys 5 girls. My memory goes back when I was about 6 and started to school. My teacher was Ely Day. The children would stand round a table and teacher taught us letter's and figures - such as- a-b-c-d. 1-2-3-4-etc. Later add then multiply and divide. We lived7 blocks from school house. In winter and deep snow my Father would get out horses hitch them to the wagon and take us all to the school house. Of course all neighbor children were usually ready to climb up in the wagon.

From year to year school houses were built and more school teachers came.

Our home was a large house. 8 rooms, kitchen 16 by 24 feet. 5 rooms on first floor. 4 bedrooms on the 2nd floor( we call it upstairs)In those days on the 1st floor was a bedroom for guests.

There were 4 fireplaces in the house--No heating stoves at this time. There were no grates in those days. We had rocks and used pine logs. Logs were laid on the rocks. Our cook stove was large - 6 lid stove and large oven. Cedar wood was used in cook stoves. Our Mother and Father always wanted us to bring our friends home, and not walk the streets. As we all grew older, many evenings our home would be crowded with young folks. Ages in different rooms.

Father was very strict. All friends whom were up to 16 years should leave at 9 pm. Later because of our age, at 11 pm it was time to all go home, or keep very quiet as no one could sleep if it was noisy after 10 pm.

We were all compelled to go to school. We were never compelled to go to church.

Mother was the kindest and most understanding mother of all our friends in those days. Young people between age 10 to 14 would put on "Plays" or "theaters". We had a very large living room. All the youngsters in that part of town would come to see the theaters. Boards from the outside would make seats. Often children 8 to 12 would come. There was no charge.

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Death Summons Martin Miller Martin George Miller, who had iIved in American Fork for the past three years, died here April 9, following a lingering illness. The love and respect which the members of this and surrounding communities have for Mr. Miller and his family was shown by the large attendance of friends and the beautiful floral offerings at the services held in the Second ward chapel Tuesday afternoon. Bishop Joseph H. Storrs conducted the services. The opening song, When First the Glorious Light of Truth", was sung by the mixed chorus of the Second ward. Ludwig Larson of the Highland ward offered the opening prayer. Katie Parker, granddaughter of George Miller, read a sketch of his life which had been written by Bishop Andrew FJeld of Lehi. Bishop Andrew Fjeld of Lehi and Bishop Cornwall of Salt Lake City were the speakers. The mixed chorus sang "My Father," and Bishop Storrs gave a few closing remarks. The closing song, "Christians Goodnight," was sung by Mrs. Clifford E. Young. Bishop Jerling of Highland offered the benediction. The grave in the Lehi cemetery was dedicated by President Virgil Peterson of the Lehi stake. Mr. Miller is survived by his widow and the following sons and daughters: Mrs. Mary L. Gordon, Lloyd and Miss Myra Miller, American Fork; Mrs. Fern Kirk, Orem; Mrs. Jessie Jackson and Mrs. Ruby White, Salt Lake City; Mrs. Maud Greenland, Highland; Mrs. Delia Hatch, Woods Cross; also four brothers and sisters, Alma and Frank Miller, Mrs. Lottie Parker and Mrs. Elma Parker, Canada, and 26 grandchildren.

SAMUEL ALLEN Sr. AND HIS WIFE HARRIET MOORE WEST ALLEN ~~~ Pioneers of the Month ~ February 2025

 

 

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The following history was found on Family Search and submitted by Aaron Cloward.  The original author is unknown.

JENS JORGENSEN AND CHRISTIANA CHRISTENSEN JORGENSEN ~~~ PIONEERS OF THE MONTH ~~~DECEMBER 1, 2024

 

JENS JORGENSEN

CHRISTIANA CHRISTENSEN JORGENSEN

History of Christiana and Jens Jorgensen Pioneers of 1867 Written by their daughter Sarah Marie Jorgensen Borg

Contributed By

My father, Jens Jorgensen, was born at Hellevad, Hyorring County, Denmark, April 18, 1823 and my mother, Christiana Christensen Jorgensen was born April 25, 1830 in Denmark. They were married there September 12, 1854.

My father was of a poor family and my mother of fairly well-to-do people. Her father being the eldest in his family was heir to an estate. He, however, took only his portion saying he did not want the responsibility of a large estate. My grandfather Christensen died before hearing the gospel, but my grandmother and all of her children, three boys and three girls, joined the church.

My grandmother embarked to emigrate to America and she and one daughter died on the ocean. This boat trip lasted eleven weeks. When the rest of the family landed in America two of the boys died with cholera.

My father was president of the mission at Veila when he and my mother were married. When Erastus Snow went to Veila on his first mission he was entertained by my parents. In the “History of the Scandanavian Mission” we read: “On December 27th, 1855, and the three following days, a general conference was held in Copenhagen. Elder Jens Jorgensen, President of the Fredrica Conference, reported that the elders in his field of labor had been successful in circulating the printed word among the people, and had obtained a good foothold in most of the cities along the east coast of Jutland. Recently a new branch had been organized on the Island of Fyen. Elder Jorgensen’s conference included the Island of Fyen and some smaller islands besides a very large portion of Jutland.”

The “Skandinavien’s Stjierne” of January, 1857 announced the release and permission to emigrate to America of several officers in the church. My father’s name was among them. So, in that same year of 1857, my parents and brother John, two years old, left Denmark. The ocean voyage was long and my mother was too ill to lift her head from the pillow during the entire trip.

While crossing the plains of Nebraska she gave birth to her second child, Anton. My father had bought a yoke of oxen, a wagon and a cow for the journey to Utah. When one of the oxen died he hitched the cow and the remaining ox together. My mother’s twin sister, Aunt Lena walked the entire trip across the plains.

Arriving in Utah my folks spent the first winter in Salt Lake City. In the spring they moved to Ephraim where the baby, Anton, died. In the spring of 1859, they moved again to Mount Pleasant. Here the emigrants lived together in the old fort. I was the first girl born in the Mount Pleasant Fort and it was because of this I was asked to unveil the pioneer monument erected there a good many years later.

The old fort, as I remember it, was a central cattle corral where we went for our cows in the evening and brought them back in the morning.

We had plenty of Indian scares in Sanpete. I remember Orange Seely would ride up and down main street beating a drum to call the men together to defend the town when the Indians were hostile. Then the men would be assigned to their posts and the women and children take shelter.

One day when the cows were taken out to grass, the Indians attacked the herder, Pete Larsen, and shot off his hand. Several men were murdered in the nearby canyons. When the community began to spread out there was even greater fear. Our old friend, George Clemenson, two years younger than I tells of a dance they were having in a barn. When the fiddle stopped, the sound of hoof beats could be heard outside. No one dared to move; their hearts stood still. At last, fearing the Indians would set fire to the barn, the boys went to the door. Outside stood a herd of lonely cattle.

My first recollection of our home was a dirt floor and a dirt roof. In one end stood an open fire place where my mother did all of her cooking. She had what we called a three-leg. That is an iron frame to set on the fire and support the cooking kettle. My mother was a marvelous cook and the meals she prepared out of so little still make my “mouth water.” I remember my mother sewing our clothes by candle light. She had washed the wool from the few sheep we came to own, then chorded, spun and wove it into cloth.

Every fall my father took a load of grain to the “city,” as we called it. One time he came with a porcelain doll’s head for me. This was a great event. My mother made a body for it and dressed it. Brother John called it the “Bosteline Doll.”

I remember my first day at school. At home we had always spoken Danish. The teacher, Mr. Strickland, was very kind. He took me on his knee and taught me the A.B.C.’s. Our second teacher was different. He had an arm full of willows standing peeled and ready. My brother John got rapped. One day the teacher, Mr. Miller, met my father and they talked about it; “but the girl is alright” the teacher said to father.

The big event of the year was when President Young came to Sanpete. A posse of young men always went to Thistle to meet him. As he entered Mount Pleasant in his carriage, we children stood in line on either side of main street to salute him. No king could have been more revered than was Brigham Young. The bowery stood ready adorned with a roof of fresh leaves and branches from the mountains. The fragrance of those wild herbs and flowers, the singing of the congregation as the great red headed man stooped into the bowery is a lifelong memory to me.

My father died at Mount Pleasant January 13, 1905, my mother having died twelve years before, on October 12, 1893, also at Mount Pleasant. They were the parents of eight children.

Christiane married Jens Jorgensen and settled in Sanpete County, Utah. They had a daughter named Sarah whose married name was Sarah Borg. Antone married Caroline Frederiksen or Nielsen and settled in Ephraim, Sanpete, Utah.

Magdalene Christensen died in Kanosh, Millard, Utah on 29 May 1906 and is buried in Kanosh.

Additional information about Magdalene is included with that of her husband Hans Christensen.

 

1857: "Matthias Cowley Company" Jens Jorgensen, wife Christiana, and son John in this company.

Contributed By

Correspondence of Elder Joseph W. Young.

NEW YORK, June 29, 1857:

EDITOR MORMON—Dear Sir: Having just arrived from Great Salt Lake City, I have thought that a few items would not be uninteresting to you, and the numerous readers of your valuable paper. I left Utah on the 23d of April in company with seventy Elders, on missions to Europe, the United States and other countries. We had a very pleasant trip across the plains, and arrived at Florence, Nebraska, May 10th, all in good health. The particulars of the journey, Elder Mackintosh gives in his report.

On the 11th of June, my cousin Brigham H. Young, and I left Florence for Iowa City. On the 12th of June, we met Bro. Israel Evans and Benjamin Ashbey [Ashby], 21 miles east of Bluffs City, with the first hand-cart company of emigrants en route for Great Salt Lake City. They were all in good health, and in first-rate spirits. They were provided with mule teams to haul their extra provisions, and were traveling from fifteen to twenty miles per day. We had only a few moments to stay with them as the stage would not wait for us.

We met the first company of ox teams, under the presidency of Elder Jesse Martin, four miles west of Fort Des Moines, on the 13th, and as the stage stopped over night at that place, we improved the opportunity of visiting with the Saints, for a short time. Elder Martin called the camp together and we had the pleasure of speaking to the Saints, after which the sisters sang several of the sweet songs of Zion, which was very refreshing to us, after having had for two days and nights, our ears outraged by a continual air of profanity. After blessing the Saints and being blest by them, we bade them goodbye and continued our journey.

About noon of May 14th, some hundred and twenty-five miles from Iowa City, we met the New York company, Bros. Jacob Hofheins and G. J. Taylor in charge. They also were in first-rate health and spirits, had splendid teams and wagons, and were making good headway. We stopped only a few moments with them, just long enough to learn their condition, and to tell them that all was right in Utah.

We arrived at Iowa City on the 15th, met the last hand-cart company ten miles from the city, also the Danish company of teams close behind them, the former under the presidency of Elders James Park, Dilley and Geo. Thurston, and the latter under that of Elder M. Cowley.

They were all in first-rate condition and judging from what we could see they will have a speedy and prosperous journey. The hand-cart company was fitted up as well as it is possible to fit up a company in that way, and having had experience in that mode of traveling, I feel safe in predicting that they will make the trip quicker than any ox train has ever done.

Elders J. A. [James Amasa] Little and Wm. G. [William Goodall] Young, have fitted up this emigration, and I bare testimony that they have spared no labor in making the Saints comfortable. Elder Young was very busy preparing to start out his baggage train which closes this year's emigration.

We spent two days with him, and the few Saints composing his company, then took our departure for New York, and they left for the valleys of the mountains. Thus we have seen all the emigration for this year on the move.

My feelings were very peculiar when parting with my brother William at Iowa, and the kind Saints with him. They are on their way to the peaceable valleys of Jacob, where all that is dear to me on the earth dwell; wife, children, parents, friends, and the Saints of God, all, all, I love is there. But, with me, how different; my lot is to be cast among strangers, in strange lands to suffer the abuse and derision of those who despise the truth, that through faith, patience, and endurance I may persuade some to be saved.

A word about Utah and the people there, and I will close. I find a great many reports in the papers with regard to "War with The Mormons," "Brigham Young in rebellion against the General Government," "Danite Band," "Murder," "Corruptions," &c.

Now, Mr. Editor, I happen to know something of affairs in Utah, and as one of her citizens I have a right to speak. In regard to war, I will say that The Mormons are making no calculations for any such business, nor are they making any preparations for such a contingency, further than those which the law requires of every State and Territory, viz: that of organizing the militia.

Brigham Young is not in rebellion against the General Government, nor has he ever been. True, he is down on the acts of certain corrupt scoundrels, and is the enemy of wickedness and oppression; furthermore, when he ceases to be such a man as he now is, I cease to be his friend. He is the friend of mankind, the friend of the oppressed and down-trodden, the friend of truth, justice, virtue, and every thing that is God-like, and the enemy of lies, vice, corruption, and wickedness, where-ever it may be found, whether in high or low places. And that man who says to the contrary is, in scripture phraseology, "a liar and the truth is not in him."

There is no such thing in Utah as a "Danite Band." Every true-hearted man is a friend to his brother, and will not see his right infringed upon with impunity. Does any honest man see aught amiss in that principle?

Who has been killed by The Mormons? No one. But every murder that has been committed by the Indians between the Missouri River and the Pacific Ocean is charged upon The Mormons, and Brigham Young must, or course, be at the bottom of it all. I wonder if ever runaway judges, disappointed politicians and newspaper correspondents have read that passage of scripture which says "cursed is he that loveth and maketh a lie."

How can a people be so very corrupt who do not get drunk, who do not pro fane the name of God, who are honest and upright in all their dealings, who marry their wives, support them and make them honorable in the eyes of God and all good men, who educate their children and teach them the fear of God, who look upon the marriage vow as being the most sacred of earthly ties, and who prize virtue more than life?

If this nation wish to purify the morals of the people, and put down infamy and corruption, I would suggest that they begin in New York city, where they bawl so much against Utah. I do most positively assert that I have seen more drunkenness, heard more swearing, and seen more fighting, in one evening in this city, than I ever saw in Utah, and I was one of her first settlers.

I testify that the people in Utah are a good people, a law-abiding people, and that they love the institutions of their country as dearly as any people in these United States. Brigham Young will resign the Governorship of Utah without a word when his successor is appointed, and there is no possible chance of any collision between The Mormons and the General Government, unless President Jas. Buchanan should appoint some hot-headed, blood-thirsty fool as Governor of Utah, who will go beyond all law, all reason, and all good sense, and attempt to rule the people with a high hand. If such a thing should ever take place, let me here say that such a man will find the same spirit in Utah that actuated the citizens of Boston, when a certain power attempted to force them to a tame submission of its will, and he will also find that the same God helps the oppressed that sustained our fathers in their struggle for freedom.

With kind regards for you, and goodwill towards all lovers of truth,

I remain,

Your Brother in the Gospel of Christ,

J. W. YOUNG