128. Autobiography of my great grandfather Samuel Miles Jr., and his father Samuel Miles Sr. Early Church history!
AUTOBIOBRAPHY OF SAMUEL MILES JR., SON OF SAMUEL AND PRUDENCE MARKS MILES SR.
The first part of the autobiography of my great grandfather, Samuel Miles Jr. His parents joined the Church in 1833, and lived through the days in Kirtland, and Nauvoo, including many of the persecutions there. His story gives quite a vivid picture of life in those times. I'm so grateful for faithful pioneer ancestors!
Today in Stake Conference, a visiting Seventy, Elder Ellis, talked about how many people we affect in our lives, and our effect also on the posterity of those we teach. We have no idea how much our actions affect many people, now and in generations to come.
Samuel Miles Jr. wrote quite an extensive journal. The next 3 entries will be of his life, as it is too long for one entry, but it is very interesting. He was only 7 when his parents joined the Church, and he lived through the entire early history of the Church, eventually being a pioneer to St. George.
The following is condensed from his journal -- and is written in the first person -- by him, Samuel Miles Jr.
I was born April 8th, 1826, in Attica, Genesee County, state of New York, U.S.A. My father was born in the town of Branford, New Haven County, Connecticut, September 3rd, 1779, being of the fourth generation from Richard, the immigrant who came from England in the company which landed in Boston July 26th, 1637, and was one of the first settlers in Milford, Connecticut in1639 and three years later moved to New Haven.
My father settled in the state of Vermont where on, August 25th 1807, he married Sarah Simonds. They had 5 children. Sarah Simonds died September 23rd 1824. My mother, Prudence Marks, was married to my father May 19th 1825. She had by her first husband from whom she was divorced, one son, Gustavus Adolphus Prescott.
She had by my father: Samuel , William , Sarah, and Orson Pratt Miles, (Pal -- My father was named after his uncle, Orson Pratt Miles.)
When I was between two and three years of age I was taken by my mother on a visit to her parents in Vermont. Our passage on the Erie canal and the visit with my grandfather and grandmother are among my earliest though somewhat indistinct recollections.
In the year 1830 when I was 4 years of age we moved into the town of Freedom, Cattaragus County, New York, where my father bought land and opened up a farm in the heavy timber land of that section.
Our farm joined that of Dr. Warren A. Cowdery, he and my father being brothers-in-law, he having married Patience Simonds a sister to my father’s first wife Sarah, and being a brother to Oliver Cowdery. It was not until the winter of 1833-34 that the Elders visited our town. When my father learned of a meeting to be held in an adjoining town, Farmersville, by an Elder Mathews, he took me with him to the meeting which was held in the house of Ira S. Hatch. After the close of the meeting, a few proceeded to a nearby stream where the ice was cut, it being Mid-winter, where baptisms were attended to. I was 7 years of age and became thus early impressed with the principles of the Gospel which my father was anxious to hear and ready to receive. In a few weeks our town was visited by Elders John Murdock and Orson Pratt and others. A large branch was raised up. My father and mother were early baptized, (April 29, 1833) Warren A. Cowdery was appointed President of the Branch.
I was blessed under the hands of John Murdock. My mother’s brother William Marks visited us at this time and attended our meetings and became converted to the truth of the Gospel and was shortly afterward baptized. He lived in the town of Nunda, Alleghana County, N.Y. He being a wealthy man in those days sold his possessions and moved to Kirtland, Ohio, and materially assisted the Prophet Joseph and the Church in their financial straits. More about William Marks later. He became the Stake President in Nauvoo when the Prophet was killed, and then went with the Reorganized Church. The Prophet Joseph spoke in the funeral of Ephraim Marks, William's son, on April 9, 1842.
My early remembrances consist in attending our meetings and prayer meetings where the gift of tongues was made manifest, and notably the interpretation of tongues by Eunice Sawyer a young woman who had received the gospel, the only one of her family. She made strong impressions on my early boyhood, she being one of the first school teachers. She married Tilton Hyde of our branch who was one of those who volunteered and went up to redeem Zion and reinstate the saints in Jackson County, Missouri, from whence they had been expelled.
Having sold our property in Freedom, we started in the fall of 1835 to gather with the saints in Missouri. We traveled by team, passed through Kirtland, Ohio, then the headquarters of the saints, and when the Temple was nearing completion reached New Portage, 50 miles west, where we remained for the winter, there being a branch of the Church there. Father (Samuel Miles Sr.) worked at his trade as tailor, and we children attended school. We were pleasantly situated on the Ohio Canal.
My father attended the dedication of the Kirtland Temple in March, 1836. I was baptized by Solomon Warner, April, 1836. Being much of a reader for a boy of my age, my father wished me to read The Book of Mormon through, which I did at the age of 10 years, and was much interested in the history part.
My father and mother received their Patriarchal blessings under the hands of Joseph Smith Sr., who visited this branch.
We resumed our journey to Missouri late in the Spring traveling in the company of many of the saints camping by the way, Elder Murdock being our principle directing man. Our journey was very pleasant. We arrived in due time in Rayco, Missouri, where a large company was formed on Crooked River near Richmond, awaiting arrangements being made for the saints who had been expelled from Jackson County and had found temporary homes in Clay County and vicinity to occupy the new County of Caldwell, this being now the gathering place for the saints. All the immigrant saints from the East joined those expelled from Jackson County, bought the land from the Government, bought out most of the first settlers, and founded Far West as the principle town and county seat.
We remained a short time near Richmond, all the family except mother and myself being stricken with the chills and fever, but we recovered so that we were enabled to continue our journey into the new county being occupied by the saints. Father entered 80 acres of land at the land office being mostly prairie land with several acres of good timber and pleasantly situated 2 ½ miles south of Far West. Father erected a comfortable log house so that we were prepared for winter.
My brothers, Ira and Joel, in 1837 came to make it their home and assisted father in opening up the farm. Ira joined the Church. The Prophet Joseph visited the saints here and organized them, David Whitmer being in charge as President in Far West. The following year 1838, the Prophet returned to Far West, shortly followed by most of the saints from Kirtland. Davis County adjoining Caldwell to the north, now commenced to be occupied by the saints, Adam-on-Di-Ahman being the principle town which the Prophet Joseph Smith said was the place where Adam built the altar upon which he offered sacrifice when driven out from the garden of Eden which was situated in Jackson County, Missouri.
The old settlers of Davis County now began to be jealous of our people, then increasing members in the county, and first showed itself openly at an election of officers where mob violence was exercised to prevent voting.
A place for the erection of a Temple had been selected at Far West, and excavation for the foundation made and the 4th of July, 1838, appointed as the time for the saints to meet and hold services on the site for the foundation. I attended the exercise with my parents. While on the way, I stepped on a scythe taken along to cut prairie grass for the team, and being barefoot, was partly severed in two. Father took me to the house of David Whitmer, where my foot was attended to. A crutch was improvised so that I went out and heard the Martial band, attended the services at the Temple foundation, heard the notable oration delivered by Sidney Rigdon and the words of the Prophet. I now had the privilege of going to school not being in condition to help much on the farm.
Father rented his farm and moved to a place where he rented a house one mile from Far West. He commenced to build a house in the City where he intended working at his trade. The conflict at the election in Davis County between the saints and the old settlers aroused a mobocratic spirit in the hearts of the old settlers which resulted in serious conflicts with the saints in Davis County. The mobs destroyed our crops and abused our elderly people. My brothers Ira and Joel took part with others sent from Far West to assist the brethren to resist the mob who were arrayed against them in Davis County.
The county was aroused against the saints and they were compelled to leave the County by the mob, in the early winter of 1838. Previous to this a mob had massacred a number of the saints at Haun’s Mill not far from Far West. The expelling of the saints from Davis County tended to encourage the mobocratic spirit. Hostile bands gathered in the vicinity of Far West to disperse on Crooked river threatening our settlements. A small company under the Command of David Patten was sent out. They were fired upon by the mob, the leader mortally wounded Patrick O’Banyon. These scenes made lasting impressions on my mind witnessing as I did as a boy going to the Mill on horse back, and the returning company with the dead, dying and wounded.
Our exertions to defend ourselves against the attacks of our enemies, our prosperity, and unity and religious convictions now united to stir up on the surrounding counties of the state a mobocratic spirit to such an extent Boggs the Governor was appealed to call out the militia to expel us from the state. Governor Boggs being one of the mobocratic spirit’s who were formerly arrayed against our people in Jackson County, was the rioting leader to launch forth the entire force of the state against us. The large army which had been collected to come up against us soon made their appearance. We were living a mile south of Far West on the direct line of the march. The men were all collected in the City near our home. A few nearby families were gathered together and I was the oldest boy among them when the invading army appeared in the distance.
The women sent me out to see and report what they were doing by entering houses and so on. The women having such courage to send me increased my courage. I found they were searching houses for arms and etc. I remained at the house where I was sent until the army had all passed when I returned and reported they camped in the immediate vicinity of our place. They had as a prisoner Brother Tanner who had been struck on the head by a gun inflicting a severe wound which I found Mother doing up. This large force of the state militia demanded the surrender of our leaders. Col. George M. Hinkle in command of our forces under arms to defend our rights, betrayed the Prophet and others leading men into the hands of their hostile persecutors when accompanying him for a conference with some of the Militia.
The surrender and final arrangements were made with Gen. Clark in command for our expulsion from the state. The scenes enacted by the so-called troops of the state are vividly impressed upon the minds of the saints engaged and suffering through the persecutions of our enemies.
The prophet Joseph with others was taken to their camp near our home where they whooped and exulted over his capture and condemned him by a court martial to be shot. This summary proceeding so enraged Gen. Donaphan Atchinson that they threatened to withdraw their commands from the invading army; thus the execution of the sentence was frustrated and the Prophet with many others were cast into jail at Richmond Ray County.
Many of our leading men were taken and cast into prison while we were forced to yield our possessions and promise to leave the state by the coming spring. I attended school in Far West during the winter taught by Erastus Snow and thus had the privilege of association with the young of many our prominent leaders.
As the state of Illinois offered us a refuge from our cruel persecutors the saints robbed of their property had to make their way in an inclement season to make homes as they best could.
Father preceded us to the state where he hired one of the brethren living there to come for us with a team and after much hardship endured by my mother and the children, we arrived at Quincy and found a temporary home at Lima in Adams County. Here father worked at his trade, (Samuel Miles Sr., a tailor) we obtained no compensation for our possessions in Missouri and with the body of the saints found a hospitable reception in the state of Illinois.
The Prophet Joseph and many who were incarcerated with him were removed from Richmond to Liberty Jail in Clay County. (Winter of 1838) The courts were appealed to convict them of treason and crimes but they were found innocent after being held in prison for many months. Some were discharged until the Prophet effected their escape, their enemies failing to convict them of any crime.
The saints hailed the Prophet with great joy in Quincy Illinois where many of the expelled saints were and in that vicinity. The latter end of 1839 found the Prophet and his brethren seeking a place of gathering for the exiles who were scattered in the state. Commerce on the Mississippi River in Hancock County where an opening was offered was secured by the Prophet and the brethren as a gathering place for the saints. The name changed soon to Nauvoo. The exiled saints and others who were scattered or were enroute to Missouri gathered into the place appointed and began to build up a city. I with my younger brothers and sister attended school in Lima where many of our people found temporary homes and in the vicinity.
The next entry will be about their time in Nauvoo, and Samuel Miles Jr. becoming a member of the Mormon Battalion.
The first part of the autobiography of my great grandfather, Samuel Miles Jr. His parents joined the Church in 1833, and lived through the days in Kirtland, and Nauvoo, including many of the persecutions there. His story gives quite a vivid picture of life in those times. I'm so grateful for faithful pioneer ancestors!
Today in Stake Conference, a visiting Seventy, Elder Ellis, talked about how many people we affect in our lives, and our effect also on the posterity of those we teach. We have no idea how much our actions affect many people, now and in generations to come.
Samuel Miles Jr. wrote quite an extensive journal. The next 3 entries will be of his life, as it is too long for one entry, but it is very interesting. He was only 7 when his parents joined the Church, and he lived through the entire early history of the Church, eventually being a pioneer to St. George.
The following is condensed from his journal -- and is written in the first person -- by him, Samuel Miles Jr.
I was born April 8th, 1826, in Attica, Genesee County, state of New York, U.S.A. My father was born in the town of Branford, New Haven County, Connecticut, September 3rd, 1779, being of the fourth generation from Richard, the immigrant who came from England in the company which landed in Boston July 26th, 1637, and was one of the first settlers in Milford, Connecticut in1639 and three years later moved to New Haven.
My father settled in the state of Vermont where on, August 25th 1807, he married Sarah Simonds. They had 5 children. Sarah Simonds died September 23rd 1824. My mother, Prudence Marks, was married to my father May 19th 1825. She had by her first husband from whom she was divorced, one son, Gustavus Adolphus Prescott.
She had by my father: Samuel , William , Sarah, and Orson Pratt Miles, (Pal -- My father was named after his uncle, Orson Pratt Miles.)
When I was between two and three years of age I was taken by my mother on a visit to her parents in Vermont. Our passage on the Erie canal and the visit with my grandfather and grandmother are among my earliest though somewhat indistinct recollections.
In the year 1830 when I was 4 years of age we moved into the town of Freedom, Cattaragus County, New York, where my father bought land and opened up a farm in the heavy timber land of that section.
Our farm joined that of Dr. Warren A. Cowdery, he and my father being brothers-in-law, he having married Patience Simonds a sister to my father’s first wife Sarah, and being a brother to Oliver Cowdery. It was not until the winter of 1833-34 that the Elders visited our town. When my father learned of a meeting to be held in an adjoining town, Farmersville, by an Elder Mathews, he took me with him to the meeting which was held in the house of Ira S. Hatch. After the close of the meeting, a few proceeded to a nearby stream where the ice was cut, it being Mid-winter, where baptisms were attended to. I was 7 years of age and became thus early impressed with the principles of the Gospel which my father was anxious to hear and ready to receive. In a few weeks our town was visited by Elders John Murdock and Orson Pratt and others. A large branch was raised up. My father and mother were early baptized, (April 29, 1833) Warren A. Cowdery was appointed President of the Branch.
I was blessed under the hands of John Murdock. My mother’s brother William Marks visited us at this time and attended our meetings and became converted to the truth of the Gospel and was shortly afterward baptized. He lived in the town of Nunda, Alleghana County, N.Y. He being a wealthy man in those days sold his possessions and moved to Kirtland, Ohio, and materially assisted the Prophet Joseph and the Church in their financial straits. More about William Marks later. He became the Stake President in Nauvoo when the Prophet was killed, and then went with the Reorganized Church. The Prophet Joseph spoke in the funeral of Ephraim Marks, William's son, on April 9, 1842.
My early remembrances consist in attending our meetings and prayer meetings where the gift of tongues was made manifest, and notably the interpretation of tongues by Eunice Sawyer a young woman who had received the gospel, the only one of her family. She made strong impressions on my early boyhood, she being one of the first school teachers. She married Tilton Hyde of our branch who was one of those who volunteered and went up to redeem Zion and reinstate the saints in Jackson County, Missouri, from whence they had been expelled.
Having sold our property in Freedom, we started in the fall of 1835 to gather with the saints in Missouri. We traveled by team, passed through Kirtland, Ohio, then the headquarters of the saints, and when the Temple was nearing completion reached New Portage, 50 miles west, where we remained for the winter, there being a branch of the Church there. Father (Samuel Miles Sr.) worked at his trade as tailor, and we children attended school. We were pleasantly situated on the Ohio Canal.
My father attended the dedication of the Kirtland Temple in March, 1836. I was baptized by Solomon Warner, April, 1836. Being much of a reader for a boy of my age, my father wished me to read The Book of Mormon through, which I did at the age of 10 years, and was much interested in the history part.
My father and mother received their Patriarchal blessings under the hands of Joseph Smith Sr., who visited this branch.
We remained a short time near Richmond, all the family except mother and myself being stricken with the chills and fever, but we recovered so that we were enabled to continue our journey into the new county being occupied by the saints. Father entered 80 acres of land at the land office being mostly prairie land with several acres of good timber and pleasantly situated 2 ½ miles south of Far West. Father erected a comfortable log house so that we were prepared for winter.
My brothers, Ira and Joel, in 1837 came to make it their home and assisted father in opening up the farm. Ira joined the Church. The Prophet Joseph visited the saints here and organized them, David Whitmer being in charge as President in Far West. The following year 1838, the Prophet returned to Far West, shortly followed by most of the saints from Kirtland. Davis County adjoining Caldwell to the north, now commenced to be occupied by the saints, Adam-on-Di-Ahman being the principle town which the Prophet Joseph Smith said was the place where Adam built the altar upon which he offered sacrifice when driven out from the garden of Eden which was situated in Jackson County, Missouri.
The old settlers of Davis County now began to be jealous of our people, then increasing members in the county, and first showed itself openly at an election of officers where mob violence was exercised to prevent voting.
A place for the erection of a Temple had been selected at Far West, and excavation for the foundation made and the 4th of July, 1838, appointed as the time for the saints to meet and hold services on the site for the foundation. I attended the exercise with my parents. While on the way, I stepped on a scythe taken along to cut prairie grass for the team, and being barefoot, was partly severed in two. Father took me to the house of David Whitmer, where my foot was attended to. A crutch was improvised so that I went out and heard the Martial band, attended the services at the Temple foundation, heard the notable oration delivered by Sidney Rigdon and the words of the Prophet. I now had the privilege of going to school not being in condition to help much on the farm.
Father rented his farm and moved to a place where he rented a house one mile from Far West. He commenced to build a house in the City where he intended working at his trade. The conflict at the election in Davis County between the saints and the old settlers aroused a mobocratic spirit in the hearts of the old settlers which resulted in serious conflicts with the saints in Davis County. The mobs destroyed our crops and abused our elderly people. My brothers Ira and Joel took part with others sent from Far West to assist the brethren to resist the mob who were arrayed against them in Davis County.
The county was aroused against the saints and they were compelled to leave the County by the mob, in the early winter of 1838. Previous to this a mob had massacred a number of the saints at Haun’s Mill not far from Far West. The expelling of the saints from Davis County tended to encourage the mobocratic spirit. Hostile bands gathered in the vicinity of Far West to disperse on Crooked river threatening our settlements. A small company under the Command of David Patten was sent out. They were fired upon by the mob, the leader mortally wounded Patrick O’Banyon. These scenes made lasting impressions on my mind witnessing as I did as a boy going to the Mill on horse back, and the returning company with the dead, dying and wounded.
Our exertions to defend ourselves against the attacks of our enemies, our prosperity, and unity and religious convictions now united to stir up on the surrounding counties of the state a mobocratic spirit to such an extent Boggs the Governor was appealed to call out the militia to expel us from the state. Governor Boggs being one of the mobocratic spirit’s who were formerly arrayed against our people in Jackson County, was the rioting leader to launch forth the entire force of the state against us. The large army which had been collected to come up against us soon made their appearance. We were living a mile south of Far West on the direct line of the march. The men were all collected in the City near our home. A few nearby families were gathered together and I was the oldest boy among them when the invading army appeared in the distance.
The women sent me out to see and report what they were doing by entering houses and so on. The women having such courage to send me increased my courage. I found they were searching houses for arms and etc. I remained at the house where I was sent until the army had all passed when I returned and reported they camped in the immediate vicinity of our place. They had as a prisoner Brother Tanner who had been struck on the head by a gun inflicting a severe wound which I found Mother doing up. This large force of the state militia demanded the surrender of our leaders. Col. George M. Hinkle in command of our forces under arms to defend our rights, betrayed the Prophet and others leading men into the hands of their hostile persecutors when accompanying him for a conference with some of the Militia.
The surrender and final arrangements were made with Gen. Clark in command for our expulsion from the state. The scenes enacted by the so-called troops of the state are vividly impressed upon the minds of the saints engaged and suffering through the persecutions of our enemies.
The prophet Joseph with others was taken to their camp near our home where they whooped and exulted over his capture and condemned him by a court martial to be shot. This summary proceeding so enraged Gen. Donaphan Atchinson that they threatened to withdraw their commands from the invading army; thus the execution of the sentence was frustrated and the Prophet with many others were cast into jail at Richmond Ray County.
Many of our leading men were taken and cast into prison while we were forced to yield our possessions and promise to leave the state by the coming spring. I attended school in Far West during the winter taught by Erastus Snow and thus had the privilege of association with the young of many our prominent leaders.
As the state of Illinois offered us a refuge from our cruel persecutors the saints robbed of their property had to make their way in an inclement season to make homes as they best could.
Father preceded us to the state where he hired one of the brethren living there to come for us with a team and after much hardship endured by my mother and the children, we arrived at Quincy and found a temporary home at Lima in Adams County. Here father worked at his trade, (Samuel Miles Sr., a tailor) we obtained no compensation for our possessions in Missouri and with the body of the saints found a hospitable reception in the state of Illinois.
The Prophet Joseph and many who were incarcerated with him were removed from Richmond to Liberty Jail in Clay County. (Winter of 1838) The courts were appealed to convict them of treason and crimes but they were found innocent after being held in prison for many months. Some were discharged until the Prophet effected their escape, their enemies failing to convict them of any crime.
The saints hailed the Prophet with great joy in Quincy Illinois where many of the expelled saints were and in that vicinity. The latter end of 1839 found the Prophet and his brethren seeking a place of gathering for the exiles who were scattered in the state. Commerce on the Mississippi River in Hancock County where an opening was offered was secured by the Prophet and the brethren as a gathering place for the saints. The name changed soon to Nauvoo. The exiled saints and others who were scattered or were enroute to Missouri gathered into the place appointed and began to build up a city. I with my younger brothers and sister attended school in Lima where many of our people found temporary homes and in the vicinity.
The next entry will be about their time in Nauvoo, and Samuel Miles Jr. becoming a member of the Mormon Battalion.
Comments
This is a great tribute to read on Pioneer Day. I have been to his grave in St. George. I come through Samuel Miles's and his wife, Hannah Miranda Colburn, through their third child, Thomas Colburn.