My Trip To The St. George Temple
Samuel Joseph
Johnson
I
was married to Cora May Allred, in the fall of 1896, on September 30. We were
married by my grandfather, Benjamin Franklin Johnson. Our first son, Joseph
Elbert, was born in Nephi, Arizona, July 31,1897.
There
were several people planning to take a trip to the St. George Temple in August.
I was very desirous to go to the House of the Lord so I commenced saving and
planning also.
I
started out in the early spring to work on the threshing machines. After
putting in seventy days in the harvest fields, the time for leaving on the trip
was drawing near, so I began to inquire of those who had made the trip before,
how much it would cost me. They said that it would cost $125. After checking my
tithing, I found that I only had $70 left. Sunday morning the Bishop asked me
if I was going with the company. I told the Bishop that if I payed my tithing,
I would not have enough money left to go.
The
Bishop said, “Joseph, pay your tithing and I promise you that your $70 will go
farther than any money you ever handled in your life.” I believed him, and I
also believed in paying tithing, so I handed over to him the tithing money. He
then gave me a receipt for the money, a Temple Recommend, and said, “Get ready
and the way will be opened for you to go.”
I
had no wagon so I set out to see if I could find someone who might have a light
wagon to sell or rent. Just two days before the company started, we had
everything ready except I had not been able to obtain a wagon. During that day,
a man drove up to my door and asked me if I knew anyone who wanted to buy or
trade a light spring wagon which was all fixed up and ready for a trip. He
said, “I have bought a new and heavier wagon so I do not need this one. I will
sell it cheap, either for cash or trade it for an animal that I can use.”
I
traded him a good work mule. The mule had only cost me $15, but it was just
what he wanted and he was glad to make the trade. We immediately began to put
the things we were going to take into the wagon and by the next morning we were
all ready to go with the company. Father let me take his young span of mules
two and three years old (Jip and Jude) to make the trip with.
We
persuaded Cora’s mother to go with us. She had five children with her,
(thirteen year old twin boys, Marlin and Milford, two small girls, Zella and
Myrtle, and a little boy, Cyril).
The
company consisted of Joseph Rogers and family, Hirum Riggs and family, Hirum
Johnson and wife, James F. Johnson (June) and wife, my mother-in-law and
family, and myself and wife
and baby. We had $70, Mother Allred had $35, June F.
had $25, Hi Riggs and Hi
Johnson had $250 to start out with.
James
F., or June as we called him, was put in as captain over the company since he
had been over the road once before. The shortest route we could take was by way
of Wickenburg, Skull Valley, and Hackberry, down the Hualpai Valley to Gold
Basin. From there on to Scandlin Ferry and Pocampockets and Pacoon, then to
Rice and St. George.
The
company left on August 1, 1898. Bishop Openshaw told us that we were not to
travel on the Sabbath Day and that we were to pray every night and morning and
ask the blessing on the food. He said if we remembered to do these things we
would have plenty to go to St. George and back.
We
traveled the first day without any trouble. The next day at noon, we pulled up
to camp by a big wash. The weather was good and we thought there would be no
harm in camping there. Cora, however, insisted that we go on and camp on the
other side of the wash. We debated what we should do and decided to move on the
other side. We just got on the other side when we heard the roaring of water
coming down the wash. We were grateful to the Lord for inspiring Cora to insist
on us moving across the wash.
While
we were watching the water rush down, a man came up to the crossing with a
cart. We all hollered to him to hurry up because there was a flood coming. He
whipped up his horse and just barely got through. The water ran over his cart
and on to where we had been just a few minutes before.
It
rained all through the afternoon as we traveled over the rolling hills. The
rain cleared just before night and the rabbits started to come out. We killed
all we needed to eat. The two Hi’s were unable to kill any rabbits. They were
so mad, they wouldn’t even take any from us.
We
traveled on and started to camp at the Hassayampa River, where a few years
before there had been a big flood which drowned a lot of people. Cora didn’t
want to camp on this side and she reminded me that it was easier to obey
council than it was to have trouble, so we pulled on to the other side of the
River. After eating supper, we all got together and sang hymns and then thanked
our Heavenly Father for the blessings of the day.
The
next day, we traveled on and camped at Wickenburg. There had been some floods
and washouts and the train was held up at Wickenburg. By this time, the two Hi’s
had decided to only pray once a day besides asking the blessing on the food.
They were better loaded and had doubled up their teams with only one wagon
between them. They did not like to take orders from the youngest one on the
company, so they decided to go on and travel by themselves.
We
left Wickenburg early in the morning and traveled via Congress Junction to Date
Creek, where we camped that night. The next morning we started early and went
via Yava and Thompson Valley to Kirkland Valley, on to Skull Valley, where we
camped at Ruddy Ranch. The others had got there earlier. While Hi Johnson and
Joe Rogers were preparing supper, Hi Riggs went to the ranch house to buy some
milk, butter, and vegetables. He paid ten cents for the milk, thirty-five cents
for the butter, and thirty-five cents a dozen for corn. While they were picking
the corn, Hi saw a big muskmelon. He asked the man what he would take for the
melon and offered him fifty cents for it. The man said it was not for sale.
When our party pulled into camp, Captain June authorized me to go and buy the
food. I picked up a ten-pound pail and started out. When I came to the door, a
lady came out and I asked her if she would sell me some milk and butter, but
she gave me the milk. Then she called to her husband who was still in the
field, to pull some corn. Then she sent me out to get it. After he loaded
me-down with all the corn I could carry, I asked him how much I owed him and he
told me that I owed him nothing. I thanked him and as I was leaving the field,
I also saw the big muskmelon. I didn’t know that he had refused to sell it to
Hi so l asked him what he would take for it. He told me to take it along to my
wife and children. I thanked him and returned to camp loaded down with eats.
When I came into camp, Hi Riggs said it looked like I had tried to buy the man
out. He asked me how much I had to pay for the muskmelon. I told him nothing
that he had given me the melon and the corn and told me that I was welcome to
it. Hi was quite mad because the man had refused to sell him the melon.
We
left camp early and drove on up through Skull Valley, passing through large
fields and cattle ranches. We went on up through Williamson Valley and camped
that night at Stevens Ranch. We traveled on up the valley to Simmons. There we
cut across to Hackberry. That afternoon we saw a herd of antelope which ran
into the cedars. We took our guns and followed them to the cedar ridges. While
following them, we saw the largest deer, I have ever seen. It had very large
horns. We made a camp on the prairie that night.
We
drove on across the Little Sandy. While coming down a deep narrow canyon, came
onto a big mad bull which was standing right in the middle of the road. We
tried to get him out of the road, but he would not move. He was getting ready
to dive into our teams, so June took his twenty-two and shot him on his horn.
That only made him madder, so I told him to shoot him in the end of his nose.
He did, and the bull turned and ran up the hill and we passed safely.
We
crossed the Big Sandy and there we filled our barrels with water. First we had
to carry rock and make a dam to back the water up so we could fill our barrels.
I picked up a big flat rock and caught my heel against another rock and went
right on over on my back with the rock on top of me. I couldn’t move so they
used me to back the water up for them. They went right on filling their barrels
while I lay there on my back and begged for help. We had a good laugh over it
and then pulled on to camp.
We
traveled on to Hackberry, then down to Hualpai Valley. At noon, we pulled our
wagons into a circle to keep the wild horses from getting our horses in with
them. After dinner, the wild horses came in, so we got our ropes and thought we
would have some fun with them. We caught two and had some fun with them. One
was a tame horse that had got mixed up with the wild bunch. We turned the wild
one loose and kept the other one for the boys to ride. We kept this horse until
later that afternoon and then turned him loose.
We
turned on until we came to a wash where there had been a flood. It was the only
green spot we could see for miles around. We decided to camp there since we
hadn’t come upon any grass during the day. The other three men had not filled
their barrels, so they said they would pull on down to Gold Basin. After
supper, the wild horses came in and we had to drive them away. When they ran
off, I waited to see if they would come back. All at once I saw a black object
coming up the trail right towards me with its head down. It looked like a big
black bear. I stumbled and grabbed my gun. I was scared and so was the burro. I
went one way, and the burro went the other. The wild horses did not bother us
anymore that night.
We
started on towards the river and after we got to Gold Basin, we inquired of the
people if there had been any wagons camped there that night. They had camped
there, but they could not get water for themselves or their animals so they
traveled on a distance of forty miles to the river. However, the people there
let us fill our canteens, and we went on rejoicing.
We
reached the river late in the afternoon. We found the others there. They had
suffered both for feed and water, and their animals were looking quite bad. It
was all because they would not obey orders, and because they had taken it upon
themselves to travel as they pleased. They would not fill their barrels when
the captain told them, but instead, ran the risk that there would be water
ahead.We traveled on up to the ferry and made arrangements to get ferried over
the river. June got out of the wagon and got into a row boat and asked if there
was anyone who would go over the river with him. Cora was the only one who
would go with him. They went over and back while we got ready to cross over in
the big ferryboat. The man who ran the ferry was not there so we had to camp at
the river. They were no grass for miles and miles, so we purchased hay from the
ferry man.
We
crossed early in the morning. On the first trip, they took all the horses over
except for a few which were left to pull the wagons onto the boat. While
crossing, the ferry man broke his oar and the boat went downstream. Just before
it struck the rapids, they got the boat into the shore. Everyone had to get out
in the water and pull in order to get the boat where we could unload the teams.
We all nearly lost our lives, when the man broke his oar, he just about went
over board, and would have if Hi Riggs hadn’t caught him just in time. The boat
had got the best of him while he was getting to his feet again, but with one
oar he, and his little boy who was running the rudder, got the boat turned
around again in time to save us from going over the rapids. We all started to
pull off our shoes and heavy clothes to prepare to swim if the boat did go over
the rapids. After that, we had no more trouble ferrying over. It cost us $3.50
for team and wagon. It was late in the afternoon by the time we all got ferried
over, and as it was a long way to water and feed, we all decided to camp there
at the ferry.
The
next morning, we started out, and had the hardest day we had on the whole trip.
We had traveled miles and miles down into the river, so after crossing the
river we had to pull all those miles up again. When we were at the river
looking up, it looked as though we were in the deep mountains, but after we
pulled out again on top, we could see Gold Basin, a stamp mill, forty miles
away.
Before
leaving the river, our captain told us all to fill our barrels with water, and
also our canteens. He said the spring we were to camp at next, might be dry and
we might have to make a dry camp. Captain June and myself filled everything we
had, but the others did not because it was a hard place to carry the water.
They took the chance that there would be water in the spring. While we were
filling our barrels, they left so they could get what water there might be, if
there wasn’t enough for all. When they reached the springs there wasn’t any
water, so they had to pull on trying to find water. They failed and finally had
to make a dry camp. When we came to the spring, we had our barrels full so we
still had plenty of water.
We
camped at our usual hour and watered our teams out of our barrels. The next
morning, we got up early and started out. We knew that it would be a long way
before we came to water. In the afternoon, we caught up with the others. They
were suffering for water. The captain gave them a good talking to for not
obeying council, and he told them that they were not obeying the council that
their Bishop had given them. They had got to where they thought one prayer a
week was enough, and the same concerning the food. They could not expect to be
blessed if they neglected the Lord. We gave them water out of our canteens, and
went on not knowing where we would find the next water. We drove on until it
was way in the afternoon and camped for the night. There was no water or grass
for the horses, so that night the teams left for water and went nearly to the
river. The two Hi’s went after the teams and the captain took the canteens and
went to see if he could find some water. The teams were found in a boulder
canyon nearly to the river. They got back with them in the afternoon, nearly
choked to death. The captain got in soon after the others with water. Everyone
took a good drink, and then hitched up and drove to water. We camped there that
night, and the next morning filled our barrels and drove on.
While
traveling, we came to a very dangerous road. The three other boys were leading
and while turning a curve in the road their wagon tipped up. The hind wheel was
hanging over a bank which was many hundred feet to the bottom. They yelled for
help and so we all ran as fast as we could to help them. Some of us got on the
brake bar, and some took a rope and fastened it to the side of the box, and all
pulled and brought the wheel back to the ground. Then we helped his wagon down
to the bottom of the hill. We then helped the others down. While they were
helping June take his down, I tightened my near mule’s stay chain and followed
them right down and had no trouble at all. After we got down, we found that
there were a great many wagons that had gone over right where Hi’s wagon came
so close to going over. It was a terrible sight to see so many wagons all broke
to pieces. I feel as though it was through the mercy of our Heavenly Father
that we made it all right. We had remembered our night and morning prayers
since we left, and the blessings of the Lord were with us. The others did not
have time to pray, unless they were choking to death or in trouble.
We
pulled on until we came to water and then we camped for the night. After supper
was over, we gathered around the campfire and sang hymns and praised the Lord
for sparing our lives through the day. The other boys would never join us in
prayer, but their wives would come and join us.
We
traveled on all that day without anything to harm us or to cause us any
trouble. We camped at Topock that night, but found that the water was not good
for our teams because it had too much alkali in it. The next day we pulled on
to Pacoon. The feed was very poor, there was nothing but sage brush to eat. We
had a hard time finding water and grass from then on.
The
next day about one o’clock a big red ant got on me and stung me. I gave the
lines to Cora and jumped out of the wagon. There was no place I could see to
hide to pull off my pants to get the ant out. There was a small knoll off a
little ways so I made for it and every few minutes the ant would sting me
again. I just yelled and ran the harder until I finally reached the knoll where
I pulled down my pants and got Mr. Ant. We had a big laugh over it, but I was
the goat from then on.
That
night we camped in the cedars. It looked like rain, so we got a lot of wood and
built a big fire. After supper, as usual, we sang songs and had our prayers.
The
next day we traveled through the Ute country. We traveled until it was late
because there wasn’t any water for about forty miles, as far as the captain
knew.
As
we were traveling along through a little valley, we met two Indians. They told
the captain that there was a spring off from the road about two miles, after
that the next water was about forty miles away. The captain turned around in
his seat and asked me if I heard what the Indians had said. I said I had. The
Indians were dressed in new suits of buckskin which were trimmed with beads. I
looked to see what kind of Indians they were, but found they were gone. I asked
Hi which way the Indians went, but he said that he had not seen any Indians. We
went where the Indians told us to go and found a little spring under a rock
where no one would ever think to look for water.
The
other boys told us they were going to beat us to St. George, so they did not
stop to water their teams. They drove on and left us filling our barrels. We
went on and made camp, then got up early and started out and soon passed the
others. They were just hitching up to start. At noon, they passed us and asked
June if he had any water, but he told them he had turned it out on the ground.
He told them this so they would not camp with us.
We
camped at Rice and were so dirty, we went down to the river to wash. I dove
into a hole that was made by seepage, but it was so cold, it froze me stiff. I
was just barely able to paddle back to the boat. After we had our bath, we went
to our teams and got our supper and all went to bed early as we were all tired.
The next morning, we got up early and started out and beat the others into St.
George.
We
got a camping place close to the Temple and hired a stable for Jip and Jude
(our mules) to stay in and eat good hay. We then went through the Temple. We
did work in the Temple during the balance of the week.
We
fixed up our wagons and shod our animals and got ready to start on our return
trip home. We decided that the longest way home was the quickest way, so we
decided to go back by way of the Virgin River and cross on the Manilla Ferry.
There was more water and feed on that route also, and our teams had suffered
for both on the way coming.
We
started home on Monday, and went up the Santa Clara River and around the
mountain down to the Beaver Dam on the Virgin River. We then traveled down the
Virgin River to Bunkerville. During this time, we crossed the Virgin River
eighty times. We camped at Brother Bunkers’ for the night.
The
people in Bunkerville had to haul water from the mountains, which were about
seven miles away. The river water was not good for drinking because it was
muddy all the time.
The
next day, we pulled down the river. Hi Riggs decided to go duck hunting. He
took his gun and went down the river. It was several hours before we saw him
again. The wind had been blowing quite hard and it had blown sand over a marshy
place so Hi did not see it and he walked right into this marshy place up to his
chin. He wallowed around until finally he got out. Then he took a stick and
scraped himself off as best he could. When he got back to camp he was all muddy
and tired out and from then he had no desire to go duck hunting.
As
we traveled along, we could see knolls which were about 75 to 100 feet high.
They were very difficult to climb. We would take a step and slide down again.
When we did reach the tops, we found they were so narrow we could hardly stay
on top of the ridge. It was isinglass.
We
traveled down the Virgin River from the Beaver Dam to Manilla Ferry. Just
before we came to Manilla Ferry, we came to a big mountain of salt. By the time
we arrived at the Ferry, the others were just about out of money. We had to buy
hay for our teams and help to pay for the hay and feed for the others. The wind
was blowing to hard for the ferry to take us across, so we camped for the
night. That night, June and I got in a boat and went up the river. We could see
big logs and driftwood lodged in the cliffs of the canyon about 100 feet above
us where the water once had been.
The
next morning we crossed onto the other side. White Hills was about forty miles
away, so we had to stay over the rest of that day. We pulled out that night and
traveled all night to get to the White Hills. We camped at While Hills about
daylight. We rested there and fed our teams and got something to eat. In the
afternoon, we pulled on. The Hi’s decided to take a cut off through the hills,
because of this they found no water and their teams nearly choked to death. We
kept the main road and were able to get water and feed all the way.
They
got to Kingman a day ahead of us, but waited for us. We camped there that night
and bought hay and grain to take with us. We also helped buy hay and grain for
the other two boys.
The
next morning we started towards Prescott. We came by way of Rockfort and Oaks
and Willows. The Hi’s decided to go on and leave us so it was a day or two
before we saw them again. When we caught up with them, June suggested that we
camp by a big blockade corral where we could have protection from wind. The
others didn’t like the looks of the place, so they traveled on. When we were
getting ready to leave, the man of the ranch came riding up and asked us if we
were in a hurry. He said he would have a beef killed in about an hour and he
would give us a quarter if we would wait. They soon killed the beef and gave us
a quarter of it and the liver. We thanked them for it and drove on. We camped
that night at Oaks and Willows and surely had a fine meal. We got out our bake
ovens, got them good and hot, and filled them with good steaks. We ate all we
wanted and then thanked the Lord for all his kindness to us through the past
day, and for the beef we had been given by the rancher.
The
next day being Sunday we did not travel, but instead we rested our teams and
sang songs. During the day, we visited the grave of the son of Dan Jones. The
story of his death is as
follows: A train of emigrants were coming from Utah on their way to California.
There was a smart fellow with them who said that he was going to kill the first
Indian he saw on the trip. At Oaks and Willows this company camped. This young
man, Mr. Jones, was asked to take the stock out to feed. While he was gone, an
Indian came into camp with a bow and arrow. While he was standing there looking
at the people, this smart fellow saw him and pulled his gun on him and shot.
The Indian fell to the ground as though he was dead. When Mr. Jones came in
from feeding the stock, they told him what had happened. He went to see the
Indian, and while he was standing over the Indian, feeling bad about what had
happened, the Indian looked up and saw him and shot him in the heart with his
bow and arrow. Later, some of the Indians came into the camp and demanded the
fellow who had killed the Indian. They took him and skinned him alive.
The
night before, we had camped at an old government fort. We had camped a little
earlier than usual. There wasn’t any grass close by, so we took our teams back
on the hills, which were about a mile away. The usual custom for June and I was
to take turns taking the teams off for feed. We usually took one of the twins
with us to help with the hobbling of the horses. That night it was mine and
Marlin’s turn to go. When the sun went down some dogs began to bark and some
Indians came out of their wickiups and came over to us and asked us to leave.
They were there to watch the barn to see that no one stole anything. They
talked in Hualpai so we couldn’t understand them. I talked back to them in
Spanish and one of them was able to understand Spanish, so we soon made friends
with them. We traded some flour and bacon for some pine-nuts and prickly pears.
We had no trouble during the night with the Indians.
The
next morning, very early, we heard the bells jingling and knew the horses were
going back on the road. Marlin and I jumped up and started after them. They
were going so fast that at first we thought the Indians were driving them off.
There was a high fence around the water with some cattle lying by the fence.
While we were running around the fence we scared the cattle and they jumped up
and ran off. We were running as fast as we could and all of a sudden, when we
came around a corner of the fence, we ran right into a wire that was stretched
across to keep the post from pulling up. We struck this wire and over we went
onto our backs. We got up as fast as we could and started off again after the
teams. In the dark, we ran right up against a big steer that was standing there
asleep with his head nearly to the ground and his legs all sprawled out. When
we ran into him, he jumped and fell down, then got up and ran one way and we
ran the other. We then heard a coyote howl and another answer him from a
different direction. Then the coyotes started to gather and follow us. They
kept coming until there was quite a big pack of them. They kept coming nearer
and nearer and howling. It seemed like to us that there were thousands of them.
We ran just as fast as we could toward the horses, but the coyotes kept on
following us and every little while they would let out a howl. When we finally
reached the horses, the coyotes were only about fifty feet away. I put Marlin
on the horse and unhobbled the other horses and jumped on one. The coyotes were
running around the horses, but one of my mules, Jude, kept kicking at them and
that kept them away from me. I was surely a scared boy at that time. By this
time, it was light enough to see the coyotes. They set up a terrible howl as we
started the horses off. They followed us for about a mile, and then began to
thin out and go back to the hills. We got to camp just as the sun was coming
up. We then traveled on to Oaks and Willows.
Sunday
morning we could see the smoke of the other fellows’ fire. However, they pulled
on down to Walnut Creek. Since it was Sunday we camped and layed over.
By
this time, the teams of the other fellows were getting very poor because they
had gone so much without water and feed. Then the fellows got to quarreling
that the other one made his team pull the most when the other one drove. They
quarreled the rest of the way and had hard feelings toward each other.
It
was quite stormy that night, so the man at the ranch advised us to go on down
the mountain to Walnut Creek where we could get shelter and feed for the teams.
We pulled on down to Walnut Creek and camped there with the others. They had
bought milk and apples from the people at the ranch, but when we got there the
fellow at the ranch gave us a bucket of apples and a pail of milk for nothing.
The others were surely mad.
By
the time we caught up with the other boys at Walnut Creek, the meat we had been
given a couple of days before was almost gone. All we could give them was a few
soup bones. This made them feel quite bad that they had not stayed with us instead
of going against council by traveling on Sunday, et cetera.
We
left Walnut Creek and camped next at Pinion Ridge, where we gathered pine nuts
and roasted them over the campfire so that they would open up enough that we
could get them out of the cones to eat.
Because
the two Hi’s were having trouble between themselves over their teams, they made
a rule that one would walk and drive his team on lead half of the day and then
the other would put his on lead and walk the rest of the day. Then at night,
they sat and quarreled about it.
When
the Hi’s pulled into Peach Springs the man there charged them five cents a head
to water their horses. While watering their horses, they saw some peaches and
since they had a little money left, they asked the man to sell them a few,
which the man did. Hi Riggs put the peaches in the crown of his hat. They soon
pulled out. While we were watering our horses, I talked to the man and told him
what a fine place and orchard he had. He said to send the children over with
the two gallon cans we had and he would let them fill them with peaches. When
we caught up with the others, we began to throw peaches at them. Pretty soon Hi
Riggs came over to see how many peached we had. When he saw that we had one
hundred pounds or more, he was quite mad. They had charged him twenty-five
cents for about two dozen.
When
we reached Prescott, we pulled into the O.K. Fred Stables and camped there for
the night. The next morning, Hi Riggs came to me and wanted to put his team on
my wagon and asked if he and his wife, Effie, could ride with us the rest of
the way home. I told him that he and Hi Johnson should settle up their affairs
and get together and be friends again. He thought and talked things over and
soon made up again. We had to get their groceries, hay, and grain for them to
take to Mesa. We stopped in at the post office and were surprised to find $5
there for me from my mother.
We
left Prescott that afternoon, and camped that night at Lynch Creek. On our way
out, there was a man hauling fast freight who came up behind Hi and asked him
to turn out and give him the road. Hi went right on and paid no attention to
the man. As soon as there was an opening, the man drove around him over the
rocks, et cetera. When he came up to us he asked us to move and so as soon as
we could, we drove over so he could get by. When he went by, I saw something
spilling out of his wagon. I told him and he stopped to see what it was. While
he was looking I held my hat under it and caught it full and June caught some
in his hat. It was sugar, the man said we could keep it for telling him about
it and letting him pass.
We
went on through Dewey, Humboldt, and Mayer where we camped all night and bought
hay for the teams. The next morning we traveled on over Antelope Hill, and down
Black Canyon to where we camped at New River.
The
next morning we filled our barrels with water because we had a long desert to
cross and we knew we would have to make a dry camp that night. We camped at
Half Way House and turned our teams out in a big alfalfa pasture where they got
all they wanted to eat. The Hi’s left us at New River and we didn’t see them
any more until we got home. They went on clear through to home and got in about
daylight the next morning. They were all tired out, and their teams were nearly
dead on their feet. Our teams were still in good shape. I believe we could have
traveled a long ways yet as far as our teams were concerned. The other two
fellows weren’t able to use their teams anymore that winter. They had to put
them in a pasture for the winter. One of their horses also died that winter.
I
have told as near as possible to show that the Lord will bless us if we will
but only follow the council of the leaders he had put over us. We were blessed
all the way through only because we tried to do what we had been asked to do.
A Heavenly Manifestation
I
am writing this at the request of my children, and I hope that it may be a
testimony to all who may read it. This happened at Nephi, Arizona, in the year
1897. I was married September 30, 1896, and lived on Father’s farm in a small
lumber house. I had been working with my father on the farm. (My sister Wilmirth
had died some six months previous, and I was very sad and lonely). My name had
been sent in with a lot of other names and I expected a call on a mission. As I
lay in my bed this particular night I was worried and didn’t know just what to
do. I finally dropped off into a deep sleep, when I was awakened by my sister
Wilmirth. She asked me to come along with her. I immediately replied I can’t
go. Take Laura Collins. She was one of our childhood playmates, and very
nearest friend. She replied, “No, you must go with me.” I got up, dressed and
took a good look at my wife supposing that it would be my last look at her and
our only baby. I followed as she led me. It was a bright moonlight night and as
we passed along the lane I could see the shadows of the trees, also, I noticed
the horses and my favorite cow. They were all feeding in the pasture. My sister
recognized the horses and cows and called them by name. After we left the lane
it began to get darker and darker till it seemed we were in a narrow trail of
darkness walled in on each side as if cliffs of rocks.
We
traveled for some time going westward all the time. Then I saw a light in the
far distance. It looked like a small electric light. I asked her what it
represented and she said it was a light on the east gate of the city. As we
drew near, it got brighter and brighter till the whole city was illuminated. It
was so bright that I could not see until my eyes became adjusted to its
brightness. As we neared the gates, sister spoke to a man that sat near the
gates, and they opened, and we passed into the city. The first thing that I saw
was a large building similar to a temple, and then another large building
similar to a tabernacle. There were lots of people going in and out. She told
me they were places of worship. As we walked on around the block there were
other large buildings that looked like hotels or rooming houses. Back of these
buildings were large play grounds, with hundreds of children playing. They were
playing in groups and each was supervised by two or three teachers. I inquired
what they were doing and she informed me that it represented the religion class
work. Then she explained to me that they taught those children the principals
of the gospel, and all about the Savior. They also taught them songs which they
all learned from memory, as they sang and there were no books whatever. Here
she informed me that religion class work would be established here and that I
would be called to teach and receive a certificate to officiate in the work.
(In December of 1902, I was called to teach and was given a certificate signed
by Anthony H. Lund, Rudger Clawson, and Joseph M. Tanner).
There
was a group playing near by us, and one left the group and ran toward us. My
sister Wilmirth told her to go back and that she would join them in a little
while. After thoroughly explaining the religion class work to me, we went on
around the block. The next three streets contained only dwelling houses. The
sidewalks were paved, and lined with beautiful trees. The entire city was
beautiful. People were hurrying to and from the buildings. I saw people whom I
had known in life, and thinking they would be interested in knowing something
about their families, I stopped and spoke to them. Their only reply was, “We
are very busy just now,” and went on. I inquired of Wilmirth why they would not
speak with me. She said, “They are preparing the house and decorating it, for
on the morrow they would have visitors and a large congregation would gather
there.” I asked her a great many questions which she answered readily. During
the conversation she said to me, “Brother, you have a special assignment given
you to do. You will have a large family of boys and your job is to preach the
Gospel to the nations of the earth and to help build up Zion” and as I stood
looking at the throng I noticed they were all dressed nearly alike in white
sailor suits with caps. They all seemed to be happy with smiling faces. I was
greatly surprised when she told me of my assignment for up to then I thought
the religion class work was my assignment. All this time, we were walking
around viewing the city. There were no signs, no hitching posts, no parking
places for automobiles, no garbage cans. There were lots of beautiful flowers
everywhere.
Presently
she said it’s time to go now. I will take you home, and you must remember all I
have told you. Then we started toward the east gate. As we approached the gate
we stopped again and she spoke to the gentleman that sat near the gate. The
gate opened and we walked out into the darkness and over the same trail. As we
neared home, we could see clearly the moon was sinking in the west and our
shadows were in front of the lane. The old cow was feeding near by and followed
us along the lane to the cross fence. I figured we had been gone about two
hours judging from the distance the horses had advanced in their feeding.
As
we neared the house I could see the shadows of the trees and all was quiet. We
went in and she kissed me then she disappeared. I went right out and looked up
and down the lane thinking that I might see here but she was gone.
The
next morning, I told Father all that I had seen and done, and that day I also
learned that Miss Collins had died the night before and that her funeral would
be the next day. Now I knew that all my sister had told me was true.
At
the next conference in Mesa, I was present as usual and to my great surprise
and satisfaction, Elder Carl G. Maiser arose and said, “I have come for the
sole purpose of organizing religion classes.” This is being done in all wards
and stakes of the church from Mexico to Canada. He explained the work and then
asked that it be started in all wards of the Maricopa Stake. As I sat there
with tears in my eyes, I realized in part the great responsibility that had
been put upon my shoulders. Since that time I have tried in my weak way to
fulfill those obligations. “I received the license that Wilmirth had told me of
and I taught in the religion classes as had been promised.
With
the help of the Lord I and my family to date have spent over 29 years in the
mission field and many hundreds have been led to rejoice in the Gospel as
proclaimed by each of the
family as his turn came to do his part in the mission field.
I
want to leave my testimony with you that I do know this is the True Church of
Jesus Christ and that Jesus is the Christ the savior of the world and he has
said, “I the Lord am bound when you do what I say, but when you do not what I
say, ye have no promise.”
Sincerely,
Samuel
Joseph Johnson
Mesa,
Arizona 1947
The Great Hail Storm
By Sixtus E.
Johnson
David,
a son of George D. Wilson and Mary Ellen Johnson, married Julia D. Johnson, a
cousin, daughter of Uncle Benjamin Johnson. They moved to Mexico where Julia
died. David married a second wife, Adelia Cox and moved back to Hinsdale where
he died and was buried beside his father. His wife, Adelia Cox Wilson lives in
Hurricane.
Grandfather
Joel Hills Johnson and Uncle George D. Wilson built a water powered sawmill at
Hillsdale on the Sevier River. Later, Grandfather sold his interest to George
W. Wilson. This latter man had great faith. Many the time I’ve thrilled to his
wonderful and many testimonies regarding the power of the priesthood and the
greatness of the Prophet Joseph whom he knew intimately. On one occasion Uncle
George D. stood forth in the face of a storm and commanded it to pass over
without harming his crops. I am the only one of seven witnesses to that
wonderful event living. Several have asked if I would not write it up for the
Informer so here it is if you care to read it.
To
us who saw it, it always was known as THE MIRACLE OF THE GREAT HAIL STORM OF
JULY 29, 1880. It happened on my birthday.
Beause
of the teachings of my father, Seth Johnson, son of Joel Hills Johnson, I
firmly believed that almost nothing was impossible to accomplish through the
power of the priesthood used by a righteous man. George D. Wilson was a
righteous man, and on this my eighth birthday, I was priviledged to see for the
first time in my life, an exhibition of the marvelous power of the priesthood
in action.
The
mill shed and house on Uncle George D. Wilson’s farm were at the south end of
his land. A large black cloud came up from behind the hills and started moving
directly for the town and its surrounding farms. It looked as if Uncle George
D.’s farm would be right in the middle of the storm’s fury. For fury it had.
There was thunder and lightning and the roar of hail.
The
women folks came to the doors of the houses, some of them crying and wringing
their hands. Destruction of their crops and gardens seemed certain and this
would mean mighty limited rations for a whole year. Uncle George D. stepped out
from the mill shed as the hail began to spatter on the roof. He didn’t say
anything to anybody, but stood there gazing at the beautiful garden and green
wheat field. Suddenly he started walking east toward the road that led from
Panguitch to Kanab. The scattered hail stones, heralds of the oncoming storm,
were bouncing off anything they hit including my cloth cap covered head and
bare feet.
Instinct
told me I ought to seek shelter, but something else seemed to be urging me to
follow Uncle George D. which I did. I followed so close to him that I heard him
above the roar of the storm as it broke near us.
”Father
in Heaven,” he was saying, “don’t let this storm destroy our crops, Father,
Thou didst not lead us from our enemies in Illinois to starve in this western
desert.”
Suddenly
he stood still facing the storm. Lifting his hand he almost seemed to be
defying it. “Storm,” he cried, “I command you through the power of the
Priesthood which I hold, and in the name of Jesus Christ, not to destroy my
crop.”
The
storm was on us, but he seemed to have tossed any worries or doubts that might
have been lurking within him into the face of the fury. He turned solemnly and
majestically back to the mill shed. I followed not so solemnly or majestically
back with him.
Inside
the shed was his son David, about my age. The storm lasted about half an hour.
When it had passed it left the whole valley white with hail. David and I
started out from the shed but turned back, hail two to six inches deep was too
much to bare feet. Suddenly we became aware that there was bare ground just
through Uncle George D.’s fence, we crawled through. There was no hail on the
garden or on the wheat field, but plenty of hail was piled along his fence
which extended half a mile. It was as if the fence was an impassable barrier
beyond which no hail could go. I was surprised then and puzzled, but many times
since I have stood on that ground almost in awe as I fully really realized that
there was a miracle had happened and I had been a witness.
Sixtus
E. Johnson, son of Seth. Nephew-in-law to George D. Wilson.
Zeke Johnson Story
Son of Joel
Hills Johnson
[Dear
Grandchildren, I am going to include a story written by a son of Joel Hills
Johnson. He was a noted guide for scientific explorers in Utah and surrounding
country. He and the Lord, saved some of them from dying of thirst, etc. I have
hesitated to include this in my jargon of stories and events because this is a
sacred miracle. The church has known of this for over 60 years. I remember
seeing it printed in the Era once. It may have been used other places but it is
sacred and not blared in every speech or conference. It is absolutely true,
Zekes’ word was his bond. I hope some jackass descendant dosen’t some day begin
showing their great knowledge on a mission or in school or college, of course
people would take it for ignorance. So far as I know this is the only view such
as this ever seen by me. If it was after Christ came forth there is no record
of details.]
Experience
of Zeke Johnson-85 years old in 1954, that I had in 1908-09 in San Juan County,
Utah.
I
was just making a home in Blanding, the whole country there was covered with
trees and sagebrush. I was working hard to clear the land to plant a few acres
of corn. We had five acres cleared and started to plant corn. My little boy Roy
7 or 8 was there to help me plant. I’d plough around the piece and then he’d
drop the corn and I’d plough and cover it up. When I made the next furrow he’d
plant again. While I was ploughing on the piece, I discovered evidence of an
ancient house there. As I ploughed one round, I discovered that the plough had
turned out the skeleton of a small child. The skull and back bone, most of the
bones had rotted and gone. A part of the skeleton was there. I had just passed
it a little so I stopped to look, my back against the plough handles. As I was
looking at the little skeleton and wondering, all of a sudden to my surprise, I
saw the bones begin to wiggle and change positions and to take on different
color and within a minute, there lay a beautiful little skeleton. It was
perfect. Then I saw the inner part of the body coming in, the entrails, etc. I
saw the flesh covering the body, when the inner parts were all in, the skin
covered the body, about a half minute after it was complete, then a beautiful
head of hair adorned its head. Then a beautiful crystal decoration appeared in
its beautiful combed hair. It was parted on the side. In about half minute
after the hair was on, the child raised up on her feet. She had been lying a
little on her side with her back to me, because of this I wasn’t able to
determine the sex of the child, but as she raised up, a beautiful robe came
down over her left shoulder and I saw it must be a girl. She looked at me and I
looked at her smiling for a few seconds. Then in my delight to get hold of her,
I said, “Oh, you beautiful child.” I reached out as if to embrace her and she
disappeared. That was all I saw. My little boy was at the other end of the
furrow, wondering why I stopped. I stood wondering and thinking for a few
minutes. Now I couldn’t tell that story to anyone, because it was so mysterious
to me. Why should I have such a miraculous experience? I couldn’t figure such a
human being in such a condition, as to plough that little body out and see it
come alive. A body of a child 5 to 7 years old.
I
couldn’t tell that story to anyone, until I finally met Stake Patriarch, Wayne
H. Red. He stopped me on the street and said, “Zeke, you have had an experience
on this mesa that you won’t tell, “I want you to tell it to me.” Well I told it
to him. Then he had me tell it to other friends, and since then I have related
it in 4 temples, fast meetings and socials and conferences. I wondered about it.
It worried me for years as to why I was allowed to see it. A common man like
me, un-educated, why was I, just a common man, allowed to see such a marvelous
manifestation of Gods power? One day, I was taking my hoe to hoe some corn,
something said, “Stop in the shade of that tree and rest a little.” This just
came to me and I thought I would. I stopped and this was given to me...I prayed
incessantly for an answer as to why I was privileged to see that resurrection.
I was told why. When the child was buried there, it was in time of war, or it
was winter and the ground was too frozen to dig. No tools for a deep grave,
they just planted that little body as deep as they could under the
circumstances. The sorrowing mother knew it was such a shallow grave, she cried
out to those around, “that shallow grave, the first beasts around will smell
it, dig her up and scatter her to the four winds, etc.” A Nephite or Jaredite
holding the priesthood, said, “When ever that body is uncovered or disturbed,
the Lord will raise her up and she will live.”
Since
then I have taken great comfort, cheer and consolation, no words to express it,
that it was I who uncovered that little body and saw so great a miracle. I just
can’t tell this without crying.
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