The Mormon Menace Part 28

Brother James Pace was with me. The Prophet said that he wanted uncle Jim Pace to go with me and prepare dinner for him, and to go by my herd and take several fat kids along and have a good dinner for him by the time he got there.

Brigham's will was our pleasure. We rode night and day, and felt thankful that we were worthy the honor of serving the prophet of the Living G.o.d. The time designated for dinner was one o'clock.

The company arrived at eleven o'clock, two hours ahead of time.

The Prophet drove to Bishop Covington's house, in the block where I lived; he halted about five minutes there, instead of driving direct to my house according to previous arrangement. Then he turned his carriage around and got out with Amelia, his beloved, and went into the Bishop's house, leaving his suite standing in the street. Brigham felt his dignity trampled on because I was not present to the minute to receive him with an escort, and welcome and do homage to him upon entering the town.

As soon as I learned of his arrival I hastened to make apologies.

The Prophet heard my excuses, and said that his family and brethren, all except himself and Amelia, could go to my house to dinner; that he would not eat until about two o'clock. He then whispered to me and said:

"Cut me a chunk off the breast of the turkey, and a piece off the loin of one of the fat kids, and put some rich gravy over it, and I will eat it at 2 p. m."

At two o'clock I again made his will my pleasure, and carried his dinner to him as requested, when he did me the honor of eating it. The rest of the company went to my house and took dinner.

Among my guests that day were Bishop Hunter, Brothers John Taylor, W. Woodruff, several of the Prophet's sons and daughters, and many others.

At dinner Brother Smith and others of the twelve apostles laughed about the anger of Brigham, and said that if the Old Boss had not got miffed they would have lost the pleasure of eating the fat turkey. The party enjoyed themselves that day, and had many a laugh over the Prophet's anger robbing him of an excellent dinner.

At that time part of my family was at Was.h.i.+ngton, but I also had quite a family living at Harmony, where several of my wives were staying. The next morning the Prophet asked me if I was going to Harmony that night. I told him that I did intend going.

"I wish you would go," said he, "and prepare dinner for us."

Brigham then gave me full instructions as to what to prepare for dinner, and how he wanted his meat cooked, and said the company would be at my house in Harmony the next day at 1 o'clock, p. m.

I at once proceeded to obey his instructions. I rode to Harmony through a rain storm, and I confess I was proud of my position. I esteemed it a great honor to have the privilege of entertaining the prophet of the Lord.

My entire family in Harmony were up all night, cooking and making ready to feed and serve the Lord's anointed and his followers. I killed beeves, sheep, goats, turkeys, geese, ducks, and chickens, all of which were prepared according to instructions, and eaten by Brigham and his party next day.

Prompt to time, the Prophet and his suite and an escort on horseback came into the Fort. There were seventy-three carriages, besides the Danite escort. I entertained the entire party, giving them dinner, supper, and breakfast.

In 1858 Brigham called upon me to locate a company of cotton growers, of which Brother Joseph Ham was captain. This company was sent out by Brigham and the leading men of Salt Lake City, to test the growing of cotton on the Santa Clara and Rio Virgin bottoms. In obedience to counsel, I located the company at the mouth of the Santa Clara River, about four miles south of where St. George now stands.

In 1859 or 1860, the first trip that Brigham took from Salt Lake City to southern Utah, he went by way of Pinto, Mountain Meadows, Santa Clara, and Was.h.i.+ngton. I was at Was.h.i.+ngton, building a gristmill, some two miles west of the town, when he came along. I was sitting on a rock about thirty steps from the road. His carriage was in the lead, as was usual with him when traveling.

When he came opposite where I was sitting he halted and called me to his carriage, and bid me get in. I did so. He seemed glad to see me, and asked where I lived. I told him I lived in the same block with Bishop Covington, and that he would pa.s.s my door in going to the Bishop's. I then thought he would put up with the Bishop, and not with a private person.

In crossing the creek, on the way into town, the sand was heavy.

I was about to jump out and walk. He objected, saying:

"Sit still. You are of more value than horseflesh yet."

When we neared my residence, he said:

"Is this where you live, John?"

"It is. That is where the Bishop lives." The old man made no reply, but continued on. Then he said:

"You have a nice place here. I have a notion to stop with you."

"You are always welcome to my house," I replied.

Then he said to the company, which consisted, I think, of seventy-three carriages:

"Some of you had better scatter round among the brethren."

About half the company did so. The rest, with the Prophet, stayed at my house. The next day the whole company went on to Tokerville, twenty miles from my residence. I went with them to that place.

In the evening all went to St. George, and held a two days'

meeting. At the close of the meeting the Prophet called me to the stand, and said:

"John, I will be in New Harmony on Wednesday next. I want you to notify the Saints, and have a bowery built, and prepare for my reception."

Brother Imday was President of that place, and was at the meeting. I traveled all night, and reported the orders of the Prophet to the people. Great preparations were made for his reception. A committee of arrangements was appointed, with a committee to wait on his Honor. Also an escort of fifteen Danites was selected to accompany this committee. They went out fifteen miles, where they met the Prophet and his followers and made a report of our proceedings. He thanked them, and said:

"I am going to stop with Brother John D.," as he often called me.

"John, I am going to stop with you."

"You know you are always welcome," I said. Brigham drove to the center of the town and halted; then he said:

"John, where do you live?" I pointed across the field about half a mile.

It being his will, we went to my house, sixteen carriages going with us. Quite a number of Brigham's company had gone by Kanab, to Cedar City, to hold meetings in what settlements they would pa.s.s through. The arrangements of the committee were treated with indifference by Brigham and his party. All the company but one carriage went to my house; that one stopped at Brother James Pace's. During their stay at my house all were friendly. Brigham asked me to go with them to Cedar City, which I did.

In 1870, some time in the fall, I went from Parowan by way of Panguich, up the Severe River with Brigham, on a trip to the Pareah country. On this trip I was appointed a road commissioner, with ten men to go ahead, view out and prepare the road for Brigham and his company to travel over. While at Upper Kanab I had a private interview with him, concerning my future. Brigham said he thought I had met with opposition and hards.h.i.+ps enough to ent.i.tle me to have rest the balance of my life; that I had best leave Harmony, and settle in some good place farther south; build up a home and gather strength around me. After a while we would cross over into Arizona Territory, near the San Francisco Mountains, and there establish the order of Enoch, or United Order. We were to take a portable steam sawmill and cut lumber with which to build up the southern settlements, and I was to run the mill in connection with Bishop Stewart. This I consider an additional honor shown me by the Prophet.

From Upper Kanab I was sent across the mountains to Lower Kanab, to Bishop Stewart's, to have him carry supplies for the Prophet and company. I had to travel sixty miles without a trail, but I was glad of a chance to perform any duty that would please the Prophet. I again met the company, and went with the party to Tokerville, where I closed arrangements with Brigham about the sawmill. All was understood and agreed upon, and we parted in a very friendly manner. About two weeks after leaving Brigham and party at Tokerville, I was notified that I had been suspended from the Church because of the Mountain Meadows affair.

The following spring I visited the Prophet at St. George, and asked him why they had thus dealt with me, without allowing me a chance to speak for myself; why they had waited seventeen years and then cut me off; why I was not cut off at once, if what I had done was evil?

"I never knew the facts until lately," he said.

"Brother Brigham, you know I told the whole story to you a short time after it happened."

The reply he made was this:

"Be a man, and not a baby. I am your friend, and not your enemy.

You shall have a rehearing. Go up to the office and see Brother Erastus Snow, and arrange the time for the hearing."

We arranged the time of meeting. It was agreed that all parties interested were to be notified of the meeting, and required to be in St. George on the following Wednesday, at 2 p. m. All parties agreed to this, and after talking over the whole thing I again parted with Brigham in a very friendly manner. I went to Was.h.i.+ngton and stayed with my family there. The next morning I started for Harmony, to visit my family at that place, and make arrangements for the rehearing that was to me of the greatest consequence. I then considered that if I was cut off from the Church I might better be dead; that out of the Church I could find no joys worth living for.

Soon after I left Was.h.i.+ngton Erastus Snow, one of the twelve apostles, arrived at my house and asked for me. My family told him I had gone to Harmony to arrange for the new hearing and trial before the Church authorities. He appeared to be much disappointed at not meeting me, and told my family that Brigham had reconsidered the matter, and there would be no rehearing or investigation; that the order cutting me off from the Church would stand; that he would send a letter to me which would explain the matter, and the letter would reach Harmony about as soon as I did. On the next Tuesday night an anonymous letter was left at my house by one of the sons of Erastus Snow, with orders to hand it to me. The letter read as follows:

John Doyle Lee, of Was.h.i.+ngton:

Dear Sir: If you consult your own interest, and that of those that would be your friends, you will not press an investigation at this time, as it will only serve to implicate ones who would otherwise be your friends, and cause them to suffer with, or inform upon you. Our advice is to make yourself scarce, and keep out of the way.

There was no signature, but I knew it came from Apostle Snow, written by orders of Brigham. When I read the letter I saw that I had nothing to hope from the Church, and my grief was as great as I could bear. To add to my troubles, Brigham sent word to my wives that they were divorced from me and could leave me, if they wished to do so. This was the hardest blow I ever received in my life, for I loved my wives. As the result of Brigham's advice eleven of my wives deserted me, and have never lived with me since that time.

Afterwards I was arrested (on or about the 9th of November, 1874) and taken to Fort Cameron, in Beaver County, Utah Territory, and placed in prison there. A few days after my arrest I was visited in prison by Brothers George A. Smith, Orson Hyde, Erastus Snow, A. F. McDonald, and many other leaders of the Church. They each and all told me to stand to my integrity, and all would come right in the end.

At this time the Prophet was stopping with Bishop Murdock, in Beaver City. My wife Rachel went under cloud of night to see him and have a talk about my case. He received her with kindness, saying:

"Sister Rachel, are you standing by Brother John?"

"Yes, sir, I am," was her reply.