The World of Joseph Fielding: Chapter 27 List of Supplies Needed for Those Leaving Nauvoo During e October 1845 conference, e apostles distributed a list of necessary supplies in regard to e outfitting of families for emigration west of e mountains.... 1 Each family consisting of five adults, will require 1 good strong wagon, well covered. 3 good yokes of oxen between e ages of four and ten. Two or more cows. One or more good beeves, some sheep if ey have em. One ousand pounds of flour or oer bread stuff and good sacks to put it in. One bushel of beans. One hundred pounds of sugar. One good musket or rifle to each man. One pound of powder and ree lbs. lead (or perhaps more). Two lbs. tea, 5 lbs. coffee. Twenty-five pounds of salt. A few pounds of dried beef, or bacon, as ey choose. A good tent and furniture to each two families. From ten to fifty pounds of seed to a family. And from twenty-five to one hundred pounds of farming or oer tools. Cloing and bedding to each family of five persons not to exceed five hundred pounds. One or more sets of saw and gristmill irons to each company of one hundred families. Cooking utensils to consist of a bake-kettle, frying-pan, coffee pot, tin cups, plates, and forks, spoons, pans, etc., etc., as few as will do. A few goods to trade wi e Indians. A little iron and steel, a few pounds of nails. Each wagon supposed to be loaded on e start wi one ton wiout e persons or twenty-eight hundred including em. If going to e coast it is not necessary to carry seed wheat, oats or grass. Nor are cattle and sheep absolutely necessary except to live on while upon e journey, as e country abounds in bo cattle and sheep. A few horses will be necessary for each company. Also a few cannon and ammunition for e same. The journey to e coast will require some four or five mons, being upwards of two ousand miles. There was also added two sets of pulley blocks and rope for crossing rivers to each company. Two ferry boats to each company. One keg of alcohol of five gallons for each two families. Ten pounds of dried apples for each family. Five pounds of dried peaches. Twenty pounds of dried pumpkin. Two pounds of black pepper. One pound of cayenne. One-half pound mustard. Twelve nutmegs. One fish seine for each company. Hooks and lines for each family. -428-
After e conference, President Young wrote a letter to all e members of e Church in America, including ose on e east coast, in Canada, and in e souern states: We erefore invite e saints abroad generally so to arrange eir affairs as to come wi eir families in sufficient time to receive eir endowments and aid in giving e last finish to e House of e Lord previous to e great emigration of e church in e spring....therefore, dispose of your properties and inheritance, and interests [in trade] for available means, such as money, wagons, oxen, cows, mules, and a few good horses adapted to journeying and scanty feed. Also for durable fabrics suitable for apparel and tents; and some oer necessary articles of merchandise. Wake up, wake up, dear breren, we exhort you, from e Mississippi to e Atlantic, and from Canada to Florida, to e present glorious emergency in which e God of heaven has placed you to prove your fai by your works, preparatory to a rich endowment in e Temple of e Lord, and e obtaining of promises and deliverances.... 2 Joseph Fielding is Appointed to be a Captain of Hundred Before e week of conference was over, e Twelve appointed twenty-five captains of hundreds, organized in companies as ey prepared to leave Nauvoo. Joseph Fielding was appointed captain of e 9 company. Oer captains included Charles C. Rich, counselor to John Smi in e Nauvoo stake presidency, Jedediah M. Grant, who would later serve as mayor of Salt Lake City, and Erastus Snow, who had spent e last few years on missions and would later be called to e Quorum of e Twelve. 3 After a meeting wi e seventies shortly after e conference ended, Brigham Young wrote: There seems to be no disposition abroad but to massacre e whole body of is people, and noing but e power of God can save us from e cruel ravages of e bloodirsty mob. We concluded to plead wi our heavenly Faer to preserve his people, and e lives of his servants, at e saints may finish e Temple and receive eir endowments. 4 Prophecy of Joseph Smi In 1832, Joseph Smi had prophesied e outbreak of e Civil War: Verily, us sai e Lord concerning e wars at will shortly come to pass, beginning at e rebellion of Sou Carolina, which will eventually terminate in e dea and misery of many souls.... For behold, e Souern States shall be divided against e Norern 5 States.... As e LDS members of e Church prepared to leave Illinois, ey little suspected at wiin fifteen years, over 250,000 troops from Illinois alone would be called to serve in e Union Army. Only New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio sent more men to battle fronts. Over irty-ousand Illinois soldiers would die, second to New York State, which had a casualty rate of almost forty 6 ousand. Missouri would lose over twelve ousand soldiers. -429-
Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston, who in 1857 would lead Federal troops west in e ill-fated Utah War, would die during e Civil War while leading Confederate troops. Orson Pratt Encourages e Saints to Leave e East In e meantime, Orson Pratt, who had been directing e affairs of e Eastern States Mission along wi his broer Parley during is period, prepared to depart New York City and return to Nauvoo before emigrating west. As Orson left e east coast, he wrote a letter to e saints in his mission, telling em to no longer procrastinate selling eir properties. New York member Samuel Orson Pratt Samuel Brannan Brannan, wi e blessing of Brigham Young, was in e process of chartering a ship which would leave New York and sail around Cape Horn to California, a journey of six mons. The intent was to meet Brigham Young and his company in e Great Basin at e end of 1846. Orson encouraged ose who weren t heading on to Nauvoo to sail wi Broer Brannan. He wrote: Breren, awake! be determined to get out from is evil nation next spring. We do not 7 want e saints to be left in e United States after at time. Amidst tremendous persecution, and while working to complete e temple and prepare e twenty-five emigrating companies to depart in e spring, Willard Richards and Brigham Young visited Stephen Markham. President Young wrote at when ey arrived: [Broer Markham] was cutting and sawing wagon spokes at his place in e woods. We helped him to cut and saw a while, and en took his rifle and shot at a mark. Wi my second shot I cut e pin at fastened e two-inch paper mark to a tree. 8 During e mon of November, Joseph Fielding s good friend, e patriarch Peter Melling, died 9 at e age of fifty-seven. Peter s son John was still in Preston but would later emigrate. The Companies Build Wagons and Meet Often wi Brigham Young During e mon of November President Young called e various companies organized under eir captains to meet wi him on e temple grounds where ey received appropriate instructions. By e end of e mon, President Young recorded at over ree ousand families were organized, fifteen hundred wagons had been built or procured, and anoer eighteen hundred wagons were in e process of being constructed. Each company had established eir own wagon shops which were comprised of local carpenters. Those not skilled enough to build -430-
wagons felled trees for lumber and en dried e wood in kilns so it could be used immediately. President Young wrote, Blacksmis are at work night and day and all hands are busily engaged getting ready for our departure westward as soon as possible. 10 Nauvoo Temple is Officially Dedicated In late 1845, e top floor of e temple was dedicated in preparation for ordinances. Persecution intensified, and e pages of e History of e Church for is year are filled wi accounts of tragedy and sorrow, wi e murderers of innocent saints being acquitted wiout trial. Crops, barns and homes were burned wi no interference from local officials, and federal marshals walked e streets of Nauvoo looking for Church leaders to arrest. Theodore Turley was arrested, is time on a charge of counterfeiting. After spending a mon in jail, a sympaetic judge recognized e charge was based on persecution and 11 released him. On Sunday e 30 of November, 1845, Brigham Young, e apostles and oer church leaders dedicated e top floor of e temple. John Taylor sang A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief. Heber C. Kimball prayed at e Lord would hear and answer e prayers of his servant Brigham, and break off e yoke of our enemies. During is meeting, e man guarding e doors of e temple informed e breren at two officers were waiting to arrest President Young. Brigham informed e guard at it was plenty 12 warm enough inside e temple and he would be happy to wait out e marshals. Apostles Prepare to Administer Temple Ordinances On e last Saturday in November, Brigham Young and oers met in e temple to place carpet on e main floor and in e attic. For two weeks, President Young, e apostles and some of eir wives worked in e temple, readying it for ordinances. They laid floor-coverings in some of e rooms, hung curtains and made oer arrangements once e painting was complete. On Wednesday, December 10, several leaders of e Church, a few of eir wives, and oer women began eir service as temple workers. This was e beginning of a vast work which would be accomplished in a very short time. Joseph Fielding, Mary Fielding Smi and Mercy Rachel Fielding Thompson were present in e temple on at first day, as were John and Leonora Taylor, Heber C. Kimball and Vilate, and Agnes Smi, e window of Don Carlos Smi. They worked at night and ree hours into e next morning. The following day Lucy Mack Smi and Mercy Fielding Thompson received eir 13 endowments. Hannah Greenwood Fielding and Joseph Fielding received eir endowments on -431- Theodore Turley was jailed in bo England and Illinois.
14 December 12. Joseph Fielding wrote: On e 5 I entered [e temple] for e first time and truly felt as ough I had gotten out of e World; and on Friday, e 12 I and my Wife received our Endowment, having formerly received it in e Days of Joseph and Hyrum, but it is now given in a more perfect Manner because of better Convenience. The 12 are very strict in attending to e true and proper form. 15 Brigham Young and oers officiated in e temple until midnight over e next several days. Orson Pratt returned from his mission in e east, bringing wi him several hundred dollars wor of pistols. He and his wife, along wi many of e Seventy and eir wives, received eir endowments. The following week President Young and oers worked to administer e ordinances to numerous people, often remaining in e temple until e early hours of e following morning. 16 Joseph Fielding wrote at Mercy is regularly employed ere washing, etc. Mercy wrote: I remained wi my sister until e Temple was finished so far at e ordinances of e holy priesood could be administered ere, when I was called by President Young to take up abode ere to assist in e female department, which I did laboring night and day, 17 keeping my child wi me. My beloved friend moer Granger staying ere also. On my return I commenced making preparation for e journey west. I remained in Nauvoo until September, when I wi my sister and family, crossed e Mississippi River a day or two before e mob commenced firing on e city. 18 Mara Ann Smi, e young daughter of Mary Fielding Smi would later remember: I went wi my moer every day for ree weeks while she worked in e Nauvoo Temple. What joy at was to me. 19 On Saturday, December 20, President Young considered closing e temple so cloing could be washed. However, on account of e anxiety of e saints to receive eir ordinances, e breren and sisters volunteered to wash cloes every night, and ninety-five people received eir ordinances at day. The apostles and oer church leaders labored in e role of officiators in e Nauvoo Temple, and is sacred duty, of prominent men and leaders in e Church serving in e temple, continued in -432- Mary Fielding Smi wore is leaer slipper as she served in e Nauvoo Temple. The slipper is housed in e Provo Daughters of e Utah Pioneer Museum. The label states she wore it in Kirtland, but at building functioned as a chapel.
e Endowment House and e St. George, Manti and Logan temples. 20 As e work in e temple continued, attempts to arrest Brigham Young persisted. Two days before Christmas, federal officials accompanied by state troops made it known ey were in Nauvoo to arrest Brigham Young. George Grant harnessed President Young s horses and brought his carriage to e door of e temple. William Miller, a good friend of e quorum president, put on Brigham s cap and cloak and exited e temple doors. As he stepped up into e carriage, William was arrested on e charge of counterfeiting. Broer Miller, wiout identifying himself, insisted ere must be some mistake, but after a short period, he was taken to Carage amid whoops and hollars by e troops. Broer Miller was housed in e Hamilton Inn where e town marshal realized at e man ey had in custody was not Brigham Young, and he was released. 21 Of ese difficulties, Joseph Fielding wrote: At is time strong attempts are in e making to take e 12. It seems as e Ear and Hell are mad to see e Work of e Priesood proceeding so rapidly. The United States marshal has been here for some time searching and lying in wait for e 12 and some oers. He searched e Temple rough, but in vain. The Breren have had to disguise emselves and conceal emselves to escape em; e Charge is Treason. You may see e 12, etc, where ever ey go wi six shooters and Pistols in eir Pockets, but is far ey have been preserved, and are ministering in e Temple and are teaching e Way of Life and Salvation. 22 23 By e end of 1845, over one ousand members of e Church had received eir endowments. On e last day of e year, Heber C. Kimball and Brigham Young spent e day in e temple. In addition to selecting members who would soon receive eir endowments, ey examined maps wi reference to selecting a location for e saints west of e Rocky Mountains, and reading various works written by travelers in ose regions. 24 1846: The Year of e Exodus West As e new year began, work continued on e temple so e lower floor could be dedicated. Wiin e first ree days, over two hundred and fifty people received eir endowments, including Joseph Fielding s plural wife, Mary Ann. Joseph mentioned is event in his journal. rd 25 On e 3 of Jan y Mary Ann received her Endowment in e Temple. During is period, Elder Kimball related a dream to Brigham Young, where he was trying to harvest a large field of corn. Previous to receiving e dream, he had prayed to better understand e work ey had undertaken. As he worked in e dream to harvest e corn, he was aware of a storm which would soon arrive which prompted him and his associates to hasten eir work. President Young told Heber at e storm is trouble at is near upon us, and requires an immediate united exertion of all engaged in giving e endowments to e saints, or else we will not get rough before we will be obliged to flee for our lives. 26-433-
On Sunday, January 4, Governor Ford warned Brigham Young via letter at e United States Government feared e Mormons would head west and join wi British forces and be more trouble an ever. He told President Young at he ought it very likely at e government at Washington will interfere to prevent e Mormons from going west of e Rocky Mountains. He believed at federal troops would soon be stationed in Nauvoo to prevent eir emigration. 27 Joseph Fielding wrote in his journal on is day: Since e dea of Joseph and Hyrum, e Building of e Temple has gone on rapidly, and contrary to e expectation and Prophecy of Sidney Rigdon and oers, e Roof has been put on, e Spire put up and beautifully ornamented. The Temple is indeed a noble Structure, and I suppose e Architects of our Day know not What Order to call it: 28 Goic, Doric, Corinian or What; I call it Heavenly. On Wednesday, January 7, e new altar was used for e first time, and four individuals and eir wives were sealed. Three of e four men were apostles, wi Brigham Young being sealed to his deceased wife Miriam and his current wife, Mary Ann Angell. John Taylor was sealed to Leonora. Heber C. Kimball was sealed to one of his plural wives. Presiding Bishop Newell K. Whitney was sealed to his wife Elizabe. President Young described e altar: About two and one-half feet high and two and one-half feet long and about one foot wide, rising from a platform about 8 or 9 inches high and extending out on all sides about a foot, forming a convenient place to kneel upon. The top of e altar and e platform for kneeling upon are covered wi cushions of scarlet damask clo. 29 The reference to a scarlet clo indicated a very fine quality worsted fabric, not a red color. 30 Sealing Ordinances in Behalf of e Deceased were Performed On e 15 of January, 1846, Elder Kimball knelt at e new altar. He was acting in behalf of Hyrum Smi. Mary Fielding Smi knelt across e altar, in behalf of Jerusha Barden, Hyrum s first wife who had died in 1837. There, Heber and Mary participated in e sealing ordinance for is couple. After at ordinance, Heber and Mary were again married, alough e record 31 specifically stated at ey were married for eir mortal lives only. Later in e mon, Mary was sealed to Hyrum Smi, and she and Heber were proxies when Hyrum s oldest daughter Lovina and her husband Lorin were sealed as children to Hyrum and Jerusha. Elder Kimball also acted as e proxy for Hyrum when young Joseph Fielding Smi and his sister Mara Ann were brought into e temple and sealed to eir parents. 32 rd On January 23, Mercy Fielding Thompson was sealed to her deceased husband, Robert Blashel Thompson. Elder Heber C. Kimball was e sealer for is ordinance. Apostle John Taylor acted 33 as e proxy for Robert. After at ordinance, Mercy and Elder Taylor were married for time. This marriage put Elder Taylor under covenant to look out and care for Mercy, just as Elder Kimball watched over Hyrum s widow Mary Fielding. -434-
The following week, Heber was sealed to Mara McBride, who he had married e mon after he took Mary as a plural wife in 1844. It appears at Heber was not sealed to his wife Vilate in e Nauvoo Temple because Heber and Vilate were made husband and wife for all eternity by Joseph Smi in 1841. 34 During e first twelve days of January, over a ousand members received eir endowments. President Young wrote: Such has been e anxiety manifested by e saints to receive e ordinances, and such e anxiety on our part to administer to em, at I have given myself up entirely to e work of e Lord in e Temple night and day, not taking more an four hours sleep, upon an average, per day, and going home but once a week. Elder Heber C. Kimball and e oers of e Twelve Apostles were in constant attendance.... 35 James Lawson is Sealed to Mary Fielding Smi as Her Son One interesting aspect of e temple ordinances in Nauvoo was e practice of sealing adults to oer adults in a child-parent relationship. This seems to have bound unrelated families togeer in a bond of protection and care. Mary Fielding, widowed at e time, was sealed to several people in e Nauvoo Temple. Two of ese persons sealed as children to Mary were her sister Mercy and her deceased husband Robert Thompson. One of e men who sought a family relationship wi Mary Fielding Smi was twenty-six-year-old James Lawson, a blacksmi who had arrived in Nauvoo just ree years earlier after losing his wife and infant son to premature 36 deas. Likely he and oers who entered into ese child-parent relationships covenanted to help each oer rough e difficult times ey knew were ahead. 37 rd On e 23 of January, Joseph Fielding was sealed to bo of his wives in e temple by Heber C. Kimball. His four children by Hannah were washed, anointed and sealed to em, and en Joseph and Hannah were sealed to Hyrum Smi by Brigham Young and Elder Kimball. 38 Plans for e Exodus Intensify In mid-january captains of e exodus companies met in e temple wi President Young to make reports of e number in eir respective companies, who were prepared to start west immediately, should e persecutions of our enemies compel us to do so: one hundred and forty horses and seventy wagons were reported ready for immediate service. Several meetings were held in e temple at mon concerning is matter, and Joseph Fielding, as e captain of e nin company, would have been very involved. 39 Joseph Fielding wrote: The Saints... are organized into Companies, and are preparing to leave Nauvoo for some unknown Location in e West, having been compelled to promise to leave our homes and our Temple wheer we can dispose of em or not in e coming Spring by The Gentiles around us and e Nation sanctions eir proceedings, and e Church is hastening to finish e Temple before we leave. 40-435-
On January 20, e Nauvoo high council posted notice at members would begin leaving Nauvoo in March. This first company would consist mostly of young, hardy men, wi some families. It was intended at ey would take a printing press, farming utensils, wi seeds and grains, wi e object to plant a spring crop, to build houses, and to prepare for e reception of families who will start as soon as grass shall be sufficiently grown to sustain teams and stock. Brigham Young furer clarified is: We intend to start a company of young men and some few families perhaps wiin a few weeks. This company will travel until ey can find a good location beyond e settlements, and ere stop and put in a summer crop, at we may have someing to subsist upon, and a portion of us remain ere until we can make furer discoveries.... I exhort you breren not to be self-important. We have covenanted to remove e poor at are wory, and is we intend to do, God being our helper....when e time comes to start westward we will continue to gaer, until Israel is gaered; let ere be no feelings about who shall go first; ose who go first will lay a foundation for ose who shall come after, and none will be neglected in eir time. 41 The following week President Young wrote at Governor Ford s troops were prowling around our city, attempting to arrest Church leaders. The government intend[s] to intercept our movements by stationing strong forces in our way to take from us all firearms on e pretense at we were going to join anoer nation. 42 Joseph Fielding wrote: Last Eve called at e Temple. Many were receiving eir Endowment, and Numbers were waiting to be sealed; all ings dark around us. It is generally expected e County is to be put under Martial Law. Affidavits have been made at Washington by Rigdon, or William Smi and Adams, or all, at we intend to go and bring on e Indians against e Government, and e Design is to prevent our going by putting us under Martial Law and to hem us in on all Sides, and en to torment us wi Writs, etc. It is hard to ink of our Breren leaving us while everying is going so well, especially in e Temple. 43 A few days after is, Wilford Woodruff sailed from England. Having sent his family on ahead e previous week wi eir luggage, Wilford boarded e Ashburten, a packet ship headed for Boston. His desire was to gaer extended relatives so ey could head west wi e body of e saints. 44 The Nauvoo Temple is Once More Dedicated; The Exodus Begins nd On Monday, February 2, Brigham Young wrote: Trustees and a few oers met in council to ascertain e feelings of e breren at were expecting to start westward. We agreed at it was imperatively necessary to start as soon as possible. I counseled e breren to procure boats and hold em in readiness to convey our wagons and teams over e river, and let everying for e journey be in -436-
In early February 1846, President Young offered a prayer in e temple and en left it for e last time. 1.History of e Church, Volume VII, pages 454-455. 2.History of e Church, Volume VII, pages 478-80. 3.History of e Church, Volume VII, pages 481-482. 4.History of e Church, Volume VII, page 481. 5.Doctrine and Covenants Section 87:1-3. 6.Ten ousand men died from battle injuries. An additional irty ousand died from disease. A good source can be found here: http://www.civilwar.org/education/civil-war-casualties.html. 7.History of e Church, Volume VII, pages 515-519. 8.History of e Church, Volume VII, page 522. readiness, at when a family is called to go, everying necessary may be put into e wagon wiin four hours, at least, for if we are here many days, our way will be hedged up. Our enemies have resolved to intercept us whenever we start. I should like to push on as far as possible before ey are aware of our movements. In order to have is counsel circulated, I sent messengers to notify e captains of hundreds and fifties to meet at 4 p.m. at Faer Cutler s. At e meeting, President Young met wi e captains of hundreds and fifties, and laid my 45 counsel before em, to which ey all consented, and dispersed to carry it into execution. 46 On Friday, February 5, e first families began crossing e Mississippi River in barges. Among ose who took eir families were George Miller, a close friend of Joseph Fielding s, and Cornelius Peter Lott, often called Faer Lott, who had been a faiful member since e early days of e Restoration. 47 The following Sunday, Brigham Young wrote at he and e oer apostles: knelt around e altar, and dedicated e building to e most high. We asked his blessing upon our intended move to e west; also asked him to enable us some day to finish e Temple, and dedicate it to him, and we would leave it in his hands to do as he pleased; and to preserve e building as a monument to Joseph Smi. We asked e Lord to accept e 48 labors of his servants in is land. We en left e Temple. Chapter 27 Endnotes Pages 42428-437: 9.Peter Melling s dea is mentioned seemingly in passing in Volume 4 of Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia. In a paragraph about David Moss, it says at he was baptized Jan. 6, 1838, by Joseph Fielding, -437-
near Preston, England, labored for two years as a local Elder and emigrated to America on e ship "Yorkshire" in 1843. After his arrival at Nauvoo, he worked on e Temple, was ordained a Seventy in 1845, and filled a mission to Indiana wi Peter Melling (e first Patriarch in England, who died wi fever and ague near Logansport, Indiana). 10.History of e Church, Volume VII, pages 513, 514, 519, 532, 535, 536. 11.History of e Church, Volume VI, page 435; Volume VII, pages 525, 550. Broer Turley was a skilled mechanic wi metal-working tools. He had been approached by William Law to repair counterfeit dies, which he had refused, but his skills alone made him a victim of persecution. William Law, who had joined e Church in Canada at e same time as Theodore Turley, appears to have deliberately worked to frame his former friend. Joseph Fielding, surely remembering Theodore s imprisonment during eir missions in England, wrote, on page 138, Bro. Turley was taken on a Charge of Bogus making at Alton; was kept 4 or 5 Weeks in a wretched Condition in Irons. Was en taken to Springfield, tried, and let to bail till next June. 12.History of e Church, Volume VII, pages 533-536. 13.History of e Church, Volume VII, pages 533, 538-544. Those in e temple are clearly named, but eir designation as worker or patron isn t always made clear. Those present late in e afternoon of December 10 included eight of e apostles: Brigham and Mary Ann Young; Heber and Vilate Kimball; Orson and Miranda Hyde; Parley and Mary Ann Pratt; John and Leonora Taylor; George A. and Basheba Smi; Willard Richards; Amasa and Maria Louisa Lyman; and John and Mary Page. Wilford Woodruff was still presiding in England and Orson Pratt was on his way home from his mission in New York and actually arrived e next day. William Smi had been excommunicated. Lyman Wight was not in good standing. Oer Church leaders were also present: John and Clarissa Smi; Moer Lucy Smi; Newel K. and Elizabe Ann Whitney; George and Mary Caarine Miller; William and Sally Phelps; John M. Bernhisel and oers. Mary Smi and Mercy R. Thompson were named in is first group. At five o clock oers joined is group, including Joseph Fielding, Isaac Morley and his wife Lucy, and Cornelius P. Lott. Oers were specifically named as receiving eir endowments e following day, and on at list were Moer Lucy Smi and Mercy R. Thompson, alough ey had been in e temple e previous day. Nauvoo Temple Records officially show at Joseph Fielding received his endowment on e 12 of rd December, as did Hannah. Mary Ann received her endowment on January 3. 14.History of e Church, Volume VII, pages 541-543. I searched Family Tree for ordinance dates. 15.Joseph Fielding Diary, page 138, under e date of January 4, 1846. 16.Joseph Fielding Diary, page 138. He also wrote, Many hands are employed in e lower Parts of e Temple; e Font also is about finished and ready for use. 17. Moer Granger is likely Lydia Dibble Granger, born on April 5, 1790 in Connecticut. The Nauvoo Temple registers show at Lydia received her endowment on 30 December 1845 and Mercy s mention of her staying at e temple indicates she was an ordinance worker. 18.Daughter of Britain, pages 189-190. Auor Don Corbitt had access to what he called a Centennial-Jubilee Letter written by Mercy Fielding Thompson in 1880. This excerpt is from at. 19.Mara Ann Harris, Daughter of Hyrum and Mary Fielding Smi, by Ru Mae Barney Harris, Orem: 2002, page 83. 20.History of e Church, Volume VII, pages 546-548. I have studied many, many temple records. On occasion, especially in e older temples, a record was kept of ose who officiated at day, in addition to recording who performed e sealing ordinances or acted as witnesses. In our day, we generally don t personally know e men and women who serve in e temple, but in e 19 century, ese workers were apostles and oer leaders, working tirelessly day after day, in sealing sessions and performing oer ordinances bo for living and proxy -438-
work. Before e end of e year, Brigham Young called seventeen men to serve wi e apostles as officiators. These included Charles C. Rich, Ezra T. Benson, Erastus and Lorenzo Snow, who would later be ordained apostles. 21.History of e Church, Volume VII, pages 549-551. The Life of Heber C. Kimball, page 348, states at e sheriff of Carage was e arresting officer, and at Broer Miller put on Heber s cloak because it was similar to Brigham s. 22.Joseph Fielding Diary, page 138. 23.History of e Church, Volume VII, page 556. 24.History of e Church, Volume VII, page 558. 25.Joseph Fielding Diary, page 138. 26.History of e Church, Volume VII, page 561. 27.History of e Church, Volume VII, pages 562-564. By e time is volume of e History of e Church was compiled, many believed at Governor Ford was attempting to deliberately manipulate e Mormons into leaving Nauvoo earlier an to what had been agreed. 28.Joseph Fielding Diary, page 138. 29.History of e Church, Volume VII, page 566. I have scoured Family Tree in order to learn about specific ordinances. 30.Elizabe s London by Liza Picard, St. Martin s Press, 2004, page 134. Scarlet did not mean red, but a particular kind of very fine worsted clo. 31.LDS film #183374. A note made at e time of is ordinance reads, Heber C. Kimball proxy & for time. 32.This information is found on LDS film #183374, Sealings and Adoptions of e Living, 1846-1857. Joseph Fielding Smi and Mara Ann Smi were sealed to eir parents on January 26. A note made at e time of is entry stated, The birright belongs to John Smi. Joseph Fielding Smi, and Mara Ann Smi are Hyrum and Mary Smi s children, Joseph F. Smi holding e birright in at branch of e family, ese being natural children were sealed to eir parents by e usual ordinances of kneeling at e altar. Lovina and Lorin were sealed to Hyrum and Jerusha on January 28, wi Lorin being adopted into at family. 33.LDS film #183374. A note made at e time of is ordinance reads, John Taylor proxy & for time. 34.Life of Heber C. Kimball, by Orson F. Whitney, page 324. 35.History of e Church, Volume VII, page 567. 36.The Mormon Immigration Index shows at James Lawson, at age 23, apparently crossed e Atlantic wiout any family members on e Metoka, which carried two-hundred and eighty LDS converts. His occupation at at time was given as blacksmi. Temple records show at he was baptized in 1840. 37.Family Tree currently shows ese ordinances but doesn t explain em. Several of e people in Family Tree who are shown to be sealed to Mary Fielding as her child were not present in Nauvoo at e time e temple was dedicated. One was deceased and a few were immigrants who were not in e United States, indicating at some of ese ordinances occurred much later, surely after Mary s dea. I know from oer histories at is was a common practice, and at a loyal sense of family often ensued wiin ese bonds of covenant. This practice was -439-
discontinued late in e 19 century. It was at at time at e leaders of e Church encouraged members who weren t born in e covenant to be sealed to eir natural parents. Wonderful family portraits were taken at is time, when adults roughout Utah joined togeer to be sealed to eir parents in e temples of Utah. Family members worked togeer to gaer e necessary information, and temple records are filled wi ese family groups, kneeling at e altars, some in behalf of deceased siblings and parents, as ey united togeer in is magnificent ordinance. The records emselves are invaluable. Cousins Rachel Fielding Burton and Joseph F. Smi and many oer family members participated in is ordinance as ey sealed eir deceased parents to eir grandparents in e Salt Lake Temple in 1899. Interestingly, George Q. Cannon and his sister Mary Alice Cannon were sealed to eir aunt and uncle Leonora and John Taylor in e Nauvoo Temple. On e 14 of October, 1890, Wilford Woodruff canceled is sealing ordinance, and ese two siblings were sealed to eir bir parents in e Logan Temple, along wi eir oer siblings. George Reynolds, a temple recorder at at time, went back to e records of e Nauvoo Temple and made e notation at e sealing had been canceled. 38.Joseph Fielding Diary, pages 138-139. 39.History of e Church, Volume VII, pages 567, 569. 40.Joseph Fielding Diary, page 138. 41.History of e Church, Volume VII, pages 570, 573, 574, 575. 42.History of e Church, Volume VII, page 577, on e date of January 29, 1846. 43.Joseph Fielding Diary, page 139. 44.History of e Church, Volume VII, pages 567, 573. nd 45.History of e Church, Volume VII, pages 578-579, on e date of February 2, 1846. 46.History of e Church, Volume VII, page 580. The first to cross was Bishop George Miller, wi six wagons. The river would later freeze, making e crossing faster and less dangerous. 47.Joseph later lamented e apostasy of George Miller in his journal [page 147] and hoped for his return. Cornelius Peter Lott would later be e captain of ten under which Joseph Fielding and Mary Fielding Smi crossed e plains. Well-respected by his peers, he was known as Faer Lott even ough he was only in his forties. 48.History of e Church, Volume VII, page 580. -440-