A Trip South with President Young in 1870

A TRIP SOUTH WITH PRESIDENT YOUNG IN 1870,

BY C. R. SAVAGE.

I.

Among the many incidents associated with life in Utah, in the 60's and early 70's, none are more worthy of remberance than the annual trips taken by the Presidency of The Church to the remote settlements. I had been in Utah nearly ten years, and had looked almost with envy upon the privileged members of the President's party, with their long trains of vehicles. I listened often to his discourses

and saw him frequently in public places, but I longed to enjoy his society, and to see him in the privacy of the home circle. I was anxious to solve the mystery of his influence, and the magnetism of his personage. On such occasions there would certainly be many opportunities of seeing the wonderful leader in the role of counselor and director of the varied interests of the towns and villages through which he passed, and learn the reason why his advice always seemed satisfactory to those who sought it. Indeed, he possessed in a marked degree the regal faculty of deciding a point in dispute almost in an instant. I knew many persons who thought that when they saw President Young that they could set him right on many points, and tell him things he did not know, but in every such case they found it convenient to let him speak while they preferred to keep silent. I once accompanied a large party of paleontologists under Professor Marsh, of Yale; they were mostly young men, and in their conversation they determined to have a "good time" when they met "Old Brigham." Once introduced, they proved to be the most

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abashed lot of young fellows I ever saw. Not a single one of them excepting the professor, had a word to say. He spoke of the discoveries they had made of fossil horses in the badlands of Nebraska. Quick as a flash, the President replied: "I understand

some of our anti-'Mormon' writers say that there were no horses in America in ancient times, and that the animals were introduced

by the Spaniards." President Young told the party that fossil remains had often been brought to him. In his conversation, he astonished me with his familiarity with the investigation of scientists in this particular study; in fact, the whole party were surprised.

His dignified manner won their admiration, and the members confessed, after leaving him, that they found silence most agreeable in his presence. They were profuse in their admiration of him —who at that time was the foremost man in western America. I mention this circumstance to show that such an exhibition of personal magnetism only increased my desire for an intimate acquaintance with President Young, who exercised more complete mastery over those around him than any other man I haye ever known or expect to know. There was no arrogance nor assumption of superiority in his manner, you unconsciously found yourself willing to adopt his suggestions, feeling satisfied that he was right. It is needless to say that when his son, John W. Young, invited me with my photographic apparatus to accompany the party on a trip to the San Francisco mountains, and put a light, covered wagon at my disposal, I was overjoyed at the long-coveted opportunity. It was in the early morning of February 25, 1870, that a long cavalcade of vehicles rolled out of Salt Lake City. President Young and his wife were in the leading buggy; his two sons, Brigham and John, occupied the next with Brother George A. Smith and wife; Lorenzo D. Young and Joseph W. Young following with many others whose names I cannot now recall. Brother Van Natta was "outrider" on horseback. In the carriage assigned to me and driven by Nathaniel V. Jones were the two sons of Brigham Young, Jr. We were a jovial crowd, free from care and full of fun. Other invited guests, with supply wagons, made up the train, each wagon taking its proper place which it maintained during the whole trip.

These annual trips to the settlements were the events of the

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year to the residents. They were the occasions when old times were gone over, and old friendships renewed. The incidents of the exodus from Nauvoo, and the thrilling experiences in other places were related anew. President Young told me that the greatest difficulty he had was to keep up so much private conversation as well as public speaking, that he was glad at times to retire and have a rest. So pleased were ihe people to shake him by the hand that all along the road, he was compelled to speak to hundreds. In many places the Saints lined the road, and received their beloved leader with uncovered heads. The president acknowledged their salutations with the grace of a king. Our first stop for the night was at American Fork. The headquarters were at the residence of Bishop Harrington, a sterling man of refinement and general ability. Previous to the arrival of the caravan, locations were secured for all the party at different homes. Everything went like clockwork. There was a warm welcome for all who composed the President's party, each one being cared for with unstinted liberality. As a matter of course the people desired to see and hear President Young. No meeting was complete unless he spoke. He seldom led in speaking; but the cap-stone was laid by him. Usually all present were silent, all who were out came indoors, and the indifferent listeners woke up. The great leader cut right and left, handling the subjects affecting the interests of the people with a fearless, decisive dignity, which unmistakably indicated his broadminded views of the people's needs. Following the afternoon meetings, the people gathered around headquarters, and such handshaking, and jovial good times were enjoyed as made the different stopping places seem like a continu" ous ovation from north to south. These were the occasions when the President was greatly wearied with much talking and when he was glad to retire and get a good night's rest. At Payson the most elaborate preparations were made for the reception of the party, but at all the towns and villages through which we passed, the citizens were out to give us the warm welcome that comes from those who love their leaders, and who desire to show them honor. At one place we drove rather hurriedly through the

296 IMPROVEMENT ERA. settlement, scarcely noticing the adult population, but a little farther on, our leader met a large group of children. He stopped and had quite a chat with the juveniles in the most familar manner. The little ones greatly enjoyed this distinction. A squad of cavalry and a brass band met us at the entrance to the town, so with music playing and flags flying we entered Pay- son. We stayed at the residence of Brother Douglas, a big-souled Scotchman, who with hi's family gave us a regal welcome and pro- vided a veritable feast. President Young looked over the well- spread table and politely asked for a bowl of bread and milk, leav- ing the rest of the party to do justice to the extras. So much rich food made most of us ill. The President was informed of the fact, and did not forget to make a text of our imprudence fur- ther on. The meeting house at Payson was a structure with a very low ceiling. Being called upon to speak, I incautiously suggested that the next house to be constructed should have a ceiling nearer the sky, and stated that I would fear to light a match lest the foul air should explode and send us too hurriedly to our journey's end. Brother George A. Smith gave me a gentle hint, after the meeting, that ever after restrained my disposition to criticise conditions that could not be avoided. Brother Smith was one of nature's noblemen, in all the walks of life. How I loved his brief, pithy talks and his uniform Christ-like simplicity of manner! At Santaquin, Presidents Young and Smith addressed a large and delighted congregation. Each person seemed anxious to extend the warmest welcome possible. Our next point was Mona, where we made no stop, but the people, old and young, lined the road, and with uncovered heads and waving of hats, showed their joy at sight of the visitors. Their salutations were heartily acknowledged by us. On the twelve-mile drive to Nephi some young men on horseback drew up in line across the road, stopping the train. The leader of the party saluted President young thus: "Brother Brigham, we've come out to meet you." "Have you?" said the President, "I thought you were a hunting party." They took the hint and formed into line on the roadside while the party passed, and escorted the wagons into Nephi. It

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fell to my lot to be quartered at the house of Brother Pitchfortb. The rest were also well provided for. Next day the meeting house was packed. President Young was in his happiest mood. We were all called upon to speak. Some of us who had been sick the night previous were duly scored for over-indulgence; fasting was dwelt upon, as an aid to the enjoyment of good health and a greater portion of the Spirit of God. Our misadventure at Payson was a telling sermon against eating too much, and as targets for the President's thrusts we were compelled to accept his remarks without squirming or talking back. No one could ever reply with impunity in such cases. He never missed anything funny, and never forgot where to make a point; in fact, no incident seemed to miss his searching gaze. He found his texts in the Bible of our everyday lives. The next morning, March 2nd, we passed Levan on the left and nooned at Chicken Creek, a sort of half-way house.Here I saw the oldest man then living in Utah, Father Ballou, 96 years old, and almost blind and deaf. We reached Scipio, a snug little town that had been broken up two or three times by the Indians, at 4:30 o'clock. It snowed during the night.

Leaving Scipio we ascended a divide over a mountain range into Pah-vant valley; there were four or five inches of snow on the ground. One of the carriages broke, and the whole caravan stopped. President Young was the first to ascertain the cause of the mishap. He called upon Van Natta, the "out-rider," and asked if he had provided any rawhide for repairs. Van was sorry he had forgotten to do so. The President quietly called upon his wife to see if there was such an article in the buggy; sure enough, it was found;

the repairs made, when we all moved on again. This was one more evidence of his great foresight and quality as a leader of men. No detail was too small for his consideration.Once on the road, each man and boy was an object of his care, and if any was sick he was always the first to care for his interest. In his preaching, every word seemed to fit into its right place; every person was eager to listen. There was very little of chapter and verse preaching. The conditions facing the people demanded specific counsel, and it was always given with wonderful decision when the President spoke. We reached Fillmore through mud and mire in the evening.

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The usual enthusiastic reception was tendered. There was more preaching for all of us; none escaped. If the leaders felt tired they usually called upon other members of th3 party to precede them, and would close with sledge-hammer blows that warmed up the audiences. The people were eager to hear Brother Brigham. A meeting on these occasions without him would have been as flat as the opening services of a quarterly conference on a wet day. The meetings in Fillmore were held in the capital building. Congress granted $23,000 towards its construction. It was thought at one time that Fillmore would be the capital of the territory, on account of its central location. Our next point was Meadow Creek, where we did not stop, but at Corn Creek we held a meeting. This was then the Indian reservation of the Pah-vants, most of whom are now dead. From there we drove to Cove Creek Fort, a fine stone structure built by The Church as a protection to travelers against Indian attacks, there being no settlement between Corn Creek and Beaver. Its construction cost $20,000. We enjoyed the hospitality of Ira Hinckley and his estimable family who had charge of it at that time. It was an

evening of rest for the preachers, without a meeting. It is pos-

sible to have a surfeit of anything, be it ever so good. I often sympathized with the leaders of our Church on such trips as these, and thought upon the mental strain, the constant effort to fill the high mission of directing the energies, inspiring the hopes, comforting the faint-hearted, denouncing wrongs, and the more diflScult work of driving out the worldliness that almost gets possession of us. The next day's travel was devoid of interest other than usual incidents noticed in going from place to place; for six or seven miles from the fort, we had snow, then mud, then dry and dusty roads. A grand welcome was provided at Beaver where we stayed over Sunday. I had the good fortune to be located at the home of President Murdock. Brother John Squires, the barber, who was one of our party, did the tonsorial work. Who does not know of the skill of our friend John, with his "two up and one down" touches? No one, at that period of our history, would think of a presidential party without the presidential barber; he had his little jokes for each one of

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us, from the President down to your humble servant. His services were rendered without money and without price — he was one of the features of a pleasant memory. The services at Beaver were very instructive. The school of the prophets was held there at that time. Brother C. J. Thomas had a fine choir of twenty voices, who did excellent work in the meetings. Everybody seemed glad to see us; it was a constant hand-shaking festival.

LET EACH MAN LEARN TO KNOW HIMSELF.

Let each man learn to know himself: To gain that knowledge, let him labor. Improve those failings in himself, Which he condemned so in his neighbor. How lenient our own faults we view And conscience' voice adeptly smother; But oh! how harshly we review The self-same errors in another.

And if you meet an erring one Whose deeds are blamable or thoughtless, Consider, ere you cast the stone. If you yourself be pure and faultless. Oh! list to that small voice within. Whose whisperings oft make men confounded, And trumpet not another's sin; You'd blush deep if your own were sounded.

And in self-judgment, if you find Your deeds to others are superior. To you has Providence been kind. As you should be to those inferior; Example sheds a genial ray Of light, which men are apt to borrow; So first, improve yourself to day. And then improve your friends tomorrow.