RLDS Church History Search

Chapter Context

RLDS History Context Results

Source: Church History Vol. 3 Chapter 1 Page: 27 (~1830)

Read Previous Page / Next Page

27 "I now inclose [enclose] a copy of my letter of October 17, as you may not have received the original. Will you please give it your early attention, as I am anxious to get the information sought.

I inclose [enclose] stamp for reply.

"In bonds,

"HEMAN C. SMITH."

In due course of mail we received the "Registry Return Receipt," signed "F. D. Richards, per John Jaques;" but up to date, January 19, 1900, no answer has been received.

Under date of March 7, 1898, F. D. Richards, Historian of the Utah Church, wrote Mr. J. B. Clark, of Eula, Alabama, that no ordination was necessary. C. W. Penrose, Assistant Historian, wrote to J. O. Long, of Higdon, Alabama, same effect, May 18,1898.

We have no means of determining how many accepted the claims of Mr. Young, but certainly a very small minority of the church followed him to his rendezvous in the mountains. In 1850, three years after their arrival, the United States census gave the entire population of Utah, Mormons and Gentiles included, as follows: White, 11,354; slaves 26; total 11,380. Young enriched himself and died a very wealthy man. In 1847 he went into a new and desert country, comparatively a poor man, and while others struggled with poverty and hardships incident to the settlement and improvement of a new country, he accumulated over seventeen thousand dollars in the first year. According to his own words this was a very small portion of his first year's accumulation. How many more thousands we know not. Here is his own statement:-

"I will commence at the north and go to the south settlements, and pick out twenty-five of our inhabitants as they average; and another man may take fifty of the gold diggers, off hand, and they cannot buy out the twenty-five who have tarried at home. Before I had been one year in this place, the wealthiest man who came from the mines, Father Rhodes, with seventeen thousand dollars, could not buy the possessions I had made in one year! It will not begin to do it; and I will take twenty five men in the United States, who have

(page 27)

Read Previous Page / Next Page

Discrepancy?

RLDS Church History Search