George F. Gibbs.--His parents receive the Gospel.--His early
youth.--Employed in a printing establishment.--How he stood with his
associates.--Had to fight his way to maintain his integrity.--Honored
the Word of Wisdom.--Drew a prize.--Was highly honored.--Chosen
for out-door preaching.--Compliments his mother.--Leaves home for
Liverpool.--Clerk and book-keeper in Liverpool Office.--Emigrates
to America.--In President B. Young's Office.--Goes to Liverpool
Office.--Works there three years.--Home again.--Anecdote.--Masters
Phonography.--Has been and now is Church Reporter.
I was born in the town of Haverford-West, Pembroke County, South Wales,
November 23d, 1846. My parents' names are George Duggan and Ellen
Phillips Gibbs. On my mother's side I am Welsh, and on my father's of
English descent. My great-grandfather, John Gibbs, with one of his
brothers, on leaving his home on the Isle of Wight, was shipwrecked on
the south coast of Pembrokeshire, South Wales, where they afterwards
married and settled.
In 1850 Daniel Williams, a "Mormon" missionary Elder, came to my native
town, became acquainted with my parents, and made his home with them
before they joined the Church. During this time my brother, Charles
Warren, was taken dangerously ill. Elder Williams administered to him,
and he was instantly healed. This fact created an interest in the new
religion, as it was called, and my parents were among the first to
receive it.
When seven years old, I well remember wishing I was eight, that I
might be baptized; and on the night I was eight, my father baptized
me according to the rites of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. At an early age I was ordained a Deacon, and assisted the
senior Deacon of the branch in sweeping, dusting, and carrying water
for him to wash the floor of the meeting house. While yet young, I was
ordained Teacher, then Priest and Elder, and officiated as clerk and
treasurer of the branch, also clerk of the conference.
I attended a common school until sixteen years old, when I left, of
my own accord, to accept a situation as junior clerk in a printing
establishment. After having officiated there eleven months, a
communication from Presidents Wells and Young, of the European mission,
informed my father of a vacancy in the Liverpool office, tendering me
the situation, which I gladly accepted.
During the nine years from my baptism, until I left my home for
the Liverpool office, I acquired an experience which has ever been
delightful to contemplate. I learned early to call upon the Lord and
to place implicit confidence in Him, and have ever since regarded it
as one of the dearest privileges accorded to a human being. From my
earliest recollection, I attended meeting, and during these years I
never missed one; and I cannot remember when I did not know the truth
and divinity of "Mormonism." It seems to me I have always known it.
The character of the richer portion of the people of my native town
was strictly aristocratic, to whom the Gospel of the meek and lowly
Nazarene, as taught by the Latter-day Saints, was beneath even a
casual notice; and the spirit of the poorer class, was, as a general
thing, not only opposed, but ofttimes led many of them to ill treat
those who adhered to it. As our little branch never numbered more
than twenty or thirty at a time, with its members widely scattered,
as "Mormons," it may readily be perceived how we stood in relation to
the people of the town generally. From my youth I was known among my
fellows as a "Mormon," and during my boyhood had to fight my way in
order to maintain my ground as a boy among boys. Had I taken to myself
the counsel the Savior gave to His disciples to govern them in their
ministry, namely, to "turn the other cheek," my spirit would have been
crushed in my youth through imposition and abuse. I learned to defend
and fight for my religion from the word go, and it has always seemed
the sweeter to me, perhaps, on that account. Having had to cope with
opposition to the truth from early boyhood, I very naturally imbibed
the spirit to stand by my friends, the friends brought to me through
the everlasting Gospel, and this element of brotherhood I now regard as
being essential in the character of a true Latter-day Saint.
For out-of-door games I always had a particular fondness. I do not
think there lived a boy that loved play better than I; consequently
the temptation to play at night as well as in the day was strong and
great. But a spirit early impressed me not to join my playmates after
dark. I believed then it was the Spirit of the Lord that prompted me,
and therefore I resolved in my own mind to govern myself accordingly.
I have since regarded this step taken in early boyhood as that which
placed me beyond the temptations that most of my fellows became victims
to. And it is the fact, in connection with my early connection with
the Church of God, that my boyhood days were days of purity that makes
the reminiscences of youth so sweet and delightful to contemplate.
Although brought up among boys of the world, many of whom were under
no restraint and, therefore, could indulge in unbecoming language and
pernicious practices with impunity, through having early been taught
the Word of Wisdom and to regard as most sacred the name of the Lord,
and having so soon been brought into the harness of the Gospel, I was
enabled to set an example before my school-mates that won me their
confidence and respect. In this connection I am reminded of an incident
at school which I may be excused for mentioning: At one of our annual
examinations, which were always public, the mayor of the town announced
during his address that, to the boy who should excel in deportment
and punctuality the ensuing twelve months, he would present the sum
of two guineas. This was, of course, hailed with delight by the boys,
and met with general favor by the parents. The children attending the
school (numbering from one hundred and fifty to two hundred) were the
offspring of the Nonconformist element of the town--the people who
had manfully stood out against the rites of the Church of England
being foisted upon them. As boys, therefore, we represented all
the dissenting religious denominations, I being, however, the only
"Mormon" boy. At the beginning of the school year a book was provided,
afterwards known as the Black Book, in which the names of boys were
to be recorded for misbehavior or bad conduct. The year rolled by and
examination time came. At the close of the mayor's address he reminded
the scholars of his last year's promise; and amid the utmost stillness
he announced the name of George F. Gibbs as being the only boy that had
not been tardy or absent during the year, and the only boy whose name
was not recorded in the Black Book. By request of the mayor I presented
myself before him to receive the reward, and was the recipient of a
high compliment from his lips. In competing for this reward, besides
its monetary value I had another object in view, namely, to show our
highly religious and high-minded townsfolk, in a small way, to be sure,
that "Mormonism" produced fruits, and that its fruits, produced by boys
as well as men, were good.
At one of the monthly council meetings of the Priesthood of the
conference, steps were taken to pair off with a view to out-of-door
preaching, certain men being allowed to choose each his own companion.
To the amusement of the council Elder Wm. Bowen chose me, a young,
inexperienced boy. I assisted him in this labor some two years, until
I left home to go to Liverpool, and was greatly benefited in my
associations with him, he being a man of great faith and understanding,
and a most agreeable companion.
Our's was always an open house to the Elders; it was, as many now
living know, a free and welcome home to all. It was what is called
the "Conference house." If my dear mother possessed one trait more
conspicuous than another, it was that which led her, during eighteen
years of her lifetime, to receive and care for the Elders. When I was
big enough it fell to my lot to relieve mother of a job which she had
been doing for years before I commenced, namely, to black the shoes of
the brethren. This labor became part of my day's doings, lasting some
six or seven years, and I never thought it irksome.
Leaving home to go to Liverpool was, up to that time, the event of my
life. I was young and green. I had pictured the heads of the European
mission and their immediate associates to be without fault or human
infirmity--so natural was it for me to respect, think well of and look
up to the Elders from Zion. Four years lacking a few weeks I labored
in the Liverpool office, first as junior clerk, then as book-keeper.
As a member of the Liverpool branch I acted in the office of clerk, of
Teacher and that of president. As clerk in the office I labored under
Presidents Wells and Young, Jun., under President Young, Jun., and
under President F. D. Richards. I believe I can say truly that while
there I merited the good will and blessing of those with whom I was
more directly associated, as well as that of the many Elders whose
acquaintance I made; and that I labored faithfully and honestly in the
service of God and the brethren.
In the year 1868 I emigrated, after having been detained, until some
time after the close of the emigration season, to settle up emigration
matters and leave in good shape the accounts of the office. In New
York also I was detained two weeks, waiting for that portion of the
unfortunate Emerald Isle company that had been put under quarantine
and which had survived the hospital treatment of Manhattan Island. By
this time they were able to be moved, and I traveled with them. F. C.
Anderson had charge of the company; I was entrusted with the medicine
chest which had been specially prepared for the sick.
After arriving in Salt Lake City I called on President Young and was
employed by him as a clerk in his office, and invited by him to board
with part of his family.
At the expiration of three years I was called to return to the
Liverpool office. The circumstance was this: On the Sunday afternoon
previous to leaving, the President called me into his private office
and said, George, don't you want to go back to Liverpool? I answered,
No, sir. But, said he, we (the quorum of the Twelve then present) have
just voted that you leave here for Liverpool on Tuesday morning at five
o'clock. I replied, All right, sir, I'll be ready. The following day I
received my appointment, and was set apart to this mission and ordained
to the office of Seventy under the hands of Presidents B. Young and
George A. Smith. At the time stated (in company with Brother George
W. Thatcher, who had been called previously) I left, and was gone
three years, laboring in connection with President A. Carrington and
President Joseph F. Smith, presidents of the mission.
I returned in 1874 and worked nine months in the office of Z. C. M. I.
This position I resigned to accept the clerkship of the Logan Tithing
Office. While in Logan, on a certain occasion, I accompanied Brothers
M. H. Hardy and B. Morris Young to Brigham and Bear River cities in
the interest of mutual improvement societies. At Brigham I stayed with
Morris at his mother-in-law's, Sister Harriet Snow, and spent the
evening with part of Brother Snow's family. Here I first met my wife.
During my visit (some three days), I was reminded of a circumstance
that I had entirely forgotten, which proved a source of encouragement
to me in approaching my wife on the subject of marriage. I had met
Brother Snow in Liverpool while he was _en route_ to Palestine with the
George A. party; and on waiting upon him in the Great Western Hotel
he, in his jocular way, told me that he had some unmarried daughters,
and invited me to make their acquaintance with a view to becoming one
of his many sons-in-law. I thanked him, not thinking for a moment,
however, that there would be anything more to it.
On Sunday, the 21st of May, 1876, with his consent, I married his
daughter Ida, whose mother is Eleanor Houtz Snow. After our marriage
we lived about three months in Logan, Cache County, where I was
employed, when I received a communication from President Young inviting
me to return to Salt Lake City to act as reporter for the Church. In
explanation I should state that during my three years' residence in
Salt Lake I took up with the study of phonography (a study that I had
early paid some attention to), practising it nights and mornings. The
President, noticing me diligently working late and early, inquired one
day what I was doing. On my telling him he seemed much pleased, and
told me to stick to it until I mastered it. He afterwards got Brother
David W. Evans, the Church stenographer, to organize a class, which I
joined. At first the class numbered forty-three; when I left to go on
my mission it numbered five, including myself. I have acted ever since
in the capacity of Church reporter.
From the foregoing brief sketch it will be seen that from my youth it
has fallen to my lot to associate more or less with the Priesthood of
our Church--a privilege I have ever highly appreciated. And the more
intimate my relations have been with our leading men, one and one
only thought has come uppermost to mind, namely, that of heartfelt
thanks and gratitude to God the Eternal Father for gathering me from
an obscure corner of the earth, and delivering me from the midst
of bigotry and superstitious ignorance of the everlasting plan of
salvation, and for guiding my footsteps in the way of virtue and
rectitude, thus fitting me to be His and their servant. And I will have
realized my most sanguine hope if, in the hereafter, I shall be found
worthy to continue my relations with them, as their fellow servant, in
the great work of human redemption and salvation.
George F. Gibbs.