George Dunford.--When in his teens wants to earn living.--Decides
on going to sea.--Leaves home without a shilling.--Applies to the
Admiral of the British Navy.--Sent to Rio Janeiro.--Officiates as
steward for the officers.--The brig Curlew ordered to England.--How
he saved his means.--Returns home with plenty of money.--Meets
with an Elder.--Convinced of the truth of the Gospel, and is
baptized.--Ordained Elder, presides over two branches.--Emigrates
to America.--Presides over the St. Louis branch.--In mercantile
business.--Goes to California, St. Louis, and settles in Salt
Lake City.--Appointed Bishop of Malad Valley, including six
settlements.--After nearly three years, is released.--Expression of
fatherly feeling.
I was born at Holbrook House, near Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England. I
lived there with my parents, and attended school and Sabbath school
until the death of my mother. I was then in my fifteenth year; and
my father having a large family to support, I determined to make my
own living, and decided to try the fortunes of a life at sea. For
this purpose, without a shilling in my pocket, and only one change of
underclothing, I left my father's home, went to Portsmouth, and at the
dock-yard applied to the admiral of the British navy, soliciting a
position. He sent me on board the one-hundred and ten-gun man-of-war,
the Queen, and from there I was ordered on board the steamship Ardent,
and sent to Rio Janerio, South America.
After arriving at Rio Janerio, I was appointed steward for the officers
on board the ten-gun brig Curlew. I remained on the Curlew until she
was ordered to England, and there, with the balance of the crew, was
discharged from the navy in February, 1844, and returned to my father's
house.
While in the navy, I was very prudent and saving of my
earnings--determined to accumulate sufficient means to make a
respectable start in life after closing my services on the sea. To
accomplish this end, I availed myself of every laudable favorable
circumstance; as, for instance, each one of the crew was allowed a
certain quantity of liquor per day, or the price of it in cash. I never
drank liquor, and at the time of my discharge my liquor rations had
amounted to a handsome sum, which, added to what I had saved of my
labor wages, to a poor boy was quite a fortune. Although prudent, I was
not penurious; I came home well dressed, with my pockets well freighted
with the "needful," ready to make my mark among the respectables.
In April, 1844, I married Sarah Jones, and considered myself settled
for life; but in the course of the next year I happened to meet with
Elder John Halliday, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, and soon became deeply impressed with the truth of the fulness
of the Gospel, as revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Then, O
what a struggle! Then a warfare between feeling and judgment, flesh and
spirit, the love of the world and the favor of God, and I must make my
choice.
I had been attending meetings for worship in a beautiful little church,
the favorite resort of my dear mother in her life time, and could I
forsake it? "He that loveth father or mother, wife or children, more
than me, is not worthy of me." "If any man will come after me, let him
take up his cross daily and follow me." These words of Jesus spoke with
power to my understanding; and although the "Pearl of great price"
might cost me all I possessed, I determined to make the purchase: and
early in 1846 I was baptized and joined the Church under the presidency
of Elder Halliday, in my native town.
In those early times I took great interest in Church matters, and
devoted much of my time in that direction--was soon ordained to the
office of Priest, and soon after, under the hands of President J.
Halliday, was ordained an Elder and called and set apart to preside
over the branch, composed of one hundred members, in my native town,
which position I held for several years, and in course of time was
called to preside over the Stepe-Ashton branch of the Church.
In 1850, I emigrated with my family to America, via New Orleans, and
not having means sufficient to accomplish the through journey, we
stopped in St. Louis. Soon after arrival, I obtained a situation as
clerk in a mercantile house--was appointed to preside over the St.
Louis branch of the Church. In 1854, I brought a stock of goods to
the Valley, and having disposed of them in Salt Lake City, I went to
California, and opened a business in Sacramento. While my wife attended
the store I was employed on a steamer on the Sacramento River, also
worked some time in the mines. Finally, I resolved to return to St.
Louis, and did so by way of Panama and New Orleans.
Again in St. Louis, I embarked in mercantile business--first opened one
store on Broadway, then a second, and third, and at length an exclusive
wholesale house on Main Street; all of which I carried on at the same
time; and in 1866 closed up all of my business affairs, and moved with
my family to Salt Lake City, where I have continued business in the
mercantile line in different locations in the city, having remained
eight consecutive years in my present stand.
George Dunford.
At a conference in Brigham City about the twentieth of August, 1877,
Elder Dunford was nominated by President Brigham Young, and sustained
by unanimous vote of the congregation, as presiding Bishop of Malad
Valley. He cheerfully accepted the appointment, although well aware its
fulfilment would subject him to great pecuniary sacrifice, he being
engaged in mercantile business, the management of which he must leave
to others.
Early in September he went to his new field of labor in company with
my brother Lorenzo, by whom he was set apart for the arduous and
responsible duties of the position assigned him in Malad City, in which
place he established his office for Church business.
The ward over which Brother Dunford was called to preside consisted of
Malad City, Cherry Creek settlement, two miles distant, St. Johns, two
miles in another direction, Samaria, eight miles, Rush Valley, twelve,
and Oneida, twenty-four miles distant; which subjected him to a great
amount of travel in visiting and counseling with the people.
Previous to this time, a spirit closely bordering on apostasy had
crept into the hearts of some in Malad City, the headquarters of
his mission, and two parties with opposite aims and feelings being
connected in their financial interests, added greatly to the labors and
difficulties of the newly installed Bishop. All of their co-operative
organizations included individuals of these two unharmonizing classes
of investors. Bishop Dunford very soon was forced to realize that the
situation was a grave one, and required more than human wisdom, and all
the saintly patience, forbearance and stability of purpose attainable
through humility, faith and prayer. His sympathies were invested in
behalf of the Godfearing portion of the people, with a determination
to do justice to all, and he devoted himself to the work unto which he
was called, at the expense of all personal worldly interest, and with
little or no consideration of personal comfort.
While laboring to unite the people, and improve the condition of
things in Malad City, he did not neglect the Saints in other portions
of the ward, either in their temporal or spiritual interests, and
when pointing out local improvements for their advantage, it was a
noticeable feature in his practice to say, "Come, boys," and not "Go,
boys," which was proven by instances when he set the example which led
to material improvements, by voluntarily leading out in manual labors.
To this the writer was an eye-witness, having, during the time referred
to, visited most of the locations over which he presided. In fact, his
heart was drawn to them with love and affection for the people, and
when, in consequence of exposure, fatigue and much travel, after nearly
three years' service, he was seized with an affection of the lungs,
with which he was so much disabled that it was considered wisdom for
him to resign, which he did with great reluctance, after receiving
counsel to that effect. He felt the counsel to be correct; but to leave
those in whose interest he had so deeply enlisted the warm sympathies
of his nature, was like a father withdrawing from his children. He
says: President Snow, in counseling with me on the subject, felt
that I had honorably accomplished my mission in that country; and in
accordance with his suggestion, with great reluctance, I resigned. I
say truly with great reluctance, because I had learned to love a great
many of them, and I gave my heart to the Lord for the well being of His
people in that country.