ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF CALIFORNIA--A WOMAN MISSIONARY TO THE SOCIETY
ISLANDS--HER LIFE AMONG THE NATIVES--THE ONLY MORMON WOMAN SENT ON
MISSION WITHOUT HER HUSBAND--A MORMON WOMAN IN WASHINGTON--A SISTER
FROM THE EAST INDIES--A SISTER FROM TEXAS.
The Mormons were not only the founders of Utah, but they were also the
first American emigrants to California. Fremont and his volunteers,
and the American navy, had, it is true, effected the _coup de main_ of
taking possession of California, and the American flag was hoisted in
the bay of San Francisco at the very moment of the arrival of the ship
_Brooklyn_ with its company of Mormon emigrants, but to that company
belongs the honor of first settlers. The wife of Col. Jackson thus
narrates:
"In the month of February, 1846, I left home and friends and sailed
in the ship _Brooklyn_ for California. Before starting I visited my
parents in New Hampshire. I told them of my determination to follow
God's people, who had already been notified to leave the United States;
that our destination was the Pacific coast, and that we should take
materials to plant a colony. When the hour came for parting my father
could not speak, and my mother cried out in despair, 'When shall we see
you again, my child?' 'When there is a railroad across the continent,'
I answered.
"Selling all my household goods, I took my child in my arms and went on
board ship. Of all the memories of my life not one is so bitter as that
dreary six months' voyage, in an emigrant ship, around the Horn.
"When we entered the harbor of San Francisco, an officer came on board
and said, 'Ladies and gentlemen, I have the honor to inform you that
you are in the United States.' Three cheers from all on board answered
the announcement.
"Unlike the California of to-day, we found the country barren and
dreary; but we trusted in God and he heard our prayers; and when I
soaked the mouldy ship-bread, purchased from the whale-ships lying in
the harbor, and fried it in the tallow taken from the raw hides lying
on the beach, God made it sweet to me, and to my child, for on this
food I weaned her. It made me think of Hagar and her babe, and of the
God who watched over her."
Passing over the hardships endured by these emigrants, which were
greatly augmented by the fact that war was then raging between the
United States and the Spanish residents of California, we deem it
proper to here incorporate, as matter of history, some statements of
Mrs. Jackson, made to the California journals, concerning the early
days of San Francisco. She says:
"From many statements made by persons who have lately adopted
California as their home, I am led to believe it is the general
impression that no American civilized beings inhabited this region
prior to the discovery of gold; and that the news of this discovery
reaching home, brought the first adventurers. As yet I have nowhere
seen recorded the fact that in July, 1846, the ship _Brooklyn_ landed
on the shore of San Francisco bay two hundred and fifty passengers,
among whom were upwards of seventy females; it being the first
emigration to this place _via_ Cape Horn.
"In October previous a company had arrived overland, most of whom had
been detained at Sacramento fort, being forbidden by the governor to
proceed further. Upon arriving in Yerba Buena, in '46, we found two of
these families, some half dozen American gentlemen, three or four old
Californians with their families, the officers and marines of the sloop
of war _Portsmouth_, and about one hundred Indians, occupying the place
now called San Francisco.
"The ship _Brooklyn_ left us on the rocks at the foot of what is now
Broadway. From this point we directed our steps to the old adobe on
(now) Dupont street. It was the first to shelter us from the chilling
winds. A little further on (toward Jackson street), stood the adobe of
old 'English Jack,' who kept a sort of depot for the milk woman, who
came in daily, with a dozen bottles of milk hung to an old horse, and
which they retailed at a real (twelve and a half cents) per bottle. At
this time, where now are Jackson and Stockton streets were the outer
boundaries of the town. Back of the home of 'English Jack' stood a
cottage built by an American who escaped from a whale-ship and married
a Californian woman. Attached to this house was a windmill and a shop.
In this house I lived during the winter of '46, and the principal room
was used by Dr. Poet, of the navy, as a hospital. Here were brought
the few who were saved of the unfortunate 'Donner party,' whose sad
fate will never be forgotten. One of the Donner children, a girl of
nine years, related to me that her father was the first of that party
to fall a victim to the cold and hunger. Her mother then came on with
the children, 'till the babe grew sick and she was unable to carry it
further. She told the children to go on with the company, and if the
babe died, or she got stronger, she would come to them, but they saw
her no more. After this, two of her little brothers died, and she told
me, with tears running down her face, that she saw them cooked, and had
to eat them; but added, as though fearful of having committed a crime,
'I could not help it; I had eaten nothing for days, and I was afraid
to die.' The poor child's feet were so badly frozen that her toes had
dropped off."
--
Very dramatic and picturesque have often been the situations of the
Mormon sisters. Here is the story of one of them, among the natives of
the Society Islands. She says:
"I am the wife of the late Elder Addison Pratt, who was the first
missionary to the Society Islands he having been set apart by the
prophet for this mission in 1843. My husband went on his mission, but
I, with my children, was left to journey afterwards with the body of
the church to the Rocky Mountains.
"We reached the valley in the fall of 1848, and had been there but
a week when Elder Pratt arrived, coming by the northern route with
soldiers from the Mexican war. He had been absent five years and four
months. Only one of his children recognized him, which affected him
deeply. One year passed away in comparative comfort and pleasure, when
again Mr. Pratt was called to go and leave his family, and again I
was left to my own resources. However, six months afterwards several
elders were called to join Elder Pratt in the Pacific Isles, and myself
and family were permitted to accompany them. Making the journey by
ox-team to San Francisco, on the 15th of September, 1850, we embarked
for Tahiti. Sailing to the southwest of that island three hundred and
sixty miles we made the Island of Tupuai, where Mr. Pratt had formerly
labored, and where we expected to find him, but to our chagrin found
that he was a prisoner under the French governor at Tahiti. After
counseling upon the matter we decided to land on Tupuai and petition
the governor of Tahiti for Mr. Pratt's release, which we did, aided
by the native king, who promised to be responsible for Mr. Pratt's
conduct. The petition was granted by the governor, and in due course
Mr. Pratt joined us at Tupuai. It was a day of great rejoicing among
the natives when he arrived, they all being much attached to him, and
it was also a great day for our children.
"A volume might be written in attempting to describe the beauties of
nature on that little speck in the midst of the great ocean; but I must
hasten to speak of the people. Simple and uncultivated as the natives
are, they are nevertheless a most loveable and interesting race. Their
piety is deep and sincere and their faith unbounded.
"Within a year I became a complete master of their language, and
addressed them publicly in the _fere-bure-ra_ (prayer-house),
frequently. My daily employment was teaching in the various departments
of domestic industry, such as needle-work, knitting, etc., and my
pupils, old and young, were both industrious and apt."
Elder Addison Pratt died in 1872, but his respected missionary wife
is living in Utah to-day, resting from her labors and waiting for the
reward of the faithful.
--
A somewhat similar experience to the above is that of Sister Mildred
E. Randall, who went with her husband, at a later date, to labor in
the Sandwich Islands. Her first mission lasted about eighteen months,
and her second one three years. On her third mission to the islands,
she was called to go without her husband; thus making her to be the
only woman, in the history of the church, who has been called to go on
foreign mission independently of her husband.
--
In this connection will also suitably appear Sister Elizabeth Drake
Davis, who served her people well while in the Treasury department at
Washington.
She was born in the town of Axminster, Devonshire, England, and was an
only child. Having lost her father when she was but ten years of age,
and not being particularly attached to her mother, her life became
markedly lonely and desolate. In her extremity she sought the Lord in
prayer, when a remarkable vision was shown her, which was repeated at
two subsequent times, making a permanent impression on her life, and,
in connection with other similar experiences, leading her to connect
herself with the Church of Latter-day Saints.
After being widowed in her native land she crossed the Atlantic and
resided for two years in Philadelphia. In May, 1859, with a company
of Philadelphian saints, she gathered to Florence, for the purpose
of going thence to Utah. An incident there occurred that will be of
interest to the reader. She says:
"We reached Florence late one evening; it was quite dark and
raining; we were helped from the wagons and put in one of the vacant
houses--myself, my two little daughters and Sister Sarah White. Early
next morning we were aroused by some one knocking at the door; on
opening it we found a little girl with a cup of milk in her hand; she
asked if there was 'a little woman there with two little children.'
'Yes,' said Sister White, 'come in.' She entered, saying to me, 'If you
please my ma wants to see you; she has sent this milk to your little
girls.' Her mother's name was strange to me, but I went, thinking to
find some one that I had known. She met me at the door with both hands
extended in welcome. 'Good morning, Sister Elizabeth,' said she. I told
her she had the advantage of me, as I did not remember ever seeing her
before. 'No,' said she, 'and I never saw you before. I am Hyrum Smith's
daughter (Lovina Walker); my father appeared to me three times last
night, and told me that you were the child of God, that you was without
money, provisions or friends, and that I must help you.' It is needless
to add that this excellent lady and myself were ever thereafter firm
friends, until her death, which occurred in 1876. I will add that
previous to her last illness I had not seen her in thirteen years; that
one night her father appeared to me, and making himself known, said
his daughter was in sore need; I found the message was too true. Yet
it will ever be a source of gratitude to think I was at last able to
return her generous kindness to me when we were strangers."
Mrs. Davis' husband (she having married a second time) enlisted in the
United States Army in March, 1863. Shortly thereafter she received an
appointment as clerk in the Treasury department at Washington, which
position she held until November, 1869, when she resigned in order to
prosecute, unhampered, a design which she had formed to memorialize
Congress against the Cullom bill. In this laudable endeavor she was
singularly successful; and it is proper to add that by dint of pure
pluck, as against extremely discouraging circumstances, she secured the
co-operation of Gen. Butler, and Mr. Sumner, the great Senator from
Massachusetts. It is entirely just to say that her efforts were largely
instrumental in modifying the course of Congress upon the Mormon
question, at that time.
Sister Davis is at present one of the active women of Utah, and will
doubtless figure prominently in the future movements of the sisterhood.
--
The story of Sister Hannah Booth is best told by herself. She says:
"I was born in Chumar, India. My father was a native of Portugal, and
my mother was from Manila. My husband was an officer in the English
army in India, as were also my father and grandfather. We lived in
affluent circumstances, keeping nine servants, a carriage, etc., and I
gave my attention to the profession of obstetrics.
"When the gospel was introduced into India, my son Charles, who was
civil engineer in the army, met the elders traveling by sea, and was
converted. He brought to me the gospel, which I embraced with joy, and
from that time was eager to leave possessions, friends, children and
country, to unite with this people. My son George, a surgeon in the
army, remained behind, although he had embraced the gospel. My sister,
a widow, and my son Charles and his wife--daughter of Lieutenant Kent,
son of Sir Robert Kent, of England--and their infant daughter, came
with me. Reaching San Francisco, we proceeded thence to San Bernardino,
arriving there in 1855. Having, in India, had no occasion to perform
housework, we found ourselves greatly distressed in our new home, by
our lack of such needful knowledge. We bought a stove, and I tried
first to make a fire. I made the fire in the first place that opened
(the oven), and was greatly perplexed by its smoking and not drawing.
We were too mortified to let our ignorance be known, and our bread was
so badly made, and all our cooking so wretchedly done, that we often
ate fruit and milk rather than the food we had just prepared. We also
bought a cow, and not knowing how to milk her, had great trouble.
Four of us surrounded her; my son tied her head to the fence, her
legs to a post, her tail to another; and while he stood by to protect
me, my sister and daughter-in-law to suggest and advise, I proceeded
to milk--on the wrong side, as I afterwards learned. After a while,
however, some good sisters kindly taught us how to work.
"Just as we had become settled in our own new house the saints prepared
to leave San Bernardino in the winter of '56-7. We sold our home at
great sacrifice, and, six of us in one wagon, with two yoke of Spanish
oxen, started for Utah. On the desert our oxen grew weak and our
supplies began to give out. We, who at home in India had servants at
every turn, now had to walk many weary miles, through desert sands, and
in climbing mountains. My sister and I would, in the morning, bind our
cashmere scarfs around our waists, take each a staff, and with a small
piece of bread each, we would walk ahead of the train. At noon we would
rest, ask a blessing upon the bread, and go on. Weary, footsore and
hungry, we never regretted leaving our luxurious homes, nor longed to
return. We were thankful for the knowledge that had led us away, and
trusted God to sustain us in our trials and lead us to a resting-place
among the saints. After our journey ended, we began anew to build a
home.
"I am, after twenty years among this people, willing to finish my days
with them, whatever their lot and trials may be, and I pray God for his
holy spirit to continue with me to the end."
--
Nor should we omit to mention Mrs. Willmirth East, now in her 64th
year, who was converted to Mormonism while residing with her father's
family in Texas, in 1853. Her ancestors fought in the Revolutionary
war, and her father, Nathaniel H. Greer, was a member of the
legislature of Georgia, and also a member of the legislature of Texas,
after his removal to that State. She has long resided in Utah, is a
living witness of many miracles of healing, and has often manifested in
her own person the remarkable gifts of this dispensation. She may be
accounted one of the most enthusiastic and steadfast of the saints.