"This season one of our neighbors from Nauvoo came for help in sickness, and informed us that there were not well ones enough to take care of the sick. I sent my daughter and sister there to help take care of the sick. I promised them that I would come to conference and see them. Accordingly, when the time came, I took my carriage and went up. I went first to the place where my daughter was, and found the house shut up with window curtains drawn. I knocked at the door and a faint voice answered. I went in and found a large family and every person laying prostrate. My daughter was the last one that came down. She had been down about one week. Having the whole family to nurse night and day, she could not endure it. When I entered the house she heard my voice, sprang up from the bed and said, "Father, you have come. I want to go home." I told her to get ready and I would go and look for my sister. I went where she was and found her and the family in the same situation. I put a bed into the carriage and went home the same day and nursed them three months before I could heal them.
It was thought that my daughter would die, but I did not give her up. I called to the bed one day to see her close her eyes in death. I was seeing her apparently breathing her last. At that instant the Spirit of God came upon me. I said, "Mariah, do you want to live to raise a family, keep the commanments of God and do all you can to build up Zion?" She opened her eyes and said she did. I said to her, "Then you will live." That hour she sat up in bed and immediately got well, as did also my sister.
(Mariah Pulsipher married William Burgess, Jr. and that is how we tie into the Burgess family. Mariah and William are our direct line ancestors. Their grandson is James William Burgess who was married to Dina Elizabeth Crow.)
I would like to tell another little incident that happened. There was a man with a family come into the church, who lived about fifteen miles from me, who had a brother-in-law that was possessed with the devil, and was chained in a tight room. Numbers had been there to administer to him, but to no effect. I went there to preach in the after part of the day. The man got loose and was breaking down the ceiling. They had been in the habit of getting a very strong man to help on such occasions, and were about to send for him in a hurry. I desired them to let me see him before they did. They were afraid he would come out and kill some of them. With much persuasion I got them to unlock the door of his room. All the rough language and profane swearing, and threatening anyone who came in sight I had never heard before. They said he was dangerous to encounter with, but I entreated him to let me open the door. I had full confidence that I could handle him, with the help that God would give me. I was satisfied that they did not understand my intention. I looked through the crack of the door. When he caught my eye he bawled out, "Old Pulsipher, I know you of old." At that instant I burst the door open. He stood with a sharp stick in his hand drawn back ready to stab me. Although he was a stout man and full of violent passion, I closed in with him so quick that he did not know what was up till he lay on his back, and I holding him while they bound him again. The family seemed a little surprised.
Before I left the next morning, the man, whose name was Samuel Newcomb, wished me to come and stay with him one year. He would give me large wages for he said that I could handle the sick man with ease, and he could leave his family and home with more safety. He was a man of considerable business to gather up to Kirtland with the church. He said he would if he could sell his farm. He wanted $1,6ll for all. We arranged for him to go the next spring, and I took the whole care of the wild man.
I recollect at one time upon the matter of his feeding, he flew into a rage all at once and broke loose. I was at work in the barn and a messenger came running for me, and said the man was killing his mother. I rushed into the room, took him by the shoulders, shook him and said, "Sam, what are you about?" He in a moment left his raging, dropped his head and became docile till he was bound again.
Later on we counselled with old Father Smith (Joseph Smith, Sr.) and he advised us to get seven elders of good report and fast and pray till he was delivered. We consulted the family, who had not kept the word of wisdom, but they agreed to do it. We therefore took the man, loosened his hands, administered to him in a room by ourselves, and I do not remember of him having a raving spell after that for six months. Then the devil entered him again. We were called for the second time. The family had promised to keep the covenants, but we found they had returned to the old practice of breaking the word of wisdom. We therefore sent a message to Father Smith, and he said if whey would not keep the covenants we might go about our business and let them all go to hell together."
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Heavenly Direction
Continuing Zerah's story in his own words:
"I borrowed another horse and went to Illinois with my family and then returned for the remainder. We went into Bear Creek timber, and with one horse and our hands, built three homes, cleared thirteen acres of land and put it into crops, but we had nothing to live on until the crops were ripe. Brother Burgess (William Burgess, Sr.) and boys (William's sons) were strong to work out, but I was not able to do so on account of the exposure that I had past. Therefore, I could not do a days work in a day. I knew not how to obtain food for my family.
While hesitating upon these things, I dreamed that I was going to make boxes and measures, and also dreamed that my women and children were making baskets, and that I went to sell them. In the morning I went and found some excellent timber for that purpose and made the frame according to the pattern that I had seen and also found some suitable timber for baskets. The women went to work according to their direction from me. We soon obtained a small load and went out into the settlement and sold them directly for every kind of provisions that we wantd to live upon and some money. In this way we got along until harvest."
Isn't that awesome? He was able to get answers to his dilemma through this dreams. What I love about this account is that he exercised his faith by going out and getting that timber and then proceeding in the manner he had been shown in his dream. Through that faith, he was able to provide for his family until their crops were able to be harvested. I know that prayers are answered in many different ways and that we too can find answers and receive blessings as we exercise our faith today.
I am off to a genealogical conference up in Odgen so will write more later.
"I borrowed another horse and went to Illinois with my family and then returned for the remainder. We went into Bear Creek timber, and with one horse and our hands, built three homes, cleared thirteen acres of land and put it into crops, but we had nothing to live on until the crops were ripe. Brother Burgess (William Burgess, Sr.) and boys (William's sons) were strong to work out, but I was not able to do so on account of the exposure that I had past. Therefore, I could not do a days work in a day. I knew not how to obtain food for my family.
While hesitating upon these things, I dreamed that I was going to make boxes and measures, and also dreamed that my women and children were making baskets, and that I went to sell them. In the morning I went and found some excellent timber for that purpose and made the frame according to the pattern that I had seen and also found some suitable timber for baskets. The women went to work according to their direction from me. We soon obtained a small load and went out into the settlement and sold them directly for every kind of provisions that we wantd to live upon and some money. In this way we got along until harvest."
Isn't that awesome? He was able to get answers to his dilemma through this dreams. What I love about this account is that he exercised his faith by going out and getting that timber and then proceeding in the manner he had been shown in his dream. Through that faith, he was able to provide for his family until their crops were able to be harvested. I know that prayers are answered in many different ways and that we too can find answers and receive blessings as we exercise our faith today.
I am off to a genealogical conference up in Odgen so will write more later.
Monday, September 2, 2013
Exodus to Illinois
Zerah's story continues:
"We went to our labors. Soon after this, I, with other people, went across the river three miles to gather corn, when 800 of the mob were seen coming upon us. As they came up to the gate where we were at work, they halted and sent a messenger to inform us that we were their prisoners. I happened to be on a load the nearest to them. They directed their attention to me and said we must go wtih them. I observed to them that we were there gathering for our families and cattle which they were in view of. They then said we might fill our wagons, get some boys to drive them home, and go with them.
Accordingly we did. They went about a mile and halted. We were surrounded by a strong guard for some time and then discharged and sent home to await their trip into town. We had not gone more than fifty or one hundred rods before we heard a volley of guns fired. I would think from fifty to one hundred. The balls came there among us. We looked around and saw a company supposed to be one hundred men paraded a little to the south of the main camp. They also gave a second shot. We kept a sturdy walk as though nothing had happened, for they hurt none of us. We went home the same day into Diahman, took all arms from the people and then put a strong guard around us.
In that time we were often insulted by scoundrels. One of them in the shape of me (in my image) which brought us near a fight, but the commander stopped it. However, he prowled around there for a number of days and then gave us ten days to get out of that place or the mob would be set loose upon us. This had been the case all the time, but now we had nothing to defend ourselves with. Besides, there were many poor people that had no teams and many widows that had nothing but small children.
I immediately got my horses shod and took my family, a widow and family, and another family all to one lead, moved to Far West, then returned back after another family. These were among the last that went out while the mobs were prowling about stealing all they could find, but although I was alone, the last night I lay down by the side of my horses and saved them and went the next day and got the other family and carried them to Far West. This was the last of November. We were all destitute for grain or feed for our teams. Our fields of corn were twenty miles off among the mobs as was also what few cattle we had. But the most of our corn was destroyed before we could get it. We therefore had hard living through the winter. After I had obtained a little meal for my family I went away up to the Platt country with my team to get work for money to move out of the state in the spring as the edict of the governor was that we should never raise any more crops in that state.
I obtained some money and returned to my family, but while I was gone I was obliged to stay at a mob tavern one night, alone,where they were very hostile. I did not like their appearances, but I was obliged to stay there or run the risk of freezing on the great cold prairie. Therefore, I had to watch as well as pray. But in the later part of the night I heard people in the lower part of the house in much commotion. I heard them saying they never saw such things before. They seemed to be much astonished at what they saw in the heavens. I raised myself up in bed and looked out and saw a very bright circle around the moon with a very bright half circle at the outside of that with a very bright spot at the side of that nearly as big as the sun. Then another apparent sun was in the northwest with another in the southwest, which gave a very extraordinary appearance. This gave them such a fright that they could pay no more attention to me, so I went on in peace.
I prepared to move to Illinois. I took my horses and rode to Richmond to get my gun that they took from me at Diahman in the war. I obtained it and prepared to move in March. I buried my mother (Elizabeth Dutton Pulsipher, 1752-1838) there on a divide near Plum Creek. We succeeded in moving to Gurney where I found rents on houses so high that it would be hard for a poor man with a large family as I had to obtain a living and get anything ahead. Therefore, I took my horse up the river to Lyma and found a forest of about eleven miles square and considerable game in it. I went into the timber with Brother Burgess (William Burgess, Sr.) I lost one horse moving from Missouri. My son-in-law lost one too, and had to stop among strangers with my daughter who had given birth to a child on the prairie.
I love his advice that we must "watch as well as pray." Being aware of our surroundings both spiritually and physically can be very beneficial to us all. Add that awareness to prayer and there is nothing we cannot accomplish.
Are any of you familiar with the celestial happenings he describes above? If so, share with us what it might possibly have been.
Happy Labor Day to you all. Our ancestors "labored" greatly to make the lives we enjoy today possible. I hope you will remember them in your prayers of thanksgiving today.
"We went to our labors. Soon after this, I, with other people, went across the river three miles to gather corn, when 800 of the mob were seen coming upon us. As they came up to the gate where we were at work, they halted and sent a messenger to inform us that we were their prisoners. I happened to be on a load the nearest to them. They directed their attention to me and said we must go wtih them. I observed to them that we were there gathering for our families and cattle which they were in view of. They then said we might fill our wagons, get some boys to drive them home, and go with them.
Accordingly we did. They went about a mile and halted. We were surrounded by a strong guard for some time and then discharged and sent home to await their trip into town. We had not gone more than fifty or one hundred rods before we heard a volley of guns fired. I would think from fifty to one hundred. The balls came there among us. We looked around and saw a company supposed to be one hundred men paraded a little to the south of the main camp. They also gave a second shot. We kept a sturdy walk as though nothing had happened, for they hurt none of us. We went home the same day into Diahman, took all arms from the people and then put a strong guard around us.
In that time we were often insulted by scoundrels. One of them in the shape of me (in my image) which brought us near a fight, but the commander stopped it. However, he prowled around there for a number of days and then gave us ten days to get out of that place or the mob would be set loose upon us. This had been the case all the time, but now we had nothing to defend ourselves with. Besides, there were many poor people that had no teams and many widows that had nothing but small children.
I immediately got my horses shod and took my family, a widow and family, and another family all to one lead, moved to Far West, then returned back after another family. These were among the last that went out while the mobs were prowling about stealing all they could find, but although I was alone, the last night I lay down by the side of my horses and saved them and went the next day and got the other family and carried them to Far West. This was the last of November. We were all destitute for grain or feed for our teams. Our fields of corn were twenty miles off among the mobs as was also what few cattle we had. But the most of our corn was destroyed before we could get it. We therefore had hard living through the winter. After I had obtained a little meal for my family I went away up to the Platt country with my team to get work for money to move out of the state in the spring as the edict of the governor was that we should never raise any more crops in that state.
I obtained some money and returned to my family, but while I was gone I was obliged to stay at a mob tavern one night, alone,where they were very hostile. I did not like their appearances, but I was obliged to stay there or run the risk of freezing on the great cold prairie. Therefore, I had to watch as well as pray. But in the later part of the night I heard people in the lower part of the house in much commotion. I heard them saying they never saw such things before. They seemed to be much astonished at what they saw in the heavens. I raised myself up in bed and looked out and saw a very bright circle around the moon with a very bright half circle at the outside of that with a very bright spot at the side of that nearly as big as the sun. Then another apparent sun was in the northwest with another in the southwest, which gave a very extraordinary appearance. This gave them such a fright that they could pay no more attention to me, so I went on in peace.
I prepared to move to Illinois. I took my horses and rode to Richmond to get my gun that they took from me at Diahman in the war. I obtained it and prepared to move in March. I buried my mother (Elizabeth Dutton Pulsipher, 1752-1838) there on a divide near Plum Creek. We succeeded in moving to Gurney where I found rents on houses so high that it would be hard for a poor man with a large family as I had to obtain a living and get anything ahead. Therefore, I took my horse up the river to Lyma and found a forest of about eleven miles square and considerable game in it. I went into the timber with Brother Burgess (William Burgess, Sr.) I lost one horse moving from Missouri. My son-in-law lost one too, and had to stop among strangers with my daughter who had given birth to a child on the prairie.
I love his advice that we must "watch as well as pray." Being aware of our surroundings both spiritually and physically can be very beneficial to us all. Add that awareness to prayer and there is nothing we cannot accomplish.
Are any of you familiar with the celestial happenings he describes above? If so, share with us what it might possibly have been.
Happy Labor Day to you all. Our ancestors "labored" greatly to make the lives we enjoy today possible. I hope you will remember them in your prayers of thanksgiving today.
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