[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 24th I recieved three letters from G. A. Smith & E. T. Benson, Dominicas Carter, from the Bluffs And two from the valley one from A. O. Smoot. Br Smoot Gives me an account of the Affairs in the valley since his Arival there. He sayes the organization of the Presidency was recieved at the valley And All business attended to that was necessary.
He spoke of Father Woodruff situation since He had been there, his poor health &c. He said James Bevin had acted the part of any thing but that of A Gentleman towards my Father had treated him ill would not give up my house to Br John Benbow According to my desire And done wrong in many things. He says the Crickets eat up most of my Fathers grain that He put in &c &c.
G A Smith & E T Benson writes they had organized 50 Branches of the Church at council Bluffs & all doing well. Most of the soldiers that went into the Army had arived home to their families And A feast was made for those who were at the Bluffs.
They had built A New Tabernacle on Pigeon in Potta-watamie Co. Br Egan And 12 others arived at the Bluffs on the 7th Dec. Left the valley on the 13th October. President Young Arived in the valley on the 20th September And H. C. Kimball on the 24th sept. The following is the organization of the church at the Valley:
Brigham Young President over the whole Church. Heber C Kimball And Willard Richards his Councel-lors. John Smith is Patriarch over the whole Church, Charles C Rich is President in the valley. John Young And Erastus Snow are his councellors.
Arangments were making for inclosing An Additional field of 1,100 Acres. 860 men had taken shares in it vareing from 5 to 10 Acres the smallest lots being near the city to accomodate mechanicks. All the buildings composing the fort were to be moved onto city lots except the square inclosed by the Pioneers. The Indians Are friendly And it is considerd safe to settle on farms.
A new city has been laid out 10 miles north of the Temple Block Another About 10 miles South. All the lots surveyed had been taken up & An Addition had been made running to the mountains on the East side. The Pioneer claims Are respected so we shall find A Place when we go there.
Elder Addison Pratt had Arived safe to the valley in good health And spirits. A company of Saints that went on the Brooklin were in route for the valley. Willard Richards & Amasa Lyman were within 3 days drive of the valley when the Express left. Dr Richards was driving his own team.
Elder Kimball writes that they raised spuashes in the valley from 63 to 84 lbs & turnips 8 1/2 lbs. P P Pratt made A vegitable dinner for the Presidency when they arived. Among the Bill of fare were the following Bill of items: Green Corn, Green Peas, green Beans, Cucumbers, beets, Parsnips, carrots, onions, Potatoes, turnips, squash Pumpkins pies cabbage, Mush mellons, water mellons, cantelopes, corn Bread wheat Bread, corn stalk Molasses And Rost Beef &c &c.
G A Smith says that it is vary hard winter so far at the Bluffs. He further Adds that Walker the Famous Utah Chief visited the saints in the valley with his band of Riflemen. He said Always wished to live in peace with our people. He wanted his children to grow up with ours As Brothers that his People should not steal from our People. If any of them did let him know it And He would Punish them And stop it. The Brethren told him they did not want his men to steal from the Calafornians for we were at peace with them. Walker replyed my men <[-]> hate the Spanyards And will steal from them And I cannot help it.
Brothers Daniel Browett, Allen And Cox were all killed by A Band of Diggers in the Calafornia Mountains As they were exploring A new Pass through the mountains. They were surrounded when Asleep And killed with stones. $100 worth of gold dust was found on the ground which belonged to Brother Allen. Their bodies were striped of their Clothing And then buried by the Indians. This occurd 40 miles from the settlements on the Sacramento. Their bodies were found by A company who followed them. The Above named Brethren I Baptized in Herefordshire soon After I commenced Preaching at Br John Benbows. Br Browett Esspecially has been A valiant true barred Latter Day Saint And I know nothing to the contrary of the others They went into the Army As Soldiers And have died As marters.
Brother D Carter writes that During the Conference at the valley that the ordeal was Passed upon Lyman Wight to retain his standing but they had not recieved his Pamphlet nor did not know that the Church had withdrawn fellowship from him at the Bluffs. He also says that fellowship is withdrawn from Almond W. Babbit for Stating or Confirming the statement to the world that Orson Hyde had sold the mormon votes for A Printing Press. President Young has Advised the Twelve At the Bluffs to come on without bringing Any Provisions with them ownly to last them there but Bring groceries Iron, steel, glass seeds of all kinds Apples Peaches, Pares Ches-nuts & Kocas &c.
I recieved A small letter Also from the valley speaking of some papers I sent Br Bullock. President Young thought [they] had better remain as they were for the present. I wrote one letter to day to James Burgess.
[source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
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