When the Church left Nauvoo, father moved his family to St. Louis, and from there to Council Bluffs, in 1848. The next four years were occupied in procuring an outfit for "the valley," and in 1852 we emigrated to Salt Lake, where we lived three years. While in Salt Lake, I spent the summer months principally in herding stock upon the mountains. While out upon one of those occasions, the sky became suddenly overcast with heavy clouds, and, almost instantly, hail and rain began to descend in torrents; several herd-boys were drowned—I very narrowly escaped by finding shelter with my sister, living at the mouth of Red Butte.
In 1855 we moved to Brigham City, and my father engaged in agriculture. I labored on the farm during the summer, and spent the winter months in endeavoring to obtain a meagre education, attending day and evening schools as opportunities presented, which was not frequent; up to my twelfth year I had attended school but part of one term. I had a kind mother, however, who saw the great necessity of my having an education, and assisted me much during my boyhood, for which I have always been thankful.
At the age of seventeen, I injured myself by lifting heavy timbers, from the effect of which I suffered several years, until I received my endowments, when I soon recovered my health. At nineteen, I was employed in the mercantile establishment of M. D. Rosenbaum, and afterwards by W. C. Thomas in similar business, for whom I worked until the fall of 1865, when President Lorenzo Snow, Samuel Smith, Bishop Nichols and W. C. Thomas formed a copartnership or co-operation; I was employed by this firm four years.
On Sunday, the sixth of May, 1866, I married Roxcy A., daughter of President Lorenzo Snow, President Snow officiating. We were sealed by President Wells the following November. (See Family Record.)
The winter of 1870-1 I spent in school, under Professor L. F. Monch, where, I may almost say, I obtained my first start in educational matters. By this time I was twenty-seven years old, had a wife and two children to care for, but I saw the great lack of education in myself and others in this locality, therefore, I determined to exert myself to the utmost, and forego many pleasures that might otherwise be enjoyed. I studied diligently, was greatly assisted by my wife—had an excellent teacher, and made fair progress.
At the April Conference in 1871 I was called on a mission to England. I made immediate preparations to start, though in so doing I had to borrow money to go with. I was set apart for my mission on the first of May, by Apostle Albert Carrington, and on the third of May, in company with President Carrington and some twelve or fifteen other missionaries, left Salt Lake City for England. The trip to New York was pleasant, and without incident other than of an ordinary character. We embarked in the steamship Colorado, Guion line. "Off the banks" we experienced some very heavy weather. On such occasions, man is led to comprehend his own insignificance as compared with other creations of God. The monotony of the voyage was often broken by animated discussions with non-"Mormon" passengers, upon religious topics, plural marriage being the leading one.
After arriving in Liverpool, I was appointed to labor in the Birmingham Conference under the direction of Elder Parry, who afterwards died of the small-pox, he being the second to succumb to that fatal disease in that conference. During my short stay in Liverpool, I learned to appreciate the quiet of our mountain home. In all my life I had never seen so much drunkenness, quarreling, fighting with both male and female, prostitution, and debauchery of every description, as I saw there in the short space of twenty-four hours.
On my way from Liverpool to my field of labor, I called at Manchester to see my wife's brother, Oliver, who had been traveling in that conference the previous twelve months. A few days were very agreeably spent with him in visiting among the Saints. I then proceeded to Birmingham, where I found the Saints generally very poor, very anxious to gather, but in most instances unable to do so. It was then I could realize the benefits and blessings derived from our system of emigration.
While in this conference, I had an opportunity to visit many relatives and procure genealogies for several generations back. In all instances my friends were pleased to see me, and received me with kindness, but seemed to care nothing for the principles of the Gospel.
My stay in Birmingham was short. In consequence of the illness of Elder Bromley, I was sent to Bristol to preside in his stead. I found the people in this locality in much worse circumstances than where I had previously labored. Farm hands worked for from six to seven shillings per week; and with this small pittance had to furnish their families with all the necessities and comforts of life, if they had them. Often I have seen families make a meal of turnip-top greens and dry bread. I then learned to appreciate the luxuries of Deseret, and the blessings that God bestows upon His people; and if Joseph Smith had actually been an impostor, he still deserves great credit for inaugurating a system of religion that has been the means of bringing so many from a state of wretchedness, and making them comparatively independent.