During my stay here I added to this branch of the Church until it was more than fifty members strong. My friend, Elder Frost, agreed to wait in Overton County until I could revisit the branch in Rutherford County and set things in order there. Then I was to accompany him home to our families in Nauvoo, the City of Joseph. I ordained Brother William Pace in the office of the lesser Priesthood, to take charge of the Saints there. We also ordained Brother Adolphus Young to preside over the branch at Indian Creek, Putnam County.
After calling on Brother Young. I joined my friend, Elder Frost, and drove to Nauvoo for him six jacks and jennets to exchange for land, that on his coming he might have a place to dwell. We had a pleasant journey to Nauvoo, as the weather was fine. On arriving in the city I met my family, all in good health. I traded some of my stock with Hyrum Smith, the Prophet's brother, for land.
It was now June, 1842. In the summer and fall I built me a two- story brick house on Warsaw street, and made my family comfortable. I enclosed my ground and fixed things snug and nice. I then took a tour down through Illinois. H. B. Jacobs accompanied me as a fellow companion on the way. Jacobs was bragging about his wife, what a true, virtuous, lovely woman she was. He almost worshiped her. Little did he think that in his absence she was sealed to the Prophet Joseph.
We raised up a branch of the Church in Clinton County. Among others whom we baptized, were the Free sisters, Louisa and Emeline; also the Nelsons. Emeline Free was afterward sealed to Brigham, and her sister Louisa to myself.
In Randolph County, the home of my youthful days, I baptized my cousin Eliza Conners, with whom I had been raised. I also baptized Esther Hall, the sister of my old friend Samuel Hall, with whom I lived when I was first married. I was kindly received in my own county. Few, however, cared to investigate the principles of Mormonism, as the most of them were Catholics.
In all my travels I was agent for our paper, the Nauvoo Neighbor, and collected means, tithings, and donations for the building of the Temple. I returned home by steamboat.
Through the winter Joseph selected forty men for a city guard, from the old tried Danite veterans of the cause. I was the seventh man chosen. These men were to be the life guard of the Prophet and Patriarch and of the twelve apostles. My station as a guard was at the Prophet's mansion. After his death my post was changed to the residence of Brigham, he being the acknowledged successor of the Prophet. From the time I was appointed until we started across the plains, when at home I stood guard every night; and much of the time in the open air, one-half of the night at a time, in rain, hail, snow, wind, and cold.