Life of Heber C. Kimball, an apostle

by Orson F. Whitney

"Now is the time for us to be like unto Joseph of old—lay up stores for ourselves, and our children; and thousands, and hundreds of thousands from the old world, the United States, and North and South America will flee to this place to get down by the side of Joseph's cribs, and granaries, and storehouses, to get that which will sustain life from "these poor deluded creatures" that they drove from the United States, and were not willing that they should have shelter in the land of their birth, and the privilege of worshiping our God and our Father who organized and prepared this earth for His children, and those who would keep His commandments; and killed our Prophet, our Patriarch, and Apostles, and hundreds of others and thousands of men, women, and children, the widows and fatherless, who died on the plains in consequence of their oppression. Will they receive the rod in consequence of this? Yes, I can say in truth, in the name of Israel's God, they shall receive fourfold pressed down. I can say in my heart, I wish to God this people would all listen to counsel, and do at the start as they are told, and move as one man, and be one. If this were the case, our enemies would never have any more power over us, our granaries never would be empty, nor would we see sorrow. There is not a good, wise, humble Saint that is filled with the elements of eternal lives, but what knows that this is true as well as myself. * * * * * *

"Now, as to my own stock—cattle, horses and sheep. My sheep are on Antelope Island. Peter Hanson is with them, and Joseph Toronto is with Brother Brigham's, five miles beyond. Some portions of the Island are covered with snow nearly three feet deep. The sheep range on the tops of the mountains where the wind has blown off the snow, and they do first rate. My cattle, sixty head of them, were put in Cache valley with the church cattle, and those of other individuals, numbering about two thousand five hundred head, with some forty or fifty horses, some six or eight of which were mine. When the snow fell in that valley about ten inches deep, the fatter portion of the cattle broke and came over into Box Elder and Weber valleys, and scattered hither and thither. It is supposed that one-half of those two thousand five hundred head are dead. Whether mine are all dead I know not. My John horse fled out of that valley down on the Weber and died. Old Jim, Elk, Kit and Kurley remained in Cache valley, and they were with about forty head of other horses when last seen, but they have not been heard of for a considerable time, and whether living or dead we know not. The snow is about waist deep in that valley. Week before last, Heber and some other boys started to go there, but when they got to the divide between that valley and Box Elder, the snow was about twelve feet deep, and they were obliged to return. Heber found the Lize mare and your two mules on the Weber, and brought them home. They were so poor that they almost staggered.

"The Carr boys have lost most all of their cattle, as they were in Cache valley. Old Daddy Stump went there also, and most of his died. Brother Shurtliff had some ninety cows of Brother Brigham's, and he says that they are all dead except ten or a dozen. Brothers Hooper and Williams told me that they had lost about seven hundred head. Mr. Kerr, a Gentile, told me that he had six or seven hundred head, and they were all dead. Messrs. Gilbert and Gerrish had about as many, and they are all dead, as are also Livingston and Bell's, and, from the accounts from all the brethren north of this place, we learn that they have lost half of their stock, and this destruction seems to be more or less throughout the Territory, and many cattle and horses are dying in the city There may be more or less of these cattle living, but they are scattered from the Malad to this place. There are some forty head of cattle on the Island, probably living.

"Some of the Indians have killed some cattle in Utah Valley. Judge Drummond, being there, issued a writ for them. T—— J—— had the writ, and summoned a posse, without consulting Brother Brigham, and, anxious to obtain a few dimes from Uncle Sam, went over to Cedar Valley, and came to the lodge where the Indians were. Battest drew his rifle upon George Parish, who warded it off on firing, and one of the brethren drew a revolver, and shot Battest through the head, and he fell dead. In a very short time after this three of our brethren were found dead; one of their names was Carson. They were herd boys. Brother Hunsaker's son has never been found yet—supposed to be dead. Last evening we received news that two more of the brethren were dead, and one mortally wounded, and that the horses were taken from the company who were going to get back some of the cattle from the Indians. It happened in the cedars, between Rush and Cedar valleys, the brethren not expecting any Indians were anywhere about.

"The more reckless portion of the Indians have gathered together, and taken something over one hundred head of cattle and horses, and the last we heard, they were making their way toward the Sevier, taking the west side of the mountains, on the borders of the desert. General Wells has issued orders to Gen. Cownover to raise men and pursue them, and take away the cattle from them. We have received no news as yet from this company. This difficulty has arisen from our Judges, Kinney and Drummond, and some of our foolish brethren who are ready to run at their nod.

"There have been courts in session here for weeks and weeks, and I suppose that one hundred and fifty or two hundred of the brethren have been hanging around, with the council house filled to the brim. This scenery continuing for a long time, one day Brother Brigham sent Thomas Bullock to take their names, for the purpose of giving them missions, if they had not anything to do of any more importance. So Brother Brigham counseled me to make a selection—for Los Vegas some thirty, who are ordered to sell their possessions and go with their families as soon as the weather will permit, for the purpose of going down on to the Rio Virgin to raise cotton; Another company of forty-eight to go to Green River to strengthen up that settlement, make farms, build mills, etc., and some thirty-five or forty to go north to Salmon River, where Thomas J. Smith is, to strengthen up that post; some thirty to go to Carson Valley to strengthen that post; some thirty to go into the lead business near the Los Vegas; and eight to go to the East Indies. There are eighteen called to Europe, and seven to Australia.

"We left Fillmore on the day of the adjournment of the Legislature, which took place at five o'clock A. M. We got home in about four days.

"The Deseret Dramatic Association are now performing on the evenings of Wednesdays and Saturdays; "She stoops to Conquer" comes off for the second time to-morrow night. A benefit to Bernard Snow is to be given on Monday night, when will be played, 'Virginius.'

"Brother Smoot has made a selection of one hundred men, principally young men, to go back with ox teams to fetch on the Church goods that lie in Missouri and St. Louis, if there are cattle enough left alive to do so. Your brother David, Brigham Young, Jr., and George Grant's son George, will go with them.

"Heber and Phoebe are living with Ruth and Christeen. Heber is a very steady, good boy, and takes a great burden from my shoulders, by waiting on the family and seeing to things.