I paid no attention to this warning.
Three or four days after this occurrence, four men rode up in front of my house, when I happened to be away, called Sister Young to the door, and again gave warning that we had better leave.
By her side stood our little boy, Joseph W. One of the men, using an oath, ordered him to go into the house or he would blow his brains out. The boy stepped back, without his mother noticing what he was doing, took my rifle, which was standing in the room, and, before he had attracted her attention, was leveling it on the threatener. She quietly told him not to fire, as they would certainly be killed if he did.
He obeyed, but manifested considerable beligerency for one of his age.
About five days after this warning, early in the morning, I looked up the road towards Gallatin, and saw a man on horseback coming towards my house at full speed. As he rode up he inquired: "Is your name Young?"
I answered that it was.
He continued: "I have rode from Gallatin to inform you that, in two or three hours, there will be a company of forty men here, who assert that if they find you here, they will fasten you and your family in your house and burn it down. For God's sake, if you value your own life and the lives of your wife and children, do not be here an hour from now. I have come to give you this warning as a friend. Should it be found out that I have done so, I might lose my own life!"
I thanked him for his kindness, and he rode off rapidly towards Gallatin. I told Sister Young to prepare to leave at once, then attached my team to a light spring wagon, put a bed, a few cooking utensils, a trunk of clothing, and some food for the day into it. I got my wife, my four children, William, Harriet, Joseph and John into the wagon, fastened up the house and started for Far West.
I expected to return and get my goods. The next day I obtained some teams and started for my goods. I found the road strongly guarded, and the Missourians threatened to kill me if I went on. I never obtained goods, cows nor anything that I had left on my place.
This left my family very destitute, in common with others of the Saints who had been treated in like manner.