CHAPTER I.
PART FROM MY FATHER IN INFANCY—HIS BLESSING AND PROMISE—DEATH OF MY MOTHER—MY GRANDFATHER APOSTATIZES AND SETS UP A CHURCH OF HIS OWN—BOUND TO AN UNCLE—ILL-TREATMENT AND RIDICULE—PREJUDICED AGAINST THE "MORMONS"—FEAR OF THEM—RELEASED FROM MY UNCLE'S POWER—INDUCEMENTS TO GO TO CALIFORNIA—DECIDE TO START.
At the earnest request of many of my friends I have compiled a few incidents of my early life, some of which have an important bearing on the past history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
My grandfather's confession and testimony are especially important, and this sketch is written for the express purpose of giving publicity to his statement.
In order, however, to arrive at a clear understanding of this, it becomes necessary for me to insert a sketch of my early life.
I have carefully penned these incidents from memory, having taken no notes at the time of their occurrence, and they are as correct as it is possible to give them, especially such as refer to my grandfather Cutler's testimony of the work of the Latter-day Saints, and this I can vouch for, word for word. At the time this occurred I had just joined the Church, and his remarks made a powerful impression upon my mind, which nothing can ever efface.
My father, Heber C. Kimball, removed to Utah when I was only about twelve months old, leaving his two wives (my mother—Clarissa Cutler, and her sister Emily) with one boy each, at Winter Quarters, now called Florence, Nebraska, at the residence of my grandfather, Alpheus Cutler.
This occurred in the spring of 1847.
My father (as I have since learned) was very much impressed, prior to leaving us, with the belief that my mother would never come to Utah, and he, therefore, blessed my brother Isaac A. and myself, and while his hands were upon my head he significantly remarked that I should see the day that I would come to the valleys of the mountains and afterwards return for my brother.