After visiting with my father a day or two, I returned to Avon, where most of my relatives lived, and held meetings with them, and on the 12th of June, 1837, I baptized my uncle, Ozem Woodruff, his wife Hannah, and his son John, and we rejoiced together, for this was in fulfillment of a dream I had in 1818, when I was eleven years of age.
On the 15th of July I had an appointment to preach at the house of my uncle, Adna Hart. While there I had the happy privilege of meeting with my wife, Phoebe W. Woodruff, who had come from Kirtland to meet me and accompany me to her father's home in Scarboro, Maine.
Those who had assembled to hear me preach were relatives, neighbors and former friends. After meeting, we returned to Farmington to my father's home, where I spent the night with my father, step-mother, sister and wife. Elder Hale was also with us.
On the 19th of July, Elder Hale left us to go to his friends in New Rowley, Mass., and on the same evening I held a meeting in the Methodist meeting-house in the town of Farmington. I had a large congregation of citizens, with whom I had been acquainted from my youth. My parents, wife and sister attended the meeting. The congregation seemed satisfied with the doctrines I taught, and they requested me to hold another meeting; but I felt anxious to continue my journey, and on the 20th of July I parted with my father, step-mother and sister, and took stage for Hartford with my wife.
On my arrival at Hartford, not having money to pay the fare of both of us, I paid my wife's fare to Rowley, Mass., where there was a branch of the Church, presided over by Brother Nathaniel Holmes, father of Jonathan and Milton Holmes, and I journeyed on foot.
The first day I walked fifty-two miles, the second forty-eight, and the third day thirty-six miles, and arrived at Rowley at two o'clock, making 136 miles in a little over two and a half days.
I spent eight days at New Rowley, holding meetings and visiting the Saints, including the Holmes family, and left there on the 1st of August.
On the 8th of August, in company with my wife and Elder Hale, I visited my wife's father, Ezra Carter, and his family in Scarboro, Maine, it being the first time I had ever seen any of her relatives. We were very kindly received. My wife had been absent from her father's home about one year.
I spent eight days with Father Carter and household, and one day I went to sea with Fabian and Ezra Carter, my brothers-in-law, in a boat, to fish with hooks. We caught 250 cod, haddock and hake, and we saw four whales, two at a time, it being the first time in my life I had ever seen the kind of a fish which is said to have swallowed Jonah.
On the 18th of August, 1837, I parted with my wife and her father's household, leaving her with them, and, in company with Jonathan H. Hale, started upon the mission that I had in view when I left Kirtland.