i called on a mission to the united states—journey eastward—visit relatives en route—reach new york—measured for an artificial limb—how it was paid for—visit and preach—meet poor encouragement—go to boston—world's peace jubilee—bunker hill—again at new york—released to return home—back in utah—traveling and preaching—sent for by president young—called on a mission to arizona—directed to furnish names of others—send the list—president young adds other names—set apart for our mission—difficult to collect money due me—leave my family poorly provided for but trusting in the lord—placed in charge of the mission—letter of instructions—start south—people contribute liberally—traveling in storm—arrive at kanab—in arizona—a hard journey—marriage of my daughter—reach lee's ferry on the colorado—crossing the river—reach moancoppy wash—decide to winter there—explore the vicinity—meet friendly indians—building a house—exploring the little colorado—a difficult trip—description of the route—find a place for another settlement—san francisco mountains—fine forest growth—caught in deep snow—through with a perilous journey—decide to return to salt lake city and report—heavy snow—trip homeward—cordially greeted by president young—with my family.
on the 8th of april, 1872, at the general conference of the church in salt lake city, i was called on a mission to the eastern part of the united states, and hastened to settle my business preparatory to my departure. at 5 p.m. on may 1st i left salt lake city, going by train to ogden, and then east. there were about twenty-five other elders in the company. my companion in the pullman car was moroni brown, of ogden. on reaching missouri valley junction, iowa, i stopped over with my brother-in-law, b. h. dennis. on may 4th, i went to calhoun and preached in the schoolhouse; returned to missouri valley junction on the 6th, preaching in the courthouse. my father paid the expense of securing the last-named building.
i continued my journey on the 7th going by way of chicago, philadelphia, newark and jersey city, to new york. there we met with elder wm. c. staines, and on the 12th went with him to brooklyn. on the 13th i was measured at mr. hudson's, 696 broadway, new york, for an artificial limb. the way i came to do this was through leonard wines, of salt lake city. mr. wines and i had been good friends in our younger days. in later years he had made some money on the mail line west, and meeting me one day on the train the idea struck him that i ought to have an artificial leg. the result was that he and some friends whom he called on raised the necessary amount to pay for it, which sum he presented to me, telling of his purpose. naturally i had a high appreciation of his kindness. it was on may 27th that i received the artificial limb.
we obtained lodgings with brother isaac elkington and family, and visited and preached where we could. we met very little encouragement from the people. on june 13th we left for boston on a steamer of the neptune line, going first to providence, from which place we went by rail to boston, and thence to portsmouth, n. h. at the latter place i visited my father-in-law, thomas lester.
on the 17th of june we were at the world's peace jubilee, in boston, and also visited bunker hill and mingled with the vast assemblage there. i paid a visit to the home of thomas lester, jr., about fifteen miles out from boston, on the 18th, and then returned to new york, where, on the 19th, we met president george a. smith of the first presidency of the church. he told us we were at liberty to return home, as the antagonism was so great that there was no chance to preach the gospel to the people at that time. that evening we filled an appointment at paterson. n. j., staying at the home of w. dover till the 23rd, when we returned to new york.
having been released from our mission, owing to the indifference of the people, we started home the first of july. for some three years after my return i traveled and preached as i had done formerly, in southern idaho, western wyoming and northern utah.
on wednesday evening, september 29, 1875, on returning from a preaching tour in the northern part of utah county, i was informed by my family that president young had sent for me to do some interpreting in the navajo language. i had met the navajo indians going away from his office, and as i knew my presence was not necessary then, and as i was quite ill with a nervous headache, i did not go up till next day.
going to see president young, i met him in front of his office, in his carriage. he said he had wanted me to talk with the navajos, but i was too late, for they were gone, "but," said he, "i knew you had the spirit of it." he then drove off, and his private secretary, elder george reynolds, invited me into the office, saying the president wanted to see me particularly on missionary business. at this i went inside and waited. soon the president came in and after speaking to some others who were waiting for him, came to me and said, "oh, brother james, that i could see you as i have seen you, strong and active! i should like to send you on a mission to those indians, for you are just the man to go there with a few other good men. the spirit of the lord is upon them and they need a few men among them who will teach them the truth."
to this statement i replied that i was unable to endure hardships and exposure as i had done, for my health was very poor and i was not able to wait on myself in camp life. i stated, however, that what the spirit of the lord directed through him i was willing to try to do to the best of my ability; and added, "you know where to find me; i am just where i always have been, on hand."
president young then said. "bless your soul, the spirit does and has dictated to me all the time to send you to take charge of a mission in that country. you are just the man for it, and if i had sent you before, we would have had a mission and settlements there now. i think that if we fit you up with a good spring wagon or carriage, and some good brethren to wait on you, that you can go. just get a list of names of good men, and hand them to me—a list of men that will stand by you, but none of your babies. i want good men to go with you on this mission, so hand me a list of names."
when the conversation ended, i returned home, and after much thought and prayer for the guidance of the lord, wrote the following names, my own at the head of the list: daniel b. roson, john c. thompson, seth b. tanner, morton p. mortenson, bengt jenson, hans funk, ernest tietjens and john davies. the latter got excused, and president young added the following: andrew l. gibbons, luther c. burnham, thales h. haskell, ira hatch, warren m. johnson and william h. gibbons. these were called on a mission october 9, 1875, at the general conference. on monday, october 11th, we were set apart for our mission.
i found some difficulty in collecting debts due me, over a thousand dollars altogether, so that i could not get enough to fit me out comfortably nor to provide for my family. still i was determined to go. when it came to parting from my family, it was hard to leave them, with only ten days' supply of fuel and less than fifty pounds of flour in the house, and not knowing where the next would come from. it seemed as if they could not endure the separation when they saw me fitted out so poorly. but i blessed them in the name of the lord, and told them that if they would live their religion they would not suffer so much want when i was away as if i had stayed home. then we separated sorrowfully, and on october 30th i went by train to provo. some of the company had preceded me a day or two. i had in the meantime received much personal instruction from president young, and was given the following letter:
"salt lake city, u.t., october 28, 1875.
"elder james s. brown. salt lake city:
"dear brother:—you are hereby appointed to take charge of the mission about to go south and southeast of the colorado river.
"it will become your duty to found settlements in suitable locations, where the brethren can congregate in cultivating the earth to bring forth substance for the families of the brethren who may feel disposed to join you.
"you will work in harmony with other brethren who are now in the south building up new locations, and will in all things seek the welfare of those associated with you, and the building up of the kingdom of god.
"in the formation of settlements, and in all circumstances that may arise on your mission, you will seek the wisdom of the spirit of the lord, and be guided by its whisperings in all things from day to day.
"the brethren with whom you are associated are counseled to act under your directions, that the spirit of union and concert of action may characterize all your movements. and we call upon all men unto whom you shall come to aid and assist you according to their ability in promoting so good and glorious a cause as settling this rugged new, country.
"we would counsel you, if you will do it, to sustain each other as brethren, and work together in the holy order that god has revealed.
"we pray god our heavenly father to bless and prosper you and to make you instrumental in accomplishing much good to those with whom you are called upon to associate, and to labor for on this mission, in the name of jesus christ. amen.
"your brethren in the gospel,
"brigham young,
"daniel h. wells,
"first presidency of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints."
from provo i got a ride with a team to spanish fork, where, on sunday, october 31st, i preached to the people, having great liberty of the spirit. then bishop snell asked the people for a contribution and they responded liberally, raising twenty-two sacks of flour, twenty-six bushels of potatoes, and thirteen dollars in money. that night i went on to salem and preached, and also received a small donation from the people. i next went to payson, where i preached on monday evening, and where the people subscribed liberally, so that i had thirty-three dollars in currency, fifty sacks of flour, and twenty-six bushels of potatoes. thus my words to my destitute family were fulfilled, and they were provided for as well as myself.
at payson i met some of my missionary companions, and we moved on southward. others joined us on the journey, and on november 9th we reached salina, where we pitched our tent and i camped out for the first time on our trip. at richfield we received contributions of provisions, and again at panguitch. much of our journey between these two places was in storm—rain and snow—and was far from comfortable. on the 18th we crossed the rim of the great basin. we reached kanab on the 20th, where we were joined by the four brethren who had been called from the southern settlements.
i left kanab on november 22nd, going to navajo wells. before leaving kanab i had telegraphed to president young, written to my family, and arranged with bishop l. john nuttall to have our mail sent after us as soon as possible. at navajo wells i joined our party, and next day we went on to the buckskin mountains, making dry camp that night. on the 24th we reached house rock spring, where we were overtaken with letters from home. i had one from my eldest daughter. lydia jane, stating that she was to be married to homer manley brown on november 22nd. it had been arranged before i left home that the wedding was to take place this month.
we traveled steadily on, the country being dry and forbidding. our beef cattle having run off, ira hatch and luther c. burnham went to find them. burnham brought them into camp at badger creek, on the 26th, but it was 2 o'clock on the morning of the 27th when ira hatch got in from his fruitless search. that day we went on to lee's ferry, on the colorado river. we had sent two men ahead to arrange for us to be ferried over the river, but they reported that it was not possible to cross that night. i thought differently, and as it was saturday, i determined to get over. some of the party objected and some were willing, and this division delayed our crossing with the wagons till about 10 p.m.; but we were safely over the stream. next day our animals were ferried over. at the ferry, mrs. lee was out of provisions, and we helped her to some, and also gave her ten dollars, of which i contributed two dollars. next morning she sent me a navajo blanket and a cotton handkerchief.
we left lee's crossing on november 29th, and continued over a dry, rough, difficult road till december 3rd, when we reached moancoppy, the pleasantest spot we had seen since before arriving at kanab. i was impressed to make this place winter quarters, and designated a site for a fort. we were all pleased to have a rest from traveling, as our feed had given out and our stock was sick with the epizootic. near this place there were some old indian farms and a few stone huts laid up without mortar, but all had been deserted. there were also some springs near by.
the morning after we had camped there, a small hunting party of navajos came in, and after we had given them their breakfast they smoked their corn-husk cigarettes and departed. a. s. gibbons, ira hatch and i examined the country around moancoppy, and found a few ponds of water and a good place for a reservoir to catch the spring rains; we also discovered a fertile spot of a few acres, and two small springs. december 5th was sunday. we held a meeting, and all our company, thirteen in number, expressed themselves as feeling well and zealous in our missions.
on monday we explored the vicinity, but found nothing inviting outside the neighborhood of our camp, where we all were satisfied a missionary station should be built, as it was the best we could do. we went to work getting timber and doing other necessary work, my part being to guard against hostile indians. t. h. haskell and ira hatch, our interpreters, went to the oriba indian village, some fifty miles away. on their return they reported all was peaceful; they were accompanied by chief tuba and his wife telassinimki, who were highly pleased to see their old mormon friends.
on the 8th we laid out a house twenty by forty feet and twelve feet high, to be built of stone. our beef cattle having become very wild, we had to kill them and cure the meat.
j. c. thompson, ira hatch, s. b. tanner, l. c. burnham and i started on december 9th on an exploring trip up the little colorado river and around the san francisco mountains. when we had gone twelve miles, breaking the road through the canyon, we were glad to find some pools of water, and to rest for the night. next day we came to the little colorado river from forty to fifty miles above its mouth. the river bottom was about half a mile wide, and the water very low. we continued up the river to the black falls, where the stream passes over a ledge of volcanic rock twelve or fourteen feet high. four miles farther up it ran through a very narrow gorge, and we had to pass over the hills through deep sand, which our team found it very difficult to cross.
fifteen miles farther on we came to grand falls, where the river runs over shelving rocks for eighty to a hundred feet. higher up the stream the bottoms widened out, in some places to four miles, the timber was better and the stream was larger. we killed two antelope and dried the meat. our forward journey continued to the old beel trail, then on to sunset crossing and the old prescott road. seven miles above was a mail station, and there, at 9 o'clock on the night of friday, december 17th, the mail carriers met, and we learned some general news from them. next day we traveled fifteen miles farther, to where some mexican herders were camped with about four thousand sheep. the water in the river had improved in quantity and quality, and the surroundings were such that we felt we could recommend it as a place for settlement. we were also impressed to return to moancoppy, and started on that journey on the 19th. we changed our course and took more to the hill country, heading for the san francisco mountains.
the return trip was very hard. we saw plenty of timber—the finest forest growth i ever beheld. on december 24th, when crossing the divide between the san francisco mountains and mount hendrick, we encountered a terrific snowstorm, and had to camp for the night. next day we continued on our way, making slow progress in the deep snow. we passed below the snow line on a very rough country, where sometimes, with brake set, it took the four of us all we could do to keep the wagon right side up. we were thankful to reach the river on the 28th and moancoppy on the 29th.
at a brief consultation that day, it was decided that i should return to salt lake city and report to president young the result of our explorations. next day the bandaging of my artificial leg gave way and t. h. haskell repaired it. on new year's day, 1876, j. c. thompson, w. h. gibbons and i set out for kanab, where we arrived on january 6th.
i requested bishop nuttall to forward me to orderville, which he did. from there bishop h. o. spencer took his team and conveyed me to panguitch. we met a heavy snowstorm on the road, the snow on the rim of the basin being up to the wagonbox. from panguitch i was forwarded to monroe, where i telegraphed president young that i would be in the city by january 15th. i was advanced by team from there to the railroad, where a pass sent by president young was ready for me, and i arrived in salt lake city and reported to him at 6 p.m. on the 14th. at the railway station i was met by my children and the neighbors and two vehicles. if i had been president young's own son he could not have received me more cordially than he did when i reached his office. after our conversation i returned home, where my folks thought i should have gone first; but they were overjoyed to see me, as i was to see them, all in good health and well provided for. we were highly gratified to realize that the lord had heard and answered our prayers.