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16 Sample of Andrew’s Journal

By Edward L. Kimball
book cover
Father of a Prophet: Andrew Kimball
Page 65

A sample of Andrew’s journal entries offers insights into both his job and his personality.

Thursday [March] 19th [1891]. Made preparations and at 4:30 P.M. drove to Bear River City and stayed with Bp. Jensen.189

Friday Mar. 20, 91. Sold goods to Co-op in Bear River City and drove 28 miles to Promontory. stayed at Hotel. before getting their I was stopped by two drunken men who demanded to know what I was loaded with. I treated them to cigars and they drove off.190

Saturday Mar. 21nd. Tried to sell goods to Mr. Brown. did not succeed. at 11 a.m. started and drove about 25 miles to Daleys Ranch 6 miles from Snowville. stayed all night with Bro. Torbenson at the Ranch.

Sunday Mar. 22 Drove down to Snowville. attended Sunday school. spoke. Ocupied all of afternoon services in meeting and lectured in the evening on the Principles of the gospel. was invited out to supper by Bro Noors and Lizzie Goodliffe.191

Monday 23rd. Worked all day selling goods to Bishop Goodliffe. It snowed and blowed most all day.192

Tuesday Mar. 24. Finished my trading and attended a birthday dinner at Lizzie Goodliffes her 38 birthday. Arangements were made for a lecture, for the evening. I visited and [had] dinner and supper with Bro. Goodliffes family. I talked with his wives. spoke at the meeting house to a good congregation on the Gospel. When I got to Bro. Goodliffes house after he predicted that my history would be great and that I should be a terror to the enemies of righteousness, should put to flight the wicked and cold[?] hearted[?] etc. He said many things which I could not see into. He read his and Aunt Marys patriarchal blessing and we retired late.193

Wednesday 25, 91 Made arrangements and set out on my trip west. drove to our Milk creek or Starwood. stayed with Will Barnes.

Thursday 26, 91 Drove to Almo. saw Dick Barnes and one of the Jones Boys. I had dinner at Bro. Thos. King. went up and saw the store keepers Ward[?] and Jones and Jensen’s. spent the evening at Bro. Kings. Received letters from wife Ollie, w__[?] and some business letters.

Friday Mar. 27 Remained at Almo. Sold goods to Ward & Jones. The people aranged for a Lecture and I lectured in the evening. spoke on the Subject of the gospel. drove on over to Bro. Wards and stayed with him.

Saturday Mar. 28. At about 9 a.m. I drove over the hill to Elba. on the way I encountered a most fearful storm. stayed at Bro. Coles. wrote an article to the Bugler and also to the Deseret News. wrote letters to folks.194

Sunday 29 Walked down to Elba and attended Sunday school. after which hitched up team and drove down. attended meeting. spoke. ocupied the time. put team away and in the evening Lectured on the Gospel to the people in the Elba Ward.

Monday Mar. 30, 91. Snowed off and on all day. Sold goods to Taylor & Hadfield[?]. remained in all day.195

Tuesday Mar. 31, 91. Snowing hard. Got my work done and remained over and lectured in the evening on the Gospel to a full house.

1891. Wednesday Apr. 1. Drove to Albion and sold goods all day. wrote letters in the evening. weather fine today. all well and prosperous.

Thursday April 2nd 91. Finished my work at Albion and drove to Oakley. worked the store that evening. Visited the young Ladies Association. spoke to them.196

Friday 3. 91. Finished my work and drove back to Tom’s. Poultons halfway between Oakley and Albion. Bishop Taylors sons their had a pleasant talk.

Saturday 4th. Drove to Albion. attended to some business and in the evening drove up to the Mormon settlement in the Albion basin. stayed with Bro Boone.

Sunday 5th. Attended Sunday school. ocupied the time in the afternoon with Gospel and lectured in the evening.

Monday 6th, 91. Drove from Albion Idaho to Clear Creek. stayed at John Jeff’s.

Tuesday, 7th. Drove around to Park valley. stayed with Dollie Roleigh Camp here. had a good talk and wrote letters.

Wednesday April 8. 91. Drove to Players ranch on Rosebud. found store of Bro. Parsons boys their. After dinner I tried to cross the mountain. some bad luck in missing roads and when I got to the mouth of canyon there was too much snow. I was obliged to turn back. Did so and stayed with the boys at the ranch near Terrace Mill.197

Thursday, April 9. 91. Drove to Grouse Creek by way of old Emigrants road. got to Sams at about 4 p.m. and found all well and that they had a meeting appointed.198

Friday, April 10th. Sold goods to Mr P. Hales and got back to Sams in the evening. made preparations for travel. went to the meeting house and filled an appointment and lectured to the people. had a full house.

Saturday 11th. Drove to Park valley and stayed at Jno. Campbells. Nooned with Geo. Parson at Player’s Ranch on Rosebud. had quite a time crossing the mountain. got in a snow drift deep.

Sunday, April 12th. At Park Valley. ocupied the time in the afternoon. Lectured in the evening to a full house. stayed with Bp. Mecham. spoke on the Human Family.

Monday, April 13. 91. Drove to Promontory Station, a distance of about 50 miles. got their after dark tired and also the team.199

Tuesdy, April 14. Drove home from Promontory. tired. arived home at P.M.. Reported my trip and spent the evening at Sister Reeses. Vi had gone to Collinston.200

Wednesday, April 15. Went to Salt Lake. found my family well. attended some business. Ollie and I called upon Mary W.201

In April 1891

while in talking with him [Lorenzo Snow] he told me they had made arrangements to put me in the Bishop of Willard, Box Elder Co. Utah. I explained my feelings, that I did not want it but was in the hands of the Lord and would do as they wished. I told him of the circumstances in Salt Lake when I was released from a similar call to the 22nd Ward. I left the matter with him. he was to see the First Presidency about it and have me released from my mission.202

Two days later, Elder Snow “said he had felt he could not recommend to the First Presidency to release me from my Mission and put me in as Bishop of Willard, and as to my employment I should have to discontinue as traveling salesman. he asked me how much I wanted to operate as retail salesman. I told him $75. he said he would see about it.”203 “At work had a talk with Vie Snow about quitting. he did not want me to go but the business would not warrant my staying. saw Bro. [Lorenzo] Snow. he talked the same.”204 After the year in Brigham City, the family returned to Salt Lake City.

Notes

189. On this trip Andrew traveled all by wagon or cart, through sparsely settled country. Most of the places Andrew visited had no hotels, so he stayed with friends, relatives, or hospitable Church members. On return visits he often stayed with the same people. The bishop of a community typically offered such hospitality.

190. According to Dortha Kimball, Gordon’s daughter-in-law, a small pistol in a leather purse in the Graham County Historical Museum is one Andrew carried as he traveled. Brent Cluff to Edward L. Kimball, June 29, 2002, Church History Library. Many settlements had a co-op store, which was Andrew’s first objective. Promontory was not a Mormon town where he could expect hospitality, but it did have a hotel. Andrew handled the implicit threat by the two drunks lightly and escaped at small cost. Apparently, the Word of Wisdom did not deter his selling cigars. He experienced no other threats.

191. Andrew attended church meetings wherever he landed on Sunday. With the scarcity of good speakers and entertainment in the tiny communities, Andrew’s reputation and abilities made him a draw. Sunday meetings were usually held morning, afternoon, and evening, and Andrew would generally speak in all three. He spoke repeatedly on favorite topics, including basic gospel principles, the Indian Territory Mission, home industry, and “The Human Family.”

192. Snow, rain, dust, and wind often made travel in an open conveyance over long distances the most unpleasant part of the job.

193. Andrew also spoke on days other than Sunday. Whenever he was in a town, a meeting might be called. That Andrew recorded the complimentary prediction may suggest that he hoped he could be such a person.

194. As he traveled, Andrew had a lot of free time in the evenings or while waiting for train connections. He used the time to write letters home, letters to his missionaries in the Indian Territory Mission, and newspaper stories about what he observed in his travels. For example, he wrote a story of nineteen column inches signed “Drummer Boy” on Utah sugar manufacturing (Andrew Kimball, Journal, November 11, 1893) and another on the Nephi salt works (Andrew Kimball, Journal, November 30, 1894). He arranged with the Salt Lake Herald to write articles for them in exchange for a railroad pass (Andrew Kimball, Journal, November 13, 1893). He also wrote advertising copy; for example, one was for Warner’s Safe Cure for Bright’s disease.

195. He mostly set his own schedule.

196. At every opportunity people invited Andrew to speak, eager to hear what he had to say.

197. The roads were primitive; a little snow would obliterate the wagon tracks.

198. Grouse Creek, in the very northwest corner of Utah, was the farthest west Andrew ever went by wagon. Sam, Andrew’s oldest full brother, was seven years older than he. As a nineteen-year-old, Andrew had lived with Sam and ranched in Grouse Creek for the summer of 1878.

199. He drove so hard because he had hoped to stay at a hotel at Promontory.

200. Vi Rees, who lived in Brigham City, was a close friend to both Ollie and Andrew and appears to have been a prospective plural wife, at least until the 1890 Manifesto.

201. Mary Wallace, of Salt Lake City, was another close friend and prospective plural wife.

202. Andrew Kimball, Journal, April 20, 1891.

203. Andrew Kimball, Journal, April 22, 1891.

204. Andrew Kimball, Journal, April 25, 1891.