A New Religion
Joining a New Church.
My father married again and moved to Arkansas, and then in 1838 to Illinois, where we remained many years5.
By this time I had arrived at the age of manhood and began for the first time to have serious thoughts about my soul’s welfare.
In the year of our Lord 1842, on June 30, I married Ruth Amelia Newell.6
Shortly afterward I joined the Campbellite Church7 and remained a member until I perchance obtained a copy of the tract
A voice of Warning, which opened my understanding in regard to the truth.8
On 30 August 1851 my wife and I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints being baptized for the remission of our sins by James Thorpe, one of the elders of the Church.
Children Born.
At this time we had four sons. The eldest, William Joseph, was born in Calhoun Co., Illinois, April 9, 1843.
Our second son, whose name was Hyrum Smith, was born at the same place on May 7, 1846.
Our third son, who was named Henry Waters, was born on September 28, 1847.
Our fourth son was born March 27, 1849, named Edwin Sylvester — all four in the same state and county.9
Edwin died August 19, 1851.
We enjoyed ourselves well in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
I should have said our fifth son was born in the same state and county on March 8, 1851, whose name was Orson Augustus.
Church Activities In Illinois.
I was ordained a Priest on November 16, 1851, and on May 2, 1852, by the consent of the branch, I was ordained an Elder by J. T. Griffith.
On the same day I baptized James Thorpe for his health.
Nothing of importance occurred until July 4, 1852, when we had a real celebration — a wedding.
I solemnized the rites of matrimony between J. T. Griffith and Nancy Despain, my niece.10
Both were of the same faith — members of our church, and we had a good time. We had several lectures from elders on the Independence of our Country.
On the following Friday old Mr. Griffiths, J. T. Griffiths’ father left Kanesville.
When he returned in the Fall, he had apostatized and was cut off from the Church for having spoken evil of the authorities of the Church.
Saints Admonished To Gather.
On December 20, 1852, we received news that the First Presidency had sent a proclamation to all the Saints to leave the States.
We were unable to make our outfits just then.
Brother Sharp [the branch president] had left in the fall of 1852.
In the Winter or 1853 Brother Burton resigned the presidency of the branch.
He had been president since the time Brother Short [had] left earlier that year in the Spring.
At his resignation we elected Brother William B. Corbitt to preside over the branch with Brother James Despain and myself as his counselors.
We two had been counselors to both Brother Thorpe and Brother Burton.
Things went along well until Brother Dobbs got too large and began speaking evil of the authorities.
We [the branch] cut him off from the Church.
[It seems that a child, probably the daughter Ella Eugenia (Despain) Boyce has inserted the following paragraph:]
Right here I would like to relate a dream Mother had concerning Mr. Dobbs.
She told Father when they first began to have trouble with Mr. Dobbs that they would finally have to cut him off.
Father asked her how she knew.
Then she related her dream.
She thought they were having a stick of wood to make a bed post but the grain in it was so crooked that they could not get anything so large out of it.
Then they were going to make a bed bat, but could not; then they said they would try several things small, but could not get anything whatever out of it.
Just as she awoke the interpretation came to her that the stick was Mr. Dobbs and that they would not be able to make anything out of him. And so it proved to be.