David and Duritha (Trail) Lewis

David and Duritha Trail Lewis

"I was born in the state of Kentucky on Easter. (April 10 1814) I lived in the same state and county until I was 22 years of age. I was married in my twentieth year on (November 23, 1834, to Duritha Trail)...She was born January the 5th, 1813, (daughter of Solomon Trail and Nancy Duren of Simpson Co.). She being one year, three months and five days the oldest. We were both baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Mar 24, 1835, by James Emmitt, who was accompanied by Peter Dustin. “I lacked 17 days of being 21 years old when we was baptized. In August 1835, I was ordained an Elder under the hand of Benjamin Lewis, my brother. (October 20, 1835-6, Duritha gave birth to their first child Arminta Lewis at Franklin, Simpson Co. KY) I am six feet one inch high. My weight is two hundred pounds. I am proportionally built, with black hair and blue eyes. I am fair skinned and in the full vigor of life and health.

David’s friend states, “The elders continued to preach and baptize, as 22 people were baptized. They then organized a branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and ordained Benjamin Lewis an elder and myself a teacher. After the branch was organized by Elders James Emmett and Peter Dustan, persecution raged so in the region that we had to run the elders off and do the best we could. The Lord was with us and watched over his little flock, and built us up in the kingdom of God.” John Lowe Butler

“I was the sixth son and the ninth child of my parents, they having twelve children in all, eight boys and four girls. My father was a large man. He weighed about three hundred and thirty pounds. They were not professors of religion, nor none of my connections with whom I was acquainted. My father's mother was turned out of the Quaker Church for marrying my grandfather, (Ann Beeson md David Lewis) who was not a member of the Quaker Church. I believe they were both honest, and I know they taught their children to be honest. My father was a farmer and possessed a sufficient substance to make his family comfortable.

My father emigrated from South Carolina to Kentucky amongst the first settlers or emigrants to that country. He left Kentucky with his family and went to Illinois State, Macoupin County and there died in about his sixty-third year. My mother was also a large woman who weighed about two hundred and forty pounds....Her father was named Samuel Morse. Her mother was Rachel, and lived in South Carolina, Pickins County or District. My father's father lived in South Carolina. His name was David. I think his wife was Rosannah.

My mother (and Father) died in the state of Illinois, when she was about sixty-five years old. (He was 63)

At my first recollection I was a very fleshy boy with very black hair and blue eyes which both was often spoke of by the neighbors. I was not grossly mischievous, only to plague and tease the other children which often cost me stripes. Sometimes when I was innocent, because I was so often guilty, no excuse would redeem me.

My oldest sister Ann often screened me from the lash by telling my mother that all that had happened accidental and not by design. I was kept closely at home and took all most all the lessons of a labor that was common for boys of six and age to know. I was not allowed to go off the place without the consent of one or both of my parents. I was not allowed to have no little boy notions without giving a strict account of how I got it.

I was seldom allowed to go in company and learn the ways of the world so that I thought myself green or more experienced than others of my size. I often felt embarrassed on this account and did not enjoy myself on this account when in company.

I was not quarrelsome with other boys and never had but three fights in all my life, I come off conqueror each time, the last time I had my oldest brother consent under whose charge I was at the time. I was about ten or eleven years old but very well grown when a very bad and saucy boy came to my fathers orchard and after pulling and thrassing down fruit of many descriptions and was about to leave (and I having had a fight with his brother for abusing my youngest brother who was very small)

I told him to tell his brother if he did not pay me for the marbles I sold him, I intended to whip him. He replied “What did you say?” My brother said to tell him again. I done so. He then commenced to curse me and said if I would come over the fence he would whip me. My brother said to me, “go and whip him well.” This was an unexpected privilege as I had never before bin allowed to fight under any circumstances, whatever. I went and done what I was told and rejoiced at the chance to. When my brother thought the boy had enough he said to “let him up he is whipped enough.” I immediately obeyed him the boy started home.

Why I mention this circumstance was because it was connected with a cruel act the same boy committed the next day. Next morning a boarder in the presence of the boys father, whetted a sharp pointed knife and told the boy to take it and stick it in me, “yes” said the father, “ I am determined that my boys shall defend themselves.”

George and Turner Miller was the boys names and James Miller the father name. “Go now my sons” said James Miller to his two boys “and defend yourselves.” They had scarcely got out of sight of this dwelling, when the screams was heard to the alarming of the whole. Presently they immediately ran. The two boys had fell out by the way about which one should kill a bumble bee, the youngest having the knife, he plunged it its length in his brothers breast.

Fighting with knives, dirks, stones, and clubs was common in my country but I never had taken part in so such wickedness, as I have often seen several in number on each side, fight with these weapons with intent to kill, until the whole would be so tired that none was able to do each other harm, some black eyes and other bloody noses to theirs in gores of blood which was frightful to see.

My father had four hundred acres of beautiful land about one hundred acres in farm the remainder of land was timber land a large two story double house on a public road, three miles east of the town of Franklin, a beautiful yard surrounded the house about one acre square, neatly covered with blue grass, two beautiful mulberry trees and one beautiful Seeder tree growing in the south yard. Beautiful cheery trees grew on the out edge of the yard one rod distance from each other. These mulberry and cherry trees bore a splendid fruit. A beautiful orchard on the west which joined to the yard in it was most all the varieties of fruits that was common for the country there was apples both early and late, sweet and sour pares, peaches, plums, persimmons, cherries and on the farm was the wild cherry, black haws, mulberry and walnuts and plums and persimmons, these fruit was all very good.

We chiefly raised corn in our country, wheat, oats, and tobacco, sweet Irish potatoes, beans and peas, cabbage and onions, melons and pumpkins, cotton, flax, rye, but wheat was the most uncertain crop we tried to raise. It was a very mild and pleasant climate the land was not very rich, it taken a great deal of work to cultivate the land, timber was plenty, good range for stock is poor, and wild game scarce.

The people is generally very kind to each other except when angry at each other, then they are cruel. When I was twelve year old I was taken from the farm to aid my mother and my oldest sisters Ann and Martha had married and left home. I was put to cording and spinning cotton and wool as it was common for women to make there own wearing apparel in that country. I soon came skilful in this business so that I could even beat my sisters that was grown, at carding and spinning. I was also trained at the wash tub and cooking and all the common house work and spent three years of my time in helping my mother in this way. This was not employment for boys or men folks in this country, so I often felt ashamed when the neighbors came in. At about fifteen I again went to the field.

I well recollect the first time I ever heard my mother talk about God and the devil. She said that they was a good man and a bad man lives above in the clouds and if I done bad, the bad man would get me when I died, but if I was a good boy and would mind her and father and wouldn't tell lies nor swear nor steal, that when I dyed the good man would take me to live again with him up in the clouds. They told me the many good things that would be entitled to be being good. This had a deep impression my mind. I told my older brother the story when they came in from the field, thinking it would be news to them. I then firmly thought I would be good.

I remember at another time when very young, my mother was combing my hair. She said to me, “there is a mole on your neck and that is a sign if ever you steal anything you will be hung.” This alarmed me very much, and often I have thrown down apples after I commenced to eat them because I remember the mole on my neck and knowing that father had told me not to pull the apples, I have thrown them down.

I have thrown down flints and little rocks that I thought was pretty after picking them up for fear it was settling, and the mole on my neck would cause me to be hung. My parents, not being religious folks, they very seldom told me anything about God or heaven. I seldom went to meeting and when I did, I got no understanding of the plan of salvation, and as there was Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians or Dunkards and they disagreed about the scriptures.

I asked father which one of these was right, he said he not know. I thought it strange that father did not know about these things. I always wanted to know that and thought if I could find a “little Book”, like I had heard of John the Revelator having one give him by an angel, I should be better pleased then with any other present, provided it would decide that point or teach to me the true plan of salvation. This was a subject that I greatly desired to know, all though I was young, and to all appearance, thoughtless of any such matters. I was often vexed at preachers exhorting the people telling to come to Christ, and never telling them how to come. I never got no understanding from one of the preachers how the plan was, but I always thought if I could find out, to my satisfaction, I would obey it. I promised myself when I got to be a man, I would find out to my satisfaction and do right and be honest and try to get to Heaven, where the good man lived.

I do not intend to give a full history of my childhood for it would be too tedious, but merely touch on a few things and then pass on to the things that I have passed through, and witnessed myself; the persecutions, trials, and hardships on the account of believing and obeying the Gospel of Christ which I know to be true and of God.

I commenced to write in this book January the 18th, 1854. In two months and six days I will have been in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 19 years. I now am in my thirty ninth year of age, and on the 10th day of next April I will be 40 years of age.

Now at the commencement of this book, I give a sketch of my birth place, my baptism, and first ordination and left the subject which related to my going to the gathering place in Missouri - which I now will take up again and continue my subject from that date.

I shall only speak or write of some of the most important things which taken place under my own observations. The distance from Kentucky, my birth place, to Missouri, the gathering place, was about six hundred miles. We Left Kentucky our native land on the 29th of April, 1837 for the state of Missouri where the Church of Later-day Saints was gathering. I stopped in Caldwell County, entered land, built me a house, commenced to make me a farm, and to till the ground, when the cry of war was heard around us.

Haun’s Mill Settlement

The people that lived in that county became alarmed to see so many people gather to one place, all of one religion and one politics. They raised many false accusations against us, in order to have us drove away from the State that they might possess our houses, property, and farms. We being to few in number to defend ourselves against the many thousands that were gathering against us, they commenced stealing our cattle, driving them off in droves, and all manner of robbing and abusing us, was carried on by the people of Missouri. I lived about eighteen miles east of Far West, on Shoal Creek and one quarter of a mile from Haun's Mill, where bloody butchery has taken place, wherein I was present and one who barely escaped.

Some weeks previous to this transaction, the people living on Grand River, about 6 or 8 miles north of the mill, began to come over to Shoal Creek settlement where the Mormons lived, and drove off our cattle, made some threats that they intended to come and burn down the mill.” (Battle of Crooked River happened just a week before this and their neighbors were in an uproar against the Mormons.) “We then sent delegates to them to see if we could not compromise with them and live in peace. They met our delegates with guns and in a hostile manner, but finally they agreed with our men that they would be at peace with us. We had mostly gathered to the mill a waiting to hear from our delegates and to organize ourselves so that if they should come in a hostile manner, we might be better prepared to defend ourselves. About thirty of them had come and taken the guns of all those that lived at the mill, except Hyrum Abbott who would not give his up, although they snapped their guns at him several times. There was also several brethren stopped at the mill, that was just moving to that country, from the eastern states amongst whom was Joseph Young, the present president over the Seventies and a brother of Brigham Young the President of the Church. (David was writing his journal in 1854 andThe Mormon Redress Petitions: Documents of the 1833-1838 Missouri Conflict ; [Provo: BYU Religious Studies Center, 1992], 276 -)

There was several families tented in the mill yard with wagons, horses and all their substances. There we was intermixed with women and children. There now being about thirty men with guns. We was in no state of defense for we was not expecting, but trusting that they would abide the treaty, we had made with them and felt as if we was safe.

Although we had been counseled by Joseph the Prophet to leave the mill and go to Far West, but being deceived by the messenger we sent to him for council, we understood it not, for our messenger said to Joseph “What shall we do that is at the mill? Joseph said “gather up all of you and come to Far West.” What said the messenger, whose name was Jacob Haun, the owner of the mill? Leave the mill and let it be burnt down? No. He said “We think we can maintain it.” Then said Joseph, “If you maintain it you will do well. Do as you please.”

The messenger returned and said if we thought we could maintain the mill, it was Joseph's council for us to do so. We thought not to come to Far West, from the way the thing was represented, it would be like cowards to leave and not try to maintain it. As they had agreed to be at peace with us, we thought that to gather up all our affects and leave our houses would be useless. For we did not know that it was Joseph's decided council for us to do so.

This barbarous work commenced on 30th of October 1838, Tuesday evening, about 4:00, and continuing for about an hour until sundown. They kept on shooting as long as they could find any to shoot. It would be miraculous to tell how they escaped that did escape, and also to tell how some that was shot, did recover. How painful it is when I think upon it, my heart is filled and my eyes is ready to drip with tears to see my friends and near neighbors a falling around me, groaning and dying, struggling in there blood, to see the widows tears, to hear the orphans cry, to see the helpless babes a weeping, standing by.

At their first appearance we did not know, thinking that it was brethren of the Church. We did not try to place ourselves in a situation to defend ourselves. We had neither spies nor guards out, nor was apprehending danger. Being thus situated on this day, about three hundred armed men on horseback came in full lope towards us until they got in about one hundred yards of us, when they immediately halted and commenced firing at us without showing us any mercy whatever.

When we called up on them to spare our lives, men ran out and with uplifted hands, waving their handkerchiefs and hats for peace. David Evans was our captain and he cried out for quarter, They gave none and he immediately fled, giving no official orders. By this time we was completely surrounded.

We then immediately ran into a blacksmith shop. This was a fatal move as they began firing on us without asking us to surrender, without giving us the chance to surrender. There was a window in the end and another in the side of the shop. The shop was neither chinked nor daubed, so they had all chances to make as speedy slaughter of us.

They shot down men when they attempted to run, they was shot down when they stood still, they shot at them down through the cracks in the shop. We saw that they would show us no mercy. We then begun firing back at them, but in this time our number was but few and the enemy mostly behind trees & logs so that there was but few of them killed or wounded.

The raging foe screamed as loud as they could yell, every breath and fully determined to have it to say, "I killed a Mormon." Each bullet as it passed through these many openings, was bound to prove fatal to some of us within.

The first man that fell was Simon Cox. He was standing close to my side when he received the fatal blow. He was shot through the kidneys. All the pain and misery that I ever witnessed in a poor soul, in him seemed to excel. It seems as though I could now hear him scream. They continued shooting about one hour and a half.

There was eight of our number that fled at the start, such groans of the dying, such struggling in blood. I hope that none that reads this account may ever have to witness, unless it is in avenging the blood of those that was slain, for truly they shed innocent blood, which must stand against them until it is avenged.

I remained calm in my feelings without being much excited and realized all that was happening. I thought for a moment that perhaps in the next minute, I may be like these my brothers, struggling in my blood, and my spirit take flight to the spirit world. But soon this thought left me, and I possessed an unshaken faith that my life would be spared, although to all natural appearance, there was no way for my escape.

They was still continuing their firing with an increased rapidity and closing their circle around us, as they was not meeting much resistance from the few that was left. I looked to the west and discovered a ruffian who had crawled within forty steps of the shop. He had secured himself behind a large log that lay in the yard of the mill. His head was raised above the log. I went immediately to the west window and stepped up on a block, to make myself high enough to shoot. I then saw his gun was to his face and he had sight on me. I immediately desisted from trying to shoot at his head and dismounted from the block. When I did this, another brother mounted the block and was immediately shot down. Our number on foot had now decreased to about seven or eight.

When Hyrum Abbot the man that had refused to give his gun said, "It is useless to stay in here any longer, let us leave." I believing him to be a brave man and thought myself justified in leaving. He started himself and with him three others, as he left the door of the shop, he was immediately shot through the body, which proved his death.

I nursed him in my own home for five weeks. He was removed to his father's and died. My brother Tarlton was one that started with him. He was shot through the shoulder, but his wound was not mortal. The names of the other two I do not remember. There was now four on foot besides myself, Benjamin Lewis (David's brother), Isaac Leany, Jacob Potts, and brother Yokem. I now left the shop alone. I went towards the east where it seemed to be the most strongly guarded. I thought at first I would go into their ranks and surrender myself their prisoner, but seeing they was shooting and yelling as demons, I felt that no mercy would be shown to me. I concluded to try and pass them. I went almost in their midst and then turned down a steep bank of the creek, crossed the creek, and ascended a steep bank on the opposite side of the creek in front of Hawn's house.

I then passed round the house and went towards the south and crossed the fence which was about two hundred yards from the shop. While crossing the fence, two bullets struck the fence close by my side. They had me in fair view for two hundred yards and constantly fired at me. The bullets seemed to be as thick as hailstones when it is hailing fast, and none of then entered my flesh or drew blood. Five holes was shot through my clothes, three in my pantaloons and two in my coat.

Let me here remark that I did not run one step of the way, for I had been confined to my bed for three months with the fever, and at the time was just able to walk about. It was only about the second or third time I had left the house. The distance from my house was about a quarter of a mile. I proceeded on towards my house. My tongue had rolled out of my mouth like that of a dog, by being overcome with fatigue and the whole distance up hill. A little ways from my house, I met my wife who had been in prayer for my delivery, for she had been in hearing of the whole scene.

She had heard the first guns that had fired. Her first salutation to me was, "Are you hurt, are you wounded?" I told her I was not hurt. We went with Ariminta, our only child, and secreted ourselves in a thicket until dark. (many hours later) They continued there bloody works until 17 was killed and 15 wounded.

Our women and children were fired on as there was one woman shot through the hand. Many was shot through their clothes as they ran out of their houses, near the shop. Knowing that their husbands was in the shop, they screamed for mercy but instead of having mercy shown to their husbands and friends, they had to make a quick retreat to save their own lives. I must here remark that this woman that was wounded in her hand, was not in the shop but was in a tent and when they commenced firing at her, she run and hid herself behind a long. It is said that there was 12 or 14 bullets shot in the log that she was behind.

Two little boys were shot also but these little boys were not shot accident by being in the crowd. As after the men was all down and gone and there was none to resist, the mobbers on the outside closed up. One man discovered these boys concealed under the blacksmiths's bellows. And those cruel hearted retches, after killing both of there fathers, deliberately stuck his gun in a crack of the shop and fired at them, as they was concealed together. One of their own men reproved him saying “it is a d--d shame to shoot such little fellows.” He calmly replied “little spouts make big trees, and they will make men or Mormons after a while, if not killed.” One died as having his brains shot out, and the other recovered. They boasted that they had “killed me a Mormon”. Afterwards, to the wives of those that was killed they said, "Madame, I am the man that killed your husband."

They then thinking all to be dead or dying that remained in the shop, they came in among those that was dieing and struggling in their blood. All those that they could perceive life in and taking deliberate aim at their head, they blown their brains out, cursing them as loud as screams could yell.

There was two men that laid among the slain, that passed for dead that escaped being shot again. One of them was wounded already and the other was not. And after these cruel retches had found out that these men had escaped their notice, I heard them swear that if they ever got in another engagement that they would inspect them more closer, by sticking their knife in their toes.

After they was done shooting the wounded, the mobbers went into the houses and tents and robbed the widows of there beds and clothing, and left them to perish for the cold. They also took off with our wagons and teams in order to haul off the goods that they had taken. They took several valuable horses, robbed the women of there mantles and the men of there clothes. They striped the boots off of the dead and sold them. Steven Runnels boasted of shooting the too little boys.

After the mob left the ground and it began to get dark, I went down near the mill and found my brother (Benjamin) which was gasping and groaning in his blood. I brought him to his house which was in a few hundred yards of the shop. He lived a few hours and died. I cautiously crept to my house next morning not knowing but some of them was at my house a waiting to take my life.

While Benjamin was dying, his wife loaned a young man, his noble gilding to go to Far West and get assistance to bury the dead. The young man started in haste and got within two or three miles from Far West when he met a company of men. They ask him where he was from and where he was going. He told them, and they then asked him where the militia was. He told them he did not know. They then told him to turn about and go with them. They would show him where they was, for they said that there was 5 or 6 thousand out here a little piece.

They then took him to Ray County to Samuel McCristens. They stayed there all night. There they robbed him of a fine fur cap, and threatened to take his over coat, telling him that it was too fine for a Mormon and threatened to shoot him. They disputed among themselves who should have the horse. (Benjamin’s horse)

In the morning Sashel Woods, the same that took his cap, saddled up this horse and rode him round the lot. He then stopped to counsel with his company. Then put his saddle on another horse. Samuel McCristin saddled up the horse and rode him off. The young man told them that the horse belonged to a woman that’s husband was dying. This company then took the young man to Richmond and kept him a prisoner. This company’s names was as follows Sashel Woods, Joseph Ewen, Jacob Snordan, Wiley Brewer, John Hille, and four more there names not recollected.

I will now return to fate of the four men I left in the shop. Potts upon leaving was shot in his legs. He crawled to my house, caught a horse at my door, and rode to his home. Leany was severely wounded having either four bullets in his body or two to pass clear through his body in direct opposition to each other leaving four wounds in his body and several other severe wounds. He survived and now is alive in the Valley.

Brother Yokem fell just as he crossed the mill dam, after crossing the creek on the dam. He was taken in at Haun's house and laid on the floor without attention until next morning. He was shot between the point of his nose and his eye. I picked up the ball next morning where he fell. The ball was a very large ball, and had passed from between the point of his nose and eye to the back of his head, leaving him senseless on the ground. He was also wounded in the leg, which since has been cut off. He is also alive.

Benjamin Lewis, my brother, was found about three hundred yards from the shop, by some of the women who had concealed him in the brush during the fracas. He was yet alive and in his proper senses. I went to him and with the aid of a horse and sled, I got him to my house. He lived a few hours and died. I dug a hole in the ground, wrapped him in a sheet, and without a coffin buried him.

I shall next proceed to give an account of the treatment that we had to endure after our friends was slain at the mill.

Early next morning I returned to the shop to learn the fate of the rest of my brethren. I first stopped in at Haun's house where I found McBride laying dead in the yard. He was a very old man and justice of the [——]. He left the shop before me and started going the same route that I went, but he stopped in their ranks, as I first intended to do. When he surrendered himself a prisoner and gave up his gun, he was shot down with it. He was down a little while and attempted to rise but he was hewn down again with an old piece of a scythe blade this time. Still after a while he attempted to rise again and was hacked into pieces. This was done by Jacob Roggers. As I was informed by a sister that was concealed under the bank and witnessed the scene.

Merick and Smith was also lying dead in the yard. York and Yokem was in the house of Haun but entirely senseless. York soon died, but Yokem lived. Leany Nights and Haun was also in Haun's house and wounded. All of which recovered and none of them had the aid of a physician to probe or prescribe for their wounds.

I then went over to the shop where I found Fuller Cox, Lee Hammer, Richard and two small boys dead on the ground and several others whose names I do not remember, but whose names have been given in the history of our persecutions. The dead numbering eighteen persons and the wounded fifteen.

A few of the brethren was assembled here, with myself, drug these slain to the side of a well, which was about twelve feet deep and tumbled them in, as we had no time to decently bury them. We knew not how soon they would be upon us again. This was the most heart rendering scene that my eyes ever witnessed.

The second day after the massacre took place, Capt. Nehemiah Comstock with 40, or 50 men came, fired their guns, and blowed their bugle, and frightened the neighborhood. After this day there was no more killing. They located themselves here for two or three weeks, and took possession of the mill. During this time they lived on the best that the neighborhood could afford, the industry the Mormons had procured to themselves, and plenty of that which was palatable and good. They ground up our grain and corn for their own use, killed the hogs, run of the cattle, robbed us of our feed. They lived well, going from house to house taking all the guns and ammunition that they could find, burning our books and property. They robbed some houses of every thing that belonged therein. Their faces was often painted which made them look disgraceful to the human race.

There was ten widows in the neighborhood, who’s husband they had killed and many helpless orphans who was dependent on going to these wicked retches for their meal and flour. There was many exposed to the cold, and was left destitute of means to subsist on. There was many laying wounded and no one scarcely to attend to there wants. Their lives was daily threatened.

The weather had become cold and it began to rain. Joseph Young was with me as we were hiding. We had no cover with us, but one thin quilt very much tattered. We lay down on the ground covered with the quilt and slept comfortably knowing that they could not find us, neither could they set the brush on fire on account of the rain. Although I was just recovering from a long spell of sickness, I took no hurt from the exposure, whereas I would expected in a common case it would produced sudden death.

I was then in the twenty-fourth year of my age, and my own life was miraculously spared for some unknown purpose to me, but I am willing to bear my testimony to all mankind that God will save and deliver those that exercise an unshaken faith in Him. For I did exercise an unshaken faith in Him at that time and fully believed that I would make my escape and my life be spared. And I then said “Lord thou hast delivered me for some purposes and I am willing to fulfill that purpose whenever thou makes it known to me, and to do all the duties that thou enjoins upon me from this time henceforth and forever”.

On the second day after this bloody transaction had taken place, this company of murderers returned to the shop blowing their bugles, firing their guns and yelling like demons, showing themselves hostile, and as I lived near, I could hear all their proceedings. Myself and Joseph Young went and concealed ourselves in the brush nearby, for fear they would come by my house to renew their slaughter.

I kept out of their way for near three weeks when a scouting party came across me. I was at the house of Jacob Foutz, who was laying wounded, when Capt Nehemiah Comstock with a company of men, came in with their faces painted black and a half moon painted under each eye. They begun to question Mr. Foutz if he knew where such and such of his neighbors was. He told them that he did not. I then got up and started out the door. I was immediately followed by some of his company. They told me to not go away until the Capt seen me.

They then went in and saw the Capt and he came out and said he, "Mr. Lewis, have you heard of the new orders of the governor?" "No sir," said I. "Well, our orders from the governor is that all the Mormons must leave the state forthwith." "Indeed, I thought that we was to stay until spring." "That," said he, "was the first orders, but he had now changed his orders, and you must be off by Wednesday at ten o'clock." (It then Sunday in the evening) Or denounce Mormonism, or go to Richmond and stand a trial for your life, for said he, "There was one of our men killed at the blacksmith shop." and said he, "you was there. All that was there will tried for murder, and be hung." Hyrum Comstock, the captain's brother said, "If they are not hung, they won't none of them get back here again, for our boys don't intend any of them to escape."

I asked him what it was I must deny, he said “must deny your Book of Mormon or your Mormon Bible, and deny that Joseph Smith is a Prophet. Whether he is dead or alive I know not for the last that I heard, he was prisoner and was supposed he would be killed."

I told him as for going to Richmond and standing a trial, I did not mind being tried for my life according to laws of the land, for any thing that I had done, for I have violated no law. But to be tried by a mob law, I did not like it, for they heaped the Mormons all in a lump, and what they had against one, they had against all. I know that no Mormon could have justice done to him in this state, while prejudice is so high."

As for moving, I replied that this is a short notice for one to start in, as it now is cold winter. I told him I had no wagon or team, my wife was sick, and I did not know how to go so soon. Then he said that I must either go, deny my religion, or go to Richmond,

I told him that the road was said to be guarded and that none was allowed to pass. Must I be drove off by one company and another kill me as I went. I told him that I thought the conditions of the treaty was, that we might stay until spring. I then asked him if the way was not guarded, so I could go safely. He said that he would give me a ticket that would take me safely. I then went my way.

On the next day I happened at the mill, where the Capt and his company was. He wrote a pass and gave it to me, which reads as follows; “November the 13th 1838 this is to certify that David Lewis a Mormon, is permitted to leave and pass through the State of Missouri, in an Eastward direction unmolested, during good behavior. Nehemiah Comstock, Capt Militia.”

I took my pass and studied on it and thought to myself, it would be death to undertake to go now, and it can't be no more than death if I stay. If I have to be killed let it be at home. For I thought it was too bad to take my flight in the winter.

Wednesday came and I had not gone. They sent up two or three men with Hyrum Comstock to see if I was gone. They had with them a Mormon prisoner whose name, I now know, was Kelly, although he a stranger to me. Comstock said, "Mr. Lewis do you know this man?" I replied I did not. "Have you ever seen him before?" "I believe I have." "Where?" "Over on muddy creek if I am not mistaken." "Was he at the mill on the day of the battle?" "I do not know, but I think not." "Is he a Mormon?" "I do not know, but I judge not." "Do you know his name?" "I do not." "Go with us, Mr. Lewis to our encampment." "Very well" said I. I went down with them. They told me that the prisoner said that he was well acquainted with me and that I might consider my self a prisoner.

They marched me in front of their camp andwhen they got me in their encampment, Hyrum Comstock said to me, "Mr. Lewis you have lied. This prisoner is a Mormon. He was in the battle. He says he knows you perfectly well, and you have been lying to us, trying to screen him."

The prisoner said, "That ain't the Lewis I know."

"Hush your mouth," said Comstock, "and wait until you are spoken to before you speak."

Their entire number gathered around me and the following interrogations took place. "Mr. Lewis, who of your neighbors was in the difficulties that was in Davis County?"

"I do not know."

"Who amongst you is Danites?"

"I do not know."

"Are you a Danite?"

"What is a Danite?" said I.

"Why those that has taken an oath to kill and rob and steal, plunder, take bear meat and sweet oil."

"I am no Danite" said I, "for I have never taken no such oath."

"Let us now have him sworn."

"It is of no use to swear him" said a voice, "for he would just as soon swear a lie as the truth."

Then I said, "Gentlemen, I am your prisoner, you can talk to me as you please, but I have seen the time that I would not take such talk as that. You know gentlemen that kind of talk did not pass current in our country. I am a Kentuckian, but I am now your prisoner."

Dinner now came on which consisted of stewed pork and bread. Each took a piece from a large pot and with the aid of a jack knife, each worked his own piece to his own notion. I stood around as an elephant for a while, as though I was not to get any dinner. When Hyrum Comstock said to me,

"Mr. Lewis, won't you eat something with us, our fare is very rough, but if you will eat, come up."

"Yes" said I, "for I am just recovering from a spell of sickness and my appetite is very good."

I gathered a bone which was well supplied with meat. They handed me a bunch of bread and I went at it as though all was well.

"Come" said they to the other prisoner, "and eat."

"No" said Kelly, "I am not well, I cannot eat."

"We will have hands laid on you Brother Kelly and you will get better," said they.

"Mr. Lewis, is this man given to being delirious and swearing? He swore harder last night than any man we ever saw. Why he curses Joseph Smith. ‘I know him not."

I still picking my bone as though times was better with than common. Seeing that I was enjoying myself better than they wanted me to, they turned their discourse to me.

"Mr. Lewis, are you not a good hunter?"

"I do not prize myself at that business."

"We want you to take a hunt with us after dinner. We do not care much for the game, but some of our boys is of the notion to try it over with you again. We hear that you can't be hit with a bullet, and our boys is good marksmen. They want you to go out with them this afternoon so they can have another chance at you. What do you think about dying?"

"I don't think about it nor care much about it. If I could have freedom, life then would be sweet; but without it I care not to live. Who told you that a bullet could not hit me? I think they came very near hitting me," showing them the five holes in my clothes.

"How did you get away without being killed" said one.

"I walked away."

"Well, I suppose you had so much faith you couldn't be hit."

"If I had faith, I had works to put with it, and my works was to try to get away as fast as I could." I then spoke to them as fellows in order to touch their humanity if there was any in them.

"Gentlemen, I think this is a pretty pass we have got things to. We are living in the same country and almost neighbors. We speak the same language and should be able to understand each other better than this and communicate our grievances to each other before making such rash moves. Our fathers no doubt fought side by side to gain for us liberty. Why not us their children maintain this liberty and be willing to have it extended towards each other. If we differ in our religious or political views we should not make it a matter of shedding each other's blood. But know that the world is large and that there is room for us all.

You shot at me very carelessly the other day. Although when you came to this mill and was detained all night, I fed you and your teams. You slept in my house free of charge. Many of us came from the same state, the same soil has nourished us, and there is a better way to settle difficulties than to take each other's life. What crime have I done that I must be treated?”

One cried out poor that he was used bad for being in bad company. This talk seemed to have a good affect, for they ceased to threaten me or to talk of trying me over again but seemed to soften them down. They said to each other, "That man has too good a countenance to be a thief."

Evening soon came on and I said to the captain, "can't you let me go home to chop a fire of wood? My wife is sick, the widow and orphans of my brother, that you have killed is there, and the wounded man is there." "What" said Hyrum Comstock, "do you mean about that man who was wounded is there?" I replied yes. "Well" damn him, he ought to die. I snapped my gun at the damn rascal seven times, because he refused to give up his gun. But my gun was what I had just taken from a Mormon and the damn thing would not go off. If it had been my own gun, I should have killed the damn rascal."

"Well, can I have the privilege to go or not? You can send a guard with me if you cannot trust to my coming back." The captain said, "We will hold a council over you and we will let you know." Then Bob White, an apostate Mormon who was with them pled to let me go for said he, "I know that Mr. Lewis has been sick and is now unable to stay in our camp while it is so cold."

This kindness Mr. White done because he hated Haun as he did Lucifer. And he knew that I did not like Haun. I believe he thought it done him some good to have me help hate Haun. For this reason, he had before been kind to me. But White in my estimation was no better than Haun, for self interest had caused Haun to stand up to us, while White was fighting against us yet. For me it had a good effect.

So they agreed that I might go and stay until next morning if I would promise to be in their encampment by sunrise next morning. This I agreed to and went home. After chopping a fire of wood, I was taken with a severe chill and then a fever, for I had not as yet recovered from my sickness. (Malaria)

Next morning I was on hand according to promise. "Well" said the captain, "you are on hand." "Yes sir" was the reply. "Well have you not a gun?" "Well, I had one the other day, but on the evening of the difficulty I left it in the brush. I have not seen it since." "Take a guard of six men and go with Mr. Lewis and fetch that gun." "I do not know that I could find that gun." "We can make you find it."

So I was marched as near to the place as I knew and after we had searched about one hour and had not found it they then began to threaten me and accuse me of not trying to find it. But this was false, for I knew that they would show me no mercy if it was not found. The snow had fallen very deep on the ground and the place assumed a very different appearance. At length we found it.

We then started to the camp and we passed by my door. I stopped in my yard and asked the privilege to cut for my family, a fire of wood. They halted and granted me this privilege. After chopping a few sticks, I became faint and weak and I said to them, "Gentlemen, won't one of you please to chop a few sticks for me?" Their immediate reply was "I shan't”, “well I'll be damn if I do”, “well if he wants it chopped let him do it himself," and so on.

I then thought, "Oh wicked and degraded wretches, how dare you have sunk beneath the honor of man. Had I Lucifer a prisoner as you have me, I could not deny him so small a favor, as to refuse to help him chop a fire of wood." After chopping my wood, I politely invited them into take a warm. They accepted the invitation and went in. After warming we again went to camp taking with them my two guns, for I had another gun in the loft, which they got after they went in. These guns was never returned to me or paid for, and one cow that they drove off, has not been settled for.

They made some horde over the guns. Their conversation was chiefly in presumptuous talk about those that was dead in the well. One of them said, "I heard one say in the well, 'Damn it hand over the bottle,' another, 'Damn it get further,' another said, 'quit eating my back' and they talked of making soap grease of him because he was so fat." These words they thought so shrewd, they produced great laughter. This was the entertainment of the day.

Toward night I again asked for the privilege of going home. This was granted on the same conditions as on the evening before. I went home. In the night it rained very hard so as to raise the creek that then was between us, so in the morning I could not get to them or they get to me. I went to the bank and yelled for them to set me across. This I knew they could not do. They seemed to be vexed at my impertinence and consulted amongst themselves what to do. They finally yelled to me to go about my business for they could not get over. So with joy, I obeyed their orders and went to my home.

The thing that I have written is true according to the best of my knowledge for I desire my children to know what I have passed through and for their benefit I write this. I stand in defiance of the state of Missouri, to prove one accusation against us that was worthy of the notice of the law. If we had done any crime, we never would refused to have the law put in force against us, but they knew that we had not violated the law and they knew that taking us to the law, would not accomplish the object that they had in view. As they had not forgot all the spoils that they had gained previous, by driving the Mormons from Jackson County. It was our farms, our stock, and our property that they wanted.

Joseph and Hyrum Smith was now in prison (Liberty Jail) and also many other of our brethren. So mobs and the authorities of government combined together and compelled us in mass to leave the state. We began to remember that the ancient saints or people of God was falsely accused, hated, driven, and persecuted on account of the testimony they bore of the things of God. That they was whipped and imprisoned and that even Christ our Savior was falsely accused and put to death. He said, “all that lived goodly in Christ Jesus shall be persecuted, for so persecuted they the prophets, that was before you.” The same cause produces the same effects. We may reasonable suppose that as the Gospel produced persecution in former days, that it also will in latter days as the former day Saints, was told to take joyful, the spoiling of their goods. We must take the same advice if we could.

So we submitted to our fate, knowing that “vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord and I will repay and the offenses must come, but woe unto them by whom they come”. Here was the two grand oppositions arrayed in the same country. The Saints of God had gathered here with the priesthood, by the command of the Lord, to build a temple to His holy name. To prepare a people for the second coming of Christ, and gathering of Israel, to act under the direction of a prophet of God, who receives communications from God to direct him, that the great work of the last days might be accomplished.

Lucifer standing in direct opposition to God, arrays himself with power to overthrow the people of God and His servants. The wicked ones ever as ready to serve and obey him, as the servants of God is to serve and obey God. The wicked acted as they was moved on by his spirit, which was to try to destroy God's people and uproot His Kingdom. God permitted the wicked to have power over His people, that they thereby might fill up their cup of iniquity, for they desire to serve Lucifer and to do the works of their father the Devil.

That God’s people thereby might know the power of the adversary. And that they might know that they could not conquer him with their own strength and power. They also might learn to look to God, the giver of every good gift, for His mercy and blessings, that enables them to conquer and overcome. For the wicked possess equal power as to their physical, as to the righteous. The righteous can only conquer by the influence of God's Spirit in their behalf.

For as God is greater than the devil, even so He possesses greater power and righteous men possess this power according to the heed they give to the commandments of God. As God is stronger than the devil even so is His servant the strongest, if we give heed to His commandments. The principle is that by obedience we possess His power. One man can chase his hundred and ten, and put his ten thousands to flight.

But as we had not been living in the Kingdom, we had not learned to give the heed to our Prophet as we should. We then learned that he did not stand to argue the point, but told us what to do. And when an argument was raised to have different way he said, "Do as you please."

But we now know that the words of a Prophet is the words of God. Like man, when He gets an agent to do a certain piece of work, he is bound to acknowledge his authority as being his own, and whosoever transacts business with that agent finds it is lawful and is bound to stand.

If God called on Joseph Smith to speak to the people and tell them what to do, they was just as much bound to obey him as though God had spoke it Himself. And Joseph Smith had many witnesses that he was called of God. They having obtained a knowledge for themselves of God, testified to the world of mankind, that it might be established by testimony or witnesses. For has said by His apostles that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word should be established’ and here we are justifiable in believing it, because more than two or three have testified in believing it. More than two or three have testified to this truth.

If half the testimony had come against Joseph Smith, that he had murdered a certain man, where is the man that would have doubts on his mind concerning his guilt. Then if we are honest, why not believe the testimony for him, as well as against him. The reason is the adversary. The devil has instilled into the minds of men, that God will not communicate His will to the human family any more. It has so long been traditionated in man, that it comes in conflict with their tradition to believe it. And the devil deceives them that he might keep them under his control to serve him. They persecute the righteous, believing that they are doing God's service. But the prophet Jeremiah says that certain people will say that ‘surely our fathers have inherited lies, vain things, things wherein there is no profit.’

Many has said, “If you are the people of God, why did he not protect you?” We might ask the same question concerning Christ and the apostles and prophets. The reason is God has given man his own agency to do good or to do evil. As the wicked is the devil's servant, they are ever ready to oppose the servants of God. But God will reward everyone according to the deeds they have done.”

Nauvoo

“In December 1838, I in company with John L. Butler and Elias Higby went in Illinois State to settle the affairs of my brother Benjamin that was killed. On the way where we stopped the first night, a large mob assembled late in the night. We supposed that they intended to abuse us, but we soon found that they was going to whip Riley Steward, a Mormon that was at his mother's-in-law’s house, in that neighborhood. They wanted the assistance of our landlord. He refused and told them he had the company of three Kentuckians, for thus we told him we was. They left and severely beat Steward, as we was afterwards informed. I went on in to Macoupin County, Illinois and found that his business could not be settled at that time. Two of my brothers (Neriah, Beeson), accompanied me back to Caldwell and they moved my brother, Benjamin's family back home with them. (Probably Tarlton’s also)

I now had to sell my land and improvement for a small sum, not one fourth its value, to enable myself to leave the state. For the orders from the governor was for us to leave in the spring. We appealed to every authority in our government even the President of the United States, Martin VanBuren who said he knew our cause was a just one, but he could do nothing for us. If he did the whole state of Missouri would be against him.

This was given by Isaac Morley, Patriarch of the Stake of Zion, January 12, 1839

Patriarchal Blessing of DAVID LEWIS, son of Neriah Lewis and Mary Lewis. Born in Simpson County, State of Kentucky on April 10, 1814.

Brother David, I lay my hands upon your head in the name of Jesus of Nazareth and bless you consonant with your lineage, Priesthood inheritance, and rights inherited. Behold I say unto you David, you are of the seed of Jacob and of the lineage of Joseph and shall possess the blessings that were promised unto that lineage, to you and your posterity after you unto the last generation. Never the less the days of tribulation are not yet ended. In future cometh your blessings, to be received up on the land of your everlasting inheritance, in the midst of your brethren; The day cometh when you shall have knowledge, and have the powers of appreciation, and shall see all of your rights of inheritance. And your children shall be blessed after you with the Priesthood and the power of God, to go down in their lineage from generation to generation, as to your testimony, name and act, they shall be written in the chronicles of your brethren and you shall be blessed spiritually in the gifts, which are appendages to the Priesthood and your home shall be perpetuated in the lineage of your posterity unto the last generation and the desires of your heart.

Brother Lewis I lay my hands upon they head in the name of Jesus, they crucified Redeemer, and I seal upon thy head a father's blessing with the sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob because thou didst inherit the New and Everlasting Covenant.

From the integrity of they heart and the uprightness of thy mind, and the angels sung praise to God when thou was born in to the kingdom of thy Savior. It shall ever prove a blessing to thee and to thy posterity after thee, that thou didst receive the everlasting Priesthood, in the days of thy youth and in the morn of thy life and if thou wilt early store thy mind, with knowledge and cultivate in thy bosom the principles of uprightness, integrity, and virtue. Thou shalt yet carry the glad tiding of the everlasting Gospel to the inhabitants beyond the Atlantic, to the isles of the seas, and many shall bow to the King Emmanuel through thy instrumentality because thy decent is from Jacob. If thou art faithful in prayer, thy greatest desire shall be to win souls to Christ and if thou wilt desire it, that faith that was once delivered to the Saints, shall be given to thee. No power of darkness shall overcome thee nor conquer thee and thou shalt yet become a husbandman to till the ground and thou yet become a father in Israel, to feed the sons of Jacob. Thy granary shall be filled with wheat and with corn and thy field shall be stored with flocks and with herds and many of the acquaintances shall be given to thee in the Gospel of Jesus, and thy blessings shall be extended to thy companion and children. If thou wilt truly harken to the words of wisdom, thy days shall be extended to see Babylon fall, and to rejoice in the way when thy Savior shall come and a crown of immortal glory shall be placed upon thy head. I seal this father's blessing upon thee in the name of the Lord forever, Amen.

In February 1839, on the 7th day of the month, I started with my family in company with Buckhanon Cooledge, Porter Sloan and several others. The weather was fine and dusty. We crossed the Mississippi River in March and stopped in the town of Quincy in Addams County, Illinois. Solomon Trail had come bringing wagons and provisions for the David Lewis family and was able to take them to the Trail’s Plantation to recover while David went on his mission.

I stayed in Quincy one month and then started eastward to preach the Gospel. This was my first mission. I preached by the way as I went. I was aiming to go to Virginia. I went to Overton County, Tennessee. I there fell in company with Julian Moses. We there preached together and soon baptized many and organized a branch of the Church. I there composed the following verses and sent them to my wife:

Farewell my wife, I bid adieu
I long to see and be with you
But as we are parted for awhile
Oh let our hearts be reconciled

For soon the happy time will come
When God will call His children home
And if we then should faithful be
We will dwell with God eternally

The day of wrath it now draws nigh
As we may read in prophesy
There is many signs that do appear
In token that the time is near

The Son of God will come again
And over Israel take His reign
A thousand years while Satan bound
And peace and love will then be found

But before that happy time appear
The wicked hearts are filled with fear
And all the proud and haughty burn
And Israel to their land return

My loving friend remember me
I often sigh because of thee
And in my absence do not mourn
If life is spared I will return

Once more my dear I bid farewell
When we shall meet I cannot tell
The time it seems quite long to me
But yet I must resigned be

The harvest ripe the labors few
And I am called to labor too
The time in God His word proclaim
Whilst life and breath with me remain

My friends draw near and you shall hear
The troubles of my heart
Where I have been I have trouble seen
From it I can't depart

On Missouri's plains I lost my friends
Away from there I am drove
I now must mourn
But can't return I am like a lonesome dove

The work of God has spread abroad
A people to prepare
Some thousand Saints in peaceful tents
Have made their dwelling there

A wicked crew with sinful view
Hath caused my heart to pain
Poor women cry who was standing by
To see their husbands slain

A bloody sight with no delight
My eyes did there behold
I saw them cry and bleed and die
A trouble to my soul

Quite strange to tell their graves a well
No one there friends to cheer
The tears in streaks rolled down the cheeks
of wives and sisters dear

Poor orphans cry whilst mothers sigh
And all was in confusion
The wicked mob did steal and rob
And say we was in delusion

But since I am spared I don't regard
The trouble that I have seen
Why should I weep for those that sleep
And left a world of sin

I now do roam without a home
And many frowns do bare
But now and then I find a friend
My troubled heart to cheer

Some evil foes doth me oppose
And many stories tell
But I hope and trust that I'll be blessed
And with my Savior dwell
To tell my name I am not ashamed
I hope in Christ to live
I would not change my place in hope of grace
For all the world could give

My friends to you I bid adieu
David Lewis is my name
I soon must stand on foriegn land
The Gospel to proclaim

Composed by myself in the year 1839 while in the state of Kentucky just after we was drove from Missouri.

When I am gone and far away
And you no more can see
Go to some lonely place and pray
And there remember me

When I am gone and the moon shines bright
Go out some night and see
And think that I am gazing too
And there remember me

When I am gone and you are alone
And you should lonesome be
My little children call around
And talk to them to me

When you go to take a pleasant walk
The garden flowers to see
Remember the sweetest you once could find
You plucked them off for me

When you are around the fireside
And all is well with thee
Remember I am in a distant land
And wish you was with me

With anxious heart you oft will gaze
Impatient for to see
But you will look and look again
But yet it is not me

For I will be in distant lands
Perhaps beyond the sea
And when my mission it does end
I will return to thee

But if I do no more return
Then shed no tears for me
But remember well the words I left
Which was remember me.

Whilst in Overton County, Tennessee preaching, I there met with strong opposition. Julian Moses had left me and gone over in Kentucky. I have just left Missouri and our persecutors began to write to their friends in Tennessee, about the Mormon war, boasting to them of the deeds they had done. They tell them that they had drove them all away and had got possession of their farms. They then suspect me for a spy who had been sent to look out a new location. Jealousy became very high. I soon received notice that I must leave their country immediately and hold no more meetings amongst them. These orders I did not comply with, but preached and bore my testimony of the work of God in the last days and brought forth the plan of salvation calling on them to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins.

I also said unto them “you have often asked the question why was your people so abused and compelled to leave their country and homes if they are a law abiding people?” I answered and said unto them, "What law of the country have I broken since I have been amongst you? Whose right have I trampled on and who have I injured amongst you? Yet you want to drive me away from your midst. Our people have violated no law, trampled on no man's rights, nor injured anyone, yet our persecutors are possessing the same spirit and disposition as yourselves, compelled our people to leave their country and homes regardless of the rights of man or the principles of humanity saying, 'We are the law ourselves and we will execute it ourselves.'”

In that same fall being 1839, I returned to Kentucky to my family and remained with them during the following winter. (Duritha is shown to have delivered Preston Lewis in Franklin, Simpson Co. Kentucky on Nov 15, 1839. Would be a the Solomon’s Plantation for his birth, as she had for her first baby Arminta. His birth year is given for either date 1838, 1839)

In the spring of 1840, I started for Nauvoo, but stopped in Carlinville, Macoupin County, Illinois (where David’s father, mother, and brothers were living at that time,) until the spring of 1841, (1 year duration) when I again assembled with those who I had been associated with in the Missouri persecution. I found that all my property which was in the care of my brother, Tarlton, had been consumed by fire. I was left to start anew for housekeeping with scarcely a change of garments to begin with.

In the summer of 1841, David and his family arrived in Nauvoo. They bought two pieces of land and set about building their home and business. David began his work as a cooper or barrel maker. Duritha set up the house and household and joined the Relief Society of Nauvoo. She is found in the Relief Society donation rolls, and as having subscribed to the Times and Seasons Newspaper.

David is asked to write of his Haun’s Mill experience as the Church leadership was collecting stories for their petition for redress of losses to the government. He has two records of his experiences.

David petitions Nauvoo Masonic Lodge for entry on May 19, 1842 and on June 2, 1842 he is accepted. He is listed as age 28 and farmer, living in Nauvoo. His brother Tarlton joins the lodge in Nov 1843.

1842, 1843 Nauvoo Tax List shows; Cattle $6, Personal Property $8, Real Estate $100 (may have had brick of well built log house) 1843 he was a school trustee. There were 1-2 trustees per school to see that teacher was paid.

They lived here for five more years until all saints were driven from their homes again in 1846.

David Lewis and John Butler are mentioned in the Prophet Joseph Smith’s appointment journal several times for their missionary work, outlining their losses in Missouri, and other topics. 

David continues. “I lived in Nauvoo five years. It was a small village when I first went there, but it was built up very fast and was a beautiful place. The Mississippi River ran by it running almost two thirds around it. The temple stood on a high elevated spot about three quarters of a mile from the river.

During July1843 and spring 1844, John Butler, David Lewis, Jefferson Hunt and David Evan, traveled in the southeast of Illinois, proclaiming the gospel, and raising up quite a branch of saints there.

Brother Butler tells of their mission, “I was called with Brother David Lewis to go on a mission into Illinois to preach the gospel to the people. We started in 1843 in July, but we did not have much success. We gathered out some few honest in heart, but the most of the folks were very bitter against us, and they were getting worse every day and were persecuting the Saints more and more; they were not so kind as they were when we first went there. The kindness dwindled away until it became hatred, as a Saint was an obnoxious thing in their sight. Well, we asked no odds of them if they would only leave us alone. We fulfilled our mission by the help of God and returned home early in the spring of 1844.”

David tells of an incident while on this mission with brother Butler. “While I was living in Nauvoo, I was sent on a mission to Marion County, Illinois. While I was there, I appointed a meeting at a tan yard where a man named Mr. Campbell lived and worked as a journeyman tanner. He said, “To my certain knowledge, there was four militiamen killed dead at the shop and several wounded.” And after they got about four miles from the shop, while they was under full lope, they was fired at by a company of Mormons who laid in ambush, and killed two more. And himself and a brother were wounded. He shown me the scar of his wound.

The party that lay in ambush was a party of their own militia men who had missed getting in with the main action and supposed that these men was retreating Mormons running from the fight. They fired on them by mistake and as it was such an awkward mistake, they kept it concealed and passed it off as being a Mormon action.

This Mr. Campbell seemed to think, as I was alone, that he could frighten me. He talked very saucy about his being wounded. I told him I wished it was his neck instead of his leg. The thoughts of my brother being killed, and the treatment I had got from those wretches, almost made me forget that I was a preacher. For I felt more like fighting than preaching and he soon curled under.

A large company gathered for the meeting. The subject of our persecution was now uppermost in my mind. I spoke largely on this subject and pointed my finger at Campbell and said, "There is one of the actors in this cruelty, persecution and murder." Every eye was turned to him with scorn and he arose from the congregation and left the room.

This band of robbers professed to have government orders, but from the best I could learn their orders was issued by William Manor or Bill God as he was commonly called, a notorious rascal who was always ready to play to the hand where the money lay.

Some of their party afterwards told me that many of them thought it was the orders of the governor or they would have taken no part in it. I said that they got Manor to do this, and he told that they received it from the governor. But this is all the same, for the governor was rotten hearted enough to acknowledge them as militia and then take no notice of their acts of outrage and cruelty. The bigger the mob, the greater the militia. With him all was well.

One of them complained in my presence of not getting his pay from the government for his services. I told him he had no right to complain for there was none of them but what stole enough to well pay them for their trouble. Lilburn Boggs was then governor.

I was standing guard at the northeast corner of the temple when the news of the death of Joseph and Hyrum Smith came. The first intelligence of their death came to Nauvoo by George Grant on the night after the occurrence took place in the evening of June the 27th, 1844.”

During the winter of 1845-6, David, went to visit his brother Neriah Jr. and his family at their home Macoupin, Macoupin County, Illinois. Neriah Sr., and Mary Moss Lewis had died in the winter of 1843-44. The saints were planning to leave the region and David was going on this family mission. Neriah Jr. accepted the gospel and was baptized. His wife Rebecca did not join the church at that time but did so before leaving for the SLC. They sold their home and land and followed the saints west with their brothers. Beeson and his wife Elizabeth Ryon Lewis had been caring for Benjamin’s orphaned children and they also followed the saints to SLC and were baptized in the Valley.

In 1846 the Lewis’s had left Nauvoo for the unknown in the west. In August David, at the age of 32, together with Erastus Bingham and Thomas Gates, was assigned as one of eleven High Councilors to President George Miller’s company. Bishop Miller was becoming disaffected with Brigham Young and was not interested in following his counsel. He had intended to head the company of saints to Texas and with the installation of the counselors it would take sole control of the company from Bishop Miller.

David and Neriah Lewis’s families were located 150 miles north and west, of where Winter Quarters was being set up and on Ponca Indian lands. They spent the winter of 1846-47 with the Indians and then come spring they then traveled to back to the main body of the saints in 1847.

David and his family settled along Mosquito Creek, Iowa. This settlement is located just south of Council Bluffs. They stayed there for a short time, until after Duritha had delivered her twin babies. She gave birth to Siney and Olive on Aug 1 1848. They were named for the holy mountains Olivet and Sinai.

In 1849 the Lewis’s traveled south along the Platte River to Weston Township, Platte Co., Missouri while Neriah’s family continued east about 14 miles to Preston Township, Platte Co.

William Hendricks Lewis, (Neriah Jr.’s son) who was a young lad (about 10 years old) at the time, remembered well the events of those years and wrote the account from which the following was derived: "A few weeks after my father accepted the Gospel he sold out and moved to Nauvoo, Illinois. Soon after that we started for the great unknown West, (1846) traveling through Iowa to the Missouri River. A crude flat boat was constructed on which we crossed the Missouri River. We joined Bishop George Miller's company and continued westward hoping to reach the Rocky Mountains that same season. However, after traveling a few hundred miles winter came. We met some Ponca Indian Chiefs who told us they had grass, timber and water and we had better winter with them. We accepted their offer, left the trail we had been following and went with them. Just after we arrived at their camp some two or three hundred Indian Warriors came on horseback to serenade us. They were wearing war paint and rode at full speed in single file. They fired their guns as they came and did not forget to give their war whoop. It was very exciting for our people, many of whom had never seen an Indian before. While this was happening an old Chief appeared on the scene, excitedly waving his hands and giving words of command. He said a war parties of Pawnees were at his camp killing their women and children. On hearing this, the warriors broke their serenade and went full speed to their camp where they had a desperate battle with their enemy. Their war chief was killed and never before or since have I listened to such howling and mourning.
It was a cold hard winter and we suffered much from the want of food. About eighty persons of our company died of black leg or scurvy that winter. As soon as spring came we made our way back to Winter Quarters where we remained and farmed during that season. We then moved to the Iowa side of the Missouri River and lived there one year. My mother was baptized in April 1848. My sister, Rebecca Louise Lewis, was born 18 September 1848 in Pottawattamie County, Iowa.” The family moved 1849 to Preston Township, Platte County, Missouri and remained for several years before sufficient means was acquired to start again toward Utah.

David and his family are in Weston Township, Platte Co. Missouri. He is working as a blacksmith-cooper making such as is needed for the journey west. They are on the 1850 Weston twp, Platte Co. Missouri Census. Looking for D Lewis as slave owner was not successful but the wagon train of 1851, shows that David led does identify “Jerry.”

By 1858 Duritha is listed as owner of 3 slaves. An affidavit was signed by Duritha Lewis on August 4, 1858 registering 3 slaves with the Utah Territorial Courts. It identifies them as Jerry aged 38, Caroline aged 18, and Tampian aged 14. Tradition has it that at some point before they left to come west, Duritha sold her two “women” slaves to A.O Smoot, but kept the male slave for their upcoming journey. If Duritha had Caroline and Tampian as an inheritance from her father, and the girls were with the Lewis’s in Iowa, they would have been children not women. Their ages would have been 8 and 4. These children would have been the same ages as her children, and would have needed tender care. This deal with AO Smoot makes sense because he had adult slaves that could take care of the little girls in their journey to Utah.

David and his family came across the plains assigned as part of the 3rd Fifty in the John G. Smith Company. David was given responsibility to be captain of a smaller company of 68 people and 14 wagons. They left May 1, 1851, later than the main but made good time and were able to over take the main company and enter the valley many weeks before. David Lewis Company was part of John G. Smith Company of 1851.

David Lewis Company (1851)

Company Information:
Departure: 1 May 1851 from Kanesville, Iowa
Arrival: 9 September 1851, with 68 people, and 15 wagons.

Lewis, David (36)

Lewis, Duritha Trail (38)

Lewis, Arminta (16) (She was not in household on 1850 census)

Lewis, Preston King (12)

Lewis, David (8)

Lewis, Olive (2)

Lewis, Siney (2)

, Jerry (30)

Siney tells, “During the time they had been gone my Grandfather Trail had died leaving a large estate. My mother took her share of the estate in equipment for emigration to the west, one Negro slave, called Jerry, two women slaves and money.

When we were ready to start back to the gathering place of the Saints, we had two yoke of oxen, two covered wagons well loaded with supplies, including seed grain and garden seeds, bedding, clothing and food. We also had two good milk cows.” Solomon Trail probably died between Aug. 1850 and Mar. 1851, thus distributing his inheritance to them before their final push to SL Valley.

Siney tells of his first trip across the plains “Although I was almost 3 years old, some of the incidents and scenes remain in my memory, to this day. I remember vividly, a huge herd of stampeding buffalo that rushed through our camp grounds. I was sitting on the wagon tongue up close to the wagon box. As the stampede started through the camp, no one had time to pull me up into the wagon. There I sat as these plunging, snorting, beasts leaped over the lower end of our wagon tongue. Fortunately, I escaped unhurt but was a very frightened little boy. I imagine my parents and the rest of the family were more frightened than I was. About fifteen years later, I went back over this same trail, as a church teamster, bring immigrants to Utah. Many of these same scenes were familiar to me even then.”

Old Pioneer Fort

David and his family found temporary winter housing at the Old Pioneer Fort during that first winter as did all incoming immigrants. The new immigrants would have a safe place, out of the elements, to winter, then in the spring, families would vacate the fort to build and settle their own homes. The fort was flat topped, adobe bricked or log cabin style of connected apartment house.

Duritha was frugal in her bequests and likewise David’s parents had also died and were wise managers of their wealth. Nothing is mentioned about a will but the David and Duritha Lewis family were well set when they entered the Valley.

Upon settling in the Valley, David was given the land assignment within the city, as outlined, a 1.25 acre lot in the city. Housing of adobe brick or log, was the option for the early saints. It was easier, quicker, cheaper in expense. These city land assignments were not sold but were allotted to the first owners based on needs of the families.

Duritha bought a “modest” house on this lot with the money and what she had left from her father’s inheritance. David’s lot assignment was one block south of the City-County building block, and on the southwest corner parcel.

Siney tells, “That spring mother bought a little home, and 15 acres of land, not far from where the city and County buildings now stand.” (The farming acres are on the edge of town and 15 acres is equivalent of 1 ½ city Blocks. Each city block is 10 acres.)

“She did so with the money she had been given as her share of her father’s estate, and from the sell of the two women slaves.” As soon as the weather permitted David started farming, planting the seed they had brought, and constructing buildings.

Also during this spring of 1852, Duritha might have been more concerned about where she was going to have her next child, she was carrying. I am sure she felt a sense of urgency when they were choosing a place to live.

On June 14^th 1852 she had her last child, William Trail Lewis. At this time she and David were about 38 years old and had 5 children left at home. Preston was the oldest at 13, then David 9, the twins were 4, and now this newborn.

During the summer, David married Elizabeth Carson, in the Endowment House on Aug 17, 1852. She was 19. She was born August 10, 1833 in Pickens County Alabama, and the daughter of Samuel and Eliza Jane Adair, Carson Pearson Price.

Elizabeth Carson Lewis became pregnant that fall and carried her unborn babe through the winter and early spring. She delivered a little girl on June 18, 1853, there in Salt Lake City.

On July 30, 1853, an ad in the Salt Lake City Deseret News, signaled a new professional enterprise for David Lewis: This ad appeared through Oct. 1, 1853.

“Come and see the old daguerreotype room, formerly occupied by Cannon. Will be open for customers, visitors, and spectators each day of the week except Monday’s and Tuesday’s and foreigners can be accommodated if their circumstances require by making application. David Lewis, Daguerrian Artist.”

On 6 October 1853 Conference, President Young called a party of twenty-three men to join a mission to the Indians living in the southern part of Utah Territory. (now Washington County). Apostles Parley P. Pratt and Orson Hyde organized the men and appointed Rufus C. Allen, age twenty-six, to be president, with David Lewis as first counselor and Samuel F. Atwood as second counselor. Having just returned from a mission in Valparaiso, Chile, Allen felt prepared to direct a proselyting enterprise among the natives.

They would winter at their homes while gathering equipment and supplies that had been outlined by the brethren. David and others were to meet through the winter with Parley P. Pratt and other language instructors to prepare them for these new duties in interpreting languages.

On Friday, April 14 1854, six wagons gathered at the home of Parley P. Pratt in Salt Lake City, preparatory to leaving for the Southern Indian Mission. All tried to arrange their family and business affairs for a their long absence. Therefore David took Elizabeth, and their new baby Eliza Jane 10 months old, two wagons, two ox teams, and Preston who helped drive one of the wagon teams down and back.

Siney states, “This left mother with no one to help with the farm or us children except Jerry, our faithful old Negro. (who was 34) She was a very good worker and manager so we seemed to do as well without father, as we did before he left. Preston returned to our mothers home later that same year.” This left Duritha with five children, Preston being 14, David 10, Siney and Olivet, 5 and William 1 year old. Duritha was about 40 years old at this time.

After arriving south in about 14 days travel, David settled Elizabeth in Parowan quickly, entreating his brother Tarlton and Malinda to be with Elizabeth as she would deliver her 2^nd daughter within the month. In addition to this little Eliza Jane was only 10 months old. They both would need tender care. Elizabeth did have another baby girl, Elizabeth Ann Lewis, on May 29, 1854, just 7 weeks after leaving SLC. I am sure Preston was a great help in getting gardens planted and housing suitable for her.

On April 16^th the party arrived at a settlement called Harmony, in southwestern Utah. At that time some twelve to fifteen families were located there under the leadership of John D. Lee. This group had been sent to southern Utah on a colonizing mission two years earlier by Brigham Young and had already done some work among the natives.

In the meantime, the additional settlers had strengthened Harmony and an Indian school had been established. When the missionaries arrived, May 16, 1854, they found ten Indians in the school. Brigham Young visited Harmony on May 19 and while there inquired if a wagon road could be built to the Virgin River. He was given a discouraging reply.

A few days later, a number of the missionaries under Allen, pushed on to the south among the Virgin River Indians. On June 5, they descended Ash Creek and encountered a group of Indians near the present site of Toquerville. They made friends with the Indian Chief Toquer (meaning black, probably from the lava rocks) and bargained with him to send a runner to the neighboring Indians to arrange for a meeting with them. They moved on next day and met the other Indians at the present site of the old Washington Fields on the south side of the river.

The next evening they reached the Rio Virgin and came upon another camp of Indians. The women and children hid themselves in the brush. No doubt they feared being taken as slaves. These Indians were in a surly mood hence the Mormons were doubtful of their reception. However, one of them hunted up a hidden papoose and gave him a small pocket mirror which the child showed to the squaws. The trinket so pleased them that they all came out of hiding and quickly made friends with the whites. The following night, the missionaries camped on the Santa Clara River and found a large group of Indians. There were about 250 Indian men but very few children, since most had been taken captive. The Indians had heard about the missionaries and treated them cordially. The Mormons found that the Santa Clara natives were farming in a primitive way but did have patches of wheat, corn, squash, and melons near their village. Allen informed them that they had been sent there by the "big captain," Brigham Young, and that they would teach them how to farm in a better way. They explained their gospel message, and eleven of the Indians were baptized. A short time later, the missionaries returned and succeeded in baptizing fifty more Indians. They spent the remainder of the summer of 1854 visiting the various native groups in the region.

The missionaries proceeded thence to the Santa Clara River by way of a trail north of the present site of St. George. Here they made friends with the Indians and laid the foundation for the establishment of a mission. The remainder returned to headquarters at Harmony, but Jacob Hamblin and William Henefer remained for some time on the Santa Clara working with the Indians and visiting others farther upstream. They did not reach Harmony until July.

On June 21, 1854, a party of six under the leadership of David Lewis went west from Harmony to Mountain Meadows, down the Santa Clara River and thence back over the mountains. On the trip, they preached to the Indians and baptized one hundred and nineteen into the Mormon Church, advising them thereafter not to steal or fight, but to learn Mormon ways of living. Two Indians were sent as messengers to the Muddy River (Moapa Valley) Indians in Nevada, "To tell them we would come among them if they wanted us."

By special appointment, Hamblin was sent alone among the Indians in November to keep them from disturbing travelers on the southern route to California, a task he accomplished successfully.

The next month, Allen called Hamblin, Thales Haskell, Ira Hatch, Samuel Knight, Augustus P. Hardy, and others to leave Harmony and make a permanent settlement on the Santa Clara River. They were instructed to take their families and to build homes where they could live among the Indians. Apparently Harmony had insufficient water to accommodate a large group of settlers, and Santa Clara was a more favorable location for missionary work. . Two weeks later Rufus Allen and Hyrum Burgess left Harmony for Tonaquint on the Santa Clara near its junction with the Virgin River where they built three log cabins.

The missionaries helped the Indians construct substantial dams, canals, and ditches for diverting irrigation water. The first dam across the Santa Clara Creek was completed in the spring of 1855 and was a feat which aroused much enthusiasm among the Indians. Chief Tut-se-gab-its and his tribe, numbering about 800five hundred of whom gathered. When the dam (100 feet long and 14 feet high) was finished and the water began to rise and run out, half the water spilling on one side of the dam for the Indians and the other half on the other side for the whites. A great shout of exultation went up from both sides. About one hundred acres of land was then prepared for planting.

The Mormons and the Indians cultivated the land jointly and shared the produce equally. Hamblin reported that "we've raised melons and had the privilege of disposing of them ourselves. I don't think the Indians ever took any without leave." The settlers enjoyed good relations with the Indians, although some of the older natives complained about changing their customs. "We must be Piutes," they said. "We want you to be kind to us. It may be that our children will be good, but we want to follow our old customs."

The hard labor, heat of the season, and poor nourishment which Jacob Hamblin had endured, brought on a spell of sickness. To procure medicines and proper food for him, Gus Hardy went to Parowan. While there, Mrs. Nancy Anderson, a southerner, asked him about the mission of the Santa Clara and learned of the long, warm growing season. Believing that the climate might be suitable for cotton, she gave him a quart of cotton seed which she had brought with her from her old home. The missionaries planted the seed on the Santa Clara and raised a crop during the summer of 1855. This cotton was carded, spun, and woven into cloth by the women at the mission. Some of this cloth was sent to Salt Lake City and aroused no little interest there. Samples of the cloth even found their way into England and were said to compare favorably with cotton grown elsewhere. This was the beginning of cotton culture there, which finally led to the fuller settlement of the "Utah Dixie" along the Virgin River, much as the iron industry had led to the development of Iron County, Moreover, like the iron industry, it answered a temporary need by supplying clothing when it was impracticable to import cotton.

(The Southern Indian Mission by Juanita Brooks, Improvement Era, 1945, Vol. Xlviii. April, 1945. No. 4. .)

A MYSTERY OF THE DESERT.

In the early settlement of Iron County, President Brigham Young requested that a party of men be sent from Parowan in search of manganese ore, having been informed that a deposit of it was to be found in Southern Utah. Accordingly, a party of fifteen men, led by David Lewis, a brother of that old veteran Tarleton Lewis, left Parowan, taking with them pack horses to carry the ore, should they be so fortunate as to find the mine from the vague description of its locality given by the Indians.

The outfit of this company of prospectors was very simple; each man carried a gun, a lariat and a canteen, and a single blanket and a sack of crackers, tied on the saddle behind him. After several days' travel in a southerly direction into those vast and dreary deserts, the party one day made a singular discovery. In a level, sandy plain they saw at a distance what seemed a cemetery, with numerous gravestones or monuments; but their surprise at so unexpected a sight was much increased upon a nearer approach, which revealed something entirely different. They saw three circles, one within the other, composed of numerous blocks of cut stone about a foot square, and about two and a half feet long, cut with mathematical accuracy, and which had been originally placed about a foot in the ground and at a uniform distance apart. These three circles were exact in figure, were several yards from each other, and the stones composing them were placed with their flat surfaces facing the centre. In the centre of all stood a small stone cairn, circular in its base, a perfect cone, and about four feet high. The blocks forming the circles, and the stones forming the cone, had been brought a considerable distance, as no rock in place was to be seen anywhere in the vicinity. For a while a silent wonder filled the minds of the lookers on, and many were the surmises as to when this work was done, by whom, and for what purpose; but to all, one thing seemed plain: it must have been made to perpetuate some important event, or the place of deposit of something of great value.

Deciding to investigate, they carefully removed the stones comprising the cairn, and about a foot beneath the surface found the top of a stone box. As this box was almost an exact counterpart to that in which the plates of the Book of Mormon were found by the Prophet Joseph Smith, it merits a particular description. A stone about two feet square and six inches thick formed the bottom; four flat stones standing upon edge formed the sides; and a stone, similar in size and shape to that forming the bottom, was placed upon the top as a cover or lid. All these stones were skillfully cut and finished, with sides, faces and angles, geometrically exact, and, as cut together, each point of junction or seam was perfectly tight. The lid was carefully raised, but no treasure met their expectant eyes—the box was entirely empty. But the under surface of the capstone was a surprise. It was covered with hieroglyphics beautifully cut, which, could they have been interpreted, would doubtless have given the key of explanation to this mystery of the desert. The box had evidently been made to contain something of great value which had been subsequently removed; and as it so closely resembled that from which Joseph Smith took the plates near the summit of Cumorah, may at one time have held a similar treasure, which Mormon may have removed for safety when his people were driven northward by their swarming foes. The only difference between the boxes, it will be noted, was this: that while that upon Cumorah had a lid whose upper surface was in its rough, natural state, this in the desert had been made flat, and its under side was beautifully engraved, which was not the case with that upon Cumorah, so far as the writer understands.

As these rough mountaineers stood silently around this relic of the dim, mysterious past, the pervading spirit of the place filled their souls with a solemn awe. They felt that they stood upon ground that was hallowed indeed, and that they looked upon a receptacle that had once contained something, perchance, of infinite worth, something holy; placed there, and again removed by one of the ancient saints—perhaps by the hand of the great prophet Mormon himself, or by that of his son Moroni.

After some consideration, it was decided to take the lid with them to President Young, and it was loaded upon one of the horses for that purpose; but it was found too heavy and difficult to be transported so great a distance in that manner, and it was determined to leave it. Brother Lewis made as exact a copy of the hieroglyphics as he could with his limited means, upon a sheet of paper, and then the stone was carefully replaced, the stones piled over it as before, and the company departed, feeling that here was evidence strongly confirming the story of Cumorah, as told by the great prophet of the last days. It may be here mentioned that of the squared blocks composing the surrounding circles, some still stood upright, some were leaning, and many had fallen where they had stood.

After an absence of eighteen days, the party returned to Parowan with several hundred pounds of the manganese, which, with the copy of the engraving made by Brother Lewis, was taken to President Young. The writer examined the copied hieroglyphics which, as well as he can remember at this date, resembled very much some of those found in Palengue and Copan, in Yucatan, by Stevens and Catherwood, many years ago.

In regard to the removal of the former contents of the box, the student of the Book of Mormon will remember the charge of the venerable prophet of the Nephites to Mormon when the latter was a youth; that when a certain time should come he should go to the hill called Shim, and remove thence certain holy records there deposited; and how, some years later, when the Nephites were no longer able to retain possession of their country, and were about to retreat northward before the victorious Lamanites, Mormon went to the hill Shim, as he had been directed by the prophet, took up the records and carried them away in his retreat.

It is not probable that the Nephites made a steady and continuous retreat before their foes. No doubt they at times beat back their enemy, and gained a temporary advantage and respite for one or more years, enabling them to raise a little sustenance for their overmatched and half famished host. Indeed the traditions of the Pah Utes, of Utah, as related to the writer many years ago, freely corroborate this idea. Such a temporary halt, illusive to the hopes of the Nephites, would have given abundant opportunity for the making of such a box for the bestowal of their records, which, when again obliged to flee, they would of course remove and take with them. Who can say to the contrary? Could these silent stones of the desert speak, how eloquent might be their tongues, and how intensely interesting the story they could reveal. But for generations have they stood as to-day they stand, silent, mysterious and unspeakable.

An incident which occurred in the early history of Iron County, may be appropriately mentioned in this connection. Walker, the great Utah chief, halted a few days at Parowan while traveling northward and returning from one of his customary raids in the Colorado River country, undertaken for the purpose of procuring captive Indian children to be sold by him to any who would purchase. He obtained these child prisoners by suddenly attacking a village of some of the river tribes, killing men and women, and saving alive such children as would be marketable. The writer met him one day in Parowan, and as I was personally known to him, he stopped me, united a little sack or pouch at his bosom, and took from it two pieces of metal, one of which was nearly twice as large as the other. He held them in his hand for my inspection. In appearance they closely resembled bronze or copper, but were evidently discolored by age. From their weight there might have been a portion of gold in their composition, and I wished to scrape the surface with my knife so as to expose the true color of the metal, but this the chief would not permit, seeming to hold them in reverence. Each of them had hieroglyphics beautifully cut or stamped upon their surface. Walker asked if they were money, adding that he knew where he could get more, if they were of any value. All endeavor to learn from him the exact locality where he had found them was ineffectual, except to learn that it was near the Colorado River, and as the writer understood from him, in a cave.

The writer fully believed then, and does still, that these were veritable specimens of ancient Nephite coin, their evident age as well as their inscriptions clearly pointing to a remote past Indisputably they were made by none of the present inhabitants of America; and as the Lamanites were so inferior to the Nephites in all the arts and sciences, including metallurgy, there is nothing at all improbable in the idea that some Nephite had once possessed them as part of his earthly treasure. If, as Walker intimated, he had found them in some cave, it is easily to be believed they were taken there by some hunted Nephite who hoped in its dark recesses to escape the bloody hand of a merciless foe, but who never left the cavern alive.

We have the promise that in a coming day the secrets of the past, now so shrouded in the veil of silence and gloom, will be revealed, until then we must wait.

Santiago. (Contributor, vol. 11 (November 1889-October 1890), Vol. Xi. July, 1890. No. 9. 342.)

David Lewis, was appointed an Indian Agent by Brigham Young. One day he met some Indians who had captured Indian children from an enemy tribe, to sell as slaves. They told David that they were going to kill them if David didn’t trade for them. David offered beads and other trinkets to them, in trade for the children. They agreed and David and Elizabeth had 2 more little children added to their little family of daughters, (1 boy and 1girl). The children taught them their language which Elizabeth quickly learned.

Recorded in Deseret Newspaper is a letter David wrote to President Brigham Young on Jan. 29, 1855 from Fillmore City about the death of Ute Indian Chief Walker.

“Dear Brother-

I improve this the earliest opportunity to inform you of the death of Captain Walker, the Utah Chief after a sickness of 10 days; he died on the 29^th inst ., at Meadow Creek about 6 miles from Fillmore. His complaint seemed to be a cold settled on his lungs.

I arrived at Fillmore on the 28^th inst ., I started the next morning for Walker’s lodge, and met the Utah’s coming with Walker, and supporting him on his horse. He held out his hand, and shook hands, and seemed very glad to see me. He asked me if Brigham talked good and if I was going with him to the Navahoes. I told him that Br. Brigham talked very good and perhaps I would go with him. I showed him the letter you sent to him, and I gave him all the articles you sent to him. He seemed greatly pleased with them and wanted me to come the next morning to Meadow Creed, and read the letter for him.

On the next morning, before day, the Pauvans came running into the Fort, and said that Walker was dead, and the Utah’s were mad, that they had killed two Squaws, and two Piede children. Ka-no-she, the Pauvan Chief, sent us word to drive up all our horses, and cattle, and keep out of the canyons; that the Utahs intended to kill two Pauvans, and two Mormons and a great many cattle.

About eighteen of our people went out in the morning, and found that the Utahs had killed two Squaws, Piede prisoners, (slaves) and two Piede children, and about twelve to fifteen of Walker’s best horses. The Pauvans had said twenty horses.

They had buried Walker with the letter and articles you sent him.

Yours as ever, in the Gospel of Christ,

David Lewis

P.S. Walker’s last words to his people were, not to kill the Mormon cattle, nor steal from them. I was with him until he was struck with death. He was in his senses, and greatly desired to live. He possessed a good spirit and shook hands twice with me. As I was starting for the Fort, he pressed my hand and said, “Come and see me again tomorrow, for I wish to have a long talk with you … (unreadable)

Deseret News Obituary and memorial article 1855-09-26 issue.

At Parowan, Iron Co., on Sunday, Sept. 2, 1855 of bilous fever and apoplexy, David Lewis, son of Neriah and Mary, born in Warren (now Simpson) County, Kentucky, April 10, 1814, aged 41 years and 5 months.

“David Lewis became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on March 24^th 1835. I August of the same year he was ordained an elder under the hands of his brother Benjamin Lewis, then President of a branch in Simpson Co. Ky. He gathered with the church in the fall off 1836 and took up land among the saints in Caldwell Co. Missouri near Haun’s mill: here with his brothers Benjamin and Tarlton, on the 30^th day of Oct. 1838 he shared in one of the most brutal, cowardly and bloody massacres that ever was perpetuated by men on their fellows. Out of the 35 men, besides women and children, 16 saints were killed on the spot, and 2 died soon after and 15 were wounded. Benjamin Lewis, his eldest brother, was shot in several places and died that evening. His second brother Tarlton Lewis was wounded by a ball in the shoulder and his clothes riddled in many places, but he now lives and is Bishop of Parowan.

David Lewis, the subject of this memoir, had 3 ball holes in his pants and 2 in his coat yet escaped further injury. Only 3 of about twenty that fled, left the blacksmith’s shop the better to keep the mob at bay, that the sisters and children might escape, were spared alive in the shop, and a few that fled wounded.

I now copy from his journal. “I am willing to bear my testimony to all mankind that God will save and deliver those that exercise an unshaken faith in him, for at that time I did exercise an unshaken faith in Him, and fully believe that I would make my escape and my life be spared.

And then I said, Oh Lord thou hast delivered me for some purpose, and I am willing to fulfill that purpose, whenever thou shalt make it known to me, and to do all the duties that thou mayest enjoin upon me, from this time, henceforth and forever.” Amen

At this time, this small band, on their way to Far West, were attacked by about 200-300 Missouri mobocrats. About 3 weeks after, he was again taken prisoner and remained in their custody some days; he was sick of chills and fever and had 2 guns taken from him and a cow and finally had an order to pass out of the state eastward, as a negro would have had, but being in the winter he declined going at that time.

In February 1839 He removed to Quincy Illinois staying there one month, he took his wife and children to Kentucky, where with her father they remained while he went on his first mission eastward, and preached the gospel as he went. “Aiming to go to Virginia, I turned into Overton Co. Tenn., where meeting with Julian Moses, we preached together, baptizing many and organizing a branch of the church.” Here he met with much opposition, but he bore a faithful testimony among them til the fall, when he returned to his family in Kentucky, who accompanied him in the spring of 1840 to Illinois.

In 1841 he reached Nauvoo and mingled with the saints there for 5 years. During this time he and David Evan, now Bishop of Lehi City, traveled in the southeast of Illinois, and raised up quite a branch there also in company with Jefferson Hunt.

In 1846 he left Nauvoo for Winter Quarters, and from there accompanied Bishop Miller to Punka, and returned in 1847. But being short on means went to Missouri with some others, and in 1851 was enabled to cross the plains and join the saints in Great Salt Lake City.

At the October conference 1853, he was called to go on a mission to the Indians. During the winter with many others he studied the Spanish language under Parley P. Pratt. And on the 10^th of April 1854, his 40^th birthday, in organization of a company of missionaries, to the Pahute Indians of Harmony and then south, he was appointed 1^st counselor to Rufus C. Allen.
In his calling he has been diligent, making several visits among the Indians on the Rio Virgin, Santa Clara and the head waters of the Sevier. By his discreet course among them, he gained the confidence of Walker and many of their chiefs, and finally was stationed in Parowan and vicinity as Indian trader, where disease and death overcame him.

He died in full faith and fellowship leaving a numerous family, and many sincere friends longing in hope for a re-union.”

Widow Elizabeth Carson Lewis was twenty two years old and had two small daughters and two small Indian children. Elizabeth learned to speak and understand her new adopted children’s Indian language. She continued to raise them to adulthood.

Elizabeth married her brother-in-law Tarlton in 1856, with the idea that he would take care of her but he was called to establish and supervise other settlements and would be leaving Parowan she stayed. (Her stepfather lived in Parowan and he it was that fashioned David’s headstone.) Tarlton and Malinda left in 1859.

After Tarlton left, Ellizabeth worked for her support. She needed to go to work to support her family which now consisted of six children, as Tarlton had two more sons with her, William born Feb. 1, 1858 and Benjamin born Feb 1860. One of her employers was Neils 0tto Mortensen. She provided care for his invalid wife and family. After his wife died, Neils married Elizabeth at Parowan and had 5 more children with him, in all she had 11 children by three husbands and 2 adopted Indian children.

They made their home and farm west of Parowan. She was known as a welcoming hostess to the young people of the area, often having musical evenings and dancing parties in her home. She was an excellent cook. It was not uncommon to see 20-30 Indians at her table. She died Jun 23,1901, at the age of 67.

Siney tells, “My father died in about September 1855, in the southern part of the state where he had gone to colonize. As soon as his health began to fail he started for Salt Lake City, but when he reached Parowan, he was too ill to go farther. He died and was buried there. I remember I was too young to realize the significance of his death, only being 6, years old at that time. Mother came out to me where I was herding our cow. My sorrow was for mother, because she was crying so bitterly. I knew very little about my father, so his death had little importance to me as I hadn't seen him for sometime. He paid us one visit since his trip south, it being 2 years, since he left our home.” (17 months)

David and Duritha Trail Lewis were the parents of six children:

1. Arminta Lewis b. Oct 20 1835 Simpson KY; md. George Baker or Bader.

2. Preston King Lewis b.Nov15,1839 Simpson ,KY, md (1) Virtue Ann Bowthorpe; (2) *Sarah Coleman.

3. David Lewis b. Mar 1, 1843 Nauvoo, Ill.; d. Sept 30, 1866.

4. Siney Lewis (twin) b.Aug 1, 1848 Council Bluffs, Iowa; md. (1) Elizabeth Coleman; (2) Elizabeth Blair.

5. Olive Lewis (twin) b. Aug 1, 1848 Council Blufffs, Iowa; md. (1) David Brinton; (2) Wylie Hill.

6. William Trail Lewis b. June 14, 1852 Salt Lake City, Utah; d. Jan 25, 1867.

Marriage Number 3 Carson, Elizabeth Date: Aug 4, 1852 Place: SLC

1. Eliza Jane Lewis b. June 18, 1853 Salt Lake City, Utah; md. Joseph Fish.

2. Elizabeth Ann Lewis b. May 29, 1854 Parowan, Utah; md. Eli Alger Whitney.

David Lewis

ELDER: Ordination to Elder; 1836-1846; Nauvoo IL, records Aug 1835; Family History Library Film 581219; NOTE: David says in his journal that his brother Benjamin Lewis in ordained him an Elder. Signed by Joseph Smith Jr. and Geo W. Robinson, Clerk.

JOURNAL: Journal of David Lewis; 1854; LDS Church Historical Dept; NOTE: photocopied from microfilm at Historical Dept and transcribed by Carol Harless, Los Altos CA.

DEATH-PARENTS: Obit, DESERET NEWS; 1855; Vol.5,232 and Journal History 2 Sep 1855, p 1 DEATH Obit, DESERET NEWS; 1855; 26 Sep 1855

CEMETERY: Headstone Inscription of David Lewis; 1814-1855; Parowan City Cem, Parowan, UT; Photograph 1964 by Carol Harless, Los Altos CA.

BIOGRAPHY: William G. Hartley, MY BEST FOR THE KINGDOM, History and Autobiography of John Lowe Butler, a Mormon Frontiersman; 1808-1860; Salt Lake City, Aspen Books, 1994; pp 6,8,21,26,76,82-84,215,227

BIOGRAPHY: Ed. Juanita Brooks, JOURNAL OF THE SOUTHERN INDIAN MISSION,

Diary of Thomas D. Brown;; Logan, UT, Utah State Univ. Press, 1972; pp 1,
2,4,5,6,16-18,20,25,27,28,37-39,40,50,56,68,66,67,74-77,93,94,96,103,111-113,
120,123,162

PICTURE: David and Duritha probably taken in Nauvoo. (1841-1846), Picture of Duritha Lewis probably taken in SLC (1851-78)