, Letter, , Lancashire, England, to JS, [, Hancock Co., IL], 9 July 1840. Featured version published in “Epistle,” Times and Seasons, 1 Apr. 1845, 859–863. For more complete source information, see the source note for Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 Mar. 1839.
Historical Introduction
On 9 July 1840, wrote a letter to JS from recounting the previous nine months of his travels and proselytizing efforts. Kimball was one of seven members of the then serving a mission in Great Britain, in accordance with a July 1838 revelation that directed the apostles to “go over the great waters, and there promulge my gospel.” The letter recounted Kimball’s journey to Great Britain, documenting how his travels intersected with those of other missionaries headed to and across the Atlantic Ocean. As they traveled to the eastern and proselytized along the way, the missionaries were delayed intermittently by illness, injury, and fatigue and were dependent upon the charity of members for food and lodging. The first group of three missionaries sailed from New York for on 19 December 1839. The remainder, including Kimball, did not sail from New York until 9 March 1840, nearly six months after Kimball left , Illinois, with in September 1839.
In his letter, , who had preached in in 1837 and 1838, described the state of the church there, noting the joy that the British Saints felt in being reunited with missionaries from the . He emphasized the growth of the church and expressed optimism about current opportunities to proselytize throughout the United Kingdom, including in Scotland and Ireland. Kimball also detailed the poverty he had encountered in England’s cities and reported on Great Britain’s economic depression and a burgeoning potato shortage in Ireland.
If JS responded personally to , that letter has not been located. On 15 December 1840, however, JS wrote a letter to the entire Quorum of the Twelve, in which he acknowledged “several communications” from the apostles he had not yet answered, citing the “multiplicity of business” that had occupied his attention in , Illinois. Kimball’s original 9 July letter is not extant. The version featured here was published in the 1 April 1845 issue of the Times and Seasons.
Pratt, Parley P. The Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt, One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Embracing His Life, Ministry and Travels, with Extracts, in Prose and Verse, from His Miscellaneous Writings. Edited by Parley P. Pratt Jr. New York: Russell Brothers, 1874.
his kingdom. Next day took us, and carried us to ’s: while on the road the chills came upon me again, and I suffered much pain and fatigue. When we got there we found sick in bed, and the other brethren not much better. Next day took us on our journey about twenty-five miles; to the place where resided, at the town of Pitsfield. The other brethren left us at ’s and took another road.
Next day carried us about four miles to another town where your Uncle resided, we arrived a few days after his death. Next day Brother Rogers carried us to Morgan county, town of Winchester. to the house of Roswell Murray my father-in-law, where we found two of ’s brothers and one sister; and other brethren of the who had been scattered into that part from . These brethren had been stripped of their property and smitten &c. yet we found them in comfortable circumstances, rejoicing in God.
From thence Brother carried us to the town of , distance twelve miles; my father-in-law went with us on a visit to his friends in the east. The next day the brethren at carried us to a distance of about forty miles:— this was on the 5th of October. Here we again met with Brothers , , and ; at this place was taken sick, we remained here until the 11th, then the brethren there gave us a horse and fitted up a wagon, and putting both horses to the wagon we all started together: they also gave us some money to assist us on our journey.— We continued on our journey five or six days until we arrived at on the banks of Wabash river on the 17th, during this time our axle tree broke twice, and we had to suffer hunger in consequence of having to cross large prairies, and the food we got was altogether johnny-cake, and corn dodger, and poor bacon. I was very sick during most part of this journey; sometimes I thought I scarcely could live. We put up at . I was here taken out of the wagon and laid upon the bed; the , his wife, and were obliged to watch almost all the night in order to keep a breath of life in me. Next morning the brethren came to us: my feelings were for them to go on their journey and leave me and with me. I requested them to lay their hands on me and pray for me, which they did previous to their departure. I was then not able to sit up: they left us in tears, some of them not expecting to behold my face again. In about an hour after the brethren departed I arose from my bed; and in a few days we started on our journey. The took us in his carriage and carried us twenty miles. Then we were taken by Doctor [Lenox] Knight to Pleasant Garden about four miles further.
After tarrying there a few days carried us ten miles to a brother’s house.— Next day the brother took us on our journey fifteen miles to the town Bellville. A storm arose which obliged us to put up here. was taken very sick and was obliged to go to bed: we tarried until the next morning. The landlord and landlady were very kind to us and received our testimony: and I think I never saw better feelings towards us as a people than was manifested in this place, being southern people, and may the Lord bless them and gather out his elect. The next day we took coach leaving some of the people in tears. We continued on our journey mostly night and day until we arrived at on November 3rd, where we again overtook Brothers , , and and my father-in-law. This reminded me of a prediction which I delivered on the morning they left us, viz. that we would get to before they would: same day we proceeded to .
The brethren had taken up on the road where he had been confined by sickness. When we got to being overcome by the fatigues of our journey, we were most of us taken sick again with the chill fever, some of us were confined to our beds.— We remained there until the 22nd: some one of us preached in the every Sabbath during our stay there. We found the saints in a rather dis-organized state and disagreed, dwelling upon things that were past and finding fault, We found some few that were very kind to us and administered to us in our sickness, others felt disposed to cast reflections upon us, saying that our sickness came upon us in consequence of our unrighteousness; and when the brethren were suffering keenly from the effects of fatigue and sickness: these things were heaped upon them in an unfeeling manner, and when we were preparing to start on our journey, they would not administer to our wants nor help us on our journey, saying that they did not believe we were sent of God, and casting many other reflections upon us (that is many of them,) if it were necessary I could mention names. May the Lord bless and preserve those who did minister to our necessities, for the time will come when they shall be rewarded for their deeds of kindness. On the 22nd, we left for . We did not sail from this place until the 26th on ac [p. 860]
In Pittsfield, Illinois, the apostles stayed with James Allred. Kimball was simply noting that Marks, who was then living in Nauvoo, had once lived in Pittsfield. (Historian’s Office, Brigham Young History Drafts, 27.)
Kimball later related that Allred “carried us to the place where bro. Harlow Redfield lived, where we preached to a small branch of the church on Sunday [September] 29th.” Although Kimball said Silas Smith lived in another town, Smith’s son recalled that he resided in Pittsfield. Silas Smith died on 13 September 1839. (Kimball, “History,” 112; Jesse Smith, Autobiography and Journal, 7; “Obituary,” Times and Seasons, Dec. 1839, 1:32.)
Kimball, Heber C. “History of Heber Chase Kimball by His Own Dictation,” ca. 1842–1856. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL. MS 627, box 2.
Smith, Jesse Nathaniel. Autobiography and Journal, 1855-1906. Typescript, not before 1940. CHL. MS 1489, fd. 2.
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
Winchester, Illinois, was actually not in Morgan County but in bordering Scott County. (Kimball, “History,” 112; Peck, Traveller’s Directory for Illinois, 169–170.)
Kimball, Heber C. “History of Heber Chase Kimball by His Own Dictation,” ca. 1842–1856. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL. MS 627, box 2.
Peck, John Mason. The Traveler’s Directory for Illinois; Containing Accurate Sketches of the State—A Particular Description of Each County, and Important Business Towns—A List of the Principal Roads, Stage and Steamboat Routes, Land Offices, Tracts of Land Unoccupied. . . . New York: J. H. Colton, 1839.
One of the brothers was Lorenzo Young. Although no contemporary source identifies the name of the sister, Kimball was likely referring to Fanny Young Murray, who was the wife of Roswell Murray. (Little, “Biography of Lorenzo Dow Young,” 60; “History of Brigham Young,” Deseret News [Salt Lake City], 27 Jan. 1858, 369.)
Little, James Amasa. “Biography of Lorenzo Dow Young.” Utah Historical Quarterly 14 (1946): 25-132.
According to Brigham Young’s history, “a Sister in the Church hired a man & buggy to carry us to Springfield, where we were kindly received by the brethren.” (Historian’s Office, Brigham Young History Drafts, 27.)
Kimball later remembered visiting the Saints in Springfield “from house to house strengthening and comforting the brethren, and teaching them the things of the Kingdom.” Church members expressed “a great feeling of love” toward him and his companions and gave them thirty-five dollars and “a two horse wagon and harness” worth fifty-five dollars. (Kimball, “History,” 112.)
Kimball, Heber C. “History of Heber Chase Kimball by His Own Dictation,” ca. 1842–1856. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL. MS 627, box 2.
In a 24 October 1839 letter to his wife, Vilate Murray Kimball, Kimball provided further details of his illness. After a scant meal, he wrote, the “waggon began to fail brock [broke] down twice and the chiles [chills] came on to me again about two in the after noon, and hold me till night. then the fever hold me all night, this continued for three days I had lost my apetite not having anny thing betwixt meals to eat the third chill that I had, it seam to me as tho I could not live till night my distress was so great.” (Heber C. Kimball, Pleasant Garden, IN, to Vilate Murray Kimball, 24 Oct. 1839, photocopy, Heber C. Kimball, Correspondence, 1837–1864, CHL.)
Kimball, Heber C. Correspondence, 1837–1864. Private possession. Copy at CHL.
Modesitt was a prominent physician and a member of the church then residing in Terre Haute, Indiana. (Kimball, “History,” 114; Woodruff, Journal, 24 Aug. 1839; Oakey, Greater Terre Haute, 149–150.)
Kimball, Heber C. “History of Heber Chase Kimball by His Own Dictation,” ca. 1842–1856. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL. MS 627, box 2.
Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.
Oakey, C. C. Greater Terre Haute and Vigo County: Closing the First Century's History of City and County, Showing the Growth of Their People Industries and Wealth. Chicago: Lewis Publishing, 1908.
On 24 October 1839, Kimball narrated this scene in a letter to his wife: “When I was put on to the bed it tock [took] the docter and his wife and Br Brigham all nite to keepe a breth of life in my body, this continued till about ten in the morning when I felt better. thare was a cold sweet [sweat] that Rolled out of me all night, which swet the deseas out of me; and I have had no chills since.” Young’s history alleged that the doctor, while inebriated, had inadvertently given Kimball morphine immediately before his fainting spell. (H. Kimball to V. Kimball, 24 Oct. 1839; Historian’s Office, Brigham Young History Drafts, 28; see also Kimball, “History,” 113–114.)
In his autobiography, Kimball remembered that Roswell Murray had declared, “We shall never see Heber again, he will die.” (Kimball, “History,” 114; see also H. Kimball to V. Kimball, 24 Oct. 1839.)
Kimball, Heber C. “History of Heber Chase Kimball by His Own Dictation,” ca. 1842–1856. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL. MS 627, box 2.
In his autobiography, Kimball wrote, “Bro. James Modisett took us in his father’s carriage, twenty miles, to the house of bro. Addison Pratt.” (Kimball, “History,” 114.)
Kimball, Heber C. “History of Heber Chase Kimball by His Own Dictation,” ca. 1842–1856. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL. MS 627, box 2.
Knight was a recent convert to the church. Kimball described him as a “verry eminet fasition [physician], a m[an] of great we[al]th.” (H. Kimball to V. Kimball, 24 Oct. 1839; Cady, Indiana Annual Register, 136.)
Cady, C. W. The Indiana Annual Register and Pocket Manual, Revised and Corrected for the Year 1846. . . . Indianapolis: Samuel Turner, 1846.
In Pleasant Garden, Indiana, Kimball and Young stayed with Jonathan Crosby, a member of the church. They also stayed with Knight. Kimball and Young spent these three days “preaching to the few brethren, and those who wished to hear.” (H. Kimball to V. Kimball, 24 Oct. 1839; Kimball, “History,” 114.)
Kimball, Heber C. “History of Heber Chase Kimball by His Own Dictation,” ca. 1842–1856. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL. MS 627, box 2.
Babbitt was proselytizing in the area. Kimball later wrote, “Bro. Babbitt took us in his buggy twelve miles, to the house of bro. Scott; they were very glad to see us, and we tarried with them through the night.” (H. Kimball to V. Kimball, 24 Oct. 1839; Kimball, “History,” 114.)
Kimball, Heber C. “History of Heber Chase Kimball by His Own Dictation,” ca. 1842–1856. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL. MS 627, box 2.
According to Kimball’s autobiography, “Bro Scott sent his little son John, who carried us to Belleville.” Scott had intended to transport the apostles to Indianapolis. (Kimball, “History,” 114; Heber C. Kimball, Kirtland, OH, to Vilate Murray Kimball, Commerce, IL, 16 Nov. 1839, photocopy, Heber C. Kimball, Letters, 1839–1854, CHL.)
Kimball, Heber C. “History of Heber Chase Kimball by His Own Dictation,” ca. 1842–1856. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL. MS 627, box 2.
Kimball, Heber C. Letters, 1839–1854. Photocopy. CHL.
Kimball later recalled that “the landlord rose up very early” and gathered a number of neighbors into the hotel to hear the missionaries preach, that the neighbors “were very anxious” for the missionaries to “tarry and preach in the place,” and that the missionaries “left the Landlord in tears.” (Kimball, “History,” 114.)
Kimball, Heber C. “History of Heber Chase Kimball by His Own Dictation,” ca. 1842–1856. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL. MS 627, box 2.
Kimball and Young traveled by stagecoach from Belleville, Indiana, to Cleveland, going through Indianapolis and Richmond, Indiana; and Dayton, Columbus, and Wooster, Ohio. (Kimball, “History,” 114–115.)
Kimball, Heber C. “History of Heber Chase Kimball by His Own Dictation,” ca. 1842–1856. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL. MS 627, box 2.
Kimball recalled that when Hedlock, Murray, George A. Smith, and Turley left Kimball and Young in Terre Haute, Kimball told them, “Go ahead, for bro. Brigham and I will reach Kirtland, before you will.” In a 16 November 1839 letter he wrote to his wife, Vilate, Kimball stated, “Agreeable to the words that I told them when they left me sick I arrived on Kirtland flats first.” Young wrote that when the other missionaries left for Kirtland, “the horses had pretty well given out— we gave them what money we had except 5 dollars & told them to take good care of the Team & make all possible speed, if they did not we would be in Kirtland before them.” (Kimball, “History,” 114; H. Kimball to V. Kimball, 16 Nov. 1839; Historian’s Office, Brigham Young History Drafts, 28.)
Kimball, Heber C. “History of Heber Chase Kimball by His Own Dictation,” ca. 1842–1856. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL. MS 627, box 2.
Kimball, Heber C. Letters, 1839–1854. Photocopy. CHL.
Taylor left Commerce with Wilford Woodruff on 8 August 1839 and was sick for much of their journey. On 2 September 1839, Woodruff left Taylor in Germantown, Indiana, under the care of an unnamed family. After five weeks, Taylor traveled to Dayton, where he again fell ill and remained three weeks at a tavern until Hedlock, George A. Smith, and Turley discovered him and helped him travel to Kirtland. (Woodruff, Journal, 2 Sept. 1839; Turley, Reminiscences and Journal, 10; Kimball, “History,” 115.)
Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.
Turley, Theodore. Reminiscences and Journal, Sept. 1839–July 1840. Photocopy. CHL. MS 1950.
Kimball, Heber C. “History of Heber Chase Kimball by His Own Dictation,” ca. 1842–1856. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL. MS 627, box 2.
Kimball later recalled, “I made my home at Dean Gould’s, in the house of Ira Bond. I had the chills and fever for two days, and received the best of attention from Loisa Gould, who was the daughter of John Young; also from bro. Dean Gould and Ira Bond’s families: they were all very kind to me, and made me as comfortable as they could. I staid with them most of the time I was in Kirtland.” (Kimball, “History,” 116.)
Kimball, Heber C. “History of Heber Chase Kimball by His Own Dictation,” ca. 1842–1856. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL. MS 627, box 2.
These sentiments were probably expressed to Kimball during a confrontation on 10 November 1839. Following Kimball’s Sabbath sermon in the KirtlandHouse of the Lord, in which he compared the dissenters “to a parcel of old earthen pots that were cracked in burning,” several men followed him back to Ira Bond’s residence. “Martin Harris, Cyrus Smalling and others came in, and attacked me on what I had been saying, asking me, who I referred to in my comparisons! says I to no one in particular, but to any one that the coat fits. I was so sick, that I referred them to bro. Hedlock, who came in at that moment, to talk with, as I was laying in my bed having a chill and not able to talk. John Moreton and others declared I never should preach in the house again: some of the people tried to make me angry, so as to quarrel with me, but they failed.” (Kimball, “History,” 115.)
Kimball, Heber C. “History of Heber Chase Kimball by His Own Dictation,” ca. 1842–1856. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL. MS 627, box 2.