Joseph F. Smith: 1857 Diary

Joseph F. Smith: 1857 Diary

The entries from February 10 through March 27 are not necessarily complete entries. Nor are all entries included.
Beginning April 1 the entries are a complete typescript.
The diaries are part of the Joseph F. Smith Papers.

This volume begins on the island of Molokai.

	Joseph Smith's journal	This is Joseph's title
	[Begins with vocabulary words.]
	February 10, 1857
Simpson's school preparations	[Simpson Molen is interested in education of the natives, but his letters to other schools:] proved rather unprofitable.	Simpson Molen was Joseph's companion.
	February 11, 1857
Sisters make clothes Duck hunting	I got some of the sisters to make me a pair of garments. Brother John and I went hunting ducks and both got ducked, I through miscalculation in jumting a stream …	John Brown
	February 13, 1857
Travel, mend shoes	[Vocabulary words] This morning bros. Cluff, Brown and myself went to Pololu, and spent the day very lucratively mending our shoes.	William W. Cluff John Brown
	February 15, 1857
Apostasy of John Hyde and Kauwahi	[Vocabulary words, Sunday] Succeeded partially in removing the load of cankering doubt resting upon the minds of the people because of the reasent attempts of Hyde and Kauwahi to thwart Mormonism, and anihilate its propagaters.	Text of John Hyde Jr's "Lecture ofn Mormonism" and note on J. W. H. Kauwahi
	February 17, 1857
Little f ood Mending Memorize poem Weight 160/175	[Breakfast:] 1 sweet poptatoe, medium size, and a small bottle of goat's milk, between us. Since then we have not tasted a morsel. I spent the day mending my garments and coat. Also comitted to memory peas of poetry 8 verses, "Hohenlindon" by Campbell and finished writing to bros. Silas Smith and Edward Partridge. … had 1 sweet potatoe for supper and about a pint of goat's milk. Small rations for 2 men weighing 160 and 175 pounds!	Silas Smith Edward Partridge
	February 18, 1857
Consider rationing	This morning we came neer having a tolerable good breckfast, but bro. William droped the bottle of milk. Brock it and spilt over half the milk, therefore we ware compelled to dine on a cupple of sweat potatoes, about the size of a turnip! Almost came to the conclusion that we take turns eating meals as they are served up! For instance, Bro. William have the breckfast and bro. J. take dinner and supper, i.e. even rations! as we never think of haveing dinner! . . . . Thought some little of home and tryed to immagin how a bisquit and butter would taste. The immagination proved abortive!!	William W. Cluff
	February 19, 1857
Good food Mending Battling fleas	I had tolerable good fare last night and this morning. I spent this forenoon mending my "unmentionables" that was sadly mared about seat, as well as the legs &c. This afternoon had a terible combat with some 1,000 fleas, which I succeeded in geting rid of by a diligent persute of more than 5 hours. I suppose I killed something less than a 1,000 with my thumbs besides some that I did not kill!
	February 21, 1857
No mail Mending book covers Little food	We sent to Mister Bonds for our mail, but the boy returned. Said that no mail had come in. I spent this day mending up my book covers on 2 books. We have been without anything to eat, having nothing this morning but about half a pint of goat's milk and a little boiled squash! We had nothing else. No! not so much as salt!! Hard times.
	February 22, 1857
Little food	We had for supper a little milk and irish potatoes. Small rations for one man! but it is the best they can do! We have been living (or starving) on half rations for over a week, s as milk and potatoes, demi-sufficient for the real necessity of one person!!
	February 23, 1857
Wind, little food	Spent this day reading, writing &c. It was very windy and disagreeable. Nothing to eat!!
	February 24, 1857
No breakfast Travel Girls prepare meals Earthquake	Nothing to eat this morning. [Travel 6 miles to Holeipalaoa, where they found] 2 little girls at the house (the men folks all gone). The girls flew about like the contents of a hot skillet!! Run over to the neighbors about a mile and a half (the men would not have done it, the girls allways thought the moste of us!!) and got some 6 sweet potatoes upon which we dined. [They were served breakfast and dinner.] While we ware siting in the house, [an earthquake occurred].
	March 8, 1857
Saints repent Joseph skeptical $2 donation	[Sunday, conference. Prayer by Bro. Pack, conference business; afternoon] before partakeing of the sacrement several of the brethren arose and confessed their faults, repented and asked forgiveness, promising to refrain from sin and wickedness hereafter. Notwithstanding I believe the resolutions of this people are like ropes of sand, yet they ware forgiven by a unanimous vote. We called on the brethren for assistance. Received $2 only!	Ward E. Pack
	March 24, 1857
Shellfish and sea moss	We spent the afternoon hunting shellfish and eating them with sea moss to keep off starvation.
	March 25, 1857
Fishing successful	Bro. Pack and I went this morning to hunt fish again, which we ware quite prosperous in …
	March 27, 1857
To Lahaina	[Takes boat to Lahaina with Pack and Thurston for April conference.]	Smith B. Thurston
	End of volume This volume covers April 1 to October 10, 1857
	April 1, 1857
Repair whale boat	Repaired the whale boat today. Bros. G. Speirs, W. R. Writh, T. Cayton and myself took a bath. [Later Elders Richards and Cluff arrive.]	George Speirs, Henry P. Richards, William w. Cluff
	April 4, 1857
Coat	[Buys a coat.]
	April 6, 1857
Arrive at Lanai	Prest. Smith and Partridge, and elders S. E. Johnson, J. R. Young and J. A. West arived from Oahu and Kauai. [Elders King, Bell, and Richards arrive later.]	Silas Smith, Sixtus E. Johnson, John R. Young, John A. West, William King, Eli Bell, Henry P. Richards
	April 9, 1857
Conference	[Seven conferences report 28 seventies, 88 elders, 125 priests, 196 teachers, 134 deacons and 3315 members; 14 died, 103 cut off, 75 baptized.] [Totals by conference: Lanai 156, Maui 1232, Hilo 228, Kohala 649, Oahu 333, Kauai 583, Molokai 134.] [Joseph is appointed to Molokai with T. A. Dowell.]	It is unclear whether the "members" include or are in addition to the priesthood numbers Total of conference numbers is 2732. If added to priesthood numbers, the total is 3303. Thomas A. Dowell
	April 15, 1857
Food shortage at Lahaina	[8 missionaries start for Lahaina but return because of food shortage there.]
	April 18, 1857
Nothing to eat	We have had nothing to eat today, no prospects of getting any. We will have to live on faith.
Change in editorial method	April 20, 1857 At this point I depart from the website's usual editorial method and provide a typescript because 1) I have a photocopy, making multiple proofings possible; and 2) until President Smith's papers are once again made available for research, this is the most extensive typescript of his early writings that can be produced. I have, however, introduced paragraph breaks to coordinate the text with marginalia. The bold dates are not part of the text. Also note that Joseph's letter s at the beginning of a word is almost always as tall as an f or a t. This is common in nineteenth-century manuscripts. I have chosen to lower-case them unless the s is unusually large.
	Monday 20th this morning bro Rose and I went up to Kane's and got some breakfast. I wrote to my Cousin Mary Jane Gee. Gave her a discription or statistic of the present deplorable condition of this people. I said when you hear of the purity, splender and magnificence, the advancement, civili/za/tion, educational proficiencies &c. of this people you may decide, that it is an ironical discription of the same. it is all a hoaks. there is no truth in it. that they are farther advanced in wickedness and & corruption, than they were before they were known to the world is irrefagable, & beyond doubt. "they have reached their apogee in Civilization, the anther of their advancement has long since been gained, and now only a portion of their rappid strides to the summit remains to be retraced, when they will reach the goal from whence they started." this is my candid opinion.
Treat of tea and bread	in the evening Br's. Dowell and I went to Mokuula's and took supper we had a cup of Tee each & a small portion of breat, which was quite a Zest & rairity, as we are not accustomed to eat any thing better than poi & fish! this is an Hawaiian dainty. "any more would be superfluity."
	April 21, 1857
Rose to Wailuku Newspapers but no mail Lanai boat arrives Kaai provides poi	Tuesday 21st this morning bro Rose started to Wailuku, after which, about an hour, the Moi hove into sight from Oahu on going to the Poast Office, I recieved four No's. of "D. N." and "W. S." I recieved no letters, for which I could not account. spent the after noon reading. in the evening the Boat arrived from Lanai bro James Peleo, Capt, was all well. went to Kaai's got a small calabash of poi returned home eat supper, and retired. we ware to start in the morning for Molokai.	D. N.: Deseret News. W. S.: probably the Millennial Star, though the W is definitely not an M.
	April 22, 1857
Sail, without breakfast, to Waialua Branch president left the church Meeting house now a carpenter's shop Clean it up	Wednes 22nd we could get no breakfast this morning consiquintly had to star to to Molokai on an empty s[t]omache. we arived at Waialua about sun down on enquiring for a place to stop, no one knew. on asking for the president, we were informed he had left the Church. we sucseded in geting a mormon to lead us to the meeting house. this we found transmorgrified into a Carpenters. Shop & was full of rubish, boards, Tools &c. &c. &c. &c. we soon prevailed in geting it cleaned out.
Branch president's reasons for leaving Josephs warns him	I sent for the prest. of the Branch, asked him his reasons for leaving the Church. he said because the rest were leaving, and his mind Changed &c. I gave him a good preaching[,] warning him of his perrilous situation, his forfiture of all blessings &c. but it seemed wors than throwing words away to talk with him.
Sleeping arrangements	we sucsceded in geting a Kihei from one of the Bren and another from an unbeliever, which made us quite comfortable. we bunked down in the meeting house without light, and door's all open. after dark we went down and seen bro's K[imoma?] then returned and retired to rest for the night.
	April 23, 1857
Calvinist dig Chat with the natives	Thurs 23rd we went this morning to begg some corn to send to Lanai for planting we succeeded in obtaining a little then eat our breakfast, which was given us by a member of the Calvin Church. he said "here is some food. your mormons wont feed you!" after Breakfast we went down to the sea I wrote a line to Bro. S. M. Molen. the boat returned to Lahaina. we returned to the house. spent the day chatting with the Natives, looking at the name of the Branches, their situation &c. &c.
	April 24, 1857
Speaks at length Letters from home John's 24 blessings	Friday 24th I took a bathe this morning, spent a portion of the fore noon writing up my journal. in the after noon we held meeting. I spoke for a conciderable length felt first rate. plenty to eat at present. in the evening we recieved some letters from home. one from Uncle Fielding & Aunt Thompson, also a fiew lines from Brother John & cousin Mary Jane Thompson Bro. John staited in his letter that on a visit up [sant?], he gave 24 Blessing.	John, who had been ordained Church Patriarch in 1855, had foud it difficult to give blessings. Thompson: Mercy Rachel Fielding Thompson, Mary's and Joseph's sister
	April 25, 1857
Day of letter writing	Saturday 25th I spent this day writing to Bro. John, Uncle Fielding, Aunt Thompson also cousin Mary Jane. felt first rate.	Mercy's daughter, Mary Jane, was born June 14, 1838, five months before Joseph, also in Far West.
	April 26, 1857
Baptize 3 Good meeting "Iosepa Samika" effect Invited to stay in house	Sunday 26th We baptised three persons this mornings. attended three meetings I spoke all day] felt well and plenty to speak upon. the people paid good attention, & seemed to feel tolerable well, for natives. They think great times are at hand since "Iosepa Samika" has come, but it is trancient I spent the remainder of the evening writing to Cousin Mary Jane Thompson, & in my Journal. The folks took pitty on us this after noon and invited us to their house, to stop while we stay at this place. we have hitherto stoped in the meeting house; but it is verry bad, the hous being open & unprepaired.
	April 27, 1857
Death of Jedediah M. Grant	Monday 27th we took our bathe this morning as usual. it rained all day. I read a couple of the Standards, containing the Obituary, and Remarks by Prests Brigham Young & H. C. Kimball on the death of Prest. J. M. Grant, which was good and instructive, also poetry, or Reflections on his death by Mr's. Eliza R. Snow. See D. N. Dec. 10th 1856.	Standards: The Western StandardI, edited by George Q. Cannon in San Francisco, was printed on the press Hawaiian Saints had purchased. death: Jedediah M. Grant (b. 1816), mostly remembered as the firebrand behind "the Reformation" of 1857 and the father of Heber J. Grant, was Brigham Young's Second Counselor.
	To be continued …