William Clayton's Journal. William Clayton Clayton
Table of Contents
The first news I heard this morning was that the horse was dead. This is a very unlucky circumstance for me for I am already very deficient in teams. Moreover, three of my teams leave me here, viz. Horlick, Chas. A. Terry and Jones with their wagons and teams. I shall then have about quarter teams enough to draw the loads. I have about three thousand pounds of church property besides my own goods. I see little chance of my moving from here at present. The morning was wet but it cleared off and continued so all day. I spent the day reading and writing while the rest went to meeting. Evening was sent for to go to council. Read a letter from O. Hyde stating that they had had an offer of two hundred thousand dollars for the temple. He writes of hard times in Nauvoo. The council selected one hundred men to make rails, forty-eight to build houses; twelve to dig wells; ten to build a bridge and the rest to go to farming.
Steven Markham, C. C. Rich, L. C. Wilson, James Pace to oversee the rail cutting. Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, P. P. Pratt and Geo. A. Smith the house building. A. P. Rockwood to boss bridge building. President Young to boss him and the whole camp and Jacob Peart to boss well digging. The council decided to wait until morning to decide relative to selling the temple. After we adjourned I went into my wagon. I wrote a long letter to Diantha. It was about ten o'clock when I got through.
Monday, April 27
Rained all day. At 6:00 a.m., went to meeting. The men were divided out to work and commenced operations and had to quit on account of rain. After breakfast went to council, when it was voted to sell the temple, signifying as to the reason, it will be more likely to be preserved. It is as lawful to sell it to help the poor saints as to sell our inheritance. We do it because we are compelled to do it. I was ordered to write an answer to Elder Hyde's letter which I did, saying finally, if the temple was sold, $25,000 must be sent for the benefit of the camp. The balance to be left at the disposal of elder Hyde, Woodruff and the trustees and to be appropriated to help away those who have labored hard to build the temple and the faithful poor of the saints. Spent the balance of the day packing up china and crockery to be sent by Egan.
Tuesday, April 28
Weather very wet. Moved up on higher ground. Spent the morning unpacking chests for files and supplies. Afternoon unloading wagon to send a-trading. The weather very wet until night. President Young called over and said we had better not send Egan until the weather settles. The quadrille band have gone to give concerts in the Platte. They had to draw their wagons across the river by ropes the water was so high.
Wednesday, April 29
It still continues to rain and the ground is getting quite soft and muddy. Spent the day setting men to fixing yokes and bows. Walked out about a mile to the bluff west of us. It ceased raining about eleven o'clock and continued fair through the day.
Thursday, April 30
Unpacking and re-packing chests all the day. It continues to rain more or less and the weather looks bad. Ruth is quite unwell.
May 1846
Friday, May 1
This month brings the damp wet weather. Chas. Shumway and George Langley start for George Herring this morning being instructed to bring him on to Council Bluffs. Spent the day preparing for Egan to start trading. He has gone with Jackson Redding and has taken $288.00 of church property besides two span of horses and harness and near $60.00 of mine. Afternoon packing chests, etc. The weather finer and fairer.
Saturday, May 2
The day is fine. Preparing some for Horlick's return to Nauvoo on Monday. Wrote to Diantha. Selling shoes.
Sunday, May 3
The morning fair, windy and cloudy, southeast wind. Spent the morning making a list of all the company who have made their reports, also fixing tents. At ten o'clock went to meeting. O. Spencer talked a while and was followed by President Young who exhorted the camp to diligence in getting in crops for that will be our salvation the next winter. He said no company should start from here until the south field was made and some houses built. It commenced raining as the meeting closed and about three o'clock a thunder storm came on which lasted till near five o'clock. I spent the afternoon reading. Soon after five it cleared off some and the sun shone again. While at supper President Young called and stated that he wished that I should go to council with him. I started and the council met opposite his tent. It was decided that his fifty build the bridge tomorrow and all the rest to make rails and also that Sherwood and Orson Pratt go about twenty-five or thirty miles southwest to seek out another section.
Monday, May 4
Finished my letter to Diantha and sent it by John Richards. Horlick has concluded to tarry till my wagons are fixed. I spent the day examining my flour and crackers and helping to fix the tent as considerable of my crackers and flour are damaged on account of having poor wagons. I dreamed last night that I saw Diantha and her babe. Her babe was dressed in white and appeared to be lying down with its eyes closed. She was bent over it apparently in sorrow. When I went to her she flew to me earnestly but the babe seemed to be kept still and asleep, and I awoke. This dream has troubled me considerably. Evening met the clerks of 50's in my tent and instructed them how to make their reports, etc.
Tuesday, May 5
The weather very fine. I spent the day preparing to enter the reports on the record. Went over to J. D. Lee's and learned that some of the clerks had been to the President and told him that I had ordered that they should include in their reports each wife a man has. I did not do any such thing, only requested each name should be in full according to the order of a previous council. The President said it did not matter about the names being in full but I think in after days it will prove it does. Dr. Richards thinks as I do. The President, I understand, appeared quite angry. Many of the band are entirely destitute of provisions and my flour is so nearly down I have concluded to eat biscuit. I have given the band considerable of my biscuit already. At nine o'clock fixing my wagons. Expected a storm which soon afterwards commenced, raining and thundering very hard. Raining most of the night.