Some Things Never Change

One of the national political parties during the Nauvoo years of the Church was the Anti-Mormon Party. Who was responsible for forming this party?

A)                 Governor Ford, Illinois Governor

B)                 The Whig Party

C)                 The Democratic Party

D)                 Governor Boggs of Missouri

Yesterday’s answer:

(A)    Gold dust

The following from the journal of pioneer Arocet Hale:

In consequence of the scanty harvest of 1848, bread stuff and other provisions became very scarce. Many had to eat raw hides, dig segos and thistle roots for months. I was one of that number. The last of June, just before harvest, was the hardest time of 1849.

   I will relate a little incident to show to our children and the rising generation how their parents suffered in the early days of 1847, 1848 and 1849. Lucas Hoagland moved my sister Rachel Lavory Hale late in the fall of 1848. Our families then consisted of five in number, Lucas and wife, my brother, Alma Helaman Hale, age ten, my brother Solomon Elephlet Hale, age seven and myself. After Lucas married my sister Rachel, of course I had more help to sustain the family. It fell to my lot to attend to watering the wheat. We had two cows, luckily both giving milk. When I went to the field to water the wheat and fight the crickets, I used to drive one cow to the field with me at night, milk the cow, and strain the milk. As soon as it was cool, I would stir in two or three spoonfuls of moldy corn meal, set it over the campfire, make my porridge and go to bed. I did the same in the morning. This was better with the blessing of the Lord on it than boiled rawhide and thistle roots. For dinner, I would take my shovel and go out on the bench land and dig segos which were plentiful, thank the Lord.

   While I was tending the wheat, Lucas was working around where he could get a little provisions for the family. He used to go to the Provo River with fishing parties, catch fish, salt and dry them. They were very good and considered a rarity.

   I will relate a little incident to show how hard it was to get bread stuff. My wheat was heading out and commenced turning a little yellow. I thought I could glean a little out that would do to thresh and grind in a hand mill, which many did. I saw several going to Neff's Mill with small grists of corn that were rare in 1848. The thought struck me that I might be able to trade for some. I had a fine little saddle horse that Lucus Hoagland had told me to trade for bread stuff or edibles of any kind. I saddled up, went to the mill, and saw several there begging or trying to (some widows with families). I spoke to Neff and told him my situation. I offered him the horse, saddle and bridle (a new California Macheir [?] saddle for three pecks of corn meal, one peck to take home with me, one peck the next week, the third peck, the third week. Now for the answer. Said he, "You great booby, here trying to get three pecks of meal. There are women here begging for two quarts to take home with them to feed their little children." This anger hurt my feelings very badly. I thought of the situation I had left the family in in the morning, without a spoonful of anything to eat of bread stuff kind. Then I cried like a baby to be called a booby for trying to make an honest trade with the miller.

   I continued fighting crickets until nearly night, when I heard a noise towards the mouth of Emigration Canyon, a little north of me. I looked and to my surprise, I saw a train of four- and six-horse wagons coming out of Emigration Canyon. This proved to be a company of the gold emigration, the first that arrived in the valley. I sprung to my horse and went across the bench into their camp. I was the first Mormon boy in their camp. They appeared to be very much excited over gold and the mines and asked many questions. What news from the gold Mines? Is there any more of the battalion boys come in? What news do they bring? Have you seen any? Have you got any gold? I had very little that Hoagland had given me to try and get a little bread stuff with. I let them see what gold I had. They were all excited in a minute and all had to see the gold dust. While they were looking at the gold dust, an old gentleman touched me on the shoulder and beckoned me to one side. Said he, "I have a span of young American colts, four years old. They have been worked on lead, and have pulled themselves down very poor." Said he, "I will give you that span of young horses, their harness and lead bars for your pony, saddle and bridle." I told him that I would go with him and see the horses. We went, and he showed me the horses. They were as he reckoned them to me. I thought of the trade I had offered the Miller Neff a few hours before. I thought of my sister and the little boys at home without anything to eat but a little milk and segos for supper.

   Said I, "Could you spare me a few pounds of flour, a small piece of bacon, a quart of beans or any kind of vegetables?" "Come to the wagon and I will see what I can find." He got into the wagon, threw out a sack with eight or ten pounds of flour, ten pounds of bacon and by that time the boys had gotten supper. They invited me into the tent. There I ate the best supper that I ever ate, or relished the best. I had not tasted nice white bread and fried bacon for months. I led my horse to the city. When my sister Rachel saw tour and bacon, she wept for joy.

   Gold emigration continued to come and they were willing to trade their poor stock for those that were in better condition. The gray horses that I got for the saddle pony brought me two yoke of oxen and wagons and a nice suit of clothes. This reminds me of a prophecy of President Heber C. Kimball two months before the gold emigration came into the valley. He prophesied that clothing would be cheaper in Salt Lake City than it was in New York City. We saw this prophecy come to pass. They were loaded too heavy to continue their journey and all had something to sell or trade, horses, harnesses or wagons, clothing, provisions, cooking utensils, stoves, tents, guns and ammunitions. This was considered a God send.

Journal of Arocet Lucious Hale, Typescript, HBLL; htpp://www.boap.org/