Letter from Heber C. Kimball, 9 July 1840

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.)  

Historian’s Office. Brigham Young History Drafts, 1856–1858. CHL. CR 100 475, box 1, fd. 5.

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.

Young stayed at “bro. Decker’s,” which was “a few rods” from where Kimball stayed at Murray’s home. (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.

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.

Deseret News. Salt Lake City. 1850–.

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.)  

Historian’s Office. Brigham Young History Drafts, 1856–1858. CHL. CR 100 475, box 1, fd. 5.

Kimball later recalled that church member and medical practitioner Libeus Coon took care of Brigham Young in Springfield. (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.

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.)  

Historian’s Office. Brigham Young History Drafts, 1856–1858. CHL. CR 100 475, box 1, fd. 5.

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 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.

Historian’s Office. Brigham Young History Drafts, 1856–1858. CHL. CR 100 475, box 1, fd. 5.

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.

JS fled Kirtland in 1838 in the face of growing opposition from dissenters, including several disillusioned church leaders. Dissent within the Kirtland community remained an ongoing concern. (Minutes, 5–6 Sept. 1840; Letter to Oliver Granger, between ca. 22 and ca. 28 July 1840; 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.

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 Kirtland House 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.