BIOGRAPHY OF ELIJAH FUNK SHEETS

by

Richard Hyatt Davis

1987

Copyright (c) Richard Hyatt Davis 1987

All Rights Reserved

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS iv

INTRODUCTION 1

Chapter

I. PENNSYLVANIA AND ILLINOIS YEARS 7

Early life in Pennsylvania 7Conversion to the Church 10Activities while in Nauvoo, Illinois 13Notes 16

II. MISSIONS 18

Mission to Pennsylvania 18Mission to England 21Notes 36

III. EMIGRATION TO AND ACTIVITIES IN UTAH 39

Sheets Preparation and Departure forWinter Quarters 40Activities while in Winter Quarters 41Emigration to Utah 43Early Years in the Salt Lake Valley 45Iron County Mission 47Civic activities 53Notes 62

IV. LOCAL CHURCH LEADERSHIP 64

Bishop of the Salt Lake Eighth Ward 64Member of the Utah Stake Presidency 83Notes 88

V. GENERAL CHURCH LEADERSHIP 90

Traveling Bishop 90Church Stock Agent 94Assistant Trustee-in-Trust . . .......... 98Notes 103

VI. LATER LIFE ACTIVITIES...... 106Arrest for Unlawful Cohabitation 106Final Days IllNotes 115

APPENDICES 117

A. COUNSELORS AND CLERKS WHO SERVED WITHBISHOP SHEETS 118

B. BISHOPS IN THE SALT LAKE STAKE SERVING 29OR MORE YEARS 119

C. TRAVELING BISHOPS 120

D. TRUSTEE-IN-TRUST AND ASSISTANTS WHO SERVEDDURING BRIGHAM YOUNGS ADMINISTRATION.....121

E. ACCUMULATION OF LAND AND PROPERTY 122

F. FAMILY LIFE 124

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 128

iii

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

1. Elijah Funk Sheets on his eightieth birthday. . . v2. West Nantmeal Church 12

3. City Creek Aqueduct, ca. 1875 56

4. Bishops of the Salt Lake Stake......... . 685. Bishop Elijah Funk Sheets 69

6. Elijah Funk Sheets in prison 110

Illustration 1

Source: Portrait Collection, LDS Church Archives,Elijah Funk Sheets upon his eightieth birthday.

v

INTRODUCTION

Throughout the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-day Saints, many men and women have come to the

forefront as examples of stalwart, faithful, and dedicated

servants, leaders, and members. Some of these dedicated men

and women became prominent, while others served just as

faithfully, without public recognition. Their feeling of

glory and achievement came from knowing they performed a

service, which in their beliefs, would be recognized by

their God.

Elijah Funk Sheets was a faithful, stalwart Latter-day

Saint and a dedicated member from the moment of his

conversion. He was a very strong, capable, and effective

Church administrator. It is important to know Elijah Funk

Sheets, his background, conversion to, and activities in the

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His near

half-century of local and general Church leadership, as well

as his participation in civic endeavors, allowed him the

privilege of being considered more than a common member of

the Church.

Elijah Funk Sheets was born in Charlestown, Chester

County, Pennsylvania on 22 March 1821. He joined the Church

of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1840. Four years

after joining the Church he served missions in Pennsylvania,

2

and Great Britain, where he converted many people. He

assisted in building the Nauvoo Temple, emigrated to Utah,

and helped in the initial settling of Iron County.

In 1856, Sheets was called as the bishop of the Salt

Lake Eighth Ward, serving in that position until just before

his death in 1904. As bishop and spiritual leader he

handled the ecclesiastical affairs of the ward; such as

presiding at meetings and teaching the membership the

precepts of their religion. His responsibilities also

included temporal matters such as; care of the poor,

collection of tithes and offerings, establishment of a ward

United Order, water master, and counseling members in home

manufacturing, unemployment, idleness, and debt.

In 1868 he was called to serve as a member of the

presidency of the Utah Stake, an ecclesiastical governing

unit of the Church in Utah County, while continuing his

responsibilities as a bishop. During his brief stay in

Provo he became involved in the development of the Provo

Woolen Mills, Provos contribution to the United Order. He

also went into business with A. 0. Smoot and established a

cooperative company that helped build the Union Pacific

Railroad. While in Provo he served as an alderman and city

councilman; and also as assessor and tax collector for Utah

County.

In April of 1871 Sheets returned to Salt Lake City to

accept a new position from Brigham Young, President of the

Church. He was called to serve as traveling bishop over

Juab, Millard, Sevier, Utah, Sanpete, and Tooele counties.

3

In August he was appointed to be a Church Stock agent, a

position requiring that he take charge of all the Church

stock and pasture lands. In 1873 he was elected an

assistant trustee of the Church, serving with George A.

Smith, Trustee-in-Trust .Sheets involvement in the temporal affairs of the

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints went far beyond

that of a local ward bishop. His life was intertwined with

management of the finances, livestock, and lands of the

Church. These responsibilities showed the Church leaders

had great trust in him, and confidence he would serve well.

Elijah Funk Sheets is important in the history of Utah

and the Church because:

1. His contributions as Church livestock agent, an

assistant trustee-in-trust, a member of the Utah Stake

presidency, and a traveling bishop.

2. He was a bishop for forty-eight years, longer than

any other bishop in the LDS Church. His experience offers

insight into the functions of nineteenth century urban

wards .3. He served the community in civic positions and in

the development of the railroad and other businesses. He is

a good example of how a nineteenth century Church leader

moved between and within multiple roles.

This manuscript will focus on the life of Elijah Funk

Sheets, which culminated as a leader in the Church of Jesus

Christ of Latter-day Saints. Iwill discuss who Sheets was,

why he was so involved in Church financial and temporal

4

affairs, and how his work helps us to better understand not

only the Church, but the community of which he was a part.

Primary documentation for this project came from

records contained in the Historical Department of the Church

of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint. Used were the diaries

of Elijah Funk Sheets, most which were written while he was

A missionary in Pennsylvania and England. They contain

valuable insight into his activities and thoughts. After

recording his missionary experiences his journal writing

became sketchy. While in Utah he recorded mainly the key

events of his life including, births, confirmations,

baptisms, and marriages of his children. In this process he

omitted daily activities and much of his thoughts and

impressions. In 1887 he wrote a brief sketch of his life

which added valuable information regarding the activities he

participated in.

Also used were diaries and papers of Sheets

contemporaries. These included eighth ward members,

counselors and clerks who served with him, fellow ward

bishops in the Salt Lake Stake, members of the Salt Lake

stake presidency, the presiding bishopric, traveling

bishops, and assistant trustee-in-trusts . While many ofthese individuals did not leave any records, those that did

gave the author added insight into Sheets and the time

period in which he lived.

Also used were manuscript histories of the Church.

These are regional accounts of areas in the Church such as;

histories of Church activities in Illinois, Pennsylvania,

5

and Winter Quarters. Manuscript histories of each of the

local units of the Church such as the British Mission, the

Eighth Ward, and several wards and stakes throughout Utah

were also used. Manuscript histories, though compiled after

the events happened, contain copies of invaluable primary

documentation. Minutes of meetings of the wards and stakes

were used to give insight into Sheets administration.

The Journal History of the Church was used as a guide

in finding references to Sheets. Most of the accounts came

from clippings in the Deseret News, the Times and Seasons,

and The Latter-day Saints Millennial Star. This source is

an ongoing collection of information on the daily activities

of the Church and helped the author pin point activities in

which Sheets participated. The periodicals and newspaper

previously mentioned were checked in greater detail.

Included were copies of letters he wrote while a missionary

in England

Secondary sources were used to gather information

needed to place Sheets in the larger context of LDS Church

history. The sources used included contemporary works such

as Brigham H. Roberts Comprehensive History of the Church,

and Joseph Smiths History of the Church. Also of benefit

were modern scholarly works. What was sought for when

perusing these works was a greater insight in the time

period Sheets lived in. Works on geographic locations such

as; Chester County, Pennsylvania, Nauvoo, Illinois, and Salt

Lake City, Utah added knowledge of where he lived and

activities around him. Biographies of prominent men he

6

associated with were also of benefit. While most of the

secondary works used were written from a Mormon perspective,

dealing with the LDS Church, its people and life style,

other sources were used to gain added insight.

It is hoped that by reading this manuscript an

understanding will be gained of Elijah Funk Sheets and the

way that his life was intertwined in the management of the

LDS Church. Sheets service was as constant and as

instrumental in advancement of the Church as any could

desi re .

I. PENNSYLVANIA AND ILLINOIS YEARS

Early life in Pennsylvania

Elijah Funk Sheets was born on 22 March 1821 at

1Charlestown in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Not much is

known about his father, Frederick Sheets, or his mother,

Hannah Page. Frederick Sheets was not an original Chester

2County resident, being born about 1786 in Germany and3coming to America when he was young. He did not appear on

census records as a head of household in Chester County

until 1820 and may have arrived in Pennsylvania just prior

to marrying Hannah Page of Charlestown on 13 August 1812.

Nothing in Elijahs journals, or other genealogical records

reveal who Fredericks parents or ancestors were.

Hannah Page was born in Chester County around 1787, the4daughter of Nathaniel Page and Barbara Rinker. Nathaniel

was a long time resident of Chester County appearing on

census records from 1800 to 1830. Beyond this nothing is

5known of his ancestry. Genealogists and Sheets family

members have felt much of the same frustration as Elijah didg

when he wrote: "As to the[ir] births Icannot find out."

In 1828 when Elijah was seven he, his two brothers,

John Samuel, age 15 and Thomas, age 13, and his two sisters

Elizabeth, age 14, and Mary, age 12, were orphaned. As

Elijah stated, "Fredrick Sheets My father Departed this life

March the 4th 1828 Also My Mother Hanna Sheets died August

8

the 25th 1828 And they ware boath Burried in Pikland Chirch

7yard, Charlstown Township Chester Co. Pa." Sheets mentions

nothing about the cause of their deaths and Chester County

vital records have no reference to the deaths of FrederickO

and Hannah.

Elijah, and most likely his four brothers and sisters,

were taken in by their Page grandparents. Nathaniel and

Barbara Page were in their sixties and taking on the

responsibility of raising a family would have been very

taxing. Elijah remained with his grandparents until 1830

9when he began working for Edward Hunter of Chester County.

Edward Hunter, son of Squire Edward Hunter and Hannah

Maris, was born on 22 June 1793. He left school in 1803,

when he was ten years old, shortly after his mothers death,

to apprentice in a tanning factory. When Edward was

thirty-five years old he purchased an old farm in West

Chester, Pennsylvania, an area where his ancestors had

settled years before. He had obtained an amount of material

wealth and "wished to invest wisely; and in those days the

badge of a successful citizen was a large farm, a large

barn, and a large manor. His new purchase satisfied all

10these requirements." By this time he was described by the

citizens of the area as "a prosperous merchant and

farmer. m11

After purchasing the land Edward added additional

acreage until he had a farm of about five hundred acres.

Tending this amount of property was more than a one man job,

so he hired a tenant farmer and other workers as needed.

9

farm. Of the

has been said:

His ability to claim the loyalty of those under himwas already in evidence, for he later wrote ofthese men, Had good men in my tenant houses thatworked for me. One man worked ten or twelve yearsfor me, others four or five years; watched for mywellfare, never a thought of exacting anythingunjust r>x oppressive, as they not earning theirwages .

Sheets and Hunter had a good relationship, and in future

years would work closely in leadership positions in the LDS

Church. Hunter became Presiding Bishop of the Church and

Sheets was one of his local bishops.

Elijah lived with the Hunters for nine years where he

learned much about farming and stock-raising, skills which

would serve him well in the future. Like many, who were

raised on farms during this period of time, he had limited

opportunities to attend school "amounting to about six weeks

13a year from his eighth to his sixteenth year." This lack

of formal education is evident in his personal writings, but

in no way reflect the practical knowledge he gained through

experiences in his life. Though Elijah enjoyed the skills

he learned in farming, he was naturally inclined to

mechanical pursuits. At the age of seventeen he left the

Hunter farm to apprentice as a blacksmith with Taylor

Dilworth of West Nantmeal. At the Dilworth home young

Elijah learned more than the blacksmith trade. His

association with the Dilworths brought him in contact with

Mormonism.

Sheets was one of the young workers on this

association between Edward and his workers it

10

Conversion to the Church

In the years following the organization of the Church

of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, missionary work

progressed rapidly in the Eastern United States and many

people embraced the new religion. Pennsylvania was no

exception as missionaries were sent throughout the state

eventually arriving in the Philadelphia area.

In the spring of 1839, Lorenzo D. Barnes and his

companion, Harrison Sagers, labored as missionaries in

Chester County and baptized many people. The work

progressed so well that at one point Barnes wrote:

A dozen Elders might well be employed in ChesterCo. Pa. where I have been laboring the principalpart of the past season, I can fill but a smallpart of the calls Ihave for preaching. 53 in thatCo. have already embraced the fullness of thegospel, and are organized into a branch of thechurch called the Brandywine branch. . . . TheSaints in that place appeeur determined to keep thecommandments of God. ...

The Church continued to grow in Chester County under

the efforts of Lorenzo D. Barnes, and other missionaries.

The Brandywine branch grew from 80 members in May of 1840,

to 180 by April of 1841. During this rapid growth, Sheets

came in contact with the missionaries and members of the

Church and began an investigation which led to his

conversion. Sheets journals are quiet concerning any

religious activities prior to coming in contact with the LDS

Church. It is not known whether his parents gave him any

formal religious training before their deaths, or if he

received this during his apprenticeship years. It was

11

during the excitement and rapid growth of the Church in

Chester County, that Sheets became interested in Mormonism.

Sheets first heard Mormonism preached by Edwin D.

Woolley and Elisha H. Davis, companions of Lorenzo D.

Barnes. Woolley was a native of Chester County who was

converted to the LDS Church while living in Ohio. He and

Davis left on a mission to Pennsylvania on 9 January 1839.

After arriving in Chester County in February of 1839,

Woolley began talking to all of his relatives and friends

about Mormonism. At one point Edwin contacted his uncle,

Joel Dilworth, of West Nantmeal, who was the father of

Taylor Dilworth, Elijahs employer. The Dilworths became

great supporters of Edwins cause. They housed and fed him

and supplied him with a building to preach in, although

15neither Joel nor Taylor ever joined the Church. After

hearing Woolley preach Sheets was impressed with his

message. Sheets later said of Woolley: "I first heard him

preach the gospel in the home of his uncle, Joel Dilworth,

in Chester Co. Pennsylvania. His discourse was plain and

simple. It riveted the truth upon the minds of many who

heard them. It was the starting point of raising a good

branch of the Church."""fiEven though Sheets first heard the Mormon missionaries

in the early part of 1839, it took until July of 1840 before

he joined the Church. Erastus Snow, an energetic missionary

and leader in the LDS Church, arrived in Chester County at

12

Illustration 2

Source: West Nantmeal Seminary, Pennsylvania, LDSChurch Archives. This is where Edwin Woolley preached topeople in Chester County, Pennsylvania.

13

that time. Snow is credited for finalizing Sheets long

investigation into the Church. Snow wrote in his journal,

"In Chester Co. were about 100 members of the Church. We

tarried one week preaching in different places. Ibaptized

two on Sunday am. Monday July 6th went into the city of

Philadelphia.

Sheets mentions nothing in his personal journals about

his activities from his baptism in July of 1840, until he

left for Nauvoo, Illinois late in the summer of 1841.

Undoubtedly he continued his work with Taylor Dilworth. For

years the LDS Church had stressed the importance of

gathering to a central location so that its membership could

be both physically and spiritually close to its leading

officials. In 1839 the Mormons were driven from their homes

in Missouri and purchased land in Western Illinois on the

Mississippi River. After the settlement of this new city,

known as Nauvoo, Church officials again made a concerted

effort to encourage the membership to gather. Sheets, like

many of his associates, obeyed the call and left his home in

18Chester County, arriving in Illinois in September of 1841.

Activities while in Nauvoo, Illinois

In 1841, when Sheets arrived in Nauvoo, Illinois, it

was a well established city. There was a bustle of activity

resulting from the announcement of two large building

projects; the Nauvoo House, and more importantly, the Nauvoo

Temple. The purpose of the temple was explained to the

membership of the Church by their leader Joseph Smith. He

14

said the temple was not an ordinary meetinghouse, but a

place

. . . where the Saints will come to worship . . .according to the order of His house and the powersof the Holy Priesthood, and will be so constructedas to enable all the functions of the Priesthood tobe duly exercised, and where instructions from theMost High will be received, and from this place goforth to distant lands."

The temple was built on a hill overlooking the

Mississippi River. Excavation began in the fall of 1840,

with the cornerstones being laid on 6 April 1841. The work

was supervised by a temple committee with Joseph Smith

retaining authority over the design and construction. The

labor force came from the general membership of the Church

who sold or donated their time. Costs were met through

tithes, and donations of goods and money.

Sheets began working on the temple in April of 1842,

shortly after he was ordained an Elder. He volunteered with

one hundred others to work six months on the temple without

2 0pay. He was under the same obligation as all elders who

lived in Nauvoo, which was to help on the temple as much as

they could, even with outside constraints. Being single, he

could donate all of his time to the cause with his daily

needs being supplied by members in Nauvoo who opened their

homes to the temple workers.

In October, 1841, Brigham Young, an apostle in the LDS

Church, addressed the men of the Church at a conference

counseling them on the importance of working on the temple

in addition to teaching the gospel to the world:

15

. on the propriety of many of the Eldersremaining at home, and working on the Lords House;and that their labors will be as acceptable to theLord as their., going abroad, and more profitable forthe Church."

In December of 1841 Brigham Young reiterated the fact that

they needed workers on the temple:

We would remind some two or three hundredElders, who offered to go on missions, some sixmonths, other one year, and some two years, and hadtheir missions assigned them at the generalconference to labor on the Temple, that most oftheir names are still with us, and we wish them tocall and take their names away, and give them up tothe building committee.

Sheets dedication to this project was proof of his

commitment to the leaders of his faith. His life to this

point was made up of drastic changes both in his beliefs and

his physical location. His life was not one of ease or

luxurious living, nor was it of undue hardship. His

parents death, his conversion to the LDS Church, and all

that those things entailed, brought about many changes.

These changes made it possible for him to move where he

could become of service, not only to his fellowmen, but to

his God as well.

NOTES

1 Chester County is situated in the southeastern partof Pennsylvania surrounded by Delaware, Montgomery, Berks,and Lancaster counties. Charlestown is in the northeasternpart of the county, within five miles of Valley Forge andthe Skukyll River.

2 Frederick Sheets family group sheet, Family HistoryDepartment, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,Salt Lake City, Utah. Hereafter cited, LDS ChurchGenealogical Department.

3 Elijah Funk Sheets, Diaries, fd. 5, MS, HistoricalDepartment, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,Salt Lake City, Utah. Hereafter cited, LDS Church Archives.

4 Frederick Sheets family group sheet.

5A family group sheet filed in the Family History

Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-daySaints provides no marriage or death information on thePages. Genealogical research from Sheets references in hisjournals to the present have failed to come up with any moreleads to both the Sheets and Page family lines.

gSheets, Diaries, fd. 5. The Frederick Sheets family

group sheet lists the Sheets children as; (1) John SamuelSheets, born about 1813, died 27 August 1867. (2)Elizabeth Sheets, born 28 January 1814, died 20 December1901. (3) Thomas Sheets, born October 1814, died 16 June1864. (4) Mary Sheets, born 2 October 1816, died September1892. (5) Elijah Funk Sheets, born 22 March 1821, died 3July 1904.

7 Ibid.g

The author looked through the records at the FamilyHistory Department for Chester County including; cemetary,probate records, vital records, and histories, and could notfind any reference to the death of Elijahs parents.Included in the cemetary records was a listing from the St.Peters Lutheran Church, also known as the Pikeland Churchcemetary. Their names were not included on this list.

gAndrew Jenson, Latter-Day Saint Biographical

Encyclopedia: A Compilation of Biographical Sketches ofProminent Men and Women in the Church of Jesus Christ ofLatter-day Saints, 4 vols. (Salt Lake City, Utah: The Andrew

17

Jenson History Co. and the Deseret News, 1901-1936), 1:614.

William E. Hunter, Edward Hunter: Faithful Steward.(Salt Lake City, Utah: Publishers Press, 1970 ) , p~! 33"!

11

12

13

14

15

Ibid., p. 37 .Ibid.Jenson, Biographical Encyclopedia, 1:614

Times and Seasons (March 1840) 1:78-79.

Leonard J. Arrington, From Quaker to Latter-daySaint: Bishop Edwin D. Woolley. (Salt Lake City, Utah:Deseret Book Company, 1976 ) , p. 73. Arrington states thatJoel never joined the Church. Family group sheets of bothJoel and Taylor Dilworth show that they both died whileliving in West Nantmeal, Chester County. It may be thatthey did not join the Church, or they joined and did notremain faithful, or they just never went West with theSaints .

16

17

Deseret Evening News, 16 October 1881.

Erastus Snow, Journals, vol. 2, MS, LDS ChurchArchives. Sheets journals are silent concerning hisconversion and baptism in the Church. This isunderstandable since his journal writing began several yearslater as a missionary. He briefly states that he wasbaptized, but mentions nothing concerning the date or whodid it. This information was obtained from Jenson sBiographical Encyclopedia which is a compilation of briefsketches. When Jenson was editing these volumes he wrote tothe membership of the Church asking that they send insketches of their lives and activities. Sheets undoubtedlywrote to Jenson with this information.

18Jenson, Biographical Encyclopedia, 1:614.

19 Joseph Smith, History of the Church of Jesus Christof Latter-day Saints, B. H. Roberts, ed. 7 vols. 2nd ed.rev. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book Company, 1964),4:269.

20Jenson, Biographical Encyclopedia, 1:614.

Smith, History of the Church, 4:427.

22 Ibid., 4:474.

II. MISSIONS

After working on the Nauvoo Temple for six months,

Sheets, age twenty-one, left Nauvoo on a mission for the LDS

Church. He had been a member for two years and was ready to

proclaim his beliefs. While in Pennsylvania he wrote, that

he and his companion had full "intention of preaching the

gospel in our weakness to the world, neither of us ever

1having preached before." Sheets missions became an

opportunity for him to share his beliefs, which he had come

to love with others, to grow in his knowledge in the Church,

to become exposed to high ranking Church officials, and to

gain experience in leadership. These three things played a

major role in developing his character.

Mission to Pennsylvania

Elijah Sheets, and his companion, Joseph A. Stratton,

began their missionary labors 4 September 1842, in the

common manner of the time, without purse or scrip. They

traveled on foot through Illinois and Indiana and found much

opposition to their message. Many nights were spent without

shelter, and on several occasions they felt lucky to find a

barn or abandoned building for protection from inclement

weather. At times, full days went by when they received

nothing to eat. One day they approached fourteen homes

19

before finding a place to stay. As Sheets described it:

And the place that we got to stay at was a verypoore one. I think that we would of been beter along side of a hay stack Fore there was so manybed bugs & fleas & misketers (And to cap all therewas 2 ore 3 drunken men came in and swore that weaut to be shot etc.) So that we could not sleapvery well that nite. But in the morning we thankedthe man fore his kindness & left.

While en route Sheets contracted what he called "the Fevour3

& agor" which impeded their progress for five days. After

awhile they met up with some other missionaries who helped

them on their way:

. in the evening we all went down into alitftle] [grove] of woods And we prayed. And thenthe 3 Bro[thers] Laid there hanse on my head & Iwas Emediatly healed throw the pawer of God. Andwe all went on our way rejoicing.

Experiences such as this must have been a boost to his

morale after encountering so much opposition.

They continued through Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and

into Pennsylvania where Sheets had "connections living."

After arriving Sheets wrote:

. . . we traveled twelve Hundred Miles with onlyone Bare peney & that Bro Stratton found in theRoad as we walked a long And that we only had avery short time till we had to give it to get overa Brickje But we got a long much beter afterwords .

Many of Sheets activities in Pennsylvania were in

Chester County. He wanted all of his relatives and friends

to hear about the Church. It is likely that before moving

to Illinois, Sheets did not spend much time trying to

20

convert his relatives. As a missionary he had much more

knowledge and confidence.

In June, Sheets wrote to the leaders in Nauvoo that he

and Stratton had "baptized thirty-two, and many more are

convinced of the truth of the work." After their arrival

in Chester County Elder Stratton went to Bucks County

leaving Sheets alone with his relatives and friends. On

November eleventh he wrote of visiting his grandmother and

staying overnight at her house. His relatives showed an

apparent lack of interest which prompted him to go where

there "has not been any preaching." He further stated: "I

have been over in Montgomery County where there has never

been any of our Elders and Iexpect to go back there before

I return."

On 5 November 1843 Sheets held a meeting where a

heckler tried to interrupt. Of the experience he wrote:

Ibrought them that was with me up to Mr. Gipsons &then I came up to Farefield where Ihad a meetingapointed & Preached in the afternoon & had a veryfull house &c. And also in the Evening in the sameplace & when Iwas don Ther was the young Mr. Bownwho had atacked me before he began to spout. . . .And I showed the congration where he told 2 or 3lies & he got ml and picked up his coat and hat &away he went &c.

After twenty months in Pennsylvania and Delaware,

preaching the restored gospel and visiting relatives, Elders

Sheets and Stratton reported that they baptized "about one

hundred Betwene us And then we returned to Nauvoo with ag

company of Saints." It was April fifteenth, 1844 when they

started back with the Saints from Downingtown, Pennsylvania.

21

On the trip to Illinois several of the company became sick

and two children died. In his journal he described his

arrival in Nauvoo:

. . . we landed there on the 4th Day of May1844 Expecting to stay there During the summerBut the Brethren told us that they wished us to goto England. That camegather unexpected to us, Butwe took corage & came.

Sheets success as a missionary in Pennsylvania

sharpened his skills in working with members of the Church

as well as helping convert others. He showed his dedication

in obeying the will of his leaders, thus, obeying the will

of his God. An entry from his journal summed up his

feelings by stating: "And we have all been trying to do the

best that we could.""""

Mission to England

Mormons first taught their religion in the British

Isles in 1837 when Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, Willard

Richards, Joseph Fielding and others arrived in England. In

1839 missionary efforts expanded to encompass the whole

British Isles. In 1844, Wilford Woodruff was sent to take

charge of the work in the British Isles. Accompanying him

were Apostles Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, and Lyman

Wight and "about a hundred other Elders. . .among them wereFranklin D. Richards, Joseph A. Stratton and Elijah F.

12Sheets, going on missions to England."

On 21 May 1844 Sheets and his companions left Nauvoo on

the boat Osprey , which took them to St. Louis. At St. Louis

22

they boarded a river boat called the Luis Phillip which took

them to Cincinnati, Ohio. From there they traveled overland

to Pennsylvania where Sheets spent the month of June for the

13"purpos of giting means to go on my jorney to England."

While there he and his traveling companions heard of the

deaths of Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum Smith, who were

killed by a mob in Carthage, Illinois. With great emotion

he wrote on July fourteenth, "And we hird for Sirton that

Brothers Joseph & Hyrum was shot which made us feel sorowful

14& heavy for the loss of them &c." The apostles that were

accompanying the group returned to Nauvoo to manage the

affairs of the Church because of the loss of their prophet.

The other elders continued on their missions.

Sheets again made contact with his family while in

Pennsylvania. On 15 July he wrote, "I went to see my t[wo]

15Sisters & bid them farewell." He left on the sixteenth

for New York City and on 1 August 1844 he, along with Elders

Joseph A. Stratton, Elisha H. Davis, and J. B. Meynell

sailed from New York City for Liverpool, England on the ship

Europe .The four missionaries arrived after a relatively calm

trip on August twenty-fourth. The Millennial Star, the

official publication of the British Mission, wrote, "We

rejoice to state that our hands have been strengthened by

the arrival of four brethren from America, to assist in our1 fs

labours in this land." Sheets expressed his joy on his

arrival, "And we ware very thankfull to the lord for his

protection over us while on our jorney &c And we now Pray

23

for his protecting care while on this far And distant land.

17And also that we may reach our peasfull homes again &c."

After their arrival they spoke to the Liverpool Saints

concerning the deaths of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, then

received their different assignments. Elisha H. Davis and

J. B. Meynell went to Manchester and the surrounding area

with Davis eventually going to London to preside over a

conference there. Sheets wrote a letter on 6 April 1844 to

Edward Hunter, wherein he reported that both he and Elder

Stratton were still in Liverpool:

Ido not know for certain where Brother Stratton orI shall go yet as there are several places wantpreaching in bad, but there will be a conferencehere next Sunday and then we will know. But Iexpect that one of us will stay in the Liverpoolconference and the other will travel around amongstthe different branches and hold conferences, butyou will hear from us again and then we can .d.veyou a more correct account of what we are at.

Stratton eventually got the assignment to stay in Liverpool

and Sheets began traveling, holding conferences and

preaching at meetings. Before leaving on this assignment he

felt a special desire for additional help. He, along with

two other elders, went to a nearby hill to pray for

guidance :

Brothers Banks & Struthers & I took a walk out ofthe city about one mile to a place cauld Daffershill. Wher the twelve [use] to go & Pray. For Ithought it would prove a blessing to me if Icould,even git to Pray Where they had. For I thoughtthat they had even blessed that place for thatpurpos And we all united in the same place &prayed to the Lord to bless us as he had them &c.

24

Sheets had a great desire to serve his God and spread

the gospel message. For the most part he found much success

in his labors and gained confidence in himself, and

knowledge of the teachings of the LDS Church. He became a

respected and valuable missionary, and one that was loved by

those he came in contact with. On 15 September 1844 he

preached to members of the church, telling them of their

duties and what they would have to do to "obtain a celestiel

glory." After he was through he said: They all seamed to20rejoice in what I tolde them." Two days later he had a

great experience preaching to

over a Thousand peopel. . . . And their aperintleywas much good don For the work had stood stile inthis place for som time And the peopel did notknow wether the saints was ded or not So we thoughtwe would let them know that we ware not ded. And Ithink There is a-good many this Morning thinks thatwe are alive &c.

Some of his experiences were not always as pleasant as

the previous ones, but Sheets had a way of turning them to

his benefit. Earlier in the day on the seventeenth he had a

man challenge his remarks:

And I Preached And the hous was crowded full &ther was some made a nois While Iwas PreachingAnd after meeting there was an Infidel . . . whohad been at Nauvoo And had brought back a gratemaney lies & had toald them all around the cuntrey.. . . And he wanted to speak & did & toald allthat he had to tell. And then I shode him & thecongration were he lide & I think it don somegood. . . .

25

In February of 1845 Sheets had a discussion with a man

who had been a member of the Mormon Church and was trying to

persuade investigators that Mormonism was wrong. On 7

February Sheets held a meeting where the man tried to prove

Sheets teachings were falsehoods. Of the occasion Sheets

said:

I ansored some of his foolish questions that wasworth ansoring And then [proceeded] to preach ouredoctrine to the peopel And Inever saw such goodatenshon payed at any such a place before And thepoeople all went away well satisfied with regard tooure doctrine being the doctrine of the scriptursAnd I think that it would be the means of doingmuch good Fore they aperentley seen his folleyAnd the tru[th] of oure doctrine Fore he was thepoo|st tool that Iever saw apose this doctrine. .

Sheets first permanent assignment came late in 1844

when he was assigned as president of the Bradford

Conference. In this assignment he had the opportunity of

working closely with the mission leadership, especially

Wilford Woodruff, a member of the Churchs leading Council

of the Twelve Apostles. On 19 February 1845, Woodruff came

to Bradford and upon his arrival Sheets wrote: "And it did

My very hart gr[ea]t good to see him Fore it just looked

like olde times to see him And in the Evening we all

24atended a prayer meeting And had a very good time."

President Woodruff wrote the Star about his visit saying

that he was delighted with the conference: "Good order

generally prevailed, the chapel was filled through the day

and evening with the Saints and citizens." Of Sheets he

said: "This is the conference in which the worthy Elder

26

Lorenzo D. Barnes was presiding over when he died; it is now

in the hands of our beloved brother Elijah F. Sheets, who,

though young, is pursuing the same wise and prudent course

25that marked the life of Elder Barnes."

On his birthday in 1845, Sheets reflected on his

situation and life up to that point:

Was My Birth Day And the first one that Ihave Ever Spent in oald England But wether it willbee the last one Not time will onley detirmeneThis 22nd day of March 1845 Findes Me 24 years ofAge And many things strange and Marvelous have Isean and hird since I can recolect And I doexp[ect] agan 24 years more ...Ishall see manymore strange and [miraculous] things. Fore this isa day of wonders and sings Fore the Lord again hascommenced his work on the Earth And his poer ismade manyfested unto the children of Men &c.

Sheets leadership experiences began when he was

assigned to preside over the Bradford Conference. As a

conference president he traveled to the different

congregations, meeting with the members and the local

leadership, and working out problems that arose. On 7 May

1845 he wrote to the presidency of the British Mission,

telling them of his accomplishments in Bradford. When he

arrived in the area he found the "prospects were not very

encouraging" but after awhile the members of the Church

became "united in love, and harmony prevails in our

councils; and I can truly say, that Inever saw a people

more willing to hearken to counsel, and to do the will of

the Lord, as far as they know it, than they are at present."

He stated that many of the non-Mormons in the area were

27listening to the missionaries message and being baptized.

27

While in Bradford Sheets had the responsibility of

obtaining a grave stone to mark the grave of Lorenzo D.

Barnes who had died while presiding over the Bradford

Conference. Barnes was a very devoted and loved missionary

of the Church and it must have been an honor for Sheets to

help in this activity because of the relationship that

Barnes had for Sheets and the Chester County Saints. The

inscription on the grave stone read as follows:

In memory of Lorenzo D. Barnes. Who died onthe 20th of December 1842, aged 30 years. He was anative of the United States, an Elder in the Churchof Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a member ofthe High Priests Quorum, and also of Zions Camp inthe year 1834, and the first Gospel Messenger fromNauvoo who has found a grave in a foreign land.

Sleep on Lorenzo, but ere long, from this, Theconquered grave Shall yield his captive prey, Thenwith thy quorum Shalt thou rei,qji in bliss As Kingand Priest for an eternal day.

He wrote of the occasion: "I helped to put it up in the

Church yard And it looked very well indeed And I think it

will bee as good as a standing Preacher Fore it stands Just

Before the church dore and all the people that gos into the

29church can planly see it."

In April of 1845 Sheets was appointed president over

the Herefordshire Conference. When the members of the

Bradford Conference found out that he was leaving them they

"began to Scoald me for going to leave them. As the work

30was going on so well he [re]." On Saturday the tenth of

May 1845 Sheets arrived in Herefordshire. Upon his arrival

he discovered that there was some bad management on the part

of his predecessor and he immediately called a council to

28

straighten the matter out. On May fifteenth Sheets wrote in

his journal explaining the problem. "Fore it apears as him

and the officers when they met in council ginereley quarled

instead of counseling to gether in pease. But Ihope that I

31shall soon get things in better order." When visiting a

branch of the church he found things in a poor state of

affairs because the "Elder seamed as if he was about halfe

Drunk when I first saw him And any person can judge what

32the Branch would be like under such a teacher." At a

conference held at Mars Hill on June eighth Sheets wrote,

"The Elders represented the Diferent Branches of the Church

And they ware ginerley in a bad kind of a state but they had

33hopes that they would get beter soon."

This part of England was a very low income area, and

the people struggled to make a living. Sheets mentioned

the condition of the people but generally found them to be

honest and hardworking "althow they are very poor And live

34in a very hilly countrey." In further describing the

condition of the members of the Church he wrote: "Some of

them have flores in ther houses and some of them have Not

And the Most of them have straw roofs on ther houses And

often times No [partition] in the house but all in one

room. "

On 22 August 1845 Sheets and Stratton left their areas

of labor to visit with Elisha H. Davis in London. While

they were there they visited the Bank of London, Saint

Pauls Cathedral, the London Bridge and other places famousto that- city. One day they visited the "grate and noted

29

Tunnel under the river Thames. And we went through it and

indeed it is a grate wonder fore it is about a quarter of a

mile long and that rite under a grate river whare steam

boats & Ships runn (ore sail) it is also very hansomely*3

furnished." They also went to several art museums, the

Queens palace, West Minster Abbey, and several other places.

At the abbey Sheets expressed his feelings on the pomp and

circumstance that went into the British royalty when he told

of sitting in the chair that the Kings and Queens of England

had sat during their coronation. He wrote that the chair

was "reconed to be an honore by some and if there is any

37honore in it Isupose we got a litel."

While they were there they had the opportunity to

preach to several congregations. On one occasion Sheets

stated: "I think that this may be put down with one of the

Seven Wonders of the day That is fore us to have preached3 8in the gratest City in the whole World." While visiting

Saint Pauls Cathedral Sheets wrote:

And a splendid place it is indeed we went all throwthe Church And up to the very top of the tower into the Brass ball whare we could see ove[r] a gratepart of London. And wh[i]le we ware up in theBrass ball We felt it in our harts to pray to oureHeavenly Father fore the prosperity of his gratework Such as the compleashin of the Tempel of theLord And the Building of the City of Zion And thewell fare of the heds of the Church. And also ourefriends and Brethren in oure ow[n] native Land Andthat o[ur] lives mite be preserved to see ourefriends in the land of Zion. Thus we all prayedfore thetse] things And many other also And thenpresented Each other a small gift to remember eachother-,qAnd we had a very good time. & then camedown.

30

Both Sheets and Stratton continued their visit to

London until the first of September when they returned to

their areas of labor. Of the visit Sheets said, "But suffer

it to say that we saw all that was to see. And no one can

emagin how beautifull it is unless he see it fore him

Selfe ." 40While laboring in Herefordshire Sheets met his future

wife, Margaret Hutchinson. She was born 3 July 1819 at

Radnorshire, Wales. She was a very religious woman as

indicated from her journal composed from 1839-1842. It

contained poetry and religious thoughts and she told of many

occasion of study and prayer. When Sheets talked to her she

was a member of the Wesleyn Methodist Church, was in charge

of a ladys school, and was in good standing in the society,

her family being very well to do. He met her while

preaching in Presteigne on the edge of South Wales on 12

October 1845:

And I preached out in the street all thow theParson thretened to put me to [jail] ore prison ifI dared to preach. . . . And after Meeting wasover there was a young lady that hird me preachAnd she sent me a Note requesting me to call Andsee hure wich Idid. And talked to huir 2 ore 3houres And She disired me to Baptise hurr wich Idid.

Sheets felt that because of her social standing and the

contempt shown the elders by the wealthy people of the

community, she would have difficulty accepting and living

the gospel. But in faith he wrote: "But my prayer is that

42God will Bless hurr And give hurr grace." Not only did

31

he teach the message of Mormonism to Margaret, he also told

her about members of the Church immigrating to America and

settling in Utah. In her journal she wrote:

Was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ, ofLatter day Saints by Elder Sheets. I feel thankfulthat the Lord had opened my heart to receive andobey the fulness of the everlasting gospel. Hislove had gently led me on even from my infant days.My soul is in his mighty hand . . . and I trust Ishall go from strength to strength t|ll Iappearbefore him in Zion. Even to America.

Sheets continued on with his duties as president of the

conference and did not mention Margaret again until the

twenty-ninth of October when he told about writing "Sister

Hutchinson" a letter. On the 14th of November he arrived in

Presteigne again and preached at her home and said "she is

4 4doing very well in the work of the Lord." The people in

the Herefordshire area were not very receptive to the

message that Sheets presented to them. Of the people Sheets

wrote :

There are many of the peopell he[re] that will notcome out to he [re] the trough Fore they Say thatthey are a feard of being bewiched. Fore they sayevery body that dos come are bewiched or else mademore,, so that they cannot stay away from us, &c.&c.

On 16 November 1845 he again arrived in Presteigne,

preaching at Margarets house. After the meeting "M----& Itook a walk a round Prestign Church And talked over maters &

46things. So thus ended the day." On this occasion they

probably started to discuss going to America together as

husband- and wife. On December fourth he returned to

32

Presteinge to preach. This time he talked to Margarets

father and a Mr. Hall "but did not make very much of them as

47thing ware rather unreasonabell ."Sheets does not mention what ever came of the meeting

with Margarets father and it does not seem by Sheets

previous journal entry that Margaret left her family with

their blessings. On 30 December Sheets arrived in

Liverpool, followed later in the evening by Margaret. He

wrote in his journal: "I meet with hurr about halfe past 8.0

48clock at Night And my harte rejoices to see hurr." He

took her to a Brother Browns in Liverpool to stay until the

ship left for America.

Before leaving England, Sheets was asked to write to

the Saints in England and tell about his activities while

there. The letter he wrote was printed in the Millennial

Star on the first of February of 1846. Here in part is what

he said:

My dear brethren and sisters in the BritishIsles, Ihave been requested by brothers Woodruffand Ward to write a few lines for the STAR, beforeI leave this country for my own native land,though, Ican assure you, it is quite a task for meto undertake to write anything to go before thescrutinizing eye of the public.

Ihave now been in this land nearly seventeenmonths, during which time my labours have mostlybeen confined to Bradford conference, in Yorkshire,and Mars Hill conference, Herefordshire. Ilaboured about seven months in each place, and mylabours have been blessed as much as I couldreasonably expect, considering the condition ofeach conference when Ifirst went to it. My motivehas always been to do what little good Icould, andas little harm as possible. I have found theSaints in these conferences good, honest-heartedpeople, humane, and very kind, also willing tohearken to the counsel of their brethren who were

33

placed over them, and I hope they will evercontinue thus to act. They have all been very kindto me, for which I return them my hearty andsincere thanks, and to all others who have beenkind to me, praying that my heavenly Father willbless them in this world, and give them eternallife in his kingdom. Ihave visited several otherconferences, viz: Liverpool, Preston, Clitheroe,Manchester, Sheffield, Worcester, Cheltenham,Bristol, Bath, and London, where also I found theSaints very kind indeed. In short, my visit tothis land has truly been one of interest to me, andI feel glad that I came, according to the counselof my brethren the Twelve. Although it looked agreat undertaking at first, through the assistanceof the Lord I have been enabled to accompany mybrethren, E. H. Davies, J. A. Stratton, and J. B.Meynell, to this lancL and now that I am about toreturn home, ....

During the time between when they arrived in Liverpool

and the time they left on 16 January 1845, Sheets traveled

around the Liverpool area preaching, sometimes taking

Margaret when the distance was short. They spent several

evenings at the home of Wilford Woodruff, talking to him and

his wife. They sailed on the sixteenth at twelve oclock

on the ship, Liverpool with a Captain Davenport, "a very

50nice socibell man" as captain. The ship had

seventy-seven people on board, which included forty-five

Saints. The leader of the company was Hiram Clark, who was

returning from a mission to England. Also aboard were Phebe

Woodruff, wife of Wilford Woodruff and two of her children

who were returning to America. Sheets was returning home

with a group of missionaries who were to receive the

blessings of the Nauvoo Temple before the Church headed for

the west, but their arrival in America was too late for them

to participate with the rest of the Saints in this activity.

34

Comming on board for a brief stay were Wilford

Woodruff, Reuben Hedlock, Joseph A. Stratton and a few other

brethren from Liverpool. They sailed with the ship for ten

miles. Sheets wrote that before leaving the ship:

Bro Woodruff married me and Miss MargaretHutchinson of Prestiegn Radnorshire England onborde of said vessil. And I can asshore you thatthere was but very litel prepperation ore fuss madeby eather one of us fore the wedding fore we waremarried in the very same close that we wore on thepasage over the Sea yet we had a very comfortabellweding. And all things was don in [decency] and inorder. Ani be a day long to beremembered.

The voyage across the Atlantic was rough and many of

the passengers became seasick. After the weather cleared

several meetings were held on board. On 22 March 1846, the

ship anchored off the mouth of the Mississippi River and the

next day a steamer pulled the boat over the sand bar but in

so doing the Liverpool collided with another ship breaking

its foremast and doing other damage. On the twenty-fifth

the passengers were finally able to reach dry land. Once

landing in New Orleans they met a brother of the Church from

Nauvoo who told them of the exodus of the saints from that

city due to the persecution created by the citizens of the

neighboring areas. Hiram Clark and Sheets made arrangements

to get passage to St. Louis for about thirty of the

52immigrants on the river boat Conway. They arrived in

Nauvoo on the sixth of April.

It had been two months shy of two years since Sheets

have viewed Nauvoo, and the sight must have been

35

spectacular. He wrote: "Oure eyes soon coot sight of the

Temple of the Lord it looked grand to me after being away

53fore near two years in England." Nauvoo was a different

place than the one he left. Joseph Smith and his brother

Hyram were no longer with the Saints, and several thousand

had already left the city. "I say it did not seem much like

home either as the Saints ware leaving dayle & making

54preparations to do so."

A whole new part of his life was unfolding. He was now

married, and brought his new bride to America just in time

to participate in a mass migration from Nauvoo. He was

leaving the East were he had grown up and spent so much

time, and was starting to participate more in the activities

of the Church, after receiving much training while a

missionary in Pennsylvania and England. Within a few month

after landing in Nauvoo he and his new wife would be on the

trail to Winter Quarters, Nebraska and the West.

NOTES

1

I

Sheets, Diaries, fd 4

Times and Seasons (August 1843) 4:281.

2,

Most likely he had ague, which is a fever accompaniedby chills or shivering.

4Sheets, Diaries, fd. 4.

Ibid .6Smith, History of the Church, 5:436.

7Times and Seasons (August 1843) 4:282.O

Sheets, Diaries, fd 1, 5 November 1843.

9Ibid., fd 4.10Ibid."L1Ibid."Journal History, vol. 17, 21 May 1844.13Sheets, Diaries, fd 3.

14Ibid., 14 July 1844.15Ibid., 15 July 1844.16

The Latter-day Saints Millennial Star (September1844) vol . 5 pT 64 .

"Sheets, Diaries, fd. 3, 24 August 1844.18British Mission, Manuscript History, vol. 13, 6

September 1844, Typescript, LDS Church Archives.

19Sheets, Diaries, fd 3, 12 September 1844.

Ibid., 15 September 1844.Ibid., 17 September 1844.22t1_. .Ibid.

37

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

Ibid., 7 February 1845.

Ibid., 19 February 1845.

Millennial Star (March 1845) vol. 5, p. 156.

Sheets, Diaries, fd 3, 22 March 1845.

Millennial Star (May 1845) vol. 5, p. 195.

Sheets, Diaries, fd 3, 27 April 1845.

Ibid. 8 May 1845.Ibid. 14 April 1845.

Ibid. 15 May 1845.Ibid. 19 May 1845.Ibid. 8 June 1845.Ibid. 15 May 1845.Ibid. 26 May 1845.Ibid. fd 4, 23 August 1845.Ibid. 30 August 1845.Ibid. 24 August 1845.Ibid. 28 August 1845.Ibid. 25 August 1845.Ibid. 12 October 1845.Ibid.Ibid. fd 7, 12 October 1845.Ibid. fd 4, 14 November 1845Ibid.Ibid. 16 September 1845.Ibid. 4 December 1845.Ibid. 30 December 1845.

50

Millennial Star (February 1846) vol. 7, p. 39-40.

Sheets, Diaries, fd 4, 13 January 1846.

38

51Ibid.52British Mission, Manuscript History, vol. 13, 16

January 1846.

53Sheets, Diaries, fd 4, 6 April 1846.

54Ibid.

III. EMIGRATION TO AND EARLY ACTIVITIES

IN UTAH

The Sheets arrival in Nauvoo came at a very critical

time for the LDS Church. Efforts were being made by

non-Mormons in nearby cities and counties to rid themselves

of this religious group. By the early part of 1846, it

became apparent to the Mormon leadership that they could no

longer live in their beautiful city, because of the bitter

feelings, and acts of violence leveled against them. On 2

February 1846, despite cold weather, Church leaders decided

it was time to leave. February fourth signaled the

beginning of the trek westward with the first small company

being ferried across the Mississippi River. After arriving

on the west bank they struck out across the prairie and

established a camp nine miles into Iowa at a place called

Sugar Creek. This camp became the rendezvous point for the

1movement across Iowa.

From Sugar Creek the migration across Iowa was a slow

process. Many of the Saints were not well equipped for the

trip and becoming accustomed to the daily travel and the

weeks and months of living in a tent, wagon, or sleeping in

the out-of-doors was extremely hard. Iowa was sparsely

settled and was available for planting crops, and because of

this, time was taken to plant crops and prepare better for

the march across the Iowa territory.

40

Nauvoo was a busy place during the Winter of 1845-1846

and through September of 1846 when the final push was made

by the non-Mormons to expel the Church. Men hurried to

build or repair wagons, committees were formed to find

purchasers for the real estate, and people were flocking to

Nauvoo to take advantage of the bargains in houses and

lands. Upon their arrival in Nauvoo Elijah and Margaret

were drawn into the commotion, the preparation, and eventual

departure .

Sheetsf Preparation and Departure for Winter Quarters

Sheets purchased a wagon for sixty dollars and a pair

of oxen for forty dollars in preparation for the journey

westward. Joseph Stratton also lent him his oxen until the

following spring, since he was going to St. Louis to preside

over the branch of the Church there.

On May first, only twenty-five days after arriving in

Nauvoo from England, Elijah and Margaret crossed the

Mississippi River. They stayed near the river for three

weeks until Wilford Woodruff arrived. They started out

across Iowa, traveling "on when the wether would permit,

throw the swoulps & mud holes fore the road was very bad

2part of the way. But we meet with no ser[iou]s accedents."

On the fifteenth of June they arrived at Mt . Pisgah, atemporary settlement along the trail and stayed there for

two weeks. On July fourth they went through an Indian

village in the Iowa territory. Sheets described the Indians

as a very friendly group. They continued on to Council

41

Bluffs, a Mormon settlement established on the east bank of

the Missouri River, arriving on July ninth. A ferry was

built to shuttle wagons acrossed the river, where the Saints

settled an area in the Nebraska Territory, known as Winter

Quarters .It was here that Elijah and Margaret spent the Winter of

1846-1847.

Activities while in Winter Quarters

By the time the body of Saints reached the Missouri

River it was considered impractical to send a company any

further west that year. Supplies were low, and the season

was late. The 16,000 Mormons scattered across Iowa and on

the banks of the Missouri River and began preparations for

the next year. Houses were built very close together and

the space between them was filled with pickets, to form a

fort. The majority of the houses were covered with sod.

Each room had one door and a window with four panes of

glass. Many had no floors. Sickness prevailed in the fall

and winter months and it was reported that six hundred

people were buried before the cold weather brought the camp

relief .Among the sick was Margaret Sheets. On December

twenty-sixth she gave birth to a daughter, whom they named

Margaret Hannah Sheets. She never recovered from the

pregnancy or delivery and on January twenty-fourth Sheets

wrote: "My Wife was very porly. Not likly to live long,

fore shee had been sick and bed fast fore beter then tow

42

months, So that shee count hardley turn hire selfe." On the

twenty-fourth Brigham Young was called to come to the

Sheets home with Wilford Woodruff. He and Wilford Woodruff

performed a Mormon ritual wherein they sealed, or married,

Elijah and Margaret together for time and eternity "withe

the Blessings of Abraham Isac & Jacob And to build up

4kingdoms and rule over them &c"

On the morning of the 1 February 1846 Margaret died

leaving Sheets with his five week old baby: "Shee Died easy

without a strugel. And hire happy spirit has gon to the

manshions of bliss where she will rest till the morn of the

Resurection of the Ritious, when I shall have the

unspeakebell joy of seeing and having hire a gain, whare

5Deth will never seperate us a gain."

After Margarets death, Sheets took the baby to the

Malins, a family he had known in Pennsylvania. Sister Malin

took care of little Margaret who grew and remained strong

for three weeks, and then became sick. Sheets records in

his diary:

And about that time the Litel Deare took a badcoald & coff. And had it about five weaks Nightand day And on the 14th (1847) of April about 2.0clock in the after Noon she Died And went home tothe world of spirits with hure Dear Mother. IDisired fore the Deare littel thing to of lived.But it seamed other wise determened gSo I try tofeell rickinsiled to the will of God.

Sheets was determined to carry on with his life in

spite of his grief. On 6 April 1847 Sheets was married to

Susanna Musser of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania of whom he

43

said: "And althow my losses hase been grate Ibelieve that

she will make me happy. Bro Brigham Young Married us . . .fore time and fore all Etirnity."

Susanna Musser was born in Bart Township, Lancaster

County, Pennsylvania, on 2 September 1827, the daughter of

Samuel Musser and Anna Barr. It is possible that Sheets met

Susanna during his missionary labors in Lancaster County, or

knew of the Musser family and was introduced to Susanna

shortly after the death of his wife.

During this period of time preparations continued for

the trek west. Elijah and his bride had no time for a

honeymoon. Within a few short months, and after extensive

preparation, they would be part of the second emigrating

company to head toward the Salt Lake Valley.

Emigration to Utah

The emigration of the large body of Mormons was

accomplished much the same way as the exodus from Nauvoo.

On 14 January 1847, Brigham Young announced "The Word and

Will of the Lord" to the Saints in Winter Quarters. This

revelation stated that groups were to continue under the

organization of the previous year wherein there were

captains of hundreds, fifties, and tens with Brigham Young

as the commander and chief of the entire migration.

Captains of each of the companies were to decide how many

could go west in 1847, and also which able bodied men could

go as a pioneer company to prepare the way for the rest of

the Saints. On April seventh and eighth, the pioneer

00 - Bio of EFS -- Introduction-Table of Contents.pdf01 - Bio of EFS -- Chapter 1 -- Pennsylvania and Illinois Years.pdf02 - Bio of EFS -- Chapter 2 -- Missions.pdf