January 1853
Saturday Night Jan 1st, 1853 - attended council present Presidents Phillips & Davis, Elders
Jones Jeremy & Daniels & many brethren from other conferences
Sunday Jan 2nd, 1853 - attended conference had very good meetings all day & good
instructions from Pres Phillips & the other brethren
Jan 3rd, 1853 - Writing &c atended concert in the evening where we had a little amusment
Jan 4th, 1853 - busy writing & making up the half yearly reports &c
Jan 16th 1853 - preached in Ffynon Tydfil Branch
Jan 19th 1853 - posting my agency books
Jan 20th 1853 - distributed the notification to all the emigrants throughout Wales - writing all
day very busy noticing the emigrants to be in Swansea on Tuesday next ready to start with
Troubador
Jan 21st 1853 - writing &c
Jan 22nd 1853 - writing &c
Sunday 23rd - went to look over the Gellifaelog a/c with John Jones found something out of
order - attended Merthyr saints meeting had some interesting instructions from Pres Phillips
&c attended evening services
Monday Jan 24/53 - writing &c
Tuesday 25th 1853 - left Merthyr with a Troop of saints who were bound for G.S.L. Valley
arrived in Swansea about 3 o'clock but their Boxes were detained in Neath Station had very
great trouble this evening until about 11 o'clock to get the luggages for the emigrants who
were to start next morning for Liverpool per steamer
Wednesday 26th 53 - 5 o'clock morning sailed with the 'Glendower' steamer & arrived in
Liverpool after a beautiful passage of 30 [?] hours this evening we levelled the boxes in the
hold & layed beds on them for the sisters to sleep on for the night
Thursday Jan 27/53 - 5 o'clock morning under Hollyhead point beautiful morning arrived in
Liverpool about 4 o'clock afternoon got lodgings for all the saints - I lodged this [night] at
Powells Great Cross Hall St slept with Pres Phillips
Lpool Friday Jan 28/53 - Busy making up the accounts with the office
Saturday rather busy collecting the remainder of the passage money
Sunday morning Jan 29 - attended morning service at the saints Hall - afternoon attended the
Welsh meeting with mostly all the emigrants & Brother Dan Jones - attended the english
meeting again in the evening
Monday 30th 53 - very busy all day in the office settling accounts & making up the tickets my
mother & some of the Denbighshire & Flintshire saints arrived
Tuesday 31st/53 - Saw mother & sister & the saints from Abergele &c went down to the
vessel
Wednesday 2nd Feb - The saints got on board the ship "Jersey" instead of the Elvira Owen
Thursday 2nd Feb - All the saints got on board & were passed by the doctor I slept on board
with Josiah Price of Rhymni & my brother Hugh
Friday 3rd - The vessel removed about 6 o'clock as far as the dock gate, but did not leave off -
bid my Father & Mother, Barbara & Hugh good bye
Saturday 4th/53 - The vessell sailed about 6 o'clock this morning but I did not see her off
because we, Pres Phillips, Jones & Bywater, were starting home with the train at the same
time through Birmingham, Gloucester & Cardiff, reached the latter place about 11 o'clock
this evening - started Sunday morning 6th with the train & reached Merthyr about 10 o'clock
found all well - attended evening meeting at Merthyr Branch
Monday Feb 7th/53 - writing &c
Tuesday Feb 8th - writing &c- attended a concert held in Merthyr Branch had little
refreshment & amusement
Wednesday 9th 53 - writing &c attended a general meeting held in Merthyr Room called for
the purpose to settle & unite the saints more together, because there was dissension amongst
them some of Dan Jones others of W. Phillips
Thursday 10th 1853 - writing &c & making out invoices for Stars &c distributed the Stars No.
7
Friday 11th/53 - writing &c
Saturday 12th Feb/53 - writing &c
Sunday 13th 1853 - attended Merthyr Branch meeting dismissed the meeting through prayer -
attended afternoon meeting - confirmed Dd Griffiths - wrote an epistle from Pres Phillips to
the Pastors Presidents of Conferences 2cr [?] for the Udgorn
Monday Feb 14th - writing &c
Tuesday 15th 53 - writing &c attended General council of conference receiving Per Emig
Fund donations
Wednesday 16th 53 - attended Merthyr Branch where John Thomas [illegible word] was set
President to succeed Elder Harris & Benj Jones & David Williams counsellors
Thursday 17th 53 - attended Georgetown Branch meeting spoke a little to the saints
Friday 18th 53 - writing &c
Saturday 19th 53 - writing &c
Sunday 20th Feb 1853 - writing &c attended meetings all day preached in the evening after
some more Elders in Merthyr Branch
Monday 21st Feb 53 - writing & distributing Star No. 8
Tuesday 22nd Feb - writing several letters &c
Wednesday Feb 23 - writing letters & wrote a letter to my brother Elias to the valley, visited
Bro William Jones Georgetown with sister Phillips & Hanna attended meeting spoke a little
after Pres Dan Jones
Thursday Feb 24 - [no entry]
March 12th a council was held in White Lion Room Pres Samuel W. Richards, Dr Levi &
Orson & Daniel Spencer present (for teachings see Udgorn Seion March 19/53) this council
was called to transact certain business in regard to the Welsh presidency - many accusations
were brought against Pres Phillips &c by great many of his enemies who wanted to have
removed from his office last night I attended a council of Presidency which was called for
the purpose to settle between the Welsh presidency
Sunday13th 52 - General Conference held in Merthyr called by Pres Richards had beautiful
instructions from the President on different principles
Monday 14th 52 - Council met again to hear charges &c against Pres Phillips great disturbance
arose when Brother Thomas C Martill spoke by those who were accusing Pres Phillips after
listening to all they had to say Pres Samuel arose after he got all to be willing to the
discussion of Presidency he went on & showed where all had been wrong & foolish &c
showed that Pres Phillips did not act as he ought to have done & look after Elder Thomas
Pugh who was cut off by Pres Samuel yesterday by the unanimous vote of the conference
Tuesday 15th 53 - attended General council of conference good feelings present Pres Daniel
Spencer taught good & interesting subjects & others
Thursday 17th 53 - attended Merthyr saints meeting Daniel Spencer Phillips & Jones present
[Five-month gap]
Friday Aug 26 1853 - writing &c distributing Stars No. 35 - writing letters &c
Saturday Aug 27/53 - writing letters &c
Sunday Aug 28/53 - attended prayer meeting at ½ past 7 o'clock at Sister Ann Thomas,
Merthyr Saints meeting & service at night
Monday Aug 29th 1853 - writing & answering letters attended Merthyr council meeting Elder
Jeremy present had better council than for a long time good union & spirit amongst all the
officers present it was voted unanimously that Elder Levi Walter, Morgan Miles Dd Richards
William Harmon and Teacher Thomas Hughes be cut off next Sunday for opposing the
priesthood from Zion down to Wales, all were wrong in their sight also for their wicked
conducts for a long time - others were suspended who were not reckoned as bad as the above
named - very excellent spirit prevailed throughout the Council good instructions given by
Elders J Jones & Jeremy
Tuesday Aug 30th/53 - writing at home &c attended General council, very good meeting -
good instructions given by Elders Davis Jeremy & J. Jones
Wednesday Aug 31st/53 - at home reading & attended a funeral of Evan Jones Georgetown
who was buried at the Cefn
Thursday September 1st/53 - writing &c went on message over Pres Phillips to Cefn Penar
who gave some good instruction very good meeting
Friday March 18/53 - distributed the Stars &c
Neglected my journal up to August 13 1853 when I left Merthyr for Llanelly Carmarthenshire
reached there about 10 at night had supper at Bro Lewis slept at Bro Dewi Jones house started
Sunday morning in company with Bros Lewis & Nicholas for Porthyrhyd where a General
Conference was held Elders Jeremy Robert Parry (Robin Ddu) Dewi E. Jones Lewis &
Nicholas preached to a large congregation who listened very attentively very good prospects
for baptizing slept with Bros Jones & Parry at Bro David Roberts Pentredole
Monday Aug 15th - Left for Pontyberem where myself & Robin Ddu preached to a large
meeting good prospects were kindly treated at Brother David Williams Pontyberem slept with
Dewi E Jones at the house of Elder ______ President of the Branch
Tuesday Aug 16th - left for Ponteates where Elders Jones & Parry preached to a house full of
people
Wednesday Aug 17th - left for Trimsaran where Dewi & Parry preached to a crowded house
all listened very well
Thursday Aug 18th - left this place with Bros Dewi & Parry for Carmarthen where bro Parry
delivered a lecture upon Christianity very few attended owing to the notice being so short
Friday Aug 19th - left for Pembrey with the 3 o'clock train found bro R.G. Evans & family
pretty well in health except the little child laid hands together with the Pres of the Branch
upon the child - went in company with Evans & D. Lewis to bathe had a nice wash the waves
being very large & powerful insomuch that we were nocked down by them
Saturday Aug 20th - spent the day with brother Evans & walked about the village
Sunday Aug 21 - Dewi E Jones arrived per train from Carmarthen brother Parry lost it & was
obliged to walk held a general conference great many gathered together good attention to the
Word Elders R.G. Evans Lewis, Nicholas D. Davies Dewi E Jones & Parry preached
Monday Aug 22, 1853 - slept with Bro Parry last night at bro Evans' started with him with 10
o'clock train for Llanelly dined at Bro Lewis' & left for home with the ½ past 3 o'clock train
had to wait 2 hours & half in Neath visit bro Charles house arrived at Merthyr about ½ past
10 o'clock at night found all well
Tuesday Aug 23/53 - in the house writing &c
Wednesday Aug 24th - In the house writing letters
Thursday Aug 25 - writing &c Mr. & Mrs. Williams were from home gone to Bristol
returned by 4 o'clock
Friday Sept 2/53 - writing & distributing Stars &c
Saturday Sept 3rd/53 - writing letters &c attended Brother Edwin Jones' funeral
Sunday Sept 4th/53 - visited Troedyrhiew Branch had very good meetings Elders Davis &
Harries present preached in the morning & afternoon meetings was plagued very much with
the toothache all day
Monday Sept 5th/53 - Had a swollen face from the toothache very bad night slept hardly a
minute during the night my Uncle Thomas Williams & Aunt Mary sister to my Father called
upon me who both belonged to the Baptist he preaches with that denomination they both
promised to become Latter Day Saints
Tuesday Sept 6th - writing &c in the house all day had my face swelled & my eye bad - wrote
a piece to the Udgorn for Pres W. S. Phillips Sister Phillips Anna Thomas & Moroni left for
Carmarthenshire
Wednesday Sept 7th - At home &c went in company with bro John Jones to Aberdare Council
very good council until Bro John James rose up to try throw his bad influence upon the
Council he failed only upon Ed Cassity who was of the same spirit as himself in regard to
collections &c he said he would bring a law suit against some two brethren who fetched a few
Branches [benches] from the Room where the English saints used to meet before they were
disorganized he said that he owned 7 of the benches which were made at the first organization
of the Aberdare Branch. dismissed the Branch through prayer. walked to Cwmbach slept with
John Jones at Bro Rees house
Thursday Sept 8 - went to Cefn was accompanied by bro J Jones got 15£ from Mr. Williams
for the dogcart for Phillips which I delivered to him on my arrival wrote some letters &c -
attended Merthyr saints meeting had very good meeting opened the meeting through prayer
Presidents Phillips & Davis present
Friday Sept 9th/53 - writing letters and distributing Stars No. 37 receiving contributions for
the Presidency - receiving different contributions for P.E. Fund Temple offering &c
Saturday Sep 10/53 - writing letters &c President Phillips went to Monmouth Conference to
the Council wrote to Liverpool with five pound on a/c for Books &c
Sunday Sept 11/53 - attended Merthyr Branch Elders William Thomas & Thos Harries
preached and saints meeting had some good instructions from John Jones & Thomas Harries
pretty good meeting the Branch is gaining a little - at home in the evening
Monday Sept 12/53 - practizing on the violin wrote a letter to Thos Jeremy who wrote us
good views from Cardiff district visited Sister Martha Jenkins & Rees Thomas got a lot of
different seeds from sister Jenkins was received kindly by those two sisters - attended
Merthyr Branch Council meeting where there was a trial upon Elder Lewis Walter who was
accused by Elders W. Jones, Reese Thomas, Watkin Rees & two sisters for saying that the
principles that are now taught by the authorities of the church are wrong referring to the mode
of praying in the valley when the corner stones of the Temple were laid also he said that all
those who were now following the authorities were void of faculties or rather weak so he said
the case was dismissed as he denied that he ever said such things in the way the accusers
testified
Tuesday Sept 13, 1853 - at home in company with Elder J Jones nearly all day visited some
saints houses with him & attended General Council receiving contributions towards different
funds - very good meeting
Wednesday Sep 14/53 - accompanied bro J. Jones to some saints' houses William Richards,
Margaret Jenkins on the mountain where we dined, called upon sisters Rees Thomas &
Martha Jenkins who were also witnesses against Lewis Walter & testified that he ran down
the authorities of the Church & that every body that would follow him should be burnt like
straw - attended Georgetown saints meeting spoke a little upon the necessity of keeping
faithful to the end with this work &c visited Elder David Davis who was cut off in the last
council of Merthyr unless he would repent & attend saints meeting Thursday evening, he said
he did not feel to come back and there was only strife & discord in the Branch those few
months back I told him that it was quite different now & that such things were not allowed by
Elder J. Jones now & that even if discord existed amongst some of them we need not be some
of them but work out our own salvation he promised to attend the meeting if he would come
back - Pres Phillips returned
Thursday Sep 15/53 - writing &c attended Merthyr saints meeting very good meeting good
instructions given by Pres Phillips, J. Jones & Wm Jones Georgetown also I spoke a little
before them and began the meeting Elder David Davis Dramroad was cut off for opposing
revelation & disbelieving the authorities of the Church from here to Zion
Friday Sep 16/53 - writing & copying accounts &c President David Spencer with us who had
arrived last night from Gloucester slept at bro Jones house, distributed the Stars &c Sister
Phillips & children arrive home from Carmarthenshire
Saturday Sept 17/53 - writing many letters &c
Sunday Sept 18/53 - attended prayer meeting at David Jones' and meetings throughout the
day in Merthyr where all the Branches in this town meet together we had interesting
instructions by Elders D. Spencer Phillips Davis & Jones
Monday September 19/53 - writing &c attended Merthyr council present Pres Jones &
Spencer had some good instructions from them
Tuesday Sept 20th/53 - writing &c pasting upon my scrap book attended prayer meeting
Wednesday Sep 21/53 - writing at home all day
Thursday Sep 22/53 - writing &c attended Merthyr saints meeting
Friday Sept 23/53 - writing & preparing a/c against the conference
Saturday Sept 24/53 - writing & distributing the Stars
Sunday 25th - Conference good meetings throughout the day Pres Spencer, Phillips Davis &
Jones Jeremy & Daniels who all gave excellent instructions - received a letter from my
brother Elias from Cedar City, Utah Territory excellent letter
Monday Sept 26/53 - attended council got some good teachings &c and concert in the
evening
Tuesday Sept 27/53 - at home &c
Wednesday Sep 28/53 - writing & making up a/c Merthyr Br/Officers all agreed in council
with Pres Phillips, Davis in the presidency Pres [illegible word]
Thursday Sept 29/53 - writing &c - attended saints meeting had a good meeting interesting
instructions from Elder Daniel Daniels
Friday Sept 30th 1853 - writing
Saturday Oct 1st 1853 - writing & distributing Stars
Sunday Oct 2nd 1853 - attended prayer meeting in my district good spirit amongst us - started
after dinner with Pres Phillips to Bryn Mawr to Brecon Conf at the request of Pres Spencer to
settle some things in regard to Elder J. Roberts arrived Waunhelygen at about 5 o'clock
afternoon had good meeting the in the evening - I slept at Mrs. Porters Tavern with Bro
Phillips
Monday Oct 3rd/53 - attended a council of conferences while Pres Phillips & Spencer were in
a council with bro Roberts who was released from the presidency of the conference &
Thomas Morgans nominated in his stead - started with Pres Spencer & Jones with the mail
arrived at Merthyr at 5 o'clock attended Merthyr monthly prayer meeting had a very good
meeting Elder Daniels present
Tuesday Oct 4/53 - went down to send Pres Spencer who left for London writing & making
up accounts &c
Wednesday Oct 5/53 - writing &c wrote a letter to my brother Elias to Iron County Utah
Territory - attended prayer meeting - laid hands on old sister Ann Thomas
Thursday Oct 6th/53 - writing &c
Sunday Dec 25, 1853 - attended General Conference of the E Glamorgan Conf. Pres S.W.
Richards & Elder Linforth present - brother Linforth arrived this morning had good
instruction from Pres Richards Phillips Davis & Jones &c throughout the day things
appeared prosperous
Monday Dec 26/53 - attended General Council the presidents were not present they were
making a transfer of the printing department from Davis to Jones - read over the several a/c
belonging to the conference - had a Cariad Wledd in the evening had some interesting
instructions from the presidents & much enjoyment slept with Elder Linforth & French last
night
Thursday Dec 29th - attended Merthyr saints meeting with bro Roberts, Parry (Robyn Ddu)
Friday & Saturday Dec 30 & 31st - gave in the banns to be married to Miss Anna Phillips -
very busy making up the a/c to send to Liverpool [illegible word] Daniel Lewis - Merthyr in
three weeks
1854
Sunday January 1, 1854 - visited Pontypridd Branch had a saints meeting with the Welsh
Saints found all in very good spirits & rejoicing in the blessings of the Gospel slept with
Brother William Thomas of Rhydfelen last of Hirwain was received very kindly received a
shilling from Thomas Matthews &c
January 2nd 1854 - visited the houses of many of the saints - returned home all well
January 3rd - writing and distributing the two last numbers of the Millenial Star Vol:15
Wednesday 4th - very busy writing & closing up accounts pertaining to my agency of the E
Glamorgan Conference
Thursday 5th - writing closing & settling book binding a/c with President W.S. Phillips and
marking cards of a lecture to be delivered by Robyn Ddu on the 24th Jan/54 - the proceeds to
be for any benefit to assist more to go to Zion
Friday Jan 6th - writing &c
Saturday Jan 7th - writing and distributing Stars No. 1 Vol 16th reckonning my stock on hand
Sunday 8th - attended Merthyr saints meeting & evening service Elder R. Parry (Robyn Ddu)
preaching a very interesting discourse &c
Monday Jan 9 1854 - Reckoning up my stock on hand with bro: Sims my successor. My stock
was £21.7.6 and balance of debts due 31st December 1853 being £94.8.9¼, and cash on hand
£4.18.1¾ which would answer the demands at the Liverpool office against me. without
reckoning the stars No. 1 Vol 16 sent from Liverpool on the 30th Dec/53
The following debts were taken as cash on hand by bro Sims:
Debts taken as Cash on hand:
Wm Richards Mynydd 1 Copy D News 1 3 0
John E Jones Travelling Elder 1 Vol in [illegible] " 7 6
Wm Lewis Sec 7 of E [illegible] " 5 0
Monmouth Con due for Carriage Dec 31/53 1 1 6
Brecon ditto " Oct 7/53 " 6 4
Llanelly ditto " Dec 31/53 " 19 3
Carmarthen " " " " 3 2
Peter Davies bal. for Tracts and preaching
in connexion with Evan E Morgans " 2 8
______________
Delivered as cash to bro Sims 9/8¾ which would make £4.18.1¾ - We both settled every
thing before President Dan Jones who averaged an allowance of 5 shillings for the carriage of
stock on hand 6 pence for boxes &c and 3/8¾ for books viz. Day book and Ledger.
Tuesday Jan 10th 1854 - Transfered also 573 Elder Taylor's portraits @ 9 pence each £21.9.9
I received 1000 March 30/52 and paid £16.0.3 as per receipts
Wednesday Jan 11th 1854 - writing &c letters to different places
Thursday Jan 12th 1856 - writing &c sorting volumes to bind & clearing up things ready to
emigrate attended a saints meeting very few present the weather being unfavorable much
snow this last fortnight
Friday Jan 13 1854 - very busy writing letters to emigrants - took my gun which was
presented to me by Pres Phillips to Mr Sims the Iron Monger who said he would make it up
for me for a 1£ bronze it & new stock &c
Saturday Jan 14/54 - writing some letters to several places
Sunday Jan 15 1854 - news arrived from President Richards that the Welsh saints should
embark on the "Golconda" the 1st of Feb - very busy writing all day Capt Jones being at
Swansea conference enclosed the letter in some papers to be sent by rail & to be delivered
tonight as an answer was required by telegraph which was not in operation from Merthyr as
yet attended Merthyr Branch evening meeting where Robyn Ddu preached an interesting
discourse
Monday Jan 16, 1854 - writing letters &c took a message to Cardiff to be sent by telegraph to
Liverpool informing Pres Richards that the saints would emigrate with the "Golconda" on the
31st Jan 1854 message costed 5 shillings- expense 5 shillings- got tea at brother Lewis'
returned with the last train
Tuesday Jan 17, 1854 - writing letters &c attended council meeting as I was going down the
street this afternoon I met Pres D. Spencer coming from the Railway station, felt glad to see
him
Wednesday Jan 18/54 - writing to several places notifications arrived to all the emigrants very
busy all day, forwarding them to their owners
Thursday Jan 19/54 - printing names on my boxes &c
Friday Jan 20/54 - writing a few letters settled with Mr David Lewis the registrar of Marriage
to meet at Bethesda Chapel at ½ past 9 o'clock to morrow morning to be married to Anne
Phillips
Saturday January 21 - was married to Anna Phillips daughter of W.S. Phillips who was born
in Merthyr Tydfil November 21 1837 being 17 years old next November was married by Mr.
David Lewis the auctioneer at Bethesda Chapel - one Ruth Jones a sister to Bro Lewis Jones
who is now in Zion was a witness with us all the expences was 9/6
Dined in company with Pres D. Spencer D. Jones &c had a good goose, Pres Phillips being
on a message at Swansea concerning contract to convey the saints to Liverpool per rail
Sunday Jan 22nd 1854 - attended meetings, Elder Robert Parry (Robyn Ddu) preached
Thursday Jan 26th 1854 - very busy since Sunday receiving emigration monies & sending the
sum to Liverpool & preparing the list to be forwarded by Bro Jeremy to Lpool delivered all
the cash received as balance of passages for which I received a receipt
Friday Jan 27th 1854 - not having being [been] in bed all last night I felt rather tired after
packing &c - most of the emigrants left Merthyr this morning by rail to Cardiff, where we
found them with the middle day train - left Cardiff with the whole company of Saints with the
8 o'clock train which ought to have started at 6 o'clock - arrived at Newport at about 9
o'clock slept at the Frederick Hotel
Saturday Jan 28/54 - Left Newport about 9 o'clock for Liverpool where we arrived about 9 in
the evening, part of our luggage being left behind at Newport paid 16/ each from there to
Liverpool arranged to take the emigrants to lodgings many accompanied myself & Pres
Phillips to Union St. we lodged at Mr. Lloyd's - my Brother William & Jane met us at the
Railway station
Sunday January 29th 1854 - very busy at the Railway station geting our luggage on board the
"Golconda" attended the meeting at the Queen's Hall where Elder Curtis & another preached
met many of the brethren & sisters from North Wales amongst whom was Elder John Parry
Monday Jan 30th, 1854 - very much engaged at 15 Wilton St. preparing to get the passengers
tickets Took all our luggage down to the ship at Bramley Moore dock slept on board
Tuesday Jan 31 54 - still in dock all day back & forward to the town looking for our
remaining portion of luggage - which came this evening all except the portmanteau of my
Father in law (W. S. Phillips)
Wednesday Feby 1st 1854 - In Bramley Moore dock still
Thursday Feby 2nd 1854 - In dock still, went to town with my wife to buy some things for the
voyage returned about 9 o'clock went to bed about 10 o'clock Pres Phillips & Davis having
gone to town-
Friday Feby 3rd 1854 - Had a noisy night last night the ship being removed from dock against
the time we got up this morning found ourselves removed to the mouth of the river Mersey
under New Brighton Ferry
