Journal of Richard Davis
P. 1: The journal
of Richard Davis, son of William (Jenkins) Davis. My mother’s name was Gwenllian. I was born in “Gynllwun du,” and I am one of
nine children. The ________________ died
in 1838, August. And in the month after that,
i.e., September, I was born in the year of 1825, and I am 26 years old as I
write this account. There were four (4)
brothers and five (5) girls. Their names
are as follows:
Margret,
Mary, J______, William Richard, Gwenllian, David, Ann, Thomas.
P. 2: A journal
giving a little of the story of my life.
I am writing on 12 June 1852. My
name is Richard J. Davies. I was born in
the parish of Ystrad Pafodog in Glamorganshire in a place called “Cynllwun-du,”
a farm in the parish. Now I shall proceed
with the next thing, and first to give a little account of my ancestors. I have searched a lot for them but there are
many things missing as yet, but I shall put down as much detail as I can
according to what I know beginning with my father and mother.
P. 3: My father and mother were married in the year
______ in the Church of Ystrad. The name
of the priest who married them was Richard Prichard. Nine children were born to them. I shall name them as follows beginning with
the oldest. First, the three girls: first, Margret; 2nd, Marey; 3rd,
Jane; 4th, William, the oldest brother; 5th, myself, my
name is Richard as I said; 6th, Gwenllian, the 4th girl;
7th, David, the 3rd boy; 8th, Ann, the 5th
girl.
P. 4: 9th
Thomas, the 4th boy and the youngest. My father was buried when I was in my 14th
year, i.e., in the year 1842, September the 5th, he died; on the7th
day he was placed in the grave in the cemetery of the meeting house of Baletys
in front of the door of the meeting house in the Parish of Ystrad. I shall proceed to write the ancestors of my
father first.
P. 5: My father was
the son of David Jinkins, born in the Parish of Ystrad. He had four boys. I shall name them as follows: First, Jinkin; 2nd, William (i.e.,
my father); 3rd, Davidd; 4th, Thomas, the youngest
brother. He had 3 daughters: 1st,
Ann; 2nd, Jenat; _____ Mary; 3rd, Pegi.
P. 6: And I called
Margret “Rit.” My grandfather was the
son of Edwart Jinkins. He had 6
boys. I shall name them as follow: 1st Davidd (i.e., my grandfather);
2nd, Jinkins; 3rd William; 4th, Thomas; 5th,
Richard; 6th, Edwart; 7th, John. He had 4 daughters: 1st, Ann; 2nd, Ann; 3rd,
Mary; 4th, Chathren. Those
are the children.
P. 7: of Edwart
Jinkins (i.e., their names). My father’s
grandfather, Edwart Jinkines, i.e., my great grandfather was the son of Thomas
Jinkins. He had two sons, 1st,
Edwart, i.e., my great grandfather; 2nd, Jinkin. I do not know if he had more or not. Thomas Jinkin had one brother, and his name
was Edwart.
P. 8: Jinkins. These two brothers came to the Parish of
Ystrad from Cumnedd. I do not know when
they came but Thomas Jinkins was buried in the year 1776. He lived in a place which was called Penrees
in the Parish of Ystrad, but I do not know where he was buried.
P. 9: But my father
and grandfather were buried in Ystrad.
As I said about my father, I do not have any more information about the
people of my father. I shall now write
that which I know about the ancestors of my grandmother. She was the daughter of Jinkin Davies, (i.e.,
the mother of my father), born in Breconshire, Parish of Penderun. Jinkin Davies was
P. 10: the son of Dafudd Jinkin Dafudd, and he was the
son of Jinkin Dafudd. Jinkin Dafudd had
two sons, i.e., Dafudd and Richard. It
appears that my father was the grandson who descended from Jinkin Dafudd. Jinkin Dafudd was the name of my father’s
great grandfather also. That’s all I
have to say about the family of my father’s mother as yet. Now I shall proceed
P. 11: to write the
ancestors of my mother. She was the
daughter of Richard Thomas of the Parish of Aberdare in Glamorganshire. He (i.e., my grandfather) is still living and
turned 92 in February of this year, 1852.
My grandmother’s name is Gwenllian.
They were married in the Aberdare Church in 1793. She also is living and is 85 years old.
P. 12: They had 9
children. I shall name them as
follows: 1st, Gwenllian
(i.e., my mother); 2nd, Richard; 3rd, Mary, who died 2
July 1843 and was buried on the 5th day in the cemetery of the
Baletins meetinghouse where it is called “Yuns fach ystrad tafodog,” the same
cemetery as my father. She did not have
any children. She was a very loveable
woman. I was
P. 13: there when she
died; I was between 10 and 11. And I
missed her very much, and it was a loss to me and to my brothers and sisters,
for she was good to us. Her husband was
a very stingy man and he asked what I would take to stay with him during the
winter. I answered (softly) the same
thing as anyone
P. 14: for that. And everyone said that he kept four pounds of
money from me, and that if my aunt were alive I would have gotten the
money. (I got 26 [shillings] for four
months and a fortnight of work.) 4th,
Thomas; 5th, David; 6th, Jane; 7th, Rees. He was buried when he was between four and
five years old, and my father and he were put in the same grave in front of the
door of the meetinghouse as I said.
P. 15: 8th
Robert; 9th, Rees, the second to the youngest. These are the names of the children of
Richard Thomas (i.e., my mother’s brothers and sisters). Richard Thomas (my grandfather) was the son
of Thomas Dafudd Miles. He had 9
children: 1st, Richard, who
was buried when he was a year old. After
that came the 2nd, Richard (my grandfather); the 3rd,
Robert; 4th Rees, the names of the daughters: 1st,
P. 16: Margret; 2nd,
Marey, 3rd, Jane; 4th, Ann; 5th, Marey (the
first died before naming the second); and those are the names of the children
of Thomas Dafudd Miles. He was the son
of Dafudd Miles. He had 7 children; their
names are the following: 1st
Dafudd, 2nd, James; 3rd, Jane; 4th, Marey; 5th,
Joan; 6th, Ann; 7th, Cathren. Those are the names of the children of Dafudd
Miles. He was the son
P. 17: of Miles
William and one of three children: 1st,
Dafudd; 2nd, William; 3rd, Ann; and those are the
children of Miles William, and he was the son of William Gibon. He had two children: 1st, Miles; 2nd,
Thomas. I do not know if there were more
or not – i.e., of William Gibon. He was
the son of Gibon Howel; Gibon Howel was the son of Howel Thomas,
P. 18: and he (i.e.,
Howel Thomas) is the furthest generation of which I obtained a history. Gibon Howel, the 2nd generation;
William Gibon, the 3rd; Miles William, the 4th; Dafudd
Miles, the 5th; Thomas Dafudd Miles, the 6th; Richard
Thomas, the 7th; and my mother, the 8th. And I myself the 9th. And William, my son, the 10th. That is the pedigree of my mother’s father
(i.e., Richard Thomas). Next I shall
give the account
P. 19: of the people
of my grandmother, my mother’s mother.
She (my grandmother ) is the daughter of David Edwart. He had 6 children. Their names are as follows: 1st, Niccollas; 2nd,
Richard; 3rd, Edwart; 4th, Cathrin; 5th, Mary;
6th, Gwenllian (i.e., my grandmother). Those are the names of the children of David
Edwart. David Edwart was the son of
Edwart Jones, and he married two
P. 20: wives, and he
had 6 children by each one. First I
shall name the children of the first wife:
1st, Niccollas; 2nd, Richard, 3rd,
Dafudd (i.e., my grandfather); 4th, William; 5th, John; 6th,
Danial. Those are the children of the
first wife. Next I shall name the
children of the second wife: 1st,
Niccolas; 2nd, Morgan; 3rd, Thomas; 4th,
Edwart; 5th, Margret; 6th, John. Those are the names of the children of Edwart
Jones. Edwart Jones was the son of John
Richard. I do not have any more history
of the people of my grandmother.
P. 21: That is as
much of the history of my people which I have at present. My father was buried when I was 14 years
old. He strived hard to live and to
raise his children. He was never
affiliated with any one religion, but when he would go to a meeting of the
Baptists he used to listen and he read a lot in the Bible. He did not have the privilege of hearing the
gospel;
P. 22: it had not
come to this country when he died. He
was a very loved man in his neighborhood.
And I believe that he would have believed the gospel had he heart it;
and I believe that he will yet believe it.
My mother’s
mother is still alive (i.e., the year of 1852), and she lives in Dinas, and she
has been one of the Baptists for 40 years or more. And she is not willing to receive the gospel.
P. 23: But she does
not persecute the servants of God at all as far as I have heard. There is not one of my family except for
William, my oldest brother, and myself who have obeyed the gospel as far as I
know at present. We have testified to
the greater part of them, that is, to those of them who are the closest, and I
intend to get to see many of them before going to Zion (next spring).
P. 24: Next I shall
give a little of my history before coming to the Church. I left home when I was 17 years old (i.e.,
that of my mother), because I was pulled out from the works of Dinas and then I
worked here and there through Glamorganshire and Monmouthshire. I was very angry (?) for about 3 years’
time. But I got fed up with that when I
was about 20 years old.
And in
Llanvabon I first heard the gospel as I recall,
P. 25: but I did not
pay much attention to it at that time.
But in some time after that I went to the Saints room in Llanfabon to
listen to the Saints preach, and there I was pricked. I do not know the man’s name who was
presiding over the branch of Hirwan at that time, and he was a tall man, and I
heard that he left before I came to the Church.
That is a short abridgement of my history before coming to the Church,
i.e., the Church of Jesus Christ.
P. 26: I did not come
back to the Church for years after that, I know not how long – I came to
Llanilltid Fardre the Wednesday after Whitsun the year of 1847, and there I saw
Rebecca, my wife. I married her in July
of 1849 in the Church of Llanilltid Fardra.
The name of the priest was James Thomas.
She [my wife] is the daughter of Lewis Morgans from Llast, the parish of
Llanilltid Fardre, and Margret, the daughter of Philip Philips, a native of
Breconshire, and she was born (i.e., my mother-in-law)…[An incomplete
sentence.]
I do not
have any of the history of my wife’s people at present. If I can get the history of some of them I
shall write it later.
Now I shall
give an account of my coming into the Church, i.e., The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints. I was baptized
P. 27: 23 January
1851 by Thomas Jones, a priest of the Llantrisant Branch. I was confirmed an official member of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the 26th of January
under the hands of Thomas Morgan, the Branch President of Llantrisant. I was called to be a priest and ordained on
April 11th by William Jones, a traveling elder. After that I was called to be an elder. I was ordained 21 May 1851 by William Jones,
a traveling elder.
P. 28: I did not
keep a detailed account of my activities
in the year of 1851, but I shall record that which I can get ahold of in this
journal. I sold two shillings worth of
various pamphlets to a man by the name of Evan Williams, a good and very
wealthy man, and he received the “Udgorn” [the Welsh Mormon periodical] from me
every fortnight and the Book of Mormon and other pamphlets from time to time.
P. 29: And he paid
for all of them. I sold a great number
of books to the inhabitants of the place.
I received ten copies of the Book of Mormon myself and have an
accounting for all the money which I paid for books and other things nearby.
In
Llantrisant I preached for the first time ever.
I preached a lot in Llanilltid and went form house to house testifying
and selling books.
P. 30: And it was in
my house that the brethren slept when they came by. And I clothed them and gave to many of them
money to satisfy their needs. And they
were respected by Rebecca, my wife, and they testify to that about her. Now I began to write the account of my labor
in May of 1852. In that month there was
an accident in Aberdar.
P. 31: The damp
[noxious gas] caught fire in Mr. T. Powell’s mine where 67 men were killed, and
14 of them were Saints; and two of my sister Margret’s children were
there. Their names were William and
John. William was the oldest. His age was 16 in November 1852. John’s age was 11 in April 1852. They were very pure, wise, and thoughtful
children, and we loved them dearly.
P. 32: On the 19th
of this month I fasted on behalf of some persons that they would have strength
to obey the gospel. Their names are as
follows: John Arthur, William Thomas,
singer, John Williams, Miller. 23rd
– I was at the house of my grandmother getting the history of my pedigree from
her and testified to them about the gospel.
24th – I was at the Council in Pontytupridd where I used to
P. 33: go regularly
on the 31st of the month on the last day. That time Evan Williams, President, and Rees
Jenkins, Teacher, and myself were fasting on behalf of the honest people in the
area. From 9:00 a.m. until the next
morning we did not eat or drink any kind of drink. I have nothing else to relate this
month. June 1852, 6th day –
in a meeting of the Saints in my house.
P. 34: 7th
day – in a council at Pontytypridd. 8th
– in a prayer meeting in my own house.
10th – in a meeting of the Saints in my own house. I taught there. 12th – I said my morning prayers
at 8:00 and at 11:00 was in a preaching meeting by the Church (i.e., the Church
of Llanilltid). At 2:00 in a meeting of
the Saints in my house and in my house we held meetings of the Saints.
P. 35: 15th
– in a prayer meeting in the house of Evan Williams, Llynnos, and I was in
Dinas inquiring the names of those who intend to go to Zion, and I gathered a
lot of money. I slept there that night. 18th – I was around the place
throughout the day and at the mine also.
I went home that night and to the meeting of the Saints. 19th – I went to Llanvabon to
collect money
P. 36: from among the
world. I got a lot through trying here
and there. 20th day – I said
my prayers in Llanvabon at 8:00 a.m. At
11:00 – at Pontytypridd. At 2:00 – in
Pontytypridd. At 5:00 – in Llanilltid in
a preaching meeting. 21st –
in council in Pontytypridd. 22nd
– I was around inquiring about the Book of Mormon to find them and to sell
books. 24th – in a prayer
meeting in my own house.
P. 37: I collected
money. 26th – Traveled
around. 27th – I said my
prayers at 8:30 a.m. At 11:00 by the
Church in a preaching meeting. At 2:00 –
in a meeting of the Saints. I taught the
Saints to keep themselves clean always.
So this month ended. July
1852. The 1st – I fasted from
food and drink from 10:00 a.m. until the next morning
P. 38: on behalf of
the men who were honest in heart. 4th
– I said my prayers in the morning. At
11:00 I breached by Olibuch. At 2:00 – a
meeting of the Saints. I taught the
brothers and sisters to strive to keep the teachings of the servants of
God. At 5:00 I preached by Efilisia
[Efail-isaf]. 4th - I was at the council in Pontytypridd. 6th – I tried to collect money to
go to Zion. 7th – in
Llantrisant ______________.
P. 39: 8th
– in a prayer meeting in my own house. 9th
– My wife and I fasted on behalf of the little boy for him to have health, and
he received a blessing. 11th
– in a conference in Merthyr Tydfil. 13th
– I was on the hill praying. 15th
– I baptized a boy 25 years old. 18th
– in a meeting of the Saints in my house.
P. 40: I taught there
briefly. 22nd – in a prayer
meeting in my house. 25th – I
said my prayers in the morning. At 11:00
– in a preaching meeting by Thriorshw [place name]. I preached there myself. 28th – I took books around and
books to the subscribers and sold books also.
30th – I spent a day working in Penris [Pen-rhys]. I received 1 shilling 6 pence for my
work. That is the end of this month, i.e.,
the month of July 1852.
P. 41: August
1852. I said my prayers in the
morning. At 11:00 I was released to go
with my brother, Dafu, because he had come to see me from Penrus Ystrad
Trafodog [Pen-rhys Ystradyfodwg], to Llanilltyd. At 2:00 – in a meeting of the Saints. The president called on me to teach at the
end of the meeting. I encouraged the
Saints to be brave and to recognize their places and to be diligent in the work
of God.
P. 42: At 6:00 p.m. I
preached at Pontytypridd. 3rd
– a man by the name of John Williams was in the Cross Inn lecturing about the
geography of California. He was a
minister with the Independents, and he praised the Saints and their
establishment. 6th – in
Llantrisiant requesting money. 7th
– at home writing. 8th – I
said my morning prayers.
P. 43: at 11:00 – at
Olibuch preaching. At 2:00 in a meeting
of the Saints I taught the Saints to recognize the government of God. At 5:00 – at Efilisia [Efail-isaf] in a
preaching meeting. 9th – I
started on my way. 15th – I
arose this morning in Abardar and went to a meeting of the Saints at 11:00
a.m. 16th – in the council at
Pontytypridd. 19th – in a
prayer meeting in my house. 22nd
– I was in the place
P. 44: which is
called Grosfan [Groesfaen] preaching in the morning at 11:00. At 2:00
- in a meeting of the Saints in Llanilltyd in my own house. The president called me to teach. I exhorted them to strive to prepare to come
to Zion. At 5:00 p.m. – in a preaching
meeting by Olibuch. 23rd – in
a prayer meeting in my house. 26th
– in a meeting of the Saints in my house.
I taught about the perpetual emigrating fund. 29th – I said my prayers in the
morning. In a meeting of the Saints at
2:00. I went to Pontytypridd in the
evening to fetch my wife home
P. 45: after sending
Dafudd, my brother home from Llanilltyd.
He had been in our house. That’s
the end of this month, i.e., August.
Next, September 1852. 2nd
– a meeting of the Saints was held in my home, R. J. Daves. I began the meeting with prayer. Evan Williams and I ordained Rees Jenkens a
priest and William Owen a teacher. I was
voice in ordaining William Owen. I
taught them their duties.
P. 46: 5th
– I said my morning prayers. At 11:00 by
Olibuch preaching. At 2:00 – in a
meeting of the Saints in Bro. William Owen’s house. I taught the brethren to be more enthusiastic
with the work of God and to strive to pay for books and so on in the
future. 9th – I began with
prayer. The president called on me to
teach. I taught them what was the government
of God. I exhorted them to strive to
recognize the government of God. 12th
– the Sabbath. I said my prayers at 8:00
a.m.
P. 47: 2nd
of October 1852. I was collecting names
in Bwll-y-waunwullt. I went to the town
of Llanilltyd to sleep that night. 3rd
– I took my wife to Merthyr to the Conference.
We slept at the Star that night.
My wife was not feeling well because she had miscarried lately. But her faith was strong in the servants of
God and she was desirous of being taught by them. And she received a good word from them, and
they all love her because it was in their house they used to sleep when they
came to Llanilltyd. And now I, Richard
J. Davies, give a good word for Rebecca, my wife, for she has been obedient to
me continually and has been a good Saint, keeping the word of wisdom, has
forsaken tea and has done as we have told her continually, and has been willing
to assist the servants of God continually with that which she can in clothes
and making them comfortable and well. 4th
– I was at the council in the Waytyn Room, Merthyr. I took my wife home that night to
Llanilltyd.
P. 48: 5th
– I went up to Aberdare to get names. I
was at the Plow Room in the council that night.
I slept at my sister’s house that night.
6th – searched for names.
I slept at my sister’s house that night.
7th – I went to the Abernant works. I slept at my sister’s house that night. 8th – I tried to go to the Abe
Raman pits but failed. 9th –
I collected money around. 10th
– the Sabbath. At 11:00 a.m. – in the
Plow Room in a preaching meeting. At
2:00 – in a meeting of the Saints in the Well Charp Room in the village of
Aberdar. Pres. Dd Roberts called on me
to teach. I taught them to love the
servants of God who continued to preside over them. 6th – in the afternoon in a
preaching meeting in the Plow Room. 11th
– I went to request work up at the Plow pits from David Jones, foreman. I was unable to get any. 12th – I went to request work from
Richard Williams. I was successful. 13th – I worked. 14th – I worked during the day and
at 7:00 in the evening I was with my wife in a meeting of the Saints in the
Plow Room. 15th – I
worked. 16th – I worked.
P. 49: 17th
– I woke up in Treaman and went to the train to Trefforast and to Llanilltyd
home. At 11:00 a.m. in the school. At 2:00 – in a meeting of the Saints. The president called on me to teach. I exhorted them to love one another and to
defend each other and to sustain one another.
I ended with prayer. I collected
the branch accounts. 18th – I
went to Merthyr to pay 3 pounds of prepayment in order to go to Zion in the
emigration in January 1853. From there I
went to Aberdar to my job across the mountain.
17th – I worked. I was
in a meeting in the Plow Room in the evening at 7:00. 20th – at work. 21st – at work. I was in the meting of the Saints at7:00 in
the evening in the Plow Room. 22nd
– at work. 23rd – I was
around collecting money. 24th
– the Sabbath. I said my morning
prayers. I went to get some medicine
from a doctor of the Saints who used herbs, and I went to him to tell him the
circumstances of my wife, and he gave me a small bottle to use in tea leaves,
and he charged 3 shillings for it. It
helped her greatly. In a preaching
meeting at 11:00 a.m. in the Plow Room.
At 2:00 in a meeting of the Saints in the Cwmbach Branch.
P. 50: Pres. Jn
Lewelin called on me to teach. I spoke
briefly a little before Thomas Pugh, the Conference President. At 6:00 – in the afternoon I preached in the
Plow Room. 25th –
worked. 26th – worked. I was at the council in the Plow Room at 7:00
in the evening. 27th –
worked. 28th – worked. I was
at the meeting of the Saints at 7:00 in the evening in the Plow Room. 29th – worked. 30th – worked. 31st – Sabbath. I said my morning prayers at 8:00. At the meeting of the Saints at 2:00. At 6:00 –p.m. in a preaching meeting in the
Plow Room. That is the mend of the month
of October 1852.
November 1852
The first day – at work breaking coal. 2nd –at work. 3rd – at work. 4th – at work and in a meeting of
the Saints at 7:00 p.m. 5th –
at work. 6th – at work. 7th – Sabbath and I said my
morning prayers. At 11:00 I went to the
Aberaman Branch meeting. We were there
until 3:00 in the afternoon fasting our lunch.
At 6:00 p.m. – in a preaching meeting at the same branch. 8th – worked. 9th – worked.
P. 51: 10th
– worked. 11th – worked. 12th – worked. 13th – worked in the morning. I went on the train to Pontypridd to the
house of Mr. Goodman, the watchmaker to fetch my watch. I went to Llanilltyd from there to the house
of Bro. William Owen and then to where I made my home. After I sold him my furniture I collected the
branch reports until 9:00 o’clock. 14th
– I said my prayers at 8:30 a.m. William
Owen and I went to the farmhouse by the name of
“Ty y Person a Llyfra.” We
testified there about Joseph Smith and taught them the principles. At 2:00 – in a meeting of the Saints at the
home of Brother Owen. President Williams
called on me to teach. I taught the
government of God. Then in the evening I
took books to the distributors. 15th
– I arose at Llanilltyd and went on the train to Aberdar. I worked through the day. 16th – worked. 17th – worked. 18th - worked.
I was at a meeting of the Saints in the evening at 7:00. 19th – composed a hymn at the home
of Dewi Elfad Jones. 20th –
worked. I went to Llanilltyd on the
train at 6:00 in the evening. 21st
– Sabbath. I said my morning
prayers. After that I went to inform
P. 52: the people
that Dewi Elfad Jones and John Edmwns, the branch president of Aberaman, would
be preaching at the home of William Owen at 11:00 a.m. And at 2:00 I was in meetings throughout the
day. 22nd – I went up to
Aberdar on the train. 23rd –
I went to Merthyr across the mountain of Aberdar and to the home of President
Phillips to get my instructions from him with respect to the emigration to Zion
because I am short of the amount to go with the men who can pay 10 pounds. I needed 30 pounds to take my wife and son,
William, who was two years old the 29th of November of 1852, and he
counseled me to go to my family to try to obtain the money. And I went and collected about 3 pounds and
10 shillings through my efforts. I
walked Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and Saturday for the money, and Evan
Williams, the Llanilltyd Branch President, was with me on Saturday, and it was
11:00 o’clock before we got home. 28th
– the Sabbath. I was in Pontytypridd
preaching. 29th – I went from
Llanilltyd to Aberdar on the train. 30th
– worked. And so this month came to an
end, i.e., November 1852. Next, December
1852. On the first day I worked. 2nd – worked.
P. 53: The third day
– worked and in a meeting of the Saints at 7:00 in the evening in the Aberaman
Branch. I began the meeting with
prayer. I taught the Saints to take care
and keep the spirit of God with them and so on and so forth. 4th – worked. I went to Llanilltyd to sleep that
night. 5th – Sabbath
day. I said my morning prayers. At the meeting of the Saints at 2:00. I taught about the persecutions and so on and
so forth. I ended the meeting with
prayer. 6th – I went from
Llanilltyd to Merthyr to the home of President Phillips to pay 15 pounds of
money for the emigration, i.e., 5 pounds each for myself and my wife and the
boy, which was to be sent ahead of time for each traveler for the purpose of
buying the necessary things for the journey.
7th – I went to the job and in the evening I was at the
council. That night I strained my leg
and my knee. I was unable to work on the
8th. On the 9th I
fasted my lunch to get better. I was
unable to work on the 10th and the 11th. 12th – Sabbath day. I said my morning prayers. I read at home all day. 13th – I was unable to work.
P. 54: On the 14th
and the 15th and the 16th and the 17th an the
18th I was unable to work because of having strained my leg. It happened that a boy who was boarding at my
sister’s house where I was staying at that time had a nosebleed and it was
bleeding for about four hours. And they
wanted to call the doctor for him because it was running fast and weakening him
greatly. And he was a brave lad ready to
do good to any man. And as it continued
to bleed I went into my room to pray for God to spare his life. And I went to him in full faith and laid my
hand on him praying for the Lord to stop his blood from flowing. And immediately it stopped, and I thanked God
for his goodness. This happened on the
17th of this month, i.e., December 1852. 19th – Sabbath Day. I said my morning prayers. I went to the meeting at 11:00 a.m. to the
Plow Branch and at 6:00 in the evening I was called on to sing from the new
hymn book, i.e., “Cenedloedd y byd sy’n gwawdio’n drahaus” [The nations of the
world who scorn haughtily - #458 in the 18l52 Welsh Mormon hymnal), and so on
and so forth.
P. 55: 20th,
Monday – I went to Doctor William Philips who lived in Monmouthshire at a place
called Pentwun Mawr which was very strange ______________, and I believed that
my leg was out of place and it turned out to be so, and he set it in its place. It cost 8 shillings. I had 9 miles to walk from there to the
train. I walked them with my leg held in
place by a big brace. I went to my
sister Mary’s house in Abergwuddon two miles further. I slept there that night and I was very
tired. I stayed there until Friday. On the 24th I started home to
Aberdar that night to sleep at the home of Margret, my sister, and her
husband. And I was very tired because of
my leg. 25th –
Christmas. I was at home the greater
part of the day. I was at the meeting of
the Saints in the Plow Room in the evening at 6:00. We had an enjoyable time there. There was a little dancing and stepping there
and singing and talking. We were edified
greatly.
P. 56: 26th Sabbath day.
Elder Pugh and Elder Evan Williams and Free was with me. We went to the meeting at 11:00 a.m. at Plow
Branch and at 2:00 and at 6:00 in the evening.
27th – I was at a concert at the Aberaman Branch. 28th – I began to work and that
was the first day since the 7th of this month because of the injury
to my leg. In the afternoon I went to
Merthyr to the Council to listen to the brethren from the Valley, i.e., Captain
Jones and his two companions. 29th
– I worked. I got very tired working
because of walking to Merthyr while I was lame.
And it was one o’clock by the time I got home from Merthyr. 30th – worked in the morning. A messenger came to fetch me out because of
Brother Pugh. 31st – I went
to work, and as I was working I put my leg out of place again. I went out immediately and sent for the
doctor immediately to try to get my leg in place. He failed to do me any good, and it caused me
pain as he tried to set it in its place.
P. 57: I borrowed six
shillings from my sister, Margaret, and went to the train to Cardiff and from
there to Casnewudd and From Casenewudd to Bonewudd on the train. I walked from there a mile and a half to the
Doctor and I had heard about him before, i.e., the son of Mary from Benar, and
by the time I got there he was not at home.
I walked back to Bonewudd. I went
on the train from there to Abergwuddon to the home of my sister, Mary, and
there I slept that night and I was very tired.
January 1, 1853. I
stayed at the home of my sister that day.
The 2nd day – the Sabbath.
I went on the train to Bonewudd and from there to the home of the doctor
again and he tried to get my leg back in place.
He failed to do me any good. I
went from there to the home of a brother by the name of Thomas. I got food there from his wife. I started from there to Llanfabon. I slept at the home of Alban Jenkens. I arose on the 3rd and went on the
train to Troed-y-riw. I walked to
Merthyr from there because my money was gone.
I was at the council in the Wyit Room.
I went from there to the home of Bro.
P. 58: Philips to ask
him if he would anoint my leg. He did so
immediately and I received the blessing and my leg went back into place. I slept at the Weit that night. I got up and went to Aberdar across the
mountain with two other brothers. I went
on the train to Trefforast and from there the Llanilltud. I slept at the home of William Owen. 5th – I requested work from Evan
Williams because that was the job that I had when I hurt my leg. 6th – I collected money for the
books. I slept at the home of Wm.
Owen. 7th – I went on the
train to Mount Anach’s. I collected and
settled things. I came on the 8th
day on the train to Pontytypridd and from there to Llanilltud to the home of Wm
Owen and I slept there that night. There
also my wife used to stay frequently after we sold to them our household items,
and they always received us graciously.
9th – Sabbath day. I
went to Pontytypridd this morning to
P. 59: meet with my
family at the house of William, my brother.
They had promised to meet me there before we left for Zion. None of them except for Margret, my
sister. I met two at the Pont
Branch. I taught there about the growth
of the Church and the new revelations which were being proclaimed. Through the
Udgorn [Welsh Mormon Periodical]. I
preached there at 6:00 p.m., and I took my wife to Llanilltud to sleep at the
house of William Owen. 10th –
I prepared to work at the mine of Efan Williams. 11th – I began to work for Evan
Williams. 12th, 13th,
14th, 15th, - worked.
I presided over a meeting of the Saints the 13th at the house
of William Owen at 7:00 p.m. 16th
– Sabbath Day. I said my prayers in the
morning. I went to the farmhouse called
Tu Person to offer books to them. At
2:00 at the meeting of the Saints. I
taught there that they should always be ready to free themselves from the bonds
of tradition. I ended the meeting with
prayer. 17th – worked. 18th – worked. 19th – at home. 20th – worked. That is the last day
P. 60: I worked. That night I was informed that I was to be in
Liverpool the last day of this month. 21st
– I went to see my relatives. I walked
30 miles. My feet were frightfully sore,
and I was not in a bed that night in order to make preparations for the
journey. 23rd – I went to
Merthyr to counsel with President W. S. Philips. I came back to Llanilltyd to sleep at the
house of William Owen. 24th –
I was in Merthyr again. I walked from
Llanilltyd to counsel as I was advised the previous day. 25th – we started on the way to
Zion. I took my wife and son to
Swansea. 26th – at 5:00 a.m.
I went to the packet. At 4:30 on the 28th
we reached Liverpool. We lodged at the
house of Mr. D. James. February 5th,
1853. We went on board the ship “Jersey”
to travel to New Orleans. The journey
took us six weeks _______________________.
We went from the ship to a packed by the name of “Simons” in New
Orleans, and we went on that to Saint Louis along the Mississippi River.
P. 61: We went on
another packed 250 miles along the Mississippi River to a town by the name of
Keock in the State of Iowa, North America.
We stayed there for nine weeks.
We started from there to a place by the name of Montrose, 12 miles
further up the river. I was at that time
able to swim. We were there for a month
and from there we began the journey in wagons over the Kensail Blyffs [Council
Bluffs]. We camped there for a week
along the Missouri River. We crossed the
river in rafts and to the country of the Indians. We traveled this country across rocky rivers
and mountains. On the 10th
day of October we arrived at Great Salt Lake City. We stayed 4 days in the city. I got a place for me and my wife 10 miles to
the North. I worked in this place for
about two months until the snow came to keep me from working. My wife and I received our patriarchal
blessings under the hands of old
P. 62: father John
Smith, the head Patriarch of the Church at that time. December 10th, 1854. A daughter was born to me and Rebecca, my
wife. We called her Margret Elen. We lived at the time in a valley of the
Mountains in a place called Welo Crik [Willow Creek].
July 30, 1856. A
child was born to me by Rebecca, my wife.
Her name was called Rebecca Jen; we had received our endowments in June
1856, i.e., the previous month.
January 24, 1858. A
daughter was born to me and my wife Rebecca. We called her Ann Gwenllian.
October 7, 1859. A
son was born to be and Rebecca, my wife.
We named him Richard Elies. I
baptized my son, William, on May 22. He
was confirmed under the hands of Brother Cordon.
[Note: pages 63 and
64 are in English and need no translation]
P. 65: In 1854 I was
called to preside over the quorum of Elders of Wello Crik. I had great success and strength from God to
keep order according to the law of the Church.
I was released February 5th, 1859. I was ordained one of the Seventies on the 3rd
of February and one of the presidents on the _______________. I was called as a counselor to the Bishop
Brother Alfrad Cordon on the 13th of September. I raised jealousy in the hearts of some of
the brethren against me, and they brought accusations against me which were
lies.
Charles W. Hobart began; Evan E. Williams and Musaac S.
Williams helped him. G. Hobart broke out
in the quorum of the high priests in my presence of being dishonest. E. E. Williams and M. S. Williams were his
witnesses. These brethren were called to
a meeting with the authorities at the home of Bro. Harding to look into the
matter. They were proved liars, and Bro.
C. W. Hobart was to ask forgiveness the following Sabbath in front of the
meeting, which he did.
P. 66: I strived to
help the bishop overcome the evil influence in the Ward and to establish peace
among the Saints. The Bishop, i.e., Bro.
A. Cordon, is a good man and tried to do good for us and to assist in
establishing the kingdom of God. So my
account is brief until 19 February 1860.
So I served as counselor to the bishop and continue to do so until the
present time, i.e., the year 1863, January 24th. And my desire has not diminished to assist
in whatever way I can to establish the kingdom of God on the earth in the
latter days. I built a stone house with
seven rooms. It is reputed to be one of
the best homes in the state. I was
persistent in gathering the materials together and through the blessings of God
I finished the task.
[Translated from the original Welsh journal of Richard J.
Davis by Ronald D. Dennis, 1529 W. 1170 North, Provo, Utah 84604, in 1982].
