My Life's Review by Benjamin F. Johnson

Author:Benjamin F. Johnson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Deseret Book Company
Published: 2019-02-14T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

COLONIZING AT SANTAQUIN

After a few days’ rest I went to General Conference with two of my wives and Brother J. H. Martineau, and received a cordial welcome from the Presidency and much commendation for my labors. Brother Kimball, taking me by the arm to his home, said, "Bennie, I always knew the lion was in you, and when I read your defense of polygamy, I could see they had waked him up." But I knew as he did, that the lion was a love for God and His kingdom and the lion’s power is that which comes through prayer and humility before the Lord. President Young gave me his approbation and blessing and wished me to again colonize Summit Creek-which we afterward called Santaquin, the Indian name of the brook.

In this I felt satisfaction and pride, and hoped to proceed to again colonize the place, but another disappointment awaited me. My family had sown 40 acres of land to wheat the fall before, but clouds of locusts or grasshoppers came, leaving the ground as bare as if burned over with fire. We had no grain in store, and now it was almost impossible to procure it anywhere, except in distant places and at high price. The prospect was dark indeed-thirty in family, including Brother Holman, George Wilson and females, who were engaged with me. As we had no money, I tried to get it by loan or sale of property, which I could not do, for there was a scarcity in money as well as in wheat. As a last resort I sent to Brother-in-law A. W. Babbitt, asking him to take one of my city lots now occupied as the Union Depot in Salt Lake City, and send me in cash whatever he would give. He sent me $100 and my sister Julia, his wife, feeling it was too little, privately added $20 which was characteristic of her unselfish goodness of heart. This amount would procure bread for a time.

In June, we again planted wheat, corn, and potatoes, most of which was eaten by locusts or killed by early frosts. After our last planting I returned to Summit-now Santaquin-with Brothers Holman, Wilson, LeBaron and others where we built corrals, put up hay and erected one cabin, with the hope of moving there that fall. But owing to the general loss of crops and other reverses, this was impossible. President Young had given us a plan or draft for a stone fort, and we did what we could in hauling rock for that purpose.

In this season I was again elected a member of the Legislative Council, which convened this winter in the State house at Fillmore. I remained during the session, with my brother, Joel, who was chaplain of the House, and to me the time passed unusually pleasant, President Young being Governor, and A. W. Babbitt, Secretary of State.

As our colony rights in hay, wood and stock range at Santaquin were being invaded by older settlements, a grant

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.