It was
still cold, but milder. Brigham Young met
with members of the Twelve, the temple committee, and the Trustees in the
council chamber over the red-brick store.
They read several letters involving the sale of Nauvoo property,
including a reply from the Catholic Bishop Purcell of Cincinnati (see October
31, 1845) and another Catholic bishop in Detroit. The Catholics were encouraging their members to purchase Nauvoo
property. Elder Almon W. Babbitt just
returned from his mission to St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Chicago which involved
an attempt to find groups to purchase land in Nauvoo. He reported that the Catholics were anxious to lease the temple,
but were not able to buy it. An agent
for the bishop at Chicago was supposed to arrive in Nauvoo on the following
day. Bishop George Miller (the second
bishop of the Church) answered a letter from a Robert Owen (see October 31,
1845) giving him an estimate of lands for sale in the settlements in
Hancock County.
William W.
Phelps wrote a letter to Oliver Cowdery.
Sir: The Quorum of the Twelve solicited me to
write to you some time since, but a press of business in preparing for the
endowment in our new temple, has deterred me.
I saw your letter to Phineas [Young], etc. To be short, we have concluded to let this rotten government
alone, and shall not petition at Washington.
That will satisfy you on that score.
As to our exodus, if you believe that we are Israel, come and your
friends say come, and let him that is athirst say come, with all things ready.
Warren Foote
was busy making wagon spokes for his company.
Thomas Bullock was feeling ill and took two doses of “composition”,
which was a powder made into tea which consisted of a mixture of bayberry,
ginger, cayenne and cloves. William
Huntington’s company was making good progress building a mill to be propelled
by horse power.
Joseph
Hovey1 finished his work on the temple
baptismal font and was assigned to put up an iron works shop for building
wagons. Joseph had previously learned
the trade of carriage making.
An issue
of the Times and Seasons was published.
It was reported that “the suite of rooms in the attic story for the
accommodation of the Priesthood, in the ordinances of washings, anointings, and
prayer, are nearly ready for use; so that the faithful saints begin to rejoice
in the Holy one of Israel.”
A
daughter, Melissa Mecham, was born to Lewis and Lydia Mecham.2
Achsa
Thompson Cheney, the wife of Elijah Cheney, died near Nauvoo.3
An issue
of the Millennial Star was published.
Orson Pratt wrote that the impending westward movement was “a direct and
literal fulfillment of many prophecies, both ancient and modern.” It was “long looked for, long prayed for,
and long desired.” He proclaimed that
it would be “one of the grandest and most glorious events yet witnessed.”
“Warren Foote
Autobiography,” typescript, 73; History of the Church, 7:537; Encyclopedia
of Mormonism, Vol.4, WESTWARD MIGRATION, PLANNING AND; Millennial Star,
6:191‑92; Times and Seasons, 6:1050; Gunn's Newest Family
Physician, 1138; “Thomas Bullock Journal”; Dean C. Jesse, BYU Studies,
12:4:367; Black, Membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day
Saints: 1830‑1848; Oliver
Cowdery to Phineas Young, 18 Dec 1845 in Gunn (1962), p.249; “Joseph Hovey
Autobiography,” 34; “William Huntington autobiography,” typescript, 43; Jenson,
LDS Biographical Encyclopedia, 3:119
The
weather was mild. Brigham Young
received a letter stating that a “heavy firm” in Philadelphia was interested in
buying all of the Nauvoo property if a bargain could be reached. The Council wrote a letter in reply that
they should send an agent to Nauvoo to examine the property, and that they
would sell the property for 50 percent under the value of similar property in
the county.
Brigham Young
spent the day in the Temple making preparations for the endowment
ordinance. Heber C. Kimball and his
son, William4, picked up 25‑30
potted evergreen plants from Hiram Kimball5
who had gathered them from the homes throughout Nauvoo. They delivered these plants to the
temple. There were to be used in the
“Garden Room.”
Thomas
Bullock's son, Willard, was so ill that he did not know if he would live or die
during the night.
In the
evening, the Twelve ordained Albert P. Rockwood, Benjamin L. Clapp and Jedediah
M. Grant to their positions as Presidents over the First Quorum of
Seventies. They had been sustained in
the positions at the recent October General Conference.6
They
closed the evening by spending an hour in prayer.
A son,
Charles Edward Robinson, was born to Lewis and Clarissa Robinson.7
Sources:
History of
the Church, 7:537; Stanley B. Kimball, BYU Studies,
15:4:476; Lisle G. Brown, BYU Studies, 19: 3:.370; Encyclopedia of
Mormonism, Vol.4, Appendix 1 CLAPP, Benjamin L. (Lynn); “Thomas Bullock
Journal”; Jenson, LDS Biographical Encyclopedia, 2:372
The
weather was windy and cold. In the morning, Hosea Stout went with George
W. Langley8 to arrange to have some timber cut on
their company wood lot, four miles below Nauvoo.
The
brethren continued to prepare the temple for the endowment ordinance. In the main room on the attic level, they
began hanging canvas partitions from the ceiling and crossbeams, dividing the
room into six compartments. The canvas
most likely came from a supply of several thousand yards which Orson Hyde
brought to Nauvoo two months earlier.
A son,
Allen Joseph Stout, was born to Allen and Elizabeth Stout.9
A son,
Hyrum Call, was born to Anson and Mary Call.10
In the
evening, Hosea Stout met with the police at the Masonic Hall, as he did almost
every night, to make plans and assignments for the evening.
“Hosea Stout Diary”,
typescript, 2:98‑9; “Allen Stout Journal,” typescript, 23; Lisle G.
Brown, BYU Studies, 19:3:370; “Thomas Bullock Journal”; Esshom, Pioneers
and Prominent Men of Utah, 995; Jenson, LDS Biographical Encyclopedia,
4:621
It was a
“frosty” day. Samuel H. Rogers
wrote: “Too cold to be out.” Brigham Young and the Twelve continued to prepare
the temple for administering endowment ordinances. William W. Phelps started to carry the plants to the attic and to
arrange them in the “Garden Room.”
Hosea
Stout stopped by his brother Allen's place and learned that Allen's second son
was born the day before. Many of the
brethren were constantly on the move throughout the city which prevented the
mob from thinking about causing any trouble.
At sunset,
Newel K. Whitney brought to the temple attic, the temple veil that was used
during the lifetime of Joseph Smith and also brought materials to make a new
veil. Brigham Young worked on creating
a new veil following the pattern of the first.
In the
evening, the Twelve met in the temple for prayer.
Island of Tubuai, near Tahiti, in
the South Pacific:
After two
long years, Elder Addison Pratt, missionary on the islands in the South
Pacific, received his first letter from his wife, Louisa, in Nauvoo. He wrote:
It is
useless for me to try to describe my feelings, for they are known to those only
who are placed in similar circumstances.
They were the first letters that had been received from America. They confirmed the deaths of Brs. Hiram and
Joseph, and much other news that interested us.
Elder
Pratt also received letters from Elder Benjamin Grouard on the little island of
Anaa. Elder Grouard reported that he
baptized 620 people in just four months and needed help from his missionary
companion. Elder Pratt was determined
to leave Tubuai and come to the aid of Elder Grouard.
History of
the Church, 7:538; Lisle G. Brown, BYU Studies,
19:3:.370; “Thomas Bullock Journal”; “William Huntington autobiography,”
typescript, 44; “Samuel Rogers Journal,” typescript, 48; Ellsworth, The
Journals of Addison Pratt, 253
The
weather was cold and “dull.” At 8 a.m.,
Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball called on Willard Richards, who was sick, and
then went to the Temple to continue to prepare the rooms. Sisters sewed and hemmed the new temple
veil. Elder Kimball’s daughter, Helen,
wrote: “We sat in Father’s room next to Brigham Young’s [room], who, with his
brother [Joseph Young] came in and sang some hymns--Sister Young assisting
them. Uncle Joseph sang ‘The Upper
California,’ and the rest joined in the chorus.”
Many
members of the church brought paintings, portraits, maps and mirrors for the
temple. They also brought tables,
chairs, sofas, and other furniture to beautify the rooms. Joseph Fielding entered the temple for the
first time and he commented that he “truly felt as though [he] had gotten out
of the world.”
Many
members continued to suffer from sickness and hunger. Thomas Bullock, working full‑time as a clerk for the Church
had to look to the Church for help in supporting his family. At times the help was difficult to come
by. On this day, Franklin D. Richards
gave Thomas Bullock some honey and bread which he appreciated very much. Later he went to the Temple Office and
obtained some flour. His wife and
children “rejoiced” at receiving this treasure. His son Willard continued to be very sick.
In the
evening, the brethren met in the Temple for prayer and Brigham Young announced
that on Sunday at 9 a.m., the leaders would assemble for prayer and council,
and that their wives would come and partake with them. The Sacrament would be administered. The day would be spent in learning the
things of the Spirit. They knew this
would be joyful news to their wives.
Even as
preparations were being made for great spiritual gifts in the temple, there was
also a spirit of contention among some of the wagon companies. In Hosea Stout's company, he discovered a
great contention over wages and other matters.
In fact things were getting so bad that some had gone so far as to join
some other companies in secret, and were trying to get others to leave the
company. There was also contention
among the police guard of which he was in charge. There were complaints every time he appointed a new captain of
ten. It all came to a boil in the
morning. In the evening, Hosea Stout
met with his thirteen captains at the Masonic Hall. He announced that he was not going to regulate wages or settle
difficulties. Instead, he was going to
drop everyone from the company who had been working against it. He would no longer tolerate a spirit of
disunion. He ordered his captains to
hold their members accountable and if they did not like his policies, they were
welcome to leave the company. His
captains all spoke about and sustained the actions that Hosea Stout
announced. The meeting was concluded at
9 p.m.
Mary Bayliss
was baptized.11
History of
the Church, 7:538; “Hosea Stout Diary”, typescript, 2:99‑10;
Lisle G. Brown, BYU Studies, 19:3:370; Joseph Fielding Diary in “Nauvoo
Journal,” BYU Studies 19:158‑9; Orson Pratt Divine Authenticity
of BofM, No. 5, p.76; “Thomas Bullock Journal”; D. Michael Quinn, BYU
Studies, 19:1:93; Holzapfel, Women of Nauvoo, 150; Woman’s
Exponent;
The
weather was warmer and ice was thawing.
Hosea Stout went to the Masonic Hall in the morning as usual and found
an argument going on as one of his members, Daniel Mayhope Repsher, was being
dismissed from his company for joining Shadrach Roundy's company. Otherwise, things were going smoothly in his
company that day. In the evening he
went to meet with the police and found much contention. On the previous evening it had been decided
to not assign certain policemen to guard duty, who had been complaining about
the leadership. During the day, a rumor
began to spread that any of the police who did not belong to Hosea Stout's
wagon company, would be cut off from the police. So he found much hostilities
at the meeting. Rather than arguing with
them, Hosea Stout simply assigned the guard detail for that night and
left. After he left, some had very
bitter feelings against him and even discussed taking over the police.
Thomas
Bullock spent the afternoon “comparing” patriarchal blessings that William
Smith had given while he was patriarch.12
At 5 p.m.,
the brethren met in the temple for prayers.
“Hosea Stout Diary”,
typescript, 2:103; Smith, ed., Heber C. Kimball Journal in An Intimate
Chronicle; “Thomas Bullock Journal”
During the
night, some light snow had fallen in Nauvoo.
It melted later in the day and ice started to thaw.
At about 1
p.m., the leaders of the church, along with their wives, met in the temple for
a sacred meeting. These men were those
who had received their temple ordinances during the life of Joseph Smith, and
were considered to be members of a quorum.
They dressed in their temple clothes and held a meeting in the main room
in the attic, the Celestial Room.
Joseph Fielding opened with prayer, followed by the speaking of Elders
Taylor, Hyde, Phelps, Pratt and John Smith.
Heber C. Kimball and Joseph Young administered the sacrament which was
passed by Bishop Newel K. Whitney.
Brigham
Young spoke on this sacred occasion. He
said the time would come when the Celestial law would be put in force. That law
forbids any man from taking the name of God in vain. He condemned the practice which was still found in their
midst. He stated the quorum had met for
sacred prayers, twice a week, ever since Joseph and Hyrum were killed and they
had met every day during the recent persecution. He stated that if those present would be as diligent in prayer,
the time would come when their persecutors would not have power over them. He asked that they meet for prayer in the
temple each Sunday. Joseph Young led
them in prayer and they were dismissed until next Sunday at 11.
Brigham
Young hung the temple veil.
A meeting
of the Seventies was held in the Music Hall at 2 p.m.
As was the
custom in the church at that time, several marriages were conducted on
Sunday. James H. Clinger was married to
Harriet Chapin.13 David Fullmer married his third plural wife,
Sarah Banks.14
Thomas
Bullock's nine-month-old son, Willard, continued to be close to death. In the
afternoon they gave him a little brandy and water.15
Hosea
Stout was confronted by John D. Lee at a meeting in the Music Hall. Brother Lee had been informed by someone
that he had been cut off from the police on the previous Friday night. He was very upset at Brother Stout regarding
this and other things he had heard.
They talked over the matter as they walked to a Seventies meeting being
held at the temple. During this meeting
Brother Lee was convinced that the rumors he had been told were totally false,
that Hosea Stout was his friend, not his enemy. John D. Lee hadn't been cut off from the police, but evidently
was being told false things from those who wished to stir up contention among
the police. The disaffected police
showed up to the police meeting like nothing was wrong, but Hosea Stout did not
assign them for duty.
“Thomas Bullock
Journal”; History of the Church, 7:392, 538; Smith, ed., Heber C.
Kimball Journal in An Intimate Chronicle; D. Michael Quinn, BYU
Studies, 19:1:93; Jenson, Church Chronology, January 10, 1888;
Jenson, LDS Biographical Encyclopedia, 1:289, FULLMER, David
It was a
cold day. Brigham Young continued to make
final preparations in the temple, making it ready to administer the endowment
ordinance.
Hosea
Stout continued to deal with all the dissension and rumors among the police
force.
At 5 p.m.,
the brethren met at the temple for prayer.
Bishop George Miller was the voice.
Thomas
Bullock spent the entire day carrying water for washing. He also spent time preparing seeds for the
journey west.
A
daughter, Tululph Josephine Boynton, was born to John F. and Susannah Boynton.16
“Hosea Stout Diary”,
typescript, 2:103‑105; History of the Church, 7:538; Heber C.
Kimball Journal; “Thomas Bullock Journal”; Jenson, Church Chronology;
Jenson, LDS Biographical Encyclopedia 1:91
It was a
cold day. Brigham Young spent the
morning in the temple. At 4 p.m., the
Twelve met at the Historian's Office (Willard Richards’ home) with Father
Tucker from Quincy and Father Hamilton from Springfield, Illinois of the
Catholic Church. They came by direction
of the bishop of Chicago to inquire about land for sale in Nauvoo. The brethren told the priests that the price
on the land would be reduced for a society and that they wanted to keep out
those people who would desire to have
their property for nothing. The meeting
concluded at 6 p.m.
In the evening,
the Twelve wrote out a proposal for the sale of land to the Catholics.
Hosea
Stout talked at the temple with one of the disaffected police, Jesse P.
Harmon. Brother Harmon finally told
Brother Stout what his grievances were.
He said he was offended because he understood that he was put in John
Scott's company, which he felt was poor treatment, not showing him
respect. He had also sensed cold
feelings from Brother Stout. So, he
decided to join Shadrach Roundy's company without telling Hosea Stout. Brother
Stout told him that he had never been put in John Scott's ten and that
he never had cold feelings toward him.
Brother Harmon said it might just be his own problem, but still Brother
Stout did not sense that Brother Harmon wanted to reconcile his feeling toward
him.
Hosea
Stout met Brigham Young and Orson Hyde in the streets. They told him that it was decided that he
was to go on a mission to England and they wanted to know what he thought about
it. He replied that he was ready to do
anything that they asked him to do.
In The
New York Sun, a letter to the editor was published, signed by “Emma
Smith.” The editor commented that
General James Bennet “pronounced it
genuine.” In this forged letter,
“Emma” said she was writing in response to Bennet’s letter to the editor in
October (see October 27, 1845) in which Bennet proclaimed the Saints
would leave the United States and go to San Francisco, and that they would probably ask him to be their military
leader. “Emma” blasted the people of Nauvoo, saying there was no school there,
and that she was glad the “simple‑minded people” and “tyrants” were going
to California. The Church leaders'
object was to keep the people in bondage and rule over them in ignorance. She was not going to leave with them. “I
must now say, that I have never for a moment believed in what my husband called his apparitions and revelations, as I
thought him laboring under a diseased mind.”
She would stay and she wondered why General Bennet was advocating the
cause of these “petty tyrants.” “But
this is a strange world, and I would not be surprised if they had offered to
anoint and crown him King or Emperor in the West!”17
Smith, ed., Heber C.
Kimball Journal in An Intimate Chronicle; History of the Church,
7:539; “Hosea Stout Diary”, typescript, 2:105‑7; “Thomas Bullock Journal”
The
weather was fine, but cold. Brigham
Young went to the temple at 9 a.m. He
put up curtains on the east windows, assisted by Heber C. Kimball, Vilate
Kimball, Elizabeth Ann Whitney, and Mary Ann Pratt. Hosea Stout visited with Brigham Young at the temple, where they
discussed his mission call to his relatives in England. Brother Stout told him
that he would go. President Young
replied that it would be the best thing that he could do and that it “would be
the cause of giving [him] more power and exaltation than anything else.”
At 11
a.m., Father Tucker and Father Hamilton were admitted into the Brigham Young's
room in the temple to meet with the Quorum of Twelve and a few other
brethren. They were given the
proposition for the sale of Nauvoo lands.
Brigham Young explained to them the design of the rooms in the temple
and they seemed very satisfied. Father
Tucker felt that the proposition should be published in their Catholic
papers. Brigham Young agreed. Father Tucker also said that the Catholic
bishop should send a committee to appraise the property. They had men in St. Louis, New York, and
other cities that could soon raise the money needed, but the time was so short,
and may not be possible. An amendment
was added to the proposal that the temple would be leased to the Catholics for
a period of five to thirty‑five years.
The rent would be paid in finishing the unfinished parts of the temple,
the wall around the temple block, and the block west of the temple. The Catholics would also be responsible in
keeping the temple in repair. Both
gentlemen seemed very pleased with the temple and the city. The meeting concluded at 12:30 p.m.
At 1 p.m.
Luck Mack Smith, the mother of the prophet, came up to the attic level in the
temple for the first time. There, she
had lunch with Heber C. Kimball, Agness Smith (wife of Don Carlos Smith), Mary
Fielding Smith (Hyrum's widow), and others.
At 3 p.m.,
Sister Mary Ann Young, Vilate Kimball and Elizabeth Ann Whitney started
administering initiatory ordinances in the Temple in the preparation room, in
the small room located on the northwest end of the attic.
At 3:45
p.m., the arrangements in the Celestial room were completed.
At 4:35
p.m., Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball started administering initiatory
ordinances, Willard Richards was the first.
At 7:40
p.m., Brigham Young announced that all things were ready for the
endowment. No person would be permitted
to talk or walk about in the main rooms.
Brigham Young, Parley P. Pratt, John Taylor and W.W. Phelps officiated
during this first session.
At 9:30
p.m., The session was concluded and the group assembled and knelt for prayers,
Amasa Lyman being the mouth. Some brothers
and sisters retired to their homes and the rest continued working. Another session was held which concluded at
3:30 a.m. This session was officiated
by Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, George A. Smith and Newel K. Whitney.
Brigham
and Mary Ann Young, Heber C. Kimball, George A. Smith and his wife, Mary
Fielding Smith, Mercy R. Thompson, W.W.
Phelps and his wife stayed in the Temple all night.
The
following people received their endowments on this first day: Willard Richards, Heber C. and Vilate Kimball,
George A. and Bathsheba W. Smith, John and Clarissa Smith, Newel K. and
Elizabeth Ann Whitney, Brigham and Mary Ann Young, William W. and Sally Phelps,
Parley P. and Mary Ann Pratt, Amasa and Maria Lyman, George and Mary Catharine
Miller, John and Leonora Taylor, Lucien and Phebe Woodworth, John E. and Mary
Page, Joseph C. Kingsbury, Mary Fielding Smith, and Agnes Smith.
News
arrived from Peoria about the trial of Sheriff Backenstos for killing Frank A.
Worrell. He was tried before Judge
Purple and was acquitted of the charge.
The people who were at the trial were amazed at the change in Judge
Purple, who did not seem to be influenced at all by the pressures of the
mob. The jury said they could have made
up their mind in two minutes, if the trial would have lasted that long. Two of the mob’s witnesses were put in jail
for perjury.
History of
the Church, 7:539‑41; “Hosea Stout Diary”, typescript,
2:107‑108; Black, Membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter‑day Saints: 1830‑1848;
“Thomas Bullock Journal”
It was
another cold day. After just one and a
half hour's sleep, Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball ate breakfast at Joseph
Kingsbury's18 home. They had a quick interview with Willard Snow19 who had just returned from his mission
to Boston and then returned to the temple.
Endowments
were administered to Isaac and Lucy Morley, Orson and Catharine Spencer, Joseph Young, Alpheus and Lois Cutler,
Reynolds and Thirza Cahoon, William and Ruth Clayton, Cornelius and Pamelia
Lott, Lucy Mack Smith, Mercy R. Thompson, John D. and Agatha Lee., David and
Mary Ann Candland, and Titus and Diantha Billings.
Only a
limited number of people could receive their endowments each day because of the
small rooms and the arrangement of the exits and entrances. A second session could not start until the first
session was complete. Frequently the
initiatory ordinances would be performed on one day, and the rest of the
endowment on the next.
At 1 p.m.,
an endowment session began. Heber C. Kimball, George A. Smith, Orson Hyde, and
W.W. Phelps administered in the
ordinance.
Also at 1
p.m., Elder Orson Pratt came into the temple, returning from his mission in the
east, bringing with him $400 worth of six‑shooters.
At 5 p.m.,
another session began, concluding at 7:30 p.m.
Next,
twenty endowed men and their wives gathered for prayer, John E. Page being the
mouth. Afterwards, the Twelve and the
bishops met together in Heber C. Kimball's room in the temple. Brigham Young announced that he had received
a letter from Samuel Brannan, stating that he had been to Washington and had
learned that the Secretary of War and Post Master General were preparing to
prevent the Saints from going West.
They stated that it was against the law for an armed body of men to go
from the United States to another government.
It was reported that they said that neither could the Saints stay in the
United States, and there was no other way but to exterminate them and
obliterate them from the face of the earth.
Prayer was offered to overrule them, that “all the evil which they
design to bring upon us, may befall themselves; and that the Lord would
preserve the lives of his servants and lead us out of this ungodly nation in
peace.”
Brigham
Young stated, “we should go out from this place in spite of them all, and the
brethren all felt that God would deliver us from the grasp of this ungodly and
mobocratic nation.” The meeting
concluded at 9 p.m.
A son,
Robert H. Brinton, was born to David and Priscilla Brinton.20
A
daughter, Ellen Aurelia Williams, was born to Gustavus and Maria Williams.21
Brigham
and Mary Ann Young, Amasa Lyman, Heber C. Kimball, George A. Smith, Mary
Fielding Smith, Mercy R. Thompson, W.W. Phelps and his wife stayed in the
Temple all night.
History of
the Church, 7:543‑4; Smith, ed., Heber C. Kimball Journal
in An Intimate Chronicle; T. Edgar Lyon, BYU Studies, 15: 4:443;
Jenson, Church Chronology; Membership of The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter‑day Saints: 1830‑1848;
Jenson, LDS Biographical Encyclopedia, 4:509; Our Pioneer Heritage,
17:480
The
weather was very nice, but cold.
Brigham Young and the Twelve labored in the Temple. At 10:15 a.m., the initiatory ordinances
began. At 12 noon, an endowment session
was started. Brigham Young, Parley P.
Pratt, Orson Hyde, W.W. Phelps and Heber C. Kimball officiated. Those who received their endowment during
this first session were: Orson and Sarah Pratt, William and Caroline Weeks,
Truman O. and Polly Angell, Charles C. and Sarah Rich, George W. and Lucinda
Harris, James and Elizabeth Allred, and William and Mary Felshaw.
At 3:15
p.m., Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Newel K. Whitney and Vilate Kimball went
to Joseph C. Kingsbury's home for dinner.
The next
session was held at 5 p.m. The
following were endowed: Amos Fielding and his wife, Noah and Sophia Packard,
Samuel and Elizabeth Rolfe, Aaron
Johnson and his wife, William and Lydia Snow, Erastus and Artimitia Snow,
William and Zillah Player, and Jacob and Emily Norton.22
Jacob
Norton described the experience as “the most interesting scene of all my life
and one that afforded the most peace and joy that we had ever experienced since
we were married, which has been over fifteen years.”23
Brigham
Young officiated until 12 midnight.
Several people were allowed to stay in the temple all night. They took their blankets and slept on the
temple floor.
At least
fifty-eight people received their ordinances on this day.
History of the Church, 7:544; Joseph Fielding Diary in “Nauvoo Journal,” BYU Studies 19:158‑9; Jenson, LDS Biographical Encyclopedia, 1:103, SNOW, Erastus; “Norton Jacob Autobiography,” 22; Black, Membership