Thomas
Jeremy’s Copy Book
Transcription and Translation
by
Ronald D. Dennis
A word of explanation
In 1989 I visited Ardella
Davey in her Salt Lake City
apartment to converse with her about her ancestor Thomas Jeremy. In her possession was a book that had
belonged to Thomas Jeremy containing what appear to be first drafts of letters
sent to various people. Other information is also recorded, such as patriarchal
blessings, important events, etc. The book bears no title, so I have decided to
call it “Thomas Jeremy’s Copy Book.” Sister Davey was kind enough to allow me
to make a xerox copy of the entire book.
For sake of reference I have numbered
the pages from 1 to 96, the original pages on the left as the odd numbers and
the original pages on the right as the even numbers. I refer to the entries
originally recorded in English as “Transcriptions of the English,” and those
originally recorded in Welsh as “Translations from the Welsh.” I have maintained the original spellings for
the transcriptions; however, I have made changes in the punctuation to
facilitate their reading. All brackets throughout are mine. A page-by-page
index is at the end of the transcriptions and translations.
Page 1—Transcription of
the English
Eliza Jeremy was born in Great S.
L. City,
Tuesday, March 23rd in the year 1852, at the hour of 4 in the after
noon.
Pages 2 and 3—Transcription
of the English
Great Salt Lake City, December 15, 1849.
A blessing by John Smith
Patriarch upon the head of Thomas Jeremy, son of Thomas and Sarah, born
Llanegwad, South Wales, July 11th,
1815.
Brother Thomas, by virtue of
the Holy Priesthood I place my hands upon thy head in the name of Jesus of
Nazareth and seal upon thee a father’s blessing. Inasmuch as thou hast been obedient to the
commandments of the Lord and left thy native land for the gospel’s sake
choosing rather to suffer with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures
and follies of the gentiles, the Lord is well pleased with the integrity of
thine heart, and thy name is written in the Lamb’s Book of life and he hath
given his angels charge to watch over thee and to defend thee from all thine
enemies. No power on earth shalt stay
thine hand for thou art one of the horns of Joseph and of the blood of Ephraim
appointed to push the people together from the ends of the earth and thou shalt
be clothed with priesthood and power to do mighty miracles when it is nesessary
for the salvation of Zion thou shalt bring thousands to a knowledge of the
truth from among the nations of the earth wherever thy lot is cast. Thy greatest labour shalt be among the
Lamanites, nevertheless thou shalt go to thy native land if it seemeth good
unto thee and shalt gather thy friends and relatives and bring them to Zion. Thou shalt be able to speak the language of
any people wherever thy lot is cast.
Thou shalt be blest with riches until thou art satisfied. Thou shalt be blest in thy family with a
numerous posterity for they shalt increase like Jacob shalt become great and a
mighty people. Thy name shall be had in
honourable remembrance among the saints forever. Thou shalt live if you desire it to see
Israel gathered from every portion of the earth and become acquainted with the
great men that are now labouring to gather the remnants of Jacob that are yet
unknown unto us. I seal all these
blessings upon thee in the name of Jesus Christ and inasmuch as thou art
faithful not a word of it shall fail even so, Amen.
Pd. 1.50 December 15th,
1849. Thomas Jeremy. Recorded in Book F, Page 64, No. 146.
Pages 4 and 5—Transcription
of the English
A blessing by Wm. Draper,
Sen., Patriarch upon the head of Thomas, son of Thomas and Sarah Jeremy. Born July 11th, 1815, Carmarthen County
South Wales.
Beloved brother, I lay my
hands upon thy head and in the name of Jesus Christ I bless thee with a
Patriarch and a Father’s Blessing, and say thou shalt be blest with the
outpouring of the Spirit of God with wisdom and inteligence and shalt perform a
mighty work on the earth and be instrumental in bringing many into the kingdom. Thou hast seen many trials and afflictions
for which thou shalt be blest abundantly in this world and in that to come have
life everlasting. Thou art a descendant
of Abraham, a son of Joseph through the loins of Ephraim and all the blessings
promised through that lineage shall rest upon thee and upon thy posterity
forever. If thou art faithful in keeping
the commandments of thy God thou art called to do a mighty work in bringing the
literal descendants of Joseph or the Lamanites to knowledge of their fathers
and gathering them together. Thy days
shall be according to thy faith and if thou desire thou shalt see the winding
up scene of all things upon the earth. [Thou] shalt see the kingdom established
or spoken of by Daniel and stand like Daniel in thy lot at the end of the [thy]
days. Be faithful therefore dear brother
and not one of all these blessings shall fail, for I ask God the Eternal Father
to seal them upon thee and I seal them upon thee by the power of the priesthood
and seal thee up unto eternal life in the arm of Jesus Christ, even so, Amen.
F. I. Davies, Rec.
Paid
Thomas Jeremy
Recorded in Book A.
on page 24—
F. I. Davies, Rec.
Pages 6 and 7—Transcription
of the English
Salt Lake City, December
15th, 49
A blessing by John Smith,
Patriarch, upon the head of Sarah Jeremy, Daughter of John and Hannah Evans,
born Llanybyther, South Wales, April 27th,
1815.
Sister Sarah, I place my
hands upon thy head in the name of Jesus of Nazareth and seal upon you every
blessing which a father could wish his daughter to enjoy. Thou art a faithful heir to the priesthood in
common with thy companion, for thou art of the same blood and lineage. Thou shalt have power to heal the sick in
thine house to drive the destroyer from thy habitation. Thou shalt be blest in thy basket and store
in thy family in thy dwelling, with health, peace and plenty. Thou shalt have the ministering of angels, be
able to converse with them face to face, as with thy familiar friends. They shalt communicate unto thee things which
have been kept hid from before the foundation of the world that shalt rejoices
[rejoice] thy heart. Thou shalt be a
mother in Israel
and thy name shalt be known like Sarah of old to a thousand generations. Thou shalt have power to bring thy friends
into the new and everlasting covenant and bring them up in the first
ressurection, with the help of thy companion.
Thou shalt have share in all the blessings sealed upon him and partake
of all the blessings hereby and glory of Zion. Amen.
Pages 7 and 8—Transcription
of the English
A blessing upon the head of
Thomas Jeremy by the Apostle George A. Smith.
Brother Jeremy, I lay my
hands upon thy head to bless thee in the name of Jesus Christ and I tell you
that you will be blest with all the desires of your heart in
reighteousness. Thou shalt be blest with
wisdom and inteligence and thou shalt receive the keys of the priesthood and be
a high priest, and go to thy own nation and shall be instrumental in the hand
of the Lord to do much good, and to bring many of thy own nation, and other
nations into the kingdom of God and to Zion.
And thou shalt have power and authority over unclean spirits in the time
of tribulation and trial. Thou shalt be
blessed with the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and thou shalt be one
of the horns of Joseph to push forward the people to Zion.
These blessings I seal upon thy head in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Pages 8 and 9—Transcription
of the English
A blessing upon the head of
Thomas Jeremy by John Young, President of the High Priest Quorum, the 2nd
day of February, 1851. Brother John
Parry laid his hands upon my head with Brother Young.
Brother Jeremy, we the
servants of the Lord lay our hands upon your head according to the ordinance of
the kingdom of God, to bless you. And by virtue of the holy priesthood and the
authority of the Son of God we bless you.
And Brother Jeremy you are blessed.
And we the servants of the Lord say unto you that not many years hence
you shall be sent to your own nation and other countries to proclaim the
everlasting gospel by the council of the authorities here. Thy tongue shall be as the pen of a ready
writer, and many shall wonder at the power and wisdom that you shall have, and
even yourself shall wonder at the wisdom you shall have. And you shall have power over the elements,
and prisons and fetters of brass shall not withhold you. And your face shall shine like Stephen of
old, and you shall shut the mouths of lions.
And I pray that my Father in Heaven will babtize you with the Holy Ghost
and with fire and that you shall feel the power thereof. And I seal upon your head all the blessings
of the priesthood which are the greatest of all blessings. You shall stand upon Mount Zion
and be a saviour for your dead by being babtized for them. And upon the resurrection day you shall call
your friends up, even to your father Adam.
All these blessings we seal upon your head by virtue of the Holy
Priesthood, and if you will be faithful Brother Jeremy, you shall have all that
your heart shall desire in reighteousness.
And we pray that these blessings shall be recorded in the courts of
heven. And we seal all these blessings
upon your head in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Even so, Amen.
Page 10—Transcription of
the English
Great Salt Lake City, February 18, 1851.
A blessing by John Smith
Patriarch upon the head of Thomas Jeremy, son of Thomas and Sarah Jeremy, born
Llanegwad parish, Carmarthen County, South Wales,
July 11, 1815.
Brother Jeremy, I lay my
hands upon thy head in the name of Jesus Christ and I bless you with all the
Patriarchial blessings you had before together with the prophets and apostles
and precidents with all others that had the authority to bless. I seal them all upon yo, with all that your
heart desires. Thou shalt be a
counciller in Zion
and to precide over one of her stakes.
Thou shalt be blest in thy family and thy wife and thy children shall be
blest, and thy children shall be great in the priesthood, and all things shall
prosper that’s about you. Thou shalt
raise up posterity that shall be a multitude of nations in the midts of the
earth, and you shall have all the desires of your heart. And whatsoever and whomsoever you bless, they
shall be blest and I seal all these blessings upon your head in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.
Page 11—Transcription of
the English
A blessing upon the head of
Thomas Jeremy under the had of Parley P. Pratt, one of the Twelve Apostles of
the last dispensation.
Brother Thomas, in the name
of Jesus Christ and through the authority of the priesthood I lay my hands upon
your head, and I seal wisdom upon your head from this time forth in a special
manner.
Pages 12 and 13—Transcription
of the English
A blessing upon the head of
Thomas Jeremy under the hands of George A. Smith and Lorenzo Snow of the twelve
apostles of the last days in the vestry room in great S. Lake when the high
priests was blest (those that was called to go on missions to the nations of
the earth on the 11th day of September, 1852).
Brother Thomas Jeremy, in the
name of Jesus Christ and by virtue of the Holy Priesthood, we lay our hands
upon thy head and set thee apart unto the mission whereunto thou art called,
that thy voice may be as the angels of the Lord. The power of the Holy Ghost lshall fall upon
the people as thou shalt speak forth the word of God unto them, that thou
mayest gather the people to Ziion. The
power of God shall rest upon thee. Thou
shalt have power to do mighty miracles, the lame shall walk, the dumb shall
hear, and the blind shall see, and thou shalt have exeeding great faith, and
thou shalt have power over fowl spirits, and no enemy shall prevail against
thee and thou shalt bring hundreds to the knowledge of the truth. And if thou art faithfull thou shalt return
to Zion in
peace and safty. We seal these blessings
upon thy head in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Page 14—Some calculations and entries crossed out with a large
corner missing
Page 15—Blank
Pages 16, 17, 18, and 19—Translation
from the Welsh [This letter to Dan
Jones was published in Prophwyd y Jubili (Prophet of the Jubilee), the
Welsh Mormon periodical from July 1846 to December 1848, vol. 3, p. 170-171.]
The Blind Man and His Book
Dear Brother Jones—I wish you
to put the true story which follows, through the medium of your Prophet, before
the public. Because lying men are trying
to put our religion in a bad light, by going about the country, and also to the
Works, and selling this pamphlet which is entitled “The True Mirror,”
which book has been reprinted; and those who sell it say that its author is not
yet dead!!! namely Daniel Jones (the Blind), which is a completely unfounded
lie. It is a strange thing that men who
were fashioned in the image of the truthful God should so succumb to the
influences of the father of lies as to claim that he (Daniel Jones) is still
alive. If he is alive, he must have
taken part in the first resurrection.
Where is he, that he may be seen? for that would certainly be a great
miracle, so that those who live here near the banks of the Taff can see him,
those who knew him so well, and heard him sing ballads in the fairs, and those
too who carried him to lie in Llanllwni cemetery. If it is true that (Blind) Daniel Jones is
alive now, hundreds of men around Llanybydder and Llanllwni, and the next
parishes, would have to believe that miracles are being performed now, or deny
that it is Daniel.
Since lies are being spread around the Works, etc.,
namely that Daniel is alive, that is the reason I am writing this account, and
also a little of his story before his death.
He was baptized and received as a member in Llanybydder,
on the 7th of July, 1846. He
was in the service with us on the Thursday evening and the following Sunday,
and that is all he went to our meetings.
Soon afterwards he started persecuting us throughout the community; but
he did not succeed in that way in his slander, because they knew him well
here. We baptized many in the months
following that.
The following October, Capt. D. Jones came this way; he
and I went to the community of Brechfa to preach; and as we were returning
towards Llanybydder, we met (Blind) Daniel Jones in the mountains, going to
Brechfa fair. span>Capt. D. Jones questioned
him about how he had become such a persecutor of the Saints. Daniel did not give one reason in answer, but
he indicated clearly enough that he was an enemy of the Saints. Capt. D. Jones told him, that if he
persecuted and falsely accused the Saints, the hand of God would be upon him,
and his fate would be hotter than that of Cora, Dathan, and Abiram. He told him strongly the danger of
persecuting and falsely accusing the Lord’s people. Afterwards the facts clearly proved that
Capt. Jones told him the truth. He was
taken very ill, so that he felt his intestines on fire inside him: he drank a
lot of cold water to stop the supposed fire inside him, and also he ran out of
the house to wallow in water in order to cool down; but all in vain. He died in this painful condition; although I
was not present, I heard about him. I
live about three miles from the place where he died. I have been with Mr. James Evans, the Registrar,
who has registered the death of Daniel Jones, and he is willing to give
a copy to anyone who wishes, if they pay 2s. 6c. And the postage.
Before finishing I shall give a word of advice to those
who accuse us falsely and persecute us.
It is this; let them reflect, and consider they are fighting against the
good God who sustains them; let them repent for all their sins, and be baptized
by the servants of God for the remission of them, and take back their lies as
faithfully as they fashioned them. Let
the above story about poor Daniel be a warning to all to leave the children of
God alone.
May the gracious Lord have mercy on all the honest in
heart, by moving away the obstacles so that they may have the great privilege
of coming into the Church of Jesus Christ, and sharing in the joy of the Holy
Ghost with the Latter-day Saints, is my constant prayer through Jesus
Christ. Amen.
Thomas Jeremy
Pages 19, 20, 21, and 22—Translation
from the Welsh
Llynddwr,
Llanybyther, Nov. 17th, 1848
Dear Brother Jones,
I see the time quickly drawing nigh when it will no
longer be necessary to write to you with paper and ink, for I shall see you
face to face. I hope that you quickly
gain strength in health if you have not become completely healthy yet. Also I hope that my dear Sister Jones is well
and happy. I am pleased to give you good
news again this time, namely that 6 have been baptized here since the
Conference and 11 in Brechfa. Concerning
those who have been baptized here and in Brechfa, the majority were respected
members with the various denominations, some with the Baptists, some with the
Independents, and the Armenians, and also the Church of England. They are now greatly enjoying the blessings
of the Holy Ghost. There are better
signs for growth in these environs where we are preaching than there ever have
been. Although there is no one here in
Llanybyther who is very desirous of listening to the words of life, yet in the
surrounding areas crowds are coming to listen in crowds. [Crossed out: I think
that 2 or 3 will be baptized here next Sunday from Pencader and the others near
Courtnewydd. I hope they will come.]
There is a great call for us to preach in various
places. I had a letter last Saturday
night from someone near Llanmwydyfri with a kind invitation to come to Cilycwm
where they say there will be hundreds if not thousands to listen to us. We have promised to go to Caeo next Sunday
and afterwards to Cilycwm the following Monday night. In those areas and near Llanagadog I intend
to spend that week, hoping that hosts will believe the Eternal Gospel. I do not believe I have to express my wish
for you to pray for us here, for I know that you are already doing so.
I am pleased to tell you that this Branch is increasing
in godliness and brotherly love, and several gifts of the Holy Spirit. Although those that were a matter before the
Council in Merthyr have not come back despite every effort, Davies of
Aberystwyth has been excommunicated.
Three of the Brechfa Saints have pulled back from going to Zion next year. Their names are Thos Jones, Crybynau, William
Evans, a servant at Llystyn, and Jared Mathias, Cilwaun. The other Saints there are very determined
and faithful. It is a great shame they
listen so much to the devil and his tricks concerning this salvation. The last of the aforementioned was cut off
some time ago for transgression and has been and still continues to be fickle
with the world and refuses to come to the meetings. The officials have been with him and his
father also trying to get him back, but they have failed up to now. What is to be done with him?
I am going this week together with Brother Benjamin
Francis down toward Llandysil and Llangeler and Newcastle to preach, hoping that it is not an
infraction of the rules for us to go together.
We shall endeavor to have separate places to preach at night so that
more can hear the gospel. Kindly give my
regards and those of my wife to my Dear Sister Jones and yourself in the same
manner. Your dear brother in the everlasting
covenant, Thomas Jeremy.
Pages 23, 24, 25, 26, and
27—Translation from the Welsh
Llynddwr, Llanybyther,
December ___, 1848
Dear Brother Jones,
In the last letter I sent you I was saying that I
together with Brother Benjamin Francis were going to preach toward Llandysul
and Llangeler. We preached first in
Llandysil; we received permission to preach there in the Town Hall where
several came together. They listened
very attentively and cheerfully. One of
the members with the Baptists told us after we finished preaching, “Success to
you dear people.” We were in his house talking
with him for a long time afterwards, and he showed obvious signs of believing
our doctrine. And there were good
indications there that several besides him believed.
The morning after that night we went toward Pentre
Countmanarorion. We had a promise for a
place in a tavern there to preach that night.
There was a funeral there that day.
We requested one man to announce at the funeral about the meeting, so
the neighborhood would know. We went
from there afterwards to the village
of Llangeler about a
mile-and-a-half from there where a school was kept. We went to the schoolmaster and he promised
to tell the children about the meeting and for them to tell about it in their
homes. Then we traveled on intending to
go toward Newcastle
to preach during the day. But we heard
on the way before going all the way there that a fair was being held there that
day. And then we did not go any
further. We tried to get a place in that
village, namely Drefach (where we had heard about the fair) to preach that night
(i.e., a place for one of us). At first
we were with a deacon and a minister of the Baptists asking for the loan of a
meeting house. But we did not get it
because we believed erroneous doctrine, said the minister. We asked him what was the error of our religion,
that we would really like to know, whether it was our belief that Jesus Christ
was the Son of God or something else. I
took advantage of the opportunity of showing him something of our principles. He did not give one bit of proof of our deceit,
rather it was all baseless assertions.
Then we looked for a place in other places but were unsuccessful despite
searching diligently. Then we turned
back toward Pentrecourtmanarorion where a large crowd of people came
together. And there are excellent signs
that several there believe. There was
one man there who is considered the wisest in the neighborhood although he does
not belong to any one church. After the
meeting ended this man said to the people who had remained afterwards (for
nearly everyone remained afterwards) that we had said great things. He tried to get the believers to defend
themselves, but no one said a word against us.
Then he said that a religion such as this one had been with the people
in earlier times, and that he could not oppose us from the scriptures. I believe that he did us a great benefit by
saying such things. Everyone there
showed unusual kindness to us. You know
that that is a sign that they will become Saints.
The next night we went to Pencader where there was a
large crowd gathered. The following
Sunday to Caeo. Monday night to
Cilcwm. Though we preached in a large
house it was much too small. Some went
to the loft to listen as they did in Llanybyther long ago when you were
preaching at the Crosshands. Tuesday we
preached on the street in Llanmwydyfri at 2:00 o’clock. Then that night to Llanwrda about four miles
from there. There several came together. Wednesday we went to Llangadog. We got a place to preach from a tavernkeeper
in a large malthouse where several came together there also. Thursday we came home in time for the Saints
meeting. In the aforementioned places
where we preached I have no doubt that many will become Saints if we but preach
to them. I am going again soon to some
of the aforementioned places.
I have been assured that it is Morgans, Pantllyn, who is
writing to the Seren Gomer [Star of Gomer, Baptist periodical] on the
spiritual gifts. Where is the Prophwyd
[Prophet of the Jubilee, Mormon periodical]?
There is a great expectation for it here. If it has been printed there, for goodness
sake send it here.
One was baptized last Saturday night by myself near
Llanwenog. He received a testimony
yesterday through the Holy Ghost. Did
you receive the goose that was sent with the Caridan Carrier? I would like for you to answer the foregoing,
and I would really like to know how you are doing with respect to your
health. My wife joins with me in sending
you together with our dear Sister our vest best wishes. Wm. Thomas, Blacklion, and his wife wish to
be remembered to you also. Your dear
brother in the new and everlasting covenant.
Thomas Jeremy.
Pages 27, 28, 29, and 30—Translation
Llynddwr, Llanybyther,
December 5, 1848.
Dear Brother and my Sister,
I do not intend for this letter to be long, but I hope to
see you before long. You can either come
here according to your promise before our departure from Wales, or I
shall come there to give you my last testimony of the truthfulness of the
Eternal Gospel (perhaps forever).
It is strange that you do not in any way believe me; but
when I look back as far as the time when the Lord Jesus himself was on the
earth, what was the treatment he received?
Read in the 7th chapter of John and the 5th verse
especially, and there you will see clearly how strong was the disbelief in that
time. His brothers refused to believe in
him!!! In the former days they
considered those who believed in that carpenter’s son with scorn. Read at the end of the same chapter the 47th,
the 48th, and the 49th verses. You can see that the religion of Christ was
not popular in that time. If any were
inclined to believe in Jesus they said, “Have you been charmed also?” Or had any of the great men or zealous
believers believed in him, or as if they had said that that religion was much
too lowly to take notice of. We can
refer you to several other places in the scriptures about similar
circumstances, but hoping that I shall see you before long I shall not
expatiate further now.
For goodness sake, dear brother and my sister, search the
scriptures diligently, and then you will see clearly [crossed out: that that is
how men] the difference between the religion of Christ and the traditions of
men. Few of the priests and the learned
men believed in the early days (perhaps because of the scorn), and they still,
in our days, consider the poor Saints much too lowly to join them. And also the
pastors see hope of their profit ending if they come to the Saints. And they
see that then they will not get a nod from the men and a genuflection from the
women, but they will then be called deceivers and false prophets. And thus you
see that it is through many tribulations that one enters into the land of life.
I shall close now hoping that the two of you and your dear children will accept
baptism at the first opportunity and the forgiveness of your sins, so that you
may then receive the gift of the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands. I
would like to hear from you as soon as you can [send word]; and the best news
that you could give me would be to say that you have been baptized. We are all well and happy here, hoping that
you are well and in the womb so that you can be born sons and daughters of God
is the true wish of your dear brother, Thomas Jeremy.
Pages 31 and 32—Transcription
The upper California, o
that’s the land for me
It lies between the mountains
and great Pacific sea
The Saints shall be supported
there
And taste’s the sweets of
liberty
With flocks and herds
abounding, O that’s the land for me.
O that’s the land for me, O
that’s the land for me.
We’ll go and lift our
standard , we’ll go there and be free
We’ll go to California and have our Jubily
A land that booms with
endless springs
A land of joy and liberty
In uppere California, O that’s the land for me, etc.,
etc.
We’ll burst of all our
fetters
And break our gentiles yoke
For long it has beset us
But now it shall be broke
No more shall Jacob bow his
neck
Henceforth it shall be free
In upper California, O that’s
the land for me, etc., etc.
We’ll reign we’ll rule and
triumpth
And God shall be our king
The plains the hills the
vallies
Shall with hosannahs ring
Our towers and temples then
shall rise
Along the great pacific sea
In upper California, O that’s
the land for me, etc., etc.
We’ll ask our cousin Lemuel
To join us heart and hand
And spread aborad our
curtains
Throughout fair Zion’s land
Tell this is done we’ll pitch
our tents
Beside the great pacific sea
In upper California, O that’s
the land for me, etc., etc.
Then join with me my brethren
And let us hasten there
And lift our glorious
standard
And rise a house of prayer
We’ll call and teach the
nations there
To join our standard and be
free
In upper California, O that’s
the land for me, etc., etc.
This song was made by Elder
John Taylor, one of the Twelve Apostles.
Pages 33 and 34—Translation
A few useful things to
remember:
I, Thomas Jeremy, was
baptized by Capt. D. Jones the third day of March in the year 1846. I was confirmed and ordained a priest by him
on the same day. I was called to be an
elder by Capt. D. Jones at the Merthyr Conference which was held the
________________ [blank in the original] 1846.
Before that I had been placed as president of the Llanybyther
Branch. I and others preached toward the
area of Brechfa where several were baptized by us until their number was ____
[blank in the original] when Brechfa was organized as a branch at the Merthyr
Conference which was held Sunday and Monday, December 26th and 27th,
1847. David Jeremy, my natural brother,
was placed as President of the Brechfa Branch in a council with myself, Thomas
Jeremy. John Evans, Penywern, was chosen
and sustained as President in my place over the Llanybyther Branch in the
Glamorgan Conference which was held Sunday, the 31st of December,
1848, and Monday, the 1st of January, 1849, and he was sustained by
the Saints unanimously. The reason he
was put in my place was because I was going to Zion as one of the firstfruits of the Welsh
nation.
Page 35—Translation and
transcription
November 8th,
1849. By the Priesthood Brigham Young
married Sarah and me on this date to be man and wife for time and all eternity.
[Translation]
Monday, 11th of
August, 1851. I, Thomas Jeremy, and
Sarah Jeremy, my wife, had our endowments in the Counsel House on the above
day. [Transcription—very fancy handwriting]
John Jeremy was ordained a
teacher under the hands of Bishop Roundy and Fielding, the 15th of
February, 1854. Thomas Jeremy was
ordained a teacher the same time. [Transcription]
Pages 36, 37, and 38—Translation
A record of the births of the
children of Thomas and Sarah Jeremy:
John Jeremy was born at
Blacklion, Llanybyther, the 23rd of May, 1838, between 1:00 and 2:00
o’clock in the afternoon.
Thomas Jeremy was born at
Cwmffrwd, parish of Llanegwad, the 1st of December, 1839, about 4:00
o’clock in the afternoon.
Hannah Jeremy was born at
Cwmffrwd, the parish of Llanegwad, the 17th of March, 1842, about
2:00 o’clock in the afternoon.
Hannah Jeremy was baptized by
Willard Snow the 28th of April, 1850. She was confirmed by Daniel Spencer the same
day in Great Salt Lake
City.
Sarah Jeremy was born at
Glantrenfawr the 11th of April, 1844, about 9:00 o’clock in the
afternoon. She died the 7th
of May, 1849, on the steamboat Mary on the Missouri River as we came to Council Bluffs from Saint
Louis. She and
Mary Jeremy, her sister, were buried in the same grave and in the same coffin
alongside the river as we came up.
Margaret Jeremy was born at
Glantrenfawr, the parish of Llanybyther, at about 10:30 o’clock in the
afternoon [sic] the 11th of May in the year 1846. She died on the steamboat Mary on Sunday the
6th of May, 1849, as we came from St. Louis
up to Council Bluffs.
Esther Jeremy was born at
Glantrenfawr, the parish of Llanybyther, at about 1:00 o’clock in the afternoon
of the 12th of May in the year 1846.
Mary Jeremy was born at
Glantrenfawr, the parish of Llanybyther, between 1:00 and 2:00 o’clock in the
morning the 27th of March in the year 1848. She died on the steamboat Mary on Monday the
7th of May, 1849, as we came from St. Louis
up to Council Bluffs. She was buried alongside the River Missouri
as we came up to Council Bluffs
in the same coffin as Sarah her sister and in the same grave.
Anne Jeremy was born at Great Salt Lake City the 19th of April in the
year 1850 between 5:00 and 6:00 o’clock in the morning.
September 19th,
1850, Anne Jeremy was blessed by the Apostle George A. Smith. He said that she would be a mother in Israel and a
comfort to her parents all the days of her life, and that she would be crowned
with heavenly glory. This blessing was
sealed on her head in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Page 39—Transcription
Thomas Thomas John Thomas
Thomas Thomas Jeremy [??]
April 14 and 15, 1850, dated
2 letters to go to Wales,
one to Blacklion, Llanybyther and the other to Brother John Davies,
Printer. Sent a letter to Bro. John
Davies, Printer, Merthyr, in the year in Spring 1852. May 3rd, 1852, sent a letter to my
Bro. David to Wales,
and 2 letter inclosed in it, one for my father Thomas Jeremy and the other for
my sister Sarah Williams.
Pages 40 and 41—Transcription
A Dream on Monday night,
February 16th, 1852. [As narrated by John Jeremy]
I thought that I and my
brother Thomas and some others was coming home from the north Kaynon [Canyon]
with teams and loaded with fire wood and I saw coming from the north multitudes
of the Gentiles, mostly on horsback and waggons with many canons and guns and
many drums and brass band, and some of them had a lrage [large] feathers in
their caps looked very handsome. And I
saw the Saints that they were many, but not so numerous as the gentiles. They came from the City and met the gentiles
North of the Hot Spring. At this time I
saw many of the Mormon boys like myself, that they came from the City to see
the war. While I thus stood with the
boys Lieutenant Colonel William Burgess came to us and said, “Will you boys go
to some of them little Kaynons [Canyons] and pray so that the gentiles cannot
see you, so we all went and on our way going the gentiles entangled and killed
each other, and then we kneeled and prayed to God; after we arose from our
knees I saw that the Saints overcame them, and killed them exept [sic] those
that turned on the side of the Saints, and I saw that those that were slain
were many and some of them was not quite dead, and the Saints went with their
swords and did cut their throats; after that was done the Saints returned home
to the City and those gentiles that turned on the side of the Saints with them;
on our way to the city the brass band was played beautifully, and so I
awoke. John Jeremy. I did not see only one of the Saints that was
killed.
Mr David Moris
Pentrepoth Near Furnace Gate
Llanellyn, Carmarthenshire,
South Wales, Great Britain
Page 42—Translation
[This page consists of only
one line of column headings. The rest of the page is blank.]
Age When born
Where born When cut off When restored Died
When excommunicated When
restored
Pages 43, 44, 45, and 46— [These four pages have lists of men who were ordained
to the priesthood. Thomas Jeremy’s name
heads the list—ordained a priest by Captain D. Jones, 3 March 1846, the same
day as his baptism. His residence is
given as Glantrenfawr, a farmhouse that still stands. It is located about a mile outside the town
of Llanybydder,
Carmarthenshire. The other men are as follows: Benjamin Jones, Saddler,
ordained a teacher by Capt. D. Jones; Richard Jones, Crosshands, ordained a
deacon by Capt. D. Jones; John Evans, Penywern, ordained a priest; David
Jeremy, ordained a teacher by Thomas Jeremy, 14 Feb 1847; Benjamin Thomas,
Plasbach, ordained a teacher by Thomas Jeremy, 18 July 1847; Jenkin Davies,
Tytewyll, ordained a teacher by Thomas Jeremy, 22 April 1847; David Evans,
Penywern, ordained a priest by Thomas Jeremy, 2 Jan 1848; Thomas Nash, Saddler,
ordained a priest by Thomas Jeremy, 2 Jan 1848; Lewis Lloyd, Rhydcaisfach,
ordained a teacher by Thomas Jeremy, 2 Jan 1848; Benjamin Francis, Courtnewydd,
ordained a teacher by Thomas Jeremy, 20 Apr 1848; Benjamin Francis, Courtnewydd,
ordained a priest by Capt. D. Jones, 29 June 1848; John Evans, Penywern,
ordained an elder by Thomas Jeremy, 20 July 1848; Jonathan Jones, Talygraig,
ordained a priest by Thomas Jeremy, 27 July 1848; Benjamin Jones, Saddler,
ordained a priest by Thomas Jeremy, 3 Aug 1848; James Jones, Velindrefach,
ordained a priest by Thomas Jeremy, 7 Jan 1849; John Griffith, Cribin, ordained
a priest by Thomas Jeremy, 7 Jan 1849; Abel Lloyd, Rhydcaisfach, ordained a
teacher by Thomas Jeremy, 11 Jan 1849; Thomas Evans, Frondes, ordained a
teacher by John Evans, 11 Jan 1849.
Pages 47 and 48—
Transcription
I, Thomas Jeremy, was
babtized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by Elder Dan
Jones in the Parish of Llanybyther in the County
of Carmarthen, South
Wales, the 3rd day of March 1846 and confirmed a member
on the same date by Elder Dan Jones. I
was ordained a priest under his hands on the above date.
I, Thomas Jeremy, was
ordained an Elder August the 4th, 1846, under the hands [of] Elder
Abel Evans in Llanybyther Branch, and was ordained a High Priest under the
hands of Joseph L. Heywood and Edwin E. Woolley on Wednesday night the 22nd
day of January 1851 in the Counselhouse
Great Salt Lake City,
State of Deseret. Brother William W. Majer moved that I should
be ordained a High Priest and seconded by John Young, President of the High
Priest Quorum.
I, Thomas Jeremy, was 31
years old lacking four months and eight days when I was babtized into the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and was ordained a priest when I
was yet the same age; and was ordained an Elder when I was 32 years and 24 days
old, being born the 11th day of July 1815; and was ordained a high
priest when I was 36 years old lacking 5 months and 19 days.
Page 49— blank and half missing
Pages 50 and 51—Transcription
Welch Settlement, August 21,
1851
I, Benjamin Jones, do agree
with the undersigned to make a dam across Jordan. To raise the water so as to irrigate the
Welch field for 200 bushels of wheat, one hundred bushels to be delivered when
the dam is completed, and the other hundred bushels at the end of the year from
the time the dam is completed. Also that
I, B. Jones do have all right and title to all the water that shall be taken from
the said dam that may irigate my land except the Welch field to rent or sell
the same. Also I, B. Jones, do agree
that if the said dam should not stand that I do forfeit the whole of my
labour. Also that the undersigned do
agree on their part to give me, B. Jones, 200 bushels of wheat and to haul 14
waggon loads of lumber from the Kaynon [canyon] to the place where the dam is
to be made and that each one that holds land in the said field will give a day
to help to set the timbers accross the river to their places. The Welch field is to be irrigated from the
south end of Brother Robinson’s land to the north side of Ricy Jone’s [Jones’s]
land acording to this agreement and no further.
Also that if the dam should break down before the end of the year that
I, B. Jones, do return the undersigned the 100 bushels of wheat. Also that after the expiration of 12 months
that all repairs of said dam by one half by B. Jones and the other half by the
underseigned. Also that I, B. Jones,
make a flood gate and fix the same in the ditch in the agreement. The dam is to [be] completed by the 15th
of October next.
Thomas Jeremy David
Phillips
Rice Williams David
Peters
Benjamin Thomas
Daniel Daniels
Page 52— blank
Page 53— Translation and
Transcription
Llanybyther and Brechfa
Branch
An accounting of the tithing
paid
towards the building of a
temple to the Lord [Translation]
£ s d
Thomas Jeremy, Llanybyther 15 13 7
Benjamin Francis
Ditto 0 10 0
William Thomas, Blacklion Ditto 5 0 0
David Phillips, Brechfa 8 10 0
Daniel Davies
Ditto 10 0 0
Daniel Daniel Ditto 30 0 0
The
following is a copy of a receipt of my labour and produce tithing in Great Salt Lake City, for the year 1850.
This
certifies that Thomas Jeremy has paid his labour tithing in full to October 6th,
1850, and his produce tithing for the year 1850.
G. S. L.
City Wm. Clayton
December 21st,
1850 Clerk
Page
54— blank
Pages
55, 56, 57, and 58—Transcription and translation
[A record of
contributions made by various members of the Llanybydder and Brechfa branch for
March through September 1847 for those members who intended to emigrate. Only
the names, residence and/or occupation are listed here. “One of the world,” as
in the case of Elizabeth Jones, indicates the individual is not a baptized
member of the LDS church.]
Collections
made for the California Saints by the Llanybyther and Brechfa Branch
Thomas
Jeremy, Glantrenfawr
Richard
Jones, Crosshands
John
Evans, Penywern
Thomas
Nash, Saddler
Anne
Morgans, Pencarreg
Evan
Hughes, Glangyforiog
David
Evans, Penywern
Jenkin
Davies, Tytewyll
David
Jeremy, Crybynau
Benjain
Thomas, Plasbach
Anne
Walters, Crybynau
Thomas
Evans, Brondawe
Sarah
Davies, Pantypinsiwrn
Elizabeth
Jones, Pencarreg, one of the world
Thomas
Harries, Pantllyn
John
Evans, Talygraig
Benjamin
Jones, Saddler
Jonathan
Jones, Talygraig
Margaret
Thomas, Blacklion
Daniel
Thomas, Escerydd
Anne
Joseph, Blacklion
David
Jones, Carpenter, Llanybyther
Daniel
Davies, Llystyn
Mary
Evans, Penywern
Benjamin
Evans, Maes y Groes
Daniel
Daniel, Pantypinsiwrn
Abel
Lloyd, Rhydycaisfach
Pages 59 and 60—Transcription and translation
[A
record of contributions made by various members of the Llanybydder and Brechfa
branch for October through December 1847 for those members who intended to
emigrate. Only the names, residence and/or occupation are listed here.]
Collections
made for the California Saints by the Llanybyther and Brechfa Branch in the
year 1847
Thomas
Jeremy, Glantrenfawr
Richard
Jones, Crosshands
John
Evans, Penywern
Thomas
Nash, Saddler
Anne
Morgans, Pencarreg
David
Evans, Penywern
David
Jeremy, Crybynau
Benjamin
Thomas, Plasbach
Anne
Walters, Crybynau
Sarah
Davies, Maid, Maesygroes
Benjamin
Jones, Saddler
Lewis
Lloyd, Rhydcaisfach
Jonathan
Jones, Talygraig
Margaret
Thomas, Blacklion
Anne
Joseph, Blacklion
David
Jones, Carpenter, Llanybyther
Daniel
Davies, Llystyn
Mary
Evans, Penywern
Daniel
Daniel, Pantypinsiwrn
John
Rees, Aberystwyth
John
Evan Pugh, Rhydcaisfach
Samuel
Thomas, Tyllwydcwmcothy
Rees
Thomas, Tyrcae
David
Phillips, Maesygroes
Mary
Thomas, Escerydd
Abel
Lloyd, Rhydcaisfach
Benjamin
Francis, Courtnewydd
Thomas
Beynon, Henardd
Mary
Evans, Maid, Glantrenfawr
John
Jones, Servant, Glantrenfawr
The
total collected for the California Saints is £5 2s 6½c.
The
above money was paid by me to Thomas Jeremy and Capt. D. Jones, Christmas,
1847.
Page 61—Transcription and translation
[A
record of contributions made by various members of the Llanybydder Branch for
the months of March through June (1848). The total for the Brechfa Branch,
presided over at this time by David Jeremy is given at the bottom of the page. There
appears to be a page/pages missing. Only the names, residence, and/or
occupation are listed here.]
Total
money collected for Capt. [Jones]
Thomas
Jeremy, Glantrenfawr
Benjamin
Francis, Courtnewydd
Richard
Jones, Crosshands
Jonathan
Jones, Talygraig
John
Griffith, Cribin
Thomas
Nash, Saddler
Elinor
Davies, Courtnewydd
Mary
Lloyd, Rhydcaisfach
Lewis
Lloyd, Rhydcaisfach
Benjamin
Jones, Saddler
Abel
Lloyd, Rhydcaisfach
Anne
Morgans, Pencarreg
Evan Evans,
Rhydnis
Edward
Davies, Machenlleth
Martha
Jones, Glantrenfawr
John
Jones, Glantrenfawr
David
Evans, Penywern
David
Jeremy, Crybynau for the Brechfa Branch
Page
62—Transcription
Memorandum
that my two boys John Jeremy and Thomas Jeremy comenced going to school to the
16th ward the 30th day of December in the year 1850.
Memorandum
that I, Thomas Jeremy, sold my saddle to Brother John Young the 1st
day of January 1851 at $16.00. He agreed
to pay for the above saddle the 1st day of June 1851 and to give me
now 1 bushel of wheat for $2.00, part of the above $16.00. Ballance 14.00 dollars.
Page
63— blank
Page
64, 65, and 66— Translation
[Just
two weeks before Thomas Jeremy was in Swansea
with his family and a large number of other converts ready to travel by
steamboat to Liverpool from where they would begin their voyage to America, he
wrote this brief defense. It was in answer to one of the many anti-Mormon
articles that appeared in the newspapers and religious periodicals. Thomas
Jeremy identifies the article as appearing in The Times, a newspaper, for 11 January 1849. He asked that the
editor show fairness in allowing this defense of Mormonism to be printed in The Times. Of the dozens of anti-Mormon
articles during the 1840s and 1850s in Wales only two or three rebuttals
were printed.]
Defense
of the Mormons
Sir: Since I live in the village of Llanybyther
and am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ with those people who are called
Mormons, I wish for you to give space in “The Times” for the following defense
in face of the baseless tales that appeared in The Times about us here as a
religious sect and which came off the press, January 11, 1849. The first untruth that your correspondent
tells about us is namely that we have a great apostle close to here. No one here claims such a high office as
apostle. Also he says that we try to
deceive men as much as we can. It would
not be an untruth on our part to say that your correspondent is trying to
deceive men as much as he can, for “by his fruits shall ye know him” can be
said to him just as Nathan said to David of old. “ Thou art the man.” That which he says also about us with respect
to the prayer meeting here, there is not a syllable of truth in it. One basis for such untruthful tales [“lies”
is crossed out] is that [he] has never been with us in our meetings. Rather prayer [to] God of heaven is our work
in our meetings as do the other denominations.
We here are proud to get to suffer
the unprovoked scorn for such worship.
If there were truth in his tale about us why did he not name the house
where the meeting was held? And why did
he not name the persons who were in such a meeting? And also why did he refrain from giving his
own proper name in the “Times” if it is true that which he says about us? I challenge him to name the house, the names
of the persons who were in the meeting, and his own proper name. Your correspondent is like several of his
other brothers, delivering untruths about us that are too obvious for any
reasonable man to believe. Unless there
were more of the truth in our religion than anyone else has we would not suffer
all the unprovoked scorn that is published and delivered about us. But our Master said, “and you shall be
[persecuted] by everyone for my name’s sake.” My duty is to defend our character as a
religious denomination here and also to convince my fellowmen of the false
accusations that are declared about our dear religion. I know that it is better to leave us alone
than to declare the baseless untruths like this about us lest they be found
fighting against God. I know that I have
the true religion, which tends to make everyone happy. Therefore, let our false accusers repent and call
back their untrue tales that they declared about us, so that they themselves
can take hold of the same true religion.
I am yours humbly, Thomas Jeremy.
Llanybyther, February 1, 1849.
Pages 67 through 77—Translation
[The
following account of the voyage from Liverpool to New
Orleans is similar to the one that was published by John Davis,
editor of Udgorn Seion (Zion’s Trumpet), in a
24-page pamphlet entitled Hanes Ymfudiad
y Saint i Galifornia (Merthyr Tydfil: J. Davis, 1849), pp. 21-24. The
English translation of Thomas Jeremy’s account from that pamphlet is in my The Call of Zion: the Story of the First
Welsh Mormon Emigration (Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Religious
Studies Center, 1987), pp. 168-72.]
Dear
Brother Davis,
Be so kind as to give me the loan of
your “Trumpet” to blow in for the for the first time from a distant country,
which I wish to do in a well-informed way through it most especially to give an
account of our sea voyage from Liverpool to
here. Monday, the 26th of February, at about 1:00 o’clock in the
afternoon we began our voyage from Liverpool, bidding farewell to those who had
come from Wales
to accompany us as far as they could. I remember the cheerful faces of my
faithful brethren William Phillips, Merthyr, Abel Evans, Eliezar Edwards,
David, my brother, and Daniel Evans, Felinfach, Ystrad. It is easier for the
readers of the Trumpet to imagine my feelings at that time than it is for me to
try to write them down. But remind your readers that I was not worried about
leaving Britain, nor my dear brethren, that we could no longer see each other, but
I knew from experience of some of the oppressions of Babylon which no doubt
would come to meet them. But what am I doing talking like this. I know that it
is through experiences that the Prince of our salvation was perfected.
But to return to the story. When we
were going out of the Waterloo Dock, we sang the song you composed for the
occasion with Brother Edward [John] Parry, from the North, expertly playing his
harp until all I think were enjoying themselves. There were hundreds watching
us sail out, having gone out on the dock. The speedy steamboat was awaiting us
to pull our ship out to sea. While we were going like this speeding along the
river we were hardly able to catch a last glimpse of our dear brethren who had
followed us along the bank of the river until our ship was quite out of sight.
The wind that day was very weak, and the climate was lovely. It was Tuesday
before we had a full view of Ireland.
The land looked quite barren, the mountains high, but despite that the dwelling
places could be seen very frequently at the foot of the mountains. No wonder
then that the inhabitants are so poor.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday some
of us were quite bad off because of seasickness; some continued on without any
seasickness. During this time our president, Capt. Dan Jones, was very
attentive to the afflicted by showing his unparalleled kindness toward us. He
walked back and forth along the large ship to see who was sick, and to those
who were he showed his love and concern, especially toward us. Also Daniel
Daniel, formerly of Pantypinsiwrn, was very diligent to be of assistance and
several others who were not suffering from seasickness. At that time “water
gruel” with neither salt nor butter in it is what I and my family savored the
most. If before the voyage I did not know that Capt. D. Jones was a servant of
God, I am day by day getting more proofs of his divine mission and his
remarkable kindness toward all of us on our journey toward our eternal home.
And thus I, together with my brothers and sisters, see his worth in our midst
right from the beginning of our journey to this time. Neither is there any
doubt in my mind that Brother Jones will do his best to benefit us all he
possibly can yet in everything until we reach the valley of the mountains, Furthermore,
I also believe that his main objective there will be to see us happy, i.e.,
enjoying both temporal and spiritual blessings. Dear Brother, could you publish
in your melodious Trumpet that all those who prophesied from the press and from
the pulpits that Brother Jones would sell us into slavery, take our money, and
practically every other wicked deed they could think of, are false prophets.
But why am I speaking like this—are not their own contradictory tales
sufficient for every reasonable man to perceive clearly whether they are true
of false? And the best and most infallible way of all in my opinion for my dear
brothers and sisters who are still in Wales and who yet intend to come toward
Zion after us is to take everything they say in reverse. When they say false,
one must remember to understand true. When they say that the Captain has taken
the saints’ money, let it be understood that the Captain has given away a lot
of money to the poor Saints in various places throughout Wales. Besides
all his fatigue and his toil there in our midst for about four years without
asking for pay from anyone, has he not made the challenge in public many times
for anyone to prove that he has asked for anything from anyone. I believe that
those who are guilty of living well on the backs of the poor are the ones who
are shouting loudest in the synagogues that Capt. Jones is taking money from
the Saints. It would be useful to remember the old proverb, namely that it is
the wicked man himself who judges another, or as Nathan said to David of old,
“Thou art the man.” But to return to the story of the sea voyage. I said in the
beginning that the majority of us were seasick as we sailed between Ireland and
Wales, but hardly anyone continued ill for more than three or four days. I do
not intend to give a daily account of our journey in this letter as I had
thought of doing at first, since Brother Jones is giving the account in his
letter. Therefore, I see that it is unnecessary work for me to write
everything. It is enough for me to testify that he has written the story down
very well. I have a day book in which I was putting down the most remarkable
things I saw each day together with every kind of weather we had.
At times we saw rather large fish
swarming together and jumping up a little higher than the water. They were
about four of five feet in length. They are called porpoises. We also saw the
dolphin. This fish is considered the most beautiful of all the fish in the sea.
It was quite small in size, about as big as the common salmon of the Teifi [Taff River].
We saw several fish that fly—flying fish. They were flying above the water from
one place to the other about 40 or 50 yards. These are just small ones. In size
they look smaller than trout in the rivers of Wales. We saw a large fish on the
19th of March. It was about 12 feet long. It was seen several times
near the ship. I do not know its name, but some said it was a shark, and others
said that it was a young whale. Perhaps I cannot settle the matter. The sailors
caught some fish by putting lines down from the rear of the ship. On our sea
voyage we saw several ships here and there on the great ocean which appeared to
be sailing along nicely to various places, while our little ship went along
from wave to wave getting a little closer each day to the sunset. We had lovely
weather and fair wind for the most part every day—no storms. In fact it was
much more lovely for us than I thought it would be sailing so far away. The
weather was as lovely about the middle of March as it is there in the middle of
May or June. Oh, how nice it was to sit on the deck. Some would be off a ways
at the front of the ship playing in the bank so sweetly while others closer by
would be reading various beneficial books. And some of the women were knitting,
and others were preparing food in the Cookhouse where there were two great
fires for that purpose. Everything was particularly comfortable for us. No one
would doubt this testimony if they could see us now. Those whose bones were
quite sharp in Wales
have them hidden now with healthy flesh.
We had exceptionally good prayer
meetings on board the ship. Our Father poured out his Spirit on us powerfully
from on high. He answered our prayers to the point of causing the elements to
obey at our request. Every Sunday we held Saints’ meetings in memory of our
blessed Lord, and oh, how sweet was the teaching we had from Brother Jones with
respect to the resurrection of the dead, namely “How are the dead raised up and
with what body will they come?”
Now I see that my letter is getting
long. I must bring it to a close, despite how delightful it is for me to give
an account of this lovely voyage. But before ending, I wish to give some
information to my dear brothers and sisters who yet intend to follow us toward Zion. Here is the
information, or rather he counsel to them, namely to be obedient to the
counsels they receive from those whom my Heavenly Father has set to preside
over them. And if they remember this counsel they will have great joy in the
Holy Ghost. On the other hand if they forget the foregoing counsel and
disregard the Holy priesthood, it is better for such to remain behind until
they come to possess sufficient of the Spirit of God to be humble and meek and
gentle and tractable. This is how wisdom from above will silence them.
Dear brothers and sisters, hasten to
come after us, remembering to keep the foregoing counsels in your memory and
remember the saying of Jesus Christ, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall
inherit the earth.” On, would that my dear fellow nation of the Welsh might
obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that they might see the glory of
this remarkable gathering toward Zion in the latter days, so they might be
saved from all the pestilence and terrible calamity that is to come on Babylon.
“Oh, that the wise might understand this.” I greatly wish to know how the
gospel is succeeding in Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire, especially around
Llanybyther and Brechfa and environs, also Cwrtnewydd, Cribin, and all the
various places where I was in these two counties preaching the gospel of Jesus
Christ for close to three years’ time, sincerely urging them to receive their
baptism for the remission of their sins in the name of Jesus Christ, also
giving them a sure promise that they would receive the gift of the Holy Ghost
if their motives were pure. Now I have left, and I have a clear conscience
before God and men. All I can do now is to pray to him whose work this is that
it will prosper in your midst. I am now too far away to shout repentance on
them. As I think about them I shed a host of tears. I hope they see this letter
and that they will sincerely understand this my last testimony. Here it is,
Dear fellow nation. I know that I am in possession of a divine treasure, the
gospel of peace. I received this knowledge while I was with you in the land of
my birth, and I am still in possession of the same knowledge after crossing the
great Atlantic Ocean.
Pages 77 through 81—Translation
[This
is a letter to his brother David with a poignant account of the death of Thomas
and Sarah’s three little daughters of cholera.]
Council Bluffs, June ___, 1849
Dear brother David,
Because out of the goodness
and care of my Heavenly Father for me and my family, I am happy to inform
you that we are well and comfortable at present. I hope that you, dear Brother,
and Sarah my dear Sister, her husband and children, together with my dear
father are all well. We came here after finishing our watery journey on the 16th
of May. We received a comfortable place here from the brethren, houses to live
in, and not only that but several other things came to our houses to visit us, which brought us great comfort. We came
from New Orleans
on the Steamer Constitution on the 20th of April. We reached St. Louis on the morning
of the 28th of the same month. As we passed by we saw on either side
of the river excellent farmhouses, and one does not ordinarily see the houses
of Welsh gentry looking so beautiful. The trees looked so varied and
paradisiacal that they were beautiful (a beautiful sight) for the human eye to
behold. The land looks remarkably rich and is so flat that we were almost weary
because we did not see any high ground. I often though about my father on
seeing so many excellent trees he talked with us so much about, as if he had
come and sorted them out for different purposes. We passed by some small towns
as we came from New Orleans to St. Louis. We stayed 5 days in St’ Louis for
various purposes, namely to buy sufficient food for the journey and tools for our use after arriving in the
Valley. The Cholera Morbus was hitting hard in St. Louis, and it was not long before it came
into our midst to separate the bodies and spirits of the innocent Saints from one another. It is pitiful
to relate our story from St. Louis
as far as here. Those who died from the branches of Brechfa and Llanybyther
were faithful Saints. Do not wonder when you read their names, for “Blessed are
the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth, saith the Spirit, and their works
do follow them.” I say to you, dear brother, my Father, and my dear sisters,
together with the dear Saints and my relatives there – “do not be sad like
others who have no hope.” Well, I shall name them now: Benjamin Thomas,
Plasbach, who was taken ill on the morning of the 4th. of May with the cholera. He died before evening. On
the 5th Sister Anne Lewis, David Phillips’ maid, died. The next day
our little Margaret was stricken with cholera. She passed away quietly at about
two o’clock in the afternoon. It was absolutely heartbreaking to see the
children crying for her, with little Esther, her friend, asking from time to
time, “Where is Margaret? Where is Margaret?” Before morning the following day
little Sarah, our dear daughter was stricken again with the same affliction.
You no doubt know how fond she was of her father and her father of her. Mary,
our dear youngest daughter was very sick, because of her teeth and a tapeworm, we thought. The elders and I laid hands
on them frequently. But O, they died the same day. It is easier for you to
imagine my feelings together with my dear wife in those days than it is for me
to try to describe them here. Sarah died early in the afternoon and Mary toward
7.00 o’clock. They were both buried
in the same coffin. Thus you see, dear relatives, how it was with us. But
thanks be to God , we can say in the words of Job of old, “The Lord giveth and
the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Three children of David
Phillips, formerly from Maesygroes, died. And Daniel Davies, Llystyn, and
Daniel Thomas , son of the deceased Benjamin Thomas formerly from Plasbach. The
faithful brother Benjamin Francis, Courtnewydd, died, and three of his
children. I, myself, was sick, together with my wife. Little Thomas and Hannah
were very sick, but thanks to the heavens they and I were restored to full
health. John and little Esther were not very sick. You have read the story of
those whom John saw, “which came out of great tribulation.” Thus were we after
our afflictions and suffering according to the will of God. I refer you to what
Peter said in his first epistle, 4th chapter and 17th
verse, “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and
if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel
of God?” Well, here it is beginning at the house of God. Let us keep watch. The
end will be awful for those who do not believe.
Pages 82 through 87—Translation
[This
letter is from Sarah Evans Jeremy to her mother in Wales. The handwriting appears to
be that of her husband.]
Council Bluffs, June ____ 1849
Dear
Mother,
I told you that I would send word
back as soon as we reached land, but forgive me for that. You shall have our
story in greater detail now. I sent a letter to you from New Orleans. I hope you have received it. We
arrived in New Orleans
after nightfall, and the next morning we moved to the packet, and we slept on
it one night before getting underway. We had much opposition with respect to
the gospel after coming to the Mississippi River
from the enemies of the Son of God before coming from the ship. You will
remember that it is through many obstacles that one must go to the kingdom of God. Thank heaven I have received
strength through many things. Many Saints from England were on the steamer with
us. The steamer we had in Swansea
was nothing compared to the ones here with respect to size or grandeur. We saw
many wonders along the side of this river. The farm houses are prettier than
any house in the town of Carmarthen.
Plenty of land is to be had here, and it badly needs a lot of tilling. I was
thinking a lot about the poor and the farmers of Wales as I saw such land. There are
trees here the same kind as the willows of Wales, higher than your house and
very stout. We saw scores of black slaves along the side of this river. There
is a lot of talk in this country about the slaves, that they are hard on them.
There are many of the Welsh who work harder than some that I have seen, and
there is not one man in the parish of Llanybyther who has better food. Everyone
here if they have a bit of food eat unusually well, and everyone has the same
thing. We reached St. Louis
and the Welsh were all alive. We were there for a few days. There was there the
biggest sight of packets I ever saw. There were very large shops there. We saw
many things here, too many to name. Before we left St. Louis the cholera came into our midst.
Oh, such a trial. And for days after getting underway amongst those who were
dying, little Margaret, our daughter, died. She was stricken Sunday morning,
and before noon she had died. Next Monday morning little Sarah was stricken.
She died that afternoon, and before nightfall the same day dear little Mari
died. They were buried in the same coffin. When little Mary was placed with
dear Sarah in the coffin little Esther cried out and said, “Oh, dear Mary.”
Little Thomas and Hannah were taken ill, and we were nights caring for them. At
the same time I myself was stricken at night, and I called for the elders to
lay hands on me, and I was able to calm down and sleep. And in the morning I
awoke. I was much worse. I jumped down from the bed and walked out along the
packet. I was worse still. There was no use in going to bed if I could be up
and around. By then Thomas was sick. I told him to go to Brother Capt. Jones
and others. We were just about to collapse by then. Thomas was not feeling sick
himself. By then he saw that I was dying. He was willing for all the children
to die if I could be spared. And thanks to the Lord I was saved from it
immediately through the laying on of hands of the brethren. My John and John
the servant were sick, but we are all as a family now alive and healthy except
for those three little ones. Do not grieve for them too much. I would be much
worse off than I am if I were not with the Saints. I know more now than I ever
did about the kingdom
of God, and I hope that
you also will be able to say the same thing. We and the children are very
desirous and anxious to see you and all your family and many of the Welsh also
very soon.
Hasten, dear mother, to come from
there while the way is open to you. I am mystified why you do not come quickly.
There are some from every branch of the Welsh, I believe, who are staying here
in order to benefit the Welsh who are yet to come. There is plenty of land here
for everyone, and the best land I have ever seen. There is no need for manure
on anything here. You do not put manure on the gardens here, and they are much
more fruitful than the ones you have. Here they yield thirty bushels of potatoes
to one, with no manure. There is one man here who planted potatoes and earthed
them like the Welsh who got one hundred bushels from one. They commonly get
thirty bushels from one bushel of wheat, sometimes more and sometimes less.
Here there are vegetables and strawberries, grapes, gooseberries, and several
other things that grow along the prairies without anyone worrying about them.
They make soap and wine and vinegar and a variety of other things for their use
here. The clothes are very expensive here. Light clothing is what is worn here.
The veils and the parasols are so common that hardly anyone here is without
them. Bring some with you and umbrellas. You can get much more for everything
here than there. Bring some light silk for gowns and white muslin and also some
light gingham for fine calico dresses. White and black cotton socks of every
size. Do not pack any woolen dresses or woolen clothing, but what you have.
Light clothing is what the men have. No one here puts nails in boots. There are
no hobnails available here. Bring a brass pan for milk and a sieve for gruel
and a small scale with some small weights. There is nothing like available in
this country. Bring spices of every kind without grinding them and blue pine,
and needles, black edgings and lace. Every kind of clothing is very useful. In Liverpool
Mrs. Lewis from Kidwelly purchased about a hundred pounds worth of every kind
of clothing in Liverpool [sic], and when the boxes were opened in New Orleans she said that
she had a large family and that the clothes were for them. No one had to pay
duty. You can put some things at the bottom of the boxes with clothing on top
of them. They were not thorough in going to the bottom, rather they just opened
the lid. The women here do not wear rings. Keepers are what they have. They
wear several on one hand. Bring some things with you for yourself. You can
bring some little trifles if you wish. Put everything in boxes except for the
feather beds. Tie ropes around your boxes.
[Transcription]
April 2nd, 1850. We came to live to our City Lot on the above day.
Pages 88 and 89—Translation
[This
is the initial part of a letter that was published in Udgorn Seion (Zion’s
Trumpet) 1850, pp. 281-85. The date given for the published version is 14 April
1850.]
Great Salt Lake City
Dear
Brother Davies,
Would
you be so kind as to lend space in your melodious Trumpet for this letter, so
that those who wanted me to write to them can have an answer through it. I hope
that everyone who wishes to hear my story will see it in the Trumpet, for it
would be too much work for me to write personally to everyone I would like to.
I hope that my brothers and sisters around Llanybyther and Brechfa and other
places will do their best to spread the Trumpet throughout the country hoping
that my testimony in this letter will be a means with the blessing of the
Almighty God to do some good for the Saints and for those of the world, and for
the glory of God, for that is my delight and the wish of my heart. Monday the
29th of October after a long journey we came into the boundaries of
the city to stay for a while, until our revered president Brigham Young visited
with us. In the meantime his two counselors came to us, namely Heber C. Kimball
and Willard Richards. I can almost remember his first words to us: “Brethren,
you’re welcome to the Valley.” [This quote is in English.]
Page 89—Transcription
Memorandum
that on the 18th of January 1851, that the Welch Brethren many of
them was called and ordained to be seventies and special witnesses of the
gospel of Jesus throughout the world. The following brethren was ordained on
the above day:
Rice
Williams
Evan
Rees
Caleb
Parry
Thomas
Daniels
Benjamin
Thomas
David
Evans
John
Jones
Edward
Williams
Lewis
Jones
Cadwalader
Owens
Owen
Roberts
William
Clark
William
Lewis
Isaac
Nash
Daniel
Leigh
David
Phillips
Pages 90 through 96—Translation
[Although
this letter to John Davis is dated March 1851 in the Copy Book, it was not
published in Udgorn Seion (Zion’s Trumpet) until the
8 May 1852 issue (pages 142-45). And in its published form it carries the date
of 31 January 1852. The lower half of page 94 is blank. It appears that some
pages in the Copy Book are missing.]
Great Salt Lake City, State
of Deseret
March
_____ 1851
Dear
Brother Davis,
With
delight and pleasure I write to you again, this time from the far west, hoping
that this little paper will reach you safely, and that you are enjoying health,
temporal and spiritual success, which is the wish of your old friend. It
frequently comes to mind the old times in Llanybyther when we were small
babies, newly born into the flock of the good Shepherd. Great was the happiness
we felt when there were but four of us in my old dwelling in those times,
inquiring after great things from our gracious Father, and even greater our
happiness when we received answers to our inquiries from him. And we knew then
that our closest neighbors and our relatives that we loved so dearly were
deprived of the great happiness that the Lord poured out through his Spirit on
our hearts. We had not been there long before others enlisted under the same
banner as we had enlisted. Some of our neighbors at that time complained that
old Capt. Jones (as they said) had deceived us and that we had promised all we
owned to him, which neither they nor anyone else could prove that even one word
of that was true until this day. In those days several of the faithful brethren
came by to us, namely Brothers Abel Evans, Thomas Harries and others, who were
of great benefit to us through their valuable counsels, with greater previous
experience they had had in the Church than we. When in this condition
increasing gradually, the wrath of the father of lies and of his children was
directed upon us in large measure to the point of our becoming the object of
scorn of some nearby reverends, but we worked our way through it all to our
good. I remember that letter I received from Cap. D. S. Davies threatening me
so greatly because of the religion I professed, call the poor Saints, “The dam
night deepers that leadeth the people away down to hell.” [“Night deepers” has
reference to baptizing at night by immersion. Their enemies called those
performing the baptizing “dippers.”] But the Lord in his mercy and love saw fit
to bless us against the persecution that we suffered; it would be too long for
me now to mention old Dark Daniel and all the other old persecutors, for I know
that they will all receive justice in the future day when the secrets of every
heart will be searched. I cannot help but give a word of counsel to the old
persecutors of the religion of Christ in Wales. It is possible that some of
them persecute in ignorance like Paul of old. I counsel such to make the
greatest haste to seek for one of the servants of God who has the lawful right
to baptize for the remission of sins, confessing their sins and calling on the
name of the Lord. Forgive me, dear brother, for writing about things you
already know, but it is a pleasure for me to write a bit about the old times
and reflect back on it.
Now I venture to give you a bit of
our story here. Several of the Welsh nation came here last autumn, and all of
them were enjoying excellent health. What can you say but to think fairly of
them, but they admitted that there was something strange going on. Oh that they
could be wise and understand that the hand of the Lord is over his Saints
protecting them daily. The Lord suffered that the Saints’ enemies could
persecute them from place to place, from city to city to the point of
persecuting them to the wilderness about a thousand miles from any settlement
of white people, which is good for us to be so far from them. We have peace
here to worship our God “with no one to hurt or to make afraid.” In this
peaceful city I hear no cruel blasphemy, namely satanic deceivers, false
prophets, and every bad name they can think of. Oh, how lovely it is to live as
brothers together, far away from the Pharisees and hypocrites of this age. But
despite how far away they are, several gentiles pass by us. Those who are sick
with yellow fever continue on. They are desirous of gathering to their god of
gold in lower California. They stay here just a little because of the heat of
the place, for the Spirit of the living God reigns here. For the sinners fear
and tremble in Zion.
Yet we baptized some of the honest in heart of the blood of Ephraim who come
here among the gentiles. Such rejoice and are happy here with us in the
salvation of our God. [Half of page 94 is blank.]
Within a short time after their
arrival here I had the honor of baptizing about eighteen of them in one day.
They were confirmed in my house in the afternoon after their baptism. The Lord
poured out his Spirit abundantly on them and on us as well as we ministered.
The ordinance of baptism is necessary for all of the Saints to obey after the
come here. Our revered president Brigham Young and his counselors and the
Twelve gave obedience to this ordinance when they came here, renewing their
covenants with the Lord to live faithfully, etc. Everything is going forward
here very well. The storehouse of the Lord is being filled quickly. We expect
more and more blessings continually, for the promise is in our favor. The Lord
said: “Will I not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing,
that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Several large houses have
been built here during this year by the Church. Soon a beautiful temple will no
doubt be seen here, such as has never been seen in this dispensation. The
diligence of the Saints here and their faithfulness and prosperity are the
object of surprise to the world, and [The letter ends abruptly here at the
bottom of page 96.]
Page 96—Translation
[This
fragment of Thomas Jeremy’s letter to his mother-in-law occupies the upper
two-thirds of the page. Its abrupt end suggests that pages of the Copy Book are
missing.]
Dear
Mother-in-law,
I shall add a bit to that which your
dear daughter has written before me. We were happy to receive a letter from
you, and the best of all for us is how frequently you have written to us.
Although we are now far apart from each other, you there in Britain, in
Ynysfechan in the midst of the ocean, and we here in the western world on the
great continent in this beautiful valley, surrounded by the fortresses of the
lofty mountains whose snowy tops rise to the high clouds
INDEX
Thomas Jeremy’s Copy Book
1 English—birth
of Eliza Jeremy 23 Mar 1852, SLC
2 English—a
blessing by John Smith, Patriarch, 15 Dec 1849, SLC, Book F, p. 64, #146
3 English—John
Smith blessing, conclusion
4 English—a
blessing by Wm. Draper, Patriarch, n.d., Book A, p. 24
5 English—Wm.
Draper blessing, conclusion
6 English—a
blessing by John Smith, Patriarch, 15 Dec 1849, SLC, to Sarah Jeremy
7 English—a
blessing by Apostle George A. Smith, n.d.
8 English—a
blessing by John Young, HP Quorum Pres., 2 Feb 1851
9 English—John
Young blessing, conclusion
10 English—a
blessing by John Smith, Patriarch, 18 Feb 1851, SLC
11 English—a blessing by Parley P. Pratt (incomplete)
12 English—a
blessing by George A. Smith and Lorenzo Snow, 11 Sep 1852 (set apart for
mission)
13 English—setting apart, conclusion
14 English—some
calculations and entries crossed out with a large corner missing
15 blank
16 Welsh—Letter
to Dan Jones about blind man incident, published in Prophwyd y Jubili (Prophet of the Jubilee), December 1848, p.
170-171
17 Welsh—continuation
18 Welsh—continuation; conclusion on p. 19
19 Welsh—17 Nov 1848 letter to Dan Jones (3 months before
leaving Wales on the Buena Vista)
20 Welsh—continuation
21 Welsh—continuation
22 Welsh—conclusion
23 Welsh—Dec
1848 letter to Dan Jones (2 months before leaving Wales)
24 Welsh—continuation
25 Welsh—continuation
26 Welsh—continuation;
conclusion on 27
27 Welsh—5
Dec 1848 letter to brother and sister; attempt to convert
28 Welsh—continuation
29 Welsh—continuation
30 Welsh—conclusion
31 English—6
verses of “The Upper California,” a song by John Taylor
32 English—conclusion
33 Welsh—“A
few useful things to remember”
34 Welsh—conclusion
35 English
and Welsh—married to Sarah by Brigham Young, endowments, ordination
36 Welsh—a
record of the births of the children of Thomas and Sarah Jeremy
37 Welsh—continuation
38 Welsh—conclusion
39 English—record
of some letters sent
40 English—a
dream of Thomas Jeremy’s son, John
41 English—conclusion
42 Welsh—eight
headings; the remainder of the page is blank
43 Welsh—list
of various ordinations to the priesthood
44 Welsh—continuation
45 Welsh—continuation
46 Welsh—conclusion
47 English—baptism
and ordination information
48 English—conclusion
49 blank
and half missing
50 English—agreement
in which Benjamin Jones commits to make a dam across the Jordan
River
51 English—conclusion
52 blank
53 English
and Welsh—money paid in tithing and temple fund
54 blank
55 Welsh—a
record of contributions from March through September 1847 while Thomas Jeremy
was president of the Llanybydder/Brechfa Branch
56 Welsh—continuation
57 Welsh—continuation
58 Welsh—continuation
59 Welsh—a
record of contributions from October through December 1847 while Thomas Jeremy
was president of the Llanybydder/Brechfa Branch
60 Welsh—continuation
61 Welsh—Total
money collected for Capt. [Jones]—there appears to be a page[s] missing
62 English—school
beginning for John and Thomas; sale of saddle to John Young
63 blank
64 Welsh—a
defense of Mormonism sent to Yr Amserau
(The Times) 1 Feb 1849
65 Welsh—continuation
66 Welsh—conclusion
67 Welsh—account
of crossing on the Buena
Vista; not the same as his published account
68 Welsh—continuation
69 Welsh—continuation
70 Welsh—continuation
71 Welsh—continuation
72 Welsh—continuation
73 Welsh—continuation
74 Welsh—continuation
75 Welsh—continuation
76 Welsh—conclusion
77 Welsh—June
1849 letter to brother David; poignant account of deaths—3 daughters on Missouri
78 Welsh—continuation
79 Welsh—continuation
80 Welsh—continuation
81 Welsh—conclusion
82 Welsh—June
1849 letter of Sarah Jeremy to her mother
83 Welsh—continuation
84 Welsh—continuation
85 Welsh—continuation
86 Welsh—continuation
87 Welsh—conclusion
88 Welsh—initial
part of letter to John Davis; published in Zion’s
Trumpet 1850, p. 281-285
89 English—record
of Welsh brethren who were ordained seventies on 18 Jan 1851
90 Welsh—March
1851 letter to John Davis from SLC; published in Zion’s Trumpet, 8 May 1852, pp. 142-45 with the date of 31 January
1852.
91 Welsh—continuation
92 Welsh—continuation
93 Welsh—continuation
94 Welsh—continuation;
half of this page is blank
95 Welsh—conclusion
96 Welsh—a
note to his mother-in-law to add onto the letter Sarah had written to her;
incomplete
