Aug 1, 1906 – We started for Frico it started to raining about
ten o’clock it rained until noon we walked thru mud all day we could not get
any dinner we came to new river about 4 o’clock & crossed on a ferry
boat. We had quite a time finding Bro
Wyrick we found where he lived and went up there. And he was to the Cotton Mill working. He
came about half past six and was glad to see us
Aug 2, 1906 – We went up to one of our members a little
while we got our mail and some photos from Ohio. We spent day sitting around and reading. We was going through the Cotton Mills but
didn’t. The members are very strong in
their religion. I patched my pants.
Aug 3, 1906 - It
looks very much like storm; it is still raining every day. We went up to Bro. Tomelson they were not at
home 3 of his sons was there they wanted us to stop all night. We went down to the Cotton Mill to go through
it but they would not let us. I bought
me a fine comb and glass. The bed bugs were a little bad.
Aug 4, 1906 – Today was a little lonesome for me. We did not
do any thing all day only read and talk it was raining most of the day in the
evening we sang songs and had a little time.
We could not hold any meetings.
The town was a company: Washington Cotton Mills
Aug 5 – today is Sunday we are at Bro Wyrick spending the
day we could not hold any meetings. Had
some good talks on the gospel some of the saints came down a little while. Explained tithing to Bro Wyrick he said it is
right. It did not rain all day for the
first time in about six weeks.
Aug 6, 19906 – We bid the saints good-bye and left for
Carrell Co. came to New River and got fairyed across it cost us 5 cent
each. We came thru Galax about 3 miles
and got some dinner with two refusals. We
walked until about 5 o’clock and stayed to a Store had a long talk on the
Gospel. Got a good place to stop.
Aug 7, 1906 – We started to Cana to see one of the saints we
crossed Blue Ridge came to a store and got a pair of socks. Could not get any dinner ate some fruit for
dinner could not find the home of the saint and Chum to see some. We met a man who was loaded with watermelon
he gave us a large one for 10 cent we sit in the road and ate it and came on
our way. Got to Bro Spies about dark.
Aug 8, 1906 – We spent the day with Bro Spies it was very
hot all day I helped one of Bro Spies boys get a load of rain logs. We ate some nuts and fruit during the
day. All of the saints came out to the
meeting.
Aug 9, 1906 – We left Bro Spies a little after sunrise and
started for Bro Marshall’s we ate dinner to Bro Pucket and went up to the Old
Peoples Pucket. They wanted us to stay
and we did there house is s small we could hardly turn around We enjoyed our
selves very much talking with the old folks they are very nice.
August 10 – We left Bro Puckett’s early in the morning so we
could get to Keno before the mail came it was very hard climbing over Blue
Ridge. We got there before the mail had
gone Elder Bishop went to the office and I took both gripes and went to Bro.
Calvin’s found them all well. Helped to
rob some bees.
Aug 11- We went up and got our mail about ten o’clock I got
Leslie T. Picture and a good letter from him.
I learnt to ride Bro Calvin’s bike it throad me off a time or two. We got our suit of cloths buddy took the coat
and I took the pants. They cost me $3.00 they were all wool. Bro Calvin gave us a dollar for the old suit.
Aug 12 – today is Sunday.
We had too good meetings. One was bro & Sis Ayers boys’ funeral
ceremony had a large crowd. We held a
Sacrament Meeting in the evening. I
spoke the best I had ever done. Stopped with Bro J.H. Marshall.
Aug 13 – We left Bro Hezekiah and went to see the Dr. Had to
good visit and had some good talks on religion.
Dr was a strong Mormon he gives other denominations not a very good
name. We left Dr and started for Bro Calvin’s bid all of the saints good
bye. Spent the night with Bro Calvin.
Aug 14 – We was going to leave today but it looked so much
like storm we thought it best to stay over it rained very hard in the afternoon
We had some good talks on the gospel.
And some fun riding a bicycle. I
could ride it pretty well. I took some
letters to the P.O. and buddy fixed his shoes.
Aug 15 – We left brother Calvin to go and find Elder Hyde
and Strong we wanted to see them and go to Conference we found them down to
Vaughn Elder Stone had gone to the P.O.
We had a good time it rained very hard we all stopped with bro
Vaughn. We sang some songs and enjoyed
life.
Aug 16- we left Bro Vaughn for Bro Spears. The four of us Elder Hyde, Stone, Bishop and
myself. We had some good talks on
religion and telling of our mission experience Elder Hyde and I stopped with
Bro Spears, We all at supper together it
rained in the evening very hard.
Aug 17 – Spent the day at Bro Wiley Spears. The time was spent in turning the washer and
pitching horseshoes. Along toward
evening we all (that is Elder Bishop Stone, Hyde, and myself) went down to the
creek and took a bath. Spent the night
at the same place, with Elder Hyde, While Elders Bishop and Stone went down to
Mr. R.W. Jones (a near neighbor, and whose wife is the daughter of Bro. Spears
and a member of the church) and spent the night. At about twelve o’clock Sister Spears called
us in to administer to their little boy who was bleeding at the nose very bad,
but after our administering and anointing him with oil his nose ceased to
bleed.
Aug 18 – Spent the day at Bro. Lineback with Elder Stone we
had a water fight I nearly drowned Elder Stone.
We held a meeting at Bro Spears I spoke a short time. Elder Stone and
Bishop spoke a short time. We had a very
good meeting. After meeting Elder Hyde and myself went to Bro Lineback. We had all the watermelon we could eat.
Aug 19 – Today is Sunday we held a meeting in the A.M. and
had a very good time. Elder Bishop and
Hyde were the speakers. We did not have
any dinner ate tomatoes instead. There
was a lady at our meeting who wanted to know all about the gospel Elder Stone
and myself stopped down to Bro Lineback.
Aug 20 – We bid all the saints good bye & started for
Wythe Co. We bought some dinner at a store.
In the P.M. it started to rain very hard we stopped at a Boarding
House. We were treated fine cost 40
cents.
Aug 21- We left early in the morning for Bro Wyrick we
walked very hard it started to rain in the P.M.
We had to wade a creek it was very cold & rocky the roads was very
muddy. We got very wet and stopped at
Galax had very little room and was crowded.
Aug 22 – We left Galax as soon as we got our breakfast. Came to a large creek and took a bath it was
very cold we got to Fries about noon Elder Hyde and myself went up to Bro
Tomelsons and got our dinner. Elder Stone and I stayed to Bro Tomelson.
[For Aug 24 next leaf] Aug 24 – We was all very tired from
our long walk we had on the 23rd. We
spent the day talking on the gospel and getting things ready for conference at
Bro. Cary. Helped the girls get the
things out and clean the room up. Elder
and I stayed at Bro. Cary.
Aug 23 – We left for Elder Richmond at Cripple Creek it is
about 14 miles the closest way we walked until noon and stopped at a store and
got some dinner we had walked 10 miles and they told us it was about 12
more. The people told us the wrong way
and we got lost. A man told us the way
we had to cross the Blue Ridge we came all right until we got on top and them
we lost the trail. I took lead and told
the Elders to follow me. I went down a
canyon and came out all right it was dark when we got to Bro Cary the Elders
wanted to stop and sleep out in the woods. I told them to come on and we would
find a place to stop.
Aug 25 – Today conference starts all the Elders are here
their names are: Reid, Davis, Stone, Hyde, Egan, Pres Rands, Bishop and
myself. Elder Richmond also was here he
lives here and is a good member our meetings started at 11 o’clock. There was a good many to our meeting. We had one at 3 o’clock. There was a good crowd in the afternoon also
we had a good lunch and enjoyed our selves fine. Elder Stone and I made the seats all got the
house all fixed before any Elders got there Elder Bishop gave a very good
speech.
Aug 26 – today is Sunday and it is a very nice day we have a
meeting appointed at 11 there was a large crowd out and we had a very enjoyable
time. The saints all brought a basket of
picnic and we all stayed and had a nice lunch.
Elder Reid and Pres Rands gave a very good sermon on Salvation for the
Dead. Explained it very well in the P.
M. we had a meeting at 3 O’clock. There
was a large crowd out it rained a little and stopped the people from coming out
we had all the benches would seat.
Aug 27 - Elder Hyde and I left Bro Cleavor soon after we had
breakfast we was going to Bro Richmond to hold a meeting for the Elders to get
instructions. Pres Rands gave me Elder
Reid for a companion. After meeting we
all went up and had a swim it was a nice bathing hole. Elder Davis cut my hair and we had a general
clean up. All had dinner at Bro.
Richmond. Bid all the Elders goodbye and
left for a friend’s to stop it rained on us he was not at home so we had to go
to Bro. Cleavor’s and stopped it was after dark when we got in.
Aug 28 – We bid the saints and Elder goodbye and started for
our field of labor we walked until noon before we could start to canvass. Got our dinner and had a long talk on the
gospel. The people was very thick
Stopped to a Mr. Dumchom was treated fine.
Aug 29 – We left soon after breakfast and started to canvass
found the people very friendly. We had
many good talks on the principles of the Gospel. We came to a man who was very bitter he did
not want to talk to us. We ask him for
some dinner, he told us to come in after dinner he did not ask us to stop or
sit down we went on our way. I sold 2
books and had some good talks on religion.
We stopped with a man who had a large white house he treated us
fine. His daughter sang and played on
the organ it rained nearly all night.
Aug 30 – It was raining when we got up it had rained most of
the night. After breakfast we sat out on
the porch and talked about the principles of the gospel. About ½ past 9 we started on our way. Had some good talks on the gospel; did not
get any dinner. We came to a man who was
a little bitter we stopped and talked for about an hour when we got ready to go
he wanted us to spend the night we did and he treated us fine. He was a good friend to use before we left
and want us to call and see him again we sold him a book and he said he would
read it and study it.
Aug 31- After about an hour and a half we left for
Wytheville we had to go over a large mountain it was very warm. I met a lady and had quite talk on the
gospel. She said we believed we could
save a man after death. We had 100
tracts and 1 doz ½ of Books had to leave our clothes so we could get them in
our grips. Came about 2 miles and
stopped with a man who treated us fine.
