Logan history : [part of a journal] by Ralph Smith

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February 9th 1878
Logan City Cache County
^     I here give a brief Synopsis of my Father Thomas Watkin Smith who was born October th
5th 1812 at Gateshead IPowfell in the county of Durham England the Son of Ralph Smith
and Ann Watkin
Commencing at the year 1845 My Father held a good Situation under Mr.  William Elliot
Coal Viewer at   Etherley Collierys county Durham England belonging to Henry Stobart
Esq at this place my Father was fiver man and under Viewer and had a great many men
under his Charge and had being Overman upwards of Six years at this time and place
when a Priest of the Latter Day Saints named Henry Campbell came to Fathers House
to interview Father in regard to Iron Stone as Witton Iron Works were about to be
erected and Mr Campbell was hunting teams in regard to ore for this projected Iron
Works Company and after attending to business he then taught the Gospel to us and made
repeated visits to Fathers House but was not able to lead Father to the Waters of Baptism.
Yet Mother and her two Eldest children went on January th 4 th 1846 and were Baptized
and t&^fethe Elder George V.   Waugh came to confirm us February 1846.     Father
invited the whole neighbourhood to come and hear this Elder preach and opened Ms
house for the Elder to preach the Gospel in and on account of his assisting to spread
Mormonism he loosed his situation and stemed the torent of persecution which was hurled
against him,    January i 1850 Father was Baptized at Thrislington Durham Englaid   by
Elder John McCaffery and confirmed January th 6 and on March th 3 1850 was ordained
an Elder by Elder John McCaffery and appointed P resident over the Thrislington Branch
and laboured zealously to spread the Gospel throughout that neighbourhood   Julyth ist
1852 my Father went to Australia with two Nephews who had sought him to go with them
and the work being    very slack where we reside the traveling Elders advised or counciled
Father to go and help to raise means to emigrate his Family and meet thf^m at Salt
Lake Valley which he did to a great extent but the last news we received from him he
was very ill or sick ancjabput   to go to the Hobert town Hospital 170 miles from the
place he was living at in "Juasmania.    Where He had been laying a railroad in that
county.
Logan City January 4 1876
At this date haveing being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter day Saints
for thirty years.    I desire to give a brief sketch from my journal at the commencement
of this Book,    and in my weak way have tried to fill every office off trust called to
perform,   holding both Briesthoods and acting from Deacon to r'riest last named
office ordained December 28th 1853 and appointed a field of labor to which I gave much
attention and with the help of the holy spirit I led tweleve Persons to go and be Baptized
under my hands in the short space of three months.    April 1st 1854 was ordained an
Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ of latter day Saints by C. G.   Webb at the Newcastle
upon tyne Conferance held at Sunderland county off Durham England,   the President of
the Branch where I resided at Durham appointed me a new field of labor at Brunside and
Cairville April 9th notified the Inhabitance of those places that I was co .neing to preach
the Gospel to them and made appointments to preach April 14 which were faithfuly
attended to.    April 15th went to my old field of labor and Baptized one more person and