LIFE HISTORY OF PHILO DIBBLE IN A CONDENSED FORM
LIFE HISTORY OF PHILO DIBBLE IN A CONDENSEDFORM
1806 - 1895
PHILO DIBBLE, SR. was born June 6, 1806 at Peru,Pittsfield County, Massachusetts. He was the second son of Orator and BulahDibble. While Philo was quite young, his father moved to the town of Granby,where he (his father) died, and left his wife with a family of nine to carefor. Philo was then ten years old. Heand his elder brother Philander were taken by Captain Apollos Phelps toSuffield, Connecticut. Captain Phelps had no children of his own, and hetreated Philo and Philander as he would have done were they his own. They wereto remain with him until they were twenty one. Captain Phelps was a good man and taught the boys good principles.
Philo stayed with him five months after he became of age. Hethen went to Boston, Mass., where he visited the harbor, several islands, andsaw the ship Java. He then returned to Suffield where he became acquainted withCelia Kent, daughter of Benajah Kent of Suffield. They were married by Rev. Calvin Phileo. Philo was thentwenty-three years old.
Philo sold his possessions in Suffield, and they moved toOhio, where his wife owned some property. While they were crossing Lake Eriefrom Buffalo to Fairport there was a great storm, but they landed safely. Theypassed through Chardon, Ohio and located three miles west of that city at aplace called Kind St. This was about five miles from Kirtland.
One morning when he was standing at his gate, two men came upand asked him if he had heard the news. They said that four men had come toKirtland with a Golden Bible, and one of them said he had seen an angel. Theylaughed and ridiculed the idea, but Philo did not feel inclined to make lightof it. He made no reply but thought if angels had ministered to the children ofmen, he was glad. On his return home he told his wife and drove to Kirtland. Onarriving there they were introduced to Oliver Cowdery, Zeba Peterson, PeterWhitmer, Jr., and Parley P. Pratt. He remained with them all day and became convincedthat they were sincere. He asked Oliver what repentance meant and Oliverreplied, "forsaking sin and yielding obedience to the Gospel." Philoattended a meeting held at Isaac Morleys and Oliver spoke on the principles ofthe Gospel, repentance and baptism, and then bore his testimony. At the closeof the meeting he requested all who wished baptism to rise to their feet. Philowas one of the five to stand up. He borrowed a suit of clothes and was baptizedon the sixteenth of Oct 1830 by Parley P. Pratt. When he came up out of thewater he knew he had been born of the water and of the Spirit, for his mind wasilluminated with the Holy Ghost.
He stayed at the home of Dr. F.G. Williams. While in bed thatnight he felt what he thought was a hand upon his left shoulder, and asensation like fibers of fire enveloped his body, he was enveloped in aheavenly influence and could not sleep for joy. His wife joined the Church soon after. Joseph Smith and hisfather's family came to Kirtland. Philo said that the Lord had sent him thereand this was the first time he had beheld the Prophet Joseph. He held himself in readiness to assist theSmith family by means or by service. He sold land and his possessions many timesto help the Prophet financially. He also at times rented his farm and spent allhis time in the interest of the Church and took Joseph to different places hewished to go. Philo went to Hyrum's on a visit and arrived at Father Johnson'shouse just as Joseph and Sidney were coming out of a vision, which is recordedin the Doctrine and Covenants on the three degrees of glory. Joseph wore ablack suit, but his face shone as if transparent.
In the year 1832, he sold his possessions in Ohio and wascalled by Joseph to advance money to purchase land in Jackson County. He gave$50 for that purpose and $50 to Parley P. Pratt. He gave three hundred dollarsto purchase goods to take to Jackson County. He then went to Independence,Jackson County, and from there went to a settlement at Whitmer. He fencedtwenty acres and built a house and planted a garden. In the Fall of 1833 apreacher by the name of MaCoy came buying guns and powder. He sold some to himbut MaCoy acted rather suspicious. The Saints soon heard that they were goingto be driven from the County. Philo and another man were selected to go toanother County and gather guns. John Poorman went with him to Liberty, ClayCounty, and purchased ammunition. Soonafter their return about one hundred and fifty men came in the middle of thenight and tore down a number of their houses, whipped and abused a number ofmen. Philo was aroused from his sleep by the falling of houses and barelyescaped in the woods with his wife and family. They were some distance away,but could still hear the lashes on the brethren who were being whipped. Philohelped to guard and protect a mill from the mob. The next day the mob gatheredat the settlement of Whitmer and Brother David Whitmer said every man must goand take a man. They all responded and met the mob in battle in which Philo wasshot in the right side of the navel. Several men were shot and some wounded.After the battle, he took his powder and gun and started home when he got abouthalf way, he felt faint and stopped at Brother Whitmer's home but it was fullof women and children. He continued on and arrived at his home that hadpreviously been torn down by the mob. He found his wife and two children, andseveral other women who had found shelter in a house near his own. He told themthat he had been shot and wanted to lay down. They got him on a bed, but hispain was so bad that his wife went out to call for some brethren, but in hersearch she was lost in the woods and was gone for two hours. She learned thatall the men had gone to Colesville and had taken all the wounded men with them,except Philo. The next morning he was taken farther from the road to concealhim from the mob; he bled inwardly until his body was filled with blood andremained in that condition until five pm the next day. He was then examined by a Doctor that saidhe could not possibly live and was pronounced dead. David Whitmer Philo word that he would not die and after theDoctor left, Brother Newell Knight came to see him and sat on his bed. He laidhis right hand on his head and never spoke, but he felt the Spirit before thehand touched him. He immediately arouse, and discharged three quarts of bloodand parts of clothing which had been driven into his body by the bullets.
He then dressed himself and went out side and saw the fallingof the stars which encouraged the Saints and frightened away their enemies. Itwas the grandest sight he had ever seen. From that time not a drop of bloodleft his body or did he feel any pain from his wounds. (Some accounts of thisincident state that the bullet was removed from his body, but he carried thebullet to the grave. His children and grand-children heard him relate his storyand have felt with their own hands the lead pellet which lodged under the skinin the small of his back. Some wanted him to have it removed, but he said thathe desired that the bullet remain with his body to the grave as a witness; hiswish was granted).
The night after the battle, women and children were scatteredover the prairie and anywhere to get away from the mob. The mob gathered andswore they would kill them all, but the heavens were lit up with the falling ofthe stars and frightened the mob away. This brought them a perfect redemptionat that time. At the time of the battle, the mob gathered and stole hisfurniture and possessions, and he then crossed the river to Clay County;leaving behind a drove of hogs, three cows, and all of his crops which he neverrecovered. Here he enjoyed rest from persecution for a while, and had twochildren, Emma and Philo, Jr.
In a Conference held in Liberty, Clay Co., Philo, Sr. wasordained a teacher by David Whitmer. While he was at a celebration of thefourth of July at Far West, a terrible thunderstorm came over and lightening strucka liberty pole and shivered it to pieces. Joseph walked around on the splintersand said: "As that pole was splintered, so shall be the nations of theearth!" Before he left Far West, he made arrangements with a man to bringhis family through to Quincy, and he paid him sixty dollars on their arrival.On arriving at Quincy, he rented a farm of two hundred acres and a heavy cropwas harvested. While on this farm he was taken sick, had the Elders administerto him. He was immediately healed and got up from his bed.
Some of the neighbors at Quincy wanted to hear more aboutMormonism. Brother Greene was to be the speaker, but was sick and unable to.Brother Stewart undertook to take his place, but broke down and called on PhiloDibble to speak. He arose and spoke for two hours. It was the first time he hadever delivered a public sermon. After the meeting, a Brother Mills who waspresent, felt so well that he went home with Philo and declared that he haddelivered the greatest discourse he had ever heard. Philo said, "BrotherMills, I don't know what I have said. It was not me; it was theLord." In the Spring of 1840, hemoved to Nauvoo, which was then called Commerce, and had been appointed byJoseph as the place. During the next year his wife died and left him with fivechildren, two daughters and three sons. He concluded to get his children
homes and then travel and preachthe Gospel. He decided that he had not only lost a wife, but also his children,and they had not only lost a mother and a father, but also each other'ssociety.
On Feb 11, 1841, he married a second wife, widow Smith fromPhiladelphia. The Prophet Joseph performed the ceremony and Sister Emma Smithgave them a wedding supper. They had two children, David and Lorin. They haddinner with Joseph one day when he came over to
see them. After dinner, he toldPhilo that he must go away at once or he would die. They went immediately to aplace in the south part of town. Later on, Joseph told Philo's wife that theLord told him to tell Philo to go away from there, and if he obeyed he shouldlive; if not, he should die. He said that if Philo had remained fourteen dayslonger, he would have been a corpse.
Philo Dibble, Sr. was the only one of his family to join theChurch and come west. He crossed the plains in 1851, with Philemon C. Merril'sCompany and settled in Bountiful, Davis Co., Utah. At the time of the move south, he went and located inSpringville, Utah.
He was the Prophet's body guard at the time he was martyred.Two days after the death of Joseph and Hyrum, he made casts of the death masksof each. The casts remained in his possession for four decades. After coming toUtah, he traveled through the country giving lectures and shows of the oilpaintings and relics at the time of the Prophet Joseph. On Nov 21, 1885 he soldthe casts to Harris Brown of Logan for $50 and they are now in the possessionof Wilford C. Wood of Bountiful, Utah.
The Death of Philo Dibble-- AnOld Respected Veteran Passed to His Final Rest at Springville This Morning.
Elder Philo Dibble, an aged and respected Utah veteran, diedat his home in Springville at 2 O'clock this morning. Elder Dibble had beenfailing for some time past and was perfectly resigned to his position. He wasin the ninetieth year of his age, and had very remarkable career.
In his death it is thought the oldest member of the Church haspassed from mortality. He was baptized Sep 15th 1830 by Parley P. Pratt. He waswounded by a mob during the troubled times of 1833 in Jackson County, Missouri.He was shot in the abdomen. The ball passed through his body and lodged nearthe backbone just beneath the skin where it remained up to the time of hisdeath. On May 27th, he was visited by some Elders of the Church and among otherthings he said at that time: "I know, he said, the Church was establishedby divine revelation, Joseph Smith being God's Prophet, Seer and Revelator.With him I was familiar and closely associated during his life from 1833 until1844. When I beheld him as a martyr, shot with four bullets, even unto death;and I now lie here on my death bed with lead in my body at the age of 89, and Ishall soon go to meet the martyr, for I now feel that my work here on earth isdone, and my desire is that I may soon go in peace where
I shall see many others who, likemyself, have suffered many tribulations for Christ's sake."
His funeral will be held at Springville, from the meetinghouse on Sunday afternoon next, beginning at 2 O'clock.
He lived in Springville until Jun 7, 1895, when he died. Hewas buried at Springville, Utah.
(Taken from the"Deseret Evening News" Vol. XXVII, SLC,
Utah - Friday Jun7, 1895 - 5 O'clock Edition).
All aboveinformation was typed by Ted L. Moody, Rt 2,
Box 765, Safford,Arizona - date: 11 Sep 1984.
PHILO DIBBLE'SNARRATIVE
1806 - 1895
Chapter 1
His Early Life
Conversion
Curious Signs
Joseph Removes To Kirtland
Wonderful Manifestations
Miraculous Case of Healing
Sidney Rigdon in Darkness
Joseph Predicts That The EvilOne Will Handle Him, And The Prediction Is Fulfilled.
I (Philo Dibble)am the second son of Orotor and Bulah Dibble, and was born June 6th, 1806, atPeru, Pittsfield County, Massachusetts. When I was quite young when my fatherremoved to the town of Granby, where he died when I was ten years old, leavingmy mother with nine children. My elder brother, Philander, and I was taken byone Captain Apollos Phelps, living at Suffield, Connecticut, to raise until wewere twenty-one years old. he was a good man, and taught us good principles,and treated us as though we were his own sons.
I remained withhim four or five months after I became of age, when I resolved to travel. Ithen visited Boston, Massachusetts, and its harbor, and saw the ship Java, thatwas fitted out with six hundred soldiers to protect the merchants againstpirates. I also visited several Islands and many of the surrounding towns andthen returned to Suffield, where I became acquainted with Miss Celia Kent,daughter of Benajah Kent, of Suffield, and married her; the Rev. Calvin Phileoperforming the ceremony. I was then twenty-three years of age.
My wife havingsome property in Ohio, we sold our possessions in Connecticut and removed tothat part. While crossing Lake Erie from Bullalo to Fairport we encountered aterrible storm, and our destruction seemed imminent, but through an overrulingProvidence we were saved and landed safely. We passed through Chardon, Ohio,and located three miles west of the city, at a place called King Street, whichwas within five miles of Kirtland. I there purchased a farm and entered intothe business of buying and selling wild lands.
One morning, Iwas standing at my gate when two men drove up in a two-horse wagon, and askedto get in and go home with them, about a quarter of a mile distant. On the way,one asked me if I had heard the news, and informed me that four men had come toKirtland with a golden Bible and one of them had seen an angel. They laughedand ridiculed the idea, but I did not feel inclined to make light of such a subject.I made no reply, but thought that if angels had administered to the children ofmen again, I was glad of it; I was afraid, however, it was not true. On myreturn home I told my wife what I had heard.
The next day Iwas intending to go fifty miles south to the town Suffield, Ohio, to pay sometaxes, but my wife thinking that one or two days would not make much differenceabout that, proposed that we should hunt up those strange men in Kirtland.
The next morningI took my wife, another man and his wife, and started for Kirtland. When wearrived there, the men we were seeking had gone to the town of Mayfield, butwere to return to Kirtland the next day. The following morning, hitched up mycarriage and again drove to Kirtland, one of my neighbors accompanying us withhis team and family. On arriving there, we were introduced to Oliver Cowdery,Ziba Peterson, Peter Whitmer, Jr. and Parley P. Pratt. I remained with them allday, and became convinced that they were sincere in their professions. I askedOliver what repentance consisted of, and he replied, "Forsaking sin andyielding obedience to the Gospel!"
That evening, hepreached at Brother Issac Morley's and bore his testimony to the administrationof an Angel at noonday. He then dwelt upon the subjects of repentance andbaptism and the bestowal
of the Holy Ghost, and promised that all who embraced theseprinciples with honesty of heart should receive a testimony. He also requestedall who wished to be baptized to make it manifest by arising. Five persons, among whom were William Cahoonand myself, arose. I then made preparations for baptism by borrowing a suit ofclothes. My wife thought I was too hasty, and said if I would wait
awhile perhaps she would go along with me. She was a Baptistby persuasion. I paid no heed to her, but went forthwith and was baptized byParley P. Pratt. This was on the 16th of Oct 1830. When I came out of thewater, I knew that I had been born of water and of the Spirit, for my mind wasilluminated with the Holy Ghost.
I spent thatevening at Dr. F.G. Williams'. While in bed that night I felt what appeared tobe a hand upon my left shoulder and a sensation like fibers of fire immediatelyenveloped my body. It passed from my right shoulder across my breast to my leftshoulder, it then struck me on my collar bone and went to the pit of mystomach, after which it left me. I was enveloped in a heavenly
influence, and could not sleep for joy.
The nextmorning, I started home a happy man. All my neighbors were anxious to know theresult of my visit to Kirtland, and I was visited by two Campbellite preachers,named respectively Scott and Williams, one of whom remarked, "Mr. Dibble,I understand you have joined the 'Mormons'. What reason have you to believe theyhave the truth?"
I told them,"The scriptures point to such a work, which should come forth."
He then asked mewhere I found it. I took the Bible and opened it where it speaks of truthspringing out of the earth, and righteousness looking down from above. He readit and handed it to the other preacher. They made no comments.
I bore mytestimony to them of what I had received, and Mr. Scott said, "I don'tdoubt, Mr. Dibble, that you have received all you say, because you are honest,but they are impostors."
I than asked Mr.Scott if he believed the Lord would bless the labors of a false Prophet, towhich they did not stop to reply but left and told the people it was no usetalking to me.
One of myneighbors came to me and said, "We have sent a man down to York state tofind out the truth of this work, and he is a man who will not lie. If hereturns and says it is false, will you believe him?"
I told him Iwould believe the truth, and asked him if that man (whose name was EdwardPartridge) should come back and say it was false if he would believe him.
He replied,"Yes; for he is a man who would not lie for his right arm!"
I then added,"If he says it is true, will you then believe him?" To which hereluctantly replied that he would.
Shortly afterthis, however, when Brother Partridge wrote back and said that he had beenbaptized, and was then preaching the Gospel, this man shunned me, and for along time afterwards gave me no chance to talk with him. But when we met, I askedhim what he thought of Brother Partridge and he replied that he was honest, buthad been deceived.
The fourMissionaries who had visited Kirtland proceeded on westward to the borders ofthe Lamanites, in Jackson County, Missouri on the mission to which they hadbeen called by revelation through Joseph the Prophet, leaving the few convertsthey had made to themselves. Meetings were held occasionally by the members ofthe Church in Kirtland, all of which I attended. All manner of
spirits were there mad manifest, and o one to detect them.Many persons were operated upon in a very strange manner, and I was impressedthat the spirits which inspired them were from the evil one.
At a meetingheld one evening at Brother Whitney's, the heavens were opened and the Spiritof God filled the house and rested upon all the congregation to overflowing,little children not excepted. Prophesying and singing the songs of Zion wereindulged in until morning.
Brother Whitney,who had not then yielded obedience to the Gospel, was convinced of the truth,and shortly after was baptized.
I will hereobserve that about the time of which I write, there were many signs and wondersseen in the heavens above and in the earth beneath in the region of Kirtland,both by Saints and strangers. A pillar of light was seen every evening for morethan a month hovering over the place where we did our baptizing. One eveningalso, as Brother William Blakesley and I were returning home from meeting, weobserved that it was unusually light, even for moonlight; but, on reflection,we found the moon was not to be seen that night. Although it was cloudy, it wasas light as
noonday, and we could seemingly see a tree farther thatnight than we could in the day time.
Soon after this,Joseph with his father's family came to Kirtland, and said the Lord had senthim there, and he or the devil would have to leave. This was the first time Ihad beheld Joseph. After he arrived the false spirits which had been operatingthrough the members of
the Church ceased for awhile.
I held myself inreadiness to assist the Smith family with my means or my personal services asthey might require, as they were financially poor. They were living on a farmowned by F.G. Williams, in Kirtland, upon which there was a debt of fourhundred dollars due, which had to be paid within a stated time or the farmwould revert to its former owner.
Joseph Coe, whowas required to raise this amount to save the farm, said he could not do so,for his wife held the money and she did not belong to the Church. Being presentwith Joseph when the subject came up, I said to him, "I can raise themoney!" and he replied that if I would, I should be blessed.
I explained tohim how I would have to raise the money. I owned twelve hundred acres of landlying twenty miles south of Elyria, which was worth three dollars per acre. Inorder to raise the money then, I would have to sell a portion of it for onedollar and twenty-five cents per acre, and I accordingly did so and paid Josephthe four hundred dollars.
When Joseph cameto Kirtland his fame spread far and wide. There was a woman living in the townof Hiram, forty miles from Kirtland, who had a crooked arm, which she had notbeen able to use for a long period. She persuaded her husband, whose name wasJohnson, to take her to Kirtland to get her arm healed.
I saw them asthey passed my house on their way. She went to Joseph and requested him to healher. Joseph asked her if she believed the Lord was able to make him aninstrument in healing her arm. She said, she believed the Lord was able to healher arm.
Joseph put heroff till the next morning, when he met her at Brother Whitney's house. Therewere eight persons present, one a Methodist preacher, and one a doctor. Josephtook her by the hand, prayed in silence a moment, pronounced her arm whole, inthe name of Jesus Christ, and turned and left the room.
The preacherasked her if her arm was whole, and she straightened it out and replied:"It is as good as the other." The question was then asked if it wouldremain whole. Joseph hearing this, answered and said: "It is as good asthe other, and as liable to accident as the other".
The doctor whowitnessed the miracle came to my house the next morning and related thecircumstance to me. He attempted to account for it by his false philosophy,saying that Joseph took her by the hand, and seemed to be in prayer, andpronounced her arm whole in the name of Jesus Christ, which excited her andstarted perspiration, and that relaxed the cords of her arm.
I subsequentlyrented my farm and devoted all my time to the interest of the Church, holdingmyself in readiness to take Joseph wherever he wished to go.
On invitation ofFather Johnson, of Hiram, Joseph removed his family to his home, to translatethe New Testament. This was in the year 1831. At this time, Sidney Rigdon wasleft to preside at Kirtland and frequently preached to us. Upon one occasion,he said the keys of the kingdom were taken from us. On hearing this, many ofhis hearers wept, and when someone undertook to dismiss the meeting by
prayer, he said, "praying would do them no good",and the meeting broke up in confusion.
Brother Hyrumcame to my house the next morning and told me all about it, and said it wasfalse, and that the keys of the Kingdom were still with us. He wanted mycarriage and horses to go to the town of Hiram and bring Joseph. The word wentabroad among the people immediately that Sidney was going to expose "Mormonism."
Joseph came upto Kirtland a few days afterwards and held a meeting in a large barn. Nearlyall the inhabitants of Kirtland turned out to hear him. The barn was filledwith people, and others unable to get inside, stood around the door as far asthey could hear.
Joseph arose inour midst and spoke in mighty power, saying: "I can contend with wickedmen and devils--yes with angels. No power can pluck those keys from me, exceptthe power that gave them to me; that was Peter, James and John. But for whatSidney has done, the devil shall handle him as one man handles another."
Thomas B.Marsh's wife went from the meeting and told Sidney what Joseph had said, andreplied: "Is it possible that I have been so deceived? But if Joseph saysso, it is so."
About threeweeks after this, Sidney was lying on his bed alone. An unseen power lifted himfrom his bed, threw him across the room, and tossed him from one side of theroom to the other. The noise being heard in the adjoining room, his family wentin to see what was the matter, and found him going from one side of the room tothe other, from the effects of which Sidney was laid up for five or six weeks.Thus was Joseph's prediction in regard to him verified.
When Joseph wasready to go back to Hyrum, I took him in my carriage. Soon afterwards, I hadoccasion to visit Hyrum again. On my way there I was persuaded to stop at theHulet settlement and attend a meeting. When I arrived at Father Johnson's thenext morning, Joseph and Sidney had just finished washing up from being tarredand feathered the night before. Joseph said to Sidney: "We can now go onour Mission to Jackson County" (alluding to a commandment given them whilethey were translating, but which they concluded not to attend to until they hadfinished that work). I felt to regret very much that I had not been with themthe evening before, but it was perhaps providential that I was not. On asubsequent visit to Hiram, I arrived at Father Johnson's just as Joseph andSidney were coming out of the vision alluded to in the Book of Doctrine andCovenants, in which mention is made of the three glories. Joseph wore blackclothes, but at this time seemed to be dressed in an element of glorious white,and his face shone as if it were transparent, but I did not see the same gloryattending Sidney. Joseph appeared as strong as a lion, but Sidney seemed asweak as water, and Joseph, noticing his condition smiled and said,"Brother Sidney is not as used to it as I am."
Chapter II
Removal To Missouri
The Saints' Guns PurchasedFor Mobocrats By A Sectarian Preacher
Attack Of The Mob On TheWhitmer Settlement
The Writer Shot--SubsequentExposure And Suffering
Critical Condition
Healed Miraculously HowZion's Camp Was Preserved On Fishing River
A Vision.
In 1832, I soldmy possessions in Ohio, and, we being called upon by Joseph to advance moniesto purchase the land in Jackson County, I paid fifty dollars for that purposeand also gave Brother Parley P. Pratt fifty dollars to assist him as a pioneer.I was then called on for money to be placed in the hands of Brothers Whitneyand Gilbert, who were going to New York to purchase goods to take up to JacksonCounty, and gave them three hundred dollars.
I joined in witha company led by Brother Thomas B. Marsh, and arrived in Independence, JacksonCounty, on the 10th of November, I remained in Independence until spring andthen removed to the Whitmer settlement, farther west, where I built a house,fenced twenty acres of land and put in a garden.
In the fall of1833, a sectarian preacher by the name of Mccoy came to the Whitmer settlementwhere I was living to buy up all the guns he could, representing that he wantedthem for the Indians. We suspected no trouble, and quite a number of us soldour guns to him. The sequel of his action was, however, soon apparent to us,for rumors soon reached us of mobs assembling and threats being made to driveus from the County.
When the mobfirst began to gather and threaten us, I was selected to go to another Countyand buy powder and lead. The brethren gave me the privilege of choosing a manto go with me. I took with me a man by the name of John Poorman. We thought wewere good for four of the mob. We went to the town of Liberty, Clay County, and purchased the ammunition, and returnedsafely.
Soon after Ireturned a mob of about one hundred and fifty came upon us in the dead hour ofnight, tore down a number of our houses and whipped and abused several of ourbrethren. I was aroused from my sleep by the noise caused by the fallinghouses, and had barely time to escape to the woods with my wife and twochildren when they reached my house and proceeded to break in the
door and tear the roof off. I was some distance away fromwhere the whipping occurred, but I heard the blows of heavy ox goads upon thebacks of my brethren distinctly. The mob also swore they would tear down ourgrist mill, which was situated at the Colesville Branch, about three miles fromthe settlement, and lest they should really do so, and as it was the only meanswe had of getting our grain ground, we were counseled to gather there anddefend it. We accordingly proceeded there the next morning. The following nighttwo men came into our camp, pretending they wanted to hire some men to work forthem. Brother Parley ordered them to be taken prisoners, when one of themstruck him a glancing blow on the head with his gun, inflicting a severe wound. We then disarmed them and keptthem as prisoners until morning when we gave them back their arms and let themgo.
The next day weheard firing down in the Whitmer settlement, and seventeen of our brethrenvolunteered to go down and see what it meant. Brother George Beebe was one ofthese volunteers and also
one of the men who was whipped the night previous. (BrotherBeebe carried the marks of this whipping to his grave, as the brethren who laidhim out at the time of his death, in Dec. 1881, at Provo, Utah County, cantestify.) When these seventeen men arrived at the Whitmer settlement, the mobcame against them and took some prisoners. Brother David Whitmer brought us thenews of this and said: "Every man go, and every man take a man!"
We all respondedand met the mob in battle, in which I was wounded with an ounce ball and twobuck shot, all entering my body just at the right side of my navel. The mobwere finally routed, and the brethren chased them a mile away. Several othersof the brethren were also shot, and one, named Barber, was mortally wounded.After the battle was over, some of the brethren went to administer to him, buthe objected to their praying that he might live, and asked them if they couldnot see the angels present. He said the room was full of them, and his greatestanxiety was for his friends to see what he saw, until he breathed his last,which occurred at three O'clock in the morning.
A young lawyernamed Bazill, who came into Independence and wanted to make himselfconspicuous, joined the mob, and swore he would wade in blood up his chin.
He was shot withtwo balls through his head, and never spoke. There was another man, whose nameI fail to remember, that lived on the Big Blue, who made a similar boast. Hewas also taken at his word. His chin was shot off, or so badly fractured by aball that he was forced to have it amputated, but lived and recovered, thoughhe was a horrible sight afterwards.
After the battleI took my gun and powder horn and started for home. When I got about half way Ibecame faint and thirsty I wanted to stop at Brother Whitmer's to lay down. Thehouse, however, was full of women and children, and they were so frightenedthat they objected to my entering, as the mob had threatened that wherever theyfound a wounded man they would kill men, women and children.
I continued onand arrived home, or rather at a house in the field that the mob had not torndown, which was near my own home. There I, my wife and two children and anumber of other women who had assembled. I told them I was shot and wanted tolay down.
They got me on the bed, but on thinkingof what the mob had said, became frightened, and assisted me up stairs again,and my wife went out to see if she could find any of the brethren. In searchingfor them she got lost in the woods and was gone two hours, but learned that allthe brethren had gone to the Colesville Branch, three miles distance, takingall the wounded with them save myself.
The nextmorning, I was taken farther off from the road, that I might be concealed fromthe mob. I bled inwardly until my body was filled with blood, and remained inthis condition until the next day at five pm. I was then examined by a surgeonwho was in the Black Hawk War, and who said that he had seen a great many menwounded, but never saw one wounded as I was that ever lived. He pronounced me adead man.
David Whitmer,however, sent me word that I should live and not die, but I could see nopossible chance to recover. After the surgeon had left me, Brother NewellKnight came to see me, and sat down on the side of my bed. He laid his righthand on my head, but never spoke. I felt the Spirit resting upon me at thecrown of my head before his hand touched me, and I knew immediately that I wasgoing to be healed. It seemed to form like a ring under the skin, and followeddown my body. When the ring came to the wound, another ring formed around thefirst bullet hole, also the second and third. Then a ring formed on eachshoulder and on each hip, and followed down to the ends of my fingers and toesand left me. I immediately across and discharged three quarts of blood or more,with some pieces of clothes that had been driven into my body by the bullets. Ithen, dressed myself and went out doors and saw the falling of the stars, whichso encouraged the Saints and frightened
their enemies. It was one of the grandest sights I everbeheld. From that time not a drop of blood came from me and I never afterwardsfelt the slightest pain or inconvenience from my wounds, except that I wassomewhat weak from the loss of blood.
The next day Iwalked around the field, and the day following I mounted a horse and rode eightmiles, and went three miles on foot.
The night of thebattle, many of the women and children ran into the woods. One sister, notbeing able to take all of her children with her, left her little boy four yearsold in a corn shock, where he remained until morning. Some went out on the burtprairie. The mob gathered and swore they would go and massacre them. When theygot ready to go, he heavens were lit up with the falling of stars. This broughtto us a perfect redemption at that time.
The night of thebattle, the mob took all my household furniture, and after my recovery Icrossed the river to Clay Co., leaving behind me a drove of hogs, three cowsand all of my crop, which I never recovered.
In Clay County,I enjoyed some rest from persecution, and had two children born to me, Emma andPhilo, Jr. I was there when Zion's Camp came up. I met them on Fishing River.There the power of the Lord was manifested by His sending a thunder storm,which raised Fishing River ten feet higher than it was ever known to risebefore. I saw the cloud coming up in the west when I was ten miles from FishingRiver in the middle of the afternoon. As it moved on eastwardly it increased insize and in blackness, and when it got over the camp it stopped, and in thenight the rain and hail poured down in torrents, and the lightning flashed fromthe cloud continuously for three hours.
Just beforenight, two men came into camp and asked where Mr. Smith was. Joseph said,"I am the man." They then advised him to disband his camp,"for", said they, "the mob are gathering, and there won't be oneof you left tomorrow morning!"
Joseph smiled,and said: "I guess not." Seeing that Joseph did not believe what theycame to tell him, they went off vexed.
We learnedafterwards that the hail was so heavy on the mob, that they were forced to seekshelter, and the leader of them swore he would never go against the "Mormons"again.
Zion's Camp wasdisbanded on Fishing River. The leading men of Liberty being desirous forpeace, called a meeting and invited our leading men to meet with them, whichthey did. They told our committee that if they could have peace, we should havea County to ourselves, and it we had not money enough to buy out the oldsettlers of Caldwell County they would lend us money to buy them out. Thissettled our difficulties at that time.
In the meantime,a conference was held in Liberty, Clay County, at which I was ordained aTeacher under the hands of David Whitmer.
We thencommenced settling Caldwell County, to which I removed, built a house, enteredseven hundred and twenty acres of land and bought a lot in town. I also enteredland for many of the brethren, and for this purpose had to go the distance ofeighty miles, where the land office was located.
On my returnhome, when I got to Liberty, midway between Lexington and Far West, I concludedI would travel from there home by night, as it was very warm during the day.The road led through a strip of timber for four miles, and after that across aprairie for twenty miles.
When I hadtraveled about two-thirds of the way across a prairie, riding on horseback, Iheard the cooing of the prairie hens. I looked northward and saw, apparentlywith my natural vision, a beautiful city, the streets of which ran north andsouth. I also knew there were streetsrunning east and west, but could not trace them with my eye for the buildings.The walks on each side of the streets were as white as marble, and the trees onthe other side of the marble walks had the appearance of locust trees inautumn. This city was in view for about one hour-and a-half, as near as I couldjudge, as I traveled along. When I began to descend towards the Crooked River;the timber through which I passed hid
the city from my view. Every block in this mighty city hadsixteen spires, four on each corner, each block being built in the form of ahollow square, within which I seemed to know that the gardens of theinhabitants were situated. The corner buildings on which the spires rested werelarger and higher than the others, and the several blocks were uniformly alike.The beauty and grandeur of the scene I cannot describe. While viewing the city,the buildings appeared to be transparent. I could not discern the inmates, butI appeared to understand that they could discern whatever passed outside.
Whether this wasa city that has been or is to be I cannot tell. It extended as far north asAdam-ondi-Ahman, a distance of about twenty-eight miles. Whatever is revealedto us by the Holy Ghost will never be forgotten.
Chapter III
Militia Organized At FarWest--Liberty Pole Struck by Lightning
General Atchison Defends TheProphet In A Lawsuit
Atchison Removed From OfficeFor Being Friendly To The Saints
Far West Besieged--BetrayedFor A Price
Escape To Quincy
Part of Zion'scamp went back to Kirtland, and also Brother Joseph, but in consequence of themobs and apostates; the Church organization in Kirtland was broken up. Some ofthe apostates left Kirtland and came up to Far West. They called meetings andtold the people that Joseph was a fallen Prophet, and they were determined toput David Whitmer in his place. Some of the brethren, including the Presidentof the Branch I lived in, fell in with the views of the apostates. I being aTeacher in the Branch, took up a labor with them, first going to our Presidentand taking with me a Deacon. Our President said if he had got to become anenemy to David to be a friend to Joseph, he could not be a friend to Joseph. Hethen called the Branch together in order to put me out of office as a Teacher,but the Branch sustained me. He afterwards, cited me to appear for trail beforeBishop Partridge, who gave me two weeks to make satisfaction, and Iappealed my case to the High Council,who decided there was no cause of action.
Joseph andfamily soon arrived at Far West. Soon after a regiment was organized by W.W.Phelps, George M. Hinkle, Lyman Wight and Reed Peck, they having received theircommissions from the governor. An election of officers was called and G.W.Robinson was elected Colonel, I Lieutenant Colonel and Seymour Brunson Major.
Whilecelebrating the 4th of July at Far West, there came up a thunder shower, andthe lightning struck our liberty pole and shivered it to pieces. Joseph walkedaround on the splinters and said: "As that pole was splintered, so shallthe nations of the earth be!"
When the troublewith the mob commenced, Colonel Robinson took about one-half of the force toAdam-ondi-Ahman to defend that place. Joseph, Hyrum and Sidney also went withthem, leaving me in command at Far West. The detachment returned in about fourdays.
A few daysafterwards, Joseph Smith and I took a walk out upon the prairie, and in thecourse of our conversation I suggested to him to send for General Atchison todefend him in the suit then brought against him, as he was in command of thethird division of the militia of the State of Missouri, and was a lawyer and afriend to law, Joseph made no reply, but turned back immediately to Far West,and a man was selected, with the best horse to be found, to go to Liberty forGeneral Atchison.
The next day,General Atchison came to Far West with a hundred men and camped a little northof the town.
On consultingwith Joseph Smith, Atchison told him that he did not want anyone to go withthem to his trial, which was to take place midway between Far West andAdam-ondi-Ahman. Joseph at first hesitated about agreeing to this, but Atchisonreassured him by saying: "My life for yours!"
When theyarrived at the place of the trail quite a number of the mob had gathered, andon seeing Joseph, commenced to curse and swear. Atchison, however, checked themby saying: "Hold on boys, if you fire the first gun there will not be oneof you left!"
Joseph wascleared and came away unmolested. Soon afterwards the Governor, thinkingAtchison was too friendly towards the Saints, took his command from him andplaced General Clark in command of the militia.
Shortly beforeFar West was besieged, I was taken sick, and Colonel Hinkle came into militarycommand under his old commission. Igave up my horse, saddle and bridle, and also my rifle and sword for BrotherLysander Gee to use in defense of our city.
When GeneralClark's army came up against Far West, Colonel Hinkle betrayed the FirstPresidency of the Church into their hands for seven hundred and fifty dollars.Then Joseph and Hyrum, Sidney, and Lyman Wight were taken by the mob, who helda court-martial over them and sentenced them to be shot the next morning ateight O'clock on the public square. Lyman Wight told them, "to shoot andbe damned." Generals Atchison and Doniphan immediately rebelled againstthe decision, and Doniphan said, if men were to be murdered in cold blood, hewould withdraw his troops, which he did. General Atchison then went to Libertyand gave a public dinner, and delivered a speech, in which he said, "Ifthe Governor does not restore my commission to me, I will kill him, so help meGod!" On hearing this, the audience became so enthusiastic that they tookhim upon their shoulders and carried him around the public square.
After thesurrender of Far West, the mob sent officers to get me, but finding that I wassick, they went back and so reported. They came the second time and went backand reported the same. The third time they came they swore they would have me ifthey had to take me on a bed. I lived one and-a-half miles west of the town,and told my folks if they could dress me and help me on my horse, I wouldundertake to leave for Quincy. A young man named Joel Miles was to go with meto help me off and on my horse. Leaving Far West on my left, I arrived atQuincy unmolested.
I will heredigress from my narrative, and state that while I was at Far West the battle ofCrooked River occurred, in which David W. Patten was killed, also the massacreat Haun's Mill. Brother Joseph had sent word by Haun, who owned the mill, toinform the brethren who were living there to leave and come to Far West, butMr. Haun did not deliver the message. I should also have mentioned that whileat Far West an election was held to elect an assessor. Isaac Higbee, myself anda Missourian were the candidates. The brethren held a caucus meeting andadvised one of us to withdraw our name lest the Missourian might gain theelection, and proposed that Higbee and I cast lots for it. Two tickets were putinto a hat for us to draw from. There was a large crowd gathered around andJoseph Smith among them. He said, "I am going to prophesy that Philo willget it." Sure enough, I drew it.
On my arrival inQuincy, knowing that our people would soon be flocking there in great numbersto cross the river, I rented the ferry at nine dollars per day for thirty days.I ran the boat about ten days and ferried the Saints across on their own terms,and still made money at it. Some of the brethren, however, on arriving, assumedthe right to dictate me, and wanted that I should give up the ferry into theirhands. The man who owned it said if I would gave it up he would release me frompaying that day's rent, which I agreed to do, supposing it would go into thehands of the brethren. But when I gave up the papers to him, he informed thebrethren that they must pay him full fare or else make boats and ferrythemselves at half price. This caused a great deal of extra and unnecessaryexpense to our people.
Before I left Far West, I made arrangementswith a man to bring my family through to Quincy, for which I paid him sixtydollars in gold on their arrival.
In the spring of1839, Sidney Rigdon came to me and said he knew of a man who owned a farm threemiles east of Quincy and wanted to rent it to some good man whom he couldrecommend, and that I could have the chance. I gladly accepted the offer andrented the farm of two hundred acres.
Chapter IV
Successful Farming
Sickness
Providential Recovery
Inspired To Preach
Removal To Nauvoo
Death Of My Wife
Second Marriage
Premonition Of Death
Warning From The Prophet
A Dream And It's Fulfillment
A Prophecy and It'sFulfillment
Evil Spirits Cast Out Of AMan
Joseph Smith's Trust In TheLord
I took fourother brethren--Simeon Crandall and three of his sons, to help me carry on thefarm, and we raised a heavy crop, which took us all the fall and winter tomarket.
While livingupon this farm, I was taken sick. Dr. Williams attended me, and after awhilesaid he could do no more for me. I then called for the Elders to administer tome and Brother A.J. Stewart, his brother Levi, and Brother Killian were calledin, but before they arrived Mr. Robbins, of whom I rented the farm, called tosee me. He declared that I might possible live still until three O'clock, butcould not live till morning.
When the Eldersadministered to me, Brother Killian being month, I was in bed. He poured theoil on my forehead and I jumped right out of bed and put on my clothes. Onhearing that Robbins was going to Quincy in the morning, I walked up to hishouse, three quarters of a mile, and went with him in his carriage to Quincy,remained all day and returned with him at night.
Some of mygentile neighbors, wishing to learn about "Mormonism" sent to Quincyfor Brother John P. Greene to come out and preach to them. When he came, hecalled at my house and wanted to know of me what subject he had better treatupon. I told him were I in his place I should speak on the resurrection of thedead, which he did. They were so well pleased with Brother Greene's remarks,that they would not let him off until he left another appointment to preach.Before the appointed time arrived, however, Brother Greene was taken sick andcould not come. A large congregation had gathered at the place appointed, andonly three Elders present--A.J. Stewart, his brother Levi, and myself.
Seeing thesituation of things, we consulted together as to what should be done, whenBrother A.J. Stewart said he would undertake to bill Brother Green'sappointment, but that if he got balked we must help him out. I remarked I couldnot preach, if I did it would only be like a sectarian telling his experience,but said, "I will do the singing", which I did.
Brother Stewart arose, opened the Bible andtried to read, but had to spell his words, and broke down and said that some ofthe brethren would take up the subject and go on with it. He then called on me.I arose to speak. The Holy Ghost came down and enveloped me, and I spoke forover two hours. When I found the Spirit leaving me I thought it time to close,and told my hearers it was the first time I had spoken to a publiccongregation.
A Brother Millswho was present, felt so well that he went home with me and declared that I haddelivered the greatest discourse he had ever heard. Said I: "BrotherMills, I don't know what I have said. It was not me; it was the Lord!"
In the spring of1840, I removed to Nauvoo, then called Commerce, which had been appointed byJoseph for the gathering place. During the next year my wife died, and left mewith five children, two daughters and three sons. I concluded to get mychildren homes and then travel and preach the Gospel; but when I had obtainedhomes for them I found I had not only lost my wife, but also my children, andthey had not only lost their mother, but also the father and each other'ssociety.
On the 11th ofFeb 1841, I married a second wife--a Widow Smith of Philadelphia, who wasliving in the family of the Prophet. He performed the ceremony at his house,and Sister Emma Smith insisted upon getting up a wedding supper for us. It wasa splendid affair, and quite a large party of our friends were assembled.
I then rented ahouse of Hyrum Kimball on the river bank for ten dollars per month, and kept awarehouse, and also boarders and a bakery. While there in business, I saw invision of my grave before me for two weeks; it mattered not whether my eyeswere open or shut it was there, and I saw no way of escape. One day BrotherJoseph and my wife followed me, and he came before me and said: "Philo,you must get away from here or you will die, as sure as God ever spoke by mymouth!" He then turned to my wife and said: "And you will hardlyescape by the skin of your teeth!"
I immediatelystepped into Joseph's carriage and rode with him to the south part of town andrented another place, after which I settled up my business as fast as I could,and made arrangements to remove. Many hearing of Joseph's prediction about me,said if they had been in my place, they would have remained where I was and tested the truth of it, but I assuredthem if they had been in my place they would have done just as I did.
After I hadsettled my business and removed my family, we were one day at Joseph's house,when he said to my wife: "You didn't believe what I told Philo the otherday! Now, I will tell you what the Lord told me; He told me to go and tellPhilo to come away from there, and if he obeyed, he should live; if not, heshould die; and I didn't want to see you a widow so soon again. If Philo had remained there fourteen dayslonger, he would have been a corpse."
One night Josephcame to my house about twelve O'clock, and called me up. I immediately went outto see what was wanted. We went across the street to James Allred's and calledhim up, and we
three went back to Joseph's house. On the way he told usthat a flat boat with about thirty men had landed just below his house, andthat he had overheard some of their conversation. They had made arrangements tokidnap him that night ad sink him in the river. Brother Allred and I went downto the river; but they must have seen Joseph's movements as we found nothing ofthem, although we got up some more of the brethren and searched up and down theriver.
When Joseph andEmma were preparing to go up the river to Dixon, to make a visit with some ofher connections, I was at their house, the night before they started, I had adream, in which I saw Joseph taken prisoner and guarded by two men, who afterawhile left Joseph in Nauvoo and went off cursing and swearing. The nextmorning, I related my dream to Joseph; he listened to me, but made
no reply.
While visitingat Dixon, he was taken prisoner by a sheriff of Missouri and an officer ofIllinois, but instead of getting him over into Missouri as they had planed to,he was brought to Nauvoo. There theyleft Joseph and went off cursing and swearing, just as I had heard them in mydream.
When, on theadvice of the Prophet, I quit my situation on the river, my wife felt so bad atthe loss of my business prospects that she said we might as well die by thesword as by famine. I asked her if she thought it would be worse for ustemporally to obey the word of the Lord. I prophesied that before the yearwould pass away, it would be better for us than if we had remained there.
William Pratthad three city lots upon which he was owing a debt of one hundred dollars, andsaid if I would raise the money, I might have my choice of the three. I raisedthe money all but three dollars, but was at a loss to know how to get thebalance. It was a hard time to borrow money. On my way to Brother Pratt's, Ipicked up three dollars, and then asked my wife if my prophecy was notfulfilled.
One of myneighbors, a Brother James Moses, who lived across the street from me, wastaken sick, and for six weeks was not able to speak above his breath. I wentoccasionally to see him, and one day while there Brother Bills and I were askedby Sister Moses to administer to him, which we did. She then asked us what wethought of him, and I replied that I had no testimony that he would live orthat he would die; but she might as well put water upon fire to make it burn asto give him medicine. This offended her, as she had a doctor by the name ofGreen attending him, and we left.
Soon after thisBrother Kimball (one of the Apostles) was called on to administer to him, whenSister Moses asked him what he thought of her husband's condition. He repliedin the very words what I had used, but advised them to hold on to him. BrotherBills and I happening to call in again to see him, we were asked if we wouldanoint him. I consented and stepped up to the bed to put some oil on his forehead,but felt impressed to stop and say that he was possessed of evil spirits, andthat they would kill him if they were not cast out before morning. He thencommenced raving, and might have been heard across the street.
The TwelveApostles were sent for and three of them came, Brother W. Richards being one ofthem, who was mouth in prayer, as we all knelt in the room. After prayer,Brother Richards went to the bed, and, in the name of Jesus Christ,commanded the evil spirits to leave himand leave the house, which they did instantly, and Brother Moses becamerational. He afterwards told us all about his feelings while the evil spiritshad afflicted him, and that he was as sore as a boil all over from the effectsof what he had passed through.
When Josephfirst came to Nauvoo, then called Commerce, a Mr. White, living there,proffered to sell him his farm for twenty-five hundred dollars, five hundreddollars of the amount to be paid down, and the balance one year from that time.Joseph and the brethren were talking about this offer when some of them said:"We can't buy it, for we lack the money." Joseph took out his purse,and, emptying out it's contents, offered a half dollar to one of the brethren,which he declined accepting, but Joseph urged him to take it, and then gaveeach of the other brethren a similar amount, which left him without any.Addressing the brethren, he then said: "Now you all have money, and I havenone; but the time will come when I will have money and you will have none!"He then said to Bishop Knight: "You go back and buy the farm!"
Brother Knightwent to White, but learned from him that he had raised the price one hundreddollars, and returned to Joseph without closing the bargain. Joseph again sent him with positive orders to purchase, but Brother Knight,finding that White had raised the price still another hundred dollars, againreturned without purchasing. For the third time then Joseph commanded him to goand buy the farm, and charged him not to come back till he had done so.
When BishopKnight got back to White, he had raised another hundred on the place, makingthe whole amount twenty-eight hundred dollars. However, the bargain was closedand the obligations drawn up, but how the money was going to be raised neitherBrother Knight nor the other Brethren could see. The next morning Joseph andseveral of the brethren went down to Mr. White's to sign the agreement and makethe first payment on the land. A table was brought out with the papers upon it,and Joseph signed them, moved back from the table and sat with his head down,as if in thought for a moment. Just then a man drove up in a carriage and askedif Mr. Smith was there. Joseph hearingit, got up and went to the door. The man said, "Good morning, Mr. Smith; Iam on a speculation to-day. I went to buy some land, and thought I would comeand see you." Joseph then pointed around where his land lay, but the mansaid: "I can't go with you do-day to see the land. Do you want any moneythis morning?"
Joseph repliedthat he would like some, and when the stranger asked "How much?" hetold him "Five hundred dollars."
The man walkedinto the house with Joseph, emptied a small sack of gold on the table, andcounted out that amount. He then handed to Joseph another hundred dollars,saying: "Mr. Smith, I make you a present of this!"
After thistranspired, Joseph laughed at the brethren and said; "You trusted inmoney; but I trusted in God. Now I have money and you have none!"
PHILO'S DESCRIPTION OF THE "VISION OFGLORIES"
Philo Dibble, an early Ohio convert, was present at the timethe "Vision of Glories" was given and has recorded the unusual natureof the event in these words:
The visionwhich is recorded in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants was given at the houseof 'Father Johnson," in Hyrum, Ohio, and during the time that Joseph andSidney were in the spirit and saw the heavens open, there were other men in theroom, perhaps twelve, among whom I was one during a part of the time--probably two-thirdsof the time, I saw the glory and felt the power but did not see the vision.
The events and conversation, while theywere seeing what is written (and many things were seen and related that are notwritten), I will relate as minutely as is necessary.
"Joseph would, at intervals say:'What do I see?' as one might say while looking out the window and beholdingwhat all in the room could not see. Then he would relate what he had seen orwhat he was
looking at. ThenSidney replied, 'I see the same.' Presently Sidney would say 'and what do Isee?' and would repeat what he had seen or was seeing, and Joseph would reply,'I see the same.'
"This manner of conversation wasrepeated at short intervals to the end of the vision, and during the whole timenot a word was spoken by any other person. Not a sound nor motion made byanyone but Joseph and Sidney, and it seemed to me that they never moved a jointor limb during the time I was there, which I think was over an hour, and to theend of the vision.
"Joseph sat firmly and calmly allthe time in the midst of a magnificent glory, but Sidney sat limp and pale,apparently as limber as a rag, observing which, Joseph remarked, smilingly,'Sidney is not used to it as I am.'"
Footnote:Philo Dibble, "Recollections of the Prophet Joseph Smith," TheJuvenile Instructor XXVII (May 15, 1892), pp 303-304.
Alsotaken from "Illustrated Stories From Church History" by Promised LandPublications, Vol 3, p 53.
ANOTHER TESTIMONY OF PHILO DIBBLE OF "THE VISION"
On a subsequentvisit to Hiram I arrived at Father Johnson's just as Joseph and Sidney werecoming out of the vision alluded to in the book of Doctrine and Covenants, inwhich mention is made of the three glories. Joseph wore black clothes but atthis time seemed to be dressed in an element of glorious white, and his faceshown as if it were transparent, but I did not see the same glory attendingSidney. Joseph appeared as strong as a lion but Sidney seemed as weak as water,and Joseph noticing his condition smiled and said: "Brother Sidney is notas used to it as I am."
(Ref.)"The Vision or The Degrees of Glory" by N.B. Lundwall, p 11; and also"Eighth Book of Faith-Promoting Series", pp 80-8l.
PHILO DIBBLE TELLS OF AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT BY THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH
Mrs. Sarah N.Williams Reynolds, of Salt Lake City, dictated the following highly importantstatement to the Compiler of this book: "I was a close neighbor of PhiloDibble who visited me very often. He had been very familiar and intimatelyacquainted with the Prophet Joseph Smith, and took great delight in rehearsinghis wealth of information concerning this acquaintance. Brother Dibble statedto me that the Prophet Joseph told him in connection with the others who werepresent in Father Johnson's home at the time the Vision was given to theProphet Joseph and Sidney Rigdon, that (the Prophet speaking): 'My whole bodywas full of light and I could see even out at the ends of my fingers andtoes'."
(Ref.) "The Vision or The Degrees ofGlory" by N.B. Lundwall, p 11.
THE LOCATION OF THE LOST TRIBES AS TOLD BY PHILO DIBBLE FROM
THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH
The NarrowNeck Proposition, A Sub Theory -- Associated with the Unknown Planet Theory,but somewhat removed from its basic premise that the Lost Ten Tribes are nowsupposedly on a "portion of the earth" that has been "separated,detached or taken away from our globe," and placed on some other"planet, orb, sphere, and or near another star somewhere in theuniverse," is the "Narrow Neck Proposition." This"proposition" (perhaps better referred to as a kind of"sub-theory" of the main Unknown Planet Theory) states that"attached" to the earth by "a narrow neck of land" are twospheres (invisible or otherwise) which vary in size - one which is connected tothe earth "north of the north pole" and the other which is connectedto our globe "south of the south pole."
Thisproposition is based on a drawing which the Prophet Joseph Smith supposedlydrew about the year 1842, and which was later secured and preserved by PhiloDibble, of Springville, Utah.
Dibble later made a copy of the drawing in 1884 whichhe then gave to Matthew W. Dalton, a resident of Willard, Utah, who eventuallypublished it in 1906. Dalton states that Dibble informed him the Prophet saidthat in the drawing (see Figure A) the sphere marked "A" representedthe earth, and that the Ten Tribes were on the sphere marked "B". Hedid not state the purpose for sphere "C", but others have thought itto be the location of the City of Enoch. The following is the history andmeaning of the drawing as given by Matthew Dalton.
Now, how was thediagram obtained? The Prophet Joseph Smith drew the original drawing a shorttime before his death, or in 1842, in the presence of several witnesses. PhiloDibble, of Springville, Utah, was one of these witnesses, and secured thedrawing. In the month of May, of the year 1884, he made a copy thereof for me,the diagram herein shown being the result, with the possible exception that thespheres marked B and C were perhaps somewhat smaller than shown herein. At thetime the original drawing was made the brethren were discussing thedisappearance of the Ten Tribes and wondering where they were, upon which theProphet made the drawing and stated that the Ten Tribes were located on thesphere marked B.
Some may, andeven do, doubt the truth of the diagram of the spheres A and B and C, and eventhe statement as to how the diagram was obtained. Yet it is nevertheless true.It was drawn in the presence of William and Sarah Beecher and myself in theyear 1884 by Philo Dibble, above shown as a resident of Springville, UtahCounty, Utah. His son, Sidney Dibble, who is now alive and a resident ofSpringville, went before a notary public and on oath testified that thisdiagram of A,B and C, was a true facsimile of a drawing made by his father. Hisaffidavit will appear at the close of this book.
(Taken from thebook) "The Lost Tribes", by R. Clayton Bough, pp 51-55.)
THE FAMILIES OF PHILO DIBBLE
PHILO DIBBLE, b. 6 Jun 1806 in Peru, Brkshr, Mass.son of Orator and Beulah Pomeroy, md. 1st CELIA KENT 14 Oct 1828, she was b. 24Sep 1803 in Suffield, Hrtfrd, Conn., dau. of Benajah and Hannah Hanchett, shed. 16 Oct 1840 in Nauvoo (near Commerce, Hancock, Ill.)
To the union the following children were born:
1- Eliza Ann,b. 18 Aug 1829 in Clarion, Cayuga, Ohio, md.1st Henry Wells Jackson 3 Feb 1850;md. 2nd J.A.C. Austin, she died 14 May 1891.
2- Sidney, b.29 Nov 1831 in Clarion, Cayuga, Ohio, md. Franky Langford 27 Jan 1865, he d. 9Jun 1910.
3- EMMA CELIADIBBLE (x), b. 10 Mar 1834 in Liberty, Clay, Mssr, md. JOHN DALEY 1 Mar 1857,she d. 17 Dec 1924.
4- Philo, Jr.,b. 17 Oct 1835 in Liberty, Clay, Mssr, md. Antoinette Cleveland 21 Mar 1863, hed. 7 Dec 1915.
5- Philander,b. 1838 in Liberty, Clay, Mssr, died unmarried 25 Mar 1883.
PHILO DIBBLE, md. 2nd HANNAH ANN DUBOIS 11 Feb 1841,she was b. 31 Jul 1808 in New Jersey, dau. of (not given), she md. 1st John F.Smith; 2nd Philo Dibble, she died 28 Oct 1893 in Springville, Utah, Utah. To this union the following children wereborn:
1- Hannah Ann,b. 7 Jan 1842 in Nauvoo, Hancock, Ill., she d. 13 Sep 1856.
2- Loren, b. 29May 1844 in Nauvoo, Hancock, Ill., he md. Lizette Pierce, he died 26 Jun 1888.
3- David Dubois, b. 15 Nov 1846 in Des Moines,V-Brn, Iowa, md. Eliza Ann Mendenhall 30 Nov 1868, he d. 16 Jun 1928.
PHILO DIBBLE, died 7 Jun 1895 in Springville, Utah,Utah, he was buried in Springville Cemetery, Springville, Utah.