1.2.25
August 5, 1843 • Saturday
See images of the original document at josephsmithpapers.org.
Sixth meeting of Society
Meeting of the
Fourth 〈First〉 Ward
August 5th 1843
Meeting commenced with singing “Thou Lord through every changing scene”1
Prayer by Sister Joshua [Sarah] Smith
Agreeably with a prior appointment the Members of the Society residing in the first ward and a few Individuals belonging to other wards conven’d at the dwelling house of Sister [Elizabeth] Jones
The House full
Mrs prest and her Councillors absent
Mrs Holms [Elvira Cowles Holmes] Treasurer absent
But deeming it important to hear the report of the Committee who were appointed at the Meeting of the 4th ward to search out the poor, sick, and distress’d and to alleviate them also to receive the donations of th[e] first ward the Society proceeded to attend to most important business omitting all that could be omitted to a future time
Committee of the 4 ward reports as follows
Sister Joshua Smith found many sick in the 4 ward & some destitute in want of things to eat and to use went and visited Sister [Mary] McEwen and Sis Modley [Elizabeth Maudsley] found them and their families in suffering want they kneed attendance every day
Sister Meecum visited Nehemiah Harmons found them poor sick & distressd and no bedding nothing comfortable entirely destitute
Sister Meecum and Sister Billings solicited Donations for the same
| $ | |||
| Sis Anderson | gave 1 pr stockings | 00 | 25 |
[p. [103]]
| Sister Far [Olive Farr] | a calico Dress and cape | ||
| Sister B Ammer | a peck of onions 1 lb sugar | ||
| Sister Clayton | 14 lb flowr | $ | 52 |
| Lydia Moon | one Shirt | 00 | 50 |
| Margaret Moon | one Shawl | ||
| Sarah Mendanhall | a pr of pillow slips | 00 | 25 |
| one toweel one Shirt | 00 | 50 | |
| Ester Ann Geen [Esther Ann Gheen] | 3 pillow slips bolster slip 2 little shirts 2 mens shirts one dress 2 small dresses 2 aprons tape and thead | 2 | 50 |
| Abagail Forges | 2 lb sugar— | 00 | 14 |
Report of the committee of the first ward
Sister [Elizabeth] Jones— Sister [Harriet] Marcum and myself have visited our ward went to eve[r]y house found many sick but more comfortable than we expected found and Sister Miller and old Lady sick with bed or bedding no changes of cloothing found Sister Broomley very sick nothing at all to eat calld on Sister Morrisson who gave things for her relief
Sister Marcum— reports to corroborate with Sister Jones said they found few suffering ones
Sister [Lydia] Granger reports that there were 2 families by the river sick & no thing to eat nothing but one cup of coffee A Mrs Holt & Child are great sufferers
The Comittee of the first Second and third ward not prepad [prepared] to report
Sister Jane Michael representd a Br who had been sick some months
Sister Angel rose said she had lately found a sister late from England destitute a widow of late soon expecting to be confind who had just been to prest Hyram Smiths [Hyrum Smith’s] for help said she had no home had had 6 children lost several of them; her husband just before she [p. [104]] left England and one child on the water
Sister [Jane] Olmsted will give soap 50 worth & wash McEwen 〈family〉 for
Sister Jones will take her in and take care of her
| $ | ||
| Mrs Woolly [Mary Woolley] will give 1 yd fine Muslin a flannel petticoat pinning blanket | 00 | 60 |
| Rosanna Lyman quarter lb tea | 00 | 25 |
| Sister Sweat will 50 cents worth soap | ||
| Sister German [Rachel Jerman] will give a suit of cloaths to old Mrs Miller 4 yds bleach’d muslin 3 yds Canton flannel 2 Spools cotton thr[ea]d | 1 | 00 |
| Sister Pratt representd Br Hendersons as destitute for cloathing offerd to cut and make old garments for them | ||
| Philinda Simpson cotton flannel & sugar | 00 | 75 |
| Catharine Miller 2 lb sugar | 14 | |
| Delinda Parker Pair cotton stockings | 25 | |
| Salvina Adams 3 yds cotton drilling | 75 | |
| Martha Thomas soap & provisions | 1 | 00 |
Sister Charles rich [Sarah Rich] then rose and reqestd requested a reccommend from the Soci[e]ty as she was soon to leave for Ottoway a vote was calld expressive of thei[r] minds and carried in her favo[r]2
Sister Chase then rose and spoke on the necessity of prayer and faith exhorted the Sisters to faithfulness to be much in prayer said she stood a living wittness for Jesus of Nazereth knew he had pourd his Spirit upon her Inasmuch as we visit the sick we shall be blesst I mean to do all that I can to releave their necessities we must be humble and and overcome the powers of darkness & live by faith
Meeting adjourned [p. [105]]
Cite This Page
Footnotes
Footnotes
-
[1]Hymn 58, Collection of Sacred Hymns [1841], 65.
-
[2]A photograph of the recommend made out to Sarah D. Rich and dated August 5, 1843, was published in the June 1936 issue of the Relief Society Magazine. Similar to the recommend for Elizabeth Jones that is recorded in the Relief Society minutes for March 31, 1842, it reads: “Nauvoo Ill August 5 1843 | The ‘female relief society’ of Nauvoo recommends, Mrs Sarah D Rich— as a member of said society in good standing:— and she is hereby authoriz’d to recover all such donations as friends abroad shall feel dispos’d to put into her hands to be appropriated to the fund of the Institution for the Benefit of the poor the Widow and the Fatherless | By Order of the Board [signed] E R Snow Secretary | P M Wheeler assistant secretary.” (“An Interesting Old Document,” Relief Society Magazine 23, no. 6 [June 1936]; Document 1.2, entry for Mar. 31, 1842.)