1857, English, Unpublished edition: Journals of L. John Nuttall Nuttall, L. John (Leonard John), 1834-1905

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Journals of L. John Nuttall
 
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Physical Description
  • 7 boxes (3.5 linear feet)
  • Diaries, Letters, Minutes, Notes
Published
  • L. Tom Perry Special Collections
  • 1857-1904
Language
  • English

Edition details

Title
  • Journals of L. John Nuttall
Creator
  • Nuttall, L. John (Leonard John), 1834-1905
Published
  • L. Tom Perry Special Collections
  • 1857-1904
Physical Description
  • 7 boxes (3.5 linear feet)
  • Diaries, Letters, Minutes, Notes
Subjects
Notes
  • Utah militia leader who held numerous leadership positions for the Mormon Church. Handwritten diaries, correspondence, lists, minutes, patriarchal blessings, and notes. The materials relate to Nuttall's involvement in numerous Mormon Church and Utah Militia activities. Nuttall's position as secretary to the president of the Mormon Church allowed him to record various items on church conduct and doctrine. He records many of the meetings of the ruling bodies of that faith. Nuttall also recounts campaigns against the Ute Indians during the Black Hawk War (1865-1872) and other Utah Militia activities. The diaries are in 28 volumes. These materials were formerly cataloged under MSS 188. Leonard John Nuttall was born July 6, 1834 in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, the son of William Nuttall and Mary Langhorn and the second of three children in the family. He attained his early education at St. Brides School, Liverpool. At the age of thirteen he became an apprentice, as a ship and boat builder. He and his parents and brother Joseph were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in Liverpool, October 8, 1850, by Elder John Taylor of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and L. John was confirmed by John Lindsay on October 11, 1850. His elder brother William had been baptized one month earlier.The family, composed of parents and children (William, L. John and Joseph), emigrated to Utah in 1852. They sailed from Liverpool, March 6, 1852, crossing the Atlantic in the ship "Rockaway," which arrived at New Orleans the latter part of April. This ship carried the machinery for the first sugar beet factory that was built in America. The machinery left the Missouri river in fifty two wagons, on the 6th of July, and arrived at Salt Lake City in November. L. John arrived October 10, 1852, and moved with his parents to Provo, in November 1852, where they made their home and assisted in the early development of that city.In 1853, Nuttall took part in the suppression of Indian outbreaks that resulted in much hardship being imposed upon the Saints in the southern part of Utah and Sanpete counties. That fall, with Elder William W. Allen, Henry White and Elizabeth Roper, he organized a Sunday School at Provo, where classes were conducted in the first log house built at that place. On February 22, 1857, L. John was ordained a Teacher, by Bishop Elias H. Blackburn, and on May 19, 1857 he was ordained a Seventy.From August to September, 1857, as Regimental Adjutant of the First Regiment, Utah Military District, he took an active part in what was known as the Buchanan war. He served in the mountains exposed to hardships and winter weather, and on the frontiers during the spring of 1858, at the time the Saints in general moved south. He was one of the men detailed, in case the order should be given, to destroy Salt Lake City and make it a barren and desolate waste.Nuttall was elected a member of the City Council of Provo, and served as a Councilor in 1861 and 1865, and as Alderman and Justice of the Peace for the years 1864, 1872-73 and 1874. On February 28, 1861, he was appointed Recorder and Auditor of Provo, and continued in that office until February, 1875, except for the year 1863. He was appointed Probate and County Clerk of Utah County, by Judge Zerubabbel Snow, and took the oath of office March 21, 1864, which office he held until September, 1875.On August 31, 1861, Nuttall received orders to fit out an exploring expedition to the Uintah Valley, for the purpose of locating and making settlements of the Saints in the section of country. He left home on Tuesday, September 3, 1861, in company with William B. Pace, James W. Loveless, John W. Turner, Peter M. Wentz, Alexander Wilkins, James W. Cummings, and four others. In Strawberry Valley they joined another company from Salt Lake City and thoroughly explored the country, which was then occupied by the Ute Indians.On Monday, August 8, 1864, Nuttall was elected County Recorder for Utah County, and was reelected five subsequent terms, holding the office till September, 1875. He was elected Colonel of the first Regiment, First Brigade, Utah Military District, May 8, 1866, and received his commission from Governor Charles Durkee. On August 15, 1866, he left Provo in command of a detachment of cavalry and proceeded on an expedition against the Utah Indians in Sevier County, accompanied by Major Samuel S. Jones, Captain Caleb W. Haws, and sixty-nine officers and men. The expedition was a part of the Black Hawk War.L. John was ordained to the office of High Priest in the Church, on August 31, 1867, and set apart as a High Councilor in the Utah Stake of Zion. He was also appointed Clerk of the High Council, which position he held for two years previous. On February 4, 1869, President Brigham Young, with President Abraham O. Smoot of the Utah Stake, called a few of the brethren together and proposed that they organize the "Provo Co-operative Mercantile Institution." The building and stock of merchandise owned by Henry W. Lawrence were purchased, and the cooperative organization was brought into existence with L. John Nuttall as secretary. On February 2, 1870, Nuttall did the first printing performed in Utah County at Provo City, on his own printing press. On May 28, 1870, he assisted President Abraham O. Smoot and others in the laying of the southeast corner stone of the Provo Co-operative Woolen Factory.At the twentieth session of the Utah legislature in January 1872, Nuttall was elected Chief Clerk of the Legislative Council. He also served in the same position in the 21st session (1874), the 23rd session (1878), and the 25th session (1882). Having been appointed to fulfill a mission for the Church in Great Britain, he left home on June 29, 1874, in company with Elders David McKenzie, John Henry Smith, and Peter Sinclair. They sailed from New York, July 14th, and arrived at Liverpool, July 26, 1874. Elder Nuttall labored in the Durham and Newcastle conferences, also in the Liverpool office under the presidency of Joseph F. Smith.In August, 1875, Elder Nuttall was ordained a Bishop of the Kanab Ward, and to preside over the six adjoining Wards in that area. He left Provo for this field of labor in November, 1875. On May 21, 1876, he left Kanab in company with President Daniel H. Wells, Erastus Snow, Brigham Young, Jr., Daniel D. McArthur, Lorenzo W. Roundy and twelve others, to visit the settlements of the Saints in Arizona. While crossing the Colorado river, the boat sank with Nuttall and six other brethren, one carriage and two wagons on board. Bishop Lorenzo W. Roundy was drowned. The carriage and one baggage wagon were lost. After this mishap, ten of the party went on, and the balance returned home.In December 1876, Elder Nuttall was called by President Brigham Young to attend the dedicatory services of the St. George Temple, where he was appointed to serve as Recorder, which he did for over three months. Having been called to preside in Kanab Stake, he left St. George in company with John Taylor, Lorenzo Snow, Erastus Snow and others for Kanab. On April 17, 1877, the Kanab Stake of Zion was organized with L. John Nuttall as President. Howard O. Spencer and James L. Bunting were called as his counselors. He continued in this position until June 4, 1884, when he was honorably released. Beginning on September 10, 1878, in company with Erastus Snow and others, he left his home at Kanab to visit the settlements of the Saints in Arizona. The company visited each colony, organized wards, preached to and encouraged the Saints, and returned to Kanab on November 12, 1878.Elder Nuttall was called by President John Taylor to act as his private secretary, In June 1879, and he served in that position for eight years. He was with President Taylor during the years of his exile, and was at his bedside at the time of his death, on July 25, 1887. Thereafter he served as private secretary to President Wilford Woodruff, until the spring of 1892 when, in consequence of ill health, he was released to perform other duties that would give him more outside exercise.Meanwhile, Nuttall continued to serve in other positions. On February 20, 1880, he was elected a Regent of the Deseret University and held his position for several years. On September 2, 1889, he became an incorporator and stockholder of the "Deseret News" company. On August 1, 1881, he was elected Territorial Superintendent of District Schools for Utah Territory, and was reelected to that office in 1883 and 1885. On April 24, 1882, he met in convention with the Superintendent of District Schools for the selection of school books, etc., and was elected President of the convention. Seven sessions were held.On April 21, 1883, Nuttall was elected a Director of the Salt Lake City Railway Company, also one of the Auditing Committee. On July 12, 1883, he was elected a Director of the Deseret Telegraph Company, and he continued in that office until the spring of 1900. On November 23, 1883, he was elected Secretary and member of the executive board of Zion's Savings Bank &​ Trust Company. During the year 1884, in company with President John Taylor and party, he made an extended trip to the settlement of the Saints as far as south as St. George, returning by way of Sevier and Sanpete Counties, then north by way of Logan, Bear Lake and The Snake River Valley, at which time (November) the Bannock Stake of Zion was organized.On November 22, 1887 Nuttall was appointed to assist Hon. John T. Caine, delegate from Utah, in Washington, D. C., in his labors in the interest of Utah during the years 1888 and 1890.On February 24, 1892, he was appointed by President Wilford Woodruff to take charge of the Church and Ward real estate matters and to look after the legal interests of the Relief Societies of the Church. In November of that year, he was appointed an aid, and afterwards a member of the Deseret Sunday School Union Board. He also served as a Director in Zion's Savings Bank &​ Trust Company, the Salt Lake &​ Los Angeles Railway Company, and the Saltair Beach Company. It was said that Elder Nuttall was one of the busiest men in the Church, and that he discharged every duty imposed upon him with zeal and fidelity. He died in Salt Lake City, February 23, 1905. The L. John Nuttall Collection constitutes one of the most valuable primary sources of information for life in Utah during the last half of the nineteenth century. Nuttall, whose career among the Latter-day Saints spanned half a century, was involved in a wide range of activities in the development of Utah. the first unit of the collection contains the personal papers of L. John Nuttall, which include his journals and correspondence, and other personal items. this unit also contains letters of others than L. John Nuttall. His personal journals covers the period from 1857 to 1904, with significant lapses in time.Nuttall's close association with leading figures among the Saints enhances the historical value of his journals, which cover virtually all important matters in the Church from the late 1870's to the early 1890's, as well as Nuttall's military experiences in the late 1850's and 1860's. subjects include: Black Hawk Indian War; dealings with Indians, including Navahoes; the Southern California militia; the School of the Prophets, in Provo (1868); Nuttall's numerous associations with nearly all the General Authorities of the period; summaries of various discourses of General Authorities, including discourses of Brigham Young and his answers to questions on temple procedures; John Taylor's answers to questions on high councils, reported saying of Joseph Smith, and the Prophet's Inspired Translation of the Bible; minutes of meetings of the General Authorities; various Church conferences; health problems of Brigham Young, John Taylor and Wilford Woodruff; death of Brigham Young and John Taylor; execution of the wills and estates of Brigham Young and John Taylor; reorganization of the First Presidency, under John Taylor and Wilford Woodruff; items related to various temples, including the St. George Temple (Brigham Young's dedication prayer of the sealing room of the St. George Temple), Manti Temple, Logan Temple, Salt Lake Temple (dedicatory service and prayer), and the Endowment house; events surrounding the Manifesto, including a revelation to Wilford Woodruff in 1899, the Utah Commission, church and state issues, the question of admitting Utah into the Union as a state, the Utah State Constitutional Convention, indictments under the antipolygamy laws, the presentation of the Utah State Constitution before Congress, exile of General Authorities due to persecution, and attempts to get amnesty for polygamists after the Manifesto; anti-Mormon activities, including reactions to John D. Lee's confession; Mormon factions, including the RADS. The Church (includes a summary of a discussion between Nuttall and an RADS bishop on Joseph Smith's revelation on celestial marriage and a meeting between Joseph Smith III, President of RLDS Church, and Wilford Woodruff), and the Hedrickites; various trips of General Authorities, such as Wilford Woodruff's visit to San Francisco; a meeting between Wilford Woodruff, Nuttall, President Benjamin Harris and Julian Goldschmidt of the British Parliament; appointments and reorganizations to temple presidencies, stake presidencies, bishoprics, high councils, and priesthood quorums; various ordinations and blessings, temple recommends, and temple sealings (including divorces and annulments); selection of temple workers; missionary activities; tithing matters; tax matters; Church education; the United Order; Church real estate and financial matters; dealings with various Church and non-Church organizations, including the Deseret News, the Deseret Telegraph Company, the Deseret National Bank, the Deseret Theatrical Association, ZCMI, Zion's Savings Bank and Trust, Saltair Beach Company, Utah Sugar Company, Ogden Herald Company, Utah Gas Company, Bullion, Beck and Champion Mines, Brigham Young Academy, the establishment of the University of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or the "Church University," various co-op institutions, ranches such as the Page Springs Ranch and the Battle Creek Ranch in Idaho; the Woman Suffrage Association; the Relief Society Organization; the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association; the Lion House; the Beehive House; railroad matters; sheep herds; political, legal and judicial matters, including the legislative labors of George Q. Cannon; the Utah territorial legislature; various political elections; the People's Party; law suites; grand juries; probate courts; U.S. District Courts; the U.S. Supreme Court; Church dealings with various geographical areas, including Idaho, Arizona, California, Washington, D.C., Mexico, and Hawaii (Hawaii Colony Company); various correspondence, including copies of correspondence between Wilford Woodruff and Judge T. Caine, and between James Jack and John W. Young.The journals also include items related to the activities of L. John Nuttall as temple recorder, President of the Kanab Stake, Superintendent of District Schools for Utah Territory, and private secretary to the First Presidency. Subjects include his trip to Washington, D.C., where he met with President Grover Cleveland and Susan B. Anthony, and attended various churches, with comments on the sermons he heard; his extensive dealings with Kanab; educational matters; Sunday School matters; family matters; funerals of various friends: his extensive temple work; and his constant health problems.The letters written to Nuttall cover the period from 1871 to 1877, with the telegraphs to him placed at the end of this section. Copies of letters from Nuttall cover the period from 1881 to 1903. Letters to others than Nuttall cover the period of 1882 to 1884. The other personal items in the collection pertain primarily to spiritual and religious matters of interest to him.The second unit of the collection contains materials related to the area of church and community. These documents include recorded addresses by Brigham Young and John Taylor; business records from 1873 to 1892; doctrinal items related to the teachings of the Latter-day Saints; ecclesiastical records from 1872 to 1899, including some minutes of meetings of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, a revelation received by John Taylor in 1882, matters related to the Salt Lake Temple, and an address of John W. Young to the Saints of the St. George Stake on the United Order; records of educational matters in Utah from 1884 to 1886; governmental records from 1859 to 1902; historical items; documents pertaining to irrigation at Kanab, Provo, and Willow Creek; judicial matters; military records; and some newspaper clippings.
  • Vault MSS 790
Terms of Use
  • Access with permission of the curator of nineteenth century Western and Mormon Americana. Originals restricted. Photocopies for patron use. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.Permission to publish material from the Journals of L. John Nuttall must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/​or the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Board of Curators.
Language
  • English
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