John Bills

19 Sep 1819 - 19 Feb 1850

John Bills was about the 14th child born to Alanson Bills and
Electa Hill. John had ten older brothers, two older sisters and
probably a brother John who had died young. His parents were
around 45 years old at the time of his birth. His mother died of
complications of child birth and is buried in the Clarksburg
cemetery. It was also at Clarksburg that Robert, nearly 2 and
baby John were placed to be cared for.

The Bills family consisted of:

Hiram b. 1796; Cyrus b. 1799; Franklin b. 1800; Elijah b. 1802;

Sarah b. 1803; Ensign b. 1804; Sires b. 1806; Baxter b. 1807; Charles b. 1812; Electa b.
abt 1814. Warren b. 1815; Robert b. 1818; John b. 1819. [There may have been a John
born abt 1810 who died young].

The following is the Story of John Bills as written by Derrill Smith Bills, great grandson
of John Bills. Derrill Smith, known as “Bus” throughout his life, was the son of David
Bills who was the son of William Andrew Bills. William Andrew was the oldest son of
this John Bills. I now quote Derrill’s record:

John Bill’s Story

(From the records of William Andrew Bills, son of John Bills,
who accompanied him to California, November 1849. Copy from my father’s record that he left in a small
record book. Record of William Andrew Bills, Sr.)

I hereby record all the information I have of my grandfather, Allisson Bills, also of my
grandfather and grandmother on my mother’s side.

My grandfather, Allisson Bills was born in the United States of America the latter part of
1700 but what part I do not know. In regard to my grandmother, his wife, I know
nothing.

My grandfather on mother’s side, whose name was Scott, was born in England the latter
part of 1700. Also my grandmother Scott, whose name was Bedford, was born in
England the latter part of 1700. None of the above ever heard of the gospel that I am
aware of.

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My father, John Bills, was born September 19, 1819 in Blairsville, Indiana County, State
of Pennsylvania. My mother, Elizabeth Scott, was born in Arbury1, near Halifax,
Yorkshire, England, January 1, 1817. She and my Aunt Ann, mother’s sister, and their
brother came to America in 1822 or 1823. My father and mother were married when
quite young in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My Aunt Ann married Hyrum
Mikesell. They reared a large family, joined the Church and moved to Utah and settled
in Salt Lake City in an early day.

My father was baptized a member of The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints July
10, 1836. My mother, Elizabeth Scott Bills, was baptized a short time previous to father,
but the same year.

My father was a tailor by

trade and kept a clothing
store. When he joined
the Church, he lost pretty
much all he had in
settling up and in the
drivings he underwent
with the Saints. After
being driven from Far
West, [Missouri] we went
to Rushville [Missouri]
where I remember being
quite well, although it
was the first place of my
recollection. And from
Rushville, we moved to
Commerce (later
Nauvoo), Hancock
County, Illinois in the
spring of 1839, and
assisted in building up
This beautiful temple picture shows it as it appeared the summer of 1846
that beautiful city of
after its dedication to the Lord, and as it appeared to John Bills. Here, the about twenty thousand
preceding & Jan 1846, before dedication, John Bills and his wife, inhabitants and a fine
Elizabeth Scott Bills were endowed in an early morning session with six temple to the Lord, where
other couples by a calling from the church presidency. on January 7, 1846, my
father and mother
received their endowments and were sealed over the holy alter in the bonds of the new
and everlasting covenant. Father was a president in the 19th Quorum of Seventies,
organized July 27, 1845 in Nauvoo. He was also a general in the Nauvoo Legion. Being

1
Horbury

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Historical Comment from a Brochure (copied by Derrill Smith Bills:

W hen the Saints were driven from their homes in Nauvoo, Illinois in February of 1846, they were forced to
establish temporary camps in southwestern Iowa and eastern Nebraska. The highest concentration of
homeless Saints settled on both sides of the Missouri River near the future site of Council Bluffs, Iowa.
The headquarters settlement on the western side of the river in Nebraska was called W inter Quarters. Here
about 5,000 members of the church lived from September 1845 to June 1848. This community served as a
departure point for companies making the trek westward to the Great Salt Lake Valley.

Through cooperative action, they plowed fields and planted crops and built over 1,000 dwellings–either
cabins of hewn logs or dugouts hollowed out of the hillsides. In the winter of 1846-47, Brigham Young
wrote the following description of the settlement:

“Our great city sprang up in a night, as it were, like Jonah’s gourd. It is divided into 22 wards over which
22 bishops and their counselors preside. No one suffers from want of food or raiment, unless it is through
his own fault, that is, in not asking for it or being too lazy to work. But the fact of so many houses being
built in so short a time is proof of the general industry of the people which will bear comparison with the
history of all nations of the earth and in all the periods of time.”

Some historians have estimated that as many as 600 of the Saints died as a result of hardship or disease
while at W inter Quarters. Many of the dead, most of whom were either infants or the elderly, were buried
in the W inter Quarters cemetery, now located in Omaha as a point of historical interest. Located on the site
is a beautiful statue and an impressive monument bearing the names of those known to have died and been
buried in the area.

a tailor, he made the clothes for Joseph and Hyrum, and cut out and supervised the
making of the uniforms for the first company of the Nauvoo Legion.

In the spring of 1846, father with most of the Saints moved west to Winter Quarters, and
stayed there until he raised a crop in 1847. He then gathered up an outfit and in the
Spring of 1848 we moved west to the Salt Lake Valley, Utah and lived in the fort built by
the pioneers the year previous. In the spring 1849, we moved out and settled in Little
Cottonwood, a half mile below where Union Ward meetinghouse now is in Salt Lake
County (700 East 7200 South). We raised a crop and after father made his family as
comfortable as possible, he started on November 9, 1849 on a business trip to Lord,
California. Before he reached his journey’s end, he was taken sick and grew worse until
we reached San Jouqin Valley, at the Pechecho Pass, where he died and was buried
February 19, 1850. Father took me with him and after his death I worked and earned a
little money. In the fore part of August I started home taking the north route, traveling
with Apostle Amasa Lyman. I arrived at our little home in cottonwood, Salt Lake
County, Utah, the latter part of September 1850.

The following year my mother remarried again (1851) to a man by the name of Lazenby,
and in 1854 they moved to Lore, California, taking my four younger brothers with them;
namely, Robert, Charles, Franklin, and Samuel.

Also my mother had one son by Lazenby by the name of Joseph. Their aim was to join
the Mormon settlement at San Bernardino, Lore, California. But on the way, mother met
with an accident, by a gun shot wound, which caused her arm to be taken off, from which
she never recovered. She grew worse until she died at what is called the Mountain

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Meadows in Iron County, Utah (Ihelenae). The rest of the family went on through, and
two of the boys, Robert and Charles married and died in California. I just learned the
others are living in Fairview, Sanpete county, Utah–Franklin and Samuel. Both have
families. I also have a brother by my father’s second wife by the name of Wesley Bills
living in Milford, Sanpete county, Utah. He also had a large family. Charles returned
from San Bernardino to Beaver, where he married Lidia Jane Taylor about November
1860. Later they went to San Bernardino, had no children, and were divorced. He
married again and had some children.

–end of William Andrew Bills record–

*****************

The John Bills Story –continued

4th generation dau-in-law 2
written 1985

“Biography is interesting to write, for our heritage plays an important part. From Bills
#1, a year 1500 to today, there are characteristics that this family retains–physically,
mentally, and morally. They are dedicated and strive to serve humanity.

The Norman conquest of England brought the Bill-axe Soldier in year 1300 AD. When
surnames became necessary, the name “Bill” was given to these strong, large warriors.

2
This daughter-in-law was Frances Tennant Bills, wife of Derrill Smith Bills.
Derrill wrote the following on Dec. 27, 1984. Mom and I are both house-bound by the weather.
Mom and I have been busy the past two weeks, Mother for the past few years, assembling a Bills family
genealogy book. She has done an excellent job of it. You all will learn more of it a little later on.

We are happy to have Shauna with us for the Christmas holidays. She, too, has had a big hand in helping
with the book. We love her and enjoy her, too. We both think our children are the greatest. It is wonderful to
feel this way. I'll bet you all feel the same for your own families, too.

Again. let me say thanks again to you all. We love you, miss you, and think of you all real often, if only just in
our prayers. This "family letter" is great and truly most appreciated. We enjoy hearing from each of you. We
are the world's worst letter writers, but we do love and think of you real often. With love, Dad.

Frances added: My dear kids, We love you and appreciate the gifts, phone calls and caring. Thanks for
the visits and help. More in next letter. I may keep a diary---after we completely complete the Bills book.

The following was given at Derrill Bill’s funeral by his oldest daughter, Jeanette Kay:
Grandpa and Grandma Bills instilled the love of genealogy in their children. This may have been what
prompted Dad to undertake a project to publish a complete history of the Bills family back to his great
grandfather, John Bills, who was a friend and servant of the prophet, Joseph Smith. During the past two
years Mother and Dad have spent many hundreds of hours in researching, writing life stories, editing and
compiling a book dedicated to the children and grandchildren of David Bills for them to know who they are, to
know the meaning of sacrifice, and to learn love and respect for our wonderful forefathers and mothers. The
last pages of this book were completed Tuesday evening, January 8, 1985. Dad left this life a few hours later
to meet those about whom he had been writing. This is a lasting gift of love he gave to his family, and they
are completed and here for you today.

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 There have been many learned and brilliant-minded Bill ancestors who have become
distinguished, such as the first and second of our 15 generation Bills. [Note excerpts from
the Ledyard Bill genealogy book giving accomplishments of various Bills, including
himself]–also similarity in pictures in the book and today.

We wish to include John Bills, First family member in the Church of Jesus Christ, as our
progenitor and patriarch in the gospel, and a real and faithful Latter-day Saint.”3

Chapter 1
From the Atlantic Seaboard to Pennsylvania
Elisha Bill
1749-1844
To know John, we will start with Grandfather Elisha (father of Allanson), born 1749 in
Lebanon, New London, Connecticut, into a family of at least eight children. His father
was also named Elisha; his mother, Lydia Woodward. They, too, were born in Lebanon,
as were all their relatives for at least two generations before them.

According to the “Bill Book,” original settlers took up or were given, or purchased large
pieces of territory within short distances of where they landed in this country. At the
death of each generation, the land was divided between the heirs, and eventually there
was very little to divide, and neither manufacturing nor farming were possible on a large
scale to make jobs. Elisha II lived in the place of his birth until he was 24, (1773) and
then married Christina Baxter, age 20, a lady in his home town. Contention with British
rule and with no job prompted Elisha to start a Western movement even before their first
child, Allanson, was born.

Unless Christina went home to Connecticut to have Allanson, he and one sister and two
brothers were born in Wilmington, the very south-west corner of Vermont, 150 miles
from Hebron, Connecticut. From there, the family moved over the state line to
Trowbridge, New York.

Elisha was seldom in one place for more than six years and often less. He served three
enlistments in the Revolutionary War by volunteer and was engaged about three months
each time fighting Tories, Indians, deep snow, and winter weather in the mountains. The
New York upstate mountains are beautiful, and today the place where Elisha lived is
prize Eastern ski territory.

3
Actually, John Bill’s wife, Elizabeth Scott Bills was the first family member in
the church. Elizabeth was probably influenced by her sister, Ann, who joined the church
in June 1834–or even possibly in 1833. Elizabeth’s baptism in June 1836 was followed
shortly thereafter by her husband, John Bills, on 10 Jul 1836.

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In 1782, Elisha and family are found in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and here his son
Allanson finds himself a profession, that of blacksmith. He remained in this town, but
his father moved farther west to Charlestown, living near the river, then to Milsfor,
Otsego county, New York in 1801 and even farther into the southwest part of New York
to Hartwick where he and his wife spent the rest of their lives.

At the age of 83, year 1832, he applied for a pension for military service and a pension
was granted. He lived another 12 years, died 1844, age 95, and buried in Hartwick
beside Christiana who died at age 89. They were true frontier people and their hard life
did not seem to effect their longevity.

Their children were:

1, Allanson b. 13 Apr 1774 md. Electa Hill
2. Reuben b. 4 Oct 1775
3. Persis (f) b. 18 Aug 1777 md. (1) Solomon Curtis; 2.
Isac Edson 5 Feb 1806
4. Elisha b. 30 Mar 1780
5. Zelotes b. 5 Oct 1782
6. Polly b. 13 Apr 1786 md. Daniel Allen
7. Harvey b. 16 May 1789 md. Lucy French
8. Electa b. 14 May 1792 md Moses Luther

Reuben died in infancy. No record of Elisha or Zelotes.

A few facts about Elisha and Christina: Elisha, in all his travels, probably never got much
more than 300 miles from his place of birth. The rural places and mountainous areas
where he settled must have been isolated until the influx of people began in about 1810.
With the many lakes and rivers as are found in New York, he must have been a laborer;
hauling, logging, trapper–plain big strong, tall mountain man with a heavy beard.
Christiana, as sturdy as her husband, having raised at least 8 children. Do you imagine
that they ate much deer, rabbit, and fish, squash, potatoes, and corn. They were frontier
people who also knew great hardships, as did their children. Elisha was the first to add
“s” to the name Bill [making it Bills.]

General Services Administration

National archives and Records Service
File #12607
File Designation # 312217

Case of Elisha Bills

County of Otsego, in the State of New York
Act 7th June, 1832.

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 Date Served
Age 84
Volunteered 1779, April
Volunteered 1779, October
Volunteered 1780, March
Other times
no battles engaged in
Duration of Service
3 months
Discharged last of
December or 1st of January
about 3 months
Duration of service not
stated
Rank and Company
Private, Capt. Gilmore’s
co. and Col. Vanworts
Same Company
Captain King

Resided in Washington County, New York when entered service. Before examining
clerk 22 Feb 1833. Declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the Act of Congress 7
Jun 1832:
“On this 16 day of October 1832 Elisha Bills, a resident of the town of Hartwick,
county and state aforesaid, age 84 years, next April, who being first duly sworn
according to law doth in his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the
benefit of the Act of congress 7 Jun 1832.
“That he entered the service of the United States in the Revolutionary War under
the following named officers:
“In the year 1779, or he believes, he was a resident of the town of Cambridge in
the County of Washington, State aforesaid, and in the month of April of that year this
deponent volunteered in the militia in the state of New York for the term of three months
at Fort Edward in the company commanded by a Capt. George Gilmore in Colonel
Vanwort’s Regiment and who also commanded the fort. He does not recollect his officer
except those mentioned. But he recollects one, Capt. Sherwood, who commanded a
company in the fort. He was stationed at the fort during the whole term aforesaid doing
garrison duty, hunting foxes, scouting, etc. and at the end of this term was discharged and
returned home, but he never at any time had any written discharge.
“In October following he volunteered again for the term of three months under
the same officers and at the same place. After remaining in the fort for the term
aforesaid, about the last of December or first of January, he was again discharged and
returned home. His duty was nearly the same as before.
“In March following he again volunteered on an excursion to go to
Skeensborough on an alarm that the Indians and Tories were in the vicinity. Capt.
Gilmore being at this time unwell and unable to do military duty, the company to which
he was attached elected one Solomon King, a captain over the company per this
expedition. He proceeded to Skeensborough and remained there about three months
doing garrison duty and watching the Indians and then returned home.

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 “He never received a cent of pay for any of the proceeding services. He was
frequently called out upon alarms against Indians and Tories for a few days at a time,
sometimes a week, sometimes more, and sometimes less. He marched to Skeensborough
from Cambridge on foot when the snow was deep and hard traveling.
“He knows of no person whose testimony he can procure to his service, not has
any documentary evidence of the sources,
“He was born at Lebanon, Connecticut, New London county on 18 April 1749.
He has a record of his age at home in his Bible copied from his Father’s Bible many
years since. There is also a record of his age in the town where he was born. He lived
there until he was about twenty-five years of age, when he was married and removed to
Wilmington, about twenty miles east of Bennington, where he resided about six years,
from thence to Cambridge, New York about two years; from thence to Pittsfield,
Massachusetts about seven years; thence to Honesborough, about seven years more;
thence to Charleston, New York on the Mohawk River, about five years; thence to
Milsford, Otsego, New York, about six years thence to Hartwick adjoining about thirteen
years since where he has ever since resided.
“He would refer the department to Deacon Hirsch... to David Rendall, Esq. And
Captain Samuel Hallory of Hartwick and to William Bennow, Esq. And Alan Baker of
Milford as to his character for truth.....
“He does not recollect the names of other officers other than heretofore
mentioned and he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever except the present to a
pension of annuity and declares that his name is not on the pension role of any other
state. Signed by name.
Elisha Bill
Sworn and subscribed in open court the 16th day of October, 1832. Horace Lathrop,
Clerk.

***************

Allanson Bills
1774-1850
son of Elisha; father of John

Alanson, Allanson, Allison, Lansing, or Lancin, however spelled, was born in

Wilmington, Windham, Vermont in 1774. Here two brothers and a sister were born into
the family. When this lad was about ten, his parents moved to Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
During their seven year stay in this town, Allanson became an apprentice to a blacksmith
and when the family left the area, he remained behind because he was an independent
person and also had a job.

Later he met a special young lady in Pittsfield, born in the nearby farming area. Her
name was Electa, daughter of Asa and Lucy Ensign Hill. Allanson and Electa filed for
intent and permission to marry at Pittsfield. The marriage must have occurred about
1795, and the young couple, with a few necessities, included in the wedding gifts, load

8
their own flat boat or wagon, and set off down the Allegheny Trail for a piece of “That
Western land.” They perhaps visited Alanson’s family in New York on the East central
border. His father and mother named their youngest daughter after Allanson’s fiancee.

I would think that they followed a river southward across New York and down through
Pennsylvania. Three rivers converge at Pittsburgh: The Allegheny, Ohio, and
Monongahela.

Fifty miles to the East, the Conenaugh, Plum Creek and many other small rivers
make this mountainous country very beautiful. Pennsylvania as a whole is one of our
nation’s most lovely places and good farm country. Here in West County, Fairfield
township, Allison appears in the 1800 census, perhaps having been here only a short time
with his wife, two children, Hiram and Cyrus, and his blacksmith tools. He is twenty
years ahead of the great land surge. He must have been a good worker, a might smithy,
and also a good business man with a motto – “to keep a family one must go where the
money is.” Therefore, he and Electa took up housekeeping at the last outpost on the trail.

It is possible that Hiram died in infancy and Cyrus did not go to Pennsylvania state with
his parents since he was but one year old and he did [later] marry and settle in Woodbury,
Vermont.

If there was a John born to Electa and Allanson in 1810, he must have surely died. John,
being an important name in the Bill ancestry and the name meaning, “God is gracious,”
there was yet another John W Bills born to this couple in 1819 at Blairsville which was
then an important intersection for a new road.

This story may not duplicate the family group sheet for Alanson and Electa as far as the
children are concerned, but does give two versions out of the many. All the children
could have been born in Fairfield Township. Electa [the daughter] has two birth dates,
one in 1824 after her mother’s death, or about 1814 or 1816.

So on with the story. Alanson’s wife was 46 or more when John was born. She had
delivered a total of 13 children [or more] and suffered the hardships of a mother in
primitive country. She passed away before the new year from child-birth complications.
I feel she had a daughter living in Clarksburg or perhaps she and Alanson were moving
from there to Blairsville at the time. However it was, Robert, who was nearly 2 and baby
John were placed there at Clarksburg to be cared for. Electa, too, was placed there in the
old cemetery.

Alanson was faced with keeping his young family together.

Children:
1. Hiram b. 9 Aug 1796 no further record
2. Cyrus b. Jul 1799 moved to VT and married
3. Franklin b. 19 Aug 1800 no further record
4. Elijah b. 1802 md. Elizabeth ______

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 5. Sarah b. 1 Jan 1803 no further record
6. Ensign b. 1804 md. Martha Snyder
7. Sires b. 8 Aug 1806 no further record
8. Baxter b. Sep 1807 no further record
9. [maybe] John b. Dec 1810 must have died young; no record
10. Charles b. 6 Apr 1812 no further record
11. Electa [maybe Mariah] b. abt 1814/1816 no record of Electa 4
12. Warren b. 19 Sep 1815 no further record
13. Robert b. 15 Feb 1818 md. Elizabeth Elder
14. John b. 18 Sep 1819 md Elizabeth Scott

Alanson remarried a lady about twenty years his junior and by 1830, he had only one son
at home, possibly Warren or Robert and perhaps Electa (maybe Mariah) plus a boy under
5 and a girl under 10–who would probably be Alanson’s second family. Another boy
joined the family about five years later.

Grandma Somebody5 moved into the home before 1840; her age 90+.

In his later years, Alanson moved to Blacklick and married a Mary Daugherty, 17 years
his junior. Whether she was his second wife or third wife is not clear. In the ten years
between 1840 to 1850 census, the wife aged twenty years.

Alanson [Allison] is elderly and his wife, Mary deceased when Alanson entered into a
contract with James Donahey.6

Since his son Robert had become an undertaker, he probably helped to care for his father
in his last years and as a last service cared for his burial, sometime after 1850 in the
Clarksburg Cemetery.

4
Frances found a Mariah Bills who was born between 1814-1818 living at
Blairsville, Pennsylvania. This child could have been the daughter, Electa, or another
child whose records haven’t been established. Mariah married as the second wife of
James Donahey. A biography of Indiana County, PA states that she had 10 children with
James. Her second daughter’s name according to the 1860 census is Electra, who was
16. [Could easily be Electa]. The thing that ties Mariah to Alanson is that a contract was
made between James Donahey, who was born abt 1802 and Mariah Bills, his second
wife, to aalow Alanson to live on their land rent-free and have all the wood to burn that
he should need for as long as he should live. Frances felt that Mariah could have been
his daughter. I [Cheryl Bills] feel that this assumption is correct.
5
This statement sounds exactly like a statement Frances would have made!
6
See footnote #4.

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 John Bills Story–Himself
Chapter 2
by Bus and Fran Bills

Sometimes I liken the Prophet Joseph Smith Jr. To our John Bills. Probably because they
were both in their very early thirties when called home by Heavenly Father and because
they were friends and neighbors. Because both served in the gospel to the best of their
ability and pre-ordination. John would have laid down his life if called to do so.

I cannot say that John had religious, supportive parents, for although Electa was
Presbyterian, her son never knew her for she died shortly after he was born. Many of his
brothers and a sister Sarah were at home at this time, but Electa’s death made a change
and the older ones left for employment or marriage. I believe Brother Elijah married and
took the five or six younger children for a period of time until Alanson found another
wife, and even then only one of two of the children ever stayed any period of time. One
was not John.

No one knows what school John went to, but it was no doubt one with some facilities as
the school mentioned in Indiana County History. He could not have attended past the 6th
grade or age 12.

John was unhappy with his home life and being a big lad for his age and also skilled in
the three “R’s”, [Reading, Riting & Rithmatic] he came to the conclusion that he could
make his way alone. Farming such as his brother Elijah7 lived upon, was not for John for
he was not the rigorous person that it took to be a farmer, nor did he wish to follow the
profession of his father, that of blacksmith.

In the city of Pittsburgh, there was work a-plenty and one day John was of a mind to go
there and be free of family obligations. He had much friction over his attitude and lack
of understanding. John had very little love from his family. He was a very sensitive boy
and a hot temper when finally aroused, and so it was that he ran away to Pittsburgh, with
the intent to work in a factory.

In the 1800s there were tailoring schools run by unscrupulous teachers who offered a
diploma to young men and boys who were runaways or needed a job very badly. Tuition
wasn’t much momentarily but the boys worked long, hard hours with no pay, meager
board–such as a cot to sleep on and starvation rations. The boys were held as long as
possible in the school for the teachers became well-to-do from the sale of the clothing.
Perhaps John ended up in a school like this. For running from the school, the boys were
flogged and worked extra hours.

7
Elijah was also a weaver by trade and this may have influenced John when he
went to Pittsburgh toward the tailoring profession.

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John was a very good student and obedient, and although only 14 years old, he was big-
framed and around 6 feet tall. He had dark curly hair and beautiful soulful eyes. When
he met Elizabeth Scott in 1833, she was just 16. She, too, was alone, worked to live.
Both of them were motherless and lonely.

Elizabeth had a birthday on New Year’s day in 1834, and although she claimed to be 17,
she was really twenty. John Bills, her fiancé, claimed to be 14 ½ and could have been 24
as some researchers claim. Whichever be true, the young couple were married six days
later on January 7, 1834 in the city of Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania.

As head of a household, John was certainly through with school. Elizabeth worked and
so did John, and when their first child, a son, was born on August 5, 1835, they had
rented a home and a small building which John proudly claimed as his tailoring store.
They seemed to prosper.

It could have been missionary contact or through Elizabeth’s sister, Ann Augusta, who
had been working for families of Latter-day Saints, that the testimony of the truthfulness
of this gospel touched Elizabeth. She was baptized in the early spring of 1836. On 10
Jul 1836, a few months later, John was baptized.

As members of the Mormon church, the couple were not too popular, so John closed his
shop and crossed three states: Indiana, Illinois and Iowa, to go to Far West, Missouri near
the Kansas border so that they might be with the Saints. As they traveled west, they
probably traveled to Indiana County, Pennsylvania, to show their son to John’s father and
relatives. If John hoped for a father’s blessing, he must have received it, for he did his
father’s temple work as soon as it was possible.

It was while they were at Far West that the Haun’s Mill massacre occurred. Their next
move was to Rushville, Buchanan County, Missouri. Then they moved to Commerce,
Illinois, which the Mormons re-named Nauvoo.

John and Elizabeth were in Nauvoo by the close of 1839. The following year Robert was
born; then Charles in 1842 and Franklin in 1845. These were such busy years in building
Nauvoo and the Temple, in the affairs of state, with the Nauvoo Legion, mobbings, in
raising a family and in the service of the Church, in making a living.

There is a land abutment in to the Mississippi River and is often the focal point of
pictures of the fair city of Nauvoo. On the southern side, two roads intersect at the
water’s edge: Water Street and Main Street. On the south side of Water Street stands the
Prophet Joseph Smith’s home and the Nauvoo House. On the north side stands the home
of Joseph Smith Senior. Next to the north property was John and Elizabeth Bills property
and home.

The location of his home was ideal for business because the river was very shallow
around this jutting piece of land, so many freighters unloaded their cargo at the dock by

12
the Mansion House, carried it across Lower Nauvoo and reloaded the cargo on the ship
after it had drifted around. Also, John Bills sewed for Joseph and Hyrum Smith and it
was convenient for try-on and delivery of clothing.

To those of you who have visited the Nauvoo of today, a mid-summer scene is one of
well-kept, restored homes of the more well-to-do surrounded by acres of beautiful green
grass. Beyond this are the commercial buildings and civic buildings of the times. The
water’s edge is again a deep sandbar, a half mile out of the river, and covered with
swamp grass and water lilies. Imagine the work to dredge the river for a harbor and
deposit the sand over the adjoining
area to fill in the bogs and adding
top soil to plant. As the land rises
to a hill to the north and east of
Nauvoo House, and the homes of
Joseph Smith Jr., Joseph Smith Sr.,
and John Bills, once were many
homes of the Saints, and at the peak
stood the Temple, built by
courageous people. It is perhaps
two miles away from water’s edge.

John Bills family came to

Commerce in 1839–renamed Nauvoo by the Saints. I do not know where they lived
when they first arrived–in their wagon or in a dugout, but in deeds of Hancock County,
Illinois, John and his wife received on 4 March 1842, the deed to Pt Lot 4; block 139,
Nauvoo.

In 1846, on 14 April, four years later, when they left Nauvoo for Winter Quarters, the
property was deeded to David Vrooman, no mention is made of price. John also owned
another piece of land N ½, W ½, NE 1/4 , Sec 3 Twp 6-8, which he deeded to Elizabeth
Hall8 on 10 Mar 1846, and she to John. Three weeks later, they both deeded the land to
William McCord. This was legal preparation for leaving the city. As his son, William
Andrew Bills stated: “He lost nearly all he had.”

John progressed in the Priesthood, receiving his license as an Elder on 11 October 1841,
issued by James Sloan, clerk. On 27 Jul 1845, John was ordained 6th President of the 19th
Quorum of Seventies and received his license to teach. Had time permitted, he would no
doubt have been a missionary, but this was crisis time for our church. The Prophet
Joseph Smith had been martyred the year before (June 27, 1844). Temple work was done
at night or early morning by special calling (to avoid mobs) even before the temple was

8
Does this indicate that John Bills may have married Elizabeth Hall while still in
Nauvoo?

13
completed. Early morning, 7 January 1846, John and
Elizabeth Scott Bills were endowed and sealed in the
Nauvoo Temple. It was their 12th wedding anniversary.

Nauvoo needed its own army for security. The Nauvoo

Legion was formed as early as 1839. John joined in 1841
and served gladly and valiantly. He designed the uniform
of the First Company and sewed them. He made the
uniform of the Major General who was the Prophet Joseph
Smith. He also made him a beautiful cape which is in the
Church Museum and can be produced to be seen upon
request.
Commission records of John Bills’ service in the Nauvoo
Legion:9
3 Jul 1841 Began as active member of Nauvoo
Legion
16 Oct 1841 John Bills, Sgt. Major Company 2,
R 1 1 Cohort10
23 Jul 1842 E. R. 1 Cohort
27 Apr 1843 Commissioned Brigade Major
17 Jun 1844 John Bills away on important
business for the Prophet.
27 Jun 1844 The Prophet Joseph Smith and his
brother Hyrum Smith martyred.

To say John was entirely dedicated to the service of God and His prophet, Joseph Smith,
Jr. Is entirely true. Mobbings, murders, massacres, and false witnesses were everywhere
that there were “Mormons.” Just as Governor Boggs of Missouri and his militia had
driven the Saints from his state, so Governor Ford of Illinois, in 1844, talked unfavorably
to the Saints, and supported the Carthage Greys who murdered the Prophet.
26 July 1844, Thursday. General Charles C. Rich wrote the following letter:
“To His Excellency, Thomas Ford, Governor of the State of Illinois, and Commander-in-
Chief of the Militia....

9
The picture of the sword was believed to have been of the sword that John Bills
carried in the Nauvoo Legion. However, this sword has been proven (2008) to be
manufactured by the Ames Manufacturing Co. in Chicopee, MA in 1865; therefore made
at the close of the Civil War and not in the Nauvoo Era as per information from Arms
Specialist, David Packard. (davidverapackard@aol.com)
10
The Nauvoo Legion was divided into Brigades, they in turn were each divided
into cohorts –10 groups of men.

14
“Sir: I received your letter by the hand of Major Bills last evening after dark and
hastened to lay before you such information as is [in] my possession in regard to the
movements at Warsaw and Carthage.....”

The following day, Charles C. Rich received his commission as Major-General of the
Nauvoo Legion.11

At one time, the Saints were to get compensation for their expense of uniforms and pay
for serving as law enforcement and protection for the state. John Bills drew up the lists
and expenses with amounts due from the state. It was commendably done, but Illinois
did not pay.

I feel, [wrote Derrill or Frances Bills], the best years of John’s life were those spent in
Nauvoo, serving his God, his family, members of the faith and with his friend, Joseph
Smith. His efforts are none-the-less after the martyrdom, but I feel a decline in spirit.
The light that guided him dimmed and he felt despondency more often– not a loss of
testimony. However, he felt he must get on with his life, and I, too, must get on with the
telling.
4 Oct 1846: John Bills cn. 84; x 1.00 paid 2.00
Wife # 2, Elizabeth Hall, was born in From Patty Sessions account book in 1846 on the
Saro, Surrey, North Carolina, Iowa prairie and at W inter Quarters for her services
daughter of Harrison Hall and as a doctor.
Rebecca East on 20 Nov 1820. She
was a maid in the Prophet’s home and
helped John with his sewing when the uniforms for the Nauvoo Legion were being made.
She was younger than John, a pretty brown-haired miss with a winsome personality. The
polygamy mandate had been received in 1831, but Joseph Smith Jr. Reluctant to observe
it himself, did not make it known right away. Before he died, on an occasion, Joseph
talked with John Bills stating that Elizabeth Hall needed a husband to care for her and
that she preferred him.

John wished to obey the Prophet and I feel that he loved the girl. There were stormy
sessions with Elizabeth Scott, his first wife, about the matter and she felt she was within
her rights to reject the plural marriage, as did many of the first wives. John intended to
take care of the matter in due time, for he gave Eliza12 a piece of ground in Nauvoo.
When they needed to go to Winter Quarters in the Spring of 1846, it was sold.

The place of safety and organization for the pioneers was the spot called Winter Quarters,

11
History of the Church Vol 7; page 275
12
Elizabeth Hall is called Eliza to distinguish her from Elizabeth Scott. Both were
wives of John Bills.

15
northwest of Omaha, Nebraska, and across the Missouri River from Council Bluffs,
Iowa. John Bills and Eliza were married in January 1847 at Council Bluffs and then
returned to their home or hut or wagon, whatever John had been able to provide, and it
was a cold winter. Elizabeth and her family fared a little better, for the boys were a little
help to her.

Try to understand John and his great decisions. To obey the request of Joseph Smith,
take another wife, and attempt to care for two families now–crossing the plains and
[settling] in the unknown Salt Lake Valley, making a home for an unhappy Elizabeth–OR
not to marry and desert the other young woman, Eliza, whom he also loved.13

It was a busy summer of 1847 preparing to leave Winter Quarters in 1848. John sewed
for the poor, for his family and made wagon covers when the church was able to make a
good buy on canvas. He was able to have three wagons ready and animals to pull them
in time to leave for the Rocky Mountains. Both of John’s wives were expecting babies
during this busy time. Martha was born to Eliza on 18 Feb 1848 and Samuel was born 22
Mar 1848 to Elizabeth. The babies suffered from the cold and heat.

Before leaving Winter Quarters on March 17, the Church Presidency met in council
Meeting to settle all disputes. One of the disputes mentioned was of John Bills accused
of battery on Isaac Hill, listed as difficulty between Hosea Stout, W.J. Earl and John
Bills.

13
I, Cheryl Bills, think the marriage more likely took place in Nauvoo prior to
John buying property in Elizabeth Hall’s name. Many of the early polygamous marriages
were performed secretly. That all fits perfectly with the story of going to the temple early
in the morning for a special endowment/sealing session as mentioned in the part about
Elizabeth Scott.

16
 Exodus – Winter Quarters to Salt Lake Valley
Four months 1 June 1848 to 20 September 1848
Chapter Three
Emigration to Salt Lake Valley was divided into three divisions in charge of the First
Presidency. Brigham Young, 1st Division, leaving Elkhorn River on 16 Jun 1848.
Thomas Bullock, scribe to Brigham tells there were over 1200 souls in this division and
four companies. The 1st Company under Isaac Morley; 2nd Company under Zeruah
Pulsipher; 3rd Company Heber C. Kimball; 4th Company under Willard Richards.
John served as a Captain of Ten 14 in the Second Company of Zeruah Pulsipher. 15 John
Bills Ten had 10 wagons, 38 souls, 0 horses, 26 oxen, 0 mules, 19 cows, 5 loose cattle
and 0 sheep. The total number of persons in Pulsipher’s group with 4 captains was 156
souls; 51 wagons.

Zera Pulsipher’s people began leaving Winter Quarters on June 1, but bad storms made it
difficult to meet on the appointed day, June 16th.

Being the first company made it easier to find water and fresh grass and feed for the
animals, dry sage brush and buffalo chips for firewood, and to be ahead of the fall chill
and early snow in the Rockies.

The Saints were not the only west-bound people and the trip was not an easy one. Many
antagonistic Missourians and other Easterners were traveling, a great many to the Oregon

14
Church Emigration Book Vol I 1830-1849. Heber C. Kimball’s Company left
three days after Pres. Young and Willard Richards left on June 30th. This company did
not arrive until October 10th and suffered great hardship and near starvation. Bullock’s
record of the trip is very interesting to read.
15
Mosiah Hancock’s Journal trip excerpt:
“We went over to Elk Horn and were organized in Zera Pulsipher's company of 50. He
was captain. There was John B. Butcher, John Bills, Wm. Burges[s], John Alger, Samuel
Alger, Lewis the tinner, Brother Bunday, Brother Neff, and Charles Pulsipher. We killed
our first antelope at Loup Fork; and I also caught a catfish there that weighed 36
pounds. John Pulsipher helped me pull it out! We got our first buffalo about 100 miles
out of Loup Fork. There were four of we boys, and we went to camp and brought out
seven yoke of oxen to get the buffalo! Then we boys thought we would stroll along up the
Platt[e] in quest of other game; but we went too far and got surrounded by wolves before
we got back. We got a severe scolding when we got home, but the howling and the
massing of the wolves was a great deal worse in my estimation!”

17
Territory. Each band kept to their own side of the rivers, which were dangerous and
difficult since early spring companies encountered high water due to spring run-off.

The Company of Zeruah Pulsipher16 arrived in the Valley intact. When darkness settled
on September 20th 1848, and John’s group were settled in or around the fort near 4th
South and Main Street [in Salt Lake City], a hot supper served by kind Saints, a song and
a prayer for their safe arrival was given by the Prophet Brigham Young, who welcomed
every caravan. John, Elizabeth and Eliza gave a sigh of relief and looked forward to the
new day with hope for peace and prosperity.

The Pioneers had the time as they wound down Emigration Canyon, to oversee the whole
of the Great Salt Lake Valley, the big body of water that was reported to be so salty and
not usable for irrigation. The Valley floor appeared to be a desert. I know John thought
of the beautiful hills of his Pennsylvania home, of Nauvoo, so green and beautiful on the
river. Here the green areas were few except along the Jordan River and in the ravines of
the steep awesome mountains that had been so difficult to cross. For the first time in
months, they had time for homesickness.

Winter set in fairly quickly, and the family set to and quickly built a shelter, a place to
contain their animals and to gather firewood for the long winter ahead.

John and Eliza’s baby, Martha, was a continual care with croup all winter and on 19 Mar
1849, in spite of prayers and tears, she slipped away to heaven at age 13 months. There
is something special about a daughter when one has five sons.

When Spring came and things began to green, Elizabeth was moved onto her own spot of
ground near Union Fort on Cottonwood. Eliza was moved to Pleasant Grove, where they
took up a piece of ground and planned that it would be home for she and John. Friends
would assist Eliza when John was with his family in Little Cottonwood.

John’s trip to California also changed Eliza’s plans and she moved back to Salt Lake to
work for her living until her husband returned.

16
Second Company of Saints to come west. Heart Throbs of the West, Kate B.
Carter, Vol.9, p.467 Captain of Hundred: Zera Pulsipher Captains of Fifty: John
Benbow, Daniel Wood; Captains of Ten: John Bills, William Burgess, Sylvester Earl,
Daniel Hendrix.

18
 Salt Lake Valley to Pacific Ocean
Last Days of John Bills
October 1, 1849 - February 19, 1850
Chapter Four

October 1, 1849 With thanks to God, this has been a good summer to raise enough
food for Elizabeth and the children and food for the animals for
another year, and though the cabin sets outside the Fort Union, it is
not too far away for help. We have discussed my trip to the gold
fields of California where I can set up a business of tailoring and
make a living for my two families. We should be leaving about a
month from today if I can be ready.

November 9th This morning I am leaving for Lore’ California and plan to take the
larger of my two wagons, my horse, the ox and two steers. I leave
with my tailoring tools, sewing machine, and a promise to
Elizabeth that I shall return for her or send William A. And the
money for the family to join me next summer. She feels that with
the boys help in the Spring and Summer she can manage the farm
through winter until then. It is best to go where I can make a
living. Its been very hard for both families and Elizabeth and Eliza
deserve better. After a sad goodby, which has happened so many
times in our marriage, William A. And I are heading south and the
cabin is soon lost to view. Will is only 14, but he is pretty reliable
and a big help, and the company we travel with is not large. He is
excited about no school.

November 11th Arrived in Pleasant Grove late this afternoon. Eliza was expecting
me before this. She soon had a hot meal ready and it was a joy to
see her. She is a beautiful woman – expecting our child in
February or the first week in March. We both pray it will be a
boy, though we miss little Martha, my only girl. I will have 4 days
here if the weather permits.

November 13th It has been unsettled weather the past 2 days and looks like snow
tonight. We leave in the morning for Fort Utah [Provo] where we
meet Brother Egan and company. Eliza thinks I should not go, but
plans are made.

November 14th We got a good early start this morning. It rained last night, and is
cold but Eliza is still standing in front of the cabin and we are
down the hill and out nearly a mile. We discussed her going to

19
 Salt Lake until I return. I wish Elizabeth would be more kind to
Eliza, at least help her find a job.

November 17th The roads are bad, storms the past three days. Arrived at the Fort
last night but needed this day to finish preparation.

November 18th Left Fort Utah this morning in company. We are three wagons, 15
animals and 40 souls. Traveled 7 ½ miles and camped at Hobble
Creek. [Springville]

November 19th –Monday– Brother Hovey and 4 men joined today at Spanish Fork.
Thanks to the Lord for a good day.

November 29th The past ten days weather was good one day, severe rain or snow
the next. Today my wagon tire broke on the rocky mountain road.
It is splinted and I can go a distance yet.

December 1st –Saturday– We are camped at Creek #29, good camp with plenty
of wood and feed. Another company is here and laying up to do
blacksmithing. The good brother has kindly offered to weld my
wagon tire tonight. God has answered my prayers.

December 2nd –Sunday– This evening we met 4 men belonging to Capt. Smith’s
company. They had lost their road and been living on mule flesh
for the past 16 days.

December 4th – Tues– cold and stormy

December 12th The past week has been very cold and snowy. We are now
traveling down the Virgin River. It is about 59 feet wide.

December 14th –Friday– Raining, road is very sandy and crooked, making us cross
the River five times. Poor feed the past ten days, and my animals
are in bad condition and too tired to eat in the rain.

December 15th –Saturday– Noon and my team is give out. My wagon is the
heaviest of the company. Brother Egan says leave it. Everyone
has been kind to share part of my load in their wagon. The horse
and ox may trail.

December 20th – Thursday– Rain the past 5 days– roads sand and gravel. We
didn’t arrive in camp until 2 AM but have come 35 miles. Brother
Foot and Parks left their wagons and several animals.

20
December 21st – Friday– Another 2 wagons left on the trail. We are passing
deserted wagons and animals of other companies.

December 25th –Tuesday– Christmas Day. Started at daylight with a cheery word
and very little water. Last night camp water was bad. Planned to
reach a spring in 5 miles and missed it. Some of the company
started off with morning with no breakfast. Went 25 miles.
Indians bad here.

December 27th –Thursday– Spent yesterday in camp. Had to leave Mr. Carr’s
horse, shot by Indians. Today’s camp we found a man with an
arrow stuck in his side – one guard shot at an Indian– camped at
7:30 where wood, feed, water were good.

January 1, 1850 It has rained every day and several nights incessantly. Usually
there is not food for animals. At Cahoon Pass the water was 3 feet
deep and would roll the horses – the men all assisted with rope.

January 6th, 1850 –Sunday– We camped at Williams Ranch, 769 miles from Utah
Lake, after traveling all day yesterday in the rain. Brother Rich is
procuring wheat and having it ground for us. We are laying over
until Friday. It is beautiful and grass here.

January 14th –Monday– Reached St. Gubrith Mission. It is deserted–fenced by

cactus and we ate oranges from the many trees – most beautiful.
We are about 5 miles from Pueblo de Los Angeles, where some of
the Brothers have gone for supplies. From here we go north.

January 22nd We camped at Mission Buenentrance one fourth mile from sea.

January 27th –Sunday– We have crossed 7 creeks with fine weather and bad
roads this past week. We lay over for the Sabbath in a beautiful
grove on the seashore, best we have had since we started.

February 1st – Friday– We traveled 18 miles today and I’m very tired, also have
a severe cough. I am thankful Will is a hardy lad.

February 4th –Monday– We have 18 miles today. I fear for my health for I am
sick.

February 12th –Tuesday– Brother Rich has gone to San Jose Mission for
provisions. I pray he can bring medicine to relieve my condition.
The company has traveled 14 to 35 miles daily since I have been
ill. Sometimes I can hardly hold to the saddle.

21
February 17th –Sunday– Father requests that I write for him tonight. He has had
to ride in a wagon belonging to Brother Egan today. We camped
in a beautiful valley 10 miles past Patgher’s Pass. We are within a
week’s travel of our destination, but Father feels he cannot make
it. We are both discouraged and homesick. –William Andrew
Bills

February 18th –Monday– Father has traveled this 10 miles today in a wagon, the
roads being very bad. It is also raining this evening. His condition
is bad in spite of the prayers of the men.

February 19th –Tuesday– Father is worse this morning. Brother Egan has
decided to remain here for the day. Father is burning with the
fever and can hardly breathe. I am sitting with him through the
day but he does not know me and cannot eat or drink.

February 20th –Wednesday– By campfire, I sit to write. We have come 20 miles

today, came to the San Joaquin River, took our wagons apart and
crossed them in a whale boat. The company is very kind to me,
but in work I am accepted as a man and it has been best to keep
moving, but tonight I feel like a little boy. To report on yesterday–
In spite of prayers and tears, Father died last night about 10
o’clock. Some of the Brothers dug a grave, wrapped Father in
blankets and carried him there. Many helped to make a rock
mound to mark it for me if I ever can come back. Brother Orlando
Hovey gave a prayer and they told how kind and brave a man he
was. Everyone was especially kind to me. No one knew how
much I cried later. It was good that the company agreed to move
camp. We went five miles in the dark. My thoughts then and
today have been what a good man Father was–how much the
gospel meant to him–all the principles of the gospel he schooled
me in; That God is good, that no matter what our trials in life, we
must endure to the end, Serve God to the best of our ability, and
preserve the glorious gospel restored to us by our friend and
prophet, Joseph Smith.

Father said “to remember that we work for peace and a right to
worship–Even his Nauvoo Legion Sword, at the home in
Cottonwood would be mine as a symbol of right and
remembrance. To take care of his little black book that he always
carried on his person in which he kept important dates, names,
places, that I, William Andrew, should record and keep for
posterity.”

22
John Bills’ story is not over–it lives with the lives
of his children and their posterity. This story is
written with prayer, love, and understanding, and
the help of a great many family members and
researches and the desire to show love for this
great grandfather of the Bills family–our John. –
Derrill and Frances Bills

This sketch of the Nauvoo Legion sword has been

drawn by a 13-year old descendant of John Bills.
He is Derrill Heinecke from the actual sword, in
the scabbard, stilled forever.17

End

17
The previous drawing of the sword out of the scabbard, has the name Joyanne
Bills on it in the handwriting of Frances Bills. Joyanne is the first wife of John Derrill
Bills, son of Derrill and Frances Bills and named for the Bills family Pioneer ancestor.

23
 William Andrew Bills
Son of John Bills and Elizabeth Scott

I hereby record my own history in part. I, William Andrew Bills, Sr. record a part of my
own history. I am the oldest son of John and Elizabeth Scott Bills.

I was born in the city of Pittsburg, Aleganey county, Pennsylvania, August 5, 1835. I
was not quite one year old when my parents joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints.

I had my share of the troubles the Saints passed through [when] I was young. I heard my
mother say that while we were at Far West, when the mobs were there about the time
they took Joseph and Hyrum Smith and others to Jackson county, Missouri, and at the
time of the Hauns Mill massacre that she stood with me in her arms ready to hand me
over to be killed first, then she was willing to die. But we got clear to encounter still
more hardships.

Well, from place to place we were driven until we reached Commerce in 1839, later
called Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois. As I grew older, I assisted in building up that beautiful
city.

I was well-acquainted with the Prophet Joseph and Hyrum and their father and mother as
also William and Don Carlos Smith. We were close neighbors. Father, being a tailor,
made their clothes. I used to take Joseph and Hyrum's clothes to Joseph's house. His
mother once showed me the mummies. They, in form, appeared as natural as any other
person would after being dried up as they were. They were the color of dark sole leather,
common size, five in number, if I recollect right. Father Smith once gave me a great
blessing.

I recollect many things that transpired in Nauvoo. I was baptized and confirmed by
Father John Burges in the spring of 1844 previous to the martyrdom of Joseph and
Hyrum Smith, I think.

As stated in the former chapter of this record, in the Spring of 1846, we moved with the
rest of the Saints to Winter Quarters. We made our quarters as comfortable as possible
for the winter. The next year, 1847, we raised a crop while President Young with a
company went west to Salt Lake Valley and found a location for the Saints. They
returned late in the same year, and in 1848, we most all started west for our new home in
the far west, in the Rocky Mountains.

The team I drove was three yoke of cattle, five cows, and one ox. We arrived in
September in the Salt Lake Valley and wintered in what is now Salt Lake City, Utah.

24
I kept school for two or three years and was also ward teacher, and on February 28, 1857,
I was ordained a Seventy in Salt Lake City by one of the first seven Presidents of
Seventies, Benjamin L. Clapp, and placed in the Ninth Quorum and received my lessons
signed by Joseph Young, Sr., President of the first seven presidents, that I was at liberty
when called to preach the gospel in all the world.

In the summer of 1857, we found that our enemies had succeeded in raising hell to that
extent back east that President Buchanan saw fit to send an army out here to Utah to
settle our cases. So we concluded to keep them out of here until they were better
informed and we kept them out that summer and the ensuing winter. When they sued for
peace, we allowed them to come in the following spring, 1858. But not until the families
of the Saints were taken care of by moving south for a short time until the army passed
peaceable through Salt Lake City and out southwest some forty miles to what was called
Camp Triad, in Cedar Valley, west of Utah Lake.

I was once called to assist in this work in keeping the army out in 1857. And I have my
pass yet or permits to return home when things were settled. It reads: "Echo Canyon,
November 5, 1857, this is to certify that the bearer, William A. Bills, is honorably
released to return home, Captain John Brown, in charge of Echo Canyon Express
Station."

So in the spring of 1858, I moved my family south with the rest of the saints and in the
summer when all this was peace, we returned with the rest in peace. I moved my family
up north that fall; namely, 1858, to Mountain Green, Morgan county, Utah, in what is
called Weber Valley, where I was appointed president over that settlement of the
Peterson Ward.

In the fall of 1861, I was called by President Heber C. Kimball to take my wife, Emeline,
and get our endowments in the old Endowment House in Salt Lake City. We, of course,
obeyed his wish and were united in the holy bonds of marriage in the new and everlasting
covenant over the alter of the Lord.

After filling my appointment as president of the Mountain Green Branch of the Peterson
Ward to the best of my ability until April 1863, a period of four years and six months, I
moved my family back to the south Jordan Branch of the West Jordan Ward. I arrived
the first Saturday in April 1863. The next day while in meeting as it was Sunday, I was
appointed as counselor to James Wood, who was president of the branch. I filled this
position until July 15, 1866, when on that day I was chosen and set apart by Bishop A.
Gardner to preside over the branch with Henry Beckstead as counselor. I filled this
position for eleven years, that is from July 15, 1866 to June 17, 1877 when on that day I
was ordained a high priest and set apart as a Bishop by President Daniel H. Wells and
instructed to organize my branch into a ward, which I did, assisted by my counselors,
Ensign Stocking as my first and Henry Beckstead as my second counselor. This position
I tried to fill to the best of my ability until July 8, 1900, when a reorganization took place

25
placing Thomas Blake in as Bishop with Martin A. Beckstead as first and Robert M. Holt
as second counselors.

The reason for the above organization was that for about three years my health was so
poor that part of the time my life was despaired of, and at my own request President
Snow said if I felt that I was unable to fill the position longer he was willing to give me
an honorable release.

During my sickness, President Snow gave me and my three living wives, and the one that
had died, a recommend to the House of the Lord for our further blessings, which we
attended to as also for my father John and Elizabeth Bills.

My wives mentioned namely are Emeline Beckstead Bills, Matilda and Patrenia
Admundson Bills and Annie Eastwood Bills.

After the new organization of the Bishopric, my health improved and I was called upon
by the bishop to act as a teacher in one of the districts of the ward which as usual I
responded to and so I am still in the gospel to rust out up to date August 5, 1902.

I will be sixty-seven years old and will have served in the gospel harness over forty-five
years and am still a worker in the noblest cause on earth. On this page below I place the
minutes of the ward organization as it took place. Respectfully, William A. Bills, [in his
own book he had a newspaper clipping pasted in, copied by his son, Orson Bills, July 30,
1920.]
____________

William Andrew Bills

More information!

Things he did not tell in his journal and things that were important (Excerpts from early
history of the West and South Jordan Ward)

When Wm. A. moved from Mountain Green, Uinta county, to South Jordan, he bought
property from his brother-in-law, Gordon Silas Beckstead, in his move to Brigham City.
His neighbor on the North was James Wood family, a quarter mile to the South lived
Emeline's brother, Henry Beckstead, next farm--brother Samuel A. Beckstead.

The original settlers lived in caves the first year, but by this time there were rough log
homes. When and where possible, adobe brick from the local kiln of John W. Winward,
were beginning to add to the comfort of these pioneers. Father Beckstead started with a
piece of ground from a section south of 7200 South, river bottom to the lower road 1300
W. to Sandy Road. A few years later, he obtained the property from Sandy Road to
Draper Road along the Jordan River and to the West.

26
We place Wm. A. as living on an 80 acre strip about 500 feet south of South Jordan
cemetery, just off present 10600 S. and 10th West.

An old tumbling log house, being used as a cattle shelter (1925), about 300 feet off the
South West corner of the cemetery held great memories for Wm. A's son, David.

We now look at home problems by 1880: The children and four wives of plural marriage
became too much to handle in one household. Marthine Matilda had three children under
8 years plus Petrenia's (her sister, deceased in 1879) three boys under ten; Emeline had
three children under ten years and six teenagers.

From the diary of this historian, Bishop Bills, alias William A., his autobiography seems
to close August 5, 1902 but there is yet another note at the end that tells history:

"An account of what it cost to improve and make a home on my farm under the big canal
and on the Redwood Road.

April 27, 1881 My wife, Emeline and my little son David18 went up on my 40 acres lot
and the northwest corner, laid out the ground for houses, barn, corals,
orchards, lawns and all that was necessary for a comfortable home for my
family. The following week I commenced hauling rock.19

July 1882 William A’s diary gives a list of expenses of the lumber and adobe home
on Emeline's forty acre lot.

The usual old age story: By 1890, Wm. A. and Emeline had two marriageable girls at
home and all other children had left the coup. Even baby David had married at age 15
and now had a young son. However, in the homes of Matilda and Annie Eastwood, there
were still a total of ten children who were 10 years and under, and still three children in
the future.

The children all grew into wonderful, dependable, hard-working and active church
members because of wonderful mothers and also because of, or in spite of, William A.
who served as counselor or president of a branch for 11 years and Bishop for 31 years
(1858-1900).

18
David was Emeline’s sixteenth child and father of Derrill Smith Bills who is
John Derrill Bill’s father. Therefore, little David is John’s Grandpa!
19
Note: The above land improvement was given to Matilda A. and Annie E. Bills
in May 1882, by consent of Emeline B. Bills for forty acres going on the North, where I
commenced building for Emeline B. Bills in June 1882.

27
William A.'s personal record stopped in 1902, but his life did not. As he grew more
feeble, he and Emeline moved to Riverton.

For a time he lived near his son, Gordon Silas, and at the time of his death, he was living
with his son, Parley and family. Several other children lived in Riverton, some within
walking distance with whom he visited.

Though somewhat feeble and forgetful, he was still very active for his 80 years,
evidenced by the distance walked the evening he died.

Sixteen days after his disappearance he had still not been found. The wife of his son,
David, who also lived in Riverton, had a dream about her father-in-law. She awakened
her husband and described the place in the Jordan River where she had seen his body.

Early the next morning, David gathered a group of relatives and neighbors and went to
the area and discovered his father’s body and his coat held fast by a wire under the fast-
moving deep water.

Drowned April 4, found April 20, service April 22, 1915, buried in the South Jordan
Cemetery near Emeline, Patrenia, and Matilda on the Admundson lots.

The wives were also cared for in the homes of their children. Emeline B. died at
Riverton, age 79 years, 8 months– one year and nine months after her husband on the
first of January 1917. Marthine Matilda A. lived one year, April 19, 1916 and died in
Salt Lake City. This good woman had nine children of which six lived to maturity. She
also raised Patrinia's three children, ages 7, 4, and 2 when her sister died after nine
months illness in 1879. William A.'s wife, Annie E. Bills lived 22 years longer than her
husband and died at her daughter's home in Paul, Idaho on November 2, 1937--age 81.
She is buried in the South Jordan Cemetery also.20

A Tribute:
As a baby, born to the persecution the saints suffered.
As a boy, traveled from Pittsburg to the West coast in a wagon or on foot by the
time he was fifteen.
Supported four wives and fathered thirty-three children.
Served his Heavenly Father from the day he joined the Church.
I believe he was a very kind and understanding person, yet high spirited and
proud of his heritage.
He should be. He was a BILLS!

20
Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah, p. 574

28
 Obituary
&
Funeral
of William Andrew Bills

The Herald Republican Salt Lake City Utah:

BISHOP WILLIAM A. BILLS MAY BE IN JORDAN RIVER;

HAT AND GLOVE FOUND ON BANK

William A. Bills, for twenty-two years bishop of West Jordan Ward, who is missing from
his home. [has a photo] Aged man left his home in Riverton Monday and has not
returned. Discovery of the hat and a glove worn by William A. Bills, aged pioneer and
for twenty-two years bishop of West Jordan Ward, when he disappeared from his home
in Riverton Monday evening led to an energetic search of the Jordan River yesterday.
The hat and glove were found entangled in brush on the West bank of the Jordan near
Riverton. These were found by John Hansen, a farmer of Riverton, shortly after Sheriff
John S. Coreless and Parley Bills 1332 South 11th East, son of Bishop Bills, resumed the
search for him yesterday. Immediately Sheriff Coreless and those assisting in the
search, extended a wire net over the Jordan River opposite Samuel Howard's Ranch, a
mile below the point where the hat and glove were found.

Owing to the lack of serviceable boats, it was found impossible to drag the river bed with
grappling hooks yesterday, but this will be done today when boats from the surplus canal
will be dragged up the river.
______________________

William A. Bills was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, August 5, 1835. He joined the
church in 1844, and came to Utah in 1848 with his parents and four brothers and one
sister. He was personally acquainted with the Prophet Joseph. From his early boyhood,
he was zealous in the defense of the truth and took an active part in building up the
communities in which he lived. Among the experiences of his early life were the cricket
"war" in 1849, the Echo Canyon War, and a member of the home guard against Indian
depredations. In 1849, in company with Amasa Lyman, Charles C. Rich, and his father,
he went to California to purchase horses. While on this trip, his father sickened and died.
he returned to Utah in 1850 and in 1851, his mother died.
For a short time after the death of his mother, he lived with Apostle Amasa Lyman. In
1852, he married Emeline Beckstead, living at Parawan until 1858 when he moved to
Mountain Green, Weber County. While at the latter place he presided over a branch of
the Church.

29
 In 1862, he came to South Jordan, then a branch of the West Jordan Ward. He acted in
the capacity of president of this branch for seven years and in 1877, when the South
Jordan Ward was organized, he became the first bishop, holding this position until July 8,
1900, a period of 23 years, when he was honorably released on account of ill health.

During the latter part of his life, he lived in Riverton, near his son, Gordon S. Bills,
Bishop of Riverton ward.

Bishop Bills was the father of 31 children, 18 surviving him, 167 grandchildren, 132
surviving, 144 great-grandchildren, 118 surviving, and 67 marriages into his family.

His immediate family surviving are Emeline B. Bills, Matilda A. Bills, Ann G. Bills, and
the following sons: Gordon S., William A., Alexander, George W., David, Parley, Ole,
William R., Norman, Orson, Samuel, Lafayette, Roy, Reynolds, and Lester Bills. His
surviving daughters are Catherine Orgill, Mary E. Seal, and Mattie Bills.
___________________________________

Riverton, April 22--Services for Bishop W.A. Bills, who was drowned in the Jordan
River, April 4, the body having been recovered on the 20th inst., were held in the
Riverton Ward chapel commencing at 2'o'clock p.m. April 22, 1915.

First counselor Charles E. Miller of the Riverton Ward bishopric, presided.

The ward choir sang "When the First Glorious Light of Truth"

Invocation by Elder Reuben S. Hamilton.

James Moncur of Salt Lake City sang the solos: "Sometime We'll Understand"
and "O My Father"

The principal speaker was Henry B. Beckstead, a nephew, who narrated in brief the
history of the deceased and bore a fervent testimony to the faith and works of this good
man.

Joseph Orgill of Draper, W.D. Kuhre, President of Jordan Stake, and Samuel E. Holt,
Bishop of South Jordan Ward, each eulogized the life and works of the departed.

Former Bishop John A. Egbert of West Jordan pronounced the benediction.

The grave, which was literally covered with flowers, was dedicated by Elder Thomas M.
Hamilton. Bishop Bills was held in high esteem in this section, as evidenced by the large
attendance at the obsequies, over 500 being present.

30
31
 More Tidbits about John Bills
found by John D. and Cheryl Bills

Tidbit #1: An advertisement regarding John Bill’s Tailoring business. Perhaps he made
military coats for those who are listed as Reference.

A CARD.21
THE subscriber, in returning his acknowledgments to his friends in this city and the
public generally, would also inform them that he has just received the latest fashions
direct from Philadelphia, (through the politeness of President Hyrum Smith,) and is
prepared to turn off work with despatch and in the best and most fashionable style.
JOHN BILLS, TAILOR.
P. S. All kinds of military coats made according to the latest pattern.
Reference.
Lieut. Gen. Jos Smith,
Maj. Gen. J. C. Bennett,
Brig. Gen. Wilson Law,
Brig. Gen. D. C. Smith,
Col. Wm. Law,
Col. John S. Fulmer.
Nauvoo, April 30th, 1841.
The above is an advertisement in the Times and Seasons.

Tidbit #2 Nauvoo Legion References regarding John Bills:

History of the Church, Vol.6, Ch.4, p.96

Mr. Ewing reported to Major Bills that the returns made out [for Mr. Bills], and
sent to the State Department, were the best reports by any brigade-major in the
State, and did him great credit: the refusal to pay him for his services is a mere
pretext, as the Nauvoo Charter requires that the Nauvoo Legion shall perform the
same amount of duty as is now or may hereafter be required of the regular militia of
the State, and shall be at the disposal of the Governor for the public defense and the
execution of the laws of the State, and be entitled to their proportion of the State
arms; and were it not for the prejudice against us on account of our religion, his
claim would have been paid without a word of complaint.

SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, Nov. 30, 1843, General W. L. D. Ewing, Auditor

21
Times and Seasons, Vol.2, p.421

32
History of the Church, Vol.6, Ch.4, p.96

I have examined the claim of John Bills, brigade-major of the Nauvoo Legion, for
services under the 53rd section of the militia law, and have arrived at the conclusion that
the Nauvoo Legion are not to be considered as a part of the regular militia of this State,
and that the general law has no further application to them than is expressly provided for
in the law authorizing their organization. The law providing for the organization of the
Legion making no provision for the payment of its officers by the State, it is my opinion
that the above claim ought not to be audited.

The Legion was organized by the City Council, is subject to their control for the purpose
of enforcing their ordinances. It is entirely independent of the general military law, may
have a different organization, make laws for its own government, and seems evidently
designed to sustain the municipal authorities of Nauvoo. If there are expenses to be paid,
the municipality of which they form a very important element, must meet them. I am,
with great respect,
Your obedient servant, J. N. MCDOUGALL.

Hosea Stout Diary (1845), vol. 1, typescript, BYU-S, p.51

May 7, Wednesday. At home until noon. Brother Kay came to my house we went down
on the flat together, I gave him a double-barreled pistol. I went to the Lodge at one, and
at five o'clock met with a general convention of the officers of the Nauvoo Legion to
regulate matters in case we should be attacked by our enemies. I was appointed to act as
Brigadier General, 2nd Cohort then met police and came home before dark.

May 8, Thursday. In the morning I went with J. [Joseph] B. [Bates] Nobles [Noble] to see
John Bills to regulate matters pertaining to the 2nd Cohort. We came home and I
went down on the flat and then went to General Rich's to meet the committee to write the
history of the legion; from thence I met with the police and then came home before dark.

_______________

Hosea Stout Diary (1845), vol. 2, typescript, BYU-S, p.32

[September] 9, Friday. Went early this morning to see Brigham Young, he (also met the
Lodge at nine o'clock) was very unwell, gave him some presents, in stockings and gloves.
Then went to the temple with Jos. Warthan and got his horse and buggy and went with
Brother Harmon to Major Bills about four miles east of the temple to give him some
orders respecting regulating a picket guard in that quarter, as there is some signs of
mobocracy rising up. We took dinner there and came home by way of Brother C.
Allen and then I took the horse and buggy home and came home and met the police
and then went with Brother Harmon and Horr to see a boy look in a "peep stone,"
for some money which he said he could see hid up in the ground. He would look and
we would dig but he found no money; he said it would move as we approached it. I
came home about ten o'clock at night.

33
Norton Jacob Autobiography, BYU, p.37 - p.38
Thursday 24th [September 1846]. This morning a very singular incident occurred in our
camp. Before the organization above related, Colonel Scott had received an order from
General [Brigham] Young to send one of the four pieces of ordinance in his possession to
Bishop Miller's camp, two hundred miles above here at the mouth of the Punkaw river. In
compliance with that order we had prepared the four pounder, and drew up written
instructions for the manual of the piece. This morning the bishop's agent, Jacob Houtz
came to receive the gun. Just as he was hitching on his team, colonel Stephen Markham
came up. His adjutant Major Bills was also present. The team being hitched on the gun
carriage, says Brother Scott, "Who is to receipt for this gun?" Colonel Markham replied,
"Brigham has ordered me to take charge of the guns and have them put in order." Says
Brother Scott, "This property has long since been put in my possession with orders from
Brother Brigham, not to let any of it go without orders from him and taking a receipt;
moreover I have just receipted for these oxen and no man shall take them away without
giving a receipt. Says Markham, "How did you come to receipt for them?" As though he
had been doing that which he should not have done. Scott replied, "General Young told
me to do so and accordingly I have given one like this."
"Received of Zerah Pulsipher one yoke of oxen to be used in hauling a cannon up to
Bishop Miller's camp."

Says Markham, "Whose here to take them?" Brother Houtz, here is Miller's agent.
"I will receipt for them, none but a damn fool would object to what Colonel Scott
requires."
Says Colonel Markham, "Let's go and fix it," and they all started towards Colonel Scott's
tent. Brother Houtz remarking to his teamster, "You may turn the team around. I suppose
Colonel Scott will not let the gun go out of the yard until it is receipted for." Norton

"Yes," says Markham, "Drive it out of the yard I'll bear you out in it." Brother Scott
turned round saying, "Colonel Markham, that gun shall not go out of this yard until I
have a receipt for it."

Says Markham, "I swear it shall," and immediately caught the whip out of the drivers
hand exclaiming, "John Scott I'll straighten you." Scott unhooked the lead cattle's chain,
when Markham collared him, Scott also seized him and held him off at arms end. Saying
sternly, "Markham you shall not come into this yard and interfere with my
business." Markham called out to his adjutant Bill, "Go and bring a force [to take
the gun, etc]" And away scampered Aft. Bills telling every man he met to gather up
forthwith to the public square armed and equipped, for terrible things were
expected. Some said afterwards they did not know where the public square was. But
some ten or a dozen particular friends happened to think that the little triangular
spot occupied by the artillery must be the public square so on they came with rifle
and musket, swords and spear and passed round outside of the yard where they
formed a line with their backs towards the mouths of those terrible guns, that the
agent sending by one of the general's aids the night after the alarm, commanded

34
Colonel Scott to have the ______ drawn out of lest it get wet; when there had been
neither shot nor priming in them for the last six months at least. It reminds one of
Don Quixote's attack upon the windmill; for it those great guns had bellowed, there
would have been a deal of wind.

But to return to the parties at the gun. They both soon relinquished their hold, Brother
Scott remarking calmly, "Markham the thing I require of you is reasonable. Brother
Young has given me charge of this property. I don't care a damn for Joseph Young, and
nobody else. I'll have a force here to take it," says Markham.

"I can raise a force too," says Scott, "but look here Colonel Markham: you show no
authority from General Brigham Young for the course you are pursuing. Here Markham
hesitated a little and Brother Houtz again offered to do as he had done before. When all
three proceeded directly to the tent, and a receipt for the gun and oxen was made out and
signed by Brother Jacob Houtz some time before the force under command of Captain
Charles Bride arrived, who came without any orders from his superior officer Major John
Gleason.

Consequently, like fools, they came as a mob and Colonel Markham suffered them to
stay as long as they pleased without dispersing or dismissing them until they went away
as they came, like fools with their fingers in their mouths. While Brother Jacob Houtz
hitched onto his cannon again and drove off in triumph. All this happened about ten
o'clock a.m. Some time in the afternoon Colonel Markham came into the yard inquiring
for Brother Scott. He soon found him when lo and behold, he wanted to see if the receipt
taken by Brother Scott held Brother Houtz responsible for the delivery of that cannon to
Bishop Miller for if it did not he would send on a man to take possession of it and see
that it was so delivered.

Tidbit #3

Philo Dibble autobiography, in Faith Prom Classics (1968), p.94 - p.95

One of my neighbors, a Brother James Moses, who lived across the street from me, was
taken sick, and for six weeks was not able to speak above his breath. I went occasionally
to see him, and one day while there Brother Bills and I were asked by Sister Moses to
administer to him, which we did. She then asked us what we thought of him, and I
replied that I had no testimony that he would live or that he would die; but she might as
well pour water upon fire to make it burn as to give him medicine. This offended her, as
she had a doctor by the name of Green attending him and we left.

Soon after this Brother [Heber C.] Kimball (one of the Apostles) was called on to
administer to him, when Sister Moses asked him what he thought of her husband's
condition. He replied in the very words that I had used, but advised them to hold on to
him. Brother Bills and I happening to call in again to see him, we were asked if we

35
would anoint 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, and
that they would kill him if they were not cast out before morning. He then
commenced raving, and might have been heard across the street.

The Twelve Apostles were sent for and three of them came, Brother W. [Willard]
Richards being one of them, 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 him and leave the house, which they did instantly, and Brother
Moses became rational. He afterwards told us all about his feelings while the evil spirits
had afflicted him, and that he was as sore as a boil all over from the effects of what he
had passed through.

Tidbit #4 is what John Bills was doing to protect the Prophet just prior to his martyrdom.

Bishop Edward Hunter

Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 6, p.317

My attention was taken up in farming. One year I raised or had raised on my

farms about seven thousand bushels of grain east of Nauvoo. The two years I was
in Nauvoo with Joseph, it was one stream of revelations. He often said, "I will
rest. I will put the duty on the Twelve."

He was hunted and pursued by his enemies. I was one of the City Council when
the Nauvoo Expositor was stopped. That stirred up our enemies. Mass meetings
were got up answering them. Brother A. Butterfield got from one of a party held
east of Carthage, a determination to oppose us, and do Joseph all the injury they
could.

I said to him, "Let Brother Joseph see it." He said, "I promised to return it
immediately." I said, "Never let it out of your hands until he sees it." He showed
it to Brother Joseph, and when he saw it he knew their intention. Sent brethren to
different places to lay the desperate [p.324] spirit. He sent P. Rockwell to me.
Said to me, "You have always wished to have been with the Church from the
beginning, if you go to Springfield to the Governor, it shall be with you as if you
had been with the Church from the beginning." I got ready to go. He said to me:
"You have known me for several years, say to Governor (Ford), under oath,
everything good and bad you know Of me."
Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 6, p.324
I went, John Bills and P. Lewis were sent with me.
We were followed (for) miles by officers (hoping) to take us. They could not. We
had the promise of Brother Joseph, "You shall return safe." We went to
Springfield. The Governor had gone to Carthage. We met with the Governor's
lady. When she looked at the letter she knew me and said, "This is Mr. Hunter. I

36
 saw you at Mr. Smith's trial." I said, "I recollect you with Judge Pope's daughter."
She said that the Governor would not act until he saw Mr. Smith.

On their return, the whole country was in an uproar and they learned that Joseph and
Hyrum had given themselves up and gone to Carthage. Threats were made on all sides
that the "Mormon" leaders would never get away alive, and the bloody sequel showed
that such was indeed the purpose of those who had induced them to surrender their
22
persons, though they had done so on the pledged word of the governor of the State that
they should be protected.

On our return, [from Springfield] when we crossed Thomas River, all was
commotion. J. Bills thought it best to avoid suspicion. We met hundreds drunk. "We
have Joe and Hyrum in jail!"

I met one crowd and spoke to them, asking why this great rejoicing. They said, "Joe and
Hyrum Smith are safe." "What are you going to do with them?" "Kill them, I expect." We
got along without being known as Mormons.

We [Brother Hunter, John Bills and P. Lewis] traveled without food for ourselves or
animals and arrived in Nauvoo the 27th of June, about the time Joseph and Hyrum were
martyred in the Carthage jail.23

I had a blacksmith shop and all night we were at work fastening scythes on poles,
preparing for an attack. The counsel of Willard Richards (who presided) was "leave the
events to the Lord," which we submitted to, but great sorrow prevailed with the people,
many in despair. Brigham Young and many of the Twelve were away.

"Next day," says his narrative, "their bodies were brought from Carthage to Nauvoo. We
formed two lines to receive them; I was placed at the extreme right, to wheel in after the
bodies, and march to the Mansion. As we passed the Temple, there were crowds of
mourners there, lamenting the great loss of our Prophet and Patriarch. The scene was
enough to almost melt the soul of man. Mr. Brewer, myself and others took Brother
Joseph's body into the Mansion House. When we went to the wagon to get the corpse,
Colonel Brewer, a U. S. officer, taking up the Prophet's coat and hat, which were covered
with blood and dirt, said, 'Mr. Hunter, look here; vengeance and death await the
perpetrators of this deed.'

At midnight, Brothers Dimick B. Huntington, G. Goldsmith, William Huntington and

myself carried the body of Joseph from the Mansion House to the Nauvoo House, and put

22
Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 6, p.231
23
Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 6, p.324

37
him and Hyrum in one grave. Their death was hard to bear. Our hope was almost gone,
not knowing then that Joseph had prepared for the Kingdom to go on, by delivering the
keys to the Twelve and rolling off the burden from his shoulders on to theirs.

Great sorrow prevailed in the hearts of the people.

______________

Tidbits about the Death of John Bills:

Slapjack Bar, Middle fork of the American River, California

September, 1850
Mon. Sept. 23rd. I have not journalized for several months. A few days ago we
buried Brother Edgar Gipson and we had the painful duty to inter Brother Flake who was
thrown from his mule last May and killed, and about the 17th of last Feb. we buried
Brother Bills.
_______________

This tells about John Bills last trip. Also keep in mind that William Andrew was still in
California after his father died. He returned to Utah with Amasa Lyman:

Extracts from the Journal of Henry W. Bigler, pp. 134-160

Mon. 3rd. I went to look after the horses, came across a patch of grapes, they were as
sweet as raisins. I ate so many until I found myself sick. At 1 p. m. broke
camp, went up the river for 12 miles and camped for the night.

Tue. 4th. Cloudy with some rain, traveled up the river 20 miles. Brother Keeler and I
have but one animal to carry us through. Our provisions are nearly
exhausted and that of the company's.

Wed. 5th Laid by, as it is snowing. Brother Cannon is sick. One of the men shot an
owl, it was picked, dressed and cooked, broth was made, some of which
Brother Cannon drank and the rest of us ate the owl, it was a little tough,
otherwise it went very well.

As game seems to be plentiful here it is thought best to lay by to-morrow

and hunt. The mess of Brother Cain's and the mess I was in all united at
evening prayers in asking the Lord to bless the hunters on the morrow in
hunting game or the black tailed deer.

Thur. 6th. It has quit snowing. Brother Rich and several hunters went out to hunt deer
and they killed and brought to camp three fine deer, which greatly
increased our stock of provisions. The Lord has answered our prayers and I

38
 felt to rejoice and thank the Lord when I saw the hunters coming in with
their game.

Fri. 7th. Continued our journey. One of our men killed a deer. We left Captain Hunt
and wagons several days ago. Made about ten miles and camped.
This evening Brother Rich called the camp together and laid before them
the propriety of dividing the camp, as there seems to be no sign of Indians
being around, and he thought the settlements could be reached in 2 days
travel by the stronger animals, that those who went ahead could leave more
provisions for the hinder company and in so doing we might get all our
animals through by giving the weaker animals more time; whereon it was
voted that Brother Rich and a few with the stronger animals go ahead.

Sat. 8th. Early this morning Brother Rich and company left. Last night was severely
cold. The hinder company and myself followed, we went about six miles
and camped for the night.

Sun. 9th. Made an early start to reach a spring across the mountain about 18 miles.
We reached the summit about noon, this is called the Cajon Pass. Here we
halted a few minutes where the snow was all off the ground and the sun
shone nice and warm, and while sitting on the ground I fell into a doze of
sleep and thought I was eating brown bread.

At this place the only and last animal that Brother Keeler and I have, gave
out, we unpacked and put the pack on a loose mule belonging to the
company.

On reaching the spring we found a man with a wagon load of provisions

and a fat beef sent out by a Mr. Williams to sell to hungry emigrants. The
sight of fresh beef just butchered, the fat quarters hanging up seemed to
invite all to take a slice. Then the abundance of flour, California style,
unbolted, all no doubt for the best for hungry men who had it been
otherwise, may [p.136] have eaten so much as to hurt them. Some of the
boys who had first reached the spring, were baking bread just as I had seen
it in my dream, no sooner than we saw it, we helped ourselves to it without
much coaxing and our cooks were not long preparing a good supper. We
learn that it is 25 miles to the first ranch or settlement.

Mon. 10th. Clear and nice. Made about 12 miles to the mouth of the canyon on the
edge of a valley. Here the feed is green.

Tues. 11th. Clear. Went 15 miles to the Cocomongo ranch. I reckon there was a glad
set of men when we found we were through.

39
Wed. 12th. Laid by, hunting for Brother Fife's horse. The company bought a bushel of
wheat, gave $3, and ground it on a hand mill. Gave 50 cents for a little
wine.

Thurs. 13th. Found all the horses and moved to Williams Ranch where we found
Brother Rich and company quartered and room for us to go into, and plenty
of provisions provided, when we will now begin to live like white folks.

Fri. 14th. Commenced raining last night and all day, and rains hard. We get flour of
Mr. Williams, at the rate of twelve dollars per hundred, which he calls
"Fanager," beef cattle from five to fifteen dollars per head, coffee and sugar
37 ½ cents per pound.

Sat. 15th. Clear and nice. Colonel Williams gave us the liberty to take 2 yoke of his
oxen to haul us some wood and let our animals rest, which we take as being
very kind of Mr. Williams. Myself and three others got up the team and
brought in a load of wood, while others got up a beef, killed and dressed it
and at night we had a fine supper.

Sun. 16th. Some men just from the mines say that flour is one dollar and 25 cents per
pound, beef 75 cents per pound and lumber five hundred dollars per
thousand feet, and a passage on a vessel from Pueblo up the coast to San
Francisco is two hundred and fifty dollars.

Mr. Williams proffers to sell his ranch for two hundred thousand dollars,
stock and all. He says there are cattle enough belonging to it to pay for the
ranch in nine months at present prices in the mines, that he has forty
thousand head of cattle and one thousand horses and mules. He wanted to
go to the States to live and was bound to sell or lease his property in some
shape, and told General Rich that he and his men could pay for the ranch
and all that was on it in less than a year. We are at work for Mr. Williams
who will pay us in provisions, he owns a mill, we get wheat of him and he
will grind it.

[p.137]The ground is green with wild oats and grass as the month of May
at home.

Sat. 22nd. Captain Hunt arrived with his train and the rodeo-meter wagon and the
distance from Salt Lake City to the Cajon Pass is 701 miles and from the
Pass to Williams ranch is 21 miles, total, 722 miles.

Mon. 24th. Still at work for Mr. Williams. Elder Pratt went hunting, brought in some
ducks. The men killed a beef and dressed it, and cooks are appointed to get
up a Christmas dinner.

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Tues. 25th. Christmas. Clear and warm. The cooks got us up a splendid dinner
considering the materials they had, plenty of roast beef and potatoes, baked
ducks and plum pudding. I have a severe pain in my left eye. I went to the
doctor, he examined it and said nothing was in it. It seems that there is
something sticking in it near the sight and pains me so much that I can't
bear the light to my well eye and I have to be blindfolded.

This evening after prayers, I got Brother Rich and some of the brethren to
lay hands on me, and when they placed their hands on my head they felt
hot to my head, after which I felt easy and rested well all night.
Wed. 26th. Very foggy from the ocean. My eye does not pain me for which I feel
thankful to the Lord. To-night Brother Pratt amused the company by
singing several comic songs.

Thurs. 27th. I find the light is not good for my eye, yet it does not pain me, but weakens
it.

Mon. 31st Nothing of importance since the 27th. Captain Hunt and Pomeroy have
gone to buy some oxen for our company to go from here to the mines in
wagons.

To-day Brother Pratt asked me if I would go with him to the Islands should
Brother Rich and Amasa Lyman call on me to go. I told him if that was
their counsel, I would.

January, 1850
Sun. Jan. 6th. Still at Williams. This evening Captain Howard Egan arrived from Salt
Lake City. Brother Rich has a letter from George A. Smith and E. T.
Benson, saying that the cholera is killing some of Uncle Sam's fat ones and
that the President of the United States has made a proclamation and set
apart a day of fasting to Almighty God to take away the scourge, but if he
is like themselves he can do nothing for them. [p.138]Brother Smith and
Benson want the brethren now on their way to the gold mines to raise them
five thousand dollars in gold.

Thurs. 10th. This afternoon all hands made a move with our wagons and oxen for the
mines.

Sat. 12th. We hear that San Francisco is burnt down and in consequence groceries
and provisions are high at Los Angeles, where we want to lay in our
supplies of sugar and coffee, etc. To-day one of the brethren shot a seal.
We fried cakes in the oil and ate some of the meat, but we did not like it. It
smells bad and unpleasant.

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Slapjack Bar, Middle fork of the American River, California
September, 1850
Mon. Sept. 23rd. I have not journalized for several months. A few days ago we
buried Brother Edgar Gipson and we had the painful duty to inter Brother
Flake who was thrown from his mule last May and killed, and about the
17th of last Feb. we buried Brother Bills.

Tues. 24th. Brother Rich came to our camp on the middle fork of the American River
to make his last visit as he expects to leave for home in a few days, we
were glad to see him for he seems to us like a father among his sons,
advising us what to do for the best.
Wed. 25th. This morning Brother Rich called all the brethren together at our tent and
stated that he wanted some of us to go on a mission to the Sandwich
Islands, to preach the gospel, that it was his opinion it would cost us no
more to spend the winter there than it would here, that we could make
nothing here in the winter. In consequence of so much water in the streams,
and another thing, provisions would be higher in the mines and it would
cost us more to stay here and make nothing, than it would if we went to the
Islands and preach, in his opinion it would be the best thing we could do
and the best counsel he could give, that it would be like killing two birds
with one stone for we would live there as cheap and perform a mission at
the same time. He then called on the following brethren, namely, Thomas
Whittle, Thomas Morris, John Dixon, myself, George Cannon, William
Farrer, James Keeler, James Hawkins and laid his hands on our heads and
set us apart for the above mission and blessed us in the name of the Lord,
and told us to act as the Spirit directed after we got there, and in a few
minutes he left. Hyrum Clark is to go and preside over the mission, he is
not here, but he knows of his appointment, also Hyrum Blackwell.

[p.139]We continued mining until the 17th. of October, then washed up

our clothes and prepared to leave.

(Aug. 1854). In San Francisco we met with Amasa Lyman, just up from San Bernardino,
who told us that horses and mules were very high there and that there was
no prospect of a company going up to Salt Lake this fall, and he and
Brother Pratt advised us not to attempt going home this fall.

Meeting with Moses A. Meder and a brother in the Church and who lives
in Santa Cruz. Brother Meder came to California in the Ship Brooklyn with
the Sam Brannan company, he gave me encouragement to go to Santa Cruz
to get work and to make his house my house while I remained there. I did
so and worked for a man in the lime burning business and shipping it to
San Francisco. He hired me to cut hoop-poles and paid me fifty dollars a
month and board. The man that hired me was a Mr. Jordan near Brother
Meder's, at whose house was my home when not at work.

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 After working a few months Mr. Jordan quit the lime burning business and
a son-in-law of Brother Meders by the name of Thomas Heart hired me to
work for him, he was a farmer, my work was plowing and putting in grain,
he paid me at the rate of $35 per month and board.

I got 2 horses and Brother Meder gave a set of harness for which he has my
many thanks and a few days after this he took me to a store and bought the
following articles and gave them to me, namely, 1 pair of pantaloons, 2
white shirts, 1 pair blankets and two handkerchiefs, amounting to fourteen
dollars.
Monday, April 2nd. (1855). 1 gave Brother and Sister Meder the parting hand and as
we shook hands Sister Meder gave me five dollars in gold coin, saying it
was for me to buy a new hat for myself.

Fri, April 6th. I reached San Francisco in time to meet in conference presided over by
Elder Pratt and adjourned on the 7th. inst. At this conference it was decided
that a company of Saints leave for Great Salt Lake City on or about the
20th. instant by way of San Bernardino.

Brother Ruben Gates and I were to join teams, he having a wagon and a
span of mules, which I was to take charge of and drive while he drives his
own carriage, and Elder McBride to be the Captain of the company.

On Monday the 23rd. the company was partly organized by Brother Pratt in
Santa Clara, in front of Brother Whipple's house, when at 10 a. m. the word
was given, forward march. We had not proceeded far when one of Brother
Gate's mules [p.140] fell dead in the harness; it was believed by some of
our company that it had been poisoned on the sly.

Tues. 24th. We reached San Juan Mission where there is a small branch of the Church.
Here we expect to stop for a few days to await the arrival of some brethren
with families, and to have our company fully organized as Brother Parley is
still with us and while waiting I paid Brother and Sister Meder a visit who
seemed pleased to see me.

Thurs. 26th. Leaving Brother Meder's to return to camp, he came with me a few miles to
the village of Santa Cruz. Here he said let us go into the store where he
bought 2 woolen shirts, a hat and a pair of shoes and gave me, and besides
this he gave me ten dollars in gold and ten to give to Brother Pratt.

Sunday, 29th. Preaching by Brother Pratt and administered the sacrament.

Mon. 30th. To-day the company was fully organized, making a total of 37 souls.

43
 Brother Duston is to be the Chaplain, myself to be the Clerk and keep a
history of the Camp and its travels, etc. At ten o'clock a. m. Captain
McBride lead out in front, in his wagon sat Sister Jane Whipple holding a
Banner, on it these words, "Latter-day Saints."

Here Brother Pratt left us to return to San Francisco while we proceeded on

our way to San Bernardino, where we arrived on Monday 21st. of May
where we halted a few days to let our animals rest, etc.

Monday, June 1st. At 12 o'clock m. we left San Bernardino for Utah.

Tues. June 2nd. While traveling up the Cajon Pass Brother Wilkin's goat fell out of
the wagon and killed itself. All felt sorry for Brother and Sister
Wilkin's poor sick babe whose only food was the goats milk for
which it was brought along. On the 16th, of June it died and was
buried at Resting Spring.

Tues. 23rd. of June. We reached Las Vegas, here we find 30 brethren from Salt Lake
making a settlement and have in a number of acres of grain of one
kind and another. Here. we halted a few days to rest teams and
repair some wagons.

Sat. July 20th. We arrived in Salt Lake City. Here I met my Father, he had come to
meet me. He looked very natural, did not look so old as I expected,
but his voice had changed. He said the folks were all well and very
anxious to see me, said they lived in Farmington, 16 miles north of
the City. We stayed all night in the City with Brother George A.
Smith, whose wife is my cousin, and the next day attended meeting
held under a large Bowery where President Young called on the
Elders to speak, all done so and he seemed to be pleased [p.141]
with our report and labors on the Sandwich Islands.

When the afternoon meeting closed I went home with Father where
we arrived about sundown and made welcome by all wh appeared,
glad to see me as I was pleased to see them, not having seen my
Father and family for over nine years, and from Utah, I have been,
absent, five years, nine months and eleven days. Farmington is the
county seat of Davis County, Utah Territory and lies north of Great
Salt Lake City about 15 miles.

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