THE JOURNAL
OF
LEWIS BARNEY
REMINISCENCE
OF
A UTAH PIONEER
Edited by Raymond G. Briscoe
Charles Barney and Mercy Yeoman, on the 8th day of December l8l8, in a little settlement called Holland Purchase, Niagara County, New York gave life to a new son by the name of Lewis Barney. It is likely that Charles Barney, a veteran of the War of 1812, had been given land in this frontier settlement, just south of the present day area of Buffalo, New York, and settled there for the purposes of developing a small farm. When Lewis was three years old, they moved from this settlement to a farm in Ohio, where once again they cleared the land and build a house and barn, and prepared to farm. It was in Ohio that Lewis Barney was raised to maturity, and met and married Elizabeth Turner. They were married on the 11th day of April 1832. This was the same year that he fought in the Black-Hawk Indian War. While Living in the area of the development of Mormonism, he became acquainted with the Prophet Joseph Smith and was baptized in the Mississippi River into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on the 1st of May, 1840, by an Alva Tippet. He was later confirmed into the Church by the Prophet, Joseph Smith.
Lewis Barney left his farm in Nauvoo, Illinois when the Saints left the City, and moved with them to Winter Quarters In Iowa. He was very ill when volunteers were asked for the Mexican-American War, but later volunteered and was one of the original pioneers to come with the first Brigham Young expedition to Utah in 1847. He left his wife and family behind and after making the trip, returned for them. He met Elizabeth Beard Tippet, who was now the widow of Alva Tippet, who had baptized him into the Mormon Church, and took his second wife on the l2th day of March 1851. He moved his families to Utah in 1852 and the first child of Elizabeth Beard Tippet Barney was born at Fort Bridger, in Uinta Wyoming on the 3rd of September 1852. This union was to produce eight children, and from Elizabeth Turner Barney there were six children born.
Lewis left Salt Lake City and moved to the Provo-Spanish Fork area and developed a sawmill there. He had many children born In the Springville-Spanish Fork area where he was a farmer and log-man. He tended to be a nomadic sort of person. It is known that he made a least three trips from Salt Lake City to Winter Quarters to help bring people West. He spent a considerable amount of time helping to build the St. George Temple in St. George, Utah. He lived in the vicinity of Spafford, Arizona and is known to have farmed in New Mexico. He owned land in Texas, in the present-day city of Dallas, Texas. He died in the community of Mancos, Colorado on November the 15th, 1895.
During his lifetime, Lewis was a farmer, operated a sawmill, he helped build railroads, he was the clerk in Orderville and kept the records for the people in that experimental community, and freighted materials via stagecoach. He was also a schoolteacher, a hunter -- helping to kill some of the grizzly bears along the Wasatch Front, he was a wagon-master -- helping people to move from Winter Quarters to Utah, he was a storekeeper, and was truly a pioneer in every sense of the word.
Lewis Barney evidently kept two Journals. Evidence suggests definitely that there were two Journals. The one that you have was written sometime between 1875 and 1893. There are materials that he has written that are not in this work. There were several letters that he wrote to his children; there is a testimony that he wrote concerning his knowledge and truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as he believed it and understood it; and there are still other materials. It is believed that Martha Ann Briscoe, his daughter, had ownership of the other Journal, and divided it among portions of the family during one of the funerals when she was in her last years.
Parts of this journal have been discovered again and have been turned over to the LDS Church Historians Office. Any individual reading this account who has any knowledge of whereabouts of other parts of the original journal, please inquire Immediately by long-distance collect call (801) 295-5349, asking for Ray Briscoe, for information as to where a copy of parts of the original may be obtained of this information.
In preparing the journal for print, there was some consideration as to what form of editing should be taken. The writing was beautiful, he wrote with a bold and clear hand, he capitalized words frequently, he spelled them differently which added to the flavor and desirability of the report and often one word would be spelled three different ways on one page. There were no periods in the entire account, as well as no paragraphs.
The editor added Chapters to divide the material into what he considered to be periods of time where different situations and happenings were occurring in his life. Periods and paragraphing was done to break the lines into more easily read Sentences. An attempt was made to keep the capitalization as it was. However, there were some times where it could not be determined if it was truly a capital letter or not, and hence, the editor chose his prerogative to decide which way the original author Intended to write at that time. Also some words in brackets have been added, as occasionally there is a word no longer used in the English language, and occasionally there were some geographical areas that were mentioned.
An attempt was made to determine what their true spelling was, and whenever anything was added to the text, that Information was put into brackets. Other than that, the document is very close to the original as Lewis Barney wrote it. I am very pleased to be able to offer this to anyone who wishes to read it, especially those members of the family of Lewis and Elizabeth Barneys' families. Lewis Barney was a great man who worked very hard for the heritage of his country and for his religious beliefs. And anyone who reads and ascribes to the character of this man cannot help but increase his love for his church or a feeling of pride in the work of this great pioneer In establishing the comforts we enjoy today in this great country.
THE JOURNAL OF LEWIS BARNEY
REMINISCENCE OF A UTAH PIONEER
I, Lewis Barney, was born in the state of New York, [Cayugue,] Chelegian Cayuga County, on the 8th day of September in the year 1808. at the age of three years his [my] father moved to Ohio on the watters of Owl Creek in Knox County, in a little town by the name of Clinton near Mount Vernon. in this place his [my] father rendered his services as a volunteer in the United States Army in the War of 1812 against the powers of Great Brittan.
While residing in Clinton a circumstance took place that I think proper to mention. The children was playing around a pond of watter that was caused by the watter from the rain filling up a pit that was dug out for the purpose of making Brick. The pond on the north side was frozen Over one third of the way across. Lucien, the brother of Lewis was playing on the ice on the opposite side of the pond from where I was. He venturing too near that edge of the ice [it] Broke through and he was in the act of drowning. No one made a move to rescue him.
At that Critical moment I was impressed with an overruling and irrestible power. I Sprang into the watter and was led to my little drowning brother. I took hold of him and took him to a large Rock that was in the middle of the pond and got on the Rock holding him out of the watter.
As soon as we were safe the power left me Standing on the rock with Lucien about waist deep in the watter. The alarm being given mother soon came to the rescue. She waded to the rock and took us safe to land. I will here say the watter was up to my mother's arms which was deep enough to be over my head. This I consider an intervention of Providence.
We lived in the town of Clinton about 4 years. From this place we moved to A place nine miles distance. Here my father opened a farm In the heavy Beach and Sugartree timber. In this place We had the misfortune to have our House Burned with nearly all its contents. This was a great misfortune as it happened in the winter Season. Consequently we were left without a shelter from [the] Cold and storms of this inclement Season.
From this place we moved about one hundred miles South on the waters of Point Creek in Fayette county Ohio. In this place we had the privilege of again Associating [with] my mother's Connection [relatives] and enjoying their society for the term of seven years. in which time I commenced my Studies at School.
In the spring of 1825 Father Bought a Soldier's pattent right to a quarter section of Land Laying on the waters of Spoon River in the State of Illinois. So we Commenced making preparations to move to that Land But my mother took Sick and Died in October 1825. This circumstance Was the cause of much trouble and confusion. I was in my seventeenth year, Consequently, I felt the Shock very sensibly.
In consequence of mother's Death, we changed our arangement And in place of taking the whole family we left the Children and our effects with our Connection. And Father and myself and Lucien fitted up a team of a wagon and three horses. And on the 15th day of November 1825 started for Spoon River, in the state of Illinois to Settle on the Land that Father Bought the previous Speing. We had little or no trouble on our way until we were Crossing the grand prairie in Illinois. We passed the Lynn grove about 5 miles and encamped for the night. After supper having secured our horses by tying them to the Wagon we retired to our beds in the Wagon.
When all was still the Horses took a fright by a hors come galloping to the wagon. the horses snorted and pitched a bout finaly one of them broke Loose and ran back on the Road with the strang horse with full speed, as far as we could hear their feet Clatter on the ground. I got one of the other horses ready and was about to Start after them. I heard them coming back they ran up to the wagon. I caught our hors and secured him, and was in the act of putting my hand on the strange hors when he made a spring and ran back again. About this time Father Discovered an object on the ground about 3 or 4 rods from the wagon.
The horses saw it and kept looking that way and snorting so I could scarcely hold them. Father Called to me to give him the gun and get my Revolver ready to and Defend yourself. at this the object rolled of and disappeared in the dark as a Cloud at that time Covered the moon. The horses were Still uneasy so we Could not sleep. So Father proposed Hitching up and going to the next settlement whch was 10 miles Distant. this Settlement was on the Sangamon River a few miles above when the Town of De Calor [Decatur] now stands.
On an [our] arising athe Settlement we dound the place va cated. However we tied up and tarried untill morning. The next day we traveled on our journey. In the afternoon it Commenced raining so we all got in the wagon in order to keep out of the Storm. As we had three horses we had a Spike team one horse hitched to the end of the wagon tongue to this horse we had a single line by which he was guided. The two Young horses had no lines attached to them. The horses being gentle down to the Sangamon River as the horses Started down the hill I got Out of the wagon to get on the Saddle horse. While I was on the Wagon tongue the forward wheel of the wagon ran over the end of a log which threw me down between the horses and hung tangled in the harness under the wagon tongue. at this the horses took afright and Started full sped down the hill. They Soon Stradled a tree Which Striped the horses of every partil of harness and broke the wagon tongue and smashed in the end gate of [the] wagon. How I passed the tree without being litterally smashed to pieces has allways been a mistery that I could never solve in any other way than to give providence the credit of saving my life. I escaped unhurt with the exception of a slight cut on the head.
We geathered up our horses and fixed up our Wagon alittle and travoled on our journey. But being under the necessity of having our Wagon repaired we Stoped at the first Black Smith Shope we Came to. which proved to be and old acquantance of my Fathers by the name of James Baughn. This being on the Sangamon River in Sangamon County, in the State of Illinois. The Country, Being a rich fertile Country and thinly Settled, through the influence of the Blacksmith. We located Ourselved on Lake fork of Salt Creek. Here Father rented afarm of off Father James Turley. Working through the winter for our horse feed and provisions. The next Spring we put in 40 Acres of Corn and other grain. Which produced us Two thousand bushels of grain over and above paying the rent of the Farm.
On the 16th day of July 1826 Father and my Self Started Back to Ohio for the Children and the property that we left behind with our Connection. On the way Back we both were taken down with the Chills and Fever So we were Scarcely able to drive our teams. While In this Condition, We overtook a man afoot with his feet badly blistered. He requested us to let him Ride. Father told him if he would drive the Team and take care of it he Could Ride in welcome. To this proposition he Cheerfully agreed. So he took Charge of the team and all went on all right for a Couple of days. after which he got lazy, and stupid and would get in the wagon and Lay down and go to Sleepe and let the team take Care of Its Self . So, the 4th day, Father being very Sick, I took Charge of the team. Finely the Chill Came on but I Still managed to drive the team untill the fever Came on. I could not Stand it any longer. So, I told the man to take Charge of the horses which he promised to do. I got in the wagon and lay down. But he neglected to take Care of the team. and let them travel on with out a driver they soon got a little out of the Road and ran over an old Chunk and Stird up a yallow Jackets Nest. They Stung the horses this gave them a Scare. and off they went at full speed down the Road. This frightened Father. he sprang up and jumped out of the wagon. unfortuantely his foot Caught in the Harness and threw him headlong on the ground. The wagon ran over of both his legs. I ran to the hind end of the wagon. And Saw him laying on the ground in the Road. I Supposed he was dead. Fortunately one of the Stakes in the hind bolster flew out and let the hind end of the wagon bed Slide round. and Lock the Wheel of the wagon. this Checked the Speed of the horses. As I Sprang Out of the hind end of the wagon and ran around and Caught the horses by the bits just as they were Starting on a bridge with one wheel on and the other off. one rod further and the wagon would have been bottom side up. After securing the horses, I ran back to see what had be come of father. He had got up and wandered off into the woods. I was astonished on reaching the place where he lay on - not finding him. Presently he made his appearance emerging from the thicket in a State of Derangement, not knowing what had happened. I then Led him to the wagon, and made him as Comfortable as Circum Stances would permit. I then Straightened up the team and wagon and resumed our Journey.