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(1) [f0021_00018] Ogden City May June 2nd 1865 Prs Geo A. Smith Robert L Campbell Dear Sirs With regard to the West Indie Mission the cause why it was not further prosecuted &e In Sept 1852 Darwin Richardson Alfred B. Lambson Jesse Turpin and Aaron F. Farr were called and Set apart to A Mission to the West Indies first to Jamaica,. Accordingly we left G.S.L. City Sept the 15th, 1852, and landed (in) at Kingston Jamaica, W,I, Jan the 10th 1853. all in good health and Spirits. Our first move was to Learn our duty whether we Should have to have a licence and the custom of other Missionaries. We first Made an acquaintance with a Jew by the name of Clunis a professional Man. he advised us to See Mr. Anderson an American Lawyer. Hee Anderson, Said there was free toleration to all Sects and Parties. But Said we had better See the Attorney general of the Island, as there was Some Excitement up about the Mormon Missionaries (for no Sooner were we landed than the Priests began to howl Impostures, Polygamists, and Scamps) Accordingly Br Richardson & Myself visited D the Ho. Dowel. O. Riley, Attorney General for Jamaca WI., he came to the reception room we changed the Morning Salutes Asked him how we ware to Proceed as Ministers of the Gospel. He interupted Me, and asked of what faith I told him of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints He arose went to the door opened it and Said he should be under the necesity of bidding us good morning So we walked out he shut the door, to be Shure of his feelings I turned and Said your Honor has no Advice for us his reply was none Sir. We returned to our room and thought best to see the American Consul of whom we had been introduced found him a friend. He told us that there was free toleration and to Procure a Hall and give notice (2) [f0021_00019] that we would Preach to the Publick We Procured a Hall of Prs. Clunis, the Jew and advertsed in the Paper that there would Preaching in Said Hall by Latterday Saints Missionaries We ware there at the time appointed Some few ware out Side and Many coming. After we went in Prs.Clunis Said he had been reliably informed that there ware some 150 men gathered as a mob to tare the hall down if he let those Polygamist hold forth in his Hall he Seemed quite excited and Said we Must be responsible for all damage done to his Property we plainly told him we could not, that we had not come there to force our principles uppon the Peopl nor to quell Mobs or Protect Mens property from Mob violence and that we would not hold forth there So he Sent a Servant out through a back way and by the help of a ladder we ware able to Scale the wall, and left Clunis to settle the Mob the best he could as there ware abou 150 Gathered they ware black and full of Rum. We aske Clunis if the Police would not assist him Said no that it was an associate of the Mayor that gave him the notice. Next Morning Rich =ardson and Myself visited the American Consul while Br Turpin went to See the Mayor Mr Hector Mitchel The Consul Seemed very angry and Seemed willing to assist us in any way in his Power Br Turpin soon returned with a friend he had made in the Printing Office that accompanied him to the Mayor they came to the Consuls office and both Said the Mayor was mad, that he would not exchange a word with them Said he would have no conversation with them what Ever The Consul heard them through he turned to Me and said Mr. Farr I will write a letter to the Governor and I want you to to take it in Person to him he will receive you kindly and Protect you in your rights. I Soon was off to the Capital A town called Spannishtown I was received kindly (3) after two hours conversation of questions and answers he wrote a note for me to take to the Mayor of Kingston the Language to him was that He saw no Cause why those American Missionaries Should not receive Police protection, to which the Mayor Made no reply to us. We then Set in Council on our next Pollicy we had done all that we could there for to Make an opning we had not only been threatened but Shot at Br. R.K. Myself from the Porch of our hotell just as we Passed a Pistole report came from a Black man the Bystanders Swung their hats and Shouted at us we thought to Scare us to a run but we cooly moved on to our room we felt in our hearts to curse the Mayor whose duty it was to Protect us in our Person and Position as ministers We Cursed him in the name of our Lord and Master and in three Months his toes began to rot off until they all came of then his fingers and Soon died with the Rot and Scab. After deliberating uppon the Matter, we Concluded to sepparate two go to the Windward Islands, first to Barbadose and two go to the East Coast of Jamaca accordingly Turpin & Lambson ware to Scare on the first Vessel. He started for the East. We traveled some 20 ms and found a White family, an Old Lady by the name of Kay and her two grandsons, we laboured with them a few days and they received our testimony and obeyed the gospel (the men well learned men) before leaving there came a Black Man from Kingston wit a letter Stating that James Brown and Elijah Thommas had been obliged to Come ther and wished me to com back and See them I done So Leaving Br R to Preach to the house hold for there ware no Whites within 20 ms of them and we thought best for the Brethren to go together as B Brown & Thommas ware going British Guiana (4) Br R. &. Myself Proceeded on our tour found one Place at Dry Harbor to Preach had a large Congregation but all ware Black their Local Minister was a Molattu we did not Se more than ten white folks in our rout we came back through the North and West part of the Island we Could find Many openings amongst the Blacks But not So understanding My calling did not Labour with the Cananite Much. When we got back to Kingston found our four Brethren there facts ware that they had Paid their Passage to Barbadose and when the English Harbour agent found that they were going to some of the English Isles he ordered them and their traps Put on Shore which was done the Capt gave them there Money back. As Soon as I found this out I went to the American Consul and Made the whole Matter known he being an American felt as tho his people war abused and Said he would write to Washington. We then told him we would go to America the Consuls name was Harrison a cousin to the American General Harrison the American Agent and Harbour Agent ware our friends Mr Anderson a Lawyer one Editor and two Jews with the Consul and his Clerk and Wife ware our only friends, Therefor Seeing we could not go to Barbadoce thought best to come to America, for these Causes first we ware not Sent to Preach to the Cannanites and that nine tenths ware of that Blood. Second No Protection from Mob violence from the Govanor down to the Capt of Police Priests and Editors All combined against Polygamist with their Subalterns to assist. The one tenth ware Catholicks and Jews with the exception of Some Scoch English and American Missionaries (very few white women thar) Seeing So little of the blood of Israel with no Possible way of being heard concluded to come go to America. [2 June 1865] 5th Page The Consul and Agent Said we could go on the first Boat that tuched Money or no Mone if we wished to go to New York. All Matters considdered concluded for Br Richardson to stay a few days and Se what he could doo he went out into the country and ordained those two young Men and Baptized one other in Kingston We ware informed by the Consul that we could go to America or to New York. So on the 11th of Feb. 1853 Jesse Turpin A.B. Lambson Capt. Jas Brown Elijah Thomm = as and A F. Farr Lef Kingston Jamaco WI. for NY, landed there 17th & We then advised with Prs O. Pratt President in the States, at that time. Br Brown and Thommas was not in the West Indie Mission But from the force of circumstances had to come to NY with us we Separated at NY. Brown and Lambson went to Mish., Turpin to North Carrolina I think and to St. louis in the fall of 53 Brown went to New Orleans to assist the Emigration in the winter of 53 & 4 lambson laboured in Mish untill the Spring of 54 then came home Turpin Started with Br Brown for home in May ’54 Turpin died with Colera at Salt Creek near fort Leavenworth, Mo, Thommas returned in the Spring of 53 in consequence of Poor health. Br Richardson by Strategem got a vessel fo England laboured under the Presidency of Franklin D Richards then President in Liverpool R went to Newbrunswick Lower Canadia Laboured there untill the spring of 54, then he was called home. I laboured under Br Pratts direction My Mission was to gather all the Saints that wished to that season in the middle Northern and Eastern States and Canada Book agent and Preacher I laboured in New jersey and in Penn Schulkill county in Minorsville and Schulkill Haven I Baptized and organized 2 Branches also Preached in Conn in Haddam and Baptized a Branch in Middlesex, Co as als in hartford Hartford Co. and in North Haven Newhaven Co thence to Vermont Baptized some & gathered a company of fifty odd and Apr 1 or 2nd Started from Newhaven Conn for S T. Louis. Being Previously Called by Br Pratt to the Presidency of the St. Louis Conference to Succeede Br H.S. Eldridge Who was to return home in the Spring. I arranged my affairs and took the Company as far as S.T. Louis, I then took charge of the Office and G conference assisting in the Emigration until Milo Andrews came came to relieve me this was the 1.st of June 1854 and arrived in G S Lake City Oct. 27th 1854. Now, Sirs this is a broken Sketch of that Mission the causes of leaving 2c.2e Hoping this Ma answer for which it is designed I subscribe Myself your Brother in the gospel Aaron F. Farr Darwin Richardson Jesse Turpin Alfred B. Lambson Fellow labourer in the Mission