Monday, April 21, 2014

Jacob F. Miller's Mission Call - January 1883

Farmington January 13, 1883  Received a letter of which the following is a copy today.

Salt Lake City 
January 12, 1883
Elder Jacob F. Miller 
Farmington

Dear Brother
Your name has been suggested and accepted as a Missionary to the Southern States. The work of the Lord is progressing in the nations and faithful, energetic Elders are needed in the ministry to promulgate the Everlasting Gospel, openings for doing good appearing in numerous directions. Yourself with others having been selected for this mission, should there be no reasonable obstacles to hinder you from going, we would be pleased to have you make your arrangements to start at as early a date as Tuesday February 27th 1883. Please let us know at  your earliest convenience what your feelings are with regard to this call.
Your Brother in the Gospel.
John Taylor 

p.s.
Please have your Bishop Endorse your answer.

I send the following as reply:

January 13th 1883
President John Taylor
Salt Lake City

Dear Brother
Your letter of yesterday requesting to me to be prepared to start on a mission to the Southern States by February 27th was received today. I shall expect to be ready at the time mentioned.
Yours Very Respectfully
Jacob F. Miller

Farmington January 14, 1883 Sunday B[isho]p [J. M.] Secrist endorsed my answer to Pres. Taylor today.

8 comments:

Kevin said...

Bruce,

I am pretty certain this is the same Jacob Miller who accompanied Horton D. Haight, Jacob Hamblin, and my great-grandparents Frederick and Charlotte King on the 1873 failed colonization effort to the Little Colorado in Arizona. He returned with the rest of the colonists and took up residence in Farmington again, and lived there the rest of his life. Didn't know that he had served in the Southern States mission.

Unknown said...

Bruce, is there more, a journal or something. Elder Miller was involved with my Catawba in SC. I am working on a project to put names and footnotes on the journals I have. Don't know what I will do with it.

Bruce said...

Judy,
Yes I am working from his journal. But Jacob F Miller didn't make it to South Carolina. He spent his whole mission in Tennessee and Kentucky. There was a Henry Miller served in South Carolina from Nov 1882 to Feb 1884. Could that be who you are thinking of?

Unknown said...

Bruce,
I am related to the Henry Miller who served in the Southern States Mission from Nov 1882 to Feb 1884. He was my great-grand-uncle. Thanks for spending your time tracking that down. Where did you find the information on his missionary service dates? Not even his grandson (who is still alive) knew your information.

Bruce said...

The Church History Library has a number of great records. Henry's I found in the Southern States Mission Manuscript. It is a multi-volume scrapbook of sorts which includes lists of missionaries and when they served. email me at bruce_crow[at]yahoo[dot]com, and I'll send you some more on Henry.

Unknown said...

I see we are all on the trail. I am looking for Henry Miller, not Jacob. It helps when they write the names, not just Elder Miller etc. I have his photograph and some bio on him, but I need a journal. I have 8 already and am working on 6 transcribing etc. Henry was early in the 1883 time frame. I found one entry, I downloaded the whole year of 1883, I could even find the source cited.

Unknown said...

I could not find the reference cited in A MOrmon Enclave.

Bruce said...

The Southern States Mission Manuscript is not published. But I have links to it on my blog.
SSMM