Bairds Mills Wednesday March 7, 1883 ... I traveled as far as Murfreesboro that evening [March 5th] and came on to this place1 yesterday. Bros. [John H.] Gibbs, [Robert] Pearce and [Joshua] Hawks traveled with me as far as Murfreesboro. [A]ttended a revival or protracted meeting Monday evening. The Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterians and Christians or Campbellites have joined together in the work and are now in the second week of their labors. One person, a young girl came forward and was duly prayed, preached and groaned over by the temporally united Ministers. A call was then made and much pleading indulged in to induce the congregation to gather round the "Altor" and join in Prayer. By much persuasion about one in ten were induced to comply. Others were then requested to bow their heads during the prayer and most did so. They hold a meeting each afternoon and each evening. The text was Matthew 11:28, the sermon "Come to Jesus and Ye are Saved". The evening before this I attended a Baptist meeting at Chattanooga, The First Chapter of the Book of Acts was read there for a text. I hired a buggy at the livery stable and came on here yesterday. The headquarters of the mission here is at the residence of G. P. Huddleston. There is a Branch of the Church consisting of about forty members here. Of these I have been introduced to Brother and Sister Huddleston their, daughter Sarah Vaughn, their cousin Mary Cummings and the teachers of the District or Branch Brother Dennison and his wife. Bro. and Sister Dennison are intending to emigrate to Colorado this month. A company starts from Chattanooga March 29th.
[I omitted a list of the missionaries with their hometowns and their assignments. You can find that list here.]
The people here seemed much pleased at some views of Utah which I brought with me, also with photographs of some of the authorities. I wrote to my Father and Thalia at St. Louis, to my Father from Chattanooga and to Thalia from Murfreesboro. Write today to my Father, my Uncle Nathan Cheney, W. W. Steed and J. H. Gibbs.
Bairds Mills, Thursday March 8, 1883 A warm, sunshiny, pleasant day. Visited Bro Dennison for a short time. Bro. Dennison and family spent the evening here. Wrote to E. O. Wilcox today.
Bairds Mills, Friday March 9, 1883 Obtained copy of Logan Leader today with a list of our missionary company. My name is incorrectly printed J. T. Miller.
Bairds Mill March 10, 1883 Wrote to my cousin J. T. Hammond today.
Bairds Mills, Sunday March 11, 1883 Meeting held here today. About thirty attending. I spoke 46 minutes. Congregation very attentive. Meeting announced for Wednesday evening and next Sunday.
Bairds Mills, Monday March 12, 1883 Received a card from Pres. Morgan today.
Bairds Mills, today. Tuesday March 13, 1883 Wrote to Pres. Morgan
Bairds Mills, Wednesday March 14, 1883 Meeting this evening at Brother Dennison. Spoke a little over half an hour. Was followed by Brother Dennison who speaks fluently and with no apparent embarrassment.
Bairds Mills, Friday March 16, 1883 Visited Brother [Franklin Pierce] Simmons yesterday. The Elders have had their mail stopped and write that they will be here by about the 20th.
Bairds Mill, Friday March 19, 1883 Held meeting at the Wetmore schoolhouse yesterday. Spoke about an hour. Stopped over night at Brother Barretes. Received letter from Charles Shumway in Alabama today.
Bairds Mills, Tuesday March 20, 1883 Elder Adams and Jackson arrived today. They left their things at Jackson Co. I take a trip up there after them starting tomorrow.
[It was apparently a short trip, of which he wrote nothing at the time and very little upon his return]
Bairds Mills, Saturday March 24, 1883 Left here last Wednesday for Jackson Co., leaving Elder Adams to spend the few days he had left here in visiting with the Saints. Stopped at Gordonsville Wednesday night with Joseph Samples. Thursday night, at Grant on my return. Friday night, and reached here last evening. Find two letters awaiting from my Father, two from my sister and one from my Uncle Nathan Cheney. All well at home. Report a good time at Conference.
Bairds Mills, Sunday March 25, 1883 A stormy day today so that no meeting was held. Jefferson Davis Simmons and George Monroe Burke were baptized today. Elder Adams officiating; Elder Jackson confirming Bro. Burke and myself Bro. Simmons. Elder Jackson has been appointed to succeed Elder A[lphonzo] H. Snow as President of this the East Tennessee Conference. A Conference will be held here May 4th, 5th and 6th and in Campbell or Union Co. in August or September. Wrote to my Father today.
1 Bairds Mill is a small community, then and now. Most of the saint emigrated west before 1890. In 1895 the population was 28. It is probably less than 100 today.
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