Christmas Purchases for the Little Folks

Here is another Christmas related event from Tennessee Mormons. This one is a from a missionary journal and tells of children from three families for whom the missionaries brought some treats.

Gabbatha December 27, 1884 Saturday 8 A.M. [at] J[ames] Carters. 
Stopped Wednesday night [Dec 24] at Rutledge's. We had made some Christmas purchases for the little folks Monday [Dec 22], a supply of candy and some toys. At Rutledge's we had a book for Joseph, a knife for John and a doll for Verdi. We brought a doll here for Molly. We took dinner at Rutledge's and stopped over night at John Samples. We gave Lura a doll for Christmas present.

-An excerpt from the missionary journal of Jacob Franklin Miller.

James Veteto Carter (1846-1922)

Born in Tennessee. Married Nancy C Samples (1846-1919) in about 1867. The two had seven children. Miller's journal says that Nancy and their daughter Sarah Ann were baptized in November 1884, though LDS.org does not show that. By 1910 the family is living in Oklahoma

Bryant Henry Rutledge (1847-1889)

Born in Georgia but moved around quite a bit including homes in Alabama and multiple places in Tennessee. Married Judy Senobia Samples (1853-1934) in about 1868. Miller says he baptized Senobia on 7 Oct 1883. The family moved to La Jara, Colorado before 1887, probable to join the LDS settlement there. Henry died there in 1889. 

John Franklin Samples II (1840-1907)

Born in South Carolina. Married Emily Smith (1846-1917). Nancy's brother, but not Judy's. I've not been able to determine how the Judy and Nancy were related, though I'm sure they were probably cousins. Nancy and John also had a brother named Joseph, who figured prominently among the local converts. After Joseph emigrated to Colorado in June 1884, John became a frequent host to the missionaries along with the Rutledge and Carter families. John does not appear to have ever joined the LDS Church, and in later life was a dedicated member of the Church of Christ. By 1900 they had moved to Marion county, Tennessee.

Jacob Franklin Miller (1856-1906)

Born in Farmington Utah, Jacob was only a little older than his fellow missionaries, but did not marry until several years after he returned home. He worked at Brigham Young College in Logan Utah both before and after his mission. He taught math, history and political science. In 1905 he became ill with stomach problems which proved fatal by March 1906.