Alfred Douglas Young - Part 5 Leaving Tennessee

[This is a continuation of the Autobiography of Alfred Douglas Young, quoted and summarized from his recollections in 1888.]

My brother William and myself returned to our homes in west Tennessee [Gibson county]. We continued to preach to some in that region and baptized quite a number of persons. Sometime in April my brother and myself arranged our affairs to gather to Nauvoo. In the midst of much persecution and annoyance which entailed on us some loss of property, we got started on our journey. On the way, we fell in company with a brother by the name of West with a family who were journeying to Nauvoo. He had a son 18 or 19 years of age who was afflicted by an evil spirit.

[It is possible he was writing about the family of Samuel Walker West, who left southwest Kentucky at about the same time, and would have been along the way. West's only son at the time was 12 years old John Anderson West. If this is the right person John would have had to pass for 18-19, much older than he was.]

He was continually making a noise and was very unpleasant company. The weather being showery, we camped one day near a school house to dry our wet clothes. While I was in the house by myself, someone made known to me that the mother of the lad wished me to lay hands on him for his recovery. When we attempted to do so, being strong, he contended with us and I simply rebuked the evil spirit. He came out of the lad and the latter lay at our feet, a natural, pleasant looking boy. But when the evil spirit went out of the boy, he entered into my oldest son, John William, who was standing near. He was at once seized upon with terrible contortions of body. This caused considerable excitement in camp. I took him up in my arms and started into the school house followed by my brother, William. We laid him down and prayed, asking the Lord to give us power to cast out the evil spirit. We then laid hands on him, rebuked the evil spirit in the name of the Lord Jesus, and bid it depart and trouble us no more. It departed and left us in peace.

Nothing of importance occurred during the remainder of the journey to Nauvoo where we arrived on the 9th of June 1842. There my brother, William, and myself, met the letter of John D. Lee, dated Putnam County, Tennessee, May 18th 1842, and published in the Times and Seasons of June 15th. About the same time, we were called to account.

Alfred Douglas Young - Part 1 Conversion

[This is an excerpt from the Autobiography of Alfred Douglas Young. Written from his recollections in 1888, with some annotations added by me in square brackets]

Alfred was one of the earliest converts in Tennessee. Born on 13 Apr 1808 in Springfield, Tennessee to Jacob Young and Mary Boren. According to Alfred, his parents were separated when he was young due to a misunderstanding about how long he would be gone while working away from home and her parents encouragement to return home during his absence. As with most separations, there was certainly far more to it than that. His father remarried before 1812. His mother remarried in 1819.

While visiting the home of his mother & step father in Gibson County Tennessee he met John A McIntosh, who was the brother of his first wife, and Elder Timmons, about who we know almost nothing(1). It was July 1841 and after hearing their message was baptized. Also baptized were his brother William "Billy" Young and Lucinda Boren Young (widow of Squire Young, their eldest brother). Alfred then continued his journey before returning to his home in Henry County. For a while Alfred attended the local Baptist Church before his opinions on gospel doctrine got him expelled. In September 1841 he returned to his step father's home, where he was ordained an Elder and had a vision.

The details of the vision are too much for this post. But a copy of it can be found here beginning on page 86. Alfred described his vision to many people but didn't record them on paper until 1888, a year before his death. In it an angel led him before the throne of God. He also showed him key events in the restoration of the Priesthood, including John the Baptist's appearance to Joseph Smith as well and the Peter James and Johns later ordaining Joseph Smith to the Melchizedek Priesthood. He also saw the returning of the lost ten tribes, the conversion of the American Indians, and many other things.  Finally...

"the angel said, "Behold thy brethren," and I saw my numerous relatives who lived about 250 miles east of me. He said, "They have heard of the gospel but there is no one to preach it to them. Go and preach it to them and they will believe. Go and behold I will be with you."

It was January 1842, before Alfred, Billy Young and Daniel Hunt began their journey east to follow the angels directive. [...to be continued]

1) Possibly Andrew A Timmons (1798-1870)

Mormon(ish) Religious Enthusiasm in Ante Bellum Tennessee. Part 2

[This is a continuation of previous post, which you can find here.]

When we last left off, Elder was placing the blame for the apostasy on the shoulders of  William (aka Billy) and Alfred Young. So I tried to dig a little further into their history with the church. Their first encounter with the came while the two were visiting relatives in Gibson county, Tennessee. [Excerpt 1]. It was a spiritual experience for the two young men. Both describe a personal vision of the savior, which convinced them of the divine origin of the church. They were subsequently ordained to the priesthood. On their own initiative, the two visited many of their relatives in various parts of Tennessee where they baptized not just family members but others as well. They also told of casting out evil spirits and other miracles. [Excerpt 2].

I could not find a description of their version of what went on in Putnam county, but I was presented with this story from shortly after they left Gibson county and were on their way to Nauvoo. One of the families traveling with them had a teenage son who was "afflicted with an evil spirit." Alfred cast out the spirit which then moved into his own son. Then with William's help they cast the spirit out again. [Excerpt 3]

When Lee's letter (from the last post) was published in the Times and Seasons, it upset them very much. More on that in part 3, ...

[Excerpt 1]
"While they were all there together, the family listened to the missionary teachings of their relative John McIntosh and his companion Timmons, and were converted & baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the Mormons). Alfred recorded that during his conversion process, he had a personal vision of Christ, and his brother William afterward saw the same vision. They were so excited about their new religion that they traveled back to middle Tennessee to find their natural father Jacob Young and his family, with the intention of converting them also. In connection with others, they were involved in preaching the gospel of the Mormon church to relatives, friends and other people in Tennessee until about 60 had joined. During this time, they were impressed with the power of the new priesthood they possessed, and became more convinced than ever that the principles of the church were true." (see Life and Times of William (Billy) Young, p1)
[Excerpt 2]
The Young brothers (William and Alfred) were very enthusiastic about their new religion.
Without any calling from church leaders in Nauvoo, they traveled through parts of Tennessee
spreading the gospel among their relatives, friends and anyone else who would listen, baptizing
about 80 people and creating branches of the church. Alfred’s journal records experiences with
visions, healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, casting out evil spirits and even raising a
person from the dead.” (see My Pioneer Ancestors, p29)

[Excerpt 2]
“Sometime in April my brother and myself arranged our affairs to gather to Nauvoo. In the midst of much persecution and annoyance which entailed on us some loss of property, we got started on our journey. On the way, we fell in company with a brother by the name of West with a family who were journeying to Nauvoo. He had a son 18 or 19 years of age who was afflicted with an evil spirit. He was continually making a noise and was very unpleasant company. The weather being showery we camped one day near a school house to dry our wet clothes. While I was in the house by myself someone made known to me that the mother of the lad wished me to lay hands on him for his recovery. When we attempted to do so, being strong, he contended with us and I simply rebuked the evil spirit. He came out of the lad and the latter lay at our feet a natural pleasant looking boy. But when the evil spirit went out of the boy, he entered into my oldest son, John William, who was standing near. He was at once seized with terrible contortions of body. This caused considerable excitement in camp. I took him up in my arms and started into the school house followed by my brother William. We laid him down and prayed, asking the Lord to give us power to cast out the evil spirit. We then laid hands on him, rebuked the evil spirit in the name of the Lord Jesus and bid it depart, and trouble us no more. It departed and left us in peace. Nothing of importance occurred during the remainder of the journey to Nauvoo, where we arrived on the 9th of June 1842.” (see Life and Times of William (Billy) Young, p32)

Two Healings in Tennessee 1943

TENNESSEE WEST DISTRICT
Bumard N. Taylor, President
"And again it shall come lo pass that he that hath faith in me to be healed, and is not appointed unto death, shall be h e a l e d "-D. & C. 42:48.
The Truth above expressed was manifested when Elder Floyd Black and Elder Cloyd Barton were called to administer to a lady in Nashville, who had been unable to move for several weeks, as the result of inflamatory(sic) rheumatism. She was in such pain that big tears would stream down her cheeks. Her breath was short and irregular, but faith was expressed in her eyes. After the administration she seemed to relax and, taking a deep breath exclaimed: "That is the first deep breath I have taken for days that I could feel has done me any good." The following night she slept well, and the swelling rapidly disappeared. The next day found her on her feet able lo get about.
I also experienced this same Spirit of healing when called upon to administer to a lady in Humboldt, Tennessee. She was suffering from a hemorrhage of the brain which had left her paralyzed. I annointed and sealed the anointing in the same prayer. Why I did this, I don't know, but after I had finished she looked up at me, and took my hand. Though she had never seen me before she knew who I was and joy and peace seemed to radiate from her countenance. Two days later I received a letter from Ihe family telling of Iheir mother's improved condition and thanking me for coming. Truly "God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform."

Milen, Tennessee: Pelted with Eggs Number Four

[This the final installation of my series on Elders being attacked with eggs instead of guns. See earlier installments here 1, 2 , & 3]

Oct 1900

Elders T. S. Karren and J. M. Redd went into the little city of Milan  (pronounced "MY-lunn"), Gibson county, Tenn. They interviewed the Mayor, and from him obtained permission to canvass the city and preach on the streets. The Elders at once proceeded with their labors, and at night were out on the streets for the purpose of holding meeting. Near the close of their services' they were pelted with rotten eggs. This, of course, created confusion, and gave rise to a disturbance, which was soon brought to a quietus by the night watchman, who rode into the crowd with a pack of hounds. One good fellow, whose heart was truly Christian, cared for the Elders over night, and the next morning they sallied forth with undaunted determination to do the Master's will. They were met by the Mayor and police, who commanded them to leave town, the chief executive saying, "If you do not you will be severely punished." The Elders, remembering the words of Jesus, "If they persecute you in one city floe to the next," departed, and left that burg.