Brown, James S.

File — Box: 5, Folder: 9

Identifier: III

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Diary, 1875-1877. A report of the calling of James S. Brown and his company for the Arizona settlement. He tells of the preparations for the trip. 31 pages.

December 3, 1875: Arrived at MoenKopi and began scouting for a suitable place to settle. They decided a mission should be established at MoenKopi.
December 7, 1875: Some at work cutting timber for their house. Haskell and Hatch set out for the Oriabi village.
December 8, 1875: Conference with Tuba. Ira Hatch was the interpreter. Brown, Tanner, Thompson, Hatch, and Burnham to explore the Little Colorado River and around the San Francisco Mountains. Thought they could recommend the country for settlement.
December 28, 1875: Determined by the brethren that Brown should return to Salt Lake to report to Brigham Young. Thompson and Gibbons to accompany him.
January 1, 1876: Began the journey to Salt Lake City.
January 14, 1876: Met with Brigham Young to discuss the best way of colonizing the country of Arizona. Two hundred brethren had been called to move to that country.
January 28, 1876: Brown with a boy (Reidhead), to take care of the team and wait on him, started for Arizona. (Brown had an artificial leg and was not in good health.) He preached to all the communities on the way.
February 8, 1876: Arrived at MoenKopi and found the house completed, a ditch and dam had been built, and they had begun to "grub and plow" for wheat.
February 12, 1876: "... two Oraibis baptized and Tuba was ordained a priest I being mouth."
May 4, 1876-August 13, 1876: Visited among the Indians.
August 22, 1876: Arrived at Salt Lake. Met with Brigham Young who wanted him to go among the Saints and preach of the "work of the Lord among the Lamanites" and return to Arizona to his field of labor.
August 1876-January 1877: Traveled from community to community telling of his mission among the Indians.
February 5, 1877: Reached MoenKopi. Everyone in good health; poor spirits.
March 25, 1877: Delivered baby for Brother Fuller's daughter.
March 30, 1877: "Indians come and go all the time. The spirit of inquiry increases daily."
April 3, 1877: Visited the Indians and studied their language.
August 14, 1877: Last entry. James S. Brown visited Brigham Young just before he died. John Taylor gave him an honorable release from further duties in that mission. Brown continued to travel through villages speaking about the Indians.

Dates

1857-1986

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.