Solomon, William Henry

File — Box: 12, Folder: 11

Identifier: X

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Two different typescripts of the original Solomon diary exist. One was done by Mary Lou Warner DeWitt and one by Elizabeth Shumway. The DeWitt edition begins May 2, 1873, and ends August 31, 1874, supplementing the Shumway edition which begins June 16, 1873, and ends August 22, 1874. Both show different interpretations of the diary entries. Mrs. P. T. Reilly has typed an addendum to the typescript of the Shumway version including the diary entries that begin May 2, 1873-June 16, 1873, and adding entries at the end from August 22, 1874-August 31, 1874. The diary begins with an introductory statement by Solomon about his mission call in April, 1873; his partnership with his brothers in a shoe and boat business; and his preparations for the trip to Arizona. The diary entries begin May 2, 1873, and record the hardships of the journey by ox team. May 24 he crossed the Colorado River and May 25 all teams and wagons were across. By June 3, they had traveled to the Oraibi farm and villages where they would await further instructions from Brigham Young. Solomon writes:

June 3, 1873: "There is only a few acres that can be cultivated so there is no prospect of settling here. The Moquis and Navajo Indians look far superior to any others that I have seen."
June 4, 1873: "About half the teams which have been down to the Little Colorado have returned, their report is that it is impossible to get a country from here in which we could settle without coming back again, there being no food nor water . . . ."
June 5, 1873: Solomon describes the petrified trees lying about ". . .as though it was once an immense forest. But now is a dry, barren, rocky and sandy desert."
June 9, 1873: Some members of the company visited the Oraibi villages.
June 12, 1873: "Four Oraibi Indians came into camp today. Also Jacob Hamblin and Curtis E. Bolton."
June 15, 1873: "No messengers [from Brigham Young] returned yet .... A meeting was held this evening . . . good spirit prevailed and all, I believe, felt anxious to fill the mission honorably, though our way seemed to be edged up, and none of us can see our way .... The Indians have several villages and some deserted villages along the Little Colorado, thus showing they cannot live on it."
June 17, 1873: Orders arrived for missionaries to locate at Kanab, Johnson, or Pahreah [sic].
June 19, 1873: Solomon is back in Kanab and states, "I have no desire to again cross the Colorado."
July 24, 1873: Celebration in Kanab commemorating the arrival of the pioneers into Salt Lake Valley. Message from Brigham Young received instructing the missionaries "to hold themselves in readiness to still proceed on their mission after October conference when he would come along himself." During the ensuing months until February 6, 1874, Solomon lived in Kanab trying to make a living making adobes, making and repairing shoes and harnesses, and any kind of work to support himself.
February 6, 1874: Started for MoenKopi with John L. Blythe who had been appointed president and acting bishop of the Arizona Mission.
March 14, 1874: The Indians demanded of the Mormons, through Jacob Hamblin, two hundred head of horses and two hundred head of cattle as restitution for the Indians killed at Circle Valley.
March 18, 1874: Helped John D. Lee put rails on the boat for the crossing.
March 30, 1874: Tuba allotted them about twelve acres of land to farm near the Oraibi village. Work began on the farm allotted by Tuba; but the Indians still sullen and demanding horses and cows. Ira Hatch, John L. Blythe, and Jacob Hamblin meeting to work out an agreement. A message was sent to Brigham Young regarding Indian troubles.
April 30, 1874: A petition was signed and sent to the Indian agency, Fort Defiance, seeking advice on the Indian troubles.
May 1, 1874: Message from Brigham Young stating that he would pay the Indians none of their demands, and that the missionaries were to return until the Indians learned who their friends were.
May 5, 1874: "Started out, two ox teams taking the lead .... Tuba and his squaw ... to come with us."
May 21, 1874: Arrived at Kanab. Solomon is happy to unite with the Kanab family (United Order).
1879: Solomon volunteered to fill a mission in Arizona and settled in Taylor, later becoming high priest of the Snowflake Stake of Zion.

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.