A Sketch of the Life of Frederick Cooke
as told by Susan Alice Cooke Zabriskie
daughter of Frederick Cooke
Rick, Frederick Cooke is your great-great grandfather on your mother’s side through Sarah Flanders. Your line is from MaryAnn Luke, his third wife, as is Susan Alice Cooke Zabriskie who writes this life sketch.
Frederick is the son of William Cooke and Sarah Hilton, born April 17, 1812, in Manchester, Lancashire, England. Frederick’s father died when he was thirteen years old. His brothers James and Thomas, and a sister, Martha, were older. They all worked together to support the family of five.
Martha died when she was about eighteen and the three boys helped their grandfather, John Hilton, who was a weaver of woolen cloth. Grandfather Hilton’s place was large and Frederick told of playing on the large sacks of wool, and the fun they had when the days work was done.
Not much information can be found between the years 1825 and 1837, except the struggle to live on a small income. Frederick Cooke was married to Sarah Elizabeth Davis in 1837, and a daughter, Sarah Ann, was born to them one year later in June, 1838. On November 5, 1839, Frederick Cooke was made a Police Constable serving with the Borough Police in Manchester, England. He was serving under the old police in 1838 when the missionaries came and preached the Latter-day Saint religion to his family. Frederick immediately accepted the gospel and was baptized on November 1, 1838 in the Boughton River in Manchester, England by William Clayton and confirmed by David Wilding. When he was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints one year and ten months, he was ordained a Priest by Brigham Young who was in England with other church authorities. This was in the spring of 1840. On January 29, 1841 he was ordained an Elder by James Burham.
Frederick was called to preach the gospel in his home city, and he baptized twenty three souls in 1841 in Manchester where he was still serving as a policeman. On October 16, 1841, he was called to preach the gospel in Wales. He and Henry Royal were the first to take the gospel to Wales. The church section of the Deseret News, August 16, 1958, gives the information about Henry Royal and Grandfather Cooke’s dairy corresponds with this, only Frederick’s name was not mentioned there in the short newspaper selection.
Frederick’s missionary experiences are given in the old diary, and the writing and spelling are very good. Frederick’s father, William Cooke, was a School Master, and it seems he gave his children all the education he could while he lived. William died when he was 57 and his oldest child was seventeen. The daughter, Martha, died one year later.
Some interesting stories are found in the old faded diary written by Frederick in 1840, 1841, and 1842. The first one I will give as it is very good.
Frederick Cooke says: “This morning I walked ten miles to a place called Welsh Pool. Being very weary we retired early, but at twelve o’clock I was awakened by a man’s voice in the hall entrance. Seemingly, he was in great anguish of spirit. He kept repeating these words: ‘What shall I do to be saved?’ I listened for a few minutes and felt to mingle my cries with his because of the wickedness of the people of Welsh Pool. I arose and went to the man and called him to come to my room. He came in and sat beside me and a song came to me and I began to sing it to him. These are some of the words: ‘Come unto me all ye weary’, and ending ‘How precious is His name who bore all our sins and died that we might live.’ It was an old English Hymn and I did not know the words, but as if the words had been placed before me, I sang as I had never sang before to the end of two verse. As I finished the song a woman, who was the wife of the man, entered the room and both fell on their knees at my feet. I knelt with them and began to pray. As we were kneeling I asked God to help me, and the two at my side, that I could give them the gospel and help them to come into the fold. This couple was converted and I baptized them sometime later and I spent the night with them in their home.
“I continued my preaching there for a time, then I returned to Ponsbury, walking twenty miles to my destination. This was December 23, 1841 and my wife and daughter, Sarah Ann, and a small son Frederick were there in spend the Christmas of 1841, in Oswestry, Wales, then to reside there until my mission would be filled in January, 1842.
“Christmas day we held L.D.S. services and again in the evening we had a very large crowd to preach to. Shortly after, I helped to baptize eighty souls in the river Dee in Flint, Wales, and three more at Overton.”
Frederick Cooke endured many hardships while on this mission because of the wickedness of the people there. He says in the diary: “I have found so many to be stiff-necked and hard hearted, very unwilling to listen to the message we so humbly try to give them.” And these words from the faded pages, “I have found no friend in Welsh Pool except my Lord who is always with us. I have gone for days without food and bed, slept by the wayside, in barns, because doors were slammed in my face, and still I know that God lives and I shall preach the gospel to my dying day.” And he did. His last words upon earth were his testimony and a blessing for us, his children.
“During my labors in Flint, I was talking to a man about the gospel, trying to show him what a lovely message I had for him, but he was a man who wanted to be shown a sign so he said, ‘If you will cause me to go blind, then cause me to see I will believe.’ I rebuked him and told him that he was already too blind to see the truth that the Lord had sent us to deliver to him. He seemed to be thinking very seriously and kept attending our meetings until h was converted. I baptized him later and he was a faithful member.
“In the year 1841, I was going to preach at the home of a convert in Pormire, whose name was Robert Thomas. As we awaited for my companion, Elder Burgels, to come a crowd gathered, and I wondered if I was to be left alone to hold the meeting. As Elder Burgles arrived all were surprised to see him with his arm in a sling. It was a wrist injury he received from a man who had beaten him for preaching in a street meeting in Portmire. But our meeting went on and then we went on our way for several miles, but no one would take us in for the night, so we found a large barn and slept in the hay that night and many times thereafter.”
It seemed that Portmire and Welsh Pool were very wicked cities as not many baptisms were preformed in those places and Grandfather said, “Not a crust was given us without us stopping long enough in the city to break stones or do very hard work for days to earn a few meals of food. The people of Newton are likewise a stiff-necked and hard-hearted people and we have been humble and kind to them as we shake the dirt from our feet and travel on, leaving them to our God as judge.”
Another place tells of the elders walking 15 miles in a day then preaching in the open air in the evening, then rising and going on the next day 10 more miles to baptize one soul. “Near the close of the year 1841, (the dairy reads), Charles Smith and I walked from Welsh Pool, to Oswestry, a distance of 15 miles where we met with Elder James Burnham who had arrived to organize a branch of the church at Oswestry. Brother Burnham was the chairman and Charles Smith was clerk and a Branch was organized that day. On the 1st of January 1842, I was on my way to Manchester, Lance, England, to see some friends who told me a vessel was to sail from Liverpool to New Orleans on Friday night. It was the vessel called ‘Hope of Dewsbury’. I sailed with that vessel on February 5, 1842. We remained in the river all night then set sail next morning. Storms arose and the saints on the ship became very uneasy and murmured at the fate of those on the journey to America, but we were saved. Some became very seasick but through prayer and faith they were healed, excepting one little child who passed away.” The dairy ends here by describing the burial at sea. “the Elders sang a hymn and I prayed, then four sailors slid the little white draped bundle down a plank into the sea and a watery grave.”
The ship landed at New Orleans the spring of 1842 and Grandfather Frederick Cooke went to Nauvoo where he worked as a mason on the Nauvoo Temple until it was completed. Then he and his wife, Sarah Elizabeth, were among the first to have their temple work done there in the year 1845 and 1846. Nauvoo sealing records give this information of sealing of Frederick Cooke and Sarah E. on January 23, 1846.
We find the family now in St. Louis, Missouri, (census records for 1847), where Frederick had taken his family after the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum. Grandfather saw these noble ones in their caskets and mourned with all the Saints at their loss.
The family remained there for some time before making the trek to Utah which was about 1852. Two little girls, Emelia and Amanda, were born at Nauvoo and both died on the way to the valleys of the Rockies. They were buried in a deep grave wrapped in a blanket and rocks placed over the little forms to keep wolves from digging them up. Many sorrows awaited our pioneers as they came to our beautiful Utah. But they were brave and humble and gave us a heritage that we, their grandchildren, fail to appreciate sometimes.
Sarah Ann, their daughter, and Frederick, their son, came on to Utah with their parents and bother married here in Salt Lake City and reared their families here. Frederick Cooke, Sr. took as his second wife, Margaret Hodges Payton, a widow from Manchester, England, and she died in 1857, only three months after their marriage. He married his third wife, MaryAnn Luke, my grandmother, who was a convert from Merthyr, Wales. This marriage was in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, June 13, 1863. Five of their children were born in Salt Lake City. Then Frederick was called by Brigham Young to go to Kanab, Kane County, Utah, to help settle that part of Utah. This mission was faithfully filled although hardships were many and their first home was a dugout. Here the family resided when a baby girl that was born shortly after they arrived became very ill and the friendly Indians saved her life with rose root tea, their remedy for diarrhea. Many times the Indians helped this family and Grandpa administered to their sick and the Lord healed them.
My Grandmother, MaryAnn, was an orphan and came to Utah with her Grandmother, Alice Davies Luke, landing in Salt Lake City on October 2, 1862. She was born in Merthyr, Tydfil, Glemorganshire, Wales on June 5, 1847 and was married to Grandfather Frederick Cooke, Sr. when she was very young. She bore him four sons and four daughters. Seven of them married and reared families. Their posterity is scattered all over Utah and California.
The first house in Kanab consisted of a large dirt room. This house was a cave in the side of a hill and was rocked up to prevent the dirt from caving in. The cook stove was placed in a good location and the stove pipe ran up through the hill to carry the smoke out. Some of these crude homes had large rock fireplaces. Grandfather, being a mason by trade, had a fireplace here cooking was done. Frederick and his son, Frederick, Jr., then 12 years old, built them a house. No man worked harder to make his family comfortable and happy than he did. He was naturally so patient and kind that he radiated that to all around him. To be close to him was always enough to make us happy. His loving smile and kindly nature made many friends for him and his family.
My Grandmother MaryAnn was of a sunny disposition and was short and plump, rosy cheeks and very dark brown eyes and black hair. Anyone who called at their home was asked to eat with them, and if she had but one slice of bread in her home, she would share it with others. The Indians loved her and brought the fat from deer meat for her to make soap. Many times they gave the family deer meat and corn until grandfather could raise a crop. The Indian chief called him “Cooke” and he was always an ideal to the Indians of Kanab. He learned a little of their language and was able to preach to them and show them the Book of Mormon which they said was “their book.” Many times during the night the Indians would come and call grandfather to administer to their sick and usually they recover. Then they would all gather at the Cooke home to give offerings of corn and fresh venison to show their gratefulness. Grandfather would explain to them that the Great Spirit had healed their sick when he had placed his hands on them and prayed to that same spirit they worshipped. They would shake their heads. They could never understand that “Cooke” had any help with his healing power. That same power had rebuked the evil one many times and caused the wicked to shrink from his rebukes.
Once when grandfather was traveling home with a big load of wood, a man dressed in black with a very wicked looking face, walked rapidly along by the wagon. When trees were very close to the road he seemed to go right through the trunks. Grandfather knew it must be an evil spirit. He commanded it to depart in the name of Jesus and it vanished from his sight. He often told of the awful feeling all around him when he saw this. He said, “The devil nor his helpers cannot stand when the Lord’s Priesthood is used upon them.”
Another time a wicked man tried to run his horse over grandfather, who was partly blind at the time. Grandfather caught the horse’s bridle and held it then said, “You poor misguided man. I would love to ask the Lord to forgive you, but the spirit tells me that you will never be happy again. You will die an awful death within a year.” Just eight months from then that man committed suicide by taking poison while he was in prison for trying to kill his wife. It seemed grandfather had a great power with him and foretold many happenings years before they really came to pass.
The Cooke family moved from Kanab to Hillsdale, Garfield County, Utah about 1884 and resided there for several years. They moved from there to Spry, Garfield County, Utah, a small settlement, which is about 15 miles North of Panguitch, Utah. The family lived very close to the Sevier River. The young folks caught fish to help with the food problem.
Another story of interest was the year the family planted a small garden. They had spaded up the ground with a shovel. The Summer Squash was the best vegetable raised. They would have starved but for those squash.
The older boys were sent to a distant town for much needed flour. They were gone for twenty one days. Each morning as the family arose they prayed for the return of the boys and asked the Lord to help them to have food until the flour came. Everyday enough Summer Squash was on those vines for the family to have their meals, a testimony that prayers are answered if we ask in faith.
Once while plastering a basement, Frederick fell with a hod of mixed plaster and broke several ribs and got the freshly mixed lime in his eyes. Grandmother earned the living for the next six weeks while grandfather was recovering by scrubbing a dancehall floor on her hands and knees. This caused blisters which she had to pick open before she could walk. She scrubbed the floor twice a week for $5.00 a week.
In 1890 the Cooke family milked cows and made butter and cheese to sell. This helped them to earn a living until 1895 when grandfather died. He became very ill the 1st of February and gradually grew worse as the time passed. On February 21st he seemed to be going to die. Grandmother called to him, begging him not to leave her. He opened his eyes and said, “I can see you now.” He was so happy to see again that he told the family to go back to bed and rest and that he would not die until Sunday morning, February 24, 1895. They all went to bed except grandmother. At 10:30 Sunday morning he passed away with a smile on his face and a blessing for each of us. He died as he lived, full of patience and faith in the Lord, telling us of the glorious resurrection to come. He asked his family to be true to the gospel because it was the greatest blessing given to man where by righteous living all could meet again where no partings ever come.
I was almost six years old when grandfather died. I had been a member of his family for most of those six years, so I can remember him very well. I led him about for his walk each day and he called me “his bright eyes”. He explained to me the Lord’s will for his blindness in his old age. He told me that I must follow the Savior’s teachings and live a very good life and when I was called to go to meet the Savior I would see him there and he would have good eyes like mine. I always remember him on his knees under a big tree not far from the old Sevier River. He was praying that the Lord would watch over all of his family and keep them from sin and shame. I hope to meet him sometime and feel his arms around me as they were when I lived with him here on earth. I can now feel the dear hands upon my head as blessed us before he passed on to his maker.
http://welshmormonhistory.org/index.php?/resources/view/2389
Who was the first missionary in Wales?
THE BEGINNINGS OF MORMONISM IN NORTH WALES
by Ronald D. Dennis
2 March 2005
The first official Church missionary to Wales was Elder Henry Royle, a British convert, who was called at a conference in Manchester on 6 October 1840 to “go to Cly [sic] in Flintshire”. [Millennial Star 1:168] “Cly” is no doubt “Cloy”, located about two miles from Overton in North Wales. Cloy was hardly more than a string of farm-houses situated on the outskirts of Overton. And Overton itself consisted of fewer than two thousand inhabitants. Another British convert, Frederick Cook, was assigned to accompany Elder Royle.
The reason for sending missionaries to this area in Wales just across the border from England was most likely that Elders Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball had preached in that area a short time before. The only record we have of their visit to Wales is the 12 November 1840 letter of Brigham Young to his wife Mary Ann:
We have hered from Wales wheare Bro. Kimball and I went, a grate many of the people was sorry they did not obay the gospel when we ware there the report went out that we had the same power that the old apostles had, it is true we did lay hands on one young man that was quite low with a fevor, we rebuked his fevor and he got well, we laid our hands on a woman that had very bad eyes she emeditly [immediately] recoverd, they have a gradel [great deal] to say about our preaching, they say that Elder Kimball has such sharp eys that he can look wright through them, and Elder Young preaches so that every Body that heres him must beleve he Preaches so plane and powerful. [Blair Collection, University of Utah. Original spelling and punctuation preserved.]
Although the exact date of the visit of Elder Kimball and Young is not clear, it logically preceded the assignment and arrival of Henry Royle and Frederick Cook, which would explain why the latter two during the Manchester conference on 6 October 1840 were assigned to go there. It would also explain the immediate success they had, for two days after their arrival on October 16th they had baptisms in the River Dee, and by October 30th they had established a branch with thirty-two members. [Millennial Star1:192] And some of these were no doubt witnesses and perhaps even the recipients of the blessings given by Elders Kimball and Young.
Frederick Cook wrote of the experience he had with Henry Royle on their mission to Wales:
Elder Henry Royal and my self by the directions of Confrence of Manchester went on a mision to Wales [to] preach the gospel we arived in Wales on the sixteenth of October in the year one thousand eight Hundred and and [sic] Fortey in a villeg in the County of Flintshire Cloy Overton at the House of John Thomas and on the eighteenth of the same month we commenced Batizing [sic] there in the River Rue [?] Dee we Continued Preaching and Batizing untill we had batized eighty Souls and then I went Home to see my Wife and Familey at Manchester. [Cook, Frederick. Journal, p. (5)-(6). A xerox copy of this journal is in possession of Ronald D. Dennis.]
In November 1840 Royle and Cook were joined by Elder James Burnham, an American. In a letter dated 23 November 1840 Burnham reported:
The brethren at Overton have baptized 56 converts and some more are ready to go forward. There is great opposition in this place [Wrexham] and Overton. The priests have raised in opposition to the truth, and they slander and falsefy men’s characters. [Millennial Star 1:212. The month printed is actually December, but this appears to be a typographical error.]
Burnham attended a presentation by one of the priests about the Latter-day Saints, given “to show their delusion”. According to Burnham’s letter, the priest avoided discussing doctrine and based his observations on newspaper stories and letters from apostate Mormons. When he had finished, the priest extended an invitation to the Saints to reply. Burnham wrote:
I rose, and observed that the gentleman had not mentioned our doctrine. I then commenced to lay before them our principles from the Bible, but was interrupted. One of the priests said he could prove that we did not believe the Bible, and that he could prove it from the Bible. [Millennial Star 1:212-13.]
The latter issued a challenge to Burnham for a public “discussion”, for which the Bible was to be the test “without any man’s commentaries, opinions, or newspaper stories”. The discussion was to begin that Thursday evening, presumably November 26th, and continue for three nights.
In a letter dated 22 December 1840 Elder Burnham gave a brief report on the event:
I held a discussion, and had a good opportunity to preach the gospel to them, in their own chapel in this place, where they had previously closed doors against our preaching. The discussion had a good effect, inasmuch, that many persons have come forward since, and obeyed the gospel, and are now rejoicing in the Lord. Although the bible was to be the test, or standard, yet my opponent did not perhaps quote four verses from the Bible, during the three nights of discussion. Man’s assertion and newspaper stories was his chief resort, while his followers were ready to cry out like the Ephesians, “Great is the Diana of the Ephesians”, but were so unfortunate as not to have a wise town clerk amongst them. [Millennial Star 1:238.]
Burnham obviously believed that he had been triumphant over his opponent, and no doubt his opponent also claimed victory. Burnham proudly announced having been stoned twice since going to Overton and was quick to add that he rejoiced in such persecution:
Some of the priests follow and endeavour to make disturbance in our meetings; they are all in arms about their flocks, they call us robbers and infidels, declaring that we rob other churches. If the opposition continues to increase, as it has done for some time past, we shall perhaps loose [sic] our heads soon; but the Lord is with us, and I do not fear them. When their cup is full the Lord will remove them out of the way. We have in this region near 100 who have obeyed the gospel. [Millennial Star 1:284.]
Just one more of Burnham’s reports, this one dated 10 February 1841, was printed in the Millennial Star. He wrote:
We have great opposition—the priests are combined against us, and they stir up the baser sort against us, in order to disturb our meetings. If we hold meetings at any private house that has not been licensed they are sure to enter complaint and have them fined… I have organized two branches of the church, consisting of about 150 members. [Millennial Star 1:284. According to British law all non-Anglican places of worship were required to be registered with the diocese. Those in violation of this law were subject to a fine.]
The rate of increase during the first four months after missionaries were assigned to the Overton is astounding. Within two weeks after their arrival, Henry Royle and Frederick Cook reported 32 convert baptisms. Three weeks later James Burnham wrote in his letter that there was a total of 56 members. Four weeks after that Elder Burnham reported “near 100 who have obeyed the gospel”. And finally on 10 February 1841, James Burnham declared “about 150 members” in the Overton area. Consequently, during the approximately 120 days from the arrival of Henry Royle and Frederick Cook there was an average of over one baptism per day—certainly any missionary’s dream come true. And in a small village such as Overton one can easily imagine the excited reaction of the local religious leaders as their parishioners, the source of at least part of their income, changed their allegiance and left their pews in favor of the despised Mormons.
After Elder Burnham’s third letter, the Millennial Star is silent as to further developments in the Overton area except for the 6 April 1841 conference report of 170 members. [Millennial Star 1:302.] At this time the Overton Branch became part of the Liverpool Conference, and its statistics were no longer reported separately in the Millennial Star.
FULL TEXT OF ELDER JAMES BURNHAM’S LETTERS
LETTER 1 – Millennial Star 1:212-13 Dated 23 November 1840
Dear Brother,—We are labouring in this country with some considerable success. The brethren at Overton have baptised 56 converts, and some more are ready to go forward. There is great opposition in this place and Overton. The priests have raised in opposition to the truth, and they slander and falsefy men’s characters; one of them gave out public notice, that he was going to preach upon the doctrine of the Latter-Day Saints, to show their delusion, and invited the people to attend. I attended, and heard them. They commenced with their own assertions, and continued with newspaper stories, and with letters from the apostates; never mentioning but one passage in the bible; nor did they mention anything of our belief, excepting the “Book of Mormon,” and the book of “Doctrine and Covenants.” When he had ended, he gave the Saints an invitation to reply. I rose, and observed, that the gentleman had not mentioned our doctrine. I then commenced to lay before them our principles from the Bible, but was interrupted. One of the priests said he could prove that we did not believe the bible, and that he could prove it from the bible. He then gave me a challenge for discussion upon the subject. The Bible is to be the test, without any man’s commentaries, opinions, or newspaper stories.
The discussion commences on Thursday evening, at six o’clock, at Overton, and continues three hours each night, for three nights. I have found a people in this place who come nearer the principles of the Latter-Day Saints than any other people I have ever seen in any other part of the world. * * * * It must be there are many of the seed of Abraham in this place, or the devil and his emissaries would not fight so hard: for certainly some of them act more like demons than they do like men. My love to all the faithful in Christ Jesus. Yours in the gospel covenant, James Burnham.
LETTER 2 – Millennial Star 1:238-39 Dated 22 December 1840
Dear Brother,—I am well and in good spirits. The Lord is with us, and the Devil is here also. I have been stoned twice since I came to this place, only once received harm. I rejoice in persecution and in tribulation, for Christ’s sake.
I held a discussion, and had a good opportunity to preach the gospel to them, in their own chapel in this place, where they had previously closed doors against our preaching. The discussion had a good effect, inasmuch, that many persons have come forward since, and obeyed the gospel, and are now rejoicing in the Lord. Although the bible was to be the test, or standard, yet my opponent did not perhaps quote four verses from the Bible, during the three nights of discussion. Man’s assertion and newspaper stories was his chief resort, while his followers were ready to cry out like the Ephesians, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians,” but were so unfortunate as not to have a wise town clerk amongst them. (See Acts xix, 34, 35.) There are many doors opening for preaching. Some of the priests follow and endeavour to make disturbance in our meetings; they are all in arms about their flocks, they call us robbers and infidels, declaring that we rob other churches. If the opposition continues to increase, as it has done for some time past, we shall perhaps loose [sic] our heads soon; but the Lord is with us, and I do not fear them. When their cup is full the Lord will remove them out of the way. We have in this region near 100 who have obeyed the gospel, and there are a many who believe, that will probably obey soon. May the Lord roll forth his kingdom in mighty power, until the redemption of the purchased possession, is the prayer of your brother and fellow labourer in the new and everlasting covenant. James Burnham.
LETTER 3 – Millennial Star 1:284 Dated 10 February 1841
Dear Brother—Feeling it is cheering to the hearts of the Saints, and especially to you, to hear of the spread of truth throughout the land, I now communicate to you some information of the progress of the work of the Lord in this part of the vineyard. I am happy to say that the work is moving rapidly. We have great opposition,—the priests are combined against us, and they stir up the baser sort against us, in order to disturb our meetings. If we hold meetings at any private house that has not been licensed they are sure to enter complaint and have them fined. They have undertaken to collect a fine of one person whose house has been licensed 27 years, they have exposed his property at public sale; but I think they will repent the day the did it.
We have many places to preach in yet; we have opened a place in Oswestry and Whittington, and have commenced baptizing at Oswestry—the prospect is good, although the opposition is great. I have some good faithful brethren with me in the ministry. I have organized two branches of the church, consisting of about 150 members. I expect soon to organize another branch at Ellsmore [Ellsmere]. We are continually baptizing whether the weather is not or cold—some have been baptized during the coldest weather we have had this winter. There are also many who are waiting for warmer weather; not having faith sufficient to go into the water in such cold weather. We preach in these large towns on market days, in the streets; there are many who oppose us but we are determined to warn them.
TWO ENTRIES IN THE JAMES BURGESS JOURNAL
FIRST ENTRY Dated 7 January 1841
I went with two other Bretheren into Wales we started from Manchester and came by Railway to Liverpool and then from there to Harden [Harwarden] the same day Stopped here all night the day after to Overton and at Night we went to a preaching and a very rough Meeting we had some men come and tied the door and smoked some sulfer through the key hole and when we came out they followed us and rung old cans and things after us but we were not afraid of them then we came to Overton then on the Sunday Brother Burnham and I came to [Lightwood] Green and preached there then we went to Ellesmere and preached at night to different villiges round about until the 22nd of February. Then Brother Henery Royle and I went [to] Oswestry and preached twice on the Sunday then day after we went to a Villiage called the Canwy [?].
SECOND ENTRY Dated 11 March 1841
Conference at Ellsmere. Morning following—Oswestery. On the Saturday we went to Overton to a Funeral of a Brother and the same night Brother Royle and I came to Ellesmere and on the Sunday morning following we went to Wittington. On the Monday we went to a village called the Canary and preached out of doors at night then we came back to Oswestery … after we went to a village called Lanshillin but we could not get a Chapel to preach and we stayed all night. The day following we came to Oswestery the day following we came to Ellsmere then to Colesmere the same day being Friday to see some of our Brethren and Sisters and stayed all night with them. The Day following we went to Overton and met with Brother Young, Burnham, Cooke and some other Bretheren we took Council Brother Cooke and I went to Elesmere the day following being Sunday we went to Oswestery and preached in our room to very good congregations stayed all night the day following we went to Overton to meet with a many of the Brethreren and Sisters they some of them proposed about going to Zion the same night Brother Cooke [and] Royle and I went [to] the Cloy to Stop all night. The following we came back to Overton.
[James Burgess was baptized 19 October 1840 and ordained a priest two months later on 19 December 1840. I consulted his missionary journal at the Church Historian’s Library in August 1983 and typed a few notes. I have preserved his spelling and punctuation, but the journal needs to be checked again for verification. Also there may be more references to Henry Royle in later entries of the journal. RDD]
