Diary of
ROBERT ARCHIBALD
(born 1810 in Inveresk, Edinbrugh, Scotland, son of James & Agnes Archibald; brother to Thomas Archibald)

Harthill, Scotland   May 2, 1856

Preface:
The following is a biographical sketch of the genealogy of James Archibald, my father, and Agnes Archibald, my mother, and their family.
My father, James Archibald, was born in the Parish of Inverask, Coalpit County, Edinburgh, Scotland, August 10, 1789.
Agnes Archibald, my mother, was born in the Parish of Inverask, Coalpit County, Edinburgh, Scotland, December 28, 1789.
My father and mother were united in marriage April 14, 1809 in the Parish of Inverask, Colpit County, Edinburgh, Scotland.
My father, James Archibald, died May 15, 1855 in Edinburgh, Scotland.  He was buried in the Granger Cemetery on May 23, 1855.
My mother, with Mr. and Mrs. Small [Andrew and Christian Smaill] and family left Edinburgh, Scotland on October 1, 1857 for New Zeland.  They landed safely February 1, 1858.  We have received no word form them since, yet we heard that they bought land and paid a large sum for it.

I, Robert Archibald, the oldest son of James and Agnes Archibald was born in the Parish of Inverask, Colpit County, Edinburgh, Scotland, March 13, 1810.   My life was uneventful until my father and his family moved to Craghall in 1820.

One day I went down to the river and began to dig a cave under a large fall of sand. All at once the sand fell on me and buried me, all except my feet, which were sticking out above the sand pile.  I lay in this condition, speechless, but often did I cry to God to spare my life a little longer, if it was his Holy Will, and deliver me from this state.  The Lord heard my prayers and sent two of my bothers, John and Thomas, to my aid.  They dug me out of the sand and found me unconscious and blind and could not speak to them. They removed the sand from my mouth and ears and eyes and poured a little water on my face and hands. I began to move, but could not speak to them.  They took me home and I was all right in a short time.

It was not long after this that I took a severe fever.  I was not expected to live, but the Lord spared my life again and I was soon well and strong.

Soon after I regained my health and strength, my father sent me to help my mother in the coal pit.  A year or two rolled on and nothing of importance occurred in the family.

When I was twelve years of age, my father, two brothers, John who was ten and Thomas who was eight or nine, and myself went down the coal pit one morning to work.  The man who came down after us brought a very heavy carriage.  He could not get it out of the basket but broke the bucket in trying.  The broken pieces fell straight toward us.  My father said, “God have mercy on us, thy children!”  The broken basket passed but did not hit any of us.  Thus, again the Lord spared our lives.

About this time Christina Kinghorn’s mother lost her life in the underground water of the coal pit. Her body remained in the coal pit for six days before it was recovered.  This happened in 1822.  Although Christina was only eleven years old, and now motherless, she became a mother to her three brothers, David, John, and Abraham who was only fifteen months old.

My father left Craghall and went to Stonehill, six miles distance, then went to Fornent, eight miles distance and stayed there one year.  He then left for the West country, 30 miles distance.

My brother, Henry Archibald, died April 20, 1825, the day after my father settled in Green Ridge in the Parish of Whitburnshire. He was buried April 23, 1825 in Whitburnshire Churchyard.

My father and family stayed in Green Ridge over seven years, after which he went back to New Craghall, 30 miles east of the Parish Aok, County of Edinburgh.  After one year he returned to the west and stayed in New Craghall.

It was in New Craghall that I became acquainted with George Kinghorn and his children.  His daughter, Christina Kinghorn, and I were married November 22, 1835 in the Parish of Whitburnshire, Scotland.  We made our home in Harthill Parish and were very happy.  We knew nothing of the Gospel, but still we tried to serve God.

About December 23, 1836, the people became stirred up about religion.  About 16 miles north of us, the people were so overcome that they held prayer meetings at their work places, but still they were filled with the spirit of delight.  In a very short time, some of their leaders got some of the female converts with child.  Why?  Because they wanted to strengthen their growth at the time, and they were taking anyone in the height of their religion.

My son James was born to me and my wife on April 4, 1836 in Harthill, Lonsockshire [Lanarkshire], Scotland.

Time passed and religion became important everywhere.

In the year 1837 there was no harvest, and thousands were dying for ant.  Everything had a gloomy appearance.  A fearful sight was seen in the heavens over England.  A red flare was seen in the middle of the night.  It was as light as day, and then the flare disappeared.

There was no harvest in the year 1838 in Linthgoshire [Linlithgowshire], Scotland.  By the new year they were cutting their harvest in the midst of snow and ice.  1839 was little better and many families were very bad off for want of bread and something to eat.

My daughter, Betsey H. Archibald, was born February 4, 1838 in Harthill, Lonsockshire, Scotland.
I then left Harthill with my family to look for work in Crofthead, but could find none.  My father and brother Thomas with their families also went to Crofthead, but they did not find work.  My father and his family went to Bathgate.  Thomas and his family went to Firastengrans, and my family and I went to the same places, which were 30 miles east of Harthill.  We stayed there six months and then came back to Green Ridge in June and stayed there seven weeks.  When a strike began, we left there and went to Bathgate, a distance of seven miles.  We stopped there five weeks and then came back to Green Ridge.

My daughter, Agnes Archibald, was born December 20, 1839 in Green Ridge Parish, Whitburnshire, Scotland.

We stayed in Green Ridge one year and moved ten miles west to a place called White Green.  We stayed in White Green only 14 days and came back to Green Ridge where my son George was born November 22, 1841.

We then went to Crofthead, a distance of five miles, and stayed there seven years.  My daughter, Christina, was born December 2, 1843 in Bakecraft Parish, Whitburnshire, Scotland.  Our baby died July 6, 1844 and was buried in Whitburnshire Church Burial Grounds.

It was in the year 1844 that we heard the Everlasting Gospel [Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints] from Brother John Kinghorn, my wife’s brother.

On May 9, 1845 my daughter Christina, was born at Bakecraft Parish, Whitburnshire, Scotland.  [Note:  This item is shown because it is recorded in the diary.  The only other reference to this child is when she was blessed on July 10, 1845].

I accepted the Gospel at once and was baptized March 19, 1845 by Elder Robert Deans at Crofthead, Scotland and confirmed March 28, 1845 by Elder Henry McEwen.

My wife did not accept the truth at once and was not baptized until July 6, 1845 by Elder Robert Deans at Crofthead, Scotland.  She was confirmed a member of the Church on July 10, 1845 by Elder John Banks, President of the Conference.  Our daughter, Christina, was blessed at the same time.  Elder Peter Moffit blessed my children James, Betsey, Agnes and George at Crofthead, Lithogshire [Linlithgowshire], Scotland on October 1, 1845.

I was called to the office of teacher [set apart as a Teacher] on March 20, 1846 by Robert Deans, Presiding Elder of the Edinburgh Conference.

My son James and daughter Betsey were baptized and confirmed at Crofthead by Elder William McKay on March 28, 1846.

I was called to the office of Priest at Crofthead by Elder Robert Deans and set apart [ordained] on March 30, 1847 by Elder William Gibson, President of the Edinburgh Conference.  I moved my family four miles north to Harthill and began preaching the Gospel and baptizing converts under the direction of Robert Deans of the Crofthead Branch of Edinburgh Conference.

I was called to the office of Elder by Robert Deans and sanctioned by William Gibson, High Priest of the Edinburgh Conference on June 18, 1847.  I was ordained and annointed at Edinburgh under the hands of William Gibson, High Priest, and Elder Crandel Dunn.

At a meeting, William Gibson motioned that Harthill be organized into a Branch and that I be appointed to preside over the new branch.  Robert Deans seconded the motion, which was unanimously carried by members present.

Jessie Archibald, my daughter, was born at Edinburgh, Scotland on May 25, 1847 and blessed by Elder Robert Deans on June 25, 1847.

Robert Archibald, my son, was born at Harthill on April 6, 1849 and blessed by Elder Abraham Kinghorn on April 29, 1849.

My children, Agnes and George Archibald, were baptized at Harthill, August 13, 1850 by Elder Allen Adams and confirmed the same day by Elder Allen Adams.

My youngest child, Mary Archibald, was born at Harthill, Scotland July 11, 1851, and blessed by Elder Abraham Kinghorn on August 10, 1851.

I baptized my daughter, Jessie Archibald, at Harthill July 19, 1856.  I also confirmed her July 20, 1856.

Mary Archibald, my daughter, was baptized at Harthill July 13, 1859 by William Carnie and confirmed July 13, 1859 by William Carnie.

James Archibald, my son, was called to the office of Teacher at Crofthead by F. W. Brewerton on October 19, 1853.

We wanted to go to the Salt Lake Valley and be with the Saints, but could not get the money to go, so we decided to let our oldest son, James Archibald, go and see if he could prepare a way for all of us to come.  James left Scotland February 25, 1854 and landed in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 3, 1854.

James wrote and said he stayed at the home of Elder E. F. Benson one month while looking for work.  Then he left for Filmore, 60 miles south of Salt Lake City, where he worked until the spring of 1855 for $1.50 a day for a man named Blake Smith, who was originally from Aberdeen.  He worked long hours each day, so he went to the City to find better work.  There was no work available, so he went to Brother Young to see if he could help.  Brother Young told him they wanted 150 men at Cedar City. At Cedar City he called on Ephraim Thompson and gave him my name, but Mr. Thompson said he did not know me.  After feeding, clothing and giving him money, Mr. Thompson advised him to go back and work for Blake Smith for $2.00 a day, but he [James] did not like the work there.  So on October 10, 1855 he went to the Deseret Iron Company and signed an agreement  for three years; one year to work as a laborer and the next two years to work at the fire engine.

His wages would be $350 for the first year; $440 for the second year; and $580 for the third year.  In the event he ran away and did not complete his contract, he would be required to pay the company the same amount of money. He said it was very hot there all day, but about 3 o’clock a cool breeze came in from the mountains and lasted until morning, so the nights were cool and comfortable.  He was lodging with Sister Stoddard whose two sons were married.

My daughter, Betsey Archibald, ran away with a man by the name of John Orrick.  They were married March 24, 1856.  Her mother and I did not know about it until after they were married.

Tithing was commenced to be paid by all in the Edinburgh Conference on August 12, 1856.  An immigration company was formed to take the brethren from England, Scotland and Ireland to the Great Salt Lake Valley in the year 1856.  Wheelbarrows and handcarts were to be used [to cross the plains in America], with twenty persons assigned to one tent and handcart.

I was in need of money so I wrote to Betsey and John Orrick and asked them to fulfill their agreement to pay me the money for the land they got in my name, but they have not thought it worth their while to write to me.

Our Conference was held December 20, 1856.  We had a very enjoyable time. Pastor Park, who had been a missionary in the British Isles for five years, was there for his last time before he left for home.

Immigration has been stopped for the years 1856 to 1859.  We were in great hope of getting away in the year 1857, but no immigrants are allowed to leave.  But all is right.  Brother Orson Pratt is President of the British Isles Mission; Carry Tehamen, first counselor; and James Little, second counselor.

October 30, 1856 a letter came from President Brigham Young exhorting the Saints in Europe to humble themselves, get the Spirit of the Lord, lay away vain philosophy, pray, keep the first principles of the Gospel, and warn the inhabitants of the day of judgment which is to come.

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REFORMATION:
Minutes of meetings held at Liverpool on Wednesday and Thursday nights, February 4th and 5th, 1858 for the purpose of commencing the work of reformation in the Church in these lands.

Wednesday, February 4th, 1858, 7:00 pm.  President Orson Pratt, Ezra T. Benson, Elders James A. Little, John McKay and H. Young presiding.

President Orson Pratt opened the meeting with prayer.  President Orson Pratt said that the plan will be for the presidents to call together the priests and point out to them their duties and that they make a covenant to keep the commandments of God.  Preach to the Saints the necessity of coming to meetings and not to have any cooking done on Sunday.  This needs to be instilled in the minds of the Saints and get them to covenant and do as they are told.  Baptize them. We have not been cutting off Church rolls those who do not pay their tithing, but we do not count them in unless they agree to do so.  We have not felt it was right to cut people off for not paying their tithing. It is wisdom, if they will not covenant to pay their tithing not to count them in, thus they will cut themselves off.  President Benson closed the meeting with prayer. Thus you see, my dear children, the necessity of keeping the commandments of God all the days of your lives and loving the priesthood of God.  Amen.

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Brother Brigham Young speaking on immigration says the last company consisting of 900 souls [including Martin and Harris handcart companies] had not yet arrived in Salt Lake. There is snow in the mountains and on the plains.  It is feared that all 900 souls will perish in the snow. Until this year 1856, there has not been so much snow in the mountains for years.

March 6, 1857, it has been about eight months since we have had a letter from our son James. I hope the Lord will keep him, as it were, in the hollow of His hand and protect him from all ill and that he might become a mighty man before the Lord in all things. Oh!  that all my children could fear the Lord and keep His commandments more perfectly is the wish of my soul at all times.

I was baptized [re-baptized] for the remission of my sins this day (1857) by Elder Barnes, traveling Elder of the Western District of the Edinburgh Conference, according to the precedent at Liverpool. I found great blessings in doing the same.

I was at our quarterly conference and had a good time.  All the rest of my family would have been baptized by this time, but George being badly with a sore arm; and since he has the priesthood, I wished all the officers baptized first.  His arm is a good deal better this day, March 24, 1857.  He has been away from work almost all day because of his arm.

My Mother is getting very poorly now.  She will be 68 years old on December 28, 1857.

I baptized my son George and his Mother this day, March 28, 1857.  I baptized Agnes and Jessie Archibald on March 29, 1857 and confirmed them all the same day.

Word has come that all the Saints got to the Salt Lake Valley safe, except 85 who died in the cold. Many arrived with frosted hands and feet.  This all happened because they did not obey the council of the First Presidency.  It was the first of September before they left on the 1500-mile trip in an American winter.  In addition, they were traveling by handcart on which were their tents, poles and vittles. They were saved from death when wagons from the Valley came to their aid with clothing and vittles. When the Saints with the handcarts first saw the people with the wagons, they leaped and shouted with joy and cried to the Lord in thanks for their deliverance.

We have had no word from our son James for the past nine months.  We are hoping for a letter to prove he is well.  May the Lord bless and keep him from all ill is my prayer.

Thomas Archibald, my brother, died last night, April 8, 1857, at Crofthead.  He was age 43 years and ten months. He was buried in Whitburnshire Church Burial Ground on April 11, 1857.  He left behind him a wife and 9 children.  The two oldest children are married and living in America.

Today, April 4, 1857, I was warned by Mr.John White that I could not stay in his house any longer because I was not fit to work every day.  Because of this I must leave the house at once.  I was worried about what I should do for a house for my family, and also because we had been holding meetings every Sabbath Day at my house. Mr. Thompson said he could not think of letting my family be without a house, so he let us have a room in his house. May the Lord bless and keep him safe for this kind act.

My wife is ill today with a cold, also my son Robert has a cold.  I hope they will get better again.  My son George has been very bad with a sore arm, but with the blessing of God and anointment with oil by the Elders he is a great deal better this day, May 14, 1857, thanks to God.  My son Robert has been very ill with a cold.  He has been out of school for two days, but he is a little better today.  I hope he will get better soon.

My daughter Jessie has been working for an old lady, Mrs. Adams, for six months. She is doing very well and likes the work.

I read in the public newspaper of a terrible plotting against the Mormons in Great Salt Lake.  They do not know what it is all about, but every Mormon must be killed. An army is being sent from the States for that purpose.  Brigham Young, Heber and Wall will be the first to die.  What for? -- because they do the will of the Lord their God on this earth.  If the Saints would live to do every word of the Lord given them through his servants Brigham Young, Heber and Brother Wall, the Lord will preserve his Saints from all evil.  If the Saints love their God and their religion, all will be right with them.

I see in the newspaper that a law has been passed by Congress in Washington that every state is to be a slave state.  Anyone freeing as slave or trying to get a slave from its owner, will receive a capital punishment of not less than two years in jail and not to exceed ten years in jail.  Again, in the opposite side, the states of New York and Ohio have passed laws that every slave in their states will be made free and have the liberty of becoming free citizens of the state.  Every slave brought into their states by his master or mistress will be free.  If brought in after this, they will be guilty of a felony and if convicted will be confined in the state prison at hard labor for a term of not less than two years and not more than ten years.  This is May 20, 1857.

I have received word that my brother Thomas, who is now dead, wrote to Mr. and Mrs. Smaill in Edinburgh and said that I wanted the money, sent to him and his brother-in-law Alexander Ripel by his son James in America, given to the Church [and that] I had spread all the evil I could about Alexander Ripel for not giving the15 pounds to the Church.  This is a falsehood. I forgive my brother and his son William Archibald. I do not forgive Alexander Ripel for he is a liar and a drunkard and is known as such by all the Brothers and Sisters who know him.

I wrote to David Kinghorn on June 1, 1857 to see if he had received any word form his mother-in-law in America, and if they had any news about my son James Archibald who is in America.  I would like to know if he has left Iron County, or if they had any news about him.  If so, let me know for it has been eleven months since we received a letter from him. His mother thinks he is dead, but I think nothing of the kind.

At present there is great excitement over a comet which is coming in contact with the earth.  All Europe is to be burned on June 13, 1857.  The public newspaper says that people do not need to worry [work?] any more, but just live on what they already have until June 13, 1857 when all Europe will be burned and the people will perish also.

Today, July 16, 1857, I wrote a letter to my son James Archibald in Cedar City, Iron County, Utah.  I went this day with Sister Archibald to hear Brother Pratt and Brother Benson, two of the apostles of this last dispensation, and did rejoice in the same.

Today, July 24, 1857, while we were at work in the coal pit, our ropes broke below the ground and if anyone had been in the pit they would have been killed.  The dirt from the surface caved in and filled the pit almost up to where the ropes broke.  There will be no more work in that place for awhile.

I received a letter from Mr. and Mrs. Small [Smaill] in Edinburgh saying they had received a check on the London Bank for the money they had lent Robert Murray and David Carr.  For the amount I had lent them, they sent five pounds, which came in very great, indeed.

Received a letter this day, September 1, 1857, from my son James Archibald who is in California. He is working at a foundry and making $2.00 per day.  This is the first letter we have received from him in eleven months.  He said he had not received a letter from us in 18 months.  There were three letters for him in the post office at Cedar City, Iron County [Utah], but he could not get the money to get them out, even after four years in America.  It was not that he had anything against the Saints that he left Cedar City, but he could see that he could stay there all his days and not earn enough to bring us to the Valley.  That is the only reason he left for California. He hopes to return to the fat valley of Ephraim after he has earned enough money to bring us there where we can again rejoice in a family capacity before the Lord. May the Lord keep him from all ills and keep him in righteousness is the desire of my soul, Amen.  He said that if the Lord granted him health and strength, in about three months he will be able to send us $150.00 to help us along.  If he could send the money, I think we could get to the Valley, if it is the will of God.

All immigration has been stopped from this country at the present time due to the threats by the United States against the Saints in the Valley.  They are sending troops to wipe the Saints from the earth.  What for?  -- because the Saints keep the commandments of God which are in opposition to all mankind on earth.

S. W. Richards left Great Salt Lake on August 13, 1857 and landed in Florence in 19 days, having performed a journey of 5,800 miles in a total of 33 ½ days, more than 1,400 miles of which was with animals.  The Lord said he would send his servants as messengers to the nations of the earth in the last days.

This day, November 1, 1857, I read in the newspaper that 18 to 20 banks had closed their doors in New York, America.  This will cause a great delay and cut down trade, no doubt, all over Briton.  America is the center of trade of Briton in everything.

This day, November 9, 1857, the Western Bank of Scotland shut down for a time.  On November 12, 1857 the City Bank of Glasgow shut down permanently, and more closures are looked for in the future.  Edinburgh and Glasgow are in an awful state at the present time for want of trade.  All business is at a standstill.  With banks and other businesses breaking, hundred and thousands of men and women are put out of work in one day.  All businesses are warned to stand or work half days and reduce wages.  It is rumored that underground workers will be cut 1/3 a day.  Food provisions are very expensive.  For instance, oatmeal 1/4; bread–a quarter load /7; butcher meat /7; butter 1/3; cheese /10; oil–pint 2/2; tallow /8; candles /10; soap /6; flour 1/8; ham, beef and pork /10; eggs per dozen /11; potatoes /7; fish /4; tea for 1 oz. / 3; house rent for one month 5/.

All this and much more must be, so that the word of the Lord and his prophets may be fulfilled to the very letter in all things.  May the Lord grant to me and mine wisdom and understanding in all things, to do his Holy will and keep his commandments with clean hands and pure hearts.  Amen.

I sent a newspaper to James Archibald, my son, in California on November 16, 1857.  I hope he receives the newspaper so that he might see the state of things in this country at the present.  He speaks of sending a little money to help me. We hope he will not put his money in any of the banks because they may go down.  I hear the City of Glasgow Bank has a branch in California.  If he puts any money in any of their banks, he will never get a bit of it back.

My mother, Agnes Archibald, left Scotland for New Zeland when she was 67 years of age, in company with her son-in-law and daughter and family, Mr. and Mrs. Smaill [Andrew & Christina].  I have had no word from them since they left.  I have looked every newspaper over carefully, but have seen nothing of her.  We hope all is right with them and that they will have a safe voyage to New Zeland.

December 7, 1857, I have been very ill with a bad pain in my breast, and my breathing is getting worse and worse so that I can do nothing at all.  But still, my health is good which is a great blessing from God our Heavenly Father.

I tried to help George draw water from the coal pit but could not do it, although George filled the bucket with water.  Still, I hope to see better days.  I hope to take my family to the mountains of Ephraim and there rejoice in the new and everlasting covenant of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, although at present I can hardly walk because my breath is so short.  Still my faith is that we will in the future see the Prophet, Seer and Revelator Brigham Young in the Valley of the Great Salt Lake.

A shilling has been cut from each man’s wages over the whole country.  Some 100 to 1,000 people are at the point of starvation at present.  The Parliament shut down a plan the first of December to see and do something for the starving in Scotland and England.  There is fear that there will be a rebellion for want of bread and trade.  All business is at a standstill at present due to the fact that the banks are going down and people having no confidence in one another.  There is no peace in all the earth, but in Zion, as the Lord our God is there—our days are numbered.

[A Father’s apprehension of his son far away and not having all detail, involved with Hardships as the Saints were driven West.]

Received a letter this day, December 16, 1857, from our son James Archibald in California.  It is the first letter we have received from him in 18 months.  He said he left Cedar City, Iron County [Utah], on October 7, 1857.  He said there were three letters for him at the post office in Cedar City, but he could not get them out because he did not have the money.  There was six bits due on them, but he could not get the money anywhere.  Elder Benson, one of the Twelve Apostles, owed him two or three hundred dollars, but he would not give him any of it.  Elder Benson, one of the Twelve Apostles, owed him two or three hundred dollars, but he would not give him any of it.  He said he would give him one cent of every five dollars.  This is just at the time Elder Benson was sent on a mission to England to preach the Everlasting Gospel  I heard Elder Benson along with Elder Orson Pratt in Bathagate, Scotland.  The way he had dealt with my son was uppermost in my mind.  At the time, I thought of my boy being 9,000 miles from his father and mother and brothers and sisters, and he had set out for the Valley of the Great Salt Lake by the unanimous voice of all the family and the united prayer of all the family is that the Lord will bless him with health and strength and put him in the hands of the Lord for deliverance.  When the Lord put the money in his hands for our deliverance, Elder Benson robbed him of it all.  But he is just a man, and all men who are called Saints are not Saints at all.  Elder Benson did drive, or was the means of driving, my son to California for which he will have to give account to God either in time or in eternity.  Our constant prayer is for you [speaking to his son James], that the Lord will let you see the necessity of being one with his people in the Valley and to assist in righteousness in building up the Kingdom of God and in building himself up by preserving himself as a man of God in all things is our prayer at all times.  Amen.

We received a letter from our son James Archibald on December 16, 1857 saying he was well and doing well and that he intended to send us a little money to help us along in these hard times.  We have received no letter from him these last ten months.  In his letter of October 12, 1857, he said he would send in the first mail a check for one hundred dollars, and that he was well at the time and doing well.

[The following is not included in the diary, but is included here to complete the family history:  On March 23, 1858, our trials were made harder by the death of our son Robert Archibald.  Although we miss our loved one, we know that God has taken him home for a purpose.]

Received a letter, October 30, 1858, from our son James Archibald and a check for 20 pounds on Rothide Bank of London.  I received the money November 7, 1858.  I sent a letter to my son on October 30, 1858 saying we had received his letter and check.  May the Lord bless him for the same.  Amen.

Received a letter this day, February 10, 1859, from our son James Archibald in answer to the letter I sent him on October 30, 1858.  He said he was well and doing well and that he intended to send us 40 pounds in six weeks.  He says he has laid out all his money for a farm and he thinks he will make something of it.

I wrote to James Archibald on February 19, 1859 saying there would be no immigration until the year 1860.  We hope to see him then.  All will be well when we are together again.

We received a letter this day, March 16, 1859 from our son James Archibald saying he was going to leave Grass Valley, Nevada County and go to White River, Tuolomne county, California.  We have received no word from him these past five months, but we are looking for a letter every day.  May the Lord bless him.  Amen.

Received a letter from my brothers-in-law, Robert Murray and David Carr [Kerr], in [Pennsylvania state] America saying that they could lend me 30 pounds to bring me and my family to the United Sates if I would come where they are.  I wrote and told them I could not come to where they were at present because I wanted to go to the Salt Lake Valley, but if they could help me and my family out of Scotland I would be much obliged to them, and that I would pay them back the first opportunity I had.  I have received no word from them on the matter, either for or against.

There is at present a great excitement over religion at Glasgow and many other places.  Men and women are falling down in the streets and crying for mercy, others claim that they have received visions from heaven and hell, and that angels have spoken to them.  The ministers of all the churches are calling to their Gods to send down on them and their flocks the power and blessings of the Holy Ghost.  They believe that the ancient order has come again and they thank their God for it.  They say they have a feeling of peace and love when the spirit of the Holy Ghost comes upon them.  This excitement is affecting both rich and poor the same.  It is nothing strange to see both the rich and the poor on their knees at the same time calling to their God to have mercy on them and pardon them for their sins for Christ’s sake.  We know that these things must come to pass, but the people of the mansions of the earth will not believe the truth, but they believe the untruth.

October 15, 1859, I sent a letter to my son James Archibald in California.

October 15, 1859 I received a letter from my sister Mary Archibald Edwards who is in Australia.  She sent me a check for 12 pounds.  She said I was to give three pounds to James Weady Archibald and family, three pounds to my brother John Archibald, and that I was to keep the other six pounds for myself.  I ask God to bless her for sending the money.

November 10, 1859, I wrote a letter to Mary Archibald Edwards thanking her for the money. Agnes and Jessie sent their Aunt Mary a veil [apparently a lace veil they had made by hand].

December 9, 1859, I sent a letter to Robert Murray and David Carr [Kerr] asking them if they could loan us some money to leave the old country.

Things are indeed desperate these days with the poor man having nothing to live on.  This is because the poor man [has not?] got a raise in wages.  The papers say there is no apparent settlement in sight between the workers and the masters.

March 5, 1860, I wrote a letter to my sister Mary Archibald Edwards in Australia.  I also wrote a letter to our son James Archibald in California.

This day, May 4, 1860, my son George [age 18 years] and myself left Harthill to go to Liverpool from where we will sail to New York, America on May 9, 1860  [Oh! the joy and jubilation he must have felt] on the ship “Packet” with William Fascott as Captain.  We have left behind us at Harthill Mother Archibald and daughters Agnes, Jessie and Mary Archibald.  I am praying to the Lord to prosper our efforts and for our deliverance from Babylon.

The fare to America on the ship “Packet” is – adults, 60 pounds; children under 8 years of age and over one year of age, also 60 pounds; for infants under 1 year of age, 10 pounds.  The following weekly rations will be allowed for each paying adult:  3 ½ for bread; 1 ½ for pork; 1 ½ for beef; 1 for flour; 1 ½ for rice; 1 ½ for peas; 2 for potatoes; 2 for tea; 2 for salt; ½ for mustard; ½ for pepper; 1 gallon of water daily.  Half the above amount for children under 8 years of age and over one year of age will be allowed.  Total weight allowed for provisions for the week is 14 ½.

We landed in New York on June 21, 1860.  We had a very smooth and safe journey.  On the ship was one woman, age 82, from Scandinavia and another woman, age 30, also from Scandinavia, who had left her husband.  Both women were Latter-Day-Saints.  On the journey 8 children died of measles, there were 10 births and 4 marriages.  We were quarantined 5 days for smallpox.  There was a total of 50 Latter-Day Saints and 250 people of the world on the ship.

We stopped in New York one night.  We asked Mr. Calder what we should do to get work.  Mr. Calder told us to go to the brethren who were appointed for that purpose as they had been searching for such information.  We said we would take their advice and carry it out to the letter.  Their counsel was that we should leave New York and go to Philadelphia.

In Philadelphia we were told we could get work in Ohio.  It took nearly all our money to reach Ohio by rail car.  We reached Williams, Ohio at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, and I said to George, “We cannot go into the Inn because we have no money.  We will look for a place to pray to our Father in Heaven.”

Our Father in Heaven heard our prayers and we were delivered from our poverty. Brother John Johnson and his son who were in our company had money.  The son came to me and said, “You did not come into the Inn this morning, did you?”  I said, “No, for you know we have no money.”

While we were talking, Mr. Johnson came along and began talking to us.  He reached in his pocket and gave me a dollar.  His son said, “Is that all you have?”  Mr. Johnson gave me antoher dollar and then took us into the Inn and paid our way.

When we got to the Railroad Company where we had been told we would find work, there was none because the Ohio River had gone down.  By this time my money was almost gone again.

While we were in this place, a Mr. Walsh came along and said he could give three of us work about ninety miles up the river.  I told him my son George and myself would go, but he would have to pay our fare up there because we had no money.  Mr. Walsh said he would pay our fare.  We started for Fredrickton at 6 o’clock at night and got there at 11 o’clock the next day.

The work lasted only a few days.  I wrote a letter to Robert Murray and David Carr [Kerr] and told them of our condition and that we had only 50 cents left.  We started down the river to find some kind of work.  George said to me, “Father what shall we do?  We must find work.”  I said to him, “Let us go to the top of that hill and look for a solitary place.”  We went to the top of the hill and found a quiet place and poured out our desperation to the Lord in prayer.  I spoke first, then George.  I spoke again.  We felt peaceful then and quite sure the Lord would answer our prayers.

The next morning was July 4th, the day America gained its independence.  Our deliverance also came this day when Robert Murray and David Carr came in sight.  I shouted out in joy for I knew that God had delivered us indeed, our prayers had been answered.  We started for Pittsburgh, a distance of 90 miles, and landed there at 9 o’clock in the morning.  It was 2 o’clock before we reached their home.  Here we found their wives and children all well.  We were very happy to be together again after being separated for seven long years.

July 18, 1860, I wrote a letter to my wife and family and told them of the death of Robert Murray’s child Robert Murray.

David Carr [Kerr] loaned me enough money to bring my wife and family to America.  I wrote a letter and sent the money to them.

August 24, 1860, I received a letter from my wife saying they had received the money.  Also she told me of the death of John Orrick, Betsey’s husband.  My wife said they could get some insurance money from the company where John Orrick worked, but would not be able to get the money until spring.  They would then come to America and bring Betsey and her two children, Henry and Christina, with them.

The Lord has blessed my son George and me with health and faith, and we got along first-rate in everything after we landed in Pennsylvania.  We stayed there six months and came to Bellville, Illinois by rail car.  The trip took eight hours.  We then started for William and landed there at 4 o’clock on the Sabbath evening and found everything closed.  George and I had agreed that we would abstain totally in everything.  We left there and started up the river to Florence to meet my family from Scotland.  We were kept on the river for one month because of the Civil War between the North and the South.  We were sent down the river 40 miles from Jefferson City to Larson because the fighting was at Bonneville.  Then after five days we started again for Florence, but when we came to Larson City, General Lions ordered the boat to lay at bay and told Captain Johnsten to take the boat back down to St. Louis.  Captain Johnsten was a rebel so he started to cruise the river, and I thought of my family waiting for us.  The next morning I felt inclined to go to General Lions and tell him our situation.  I asked others to go with me, but they did not think it was wise to talk to General Lions.  I went to General Lions myself and told him our provisions were low and if he would take us to Florence we had friends who would take us by the hand.  Well, he was a man and ordered one of the officers to take flour, ham and potatoes and give to the people who had been on the boat so long.  Captain Johnsten came and swore at me for talking to General Lions, but I told him to mind his own business and we would mind ours.  General Lions ordered him to take us all up to Florence which was a great blessing indeed.

We landed in Florence on July 4, 1861 where I found my wife and family waiting.  We started our journey across the plains at once in Captain Murdock’s company with ox team.  We arrived in Provo [Utah] on September 5, 1861.  Our trip across the plains was altogether a pleasant trip to what we thought it would be.  Our provisions became a little short before we reached the valley.

We have been blessed indeed since we reached the Valley.  We are all well and enjoying good health.  The Lord is blessing us all the time, which is better by far than all the fine things in the world.  This is January 8, 1862.

[Robert Archibald lived only 4 ½ years after arriving in Provo, Utah.  He died April 7, 1866 in Provo, Utah at the age of 56 years.  He was buried in Provo, but after his wife’s death his body was moved to the Spanish Fork Cemetery and place beside his wife.]

To preserve the original diary, it has been placed in the library at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.  At the time the diary was placed in the library, a few copies were made.  These copies were sold to family members to cover the cost of printing and binding.  The original diary can be seen at the library, but it cannot be removed.  [It is filed under the “Angus Family Records”]

   -- Edna Angus Anglikowski
 

[notes in brackets from Lana Archibald, webpage author]

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