History of the Southern States Mission, Part 31: More of the Same

January of 1886 passed with nothing more of interest than the arrival of Elders from Zion. February was also uneventful, save the emigration of a company of Saints for the west, accompanied by some released Elders. The Elders manifested much activity in March by getting into new fields of labor and making new friends. Other Elders arrived in April and filled vacancies caused by returned Elders. During this month much literature was sent out to the Elders and friends who would read. Farther than this the work for the past four months was of little interest.

In May President Morgan visited the Elders in their fields, counseling with them upon their labors. Some of Georgia, South Alabama and West Tennessee were visited and some in Jasper county, Miss., as well, where there was a mobocratic spirit prevailing, but not strong enough to cause alarm. In these meetings the brethren were advised to narrow their fields of labor and to make their work more thorough.

President Morgan, with Elder Robins, visited some of the Saints in Georgia, and the Elders in North Alabama, in June, giving them instructions in their labor. Some of the Elders were forced to go through some ungodly treatment at the hands of men who seemed to have lost respect for their fellowmen. Some of this happened in Greene county, Va., it finally resulting in the arrest of Elder Harper, President of that conference, in July. He was taken to Stanardsville, a distance of ten miles from where he was arrested. During the journey the vile threats of the men who had him in charge, had to be endured. No one could be found to substantiate the charges against him, so he was acquitted. After this it was deemed prudent to withdraw the Elders from that vicinity. In the latter part of July a company of Saints left for Colorado.

In August another company of Saints emigrated to Colorado. Quite a number of baptisms were reported this month, and, contrary to the usual disturbances occuring in this season, no mobocracy was felt any where.

Conference was held with Saints and Elders of East Tennessee on the 4th and 5th of September. On the 11th and 12th the Virginia conference convened. Some Elders of that conference and quite a number of Saints were in attendance, and a good time was had.

The West Virginia Elders and Saints also convened this month. Heretofore Virginia and West Virginia were one conference, but it was decided at this meeting to have two in the future, one in either state, with the Alleghanies [sic] as the dividing line.

On the 26th the North Carolina conference was held at Horse Creek, Mitchell county. President Morgan attended all these and gave valuable instructions at each.


Latter Day Saints Southern Star, Vol. 1, No. 35, Chattanooga, Tenn. Saturday, July 29, 1899, p 276-77.

The picture of Seneca Creek, West Virginia, in the Allghenies is from www.flickr.com/photos/lonecellotheory/519362995/.

As a note of interest, when I googled "Standardsville VA history," the first entry on google was the local Family History Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My, how things have changed in 120 years.

And, as a final note, here is a blog, Appalachian Treks, with some beautiful photographs of the area of the Southern States Mission. It came up in a search for Horse Creek. The link is to the label for Elizabethton, which is where the previous Elders were taken for trial and were released on a five (not five hundred) dollar bond.