The 

Autobiography 

of

David Lewis

1

Prelude

          I commenced to write this book January 18th, 1854. In two months and six days I will have been in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for 19 years. I am in my 39th year of age and on the 10th day of next April, I will be 40 years of age.

          As my portrait or likeness is in the first part of this book, I will also give a description of my size; and in later years, the rising generations will know what my size and looks were. 

2

Physical Description

          I am six feet one inch tall. My weight is two hundred pounds. I am well built with black hair and blue eyes. I am fair skinned and in full vigor of life and health.

3

Background

          I was born in the state of Kentucky on Easter, April 10th, 1814, in the county of Simpson. I lived in the same state and county until I was 22 years of age. I was the sixth son and the ninth child of my parents, they having twelve children in all, eight boys and four girls.           

          My father was a large man. He weighed about three hundred and thirty pounds. His name was Neriah Lewis. He left Kentucky with his family and went to Illinois State, Macoupin County, and there he died in about his sixty third year. My mother was also a large woman. She weighed about two hundred and forty pounds. Her name was Mary. Her maiden name was Mary Moss.

          Her father was named Samuel Moss and her mother was Rachel. They lived in South Carolina, Pickins County or District. My father’s father lived in South Carolina. His name was David and I think that his wife was Rosannah.

          My father emigrated from South Carolina to Kentucky. He was among the first settlers or immigrants to that country. My mother died in the state of Illinois when she was about sixty-five years old. My mother and father were not professors of religion, nor any of my connections with whom I was acquainted. My father’s mother was turned out of the Quaker Church for marrying my grandfather. He was not a member of the church and she refused to acknowledge that she was sorry for the deed.

          My father and mother believed in a universal salvation but belonged to no church. I believe that they were both honest and I know that they taught their children to be honest. My father was a farmer and possessed a sufficient substance to make his family comfortable. 

4

Kentucky

Homestead

          My father had four hundred acres of beautiful land. There was about one hundred acres in farm and the remainder was timber land. We had a large two story double house on a public road three miles east of the town of Franklin.

          A beautiful yard surrounded the house about one acre square. It was neatly covered with blue grass, two beautiful mulberry trees, and one beautiful cedar tree growing in the south yard. Beautiful cherry trees grew on the south end of the yard, about a rod in distance from each other. These mulberry and cherry trees bore splendid fruit.

          There was a beautiful orchard on the west, which joined the yard. In it was most all the varieties of fruit that were common to the country. There were apples, both early and late, sweet and sour, pears, peaches, plums, persimmons, and cherries on the farm. These fruits were all very good.

          We chiefly raised corn in our country, along with wheat, oats, tobacco, sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, beans, peas, cabbage, onions, melons and pumpkins, cotton, flax, and rye; but wheat was the most uncertain crop we tried to raise. It was a very mild and pleasant climate. The land was not very rich, and it took a great deal of work to cultivate it. Timber was plenty, good range for stock was poor, and wild game was scarce. 

5

Childhood

To

Adolescence

          I do not intend to give a full history of my childhood, for it would be too tedious; but merely touch on a few things, and then move on to the things that I have passed through and witnessed myself: the persecutions, trials, and hardships on account of believing and obeying the gospel of Christ, which I know to be true and of God.

          At my first recollection, I was a very fleshy little boy with very black hair and blue eyes. Both were often spoken of by the neighbors. I was not grossly mischievous, only to plague and tease the other children. This often caused me stripes, even sometimes when I was innocent; because I was so often guilty, no excuse would redeem me. My oldest sister Ann often screened me from the lashing by telling my mother that all that had happened was accidental and not by design.

          I was kept closely at home and taught all, or most all, the lessons of labor that were common for boys of my size and age to know. I was not allowed to go off the place without the consent of one or both of my parents. I was not allowed to have any little boy notions without giving a strict account of who I got them from. I was seldom allowed to go in company and learn the ways of the world, so I thought myself green or more inexperienced than others of my size. I often felt embarrassed on this account and did not enjoy myself when in company.

          When I was twelve years old, I was taken from the farm to aid my mother, as my two oldest sisters, Ann and Martha, were married and left home. I was put to cording and spinning cotton and wool, as it was common for women to make their own wearing apparel in that country. I soon became skillful in this business so that I could even beat my sisters that were grown at cording and spinning. I was also trained at the wash tub, cooking, and all the common house work.

          I spent three years of my time in helping my mother in this way. This was not common employment for boys or menfolk in that country, so I often felt ashamed when the neighbors came in; but, at about fifteen, I again went to the field. 

 6

Violent Neighbors

          The people were generally very kind to each other, except when angry at each other, then they were cruel. Fighting with knives, dirks, stones, and clubs was common in my country, but I never took part in any such wickedness. I have often seen several in number on each side fight with these weapons with the intent to kill, until all would be so tired that none were able to do each other harm. Some had black eyes, others bloody noses, and others in gores of blood, which was frightful to see.

          I was not quarrelsome with other boys and never had but three fights in all of my life. I came off conqueror each time. The last time I had my oldest brother’s consent, under whose charge I was at that time. I was about ten or eleven years old but very well grown, when a very bad saucy boy came to my father’s orchard and after pulling and thrashing down fruit of many descriptions and was about to leave (and I having had a fight with his brother for abusing my youngest brother who was very small).

          I told him to tell his brother if he did not pay me for the marbles I sold him I intended to whip him. He replied, ‘What did you say?’ My brother said to tell him again, and I did so. He then commenced to curse me and said that if I would come over the fence, he would whip me. My brother said to me, ‘Go and whip him.’

          Well, this was an unexpected privilege as I had never before been allowed to fight under any circumstances whatsoever. I went and did what I was told and rejoiced at the chance and when my brothers thought that the boy had had enough, he said to me, ‘Let him up, he is whipped enough.’ I immediately obeyed him and the boy started for home. Why I mention this circumstance was because it was connected with a cruel act that the same boy committed on the next day.

          The next morning a boarder in the presence of the boy’s father whetted a sharp pointed knife and told the boy to take it and stick it in me. ‘Yes,’ said the father ‘I am determined that my boys shall defend themselves.’ George and Turner Miller were the boys’ names and James Miller the father’s name. ‘Go my sons,’ said James Miller to his two sons, ‘and defend yourselves.’ They had scarcely got out of sight of his dwelling when screams were heard to the alarm of all those present.

          They immediately ran to the two boys. The boys had fallen out by the way about which one should kill a bumble bee. The youngest having the knife, plunged it full length into his brother’s breast.

7

Spiritual Background

          I well recollect the first time that I ever heard my mother talk about God and the devil. She said that there was a Good Man and a bad man that lived above in the clouds, and that if I did bad, the bad man would get me when I died! But that if I was a good boy and would mind her and father, and wouldn’t tell lies nor swear nor steal, that when I died the Good Man would take me to live with him again up in the clouds. She also told me of the many good things that I would be entitled to by being good. This had a deep impression on my mind.

          I told my older brothers the story when they came from the field, thinking it would be news to them. I then firmly thought that I would be good.

          I remember at another time when very young, my mother was combing my hair. She said to me that there was a mole on my neck and that was a sign if you ever steal anything that you will be hung. This alarmed me very much and often I have thrown down apples after I had commenced to eat them because I remembered the mole on my neck and knew that father had told me not to pull the apples. I have thrown them down. I have thrown down flints and little rocks, which I thought were very pretty, after picking them up for fear that it was stealing, and that the mole on my neck would cause me to be hung.

          My parents, not being religious folks, very seldom told me anything about heaven or God, and seldom went to meeting. When I did, I received no understanding of the plan of salvation. There were Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Universalists and Dunkards, and they disagreed about the scriptures. I asked father which one of these was right. He said that he did not know and I thought it strange that my father did not know about those things.

          So I always wanted to know that thing, and if I could find a little book like I had heard of John the Revelator having, given to him by an angel, I should be better pleased than with any other present, provided it would decide that point or teach to me the true plan of salvation, for this was a subject that I greatly desired to know.

          Although I was young, and to all appearances thoughtless of any such matter, I was often vexed at preachers exhorting the people, telling them to come to Christ and never telling them how to come. I never received any understanding from any of the preachers how the plan was; but I always thought that if I could find out to my satisfaction, I would obey it; and I promised myself that when I got to be a man, I would then find out to my satisfaction, and do right, and be honest, and try to get to heaven where the Good Man lived. 

8

Marriage

          I was married in my twentieth year, it being November 23rd, 1834. My wife’s name was Duritha Trail. She was born January 5, 1813, she being one year, three months and five days the oldest.

9

Baptism and Ordination

          We were both baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the year 1835. I lacked 17 days of being 21 years old when we were baptized. In August of 1834, I was ordained an Elder under the hands of Benjamin, my brother. We left Kentucky, our native land, on the 29th of April, 1837. We traveled to the state of Missouri, where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was gathering. 

10

Purpose for Writing

          I design my children to know what I have passed through, and for their benefit I write this. I have not designed it for publication. Therefore, I have omitted many sayings and acts of our persecutors, for it almost looks too unreasonable to be believed. I know that many things lose their proper influence by trying to make them look too large. I have no design to enlarge on the tale but to tell the plain facts as they did exist, that later generations might see and know the things that I have witnessed.

          I do not intend to give a history of the Church and people to which I belong, but only the things that have come under my own observation; for a history of the Church has been written and published to the world. I shall only speak or write of some of the most important things which have taken place under my own observation.

11

Missouri Persecution

          The distance from Kentucky, my birth place, to Missouri, the gathering place, was about six hundred miles. I stopped in Caldwell County. I entered land, built a house, commenced to make a farm and till the ground, when the cry of war was heard around us.

          The people that lived in that country became alarmed to see so many people gather to one place, all of one religion and one politic. They raised many false accusations against us in order to have us driven away from the state, that they might possess our houses and farms. We being too few in number to defend ourselves against the many thousands that were gathering against us, they commenced stealing our cattle, driving them off in droves.

          All manner of robbing and abusing us was carried out by the people of Missouri, a history of which has been fully given. As there are some circumstances that have come under my own observation, I will write them, that others may know what I have passed through and witnessed.

          I lived about eighteen miles east of Far West, on Shoal Creek, and one quarter of a mile from Hawn’s Mill, where a bloody butchery has taken place; wherein I was present and one who barely escaped. I will now proceed to give an account of the massacre at Hawn’s Mill and the circumstances connected with it.

12

Leading up to the Massacre

          Some weeks previous to this transaction, the people living on Grand River about 6 or 8 miles north of the mill began to come over to Shoal Creek settlement where the Mormons lived, and drove off a large group of our cattle, and made some threats that they intended to come and burn down the mill. We then sent delegates to them to see if we could not compromise with them and live in peace. They met our delegates with guns and in a hostile manner, but finally they agreed with our men that they would be at peace with us.

          We had mostly gathered to the mill, waiting to hear from our delegates and to organize ourselves, so that if they should come in a hostile manner, we might be better prepared to defend ourselves; for about thirty of them had come before and taken the guns of all those that lived at the mill, except for Hyrum Abbott’s, who would not give his up, although they snapped their guns at him several times. There were also several brethren stopped at the mill that were just moving to that country from the eastern states, among whom was Joseph Young, the present President of the Seventies, and a brother of Brigham Young, the President of the Church.

          There were several tented in the mill yard with wagons, horses, and all of their substance. There we were, intermixed with women and children, there being only about thirty men with guns. We were in no state of defense, for we were not expecting but that they would abide by the treaty that we had made with them. We felt as if we were safe, although we had been counseled by Joseph the Prophet to leave the mill and go to Far West; but being deceived by the messenger that we had sent to him for counsel, we understood it not, for our messenger said to Joseph, ‘What shall we do that are at the mill?’ Joseph said, ‘Gather up, all of you, and come to Far West.’ ‘What?’ said the messenger, whose name was Jacob Hawn, the owner of the mill. ‘Leave the mill and let it be burnt down? We think we can maintain it.’ [He told us that Joseph replied,] ‘If you maintain it, you will do well. Do as you please.’

          The messenger returned and said that if we thought we could maintain the mill, it was Joseph’s counsel for us to do so; but if we thought not, to go to Far West. From the way the thing was represented, it would be like cowards for us to leave and not try to maintain it; and as they had agreed to be at peace, we thought that to gather up all of our effects and leave our houses would be useless. For we did not know that it was Joseph’s decided counsel for us to do so.

13

Hawn’s Mill Massacre

          While thus situated on Tuesday the 30th of October, 1838, about three hundred armed men on horseback came in full lope towards us, until they got within about one hundred yards of us, when they immediately halted and commence firing at us. At their first appearance, we did not know but that they were brethren of the Church, and we did not try to place ourselves in a position to defend ourselves. But soon we found them to be a hostile foe, deprived of all humanity or mercy. For many or our people cried out for mercy with uplifted hands, when they were immediately shot down.

          David Evans was our captain. He cried out for quarter. They gave none and he immediately fled, giving no official orders. By this time we were completely surrounded. We then, seeing ourselves surrounded, immediately ran into a blacksmith shop.

          This was a fatal move, for the shop was very open. It being made of large logs, one log was cut entirely out on the north side. On the west was a window. On the south was a door. The cracks were all open. We were surrounded by a raging foe, who screamed as loud as they could every breath, and were fully determined to have it to say, ‘I killed a Mormon.’ Each bullet, as it passed through these many openings, was bound to prove fatal to some of us within.

          The first man that fell was Simon Cox. He was standing close to my side when he received the fatal blow. He was shot through the kidneys, and all the pain and misery that I ever witnessed in a poor soul, in his seemed to excel. It seems as though I could now hear him scream.

          They came there about 4 o’clock in the afternoon and continued about one hour and a half. There were eight of our number that fled at the start. Such groans of the dying, such struggling in blood. I hope that none that read this account may ever have to witness, unless it is in avenging the blood of those that were slain. For truly they shed innocent blood, which must stand against them until it is avenged.

          I remained calm in my feelings, without being much excited, and realized all that was happening. I thought for a moment that perhaps in the next minute I may be like these my brothers, struggling in my blood, and my spirit take flight to the spirit world. But soon this thought left me, and I possessed an unshaken faith that my life would be spared, although to all natural appearance there was no way for my escape.

          They were still continuing to fire with an increased rapidity, and closing their circle around us as they were not meeting much resistance from the few that were left. I looked to the west and discovered a ruffian who had crawled within forty steps of the shop. He had secured himself behind a large log that lie in the yard of the mill.        His head was raised above the log. I went immediately to the west window, and stepped up on a block to make myself high enough to shoot. I then saw his gun was to his face, and he had his sight on me. I immediately desisted from trying to shoot at his head and dismounted from the block. When I did this, another brother mounted the block and was immediately shot down. Our number on foot had now decreased to about seven or eight, when Hyrum Abbot, the man that had refused to give his gun, said, ‘It is useless to stay in here any longer, let us leave.’ I believed him to be a brave man and thought myself justified in leaving.

          He started and three others left with him. As he left the door of the shop, he was immediately shot through the body, which proved his death. I nursed him in my own home for five weeks. He was removed to his father’s and died. My brother Tarlton was one that started with him. He was shot through the shoulder, but his wound was not mortal. The names of the other two I do not remember.

          There were now four on foot besides myself: Benjamin Lewis, Isaac Leany, Jacob Potts, and Brother Yokem. I now left the shop alone.

14

Miraculous

Escape

          I went towards the east where it seemed to be the most strongly guarded. I thought at first I would go into their ranks and surrender myself their prisoner, but seeing that they were shooting and yelling as demons, I felt that no mercy would be shown to me. I concluded to try and pass them.

          I went almost in their midst, and then turned down a steep bank of the creek. I crossed the creek and then ascended a steep bank on the opposite side of the creek, in front of Hawn’s house. I then passed around the house, went towards the south, and crossed the fence, which was about two hundred yards from the shop. While crossing the fence, two bullets struck the fence close by my side. They had me in fair view for two hundred yards, and constantly fired at me. The bullets seemed to be as thick as hailstones when it is hailing fast, and none of them entered my flesh or drew blood. But five holes were shot through my clothes, three in my pantaloons and two in my coat.  

          I was then in the twenty-fourth year of my age, and my own life miraculously spared for some unknown purpose to me; but I am willing to bear my testimony to all mankind that God will save and deliver those that exercise an unshaken faith in Him, for I did exercise an unshaken faith in Him at that time and fully believed that I would make my escape and my life be spared. And I then said, ‘Lord, thou hast delivered me for some purpose, and I am willing to fulfill that purpose whenever thou makest it known unto me, and to do all the duties that thou enjoinest upon me, henceforth and forever.’

15

Reuniting with Duritha

          I proceeded on towards my house. My tongue had rolled out of my mouth like that of a dog, by being overcome with fatigue and the whole distance being up hill. Let me here remark that I did not run one step of the way, for I had been confined to my bed for three months with the fever, and at the time was just able to walk about. It was only about the second or third time that I had left the house. The distance from my house was about a quarter of a mile.

          A little ways from my house, I met my wife, who had been in prayer for my delivery; for she had heard the first guns that had fired and had been in hearing of the whole scene. Her first salutation to me was, ‘Are you hurt, are you wounded?’ I told her that I was not hurt. We went with Arminta, our only child, and secreted ourselves in a thicket until dark. I will now return to the fate of the four that I left in the shop.

16

Fate of the Four

          Potts, while leaving, was shot in his legs. He crawled to my house, caught a horse at my door, and rode home. Leany was severely wounded, having either four bullets in his body or two that passed clear through his body in direct opposition to each other, leaving four wounds in his body and several other severe wounds. But he survived and is now alive in the Valley.

          Brother Yokem fell just as he crossed the creek on the mill dam. He was taken to Hawn’s house and laid on the floor without attention until the next morning. He was shot between the point of his nose and his eye. I picked up the ball the next morning from where he fell. This was a very large ball and had passed from between the point of his nose and eye to the back of his head, leaving him senseless on the ground. He was also wounded in the leg, which since has been cut off. He is also alive.

          Benjamin Lewis, my brother, was found about three hundred yards from the shop by some of the women who had concealed him in the brush during the fracas. He was yet alive and in his proper senses. I went to him and with the aid of a horse and slide. I got him to my house. He lived a few hours and died. I dug a hole in the ground, wrapped him in a sheet, and without a coffin buried him.

 17

Aftermath of the Massacre

          Early the next morning, I returned to the shop to learn the fate of the rest of my brethren. I first stopped in at Hawn’s house where I found McBride lying dead in the yard. He was a very old man. He left the shop before me and started going the same route that I went, but he stopped in their ranks, as I first intended to do. And when he did, he gave up his gun and himself as a prisoner. He was shot with his own gun as I was informed by a sister that was concealed under the bank and witnessed the scene. Jacob Rodgers then took and old scythe blade and literally gashed his face to pieces. He was taken and laid in the yard where I found him the next morning.

          Brothers Merrick and Smith were also lying dead in the yard. Brothes York and Yokem were in the house of Hawn but entirely senseless. York soon died, but Yokem lived. Leany Nights and Hawn were also in at Hawn’s house and wounded, but both recovered; and none of them had the aid of a physician to probe or prescribe for their wounds.

          I then went over to the shop where I found Brothers Fuller, Cox, Lee, Hammer, Richards, and a small boy dead on the ground; and several others whose names I do no remember but whose names have been given in the history of our persecutions. The dead numbered, in all, eighteen persons and the wounded fifteen. A few of the brethren who assembled here, with myself, drug these slain to the side of a well, which was about twelve feet deep, and tumbled them in, as we had no time to decently bury them, for we knew not how soon they would be upon us again. This was the most heart-rending scene that my eyes ever witnessed.

          This little boy was not shot accidentally by being in the crowd, but after the men were all down and gone and there were none to resist. They on the outside closed up and one man discovered this boy concealed under the blacksmith bellows. He deliberately stuck his gun in a crack of the shop and fired at him and his brother as they were concealed together. One of their own men reproved him, saying, “It is a D---d shame to shoot such little fellows. He calmly replied, “Little sprouts make big trees.” As much as to say, “They will make men or Mormons after a while if not killed.”

          Then, perceiving all to be dead or dying that remained in the shop, came into the shop and shot again all that were struggling. They took deliberate aim at their head and then boasted that they had killed a Mormon. Afterward, to the wives of those that were killed, they said, “Madam, I am the man that killed your husband.” There were many other acts and circumstances which were equally aggravating that I will omit writing.

          This transaction of itself, as it took place, is almost too unnatural to be believed. I therefore have rather tried to soften the story enough that it might be believed, instead of trying to paint out things and magnifying them to the highest notch.

          On the second day after this bloody transaction had taken place, this company of murderers returned to the shop, blowing their bugles, firing their guns, and yelling like demons, showing themselves hostile, and as I lived near, I could hear all their proceedings. Joseph Young and I went and concealed ourselves in the brush nearby, for fear they would come to my house to renew their slaughter. The weather had now become cold and it began to rain. We had no cover with us but one thin quilt, very much tattered. We laid down on the ground, covered with the quilt, and slept comfortably knowing that they could not find us, neither could they set the brush on fire on account of the rain; and although I was just recovering from a long spell of sickness, I took no hurt from the exposure; whereas I would have expected in a common case that it would have produced sudden death.

          I cautiously crept to my house the next morning, not knowing but some of them were at my house waiting to take my life. These murderers now took possession of the mill. They ground the grain that was in it for their own use, killed the hogs, robbed, and lived well. They went from house to house, taking all of the guns and ammunition that they could find. Their faces were often painted, which made them look disgraceful to the human race.

18

Captured by the Mob

     

          I kept out of their way for nearly three weeks, when a scouting party came across me. As I was not fond of their company, I was about to leave them when one of them told me to wait until the captain saw me. The captain came up, who was Nehemiah Comstock.

          Said he, “Mr. Lewis, have you heard of the new orders of the governor?”

          “No sir,” said I.

          “Well,” said he, “our orders from the governor are that all the Mormons must leave the state forthwith.”

          “Indeed?” said I. “I thought that we were to stay until spring.”

          “That,” said he, “was the first order, but he has now changed his orders, and you must be off by Wednesday at ten o’clock.”

          It then being Sunday in the evening, I replied that this was a very short notice for one to start in, and it was now cold winter. I then told him that I had no wagon or team, that my wife was sick, and that I didn’t know how to go so soon.

          Then said he, “You must either go or deny your religion, or go to Richmond and stand trial for your life. For there was one of our men killed at the blacksmith shop, and you were there; and all that were there will be tried for murder and be hung.” And said Hyrum Comstock, the captain’s brother, “If they are not hung, they won’t none of them get back again, for our boys don’t intend for any of them to escape.”

          I then said, “I would not mind being tried for my life by the laws of the land, for I have not violated any law; but I would not like to be tried by mob law, for I know,” said I, “that no Mormon could have justice done to him in this state while their prejudices are so high. What must I deny?”

          Deny my religion, he said. “Deny your Book of Mormon, or your Mormon bible, being true; and deny that Joseph Smith is a prophet.”

          I said to him, “I believe that Joseph Smith once was a prophet, but whether he is dead or alive now I know not. For the last that I heard of him he was a prisoner and it was supposed that he would be killed.

          Then said he, “You must leave the state by next Wednesday.”

          I then said, “You know that the ferries and roads are all guarded so that no Mormon can pass safely.”

          “I know that,” said he, “but I will give you a pass and then you can go safely.”

          He then gave me the following pass:

November 13, 1838

          This is to certify that David Lewis, a Mormon, is permitted to leave and pass through the State of Missouri in an eastward direction, unmolested during good behavior.

                             Nehemiah Comstock, Capt. Militia

          I took my pass and studied it, and thought to myself that it would be death to undertake to go, and that it can’t be any more than death if I stay; and if I have to be killed, let it be at home; for I thought it would be too bad to take my flight in the winter. Wednesday came and I wasn’t gone, so they sent up a guard from their encampment, headed by Hyrum Comstock, to see if I was gone; and with them was a Mormon prisoner named Kelly, although a stranger to me.

          Comstock said, “Mr. Lewis, do you know this man?”

          I replied that I didn’t.

          “Have you ever seen him before?” he asked.

          “I believe I have,” I said.

          “Where?” he replied.

          I told him, “Over on Muddy Creek if I am not mistaken.”

          “Was he at the mill on the day of the battle?” he asked.

          “I do not know but I would think not,” I replied.

          He then asked, “Is he a Mormon?”

          “I do not know, but I judge not,” I replied.

          “You don’t know his name, do you?” he asked.

          “I do not,” I replied.

          He said, “Go with us Mr. Lewis to our encampment.”

          “Very well,” said I.

          They marched me in front of their camp. When they got me in their encampment, Hyrum Comstock said to me, “Mr. Lewis, you have lied. This prisoner is a Mormon. He was in the battle he says. He knows you perfectly well, and you have been lying to us, trying to screen him.”

          The prisoner said, “That isn’t the Lewis I know.”

          “Hush your mouth,” said Comstock, “and wait until you are spoken to before you speak.” He then said to me, “You may consider yourself our prisoner.”

          The entire number gathered around me and the following interrogations took place.

          “Mr. Lewis, who of your neighbors was in the difficulties that were in Davies County?”

          “I do not know,” I said.

          “Who amongst you are Danites?”

          “I don’t know,” I replied.

          “Are you a Danite?

          “What is a Danite?” said I.

          “Why those that have taken an oath to kill and rob, steal and plunder, take bear meat and sweet oil.”

          “I am no Danite,” said I. “For I never took any such oath.”

          “Let us now have him sworn,” they said. “It is of no use to swear him,” said a voice, “for he would just as soon swear a lie as the truth.”

          I then said, “Gentlemen, I am your prisoner. You can talk to me as you please, but I have seen the time when with a fair chance I would not take such talk as that. You know, gentlemen, that kind of talk did not pass current in our country. I am a Kentuckian, but I am now your prisoner.”

          Dinner now came on, which consisted of stewed pork and bread, each taking a piece from a large pot and with the aid of a jack knife, each worked his piece to his own notion. I stood around for a while, as though I was not going to get any dinner, when Hyrum Comstock said to me, “Mr. Lewis, won’t you eat something with us? Our fare is very rough, but if you will eat, come up.”

          “Oh yes,” said I, “for I am just recovering from a spell of sickness, and my appetite is very good.”

          I gathered a bone, which was well-supplied with meat. They handed me a lunch of bread and I went at it as though all was well.

          “Come,” they said to the other prisoner, “and eat.”

          “No,” said Kelly, “I am not well, I cannot eat.”

          Said they, “We will have hands laid on you Brother Kelly and you will then get better.” They also said, “Mr. Lewis, is this man given to being delirious and swearing? He swore harder last night than any man we ever saw. Why,” said they, “he curses Joe Smith.”

          “I know him not,” I said, still picking at my bone, as though times were better with me than usual. They, seeing that I was enjoying myself better than they wanted me to, turned their discourse to me.

          “Mr. Lewis, are you not a good hunter?”

          “I do not prize myself at that business.”

          “We want you to take a hunt with us after dinner. We do not care much for the game, but some of our boys are of the notion to try it over with you again. We hear that you can’t be hit with a bullet, and our boys are good marksmen. They want you to go out with them this afternoon so that they can have another chance. What do you think about dying?”

          “I don’t think much about it nor care much about it. If I could have freedom, life then would be sweet; but without it, I care not to live. Who told you that a bullet could not hit me? I think,” said I, “that they came very near hitting me,” showing them the five holes in my clothes.

          “How,” asked one, “did you get away without being killed?”

          “I walked away,” I replied.

          “Well, I suppose you had so much faith that you couldn’t be hit,” he said.

          “If I had faith, I had works to put with it; and my works were to try to get away as fast as I could.” I then spoke to them as follows, in order to touch their humanity if there was any in them.

          “Gentlemen, I think this is a pretty pass that we have gotten things to. We are living in the same country and are almost neighbors. We speak the same language and should be able to understand each other better than this, and communicate our grievances to each other before making such rash moves. Our fathers, no doubt, fought side by side to gain for us liberty. Why don’t we, their children, maintain this liberty, and be willing to have it extended towards each other. If we differ in our religious or political views, we should not make it a matter of shedding each other’s blood. But know that the world is large and there is room for us all.

          You shot at me very carelessly the other day, although when you came to this mill and were detained all night, I fed you and your teams. You slept in my house free of charge. Many of us came from the same state. The same soil has nourished us. There is a better way to settle difficulties than to take each other’s lives. What crime have I done, that I must thus be treated?”

          One cried out, “Portray! He was used bad for being in bad company.” This talk seemed to have a good effect, for they ceased to threaten me or to talk of trying me over again, but seemed to soften down. They said to each other, “That man has too good a countenance to be a thief.”

          Evening soon came on and I said to the captain, “Can’t you let me go home to chop wood for a fire? My wife is sick. The widow and orphans of my brother that you have killed are there, and the wounded man is there.”

          “What?” said Hyrum Comstock. “Do you mean Abbott, which was wounded here?”

          I replied yes.

          “Well,” said he, “da#% him. He ought to die. I snapped at the da#@$! rascal seven times because he refused to give up his gun; but it was a gun that I had just taken from a Mormon and the da&%$# thing would not go off. If it had been my own gun, I should have killed the da&%$# rascal.”

          “Well, can I have the privilege to go or not? You can send a guard with me if you cannot trust to my coming back.”

          The captain said, “We will hold a council over you and we will let you know.”

          Then Bob White, an apostate Mormon who was with them, pleaded to let me go, for said he, “I know that Mr. Lewis has been sick and is now unable to stay in our camp whilst it is so cold.” This kindness Mr. White did because he hated Hawn as he did Lucifer; and he knew that I did not like Hawn. I believe that he thought it did him some good to have me help hate Hawn, and for this reason, he had before been kind to me. But White in my estimation was no better than Hawn, for self interest had caused Hawn to stand up for us, whilst White was fighting against us. Yet, for me, it had a good effect.

          So they agreed that I might go and stay until the next morning if I would promise to be in their encampment by sunrise. This I agreed to and went home.

          After chopping wood for a fire, I was taken with a severe chill, and then a fever. For I had not as yet recovered from my sickness. The next morning, I was on hand according to promise.

          “Well,” said the captain, you are on hand.”

          “Yes sir,” was the reply.

          “Well, have you got a gun?”

          I replied, “I had one the other day but on the evening of the difficulty, I left it in the brush. I have not seen it since.”

          “Take a guard of six men and go with Mr. Lewis and fetch that gun,” he said.

          “I do not know that I could find that gun,” I replied.

          “We can make you find it,” he said.

          So I was marched as near to the place as I knew, and after we had searched about one hour and had not found it, they then began to threaten me, and accuse me of not trying to find it. But this was false, for I knew that they would show me no mercy if it was not found. The snow had fallen very deep on the ground and the place assumed a very different appearance. At length, we found it.

          We then started to the camp and passed by my door. I then stopped in my yard and asked for the privilege to cut wood for a fire for my family. They halted and granted me this privilege.

          After chopping a few sticks, I became faint and weak and I said to them, “Gentlemen, won’t one of you please chop a few sticks for me?”     

          Their immediate replies were, “I shan’t,” “Well I’ll be da#!*d if I do,” “Well if he wants it chopped, let him do it himself,” and so on.

           I then thought, “Oh wicked and degraded wretches. How far you have sunk beneath the honor of man. Had I Lucifer a prisoner as you have me, I could not have denied him so small a favor as to refuse to help him chop wood for a fire.”

          After chopping my wood, I politely invited them into take a warm. They accepted the invitation and went in. After warming, we again went to the camp.

          They took with them my two guns, for I had another gun in the loft which they got when they went in. These guns were never returned to me or paid for, and one cow that they drove off, which has not been settled for; but I will go on with my story.

          They made some parade over the guns. Their conversation was chiefly in presumptuous talk about those that were dead and in the well.

          One of them said, “I heard one say in the well, ‘Da#@ it, hand over the bottle.’ Another said, ‘Da#@ it, get farther.’ And another said, ‘Quit eating my back.’” And of Old York, they talked of making soap grease, because he was so da#@%& fat. These words they thought were so shrewd, they produced great laughter. This was the entertainment of the day.

19

Another miraculous escape

          Toward night, I again asked for the privilege of going home. This was granted on the same conditions as on the evening before. I went home.

          In the night it rained very hard, so as to raise the creek that was between us. In the morning, I could not get to them or they get to me. I went to the bank and called for them to set me across. This I knew they could not do. They seemed to be vexed at my imprudence, and consulted amongst themselves what to do. They finally called to me to go about my business, for they could not get over. So with joy, I obeyed their orders and went to my home. 

20

Fate of the Mob

          I will give a brief sketch of the fate of the mob party at Hawn’s Mill as related to me by James Campbell, one of their party. They denied any of the party being killed to me except one, and they tried to make me believe that I would have to hang for that. I will now give the account of Campbell.

          A few years after this massacre, I was sent on a mission to Marion County, Illinois. While there, I appointed a meeting at a tan yard where a man named Mr. Campbell lived and worked as a journeyman tanner. He said, “To my certain knowledge, there were four militiamen killed dead at the shop and several wounded. And after they got about four miles from the shop, and while they were under full lope, they were fired at by a company of Mormons who laid in ambush, and killed two more.” He and a brother were wounded. He showed me the scar of his wound.

          This party that laid in ambush was a party of their own militia men who had missed getting in with the main mob action and supposed that these men were retreating Mormons running from the fight. They fired on them by mistake and as it was such an awkward mistake, they kept it concealed and passed it off as being a Mormon action.

          This Mr. Campbell seemed to think, as I was alone, that he could frighten me. He talked very saucy about his being wounded. The thoughts of my brother being killed and the treatment that I had received from those wretches almost made me forget that I was a preacher; for I felt more like fighting than preaching. He soon curled under.

          A large company gathered for the meeting. The subject of our persecution was uppermost in my mind. I spoke largely on this subject and pointed my finger at Mr. Campbell and said, “There is one of the actors in this cruelty, persecution, and murder. ” Every eye was turned to him with scorn and he arose from the congregation and left the room.

          This band of robbers professed to have government orders; but from the best that I could learn, their orders were issued by William Manor. Bill Dog, as he was most commonly called, was a notorious rascal who was always ready to play the hand where the money lay.

          Some of their own party afterwards told me that many of them thought it was the orders of the governor or they would have taken no part in it; and said that they got Manor to do this and then said that they received it from the governor. But this is all the same, for the governor was rotten-hearted enough to acknowledge them as militia and take no notice of their acts of outrage and cruelty. The bigger the mob, the greater the militia; with him, all was well.

          One of them complained in my presence for not getting his pay from the government for his services. I told him that he had no right to complain, for there were none of them but who stole enough to well pay them for their trouble. Lilburn Boggs was the governor.

21

Thoughts

on the persecution

          I now had to sell my land and improvement for a small sum, not one fourth its value, to enable myself to leave the state. For the orders from the governor was for us to leave in the spring. We appealed to every authority in our government, even the President of the United States, Martin Van Buren, who said that he knew that our cause was a just one, but that he could do nothing for us. If he did, the whole state of Missouri would be against him.

          Joseph and Hyrum Smith were now in prison, and also many other of our brethren. So mobs and the authorities of government combined together and compelled us, en masse, to leave the state. It was not for the violation of law that we were compelled to leave, neither was it for crimes, as we were accused. [Even if we had committed crimes], our government did not banish its subjects for crime but was compelled to try them by law and punish them according to their crime. If we had resisted law, they were as able to bring us to justice as they were to drives us away.

22

Testimony

          And now we began to remember that the ancient saints, or people of God, were falsely accused, hated, driven, and persecuted on account of the testimony that they bore of the things of God; that they were whipped and imprisoned and that even Christ our Savior was falsely accused and put to death. He said “all that live godly in Christ Jesus shall be persecuted, for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you.” And as the same cause produces the same effects, we may reasonably suppose that as the gospel produced persecution in former days, it also will in the latter days. And as the former day saints were told to take joyful the spoiling of their goods, we thought we must take the same advice if we could.

          So we submitted to our fate, knowing that “Vengeance is mine saith the Lord, and I will repay; and the offenses must come, but woe unto them by whom they come.” Here were the two grand oppositions arrayed in the same country. The saints of God had gathered here with the priesthood, by the command of the Lord, to build a temple to His holy name; and to prepare a people for the second coming of Christ and gathering of Israel; and to act under the direction of a prophet of God, who received communications from God to direct him, that the great work of the last days might be accomplished.      Lucifer, standing in direct opposition to God, arrayed himself with his power to overthrow the people of God and his servants. The wicked ones were ever as ready to serve Lucifer as the servants of God were to serve and obey Him.The wicked acted as they were moved upon by Lucifer’s spirit, which was to try to destroy God’s people and uproot His kingdom.

          God permitted the wicked to have power over His people that they thereby might fill up their cup of iniquity, for they desire to serve Lucifer and to do the works of their father the devil; and that God’s people thereby might know the powers of the adversary that they might know that they could not conquer him with their own strength and power. And that they also might learn to look to God, the Giver of every good gift, for His mercy and blessings, to enable them to conquer. For the wicked possess the same power, as to their physical strength, as the righteous.

          The righteous can only conquer by the influence of God’s Spirit in their behalf. For as God is greater than the devil, even so He possesses greater power. Righteous men possess this power according to the heed they give to the commandments of God. As God is stronger than the devil, so are His servants the stronger, if they give heed to His commandments, so as to possess His power. It is upon this principle that one man can chase his hundred, and ten put their ten thousand to flight.

          But as we had not been long in the kingdom we had learned to give the heed to our prophet as we should. We then learned that he did not stand to argue the point but told us what to do. When an argument was raised to have a different way, he said, “Do as you please.” But we now know that the words of a prophet are the words of God. For when God, like man, gets an agent to do a certain piece of work, he is bound to acknowledge his authority as being His own. Whosoever transacts business with that agent finds that it is lawful and is bound to stand.

          If God called on Joseph Smith to speak to the people and tell them what to do, they were just as much bound to obey him as though God had spoken it Himself. Joseph Smith had many witnesses that he was called of God. They having obtained knowledge for themselves of God, testified to the world, that it might be established by testimony or witnesses. For God has said by His Apostles that “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word should be established,” and here we are justified in believing it because more than two or three have testified to this truth.

          If half the testimony had come against Joseph Smith that he had murdered a certain man, where is the man that would have dubiety on his mind concerning his guilt. Then, if we are honest, why not believe the testimony for him as well as against him. The reason is the adversary, the devil, has instilled into the minds of men that God will not communicate His will to the human family any more, and has so long traditioned it in man that it comes in conflict with their tradition to believe it. The devil deceives them that he might keep them under his control to serve him. They persecute the righteous believing that they are doing God’s service. But the prophet Jeremiah says that certain people will say that “surely our fathers have inherited lies, vain things, things wherein there is no profit.”

          Many have said, “If you are the people of God, why did He not protect you?” We might ask the same question concerning Christ, the Apostles, and the prophets. The reason is that God has given man his own agency to do good or to do evil. As the wicked are the devil’s servants, they are ever ready to oppose the servants of God. But God will reward everyone according to the deeds that they have done.

23

A Trip for Benjamin

          In December of 1838, I in company with John L. Butler and Elias Higby went to Illinois State to settle the affairs of my brother Benjamin that was killed.

          On the way where we stopped the first night, a large mob assembled late in the night. We supposed that they intended to abuse us, but we soon found that they were going to whip Riley Steward, a Mormon that was at his mother-in-law’s house in that neighborhood. They wanted the assistance of our landlord. He refused and told them he had the company of three Kentuckians, for thus we told him we were. They left and severely beat Steward, as we were afterwards informed.

          I went on to Macoupin County and found that Benjamin’s business could not be settled at that time. Two of my brothers accompanied me back to Caldwell, Missouri, and they moved my brother Benjamin’s family home with them.

24

Leaving Missouri

          In February 1839, on the 7th day of the month, I started with my family in company with Zenas H. Gurley, Buckhanon, Joseph W. Coolidge, Porter Rockwell, James Sloan, and several others. The weather was fine and dusty. We crossed the Mississippi River in March and stopped in the town of Quincy, Adams County, Illinois. I stayed in Quincy one month. I then started with my family and went back to Kentucky.

25

Reflective Poem

          I composed the following in the year 1839 while in the state of Kentucky, just after we were driven from Missouri.

My friends draw near,

And you shall hear,

The troubles of my heart,

Where I’ve been,

I’ve trouble seen,

From it, I can’t depart.

On Missouri’s plains,

I lost my friends,

Away from there, I’m drove,

I now must mourn,

But can’t return,

I’m like a lonesome dove.

The work of God,

Has spread abroad,

A people to prepare,

Some thousand saints,

In peaceful tents,

Have made their dwelling there.

A wicked crew,

With sinful view,

Hath caused my heart to pain,

Poor women cried,

Who were standing by,

To see their husbands slain.

A bloody sight,

With no delight,

My eyes did there behold,

I saw them cry,

And bleed and die,

A trouble to my soul.

Quite strange to tell,

Their graves a well,

No one, their friends to cheer,

The tears in streaks,

Rolled down the cheeks,

Of wives and sisters dear.

Poor orphans cried,

While mothers sighed,

And all was in confusion,

The wicked mob,

Did steal and rob,

And say we were in delusion.

But since I’m spared,

I don’t regard,

The trouble that I’ve seen,

Why should I weep,

For those that sleep,

And left a world of sin.

I now do roam,

Without a home,

And many frowns do bear,

But now and then,

I find a friend,

My troubled heart to cheer.

Some evil foes,

Do me oppose,

And many stories tell,

But I hope and trust,

That I’ll be blessed,

And with my Savior dwell.

To tell my name,

I’m not ashamed,

I hope in Christ to live,

I’d not change my place,

In hope of grace,

For all the world could give.

My friends to you,

I bid adieu,

David Lewis is my name,

I soon must stand,

On foreign land,

The gospel to proclaim.

          I next left my family with my wife’s father, and started eastward to preach the gospel.

26

First Mission

          This was my first mission. I preached by the way as I went. I was aiming to go to Virginia. I went to Overton County, Tennessee.

          I there fell in company with Julian Moses. We preached together and soon baptized many, and organized a branch of the Church. I there composed the following verses and sent them to my wife.

Farewell my wife,

I bid adieu,

I long to see

and be with you.

But as we’re parted,

For awhile,

Oh let our hearts,

Be reconciled.

For soon the happy

Time will come,

When God will call

His children home.

And if we then,

Should faithful be,

We’ll dwell with God,

Eternally.

The day of wrath,

It now draws nigh,

As we may read,

 In prophecy.

Many signs,

Do now appear,

In token that

The time is near.

The Son of God,

Will come again,

And over Israel,

Take His reign.

A thousand years,

While Satan bound,

And peace and love,

Will then be found.

Before that happy

Time appear,

The wicked hearts

Are filled with fear.

And all the proud

And haughty burn,

And Israel to

their land return.

My loving friend,

Remember me,

I often sigh,

Because of thee.

And in my absence,

Do not mourn,

If life is spared,

I will return.

Once more my dear,

I bid farewell,

When we shall meet,

I cannot tell.

The time it seems,

Quite long to me,

But yet I must,

Resigned be.

The harvest ripe,

The laborers few,

And I am called,

To labor too.

The time in God,

His word proclaim,

Whilst life and breath,

With me remain.

          While preaching in Overton County, Tennessee, I met with strong opposition. Julian Moses had left me and gone over into Kentucky. As I had just left Missouri, our persecutors began to write to their friends in Tennessee about the Mormon War, boasting to them of the deeds that they had done; telling them that they had driven us all away and had gotten possession of our farms. They then suspected me for a spy who had been sent to look for a new location. Jealousy became very high.

          I soon received notice that I must leave their country immediately and hold no more meetings among them. These orders I did not comply with, but preached and bore my testimony of the work of God in the last days, and set forth the plan of salvation, calling on them to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins.

          I also said unto them, “You have often asked the question, ‘Why was your people so abused and compelled to leave their country and homes if they are a law abiding people?’” I answered and said unto them, “What law of the country have I broken since I have been among you? Whose right have I trampled on and who have I injured among you? Yet you want to drive me away from your midst.

          Our people have violated no law, trampled on no man’s rights, nor injured anyone. Yet our persecutors are possessing the same spirit and disposition as yourselves, compelling our people to leave their country and homes regardless of the rights of man or the principles of humanity, saying, ‘We are the law ourselves, and we will execute it ourselves.’”

27

Returning Home

          In that same fall, being 1839, I returned to Kentucky to my family and remained with them during the following winter. In the spring of 1840, I started for Nauvoo but stopped in Carlinville, Macoupin County, Illinois, until the spring of 1841, when I again assembled with those who I had been associated with in the Missouri persecution. I found that all of my property, which was in the care of my brother Tarlton, had been consumed by fire. I was left to start anew for housekeeping with scarcely a change of garments to begin with.

28

Nauvoo

          I lived in Nauvoo for five years. It was a small village when I first went there, but it was built up very fast and was a beautiful place. The Mississippi River ran by it, running almost two-thirds around it. The temple stood on a high, elevated spot about three quarters of a mile from the river.

29

Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum

          I was standing guard at the northeast corner of the temple when the news of the death of Joseph and Hyrum Smith came. The first intelligence of their death came to Nauvoo by George Grant on the night after the occurrence took place in the evening of June the 27th, 1844. 

*Some parts of David’s autobiography have been moved around to fit more cohesively and chronologically.

Lewis, D. (1854). Autobiography. Courtesy of the Church History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Editing and grammar editing by Devin L. McFarlane. 

The following websites were used to retrieve most of the autobiography. These sources were compared with the original source to ensure accuracy. The appropriate changes were made. 

David Lewis and Duritha Trail. Retrieved from http://www.surnames.com/documented_websites/arminta/david_lewis_and_duritha_trail.htm

B, D. David and Duritha (Trail) Lewis. Retrieved from http://ourfamilyheritage.blogspot.com/2011/07/david-and-duritha-trail-lewis.html