The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-05-29
~ 3 81. q.
ERASTUS SNOW.

when it is learned that Apostle Erastus
Snow is no more. 1t was not generally
known, until few days since, that he
was dangerously ILL., and that his death
was only matter of few days. He
passed away at 7.05 Sunday evening, at
his residence in the Eighteenth Ward,
this city, the immediate cause of his
demise being an affection of the kid
neys, from which he had suffered many
years. He had been i'll but about four
weeks, and when the final moment came
was surrounded by the members of his
family and several friends.
Erastus Snow was born at st. Johns
bury, Caledonia County, Nov ember 9th,
1918, and would have been, therefore. 20
years of age in a few months.
His fathers name was Levi Snow, and
his family were among the early set
tiers of the Massachusetts colony. He
became a member OF the Mormon
Church when he wSs IA years of age,
and was preacher at Is; at l6 he was
ordained 10 the office of priest, and
soon afterwards travelled as a MISSION
airy into the States of New York, New
Hamps hire and Vermont. In April,
1886. he went on mission to Pennsyl-
vania. He was absent little over
eigh ; months, returning to Kirkland
December 10, 1886, in which time he
Travelled 900 miles, preached 220 dis
courses. baptized so persons, and organ
lied several branches of the Church.
he was always jealous worker, and as
a consequence bore his part in
the prosecutions in Missouri; be
was closely identified with all
important movements, and ful-
filled several missions; he was among
the first in the toilsome journey across
the plains, after the evacuation OF
Nauvoo had been decided on. He was
with the Saints in Winter Quarters. OF
the journey from that point TO Salt
Lake with the pioneers, many inter
esting episodes" he said, occurred,
both going and returning, but among
the trying and affecting ones was the
appearance of mountain fever among
US, first attacking +. I. Benson, at our
enc8mpment at the South Pass of the
Rocky Mountains. From one-third to
one half of our company were attacked
with this malady bsfore we reached the
valley of the Great Salt Lake, and among
this number was President Young
l myself had a severe attack. This
affliction detained US, so that, with the
labor on the roads through the Wa
satch Mountains, we were unable to
reach Salt Lake Valley until the 2lst of
July, when Orson Pratt and myself, OF
the working parties, who We're explor-
ing, first emerged into the valley, and
WI ha oil IF hn fr1fr Nv If
Salt Lake, and when we assembled Red
Butte, near the mouth of Emigration
CANYON, and gave Us the first glimpse
of the blue waters of the Great Salt
Lake, we simultaneously swung our
hats and shouted Hosannah! for the
spirit told US that here the Saints
should find rest. After about six weeks
labor here, laying out the city and fort,
blowing and planting Iields, and building
cabins around the Fort Block, started
with the rear camp of the pioneers on
the return trip early in August, and on
the last day of October reached Winter
Quarters (noW Florence, Neb..) where
l had left my family, having been six
weeks without tasting bread. The
sweet Joy Of this meeting was mingled
with deep grief at the loss of dear lit
| tie daughter, Minerva, who had died
| during my absence. Soon after our re-
turn to Winter Quarters there was a
general stir and hustle of getting ready
| for starting with our families for Salt
Lake Valley, and gathering our years
supply of seeds and provisions. Most
of my oxen had perIshsd during the
winter, or bad been eaten up by the In
dams, and was under the necessity of
yoking up my COWS and all my young
stock to work with the few
oxen had left, to haui
the wagon for the journey. travelled
in company with Presidents Young and
Kimball, and had pleasant and agree
able journey, my teams holding out and
my family enjoying good health. In
| the month of September, soon after our
arrival in Salt Lake, l was appointed
one of the Presidency of the Stake, and
during the following winter was called
and ordained into the Quorum of the
Twelve Apostles, together with G. O..
Rich, Lorenzo Snow and f. D. Richards,
these all filing vacancies caused by the
apostacy of Lyman Wight and the
organization of the Quorum of the
First Presidency out of the Quorum of
the Twelve.
This year the Perpstual Emigration
system of emigration inaugurated.
which has so largely contributed to the
gathering of our people and the build.
! ing up of Utah Territory. l was ap-
pointed one of the committee of three
in gathering funds to put into the
hands of Bishop Hunter to send back
to our poor brethren, left on the
Missouri River. AT that time our
settlements extended only to Provo on
the south and Ogden on the north. We
gathered about $1,000. About this time
also, participated in the organizing
of the Provisional Government of the
State of Deseret; and at the semi
| annual conference in October, I was
appointed on mission to Denmark, to
open the door of the gospel to the
Scandinavian people. At thesame time
Elder John Taylor was appointed to
France, Lorenzo Snow to Italy, F. D.
Richards to England, with several
elders accompanying each of US. We
all took our departure from Salt Lake
on the 10Th of October. Our little party
numbered about thirty elders and Mr..
Kinkade, of Livingston & Kinkade.
merchants, bound for st. Louis for
goods.
Meet Of tho ro;zo;onar;as