Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-10-03
"reminiscences Of Church History

Fifty years ago today, October 81
1860, VIM. II. Folsom, pioneer .archi-
tect and builder, arrived in Salt Lake
City, With his family. consisting of his
wife, Zcrviah, Eliza Clark Folsom. and
ak children, Mrs. Amelia Folsom
Young. Hyrum F., VIM. Burdett, and :
IInman D. Folsom, Mrs. Frances Il. F.
Wallace and Mrs. NJ. Louisa f. Brown.
All of the above children are alive, and
his progeny now number over one hun
dred and forty souls. Mr.. Folsom WAS
born March 25 1915, at Portsmouth,
New Hampshire, and was buried in
this city March "a, 1901. at the age of
Sc years. The cortege was q large one.
and II was the drag Utah which con-
tanned forty-four of his grandchildren
and four great grandchildren.
Mr.. Folsom and wife first heardfthe
Gospel when about twenty-five years
old at Buffalo, N. Y, and were immedi-
ately convinced of its truth. and on
February II, 1S43. in connection with.
the late Enoch and Hannah Reese and
two others, We're baptized by John p.
Green Mrs. Folsom being the first one)
in the Niagara River, cutting hole
In tho ice about six by eight feet with
steps leading down into the water, the
Ice being twenty-eight inches thick.
The following spring he visited Maui
WOO and became acquainted with the
Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother
Hyrum, whom he greatly loved. He
worked n short time on the Nauvoo
temple and received his temple ordi-
nances. Shortly after he was set apart
as n missionary and returned to Buffalo
for his family. During this trip he
did some electioneering for the Prophet
Joseph Smith. whom he was a candidate
for President of the United States. Dur
ing his absence from Nauvoo. Joseph
Smith and his brother Hyrum We're
martyred. On his return to Nauvoo
he and his family were In the turmoil,
death, and destruction rampant at that
place. At the eXpelling of the Saints
from Nauvoo, he was requested to re-
main and as n carpenter stayed and
helped finishing the temple, and on three
occasions shelled an ear of corn and
parched 1t on the stove for his dinner.
On leaving Nauvoo. he was among the
sick Saints camped on tho Mississippi
river bottoms in an almost starving
condition. when the quails visited the
camp night and morning. They were
so thick that small club thrown
among them would kill enough so that
all were supplied with meat for q day.
He and family moved to a village called
Farmington on the Des Moines River.
For n time he made washboards and
clothespins. and his wife made horses
nets, which they sold for food. Dur
| Ing this time the mob occasionally
stoned the residences OF the Saints. One
day when he went up town he was
accosted by drunken mob and asked
| II he was mormon He replied
| that he was, and they put arope around
| his neck and threw 1t over the awning
in front of the store where they We're
| getting their boose. The third time
| he was pulled UP he was left hanging
while they went into the store for more
boose. His eyes took on the death
glare and his tongue stuck out of his
mouth. At this time. he said every
act of his llfe good and bad. passed
before him like panorama, Just
Mt this moment one of the mob. who
had been absent during the hanging,
came on the scene, and being some
what acquainted with him. lifted him
up, took the rope from around his neck
and carried him across the street and
laid him down on the bank of the
Des Moincs river, where in time, he re-
gained his consciousness and started
for home. although In very weak
state. One OF the mobocrats saw him
and took after him and caught hin,
by the coat tail and ripped it up tho
back to tho collar. A. short time after
this he moved to Keotuk. Iowa. and
IN ,lSiJ SHlleN HlpuIltl "a Tic n ttll u "
California. During this voyage of about
five months he was very active in
preaching the Gospel to those on board
tho ship. After a two years stay IN
california, no returned with $4,000
which he made while there.ffH He met
his family in Ohio and visited with his
wife's relations. From there he went
to Buffalo. N. Y.,and visited his. fathers
family and friends. When he concluded
to go home. he went to the dock to buy
tickets on n Boat Which would take
him from Buffalo to Toledo, Ohio, via.
Cleveland, on Lake Erie He took out
his money TO pay for the ticket and
an unknown voice whispered to him,
Don't go on that boat"
He continued to count out his money
and again the voice, in much louder
| tone, said, f"Don't go on that boat" he
| turned to his father and said, II don't
believe I'll take this boat; feel ms
| though l7'would like to visit with you
one day more His father said, II am
| glad of It, i feel that would like to
| visit with you longer as we probably
will}not meet again In this life" The
next morning word N'as received from
Cleveland that the boat had only got
about a half mile from the docks when
| II was run into by another boat and
sunk an al few minutes, and all on board,
| but two, WHut down with thu boat Me