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I, David Buel Dille, was bom in Euclid, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. I am the son of David and Mary Dille, and was born on 5 Apr. 1812. My father was a Revolutionary War soldier and he drew a pension for it until the day of his death, and my mother drew half pay as long as she lived afterwards.
I first saw Joseph Smith in the village of Newburge, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. He introduced himself as the instrument the Lord had made use of in bringing forth the Book of Mormon. I could not and did not refute it and so, in process of time, I concluded that it was my duty to be baptized. So I and my wife, Harriet Lucretia, were baptized by Elder Bushrod Wilson and the next day I was ordained an Elder under the hands of Elders Wilson and Linsy A. Brady. My first gathering with the saints was at Nauvoo, Illinois in the summer of 1842. I built a small log house and my wife and I and our two children lived in it until the next spring. I then went to work to help build the Temple or House of the Lord, and continued to work thereon until the last stone was cut. I purchased of the church a brick house which is 16 by 18 feet square, one story high. The house was on a good lot on the river bottom and the lot was well furnished with pickets. I sowed part of the lot with millet upon which I pastured my cow. The remainder I used for a garden.
While at Nauvoo in the fall of 1845, my wife, Harriet Lucretia, was very sick and came near dying with fever. At the time she took sick, I was out with Colonel Harmon's company helping to put down the mob that was then burning our brethren's houses, stealing their livestock and driving our people from their homes. On my return, I found my wife so sick that I feared that she was going to die. I ran and got Elders who administered to her, and the chill which we feared would come upon her did not come. She suffered all the time with pains in her stomach. She wished me to get Brigham Young to come and administer to her. I went for President Brigham Young but he said that he could not come. He was having brethren in his office all the time for counsel. But he said he would send his brother, Joseph Young and said "He is a better man than I am and your wife shall get well and shall live to get her endowments in the house of the Lord that is now preparing." Elder Joseph Young and I administered to her and he said that she should get well, but it seemed as though it did but little good as she kept feeling about the same. She could not take any nourishment, and all the time suffered with pain in her stomach. The next day I went and asked Brigham Young to come; he told me that he could not do so but that my wife would get well. On my return, I found her much better and she told me while I was absent that an angel came near the bedside and told her that she would get well and live to get her endowments in the house of the Lord that was now being built.
Night came and the room was dark. I got nearly asleep when my wife touched me and said "There is that angel now." I threw my feet off the bed and sat up. The personage was about four feet from me and the light that shone from its face was above or brighter than the light of the sun. I said to it, "Who are you and what have you come for?" The person answered in a sweet, mild voice, "I am your wife's guardian angel and have come to let you know that she shall get well. and shall live to get her endowments in the House of the Lord that is now preparing." The next thought that came into my mind was that the doors and windows were shut; how did the angel get there by us, and that I would know how when it went away. All I can say is that the light went out and I saw no more of it. But my wife was soon well and she got her endowments in the Temple and bore two children after that.
The last summer was in Nauvoo I worked on the Nauvoo House at quarrying and cutting stone. I got for my summers work a piece of poor beef worth 76 cents only. I then went to work helping to get out oak timber to make wagons for the purpose of moving to the Rocky Mountains. I worked at it four or five months, for which labor I received $18.00. In the winter ending 1845 and commencing in 1846 my wife, Harriet Lucretia Welch, and I got our endowments in the Temple in Nauvoo.
I then enlisted as one of Brigham Young's life guards. I labored for some time helping the saints to ferry their teams across the Mississippi River. Many crossed on the ice. When a large number was over the river, we started westward. Some time we had much mud to wade it through and sometimes snow six inches deep. We crossed the Des Moines River at Farmington,Vanburen County, Iowa. We next came to the Chequest River. We traveled up the river along the south side. We worked for the farmers for corn and hay to feed our stock. We next came to the Shariton River. We stopped there several days and chopped elm and linn trees for our stock to browse upon. Six inches of snow fell upon us at this place. Hard work, poor fare and cold weather, and also much wetness, altogether impaired my health and I received a certificate of release from President Brigham Young to return to Nauvoo.
I went back with Elder John Young. We were 102 miles from Nauvoo. I had five small biscuits for my rations, but not withstanding this very small allowance, I had plenty and my health improved all the way going back to Nauvoo. I stayed in Nauvoo until after the April conference. I then went to President Orson Hyde for counsel. He told me to start on the way and follow the camp of the saints even if I could do no more or get no farther than across the river. I sold a saddle and bought some cotton sheeting with which we made a tent. I sold nothing that I had in Nauvoo. I had one cow, no wagon, no team, and but very little provisions, but in this situation we started. We crossed the Mississippi River, pitched our tent and camped for the night. The next day a man and his brother, who lived up the river five or six miles above Montrose, and who had been to Montrose to market, had a wagon, and yoke of oxen, and he invited me to get in his wagon and come with him to his house. We did so and I worked for him for five or six days. He and his brother had come to the Des Moines River to mill so he took us in his wagon and brought us up to Bonaparte, a little village on the Des Moines River about 25 miles from Nauvoo.
With a number of other saints, I got ferried over the river and on that same day we went west about 1 1/2 miles to Mr. Bradford's farm. I worked for him several days, helping him put in his spring crop. I then got a job in company with a Brother Permency Woodworth to build a frame barn for the sum of $130. Woodworth worked a few days with me on the barn and then left to follow after the saints, and I had to finish the barn alone. My family and I stayed in Iowa four years. During the time we were there I laid rock, manufactured tombstones, and the last summer I was there I had the overseeing of the quarrying and cutting of the stone to a ship lock in the Des Moines River at Bentonsport, and the last winter I was there I manufactured tombstones all the time.
I started from Bentonsport, Iowa, in the spring of 1850. I brought a widow woman and her three children with us — two sons and a daughter. I came with a good outfit. I had two wagons, three yoke of oxen and four cows, one good mare, plenty of clothing and provisions. Twenty four miles this side of Missouri, my wife Harriet died with the cholera. Our company buried eight in the same place. I then married the widow woman I spoke of who's name was Louisa Dolfamire; her maiden name was Louisa Hort. The wedding ceremony was performed by Elder Jonathon O.
Dune. Louisa did not prove true to me. Also Harriet Lucretia's youngest daughter, Mary, died not far from Fort Bridger, Wyoming.
We got to Salt Lake City in good season. I worked for the Church a few weeks laying stone. We then came to Ogden where the brethren built a fort. I built a log house and we lived in it during the winter. We also built a log school there. Soon after the house was completed, President Young, Heber C. Kimball, Jedediah M. Grant and some of the Twelve came here and organized a stake with Lorin Farr, President, C. R. Dana and David Buel Dille as his counselors, and Isaac Clark as Bishop.
In August 1851, I was elected one among others as a Representative of Weber County. At the April Conference of 1852, I was called to go on a mission to Europe. I did not go until the spring of 1853. I bought a farm of 40 acres and a log house from Brother Phillip Garner, for which I gave $250.00. In the spring of 1853, I with others started on our mission. C. R. Dana, Willard G. McMullin and myself got up a team together. McMullin furnished the carriage, Elder Dana one mule and David Buel Dille one mule and all the harness. We had a good time crossing the plains.
At Council Bluffs, I sold my mule for $40.00 and gave the harness, my overcoat etc. to a poor brother and with some others took the stage for St. Joseph, Missouri, and then went by steamboat and rail train to Euclid, Ohio, the place where I was born and raised. I had four half brothers and two sisters living there and a half brother living in Menton, 16 miles from there, all of them being rich. I was foolish enough to think or believe that they would give me money enough to pay my fare to Europe; One sister gave me a pair of socks and a brother 50 cents, and his wife gave me 25 cents.
After staying with them two weeks, I went to Kirtland, 13 miles east from Euclid and made a visit to Martin Harris who lived two miles east of Kirtland. He was then an apostate and very bitter against the Church. He was at the time in bed and had refused to admit anyone into
his room for three days, but he allowed me to come in. His good wife introduced me to him; he received me very coldly but told me to take a seat. I obeyed, and after a short pause, he said to me, "How are they getting along at Salt Lake?" I answered, "Fine, delightful." This was unwelcome news. He next said, "How are they getting along with polygamy'?" I said to him that those who were practicing it were very comfortable. I then said, "How do you reconcile polygamy with the doctrine taught by one of the old prophets?" He spoke of a time when everyone shall have a mate. I said to him, "Mr. Harris, if necessary, it may take what you call polygamy to fulfill that prophecy." He then said to me, "Who so, why so?" I answered, "There are more females born into the world than there are males, and besides, the many thousands of young men slain in battle, leaving the ladies without a mate." After a little I reflection, he said, "lt may be so, but I never thought of it in that light before." He then called to his wife and asked her to come in. He then told her that he wanted some breakfast.
Turning to me he said, "I have not eaten anything for three days, but the old Spirit of Mormonism has cured me," but said, "You have not brought it." He told his wife what to cook for him, and then turned to me and said, "You have brought the old Spirit of Mormonism here, and it has cured me, and you must stay with me all day." I told him that I could not for I must visit Brother Whiting that afternoon. "Well," he said, stay till noon and we will get you a good dinner and I will go with you." I said, "You can't, you are sick." He sprang out of bed and began to dress himself and said to me, "Do I not know that the Book of Mormon is true? Did I not hear the voice of God out of Heaven declaring that it was truth and correctly translated? Yes, I did and you know I did for I see that you have the Spirit of it. That evening I preached in a house that Hyrum Smith had built. Harris was there to hear me. After coming out of the house he said to me, "Just let me go with you to England, I see you can preach. You do the preaching and I will bear testimony to the Book of Mormon and we will convert all England I said to him, "You cannot go; you are too crooked." He said, "Will I ever be any straighter?" I told him to go to Salt Lake and get straightened up and then, I he could go. He then said "I have a good farm. I will advertise it for sale immediately and when you get back, you will find me there." He later went to Salt Lake, regained his Church membership and died in Cache Valley.
I will now record some remarkable dreams that I have had. About the time the Church was organized, I dreamed that I had the oversight of building a temple on my father's farm in Euclid, Ohio, the material of which was white marble. Not long after that I dreamed the same dream, only I quarried the marble a little nearer to the Temple. The dream had such an effect upon me that I went to my brother, Samuel Dille, and hired myself to him to work six months and learn to cut stone. I labored hard for six months for $50.00. After the six months were ended, I got good wages.
And again in the month of May 1846, I dreamed that I was at my brother Lewis's house in the township of Menton, Geauga County, Ohio. I ate my breakfast and then started to walk to Euclid, a distance of 16 miles. I had reached the road where I met my father. He asked me if I was going to Euclid; I told him that I was. He then said to me, "We will walk together." We went a distance of six miles and came to the Shagnun River. We made a halt upon the bridge; I looked across and saw a path leading down to the river. I said, "Father, I am very dry. Let us go down that path and get a drink." He said to me, "I am dry, too, but that water is not fit to drink. See the sun shines on it and it is warm. I will have good water or none. Let us go into the Presbyterian church on the left hand side and see if we can get something good to drink there." I then looked to the right and over Lake Erie I saw a large city, the houses were made of bamboo. I said to father, "What does that mean, I never saw it before." He said to me, "Son, you are now in the Spirit world and see things as they do exist. That city represents the heathen nations." Then it occurred to me that father was dead and I will learn something from him. We went to the Presbyterians and father asked for a drink. A young man brought some to us; it looked much like clabbered milk and water and it steamed with warmth. Father said, "That is not fit to drink, we will try the Methodists." We met with; the same reception and just such drink was offered us. Father said, "We will try the Baptists." They offered us a drink of the same kind, but a little improved. I thought that I would wet my lips with it. Father spoke sharply to me and said, "Did I not say that I would have good or none?" We went out into the street and father said to me, "We will just cross the street to the honorable men of the earth" There was a very large mansion which faced to the east; there was a porch on the east. At the north end of the porch four men sat at the table
playing cards. As we came near to them, one rose up, shook hands with my father, called him "David", and father called him "George." Father introduced me to him, calling him George Washington, and to another calling him, Thomas Jefferson, and two more of the great men of that day or age. Father said to Washington, "My son and myself are very dry. We have been to the Presbyterians, Methodists, and Baptists to get a drink and found nothing fit to drink" George then ordered some water to be brought. Some was brought in a large pitcher and set on the table. George then said to father, "David, you and your son will have I some wine, won't you?" Father answered, "I don't care if we do." Some was brought and set on the table and we drank. We then took seats. I looked west into a large hall; tables were there and everything good to eat was being put on them, except flesh meat was on them. George said to my father, "You and your son will stay and have some supper with us, won't you?" Father said he would. George said, "Our supper will be ready about four o'clock." I saw a large clock and it then was just half past two PM. My father said to him, "My son is a stranger here. I will take him out and show him the country." George told him to be back in time, "For" said he, "we are very precise here." Father said he would. We went out into the road and walked a short distance westward and I beheld the grandest sight that ever I had seen. I shouted for joy and said, "Father, Father, what is that, what is that?" He said to me, "Son, have you not read in John's Apocalypse of the City New Jerusalem that is to come down from God out of the Heavens?" I answered, "Yes". He then said, "That is it." I said to him, "Let us go there." He said, "You can go but I cannot for you have not been baptized for me." At that time I did not go back to get the supper, but went a little ways into the city and its beauty cannot be described by man.
I went from Kirtland to the township of Nenton, Geauga County, Ohio, to visit my half brother, Lewis. I was there four days. I then took passage by train to New York City, • arrived there about 8:06 AM and went to an eating house for my breakfast where I had but the plainest food. A young man came in and called for a plate. He sat at the opposite end of the table where I was seated. He said to me, "You are from the west, ain't you." I said that I was. He asked where I was from and I replied that I was from Ohio, (having stopped in Ohio, for a short time.) He said, "Are you not from further west? I said, "Yes, I am from Utah, and I am now on my way to England to preach the Gospel." He said, "I thought so. Now, I want you to go to a place called Cream Ridge in the state of New Jersey and see Peter Wycuft. He is one of your people and he will give anything in the world to see you." I told him that I would go there. He gave me directions how to go, the distance was about 80 miles. If On the way I preached in a little village called Centerville, then to Peter Wycuft's. He received me very kindly. From there I went to Harristown, a small branch of Saints were there and I preached to them several times. Here I heard of several of the Elders that had crossed the plains with me. Being in Philadelphia, I went to see them, among which was McCallister, P. C. Merril and others. I spoke to the Saints in this city. After the meeting was I dismissed, a number of ladies came to me and talked and shook hands. Twelve of them put a gold dollar into my hand and one 75 cents in silver. At this place, we, the Elders, held a council, and it was agreed amongst us that Brother Merril should go to the west part of the state of New York and visit some relatives, McCalister and Henry Phelps to the state of Delaware, David Buel Dille and Reed to the state of New Jersey, James Carigan to stay in the Philadelphia City and all return to this place in time to ship for Liverpool on the steamship City of Glasgow, October the 8th, 1853.
Elder Reed and I went to New Jersey, had a good time and were back in Philadelphia in time to take the ship. We had a good passage, and in about eleven days we landed in I Liverpool. I was appointed to labor in the Liverpool Conference under Pastor J. S. Fullmer where I labored for a few weeks. I was then sent to the Manchester Conference and met Elder Perrigrine Sessions, who was very sick. He was released to return home and I was appointed to take his place as President of the Conference. I remained there 14 months.
I had a good time in the Manchester Conference - very many good Saints here, about 3,000 in all. The Saints have treated me better than I deserved. I baptized a good many in this place. From this position, I was promoted to be the Pastor over the Worchestershire and Cheltenham Conferences. One year later, the Herefordshire Conference was added to my care. I remained in this position for two years and found many excellent Saints in these three Conferences, and they treated me well and I prayed for God to bless them, and help them to come to Zion.
I had some excellent Elders to assist me. Among the many good ones I mention Nathan T. Paters, John Kellog, Thomas Russel and Elder Neslin. The Saints here, like those in the Manchester Conference, treated me much better than I deserved. I have lectured many times on the mission of Joseph Smith and in doing so I have been blessed with much of the good spirit and thank the Lord for it. The Saints in these Conferences gave me $2.12 to buy me a gold watch. About the year 1881 I gave the watch to Bishop Nickols of Brigham City as a Temple offering, besides at one time beef cattle worth $99.00, and offtimes $10.00, or $5.00 and sometimes $25.00, also $20.00. I gave 50 cents a month in money to build the Temple in Salt Lake City - my mistake, the Logan Temple and helped build the Salt Lake Temple until, it was finished. I gave my whole kit of cutter's tools worth $75.00, and I paid my tithing all the time up to this date. It now being 19 June 1886.
I began to pay tithing in the year of 1843 and I know that I am none the poorer for it, and I would advise all Saints not to rob the Lord in tithes nor in offerings, but to bring all into the storehouse of the Lord. I have and acknowledge the hand of the Lord in time of distress and affliction of all sorts; also in prosperity being blessed with plenty of the comforts of life, food, clothing and plenty of money to purchase more. I have passed through all such days and time and now I will here say to all who claim to be Saints, "Obey Counsel, and under all circumstances first seek the kingdom of Heaven and its righteousness. Having done all this, then all things necessary will be added unto you. Do as our father Abraham, do no other things than what the Lord commands you to do and with all keep the Word of Wisdom.
Yes, keep all of the commandments and do not neglect to pray. Also love your wives, love your children, educate them and again read the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, obey the counsel and instructions therein given. And now I will here say that no one can understand the scriptures except they have a portion of the Spirit by which it was given or written and I would advise all and every Saint, both male and female, to do the work in the Temple for our dead, for if we do not do it they will drag us down to hell as it were. Again another word of advice I have to give is this: never speak evil of the Lord's Anointed. Also honor thy father and mother. Do good to all and love thy neighbor as thyself, and always remember that the principle of Celestial Marriage is true and that there is no exaltation without it. Feed the hungry, cloth the naked, visit the sick, comfort the afflicted, and cease to be idle, help to gather the poor Saints to Zion, for with all this must and will be done, for the Lord has spoken it. This the people that the world calls Mormons is the little stone that Daniel, the prophet, spoke of. He said that he saw a little stone cut out of the mountains without hands and it began to roll and filled the whole earth and all the powers of earth and hell cannot stop it. Never forget that this is the work and kingdom of God and I advise all to seek for the Spirit of, it. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled. Ask in faith, nothing doubting, and you shall receive. Thank the Lord, yes, thank the Lord that he has restored to the earth the fullness of the everlasting gospel and with it the Holy Priesthood.
I will now return to my recording the things that I have seen, also the things that I have done. I will commence where I left off on page 68. I continued to work at stone cutting in the summer and in the winter I worked at cloth dyeing, fully dyeing and finishing the cloth. I continued at this until the spring of 1835. I then came west to Illinois. I had a large farm there. I also taught school there in the winter of 1835/1836. In the spring of 1836 I went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, intending to speculate in land. The next fall I went back to Ohio and from there to the City of New York, then to Philadelphia and then traveled over the Allegheny Mountains to Ohio. All the way I traveled by the stage.
When I got to Ohio I got married to Harriet Lucretia Welch, daughter of Vine and Esther Cogswell Welch. I then bought a wagon and large span of horses and came back to my farm in Illinois; and from there I moved to Lake County. My mother was with me and my first two children were born there. I had a good farm there, but neither my wife nor were content there. I sold out and went back to Ohio, taking my mother and my youngest brother with me. Also, my wife and our two sons, Israel G. and Arvis Chaplin Dille. All, together, we were six in number. I left my mother and brother in her house that father had built the year he died in 1834.
I then took my family and went to New Orleans, Louisiana, and from there we came up the Gulsta River to Munro. Stayed there a short time, but the spirit of discontent was still with us. We then came back up the Mississippi River and the Ohio River as far as Paducah, Kentucky. I split rails for my bread and bacon and built a log house to live in during that summer. I taught school the next winter, built another log house and I doctored some. When spring came, I bought a good farm, built a log house on it and the next fall I sold out and we came to Nauvoo. And by all these movements and doings, I have found out why we were not content to do well some other place. When we got to Nauvoo among the Saints, we were content and we stayed there until we were driven away by the edict of Governor Ford in the year of 1846.
When we left Nauvoo we brought with us one good cow, and that was all the stock we I had. We came to Bentonsport, a little village on the Des Moines River, Van Buren County, Iowa. We stayed here four years and come away with a good outfit, two wagons, three yoke of oxen, and one good mare. We left Iowa in the Spring of 1850. My wife Harriet died the second day`s travel west from the Missouri River. We buried her without a coffin with Temple garments on her body. I then married a widow woman that 1 had brought with me from Bentonsport. She had three children, two sons, one daughter. This widow woman did not prove true to me for she left me. But before she left, I had had Elizabeth Wood sealed to me. She has borne me four sons and two daughters. Elizabeth’s oldest son and youngest and daughter are dead. This is now June 1886 at Warm Creek.
In summary, David BuelDi1le was born on 5 Apr 1812 in Euclid, Cuyahoga, Ohio, the son of David Dille -and Mary Sailor. His first wife was Harriet Lucretia Welch, who was born 23 Oct. 1820 in Shellerville, Portage County, Ohio. She died of Cholera on the plains, 24 miles west of the Missouri River, as they were going to Utah in 1850. The company with which they were traveling buried eight in the same place. Harriet, was buried in her temple garments, but without a coffin. Three of her small children died on the plains, too, the last one near Ft. Bridger, Wyoming. Her oldest son, Israel, died the following spring from eating poison parsnips and his was the first grave in Ogden. The officers of the wagon train advised David to marry the widow Louise as she was taking care of his children and he had to look after her. Hence, his second wife was Louisa Hort Jenkins Dofflemier Holbrook, who left him shortly after their marriage. She had three children and was a widow whom David was taking to Zion with him at the time of his first wife‘s death. David then married Susan Elizabeth Baley, though he says nothing about her in his memoirs. According to his writings, he married Elizabeth Wood, by whom he had children after Louisa left him. Records show that he was also married to Minewa Stowell as his fifth wife. David Buel Di1le died on 1 Jan. 1887 in Neeley, Bannock County, Idaho and was buried on 5 Jan. 1887 in the cemetery at Neeley, Bannock County, Idaho.
His children by Harriet Lucretia Welch were:
1) Israel G. Dille, borm 19 Feb. 1838, in Cayuga, Parke County, IN.
2) Arvis Chaplin Dille, hom 26 Oct. 1839, in Cayuga, Parke County, IN.
3) Lehi Dille, born 30 Oct. 1841 in Nauvoo, Hancock County, IL.
4) Joseph Smith Dille, born 4 May 1843 in Nauvoo, Hancock County, IL.
5) Ruth Caroline Dille, born 11 Jan. 1846 in Bentonsport, IA.
6) Mary Smith Dille, born 1849, died same day, in Bentonsport, IA.
This information was found on FamilySearch.
Provided by researcher Capt (#47510447)∼Married: 16 March 1837 to Harriett Lucretia Welch in Euclid, Cuyahoga, Ohio she died 1850 while crossing the plains.
Married: 1850 to Louisa Hoyt Jenkins they were later divorced
Married: Elizabeth Wood
Married: 23 September 1858 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah to Minerva Stowell
I, David Buel Dille, was bom in Euclid, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. I am the son of David and Mary Dille, and was born on 5 Apr. 1812. My father was a Revolutionary War soldier and he drew a pension for it until the day of his death, and my mother drew half pay as long as she lived afterwards.
I first saw Joseph Smith in the village of Newburge, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. He introduced himself as the instrument the Lord had made use of in bringing forth the Book of Mormon. I could not and did not refute it and so, in process of time, I concluded that it was my duty to be baptized. So I and my wife, Harriet Lucretia, were baptized by Elder Bushrod Wilson and the next day I was ordained an Elder under the hands of Elders Wilson and Linsy A. Brady. My first gathering with the saints was at Nauvoo, Illinois in the summer of 1842. I built a small log house and my wife and I and our two children lived in it until the next spring. I then went to work to help build the Temple or House of the Lord, and continued to work thereon until the last stone was cut. I purchased of the church a brick house which is 16 by 18 feet square, one story high. The house was on a good lot on the river bottom and the lot was well furnished with pickets. I sowed part of the lot with millet upon which I pastured my cow. The remainder I used for a garden.
While at Nauvoo in the fall of 1845, my wife, Harriet Lucretia, was very sick and came near dying with fever. At the time she took sick, I was out with Colonel Harmon's company helping to put down the mob that was then burning our brethren's houses, stealing their livestock and driving our people from their homes. On my return, I found my wife so sick that I feared that she was going to die. I ran and got Elders who administered to her, and the chill which we feared would come upon her did not come. She suffered all the time with pains in her stomach. She wished me to get Brigham Young to come and administer to her. I went for President Brigham Young but he said that he could not come. He was having brethren in his office all the time for counsel. But he said he would send his brother, Joseph Young and said "He is a better man than I am and your wife shall get well and shall live to get her endowments in the house of the Lord that is now preparing." Elder Joseph Young and I administered to her and he said that she should get well, but it seemed as though it did but little good as she kept feeling about the same. She could not take any nourishment, and all the time suffered with pain in her stomach. The next day I went and asked Brigham Young to come; he told me that he could not do so but that my wife would get well. On my return, I found her much better and she told me while I was absent that an angel came near the bedside and told her that she would get well and live to get her endowments in the house of the Lord that was now being built.
Night came and the room was dark. I got nearly asleep when my wife touched me and said "There is that angel now." I threw my feet off the bed and sat up. The personage was about four feet from me and the light that shone from its face was above or brighter than the light of the sun. I said to it, "Who are you and what have you come for?" The person answered in a sweet, mild voice, "I am your wife's guardian angel and have come to let you know that she shall get well. and shall live to get her endowments in the House of the Lord that is now preparing." The next thought that came into my mind was that the doors and windows were shut; how did the angel get there by us, and that I would know how when it went away. All I can say is that the light went out and I saw no more of it. But my wife was soon well and she got her endowments in the Temple and bore two children after that.
The last summer was in Nauvoo I worked on the Nauvoo House at quarrying and cutting stone. I got for my summers work a piece of poor beef worth 76 cents only. I then went to work helping to get out oak timber to make wagons for the purpose of moving to the Rocky Mountains. I worked at it four or five months, for which labor I received $18.00. In the winter ending 1845 and commencing in 1846 my wife, Harriet Lucretia Welch, and I got our endowments in the Temple in Nauvoo.
I then enlisted as one of Brigham Young's life guards. I labored for some time helping the saints to ferry their teams across the Mississippi River. Many crossed on the ice. When a large number was over the river, we started westward. Some time we had much mud to wade it through and sometimes snow six inches deep. We crossed the Des Moines River at Farmington,Vanburen County, Iowa. We next came to the Chequest River. We traveled up the river along the south side. We worked for the farmers for corn and hay to feed our stock. We next came to the Shariton River. We stopped there several days and chopped elm and linn trees for our stock to browse upon. Six inches of snow fell upon us at this place. Hard work, poor fare and cold weather, and also much wetness, altogether impaired my health and I received a certificate of release from President Brigham Young to return to Nauvoo.
I went back with Elder John Young. We were 102 miles from Nauvoo. I had five small biscuits for my rations, but not withstanding this very small allowance, I had plenty and my health improved all the way going back to Nauvoo. I stayed in Nauvoo until after the April conference. I then went to President Orson Hyde for counsel. He told me to start on the way and follow the camp of the saints even if I could do no more or get no farther than across the river. I sold a saddle and bought some cotton sheeting with which we made a tent. I sold nothing that I had in Nauvoo. I had one cow, no wagon, no team, and but very little provisions, but in this situation we started. We crossed the Mississippi River, pitched our tent and camped for the night. The next day a man and his brother, who lived up the river five or six miles above Montrose, and who had been to Montrose to market, had a wagon, and yoke of oxen, and he invited me to get in his wagon and come with him to his house. We did so and I worked for him for five or six days. He and his brother had come to the Des Moines River to mill so he took us in his wagon and brought us up to Bonaparte, a little village on the Des Moines River about 25 miles from Nauvoo.
With a number of other saints, I got ferried over the river and on that same day we went west about 1 1/2 miles to Mr. Bradford's farm. I worked for him several days, helping him put in his spring crop. I then got a job in company with a Brother Permency Woodworth to build a frame barn for the sum of $130. Woodworth worked a few days with me on the barn and then left to follow after the saints, and I had to finish the barn alone. My family and I stayed in Iowa four years. During the time we were there I laid rock, manufactured tombstones, and the last summer I was there I had the overseeing of the quarrying and cutting of the stone to a ship lock in the Des Moines River at Bentonsport, and the last winter I was there I manufactured tombstones all the time.
I started from Bentonsport, Iowa, in the spring of 1850. I brought a widow woman and her three children with us — two sons and a daughter. I came with a good outfit. I had two wagons, three yoke of oxen and four cows, one good mare, plenty of clothing and provisions. Twenty four miles this side of Missouri, my wife Harriet died with the cholera. Our company buried eight in the same place. I then married the widow woman I spoke of who's name was Louisa Dolfamire; her maiden name was Louisa Hort. The wedding ceremony was performed by Elder Jonathon O.
Dune. Louisa did not prove true to me. Also Harriet Lucretia's youngest daughter, Mary, died not far from Fort Bridger, Wyoming.
We got to Salt Lake City in good season. I worked for the Church a few weeks laying stone. We then came to Ogden where the brethren built a fort. I built a log house and we lived in it during the winter. We also built a log school there. Soon after the house was completed, President Young, Heber C. Kimball, Jedediah M. Grant and some of the Twelve came here and organized a stake with Lorin Farr, President, C. R. Dana and David Buel Dille as his counselors, and Isaac Clark as Bishop.
In August 1851, I was elected one among others as a Representative of Weber County. At the April Conference of 1852, I was called to go on a mission to Europe. I did not go until the spring of 1853. I bought a farm of 40 acres and a log house from Brother Phillip Garner, for which I gave $250.00. In the spring of 1853, I with others started on our mission. C. R. Dana, Willard G. McMullin and myself got up a team together. McMullin furnished the carriage, Elder Dana one mule and David Buel Dille one mule and all the harness. We had a good time crossing the plains.
At Council Bluffs, I sold my mule for $40.00 and gave the harness, my overcoat etc. to a poor brother and with some others took the stage for St. Joseph, Missouri, and then went by steamboat and rail train to Euclid, Ohio, the place where I was born and raised. I had four half brothers and two sisters living there and a half brother living in Menton, 16 miles from there, all of them being rich. I was foolish enough to think or believe that they would give me money enough to pay my fare to Europe; One sister gave me a pair of socks and a brother 50 cents, and his wife gave me 25 cents.
After staying with them two weeks, I went to Kirtland, 13 miles east from Euclid and made a visit to Martin Harris who lived two miles east of Kirtland. He was then an apostate and very bitter against the Church. He was at the time in bed and had refused to admit anyone into
his room for three days, but he allowed me to come in. His good wife introduced me to him; he received me very coldly but told me to take a seat. I obeyed, and after a short pause, he said to me, "How are they getting along at Salt Lake?" I answered, "Fine, delightful." This was unwelcome news. He next said, "How are they getting along with polygamy'?" I said to him that those who were practicing it were very comfortable. I then said, "How do you reconcile polygamy with the doctrine taught by one of the old prophets?" He spoke of a time when everyone shall have a mate. I said to him, "Mr. Harris, if necessary, it may take what you call polygamy to fulfill that prophecy." He then said to me, "Who so, why so?" I answered, "There are more females born into the world than there are males, and besides, the many thousands of young men slain in battle, leaving the ladies without a mate." After a little I reflection, he said, "lt may be so, but I never thought of it in that light before." He then called to his wife and asked her to come in. He then told her that he wanted some breakfast.
Turning to me he said, "I have not eaten anything for three days, but the old Spirit of Mormonism has cured me," but said, "You have not brought it." He told his wife what to cook for him, and then turned to me and said, "You have brought the old Spirit of Mormonism here, and it has cured me, and you must stay with me all day." I told him that I could not for I must visit Brother Whiting that afternoon. "Well," he said, stay till noon and we will get you a good dinner and I will go with you." I said, "You can't, you are sick." He sprang out of bed and began to dress himself and said to me, "Do I not know that the Book of Mormon is true? Did I not hear the voice of God out of Heaven declaring that it was truth and correctly translated? Yes, I did and you know I did for I see that you have the Spirit of it. That evening I preached in a house that Hyrum Smith had built. Harris was there to hear me. After coming out of the house he said to me, "Just let me go with you to England, I see you can preach. You do the preaching and I will bear testimony to the Book of Mormon and we will convert all England I said to him, "You cannot go; you are too crooked." He said, "Will I ever be any straighter?" I told him to go to Salt Lake and get straightened up and then, I he could go. He then said "I have a good farm. I will advertise it for sale immediately and when you get back, you will find me there." He later went to Salt Lake, regained his Church membership and died in Cache Valley.
I will now record some remarkable dreams that I have had. About the time the Church was organized, I dreamed that I had the oversight of building a temple on my father's farm in Euclid, Ohio, the material of which was white marble. Not long after that I dreamed the same dream, only I quarried the marble a little nearer to the Temple. The dream had such an effect upon me that I went to my brother, Samuel Dille, and hired myself to him to work six months and learn to cut stone. I labored hard for six months for $50.00. After the six months were ended, I got good wages.
And again in the month of May 1846, I dreamed that I was at my brother Lewis's house in the township of Menton, Geauga County, Ohio. I ate my breakfast and then started to walk to Euclid, a distance of 16 miles. I had reached the road where I met my father. He asked me if I was going to Euclid; I told him that I was. He then said to me, "We will walk together." We went a distance of six miles and came to the Shagnun River. We made a halt upon the bridge; I looked across and saw a path leading down to the river. I said, "Father, I am very dry. Let us go down that path and get a drink." He said to me, "I am dry, too, but that water is not fit to drink. See the sun shines on it and it is warm. I will have good water or none. Let us go into the Presbyterian church on the left hand side and see if we can get something good to drink there." I then looked to the right and over Lake Erie I saw a large city, the houses were made of bamboo. I said to father, "What does that mean, I never saw it before." He said to me, "Son, you are now in the Spirit world and see things as they do exist. That city represents the heathen nations." Then it occurred to me that father was dead and I will learn something from him. We went to the Presbyterians and father asked for a drink. A young man brought some to us; it looked much like clabbered milk and water and it steamed with warmth. Father said, "That is not fit to drink, we will try the Methodists." We met with; the same reception and just such drink was offered us. Father said, "We will try the Baptists." They offered us a drink of the same kind, but a little improved. I thought that I would wet my lips with it. Father spoke sharply to me and said, "Did I not say that I would have good or none?" We went out into the street and father said to me, "We will just cross the street to the honorable men of the earth" There was a very large mansion which faced to the east; there was a porch on the east. At the north end of the porch four men sat at the table
playing cards. As we came near to them, one rose up, shook hands with my father, called him "David", and father called him "George." Father introduced me to him, calling him George Washington, and to another calling him, Thomas Jefferson, and two more of the great men of that day or age. Father said to Washington, "My son and myself are very dry. We have been to the Presbyterians, Methodists, and Baptists to get a drink and found nothing fit to drink" George then ordered some water to be brought. Some was brought in a large pitcher and set on the table. George then said to father, "David, you and your son will have I some wine, won't you?" Father answered, "I don't care if we do." Some was brought and set on the table and we drank. We then took seats. I looked west into a large hall; tables were there and everything good to eat was being put on them, except flesh meat was on them. George said to my father, "You and your son will stay and have some supper with us, won't you?" Father said he would. George said, "Our supper will be ready about four o'clock." I saw a large clock and it then was just half past two PM. My father said to him, "My son is a stranger here. I will take him out and show him the country." George told him to be back in time, "For" said he, "we are very precise here." Father said he would. We went out into the road and walked a short distance westward and I beheld the grandest sight that ever I had seen. I shouted for joy and said, "Father, Father, what is that, what is that?" He said to me, "Son, have you not read in John's Apocalypse of the City New Jerusalem that is to come down from God out of the Heavens?" I answered, "Yes". He then said, "That is it." I said to him, "Let us go there." He said, "You can go but I cannot for you have not been baptized for me." At that time I did not go back to get the supper, but went a little ways into the city and its beauty cannot be described by man.
I went from Kirtland to the township of Nenton, Geauga County, Ohio, to visit my half brother, Lewis. I was there four days. I then took passage by train to New York City, • arrived there about 8:06 AM and went to an eating house for my breakfast where I had but the plainest food. A young man came in and called for a plate. He sat at the opposite end of the table where I was seated. He said to me, "You are from the west, ain't you." I said that I was. He asked where I was from and I replied that I was from Ohio, (having stopped in Ohio, for a short time.) He said, "Are you not from further west? I said, "Yes, I am from Utah, and I am now on my way to England to preach the Gospel." He said, "I thought so. Now, I want you to go to a place called Cream Ridge in the state of New Jersey and see Peter Wycuft. He is one of your people and he will give anything in the world to see you." I told him that I would go there. He gave me directions how to go, the distance was about 80 miles. If On the way I preached in a little village called Centerville, then to Peter Wycuft's. He received me very kindly. From there I went to Harristown, a small branch of Saints were there and I preached to them several times. Here I heard of several of the Elders that had crossed the plains with me. Being in Philadelphia, I went to see them, among which was McCallister, P. C. Merril and others. I spoke to the Saints in this city. After the meeting was I dismissed, a number of ladies came to me and talked and shook hands. Twelve of them put a gold dollar into my hand and one 75 cents in silver. At this place, we, the Elders, held a council, and it was agreed amongst us that Brother Merril should go to the west part of the state of New York and visit some relatives, McCalister and Henry Phelps to the state of Delaware, David Buel Dille and Reed to the state of New Jersey, James Carigan to stay in the Philadelphia City and all return to this place in time to ship for Liverpool on the steamship City of Glasgow, October the 8th, 1853.
Elder Reed and I went to New Jersey, had a good time and were back in Philadelphia in time to take the ship. We had a good passage, and in about eleven days we landed in I Liverpool. I was appointed to labor in the Liverpool Conference under Pastor J. S. Fullmer where I labored for a few weeks. I was then sent to the Manchester Conference and met Elder Perrigrine Sessions, who was very sick. He was released to return home and I was appointed to take his place as President of the Conference. I remained there 14 months.
I had a good time in the Manchester Conference - very many good Saints here, about 3,000 in all. The Saints have treated me better than I deserved. I baptized a good many in this place. From this position, I was promoted to be the Pastor over the Worchestershire and Cheltenham Conferences. One year later, the Herefordshire Conference was added to my care. I remained in this position for two years and found many excellent Saints in these three Conferences, and they treated me well and I prayed for God to bless them, and help them to come to Zion.
I had some excellent Elders to assist me. Among the many good ones I mention Nathan T. Paters, John Kellog, Thomas Russel and Elder Neslin. The Saints here, like those in the Manchester Conference, treated me much better than I deserved. I have lectured many times on the mission of Joseph Smith and in doing so I have been blessed with much of the good spirit and thank the Lord for it. The Saints in these Conferences gave me $2.12 to buy me a gold watch. About the year 1881 I gave the watch to Bishop Nickols of Brigham City as a Temple offering, besides at one time beef cattle worth $99.00, and offtimes $10.00, or $5.00 and sometimes $25.00, also $20.00. I gave 50 cents a month in money to build the Temple in Salt Lake City - my mistake, the Logan Temple and helped build the Salt Lake Temple until, it was finished. I gave my whole kit of cutter's tools worth $75.00, and I paid my tithing all the time up to this date. It now being 19 June 1886.
I began to pay tithing in the year of 1843 and I know that I am none the poorer for it, and I would advise all Saints not to rob the Lord in tithes nor in offerings, but to bring all into the storehouse of the Lord. I have and acknowledge the hand of the Lord in time of distress and affliction of all sorts; also in prosperity being blessed with plenty of the comforts of life, food, clothing and plenty of money to purchase more. I have passed through all such days and time and now I will here say to all who claim to be Saints, "Obey Counsel, and under all circumstances first seek the kingdom of Heaven and its righteousness. Having done all this, then all things necessary will be added unto you. Do as our father Abraham, do no other things than what the Lord commands you to do and with all keep the Word of Wisdom.
Yes, keep all of the commandments and do not neglect to pray. Also love your wives, love your children, educate them and again read the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, obey the counsel and instructions therein given. And now I will here say that no one can understand the scriptures except they have a portion of the Spirit by which it was given or written and I would advise all and every Saint, both male and female, to do the work in the Temple for our dead, for if we do not do it they will drag us down to hell as it were. Again another word of advice I have to give is this: never speak evil of the Lord's Anointed. Also honor thy father and mother. Do good to all and love thy neighbor as thyself, and always remember that the principle of Celestial Marriage is true and that there is no exaltation without it. Feed the hungry, cloth the naked, visit the sick, comfort the afflicted, and cease to be idle, help to gather the poor Saints to Zion, for with all this must and will be done, for the Lord has spoken it. This the people that the world calls Mormons is the little stone that Daniel, the prophet, spoke of. He said that he saw a little stone cut out of the mountains without hands and it began to roll and filled the whole earth and all the powers of earth and hell cannot stop it. Never forget that this is the work and kingdom of God and I advise all to seek for the Spirit of, it. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled. Ask in faith, nothing doubting, and you shall receive. Thank the Lord, yes, thank the Lord that he has restored to the earth the fullness of the everlasting gospel and with it the Holy Priesthood.
I will now return to my recording the things that I have seen, also the things that I have done. I will commence where I left off on page 68. I continued to work at stone cutting in the summer and in the winter I worked at cloth dyeing, fully dyeing and finishing the cloth. I continued at this until the spring of 1835. I then came west to Illinois. I had a large farm there. I also taught school there in the winter of 1835/1836. In the spring of 1836 I went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, intending to speculate in land. The next fall I went back to Ohio and from there to the City of New York, then to Philadelphia and then traveled over the Allegheny Mountains to Ohio. All the way I traveled by the stage.
When I got to Ohio I got married to Harriet Lucretia Welch, daughter of Vine and Esther Cogswell Welch. I then bought a wagon and large span of horses and came back to my farm in Illinois; and from there I moved to Lake County. My mother was with me and my first two children were born there. I had a good farm there, but neither my wife nor were content there. I sold out and went back to Ohio, taking my mother and my youngest brother with me. Also, my wife and our two sons, Israel G. and Arvis Chaplin Dille. All, together, we were six in number. I left my mother and brother in her house that father had built the year he died in 1834.
I then took my family and went to New Orleans, Louisiana, and from there we came up the Gulsta River to Munro. Stayed there a short time, but the spirit of discontent was still with us. We then came back up the Mississippi River and the Ohio River as far as Paducah, Kentucky. I split rails for my bread and bacon and built a log house to live in during that summer. I taught school the next winter, built another log house and I doctored some. When spring came, I bought a good farm, built a log house on it and the next fall I sold out and we came to Nauvoo. And by all these movements and doings, I have found out why we were not content to do well some other place. When we got to Nauvoo among the Saints, we were content and we stayed there until we were driven away by the edict of Governor Ford in the year of 1846.
When we left Nauvoo we brought with us one good cow, and that was all the stock we I had. We came to Bentonsport, a little village on the Des Moines River, Van Buren County, Iowa. We stayed here four years and come away with a good outfit, two wagons, three yoke of oxen, and one good mare. We left Iowa in the Spring of 1850. My wife Harriet died the second day`s travel west from the Missouri River. We buried her without a coffin with Temple garments on her body. I then married a widow woman that 1 had brought with me from Bentonsport. She had three children, two sons, one daughter. This widow woman did not prove true to me for she left me. But before she left, I had had Elizabeth Wood sealed to me. She has borne me four sons and two daughters. Elizabeth’s oldest son and youngest and daughter are dead. This is now June 1886 at Warm Creek.
In summary, David BuelDi1le was born on 5 Apr 1812 in Euclid, Cuyahoga, Ohio, the son of David Dille -and Mary Sailor. His first wife was Harriet Lucretia Welch, who was born 23 Oct. 1820 in Shellerville, Portage County, Ohio. She died of Cholera on the plains, 24 miles west of the Missouri River, as they were going to Utah in 1850. The company with which they were traveling buried eight in the same place. Harriet, was buried in her temple garments, but without a coffin. Three of her small children died on the plains, too, the last one near Ft. Bridger, Wyoming. Her oldest son, Israel, died the following spring from eating poison parsnips and his was the first grave in Ogden. The officers of the wagon train advised David to marry the widow Louise as she was taking care of his children and he had to look after her. Hence, his second wife was Louisa Hort Jenkins Dofflemier Holbrook, who left him shortly after their marriage. She had three children and was a widow whom David was taking to Zion with him at the time of his first wife‘s death. David then married Susan Elizabeth Baley, though he says nothing about her in his memoirs. According to his writings, he married Elizabeth Wood, by whom he had children after Louisa left him. Records show that he was also married to Minewa Stowell as his fifth wife. David Buel Di1le died on 1 Jan. 1887 in Neeley, Bannock County, Idaho and was buried on 5 Jan. 1887 in the cemetery at Neeley, Bannock County, Idaho.
His children by Harriet Lucretia Welch were:
1) Israel G. Dille, borm 19 Feb. 1838, in Cayuga, Parke County, IN.
2) Arvis Chaplin Dille, hom 26 Oct. 1839, in Cayuga, Parke County, IN.
3) Lehi Dille, born 30 Oct. 1841 in Nauvoo, Hancock County, IL.
4) Joseph Smith Dille, born 4 May 1843 in Nauvoo, Hancock County, IL.
5) Ruth Caroline Dille, born 11 Jan. 1846 in Bentonsport, IA.
6) Mary Smith Dille, born 1849, died same day, in Bentonsport, IA.
This information was found on FamilySearch.
Provided by researcher Capt (#47510447)∼Married: 16 March 1837 to Harriett Lucretia Welch in Euclid, Cuyahoga, Ohio she died 1850 while crossing the plains.
Married: 1850 to Louisa Hoyt Jenkins they were later divorced
Married: Elizabeth Wood
Married: 23 September 1858 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah to Minerva Stowell
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I, David Buel Dille, was bom in Euclid, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. I am the son of David and Mary Dille, and was born on 5 Apr. 1812. My father was a Revolutionary War soldier and he drew a pension for it until the day of his death, and my mother drew half pay as long as she lived afterwards.
I first saw Joseph Smith in the village of Newburge, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. He introduced himself as the instrument the Lord had made use of in bringing forth the Book of Mormon. I could not and did not refute it and so, in process of time, I concluded that it was my duty to be baptized. So I and my wife, Harriet Lucretia, were baptized by Elder Bushrod Wilson and the next day I was ordained an Elder under the hands of Elders Wilson and Linsy A. Brady. My first gathering with the saints was at Nauvoo, Illinois in the summer of 1842. I built a small log house and my wife and I and our two children lived in it until the next spring. I then went to work to help build the Temple or House of the Lord, and continued to work thereon until the last stone was cut. I purchased of the church a brick house which is 16 by 18 feet square, one story high. The house was on a good lot on the river bottom and the lot was well furnished with pickets. I sowed part of the lot with millet upon which I pastured my cow. The remainder I used for a garden.
While at Nauvoo in the fall of 1845, my wife, Harriet Lucretia, was very sick and came near dying with fever. At the time she took sick, I was out with Colonel Harmon's company helping to put down the mob that was then burning our brethren's houses, stealing their livestock and driving our people from their homes. On my return, I found my wife so sick that I feared that she was going to die. I ran and got Elders who administered to her, and the chill which we feared would come upon her did not come. She suffered all the time with pains in her stomach. She wished me to get Brigham Young to come and administer to her. I went for President Brigham Young but he said that he could not come. He was having brethren in his office all the time for counsel. But he said he would send his brother, Joseph Young and said "He is a better man than I am and your wife shall get well and shall live to get her endowments in the house of the Lord that is now preparing." Elder Joseph Young and I administered to her and he said that she should get well, but it seemed as though it did but little good as she kept feeling about the same. She could not take any nourishment, and all the time suffered with pain in her stomach. The next day I went and asked Brigham Young to come; he told me that he could not do so but that my wife would get well. On my return, I found her much better and she told me while I was absent that an angel came near the bedside and told her that she would get well and live to get her endowments in the house of the Lord that was now being built.
Night came and the room was dark. I got nearly asleep when my wife touched me and said "There is that angel now." I threw my feet off the bed and sat up. The personage was about four feet from me and the light that shone from its face was above or brighter than the light of the sun. I said to it, "Who are you and what have you come for?" The person answered in a sweet, mild voice, "I am your wife's guardian angel and have come to let you know that she shall get well. and shall live to get her endowments in the House of the Lord that is now preparing." The next thought that came into my mind was that the doors and windows were shut; how did the angel get there by us, and that I would know how when it went away. All I can say is that the light went out and I saw no more of it. But my wife was soon well and she got her endowments in the Temple and bore two children after that.
The last summer was in Nauvoo I worked on the Nauvoo House at quarrying and cutting stone. I got for my summers work a piece of poor beef worth 76 cents only. I then went to work helping to get out oak timber to make wagons for the purpose of moving to the Rocky Mountains. I worked at it four or five months, for which labor I received $18.00. In the winter ending 1845 and commencing in 1846 my wife, Harriet Lucretia Welch, and I got our endowments in the Temple in Nauvoo.
I then enlisted as one of Brigham Young's life guards. I labored for some time helping the saints to ferry their teams across the Mississippi River. Many crossed on the ice. When a large number was over the river, we started westward. Some time we had much mud to wade it through and sometimes snow six inches deep. We crossed the Des Moines River at Farmington,Vanburen County, Iowa. We next came to the Chequest River. We traveled up the river along the south side. We worked for the farmers for corn and hay to feed our stock. We next came to the Shariton River. We stopped there several days and chopped elm and linn trees for our stock to browse upon. Six inches of snow fell upon us at this place. Hard work, poor fare and cold weather, and also much wetness, altogether impaired my health and I received a certificate of release from President Brigham Young to return to Nauvoo.
I went back with Elder John Young. We were 102 miles from Nauvoo. I had five small biscuits for my rations, but not withstanding this very small allowance, I had plenty and my health improved all the way going back to Nauvoo. I stayed in Nauvoo until after the April conference. I then went to President Orson Hyde for counsel. He told me to start on the way and follow the camp of the saints even if I could do no more or get no farther than across the river. I sold a saddle and bought some cotton sheeting with which we made a tent. I sold nothing that I had in Nauvoo. I had one cow, no wagon, no team, and but very little provisions, but in this situation we started. We crossed the Mississippi River, pitched our tent and camped for the night. The next day a man and his brother, who lived up the river five or six miles above Montrose, and who had been to Montrose to market, had a wagon, and yoke of oxen, and he invited me to get in his wagon and come with him to his house. We did so and I worked for him for five or six days. He and his brother had come to the Des Moines River to mill so he took us in his wagon and brought us up to Bonaparte, a little village on the Des Moines River about 25 miles from Nauvoo.
With a number of other saints, I got ferried over the river and on that same day we went west about 1 1/2 miles to Mr. Bradford's farm. I worked for him several days, helping him put in his spring crop. I then got a job in company with a Brother Permency Woodworth to build a frame barn for the sum of $130. Woodworth worked a few days with me on the barn and then left to follow after the saints, and I had to finish the barn alone. My family and I stayed in Iowa four years. During the time we were there I laid rock, manufactured tombstones, and the last summer I was there I had the overseeing of the quarrying and cutting of the stone to a ship lock in the Des Moines River at Bentonsport, and the last winter I was there I manufactured tombstones all the time.
I started from Bentonsport, Iowa, in the spring of 1850. I brought a widow woman and her three children with us — two sons and a daughter. I came with a good outfit. I had two wagons, three yoke of oxen and four cows, one good mare, plenty of clothing and provisions. Twenty four miles this side of Missouri, my wife Harriet died with the cholera. Our company buried eight in the same place. I then married the widow woman I spoke of who's name was Louisa Dolfamire; her maiden name was Louisa Hort. The wedding ceremony was performed by Elder Jonathon O.
Dune. Louisa did not prove true to me. Also Harriet Lucretia's youngest daughter, Mary, died not far from Fort Bridger, Wyoming.
We got to Salt Lake City in good season. I worked for the Church a few weeks laying stone. We then came to Ogden where the brethren built a fort. I built a log house and we lived in it during the winter. We also built a log school there. Soon after the house was completed, President Young, Heber C. Kimball, Jedediah M. Grant and some of the Twelve came here and organized a stake with Lorin Farr, President, C. R. Dana and David Buel Dille as his counselors, and Isaac Clark as Bishop.
In August 1851, I was elected one among others as a Representative of Weber County. At the April Conference of 1852, I was called to go on a mission to Europe. I did not go until the spring of 1853. I bought a farm of 40 acres and a log house from Brother Phillip Garner, for which I gave $250.00. In the spring of 1853, I with others started on our mission. C. R. Dana, Willard G. McMullin and myself got up a team together. McMullin furnished the carriage, Elder Dana one mule and David Buel Dille one mule and all the harness. We had a good time crossing the plains.
At Council Bluffs, I sold my mule for $40.00 and gave the harness, my overcoat etc. to a poor brother and with some others took the stage for St. Joseph, Missouri, and then went by steamboat and rail train to Euclid, Ohio, the place where I was born and raised. I had four half brothers and two sisters living there and a half brother living in Menton, 16 miles from there, all of them being rich. I was foolish enough to think or believe that they would give me money enough to pay my fare to Europe; One sister gave me a pair of socks and a brother 50 cents, and his wife gave me 25 cents.
After staying with them two weeks, I went to Kirtland, 13 miles east from Euclid and made a visit to Martin Harris who lived two miles east of Kirtland. He was then an apostate and very bitter against the Church. He was at the time in bed and had refused to admit anyone into
his room for three days, but he allowed me to come in. His good wife introduced me to him; he received me very coldly but told me to take a seat. I obeyed, and after a short pause, he said to me, "How are they getting along at Salt Lake?" I answered, "Fine, delightful." This was unwelcome news. He next said, "How are they getting along with polygamy'?" I said to him that those who were practicing it were very comfortable. I then said, "How do you reconcile polygamy with the doctrine taught by one of the old prophets?" He spoke of a time when everyone shall have a mate. I said to him, "Mr. Harris, if necessary, it may take what you call polygamy to fulfill that prophecy." He then said to me, "Who so, why so?" I answered, "There are more females born into the world than there are males, and besides, the many thousands of young men slain in battle, leaving the ladies without a mate." After a little I reflection, he said, "lt may be so, but I never thought of it in that light before." He then called to his wife and asked her to come in. He then told her that he wanted some breakfast.
Turning to me he said, "I have not eaten anything for three days, but the old Spirit of Mormonism has cured me," but said, "You have not brought it." He told his wife what to cook for him, and then turned to me and said, "You have brought the old Spirit of Mormonism here, and it has cured me, and you must stay with me all day." I told him that I could not for I must visit Brother Whiting that afternoon. "Well," he said, stay till noon and we will get you a good dinner and I will go with you." I said, "You can't, you are sick." He sprang out of bed and began to dress himself and said to me, "Do I not know that the Book of Mormon is true? Did I not hear the voice of God out of Heaven declaring that it was truth and correctly translated? Yes, I did and you know I did for I see that you have the Spirit of it. That evening I preached in a house that Hyrum Smith had built. Harris was there to hear me. After coming out of the house he said to me, "Just let me go with you to England, I see you can preach. You do the preaching and I will bear testimony to the Book of Mormon and we will convert all England I said to him, "You cannot go; you are too crooked." He said, "Will I ever be any straighter?" I told him to go to Salt Lake and get straightened up and then, I he could go. He then said "I have a good farm. I will advertise it for sale immediately and when you get back, you will find me there." He later went to Salt Lake, regained his Church membership and died in Cache Valley.
I will now record some remarkable dreams that I have had. About the time the Church was organized, I dreamed that I had the oversight of building a temple on my father's farm in Euclid, Ohio, the material of which was white marble. Not long after that I dreamed the same dream, only I quarried the marble a little nearer to the Temple. The dream had such an effect upon me that I went to my brother, Samuel Dille, and hired myself to him to work six months and learn to cut stone. I labored hard for six months for $50.00. After the six months were ended, I got good wages.
And again in the month of May 1846, I dreamed that I was at my brother Lewis's house in the township of Menton, Geauga County, Ohio. I ate my breakfast and then started to walk to Euclid, a distance of 16 miles. I had reached the road where I met my father. He asked me if I was going to Euclid; I told him that I was. He then said to me, "We will walk together." We went a distance of six miles and came to the Shagnun River. We made a halt upon the bridge; I looked across and saw a path leading down to the river. I said, "Father, I am very dry. Let us go down that path and get a drink." He said to me, "I am dry, too, but that water is not fit to drink. See the sun shines on it and it is warm. I will have good water or none. Let us go into the Presbyterian church on the left hand side and see if we can get something good to drink there." I then looked to the right and over Lake Erie I saw a large city, the houses were made of bamboo. I said to father, "What does that mean, I never saw it before." He said to me, "Son, you are now in the Spirit world and see things as they do exist. That city represents the heathen nations." Then it occurred to me that father was dead and I will learn something from him. We went to the Presbyterians and father asked for a drink. A young man brought some to us; it looked much like clabbered milk and water and it steamed with warmth. Father said, "That is not fit to drink, we will try the Methodists." We met with; the same reception and just such drink was offered us. Father said, "We will try the Baptists." They offered us a drink of the same kind, but a little improved. I thought that I would wet my lips with it. Father spoke sharply to me and said, "Did I not say that I would have good or none?" We went out into the street and father said to me, "We will just cross the street to the honorable men of the earth" There was a very large mansion which faced to the east; there was a porch on the east. At the north end of the porch four men sat at the table
playing cards. As we came near to them, one rose up, shook hands with my father, called him "David", and father called him "George." Father introduced me to him, calling him George Washington, and to another calling him, Thomas Jefferson, and two more of the great men of that day or age. Father said to Washington, "My son and myself are very dry. We have been to the Presbyterians, Methodists, and Baptists to get a drink and found nothing fit to drink" George then ordered some water to be brought. Some was brought in a large pitcher and set on the table. George then said to father, "David, you and your son will have I some wine, won't you?" Father answered, "I don't care if we do." Some was brought and set on the table and we drank. We then took seats. I looked west into a large hall; tables were there and everything good to eat was being put on them, except flesh meat was on them. George said to my father, "You and your son will stay and have some supper with us, won't you?" Father said he would. George said, "Our supper will be ready about four o'clock." I saw a large clock and it then was just half past two PM. My father said to him, "My son is a stranger here. I will take him out and show him the country." George told him to be back in time, "For" said he, "we are very precise here." Father said he would. We went out into the road and walked a short distance westward and I beheld the grandest sight that ever I had seen. I shouted for joy and said, "Father, Father, what is that, what is that?" He said to me, "Son, have you not read in John's Apocalypse of the City New Jerusalem that is to come down from God out of the Heavens?" I answered, "Yes". He then said, "That is it." I said to him, "Let us go there." He said, "You can go but I cannot for you have not been baptized for me." At that time I did not go back to get the supper, but went a little ways into the city and its beauty cannot be described by man.
I went from Kirtland to the township of Nenton, Geauga County, Ohio, to visit my half brother, Lewis. I was there four days. I then took passage by train to New York City, • arrived there about 8:06 AM and went to an eating house for my breakfast where I had but the plainest food. A young man came in and called for a plate. He sat at the opposite end of the table where I was seated. He said to me, "You are from the west, ain't you." I said that I was. He asked where I was from and I replied that I was from Ohio, (having stopped in Ohio, for a short time.) He said, "Are you not from further west? I said, "Yes, I am from Utah, and I am now on my way to England to preach the Gospel." He said, "I thought so. Now, I want you to go to a place called Cream Ridge in the state of New Jersey and see Peter Wycuft. He is one of your people and he will give anything in the world to see you." I told him that I would go there. He gave me directions how to go, the distance was about 80 miles. If On the way I preached in a little village called Centerville, then to Peter Wycuft's. He received me very kindly. From there I went to Harristown, a small branch of Saints were there and I preached to them several times. Here I heard of several of the Elders that had crossed the plains with me. Being in Philadelphia, I went to see them, among which was McCallister, P. C. Merril and others. I spoke to the Saints in this city. After the meeting was I dismissed, a number of ladies came to me and talked and shook hands. Twelve of them put a gold dollar into my hand and one 75 cents in silver. At this place, we, the Elders, held a council, and it was agreed amongst us that Brother Merril should go to the west part of the state of New York and visit some relatives, McCalister and Henry Phelps to the state of Delaware, David Buel Dille and Reed to the state of New Jersey, James Carigan to stay in the Philadelphia City and all return to this place in time to ship for Liverpool on the steamship City of Glasgow, October the 8th, 1853.
Elder Reed and I went to New Jersey, had a good time and were back in Philadelphia in time to take the ship. We had a good passage, and in about eleven days we landed in I Liverpool. I was appointed to labor in the Liverpool Conference under Pastor J. S. Fullmer where I labored for a few weeks. I was then sent to the Manchester Conference and met Elder Perrigrine Sessions, who was very sick. He was released to return home and I was appointed to take his place as President of the Conference. I remained there 14 months.
I had a good time in the Manchester Conference - very many good Saints here, about 3,000 in all. The Saints have treated me better than I deserved. I baptized a good many in this place. From this position, I was promoted to be the Pastor over the Worchestershire and Cheltenham Conferences. One year later, the Herefordshire Conference was added to my care. I remained in this position for two years and found many excellent Saints in these three Conferences, and they treated me well and I prayed for God to bless them, and help them to come to Zion.
I had some excellent Elders to assist me. Among the many good ones I mention Nathan T. Paters, John Kellog, Thomas Russel and Elder Neslin. The Saints here, like those in the Manchester Conference, treated me much better than I deserved. I have lectured many times on the mission of Joseph Smith and in doing so I have been blessed with much of the good spirit and thank the Lord for it. The Saints in these Conferences gave me $2.12 to buy me a gold watch. About the year 1881 I gave the watch to Bishop Nickols of Brigham City as a Temple offering, besides at one time beef cattle worth $99.00, and offtimes $10.00, or $5.00 and sometimes $25.00, also $20.00. I gave 50 cents a month in money to build the Temple in Salt Lake City - my mistake, the Logan Temple and helped build the Salt Lake Temple until, it was finished. I gave my whole kit of cutter's tools worth $75.00, and I paid my tithing all the time up to this date. It now being 19 June 1886.
I began to pay tithing in the year of 1843 and I know that I am none the poorer for it, and I would advise all Saints not to rob the Lord in tithes nor in offerings, but to bring all into the storehouse of the Lord. I have and acknowledge the hand of the Lord in time of distress and affliction of all sorts; also in prosperity being blessed with plenty of the comforts of life, food, clothing and plenty of money to purchase more. I have passed through all such days and time and now I will here say to all who claim to be Saints, "Obey Counsel, and under all circumstances first seek the kingdom of Heaven and its righteousness. Having done all this, then all things necessary will be added unto you. Do as our father Abraham, do no other things than what the Lord commands you to do and with all keep the Word of Wisdom.
Yes, keep all of the commandments and do not neglect to pray. Also love your wives, love your children, educate them and again read the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, obey the counsel and instructions therein given. And now I will here say that no one can understand the scriptures except they have a portion of the Spirit by which it was given or written and I would advise all and every Saint, both male and female, to do the work in the Temple for our dead, for if we do not do it they will drag us down to hell as it were. Again another word of advice I have to give is this: never speak evil of the Lord's Anointed. Also honor thy father and mother. Do good to all and love thy neighbor as thyself, and always remember that the principle of Celestial Marriage is true and that there is no exaltation without it. Feed the hungry, cloth the naked, visit the sick, comfort the afflicted, and cease to be idle, help to gather the poor Saints to Zion, for with all this must and will be done, for the Lord has spoken it. This the people that the world calls Mormons is the little stone that Daniel, the prophet, spoke of. He said that he saw a little stone cut out of the mountains without hands and it began to roll and filled the whole earth and all the powers of earth and hell cannot stop it. Never forget that this is the work and kingdom of God and I advise all to seek for the Spirit of, it. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled. Ask in faith, nothing doubting, and you shall receive. Thank the Lord, yes, thank the Lord that he has restored to the earth the fullness of the everlasting gospel and with it the Holy Priesthood.
I will now return to my recording the things that I have seen, also the things that I have done. I will commence where I left off on page 68. I continued to work at stone cutting in the summer and in the winter I worked at cloth dyeing, fully dyeing and finishing the cloth. I continued at this until the spring of 1835. I then came west to Illinois. I had a large farm there. I also taught school there in the winter of 1835/1836. In the spring of 1836 I went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, intending to speculate in land. The next fall I went back to Ohio and from there to the City of New York, then to Philadelphia and then traveled over the Allegheny Mountains to Ohio. All the way I traveled by the stage.
When I got to Ohio I got married to Harriet Lucretia Welch, daughter of Vine and Esther Cogswell Welch. I then bought a wagon and large span of horses and came back to my farm in Illinois; and from there I moved to Lake County. My mother was with me and my first two children were born there. I had a good farm there, but neither my wife nor were content there. I sold out and went back to Ohio, taking my mother and my youngest brother with me. Also, my wife and our two sons, Israel G. and Arvis Chaplin Dille. All, together, we were six in number. I left my mother and brother in her house that father had built the year he died in 1834.
I then took my family and went to New Orleans, Louisiana, and from there we came up the Gulsta River to Munro. Stayed there a short time, but the spirit of discontent was still with us. We then came back up the Mississippi River and the Ohio River as far as Paducah, Kentucky. I split rails for my bread and bacon and built a log house to live in during that summer. I taught school the next winter, built another log house and I doctored some. When spring came, I bought a good farm, built a log house on it and the next fall I sold out and we came to Nauvoo. And by all these movements and doings, I have found out why we were not content to do well some other place. When we got to Nauvoo among the Saints, we were content and we stayed there until we were driven away by the edict of Governor Ford in the year of 1846.
When we left Nauvoo we brought with us one good cow, and that was all the stock we I had. We came to Bentonsport, a little village on the Des Moines River, Van Buren County, Iowa. We stayed here four years and come away with a good outfit, two wagons, three yoke of oxen, and one good mare. We left Iowa in the Spring of 1850. My wife Harriet died the second day`s travel west from the Missouri River. We buried her without a coffin with Temple garments on her body. I then married a widow woman that 1 had brought with me from Bentonsport. She had three children, two sons, one daughter. This widow woman did not prove true to me for she left me. But before she left, I had had Elizabeth Wood sealed to me. She has borne me four sons and two daughters. Elizabeth’s oldest son and youngest and daughter are dead. This is now June 1886 at Warm Creek.
In summary, David BuelDi1le was born on 5 Apr 1812 in Euclid, Cuyahoga, Ohio, the son of David Dille -and Mary Sailor. His first wife was Harriet Lucretia Welch, who was born 23 Oct. 1820 in Shellerville, Portage County, Ohio. She died of Cholera on the plains, 24 miles west of the Missouri River, as they were going to Utah in 1850. The company with which they were traveling buried eight in the same place. Harriet, was buried in her temple garments, but without a coffin. Three of her small children died on the plains, too, the last one near Ft. Bridger, Wyoming. Her oldest son, Israel, died the following spring from eating poison parsnips and his was the first grave in Ogden. The officers of the wagon train advised David to marry the widow Louise as she was taking care of his children and he had to look after her. Hence, his second wife was Louisa Hort Jenkins Dofflemier Holbrook, who left him shortly after their marriage. She had three children and was a widow whom David was taking to Zion with him at the time of his first wife‘s death. David then married Susan Elizabeth Baley, though he says nothing about her in his memoirs. According to his writings, he married Elizabeth Wood, by whom he had children after Louisa left him. Records show that he was also married to Minewa Stowell as his fifth wife. David Buel Di1le died on 1 Jan. 1887 in Neeley, Bannock County, Idaho and was buried on 5 Jan. 1887 in the cemetery at Neeley, Bannock County, Idaho.
His children by Harriet Lucretia Welch were:
1) Israel G. Dille, borm 19 Feb. 1838, in Cayuga, Parke County, IN.
2) Arvis Chaplin Dille, hom 26 Oct. 1839, in Cayuga, Parke County, IN.
3) Lehi Dille, born 30 Oct. 1841 in Nauvoo, Hancock County, IL.
4) Joseph Smith Dille, born 4 May 1843 in Nauvoo, Hancock County, IL.
5) Ruth Caroline Dille, born 11 Jan. 1846 in Bentonsport, IA.
6) Mary Smith Dille, born 1849, died same day, in Bentonsport, IA.
This information was found on FamilySearch.
Provided by researcher Capt (#47510447)∼Married: 16 March 1837 to Harriett Lucretia Welch in Euclid, Cuyahoga, Ohio she died 1850 while crossing the plains.
Married: 1850 to Louisa Hoyt Jenkins they were later divorced
Married: Elizabeth Wood
Married: 23 September 1858 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah to Minerva Stowell
I, David Buel Dille, was bom in Euclid, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. I am the son of David and Mary Dille, and was born on 5 Apr. 1812. My father was a Revolutionary War soldier and he drew a pension for it until the day of his death, and my mother drew half pay as long as she lived afterwards.
I first saw Joseph Smith in the village of Newburge, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. He introduced himself as the instrument the Lord had made use of in bringing forth the Book of Mormon. I could not and did not refute it and so, in process of time, I concluded that it was my duty to be baptized. So I and my wife, Harriet Lucretia, were baptized by Elder Bushrod Wilson and the next day I was ordained an Elder under the hands of Elders Wilson and Linsy A. Brady. My first gathering with the saints was at Nauvoo, Illinois in the summer of 1842. I built a small log house and my wife and I and our two children lived in it until the next spring. I then went to work to help build the Temple or House of the Lord, and continued to work thereon until the last stone was cut. I purchased of the church a brick house which is 16 by 18 feet square, one story high. The house was on a good lot on the river bottom and the lot was well furnished with pickets. I sowed part of the lot with millet upon which I pastured my cow. The remainder I used for a garden.
While at Nauvoo in the fall of 1845, my wife, Harriet Lucretia, was very sick and came near dying with fever. At the time she took sick, I was out with Colonel Harmon's company helping to put down the mob that was then burning our brethren's houses, stealing their livestock and driving our people from their homes. On my return, I found my wife so sick that I feared that she was going to die. I ran and got Elders who administered to her, and the chill which we feared would come upon her did not come. She suffered all the time with pains in her stomach. She wished me to get Brigham Young to come and administer to her. I went for President Brigham Young but he said that he could not come. He was having brethren in his office all the time for counsel. But he said he would send his brother, Joseph Young and said "He is a better man than I am and your wife shall get well and shall live to get her endowments in the house of the Lord that is now preparing." Elder Joseph Young and I administered to her and he said that she should get well, but it seemed as though it did but little good as she kept feeling about the same. She could not take any nourishment, and all the time suffered with pain in her stomach. The next day I went and asked Brigham Young to come; he told me that he could not do so but that my wife would get well. On my return, I found her much better and she told me while I was absent that an angel came near the bedside and told her that she would get well and live to get her endowments in the house of the Lord that was now being built.
Night came and the room was dark. I got nearly asleep when my wife touched me and said "There is that angel now." I threw my feet off the bed and sat up. The personage was about four feet from me and the light that shone from its face was above or brighter than the light of the sun. I said to it, "Who are you and what have you come for?" The person answered in a sweet, mild voice, "I am your wife's guardian angel and have come to let you know that she shall get well. and shall live to get her endowments in the House of the Lord that is now preparing." The next thought that came into my mind was that the doors and windows were shut; how did the angel get there by us, and that I would know how when it went away. All I can say is that the light went out and I saw no more of it. But my wife was soon well and she got her endowments in the Temple and bore two children after that.
The last summer was in Nauvoo I worked on the Nauvoo House at quarrying and cutting stone. I got for my summers work a piece of poor beef worth 76 cents only. I then went to work helping to get out oak timber to make wagons for the purpose of moving to the Rocky Mountains. I worked at it four or five months, for which labor I received $18.00. In the winter ending 1845 and commencing in 1846 my wife, Harriet Lucretia Welch, and I got our endowments in the Temple in Nauvoo.
I then enlisted as one of Brigham Young's life guards. I labored for some time helping the saints to ferry their teams across the Mississippi River. Many crossed on the ice. When a large number was over the river, we started westward. Some time we had much mud to wade it through and sometimes snow six inches deep. We crossed the Des Moines River at Farmington,Vanburen County, Iowa. We next came to the Chequest River. We traveled up the river along the south side. We worked for the farmers for corn and hay to feed our stock. We next came to the Shariton River. We stopped there several days and chopped elm and linn trees for our stock to browse upon. Six inches of snow fell upon us at this place. Hard work, poor fare and cold weather, and also much wetness, altogether impaired my health and I received a certificate of release from President Brigham Young to return to Nauvoo.
I went back with Elder John Young. We were 102 miles from Nauvoo. I had five small biscuits for my rations, but not withstanding this very small allowance, I had plenty and my health improved all the way going back to Nauvoo. I stayed in Nauvoo until after the April conference. I then went to President Orson Hyde for counsel. He told me to start on the way and follow the camp of the saints even if I could do no more or get no farther than across the river. I sold a saddle and bought some cotton sheeting with which we made a tent. I sold nothing that I had in Nauvoo. I had one cow, no wagon, no team, and but very little provisions, but in this situation we started. We crossed the Mississippi River, pitched our tent and camped for the night. The next day a man and his brother, who lived up the river five or six miles above Montrose, and who had been to Montrose to market, had a wagon, and yoke of oxen, and he invited me to get in his wagon and come with him to his house. We did so and I worked for him for five or six days. He and his brother had come to the Des Moines River to mill so he took us in his wagon and brought us up to Bonaparte, a little village on the Des Moines River about 25 miles from Nauvoo.
With a number of other saints, I got ferried over the river and on that same day we went west about 1 1/2 miles to Mr. Bradford's farm. I worked for him several days, helping him put in his spring crop. I then got a job in company with a Brother Permency Woodworth to build a frame barn for the sum of $130. Woodworth worked a few days with me on the barn and then left to follow after the saints, and I had to finish the barn alone. My family and I stayed in Iowa four years. During the time we were there I laid rock, manufactured tombstones, and the last summer I was there I had the overseeing of the quarrying and cutting of the stone to a ship lock in the Des Moines River at Bentonsport, and the last winter I was there I manufactured tombstones all the time.
I started from Bentonsport, Iowa, in the spring of 1850. I brought a widow woman and her three children with us — two sons and a daughter. I came with a good outfit. I had two wagons, three yoke of oxen and four cows, one good mare, plenty of clothing and provisions. Twenty four miles this side of Missouri, my wife Harriet died with the cholera. Our company buried eight in the same place. I then married the widow woman I spoke of who's name was Louisa Dolfamire; her maiden name was Louisa Hort. The wedding ceremony was performed by Elder Jonathon O.
Dune. Louisa did not prove true to me. Also Harriet Lucretia's youngest daughter, Mary, died not far from Fort Bridger, Wyoming.
We got to Salt Lake City in good season. I worked for the Church a few weeks laying stone. We then came to Ogden where the brethren built a fort. I built a log house and we lived in it during the winter. We also built a log school there. Soon after the house was completed, President Young, Heber C. Kimball, Jedediah M. Grant and some of the Twelve came here and organized a stake with Lorin Farr, President, C. R. Dana and David Buel Dille as his counselors, and Isaac Clark as Bishop.
In August 1851, I was elected one among others as a Representative of Weber County. At the April Conference of 1852, I was called to go on a mission to Europe. I did not go until the spring of 1853. I bought a farm of 40 acres and a log house from Brother Phillip Garner, for which I gave $250.00. In the spring of 1853, I with others started on our mission. C. R. Dana, Willard G. McMullin and myself got up a team together. McMullin furnished the carriage, Elder Dana one mule and David Buel Dille one mule and all the harness. We had a good time crossing the plains.
At Council Bluffs, I sold my mule for $40.00 and gave the harness, my overcoat etc. to a poor brother and with some others took the stage for St. Joseph, Missouri, and then went by steamboat and rail train to Euclid, Ohio, the place where I was born and raised. I had four half brothers and two sisters living there and a half brother living in Menton, 16 miles from there, all of them being rich. I was foolish enough to think or believe that they would give me money enough to pay my fare to Europe; One sister gave me a pair of socks and a brother 50 cents, and his wife gave me 25 cents.
After staying with them two weeks, I went to Kirtland, 13 miles east from Euclid and made a visit to Martin Harris who lived two miles east of Kirtland. He was then an apostate and very bitter against the Church. He was at the time in bed and had refused to admit anyone into
his room for three days, but he allowed me to come in. His good wife introduced me to him; he received me very coldly but told me to take a seat. I obeyed, and after a short pause, he said to me, "How are they getting along at Salt Lake?" I answered, "Fine, delightful." This was unwelcome news. He next said, "How are they getting along with polygamy'?" I said to him that those who were practicing it were very comfortable. I then said, "How do you reconcile polygamy with the doctrine taught by one of the old prophets?" He spoke of a time when everyone shall have a mate. I said to him, "Mr. Harris, if necessary, it may take what you call polygamy to fulfill that prophecy." He then said to me, "Who so, why so?" I answered, "There are more females born into the world than there are males, and besides, the many thousands of young men slain in battle, leaving the ladies without a mate." After a little I reflection, he said, "lt may be so, but I never thought of it in that light before." He then called to his wife and asked her to come in. He then told her that he wanted some breakfast.
Turning to me he said, "I have not eaten anything for three days, but the old Spirit of Mormonism has cured me," but said, "You have not brought it." He told his wife what to cook for him, and then turned to me and said, "You have brought the old Spirit of Mormonism here, and it has cured me, and you must stay with me all day." I told him that I could not for I must visit Brother Whiting that afternoon. "Well," he said, stay till noon and we will get you a good dinner and I will go with you." I said, "You can't, you are sick." He sprang out of bed and began to dress himself and said to me, "Do I not know that the Book of Mormon is true? Did I not hear the voice of God out of Heaven declaring that it was truth and correctly translated? Yes, I did and you know I did for I see that you have the Spirit of it. That evening I preached in a house that Hyrum Smith had built. Harris was there to hear me. After coming out of the house he said to me, "Just let me go with you to England, I see you can preach. You do the preaching and I will bear testimony to the Book of Mormon and we will convert all England I said to him, "You cannot go; you are too crooked." He said, "Will I ever be any straighter?" I told him to go to Salt Lake and get straightened up and then, I he could go. He then said "I have a good farm. I will advertise it for sale immediately and when you get back, you will find me there." He later went to Salt Lake, regained his Church membership and died in Cache Valley.
I will now record some remarkable dreams that I have had. About the time the Church was organized, I dreamed that I had the oversight of building a temple on my father's farm in Euclid, Ohio, the material of which was white marble. Not long after that I dreamed the same dream, only I quarried the marble a little nearer to the Temple. The dream had such an effect upon me that I went to my brother, Samuel Dille, and hired myself to him to work six months and learn to cut stone. I labored hard for six months for $50.00. After the six months were ended, I got good wages.
And again in the month of May 1846, I dreamed that I was at my brother Lewis's house in the township of Menton, Geauga County, Ohio. I ate my breakfast and then started to walk to Euclid, a distance of 16 miles. I had reached the road where I met my father. He asked me if I was going to Euclid; I told him that I was. He then said to me, "We will walk together." We went a distance of six miles and came to the Shagnun River. We made a halt upon the bridge; I looked across and saw a path leading down to the river. I said, "Father, I am very dry. Let us go down that path and get a drink." He said to me, "I am dry, too, but that water is not fit to drink. See the sun shines on it and it is warm. I will have good water or none. Let us go into the Presbyterian church on the left hand side and see if we can get something good to drink there." I then looked to the right and over Lake Erie I saw a large city, the houses were made of bamboo. I said to father, "What does that mean, I never saw it before." He said to me, "Son, you are now in the Spirit world and see things as they do exist. That city represents the heathen nations." Then it occurred to me that father was dead and I will learn something from him. We went to the Presbyterians and father asked for a drink. A young man brought some to us; it looked much like clabbered milk and water and it steamed with warmth. Father said, "That is not fit to drink, we will try the Methodists." We met with; the same reception and just such drink was offered us. Father said, "We will try the Baptists." They offered us a drink of the same kind, but a little improved. I thought that I would wet my lips with it. Father spoke sharply to me and said, "Did I not say that I would have good or none?" We went out into the street and father said to me, "We will just cross the street to the honorable men of the earth" There was a very large mansion which faced to the east; there was a porch on the east. At the north end of the porch four men sat at the table
playing cards. As we came near to them, one rose up, shook hands with my father, called him "David", and father called him "George." Father introduced me to him, calling him George Washington, and to another calling him, Thomas Jefferson, and two more of the great men of that day or age. Father said to Washington, "My son and myself are very dry. We have been to the Presbyterians, Methodists, and Baptists to get a drink and found nothing fit to drink" George then ordered some water to be brought. Some was brought in a large pitcher and set on the table. George then said to father, "David, you and your son will have I some wine, won't you?" Father answered, "I don't care if we do." Some was brought and set on the table and we drank. We then took seats. I looked west into a large hall; tables were there and everything good to eat was being put on them, except flesh meat was on them. George said to my father, "You and your son will stay and have some supper with us, won't you?" Father said he would. George said, "Our supper will be ready about four o'clock." I saw a large clock and it then was just half past two PM. My father said to him, "My son is a stranger here. I will take him out and show him the country." George told him to be back in time, "For" said he, "we are very precise here." Father said he would. We went out into the road and walked a short distance westward and I beheld the grandest sight that ever I had seen. I shouted for joy and said, "Father, Father, what is that, what is that?" He said to me, "Son, have you not read in John's Apocalypse of the City New Jerusalem that is to come down from God out of the Heavens?" I answered, "Yes". He then said, "That is it." I said to him, "Let us go there." He said, "You can go but I cannot for you have not been baptized for me." At that time I did not go back to get the supper, but went a little ways into the city and its beauty cannot be described by man.
I went from Kirtland to the township of Nenton, Geauga County, Ohio, to visit my half brother, Lewis. I was there four days. I then took passage by train to New York City, • arrived there about 8:06 AM and went to an eating house for my breakfast where I had but the plainest food. A young man came in and called for a plate. He sat at the opposite end of the table where I was seated. He said to me, "You are from the west, ain't you." I said that I was. He asked where I was from and I replied that I was from Ohio, (having stopped in Ohio, for a short time.) He said, "Are you not from further west? I said, "Yes, I am from Utah, and I am now on my way to England to preach the Gospel." He said, "I thought so. Now, I want you to go to a place called Cream Ridge in the state of New Jersey and see Peter Wycuft. He is one of your people and he will give anything in the world to see you." I told him that I would go there. He gave me directions how to go, the distance was about 80 miles. If On the way I preached in a little village called Centerville, then to Peter Wycuft's. He received me very kindly. From there I went to Harristown, a small branch of Saints were there and I preached to them several times. Here I heard of several of the Elders that had crossed the plains with me. Being in Philadelphia, I went to see them, among which was McCallister, P. C. Merril and others. I spoke to the Saints in this city. After the meeting was I dismissed, a number of ladies came to me and talked and shook hands. Twelve of them put a gold dollar into my hand and one 75 cents in silver. At this place, we, the Elders, held a council, and it was agreed amongst us that Brother Merril should go to the west part of the state of New York and visit some relatives, McCalister and Henry Phelps to the state of Delaware, David Buel Dille and Reed to the state of New Jersey, James Carigan to stay in the Philadelphia City and all return to this place in time to ship for Liverpool on the steamship City of Glasgow, October the 8th, 1853.
Elder Reed and I went to New Jersey, had a good time and were back in Philadelphia in time to take the ship. We had a good passage, and in about eleven days we landed in I Liverpool. I was appointed to labor in the Liverpool Conference under Pastor J. S. Fullmer where I labored for a few weeks. I was then sent to the Manchester Conference and met Elder Perrigrine Sessions, who was very sick. He was released to return home and I was appointed to take his place as President of the Conference. I remained there 14 months.
I had a good time in the Manchester Conference - very many good Saints here, about 3,000 in all. The Saints have treated me better than I deserved. I baptized a good many in this place. From this position, I was promoted to be the Pastor over the Worchestershire and Cheltenham Conferences. One year later, the Herefordshire Conference was added to my care. I remained in this position for two years and found many excellent Saints in these three Conferences, and they treated me well and I prayed for God to bless them, and help them to come to Zion.
I had some excellent Elders to assist me. Among the many good ones I mention Nathan T. Paters, John Kellog, Thomas Russel and Elder Neslin. The Saints here, like those in the Manchester Conference, treated me much better than I deserved. I have lectured many times on the mission of Joseph Smith and in doing so I have been blessed with much of the good spirit and thank the Lord for it. The Saints in these Conferences gave me $2.12 to buy me a gold watch. About the year 1881 I gave the watch to Bishop Nickols of Brigham City as a Temple offering, besides at one time beef cattle worth $99.00, and offtimes $10.00, or $5.00 and sometimes $25.00, also $20.00. I gave 50 cents a month in money to build the Temple in Salt Lake City - my mistake, the Logan Temple and helped build the Salt Lake Temple until, it was finished. I gave my whole kit of cutter's tools worth $75.00, and I paid my tithing all the time up to this date. It now being 19 June 1886.
I began to pay tithing in the year of 1843 and I know that I am none the poorer for it, and I would advise all Saints not to rob the Lord in tithes nor in offerings, but to bring all into the storehouse of the Lord. I have and acknowledge the hand of the Lord in time of distress and affliction of all sorts; also in prosperity being blessed with plenty of the comforts of life, food, clothing and plenty of money to purchase more. I have passed through all such days and time and now I will here say to all who claim to be Saints, "Obey Counsel, and under all circumstances first seek the kingdom of Heaven and its righteousness. Having done all this, then all things necessary will be added unto you. Do as our father Abraham, do no other things than what the Lord commands you to do and with all keep the Word of Wisdom.
Yes, keep all of the commandments and do not neglect to pray. Also love your wives, love your children, educate them and again read the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, obey the counsel and instructions therein given. And now I will here say that no one can understand the scriptures except they have a portion of the Spirit by which it was given or written and I would advise all and every Saint, both male and female, to do the work in the Temple for our dead, for if we do not do it they will drag us down to hell as it were. Again another word of advice I have to give is this: never speak evil of the Lord's Anointed. Also honor thy father and mother. Do good to all and love thy neighbor as thyself, and always remember that the principle of Celestial Marriage is true and that there is no exaltation without it. Feed the hungry, cloth the naked, visit the sick, comfort the afflicted, and cease to be idle, help to gather the poor Saints to Zion, for with all this must and will be done, for the Lord has spoken it. This the people that the world calls Mormons is the little stone that Daniel, the prophet, spoke of. He said that he saw a little stone cut out of the mountains without hands and it began to roll and filled the whole earth and all the powers of earth and hell cannot stop it. Never forget that this is the work and kingdom of God and I advise all to seek for the Spirit of, it. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled. Ask in faith, nothing doubting, and you shall receive. Thank the Lord, yes, thank the Lord that he has restored to the earth the fullness of the everlasting gospel and with it the Holy Priesthood.
I will now return to my recording the things that I have seen, also the things that I have done. I will commence where I left off on page 68. I continued to work at stone cutting in the summer and in the winter I worked at cloth dyeing, fully dyeing and finishing the cloth. I continued at this until the spring of 1835. I then came west to Illinois. I had a large farm there. I also taught school there in the winter of 1835/1836. In the spring of 1836 I went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, intending to speculate in land. The next fall I went back to Ohio and from there to the City of New York, then to Philadelphia and then traveled over the Allegheny Mountains to Ohio. All the way I traveled by the stage.
When I got to Ohio I got married to Harriet Lucretia Welch, daughter of Vine and Esther Cogswell Welch. I then bought a wagon and large span of horses and came back to my farm in Illinois; and from there I moved to Lake County. My mother was with me and my first two children were born there. I had a good farm there, but neither my wife nor were content there. I sold out and went back to Ohio, taking my mother and my youngest brother with me. Also, my wife and our two sons, Israel G. and Arvis Chaplin Dille. All, together, we were six in number. I left my mother and brother in her house that father had built the year he died in 1834.
I then took my family and went to New Orleans, Louisiana, and from there we came up the Gulsta River to Munro. Stayed there a short time, but the spirit of discontent was still with us. We then came back up the Mississippi River and the Ohio River as far as Paducah, Kentucky. I split rails for my bread and bacon and built a log house to live in during that summer. I taught school the next winter, built another log house and I doctored some. When spring came, I bought a good farm, built a log house on it and the next fall I sold out and we came to Nauvoo. And by all these movements and doings, I have found out why we were not content to do well some other place. When we got to Nauvoo among the Saints, we were content and we stayed there until we were driven away by the edict of Governor Ford in the year of 1846.
When we left Nauvoo we brought with us one good cow, and that was all the stock we I had. We came to Bentonsport, a little village on the Des Moines River, Van Buren County, Iowa. We stayed here four years and come away with a good outfit, two wagons, three yoke of oxen, and one good mare. We left Iowa in the Spring of 1850. My wife Harriet died the second day`s travel west from the Missouri River. We buried her without a coffin with Temple garments on her body. I then married a widow woman that 1 had brought with me from Bentonsport. She had three children, two sons, one daughter. This widow woman did not prove true to me for she left me. But before she left, I had had Elizabeth Wood sealed to me. She has borne me four sons and two daughters. Elizabeth’s oldest son and youngest and daughter are dead. This is now June 1886 at Warm Creek.
In summary, David BuelDi1le was born on 5 Apr 1812 in Euclid, Cuyahoga, Ohio, the son of David Dille -and Mary Sailor. His first wife was Harriet Lucretia Welch, who was born 23 Oct. 1820 in Shellerville, Portage County, Ohio. She died of Cholera on the plains, 24 miles west of the Missouri River, as they were going to Utah in 1850. The company with which they were traveling buried eight in the same place. Harriet, was buried in her temple garments, but without a coffin. Three of her small children died on the plains, too, the last one near Ft. Bridger, Wyoming. Her oldest son, Israel, died the following spring from eating poison parsnips and his was the first grave in Ogden. The officers of the wagon train advised David to marry the widow Louise as she was taking care of his children and he had to look after her. Hence, his second wife was Louisa Hort Jenkins Dofflemier Holbrook, who left him shortly after their marriage. She had three children and was a widow whom David was taking to Zion with him at the time of his first wife‘s death. David then married Susan Elizabeth Baley, though he says nothing about her in his memoirs. According to his writings, he married Elizabeth Wood, by whom he had children after Louisa left him. Records show that he was also married to Minewa Stowell as his fifth wife. David Buel Di1le died on 1 Jan. 1887 in Neeley, Bannock County, Idaho and was buried on 5 Jan. 1887 in the cemetery at Neeley, Bannock County, Idaho.
His children by Harriet Lucretia Welch were:
1) Israel G. Dille, borm 19 Feb. 1838, in Cayuga, Parke County, IN.
2) Arvis Chaplin Dille, hom 26 Oct. 1839, in Cayuga, Parke County, IN.
3) Lehi Dille, born 30 Oct. 1841 in Nauvoo, Hancock County, IL.
4) Joseph Smith Dille, born 4 May 1843 in Nauvoo, Hancock County, IL.
5) Ruth Caroline Dille, born 11 Jan. 1846 in Bentonsport, IA.
6) Mary Smith Dille, born 1849, died same day, in Bentonsport, IA.
This information was found on FamilySearch.
Provided by researcher Capt (#47510447)∼Married: 16 March 1837 to Harriett Lucretia Welch in Euclid, Cuyahoga, Ohio she died 1850 while crossing the plains.
Married: 1850 to Louisa Hoyt Jenkins they were later divorced
Married: Elizabeth Wood
Married: 23 September 1858 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah to Minerva Stowell
Inscription
Pioneer of 1850
Family Members
Siblings
Half Siblings
Children
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Arvis Chaplain Dille
1839–1921
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Ruth Caroline Dille Ricks
1847–1922
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Ester Dille Phillips
1851–1907
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David Brigham De Lee
1853–1942
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Josephine Ellinor Dille Moss
1858–1931
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Harriet Lucretia Dille Jones
1861–1930
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Willard Dille
1861–1935
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Heber Wood Dille
1863–1937
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David Buel Dille
1863–1955
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Parley Pratt Dille
1865–1935
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