Relations: Heroism and Visions

Unlike the stories of very distant and traitorous relatives that I wrote about yesterday, it’s good to balance that with stories of the heroism and visions of more direct ancestors.

Patriot (and ‘Minuteman’?)

Rueben II was the son of Reuben Farnsworth and Mary Holden.  He married Anna Kellogg, in 1773 in Cambridge, Middlesex, MA. They had 16 children.

It is stated on his grave marker that he was a ‘Patriot of the American Revolution’.  The best information I was able to find out about him was that he was a private in the Massachusetts Militia.  Since Rueben lived and farmed in and around Worcester County during the Revolutionary War, he most likely was a ‘minuteman’ member of “Cushing’s Regiment of Militia”.   Militia were men in arms formed to protect their towns from foreign invasion and ravages of war. “Minutemen” were a small hand-picked elite force which were required to be highly mobile and able to assemble quickly. Cushing's Regiment of Militia (also known as the 6th Worcester County Militia Regiment) was called up at Westborough, Massachusetts on August 16, 1777 as reinforcements for the Continental Army during the Saratoga Campaign. The regiment marched quickly to join the gathering forces of General Horatio Gates as he faced British General John Burgoyne in northern New York. The regiment served in General Warner's brigade. With the surrender of Burgoyne's Army on October 17, the regiment was disbanded on November 29, 1777 and the men returned to their homes.

Reuben Farnsworth III was born April 1, 1787, the son of Reuben Farnsworth Jr. and his second wife, Anna Kellogg, in Harvard, Massachusetts. The family later moved to Dorset, Vermont. Reuben III married Lucinda Kent.  Reuben and Lucinda moved to Ohio about 1816 and settled near Burlington. Lucinda died July 20, 1829.

  

Reuben Farnsworth and Lucinda had 10 children, one of whom was Stephen Martindale, born October 8, 1810 in Dorset, Vermont.


Stephen had 3 wives.  He married (1) Julia Ann Clark (the mother of Alonzo Lafayette, my great-grandfather), (2) Eliza Lewis, and (3) Ellen Louisa Showell, who was born in England. He joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in its early days. He had the “Farnsworth Vision” a short time before the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith.

“He came west with the exodus from Nauvoo and settled on Keg Creek, Iowa, not far from Kanesville. He engaged in mill building and was a carpenter and builder by trade. He emigrated to Utah in 1852 and settled in Pleasant Grove, Utah, thence to Richfield, Utah and Joseph City, Utah, and from there to Moenkopi, Arizona. He had a large experience in frontier life and all the vicissitudes associated therewith. He was a true and trustworthy man of sterling integrity and commanded respect and esteem among his fellows wherever he lived. He had a large family and set an example worthy for them to follow. He died 19 September 1885 at Tuba City, Arizona May 1892.” 

(From “Farnsworth Memorial II,” second edition of the “Farnsworth Memorial” published in 1897 by Moses Franklin Farnsworth, revised in 1974 by R. Glen Nye)

Visionary
There are two versions of the Vision of Stephen Martindale Farnsworth published on the internet from the same year by two different “witnesses” to the vision:

The Vision of S.M. Farnsworth (1844) From Ogden Kraut

“I was engaged in working on the temple (at Nauvoo), and had gone home to dinner, and after dinner I started back to work, it then being about one o’clock. The day was a beautiful, clear and pleasant one, when suddenly the heavens became overcast and assumed the appearance of a drizzly day, like unto the approach of an equinoctial storm.

The Saints looked very much downcast and overcome with sorrow. The Twelve Apostles were counseling the Saints to prepare for a great journey to the west. The people were running to and fro in the streets of Nauvoo, preparing wagons, outfits, etc., for this journey. Many hundreds started, and their wagons extended to the west as far as the eye could reach. This journey appeared to be a great undertaking but was accomplished much easier than was expected. I saw the Saints after they had arrived at the end of their journey, and they began to prosper and were cheerful again.

Suddenly, a dark cloud appeared in the east and was driven to the west like a great tornado that seemed as if it would destroy everything before it. It halted when it came to the mountains and one of the brethren remarked, “It is going to break away.” And as we looked at it, it broke up and began to scatter and go around the mountains. Then the sky began to grow dark and misty and haze over from the four points of the compass, gathering up like the approach of a big storm, which continued until everything was enveloped in extreme darkness; and it continued to grow blacker and  blacker, until it appeared to me that all our enemies were against us; the elements were against us; God and His Prophet had forsaken us, and there was no ray of hope, or light, to give us comfort, but it seemed as though we would all be utterly destroyed.

All at once, President Brigham Young unexpectedly came into the midst of the Saints, and said, “Brethren, stand still, and see the salvation of God”, and tried to comfort and cheer the Saints, but his words had no effect on the people. He then turned around in haste, and had the Church in a body encircled by three strong bands,

(I saw no women or children in this circle) which he commenced driving with a Masonic mallet, followed by the Twelve Apostles. Each tap of the mallet drew the hoops tighter and tighter. This was the first time that I noticed the absence of Brothers Joseph and Hyrum, and I felt much troubled and weighed down in consequence of their absence.

Brother Brigham and the Twelve continued driving the hoops, their countenances being very resolute and determined, showing no signs of mercy. I thought to myself, the brethren could not stand it, when suddenly, the hoops burst asunder, and about two-thirds of the men scattered and ran away. I looked up and saw an opening in the clouds above, and also the heads of four or five heavenly personages above the clouds, looking down through their aperture upon us. I cast my eyes around and saw Brother Brigham smiling, and then knew that our troubles were over.

Those heavenly personages came down in the midst of those who remained and blessed them with all that their hearts could desire, and life was a pleasure. When the clouds burst asunder, they turned with a ten-fold vengeance upon the heads of our enemies, and I noticed that those of our brethren that ran away, were of that class that were complaining, rebellious and had not lived up to their privileges.

I felt in my heart, that the Lord ought not to put us to such a severe trial, when one of the angels came to me and said that “it was actually necessary to bring the Church through as close a place as that, in order to sift out those that were among you that were unworthy of the blessings you now enjoy.” I also saw that Brother Brigham had a large table spread with all the luxuries of life, and as starvation seemed to stare us in the face, I thought this trial was a good scarecrow, as no person was hurt, being only frightened enough to make them run away. Language cannot describe how happy and contented we all were; being of one heart and one mind, we enjoyed every blessing we desired.

Soon Brother Brigham jumped up and clapped his hands and cried out, “Now boys, for Jackson County,” and we were all on the move in a short time. The next scene I remember, I was within a short distance of Jackson County, arm in arm with one of the brethren walking directly south, being on the west side of the street or road. We saw an old mobocrat walking toward us, looking the very picture of despair. When he got opposite us, he raised his head and as our eyes caught his, he screeched aloud, withered and passed away, as a thing of naught. The vision closed, and I found myself standing in the street, where I was when it commenced.”

The Vision of S.M. Farnsworth (1844) From Orson Hyde

“I will venture here to relate an open vision had by brother Stephen M. Farnsworth, of Pleasant Grove, Utah County, while he was residing in Nauvoo, previous to the death of the Prophets Joseph and Hyrum. Some may possibly think and say, it was manufactured for this occasion. But there are many here under the sound of my voice who heard Brother Farnsworth relate the vision years ago. I will tell it as correctly as my memory will allow me.

In the spring of 1844, Brother Farnsworth started out after dinner, to go to work on the Temple as usual. The sun shone brightly as he walked down Parley-street towards the place of his labour, when suddenly the sky became overcast, and a dizzling [sic] rain set in. He stood amazed and saw a tumult and excitement among the people about the Temple, and a great excitement in the lower part of the town. He wondered what it could mean. Presently he was told that the Saints had to leave Nauvoo and take a great journey to the west. So great was the journey that it seemed almost impossible for him to perform it. Now he could see numerous trains of covered wagons and teams crossing the Mississippi river, and bending their course westward as far as the eye could reach. He also hitched up and joined the trains, and the journey did not seem so arduous as he first anticipated. He saw the Twelve Apostles in the crowd; but saw neither Joseph nor Hyrum.

They journeyed westward a great distance, and finally came to a place where they intended to locate. They stopped, and began to make improvements: but distress and starvation stared them in the face, and it really seemed to him that they must perish; but soon there began to be plenty of everything to eat, &c. This lasted quite a time: then there began to be scarcity again, and famine seemed to prevail; yet he saw none die of starvation, yet great distress among the people. Then there began to be plenty again--enough to eat of everything desirable. The people all appeared in one place, with large, strong hoops around them in a body. The Twelve followed brother Brigham with mallets and fierce countenances, and vigorously drove those hoops upon the people until it did seem that they would be pinched or squeezed to death. Still they resolutely continued to drive the hoops. Dark clouds now began to arise, and a general gloom prevailed. The hoops were all the time being driven tighter and tighter.

About this time, an army or force of the enemy came into the neighborhood and offered protection to all who wished it. The darkness of the clouds, and their awfully-threatening aspect are now past description. The people burst those hoops and sallied out like a flock of sheep, and more than one-half of them went to the enemy for protection. The scene was so awfully frightful that he was just on the eve of flying himself; but a thought occurred to him to hold on a little longer. He did so. Dark, angry, and frightful were the clouds, indeed! Now is your hour and the power of darkness! Presently the cloud over the Saints burst, and light beamed upon them.

This cloud rolled off upon the enemy and those who had fled to them for protection; and oh! The scenes of death, lamentation, and mourning that occurred in the enemies' camp beggar all description. The burning wrath of earth, heaven, and hell, in fiery streams of molten lava seemed to leave not one alive to tell the tale. It did not stop here, but rolled throughout the United States, carrying the same desolation in its track. The faithful band of brethren left, then followed brother Brigham up into a large open cave, where there was everything good to eat and drink that heart could desire. The shouts of hosanna and the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God for the deliverance wrought for them rent the air and made the mountains echo the praises of our God. From this cave they journeyed, I need not say where; but, suffice it to say, no opposition had any effect upon them. The power of God was with them, and His voice was in their camp.

There is much more to this vision which I deem unnecessary to write. But after it was all over, Brother Farnsworth came to himself, standing in Parley-street on a beautiful sunshiny day. No covered wagons or excitement in town or about the temple. When he came to himself, he concluded that his exercises were of the Devil, from the fact that he saw neither Joseph nor Hyrum in all the scenes; but it was Brigham, Brother Kimball, and the Twelve. Before these scenes began to really take place, Joseph and Hyrum were killed at Carthage, and consequently were not seen by Brother Farnsworth.

I relate this from memory, being some months since I heard Brother Farnsworth tell it at his residence in Pleasant Grove; but, in the main, it is as he told me, so far as I have related it. There are those here to whom Brother Farnsworth told it more than twelve years ago, and they know whether I tell it as he did.

I have considerable confidence in this vision, for two reasons. First, Brother Farnsworth is a correct man: his character is without spot or blemish. Secondly, this vision corresponds with a hundred and one other sacred things written in ancient and modern times. And I may add a third reason; it has all been fulfilled to the very letter, so far as time would allow.”

(Journal of Discourses: Volume 5, Orson Hyde n.d., 140)