June 29th, 1884. St. John’s, Arizona.

Dear Mother and Father:

Dear Parents I got the parcel you sent me by John Harndance. It came while I was away and I have not seen him yet. I assure you my dear Parents that I feel more grateful to you than I can express for your kindness and thoughtfulness, but Miles and I are both afraid you are depriving yourself to send to me. I couldn’t have had anything come in better. I am so very much pleased with my shoes. Good Salt Lake ones are a treasure I assure you, and those are such nice ones. They will last me such a long time with care and shoes are no small item in our family.

Thomas and Junius’s mouths widened out as if they were made of the same materials as their suspenders. There never was any to compare with them in their estimation.

I don’t see how you spare the fruit when you had such a poor crop last year, but it is just like my own careful Mother to always have something on hand.

A week ago tonight we were in Lunis, and had the blues all day. But after meeting we saw Miles coming. I assure you it was a time of rejoicing when he told us we could start home in the morning. We got home on Wednesday. I expect we are running a risk but Miles hated so badly to have us away, and we felt bad to be so far away from home.

We found all well except Eugene [Hannah’s son, age 9 months] who is quite young and delicate.

Prospects for Miles in the law business are very gloomy at present unless the Lord opens up the way in some unforeseen manner, which I hope and pray that he will. I suppose all we can do is to be as cautious as possible and trust God for the rest. I have faith to believe that he will protect us in striving to keep his commandments. 

June 1st, 1884. Lunis Valley, New Mexico.

Lunis Valley

Dear Parents,

We arrived in Lunis Valley [New Mexico] one week ago today, and have not had a word from home yet. But we are expecting a home missionary from there today, and will likely get a letter by him. We are anxiously awaiting his arrival. The paper has just come from which I learn that Miles has gone with the Apostles to the Conference at St. Joseph, to be held there yesterday and today. I am pleased to hear this as it will afford hima little rest of mind, which he must certainly need after being harassed and bothered as he has been lately. We are still staying with Sister Elizabeth Swapp [Hanna’s aunt]. Evrybody is very kind. The Swapp boys have all got homes here, except James who is still in Utah. David Rodgers Jr. lives six miles from here on a ranch. His sister Vade who used to be Dick Bleak’s wife called to see us this morning. She lives here and is married to one of the Allans of Toquer, a brother of Dave’s wife.

This is one fine valley, and no doubt will become a nice settlement in course of time as the facilities appear to be good and in easy reach. There is an abundance of timber close by, such beautiful large pine trees close to town, and we saw a great amount of oak and juniper between here and Bush Valley. There are also quite a lot of cottonwoods growing on the stream here. They look quite old fashioned.

The Bishop [George C. Williams] and others have gone to Woodruff, and expect to be back in a week or two with a saw mill. Br. Copelon is to run it. This will no doubt be a great help in building up the place. There are about 45 families living here, but only 20 of them have brought recommends and belong to the ward.

Thomas [age 8] is with me, and is going to school. Park [age 2], Alice [Annie’s daughter, age 3], and the baby Orin [Anie’s son, age 2 months] are well, as also are Annie and myself.

Brother Moffett came and brought us a letter from Miles. He says the children and all are well. He expects to come up as soon as possible. But don’t know how long we will have to stay here. I hope it won’t be long away from Miles and the children. But I suppose we must try to be as patient as possible, and feel very thankful that all is as well with us as it is.

The Swapp boys are some of them going down to Socrra for goods, so I may send this with them to post.

 

April 17th, 1884. St. John’s Arizona.

Mrs. Eleanor C. Jarvis

Dear Friend:

You have no doubt seen by the papers that we have had quite a time here, land jumpers and all kinds of wickedness to put up with. A dirty lying paper as bad or worse than the Tribune. Lawsuits, our rights trampled upon in evry possible way. So we get it one way if not another.

You have no doubt heard of Miles starting off suddenly to Salt Lake the night befores Annie’s boy [Orin] was born. It was urgent public business, and I feel we have all been blessed in his going at the call of duty. For indeed it is the safest plan, and he never fails to respond to the call of the Priesthood. 

March 25, 1884. St. John’s, Arizona.

Dear Mother and Father:

This morning, two Gentiles were seen right in town digging post holes on Brother Babbit’s lot, with the intention of fencing and jumping it. Br. Babbitt and Br. Nicoll came along and tried to make them stop. One of them struck Br. Babitt and drawed his pistol on him. The Bishop and quite a number gathered, and began to build a fence and dig up the posts of the outsiders. Our folks also hauled a little board house that one of the brethren had built for a meat market and placed it in the lot to try to keep it.

By this time about a hundred Gentiles and Mexicans had gathered and did all they could to prevent our people from working there. A good many hard words and threats passed and one of our brethren, Br. Malory, was knocked down. This was almost more than he could stand, and some of our men had to take him off to prevent him from fighting. The Sheriff finally came and ordered all to leave.

The Gentiles left, but soon returned and tried to move the house away, when it fell to pieces. They then pulled down the fence that our people had built, and proceeded to build another. Most of our men were in the field, so that only a few were on the ground. So they had to either give up or resort to the use of firearms.

Though many of the brethren felt it was more than they could bear, the Bishop thought it better not to fight. Miles, with all the rest, felt it was a hard pill to swallow. He has been up to tell us not to feel alarmed. The field of operation is four or five blocks from our house, but we being on the hill can see quite plainly, and have watched the windows pretty closely ever since we heard of it. These are, in brief, as near the facts as I have been able to get at them […]

The Bishop has called on Miles to go to Salt Lake to represent our situation to the Presidency of the Church. He started last night about ten o’clock.

January 10th, 1884. St. John’s, Arizona.

Dear Mother and Father:

The “Apache Chief,” the Anti-Mormon paper of St. John’s, started last week. It is a very weak feeble thing to what we had expected, considering it has all the Gentiles to back it up (four lawyers, one doctor, and a good many saloon keepers). He says in his editorial that he hopes to be able to support his limited family with his one paper when his contemporary can support such a numerous one. The paper is so weak and contemptible that I don’t think the “Era” will reply to it at all, or take any notice of it, unless there is something of more importance than in the last.

Dear Parents, last Monday was my birthday. 29 years old you know. But as it was our washday, I thought we would wash, though Annie didn’t like the idea of us washing on my birthday (Annie and I do our washing together). It was a lovely day, just like Spring. Annie got the children dinner when they came home from school, and we thought we would not stop to eat ours till we got through. We always send Miles dinner. So presently, Hannah sent for us to come into the house, and we found that she had prepared a very nice dinner of which we partook with relish. Hannah presented me with a nice wall pocket, and Annie with a paper rack.

In the evening, as Miles had not yet come home, Minnie [Hannah’ daughter, age 15] and I went to the joint meeting of the young men and ladies association, and when we came home Miles was there, and he said he guessed he would go downtown a little while.

In a few minutes he came back with a large chromo [photograph], nicely framed, which he presented to me as a birthday present. It is called the “Surprise Party,” and was indeed a surprise to me indeed. It is about 2 feet by 2 and ½ feet. It represents a winter night with snow on the ground, a beautiful country residence with 4 or 5 sleighs full of people who are just alighting with their baskets of picnic. A band of music is palying, and a lady has just come to the door. The lights are shining from the window, and all together it is a beautiful picture. Miles has always said since we came to Arizona that I must have some picture, as I didn’t bring mine with me.

December 30th, 1883. St. John’s, Arizona.

Dear Mother and Father:

We have been having very fine weather. Christmas day was almost like springtime. We had a very pleasant Christmas. On Christmas eve, the boys and girls Minne [Hannah’s daughter, age 15], Mattie [Carrie’s daughter, age 13], Willie [Carrie’s son, age 15], and Miles [Hannah’s son, age 14] went to the dance. We got the rest to bed and filled their stockings (twelve of them), and then Miles and I went down to the dance a little while. In the morning the children had a happy time […]

You will see by reading the editorials in the “Era” how the Devil is raging here among the outsiders. They have united our School District with their’s, so as to get all the appropriatioin, or compel us to send our children to teachers of their choosing. They have a young lady from the east teaching for them. We have Brother Farr and Ida Hunt Udall. The doctor threatened to have Sister Ramsey fined for going around doctoring without having a diploma. They will no doubt go to the full length of their rope. There is a comfort in knowing that “they can go just so far, and no farther.”

December 9th, 1883. St. John’s Arizona.

Mrs. Eleanor C. Jarvis

Beloved Friend:

The Outsiders here are as full of the Devil as it is possible to be. There isn’t bad talk is there? The Board of Supervisors have united our school district with their’s, without our knowledge or consent. Our people will contest the matter. I think we don’t feel like sending our children to teachers of their choosing, nor yet pay taxes without receiving any of the appropriation.

November 23, 1883. St. John’s, Arizona.

Dear Father and Mother:

Miles enlarged the paper last week, but he was not pleased with it, as something was the matter with the ink, and it was quite blurred. I hope they will have better luck next week.

Caroline [age 9], George [Hannah’s son, age 9], and Thomas [age 7] are going to school, and Annie will begin next week to teach night school three nights a week for the larger children, as they cannot be spared from the type-setting to go to day school. This larger paper is keeping them all very busy. They had to work till midnight two or three nights last week. There is soon to be a Gentile paper started here. Their handbills are out. They say they are “Anti-Mormon” to their “hearts’ core.”

July 5th, 1883

Dear Father and Mother:

Park [age one} doesn’t walk alone yet, but Thomas [age 7] and Junius [age 5] have hold of his arms, walking him away down the hill, and I am sitting by the window and can scarcely write for thinking and looking out at them. He is a sweet pretty boy, and looks cute in his little green gingham dress and panties. But then I am his mother, you know, so must be excused for thinking so, though I am not the only one […]

Miles and Annie were away at conference. Annie was so worn out with waiting on her children so long that we thought, as they were so much better, she ought to have an out. They were gone four days, and enjoyed themselves very much […]

You will see an account of the celebration of the 4^th here if you get the paper all right. Judge French and a good many strangers were present. We had a splendid time. I don’t know when I ever enjoyed myself better. The singing and the speeches were excellent […]

The Grear boys who were indicted for the murder of a Mexican at the time Farther Tenney was shot last summer were acquitted yesterday. 

June 3rd, 1883. St. John’s Arizona.

Dear Father and Mother:

We moved into our new house while I was sick. It is not near finished, but does very well for the summer. Miles expects to get it nearly finished by winter, if all is well.

I must give you a brief description of it. It is a frame building, clapboard on the outside and lined with adobes. Faces the east, with one door and two windows in front, has large two large rooms downstairs, and two upstairs, and he intends building a dining room and two small rooms in the back of it. We cook in the little room that Hannah lived in all winter. Our house is right on a hill and we have a lovely view of the town and surrounding country. Good bye. God bless you.