William Clayton: Missionary, Pioneer, and Public Servant
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Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 1959-07-01 William Clayton: Missionary, Pioneer, and Public Servant Paul E. Dahl Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the Missions and World Christianity Commons, Mormon Studies Commons, and the United States History Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Dahl, Paul E., "William Clayton: Missionary, Pioneer, and Public Servant" (1959). Theses and Dissertations. 4632. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4632 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. WILLIAM CLAYTON missionary PIONEER PUBLIC SERVANT paul E dahl second edition copyright 1964 paul E dahl 1929192 Collegecollege blvd boise idaho printed J grant stevenson 260 east 2100 north provo utah 84601 dedicated family descendants william clayton should ever proud achieve- ments great pioneer paul E dahl ii11 acknowledgments sincere appreciation writer acknowledges assistance following made possible complete woworkrk professor ivan J barrett dr dean C christensen faculty brigham young university comments criticisms library staff brigham young univer- sity church historians office church jesus christ latter day saints utah histor- ical society bancroft library berkeley california late alma clayton surviving child william clayton gave mubuchmuchh personal insight life father various members clayton fam- ily including june M mcdonnel van nuys california dr john L clayton L clayton dunford joy M mcdonald salt lake city advice encouragement contributioncontributions tomrhomr grant stevenson valuable assistance printing assembling work wife shirley members family assisting sustaining him through- out endeavor those unmentioned made helpful suggestions given encouragement iiilii111 PREFACE SECOND EDITION first edition completely sold four years copies found homes william claytonsclaytonaClaytons descendants pacific atlantic coasts canada gulf states interesting note how many descendants successful profess- ional people medical doctors lawyers college professors business leaders tribute great pioneer never imagined demand merit second printing help encouragement william clayton president clayton family association edition made possible edition basically same first edition exception new format should make easier shelve appreciation expressed J grant stevenson excellent cooperation facili- tating publication edition making available early date paul E dahl november 1964 ivIV TABLE CONTENTS page acknowledgments iii LIST illustrations viii introduction 1 chapter I1 WILLIAM CLAYTONCLAY TON FISHER MEN 4 mission great britain conversion early life england character sketch missionary promised land II11 WILLIAM CLAYTONCLAY TON CITIZEN NAUVOO ILLINOIS 32 new land clerk church personal friend joseph smith temple built driven home liililIIIHI111 WILLIAM CLAYTONCLAY TON EXILE IOWA PLAINS 61 camp israel come come ye saints garden grove settlements missouri river IV WILLIAM CLAYTON PIONEER 184718481847 1848 8811 toward new promised land buffalo hunt roadometerRoadometer fort laramie tops mountains return winter quarters emigrants guide back mountains v chapter page V WILLIAM CLAYTON MISSION 1852 122 another mission england again plains across iowa new york crossing atlantic 1852 home again england problems VI WILLIAM CLAYTON politician PUBLIC SERVANT 151 state deseret territory utah bounty hunt auditor public accounts trip southern utah secretary territorial council recorder marks brands problems U marshal positions Z CMIC M I1 VII WILLIAM CLAYTON MUSICIAN 171 nauvoo period nauvoo legion band resurrection daydaytdayi deseret musical dramatic association VIII PRIVATE LIFE WILLIAM CLAYTON 1850791850 79 177 public speaker seventeenth ward civil war political aspiration california volunteers collector debts mercantile business mining enterprises interesting purchases land problems father personal problems views death final rites vi APPENDIX I1 CLAYTON FAMILY 209 II11 FAMILY RECORD WILLIAM CLAY- TON 212 ililiiIII111 WILLIAM CLAYTONSCLAY TONS FAMILY 214 IV FUNERAL SERVICES WILLIAM CLAYTON 218 V WILLIAM CLAYTONS TESTIMONY revelation PLURAL MAR- RIAGE 2332 3 3 VI ORSON PRATT COMMENTS roadometerDOMETERROA 238 VII RIVER RIBBLE 238a VIII TITHING RECEIPT SIGNED WILLIAM CLAYTON 238b references 239 bibliography 261 INDEX 265 viivilVI 1 LIST illustrations PLATE page 1 william claytonclayton frontispiece la 2 letter diantha clayton 68b 3 come come ye saints 669a9aaa 4 roadometerRoadometer 92b 5 letter brigham young 118b 6 territorial commission aduitoradjitor 154b 7 book marks brands 158b 8 first glorious light truth 174b 9 letter frank fuller 18182bab2b 10 eldridge clawsonclaw son building 190b19 ob 11 deseret telegraph building 19190bob 12 william claytonsclaytonaClaytons home 208b 13 ruth moon clayton 214b2 14b 14 margaret moon clayton 214b2 14b 15 alice hardman clayton 214b 16 diantha farr clayton 214b 17 augusta braddock clayton 216b2 lgb 18 sarah ann walters clayton 216b 19 maria louisa lyman clayton 216b2.2 lgb 20 anna elizabeth higgs clayton 216b 21 river ribble 238a 22 tithing receipt signed william clayton 238b viii la WILLIAM CLAYTON 1814 1879 introductionINTRODUC TION work biography william clayton early missionary church jesus christ latter day saints pioneer great basin prominent individual political economic development state deseret territory utah purpose study write account ClaytonClay tons1 life show contributions both religious profane history scope study attempts give answers among others following questions 1 what background experience william clayton prior joining mormon movement england during 1837 2 what contributions did make forementioned movement while serving missionary 183818401838- 1840 3 arriving america what contributions church jesus christ latter day saints during nauvoo illinois period what associations mormon leader joseph smith 4 what circumstances under great mormon hymn come come ye saints written 5 member first group mor- mon pioneers cross plains enter great basin under leader- ship brigham young what experiences contributions 6 upon settling great basin what contributions political economic cultural developdevelopmentdevelopmentsdevelopmentomento f new land 2 7 what problems experiences husband father large polygamous family work covers those experiences life william clayton days england death salt lake city december 4 1879 much body study somewhat de- tailed regard claytonsclaytonaClaytons daily life experiences inasmuch meticulous recorder daily events many these experiences preserved several journals many hund- reds letters investigation found endea- vored write complete story life william clayton under cover number writers written short life sketches journal 1846471846 47 published latter work rather extensively used others further works none come near cover- ing activities period several yearyears aim historians collect information contributions lives those whohave major figures develop- ment new movements events research shown william clayton prolific writer very meticulous keeping records study attempt show major figure history environment especially nauvoo illinois crossing great plains great basin area subsequent settlement utah territory william claytonsclaytonaClay tons intimate asso- ciationsciati ons joseph smith brigham young well informed early history church jesus christ latter day saints problems times these relationships plus many personal contribu- tions william clayton environment writer justifies study being prime importance scholars may access william ClaytonClay tons1 life experiences works study handled way historical method describes sequence 3 events during definite chronological periods how happened material facts study gathered main primary sources william claytonsclaytonaClaytons personal journals jour- nal history church jesus christ latter day saints newspaper articles printed england nauvoo salt lake city family files gene- alogies personal letters documents histories pictures collection william claytonsclaytonaClaytons letter books located bancroft library berkeley california source much valuable information primary sources used minutes church meetings various kinds written wards branches where lived histories british mission salt lake stake public documents state deseret territory utah along primary sources men- tioned work supplemented secondary sources books interviews various published articles findings research submitted those interested may better understand- ing william clayton role history intimate record life may pre- served generations come CHAPTERCHAPTERI I1 WILLIAM CLAYTON FISHER MEN mission great britain soon martin van buren became president united states nation met severe financial crisis dilemma brought reckless spirit speculation two three years preceding fostered encouraged excessive banking expansion paper currency beyond leg- itimate wants country same spirit taking deep root church results widespread faultfindingfault finding disunion dissension apostasy prophet joseph smith points writings quorum church jesus christ latter day saints entirely exempt influence above mentioned feelings quorum twelve even started take sides secretly groups opposition church 1 midst melancholy condition joseph smith states god revealed me something new