WRITINGS OF JOSEPH BATES NOBLE Journal of Joseph Bates Noble I am the son of Ezekiel Noble. My father was attention to business to give good satisfaction. I never born in May, about the year 1785. My grandfather’s had a word of difficulty with any man up to this day. name was Ezekiel Noble. My father had a number of During this time I gave considerable to my brothers and sisters. One of his brother’ name was father. I took delight in helping my father and in seeing Harvey. He had also a sister, Unice Noble. My mother’s them comfortable as to the tings of this world. I did not, maiden name was Theodicia Bates. Her father’s name as many did at my age, spend a great deal of their time to was Joseph Bates. My mother has brothers by the name no value. My mind was so directed, or led, that I enjoyed Harvey Bates, John Bates, Joseph and Britewell Bates. myself b3est when I was in a situation to help my My parents were married about the year 1805, and in father’s family. The steady course I took gave them great 1815 moved to the state of New York, Penfield, Monroe confidence in me and I had their confidence and County. blessing. I continued to work as a miller. By the time I My sister, Sarah, was born in May, 1807, and I began to get knowledge of the business and my wages was born in 1810, January 14, and when at the age of 5 were accordingly. I will say here that I became years, my father moved to the above mentioned place, acquainted with a man by the name of Eben Wilcox where we lived until 1830. During this time my father’s while I was in the employ of Mr. Fairchild, and when to family had increased until we numbered 11 in family. I work for Mr. Tomlinson. Eben Wilcox had the oversight will here give their names and the year of their birth. My of the mill as miller. The mill was conveyed into other sister, Unice, was born in the year 1813, Penfield, hands at the first part of the year. Mr. Wilcox and myself Monroe county. My sister, Rhoda, was born in the year went to Avon, Livingston County, and hired to Mr. 1815, in the same place. My mother gave birth to a pair McMillen to tend mill. Mr. Wilcox has $26 per month. of twins in the year 1817, both of them girls. The one she I got $18 per month. called Elonora Persillia, and Leonora Cordelia. We were in the employ of Mr. McMillen two In the year 1819 my mother gave birth to another years. McMillen then sold the mill to Mr. Norman Little. pair of twins and called their names Mary Sobia and We Stayed with Mr. Little one year. During this time I Rebecca Maria. In the year 1822 John Noble was born. have been attentive to my father and family, really Harvey Noble was born in the year 1825. Robert Noble distributing my means for their benefit. Bought them was born in the year 1827. These are the names of my three cows, I remember, and hogs and clothing for their father’s family. comfort. I took up for them 70 acres of land in the When at the age of 14, my father, having a large Genessee County town of Sheldon, and built a good log family, and not much to help himself with, depended house there. 16 X 20, and assisted in moving my father’s upon the labor of his own hands for the support of so family to the before mentioned place. I also helped them large a family. I went to work by the month for Nelson to clear off the same season three acres of very heavy Fullom for six months at $5.00 per month. I, with part of timberland that was put in wheat. my summer’s work, bought a cow for my father and the My father’s health was quite poor, owing to a remainder I clothed myself with, and from this time on fall he got the winter before in which his side and some till I was 18 years of age I was from home most of the of his ribs were broken. The weakness continued to time. Summers I worked on a farm and most of the time trouble him for years, even unto this day. I have bought for Mr. Fullom, who raised my wages and gave me many for them three cows and many other necessary things for presents because of my faithfulness. Winters I went to their comfort. Sometime previous to my father moving school. from Penfield, my eldest sister, Sarah, was married to At the age of 18 I went to live with one Harrison Davis Graves. After living with him for one year, he A. Fairchild, for to learn to be a miller, or to tend a mill. went to visit his mother and brother and sisters who then Mr. Fairchild moved to north Bloomfield and rented were living in Blackrock, four or five miles below what was called Smith’s Hills, in partnership with Oliver Buffalo, New York. He was taken with a fever and died. H. Tomlinson. At the end of the year Mr. Fairchild sold My sister, soon after had a son and she called his name his interest to Mr. Tomlinson. I then hired to Mr. Theodore. Tomlinson for one year. I have been able, by my good I continued to work at the milling business. Sometime in the fall of 1832, I heard for the first time world.” He exclaimed in a rage, “I do, I do, I do. I’ll not the gospel preached by Brigham and Joseph Young and see sinners going the downward road to perdition.” He Heber C. Kimball. I said in my heart, “that is truth then told Brother Young he wanted he should take a according to the spirit that is in me,” for I was a person quantity of poison that he had prepared for that purpose, who thought much about the things of God, and often saying, “If it did not kill you, I will believe your meditated and wondered in my heart, and asked myself testimony.” He was mad when he saw he could not this question, Where is the people of God? Where are accomplish the thing which he had undertaken, and they that exercised the faith before Him that our father’s threatened us with a mob if we did not leave the city did? I have, from the age of 12 years old, often felt after straightway. This was one of the students which was in the God of my fathers, and have from time to time the priest-factory where they manufacture priests, but for obtained by the whispering of this spirit a testimony of some cause he was not able to bring a mob upon us. We my acceptance with him. I have a proud heart, and from had a pleasant time, and a good visit altogether. the good intention I gave from what was put into my care (ZionsCamp) In the spring of 1834, I settled up I gained the confidence of all. I took time in endeavoring my business because there was a proclamation made by to excel and minding my own business. the servants of God that the strength of his house was I was baptized in the fall of 1832 as also was wanted to go up to Missouri to redeem Zion, or for the Eben Wilcox, and some four or five other who bore our redemption of Zion. I accordingly volunteered, bid testimony in favor of the work of God, that he had farewell to m y father’s family and all my acquaintances commenced in these last days by revealing to his servant, for a season, and started on the first day of May. I arrived Joseph Smith, the keys of the Holy Priesthood, in Kirtland on the sixth, found the company had left, that authorizing him to build up his kingdom on the earth. In they were to be in Wooster that night, a distance of 50 the summer of 1833 I went to Kirkland, Ohio, to visit miles. I hired Brother Johnson to take me with a horse Joseph Smith, for as yet I had never seen him. The and buggy to Wooster that night, which he did. We distance was 250 miles. When I arrived at Kirtland, I arrived there about 9:00 in the evening. I called up a went to the house of Joseph Smith and told him I had public house and I found by inquiring that there was a come to stay a few days in the place. He was going to company of Mormons who came in there that evening on work in the hayfield. He invited me to go with him. I did, their way to Missouri. My heart leaped with joy. I went so, further said he would tell me all about it. I stayed to where they were. They were glad to see me, especially nine days at the place, worked with the prophet six days. Elder Eben Wilcox. They began to fear that something During my stay at Kirtland, Brother Brigham Young had happened to me. I was some behind the time came from Canada to Kirtland and had some four or five appointed. very interesting meeting.