Microfilm of a typescript of George Washington Brimhall's autobiographies. The first part, entitled History and Biography of the First Part of the Life of George Washington Brimhall, includes anecdotes about Brimhall's childhood and young adult life in New York state, including stories about his family's lumber freighting business. The account ends with his travels through the Northeast in the late 1830s and his eventual settling in Knoxville. The second part, entitled A True History and apparently begun at Spanish Fork, Utah, on December 15, 1888, primarily recounts Brimhall's experiences in Utah. It begins with an allegorical description of his family life in Illinois and his call west. Brimhall then recounts volunteering with Zadok Knapp Judd to help found a new colony (probably the Iron Mission near Parowan) encounters with Indians near in the area of Sevier his service in the state legislature continuing famine conditions and hard winters experiences in Ogden, Cedar City, and Salt Lake City being sent to colonize Grafton, in Kane County near the Rio Virgin, in 1864 difficult travel conditions and his reluctance to relocate to St. George and Spanish Fork 1873 Indian peace treaty negations involving Judge John Cox and Chiefs Poikneapah, Ungutsup, and Tamerat and his treatment for Brights Disease in San Francisco 1877. The accounts end in 1889. All inquiries about this item should be directed to the H. Russell Smith Foundation Curator of Western Historical Manuscripts at the Huntington Library, San Marino, CA. Microfilm. San Marino, Calif. : Huntington Library Photographic Dept., 1945. 1 microfilm reel : negative 35 mm. Forms part of the Manuscripts Department's Mormon file, c.1805-1995. George Washington Brimhall (1814-1895), the father of George H. Brimhall, was born in New York State. The Brimhall family moved to Illinois in 1837 and Brimhall joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in McHenry County in 1842. After spending two years as a missionary in the surrounding area, he moved to Nauvoo in 1844 and soon after settled in Knoxville, Illinois. Brimhall married Lucretia Metcalf in 1845 (she refused to travel west and divorced him in 1850). He was part of the Iron Mission in 1850 and in 1852 was elected to the Utah Territorial Legislature. He married Rachel Ann Meyer and moved to Ogden in 1854. Brimhall served on the Ogden City Council before moving to Salt Lake City in 1863. In 1864 he was called to settle St. George, and died in Spanish Fork, Utah, in 1895.
Brimhall, George W. (George Washington), 1814-1895 Domestic relations--Illinois Frontier and pioneer life--Utah Indians of North America--Utah Mormon cities and towns Mormon pioneers Mormons--Utah--History--19th century New York (State)--History--19th century San Francisco (Calif.)--Description and travel Utah--Description and travel Utah--History--19th century 1888-1889 1889 Autobiographies Utah 19th century. (aat)
Source
Mormon Manuscripts at the Huntington Library Mormonism and the West, Huntington Digital Library
Provenance
Microfilm made from typed copy loaned by Juanita Brooks, May 1945.
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