Microfilm of John F. Nash's autobiography, written in about 1927. Nash recalls his childhood around the California gold mines, including his friendship with a nearby "Company of Chinese" over whom he "held arbitrary jurisdiction " his family's move to Ventura County and his first experiences of attending school and of his father's loss of a land grant after oil was discovered on their property in 1874. Nash then describes traveling toward Texas driving livestock, of his experiences in Woodruff and Snowflake, of the theft of his family's livestock, the family's settlement in the Gila Valley, encounters with Indians "on the warpath" and fear of ambushes, and his acquiring of a teaching license. He then describes his conversion to Mormonism in 1888 following his experiences at the Matthews settlement, his 1890 trip to Salt Lake City, his decision to attend the Brigham Young Academy, and his experiences teaching in Loa, Wanship, Pima, the St. Joseph Stake Academy, and the Thatcher Junior High School. He briefly recounts his joining of a local national guard and a mission to retrieve fellow soldiers from a saloon. Nash also recalls his mission to Australia, where he primarily preached in Sydney and Brisbane, and his clash with "Reorganists" there. 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., 1948. 1 microfilm reel : negative 35 mm. Forms part of the Manuscripts Department's Mormon file, c.1805-1995. John F. Nash was born in Sicard Flat, California, in 1865. His early childhood was spent around the gold mines of Yuba until his family moved to Hueneme, Ventura County. After his father lost his land grant in 1874, the family decided to move to Texas. While driving livestock through Woodruff and Snowflake, Arizona, Nash was introduced to Mormonism. After their stock was stolen near Pima, the Nash family settled in the Gila Valley, where John obtained his teaching license. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1888. In 1893 he left Pima to attend what was then the Brigham Young Academy in Provo, and taught at schools in Loa and Wanship, Utah, before returning to Pima in 1896. He helped organize the St. Joseph Stake Academy (now Eastern Arizona University) in 1898,taught at the school for over twenty years, and served as its president. From 1905-1907 Nash served on a mission to Australia. Upon his return to Arizona he resumed teaching until 1926, when he was called to labor in the Arizona Temple. He lived in Thatcher, Arizona, until 1927.
Nash, John F., 1865- St. Joseph Stake Academy--History Frontier and pioneer life--Arizona Frontier and pioneer life--California Indians of North America--Arizona Mining camps--Californa Mormon Church--Education Mormon converts Mormon missionaries--Australia Mormon universities and colleges Mormons--Arizona--History Mormons--Utah--History Gila River Valley (N.M. and Ariz.) 1927 Autobiographies Arizona 20th century. (aat)
Source
Mormon Manuscripts at the Huntington Library Mormonism and the West, Huntington Digital Library
Provenance
Microfilm of original loaned by John F. Nash through Augusta Flake, October 19, 1948.
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