I John Pack the Son of George rite this history or journal of my life that my Children in time to come may no the dealings of the lord with me their father My father was Born in the State of New Jersey his Father died when he was five years old an my Father was bound to Mr Kent until he was twenty one years of age my Mother was Born in East greenage in the Ste of Rode islan they was Marid in the Sity of St Johns New Brunswick my Fathers Fathers name was Jobe Pack Father had one Brother his name was Bengaman I no no more about his Connction my Mothers Fathers name was Ruphus Green his Wifes name was Margret Buckhout my Mother had four Brothers the eldest one was John the next was Caleb the next was John he was named in remembrance of the eldest for he died when he was nine months old the youngest name was James the three youngest are yet alive they had two Cisters the Eldest name was Nancy the next is my Mother her name is Phylote when I was eight years of age My Father moved to the State of New York Jefferson County town of Watertown he had five Sons and Seven Daughters the Eldest Sons name was George he is now living in the State of New York Madeson County town of Peterboro he has Nine Children his Wifes name is Mariah Lothop Ruphus Pack the next eldest is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of latterday Saints and is with the Church now an has ben Since he joyned his first Wifves name was Betsy Green She died in pike County State of Illinois after her death he Mared Hanah Draper She died firm in the faithe after her death he Mared Jane Robison he has one Son and Six daughters the next is my Self John Pack the next to me is my Brother Caleb he was Baptised
an confirmed a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterdy Saints at atlass Pike County Illinois he then moved to the Town of Pery an died with the consumption in the twenty eight year of his age he was Buried four miles West of the vilage of pery in a hicery grove Near his Wives Fathers whose name is Brower his Wives Name is Mary Brower My Brother had one daughter her name is Elizabeth Delight My next Brothers name is James Bengaman he is the youngest he lived at Atlass one hundred miles below Nauvoo he came to Nauvoo an said that he had come on perpose to be Baptised he was baptised an Confirmed in the Church an lived one year an died firm in the faithe his complaint was the consumption he died in the twentyfourth year of his age and was buried in the old grave yard in Nauvoo below the Temple of the Lord on the east Side of the yard he died in the year of our Lord 1844 in the month of April he pased through the troubles with the Saints in Missoura an was taken by the mob an kept on raw Beef three dayes an had his life threatened many times he left A wife and two little daughters when he died the two Children lived but a short time after the death of their father his Wives name was Susan Baxter I had Seven Sisters the eldest ones name is Margaret She Marrid Farquer McKinsey they lived in Hounsfield Jefferson County State of New York an had nine Children three of there Children died in Jefferson they then Moved to Uper Canady an both died an there Children came back to Jefferson County my next is Sally She was marid to Thomas Nickerson they lived in Jefferson County and had Several Children Sally died in Jefferson County and was buried in the town of hounsfield near the Sulpher Springs Mr Nickerson took the Children and went to upper Canady I no nomore of his Children he joyned the church and died at Diamon in Missoura my next Cister is Nancy she was Marid to Obidiah Brainard they are living in the town of Frankling Portage County State of Ohio My next Cister is Pheby She was Marid
To Levy Wood they both joyned the Church in the State of New York and moved to Missoura he died while on the journey near Huntsville Pheby was Marid to Amos Herick they now live in quincy State of Illinois and have Several Children My Sister Mary the next youngest was Marid to Henry coster and had four Children he died. She then moved to the City of quincy in the State of Illinois an joined the Church an is living there now with three of her Children Eliot Coster the eldest died at Peterboro Madeson Couty State of new york my next Cister is Hariet She Maried Samuel Farman they are living at Milwakey Wiscosin Teritory Hariet joyn the Church Some years a go Eleanor my youngest Cister was Marid to William Bosley they both joyn the Church Wiliam died in Nauvoo they had one Son his name is Geore Wiliam after his Father Eleanor after the death of her Husband was Marrid to S H Laurence and is now living in the City of quincy State of Illinois I now Commence with My own history John Pack
I was born in St Johns New Brunswick Loer Canida the twentieth of May 1809 when I was eight years old My Parents moved to the State of new york and when I was in My twenty fourth year of My age I was Marred to Julia Ives the Daughter of Erastus Ives and Lucy Paine Ives his Wife The Father of Erastus Ives had four Sons the eldest was Joel the next was Jothem the next Titus the next Erastus who is My Wifes Father They had two Cisters the eldest was Anah the youngest is Lucy. Lucy Paine My Wifes Mother that was her Maiden name her Father had Seven Children two Sons and five daughters the eldest Son was Ephraime the youngest was Abigah Elizabeth the eldest daughter the next is Mary the next is Cloey the next is Lucy My Wifes Mother Erastus Ives My Wifes Father died in Wattertown Jefferson County State of New york when Julia was in her twelvth year of her age
Her Mother Lucy Ives lived a widow Six years after the death of her Husband She joyned the Church and Sold her Property and moved to Kirtland State of Ohio She lived there one year and then moved to the State of Missoura She bought a farm in Davis County and lived there one year and was driven by the Mob with the Saints to Nauvoo She lived there Six months and died firm in the faithe bing worn out by percicution and Could well be counted a Marter She was Bured in the old grave yard below the temple My Wifes Father had four Children three Sons and one daughter the eldest is Joel the next is Jerome and the next is Henry They are all living in the State of New York Jefferson Co Town of Watertown the name of the daughter is Julia who is My Wife I was Marid in the month of Octtober 1832 and lived in the town of Watertown Jefferson County State of New york four years there Julia bear Me My eldest Son Ward E Pack April the 17 1834 I joyned the Church of Christ of latter day Saints the Eight day of March 1836 after one year I moved with my famaly to Kirtland Ohio and stayed there one year there Julia bear Lucy my eldest daughter June the tweny fourth 1837 there I with my Wife received our Patriachal Blessings
At a blessing Meting held in the Lords House in Kirtland This the 22 day of July 1837 by Joseph Smith Sen the Patriarch of the Church of Later day Saints a Patriarchal blessing was confered on the head of John Pack Son of George Pack born in New Brunswick Loer Canida the 20 of May 1809 Brother Pack In the name of Jesus Christ the Son of God I lay my hands on thy head Seal and Confirm on the blessings that Shal never be taken of I pronounce on thy head a Fathers Blessing that thou and thy sead may be blest and benefited My hand are on thy head with thy Fathers hands and I pronounce this blessing in thy Fathers name Thou art Caled and chosen
of God to do a great and mighty work on the earth in this generation God has known thy blod from all Eternity Thou art of the blod of Isaral through the Loins of Joseph the Son of Jacob Thou hast desired to do good to be made an Instrument in the hands of God of bringing Souls in to his Kingdom the Angels of heaven have ben witnesses of the honesty and integrity of thy heart They have Rejoised on account of thy faithefulness The Eyes of God are upon the from time to time and from year to year Thou Shall behold the great joy that shal rest on the Church of the Latterday Saints Thou Shalt behold a great Salvation in Zion thou shalt see the redemption of Zion thou shalt have an inheritance in Zion and thy Children Shal be blest and stand withe the Thou Shalt See the Temple reared in Zion an Cloud resting on it, Thou shat behold thy Saviour Come in the Clouds of heaven with Pour and great glory, God will bless the thy health Shal hold good thy bodly and interlectual pours Shal be Strengthend Thou must proclaim the Gospel to this generation God will Give the great Pour, Thou mayest Command the Enemy to Stand back, thou Shalt have pour over Winds and waves over tempest and raging fires thou mayest turn Rivers out of their Courses thou mayest walk on the waters Thou Shal have Pour over Prisons they Shal not hold the Nothing Shal hurt the Thou must be faitheful thou art of the Covenant blod of Iserael and Ephraim thou art entitled to the Priesthood Thou Shalt belong to the holy ones Thou Shalt Stand with the lamb thou Shalt belong to the one hondred and forty four thousand that Shal Stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion thou Shalt Sing the Song God will give the Pour and authority to preach to the Spirits in prison Thou
Shalt Stand on a Great Planet morest in the Celestial Worlds with the priesthood and nothing Shal take it from you Thou Shalt have Pour over Treasures hid in the Sand thou Shalt have the Treasures of Abriham Isaac and Jacob This is thy blessing it is given the on condison of keeping the Commandments and word of Wisdom I Seal it on thy head I Seal the up to Eternal life amen
Brothr Packs Father haveing his hand on his sons head with the Patriarch while pronounceing the above blessing Confirmed it in these words my son I Seal and confirm on thy head all that has ben Spoken thou hast a great work to do thou must lay hold of faithe and thou Shalt be blest The blessings of God Shal rest on thy posterity
Joseph Pine, Scribe and witness
At a blessing Meting held at the Lords house in Kirtland this the 22nd July 1837 by Joseph Smith Sen the Patriarch of Church the Latter day Saints a Patriarchal Blessing was confirmed on the head of Julia Pack Daughter of Erastus Ives an wife of John Pack born in Watertown Jefferson Countey N Y the 8th day of March 1817 Sister Pack In the name of the Lord Jesus of Nazerith I lay my hands on thy head thou hast come in faithe to clame from under my hands a fathers Blessing to make the equal to thy husband the Pours of Earth an hell Shal not prevail a gainst the, Gods eyes are upon the he knows thy heart an Soul thou hast a heart to feel for thy fellow Creatures thy life Shal be spared an thou Shal pass along among thy bretheren with honour the Enemy desires to destroy the an make a Prey of the Erelong angels Shal minister to the
Thou shalt rejoyce in the lord and Rock of thy Salvation thy heart is at this time pure before God thy name is ritten in the Book of heaven it Stands recorded in the Lambs Book of life not to be blotted out without thy concent thy Posterity Shalt be blest from jeneration to jeneration yea Sister they Shal possess the Pours of Faithe the Lord has promised Nothing Shal be able to hold the back but thou Shalt be able to do the work an will of thy heavenly Father Thou Shalt be able to Stand on the Earth in the flesh an behold the winding up Seen of this Generation thy heart will mourn on the account of the Dis truction of Inocent Children Erelong thou shalt See great Distruction in the Lan thou must hold up by faithe Thou shalt have an In heritance in Zion Thy children Shall be withe the Thou mayest have to pass through Tribulation yet thou Shalt rejoyce thou mayest Suffer loss of Property yet thou Shalt become rich haveing the Treasures of the Earth Thou Shalt have pour to do a great Work in the Earth Thou Shalt have the means of feeding an instructing thousand of Orphan helpless Children they Shalt be fed at thy Table I Seel the up to Eternal life being Spokemon for thy Father I leave the in the arms of God Thou must kep the Commandments an the word of Wisdom Amen
Thou art of the Loins of the Patriarch Joseph the son of Jacob being of the Same kin with Thy husband he being a desendant of Joseph an Ephram
I then took my family an moved with the Church to Missoura There I Burid my Father in the month of Septtember in the grave yard at farwest in Febuary 1838 being com peled by the mob I moved with my Family to the State of Illinois Pike County four miles west of the town of Pery I was compeled to labour with my hands to Suport my family the most of my time in conciquence of my being robed of my property by the mob in Missoura but in cource of the year I took A Mishon in the South part of the State The next Spring 1840 I moved my Familey to Nauvoo while in Nauvoo I Spent the Most of my time in preaching I went once to the State of Maine once to the State of new jersey an other small mishons while on my Mishon to New jersey the Prophets Joseph an Hiram Smith was Slain immediately after I heard of their death I returned home the Mob continued to rage an burn our houses an kill our Bretheren until we agreed to leave the State in Nauvoo Julia bear me My Second Son George Caleb November the Sixth 1840 She also bear Me John Jun My third Son the fifth of Oct 1843 There she also bear me My second Daughter Julia the fifth of Octtober 1845 in the Month of August 1843 Julia my Wife was sealed to me for time and through all Eternity under the Order of the holy Priesthood by the Patriarch Hiyram Smith after Julia was Sealed to me I Stood Proxy for my Mother to be Sealed to My Father George Pack Septtember 1844 Susan Baxter My brothers Wife James Pack was Sealed to Me for time and Eternity in Febuary 1845 Nancy Boothe was sealed to Me for time an Eternity also Ruthe Mosier was sealed to Me for time and Eternity in the Month of March the Same year
December 1845 we received our ordinances In the Temple of the Lord and in the Month of febuary the 8th day of the Month 1846 I took My leave of My Comfortable dweling and crosed the Missipy river an took my shelter with my familey an the Saints in the open air on Sugar Creck where we was exposed to the Cold Storms of winter the Cold was so Great that while we was there encamped the river frose sufficient for loded teams to cross on the ice but not with standing their was several thousand Souls in camp three weeks there was not a death an very little Sickness the camp was then organisd by hondreds an fiftyes and tens The Apostals Brigham Young And Heber C Kimball was appointed President of secon Fifty in first Hondred an Steven Markum Capt of Fifty an my Self was appointed Clerk we then Comenced our journey to the Rockey Mountains the Snow an Rain was so severe an the mud was so deep that we made but little progress the last of April we arived to garden grove on the East fork of grand River Where the hole Camp planted a large field an left a few Saints to raise graine for the Saints that came after we then took a North west Cource over hils and vaiels for days but traveled oneley about 45 miles the countrey being very rough our cattle had become very numerous and made a beautiful appearance as they crost over the hils and reached for a great distance we came to the midle fork of gran river where we maid an other Settlement and Caled the place Mount Pisga The camp remained here two weeks from this place we persued our journey for the Mountains an arived at Cutlers fark the first of August on the blufs three miles from the Missoura river an twelve Miles above council point here
we buried our second daughter Julia the thirtieth day of August 1846 in the buring ground near by the first of September the camp moved down on the river an Caled the place Winter quarters here we stayed through the winter The leaders of said Camp deemed it necesary to raise a camp of pioneers to Search out the rout to Salt lake Valey in the Mountains A company of a bout one hondred an fifty Men was raised for the purpose the company was led by the twelve Brigham Young an Heber C Kimbal Company was organized in a Military form an I was appointed Maigor or Lieutenant Cornel over Brother Brighams Division we Started the eighteenth day of April, 1847
In winter quarters My Wife Julia performed the folering This May certify that on the thirteenth day of January 1847 I took oil that had ben prepared an concrecated for the purpose an anointed my Husband John Pack his head and feet for his burial an Reserection an wiped his feet with the hairs of my head and Sealed upon him my claim that he Should bring me fourth in the reserection Julia Pack
This may certify that on the thirteenth day of January A D 1847 that Julia Pack my first Wife took oil that had ben prepared and concrecated for the purpose an anointed my head an feet for my burial and Reserection an wiped my feet with the hairs of her head an Sealed upon me her claim that I Should bring her forth in the Reserection John Pack
We took our own Cource through the wilderness making our own Rodes when we arrived at North fork of plat river 350 Miles from
Winter quarters I felt imprest upon to rite the folering lines
May the 16 1847 North fork of Plat River After I John Pack having had much contem pilation about the order of adoption an my Kindred and maid it a Subject of prayer for a long time I rite this my will to my Wife Julia and my Children being dictated by the spirit of the Lord first of all I want my Children to be sealed to me and I want to be sealed to my Father and my Father to his Father and so on from Son to Father Until all of our Kindred are redeemed Then I want your Kindred to be Sealed to me in like maner Thanks be to god it is my privilige to be A Saviour on Mount Zion and save our kindred and this I am Determined to do by the assistance of the Lord and if I Should fale On the Earth and die before I have an opertunity I command you Julia and my Children in the name of Jesus and by the authority of the holy Priesthood to See that it is done And you Julia have bourn me Sons and daughters if I die before you you have no nead to be Sealed to any Man for time The lord has blest you your reproach is taken away but my request is that you are never Sealed to any man beside Me for I am thy Husband and Saviour through time and through all Eternity and thou art the Wife of my youth if I Should leave Wives when I die that have not bourn me children if they chouse let them be sealed to Some good man for time but I had rather it would be Some of my Kindred I charge you faile not to do this for it is the will of the lord and the will of his Servant John to his Wife Julia and to his Children
John Pack
We persued our journey from North fork of plat River Crosing rivers making our rode a crost Mountains and arrived in the valley the twenty fourth day of July 1847 we plowed one hondred acres of ground and soed it to graine for The Company that should follow after us after we had done this we left the valley of Great Salt Lake and returned to our familyes in Winter quarters Where I stayed until Spring I then with my familey and the Saints persued our journey to the valley leaving winter quarters the first of April 1848. In Winter quarters Julia bear me my fourth Son Don Carlos the twenty Second day of August 1847 After traviling five Months we arrived in the valley here I campt with my family and proceded to get out timber for a house to Shelter my family which haveing done in the spring and summer I labourd hard to raise graine for my familey which I accomplished The sixt of October 1849 I was Caled upon in company with John Tailor and Curtis Bolton to go to France to preach the gospel In Salt Lake City State of Deseret August the twenty second 1849 Julia bear me her third daughter Eleanor Phylote also Nancy my wife bear me her first Child Sarah Amelia the Second day of June 1849 in Salt Lake City My wife Also Ruthe bear me her first Child October The twentieth 1849 Silas Mosier
We left Salt Lake City for France the eighteenth of Oct 1849
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“Thanks be to God it is my privilege to be a savior on Mount Zion and save our kindred, and this I am determined to do by the assistance of the Lord. And if I should fail on the earth, and die before I have opportunity, I command you Julia, and my children, in the name of Jesus, and by the authority of the holy priesthood, to see that it is done.” -John Pack
To see the original handwritten John Pack Journal pages go to the Pack family web site:
www.johnpackfamily.com/journal/