1. “That the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers (D&C 1:23).” Elder Soren Petersen baptized Charlie Garland in Blount County, Tennessee in 1897. After laboring two years in the Southern States Mission, he returned home and he and his wife, Annie Scarborough, continued raising their family together. By 1906, they had their seventh child and he was called to serve a mission once more. Where did he serve his second mission and to whom did he gift a Book of Mormon? Hint: The Book of Mormon was given to a king who held this title for less than a year before he abdicated the throne in 1936.
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Soren Petersen served in the British Mission from May 15, 1906 to August 15, 1908. He delivered the above Book of Mormon to King Edward VII.
2. Before laboring in Blount County in the East Tennessee Conference, Elder Soren Petersen was assigned to the Middle Tennessee Conference, where he served with a missionary who became the middle-weight boxing champion of the world. Who was his well-known companion while serving in Nashville? Hint: This missionary would later serve the longest mission on record, 25 years in Palmyra, New York, and through his efforts the following Church historical properties were acquired: the Hill Cumorah; Martin Harris farm; and Peter Whitmer farm.
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Soren Petersen’s companion was Willard Bean. This photo was taken in Nashville in 1895. Soren is in the bottom right of the photo and Willard Bean is standing behind him in the top right.
Willard Bean on FamilySearch
Willard Bean on Legacy
Willard Bean on the Church History Catalog
3. Charlie and Elmyra Garland moved to Blount County to seek refuge from difficulties that persisted following the Civil War. They had 17 children together and finished raising them in Cades Cove. Likewise, many of the first members who were introduced to the gospel of Jesus Christ in Blount County are children of those who sought refuge during the reconstruction period following the Civil War. Today, members continue to move to the Smoky Mountains for a place of refuge. From where did Charlie Garland move before settling in Cades Cove? This is found in his 1897-baptismal record.
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4. “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” (Isaiah 52:7) The first documentation of “good tidings” of the message of the “only true and living church” entering Blount County are found in two unique records. The first is the mission journal of Elder Robert Young. He noted his arrival by train to Maryville on August 30, 1892. The second record is found in the Southern States Mission minutes which report Elder Young’s arrival to Maryville where he meets his new companion. Who became Elder Young’s companion in Maryville? Based on these two records, does it appear missionaries were already laboring in Blount County when Elder Young arrived on August 30, 1892 and for how long?
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Southern States Mission Minutes
“[Page] 116
September 1st 1892
The health of the Elders [is] good during the past six months in their fields… Elders [Lester William] Alger and [Royal James] Cutler have canvassed Monroe and McMinn Co[unties], Tennessee and could not open any field but went into Blount Co[unty] and are making a nice showing their (sic) now…
[Page] 117
…Elder R[obert] C[unningham] Young from Utah, Box Elder Co[unty], joined Elder R[oyal] J[ames] Cutler at Maryville, Blount County, Tennessee and labored with him a few days and then they started for conference.”
Elder Robert Young’s Mission Journal
Tuesday – 30 [August 1892] Went from Chattanooga to Maryville 129 miles by rail. Met my companion, Elder R[oyal] J[ames] Cutler. We traveled 4 1/2 miles to the house of a friend, Samuel Willosks, a preacher of a Christian Church who kindly entertained us. I was so tired, I thought I could not stand it.
Wednesday – 31 August [1892] Went back to Maryville on horseback and got my valise, a distance of 8 miles there and return. Then we traveled 7 miles to Houk, a small village in the woods, to the house of a friend, Jeff Mason, and were kindly entertained by them.
Thursday – 1 September [1892] This being fast day we fasted, and in the evening we started for the post office, but I being unwell, I stopped when I got 1/2 mile from the house and waited until Elder [Royal James] Cutler returned. We stopped overnight at the house of Mr. Mason and were kindly treated.
Friday – 2 September [1892] We stopped until 3 PM at Mr. Mason’s house, then went to the house of a friend, Mr. Kirklan, and was kindly entertained by them. I feel better this day than yesterday.
Saturday – 3 September [1892] Stopped at the house of Mr. Kirklan. In the evening, Elder [Royal James] Cutler went to the post office and got a register[ed] letter for me from Pres[ident J. Golden] Kimball with [$]20.00 in it. In the evening, we held [a] meeting at Mr. Kirklan’s house. There were about ten persons present. We had a good meeting.
Sunday – 4 September [1892] Spent the forenoon at the house of Mr. Kirklan. In the afternoon, we went to their Sunday School and after school we held meetings. I took charge as is the custom to take turns. We held [a] meeting [for] about one hour.
Monday – 6 (sic) September [1892] We started this morning for conference to be held in Madison Co[unty], North Carolina. We walked about 7 miles part of the time in the rain to the house of a friend, Mr. Raulson, and was kindly entertained by them.
5. Elder William Fullmer served in Blount County in 1910. Before receiving his mission call, he was already married and had ten children. While serving in Tennessee, his wife managed the home, children, and worked in the beet fields to provide for the family. Two children died just before he left on his mission and his daughter caught whooping cough, living just long enough to see her father return home. When Elder Fullmer returned home they had more children for a total of 17, 14 of which survived to adulthood. On December 21, 1910, Elder Fullmer referenced the following scripture to his wife in a letter: “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.” What scripture is this and why do you believe it was on his mind?
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Dec[ember] 21, [1910]
Mary Ville Blount Co[unty]
Dear Wife and Chickeys,
This leaves me well and happey as can be in the big city of Mary Ville and will start to canviss in the morning. Will stay here a few days and then go to Knoxville. So I will have all city work from from now on. The place we are staying now will cost us $4.50 per weeke, but we will get a cheaper place in Knoxville than this one. I will hafto. Now do not go with out what you need on acount of me being in the city. Remember if it dos cost us Old Pony and Lark, there is two coalts coming on to make us a team and can we use our money in eney better shape than to fill a mission. I am apt to aplie for a nother mission when this one is field, as I like the work so well. So you must not get the blues if I had the money to keep you and my self I would like to quallefy for and then take a ten year mission of of a mission. Does that sound out of reason? You said you wanted a good missionary to come home for your husband. That would make a good one. Would it not abought 12 years in the missionary field. And mabey I could talk ten or fifteen minutes. Hay Ross and Dick, will you take care of moma while I am gone? Albert and Howard, can you help now? What abought you girls? What can you do? Can you help a little? Doant it make you feal proud to think you have a father in the field preaching the gosple to the world? Yess of corse it dose and how moma dos it not make you feal just a little bit happy to think you have hub you companyon on the alter he that finds his life shall lose it but he that looses his life for my name sake shall find it. So he that forsakes all father mother brother sister wife or children lands home for my name shall have a hundred foalds and life eternall. Matt 19:29. Well sweethart, if I am away from you I love you just the same and if I get life eternal so do you and we both go together. Well I must get to studying an empty spring will not run eney watter and you can not draw eney ought of a dry well. So let us fill the spring with knowledge that we may draw ought when it is neaded. Well, good night. Do not let the bugs bight. Merry xmas and a happy new year.From you loving father and husband, Will
6. Charlie and Elmyra Garland had two children who joined the Church of Jesus Christ, one of which is Sealy Garland. Sealy was baptized in 1902 at age 15. She married William Frye the following year and died five years later at age 21. Both of her children were baptized in 1918, ten years after she passed away. Elder Abinadi Porter documented her baptism in his mission journal in 1902. What hymn was sung at Sealy Garland’s baptism? This hymn appeared in the 1841-Nauvoo Hymnal and is not found in our hymn book today.
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[Sunday] – 6 July 1902 It is Sunday. Held meeting at 11 o’clock. Baptized Celia [Sealy] Caroline Garland. Sang “Behold the Lamb of God” on the banks. Elder [Claudius Eugene] Hawk[e]s dedicated the water. A[binadi] Porter baptized. Elder [Melvin Parley] Miller confirmed. Held another meeting in [the] afternoon. Went to Sam[uel Patterson] Harmon‘s, stayed overnight.
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1. Behold the Lamb of God!
In his divine array,
Go down into the flood,
His Father to obey,
In Jordan’s stream to be baptized,
Though by a carnal world despised.
2. Can we pretend to know
More fully God’s design?
Can we pretend to show
A conduct more divine?
Can we neglect this ordinance,
Without an insult to our Prince?
3. Jesus, we will obey
Thy practice and command:
Behold us here to day!
We in thy presence stand,
Devoted to thy blessed will,
Ready thy pleasure to fulfill.
7. All seven of JC Garland’s children were baptized between 1894 and 1927. His oldest son, William Silver Edward Garland, was baptized in 1894 at age 13. He is mentioned in mission journals between 1894 and 1922, including the missional journal of Elder Thomas Gibby. William Silver Edward Garland was murdered in 1928 at age 47. In 1922, how did Elder Thomas Gibby describe Cades Cove in his mission journal, where he was about to go by wagon with William Silver Edward Garland from Maryville?
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[Monday] – 29 May [1922] We ate breakfast at [the] Russell’s and then went back to [Joseph John Calvin (JC)] Garland‘s to prepare for the “sticks” again. I received my third inoculation. At about two o’clock, we left Maryville with Will[iam Edward Silver] Garland in a wagon on our way to Cades Cove. We had a long jolly ride over a rough road and through red clay mud, some places hub deep. We spent the night at [William Edward Silver] Garland‘s [in West Millers Cove].
[Tuesday] – 30 May [1922] The large part of the forenoon was spent in study and talking. A little before dinner, we went to a family of Buttlers (sic), the woman being a member, [Brother [Joseph John Calvin (JC)] Garland‘s daughter], [Lilly Hayes Garland]. We had dinner with them. After dinner, we got into a little discussion with [Isaac Edmondson] Buttler and soon found that he was very bitter. He was very abusive of our Church and doctrines, especially polygamy. He sure got his “Irish” up….
8. There is little information available about the first members of the Church of Jesus Christ in Blount County. Most of what we know about their experiences with the Church is found in mission journals and baptismal records; however, the tidbits that can be learned of them provides an understanding of their faith amid trials and hardships. This is the case for Nancy Eve Harmon. Her baptismal record indicates that she joined the Church of Jesus Christ in 1897. 25 years later, in 1922, she met Elder Thomas Gibby, who documented an experience in his mission journal. What difficulties was Sister Nancy Harmon facing at this time and to what authority did she seek to help her daughter?
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[Monday] – 29 May [1922] …We left [the] Buttlers’ at three o’clock for Millers Cove. [We] had a nice little hike up a creek bed, got on the wrong trail once and had to retrace our tracks for about a mile. It was quite difficult for us to find a place to stay, and it was nearly dark before we got into the cove. A man by the name of “Bob” [Robert Lee] Smith took us home with him and he was half drunk. His wife, [Nancy Annie Eve Harmon], was a member. They were certainly in poverty-stricken conditions. The man spent most of his time in making corn liquor. It was a dirty place.
[Wednesday] – 31 May [1922] Before we left for Walland, we blessed a baby, [Margie Aileen Smith], for Sister [Nancy Annie Eve Harmon] Smith. After walking six miles to Walland, we learned that we had walked six miles for nothing and would have to [go] back, for the people who we had gone there to see had moved. We got some exercise out of it. On the way back, I picked up and ate wild blackberries and dew berries…
Smoky Mountain Ward 