1. In 1924, tragedy struck the Harmon family when General Harmon, who was baptized 20 years earlier at age nine, was killed by Charlie and Elmyra Garland’s son, Jake. Charlie and Elmyra Garland were members of the Church, Jake was not. He was later acquitted of charges by Grand Jury. In Paul Garland’s book “History of The Garland Family in America,” Paul wrote that Jake expressed his greatest regret in life was taking the life of General Harmon. How did General Harmon die and how do you imagine this impacted the members of the Church in Cades Cove?
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“If we say that early death is a calamity, disaster, or tragedy, would it not be saying that mortality is preferable to earlier entrance into the spirit world and to eventual salvation and exaltation? If mortality be the perfect state, then death would be a frustration, but the gospel teaches us there is no tragedy in death, but only in sin. “… blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. …” (D&C 63:49)
2. It is unknown what official roles or callings, if any, the first members held in the Church in Blount County prior to 1944. However, inferences may be made from the content of mission journals and by the quantity of journals that mention specific members. For example, before and after most baptisms, the missionaries would return to the home of JC Garland. When missionaries would arrive and depart Blount County, it was always to and from the home of JC Garland. Therefore, his name almost always begins and ends journal entries in Blount County and is filled in between as the missionaries would often stay at the Garland home while laboring “without purse or scrip.” In addition, JC Garland’s name appears in every mission journal that has been found of elders who labored in and even merely passed through Blount County. How many mission journals have been posted on Family Search that mention JC Garland by name?
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Count the number of Memories that begin with “Journal of Elder….”
3. Who confirmed Paul Garland in Blount County, in 1927, and later became a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles? He was also known to be a “dear friend” of Paul’s dad, JC Garland.
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James E. Faust spoke about this apostle in his General Conference talk titled: “Them That Honour Me I Will Honour.” The segment in which he shares his story begins at the 12:10 timestamp or in the transcript: “The fourth is to respect yourself as a son of God…“
4. Elder Charles Flake served in East Tennessee, from 1915 to 1918, and baptized a member in our ward in 1916. Elder Flake died one year after his mission. How and where did he die? What news did he learn just before he died?
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Charles Love Flake (1893-1919) served in the Southern States Mission from 1915 to 1918. Elder Flake was asked to extend his mission by six months, when shortly thereafter he was drafted into service for WWI. In 1918, Charles Flake married his wife in the Salt Lake Temple. In 1919, Private Flake was killed in Siberia attempting to rescue a company of US soldiers who had been captured by the Bolsheviks. He received news from home of the birth of his daughter shortly before he was killed. Private Flake’s Captain wrote the following to Charles’ wife: “The members of this Company extend to you their earnest and heartfelt sympathy. You who were near and dear to him will suffer the greatest loss, but we also feel the great loss very keenly as we have lost a faithful friend and a true comrade.” Elder Flake baptized Jesse Brown, in 1916. Extant mission photos of Elder Flake serving in East Tennessee were identified in 2024 in a photo album that belonged to his companion, Elder Thomas Sutton. These photos are available on Family Search.
5. Missionaries today are humbly aware of their faults and weaknesses, but God gives them His authority to inspire mighty changes in people. This was the same for the first missionaries who entered Blount County, particularly their weakness of inexperience. This is acknowledged throughout mission journals and in mission acceptance letters. The Lord revealed: “The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones,… That every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world; That faith also might increase in the earth; That mine everlasting covenant might be established…” (D&C 1:19-22). Elder Leroy Palmer subtly acknowledged his weaknesses in his 1935-mission journal. On May 13, 1935, he comically noted a misstep at a baptism. Though he baptized Josephine Tipton in Cades Cove, helping her enter the everlasting covenant, what embarrassed Leroy Palmer that he felt was worth noting in his journal that day, above all else?
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See May 13, 1935
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[Sunday] – 12 May [1935] We spent the forenoon in preparation for a meeting that was to be held in Cades Cove with a man by the name of Garland. We went to the place early in the day and had some very good discussion with them before meeting time. The meeting was a success and we had a good crowd. It was our privelege to stay with the family for the night. A few minutes after the meeting, Mr. Garland’s brother came in to stay with him for the night, so it was necessary for someone to sleep on the floor. He and his wife slept there and gave us their bed. It was very kind of them and I am sure the Lord will bless them for so doing.
[Monday] – 13 May [1935] We studied today and also baptized a little girl by the name of Josie [Ruth] Tipton. This was my first baptism, therefore I was a little timid. But trying very hard to cover my meekness, I proceeded with the ceremony. While so doing, I slipped and fell. I very near dunked myself. It was a sad scene and to make it worse, a man not of our faith walked on the scene just in time to see it all.
[Tuesday] – 14 May [1935] We packed our grips for a farewell trip to those people in Cades Cove. There was a chance we would not see them for sometime again. We rode over the mountain with the mailman and went to the home of Ernest Tipton in Townsend. He is a very fine fellow and interested in our religion. We spent a good part of the day in discussion of religion with them and in having dinner. After that we visited Joe Abbot and he took us to a friend of his where we spent the evening. The family sang and played for us until quite late.
6. In 1893, the Maryville Times published newspaper articles that attacked the missionaries and their faith. Elder Robert Young responded by publishing his own article in the Maryville Times, which ended the negative local press against the Church for an extended period. What did Elder Young say in his article?
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See November 17, 1893
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7. There are at least two missionaries who suffered one of life’s most difficult experiences shortly before being called to serve in Blount County. They then had to make a difficult decision to serve. Their desire to love the Lord prevailed. In so choosing to serve a mission, Elder William Hayes noted the love he came to feel for the people in East Tennessee. Harold B. Lee said, “If you want to love God, you have to learn to love and serve the people. That is the way to show your love for God” (Stand Ye in Holy Places [1974], 189). What tragic event happened three years before Elder William Hayes received his mission call and what did he say about the people he served?
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Scroll to “Hayes, William Lehi“
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William Lehi Hayes (1865-1934) served in the Southern States Mission from 1893 to 1895. He married in the Manti Temple, in 1888. His wife died shortly after their daughter was born, in 1890. He received his mission call in 1893 and left his daughter in the care of friends and family while he served in the East Tennessee Conference. His transcribed mission journal of his labors in Blount County have offered valuable insights into the lives of the first Smoky Mountain Saints; the digitally scanned journal is available in Church Collections. He also is mentioned in the transcribed mission journals of Elder Robert Young and briefly in that of Elder James Hubbard. During strong opposition to the Church in Tennessee in 1893, he wrote an article published in the Deseret Evening News that noted: “Of all people on earth, surely those of the Southern States are the most open-hearted and hospitable. Get their confidence and you get a friend who will lay his life down for your protection.” He served as President of the East Tennessee Conference in 1895. The first two members from Blount County to receive their endowments in the temple, JC Garland and Sarah Cauble, did so at the invitation to Utah from William Hayes, in 1909. After his mission, he remarried and had five more children. He entered politics and served two sessions as Utah State Senator. Elder Hayes baptized Samuel Patterson Harmon in Millers Cove, in 1895.
Elder Robert Young experienced a similar tragedy to that of Elder William Hayes. In his mission journals, Elder Young often reminded himself of this sacrifice without expressing emotion on the matter.
8. In 1895, President Gordon B. Hinckley’s great uncle served in Blount County and witnessed the baptism of James Woody in Millers Cove. One hundred years later, President Hinckley said, “You want to be happy? Forget yourself and get lost in this great cause, and bend your efforts to helping people” (in Church News, Sept. 9, 1995, 4). What is the middle name of President Hinckley’s great uncle who served here?
Find answer in Elder Hinckley’s Journal
See photo on October 14, 1895
9. Three missionaries were murdered by mobs in Tennessee and Georgia in the 1880s. Many others were arrested, chased out of towns and others seriously injured in attacks. In the dedication prayer of the Salt Lake Temple in 1893, what did President Wilford Woodruff ask Heavenly Father to preserve and deliver the missionaries from?
Find answer in The First Smoky Mountain Elders
See section titled “The Lord Answered Prayers”
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“Forget not, we beseech Thee, Thy servants the missionaries, who are proclaiming the saving truths that Thou hast revealed for man’s redemption to the millions who are now overshadowed by deep spiritual darkness. Preserve them from all evil, deliver them from mob violence, may they want no good thing, but be greatly blessed with the gifts and powers of their ministry.”
10. Elder M. Russell Ballard said, “The two major purposes of the law of sacrifice are to test and prove us and to assist us in coming unto Christ.” Sometimes this even means sacrificing a good night’s rest. Elder Robert Young wrote in his journal the name of the city where they slept each night. What did he write for the night of May 15, 1893 and why?
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See May 15-16, 1893
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Monday – 15 [May 1893] Montvale. We stayed with Mr. Raulson until after dinner and I had a talk with them on the Resurrection. It rained nearly all day. We started for Maryville and canvassed a little along the road. We tried 11 places, but were turned away and finally had to sleep in a barn. 7 [miles] Total 1,678 [miles]
Tuesday – 16 [May 1893] Maryville barn. We arose about 4 AM before the people would come out in the barn. We then went along the r[ail]r[oad] about a mile and a half… We went back to Maryville [at] about 7 AM. I rec[eive]d one letter from Maggie [Frazer Young] and one from Heber Perry. All [are] well. We got some crackers for dinner as we had no supper or breakfast. We started out for Millers Cove intending to stop with Uncle [William T.] Billey [White] tonight, which we did. I caught cold last night. 10 [miles]
Smoky Mountain Ward 