Thomas Gilbert Gibby served in the Southern States Mission from 1922 to 1924. He left Morgan, Utah, at the age of 20, to serve in the East Tennessee Conference. He married his wife in the Salt Lake Temple in 1930. They had at least one child together. Elder Gibby baptized Ether Lloyd Harmon and confirmed Rachel Emeline Tucker a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Cades Cove, in 1922.
[Thursday] – 18 May [1922] Got up at four-thirty, packed away my belongings and packed up my grip with the necessities of “stick” life. After leaving my adieus with the brethren, I sought out the Southern depot and at six o’clock caught the train for Athens. My arm began to hurt and soon I became very ill through the effects of the inoculations. I dozed off to sleep and the train passed by the depot. After a good bawling out, the conductor put me off and gave me a pass to catch the train back to Athens. At Athens, I waited five long hours for a train to Maryville. It was some long wait and I was pretty sick. This day shall be long remembered. At two-thirty, the train left Athens. Some train. Two coaches of somewhere near Civil War date, the rest of the train was made of [illegible] cars. About eight miles out, we changed trains again at Englewood. Had a few minutes to wait and another train came in and carried me about seven more miles. I changed trains again and this train brought me to Maryville. Here I found that the Townsend train had left and I would have to lay over overnight here. I got a room at a hotel and slept from six till six.
[Friday] – 19 May [1922] After getting a bite to eat, I caught the train at eight-fifteen for Townsend. The train was slower and power equipped than those [trains] that I rode on the day before. A few miles out and the conductor announced another change. At Walland again we changed and this time to a move ancient model of a train than ever. It moved at about the rate of six miles an hour on a track that was so crooked you could hardly think is possible for a car to stay on the [illegible]. At 4:30 am, the conductor announced Townsend. At Townsend I made a few inquiries and learned that I had yet twelve miles to go and that on foot to get to Cades Cove. A man gave me some directions and put me on the night road. A lumber wagon overtook me and I rode with him about a mile. He informed me that Cades Cove was over a range of mountains in front of us. Soon after leaving him I began the climb with a heavy grip as well as a heavy heart. It was sure some climb. After walking for about eight miles, an old farmer going into the cove overtook me and I asked him for a ride. He was very suspicious of me, and before I had rode a mile, he had found out my business and whole pedigree and history for two generations back. The scenery over this mountain was beautiful. The mountains were covered with many varieties of oak and other hardwood timber. We followed a winding road around ledges and down canyons, and by the time I had finished my trip to the cove, it seemed more like thirty instead of twelve miles. I waited at the post office for the mail. While waiting, I had to repeat my history to the post master. Before the mail came, Elder [David John] Black and [Angus Hyrum] Norberg came to the office. The boys sure looked good to me. We sure had a happy meeting, on my part at least. In the mail I received my first word from home since leaving, a letter from mother and Miss Verlie. The letters was (sic) a reward for a hard and long day. At night I had a typical Tennessee mountain meal, including squirrel, and slept in a typical mountain bed. It was against the grain to undress with a seventeen-year-old girl in the same room, but I followed Bro[ther Angus Hyrum] Norberg‘s example and pulled them off. I was soon sung to sleep by the hum of crickets in the walls.
[Saturday] – 20 May [1922] Early Saturday we went over the creek to see Sister [Polly Ann Davis] Harmon. She sure got after Brother [David John] Black and [Angus Hyrum] Norberg for not coming to see [them] sooner. These people are very poor but very staunch Latter-day Saints. The only farm implements they had was a one horse plow, a homemade cultivator, and a sled for a wagon. The motive [for] power was one little burro. We were certainly treated kind while there. They asked us while there to return the following week and baptize their son, Ether [Lloyd Harmon], who would turn eight years old then.
[Sunday] – 21 May [1922] Sunday I spent most of the day reading “Added Upon,” and in talking to Sister [Polly Ann Davis] Harmon. In the afternoon, we held a Sacrament Meeting with them. We stayed with [the] Harmons all day Sunday. They told us of a war or feud between two families of moonshiners in the cove. When I came into the cove I met a sheriff taking a still and operation into safe keeping. This place was sure a rough place and recalled my thoughts to John Ford’s “Trail of the Lonesom Pine,” for his description of the characters and scenes of his book were very similar to those of Cades Cove.
[Monday] – 22 May [1922] At about 6:30 am, we left [the] Harmons for Jake Garland‘s down on the Cane Creek, about eight miles away. It was a long and hilly trail over the mountains. We got there in time for dinner and we found him very sick on poisoned liquor. The yard was half full of hounds which they used for hunting squirrels and foxes. Elder [Angus Hyrum] Norberg left us here and went to Walland where he was to catch the train to go to meet Elder [Tillman Elroy] Twitche[l]l. In the evening we went down the creek to Millers Cove to hold a meeting with a family of Myers. The people were poor but treated us very kind. Held a good meeting with them. I had a restless night on a corn fodder bed.
[Tuesday] – 23 May [1922] Elder [David John] Black and I left Myers’ early, calling on Garland on our way over the mountains to a family of Saints, [the] Whiteheads at Ra[i]sor about ten miles away. It was a rough trail and we had a hard hike. At eleven we had walked the ten miles and found ourselves at [David Lafayette] Whitehead‘s. The little valley was called “Happy Valley” and it seemed good to get out of the mountains once again, and I decided that Tennessee wasn’t all hills and hallow. [The] Whiteheads were in very comfortable circumstances and we were treated very friendly. They had an organ and I kept the instrument busy most of the day. We had some ripe peaches to eat. I was surprised that peaches should be ripe on May 23.
[Wednesday] – 24 May [1922] We stayed at [the] Whiteheads’ all day reading, writing and visiting. Brother [David John] Black trimmed some of the boys hair in the afternoon, some handsoming job he done. The organ was kept in use a large part of the day.
[Thursday] – 25 May [1922] This morning we took to the road again on our way to Maryville. I had my first experience in country tracting. Had good success selling most of my books and having a good conversation or two. One old lady tendered me her sympathy, that one so youg should be out in the world on such a mission as gathering up women to send to Utah. I returned her sympathy, and I felt like the old hankie, “ignorance is done eating you up.” We walked about sixteen miles that day and without dinner. About five o’clock, we came to a store and had a little lunch of pork and beans and soda crackers. On the shelves I saw [a] Craig brand of tomatoes. This refreshed us some and we continued on. As darkness began to fall on us, we began to think about a bed. This was my first experience at canvassing for entertainment. After several unsuccessful attempts to “get in” we were taken in by a family, whose name I have forgotten, at Wellsville. They were well to do people and we had a fine meal and a good bed. They treated [us] very hostpita[b]le but coldly. But we were looking at that time for a bed and not friends.
[Friday] – 26 May [1922] We left at six AM for Maryville after paying for our bed and meals. It was mail day and I had become anxious. We tracted along the pike but towards noon we ran out of literature and moved on faster. It was one o’clock when we reached Maryville. At the P.O. we found the first class mail not in so we went back to [Joseph John Calvin (JC)] Garland‘s. In the afternoon, I received a nice long letter from Miss [illegible] and one from [illegible]. These letters were answered that night. My rest was not very restful that night because of an unclean bed. Brother Joe [John Calvin (JC)] Garland is such a faithful Latter-day Saint but he has one of the laziest women in the world.
[Saturday] – 27 May [1922] Most of the day was spent at [Joseph John Calvin (JC)] Garland‘s reading and writing. At noon we went up town to get our checks cashed and had some trouble in finding a bank that would cash them. We listened for a few moments to a Holiness preacher on the street. After he finished his say, we held a meeting. Had a nice sized crowd to whom Brother [David John] Black called to repentance. Sold some small books after meeting. Spent an evening and another night at Brother [Joseph John Calvin (JC)] Garland‘s.
[Sunday] – 28 May [1922] Sunday forenoon was spent at [Joseph John Calvin (JC)] Garland‘s in reading and trying to catch up with lost sleep. It was hard to rest with “Aunt Hattie” [Jane Gentry] calling Paul [Ezekiel Garland] every few moments. In the afternoon we walked through town to Sister [Martha Elizabeth Lane] Russell‘s. It was good to find a clean place once again. Had a pleasant visit and they gave us a good clean meal. We sat up quite late talking and then returned to a clean bed. Sure had a night’s sleep.
[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.
[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. 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. At night, we held a meeting in a little tumbledown school house. There were quite a number in attendance, including a Holiness preacher. We had a good meeting. A Mr. Rutherford took us home with him and the preacher also. Before bedtime, we had a lively discussion with him on the scriptures. He refuted the doctrine of pre-existence and the necessity of baptism. We sure got him all worked worked (sic). He soon ran out of scriptural power and left us.
[Thursday] – 1 June [1922] We left [the] Rutherfords soon after breakfast for Cades Cove. On the way we called at Myers’ and they had us stay for dinner. We had a pleasant visit with them and left them a Book of Mormon. As soon as we had taken the trail again it began to rain. We tried to shelter ourselves under trees but could not. There was a seven mile hike to make and not a house between. The rain never let up throughout the trip and by the time we had been out in it for three hours we were soaked to the hide. At [Samuel Patterson Harmon‘s and Polly Ann] Harmon‘s we changed clothes and dried out clothing before returning.
Baptism of Ether Harmon
[Friday] – 2 June [1922] It was Ether [Lloyd Harmon]’s birthday. We prepared for the baptismal services. It was rather cold and raining some. At a little bend in the creek we found a suitable place for the service. Before about four people, we baptized the little boy, Brother [David John] Black first explaining the need of baptism. I performed the ordinance. We went back to [Samuel Patterson] Harmon’s and changed clothes. In the evening, we held a sacrament meeting at Brother Will[iam Wade Hampton] Brown’s, where we confirmed Ether [Lloyd Harmon] a member of the Church. The few Saints bore their testimonies to the truthfulness of the gospel. The little boy, [Ether Lloyd Harmon], also bore his testimony, which was sure fine for a boy so young. At night we spent a pleasant evening at [the] Harmon’s in singing. Brother [Samuel Patterson] Harmon and [the] boy played on the violin and banjo.
[Saturday] – 3 June [1922] We visited [William] Charlie Garland in the morning and had dinner with him. He told us of how mean he was was (sic), and how tough his beard was. Some tough man. We suspected him of moonshing. After dinner we went to the post office for mail. I received some good long letters from home. They sure [illegible] me up. At night I answered one or two of them before retiring.
[Sunday] – 4 June [1922] Sunday morning was spent at [Samuel Patterson] Harmon‘s in reading and conversation. In the afternoon we held a Sacrament Meeting. Had a very pleasant visit, and enjoyed these humble mountain people’s hospitality very much. They were sure interesting to me.
[Monday] – 5 June [1922] We left [the] Harmons for Millers Cove, visiting a few moments with [the] Garlands. The weather was fine and we had a very pleasant hike that night. After walking seven miles we stopped at Jake Garland‘s and had supper with him, staying with them overnight. Had my first experience scratching chigger bittes. In the morning my legs were bleeding from digging out the little pests.
[Tuesday] – 6 June [1922] From [the] Garlands’ we went down to [the] Myers’ and had a pleasant visit. Told them of the meting we were going to hold in the school house. Had a dinner of buttermilk, corn bread and onions. On our way to the school house we foud a mulberry tree and gorged ourselves on them. We went to [the] Smiths and told them we would hold meeting with them before we left. The meeting was rather poorly attended at the school house. Went home with [the] Smiths. I soon began to tell the effects of two many mulberries. I spent a sleepless night.
[Wednesday] – 7 June [1922] The day was spent at [the] Smiths’. They fed us on “blinky” milk, onions and fried eyes, and they were fried. They sure were farming the hillsides. One could nearly see the cows grazing on the hillside by looking up the chimney. The fellow said that in order to have his mules graze he had to tie their tails together and throw them over the hill and thus they could stay without sliding down the hill. At night we held a meeting with them and talked them all to sleep. We spent another rolling night’s sleep.
[Thursday] – 8 June [1922] We left before noon and went up to [the] Myers’. Mr. Myers answered us with singing “Love Lifted Me.” Had a very nice visit with them. One of the young ladies there had quite a time with Brother [David John] Black. At night we held a meeting with them and had in attendance the Holiness preacher. He had married one of the girls and had been sponging off the old people since. The courtship lasted for about three weeks. He had very little to say but sang some songs for our benefit after meeking (sic).
[Friday] – 9 June [1922] We left [the] Myers’ early Friday morning for Maryville. Jake Garland told us of a near way over the mountain. We took a wrong trail and got off into the woods, filling our legs with chiggers and ticks. It was some climb over the top, but a harder job to hold back going down on the other side. At about eleven o’clock we had made the hike over and we stopped at John [Lowery] Perkins’ for dinner. Sister [Lona Mae Garland] Perkins was Uncle Joe [John Calvin (JC)] Garland‘s daughter. After dinner we left [the] Perkins for Maryville, tracting. On the way, we met some men talking in the road and we offered them tracts; they refused them and began to ridicule. I met with other refusals while tracting home. A fellow in a car came along and offered us a ride, so we rode into Maryville. It was about six PM. We went direct to the PO where I received eleven letters from home. Spent part of the evening in reading and answering letters. During the night a storm came up and I saw more lightning than before in my life.
[Saturday] – 10 June [1922] Saturday I finished writing answers to letters, which I mailed at the post office. While in town, Brother [David John] Black bought a suit, hat and shoes. He sure got dolled up. At night we read and talked with Brother [Joseph John Calvin (JC)] Garland till past bedtime.
[Sunday] – 11 June [1922] Sunday we stayed in most of the day. I tried to take a little nap in the afternoon. Towards evening we visited Sister [Sarah Katherine Cooper] Wilcox whose daughter had just been operate on for appendicitis. Had a pleasant visit. We went up town to look over the prospects for a street meeting, but there were but few people on the streets and so we did not try to hold [a] meeting. I did some reading before retiring.
[Monday] – 12 June [1922] Because of the diet I had been living on for the past few days, consisting mostly of cold cabbage and butter milk, my stomach was all out of order and I felt rather ill. I remained in bed all day without eating. Towards night, I asked Brother [David John] Black to go out and get me something to eat. The first lean bite I had had in several days was some appreciated. It was a long lonesome day.
[Tuesday] – 13 June [1922] Today I laid around all day as yet not recovered from my illness. I wrote a letter to Brother Howes. Brother [David John] Black was ailing because of stomach disorder, so we remained in Maryville another day. Brother [Joseph John Calvin (JC)] Garland gave us a hint to leave but we could not go as we were, so we swalloed the hint. By night I was feeling somewhat better and had a night’s rest.
[Wednesday] – 14 June [1922] In the forenoon we visited Sister [Laura Bell Harmon] Abbot, a daughter of Brother [Samuel Patterson] Harmon. She is a real Latter-day Saint and we spent a pleasant day there. She prepared us a bite to eat and the best part about it, it was clean. We were both feeling well enough so that we decided we would leave on the morrow for Clinton where mail was coming to us Friday. Stayed at Brother [Joseph John Calvin (JC)] Garland‘s.
[Thursday] – 15 June [1922] Before noon we left [Joseph John Calvin (JC)] Garland‘s for Knoxville hiking. I felt rather weak and we could not walk very fast. We tracted as we went with fare success. I met a woman who gave me quite a good “bawling out” but I was quite able to defend myself. We got off the main road and had quite a time in getting straight. We found Will[iam Edgar] Tucker at Rockford, whose wife, [Mary Jane Harmon], is another of Sam[uel Patterson] Harmon‘s daughter[s]. They were sure poor people and they were certainly backwood[s]men. The man had had his throat cut from ear to ear but had managed to live through. We held a little meeting with them and they usked us to baptize the girl, her daughter, Rachel [Emeline Tucker], but wanted us to go back to [illegible] to let her sister know about it, so we walked back to [illegible] to another Will Tucker’s (sic). While there, I had a little boxing match with a young fellow there. We stayed there that night but they did not want to go back with us to Rockford.
Baptism of Rachel Tucker
[Friday] – 16 June [1922] It was a nice little hike back but we got there in time to baptize Miss Rachel [Emeline Tucker] before noon. Elder [John David] Black performed the ceremony. The rest of the day was spent at [the] Tuckers in study and talking. At night we held a little cottage meeting and confirmed Rachel [Emeline Tucker]. I acted as mouth. We had a sleepless night, or at least I did.
Source: Mission Journal of Thomas Gilbert Gibby, May-June 1922, https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/KWCT-XV7 (accessed: 21 May 2024).
Smoky Mountain Ward 