Missionary Journals

These journals were written by the first Smoky Mountain Missionaries who served in Blount County. They have been transcribed and are available at the links above. Five journals have been identified and three… Read more…

John Isaac Morley served in the Southern States Mission from 1910 to 1912. Elder Morley kept a journal of his time in Blount County. He married in the Manti Temple in 1901. They… Read more…

Leroy Armstrong served in the Southern States Mission, from 1902 to 1905, where he was appointed as East Tennessee Conference President. The first journal begins while he is already laboring in Blount County.… Read more…

Abinadi Porter served in the Southern States Mission and Middle States Mission from 1901 to 1902. In his mission acceptance letter to Lorenzo Snow, he wrote: “My call for a mission to the… Read more…

James Willard Hubbard served in the Southern States Mission from 1895 to 1897. In his mission acceptance letter to Wilford Woodruff, he wrote: “Dear Sir, I am in receipt of your favor, notifying… Read more…

William Hayes served in the Southern States Mission from 1893 to 1895. He married in the Manti Temple, in 1888, and his wife died shortly after their daughter was born, in 1890. He… Read more…

William Dawson served in the Southern States Mission for 29 months from 1897 to 1899. Elder Dawson was first assigned to the South Carolina Conference and then the Georgia Conference. Shortly after walking… Read more…

ohn Hinckley served in the Southern States Mission from June 1895 to June 1898. He married Jesse Taggart in the Salt Lake Temple in 1906. They had six children together. He served as… Read more…

Robert Young served in the Southern States Mission from 1892 to 1894. He was called to serve shortly after his wife passed away and he had to leave his infant son in the care… Read more…

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… Read more…

William Fullmer Jr served in the Southern States Mission from 1910 to 1911. He documented his thoughts about home and his children in weekly letters available on Family Search. Before receiving his mission call, he… Read more…

James Abraham served in the Southern States Mission from 1908 to 1910. He saved money many years for his mission and to pay for his father’s funeral expenses by working in the fields… Read more…

Isaac Smith served in the Southern States Mission from 1897 to 1898. In his mission acceptance letter to George Reynolds, he wrote: “I deem it a great honor to have the privalege (sic),… Read more…

LeRoy Palmer served in the East Central States Mission from 1935 to 1937. He married Lucille Thomas – who also served in the East Central States Mission from 1934 to 1936 – in… Read more…