ANSON CALL'S BIRTH AND CHARACTER—INVESTIGATED "MORMONISM" TO DISPROVE IT, AND BECAME CONVERTED—IMPEDIMENT IN HIS SPEECH CURED WHEN ADMINISTERED TO—AN ANTI-"MORMON" MISSOURIAN—BUY FARMS IN CALDWELL COUNTY—THE PROPHET VISITS MISSOURI—ADVISES ABANDONMENT OF HOMES—MOB TRIES TO PREVENT THEIR REMOVAL—FLEE BY NIGHT—ADAM-ONDI-AHMAN AND FAR WEST BESIEGED.

Anson Call, Counselor to the President of the Davis Stake of Zion, who died August 31st,, 1890, was extensively known as a pioneer, a wise counselor and successful man of affairs, and to his intimates as a man of the strongest convictions and highest courage, who would risk his life anytime for principle or in defense of his fellows. His whole career from the time he embraced the Gospel was so full of self-sacrifice for the cause of Truth that a brief sketch of the principal events is well worthy of record in the Faith Promoting Series.

He was born in the town of Fletcher, Franklin County, Vermont, May 13, 1810. His ancestors for several generations, had been conspicuous in the struggle for religious and political liberty, and he probably inherited the strong traits of character that distinguished them. When Anson was seven years old his father's family removed to Geauga, now Lake County, Ohio, then a wild region which offered very few educational opportunities. But, while he had little chance during his childhood and youth for schooling his experience was favorable for the development of industry and self-reliance, qualities that were strong characteristics in his later life. He married when twenty-three years of age, his wife, Mary Flint, being the daughter of a wealthy Vermont farmer who had purchased a valuable farm in Ohio and located his two daughters thereon with the intention of bequeathing the property to them, but decided to disinherit them when his son-in-law, Anson Call, and they, joined the "Mormons."

Most of the Call family were Methodists, but Anson, although he was a searcher after Truth, could not subscribe to that creed. Brigham Young and other prominent Elders occasionally preached the newly revealed Gospel in the region where the Call family lived, and when Anson found himself unable to cope with them in a discussion of religion he attributed his failure to his unfamiliarity with the Bible. He therefore began a critical study of the Bible and Book of Mormon in the hope of controverting what they taught, but with a different result to what he anticipated. To his surprise if not regret his three years hard study for the purpose mentioned resulted in a conviction that "Mormonism" was true. He accordingly announced in a Methodist meeting his intention of joining the "Mormons," and started with his wife for a trip to Kirtland, then the gathering place of the Saints, where he was baptized by William Smith, brother of the prophet, and confirmed by David Whitmer, one of the three witness to the Book of Mormon.

Immediately afterwards he was administered to for an impediment in his speech, and experienced relief, and was promised that his speech should be natural and proper so long as he used his tongue for the advancement of truth.

He was also ordained an Elder, and on his return to his home preached the Gospel to his old associates and neighbors. About thirty persons in the region of his home, mostly Methodists, joined the Church as a result of the preaching, his wife and his father's family being included in the number.

In March, 1838, in company with his father and his brother Harvey, Anson started to Missouri, whither some of the leading Elders of the Church had already gone. They journeyed by steamboat part of the way, and had for companions Asahel Smith, uncle to the prophet, and George Gee and their wives. While steaming up the Missouri river they were accosted by a fellow passenger who remarked that he had heard there were some "Mormons" on board the boat. Elder Smith told him the rumor was correct, and that he and his companions were "Mormons." The stranger then inquired to what part they were going, and was informed that Far West was their destination. "I am sorry to see such a respectable looking company journeying to that place," was the rejoinder. Being asked why he felt sorry, he said: "Because you will be driven from there in less than six months." "By whom" was asked. "By the Missourians, gentlemen," he replied, and then added, "I presume you are not aware of the gentlemen you are talking to." "Yes, gentlemen," was the response, "I am Colonel Wilson, of Jackson County. I was one of the principal actors in driving the "Mormons" from that country, and I expect to be soon engaged in driving them from Caldwell County." He strongly advised them to stop in some other place and not to venture into Caldwell County, declaring if they did so they would certainly be butchered; for "Mormonism" must and shall be put down." He read a letter to the brethren which he said he had just received from Randerson Newell. He was reminded that it was made up of falsehoods concerning the Saints in Kirtland, and replied "True or false, Joe's career must and shall be stopped!" As he turned to depart after this last remark Anson Call said to him, "If you will wait a moment I will tell you the way it can be done, for there is but one way." "What is that, sir?" the Missourian sharply demanded. "Dethrone the Almighty, and Joseph Smith's career will be ended, and never will it be until then."

The steamer stopped at Jefferson City, and Anson was there introduced by Colonel Wilson to a dozen or so of the "Jackson County boys," the notorious Governor Boggs among the number. When informed that Mr. Call was a "Mormon" on his way to Caldwell County, they indulged in a sneering laugh.

The boat proceeded to Jack's Landing, where the company left the river. Anson and his father traveled on foot from there to Far West. They afterwards purchased land in Caldwell County upon which to establish homes, and then the father returned to Ohio, to make arrangements for the removal to Missouri. In July, 1838, Anson started towards Ohio and met his family journeying to Missouri. After resting and visiting a few days in Far West he settled his family on his farm on Grand river, being accompanied by Phinears H. Young, John Snider, Joel Terry and others.

During the following September the Saints living in that region were visited by the Prophet Joseph Smith, his brother Hyrum and Sidney Rigdon. On the sabbath after the public services, which were attended by a number of Missourians, the Prophet notified some of the Brethren that he wished to see them by themselves to discuss matters of importance. He quietly retired with about twelve of them to a corn field, and advised them to abandon their homes and locate in Far West or Adam-ondi-Ahman, as trouble and difficulties were about to overtake them, and they ought to be where they could protect themselves and their families. Being asked if they could have time to gather their crops and dispose of their possessions, he replied that they had better not sell their farms, but he thought they would have time to save their crops. The following day the neighbors assembled and discussed the counsel they had received. They decided to try to save their crops, and selected Anson Call to make a hurried trip through Davis, Caldwell and Ray counties to ascertain the temper of the Missourians and learn if possible their plans in regard to the "Mormons," and bring them word as quickly as possible, so they could govern themselves accordingly. Anson made the trip and returned home without finding any indications of trouble while absent, but found great excitement in the neighborhood of his home on his return. The Saints there had succeeded in securing their crops, and as peace still continued had gone for a bee hunt for four days, returning with wagons loaded down with honey. Encouraged by their immunity to still linger, they went on a second bee hunt, but had little success, as the weather was stormy. On returning home they found great excitement prevailing. The mobocrats under the leadership of Neil Gillium were guarding every road to prevent the escape of the "Mormons," and threatened to kill them if they attempted to leave. They had attempted to kill Phineas H. Young, but he escaped by hiding in a bunch of corn stalks, where he remained and was fed for four days by Anson Call.

Becoming impatient, the Saints determined to make their way to Adam-ondi-Ahman, thirty miles distant, in spite of the threats of the mob. Leaving their families, a number of the men started with their teams loaded with household goods in the evening and succeeded in reaching Adam-ondi-Ahman about daylight the following morning. There they learned of the Crooked River battle and of the election riot at Gallatin. They found also that many Saints from the surrounding region had assembled at that place and at Far West. No help could be obtained, but under cover of the next night the brethren from Grand River returned to their families. The mob there were terribly incensed at the brethren for having slipped away, and especially at Anson Call for the part he had taken, and indulged in all manner of threats. However, the next day quiet preparations were made to again leave. After dark a four horse team was loaded with such few of their effects as they could take along, and Phineas H. Young and Daniel Jackson and their wives (both women being sisters of Oliver Cowdery) and Anson Call and his wife and her sister, and the children of the three families (seven in number) also Harvey Call, all crowded into the wagon, while Joel Terry and his wife and child in a separate wagon drawn by a single horse accompanied them. Leaving the public road and taking a new route across the prairies, they escaped the vigilance of the mob under cover of darkness and arrived in Adam-ondi-Ahman at noon on the following day. Here they found a few of the people living in houses, but far more under tents and a variety of other improvised shelters, with very little to protect them from the elements. Anson selected the top of a fallen oak tree as a partial shelter for his family, and then conveyed some corn to a horse mill and returned with some meal for their supper.

The Saints were in fear that the mob might swoop down upon them at any moment, and placed guards around the settlement to give warning of the first indication of danger. About one o'clock in the night the alarm was sounded. "The mob is upon us!" The men rallied and prepared to offer the best defense they could, while the women hastily dressed themselves and the children and awaited in terror they knew not what. But to their surprise and relief the supposed mob proved to be a party of the brethren from Far West. The relief, however, was only temporary, for word was brought that the Saints in Far West had been besieged and had capitulated to save bloodshed; that the Prophet Joseph Smith and others were in the hands of their enemies; and that the Saints in Adam-ondi-Ahman were notified that they would be called upon to surrender about ten o'clock the following morning. True to promise, Colonel Parks with five hundred Missourians under his command, appeared before the town, formed a hollow square and demanded that the Saints march therein and surrender their arms and ammunition within an hour. The brethren who had come from Far West having brought word that it was the advice of the Prophet Joseph Smith that the Saints comply with the demands of the mob without resistance, they did so, but with grave misgivings.

After disarming them Colonel Parks notified the defenseless Saints that he would allow them ten days in which to remove from the state, and detailed 200 of his men to remain "as guards," and to see that his order of eviction was complied with.

Shortly afterward, while Anson Call and his family were eating their breakfast in their camp in the fallen treetop, two of these guards appeared before them and asked a number of questions. The replies not suiting them, they shocked and frightened the family by the abusive language they indulged in and leveled their guns at Anson and threatened to shoot him, which they evidently expected to frighten him, and seemed chagrined that it did not have that effect.