REMOVAL TO ILLINOIS—A PERILOUS JOURNEY—OVERTAKEN BY THE PROPHET WHILE ESCAPING FROM MISSOURI PRISON—ANSON AND WIFE VISIT IN OHIO—LOCATE IN MACEDONIA—REMOVE TO NAUVOO—MISSION TO OHIO—PROPHET'S VISION AND PREDICTION AS TO SAINTS LOCATING IN WEST—JUDGE THOMAS' ADVICE—SERVICE AS A DELEGATE.

Not long after this a team animal which had been stolen from Anson was found, and this enabled him to remove his family and such of their effects as were left from the State, and they were soon on their way to Illinois. The snow was about a foot deep and the weather extremely cold, it being about the middle of February, 1839, and not at all favorable for travel even if they had been well provided with clothing and bedding, and in their destitute condition their suffering was intense. The first night out their wagon tipped over in the creek and the next day they traversed a bleak prairie in a raging blizzard, during which they almost perished. The Missourians, though ordinarily generous and hospitable, were so embittered against the Saints that they furnished them no supplies or shelter unless paid well therefor, and then they did so grudgingly, and evinced no pity because of their suffering.

One day while traveling towards Warsaw they were overtaken by Joseph and Hyrum Smith, who after more than six months imprisonment in Missouri had made their escape and were on their way to Illinois. They were in such a hurry in consequence of their enemies pursuing them that they took only time for a few hasty words, but inquired where Anson expected to locate, and promised to pay him a visit after they reached their destination. This promise they faithfully kept, in company with Sidney Rigdon and Vincent Knight. They took dinner with the Call family and spent much of the afternoon in relating the circumstances of their escape from Missouri. The prophet also told them that he had purchased a tract of land in Illinois—the same upon which Nauvoo was afterwards built—as a gathering place for the Saints.

In October, 1839, Anson with his wife and youngest child made a trip into Ohio to visit her mother, leaving his two older children in the care of Miss Hannah Flint, Mrs. Call's sister, who had for some time shared the home of the Call family. They returned to Illinois in the Spring of 1840, in company with Chester Loveland and Jeremiah Willey, and soon afterwards Anson and Chester Loveland rented a farm in Carthage, where they were fairly successful, and interspersed their labors on the farm with preaching in the Carthage court house.

In the Spring of 1841 Anson and his family removed to Raymas, afterwards called Macedonia, where he and others purchased an extensive tract of land, upon which a stake of Zion was later organized, of which Anson was one of the High Councilors.

On the 13th of May, 1841, Anson's birthday, his wife give birth to twin boys and afterwards had a long spell of sickness. She was restored to health on being administered to.

In the spring of 1842 Anson moved his family into Nauvoo, having been counseled so to do by the leaders of the Church.

The following September he went upon a mission to the state of Ohio, his companion being B. F. Cummings. While on the way to Ohio they traveled and preached through the states of Illinois and Indiana, and baptized forty persons. They returned to their homes in Nauvoo the last day of March, 1842. The winter had been unusually severe, and even at that time the Ohio, Illinois and Missouri rivers were still frozen over, so that teams could cross on the ice. Anson found his family well, but rather destitute. He spent that season raising a light crop of corn, building a small brick house and quarrying stone for the Temple.

On the 14th of July, 1843, Anson and quite a number of the brethren crossed the Mississippi river to the town of Montrose to be present at the installment of the masonic lodge of the "Rising Sun." They assembled in a block school house in front of which there was ample shade, and had a barrel of ice water to quench their thirst. Judge George J. Adams was the highest masonic authority in the state, and had been sent there to organize the lodge. He, Hyrum Smith and John C. Bennett, being high masons, went into the house to perform certain ceremonies which the others were not entitled to witness. The others, Joseph Smith among them, remained under the bowery. The prophet, as he was testing the cold water warned the brethren not to drink of it too freely, and with the tumbler still in his hand prophesied that the Saints would yet go to the Rocky Mountains and remarked that the water he had just drank of tasted much like the crystal streams that flowed down from the snowcapped mountains, where their future home would be located. Anson, in subsequently describing this incident, said "I had before seen him in vision, and now saw, while he was talking, his countenance changed to white; not the deadly white of a bloodless face, but a living, brilliant white. He seemed absorbed in gazing at something at a great distance and said "I am gazing at the valleys of the mountains." Then the prophet gave a vivid description of the scenery of the mountains and valleys just as many of those who listened to him afterwards learned to know them in reality. Pointing to Shadrach Roundy and others he said "There are some men here who shall do a great work in that land." Pointing to Brother Call, he said "There is Anson; he shall go and shall assist in building cities from one end of the country to the other, and you, (seeming to include in the scope of his remarks many others) shall perform as great a work as has been done by man, so that the nations of the earth shall be astonished, and many of them will be gathered in that land and assist in building cities and temples, and Israel shall be made to rejoice."

Anson, in speaking in the later years of his life of this occasion, said:

"It is impossible to represent in words this scene, which is still vivid in my mind; of the grandeur of Joseph's appearance, his beautiful descriptions of this land and his wonderful prophetic utterances as they emanated from the glorious inspirations that overshadowed him. There was a force and power in his exclamations, of which the following is but a faint echo. "Oh! the beauty of those snow-capped mountains! The cool refreshing streams that are running down through those mountain gorges!" Then gazing in another direction as if there was a change of locality, "Oh! the scenes that this people will pass through! The dead that will lie between here and there!" Then turning in another direction as if the scene had again changed: "Oh! the apostasy that will take place before my brethren reach that land!" But he continued, "The priesthood shall prevail over all its enemies, triumph over the devil and be established upon the earth never more to be thrown down." He then charged us with great force and power to be faithful in those things that had been and should be committed to our charge, with the promise of all the blessings that the priesthood could bestow. "Remember these things and treasure them up, Amen."

During the summer of 1843 the building of the Nauvoo Temple progressed rapidly and the Saints increased. The non-"Mormon" residents of Nauvoo and the surrounding region grew restless and uneasy, and it was evident to the close observer that they were growing jealous and suspicious of the increasing numbers and influence of the "Mormons." The intolerance with which the Missourians had regarded the "Mormons" had seemed to subside for awhile after they located in Nauvoo, but it had only been smoldering and was ready to burst out into a flame again upon the slightest provocation.

On Sunday, June 14, 1844, when the Saints were assembled at their usual place of meeting, in a grove east of the Temple, Judge Thomas, the Circuit Judge of the district, drove up to the stand and asked for an opportunity of speaking with Joseph Smith. The Prophet went out and talked with him about fifteen minutes, during which time the judge explained to him and advise him what to do. Joseph returned to the stand and began to speak. Just then a shower occurred, and he asked the assembly whether they would remain and hear his discourse. The response seemed to be universal: "We will tarry." This was the last discourse delivered by the prophet on the Sabbath. During the meeting the prophet, acting upon the suggestion of Judge Thomas, appointed delegates to visit various precincts of the country to try to effect a settlement with the mob that was threatening to break out in open hostility against the Saints. Anson Call and David Evans were appointed a committee to visit the precinct where Colonel Williams lived, who was an influential leader of the mob. After meeting they started upon this mission and that night lodged with Father Call, five miles from Warsaw. They called at Colonel Williams; house the following morning and learned that he had gone to Adams County to raise the recruits to proceed against the "Mormons." They learned from Elder Knox, a Campbelite preacher, than an anti-"Mormon" committee had been organized in every precinct, that the members of the committee in that precinct were Colonel Williams, himself and a Mr. Henderson. In response to a desire expressed by the visitors to meet that committee, and in the absence of Colonel Williams, Elder Knox proffered to go and bring Mr. Henderson to them. While waiting for his return they were confronted with a mob of about fifty men who came swarming into the house. Among them was a lawyer from Warsaw named Stevenson. Addressing Messrs. Evans and Call, he said, "Gentlemen, you are delegates from Nauvoo, I suppose." Being told that they were, he said the people of Warsaw were also expecting delegates, and had decided to throw them into the Mississippi and make fish bait of them when they appeared. They added by way of advice to the local residents "You can dispose of yours as you think proper." Being informed of the instruction of Judge Thomas to Joseph Smith, he discredited it by saying he had talked with the judge before he went to Nauvoo, and intimated that he did not believe he had so advised; but if he had he thought the judge ought also to be consigned to the Mississippi river. The mob became threatening, but the Campbelite preacher insisted that they must not disturb the "Mormons" while they were doing business with them. For further protection a guard was stationed around the house. After an hour's discussion the assembly refused to act upon the proposition of the delegates in the absence of Colonel Williams. His fellow committeemen guaranteed the safety of the delegates until they could mount their horses, but no longer. They were soon in their saddles and spurring their horses, and reached a safe distance while the mob were preparing to pursue them. Brother Call and Evans arrived in Nauvoo late in the evening of the 15th of June and at 8 o'clock the following morning they repaired to the Mansion House to report to the Prophet; Reynolds Cahoon, the doorkeeper, however, refused to grant them an interview with him, saying that he was busy and did not wish to see any one. Anson after a few moments' stay succeeded in learning what room the Prophet was in and boldly opened the door and walked in. He was greeted in the most cordial manner by the Prophet, who hastened to inquire when he returned and where Brother Evans was. Then he insisted that Brother Evans be admitted, and the two made their report, which they were then requested to reduce to writing and make an affidavit of it before Ebenezer Robinson, justice of the peace. They were then requested to take the sworn statement to Judge Thomas whose court was in session at Knoxville, eighty miles distant. Two of the best horses had to be ordered for them to ride, and before sunset they were on the way. The prophet told them to make all possible haste and to get an interview with the judge if they had to follow him into court by holding on to his coat tail. They left Nauvoo in the evening about sunset. It was raining and the roads were muddy and the streams high. The following day they arrived at a stream that was very high and rapid, and apparently very dangerous. The nature of their errand admitted of no delay, and they plunged in and after a hard struggle succeeded in reaching the opposite shore. They arrived at KNoxville at 10 o'clock on the second day. The court being in session, they presented the letter to the sheriff with a request that he deliver it. He did so, and the judge opened and read it and put it in his pocket. They chafed at the delay and tried to get the sheriff to intercede to have the judge write a reply, but he told them they would have to wait till after intermission. When the court adjourned for luncheon they followed the judge to the hotel and when he arose from the table they locked arms with him, one on either side, and told him they must have an answer to General Smith's letter. He said a written reply was not necessary; it would be sufficient for them to report to him verbally, that he was mistaken in regard to the instructions given him in Nauvoo. They, however, refused to be dismissed in that way, and insisted upon a reply in writing, and he reluctantly consented to write a short note. He allowed the brethren to read it, and as Anson recalled it from memory in his later years it read about as follows:

"General Smith:

"In perusing your letter I find that you were mistaken in the instructions that I gave you while at Nauvoo, and I know of no course for you to pursue to answer the requirements of the law, but to suffer yourself to be taken by the officer holding the writ and go before the justice of the peace who issued the same and have an investigation of the matter. It is the officer's duty to protect you; this the law requires, and I cannot as an officer of the law give you any different instructions."