Aroet Lucius Little HALE

                   Complete Diary of Aroet Lucius Hale (b 1828) is included in notes. Contemporary of Joseph Smith, Jr.

Aroet Lucious Hale, 1828-1911
Journal (1828-1856)
Typescript, HBLL

DIARY OF AROET LUCIOUS HALE
Journal of myself or in other words, I, Aroet Lucious Hale, born in Dover, New Hampshire, May 18th, 1828, which was the son of Jonathan H. Hale, which was the son of Eliphlet Hale, which was the son of Solomon Hale, which was the son of Samuel Hale. 
My mother's name was Olive Boynton. Her father's name was Eliphlet Boynton, which was the son of Samuel Boynton. Her mother's name was Susan Nichols, daughter of Jacob Nichols. My father and mother received the gospel and were baptized in Dover, New Hampshire into the new and everlasting covenant, on the 13th day of June, 1834, by the hand of Elder Gladden Bishop, and ordained by him to the office of an elder in August, same year, to preside over the Church in Dover. 
I left Dover, April the 10th, 1835, for Kirtland, Ohio, and arrived in Kirtland April 28, which was Tuesday, and Thursday received my patriarchal blessing April 30th, 1835, under the hand of Joseph Smith, Sr. I received many blessings while there. Left Kirtland on the 4th of May for the eastern states with the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb and traveled through the state of New York. Attended the different conferences. Left there in company with Elder John Murdock and traveled with him two weeks. Came with him to the Freedom Conference. When conference was over, left with Elder Heman Hyde with eight of the Twelve and President William Marks. Arrived at his house in Portage, stayed there two days. Left there in company with Elder Thomas B. Marsh and David W. Patten, thence to Palmyra to the home of Elder Martin Harris, thence to the Hill Cumorah. All went on to the hill and offered up our thanks to the Most High God for the records of the Nephites and other blessings. Then went about from house to house to inquire the character of Joseph Smith in previous to his receiving the book of the plates of Mormon. The answer was that his character was as good as young men in general. This was on the 30th day of May, 1835. 
The above sketch is taken from my dear father's journal. He writes: I [Jonathan Hale] then left the brethren and pursued on my journey and arrived in Dover, New Hampshire, the 8th of June 1835, to the bosom of my family, after the absence of two months, in which time I traveled about 1550 miles. I then went to work for B. Wiggins about six weeks, then went to Bradford to a conference of the Twelve which was in July. After conference, I was reordained under the hand of Elder Thomas B. Marsh. I then took my team and carried three of them to Salem via Thomas B. Marsh, Parley P. Pratt, Heber C. Kimball, then returned to Dover with Elder Luke Johnson and Elder William Smith to my home. I stayed at home a few days, then took two horses and wagon and Elder Luke Johnson and went to the Saco conference. [I] met most of the Twelve there. After conference I took as many of the Twelve as I could carry via Elder Thomas B. Marsh, Parley P. Pratt, Brigham Young, Orson Hyde, and part of the time five. We went to Farmington and attended conference. After conference was over, we came back to Saco, and thence to Dover and thence to Bradford, making in all 3.20 miles. 
I [Jonathan Hale] then returned to Dover and settled my business and moved my family to Bradford the 17th day of September, 1835. I lived with my father-in-law, Eliphlet Boynton, assisting him in selling his farm and property, which was done previous to June, 1836. I left Bradford (Mass) [Maine ?] with my family in company with Elder Henry Harriman and wife and Sister Mary Ann Boynton on the 16th day of June 1836. We had a pleasant journey and arrived in Kirtland, Ohio the 10th of July, all in good health and spirits, a distance of 750 miles. My family consisted of myself and wife, Aroet Lucious Hale, Rachel Johnson Savory Hale, Alma Helaman Hale. These are the names of my children. Aroet was born in Dover (New Hampshire) May 18th, 1828; Rachel was born in Bradford (Mafs) [Maine ?] August 27th, 1829; Alma was born in Bradford, April 24th, 1836. I also brought with me Sarah Ann Knight. 
I [Jonathan Hale] stayed in Kirtland and worked at diverse kinds of work. My wife received her patriarchal blessing the 10th of November, 1836, in the Lord's house, under the hand of Joseph Smith, Sr. 
The winter after I [Jonathan Hale] arrived in Kirtland, I was chosen to be one of the third quorum of seventies was ordained under the hand of Elder Harren Aldrich. On the 4th of April, a number of the seventies met at my house to receive their washing to prepare for the anointing. I received my washing under the hands of Elder Joseph Young, one of the presidents of the seventies. I received my anointing on the 5th of April under the hands of Elders Joseph Young and Harren Aldrich and received a great blessing. 
April the 6th, which was the solemn assembly, then I [Jonathan Hale] received the washing of feet by Elder Heber C. Kimball and he pronounced me clean of the blood of this generation. I had traveled up to this time 2740 miles mostly on foot. 
I, Aroet, moved to Kirtland, Ohio in 1835 with my father. There I was baptized, being nine years old, by Wilford Woodruff, into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, though a boy. I well remember many incidenat happened there, the apostasy of John F. Boynton, my dear mother's brother, and the cause of his apostasy. The Prophet Joseph Smith called on him for money. He had the money but refused. This was a turning point in his life. The Prophet wanted money to redeem land that he had bought in Jackson County, Missouri at the center stake of Zion. The burning of the printing office, the failure of the Kirtland Bank and other things cause great apostasy. Persecutions commence. 
The Kirtland Temple was dedicated in 1836 on the 27th of March. On this occasion [April 3, 1836] the prophets Moses, Elias, and Elijah appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith and committed the keys of their respective dispensations to him. The power of God was made manifest in a great degree. The visions of heaven were opened, angels administered to them. Beautiful singing was heard from the top of the temple in the evening. I well remember of hearing our parents talk of these things. 
We children were taught to love the Prophet Joseph Smith, a man that could talk and converse with holy angels and our Heavenly Father. The Prophet Joseph had to flee from his enemies, persecution still raged, this being the third time that he visited Missouri. Many Saints followed after him. [Kirtland Camp] The first large emigration company of Saints of some seventy wagons 515 [?] Saints was organized and led by Joseph Young, Elias Smith, Henry Harriman, Jonathan Dunham, Jonathan H. Hale, and others [written in margin: president of seventies]. They started from Kirtland on July 4, 1837, and arrived in Far West on October 20th. 
I will relate a few incidents that happened on our way to Missouri. My father was arrested with others and held for trial. He was supposed to be one of the directors of the Kirtland Bank. He had his trial. The third day, they overtook the camp. Brother Martin H. Peck had a child between 7 and 8 years old run over by a loaded wagon, the wheels passing over both his legs. The child was anointed with oil and administered to. The camp was only detained about one and a half hours. 
The [Kirtland] camp, on arriving at Far West, the Prophet Joseph met them and pronounced blessings upon them. Father was sent with a small company of Saints to Adam-ondi-Ahman. Shortly after arriving at Adam-ondi-Ahman, Governor Lilburn W. Boggs issued his exterminating orders which gave the Saints the choice between banishment from Missouri and death. The mobbers soon renewed their depredations by burning houses, and killing and driving off stock. Soon orders came to lay down their arms on the penalty of death, if any were found in searching the tents and wagons. My dear father laid down two nice rifles. One was intended for me as soon as I was large enough to use it. Soon after, our tents and wagons were searched by a mob militia. My dear mother was lying sick in a wagon box in the tent. Four of the mob came into the tent to the back side of the bed. They took hold of the bed and threw her from one side to the other against the wagon box until she was nearly exhausted. They were powered black and looked like demons of hell. Other families and tents and wagons were served the same way. 
After they had got all the arms, they took the brethren prisoners and marched them off. Father was among the I was about the largest boy in camp. I had to cut wood and burn it into coals outside the tent, take the coals into the tent in a bake kettle to keep my dear mother and her little children from freezing. Father returned in a few days. We lived in the tent until it froze ice in Grand River until we loaded teams across on the ice. 
There was an incident or two that I will make mention of. When father came into the tent to get the guns, he took them from under the bed where mother was laying sick. Father took from under the bed a pair of silver mounted derringer pistols. Mother said to father, "Jonathan, let me take those pistols." Father gave them to her. She put them into her bosom, one on each side. They were there when the mob was throwing her around in search of firearms. When we arrived in Quincy, Illinois, we did not have a spoonful of anything to eat and no money. Father took those pistols and put them in pawn for a little breadstuff that we children might eat before we slept. 
Another incident: The mob camped along the bank of Grand River, so our horses and cows could not get a drink of water without going through their camp. There was a beautiful bull came with the cow herd from Kirtland, Ohio. One day the mob had that bull surrounded and was shooting at the brass knobs on his horns. They shot his horns all to slivers until they hung by the side of his head. The next day, he was found dead near their camp. 
Father had a good team and wagon when we went to Missouri. He lost everything and was held out of Missouri by one of the brethren by the name of Bird. Father worked in Quincy, Illinois a few days and formed an acquaintance with one Robert Stilson that had a farm twenty miles east of Quincy. Mr. Stilson offered my father all that he could raise on the farm and pay him the money for all the improvements he could make in the way of fencing and repairing buildings, etc. This was in the spring of 1838 after being driven out of Missouri by a mob. Father continued working on the Stilson farm until he was able to buy him a good span of horses, harness and wagon. He then fitted up for Nauvoo during our stay on the Stilson farm. The Prophet Joseph [Smith] bought a large tract of land called upper Commerce, afterwards called Nauvoo, on the Mississippi River. There the Saints gathered and the Nauvoo Temple was built. Father moved to Nauvoo in the spring of 1841. 
On arriving at Nauvoo, he unloaded his wagon at the south end of Brother John P. Green's house and commencing hauling rock on the [Nauvoo] temple and never ceased until he had paid up two and a half year's back tithing here at Nauvoo. 
I became better acquainted with the Prophet Joseph Smith. I was in my 17th year when the Prophet Joseph [Smith] and Hyrum Smith were martyred. I well remember many incidents that happened while living in Nauvoo. I was well acquainted with the Prophet's most bitter enemies, John C. Bennett, Dr. Foster, the Higbees and Laws. They were all members of our Church. Bennett was an adulterous man. The Prophet told him of his wickedness and warned him to repent. This made him more angry and he swore vengeance against the Prophet Joseph Smith. They were finally cut off from the Church. They then went to Warsaw among the mob. They never ceased their cursed threats until they Killedprophet Joseph and Hyrum Smith at Carthage Jail, Hancock County, Illinois. This occurrence took place on the 27th of June, 1844. 
I well remember the day that the bodies of Joseph and Hyrum Smith were brought into Nauvoo. Our parents all went out to the street as the procession passed along the road. The city was in one complete scene of weeping, mourning, and lamentation after the bodies arrived at the mansion house. It was enough to break the heart of a stone, to hear Grandmother Smith and the Saints weep over the loss of their dear Prophet and patriarch, Joseph and Hyrum Smith. Brother John Taylor was brought from Carthage on a sled on account of his wounds. He could not be brought on wheels. When Governor Ford demanded the state arms, they were surrendered to him. When Joseph and Hyrum started with the rest of the brethren to go to Carthage, Governor Ford pledged his honor and the honor of the state that Joseph should be protected back to Nauvoo. 
The Prophet Joseph predicted a curse on John C. Bennett. He told him if he did not repent of his sins and sin no more, the curse of God Almighty would rest upon him, that he would die a vagabond upon the face of the earth, without friends to buy him. He told him that he stunk of women. In the year 1850, President Young was speaking about the matter. He said that he had watched the life of John C. Bennett. Bennett went to California in the great gold fever excitement, that Bennett died in one of the lowest slums of California, that he was dragged out with his boots on, put into a cart, hauled off, and dumped into a hole, a rotten mass of corruption. This prediction or prophecy came to pass as well as many others that I heard the Prophet Joseph make. 
The Nauvoo Temple was dedicated May 1, 1846. I was ordained an elder in the Church, also received my washing and anointing in the [Nauvoo] temple the same year. I will relate a few incidents that I heard and saw. The Prophet set the pattern for the baptism of the dead. He went into the Mississippi River and baptized over 200. Then the apostles and other elders went into the river and continued the same ordinance. Hundreds were baptized there, with the instructions from the Prophet Joseph to have the work done over as quick as the temple was finished, when it could be done more perfect. 
Another incident worthy of note: The Prophet Joseph was visiting at our house on one occasion and spent the evening. My father was a bishop of one of the wards. With the Prophet's consent, father invited in his counselors and a few of the good old staunch brethren. Among the few was Uncle Henry Harriman, one of the first seven presidents of the seventies, and Jonathan H. Holmes, and several others of fathers old stand-by friends. This circumstance took place at my father's house, Jonathan H. Hale, bishop. This was the first time that our parents had ever heard the Prophet speak on the subject of celestial marriage. 
During the evening, the Prophet spoke to Uncle Henry Harriman. Said he, "Henry, your wife Clarisa [?] is barren; she never will have any children. Upon your shoulders rests great responsibilities. You have a great work to perform in the temple of our God. You are the only Harriman that will ever join this Church." He even told he lineage that he was of and told him that he must take another wife and raise up a family to assist him in his great work, and to honor and revere his name. The Prophet also told Aunt Clarisa [?] that if she would consent to this marriage and not try to hinder Henry, that she should share a portion of the glory that would be derived from this marriage. Uncle Henry Harriman was finally convinced that the command that the Prophet Joseph had given him was right. In a short time, he took a young woman and was sealed by the Prophet. He brought her to the valleys. They have raised a family of children. They have done a good work in the St. George temple. One son has been called on a mission. Uncle Henry Harriman lived a few years in Salt Lake City, was called to Dixie, lived in Washington near St. George a few years, then moved to Huntington and died at Huntington. The seventies built a fine monument in honor of him. 
I, Aroet Lucious Hale, was in my 17th year when the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum were martyred and was