Well, its been quite some time since Ive posted anything on my blog. I had a wonderful experience last week wherein I was able to go to St. George UT for work. At the end of the day when my work was complete, I was able to vist a couple of locations with special meaning to me. I was able to see and do a session in the St. George Temple where I havent been in about 15 years. I was able to see Brigham Young's house and take a tour, and one that was really special, was an opportunity to see my Great, Great, Great, Grandfathers house, Jacob Hamblin. Jacob was instrumental in settling the indians in the areas of Southern Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. He worked under the direction of Brigham Young in being a Peacemaker among them and forging friendships with them and the members that were making and setting up homes in the Southern Utah area. Below are some pictures and explanations of each.
A couple of interesting facts I learned from my visit, was that this temple is the oldest LDS temple in existance, and the very first one to perform work for the dead. Also, it was another area in church history where the Saints were commanded to build on a swampy area. This location had to be drained quite well , for them to even be able to start buidling.
Front of Brigham's House
Office in his bedroom
His bed which was custom made for him. The cane and kneeling stool are his, the hat is a replica.
His actual chair
Housekeepers sewing machine...foot pedal driven and other things. His journals state that he always treated his hired help as if they were part of the family. His housekeepers room was upstairs with him and his wife's rooms.
Wife's bed in her room.
Wife's drawers and chest. A side not on the chest, is that his wife had them custom made with rounded tops. In those days, they would stack chests in the back of the wagons for transport. Knowing that you cant stack anthing on top of a rounded top, she had hers made this way so they would be the last on, and the first off of the wagon as to ensure no damage to her belongings and to have her possessions removed quickly.
This is Jacob's saddle. According to the missionaries at his home, they say is the most well ridden saddle know; ridden over 6,000 miles. Hanging next to it is a genuine horsehair rope given to him by some Indians.
This last picture is of a rock that was found up in the mountains of Santa Clara UT behind his house. The rock was removed by workers from the Church when it was discovered by a hunter years ago. It has a rock engraving of an Indian sign representing sadness and mourning. Above it is his name, Jacob Hamblin and a date in June of 1865. You cant read the date here, but you could in person. The day is the same day his wife died, and the missionary giving the tour said that in his journal he talks about his extreme sadness on this day, due to the death of his wife. He also talked about how he went for a ride on his horse up in the mountains behind his house after her death to be alone. He must have written this while up there.
