Zurich, Weidekon, Switzerland---
My early home and childhood land---
In April eighteen twenty-seven
At Ilnau was my birthday given.
Ah, blessed was my natal year
Wherein God’s angel did appear
With records strange and golden-plated
By Joseph Smith to be translated.
This thought is very sweet to me
And thrills me with felicity.
Our father strict, reliable
Our mother cheery, pliable
Were true co-partners heart and mind
Frugal, honest, thrifty, kind.
They taught us to be “up and doing”
With worthy aim our work pursuing.
Our early home-life was a school
Where we were taught by plan and rule
To read, to write, to work, to pray
Improve the moments day by day.
A shoe-maker my father’s trade---
His errand boy I soon was made---
The shoes we sold and many pair
I carried for him here and there.
His watch upon the table lay
To mark my moments spent away,
And when I loitered at the mart
His scoldings made my conscience smart,
And thus I learned to value Time
Upon whose steps our lives must climb.
Now Lo, a scene of rural charm---
My father bought a god-sized farm.
I learned to prune, to plow, and mow
My willing sisters learned to hoe:
We were a busy family---
And happy in our industry---
At night his trade my father plied
I read the Bible by his side
While mother, sisters knit or spun
Or wove until each task was done.
When I was past my sixteenth year,
Came sickness fraught with grief and fear---
My best beloved school-mate died,
He was my youthful joy and pride.
A heavenly solace came to me
Celestial Zion did I see---
It shone like gold, like silver, glass,
All earthly beauty did surpass!
“Be faithful” said my keen-eyed guide
“And someday you shall dwell inside.”
I kept this vision in my heart
A hopeful joy it did impart.
I pondered on the long, black night
That came before its wondrous light
The dark and dreary wilderness
Symbolic of a blind distress---
Its meaning then I did not know
Untested was my cup of woe---
Yet like a hint of vague alarm,
A dim fore-shadowing of harm.
Ambitious, toiling early late
At length I reached proud manhood’s state.
When I could for a home provide
I chose a true and happy bride.
Kind heaven-favored on us smiled
And blest us with a lovely child.
Ah, fair and sunny crown of bliss
And tender-sweet our happiness
‘Til direful fate put out the light
And robbed me of my precious sight.
And briefly now shall I retell
Just how fateful ill befell---
A hog for market hanging high---
Its foot slipped off and hit my eye
It split the pupil at a blow
‘Twas anguish keen you well may know,
The long and dreadful typhoid next
And both eyes weakened fever vexed
In body, spirit tempest-tossed
My precious eyesight ruined, lost!
Shut in by everlasting night
And not one star-gleamed for a light
My wife and I in sore distress
Now drained the cup of bitterness.
Our future hope seemed crushed and dead
Our rainbow tinted promise fled.
A our parents felt our misery
And lavished loving sympathy
Our tears were like the falling showers
Full sorrow-laden passed the hours!
In grief and darkness left to grope
And lo! One sweet bud of hope
Its faint sweetness soothed the gloom
Angelic in her ministry
Said God would open up the way
Could we but trust and hope and pray
For she had heard an inner voice
That whispered “You shall yet rejoice.”
Alight broke in upon my gloom
And snatched me from Despair’s dark doom,
The road to Zion was shown to me
In vision bright I crossed the sea
New York and Boston on the way
In each a brief yet pleasant stay;
All in a goodly company
I crossed the prairie wild and free
And nestled ‘neath the mountain crest
I saw the valleys of the west.
At length a Mormon Elder came
Just plain George Meyer was his named.
He preached the gospel of salvation
Restored to earth by heaven’s will.
The Book of Mormon, golden-plated,
By Joseph Smith had been translated
These truths we loved and dearly prized
And twelve of us were soon baptized.
To immigrate was my desire
(This was like passing through fire)
Full two and forty days at sea
We landed with our company.
Two months in Iowa delayed
Three hundred hand-carts there we made
One thousand miles and oh, so slow,
With ox-teams through the sand or snow
The hand-carts half a mile ahead,
One bitter night sixteen lay dead.
Upon the River Plate snowed in
We still had faith to work and win
Although we drove with careful heed
One day we had a big stampede.
My wagon in the fray tipped over
‘Twas feared my child could not recover
A dear old lady shortly died
My child was spared to be my guide.
When oxen died upon the road
My wagon took a double load.
Before we came to Devil’s Gate
Our camp was in a fearful state.
My legs were frozen through and through
My teamster’s legs were frozen too.
My dear wife had enough to do
With cooking, nursing, driving too.
True Brigham sent a rescue party
The able-bodied, hale, and hearty
Kind brethren who in love and pity
Did take us through to Salt Lake City.
We settled in these mountain vales
Where peace and joy and love prevail
God’s favor came with rich outpour
My children number now a score
And I am very glad to be
In Utah with my Family.
I love these sacred kindred ties
God’s holy temple-rites I prize
This place is Zion unto me
Its Ensign Peace and liberty.
My parents immigrated too
Here was a work fro all to do
Soon we by Brigham’s wise command
Were called to settle Dixie land
We rode by canyon, hill, and gorge
To build the city of St. George.
From small beginnings rising slowly
God blest our efforts meek and lowly
Today a temple stands in token
Of faithful word by Brigham spoken.
“Tis six and seventy years today Since as a helpless babe I lay
The Lord has blest my earthly years
Increased my joys and decreased my fears,
And my beloved posterity
Now number five and seventy.
My soul is full of love and praise
The glory of these latter Days
And though bereft of precious sight
By faith I’ve kept my vision bright.