1932 Apr 20
Letter from Joseph Dean to his granddaughter, Margaret Foulds Dean, describing his conversion to
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The letter is four handwritten pages, but is incomplete.
Transcript
To My dear Grandaughter,
Marguerett Folds Dean
Salt Lake City
April 20th, 1932
A short history or of my life or how I become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of latterday Saints.
I was born in Vernon Street, Hyde, Cheshire, England, 78 years ago on March 23st 1854. Soon after my birth my parents moved to Apethorn were my Mother died after a short illness, and was soon followed by my Father, leaveing me an Orphan at the tender age of three year, with a Sister two years my senior, also a Brother who was the oldest of the three. I went to live with my Aunt, and when old enough I was put to work in the cotton mills at Apethorn were i stayed untill I was 18 years old. I went from place to place untill I got a position as stripper and grinder at Giberalter Mills. It was while working at these mills that I first heard and read of the doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter day Saints, better known as Mormons.
After a thorough investigation, and a bitter fight trying to prove the doctrines false, I became satisfyed in my own mind, that the teachings were just the same as those laid down by Jesus Christ and his apostles. I could do nothing less then obey them.
I was Baptized Nov 2 1878, by James Barton in the public baths in Stockport, England, and Confirmed, Nov 3rd at Stockport by Adam Lees. After being Baptized, was when my troubles began.
I tried to keep the fact from my wife and the public, but it was only a very few days before it was talked of far and wide, as the saying goes. My wife had been told of the fact, at the mill. The first thing she said when she come in from work, before she took her clothes of, was had I joined the Mormons. I did not answer for a short time but she was very presistent and I had to give her an answer. And as I could not denie what she had heard I therefore said yes, I had been baptized into the Mormon Church, if that was what she ment.
She did not answer but got busy gathering up her clothes and all the furniture, and everything that she thought was her properity. When she got everything that she called hers there was nothing left for poor me, only my clothes. After she had gathered everything together, she then went to her parents home which was close by and asked her Father if he would fetch all her things away from our home as she was leaveing me. Her father at once wanted to know what the trouble was. Then she told him that I had joined the Mormons.
Her father being a man of good sound judgement asked her if that was all that I had done. She said is not that enough? He told her no, and he also told her to come back home and waite untill I should give her cause to leave. Then she began to cry and told her Father that he was very cruel. I went to her Fathers home and asked my wife if she would come with me and have some tea, as we had not had anything to eat since coming home from work.
So after a time she come home but there was no eating by eather of us. It sure was a miserable time for us at home, because we both loved each other dearly and we had a little boy about two years old, who was quite delacate.
The next day when I went to work I found that the news had spread considerable. My sister and her husband and most all our friends would call to have a talk with me and beg of me to quitt the Mormons and go back to the Methodest Church. The leaders of the Church would call and ask me to pray with them which I readily did. They would pray that the Lord would open my eyes so that I might see the error of my ways. I said, Amen, to their prayers because I surely did want to know if I was wrong, but instead of being convinced that I was wrong, my faith was strengthened so that I was able [to] defend the principls of the Gospel.
Several ministers of the Churches would call on me and in their prayers would promis me that our dear little boy should get better if I woul only renounce Mormonism and not bother the principle of that man Joe Smith.
The mean and false stories that was put in circulation after it become public gossip that Joe Dean had joined the Mormons. The gossip go[t] so bad that my Friends and quite a number of my relatives would pass me up on the street and refused to speak to me. I would be pointed out when going to and from work. I did not mind it so much because it had a tendency to induce me to call upon the Lord for strength.
Being of a relegious turn of mind I ready turned to my Father in prayer. I prayed very earnestly that God would be with my dear wife and give her strength that she might withstand the gibes &c that was hurled at her; and like myself, she was pointed out on the street as the wife of one of those dispised Mormons. It was for her sake to save her from all this that I almost repented.
She was in delecate health she haveing being pragnent. She had alwas been very sick dureing this period and it was worrying me considerabe. So much so that I went to the man that had introduced the gospel to me or me to the Gospel, for advice as to what I should do in regards to my wife. Then to my surprise he sprund a new subject on me. He told me when the Mormon Elders come around he would ask them to administer to her and lay hands upon her for her health, &c. Well things got quite serious.
Well to make a long story short, the traveling Elders come around and held meetings in the open air, about a block from our home and I, along with a couple of other young men, was called upon to speak, in defense of the Mormon relegion. You should have seen the scorn on the faces of a number of neibors and some of the audance that was my nearest and what I thought among my best friends &c.
After that meeting the Elders give us some tracts to pass out from door to door, and then to go around the next week and collect them in again and leave another, all treating on the first principles. We also was expected to answer any and all questions that should be asked. This was quite an experance to me, also very educateing as I was often called upon to answer so meny questions, that I myself had asked when I was first investagateing, &c.
Time was fast moveing right along when low and behold I was asked If I could take a couple of the Elders to sleep at my home. Now my dear wife had not as yet shown any desire to forgive for joining the Mormon Church, but was still on the look for an axcuse to leave me. So if you can place yourself in my position, and go and ask a Mormon hater if you can take a couple of Mormon Elders to sleep at your home. After considerable time and talk she give her concent for them to sleep, but they must not preach any of their Mormonism to her but get up in the morning and go. It did not make any [...]
[Typed from the original, handwritten letter. Punctuation and paragraphs have been added to aid in readability. Spelling has been retained as in the original. Unfortunately, the four pages we have do not contain the entire letter. Held in 2011 by RayDean Hill.]
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