[Second Counselor John Henry Smith [father] Diary] Salt Lake City
We reached home early and went right of[f] home. Found all well [but] Stanly our grandson. We have been gone 22 days and have travelled 7,747 Miles. Visited 9 Capitol buildings and had a good time.
I spent the afternoon with Presidents Joseph F. Smith and Lund at the Office. The former is quite poorly. (1)
-- 1911 October 13
[Second Counselor John Henry Smith [father] Diary] Dies at home of [wife] Josephine in Salt Lake City at the age of sixty-three. (2)
-- 11 Nov 1911
[Apostle George Albert Smith Journal] (Neuritis) (3)
-- Dec 3, 1911
[Apostle George Albert Smith Journal] he dreams of meeting his father John Henry Smith and grandfather Lorin Farr, both deceased, at the conclusion of which he remarks on p. 105: "After I was awake I could feel the warmth of his hand and the thrill of the pleasure that I had when I found he could shake hands and had a body of flesh & bone. It was a great comfort to me. I have never dreamed of seeing him or Father before." (3)
-- During 1911
[Quorum of Twelve] This year witnessed the death of many prominent and faithful Elders in the Church, among them Pres. John Henry Smith and Patriarch John Smith. Charles W. Penrose was chosen as a counselor in the First Presidency and James E. Talmage as one of the Twelve Apostles. The missionaries of the Church met with considerable opposition in some of the European countries. (4)
-- Jan 30, 1912
Apostle George Albert Smith writes concerning the last-minute decision to not print the King Follett discourse in the first edition of the HISTORY OF THE CHURCH: "I have thought that the report of that sermon might not be authentic and I have feared that it contained some thing that might be contrary to the truth. . . . Some of the brethren felt as I did and thought that greater publicity should not be given to that particular sermon." B. H. Roberts, editor, had done considerable work on the discourse, preparing extensive footnotes in which he revealed a great reverence for it. Later editions include the sermon. (5)
-- Oct 6, 1912
[Thomas A. Clawson Diary] Concerning the 2 P.M. session of conference, "The speakers were Elders Geo A Smith, Jos. F. Smith Jr and James E. Talmage the latter delivering one of his characteristic sermons in which he also answers bro Roberts." (6)
-- May 15, 1913; Thursday
The following is the report of the regular meeting of the First Presidency and the Council of Twelve Apostles held this morning in the Temple.
Present: Pres[iden]ts. [Joseph F.] Smith, [Anthon H.] Lund, [Charles W.] Penrose and [Francis M.] Lyman, Elders Rudger Clawson, Hyrum M. Smith, George F. Richards and David O. McKay, Joseph F[ielding]. Smith Jr. and the Patriarch. ...
Pres[iden]t. Lyman said that on the 15th ult. Bro[ther]. Hyrum M. Smith and he left for Independence, Missouri. They visited Far West, a beautiful undulating [blank]. Visited Adam ondi Ahman, and spent two nights at St. Joseph, and at Richmond visited the monument erected to the Witnesses of the Book of Mormon. On Sunday held meeting at Independence, and another meeting that day at Independence. They were gone eight days. At the meeting at Independence there were some Hedrickites, Whitmerites and Reorganites, house well filled. He said he was delighted on standing on the foundation of the temple at Far West, the site is a very eligible one, commanding a beautiful view of the surrounding country. As near as they could tell by stepping the distance the foundation of the temple which still remained was 66 x 114 feet. he was also delighted with the view of the valley from Adam ondi Ahman. The log house of Lyman Wight was still standing, but was now being used as a stable. At Ada
m-Ondi-Ahman they saw the remains of the altar which the Prophet Joseph [Smith] said was built by Father Adam after he was cast out of the garden. ...
President Smith said that on Thursday, two weeks ago today, he left for Los Angeles [California] with Bro[ther]. George Albert Smith to attend dedication services of the meeting house at Los Angeles, which were held on Sunday. President Smith offered the dedicatory prayer. ... (7)
-- July 24, 1913; Thursday
Taken from the record of the minutes of the First Presidency and Council of Twelve Apostles meeting:
President [Joseph F.] Smith and party left for Canada this evening, the party consisting of himself, Pres[iden]t. [Chalres W.] Penrose, Bishop [Charles W.] Nibley and George Albert Smith. They went for the purpose of selecting and dedicating the temple site at Cardston. (7)
Footnotes:
1 - White, Jean Bickmore, Church, State, and Politics: The Diaries of John Henry Smith, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1990, http://bit.ly/johnhenrysmith
2 - White, Jean Bickmore, Church, State, and Politics, p.xviii, A John Henry Smith Chronology, http://bit.ly/johnhenrysmith
3 - Journals of George Albert Smith
4 - Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology
5 - Advent Adam website (defunct) - based on http://amzn.to/originsofpower
6 - Diary Excerpts of Thomas A. Clawson, Signature Books Library, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
7 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
LDS History Chronology: George Albert Smith
Mormon History Timeline: The life of George Albert Smith
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
