ESLTRS-1885-12-15-From,SnowErastus,ArizonaMesa-To,AshbyElizabethRebecca(Snow),UtahStGeorge

ESLTRS-1885-12-15-From,SnowErastus,ArizonaMesa-To,AshbyElizabethRebecca(Snow),UtahStGeorge

Mesa Marracopa Co. A.Z. [Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona Territory]

Dec 15th 1885 [Tuesday 15 Dec 1885]

Dear Elisabeth [Elizabeth Rebecca Ashby Snow, b. 1831], our company separated at St David [St. David, Arizona] last Friday [11 Dec 1885].   Elders B.Y. [Brigham Young Jr., b. 1836] & F.M.L. [Frances M. Lyman] starting with five other brethren for a Cruize [cruise ?] in Sonora [Sonora, Mexico] to be absent about 15 to 18 Days.   Minerva [Minerva White Snow, b. 1822]

and I left same day for this place by rail and were met at Marracopa Station [Maricopa, Arizona] by carriage from this place 30 miles distant.  We are stoping [stopping] with Agnes McDonald and her son Wallace who married last October [Oct 1884] in St George temple [St. George, Utah Temple], the daughter of Bro [Brother] & Sister Brundage late of Rockville [Rockville, Utah].  We attended meeting here Sunday 13 Dec 1885] and last evening in Alma Ward, (a suburb of Mesa) and find many old St. George [St. George, Utah] folks here.   We start to visit Tempe [Tempe, Arizona] this afternoon and to Pheonix [Phoenix, Arizona] tomorrow [Wednesday 16 Dec 1885] where we go to see Sadie Thurston now married to a young carpenter by the name of Arthur Byer.   We expect to return here to a relief conference [Relief Society Conference ?] Thursday [17 Dec 1885] and then visit Lehi [Lehi, Arizona] ward 4 miles distant on Salt River Bottoms and spend Saturday [19 Dec 1885] and Sunday [20 dec 1885] next in attendance here at the Quarterly Conference of this Stake of Zion after which we return to St David [St. David,Arizona] and it will somewhat depend upon reports from B.Y. [Brigham Young Jr., b. 1836] & Co. [company], and letters from the brethren in Utah whether we remain there a while longer or proceed at once to Manassa Colorado [Manassa, Colorado] where in my last to you I requested you to direct your answer.   I presume you have heard from Libbie [Elizabeth Ashby Snow Ivins, b. 1854] how close I was pursued by Marshalls in Salt Lake [Salt Lake City, Utah] just before I got away.   We learn by letters from the Presidency [First Presidency] that Desperate efforts are being made to find and arrest them and us.   We are in good health and spirits, trusting in God to shield us as he has hitherto and enable us to exercise proper caution.


I suppose you have been expecting me to St. George conference [St. George, Utah Quarterly Stake Conference] as I intimated before leaving you, but our journey is to great and time would not allow our visits to all the Stakes and places necessary & back so soon.   I greatly desire to do some Temple work for my fathers House soon; least I should not be free to attend to that work hereafter.   I Pray God to permit me to do it.   I have waited on Bro Zera [Zerubbabel Snow, b. 1806] quite too long I fear.   I last wrote you 6 days ago [Wednesday 9 dec 1885] under cover to A.W. Ivins [Anthony Woodward Ivins, b. 1852].   Have not a word from you since parting with you was to much pressed by enemies and for time to write you & forget to give my address.   I did however pen a very hasty scroll to Willard [Willard Snow, b. 1853] at Provo [Provo, Utah] from Nuteroso A.Z. [Nutrioso, Arizona Territory - http://nutrioso.com/blog/about ] requesting him to forward it to St George [St. George, Utah] so you all might get my address.   E. Fairbank St David Cochise Co. A.Z. [St. David, Cochise County, Arizona] But recently my brethren in Utah have addressed me under another name for what reason I know not unless it be a necessary precaution.


I sprung the idea with B.Y. [Brigham Young Jr., b. 1836] & F.M.L. [Frances M. Lyman] of my returning not over the D.& R.G. [Denver and Rio Grande Railroad] where they may be looking for us, but over A&P [Atlantic and Pacific Railroad] to Hackberry Station [Hackberry, Mojave County, Arizona] 110 mls [110 miles] from Overton [Overton, Nevada] and I wrote yesterday to Martie [Martha Ellen Snow, b. 1865 ?] to ask Bishop Isaac Cox to hold a team in readiness to meet me there by Jan 1st [Friday 1 Jan 1886] in case I so decide and should Telegraph instructions to St. George [St. George, Utah].   If I so decide, Minerva [Minerva White Snow, b. 1822] will go home with B.Y. [Brigham Young Jr., b. 1836] and you can look for Telegram through W. R. Dougall addressed either to you or J. C. Bently [J. C. Bentley] simply saying “notfiy Marti Team Wanted” and you should see that a letter is at once posted to her at Overton [Overton, Nevada] as early at least as by Monday mail 24th [Thursday 24 Dec 1885] in order for team to meet me Jan 1 st  [Friday 1 Jan 1886].    You then can arrange through E.B. [Erastus Beman Snow, b. 1853] or Tony [Anthony Woodward Ivins, b. 1852] for one of them or some other trusty home missionary (desirous of going to Overton [Overton, Nevada]) to take you in my Buggy or otherwise to visit Martie [Martha Ellen Snow, b. 1865], so as to reach there about the 3rd or 4 th [Sunday 3 Jan 1886 or Monday 4 Jan 1886] and tell no one of my plan and leave rest to me.   If know [no] such telegram reaches you by the 24th [Thursday 24 Dec 1886] you will expect I take another route.   With Love to yourself and family   E. Snow [Erastus Snow, b. 1818]