Richard and Mary Steele in Nauvoo, 1845-46

My third great grandparents, Richard and Mary Ann Reese Steele, were converted to the LDS church in England, and met and married in July 1845 in Nauvoo, Illinois. Here is an excerpt from Richard's journal, from the the time they married till they were driven from Nauvoo in September 1846.

“I was married on the 13th of July 1845 to Mary Ann Reese.

Sept 8 I paid 58 dol in ware for tithing from the 16 to the 22.

We were mustered in order to be ready to march to any part of

the country.  On the 21st I went to Warsaw with

about 200 more but the mobbers were all gone over the river.

The disturbance lasted about three weeks. 

Conference was held on the 6 of October in the temple and

continued 3 days. It was moved and seconded that we move

in a body to some part where we can live in peace out of the

boundaries of the United States.  And the rich expend all their

means to help the poor.  Carried….

Nauvoo Temple

Jan 31 I received my endowments in the temple. I was working on the temple from Oct 22nd 1845 till April 26, 1846. The temple was dedicated on Thursday 30 of April.  I had a son born on the 27 of April about half past eleven o’clock in the morning.  His name is Thomas Grafton Steele.  I settled up with the trustees.  I had 33 dol and 20 cents  at fifty cents on the dollar, for we agreed to take 50 cents in cash when we settled up. 

On the 12 of June we were called out to muster for

the mob was collected again at Goldens Point with the intent of driving us from Nauvoo, for most of the Saints were gone with the first camp and to work in other places.  And a few poor were left that could not get away and some that were waiting to sell their property.  On the 14 we mustered with the intention of going to Goldens Point but the mob was dispersed. 

On Fri July 10 some of our brethren were wipt by some of the mob for

eating some wheat belonging to Amos Davis.  They had had

20 lashes each.  On Sat 11 our brethren got writs and arrested

Brattle and another and brought them to Nauvoo.  On Sun 12

P.  Young, his son, Valentine, James Standing and another

were taken by the mob as they were coming from the mill with a team. 

On the same even a posse was called out and went to Pontoosuc and

arrested 15 and were near where our brethren were confined.  They

found some of our brethren’s things and brought them to Nauvoo on

Monday,  F.  Higbee was one of the 15.  Our brethren went in

search of Young and the others but could not find them.  The

mob were tried and sent to Quincy.  Our brethren came home

on Sunday 26th of July having been dragged from place to

place and they were near having been shot several times.

Aug 6 I was taken with a bilious fever and then the ague [malaria].  I was sick about nine weeks.  On the 10 and 11 of Sep the mob and our

brethren were firing at each other with a cannon.  And on the

12 the mob were determined to come in the city and they near

the breastworks of our people and the small arms were used

and the mob was driven back with great loss.  There was 8

killed on our side -- Br Anderson, his boy and a blacksmith.  On

Sunday 13th the mob was burying their dead.  On the 14--15 and 16

they fired a few cannon at each other. 

Battle of Nauvoo, by CCA Christensen, painted about 1878

Br Babbitt made a treaty with them. We was to lay down our arms and

leave the city in 10 days.  The mob was to come in the city at 3 o’clock the next day. On the 17th they came into the city -- about 1500 of them and we could not muster more than 200.  They marched about and took possession of the temple. 

On the 18th I moved down to the river with a one horse wagon and had my gun took away by the mob and no horses and moved over the river on the 21st. [Their daughter Sarah later wrote, "When [Thomas] was only five months old they were driven out of Nauvoo by the mob. Grandfather was not well, so it fell to grandmother's lot to gather their belongings together, put them in a cart, and pull them down to the river, so they could be taken across on the ferry. As she was pulling her load some of the mob called to her

saying that she made a good horse."]

Parley Street in Nauvoo, looking west across the Mississippi

On the 24th we left and went to Farmington and Bonaparte till the 31st of Oct.  Then I commenced to work a little potting [pottery making] but did not make much. “

Bonaparte, Farmington, and Nauvoo