Comments on: Without Purse or Scrip in Texas: 9 November – 30 November 1899

By: J. Stapley

J. Stapley — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:27:34 +0000

Thanks again, Ardis. This is wonderful stuff.

By: kevinf

kevinf — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 06:42:34 +0000

My grandfather, who served in the same mission starting in December 1899, discusses many of the same issues of walking for miles without breakfast, of being turned away for entertainment, and issues with the weather. It will be interesting to see where their travels intersect. I will be following along here with his journal at hand. Love this series so far.

By: The Other Clark

The Other Clark — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 02:50:23 +0000

Thanks for clearing up the title “Brother”

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 01:08:57 +0000

… and then do the same (maybe with breakfast, though) the next day, and the next day, and the day after that, and …

By: Mark B.

Mark B. — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:54:19 +0000

That’s about 144 miles in 18 days–about 8 miles a day, on average. That doesn’t sound so bad, until you realize that they were carrying their grips, and dressed as missionaries (whatever that meant in 1899–but at least we can be sure that they weren’t wearing a nice pair of Gore-tex lined lightweight hiking boots).

And walking 8 miles on an empty stomach without breakfast sounds difficult! I had to walk 12 blocks today (to and from church) on an empty stomach–that wasn’t hard, but I wouldn’t have wanted to go another 7 3/4 miles.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 20:20:42 +0000

Not usually, Researcher. He uses “Brother” almost every time anyone is kind, or even courteous, to them. Sometimes it’s a little ambiguous, but usually when he refers to a church member there will be other cues to membership.

And thanks, Edje — that’s really helpful context, realizing that the elders are always asking to come in and eat at the same table as the family, and sleep in their bedding.

By: Researcher

Researcher — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 20:15:02 +0000

Thanks for the explanation, Edje. I read that and wondered “leprosy”?

(Not too big a leap after the coverage of armadillo-borne leprosy in the South earlier this year.)

Just one question this time: does he mean a member of the church when he says “Brother”?

By: Edje Jeter

Edje Jeter — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 19:32:51 +0000

1899 Nov 28: “… There being several kinds of diseases there, we hurried out, the people being very scared of us, making it hard on us….”

Elder JA Brooks, working just south of Elder Jones that winter, also encountered a quarantine mentality, which viewed itinerant outsiders with (often justified) distrust.

I don’t know anything about Sabine County in 1899, but Brooks identified smallpox as the concern in his county. A _Variola minor_ smallpox epidemic had been spreading northward and westward from Florida since 1896. It reached Texas in 1898 and Utah in 1899. The most famous related incident in Texas is probably the “Laredo Smallpox Riot” from 1899 March.