David Cluff, Sr.
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Excerpts from the Cluff Family Journal[After his first child was born in Canada in 1824], David Cluff, Sr. returned to New Hampshire and followed his trade as shipbuilder at the Durham wharf, and about the year 1830 he became interested in Mormonism, which at that time was creating considerable excitement throughout the Eastern States. On his way to Ohio, while traveling through New York State, he met Mr. Martin Harris on a canal boat. Mr. Harris was then on his first mission sent out by the Prophet on a canal boat. Mr. Harris was then on his first mission sent out by the Prophet Joseph Smith, who had just founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This meeting of an anxious seeker after truth, with Mr. Harris, one of the witnesses of the Book of Mormon, was indeed a capital event in the life of David Cluff. He was not only searching after scriptural truths but he had become intensely interested in the history of the aboriginal inhabitants of America. For be it known that young David had for some time previous to this, studied such as came in his possession which so wrought up his desires, that when he had his interview with Martin Harris on the canal boat and the Book of Mormon history of the ancient inhabitants was briefly explained to him, he was carried away from the dogmas of the [other] religious denominations ... and became a ready convert to the doctrines taught by the young Prophet. His connection with the church by baptism soon followed and his love for truth continued through life, so that his last days were marked with the same faith and integrity to the church and priesthood that inspired him in the days of his conversion. Not contented alone with the recital of Martin Harris, he wended his way to Kirtland where the Great Prophet was holding meetings and there he became more deeply interested in the divine story from the prophet's own lips.
[On the morning of the David Cluff family's departure for Salt Lake in the spring of 1850], breakfast was hastily prepared when the family gathered for morning devotion and Father Cluff's favorite hymn so appropriate upon the present occasion was sung: Come Let Us Anew Our Journey Pursue ... [The company, lead by Bishop Hunter] passed along the south side of the Platte river instead of following the pioneer road of the north side. Soon after passing Fort Kearney we emerged into the buffalo country. There were days of peril while we were more or less surrounded by these wild animals. However remarkable it may appear to those who pass along this same country and see no buffalo, yet it is so true that the vivid recollection still clings to the writer. For miles in extent even as far as the eye could read, the plains and gentle rolling hills were black with these wild animals, and their roaring and heavy tramping as they bounded over thi prairie left a thrilling recollection not forgotten even to this day. The approach of these plunging mass of wild and fierce creatures came so near to moving trains of emigrants as to cause cattle to stampede. At times a whole train of one hundred wagons would be running pell mell over the country. With great difficulty and much energy and tact the teamsters succeeded in quieting their crazy teams ... Hunters occasionally succeeded in capturing a young buffalo which supplied the camp with meat. large herds of deer and antelope were plentiful along the plains, but not so easily brought down with the rifle. David Cluff, Sr. was the only one of numerous [Cluff] families in the east ... that joined the church. [His wife] Betsey Hall Cluff was the only representative of her family who joined the church and identified herself with the Mormon refugees ... It is lamentable to record that many of their kinsmen rejected them and cast them off. But we find them in the Rocky Mountains firm in the faith of the Gospel and the mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith as the rock of the Rockies. Father Cluff left his footprints in Canada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Wyoming, Utah, and Arizona. He acted as a pioneer in all of the districts as the first stroke he made when entering a desert or wilderness country was in the agricultural line, reclaiming the sterile soil as indicated in the following, which we copy from a postal card written from ARizona to his son, Harvey: "Our crop looks fine. I never saw crops look so promising in any country that I was ever in. Pumpkins, squash, and melon vines completely cover the ground." On the 6th of December, 1881 [10 days before he died], Father Cluff summoned his four sons to his bedside and gave them orders concerning the disposition of his property effects, then in a clear patriarchal voice he said, "I want my sons to pursue a course to build up the Kingdom of God and teach their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord; for I don't want one that bears the name of Cluff to be lost. Be strict and watch your children." Cluff Family Journal (Rearranged) 1995
Family Stories from Andrew Beck (4th great grandson)Once upon a time William and Susannah Runnels Cluff had a son named David. He was born in New Hampshire, but spent most of his youth in Canada. In 1812 he turned seventeen years old, and war broke out between the US and it’s rival, Great Britain. He returned to the U.S. to fight in the war of 1812. (One of my ancestors was killed in an attack of Sacketts Harbor, New York, during that war.) After the war he returned to Canada where he married his sweetheart Elizabeth (Betsy) Hall.
Later David and his family moved back to New Hampshire. It was there he became a shipbuilder and also became interested in the Church. In the year 1832 he was baptized together with his family. His son (and your 3rd great grandfather) Moses was too young to be baptized, but was baptized in 1836 when he turned eight. A year later, David went out to serve a mission. Where? Eastern States and Canada. (Perhaps there’s a reason you and your brother both served there.) A year later, David was back with his family there they planned to move to Jackson County, but illness kept them from traveling there, just in time to avoid the persecutions. They headed for Illinois instead. In Nauvoo, David opened a carpentry shop and helped build the Nauvoo temple. He was called on another mission and his son Moses (and the rest of the family) worked. David was out of the area when the Prophet Joseph Smith was martyred. The family headed west with the Saints, although Moses, in his late teens, stayed in Nauvoo for a short time to work before moving on. He was in Nauvoo when the temple was burned. When David and his family reached Utah in 1850, they settled in Provo. Moses was called on a mission to Prussia (Germany) in 1852, but when he arrived in England, plans were changed and he served in the Hull Conference in England. The Hull Conference was means by which European emigrants were helped to come to the United States. Moses was there until 1856. In May of that year, Moses assisted 163 Scandinavian Saints and traveled with them aboard the “Thornton” to America. They were greeted by Apostle John Taylor in New York, June 14th of that year. Moses headed west with the first group of Saints. This was fortunate because the second half of those Scandinavian Saints traveled with James G. Willie later that year. This was the doomed Willie Company that suffered greatly as they crossed the plains. (Lucky twice!) In 1858, David (Moses’ father) went out on another mission. Moses and his brothers built a theater where Moses acted as a comedian. Moses was called to settle in Arizona in the 1870s, and became the equivalent of Branch President for a time. His father and father’s family moved to Arizona as well where they lived the rest of their lives. written by Andrew Colin Beck
found at http://www.oocities.org/elderandrewbeck/cluff.html |