Person:Charles Livingston (4)

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF CHARLES CAMPBELL LIVINGSTON

Born Feb. 6, 1868 at 501 1st Ave., Salt Lake City, Utah. Attended school in the old adobe schoolhouse on 2nd Avenue and E. St. Carl G. Measer with Kate Miller as assistant teacher were my first teachers. Had very few books and went barefoot most of time. I milked and fed the two cows of Bro. Measer to pay for my tuition. Father also had two cows which I also cared for. Bro. Measer lived across the street from us. We had the only well in that neighborhood for sometime and people came from all around to get water. My father being away very much of time (He being supt. of the Temple Quarry) my mother had a great influence over my life at this time and taught me many things that left a lasting impression for good in my life, she had great power of decernment and often guided my life away from companions who would have had a power for evil over me.

I went to Sunday School in the 20th ward regularly. Bro. Geo. Reynolds was the Supt. at that time. Bro. Wheeler was my teacher and surely I thank him from the bottom of my heart for the simple way he taught me the truth of the Bible. I was appointed Librarian of the school when I was 10 years old having to see that all text and song books were out for each class at 9:45 each Sunday morning, and stay after and strap the books for each class together and put them in the library and lock them up. I remember this was quite a responsibility at that time and I felt very important and tryed to do the work well.

I never had a chance to go far in my school work as my Father sent me to work when I was just turned 14 years. I was sent up in Little Cottonwood canyon and worked in a Blacksmith shop, and here was where the teaching of my mother stood me in hand as I was thrown in constant company of some of the roughest men and some very bad women. Here is where I met one of the oddest men. He was one of the lowest I ever have met, yet he had a watchful eye over me at all times, and when the others were going to force me to drink or smoke or other bad things, he would always say "Let the lad be," and he being a leader among them, they would always desist and I was spared many times, so, low as he had fallen I have a warm spot in my heart for him.

I spent my life in this camp until I was 21 years old, and had many experiences good and bad. We made a nice camp and the men who got out the stone for the Salt Lake Temple moved from Granite up the canyon to Wasatch and the authorities of the church built summer homes here, so that I came in very close contact with them and their family. Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor, Jos. F. Smith, Geo. Q. Cannon, Bp. Wm. B. Preston, John Q. Cannon, Netty Young Snell, Zina Young Rossitor are some who had homes there.

About this time I met the girl I afterward married and we had some wonderful times together and in 1886, they organized a Sunday School here and I was chosen Supt. I felt very humble indeed as the pupils were all children of the authorities of the church. I will never forget some of the experiences I had during that summer. Pres. Jos. F. Smith asked if he could teach the kindergarten class and I will never forget the picture of seeing him sitting on one of the little red chairs with his long white beard, and all the little tots sitting around him listening so attentively to him. It surely reminded me of the Saviour, "Suffer little children to come unto me," also many others helped me at that time. Geo. Q. Cannon General Supt. of Sunday School also took active part. They then organized the Temple Quarry Y.M.M.I.A. and I was appointed Secretary and held this possition for two years.

December 25, 1886, I married Julia Sellars and in June 1887 we went to the Logan Temple and received our endowments and were sealed. November 1887, our first child was born.

I have not the dates of my ordinations to lesser priesthood as they did not give certificates at that time. I was ordained as Elder May 13, 1887 by John Conlain in Eleventh Ward and afterward became President of the 9th Quoram of Elders. I was ordained Seventy Feb. 12, 1892 by Jens C. Neilsen at Moroni Utah. I was Ward clerk of Moroni from 1891 to 1893, was Supt. of Sunday School at Cedar Cliff, Sanpete Co. from 1889 to 1891, was Asst. Supt. of Moroni Sunday School from 1892 to 1897, was Stake Secretary of Y.M.M.I.A. 1897 to 1901, Stake Supt. of Sunday School from 1901 to 1908. Moved to Idaho 1909 going to Rexburn then to Plano, was ward clerk of Plano 1909 to 1910. Moved to Burley, 1911 was appointed President of Springdale Branch of View Ward Oct 24th 1914. Ordained High Priest by J. C. Reeder. Was Bishop of Springdale Ward, Oct 24, 1915. Ordained by Apostle Geo. A. Smith.

I wish here to relate an incident that happened during the persecution of the church for plural marriage. Pres. John Taylor was what we termed in those days as on the underground and was being hounded from place to place by Deputy Marshalls. He had been down in southern Utah and being hunted so much there he came back and came up to our camp in Little Cottonwood canyon. He came into camp one morning in his carriage just about 6:00 o'clock. My Father was in charge of the camp, but was in the city that morning so I being in charge went to meet him. He looked so haggard and worn out and could scarcely walk having been traveling each night for sometime. When we got him across the creek to Father's office, he tole me of how they had hounded him from place to place and that he expected they would be there soon, as it seems he had traitors even in his own party, they kept his enemies in such close touch with all his movements. He then said to me, "I have been hounded all I am going to be. I am going to stay here until I get rested and I want you to get 10 men whom you can trust for a guard, and I want you to protect me with your lives if neccessary, but he said he did not think it would be called for, as he had faith that the Lord would see to it." At 7:30 just 1 1/2 hours after his arrival, 10 deputy marshalls rode into camp with a search warrent for his arrest. We arranged a cot out under a huge granite rock and Pres. Taylor lay and was soon asleep with 10 men well armed by him. The deputies came within 20 feet of us several times. We could see them very plainly, but it seemed as tho the Lord drew a vail over their eyes so they could not see us. They knew he was in that camp and searched almost the entire day, but had to go back and report a failure. Pres. Taylor slept most of the time and stayed in that camp for several weeks although it was raided every few days. I give the praise to the Lord for blinding their eyes, as they would never have taken him had they discovered him that day.

Another incident that empressed me very much. During the time when the tension was so gret here when the garrison at Fort Douglas had all the cannon along the brow of the hill east of the city, President Young called a meeting and invited a few of the most trustworthy brethern together. He then addressed them and stated he wanted a man to get unto Ft. Douglas and keep him poasted daily of every movement and order that went out on in the camp. After explaining the seriousness of the call that if caught it meant death as a spy, he called for volunteers to perform that service. First call quite a few volunteered, he stated that was good but the right man had not come forward yet. A second call, a few others came forward, after looking over the ones that had volunteered and seemingly in deep study he walked down to the rear of the room placed his hand on Fathers shoulder and said this is the man, will you do it Bro. James. Father said he would and charging the others to the utmost secrecy they were dismissed and Father was then set apart for that mission and promised that if he would give heed to the Holy Ghost not a hair of his head should be harmed and he would be successful in his mission which was literally fulfilled.

Just add a little of the hardships that my mother went thru during the six months that Father was in camp. Father had to don a uniform and answer to roll call and he was one of the soldiers. To do this one of the men was kidnapped while in the city and my Father took his uniform and his number, Etc. so that he often took some of his companions when on leave and would drop in to our home and they would spend the evening there. The neighbors noticed this and spread the news that mother and aunt Hannah were entertaining soldiers. Mother at that time was President of the was relief society and feeling was so high that the Bishop released her from that position. You can readily see how she must of felt, knowing how innocent she was and yet had to seal her lips to protect Father in his mission.

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