January 15, 1984 (Recopy Date)
AUTOGRAPH BOOK OF CHARLES DENNEY JR.
WHILE IN THE UTAH STATE PENITENTIARY
AS A POLYGAMIST
Foreword:
These are typewritten copies of the preceding zerox copies of autographs in Grandpa Charles Denney, Jr.’s autograph book which was complied while he and others of the LDS Church members were incarcerated as polygamists in the Utah Penitentiary. The exact date of his entrance is unknown to me, but the first Autograph was signed on July 10, 1886 -- the last one November 30, 1886. What I think makes them a unique group is that they were not "criminals" in the usual sense; but highly religious people living a direct revelation from the Lord to our Prophet, Joseph Smith, Jr. These autographs are highly enlightening and all in a religious vein; denoting very sensitive, high-minded and high principled men, even tho’ the "world" looked upon them as otherwise. The sentiment expressed is outstanding.
I have re-copied them; and typewritten these copies for understanding, to preserve the words for future posterity, because the autograph book is coming apart, and some of the ink is fading; some of which is barely legible, now. Punctuation marks were scarce. Words are typed just as written in the originals, but words or letters are underlined when mis-spelled , or written in a different "style". The page numbers that are missing were blank pages and not copied.
Alphabetical list of Autographers:
| BICKLEY, W. E. | GALBRAITH, W. W. | MORRIS, Robt |
| BOWEN, John | GOFF, Hyrum | MOYLE, James |
| BURMINGHAM, Thomas | GRANT, W. | NELSON, J. H. |
| CANNON, A. H. | GREENWELL, C. C. | SAISBITT, Henry W. |
| CLAWSON, Rudger | HOOPER, Frederick | SNOW, Lorenzo |
| DENNEY, C. | LAMBERT, Geo. C. | TAYLOR, George H. |
| DINWOODY, Henry | McKENDRICK, Robert | WATSON, L. D. |
| FOULGER, Herbert J. | MAYCOCK, Amos | WILLEY, W. W. |
| FURSTER, John B, | MINNERLY, Levi |
* * * * *
D & C, Section 136 (follows)
Pres. Wilford Woodruff issued a manifesto,
dated September 24, 1890 publicly abolishing
Plural Marriages, in answer to rumors and accu-
sations that the Church was still practicing polygamy
even after the Court had decreed it unlawful.
M.O.
Page 2- of 8
Insert:
These are all men who went to the penitentiary
rather than give up their wives in polygamy.
Grandpa Denney’s polygamist wife got a divorce
to enable him to be released. M.O.* * * * *
Utah Penitentiary
July 10th, 1886
‘Tis my autograph album,
in which you now look,
And I ask, as a favor,
You’ll add to my book
Your name and good wishes,
(in rhyme) if you’ve any,
Which will please and oblige
Your
Brother.
C. Denney.
* * * * *
To Bro. C. Denney. 1-
You album that you say is new
I do not doubt is very true
so here’s a line from me to you
A goodly wish for you to do
The will of God through all your life
Nor heed of old satan’s awful strife
Be faithful always to the Lord
And love to keep his holy word –
Those faithful wives now pledg’d to you
Be shure to them your always true
Although in Prison now you dwell
You’ll Heaven secure and Scape from hell
W. Grant, Utah Penitent’y
July 10, 1886 (printed in a
circle like a seal)
* * * * *
Utah Penitentiary 2-
July 18. 1886
Take time to delibrate but when the time
For action arrives stop thinking and go onW. W. Willey
Bountiful Davis Co- Utah
Page 3- of 8
Pa’s brother-in-law’s
name should be in this
book, for he was in the penitentery the same time.
My Aunt Lizzy Leaker’s husband. David Leaker.
(This was written by Naomi (Denney) Edwards, dau. of
Chas. Denney, in whose possession this book was until
her death, and which is now in my possession, her daughter)
(no auto. was found)
* * * * *
Yours Truly (--)
Henry Dinwoody
Utah Penitentiary
July 25,
1886
* * * * *
Utah Penitentiary 3-
July 20, 1886
Bro. Charles Denney
May God bless you
through
the journey of life and may your strength be
according to your day is
the prayer of your Brother in the Gospel
J. H. Nelson
Of Ogden Utah
* * * * *
July 13th 1886 5-
Brother C. Denney
May you have
strength as your
day through all the
difficulties of life,
that your course may be
onward and upward untill
you shall attain to a
fullness of joy and
felicity in the kingdom
of our God,
Is the desire of your
brother.
Utah Penitentiary Robt Morris
* * * * *
An honest man, is the noblest work of God 6-
Reap Yours.
C. C Greenwell
Utah Pen
July 23rd/86
Page 4- of 8
Yours truly, 7-
Rudger Clawson
Utah Penitentiary
Aug. 9, 1886.
* * * * *
My Fellow Prisoner, Utah Penitentiary 8-
Charles Denney August 16th 1886
Though small in
stature, large in soul,
Perception keen, and
bright, and clear,
Your heart is large,
and always full,
Of mercy, truth, and
love sincere.
Your Friend and Brother,
Hyrum Goff
* * * * *
To Brother Charles Denney 9-
Be strong in the Lord
Through trials untold
Remember the covenants you made
Nothing else can you do
I asure you its true
No trial, No gain No reward
God grant you all power
All his laws to obey
And to shun all deceit
Man may place in your Way
Your Bro and Fellow Prisnor
Utah Penitentiary
Robert McKendrick
Sept 16/1886
* * * * *
"Changes come and friends must part
10-
But distance cannot change the heart
Of your friend.
L. D. Watson
From Parowan Iron Co UT.
Utah Penitentiary
Sep. 29th 1886
* * * * *
11-
Utah Penn. July 31st 1886
Brother Denney
Honor the principle
that has
caused wicked men to imprison you. And
God will honor and exalt you.
George H. Taylor
Page #5- of 8
Be brave: What though the night be dark,
12-
And lonely and forlorn.
As sure as night is with the (thee?) now,
So sureley comes the morn.
Your Friend and Brother
James Moyle
Utah Pen
August 2nd 1886
* * * * *
Faith Hope Charity 13-
To Br_ Chas. Denney.
In the "Pen" for a season confined,
The penalty sadly I pay;
Yet – be sure, I have not changed my mind,
I’m rather confirmed, by the way!
No argument is there in bars,
In bolts, or in high prison walls,
Our stripes may be minus the stars,
As the Court when for justice it calls!
‘Tis but a reverse of today,
For the felon will yet claim "the crown"
While the prison, the court, and the law,
In the prison below will be found!
For patience, I simply contend, - -
Already there’s dawn ‘fore the day;
When the craze of the nation will end,
To acknowledge the saints’ better way!
Henry W. Saisbitt
Utah Penitentiary
Nov 3rd 1886
* * * * *
14-
Utah Penitentiary
Nov "24" 1886
To Brother Chas Denney.
Constant may the care of heaven,
Hover round your daily life;
And the angels of your presence,
Rescue you from painful strife,
Love and peace and sweet contentment,
Ever free from all resentment,
Satisfy your soul.
Drawn by prisons chains together,
Each to each our hearts entwine,
Nor shall time or distance sever,
Nearer still our hearts encline.
Entertain these thought for me.
Years hence I will think of thee,
With Joy at meeting---
Regret at Parting.
Your fellow prisoner.
W. E. Bickley
Page #6- of 8
15-
Utah Penitentiary. Nov. 24th, 1886
Brother Charles Denney.
In prison we have been confined,
Because we choose to be,
True to the covenants God’s revealed
To unite the family.
Amos Maycock
* * * * *
16-
Bro C. Denney
May you never fail
to do the
will of God, then you will have strength
according to your day. Is the desire of your
Bro in the Gospel.
John Bowen
Utah Penitentiary
Aug. 20th
1886
* * * * *
Brother C. Denney 17-
May God bless you my Dear Brother
All through this world of strife
May you be true unto the gospel.
And gain Eternal Life.
Utah Penitentiary,
Thomas Burningham
Utah Penitentiary,
August 13, 1886
* * * * *
Brother Charles C. Denney 18-
May you Honor your Covenant
You made With your Wives
And Give Glory to God
All the days of your Live
Levi Minnerly
Sept 15th 86
Wellsville
Cache Co.
Ut.
* * * * *
Page #7- of 8
Brother Chas Denney 21-
As we behold thy cheerfull face,
No sorrow see – no tears we trace;
And see’st thou art never sad.
It gives/(us) joy – our hearts are glad
To find thee so when here confined
By Law illegally defined.
And if thy bonds thoud’st still disdain
In word, in heart, will n’er complain,
When time grows old ‘twill then be found
It’s added brightness to thy crown.
Utah Penitentiary
July 24th 1886 Lorenzo Snow
* * * * *
Utah Penitentiary 22-
Aug. 6, 1886
Brother C. Denney:
To you, the
fellow-apprentice of my youthful days,
associate-craftsman of my latter years, companion-missionary
to a distant foreign land and brother prisoner for
conscience sake of the present, I feel to express this wish;
That, whether our
future courses through life be parallel, or
nearly so, as heretofore, or ever so divergent, we and ours may remain
true to our religion & our God, and finally attain the highest goal
to which mortals can aspire.
Your
Brother
Geo.
C. Lambert
* * * * *
23-
Utah
Penitentiary
Aug.
7th, 1886
Bro. Charles Denney:
May your sun of peace
and prosperity never set!
Your
Friend and Brother,
A.H.
Cannon
* * * * *
24-
Utah Penitentiary
Aug 29th 1886
"Woman, blest partner of our joys and woes,
Even in the darkest hour of earthly ill,
Untarnished yet, thy fond affection glows,
Throbs with each pulse and beats with every thrill."
Herbert J. Foulger.
* * * * *
Page #8- of 8
Utah
Penitentiary
25-
September
10th/86
May Heaven protect your family
while you are here incarcerated
within these prison walls for
conscience sake. And may your
journey through life be strewn
with flowers of love and truth
Is the sincere desire of your friend
Fredrick Hooper
* * * * *
27- (p.1 of 2)
Utah Penitentiary Nov. 29, 1886
To my friend and fallow Prisoner Charles Denney.
Dear Bro., in the
Everlasting Gosple.
You are one of the morning stars who sang togather and shouted
for joy, before the world was build. --- you was on the cilastial
Globe where your Father resided then, and recideth to day,
You received the great blessing, (to) usher in the glorious work of
the Lord, in the last days, -- there you was ordained a seventy
and promised to hold the Apostleship, which is the highest
power on earth, which blessings the Preasthood of the
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
27-
(cont-)
(p.
2 of 2)
Most High, has sealed upon your head now, therefore be faithful to
the holy covenant you have made with your God and your family;
for you have a lawful right to the blessings of the Fathers: that if you
could count the stars in the firmament, or the sand of the seashore,
you could not cound your increase of life, which you are intitiled to,
through endless ages of eternitiss, because of your faithfulness.
Your
Brother in the Gospel of Christ.
John
B. Furster
Salt Lake City, Second South Street % D. E.
* * * * *
29-
Utah Penitentiary Nov 30th 1886
I have watched thee
close since here I come
And seen thee fill thy
part,
And know thourt
going to thy home
with a kind and loving
heart,
My friendship for thee
will ever be true
when prison days are
past
And still appear as
Virgen Spring
while time and being
lasts
To
My Friend Charles Denney
From
Your Bro W. W. Galbraith
Kaysville
Davis Co Ut
* * * * *
Mildred
N. Ockey, typist
Granddaughter
of Charles Denney
145
East 2nd South
Price,
UT 84501