One of the fun things about reading journals and other handwritten documents from the past is that there are sometimes nuances that are missed when reading a cleaned-up typescript of the same document. I’ve been reminded of this a couple times recently as part of my work on revamping a site about Zerah Pulsipher. Perhaps the one that brought the biggest smile to my face had to do with the journals of Wilford Woodruff.
One unique aspect of Woodruff’s journals is the inclusion of sketches that he drew to help illustrate his experiences and observations. These sketches provide a visual component to his written accounts and offer a deeper understanding of the people, places, and events that he documented. I knew that Laurel Thatcher Ulrich wrote about these sketches in A House Full of Females, noting that “as a substitute for words, he added new doodles and boarders to his pages”, but was only able to see what was available in her book.[1] With the online sharing of images of his journal through the Wilford Woodruff Papers project, however, it is easier than ever before to see those sketches scattered throughout the journals.
Here are a few of the images I came across while exploring the journals of Wilford Woodruff:
This image was a figure Woodruff sketched while talking about doing baptisms for the dead on March 27, 1842. As Ulrich explained about this figure: “To mark a day spent performing baptisms for the dead, he drew a crowned figure, much like the ‘soul effigies’ on early Connecticut gravestones, floating with it arms outstretched above a stylized stream.”[2] The releveant entry in the journal seems to be: “He was followed by Joseph the Seer who made some edifying remarks concerning baptism for the dead. … I considered it my privilege to be baptized for the remission of my sins for I had not been since I first Joined the Church in 1833 I was then baptized under the hands of Elder Zerah Pulsipher therefore I went forth into the river & was Baptized under the hands of JOSEPH THE SEER”[3] Figures like this appear occasionally in his journals elsewhere, including a depiction of Queen Victoria.
Figure in Wilford Woodruff Journal on a day where he visited the Nauvoo temple (April 15, 1846). The relevant entry seems to be: “Woodruff And Phebe cousin Betsey Cossett Sister Smoot & others we visited the Temple we all went through each appartment of it from the font in the basement to the ball of the tower”[4]
Figure in Wilford Woodruff Journal when a pioneer company was organized under his leadership (Jan 19, 1847). The relevant text seems to be: “I Wilford Woodruff organized my family company this night at my own house consisting of 40 men mostly head men of families. Those that joined me entered into a covenant with uplifted hands to Heaven to keep all the commandments & statutes of the Lord our God and to sustain me in my office” Also, a somewhat amusing note in the same entrance: “I went to bed and fell asleep and dreamed that I was {[big] with child and} ready to {be delivered} which was a singular dream”.[5] In any case, I’m not entirely sure what the sketch means – it looks to me like a book open, with its cover facing up.
Figure in Wilford Woodruff Journal on February 13, 1848. It appears to be a pair of keys, which likely refer to the sealing ordinances performed on that day. The relevant entry is: “Meeting was dismissed after which in company with Mrs Woodruff I went to Br Pulsiphers and soon Presidents Young & Kimball came & attended to sealing four couple in matrimony, we had a feast of spruice beer & cakes on the occasion.”[6] As Ulrich explained the connection with keys: “There are many representations of keys in Wilford’s diary. Most acknowledge the restoration of priesthood authority to give temple blessings.”[7]
Figure in Wilford Woodruff Journal when working on a history of the Church (Jan 13, 1849). The relevant text is: “I done up A Bundle of papers of 100 or more & sent to President Brigham Young put into A Box of Br A. P. Rockwood which he will take charge of I sent in the same bundle several papers to W. Richards Aphek Woodruff John Benbow A. O. Smoot Z Pulsipher & others.”[8] The figure on the right looks like a book to me, though I’m not sure what the figure below the 13 on the left is meant to be. Similar images came up in a few other places, whatever it means.
[I attended a presentation by Joshua Matsen since I originally posted where he indicated the symbol on the left is a hand and was used to highlight that Woodruff had written a letter on the day in question].
Figure in Wilford Woodruff Journal after receiving news via letter that some relatives had died (Aug 25, 1851).[9] In this case, he started the entry with a sketch of a coffin, then added coffins around the dates on which they died.
Figure in Wilford Woodruff Journal when he recorded some harsh remarks from Jedidiah Grant to the presidents of the Seventy during the Mormon Reformation in 1856. It likely is meant to represent how “Grant flung the Arrows of God into the Hearts of the Transgressor.”[10]
[In the presentation, it was indicated that the bow and arrow indicated danger or something that might lead to God’s vengence].
Figures in Wilford Woodruff Journal when discussing doing temple work for the dead (Feb 14, 1877). I initially thought these were trees (representing family trees), but these are probably actually keys.[11]
Figure in Wilford Woodruff Journal after the date on January 20, 1887. The figure on the right appears to be keys, which are associated with temple work, while the figure on the left is unclear to me.[12]
[The presentation indicated that the figure on the left is a crown, which generally represents priesthood authority.]
So anyway, those are some of the fun sketches I came across this last week at the Wilford Woodruff Papers site while looking for entries on Zerah Pulsipher that I thought would be fun to share.
[Updated 6 March 2023]
Footnotes:
[1] Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, A House Full of Females: Plural Marriage and Women’s Rights in Early Mormonism, 1835-1870 (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2017), 59.
[2] Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, A House Full of Females: Plural Marriage and Women’s Rights in Early Mormonism, 1835-1870 (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2017), 59.
[3] “Journal (January 1, 1841 – December 31, 1842),” March 21, 1842 – March 27, 1842, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed February 13, 2023, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/ZD5
[4] “Journal (January 1, 1845 – December 31, 1846),” April 14, 1846 – April 15, 1846, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed February 14, 2023, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/9rOP
[5] “Journal (January 1, 1847 – December 31, 1853),” January 17, 1847 – January 19, 1847, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed February 14, 2023, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/9rj8
[6] “Journal (January 1, 1847 – December 31, 1853),” February 9, 1848 – February 13, 1848, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed February 15, 2023, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/2klz
[7] Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, A House Full of Females: Plural Marriage and Women’s Rights in Early Mormonism, 1835-1870 (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2017), 60.
[8] Journal (January 1, 1847 – December 31, 1853),” January 10, 1849 – January 15, 1849, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed February 14, 2023, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/v2wL
[9] Journal (January 1, 1847 – December 31, 1853),” August 25, 1851, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed February 14, 2023, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/jRk4
[10] “Journal (January 1, 1854 – December 31, 1859),” October 7, 1856, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed February 14, 2023, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/gzZ
[11] “Journal (January 1, 1873 – February 7, 1880),” February 12, 1877 – February 16, 1877, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed February 13, 2023, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/KZmx
[12] “Journal (January 1886 – December 1892),” January 20, 1887 – January 24, 1887, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed February 15, 2023, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/r2y
Charming, human, revealing. Less typing & more handwriting please, especially journals.
Are you sure that’s a figure with its arms outstretched? It looks to me like a crowned person standing in the water, with another person horizontal. The curve and dot on the right look like they’re supposed to be a face. Then it would be WW himself being baptized for the dead by a metaphorically-crowned Joseph Smith.
I could see that being the case. The interpretation in the OP is from Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, so she might have more context.