Remains of Lyman Wight's House, ca. 1940s

    [Excerpt of] Jenson and Stevenson Letter 8, The Town of Gallatin, Daviess Co.
    Daviess Co. Missouri, Sept. 17, 1888.
President Franklin D. Richards: Dear Brother:-
    ...We... crossed the Grand River bottom, passing through some very rich farms in which a splendid crops of Indian corn, melons, tomatoes and other vegetables were maturing. After reaching the heights on the north we passed through a beautiful grove of timber, and finally reached Sarah A. McDonald's farm house, located on the old site of Adam-ondi-Ahman. This is, in fact, Lyman Wight's old house, somewhat renovated, but the same longs and part of the roof is still there. It is the only house on the old town-site which has changed somewhat in appearance during the past fifty years, because of the heavy growth of timber on what was formerly open prairie land. Nearly the entire length of the heights from the old Adam-ondi-Ahman hill eastward is a dense forest. We walked up the hill and soon found the remnants of an ancient altar on the top of what is supposed to be the highest point in the neighborhood. The McDonald's thought the top of the knoll was about 100 feet above the Grand River. They also said that a number of people had visited the place during the last few years from sheer curiosity, wishing to see the spot where the "deluded Mormons" say Father Adam was buried. It may here be stated that the author of a history of Daviess County (published in 1882) among other trash which he dished up about the "Mormons," states that Joseph Smith pointed out the Adam-ondi-Ahman hill as Adam's grave. We asked Mrs. McDonald if she believed Adam was buried thee. She replied in the negative. "Neither do we believe it," said we, which seemed to astonish her. We than related our theory in regard to the place and asked her kindly to give future visitors the more correct information that we now gave her. We have spent about three hours on the altar writing letters and making notes, and each of us have [page 24] prayed in turn, asking our heavenly Father to remember the waste places of Zion and cause the way to be opened for the building of the city of Adam-ondi-Ahman, that the Stake of Zion once organized here by the Prophet Joseph may be reorganized at some future day never more to become disorganized, and the Saints be permitted to possess the land forever in peace. We also remembered the Apostles and all the authorities of the Church in the mountains and prayed for the redemption of Zion, the downfall of Babylon, and that the Lord would hasten the day that Zion shall be free and her children enjoy their privileges and rights. We felt a heavenly influence resting upon us when we poured out our hearts before God, and we felt to thank Him for Prophets and Apostles, for the revelations given in these the latter days and the knowledge we had received through them, without which we would have been in ignorance in regard to this holy land. Elder Stevenson who, when a youth, had visited the place several times, remembered the lay of the country perfectly well. In the time of the trouble. In the time of the trouble, previous to the Saints being driven out, he had served in the ranks of the defenders, and now related to his companion a number of incidents transpiring in those days. The mound or ruins of the ancient altar on the top of the Adam-ondi-Ahman hill measures 36 feet in diameter. A large number of rock fragments which no doubt were once a part of the altar, lies scattered all around. Immediately northwest of the mound stands a large hackberry tree, while a small ash and also a black walnut shade it from the southeast. The western slope of this hill is quite rocky and a sort of prickly pear (similar to that found in the Rocky Mountains) grows among the rocks all the way form the McDonald fence to the top of the hill. We were informed that this prickly pear was not known to grow in any other part of Missouri. On both sides of the Grand River having during the past centuries cut through the land, making steep slopes on either side; but further back from the river the traveler meets with gently rolling and very fertile prairies and timber land. In the valley of the Grand we have seen some of the finest corn fields we ever beheld. A large field belonging to the Mc Donald estate, we were informed, will yield all of one hundred bushels to the acre this season. We start for Liberty tomorrow. From there we go to Kansas City, to continue our journey further east. With kindest regards we remain your brethren and fellow-laborers, Andrew Jenson, Edward Stevenson, Joseph S. Black
    EDWARD STEVENSON,
    ANDREW JENSON,
    JOSEPH S. BLACK
    [Collection of letters by Andrew Jenson and Edward Stevenson, Infancy of the Church (Salt Lake City, 1889), 17-19.] See also: Andrew Jenson, Autobiography of Andrew Jenson (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1938); Andrew Jenson, ed., The Historical Record, Vol. 6 (Salt Lake City, 1888).]