Oliver DeMille
Oliver DeMille was born 30 March 1830, Broom County, New York, seven days previous to the organization of the Church, which his parents joined shortly after (four months after) in 1830. Freeborn DeMille’s father was acquainted with the Prophet Joseph Smith when a boy, and went to the same school. I (Oliver) was nine years old when I was baptized in Quincy, Illinois and I received the Holy Ghost; a bright light came over me and I was enveloped as it were by this heavenly light. On our way home we had to cross over a high hill. I walked along just the same as the rest, but it didn’t seem to me as if I touched the ground and this feeling stayed with me all day and until late bed time; then the light went up, gradually passing out of sight. It was by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost that I knew Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God. I once heard the Prophet say; Men can’t comprehend themselves let alone comprehend God. And you don’t know who I am or won’t know until you stand before the bar of God.
Oliver said on another occasion, I was present when the prophet was preaching and he said, I had a revelation and commenced to tell it; just then a flock of geese flew over when the meeting was being held, as it was out of doors where they usually held meetings in summer time. The geese made a quacking sound and most of the people turned their eyes to look, I never, I kept my eyes on the Prophet, and Joseph said to them, if you care more for the quacking of wild geese, than the revelations of God, I’ve no more to say to you at present. He sat down and didn’t say any more.
One day as I was going through the street in Nauvoo I heard Plaesi Kahoon talking with some of his friends and one says, Plaesi how is it you are blind. And he said, because the Prophet cursed me for going against light and knowledge. This trouble was in relation to the printing press which was declared a nuisance by the city council and destroyed.
The lightning struck a liberty pole in Far West and slivered it all to pieces. I heard the prophet say, Just as that has been stricken down, our liberty shall be taken from us, every vestige. This was fulfilled when the Saints were disfranchised and their property confiscated in 1891-1802.
One day while the Nauvoo legion was drilling and practicing, a sham battle was instituted in which a conspiracy was planned by John C. Bennett and others to kill the Prophet. Several guns were loaded with bullets, and Bennett, who was one of Joseph’s aids, told the men with the guns to air directly at the prophet. It was revealed to the prophet right there and then, and he told Bennett of it right there in my presence, and Bennett soon made his escape, mounted on one of the fastest horses in the legion.
Once Heber C Kimball prophesied that Nauvoo would not long be an abiding place for the Saints. Sidney Ridgon brought him before the Prophet Joseph for prophesying against the interests of the beautiful city. I was at the meeting when the Prophet threw Sidney off. Said he, “I have packed Sidney Rigdon on my shoulders as long as I am going to and now I throw him off. My brother Hyrum is a merciful man, and it may be he will plead for him. But if you don’t throw him off now, you will see the day you will have to” Not long after that the Prophet Joseph was murdered. I was 14 years old when the prophet and his brother Hyrum were martyred. Shortly after, Sidney Rigdon called a meeting, he being first counselor to Joseph. He got up and claimed the right of being guardian to the people. Brigham Young was also there, and b being at the head of the twelve apostles. After talking about a minute, his voice changed to the voice of Joseph Smith, his countenance and every appearance and motion was that of Joseph and his language was so convincing and prophetic, that it seemed to bring conviction to the hearts of all who were present.
I was in the meeting and saw with my own eyes, and heard with my own ears all that was said and done, and know of a surety whereof I speak. And I lie not, says Oliver.
Brigham Young was a true successor to the Prophet Joseph Smith and a true prophet of God, and presided over the Church in the spirit of his calling for many years, manifesting great wisdom in all his counsel to the people, showing that he was guided by revelation and prospered by the same.
He passed through all the persecutions of the Church at Nauvoo and moved with his parents to Winter Quarters, hence to Mount Pisgah, where they resided until their exodus to the Rocky mountains in the year 1849-1850.
Oliver being the oldest son of the family and his father being a cripple had the burden of the work of preparing far the journey. Although but 18 years old he accomplished it successfully and manfully, and drove an ox team all the way to Manti, Utah in Sanpete county, where they made their home in the valleys of the Rocky Mountains, here again enduring many hardships and privations; famine, pestilence, Indian wars, the disadvantages of pioneer life, building roads and ditches, clearing land, building log and rock houses, fencing farms etc. Other members of Freeborn’s family were faithful members of the Church.
