In 1855 we moved to Brigham City, and my father engaged in agriculture. I labored on the farm during the summer, and spent the winter months in endeavoring to obtain a meagre education, attending day and evening schools as opportunities presented, which was not frequent; up to my twelfth year I had attended school but part of one term. I had a kind mother, however, who saw the great necessity of my having an education, and assisted me much during my boyhood, for which I have always been thankful. At the age of seventeen, I injured myself by lifting heavy timbers, from the effect of which I suffered several years, until I received my endowments, when I soon recovered my health. At nineteen, I was employed in the mercantile establishment of M. D. Rosenbaum, and afterwards by W. C. Thomas in similar business, for whom I worked until the fall of 1865, when President Lorenzo Snow, Samuel Smith, Bishop Nichols and W. C. Thomas formed a copartnership or co-operation; I was employed by this firm four years. On Sunday, the sixth of May, 1866, I married Roxcy A., daughter of President Lorenzo Snow, President Snow officiating. We were sealed by President Wells the following November. (See Family Record.) The winter of 1870-1 I spent in school, under Professor L. F. Monch, where, I may almost say, I obtained my first start in educational matters. By this time I was twenty-seven years old, had a wife and two children to care for, but I saw the great lack of education in myself and others in this locality, therefore, I determined to exert myself to the utmost, and forego many pleasures that might otherwise be enjoyed. I studied diligently, was greatly assisted by my wife--had an excellent teacher, and made fair progress. At the April Conference in 1871 I was called on a mission to England. I made immediate preparations to start, though in so doing I had to borrow money to go with. I was set apart for my mission on the first of May, by Apostle Albert Carrington, and on the third of May, in company with President Carrington and some twelve or fifteen other missionaries, left Salt Lake City for England. The trip to New York was pleasant, and without incident other than of an ordinary character. We embarked in the steamship Colorado, Guion line. "Off the banks" we experienced some very heavy weather. On such occasions, man is led to comprehend his own insignificance as compared with other creations of God. The monotony of the voyage was often broken by animated discussions with non-"Mormon" passengers, upon religious topics, plural marriage being the leading one.