I, David William Leaker, was born in Bridgewater, Somerset, England in the year 1832. January 10. Baptized, October 30th 1852.
I am writing this from memory in the year 1891, so I will not be able to give date, but if any come to my memory I will note them the first instance that come to my memory. When I was quite young the family was taken down with the measles and before we got strong from the decease the family was taken down with the smallpox and that decease left me blind. My mother took me to the hospital. For about two years and with the Mercies of the Lord and the skill of the doctors, I received my sight. But I could not take a book to read for my eyes were weak for years so that left me with a limited education.
The next that occurred to my mind. I went to take a bath and near came drowning, but the Lord was merciful to me and saved me from a watery grave.
The next thing that came to my mind was a very narrow escape of my life while working as a delivery boy in the butcher business. I was driving a flock of sheep to the pasture when one of then was crowded of (off) the road into a large stream of water, I could not get it out my self, as I had a horse, got on it and road to get some help. As I was riding very fast I came to a draw bridge. The horse fell with my left leg under him and dragged me the length of the bridge with my self on the iron flange that was there to keep the wagons from the foot path. I was taken to the hospital and then spread the report that I was killed. When I came to my senses the doctors told me that I had a very narrow escape of my life, and the wound of which I will take to the grave with me.
After my accident when I was able to work I went to work again at my place for a few months, but my father thought the wages was so low for a journeyman butcher; that he persuaded me to come and work with him and learn the carpenter trade as he was a contractor, and master builder. He thought he could make a good mechanic of me but I did not like the carpenter trade. He asked me what trade I would like and I told him black smithing. He got me a place in a large factory. I went on trial to see how I would like it; before I was bound apprentice, but they kept me as a helper for several months. I told my father, I thought that was no place to learn a trade. For there were young men that was very near out of their apprenticeship, that had just learned how to make one article and that was all they knew.
So my father took me from there and bound me as an apprentice to my cousin (?) by the name of Richard Gould. So near as my memory will serve me, I was there between three and four years. He (his) use to go on spree about once a year. I always knew when he was going for he would put me on piece work. He would give me two weeks work before he left the shop.
I had to make so many hundred staples for a day's work, and so many saucepan handles. I use to work a few hours over in the week so I could quit early on Saturdays. He had a parish apprentice and when the master was away this time he also left. They use to keep pigs. The wife wanted me to fetch swell for them and clean the knives and forks and boots and shoes. I told her that I could learn that at home. With that she began to whip me. I took off my leather apron and fought her off, that being Saturday nights and Sunday.
I packed up my clothes in order to leave on Monday for I was afraid they would put me in prison if I want back to work as they are vary strict with there apprentice in England. I started vary early on Monday morning. I walked to enter in Devonshire. I pawned my clothes there as I was short of money and obtained a night's lodging. The next day I walked to a town by way the of Dollish (sp) and I got work, I had to work all night and next day and night before I could get any rest.
There is one thing that escaped my memory that is in relation to my mother. One night as my mother had put the children in bed. It was not long before they commenced to cry. My mother want up stairs, to see what was the matter with them. There was some rats which had got in the house and they commenced to bite the children. They came from our next door neighbors. We knew there were rats around there; for they used to keep pigs. My mother told them that she was urging to put some poison for the rats, but they wanted her to wait till they had killed the pigs. My mother took the children in her arms and was bringing them down stairs. She was scarred (sp) and in coming down in a hurry, she slipped and fell to the bottom of the stairs. She was near confinement. When the baby was born his back was broke and my mother died.
While I was in Dolliss I had to sleep in the shop, as I did not have time to look for a place where I could board and lodge. We got in our pay every two weeks when I received my wages. I sent to the pawn broker for my watches when 1 received my clothes. I cleaned up and started to find me a place to board. I found (an) old place after a long search. I found an old couple that would take me in. They were vary kind to me. He was I local preacher in the (blank) church. I ask(ed) him if he would write to my brother for me to let him know where I was, so that we might keep up a correspondence with him.
I worked there a few months and received word from home that my sister Sarah was dead, I went home to the funeral and after she was buried. I went back to work. I used to work one weekday shift and one night shift. So after a little when I returned, I asked Ken Knight if he would write to my father. He told me he wanted me to write to him myself. I told him I could not write. He wanted me to learn so he set me some copies to practice on. And in short time I was able to write a little.
While working there I sent for my brother Charles to come there to work. So we worked there till the work was getting finished and they began to shorten hands. We were discharged; so we went home, and I left him there as I was not of age. I had to leave home again as my (register? sp,) heard I was there. He talked of having me arrested and put in prison till my apprenticeship expired. I left home and traveled to Somerset, there I got work that was the fall of the year.
I worked there that winter, in the spring I finished up the work and left there for Wales. I worked there a short time and left and went to a place called Glimorshire in Wales. Then I left there and worked my way back home. While I was home, this time the Cholera broke out, and I had a half sister die with it.
As I could not get work then, I went into Dositshire. While on the road there was a dog follow me and I soon found that he was a good hunter;
After working a short time I thought I would like a rabbit for Sunday dinner, so Saturday night I started with a companion and the dog to get one. We were not disappointed, for the dog caught a hare and a few rabbits, but we were disappointed in our Sunday dinner.
As we were returning home we were overtaken by the keeper and some farmers that he brought with him. They took the hare from us and got a wagon and took us to Dositshire to lock us up for poaching. But as it was Sunday, the law would not allow them to lock us up for poaching. They took our names address and the dog so they could arrest us on Monday. Wether they came for us on Monday or not, I do not know for we were on the road before Monday morning.
I traveled to Cornewell and got work and staid (sp) there some months then left because they would not raise my wages. While traveling I met a young man by the name of George Emery, so we traveled together and got work in Kamshire (sp). We were companions for quite a long time. We finished the work there and started to hunt work. We went to London and there obtained it. We worked there for several months then got on a spree and lost our job, so we started out again to hunt a job. We traveled through Kent Er--(sp) down to lands-end and could not obtain work. We then went back to London, you must be sure we were very hard up by this time. We got work in London again and worked there for some months.
My mate fell out with the boss and we left and traveled a long way around and worked our way to Yorkshire and started work at a place called Arbary Hill. By this time we learnt (sp) a lesson, not to quit a job when we got one. So we worked there quite a while.
We had quite forgot our experiment what we suffered an that trip. We
went on another spree and lost our work again. As we were leaving Arbary, we were very humble at that time. The spirit of the Lord came upon me at that time and while that was upon me I wished I had lived in the time of the Savior.
We traveled and got work in Berkshire and worked their (sp) the winter till we finished )up the job. We started to hunt work. We traveled through Glostershire, but could not obtain it; so we lade our way to Bridgewater. There we got work. I worked in the blacksmith shop, that was in the year 1852.
I was walking up town with my brother. My wife Ann that is now, was on the street talking to a companion of her's. I ask(ed) my brother if he knew who that young lady was. I told him that she would be my wife if ever I had one. He told me she was sister to the wife of a man by the name of James Jones.
As I was acquainted with him I soon had a chance to get acquainted with her; six weeks after being acquainted we were married from the church of England. I worked there a few months when I fell out with the man I was working with and left and went to London. I got work in a shop in Commercial Street and sent for my wife that was closed to the White Chapel branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We often passed there and would ask each other and wonder what sect that was. We wondered what they believed in, but could not get any information from our inquiries. But the time was drawing near that we could get the information we desired.
I left the place I was working and went to work in a shop in the Old Kent road. There was a man by the name of William Smith that worked there. He had embraced the gospel; he told me of the doctrine that they believed in and gave me an invitation to go to the meetings. The first meeting we attended was a testimonial meeting. On Wednesday evening me and my wife talked the matter over while we were walking home. We thought it was very strange that the saints could say that they knew that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and they knew that God had restored the Gospel again never more to be taken from the earth, and Joseph Smith was an instrument in his hands in restoring the gospel in this last dispensation and fullness of time.
The next Sunday we went to meeting in the evening. Elder William Easton preached on the first principles of the gospel. After the meeting closed the saints gathered around us to see what we thought of the principles that he spoke on. We told them it was bible doctrine. We were struck with the unity which prevailed with the saints.
Me and my wife made some remarks on the good feeling that prevailed among the saints that Wednesday evening following. We went to meeting again and like-wise on Sunday. Sunday night we gave in our names for baptism.
I had a vision. The first I had was from the evil one. He tried to persuade that the gospel was not true, He told me I would live to pass through many troubles and much persecution. I found that to be true, I told him to leave me and so he did. I was also blessed with a glorious vision from the lord after the evil one left me. That cheered me up and I thought I could go through any thing for the gospel sake. We were baptized on March 30th 1853 by Elder William Easton into a branch called the Walworth Branch, and in a short time we left that branch and joined the White Chappel Branch.
I was appointed to labor as a teacher with Elijah Pierce and to go out an the street to preach the gospel. There was man by the name of Eckburn who was an apostate; who used to follow us and cause us considerable trouble, but the Lord always's brought us out all right.
After the Saints went on board the ship 14th of February, they found It had too much freight on, and the government would not allow it to sail. So they took out some of the freight and when they had taken enough off, they gave her permission to sail. This made it the 15th when Captain Sandes ordered the anchor raised. We had a prosperous voyage considering the time of the year.
We had one storm that took our fore mast away, and we had one sailor thrown out of the rigger and killed. We met one more squall that we were not able to do any cooking for three days. The captain told us if it had not been a good ship, the sides of her, would of been staved in. As we were loaded with rail-road iron and lead, as the ship would roll the weight (and) would shift from side to side, and we thought that the ship would be staved in. But (with) the faith of the saints and the blessings of the Lord we arrived in New York.
During the voyage there were three children born, one passenger died, and one couple married. We arrived in New York on the 27th of March 1856, There was a sister and daughter by the name of Durr who found lodging for us. We left Castel Gardens the same day that we arrived. The next day I got a (way)-? and fetched our luggage from there.
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