Parley Parker Pratt Jr.
A birthday party, age eleven years.
Parley P. Pratt, eldest son of Parley P. and only son of Thankful Pratt (deceased) celebrated his birthday with a feast of the family, on the 25th of March A.D. 1848, being eleven years of age.
The following persons were present: viz: Parley P., his father; Mary Rogers, Elizabeth, Hannah, Mary, Belinda, Sarah, Phoebe, Martha, Ann Agatha Pratt, his father’s wives; Alma, Nephi and Helaman, his brothers; Julia and Lucy his sisters; Martha Van Cott, his cousin; and Francenia and Isaac Rogers, his friends. In all, nineteen persons.
After dinner before any had left the table his father related to him and to the family an account of his birth, a sketch of his history, the death of his mother Thankful, told him he was his first born, just heir to his wealth and the priesthood in his lineage, and exhorted him to prepare to fill the steps of his father or to succeed him in the services of his God and his fellowmen, by a well ordered life and laying hold of knowledge and a good education.
He also mentioned his own and his families suffering in the States, by persecution, and that of the church and charged him bye and bye to execute judgment and justice upon those murderers and robbers should it ever be in his power.
After which he permitted him to choose from among his wives now present some one who should be his mother until he should meet his own mother in the next life. He chose Belinda, after which both made a solemn covenant before God and all present that they should be to each other as son and mother through life, that he would care for, love, respect, obey, and sustain her through life as a son.
They then took each other by the hand and kissed each other.
This is copied from grandfather’s own writing in the brown book which is in my possession at this time, March 25, 1933, father’s 96th birthday anniversary.
Una Viola Pratt Giles,
222 – 3rd Ave.
Salt Lake City, Utah
[Parley Parker Pratt Jr. & Descendants, Cora S. Winkler, 1992]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Dec. 2006]