June 1, 1888-- "We were...introduced to a little wearish, thin old man who looked like the 'last leaf', Philo Dibble by name. He was proud of having 'seen Joseph' and that he was the thirty-first member of the Mormon Church."

A. B. Carlton

THE WONDERLANDS OF THE WEST

pp. 92-93, Published 1891

1895 June Fri. 7 -- "Elder Philo Dibble, an aged Church veteran, died at Springville, Utah Co."

CHURCH CHRONOLOGY, p. 209

by Andrew Jenson

Philo Dibble wrote the words to Hymn #32, "The Happy Day At Last Has Come." (Note: in the older hymn book, it's called "The Happy Day Has Rolled On" and a few words were changed.)

"The happy day has rolled on. The truth restored is now made known. The promised angel's come again to introduce Messiah's reign.

"The gospel trump again is heard. The truth from darkness has appeared. The lands, which long benighted lay, have now beheld a glorious day:

"The day by prophets long foretold, the day which Abram did behold, the day that Saints desired so long, when God his strange work should perform:

"The day when Saints again shall hear the voice of Jesus in their ear, and angels, who above do reign, come down to converse hold with men."

Added note about the hymn: apparently when Brigham Young sang it, it was called, "The Glorious Day Is Rolling On" as recorded here:

"Tuesday, February 16, 1847, WINTER QUARTERS, NEBRASKA:

"The morning was clear, warm, and pleasant. At 1:30 p.m., Brigham Young's extended family, including those adopted into his family by sealing, started to assemble for a family meeting. Members of the Twelve were also in attendance. Soon the meeting opened by all singing "O Happy Souls That Pray," led by Stephen Goddard. Brigham Young offered an opening prayer asking the Lord to send the Spirit to "inspire the hearts" of those in attendance. Afterwhich the congregation sang, "The Glorious Day is Rolling On."

Watson, Manuscript History of

Brigham Young, 526

"He was IMMEDIATELY HEALED, and remained an able-bodied man, and performed military duty for a number of years afterwards. He lived to take part in the defense of Nauvoo some thirteen years later; afterwards removed with the church to the Rocky Mountains, settling in Springville, Utah County, where he died full of faith in the gospel at the advanced age of 90 on the 6th of June, 1895."

B. H. Roberts

A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY

OF THE CHURCH p. 345, First Edition 1930

"Philo Dibble Sr. was the only one of his family to join the Church and come west. He crossed the plains in 1851, with Philemon C. Merrill's company and settled in Bountiful, Davis County, Utah. At the time of the move south he went and located in Springville, Utah."

PIONEER JOURNALS p. 4

"Centerville. The co-op store at Centerville was opened March 20, 1869, with the following officers in charge; Bishop William R. Smith, president; Nathan T. Porter, vice president; John Ford, Sr., John W. Wooley and Philo Dibble, directors, and Wm. Reeves, secretary and treasurer. Joel Parrish was manager and John Adams was clerk for several years. The store prospered through the patronage of the citizens of the area. A number of years after its opening the store was sold to Joel Parrish, Sr."

OUR PIONEER HERITAGE p. 170

Volume 12, by Kate B. Carter

"He was the prophet's body guard at the time he was martyred. Two days after the death of Joseph and Hyrum, he made casts of the death masks of each. The casts remained in his possession for four decades. After coming to Utah he traveled through the country giving lectures and shows of the oil paintings and relics at the time of the Prophet Joseph. On November 21, 1885 he sold the casts to Harris Brown of Logan for $50 and they are now in the possession of Wilford C. Wood of Bountiful, Davis Co., Utah."

PIONEER JOURNALS p. 4

"Every pioneer remembers Philo Dibble of Springville showing his canvas picture of Church History in every town and hamlet of Utah."

Henry Fowler, pioneer of Utah

HEART THROBS OF THE WEST

p. 209, by Kate B. Carter (1947) vol 1

>From an unidentified newspaper article:

"Original casts of the death masks of the Prophet Joseph and his brother, Hyrum Smith, martyred at Carthage Jail nearly a hundred years ago have come into the possession of Wilford C. Wood, of Woods Cross, a prominent Church member and official photographer for the Utah Pioneer Trails and Landmarks Association.

"Copies of the originals are kept in the historian's department in the Church Office Building.

"The casts were taken two days after the murder of the Prophet. The one of Hyrum Smith clearly shows the bullet hole below the left nostril. Made by Philo Dibble, who was the Prophet's bodyguard during the last weeks of his life, the casts remained for four decades in the possession of this pioneer who made his home in Springville. They were purchased Nov. 21, 1885, by Harrie Brown of Logan, Utah, for the sum of $50. Dibble had been traveling through the Territory of Utah at the time exhibiting the casts and other Church relics, charging a small admission fee to finance the showing. Brown had taken a course in sculpture and was preparing to make busts of the martyrs when the opportunity to buy the originals came to him.

"While Mr. Wood was attending dedication ceremonies at Florence, Neb., this fall and taking pictures of historical sites and collecting antiques along the Mormon Trail, he learned that the original casts were in the possession of Mrs. C. Alzina Brown, the widow of Harrie Brown. He immediately wrote to Mrs. Brown. Arrangements for the purchase were consummated Dec. 14.

"Mr. Wood considered the casts the most remarkable relics in his collection. He also recently obtained the belt buckle from the sword belt of the Prophet Joseph Smith, worn when he was commanding the Nauvoo Legion."

Note from the Dibble Coat of Arms:

"Deeble is the old English spelling for a dibble or beansetter and does not seem to be of French origin, as so often stated. The arms are not recorded by the College of Heralds but are given on page 58 of the Visitation of Cornwall, by Vivian, 1887, as Deeble - purple shield with three dibbles or beansetters of silver. Crest a gold dibble. These arms are pictured in Jewer's Church Notes, page 53, quartered with the Wolsden arms, and show the dibbles to be of the stirrup variety. The Deeble arms also appear on the tombstone of Rev. Samuel Dibble who died in 1750 and was buried in Charles Church Yard, Plymouth, England."

(Linda Cherry's note: I have a copy of the coat of arms in black and white if

you want a copy.)

I also have a photocopy of a hand written sales agreement between Philo Dibble and Harrie Brown, selling him the casts of the death masks of the Prophet Joseph and Hyrum along with a picture from a newspaper article of David O. McKay and Mr. Wood examining the casts that Mr. Wood had just acquired, with this written below:

"With the advent of the 131st birthday anniversary of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Wilford C. Wood, prominent Church man and member of the South Davis Stake High Council, has come into the possession of the original casts of the death masks of the Prophet and his brother, Hyrum. Above is a facsimile of the agreement for the purchase of the casts made between Philo Dibble, the Prophet's bodyguard, who made (the) casts, and J. H. (Harrie) Brown.

"Pres. David O. McKay and Mr. Wood are shown below examining the original casts at a recent meeting of bishops and the stake presidency of South Davis Stake."

Logan Nov 21, 1885

"This article of agreement made between Philo Dibble of Springville, Utah and Harrie Brown of Logan, Utah is as follows 1st- that the said Harrie Brown of Logan pay to Philo Dibble for the busts chart and original casts of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, fifty-dollars, twenty five dollars of which is to be paid in casts after the same are ready. 2nd- that after the casts of the bust of Joseph and Hyrum Smith are ready to sell and costs of casting paid, that the above Philo Dibble and Harrie Brown share equally in all profits of same.

witnesses: James H. Brown Philo Dibble

Sidney Dibble Harrie Brown"