"We Have Dreamed a Dream..."

 "We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God?" (Genesis 40:8)

The outcome of our Family History has occasionally been shaped by dreams dreamt by our ancestors.  Two of our ancestors saw their future spouses in dreams before they ever met them.  Another almost emigrated to Africa except for a dream that changed his plans.  How different our lives would have been if he had followed his first whim and his friends to Africa.

Jonathan Calkins Wright

At twenty-three, Jonathan Wright quit his job as a bartender on a Mississippi riverboat, determined to become a minister like his father before him.  But one night, Jonathan had an unusual dream that was to shape his destiny more than any noontime daydream ever could.  When he awakened, the picture was indelibly imprinted on his mind and heart as clearly as a photograph.  He recorded the details, being careful to include the date, March 23, 1831. 

"I dreamed I went to a large splendid building, but the door was locked and the key was lost.  The door flew open at my command and as I went in, it closed behind me.  But the strangest thing was that I saw a woman named Rebecca who was supposedly my wife.  She was a beauty with dark hair and flashing eyes.  I'd never even thought of getting married, but there she was, dressed all in white, and looking like an angel.  I never felt so happy in all my life."

As he pondered it over and over in his mind, the dream remained a mystery to him until finally he gave it up, tossed his notes into an old footlocker and forgot all about it.  It didn't cross his mind again until seven years later... In March, 1838...he knocked at the door of Dr. David Wheeler, a widower...After their business was concluded, Dr. Wheeler invited Jonathan to stay for dinner and spend the night.  Jonathan was ushered into the dining room, and after introductions to the youngest daughter, lovely dark-eyed Rebecca, the host noticed that his guest was suddenly silent, preoccupied and showed little interest in the delicious food before him.  Efforts to draw him out in conversation were unsuccessful and the meal ended on an uncomfortable note.  Jonathan excused himself as soon as possible and went to his room." 

"Next morning, however, the dark-eyed brunette was surprised when the handsome guest asked if he could see her alone for a moment or two.  She was all the more surprised when he announced, "You don't know me.  I am a complete stranger to you.  But I would like to marry you.  I will be back this way a week from today and you may give me your answer then."  He just as abruptly walked out of the room, mounted his waiting horse, an galloped off down the road.  As his horse trotted along the muddy trail, Jonathan pondered the happenings of the previous evening.  It was all so fantastic he shook himself to see if it were a dream from which he would suddenly awaken...this was real enough.  It was the dream of seven years before which gripped his emotions, tied his tongue and stole his appetite the night before.  He must have made a miserable impression upon Rebecca, to say nothing of her father.  He hadn't slept all night trying, unsuccessfully, to put the puzzle together.  Nothing made sense, any more than it had seven years before, but there was no mistaking that he had just seen the girl who had been his wife in the dream. 

He was four months past twenty-nine.  Perhaps it was time he got married.  Besides, if the Lord wanted him to marry Rebecca, why should he object?  She was lovelier than any girl he had ever seen.  After the rashness of what had happened, she may have thought him insane, but somehow, even then, he knew what her answer would be.  Seven days later, Rebecca met Jonathan at the door of her father's home with a smile and shyly admitted her answer was, "Yes."  Dr. Wheeler, however, wasn't so easily convinced.  He insisted his daughter take time to reconsider this proposal.  But twenty-five year old Rebecca had a mind of her own.  When her father remained adamant, she packed her belongings and left with her husband-to-be without her father's consent or his blessing.

The young couple went to live in Exeter, kept in touch with Dr. Wheeler, and eventually made their peace with him.  Those first days and night were sweet beyond expression.   Jonathan explained his irrational behavior that first evening they had met.  Rebecca listened quietly and said at last, "After you left, it was as if someone were at my elbow whispering, 'Go ahead, say yes...it's alright...he's Mr. Wright!'"

Source:  "The Adventures of Amos Wright, Mormon Frontiersman" by Geneva Ensign Wright, Council Press, ISBN 0-936860-07-3, prologue.

Samuel Claridge

"When I was about twenty years of age, a Methodist friend of mine wanted me to go to Port Natel, South Africa.  The English government was holding out strong inducements for emigrants to go there.  I thought that I would go as I could help the mission there so much.  We got some of our necessary papers all ready to be signed.  I began to realize that this was a great undertaking and, wishing to be guided aright, I made it a matter of prayer.  That same night I had a dream as follows:  In the town where I lived, there was a row of houses and the end house was a baker shop.  I dreamt I sat astride on the ridge of this end house and from there, I was transferred down to the Dock Yard where there was many ships with many passengers and I thought I got aboard a large ship and we set sail.  Instead of my going to Port Natel, I came to America and after staying awhile, I returned to England with two peculiar sticks; one was nice and straight and smooth, the other was a good tough old stick but a little crooked and knotty.  After this, my Cape of Good Hope fever left me and I began to think of getting married.  Before I was married, a man by the name of Mr. Hawkins, who lived in the end house that has been spoken of, wanted to dispose of his business, he being a Mormon.  Now up to this time, I knew nothing about Mormonism. Well I bought him out and went into business...

...As I had some of Mr. Hawkins' customers who were Mormons, I had little talks with them.  Some, but no one in particular, made any impression on me until about 18 months later when I consented to read a tract called 'The Remarkable Vision', giving an account of the first prayer of Joseph Smith, the visitation of the Father and the Son, and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon."

(Samuel Claridge and his first wife were baptized, remained in England a few years longer where he served as a Branch President while the church was growing there and being established.  Then he and his wife turned their business over to his cousin and he and his wife and young children joined the Ten Pound Company emigrating to America.)

"Now I come to the fulfilling of my dream where, as I said, I sat astride the end house and from there, went down to the Dock Yard, boarded a large ship with many others and instead of going to the Cape of Good Hope, I sailed for America.  To fulfill the remainder, after I had been in America for 24 years, I returned with the two sticks; the Bible and the Book of Mormon."

(Source:  Autobiography of Samuel Claridge aged 70, copies in possession of Suedette Reed and Christianna Clark)

Rebecca Hughes

"Rebecca always had a testimony that God was watching over her and had picked out a husband for her.  One day, after a bad night with a sick headache, Rebecca was sitting in the bay window of the McCune home and she saw a man on a beautiful white horse.  This man was about thirty-six years old with red cheeks, sparkling brown eyes, dark wavy hair, and a countenance which portrayed a beautiful soul.  The next morning when Rebecca saw a man coming towards the house, she gave a startling scream.  Sister McCune came running in and asked what was the matter.  Rebecca, after recovering her senses, looked shy and said, "That is the man I dreamed about last night..."

"Samuel was married and had four children when he met and married Rebecca.  As Rebecca went to church each Sunday, she became a friend of the [Claridge] family.  Elizabeth and Lottie [Samuel's daughters] would come to the McCunes to visit Rebecca and they in turn would beg her to visit them.  One day when she was visiting the Claridges, Aunt Charlotte spoke to her and said, Rebecca, it is the will of our Heavenly Father for my husband to have another wife.  Would you consider coming into our home to live with us and be that other wife?"  Rebecca was amazed and said, "Oh Sister Claridge, I'm sure I couldn't tell you at this time.  And, too, Brother Claridge hasn't asked me."  It was not long after Charlotte had broken the ice that Samuel went to the McCune home and asked Rebecca to be his wife."

Source:  "The Children of Samuel Claridge" compiled by Helen Ruth Claridge Cole, pgs. 20-21