October 9, 1838 — Mormon Pocket Diary — Tiny Leather Wallet / Journal — Measures Only 2.5″ x 4.5″

Small leather wallet, with 2 small bundles of papers with tiny entries. One has a little tape on it, there is also a three cent bank note inside one of the pouches, that someone put in plastic.

The journal mentions Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, Br. Bullock, etc…. The journal contains four little pockets, two with flaps. Under one of the flaps the owner put his name and the date.

In the pocket on one side there is a bundle of about 12 small pages. Some of it appears to have been written early on, around 1848 or earlier; some of it in a different color ink seems later on.

The pocket on the other side has just 4 small pages, and they do appear to be the oldest. We haven’t examined any of the text all that much, as it is very tiny. It would probably be identifiable with a magnifying glass.

There’s not a lot of text in this little wallet, but it sure is a unique little item from the early days of the pioneers.

A very unique little item with some wonderful Mormon history!

 Edwin P. Merriam (1803-1842) who signed his wallet in 1838, is a very early member of the Church who died and is buried in Nauvoo.  The part of the overland journal or diary may be written by his widow or a family member who apparently crossed the plains in 1848.  The text can be difficult to read and perhaps some of the older writings are actually his; it’s hard to tell. However, this has to be one of the oldest wallets from a Church member ever found.

This is a one-of-a-kind item!