Albert Wesley Davis (1841 - 1928) Profile

Albert Wesley Davis (1841 - 1928)

Individual

death-date-qualifier-death

Albert Westley Davis

birth-date-qualifier-birth

Albert W. Davis mission correspondence, 1884-1887

Albert W. Davis mission correspondence, 1884-1887.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, Vol. 1, Page 74, Line 3163.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, Vol. 2, Page 80, Line 3163.

Albert Wesley Davis, A pioneer experience 1926

Albert Wesley Davis, A pioneer experience 1926, Page 1-3.

Bishop Preston put me in charge of the teams to come back. There I waited for awhile until a company of Latter Day Saints was organized to come to the valley. Brother Atwood, a returning missionary was in charge of this company. We traveled together and had not much trouble until we got west of Laramie. At that time we were five hundred miles from any settlement. We camped one noon about twenty miles west of Laramie in Cottonwood Hollow. Below the road in this hollow there was a thicket of brush and timber and a spring was down in this thicket.



I took the mules that I was in charge of down to the spring to water them. As they had about finished drinking the cattle from the train began to come to the spring. And just at that time somebody hollered "Indians" and one of my teamsters was there with a bucket of water. I road up to him and told him the Indians were coming. He dropped his bucket and ran for camp. At that moment the Indians commenced whooping their war whoop to stampede the cattle and get them away from me. As they did so I commenced the same and ran rapidly back and forth between the cattle and got them on the dead run up the hollow towards camp. At that six Indians came into the herd and tried to turn them away from camp I had on two navy revolvers and as the Indians came into the herd I drew one of them and commenced shooting at the Indians. By the time I had emptied this revolver I had driven the Indians out of the herd. They got one of my mules into the bush ahead of them but it broke back and came into the herd again and I got every animal into the corral not one being lost.



As I got them in some one holloed to me that the Indians were coming down the hollow from above the road. I rode around and took [look] up the hollow towards two Indians. I got within almost pistol shot of them before they seemed to see me. And as they saw me coming they turned and rode down another hollow out of sight. I saw them no more.



The only one that come to meet me just as I about got the cattle to the corral was Miles Romney, brother of Bishop George Romney. As he met me I handed him my empty pistol and told him to load it as quickly as he could. There was a man back the road that had been walking behind the Indians that I drove out of the herd. They surrounded him and he broke through between their horses and ran for camp. As he did so I saw them shooting with arrows. One arrow with an iron spike went into his cheek bone and the spike clinched. In trying to pull it out the arrow was pulled off of the spike. He ran into camp and Miles Romney and Whimberg [Anders Wilhelm Winberg], both returning missionaries, got a pair of horse shoe pinchers and tried to pull it out. They couldn't do it. After I got things qui[e]ted down they came to me and wanted to know if I would go into the corral and pull the spike out of the man's face. I told them I would go. So I went and laid an ox yoke on the ground and had the man sit down on the yoke. Then I said to Miles Romney and Brother Whimberg, "You both take him by the head and hold him solid for I am going to pull." I got hold of the spike with the pinchers and pulled with all the force I had. The spike came out and the man rose to his feet and took me by the hand and thanked me for pulling out the arrow. They anointed him with oil and administered to him and it wasn't long before he was well.



We hitched our teams up and drove off onto the Platte River and camped for the night. I lay under the wagon on the ground all night with both of my pistols on and did not get much rest. We drove on after that and had no further trouble.



After a few days I spoke about taking the mule teams and going on ahead as I could travel faster than the ox teams. But Brother Atwood said, "If you mountain boys leave us and the Indians come upon us we would not stand much show of getting away from them.["]



There was another missionary returning home, I think his name was [John] Swenson. He was shot through the fleshy part of his arm and some of the immigrants were also wounded, but there were none killed.



There was a woman who was quite stubborn when asked to get out and walk over the sand hills. She would get mad and sometimes start back [on] the road. At this time she had acted in that way and had said a number of times that she wished the Indians would get her. She was back [on] the road and the Indians did get her and carried her off. I learned some years afterwards that she jumped off the horses that they had her on into the Platte River and was drowned.



From that time on we had no further trouble with the Indians.



If those Indians had got our animals away from us, being there with men, women and children we would have perished. For we could not have moved having no way to carry our provisions and bedding. So I consider that if ever the Lord performed a miracle it was at that time because me being alone without the help of the Lord I could not have saved the animals from being taken. We arrived home all-right with all that were with us and no further harm done.

Transcript for Albert Wesley Davis, A pioneer experience 1926, 1-3

Albert Wesley Davis, A pioneer experience 1926.

Albert Wesley Davis, "Adventures on the Plains," Juvenile Instructor

Albert Wesley Davis, "Adventures on the Plains," Juvenile Instructor, December 15, 1881.

It is very remarkable, considering the exposure of the Saints to the Indians in their travels over the plains in early ears, that they have suffered so little at the hands of the red men. When the Indians have made raids upon the Saints it has almost invariably been the result of white men urging them on. Then, too, many of the atrocities which have been charged to the Indians have in reality been committed by unscrupulous white villains, who have fled from other parts, on account of crimes they have committed, and lived in the wilds of the west by raiding upon travelers or stealing from settlers.



Many of such characters as these lived among the Indians, and others were located at various stations along the overland route from the Missouri river to our Territory.



Scores of incidents might be related in which the Saints have been preserved in a manner almost miraculous from the Indians and their vile white instigators while journeying to Utah.



While other emigrants, both before and behind them would be killed or have their stock stolen, companies of Saints would frequently pass without even seeing the Indians. This immunity, of course, might frequently be accounted for by their superior system of organizing and their reputation for courage, but it oftener appeared to be the result of an overruling providence in their favor.



In the year 1864, one of my uncles came to Salt Lake City, from Ohio, to visit relatives, and, in the spring of 1865, wishing to return to his home in the east, I was requested to take him as far as Omaha with my team. Not wishing to go without knowing whether the authorities thought it best, my uncle went to President Young and asked him what he thought about it. The answer was that if I would go, I should have his faith and prayers, and that I should return home in safety. So, as soon as the snow was out of the mountains and we could pass through, we started.



Our company consisted of thirteen wagons, which, with one exception, that of my uncle and family, were loaded with missionaries going on foreign missions.



Nothing of much note transpired on our journey until the first evening after passing Laramie, when we camped with an emigrant train on their way west.



Just before they camped for the night, two of their men took their guns and went a short distance into the hills to hunt for wild game. One of them got back to camp that night all right, but the other did not, and was not found until the next morning, when his body was discovered lying in the road; stripped of everything but his shirt, his left hand grasping the shaft of an arrow, the point of which was buried in his heart, and his scalp taken off as low as his ears. His friends took his remains in charge and we heard nothing more of them. Near the same time we encountered a severe thunder storm, and when we reached the next station we learned that seven hundred hostile Indians had crossed the river and the road in advance of us and passed into the hills. The storm had doubtless hidden us from their view, and we were not molested by them.



We traveled on in peace the remainder of our journey eastward and arrived at Omaha in good health and spirits. Here my uncle and family left me, taking passage on a steamboat on their homeward journey.



From Omaha, I, in company with three others, went to Nebraska City, where we loaded with freight for Salt Lake. We waited there until a company was formed large enough to travel in safety, and then started for home.



Nothing happened more than is usual to large trains traveling across the plains, until we arrived at Laramie on our return trip. Here we pitched camp for the night and turned our stock across the river to grass. Shortly after dark some persons palming themselves off for Indians, stampeded our animals, causing us to lay over one day hunting them, and then we did not not recover all of them.



Some of the Laramie people said the government was going to kill the "Mormons" off within two years and thought they might as well begin their work there and then, yet no one received any bodily injury from their hands at that time.



From Laramie we traveled to Cottonwood Hollow, a distance of about twenty miles, without being molested.



At this place, we camped for noon. Our company consisted of a large emigrant train, all ox teams, Brother M. G. Atwood, captain, and ten mule teams under my command.



I got into camp with my mule teams a little ahead of the others, and took the mules down the hollow about half a mile, to give them water at the spring. I always kept my horse saddled till every animal had been watered and turned on grass, and all other saddle-horse were turned loose. The mules had finished drinking, and the leaders of the ox herd had just reached the spring, when some one at the camp shouted that the Indians were coming.



At this time, one of the teamsters was at the spring dipping water for culinary purposes. I called to him, "The Indians are coming!" but he did not hear me, and I rode towards him and called again. He dropped his cup and bucket and ran for camp at his utmost speed, and I saw no more of him until the stock had been corralled, which was accomplished as follows: As soon as those at camp shouted "Indians," the Indians commenced whooping and yelling like madmen below me in the brush. By dint of chasing and shouting I managed to get the mules and oxen started on a good run for the camp, where they were met by Captain Atwood and a number of others, who headed them into the corral. About the time the leaders of the herd reached the camp, six mounted Indians came dashing down the hill, and rushing in ahead of about two-thirds of the stock, tried to run them back past me. I had two Colt's revolvers with me, well loaded. I drew one of them and began firing at the Indians and drove them out of the herd. They got one of my mules ahead of them, but I followed them up to the brush when the mule broke away from them and I got him back again.



Just before reaching the corral. I met Brother Miles P. Romney coming to meet me. I handed him my empty revolver and told him to load it as quickly as he could. As soon as the animals were corralled, a cry arose that the Indians were coming down upon the camp from the other side. I put spurs to my horse and went around after them, and was almost within pistol shot distance of them before they saw me; the rear Indians seeing me first, gave a whoop, when they darted down a ravine, and that was the last we saw of them.



The six Indians who came through the herd went back along the road, and, as those of the emigrants who were afoot, had not reached camp, of course they were met. I saw the Indians surround one man, and just as he was breaking through the circle they shot five arrows into him. He ran into camp where all the arrows were pulled out of him except one, which had entered his cheek, the spike clinching itself. Brother [Anders Wilhelm] Winberg and Romney came to me with a pair of horse-shoeing pinchers and asked if I would go and pull the spike out. I went with them to where the man was, and, as he could not speak English, Brother Winberg requested him to sit down upon an ox yoke. While brothers Windberg and Romney held his head, I took hold of the spike with the pinchers, and, with a forcible jerk, drew it from his jaw.



As soon as the man was released, he jumped up, and, grasping my hand, cried "thank you, thank you, thank you!" that being all the English he could command.



There were seven persons in all of our company who were wounded, all of whom recovered.

Transcript for Albert Wesley Davis, "Adventures on the Plains," Juvenile Instructor, 15 December 1881, 278-79

Albert Wesley Davis, "Adventures on the Plains," Juvenile Instructor.

Davis, Albert Wesley, Biographical sketch [ca. 1921], 4

Davis, Albert Wesley, Biographical sketch [ca. 1921], 4.

<xhtml:p xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns:xhtml="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The next year father fitted up three wagons and got everything ready to start for the Salt Lake Valley. We came up the river in a steam-boat to St. Joseph, Missouri. There we bought cattle and father set his wagons up and we went on to Council Bluffs. When we left for the west, from Council Bluffs, there were one hundred wagons in the company, but they divided into two companies of fifty wagons, with a captain over each. There was also a captain over each ten wagons. The water that season was very high and spread over the valley so that we could not follow the old road after we were west of the Missouri River. We followed up a creek to the northwest for about two hundred miles before we could cross and get on the emigration road. We arrived in the Salt Lake Valley that fall without any particular accident although we had some difficulties to meet on the way.</xhtml:p>

Transcript for Davis, Albert Wesley, Biographical sketch [ca. 1921], 4

Deseret News

Immigration Lists

"Immigration Lists", Deseret News, September 20, 1865, Page 402-403.

<center xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">IMMIGRATION LIST</center>



CAPTAIN MINOR G. ATTWOOD'S COMPANY left Wyoming, July 28th, 1865:—



Minor G. Attwood, Captain; Charles B. Taylor, Assistant Captain; Andrew W. Winberg, Chaplain; John Swenson, Commissary; Miles P. Romney, returning Missionary; Albert Davis, John Alford, Joseph Bircumshaw, Mrs. Whitmall and family, Henry V. Evans, F. Benson, Joseph Heaps, Mrs. Frankom and family, Margarett Gregg, Isaac Quinn, S[arah]. A[nn]. Hughes, M[ary]. A[nn]. Jemmett and daughter, John Everett and family, Thos. Wise and family, H[ans]. C. Hogstead and family, Jens Jacobsen and family, A. P. Nielsen and family, Ann Petersen and family, Lars Petersen and family, Peter Neilsen and family, Bengt Olsen, Maria Hakansen and family, John Hoffman and family, Anders Ericksen and family, Morten Olsen and family, A[nders]. J. Agaard and family, Jens Larsen and family, Carl Andersen, Anders Andersen and family, Peter O. Holmgren and family, Eleanor Eklund and family, C. J. Hansen, F. C. Petersen and family, Jens C. Christiansen and family, Peter Christiansen and family, Christopher Jensen and family, H. C. Jensen and family, M. P Sorenson, Johannes Larsen, A. and J. J. Lejon, Anders Andersen and family, Torkee C. Petersen and family, Morten Iversen and family, Jens C. Petersen and family, Bengta Hansen and family, Gusta Pego [Pegan] and family, Gertrude Christiansen and family, H[ans]. W. Hansen, Caroline Brom, John Gentrup, Marie Jensen, Mechaline Jensen, Jens Andersen, C. F. B. Lebbert [Lybbert] and family, Maren Jacobsen, Lars Pedersen, Anne Larsen, Soren O. Waddel and family, Anne Jensen, Lina Mickelsen [Michaelsen], Ole Andersen and wife, Gustave Johansen and family, Johannah Andersen and family, E. F. Olsen, Johannah C. Thompsen, Christian Pearsen, M. C. Jensen, Marlina D. Simmondsen [Simonsen] and family, Niels O. Andersen, Anna M. Anderson and daughter, Line Mortensen, Line [Tine] Sorensen, Christian Nicholsen, Maren Petersen and family, Christian Nielsen and family, Knude Thorgesen and family, Metter Johansen, Anne Johansen, Hans Petersen, Marie Stoge [Skog] and family, J. F. Ablard, Marie Lotbom [Lothem] and family, Bette Johnson, Anne Andersen, Sophia Andersen, Soren Christiansen and family, Anders Monsen, Soren Jensen and family, Lars Hansen, Lars Hansen, Ingomer Iversen, Elce Eriksen, Stene L. Ottersen [Ottesen], Ann Kiza Lanberg and family, Charlotte Bensen, Christine Eliasen, Katrina M. Nielsen, Maria Lowdall, Johannah Norgrave, Gine [Gina] Pedersen, Meter [Mette] Christiansen, Anders Johansen, Annette Gundersen, Amelia Wallgreen, Karen C. Hansen and family, Marlina Halset, Christy Holsen, Ann Karrina Christiansen, Christian Andersen, Ingomer Hensen, Johannah C. Christiansen, Mette M. Morgansen, Hans Sorensen, Nelsena Fredrickson, Kerstina Holm, Ole Nielsen, Lovisa Nielsen, Elce M. Christiansen, Nicholina Thomsen, Andrea Thomson, Sophia G. Olsen, Magdalena C. Garstrom [Gahnstrom], Amelia Matteson, Martha Johansen, Niels Hansen, Peter Erecksen, Peter Christiansen and family, T. C. Grundtvig, Jens C. Jensen, Jorgen Christensen, Johannes Andersen and family, Erick Ericksen and family, M[ichael]. W. Christiansen, Johannes Olsen, Fredrick Frightnight [Freichnecht], Sara Andersen, Kersten Jensen, Sarah Memgersen [Magnusen], Anne Knudesen, Eleanor Carlsen, Maren Larsen and family, Johan Johnsen, Anders Holm, Marianna Petersen and family, Anna Hansen, Guldbrand Olsen, Johanne Poulsen, Johanne Ernstensen, Christian M. Christiansen, Christian Christiansen and family. Axeline Petersen, M. F. Holm, Marian Petersen, Corneilus Hunt and wife, Benj. Roberts, Arthur Mitchell.



CAPTAIN HENSON WALKER'S COMPANY started from Wyoming, August 12th, 1865:—



Henson Walker, Captain; Robert Pixton, Chaplain; Joseph Hammer and family, John Hammer, John Eastham and family, Enoch Cowdel, Thomas Biddle and family, Ann Lucas and family, William Hefferan and family, Wilson Symons [Simons] and family, George Simpson and family, Hannah Simpson and family, Ann Allston and family, Adolphus H. Noon and family, A[nnie]. Noon and family, Henry Smith and family, Sister [Catherine] Slaughter and family, George Glenfield, William Bostick, John South, George Eardley, Jacob Muller, Joseph Baguley [Bagley] and family, Edward Trimble and family, sister McMahon and child, Joseph Meeks, Joseph Braithwaite and family, William Tissley and family, Joseph Bagnal and wife, S. S. Shilletoe, Thomas and Wm. Williams, George Morrin, William Freeman and wife, Clara Lamburn, E. Savage.



This train is accompanied by ten merchant wagons.

Transcript for "Immigration Lists," Deseret News, 20 September 1865, 402-403

Deseret News.

Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1830-2008

Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1830-2008, November 8, 1865, Page 8-22.

Transcript for Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1896-2001, 8 November 1865, 8-22

Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1830-2008.

Juvenile Instructor

An Exciting Trip Across the Plains

"An Exciting Trip Across the Plains", Juvenile Instructor, 30, January 1, 1895, Page 34-35.

In the summer of 1865 five mule teams driven by Americans started with loads of merchandise from the Missouri River to Salt Lake City.	
There Americans concluded for mutual safety to travel with a company of Danish Saints who were going to cross at that time with oxen.	
Nothing of note transpired until they reached Fort Laramie. On this particular day M. [Miner] G. Atwood, captain of the company, and M. P. [Miles Park] Romney, a returning missionary, were riding in advance of the company in search of feed for the animals.	
When they reached the fort they were told that if they would turn their teams across the Platte River they would find good grass.	
Accordingly when the train came up a camp was made at the place indicated and the cattle driven across the river to graze, this being after dark.	
While the Danish guards, with M. P. Romney as captain of the guard, were being placed around the animals a party of mounted men came up, whooping like Indians.	
Most of the guards stood their grounds. The captain of the guard then addressed the invaders in the following manner:	
 "We have lived too long in an Indian country to take you for red-skins, and we will shoot the first man who attempts to molest our cattle."	
One of the party replied, "D----you, shoot now!"	However in a few minutes they all seemed to have left. But a short time after one of the guards noticed some one driving a number of mules from the herd.	
He fired, but without effect, as the persons were soon across the other side of the river.	
The people in camp were aroused by this time, and the captain sent more men to strengthen the guard, which was kept up during the night. But when morning dawned it revealed the fact that seventy-four head of cattle and several mules were missing.	
This caused a delay of two or three days, and also a search for the missing animals, which were nearly all recovered from different places where the would-be thieves had driven them.	
The company then broke camp and resumed their journey, but had not gone far when they were stopped by a company of United States cavalry. The officer stated that some of these people were being forced to go to Utah against their will.	
A meeting was called and the people were then addressed by apostates from Fort Laramie, who tried to persuade them not to go to Utah.	
The officer then offered those who wished to stay transportation back to the states or employment at Laramie. A vote was called but not one accepted his generous (?) offer, seeing which the officer sounded a retreat and returned to the fort considerably crest-fallen.		
The train again traveled on until they reached what is known as Cottonwood Hollow. Here they turned out for noon, and were just taking their animals to the springs to water when the war whoop of the Sioux Indians was heard. They poured in on all sides, yelling and screeching like demons, as only maddened red-skins can.	
They tried to stampede the cattle, but were prevented from doing so by the active exertions of Albert W. Davis and others, who were mounted at the time.	
Those of the men who had firearms fired at the Indians, who returned a shower of arrows and a volley of bullets, which resulted in the wounding of nine Danish men, one of whom was John Swenson, boot-maker, of Salt Lake City, who was shot through the arm. Some of the people who were on foot had stayed behind and had not come up with the train at the time of the attack by the Indians.	
As the Indians retreated some of them went back the road and met the persons who were behind. They lassoed one woman and dragged her off, after having shot her husband through the body so that he could not reach camp until it was impossible to recover the woman.	
This was also witnessed by some men who were freighting goods for W. S. Godbe, and who made it a point to catch up and camp with the other company at nights.	
But they were unable to render any assistance, and so the poor woman was never seen nor heard of again, although steps were taken by the Church for her recovery.	
Some of the Danish were badly wounded, but they had great faith, and through the administration of the Elders, all soon recovered except one man, who has been an invalid from the effects of it ever since.	
Probably some of the Indians were killed, as they left without obtaining any spoil.	
After this time strong guards were kept up night and day, and the company reached Salt Lake City in peace and safety.
Junius Romney. Age 16. Colonia Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico.

Transcript for Romney, Junius, "An Exciting Trip Across the Plains," Juvenile Instructor, 1 Jan. 1895, 34-35

Juvenile Instructor.

Nielson, Peter Anton, Autobiographical sketch, [1-2], in Utah Pioneer Biographies, compiled by Yalecrest Camp, Daughters of the Utah Pioneers

Nielson, Peter Anton, Autobiographical sketch, [1-2], in Utah Pioneer Biographies, compiled by Yalecrest Camp, Daughters of the Utah Pioneers.

June 14th arrived in New York, June 15th got into Castlegarten [Castle Garden].



	June 19th arrived at Quincy, Ill, crossed the Mississippi River to Missouri side, stayed two days without tents or shelter and in heavy rain storm.



	Arrived at St. Joseph on 23rd, left by steam boat up Missouri River, arrived at Wyoming, Nebraska on 26th. Brought with us 3 corpses that died on the steamer, four others died between New York and St. Joseph. We stayed at Wyoming 5 weeks, got cleaned up and ready to start for our journey crossing the Plains.



	Prices for wagons were $200.00 in greenbacks and about $100.00 in gold. Each pair of oxen cost $150.00 and 80% had never had a yoke on them, which was the cause of our slow travel.



	Here, on June 29th we buried Lars Peterson. He was 30 years old, he had sold his property in Denmark for $1800, about $1000 in our money.



	On July 31st we started to cross the plains with 45 wagons and teams in charge of Captain Minor G. Atwood and C[harles] B[arber] Taylor, his assistant. John Stevenson [Swenson] in charge of commissary, John Gindrup, Secretary.



	On September 19th the company arrived at Ft. Laramie. Here we called a meeting, where it was given out in three languages from the U.S. Officers of the Fort that the Indians were on the Warpath, and not for us to go farther, and offered us free passage to any part of the U.S. we wished to go. After we were all made familiar with the offer it was called to a vote by A[nders] W[ilhelm] Winberg. We all voted to refuse the offer and took a chance to go to Zion.



	September 22nd about three days going from Laramie at a place named Cotton Wood Hollow, we had camped for noon driving the loose stock and our teams up a ravine to a watering place about ¾ mile or more from camp. The Indians came up on us from their hiding places. Seven of our company was badly wounded. John Stevenson [Swenson] came to camp with two arrows in his left arm. Peter Doctor with an arrow in his cheek and one clear through his neck. A Swedish Brother had one arrow in the small of his back. He never was able to walk on the rest of the journey. All we could do to relieve the wounded was let them sit down on the wagon hub, with their backs resting against the spokes.



	Our instruments of relief consisting of common blacksmith pinchers or nippers, with these we extracted all the arrows except the one from Peter Doctor’s neck. We hunted the camp over and found a pair with extra long handles. We laid the Doctor on the ground with his head resting on an ox yoke, two men sat on him while Albert Davis gave a strong pull and managed to get the arrow from his neck.



	Brother Peter [Oluf] Holmgreen [Holmgren] (later of Bear River City) was shot by a bullet, he fell, then arose, staggered three or four steps and fell again. We took him for dead but he recovered. Anderson was shot in the face. It took a little of his cheek and nose. Holmgreen was still lying as if dead until we had cared for the other wounded. At this time Mrs. [Johanna Janssen] Holmgreen was lying in their wagon with her new born son, John [Peter], in her arms. Brother Frederick [Frantz] Grunottwick [Grundtvig] came to camp with an arrow fastened in his hip. His wife was taken by the Indians and we never heard of her again.



	At Sweet Water a relief train consisting of 44 mule teams met us with provisions, and relieved us of our sick and invalids, so we went on shoveling snow so we could put up our tents.



	We reached Green River at noon and decided to cross that day, it took until after dark. One wagon with a man, wife and children was left on a sand bank in the middle of the river all night. The king bolt of the wagon had broken. Captain asked me to go and bring them in at daylight. They were all well only had a restless night. We had to swim our teams and many a teamster had to hold on to oxen or wagons to keep from being drowned.



	On Nov. 8 we landed in S.L.C. Utah on 8th ward square where the City and County Building now stands. Brigham Young, W. W. Riter met us and shook hands. Beside the company of emigrants of 45 wagons we were joined by 10 more wagons of emigrants, which gave more protection, as the Indians were on the warpath. These wagons were loaded with freight in charge of Albert Davis with Lewis Romney [Miles Park Romney] his assistant. These two captains coming from Utah at age of 25 years in my opinion was more than half the fighting force against the Indians for protection of emigrants

Transcript for Nielson, Peter Anton, Autobiographical sketch, [1-2], in Utah Pioneer Biographies, compiled by Yalecrest Camp, Daughters of the Utah Pioneers

The Utah genealogical and historical magazine

Albert Wesley Davis autobiography

"Albert Wesley Davis autobiography", The Utah genealogical and historical magazine, October 1926.

In 1861, the year I was twenty years of age, I was called to go back to the Missouri River, and drive a team of four yoke of cattle, to get the poor, and bring them to the valley. The company was in charge of Joseph W. Young; but when we arrived at the Missouri, he remained there as agent, to fit up the other companies, on their way to the Salt Lake Valley. Ansel Harmon had charge of the company on the return journey. We made the trip both out and back without any great difficulty; and the next year, President Brigham Young was requested by the President of the United States, to send out a company of cavalry, to guard the mail on the plains between Salt Lake City and the Missouri River. I was with this company. We went back as far as Independence Rock, on the Sweetwater; and some of us went farther down, on the Platte. There we camped quite a while; and then returned to the South Pass, and camped there a while; after that we made our camp at Fort Bridger. While at Bridger, the Indians came in one night, and ran off a rancher's horse. He had his horses in a corral, but the Indians let them out. Lot Smith was our captain, so he took part of the company, and followed the Indians up north; I don't know just how far, but into Idaho. He could not travel nights, because there was no way to track the Indians, and thus they got away. They had fresh horses; but the company got pretty close to them, at times. After we had been out several months, we received word to return home.

Transcript for Davis, Albert Wesley, [Autobiography], Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, Oct. 1926, 244

The Utah genealogical and historical magazine.

Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine

Davis, Albert Wesley, [Autobiography]

"Davis, Albert Wesley, [Autobiography]", Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, October 1926.

When we were ready to return, William B. Preston put me in charge of the teams. I waited a while for a company of Saints who were coming to the valley. Brother Miner G. Atwood, returning from a mission, was in charge of this company. We traveled together without much trouble until we got west of Laramie, about five hundred miles from any settlement. We camped one day at noon about twenty miles west of Laramie in a place called Cottonwood Hollow. Below the road in this hollow there was a thicket of brush and a spring of water. I took the mules that I was in charge of down to this spring to water them. As they had about finished drinking the cattle from the train began coming to the spring. Just at that time someone discovered Indians. I rode up to one of the teamsters and told him the Indians were coming. He dropped his bucket of water and ran for the camp. At that moment the Indians came into sight whooping and trying to stampede the cattle and get them away. As they did this I commenced the same and whooping and riding rapidly back and forth behind the cattle was able to get them on the dead run for the camp. Six Indians came into the herd and tried to turn the cattle away from the camp. I had on two navy revolvers and with them I commenced shooting at the Indians who were forced to leave the herd. They got one of my mules into the brush ahead of them but it broke away and came back into the herd again. Not one of our animals was lost. As I got the cattle into the camp someone called that the Indians were coming down the hollow from above the road. I immediately rode around and took up the hollow towards the Indians. When I got almost within pistol shot of them they saw me coming and wheeled around and rode down another hollow out of sight and we saw them no more.	
Just as I got the cattle to the corral Miles [Park] Romney, brother of George Romney, came to meet me. As we met, I handed him my empty pistol and told him to load it as quickly as he could. Back in the road was a man who had been walking behind the company. The Indians which I drove out of the herd surrounded him and he broke through their horses and ran for camp, as he did so I saw that the Indians were shooting at him with arrows. One arrow with an iron spike went into his cheek bone and the spike clinched. In trying to pull it out the arrow was pulled off and the spike left in his cheek. He ran into camp and Miles Romney and a brother by the name of [Anders Wilhelm] Winberg, returning missionaries, got a pair of horse shoe pinchers and tried to pull the spike out. They could not. After things were quieted down these brethren came to me and wanted to know if I could get the spike out of the man's face. I said I would try to do so. We laid an ox yoke on the ground and had the man sit on it, then I said to Miles and Brother Winberg: "You take him by the head and hold him tight and I will do the pulling." I got hold of the spike with the pinchers and pulled with all the force I had and the spike came out. The man stood on his feet and taking me by the hand said "thank you" in broken English, for he was a convert from Denmark. We anointed him with oil and administered to him and he was soon well again. That night as we camped on the Platte River basin I lay under the wagon and got very little rest, fearing another attack by the Indians. After that we drove on and had no further trouble.	
After we had traveled for a few days I said I would take the mule teams and go on ahead as I could travel faster than the company with ox teams, but Brother Miner G. Atwood said: "If you mountain boys leave us and the Indians come upon us we would not stand much show of getting away from them." So we concluded not to leave them. There was another missionary returning home with this company by the name of Swenson. He was shot through the arm and some of the immigrants were also wounded by the Indians, but no one was killed.	
There was also in the company a woman who was quite stubborn. When she was asked to get out of the wagon and walk over the sand hills she became angry and sometimes started back on the road saying she wished the Indians would get her. At one time she acted this way and was back on the road some distance and the Indians did get her and carried her off. It was told me some years later that she jumped off the horse she was riding into the Platte River and was drowned.	
If the Indians had succeeded in getting our cattle from us when they tried, we would have perished for we could not have moved our wagons. So if ever the Lord performed a miracle he surely did at that time. We arrived home without further trouble.

Transcript for Davis, Albert Wesley, [Autobiography], Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, Oct. 1926, 246 and ibid., Jan. 1927, 6-7

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East Rochester, Columbiana, Ohio, United States

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His wife, Melissa Jane Lambson arrived in Hawaii on 31 Oct, 1886, Departing from field with husband on 16 Mar 1887.

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Albert Westley Davis

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