Aphek Woodruff (1778 - 1861) Profile

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Aphek Woodruff

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Camp of Israel schedules and reports, 1845-1849

Ezra T. Benson's 100, report

"Ezra T. Benson's 100, report", Camp of Israel schedules and reports, 1845-1849, September 24, 1849, Page 8.

Camp of Israel schedules and reports, 1845-1849.

Chronicles of Courage

Chronicles of Courage, Vol. 2, Page 127.

A Brief Sketch of the Life of James Jackson Woodruff

James Jackson Woodruff, "A Brief Sketch of the Life of James Jackson Woodruff", Chronicles of Courage, 2, Page 127-129.

When I was nineteen days old, my mother started across the Plains to Salt Lake. The team was driven by Grandfather Aphic [Aphek] Woodruff. He had three wagons and six yoke of cattle. One wagon was occupied by my mother, my grandfather, and me. The second wagon contained Joseph Armstrong and his wife and baby. John Beven drove the third wagon, which was loaded with our provisions and some mill machinery. Father was thinking of putting up a mill when he arrived in Salt Lake.



	I was the youngest of the Pioneers that made the journey from Winterquarters [Winter Quarters], although quite a number of children were born along the way.



	During the entire journey I was always sickly on the Plains.



	My mother was wont to get out and ride in Sister John Wooley's wagon when she had a feeling of lonesomeness. Brother Wooley would always accompany her back to the fires if she stayed till night.



	It was one of these times that Brother Wooley had gone back with her till they were in sight of the fires. She told him that he need not take any more trouble taking her back because the fires were right there and nothing could harm her, so he said he would go back. When she arrived at the first fire, she asked them if that was Captain A. O. Smoot's company. They told her it must be farther down the line. She started for the second fire, but before she reached it she could hear wolves, although they were quite some distance off. She asked the same question at the second fire, but they answered her in the negative. She set off for the third fire. This time she could hear wolves coming closer. Mother gathered me up in her arms and hurried on a little faster. When she reached the third fire, they told her it must not be very far down, so she set out for the fourth fire. This time the wolves were so close she could see them. She held me tighter and hurried on faster than before. She reached the fourth fire before the wolves were upon her, however, and there she was told that it was the next one down. If she had asked one of the men to go with her, any of them would have volunteered, but she thought she could go alone.



	Before she had reached the fifth fire, grandfather had missed her in camp and set out with some of the brethren [sic]. Before long they had found her and took her back to camp.



	When going from Winterquarters to Salt Lake, we met father on his return journey from Salt Lake, and he named and blessed me at Sweetwater.



	At the time we were traveling on the Plains, grandfather tucked me in his left arm, his rifle was swung on the bows of the wagon. He had his whip on his shoulder, and he traveled by the side of his oxen.



	Sometimes when mother would get tired of riding in the wagon, she would put her feet on the hounds [a side bar] of the wagon, jump off while it was going, and walk along by the side of it. There was a hammer on the hounds of the wagon that was always kept there for repairing purposes.



	On one occasion [sic] when she was jumping out, the bottom of her dress caught on the hammer and threw her upside down dangling by her dress where it had caught. She had to keep working her hands to keep the wheels from passing over her. Finally one of the men noticed it and stopped the oxen. When mother was on her feet again, grandfather told her never to get out of the wagon again until he had stopped the oxen.



	We arrived in Salt Lake August 26, 1847

Transcript for Woodruff, James Jackson, "A Brief Sketch of the Life of James Jackson Woodruff," in Chronicles of Courage, 8 vols. [1990-97], 2:127-29

Chronicles of Courage.

George Benjamin Wallace Emigrating Company journal

George Benjamin Wallace Emigrating Company journal, June 1847.

Transcript for George Benjamin Wallace Emigrating Company journal, 1847 June-September

George Benjamin Wallace Emigrating Company journal.

Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company financial accounts, 1849-1886

Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company financial accounts, 1849-1886, Vol. A.

Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company financial accounts, 1849-1886.

Woodruff, James Jackson, Mary Ann Jackson Woodruff biographical sketch

Woodruff, James Jackson, Mary Ann Jackson Woodruff biographical sketch, April 1917.

The winter was passed in preparing for the long journey in the spring. On April 7, 1847, the pioneers, led by the Prophet Brigham Young, left Winter Quarters and their dear wives, children, sweethearts and homes in the care of a merciful Father, and started to locate a home in the Rocky Mountains, to establish a new Zion to the name of Israel's God.	
 After her husband started with President Brigham Young and the Pioneers, much anxiety was felt in the camp for their safety and many fervant prayers were offered to the Lord in their behalf.	
 on the 25th of May, 1847, her babe was born. Sister Woodruff felt to rejoice and thanked the Lord for the precious gift. She named him James Jackson Woodruff. She named him for a dear girlhood friend who had enlisted with the Mormon Battalion, James Ferguson.	
 Before starting with the pioneers, father [Wilford Woodruff] asked her if there was anything that he could give her to make her happy. She said yes, that she wanted to follow the pioneers. He said that she did not realize what she had asked for as it was as much as the life of herself and babe was worth to start on that journey at that time. Her reply was that she would take her baby and start and if she died she would be in the wake of the Camp of Israel on their way to build a city to the Name of the Lord in the midst of the Rocky Mountains. On the 16 June my heroic mother started with my dear Grandfather Apheck [Aphek] Woodruff, with 2 wagons, 2 horses and oxen and 1 cow. One wagon was loaded with flour milling machinery; the other was used by Grandfather, Mother and Babe and provisions, bedding, cooking utensils and clothing. Grandpa was 69 years old when he reached the Valley. We were in Captain A[braham]. O[wen]. Smoot's Company l00, Geo[rge]. B[enjamin]. Wallace 50 and Samuel Turnbows 10.	
 Dear Mother came near to a bad accident while traveling. She stood on the rounds of the wagon tongue and ballanced herself to spring backwards to the ground by holding to the front of the wagon box. Her skiert [skirt] caught on the tongue hammer and she was thrown in the front of the wheel and by working her body with her hands until the team was stopped, through the blessings of the Lord, she was saved from being crushed to death. Dear Grandfather said never again, when you want to get out of the wagon I will stop the team.	
 It was customary with mother occasionally to ride with Sister Mariah [Maria Lucy Dewey] Wooley, wife of Bishop John [Mills] Wooley, from noon until evening, as they camped close together. One day after riding she took her babe and started for her wagon. After passing one camp after another it got dark and the only light she had was the camp fire.
Emigrant to Salt Lake Valley Sept. 23, 1947 A[braham]. O[wen]. Smoot's Company of 139 souls 52 wagons, 16 horses, 1 mule, 185 oxen, 75 cows, 16 sheep, 4 swine and 57 chickens. Apheck [Aphek] Woodruff aged 69 years Mary [Ann] Jackson Woodruff 28 years James Jackson Woodruff 1 month old Fifth 10, first 50, fourth 100, Second Division Two wagons 2 horses, 8 oxen and 1 cow

Transcript for Woodruff, James Jackson, Mary Ann Jackson Woodruff biographical sketch 1917 Apr., 1-2

Aphek Woodruff

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