Christopher Able Arthur (1796 - 1859) Profile

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Christopher Able Arthur

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Christopher Jones Arthur autobiography, Library of Congress collection of Mormon diaries, 1935-1938

Christopher Jones Arthur autobiography, Library of Congress collection of Mormon diaries, 1935-1938.

{Pages 5-6}



We steamed up to St. Louis and from there to Keokuk and found Father [Christopher Able Arthur] under the weather. Our trip up was a pleasnt &amp; enjoyable one. We camped in Keokuk on the hill 6 weeks. Our tent was near a clump of trees—The camp in white looked very nice. We spent an enjoyable time—After going into the woods nearby, shooting game birds, and it furnished us many a game dinner.



One morning shortly after our arrival, Father walking thro the camp met Cyrus Wheelock—Bro Wheelock spied Appleton Harmon walking about and called to him at the same time informing Father that here comes the Utah giant. Father put his arm across Bro Harmons Shoulder, showing that he was taller. Isaac C. Haight had charge of the emigration and ran short of funds. He asked father to help him out. Father told him he had divided his means among his children. If they were willing he could have $1000.00. Bro. Haight came to me and I said I was perfectly willing to loan my part. Bro Haight on arriving in the valley paid the loan but I never saw a cent of my portion but I felt all right if father needed it.



Our first camp after leaving Camp at Keokuk was Montrose opposite Nauvo[o], wher Claudius V. Spencer was camped with several wagons awaiting our arrival. We organized the first night; Claudius V. Spencer President, Father captain of the 50 wagons &amp; C[hristopher]. J[ones]. Arthur Clerk. Next morning we started for Salt Lake City, sometimes stuck and mending and repairing breakdowns. I drove a wagon across with 2 yoke of steers and they were beauties. My wagon contained the provisions for our outfit. We met many adventures killing buffalo and had one stampede.

Transcript for Christopher Jones Arthur autobiography, Library of Congress collection of Mormon diaries, 1935-1938

{Volume 2, pages 6-7}



May 26th 1853, fourteen wagons started on the journey West with father, and joined Claudius V. Spencer’s camp at Montrose. In the afternoon meeting held to organise the company, father [Christopher Able Jones] was appointed captain of the Company, Nestice, [John Joseph] Hayes, Walker, [James] Gailey [Galley] and Evans Captains of ten wagons, who were instructed by Pres. [Claudius V.] Spencer in their duties. See that every family attended to morning and evening prayer, in their tents of wagons. Also see that guard duty was kept up every night, which was approved of by all present.



27th. Early start. Pleasant weather. Drove to and camped at Sugar Creek. Father had 3 wagons and a buggy, 8 yoke of oxen, 1 span of horses, 3 colts, weaned, 1 black horse colt for Benjam[in Arthur], 1 sorrel mare colt to Mary Ann [Arthur], 1 grey mare colt to me. We reached Salt Lake City Sept. 26. We had a very interesting trip. I drove 2 yoke of oxen and light wagon, which contained the family supplys &amp; where me and Benj’m slept. We had comfort all the journey. Father &amp; Mary Ann rode in the carriage

We had an excellent journey across the plains after leaving the Mis[s]ouri River but our President was not very agreeable as a general thing however the Lord blessed us remarkable. At Council Bluffs we broke down a wheel of one of the wagons, my cousen John took it back for repairs which was the last we ever saw of him, he has written to me several times &amp; in one of his letters told me that he staid in Iowa several years married there &amp; finally moved with his family to Denver where he became Sheriff of the County, finally moved on some ranches &amp; went into the business of stockraiseing, he was a large man and writes that he has a nice family, sent me several invitations to go and visit him.



We arrived in the Valley September _____1853 after a successful trip of ____ months _____ days &amp; found my brother Joshua in a Salt box room (1) with a wife.

Claudius V. Spencer Company report, 1853

Claudius V. Spencer Company report, 1853, Page 13.

Claudius V. Spencer Company report, 1853.

Hammond, Selina Walker, Autobiographical sketch [ca. 1913-1915], 1-3

Hammond, Selina Walker, Autobiographical sketch [ca. 1913-1915], 1-3.

The people then moved to a smaller boat and went up the upper river to Keokak [Keokuk], Iowa, where all the Saints camped until they could get ready to cross the plains. They had to get wagons and cattle and the most of the outfit to last until they got to Salt Lake, and we had to cross Iowa farther than the other trains had to go in years that had passed.
We crossed the Missouri River on a ferry boat. Mother’s sister, Catherine, and sister-in-law and one of her boys stayed there at Kanesville. (James Preece died on the ship before they reached New Orleans. He was buried there.) They would not go farther, so we went on without them. Before we came to the Missouri River we crossed some water that came out of the river when the river was high, and we had to cross with a ferry boat, and one of our wagons went back into the water and wet all our things that were in it. Father [John Walker] had a stove pipe hat in a leather case and it went floating down the stream and John threw his hat in to keep it company.
We took up our march across the great plains where Indians, wolves, coyotes, buffalo and jack rabbits roamed. I remember well the first Indians we met. I think they were the Sioux or Shoshones. They were traveling, the warriors, squaws and papooses, with tent poles fastened to the horses sides, and dragging it along. I thought they looked queer as they were the first Indians we had seen and we felt a little afraid of them as we had heard what dreadful things they had done to the immigrants on the plains. Then, when we came to Wood River we came across a big heard of buffalo and some of our men shot one or two to have some meat. Father thought he would like to have one of the hides to make a robe, so he went to where they had killed them. My sister Maria and I were with him as he drove a pair of horses there. One was a mare and a very spirited animal, and when he tried to put the hide in behind, she smelled the hide and dashed off at full speed. Father grabbed at the lines but missed them. Then he got hold of one side of the bridle, but after holding on for a hundred yards or more he was knocked down and hurt. The horses and wagon went over him. He was able to stop them again and unhitched her and lead her away a distance and had me hold her while Sarah went to help him. The horse pulled away from me and ran off as fast as she could run, with harness on, and we never saw her again. The President of the company said it was not safe for any men to go back to hunt for her so we got along the best we could. We had to take a yoke of cattle to haul the light wagon until we got to Laramie. Father was badly hurt and had to lie in bed most of the way, and did not get well enough to work until after he moved out to Cottonwood. At Laramie father bought another horse and my sister Maria drove them from there to Salt Lake.
We all enjoyed traveling, although it was a long hard trip. Claudi[u]s [Victor] Spencer was president of the company and there were fifty wagons in the train. Brother [Christopher] Arthur was Captain of the ten we belonged to. Mother [Ann Preece Walker] made some butter and also cheese on the way. When we stopped to rest the teams, she would save the milk and make cheese, and would press them with a wagon tongue. We milked two cows, good ones, and lots of the people of the company would come to her to buy some of the cheese, and she would sell what she could spare. Our cattle got quite poor before we got through, and mother would mix up flour in dough and feed them the dough in balls to give them strength to get through.
Well, we got through and arrived in Salt Lake the 20th of September. Father and mother commenced hunting for a place that they could buy so we could have a home.

Transcript for Hammond, Selina Walker, Autobiographical sketch [ca. 1913-1915], 1-3

Hannah Tapfield King autobiography, circa 1864-1872

Hannah Tapfield King autobiography, circa 1864-1872, Vol. 6.

Transcript for Hannah Tapfield King autobiography, circa 1864-1872, Volume 6, circa 1864-1872

Hannah Tapfield King autobiography, circa 1864-1872.

Maria Walker Wheeler, My history, circa 1899, 13-19

Maria Walker Wheeler, My history, circa 1899, 13-19.

Transcript for Maria Walker Wheeler, My history, circa 1899, 13-19

Utah State History Cemeteries and Burials Database

Utah State History Cemeteries and Burials Database.

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