Eli Brazee Kelsey (1819 - 1885) Profile

Individual

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Eli Brazee Kelsey

birth-date-qualifier-birth

Eli B. Kelsey journal, 1848-1851, Church History Library

Eli B. Kelsey journal, 1848-1851, Church History Library.

Eli B. Kelsey, "Letters to the Editor," The Latter-day Saints Millennial Star 10, no. 18

Eli B. Kelsey, "Letters to the Editor," The Latter-day Saints Millennial Star 10, no. 18, September 15, 1848, Vol. 10, Page 285.

Eli B. Kelsey, "Letters to the Editor," The Latter-day Saints Millennial Star 10, no. 18.

Eli B. Kelsey, The semi-half-yearly circular of the president of the London Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to the presidents of branches and priesthood generally (London: Printed by W. Aubrey, 1851

Eli B. Kelsey, The semi-half-yearly circular of the president of the London Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to the presidents of branches and priesthood generally (London: Printed by W. Aubrey, 1851.

Index to the British Mission history, 1841-1971, Church History Library

Index to the British Mission history, 1841-1971, Church History Library, Page 123-126.

Index to the British Mission history, 1841-1971, Church History Library.

Nauvoo Restoration Inc., comp., Nauvoo Seventies list

Nauvoo Restoration Inc., comp., Nauvoo Seventies list, Vol. 2, Page 237.

Nauvoo Restoration Inc., comp., Nauvoo Seventies list.

Ballard, Henry, Journal and Memoirs, in Joel Edward Ricks, Cache Valley Historical Material, reel 1, item 3

Ballard, Henry, Journal and Memoirs, in Joel Edward Ricks, Cache Valley Historical Material, reel 1, item 3, Vol. 1,2.

June 29 [1852] left Kainsville [Kanesville.] I drove a Heard [herd] of Sheep across the Plains for Bros Lorenso [Lorenzo] and Erastus Snow and F[ranklin] D[.] Richards[,] Eli B Kellsey [Kelsey].
Augt 18 Met About 400 Indians East of Larimie [Laramie]
Octr 16 Arrived in Great Salt Lake City 
. . . .June 29, (1852) We moved in the direction of the Missouri river as the neighbourhood was so much excited over it so we had to take to our tents and wagons and move off 
July 1, (1852) We reached the river near the point where Winter Quarters once stood, while remaining on the banks under the large cottonwoods another one of the famiely died on the 2nd Wm May the youngest son [of George and Hannah Hobson May], we finally crossed the river by a large ferry boat and camped on the north side of old Winter Quarters now Omaha.
(July) 4, The mother [Hannah Hobson May] now Secumed [succumbed] after being Sick nearly all the way but now the effect of the cholerhee [cholera] and worn out by the long journey and when she was dead it fell my lot to lift her out of the wagon after she was sewed up in a sheet and that was all the preparation we could furnish and buried her[.] I drove a herd of sheep across the plains having to walk all the way wading rivers and having to guard them at night, the sheep belonged to the company which I had bound myself out to Namely Lorenzo and Erastus Snow and Franklin D. Richards and Eli B. Kelsey 
Aug. 18, (1852) We met about 400 S[i]oux Indians but they were very peaceable[.] after giving them a few things they went their way[.] we often met a few but never caused us much trouble[.] we had a very severe Snow Storm on the road which caused some delay 
Octr. 16, (1852) We arrived in Salt Lake City feeling very thankfull that we had reached our home in Safty[.] my Father and Mother had reached a month before me[.] they having crossed the plains up the South platt[e] river (see notes) settled in Moll Creek.

Transcript for Ballard, Henry, Journal and Memoirs, in Joel Edward Ricks, Cache Valley Historical Material, reel 1, item 3, vol. 1, 1 and vol. 2, 3

Ballard, Henry, Journal and Memoirs, in Joel Edward Ricks, Cache Valley Historical Material, reel 1, item 3.

Butler, John Lowe, "Autobiography of John Lowe Butler, 1808-1861 [sic.]," [1957], 40-43

Butler, John Lowe, "Autobiography of John Lowe Butler, 1808-1861 [sic.]," [1957], 40-43.

. . . and Erastus put me in 
Eli B . Kelsey's train for a blacksmith
. I did not care about going in that train, but they had counciled me to go in it so I went. There were two or three hundred head of young stock and three or four hundred head of sheep; there were fifty families; there were ten wagons of Danes, the Captain of them was Brother Ravin[.] he was captain for a while, but none of them had ever drove an ox team before and they could not get along at all, so they put me in captain over them, and Taylor [Butler] and myself had a fine job to fix them, they had yoked up their cattle some one way and some another, some of their bows were too large, some too small, and so they had it. We went to work and fixed up the yokes and bows and then paired the cattle as well as we could, and then they got along a great deal better but they were still green about driving. If they had a good ox that would pull they would make him pull the whole load and if they came to a tight place the poor critter would get the whip more than any other ox in the team. I told them that they must not do so, or they would lose, have half their team dead before they got half way. I told them to make their cattle all pull at once, as much as they could, and to whip the ones that would not pull and not the ones that were pulling the whole load. Well, they learned how to drive a little better after a while, but it was hard work to get them into it. The Cholera raged fearfully that season, there were lots that were laid low on the account of it, but we did not have it in our Company so much as they did in others. There was only two died of the dreadful disease, and one old lady died with only old age, but in other companys there scores and scores died, the scene was fearful to look upon. The folks were laying here and there, some dead, some dying, some very sick, and some not knowing when it would be their turn. There were sometimes as many as six and seven buried in one grave, and feather beds and sheets, blankets, pillows and clothes were left laying every direction, all along the road. There was considerable California emigration that season, and they died of it by the hundreds. Their teams were very heavily ladened and their cattle got very poor by the time that they got into the mountains; they had to sell off their cattle and wagons and tools and provisions and get mules and pack through to California. We went up on the north side of the Platte; feed was better on that side, and it was more healthy on that side some how or other the folks on that side were not troubled with the Cholera half so bad as they were on the south side. We traveled on pretty comfortable, but our provisions began to run kind of slack, then we did not feel so good. We stopped six days on the west side of Laramie. I had to fix up four wagons. One day we were driving along and there was a storm coming up and there was a flash of lightning struck the ground the man said just ahead of his oxen and they turned out and started to run with that frightening the other team behind him and it started and that started some more, so they stampeded and broke four wagons down, some spokes broke out, ferrules broke off the axel trees, tongues and reaches broke and there it was, all smashed up together, and I had the job to fix them all up and two of them belonged to Eli B. Kelsey—they were his good wagons. I fixed them all up and of course, I thought that he would pay me for fixing his two wagons but he said that I was put in the company on purpose to fix up wagons and shoe cattle. I told him I was put in the company to fix up the wagons and to shoe cattle, but not without pay. I counted up the iron work I done on his wagons and it came to thirty three dollars exactly, and I only charged him the same price that I should have charged any one in the States. Well, I never got a cent for what I done for him and had any amount of goods, and he would not even let my son Taylor have a pair of shoes. Now, I never done a thing for any of the rest, setting tires, shoeing cattle, or anything but what they were glad to pay me for my labor and I always got my pay from them when the work was done. Well, we got along without it, and done very well. When we got to Green River and we had got out of food and Kelsey was going to send his young stock on ahead into the Valley. Him and Erastus Snow had three hundred two and three year old Heifers, and my son Taylor engaged with him to help drive them in. Now there was a young fellow by the name of Joseph Toronto; he came down with Kelsey and Snow, and he said that he mostly stayed at Brigham's when he was in the Valley, and he said to my wife that he would go on into the Valley, and tell Brigham to send out some food to them that had none. Now he was a Frenchman and had been brought up pretty well. I guess, however, he did not know much about hardships and the trials of hunger. He thought that the folks would all die if they did not have any bread, so he said that he would go in and bring some out. Taylor was to start that morning with the young stock. Now, Kelsey had had several taking care of his stock, but they had lost some and he knew that Taylor was good at hunting cattle, or taking care of them, so that is the reason that he hired him. Kelsey killed a beef that morning and was going to start the boys off with bread and beef and nothing else, so his son went to him and asked him if he was not going to let them have anything else and Kelsey said that it was good enough for hired hands. Well, but see how lean the beef is and every bit of the tallow has been taken out, how are we to cook it. Boil it, said Kelsey. What that tough stuff, said the boy, and the hands could hear every word. So he said I am going to have something better than that, so he went to the wagon and Kelsey never said anything and the boy went up and got about ten pounds of tallow, ten pounds of sugar and twenty pounds of coffee, a lot of dried apples and some other things, and they started off for the valley. Well, Joseph Toronto went in and told Brother Brigham that the folks were there starving to death and that he must send them out some food. So Brigham went round to every house and told them that he wanted some bread for the Company and he went to the bakers and got all the crackers that were in the shop and got some flour and loaded up a wagon and started it back to meet us. The women had gone on ahead one morning at the mouth of Echo Canyon and there they met Joseph Toronto, and he said to my wife, Sister Butler, I have brought you some things to eat. Now there was some smiling faces and some jumping for joy, I can assure you, when they heard this news. My wife asked him where it was. He said that it would be here directly, and he told her all about how he and Brother Brigham went and got loaves of bread from the folks in the city. When the wagon came and we had camped Brother Kelsey came to me and said, John L. you divide out the provisions, but, said he, keep the crackers for ourselves and give them the bread and flour. I told him that I would serve them out and he said all right. When I went to serve out the provisions I served out the crackers first and gave all alike, and it pleased me to see the children, how delighted they were to have bread once more, and their little faces brightened up, and it was a pleasure to see them. By and by Kelsey came along and he was as mad as a wet hen and he said that if he had known that I had been going to serve out the crackers that I should not have served them out at all. He said that he told me to keep the crackers for ourselves. Yes, I said, I know you did, but I gave them to the women and the children, and I liked crackers as well as he did, and so does them dear children. He went off mad. Well, we went into the City . . .

Transcript for Butler, John Lowe, "Autobiography of John Lowe Butler, 1808-1861 [sic.]," [1957], 40-43

Daughters of Utah Pioneers. History of Utah's Tooele County: From the Edge of the Great Basin Frontier (Tooele, UT: Transcript Bulletin Publishing, Inc., 2012

Daughters of Utah Pioneers. History of Utah's Tooele County: From the Edge of the Great Basin Frontier (Tooele, UT: Transcript Bulletin Publishing, Inc., 2012.

Deseret News

Emigration of 1852 Companies.

"Emigration of 1852 Companies.", Deseret News, September 18, 1852, Page 1-2.

List of Capt. Edmond’s company, (No. and location not reported.)



Joel Edmonds and wife: Oliver Higgins, wife and 3 children: John Spidle [Spidell], wife and 2 children: Philip Ettleman and wife: Frederick Forney, wife and 3 children: Shadrach Richardson, wife and 2 children: Marinda Martin and 5 children: Sarah Hillman: Truman Trepon [Tryon], wife and 2 children: Elijah Hans [Hawes], wife and 6 children; Franklin Killion: Jacob Killion: Susan Killion: William James Crosby, wife and child: Silas Hillman, wife and 4 children.

Transcript for "21st Company," Deseret News, 18 September 1852, 2

19th Company

"19th Company", Deseret News, September 18, 1852.

19th Company, Eli B. Kelsey, Capt., wife and 3 children: Jane Wait[e]; Joseph [Dunn] Wait[e]; Emma Randall; [Hannah] May and 3 children; Chas. King and wife; Louisa Larkin; Jas. Hurst; Miss. [Matilda] Wiseman; John Sargent; Sarah Sargent; Ellen Sargent; Louisa Sargent; Alexr. Gilespie [Gillespie] and wife; Chas. Raven, wife and 3 children; Joseph Louis; Niels Johnson [Jensen], wife and daughter; Ole Monster, wife and child; Frederick Svaneveld [Schvaneveldt], wife and 2 children; [Rasmus] Peterson, wife and child; Hans Nielson and wife; Frederick Peterson; Ferdinand Hanson; Johanna Anderson; Coulie Forgenson; Carl Forgenson; Augusta Dorius; Henry Greene; James Sloan and wife; Sarah Magill; Chas. Warner, wife and 5 children; Sarah Mackley and Alvina Mackley; Wm. Fowler; John Boyle; Levi Kile, Michael Katz, wife and 5 children; John Morrison, wife and 6 children; Thos. Hickens; Zebedee Coltrin; J[osiah] F[leming] Martin; A[bram] Noe; J[ohn] F. [Lowe] Butler; Wm. Johnson; M. W. Borland; [Mr.] Marsk; [Elisha] Kyes [Keyes]; E[noch] P[erham] Rollins; E. W. Pell; Wm. Dorr; Noah Gee; M[elvin] Wilber [Wilbur].

Transcript for "19th Company," Deseret News, 18 September 1852, 2

Deseret News.

DUP Pioneer History Collection

Autobiography of Our Dear Grandmother Mrs. Augusta Stevens

"Autobiography of Our Dear Grandmother Mrs. Augusta Stevens", DUP Pioneer History Collection, Page 3-5.

From this city [New Orleans] we completed the balance of our river journey by steamboat to the city of Kanesville on the Missouri River. This unloading point is on the east side of the river, and we remained there a month to prepare for crossing the Plains and getting the oxen and equipment ready for the journey. At this point I experienced a new phenomenon. There came one day the worst wind and thunderstorm that I could ever imagine and an experience I had never known of in Denmark or on the journey so far. The appointed time came for the great journey across the Plains into the then almost unknown West. The wagons and equipment and members of the emigrating party were taken over the Missouri River by ferry and the oxen, cows and horses had to swim across, as there was then no accommodations for ferrying animals across the river.


There were representatives of several nationalities including Americans but in our particular division of the emigrant train which included fifty wagons, there were twenty-eight from Copenhagen and in our company of ten wagons there were included quite a number of Americans. Our company was presided over by John Butler who was the captain over our company which occupied ten wagons. The entire fifty wagons with occupants was presided over by a head captain in the person of E[li B.] Kelsey and the whole emigrant train is known as Kelsey's Company. There were the five companies with ten wagons to each company, each company being presided over by a captain. The women generally rode in wagons and always slept in wagons. Personally I thought the emigrant wagons most remarkable as I had never seen anything of the kind before starting on this journey. Upon nearing the Rocky Mountains the oxen became somewhat worn out and then it was necessary for many of the women to walk. Upon camping at night the wagons were driven in a circle and the campfires were made inside the circle. Being young and in my fifteenth year, this being the year 1852, it became a part of my regular duty to gather buffalo chips which served as part of the fuel for the campfires.


During the first part of the journey across the plains, the novelty of travel was new and at evenings during this trip we enjoyed the company of the members and friends we had made. One member had a fiddle and all joined in the evening dances around the campfire within the big circle. Prayers and hymns were part of the morning and evening program. After walking most of the day I was so tired that I would have been glad to go to bed without supper but I always had to help with camp duties these including the washing of dishes and the making of beds.


Occasionally I would walk with some of the other girls in head of the train as far as we dared to go on account of the Indians and then wait for the wagons. My thoughts would go back to my parents and folks in Denmark feeling sure that I would never see them <s>again</s> because the journey into the wild west seemed so long and hard and uninviting that it seemed that I could never hope to have them join me in this distant place known as Zion. Surely my elderly parents at least could not endure the hardships of such a journey. I had my sobs and cries and pangs of sorrow. What comfort it would have been to me if I could have been able to speak or understand the English language.


One of the singular incidents that happened enroute was the stampeding of a herd of buffalo which came direct towards our wagon train. The buffalo ran directly in front of our train of wagons. This caused a great commotion and almost a stampede among the oxen and horses of the train. The few rifles available were used. Fortunately, a few buffalo were killed thus giving us extra provisions for the long journey ahead of us. Upon another occasion nearly a dozen Indians came on their horses towards the emigrant train. A great deal of apprehension was caused among the immigrant as they felt sure an impending disaster was before them. But our daily prayers were answered and we were assured that our Heavenly Father was mindful of the needs and protection of His Saints. The Indians spread their blankets by the side of the trail and each wagon was required to give its toll of food to the Indians as it passed.


Most unusual kindness and care was given me by the Raven family who paid the expense of my journey. Especially, did I appreciate the kindness of Sister Raven as she cared for me as if I were her own child. I assisted them all I could on the journey to at least partly pay for their unusual kindness to me.


When we had advanced to the Green River station, now Green River, Wyoming, the supply of flour had been exhausted. The fall snows commenced bringing the cold blizzard and wintry blast, all of which added to the perils of the journey. It became necessary to send a man with the best and fastest equipment on to Salt Lake City to get flour and rush back to Green River which was only sufficient to sustain the party for the balance of the trip.


On into the mountains we went, along the already broken trail which had now been traveled over by the emigrant trains for the last five years. We arrived in Salt Lake City, October 16, 1852, it was then eight months and twelve days since I had said goodbye to my parents and friends in Copenhagen.


Elder Erastus Snow had come by horse conveyance across the Plains and had not stopped the month at Kanesville. Upon entering Salt Lake City, Elder Snow met the train and invited our original twenty-eight Scandinavians to his house for dinner at which we were served salt risen bread. I must here remark that I have never tasted a cake since that tasted to me as good as that salt risen bread, after this prolonged and tedious journey of hardships.

Transcript for "Autobiography of Our Dear Grandmother Mrs. Augusta Stevens," 3-5.

Daughters of Utah Pioneers. DUP Pioneer History Collection.

Hansen, Hans F., Reminiscence and diary 1855-1909, fd. 2, 1

Hansen, Hans F., Reminiscence and diary 1855-1909, fd. 2, 1.

We left St. Louis and went on the steamship up the Missouri River to Kanesville where we arrived in June 1852. There we purchased some wagons and some oxen for the trek across the country to the Rocky Mts. We were unable to purchase enough wagons and oxen for our trip and we had to stay there one month, and then bought some more equipment and prepared ourselves to leave which was set for the first of July. We left Kanesville for the journey ahead of us which we were told was some eleven hundredmiles. During the travel we suffered an awful lot from cold and hunger and shortages of food, but the Lord’s blessings were still with us and we prayed to the Lord and that is what saves us.
There are forty wagons in the company. We proceed on our way with a prayer to the Lord. Our first Captain is Kelsey and our second captain is C. Butler and both of them are good men, and if we will do just as they tell us, everything will be all right. My thoughts are always that I soon will be able to live in what I dream of as a real home, together with the others, and there have peace, and worship God as we desire and no other things will have power to change it.
Arrived Salt Lake City Oct 16, 1852.

Transcript for Hansen, Hans F., Reminiscence and diary 1855-1909, fd. 2, 1

Historical Department journal history of the Church

Historical Department journal history of the Church. Supplement after 31 December 1852: Page 120.

Historical Department journal history of the Church.

Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company financial accounts, 1849-1886

Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company financial accounts, 1849-1886, Vol. A, Page 6.

Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company financial accounts, 1849-1886.

Pioneers and prominent men of Utah: comprising photographs, genealogies, biographies

Pioneers and Prominent Men. 1913. Page 714.

Pioneers and prominent men of Utah: comprising photographs, genealogies, biographies.

Wadsworth, Joseph Warren, [Autobiography], in Abiah Wadsworth: His Wives and Family, 1810-1979 [1979], 43-44

Wadsworth, Joseph Warren, [Autobiography], in Abiah Wadsworth: His Wives and Family, 1810-1979 [1979], 43-44.

I started for Salt Lake along in the last part of August with three yoke of cattle and a good wagon. I reported to Bishop Hunter at the tithing yard. On the way to Salt Lake, I had picked up three yoke of cattle that had been volunteered. One yoke by a man named Cherry, one by Ziras Kilburn, and one yoke by a man whose name I have forgotten. While I was driving around picking up my supplies, I was using my whip pretty freely. Bishop Hunter was standing on the platform watching me and when I drove up to the platform to get my flour, he made a remark about me being an ox driver and said he had a yoke of cattle of his own that he wanted me to take. I refused as I thought I had about all I could handle, but he would not listen to me and insisted on my taking his along. This made me seven yoke to look after. The orders were for each man to take care of the cattle he was driving and not get them mixed with the other cattle. I then left for the meeting place which was between the Big and Little Mountain laying directly east of Salt Lake City. Arriving there, we waited for the rest of the volunteers until Monday morning. In the party there were about five wagons and sixty yoke of cattle under the leadership of Captain Fuller.
We met the first party on Monday on the East Canyon stream. They were in good shape and they did not need any help. We did not meet any more until we arrived at Quaking Asp Ridge, where we met another company of fifty who went on through without any assistance. We then met companies every little ways all in good condition. When we got to Big Bend on the Sweet Water, Captain Fuller came to Dad Blodgett and asked him if he and Joe Wadsworth could take sixteen yoke of cattle and go and meet the last company. Dad Blodgett did not want to go and told the Captain that he didn’t think Joe would go. The Captain asked him if he would go if I would and he said yea. He then came to me and asked me if I would go if Dad Blodgett would go and I, thinking Dad Blodgett wouldn’t go, answered yes. It so happened that he and I had to go. I was then a boy of 21 years of age and Blodgett was a man of 60 years past and a cripple at that.
We then started out with 16 yoke of cattle to meet the last company. We met them at Devil Lake on the Sweet Water. If it had not been for help, they would never have reached the Great Salt Lake. We took their cattle off and put our cattle on as we would not have the poor and fat cattle mixed. When we met them, they were about discouraged, but their spirits rose when they saw us coming. We stayed over night and got an early start on our way back. On the second or third day on our way home, a big snow storm came up. It was so severe that we pulled in the willows to camp for the night. 
 On getting up in the morning, imagine our surprise to find all our cattle gone. They had broken away in the night and went south with the storm. Blodgett and I and several others started out to find the cattle. Blodgett and I stayed together, and the others separated going in all directions. Blodgett and I stayed together until noon and then we separated. He finally found the trail where the cattle crossed the creek and found the cattle several miles south on good feed. The cattle were driven back and watched until the next morning as it was too late to travel any that day. Everything went all right with us but the weather was freezing cold.
We caught the Sugar Train that was one day ahead of us. They had a hard time as 40 head of their cattle had frozen the night before. They had to leave 10 wagons and had to go back for them the next spring. We left them and came on through, arriving in Salt Lake without further trouble in the first part of November.

Transcript for Wadsworth, Joseph Warren, [Autobiography], in Abiah Wadsworth: His Wives and Family, 1810-1979 [1979], 43-44

Eli Brazee Kelsey

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