Reuben McBride initially traveled to the Salt Lake Valley in 1850 without his family.  Further research is needed to determine the exact company he traveled with.  Proof that he traveled to Utah in 1850 is found in the 1850 Utah Census.  Reuben helped with the 1850 census, and his name appears on pages of the census, even though he failed to enter his own name into the census.  His obituary also mentions his travel to Utah in 1850.

In 1852, Reuben again traveled to the Salt Lake Valley with the Isaac Bullock Company, this time with his wife, Mary Ann Anderson, and children Helen Venera, Harriet Eliza, Reuben Augustus, Mary Louisa, Hyrum Roy, Emma Gerutia, John Newton, and Laura Abigail.