Isaac Augustus Canfield (1818 - 1891) Profile

Individual

death-date-qualifier-death

Isaac Augustus Canfield

birth-date-qualifier-birth

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, October 9, 1869, Vol. 1, Page 18, Line 513.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, October 9, 1869, Vol. 2, Page 14, Line 513.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959.

Deseret News

List of Passengers

"List of Passengers", Deseret News, August 17, 1864, Page 5.

Arrival of Trains

"Arrival of Trains", Deseret News, October 22, 1862.

<center xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">ARRIVAL OF TRAINS.</center>



Capt. [Isaac] Canfield’s company (independent,) arrived late on Thursday evening, Oct. 16th, having occupied eleven weeks in the journey across the plains. Elder James McKnight, chaplain and clerk, reports that they had an exceedingly prosperous journey; that there was but little sickness and no deaths in the company, and their losses in cattle were inconsiderable—only three or four, and those mostly belonging to a small train, freighting merchandize which travelled with the company part of the way.



We are informed that the immigrants in this company were more strict in their devotional exercises than some others have been, and generally held meeting every evening, during the entire journey.



On Friday, 17th; about noon, the fifth church train, Capt. H[enry]. W. Miller; arrived, in which were about six hundred and fifty immigrants, and sixty wagons. It seems there was considerable sickness in the company on the plains; and about thirty deaths, mostly children. The teams generally returned in very good condition.



Mr. [William Samuel] Godbe’s freight train of twenty-two wagons also arrived on Friday, in which there were a few immigrants.



The sixth Church Train Capt. H[orton]. D. Haight came in on Sunday, in which were about four hundred and fifty passengers. There were, as reported, thirty deaths in the company on the plains; most of whom were sick when they left the Missouri river, principally children.



Capt. David P. Kimball’s freight train arrived yesterday afternoon; how many wagons there were in it we did not ascertain.



The large freight train in which there are some few emmigrants, mostly Swiss was supposed to be somewhere in the vicinity of Yellow Creek last night, and may be expected to arrive in the course of five or six days. Capt. W[illiam]. H. Dame is in charge.

Transcript for "Arrival of Trains," Deseret News, 22 October 1862, 132

Companies En Route

"Companies En Route", Deseret News, October 8, 1862.

<center xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">COMPANIES EN ROUTE.</center>



Among the companies on the road from the east to this city are, Capt. [Isaac A.] Canfield’s, which will be, as supposed, among the first that will next arrive; Capt. [David P.] Kimball’s freight train; the fifth and sixth church trains, and a freight train in charge of Capt. W[illiam]. H. Dame. The fifth church train, Capt. H[enry]. W. Miller, is supposed to be somewhere between Fort Bridger and Green river. Capt [Horton D.] Haight, with the sixth church train, is believed to be nearly one hundred miles in the rear of Capt. Miller, and Capt. Dame’s freight train, heavily loaded, in the rear of all, and may not yet have reached the South Pass.



It will unavoidably be late before the last company will get over the mountains, and more than one of them may encounter snow storms before they get into this valley, but it is hoped that the weather will continue favorable and that no heavy storms nor extreme cold will occur till after the last immigrant or freight wagon this fall shall have reached this city.

Transcript for "Companies En Route," Deseret News, 8 October 1862, 105

Report of the Immigration

Joseph W. Young, "Report of the Immigration", Deseret News, September 17, 1862, Page 5.

Transcript for Joseph W. Young, "Report of the Immigration," Deseret News, 17 September 1862, 93

Deseret News.

Douglass, Emma Jane Dixon, Autobiographical sketch, in [Collected information concerning the Charles Dixon family, ca. 1931-1984], item 3

Douglass, Emma Jane Dixon, Autobiographical sketch, in [Collected information concerning the Charles Dixon family, ca. 1931-1984], item 3.

Father sold out everything he owned before leaving for Utah in the spring of 1862, when I was in my seventh year.
We crossed Lake Erie on a steamer. Mother was very sick. When the Captain of the boat came along and saw the eight children, he asked where the mother of these children was. We took the train to Florence, Nebraska and stayed there for six weeks, while the company prepared to cross the plains. Father had to go back to Kirtland on business. We left Florence in covered wagons with oxen, in Captain [Isaac A.] Campfield's [Canfield's] Company, with Elder [James] McKnight in charge.
When we camped, the wagons would be placed to form a circle. At night, we all knelt in prayer. There were no deaths on the way and no sickness with the exception of an accident when Arthur Wightman, then about a year old, fell in the fire and burned his hand, and Erastus [Wightman Dixon] hurt his foot. Because we had no way of keeping the boy's hand open, his fingers grew to the palm of his hand. When Erastus would cry at night with pain, the wolves would howl.
The Indians appeared at camp only once and were friendly. They caused us no trouble. Our company did not want for anything while crossing the plains. We had bread, plenty of crackers, and cooked beans. We made salt rising bread. I still have the kettle we used for the bread. We gathered buffalo chips to burn for fuel to cook our meals.
The oxen and pony were much company. The oxen were taught to come around under the yoke, and to gee and haw. We all liked to see them. When they swam the Green River all eyes were on them.
The campfire was our light. Father followed the train to make sure that nothing was lost on the way.
At emigration Canyon, Orrawell Simons of Payson came to meet us with horses and wagon, and brought some of our company in. I wondered how he found out we were there. We arrived in Salt Lake City, 16 October, 1862, on my seventh birthday. It seemed a barren place, I expected more. When we camped there, Elder McKnight brought us some ripe peaches, a treat we all enjoyed.

Transcript for Douglass, Emma Jane Dixon, Autobiographical sketch, in [Collected information concerning the Charles Dixon family, ca. 1931-1984], item 3

Fannie Wagstaff Bone, Family history, reel 13, box 18, fd. 3, item 7, 3

Fannie Wagstaff Bone, Family history, reel 13, box 18, fd. 3, item 7, 3.

It was <about> the last of July, or first end of Aug'st Our company started</about>



We crossed the plains with ox teams, in an Independent Co, In charge of Captain Canfield of Ogden, We were eleven weeks crossing the plains, We endured many hardships on that arderous [arduous] journey, Ocupying about five months and arrived in Salt Lake City On the 16th day of Octbr 1862,

Transcript for Fannie Wagstaff Bone, Family history, reel 13, box 18, fd. 3, item 7, 3

Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1830-2008

Historical Department journal history of the Church, October 16, 1862, Page 13.

James McKnight journal entry

"James McKnight journal entry", CR 100 137: Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1830-2008, October 16, 1862, Page 1-12.

Transcript for James McKnight journal entry in Journal History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 16 Oct. 1862, 1-12

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

Isaac A. Canfield Emigrating Company, Journal

Isaac A. Canfield Emigrating Company, Journal, July 1862.

Transcript for Isaac A. Canfield Emigrating Company, Journal, 1862 July-Oct

Isaac A. Canfield Emigrating Company, Journal.

Margetts, Lucy Marie Canfield, Diary

Margetts, Lucy Marie Canfield, Diary, July 1862.

Transcript for Margetts, Lucy Marie Canfield, Diary, 1862 July-Oct

Margetts, Lucy Marie Canfield, Diary.

Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company church trains accounts, 1861-1868

Captain Isaac Canfield Company (fourth ox train), manifests, 1864

"Captain Isaac Canfield Company (fourth ox train), manifests, 1864", Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company church trains accounts, 1861-1868.

Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company church trains accounts, 1861-1868.

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.

Porter, Abraham, Jr., "Abraham Porter Jr. Family Treck Across the Plains in 1863," [1-3]

Porter, Abraham, Jr., "Abraham Porter Jr. Family Treck Across the Plains in 1863," [1-3].

Abraham Porter Jr. was born 3 February 1807 in Ossian Livingston New York.



Marcia Maria Bisbee was born 24 October 1805 in Cumming Newhanshire Massachuetts[.] in 1863 they decided to come to Utah with their families two boys and three girls they were Luther Gilbert Porter, Nahum Bisbee Porter, Henrietta Porter, Harriett Eleanor Porter, Sarah Jane Porter, and there families[.] Mary Porter and her family came later. Another family by the name of Miller came with them. Isreal [Isaac] Augustus Canfield was the captain.



There were 21 in all including five children. We traveled by train from New York to Omaha Nebraska and from there we went by boat up the Missouri River to Florence Nebraska of what was known as Winter Quarters. We stayed there for six weeks. The women cooked while the men bought wagons and oxen and provisions for the journey across the plains. The younger members did the sewing for the church, such as making tents[,] wagon covers and nose socks for the horses and oxen, all to be used by the imigrants that came upon the boats laden with all their earthly possessions. These usually consisted of one or two boxes and a sack with clothing.  We would go down and watch the boats come in. The people would camp there waiting to be assigned their places in the wagon train. One wagon contain food for the entire possession of the families so that only the aged and small children were allowed to ride. On the third of July 1863 the company of which the family were members left Winter quarters. Our company was known as an independent company because each family owned their own wagon. Many of the immigrants did not have means or money to purchas their own wagons and the church had an immigrant fund that provided wagons in which they could make the journey across the plains. Then they could work later and pay the church back into the fund. This also applies to those crossing the Ocean if they did not have money for their passage.



Augustus Canfield was the captain of our company which had 25 wagons[.] he came from utah to act as our guide as he knew the route and what hazards were to be faced. On the third of July 1863 we started out and went only five miles then camped so as to make sure that everything was in readiness. The next day being the fourth of July a few of the young people came from Florence Nebraska to our camp and there they had the first dance on the ground. It was the custom from then on to spend our evening in sin[g]ing when we were not tired by the the days journey. On the fifth of July we started on our trip across the plains.



The weather was fine through out the trip, with exception of a few showers. We were very fortunite in having no sickness, or accidents of any kind to mar our journey.



Every day after the noon meal or hour was over Captain Canfield would ride ahead to find a suitable place with plenty of water and wood where we could make our camp that night. Twice we were stopped by a herd of buffalo and were often visited by the Indians. The Captain was familar with their habits and customs and he made friends with them by giving them trinkets and food. It didn't make any difference with me, how friendly they were we still frightened of them all. Our journey often took us across the Platt[e] river. Those of us who walked would have to hold on to the rear of the wagons. We waded right through the water. In order to avoid delay our clothing was allowed to dry right on our bodies, as luck would have it no one ever felt any ill effects from these soakings.



We arrived at Fort Bridger Wyoming which as a military camp we were detained by officers who inspected everyone that came to Utah.



They were searching for anything that might have a United States mark or stamp on it.



We arrived in Salt Lake City Utah on October 17, 1863 and there our company seporated. Our family went on to Ogden, where our relatives who had come to Utah before, were already located. We lived out about 31st and Washington Blvd.

Transcript for Porter, Abraham, Jr., "Abraham Porter Jr. Family Treck Across the Plains in 1863," [1-3]

"Schedule of Captain Isaac A. Canfield's Company (Independent), 1862." In Brigham Young office emigrating companies reports 1850-1862, Reports 1856-1862

"Schedule of Captain Isaac A. Canfield's Company (Independent), 1862." In Brigham Young office emigrating companies reports 1850-1862, Reports 1856-1862.

Isaac Augustus Canfield

Birth Date

Death Date

Gender

Sources