James Bird (1815 - 1868) Profile

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James Bird

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Mary Ann Ward Webb: her life and ancestry

The history of Mary Ann Ward Webb and her diary of the journey to Utah (1864)

"The history of Mary Ann Ward Webb and her diary of the journey to Utah (1864)", Mary Ann Ward Webb: her life and ancestry, Page 98-103.

August 12. 
Moved out
. Bro Ross left a parcel with me. it got misplaced; he found it in a wagon after a long search.
August 13. Not well. spent the day on the camp ground.
August 14. Better, had a meeting. Bro Warren Snow spoke. he is our Captain. The cattle was wild and we didn't move out today. We had a meeting in the evening. a very heavy tempest came on at night. we all got wet.
August 15. Moved from that camp at 5 A.M. arrived at another at 7 P.M. all very tired. Jemima sick. Slept in Bro. [George] Halladay's tent. it was wet and miserable. such a time we had. cattle wild.
August 16. Carried wood a long way.
August 17. Arose early. moved at 12. Dorcas Deben[ham] walked with me and was very tired.
August 18. Had the first morning meeting singing and prayer. I walked from 11 until 6. We came where Capt Hyde had camped. there are 4 graves here. Jemima [Ward] is not well and very despondent.
August 19. Walked all day arrived at Camp at 6.
August 20. Started at 10 A.M. and went 16 mi. rode a little way with Sister Griffiths, caught up to Capt Hyde's camp + had a jolly time.
August 21. Walked 12 mi. slow traveling.
August 22. Left my Camp + rode with Camp Hyde's. Our Co. did not catch up with us. Slept in Bro. Metz tent, enjoyed the visit very much. So many of my dear friends are in this company.
August 23. Capt Snow's Co. caught us and I went home.
August 24. We traveled all morning. a wheel broke. we stayed 4 hours. Capt. Hyde's Camp passed us and Bro. Metz asked me to stay with them as there was to 17 Hollanders baptized in the Little Blue. Bro. J.W. Smith baptized. Bro Ross confirmed them.
August 25. Traveled that day with them, found some wild plums. nice and ripe. We had a treat.
August 26. Was with them today. saw Capt Snow's Camp and walked 3 mi. alone in a very dangerous part; when I arrived in camp they were moving out for fear of the Indians. Julia Webb died and was buried that afternoon. We traveled 9 miles. left Camp at 7 P.M. and stopped at 11 P.M. I had been walking all day was very tired so rode a little way with Bro Young.
August 27. Struck the Platte River at 3 that afternoon. Stayed that night a little scotch boy was run over and killed instantly.
August 28. Traveled 9 mi. and held a meeting in the evening. Bro Girbe was married. Not well.
August 29. Traveled a long distance was very tired.
August 30. Not well. Passed Fort Laramie, saw 2 Indians Camps some distance passed [past] the fort.
August 31. Traveled a long way. killed a big rattle snake.
September 1. Elizabeth Chidock is very sick with a fever. We walked in Capt. Hyde's Camp with Sister Willis.
September 2. We walked all the morning with Capt. Hyde's Co. saw many Indians and Soldiers. saw the head and mane of a buffalo. There are many Bones and bodies of people killed by the Indians but they did not harm us.
September 3. Was with Capt. Hyde's Co. Not well, rode a little way.
September 4. No better, was administered to by Bro. Fotheringham.
September 5. Some better not able to walk
September 6. Still sick not able to walk Sept 6 + 7 + 8 a little better.
September 9. Some better walked a little way[.] Elizabeth Chiddock died at 11 o clock and was buried at 1 o clock along the Platte River. much lamented.
September 10. Better, walked with Elizabeth's Mother, Sis.Willis in Capt. Hydes Co. stayed all night to try to comfort her. She was her only girl and one of the best that ever lived. a life companion of mine and so much better than I, but Father knows.
September 11. Traveled in the morning in their camp. Ours caught up with us, and we joined them. Their Co. passed ours and crossed the Platte River, we did not see them again.
September 12. Crossed the River it was very damp and cold and some got wet in the River was feeling better.
September 13. Better. came to a creek and camped.
September 14. Felt well, the road is between high bluffs.
September 15 + 16. Have passed high bluffs.
September 17. Sunday. Well. Traveled all day. It was much colder and we must make all the haste we can.
September 18. Crossed the water 4 times, passed Cedar Point.
September 19. Saw tops of mountains.
September 20-21. Mountains + plains. scenery is beautiful.
September 22. Saw Black Hills.
September 23. Came to pine hills.
September 24. Traveled through the black hills, they are high and covered with black pine. the wind is very blustery, we did not get to camp until 9 o clock was very tired. Jemima is very sick, and we could not make a fire.
September 25. Jemima is better. crossed the Laramie, saw snow on the Mountains.
September 26. Jemima better. Bro [John Moburn] Kay died and was dressed in his robes and buried at little Laramie. He had filled a mission, and was President of the Co., on the ship + on the plain. His wife and daughter + husband was with us.
September 27. The weather is cold, the road is rocky.
September 28. Bro. [Thomas Owen] King killed an Antelope and gave us some of the meat.
September 29. Very cold, scenery is beautiful.
September 30. It froze ice 2 in. thick, the wind is very cold. Had some snow, camped near a mountain covered with snow. I was running down a hill and fell and cut my face, my right eye is very painful. Passed Fort Carney [Kearny].
October 1. My face is very painful, my eye is swollen.
October 2. I am blind. Jemima is sick, and Walter Pike not well.
October 3. No better. Jemima was administered to.
October 4. Jemima is not much better. Camped early. I had to put up the tent, and get her to bed[.] So many in our wagon sick. Bro George Careless is one of us. A wagon was smashed went off the road into a creek.
October 5. Heard of the valley teams.
October 6. Met 12 yoke of oxen, and 2 wagons, we were put in one of them, traveled over very rough roads and very dangerous. Camped at the Sulphur Springs.
October 7. Very rough roads
October 8. Had a long journey to go, but could not get there, so many of the cattle gave out. Seven fell down in the day and took a long time to get them up. We had to make a dry camp. This is the last train coming for the season and all the wagons are heavily loaded with merchandise. Each one is packed the wagon box full. There are stoves in ours, and then the luggage of 12 of us and the bedding.
October 9. Meet some more cattle and wagons. Jemima limb set fast with Inflammatory Rheumatism. Walter Pike very sick.
October 10. Jemima tried to walk but could not[.] was carried and put in another wagon.
October 11. They are no better. Camped at Bitter creek.
October 12. James Steed gave us some butter and potatoes.
October 13. Traveling faster now.
October 14. The day was stormy.
October 15. Jemima + Walter Pike very sick with fever. made him a bed in the mess Wagon.
October 16. Walter no better.
October 17. Both very sick. came to Green river, it is a pretty place and a nice day, everything looks good.
October 18. James gave me some molasses, went 4 miles. Such suffering for my sick ones to ride over rough roads.
October 19. Came to Black Fork. met Bro. Ross and his brother, he gave us some apples, they are good.
October 20. Had a good time with our old friends. Came to Ham Fork. Jemima + Walter some better today. Bro Ross gave us some onions + potatoes.
October 21. Made a long drive. Walters fever went down. Had a bad spell. looked like he was dead. I worked with him, prayed fervently for Father to spare his life. Called for help + by faith he was soon breathing and came to.
October 22. Had a roasted potato for supper to keep my Father's birthday.
October 23. They are both some better. but can't eat. I tried to get some milk, but could not. then I tried to buy some fish from a man who had caught some. He told me to go catch some. I tried + caught a snake. that was more than I could stand + was crying + met Capt. Snow. I told him they would die if I could not get them something they could eat. He gave me a hand and I made them some soup they could eat it and that saved them, with much faith they got better.
October 24. Have a cold. this is my 24th birthday and I am so thankful that my dear ones are better. so many have died. Walter Pike is a fine boy of 18 coming alone. I have done all I could to care for him as he was assigned to our Co.
October 25. Stopped at Weber one day to make up the books. We had to pay 25c per pound for our luggage over 70 lbs. Our bill was $60.00. We had a good time here. John Wimmer came with oxen and wagons to us and we was in his wagon. he shot a wild goose and I cooked it English style, some of the other boys came and we had feast. They said they had not tasted one as good, and if I could cook like that I might choose any one of them. That was out first experience with joking Utah boys, that evening was not to be forgotten. It was known that we girls of Bro Careless' Choir were always together had a good time. In the wagon that started there was 12 of us. Bro Tuddenham and wife their 2 daughters Polly and Elizabeth one boy William. Bro George Careless. Dorcas Debenham, Sister Gilbert, Emma Loveless, Jemima, Walter R. Pike + myself. 
October 26. Started through the mountains, not very well. 
November 2. Washed and changed our clothes for we all had body lice from the Nebraska Camp ground. I put our clothes in a sack and burned them that was the end of them. Arrived in Salt Lake City via Parleys Canyon. We met on the Camp grounds by Bro Bentley and Bro Staines. We went with Bro Bentley to Bro William Godbe home, stayed all night. Met Sister Dawson and other friends. Jemima and I stayed with Sister Anne Godbe as cook and etc. until January 21st 1865.

Transcript for Webb, Mary Ann Ward, "The History of Mary Ann Ward Webb and Her Diary of the Journey to Utah (1864)," in Robert R. King and Kay Atkinson King, Mary Ann Ward Webb: Her Life and Ancestry [1996], 98-103

Robert R. King and Kay Atkinson King. Mary Ann Ward Webb: her life and ancestry.

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Snetterton, Norwich, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom

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Charles Heber Bird

Edward Harry Bird

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Cathleen Blanche Bird

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Nephi, Juab, Utah Territory, United States

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