James Hurren (1827 - 1909) Profile

Individual

death-date-qualifier-death

James Hurren

birth-date-qualifier-birth

Adolph M. Reeder writings, circa 1953

Adolph M. Reeder writings, circa 1953.

Reeder, Adolph Madsen, Writings [ca. 1953].



<center xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The Belated Handcart Company of 1856</center>



 



<center xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">NOTES TAKEN FROM THE JOURNAL OF 
CAPTAIN JAMES G. WILLIE AND ROBERT REEDER</center>



 



The emigrants arrived at the railroad terminal at Iowa City on June 26. Supplies were very scarce at this point because of the many previous emigrating companies having exhausted the available material. Livestock was very scarce. However, the men set to work building hand carts for their use. The timber they used was not well seasoned.



The company left Iowa City on July 16 with 120 hand carts, 6 wagons and some cattle. The list of persons shows that there were 236 adults besides the children.



In the hot summer climate the timbers in the carts began to shrink and soon the tires on the wheels were loose. Rawhide was cut in strips and wrapped around the tires tying them to the fellies to make emergency repairs.



They left Winter Quarters on August 15. This was a late starting date, but with the shortage of local supplies they voted to take a chance and try to reach the Valley before winter set in.



Before long the prairie evenings grew chilly and then the fall rains started. Some of the men became fatigued because of the many nights they had spent in night herding. James Hurren and Robert Reeder record that they did three or four nights a week in looking after the stock.



The Omaha Indians told them of the murder of a preceding company of emigrants. They soon came to the place where most of the Babbit company had been killed by the Cheyennes and the Sioux. The U.S. troopers had killed thirteen Indians which added to the savage unrest. In one night they drove off thirty head of the Willie Company cattle. Before going on the company buried a number of the dead they had found.



On September 4 they were 265 miles from Winter Quarters. Because of their loss of cattle to the Indians it became necessary to yoke up a number of milk cows to complete the teams for the loaded wagons. Travel became more difficult as the roads were becoming worse.



On the night of September 17 there was a severe frost.



On Sunday, September 28 they met a company of about 100 apostates who were returning to the States. They related that upon their arrival in the Valley they became dissatisfied and were now returning. They tried to discourage the Saints but the company voted to follow Captain Willie. Mary Hurren said, “He was greatly beloved as a leader and everyone wanted to follow him.”



Several stops were necessary to repair the carts and to lighten the loads. By common consent each person was allotted 17 pounds of clothing. Flour rations were fixed at ten and one-half ounces for men, nine for women, six for children and three for infants.



They arrived at Fort Laramie on September 30.



Their carts repaired they renewed their journey on October 1.



They arrived at the upper crossing of the Platte (Casper) on October 12.



The Robert Reeder Journal records the following: “Grandfather David Reeder was found dead in his tent on the morning of October 7; time was precious so he was buried in an unmarked grave and the company moved on.” (This was about half way from Ft. Laramie to Casper.)



The light rations had a telling effect on the strength of the saints. The Reeder Journal tells that James Hurren was the strongest man. His cart was loaded with 400 pounds of flour. The company was forced to wade the icy streams and it was recorded that Bro. Hurren made as many as twenty trips across the [and] back several streams carrying the sick and weak on his back. They had little extra clothing so often they could not change to dry things and the wet garments froze stiff as it was drying on their backs. Brother Hurren pulled more than his share in his cart. His wife, Eliza Reeder Hurren, carried a two year old child in her arms the entire distance across the plains.



On the evening of October 15 the Reeder Journal states that Car[o]line Reeder, a seventeen year old girl, left camp in search of fire wood. When she did not return a search for her was started. She was found crouched down behind some bushes badly chilled. She died during the evening and was also placed in an unmarked grave.



The ration of flour was cooked into a gruel and taken as a warm drink. It barely held out till their arrival at Rock Creek. Willie’s journal states that the Saints pulled their carts sixteen miles in a blinding snow storm and arrived at Rock Creek on October 17. They dug into the hill side as a shelter from the wind and set up a large camp as best they could. That night thirteen of their number perished. The following day, without food, all the able-bodied men dug a large shallow grave and placed the thirteen bodies in a circle with heads out and feet to the center. Mary Hurren, an eight year old child at the time, recalled seeing the departed lying in the clothes they wore. Her father held her out to see her little playmate lying among the dead. That night two of the men who helped dig the grave perished and were buried in another shallow grave about eighteen feet away. Robert Reeder and James Hurren helped dig those graves.



Captain Willie went on ahead on foot and alone hoping to meet the relief wagons. They were expected momentarily. All were hoping and praying they would arrive before all the company, in their crude shelters, would perish in the snow. There were eighteen inches of snow on the ground.



Captain Willie says nothing in his journal of meeting Brother Ephraim K. Hanks. This famous mountaineer had asked permission at Salt Lake to ride on horseback ahead of the relief wagons. His story has been published about as follows:



“Riding on alone for several days I ran out of food. I came one evening to a place along the Sandy where I found grass for the horse and wood to make a fire; I staked the horse and made a campfire. There was no sign of food so I knelt down near the fire and told the Lord of my errand. I was in need of fresh meat for supper and a warm robe to sleep in, I told the Lord that if he would send me a buffalo it might help to save the lives of many suffering people. Arising from my prayer I saw a buffalo standing a few feet away, looking off the other way. I drew my knife and slipped up behind him and quickly slashed the ham strings so he couldn’t run. I was able then to cut his throat. I had my meat and a robe to sleep in.



“Next morning, the horse was saddled and I placed the robe back of the saddle and cut all the long strips of meat and tied and rolled them in the robe and started again on my journey. “A grandson of Ephraim Hanks congratulated the writer when hearing him tell this story—said it is correct.[”]



He made a hard day’s ride and at evening he arrived at Rock Creek to find the starving saints. What a sacred mission of mercy and how kindly the prayer of an exalted faith was heard and answered! When little Mary Hurren became an aged lady, the writer being her cousin, asked her about the incident. (Because of our great love and adoration we always called her Aunt Mary). “Aunt Mary, do you remember when you had stopped near that large grave, a man riding into a camp on a horse?”



“Oh how well I remember!”, she replied. “We had been looking from the hill-side toward the South Pass to see if any one might come. Toward evening we saw a dark object in the snow. As it came nearer it proved to be a man on horse-back. He could see the smoke of our camp fires. When he rode into camp and dismounted and took down that robe and unwrapped the meat we all shed tears of joy. As he handed the meat out we gave thanks to the Lord for sending along such a great blessing. We had been there without food for two days.”



The Willie journal says that on October 20 the relief wagons under George D. Grant and William H. Kimball arrived with fourteen wagons of clothing and food. As soon as the starving Saints could control their feelings they knelt down in the snow and gave thanks to God for his kindness in sending help to them. They had been in dire want.



Part of the wagons moved farther on under George Grant’s direction to Martin’s Cove to help those still in the rear. Their suffering is another story. William Kimball and others started on the return journey with the survivors of the Willie Company. The drifting snow made it difficult to follow the trail.



The Willie Company was the fourth handcart company to cross the plains. The others had made an earlier start and they had reached Salt Lake without difficulty. The records of this company reveals that there were 77 deaths, three births, and three marriages. The group arrived in Salt Lake on November 9, 1856 at the public square where the Hotel Utah now stands.



When the Willie company arrived in Salt Lake George B. Reeder was on hand to greet his relatives. James Hurren expressed his gratitude that so many had been able to endure the hardships and reach the valley. He told of the death of David Reeder on October 7 and of Carline Reeder on October 15. He described the severe storm that overtook them near the summit of the Continental Divide. Presently George inquired, “What is this odor I can smell?”



“Little Mary’s legs are frozen”, replied James.



Mary was placed on a bed in the Tithing Office and a doctor was sent for. He examined her frozen limbs and said he could do nothing for her as mortification had already set in. He returned the next morning with his instruments expecting to amputate her legs. “She will die easier”, he said.



Her father protested, “This little [girl] didn’t walk a thousand miles to have her legs cut off. If she dies, she will die with her legs on.”



The family was loaded into a wagon and taken to Brigham City (Box Elder). A pioneer nurse, Mrs. Snyder, looked at the limbs and recommended trying fresh raw-beefsteak on them. Fresh meat was not obtainable at Box Elder so her father walked to Ogden and obtained some round steak. This was placed on the frozen parts and in several days the rotten flesh dropped off. They trimmed the sinews and applied a home-made ointment to assist in the healing. She was able to walk again in two years. When she grew up she married Joseph Wight and became the mother of ten children. She was a great nurse in Brigham and surrounding areas.



. . . Captain James G. Willie arrived in Salt Lake with his legs wrapped in burlap; they were frost bitten. It was feared for some time that he might need them amputated, but he recovered and spent many years in active service for the church.



. . . It has been said that because of weakness Robert Reeder was unable to walk erect for many weeks after their arrival at Brigham.



. . . .The question has been asked, why was not their lot made easier in the great effort of crossing the plains? No one except Providence might give the completely satisfying answer, but it can be pointed out they grew in character and understanding. They were patient and long suffering. Their faith in God and in their Church was unshakable. Their great endurance made great people of them and their faith was sufficient to sustain them and establish an ideal for their descendants to follow.



The land of noble Pioneers! 
The land made sacred by their tears! 
Increasing fame come with thy years!



To gather with the Saints in the mountain valleys was their fondest dream. We are the fulfillment, whether good or bad, of those dreams and the comforts we enjoy today far surpass their greatest hopes.



 



<center xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">- - -Adolph M. Reeder</center>

Transcript for Adolph M. Reeder writings, circa 1953

"Another Pioneer Gone," Box Elder News

"Another Pioneer Gone," Box Elder News, December 9, 1909.

"Another Pioneer Gone," Box Elder News.

Deseret News

Immigration to Utah

"Immigration to Utah", Deseret News, October 15, 1856.

Transcript for "Immigration to Utah," Deseret News, 15 October 1856, 254

Deseret News.

DUP Pioneer History Collection

History of Robert Reeder

"History of Robert Reeder", DUP Pioneer History Collection, Page 2-6.

. . . we arrived at Iowa camping ground where we had to lay over 2 or 3 weeks waiting for our outfits.


The Church had a herd of cattle there which was at the time a general fitting out place. While laying over there we had to herd those cattle night and day. There were lots of us to change off if all would have taken a part, but it was a very rainy country and some would not take their part, especially at the night time. I can well remember those who had charge used to come to us and say "Will you go and heard again tonight as we cannot get anyone else to go." Me and my father and my brother-in-law James Hurren have gone three and four nights out of a week in the pouring rain, wet through from head to foot and in the water part of the time up to our knees—anything to help get fitted out and started on the road.


Eventually we got our outfits of four wagons with ox teams loaded with flour which was calculated to take us to Salt Lake City making calculations for 60 days and one pound of flour for each grown person per day and half that for all children under 12 years of age. Besides that we had one wagon with four mules loaded with bacon and groceries for the trip and one saddle pony belonging to an elder returning home which was used for hunting camp grounds, and the rest were handcarts, about 120. As a general thing one to each family, in some cases two young men and two young women to each. Those with handcarts were loaded with their baggage and children that were not able to walk. The company comprised of about 500 people.


In this way we traveled to what was called Florence and this side of the Missouri River. We were again retained waiting for some Independence emigrants who wanted to travel with us as it was very dangerous to cross the Plains in those times—one thousand miles of wild Indian country.


There was one outfit belonging to A. W. Babbitt consisting, I think, of about five men, one woman, and one child about 3 or 4 years old, concluded to start two or three days before we were ready. I think we left this place about the 10th of September with an addition to our outfit of about thirty head of cows, some to give a little milk, others to kill for beef.


Our company came to where the Babbitt company had camped—the Indians having killed them all and burned their wagons, nothing being left only the irons and the bodies half buried. This looked very discouraging to us, but we traveled on looking back for nothing. We were surrounded by Indians on two or three occasions, but got out by giving them some flour and tobacco which some of our company had with them. When we got out about 300 miles on the road our cattle stampeded, most all of our best oxen leaving, which left us in a bad state to move any farther. We stayed there for several days hunting as far as we dared to go to find some of our cattle but could not find any, believing the Indians must have driven them away. Then some of the flour was taken out of the wagons and put on the handcarts according to the strength of the party drawing them. Some had one, others two or three, and, if my memory serves me right, Brother Hurren, being considered the strongest man the company had, had five sacks put on his cart besides two small girls that were not able to walk and all his baggage and cooking utensils. His wife [Eliza Reeder Hurren] helped in pulling the cart and walked the entire trail. We made up with the few cattle we had left, one yoke of cattle and one cow to each wagon, and on account of weak teams and handcarts loaded too heavy we traveled only a few miles each day. Our provisions were going fast while we were making but little headway. Our rations had to be cut down to half and some were sick with bowel and other sickness.


My father, David Reeder, would start out in the morning and pull his cart until he would drop on the road. He did this day after day until he did not arise early on 7 October 1856. He was found dead in his bed and his fellow bedmate had not heard a thing during the night. Sister Eliza [Reeder Hurren] wrapped a cherished sheet around him and we placed him in a shallow grave hoping the wolves would not disturb. We must go on our way in silent mourning and in a weakened condition.


Our rations were growing shorter and we reduced them by common consent from day to day. Nights were getting colder and some would sit down by the roadside and die. My younger sister, Caroline, 17 years old, after traveling all day and seeing the camp being made for the night took off her apron to tie some sage brush in to bring into the camp. She sat down to rest, leaning on her bundle, exhausted. They found her chilled and dying and carried her to camp. She died without gaining consciousness. She, too, was placed in an unmarked grave near Three Crossings—Sweetwater. She died the evening of 15 October 1856. Her death was another real loss to us but we must hurry on in threatening weather and colder nights on the Windriver Pass. So it was with others, as many as thirteen being buried in one grave at one time. I think fully 100 died on this trip.


On October 17, we awoke covered with 8 inches of snow and rations about gone. We pulled our carts in a blinding snow storm and arrived at Rock Creek where we sheltered against the hill as best we could to avoid the north wind and blowing snow. Weakened to such an extent and without food 13 died that night. All the able-bodied men dug one large grave, but not too deep. My brother-in-law James Hurren held out his 8-year old girl Mary to see her playmate lying among the dead. They were laid in the clothes they wore, in a circle with feet to the center and heads out. We covered them with willows and then earth and slid rocks down the hill to keep the wolves from disturbing them. Two of the men who helped dig the grave died and were buried in another near by. We could go no further, the weather was severe and we had not a morsel of food in camp. We had heard assistance was on the road and we still had hopes.


We had one pony and one mule that were not entirely exhausted and two of the men took these animals and started out to find some relief which they did after traveling to Pacific Springs. The relief party had laid over at Pacific Springs because of the storm, not knowing the dire straits in which the handcart company was at the time. When they heard the report, they left part of the wagons, doubled up teams and came to us as quickly as possible. They reached us after we had been in camp 48 hours. They dared not give us much food for fear of killing us all, which would most likely have done with the few that were left. Potato peelings and rawhide off old handcarts were good if we could get it. I, myself, sat by the campfire with Brother Hurren and scraped and singed the hair off a piece of hide, some that had been taken off discarded handcarts that had been pulled through the sands hundreds of miles. It was hard but we would boil and soften them and cut them in small pieces and put in our pockets to chew on the road the next day and it helped to keep life in us.


Through snow and wind we mostly walked behind the relief wagons about 300 miles to Salt Lake City and arrived on Public Square (where Hotel Utah now stands) 9 November 1856.

Transcript for "History of Robert Reeder," 2-6.

Daughters of Utah Pioneers. DUP Pioneer History Collection.

Handcart Veterans Association. Handcart Veterans Association scrapbook, 1906-1914, folder 6

Handcart Veterans Association. Handcart Veterans Association scrapbook, 1906-1914, folder 6.

"Handcart Vets Hold Reunion," Deseret Evening News

"Handcart Vets Hold Reunion," Deseret Evening News, October 3, 1907.

"Handcart Vets Hold Reunion," Deseret Evening News.

Josiah Rogerson, "Captain J. G. Willie's Or, the Fourth Handcart Company of 1856 (No. 1)," Salt Lake Herald

Josiah Rogerson, "Captain J. G. Willie's Or, the Fourth Handcart Company of 1856 (No. 1)," Salt Lake Herald, December 15, 1907.

The names of this company will be given first in place, for if ever in print before, it is over fifty years ago.



The members of this company, mainly, if not all, sailed from the Brammerly-Moor docks at Liverpool, Lancashire, England, in the ship Thornton, May 4, 1856, landing at New York June 14, and arrived at Iowa Hill, near Iowa City, Ia., about the 27th of June, 1856. When the Mormon emigrants that sailed from Liverpool, Lancashire, England, May 25, in the Horizon, and comprising the whole of Martin's handcart company and Hunt's and Hodgett's wagon companies, arrived on Iowa Hill, Ia. July 8 and 9, 1856. Willie's company was then nearly ready to leave that camp with their handcarts and tents all made, wagons loaded with provisions, etc., for the 1,350 mile journey to the Great Salt Lake valley, Utah, and made their start on the 10th or 12th of July, a day or two after Martin's company reached there.



Names of the company from England—Captain J. G. Willie and William Woodward, returning missionaries; John Chislett, Ann Osborn, Thomas Moulton and family, Jesse Impey [Empey] and family, William Reed and family, Joseph Osborn [Oborn] and family, Sarah Charles [Choules], William Edwick, Alfred Peacock, Jemima Rogers and daughter, Mary P. Griffiths, Suzannah Stone, Min[ni]e A. Cook, Sarah A. Williams, Ester Millard, Elizabeth Tite, Betsey Stanley, Mary A. Stockdale, Julia and Emily Hill, the poetess; Amelia Evans, Cecelia and Sarah Norris, the latter the wife of Elder Jenkins Evans, and residents of Parowan, Iron county, Utah, for the last fifty years; Mary A. and Adelaide Cooper, David Reader and family, Mary A. Bird and family, Joseph Wall and wife [sister], Benjamin Culley, Rebecca Langman, Rebecca Pilgrim, Elizabeth and Jane Culley, Ann Oliver, Ann Cooper, Theophilus Copp [Cox], Thomas Girdlestone and family, James Harren and family, William Philpot and family, Rose Key and family, Sam Gadd and family, Mary A. Perkins, John Linford and family, Mary A. Miller, Ann Howard, Mary E. Bretton [Britton], Mary and Elizabeth Fannel [Funnell], Samuel Witts, Ann Bryant, Thomas Hooley, Charles Gumer [Gurney] and family, Anna [Hannah] and Mary [Maria] Kirby, John Nockolds, Abraham Ore and wife, George and Jane [John] Brazier, George Ingra and wife, Kitty Ann Tassell, Ellen Toffield, Lucy Ward, James Oliver, Elizabeth Kirkpatrick, James Gardner and family, William Hailey and wife, Joseph Meadows and wife, Mary and Hannah Dorney, Edward Bowles and wife, Jane Rowley, Thomas Oakley [Oakey] and family, Edward Wheeler and family, Frederick Wall and wife, Jenet [Janetta] and Mary Hodges, Emma Summers, Sarah Steed, Martha Chetwin, Mary Ann Newman (widow), her daughters, Eliza, Mary Ann, Caroline and Ellen, and sons, William and John, residents of Parowan, Iron county, Utah, since 1856; Sophia C[r]ook and daughter, Richard and Ann Godfrey, Anna Herbert and son, Thomas and Enoch Bowles, John Roberts, William Jeffry, Richard Hardwick, Richard Turner, George Humphries and family, Eliza Withom [Withorn] and son, Mercy Miller and son, Elizabeth Panting and family, James Read [Reid] and family, Martha Campkin and family, John James, George Curtis, William James and family, Harriet and Ellen C. Showell, Sarah West, Mary Roberts, Ellen Jones, William Smith and wife, John Bailey and family, Ann Rowley and family, residents of Parowan, Iron county, Utah, for fifty years; William Page.



From Wales—Catherine M. Griffiths, Edward Griffiths.



From Scotland—Allen M. Findlay and family, residents of Panacea, Nev., for thirty years; Archibald McPheil and family, Margery Smith and family, residents of Beaver City, Utah,, for thirty years; Alexander Birt or Burt, Salt Lake, Utah; Thomas Stewart and family, David Anderson, carpenter, resident of Salt Lake for fifty years; William Ledington and family, James Gibb and wife, Andrew Smith of Salt Lake, Mary A. Calchwell [Caldwell] and family, Barbara Kelly, Ann Tesit, Christina McNeil, John McCollick [McCullough], Jane A. Stuart [Stewart], Isabella Wilkey [Wilkie], John Stuart [Stewart] and family, John Kelly and wife, Elizabeth Forbes.



From Ireland—Joseph McKey (or McKay), Margaret Douglish [Dalglish].



From Sweden—John Ahmansen.



From Bombay—Elizabeth Tealt [Tait].



From the United States—Millen Atwood, Levi Savage, returning missionaries.



From Denmark—Peter Madsen and wife, Peter Jacobson and family, Ann Olsen, Berta Neilsen, Emma Browant [Bravandt], Marcan [Maren] Gregerson, Ella [Helle] Neilsen, Louiza Loutross, Johanna Maria Jensen (afterward the mother of James J. and J. Willard Squires, barbers of this city for many years), and her sister Catherine Jensen; Mari and Anne Anderson, Jens Sanberk [Sandberg], Anders Christensen, Cassius Hanson, Oleo [Ola] Wickland and family, Jens Peterson and family, Jens Neilson and family, Peter Larson and family, Paul Jacobson and wife, Rasmus P. Hanson, Mareann Jergonson [Jorgenson], Christen Jergonson, Carsten Jenson, Ni[e]ls Anderson and family, Andres [Anders] Jenson and family, Rasmus Hanson and wife, Lars Vandelin, Peter Mortenson and family, residents of Parowan, Iron county, Utah, for fifty years; Nils Hanson and wife, Anders Jergonson and family, Sophia Peterson and family, Peter Marsen [Madsen] and family, Ole Madsen, Petrina C. Janes.



Although Captain J. G. Willie's company left Iowa Hill, Ia., some fourteen or sixteen days ahead of ours, Martin's company, with the middle of July weather, and which they made good use of—and all possible haste to Florence or Winterquarters [Winter Quarters], Neb., and got away from there with only a few days rest, losing no time from there to Fort Kearney, and realizing the value of the good weather and the date that they should reach and pass Fort Larimie [Laramie]; yet before reaching the latter landmark on those dreary plains, they seemed fated that by a little possible lassitude on the part of their guard at nights over their cattle, and where it was more necessary than any other part of the journey to meet with their most crippling disaster in the loss by the Cheyenne Indians of half, or more, of their draught oxen.



This to them—at that time and place, was an irreparable loss and fatality, and from which they could not and did not recover to the end of their journey. They had made good headway from the start, with more single and able-bodied members, in comparison to Captain Martin's company, that really contained, and as heretofore recorded, the most aged and infirm, and the cleanings up of that season's emigration.



This loss of half their draught oxen necessitated the unloading onto the carts of the company of half the provisions in the wagons, and taking into considerations the three or four days' spent in hunting for the cattle, without moving camp, and after conceding further quest to be hopeless and needless, their travel for the next two and three weeks with but little more than one yoke of oxen to the wagon, was greatly hindered and impeded, placing the company back from where they would have been without this loss, not less than 125 miles.



This company did not lack by any means for members of hardihood, health, strength and endurance, for Captain Willie came to the relief party below the mouth of Willow creek, after dark at night, on Monday, October 20, 1856, and with what assistance they received from that on they were enabled to reach Salt Lake City on Sunday, November 9, the morning Martin's company left the "Ravine."Three miles west of Devil's Gate and 350 miles from Salt Lake City.



This loss on their part figures out almost proportionately with them as the unnecessary delay on Iowa Hill, Ia., of sixteen days waiting for the handcarts to be made after we got there, did to Martin's company, for now it is proof beyond question that sixteen days of fairly good weather and dry ground would have landed the latter company from the Platte bridge in the vicinity of Big Sandy or Green river, but the knowledge of the future is often withheld from the most gifted and wise and for a purpose best known to Himself.



One paragraph more from the late President Franklin D. Richards' journal on his return from Florence, Neb., to Salt Lake that season, and then follows Captain J. G. Willie's report which is the best authority as to the travels, hardships, sufferings and losses by death of his company.



Friday, Sept. 12, 1856—We overtook and camped with Brother Willie's company at North Bluff creek, consisting of 404 persons, six wagons, 87 handcarts, six yoke of oxen, thirty-two cows and five mules. They were considerably weakened by the loss of their oxen which they had failed to recover, but were in good spirits and averaging fourteen to sixteen miles a day. Here we forded the Platte river to the south side and were followed by the handcarts.



Never was a more soul-stirring sight than the party and the passage of this company over that river. Several of the carts were drawn entirely by women, yet their hearts were glad and full of hope.



It will be remembered that President Franklin D. Richards and his company of returning missionaries left Florence, Neb., on September 3, passing Martin's company on Sunday, September 7, and in five days more overtook Willie's company as above recorded. This would then place the latter company from 125-150 miles west of Martin's, and in the vicinity of Fort Kearney, where their cattle were stolen.



Captain James G. Willie's digest of his journal of the journey of his company from Liverpool, England, to Salt Lake City, Utah.



Synopsis of the fourth handcart company's trip from Liverpool, England, to Great Salt Lake City, in the spring, summer and autumn of 1856. (Written by Elder James G. Willie, Captain.)



On Thursday, May1, the ship Thornton, Captain Collins, received the Saints (761 in number) on board the ship in the Brammerley-Moore docks, Liverpool, and on the following Saturday President F. D. Richards, accompanied by the government inspector and doctor, came on board, and the Saints answered to the usual inspection and were all pronounced by those officers to be in good health. President Richards appointed myself (James G. Willie) captain of the company, and Elder Millen Atwood, Moses Clough and Johan A. Ahmanson, my counselors, and afterward in a few appropriate remarks exhorted the people to strict obedience on the passage, as otherwise they could not expect, and would not have a prosperous journey. President Richards then blessed them in the name of the Lord and by authority of the holy priesthood. Captain Willie then made the usual appointments for the promotion of cleanliness and good order, and on Sunday, May 4, at 3 a.m. the company was tugged out of the river by the Pilot. Sea-sickness soon commenced, but through the blessings of the Lord it was not frequent during the voyage, and which terminated at New York on the 14th of June. The spirit of the Lord prevailed. The ship's captain yielded to the influence which surrounded him and was kind and affable to all, often voluntarily giving from his own table for the comfort of the sick and infirm, and otherwise ministering to their wants with his own hands. He seemed to be a good man, and I felt all the time and still feel to say "God bless Captain Collins." By his sanction meetings (at which he was generally present for preaching and bearing testimony) were held on the quarterdeck, and every liberty which could in reason be expected was granted by him. He often in polite terms, complimented the Saints upon their cleanliness and upon their ready compliance with his requests from time to time, and said he never wished for a better or more orderly lot of passengers.



They certainly deserved the captain's encomium, for with scarcely an exception, they did their utmost to carry out to the very letter the instructions given. Previous to landing at New York a testimonial, expressive of the Saints' appreciation of the captain's and the doctor's kindness, was presented to them by myself; and one signed by the captain, first mate and doctor, on behalf of themselves and the ships's company, was presented to me on behalf of the Saints. On our arrival at Castle Gardens, New York, we received a hearty welcome from President John Taylor and Elder Felt. Several gentlemen of the press also paid us a visit and were very courteous toward us, appearing desirous to obtain information concerning the company from its officers, and subsequently several paragraphs appeared in different New York newspapers in praise of the general appearance and demeanor of the entire company.



On Tuesday, June 17, they started under the presidency of Elder Levi Savage for Dunkirk, a distance of 460 miles, where they arrived on the 19th, leaving Brother Attwood and myself behind to transact sundry items of business. We, however, arrived at Dunkirk by express train on the same day, and immediately embarked with the Saints on the Jersey City for Toledo, 280 miles further, where we arrived on Saturday, the 21st, in good health and spirits. We at once started per rail for Chicago, which we reached on the following day. I should mention that the railway authorities at Toledo manifested a very unkind spirit toward us, putting us to every inconvenience in their power. The conductor compelled us to land in the streets of Chicago, but the superintendent there gave us the use of an empty warehouse for the night.



The day [-] next day (the 23d) most of the English Saints left per rail at 3 p.m. and the rest at 11 p.m. for Rock Island. On the first train arriving at Pond Creek, the next day, it was ascertained that the railway bridge there had fallen down while a previous train was passing over it. Several brethren, including Brothers—and Erastus Snow, were in the train, and although many of the passengers were seriously injured, they escaped unhurt. We slept in the cars, and on the 25th the remainder of our company came up. We had much difficulty in obtaining provisions.

Transcript for Josiah Rogerson, "Captain J. G. Willie's Or, the Fourth Handcart Company of 1856 (No. 1)," Salt Lake Herald, 15 December 1907, 5

Josiah Rogerson, "Captain J. G. Willie's Or, the Fourth Handcart Company of 1856 (No. 1)," Salt Lake Herald.

Marilyn Austin Smith, Faithful Stewards--the Life of James Gray Willie and Elizabeth Ann Pettit, 95-120

Marilyn Austin Smith, Faithful Stewards--the Life of James Gray Willie and Elizabeth Ann Pettit, 95-120.

Transcript for Marilyn Austin Smith, Faithful Stewards--the Life of James Gray Willie and Elizabeth Ann Pettit, 95-120

Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company financial accounts, 1849-1886, B, 1854-1867, 204

Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company financial accounts, 1849-1886, B, 1854-1867, 204.

Perpetual Emigrating Fund, Financial Accounts 1849-1886, Ledger A

Perpetual Emigrating Fund, Financial Accounts 1849-1886, Ledger A, Page 276.

Perpetual Emigrating Fund, Financial Accounts 1849-1886, Ledger A.

Salt Lake Tribune

Strong Men, Brave Women and Sturdy Children Crossed the Wilderness Afoot

Josiah Rogerson, "Strong Men, Brave Women and Sturdy Children Crossed the Wilderness Afoot", Salt Lake Tribune, January 4, 1914.

Transcript for Josiah Rogerson, "Strong Men, Brave Women and Sturdy Children Crossed the Wilderness Afoot," Salt Lake Tribune, 4 January 1914

Salt Lake Tribune.

Wight, Mary Hurren, [Reminiscences], in James G. Willie History

Wight, Mary Hurren, [Reminiscences], in James G. Willie History.

(The following information was secured from Mrs. Mary Hurren Wight, July 10, 1936, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Joseph Baird, 523 East, 6th South, Salt Lake City, Utah. I had visited Sister Wight previously at her home in Brigham City and talked with her before she moved to Salt Lake City, and heard her relate the following incidents. (Veranl Willie)
I was eight years old when I crossed the plains with my parents in the James G. Willie Handcard [Handcart] Company. We left England on the 2nd of May, 1856, and Captain [James G.] Willie was in charge of our company, He had been in England on a mission and was returning to his family in Utah. We all loved Captain Willie. He was kind and considerate, and did all that he could for the comfort of those in his company. Many times he has laid his hands upon my head and administered to me.
I remember my father lived at Hyde Park at the time of the death of Bro. Willie. He had not heard of his sickness and he cried when he heard of his death. He said that if he had known that he had been sick he would willingly have walked from Hyde Park to Mendon to see him if need be.
I walked practically all the distance across the plains until we were snowed in. We had to be on the constant lookout for indians. We saw where members of other companies had been killed by the indians. They succeded in stealing a good many of our cattle, which greatly reduced our food supply.
During the last few days before relief came our small allowance of flour was cooked as a gruel and eaten that way. Pieces of rawhide on the handcarts were also cooked to secure what food value there was in them. I remember one morning my father [James Hurren] went out, and with a stick undovered from the snow a piece of rawhide about a foot square. After wa[s]hing it in snow water and scraping the hair off, he cut it into small strips and boiled it. Those pieces were then given to us to eat. We were very thankful to receive them, and chewed them as we would gum. until we secured what nourishment there was in it.
The snow was about eighteen inches deep and it was bitter cold in the wind. We lacked sufficient clothing and bedding, as we were limited in the amount we could bring. My shoes were wone [worn] out, and my feet and legs were badly frozen.
I remember being lifted up on the shoulder of one of the men, where I could see a grave which had been dug to bury those that had died during the day. I counted 14 bodies in this one grave. The grave was dug shallow, as no one had strength to dig it very deep, and the soil was frozen and hard. They were burried in the clothes in which they died. Two more members of our company died while these fourteen were being burried.
Captain Willie went ahead through the snow to meet the relief wagons and urge them to hurry as the people were freezing and starving to death. If help had not come when it did there would have been no one left to tell the tale. As a small girl I could hear the squeaking of the wagons as they came through the snow before I was able to see them. Tears streamed down the cheeks of the men and the children danced for joy. As soon as the people could control their feelings they all knelt down in the snow and gave thanks to God for his kindness and goodness unto them. The last supply of food in the camp had been given our [out] two days before the relief wagons came. They came just in time to save our lives.
I was placed in a wagon with two sick boys. The snow came down so fast and the wind blew so hard, that it drifted in the tracks of the wagon ahead, so that the driver of our wagon lost his way, and it was eleven o’clock at night before we were finally located by the rest of the company. During this time we had nothing but a few cracker crumbs to eat.
When we arrived in Salt Lake City we camped in the old tithing office lot, which was located where the Hotel Utah now stands. We were met by Uncle George Reeder. When he saw what a pitiful condition we were in he went for medical aid. Two doctors came back with him. In the meantime my mother had warmed some water and was ingaged in soaking the rags from off my frozen legs and feet. One of the doctors remarked, “She’ll never get over this. There’s nothing we can do here.” He did not expect that I would live more than a day or two at the most. They came back however in the morning and informed my father that the only way to save my life would be to have my legs amputated.
The doctors informed father that it would be necessary to amputate on[e] leg just above the knee, and the other one directly below the knee. Mu [My] father objected to this and said that his little girl had not walked for a thousand miles across the plains to have her legs cut off.
The flesh fell away from the calves of my legs, so that it was necessary to grow new flesh. My mother put sweetoil on my legs. I remember that on several occassions after coming to Brigham City that father walked to Ogden to secure fresh beef to mind on my legs. It was three long years be fore I was able to walk.
. . . I have always tried to do the best that I could. If I had my life to live over again I would not want to avoid any of the hardships that I have passed through. I would not want it any different.

James Hurren

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