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John Banford

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Banford, Samuel, [Interview], in "Utah Pioneer Biographies," 44 vols., 4:51-52

Banford, Samuel, [Interview], in "Utah Pioneer Biographies," 44 vols., 4:51-52.

". . . . From Boston we went on a cattle train to Iowa where we outfitted for the journey across the plains.		
 "In the party were my mother, myself and my brothers and sisters, John Banford, Richard Banford, William Banford, Martha Banford (who later married Charles Cole), Job Pingree and Mrs. Mary Anne McCarty Madden. This Job Pingree was the father of John Pingree. James Pingree, Frank Pingree and the Job Pingree who is living in Ogden now.		
 "While crossing the plains my brother John was killed when the oxen stampeded one day. His back was broken when he was run over.		
 "My brother Richard died of a disease called the black canker. Both were buried in rude graves along the trail.		
 "We saw the prairies black with buffalo. The great herds numbered tens of thousands. The hunters killed some and we had lots of excellent fresh meat.		
 "I helped drive the oxen, because I was then 12 years old and had to help my mother, who was a widow. We were in a Captain Martin's company.		
 "While we were crossing the plains we met up with supply trains of freight wagons and columns of soldiers belonging to General Albert Sidney Johnston's army. The soldiers were on their way to Utah and they used to try to scare us by saying they were going to subdue Utah. But we didn't scare.		
 "Further on the supply trains were stopped and destroyed by Lot Smith and the soldiers had to go into camp for the winter at Fort Bridger. We came on into Utah and reached Ogden on my birthday, September 22, 1857."

Transcript for Banford, Samuel, [Interview], in "Utah Pioneer Biographies," 44 vols., 4:51-52

DUP Pioneer History Collection

Life of Job Pingree

"Life of Job Pingree", DUP Pioneer History Collection, Page 3-4.

We camped there awhile and bought a wagon, four oxen and a cow and left there in Jesse B. Martin's company. . . .


The country between Florence and Utah was not settled then; it was a wild and barren country and the settlers were wild Indians.


We had singing and prayers every night and morning in our camp. Very often we would sing "Come, Come Ye Saints". At the Missouri River we met some apostates who told lots of bad things about Utah. We also met some missionaries from Utah. Seymour B. Young was one of them. They came with hand carts from Utah, and the chorus of their song was "Cheer up Ye Elders, we to the world will show that Israel will be gathered soon, and Oxen are too slow!" Apostle John Taylor passed us here on his way from New York to Utah. Some of the elders went with him as a guard for several days.


I walked all the way from Iowa City to Utah and every other night had to be on guard half the night with the cattle. We got along pretty well until we came to the Platte River bottom where there was lots of buffalo. Then we had trouble with our cattle stampeding and running off. Several of the cattle were lost and one of ours happened to be lost so we had to work a cow from there to Utah. When we camped at night our wagons were put in the shape of a horse shoe, only left narrow so we could drive the cattle in to catch them. One morning when we were yoking them up and hitching them to the wagons they stampeded—running over people and one old man was killed. My Mother had a little boy killed and her daughter Martha's hip was broken so she had to be hauled in the wagon all the way to Utah.


At this place Elder Latey and several others left the company and went back to Omaha and lived there. At this place we could see the land black with buffalo for miles. We also saw many small herds of deer grazing in the distance. In our travels we crossed many streams of water. On account of the loss of cattle the ladies had to walk and to save them wading streams, I carried many of them over. I also helped get feed for the cattle carry water and wood or buffalo chips to cook with.


There was a hand cart company which caught up with us; sometimes they were ahead of us and sometimes behind, until we got to Salt Lake City and we both reached there the same day,—September 12, 1857. On the trip our cattle's feet got tender and we had to throw them down and shoe them. Robert McQuarrie and I always helped the blacksmiths who did this work.

Transcript for "Life of Job Pingree", DUP Pioneer History Collection, Page 3-4.

Daughters of Utah Pioneers. DUP Pioneer History Collection.

McQuarrie, Lillie Mikkelsen, [Biographical sketch of Robert McQuarrie, 1962], 2-3

McQuarrie, Lillie Mikkelsen, [Biographical sketch of Robert McQuarrie, 1962], 2-3.

We left Toledo about 7 p.m. for Chicago and arrived in Iowa City about May 1st. We remained in Iowa City 1 month. During that time we were preparing wagons, bows and yokes. Monday, June 1 We left Iowa City and got along very well although we had a few bad teamsters and unbroken cattle. We traveled 3 miles that 1st day and camped. 
Tuesday June 2 We layed around all day and settled with James A. Little for wagons, cattle, etc.
June 3rd We started the next morning, with a company of 31 wagons. Jesse B. Martin Captain of the company. C. R. Danna [Charles Root Dana] was captain of the 1st 10 wagons. James Carrigan captain of the 2nd 10 wagons. Oliver Workman, captain of the 3rd 10 wagons. Brother [David] Curtis, captain of the guard. Traveled 5 miles and camped. From the 3rd to the 9th traveled from 5 to 12 miles a day. Had good feed for cattle, but water was scarce. Wood plentiful. Every day was bout the same, traveling a few miles and camping. We had many visitors come to see what the Mormons looked like.
June 13th Camped for noon, when Jeseph [Joseph] Young and Brigham Young came and preached to us. From the 13th to the 20th was about the same.
Sat. 20 We started at 7 o’clock in the morning, we had not traveled far when we were met by four brethren from Salt Lake City on their way to Canada to preach the gospel. Traveled 16 miles and camped for the night.
Monday 22 We buried a little child belonging to a Mrs. [Charlotte Tarrant] Banford that died at 11 o’clock.
23rd We started at 9 o’clock. Traveled 11 miles and camped at Council Bluffs.
24th We started at 6:30 in the morning. Brother Grimer’s wagon got upset in a creek. A little child was in the wagon, but got out safely. We traveled 10 miles and camped at Florence.
25th We layed around all day, got provisions ready for the plains.
26th Could not travel on account of rain. Bought a yoke of cattle for $90.00.
29th We traveled 19 miles that day and camped near 18 wagons of apostates.
30th We met 70 men from Salt Lake City, going to assist in the rear migration, for the U.S. troops were close behind going to Salt Lake City to kill off the Mormons. We traveled 5 miles and rested 4 hours. Good feed and water. Here we met 50 men from Provo. We traveled 5 more miles and stopped for the night. 80 head of cattle strayed in search of food, so we could not start too early. We traveled 16 miles and stopped in Green River, Wyoming.
Sept 9 This is September now. We traveled 20 miles a day until we got to Big Mountain.
Sat: On Sat. Sept. 12th Brother Robert Baxter met us. We went into Salt Lake City and camped on the public square. At 2 o’clock Brother Baxter took us, my father’s family to his house and kindly entertained us for 1 week.

Transcript for McQuarrie, Lillie Mikkelsen, [Biographical sketch of Robert McQuarrie, 1962], 2-3

Musser, Amos M

Musser, Amos M, August 19, 1857.

<center>From the Plains.</center>
	ELDER MUSSER writes us from Fort Laramie, Aug. 19th, from which we make the following extracts:
	"We are now within about 7 miles of the above named Fort under circumstances truly prosperous. Thus far we have been blessed beyond anticipation or expectation. We have lost but one ox and left but one wagon, and that an old one not worth hauling half the way.
	"General health prevails and a unanimity of feeling exists throughout. This last, you know, is a striking or prominent characteristic of the Latter Day Saints. Yesterday we unanimously deputed Elder W. [William] G. Young to precede the emigration companies to the valley, that he may be enabled to report at head-quarters their exact position and circumstances, and that they may in time receive succour if necessary.
	"I regret to have to mention several deaths, and the loss of a number of cattle, through stampedes, in Captain [Jesse B.] Martin's and Captain [Jacob] Hofhiens' companies. The first of these companies lost a number of cattle in the stampede, so laming the train that several families were obliged to return to Genoa. Bros. [Thomas Henry] Latey, Greener, [Robert] Gillis and Keates, with their families and friends, were those that returned.
	"Brother E. [Edward] Howard, from Sheffield, aged sixty-five, and a daughter of Sister [Charlotte Terrant] Banford, aged four years, were the sufferers. They were interred in a double grave which formed a melancholy feature of the fatal spot where the tragic scene occurred. A Sister Rogers, and a daughter of Sister [Ann Steed] Turner's were seriously injured, so much so that their recovery was hardly looked for. Captain Hofheins' train lost upwards of thirty head of cattle. No human suffering I believe. The Hand-Cart Companies are, as far as we can learn, going along pretty well, but slower than was expected.
	"Several fresh graves mark the steps of the Angel of Death amongst them. I think we noticed but three or four. The names of three I remember well, as follows: Brother James Reader, late from St. Louis, formerly from England; Brother Peter Hanson, a Dane, and a young female by the name of Emerretta Green.
	"We learn that the company of soldiers, set apart to straighten the Utonians out, have lost 800 head of cattle, through stampedes; 60 head had been recovered. It is reported that Gen. Harney, their commander, had been remanded for shooting one of his subordinates, a lieutenant, in a duel."

Transcript for Musser, Amos M., 19 Aug. 1857, Fort Laramie, in "From the Plains," The Mormon, 19 Sep. 1857, 3

John Banford

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