John Riggs Murdock (1826 - 1913) Profile

Individual

death-date-qualifier-death

John Riggs Murdock

birth-date-qualifier-birth

Church History Catalog: Southern States Mission manuscript history and historical report, 1832- 1978

Church History Catalog: Southern States Mission manuscript history and historical report, 1832- 1978, Vol. 1, Page 271.

Church History Catalog: Southern States Mission manuscript history and historical report, 1832- 1978.

First Presidency missionary calls and recommendations 1877-1918

First Presidency missionary calls and recommendations 1877-1918, August 30, 1879.

First Presidency missionary calls and recommendations 1877-1918.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, Vol. I, Page 50, Line 2132.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, Vol. 2, Page 54, Line 2132.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959.

Adams, Charles, Autobiography, Cache Valley Historical Material [ca. 1955], reel 3, item 20, 2

Adams, Charles, Autobiography, Cache Valley Historical Material [ca. 1955], reel 3, item 20, 2.

<xhtml:p xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns:xhtml="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">In the spring of 1863 I drove 4 yoke of cattle to the Missoury [Missouri] river and back hauling emigrants, under John R. Murdock. When we went to load we loaded a 16 year old who was sick[.] we had to hold up the cover to get her in[,] in hot July weather. We had 18 grown people in our wagon. Some of them went to other wagons when they were emptied.</xhtml:p>

Transcript for Adams, Charles, Autobiography, Cache Valley Historical Material [ca. 1955], reel 3, item 20, 2

"Aged Pioneer Called," Millard County Progress Review

"Aged Pioneer Called," Millard County Progress Review, February 4, 1927.

"Aged Pioneer Called," Millard County Progress Review.

Amasa Potter reminiscences and journal

Amasa Potter reminiscences and journal, January 1857.

We worked here at Town called Savanna but when spring came[,] we had not Earned means safissint [sufficient] to take us all through so Father canclnd [canceled] to stay untill the year 48 so we worked untill the spring of 48 by this time we had got a yoak of oxen &amp; wagon &amp; 2 cows[.] We hiched the cows on lead &amp; started out for the West[.] We joined Lorenzo Snows company on the Elk horn River &amp; we traveled in Ezra Chases ten all the way through



Bishop Hunter hired me to drive his sheep acrost the plains and gave me 6 dollars per month[.] we would start about 4 oclock in the morning with the sheep &amp; the train would catch up to us at noon &amp; then we would start &amp; travel to the next camping place &amp; stop untill the company came up &amp; so we traveled 4 long months on the plains—



I carriade [carried] a rifle on my sholder moast all the way &amp; have killed many Antilope [Antelope] &amp; Buffalo near our sheep as we wair traveling &amp; have meat ready for the company when they came up[.] the Indians came to us many times but was always friendly to the mormons[.] This year they did not want to kill our sheep for thare was thousand of other game that they like better[.] We came in to Salt Lake Valley in September in 1848.

Transcript for Amasa Potter reminiscences and journal, 1857 January-1910 January

Amasa Potter reminiscences and journal.

Archibald, Robert, Autobiography and journal, 1856-1862, 8

Archibald, Robert, Autobiography and journal, 1856-1862, 8.

. . .But July 4, 1861 I met my wife and children Agnes, Mary, Jessie, and Bessie [Betsey Hislop Archibald Orrick] with her two children at Florence after being parted from them for fourteen months. 
We continued our journey across the plains in Captain Murdocks Company with ox teams. 
We arrived in Provo, September 15, 1861. 
Our trip across the plains was all together a pleasure trip to what we thought it would be. Our provisions became short before we could reach the Valley. 
We have been blessed indeed since we reached the Valley. . .

Transcript for Archibald, Robert, Autobiography and journal, 1856-1862, 8

"Capt. Murdock's Company," Deseret News

"Capt. Murdock's Company," Deseret News, October 1, 1862.

<center xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">CAPT MURDOCK’S COMPANY.</center>



 



<center xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">PARLEY’S PARK, 25th Sep., 1862.</center>



 



EDITOR DESERET NEWS:



I beg to forward you a brief statement of our journey form Florence to this point, believing that it will be interesting to you and your numerous readers.



Second Church train, Capt. John R. Murdock, left Florence on the 24th of July, and reached this place on the 23d of Sept., making a short and most pleasant trip in fifty-nine days.



First day out our camp was organized. Charles H. Odphant [Oliphant] was appointed chaplain; John Clerk, sergeant of the guard, and Wm. Reid, secretary.



Our train consisted of sixty-five wagons and about seven hundred souls, of these, three hundred and eighty-four were Danes, Swedes and Norwegians; the balance were English and American.



We have had fourteen deaths, two marriages and six births. The deaths were chiefly from fever and diarrhea.



I am glad to say that peace and harmony existed with us during the entire journey, and the arrangements made by the authorities gave general satisfaction.



That the honest ungathered may soon have the privilege of being blessed, as we are, is my earnest desire. With kind regards, I am, yours sincerely.



 



<center xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">WILLIAM REID.</center>

Transcript for "Capt. Murdock's Company," Deseret News, 1 October 1862, 109

"Capt. Murdock's Company," Deseret News.

Celestial Roberts Knight interview, Library of Congress collection of Mormon diaries, 1935-1938

Celestial Roberts Knight interview, Library of Congress collection of Mormon diaries, 1935-1938.

{Pages 1-2}



11.-----July 1868. Took train to Ft. Leavenworth (it may have been Ft. Laramie) by way of St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, Etc. That was before the Chicago Fire. They bought their food on the way. They had to wait in Leavenworth (Laramie) for a train. The people came in a mob to see them and stared at them as if they were cattle. They acted as if they had never seen a person before. The reason was that they were 'Mormons and one well dressed woman with some girls acted so impudent that Philip her brother who was on guard had to put her out of the enclosure. The mob became so abusive that the man in charge loaded them on cattle cars and started them westward.



12.-----John Murdock and a man named [Byron] Warner.



13.-----Mule teams and horse teams. They could see Indians ahead and in the distance, and Captain Murdock counseled them to drive out around the Railroad camps and do not stop day or night till they got out of the way of the camps and thus they would avoid the rough element that is generally found around the Railroad camps as well as the Indians which might be hanging around them. No one was to walk. The Scandinavian were great for walking and was for them more than for any of the others, as there to be no body away from the wagons. Sometimes women would way lay them and beg them to come to the camp and get warm or get some food. But they never did. They reached Salt Lake City August 28, 1868.

Transcript for Celestial Roberts Knight interview, Library of Congress collection of Mormon diaries, 1935-1938

Christensen, Hans, Autobiography, 1890

Christensen, Hans, Autobiography, 1890.

We landed at Castle garden, New York, on the 30
th
 day of May, and continued our road westward, partly by train and partly by Steemer, untill we reached Florence, Nebraska, which was the outfiting place for the season, where we arived in the early part of June. here we laid in camp six weeks, waiting for the church trains to arive. They had been detained on the road on account of high watter, while we were laying there incamped, provissions was isued to us by the church emigration Agent, Elder Joseph W. Young, and although some grumbled and were dissatisfied, I felt very thankful to God for his kind care over us thus far on the trip, and also to the Saints in Zion, who hath so kindly contributed of their means for the purpose of helping the poor to cross the plains. while incamped on the Florence hill, we had some of the heaviest thunder and rain storms that I have ever seen. Those who hath means enough to go with the independent company, were buying up, and geting their outfits together, and hath a great time handling their wild Steers and Oxen, which did not understand danish. I had an offer at that time to go with this company, and by doing so could have saved my fare, by driving a team, but on account of having promised to asist sister Kjer, until they got to Utah, I stayed with them. 
About the 15th of July the church trains comenced to arive, they had four yoke of Oxen on each Wagon, soon after their arival they were loaded partly with Iron and other heavy merchandice, and twelv persons to each wagon with their bagage provisions and tent, we traveled in Captain John Murdoc[k]'s company, who started from camp on the 24th of July, I with hundreds of others walked nearly the whole distance. Old people and those who were not well, would change about riding on the wagons on top of the bagage. To me, being young and strong the trip was a pleasure, and I received here some of my first lesons in the english languich an also in the art of driving Oxen, acording to the american metad [method], from our teamster, a young man from Sanpete County. The train would camp for noon, and night, as near to watter and grass as convinient, the Wagons were draw in a kind of a circle, &lt;on&gt; the inside of which we peatched our tents and made our camp fires, it also served as a coral to drive the Oxen into so as to catch them. the catle and also the camp was guarded every night, we saw quite a number of Indians, but hath no trouble with them. We arived in Salt Lake City in the latter part of September, and our hearts sweled with gratitude to God, for his kind protection over us, both on Land and Sea, until we had safely landed in that butyful City of the Saints;

Transcript for Christensen, Hans, Autobiography, 1890

DUP Pioneer History Collection

History of William Henry Bradfield

"History of William Henry Bradfield", DUP Pioneer History Collection, Page 1.

On July 27th we took the mule train, which consisted of fifty wagons mostly mules, a few horses and six hundred immigrants, under the leadership of Capt. John R. Murdock for the Great Salt Lake Valley. Four hundred and sixty miles west of Laramie City. Six persons died on the way, one lady died of sunstroke. The others were sick and died from hardship and exposure. All who were able to walk were compelled to do so. Mother walked almost the entire distance. We reached Salt Lake sometime in the latter part of September, 1858.

Transcript for "History of William Henry Bradfield", DUP Pioneer History Collection, Page 1.

John Haslem Clark, reminiscences

"John Haslem Clark, reminiscences", DUP Pioneer History Collection, Page 11-12.

Daughters of Utah Pioneers. DUP Pioneer History Collection.

Gardner, Hamilton. History of Lehi: Including a Biographical Section (Salt Lake City: The Lehi Pioneer Committee, 1913), 110-111

Gardner, Hamilton. History of Lehi: Including a Biographical Section (Salt Lake City: The Lehi Pioneer Committee, 1913), 110-111.

Hampton, Benjamin, Autobiographical sketch 1905, 1

Hampton, Benjamin, Autobiographical sketch 1905, 1.

"Honored Pioneer's Life Work Ends," Beaver/Weekly Press

"Honored Pioneer's Life Work Ends," Beaver/Weekly Press, November 14, 1913.

"Honored Pioneer's Life Work Ends," Beaver/Weekly Press.

"Immigration of 1868," Semi-Weekly Telegraph

"Immigration of 1868," Semi-Weekly Telegraph, September 28, 1868.

<center xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">FRIDAY EVENING, 25.</center>



IMMIGRATION OF 1868.—The following is a summary of this season’s immigration across the plains, with the date of arrival of each train in this city, the captain’s names, number of passengers, wagons, &amp;c., as reported:—



August 19th, J[ohn]. R. Murdock, 600 passengers, and 50 mule teams;



August 20th, J[oseph]. H. Rollins [Rawlins], 300 passengers, and 32 horse and mule teams;



Aug. 20th, Chester Loveland 293 passengers, and 40 teams;



Aug. 24th, Horton D. Haight, 275 passengers, and 46 ox teams;



August 29th, W[illiam]. S. Seeley, 272 passengers, and 39 teams,



September 2nd, D[aniel] McArthur, 405 passengers, and 61 teams;



Sept. 2nd, S[impson]. M. Molen, 300 passengers, and 61 ox teams;



Sept. 15th, J[ohn]. Gillespie, 500 passengers, and 50 ox teams;



Sept. 24th, E[dward]. S. Mumford, 250 passengers, and 28 mule teams; and



Sept. 25th, J[ohn]. G. Holman, 606 passengers, 62 teams, and 40 independent passengers with 8 teams.

Transcript for "Immigration of 1868," Semi-Weekly Telegraph, 28 September 1868, 3

"Immigration of 1868," Semi-Weekly Telegraph.

J. M. Tanner, A Biographical Sketch of John Riggs Murdock (Salt Lake City: The Deseret News, 1909), 162-65

J. M. Tanner, A Biographical Sketch of John Riggs Murdock (Salt Lake City: The Deseret News, 1909), 162-65.

Jacobs, Henry Peter, Brief history of Henry Peter Jacobs [by Pearl Jacobs Green], in Nora Crystal Hall Lund, Biographies Collection, [ca. 1950-1983], reel 2, 4-6

Jacobs, Henry Peter, Brief history of Henry Peter Jacobs [by Pearl Jacobs Green], in Nora Crystal Hall Lund, Biographies Collection, [ca. 1950-1983], reel 2, 4-6.

"John R. Murdock, Pioneer, is Dead," Deseret Evening News

"John R. Murdock, Pioneer, is Dead," Deseret Evening News, November 13, 1913.

"John R. Murdock, Pioneer, is Dead," Deseret Evening News.

John Riggs Murdock, Biographical sketches, 1891-2013

John Riggs Murdock, Biographical sketches, 1891-2013.

Knight, Celestial Roberts, [Interview], in "Utah Pioneer Biographies," 44 vols., 17:132-33

Knight, Celestial Roberts, [Interview], in "Utah Pioneer Biographies," 44 vols., 17:132-33.

10.	At what place did you join the company or wagon train with which you came to Utah?
 
10.	Castle Gardens in New York.
11.	When did it leave for Utah? 11.	July 1868. Took train to Ft. Leavenworth (it may have been Ft. Laramie) by way of St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, etc. That was before the Chicago Fire. They bought their food on the way. They had to wait in Leavenworth (Laramie) for a train. The people came in a mob to see them and stared at them as if they were cattle. They acted as if they had never seen a person before. The reason was that they were Mormons and one well dressed woman with some girls acted so impudent that Philip her brother who was on guard had to put her out of the enclosure. The mob became so abusive that the men in charge loaded them on cattle cars and started them westward.
12.	Who was the leader of your company or train? 12. 	John [R.] Murdock and a man named [Byron] Warner.
13.	Method of travel (handcart, ox team, mule team, horseback, etc.) 13.	Mule teams and horse teams. They could see Indians ahead and in the distance, and Captain Murdock counseled them to drive out around the railroad camps and do not stop day or night till they got out of the way of the camps and thus the would avoid the rough element that is generally found around the Railroad camps as well as the Indians which might be hanging around them. No---was to walk. "The Scandivanian[s] were great for walking and that was for them more than for any of the others, as there to be nobody away from the wagons. Sometimes women would way lay them and beg them to come to the camp and get warm or get some food. But they never did." They reached Salt Lake City August 18, 1968.

Transcript for Knight, Celestial Roberts, [Interview], in "Utah Pioneer Biographies," 44 vols., 17:132-33

Lofgreen, Anders Persson, Autobiography, 41-42

Lofgreen, Anders Persson, Autobiography, 41-42.

Lofgren, Anders Persson, A Simple Faith Anders Persson Lofgren, Swedish son-Mormon immigrant 1996, 40-42

Lofgren, Anders Persson, A Simple Faith Anders Persson Lofgren, Swedish son-Mormon immigrant 1996, 40-42.

"Mary Ann Chapple Warner, " The Work Progress Administration (Utah Section) Biographical Sketches, ca. 1930-1940

"Mary Ann Chapple Warner, " The Work Progress Administration (Utah Section) Biographical Sketches, ca. 1930-1940.

Memmott, Thomas, Thomas Memmott Journal, ed. H. Kirk Memmott, 2 vols. [1976], 1:81-91

Memmott, Thomas, Thomas Memmott Journal, ed. H. Kirk Memmott, 2 vols. [1976], 1:81-91.

Murdock, John Riggs, [Reminiscences], in Joseph M. Tanner, A Biographical Sketch of John Riggs Murdock [1909], 150-51

Murdock, John Riggs, [Reminiscences], in Joseph M. Tanner, A Biographical Sketch of John Riggs Murdock [1909], 150-51.

"The south fork of the Platte was high, and we had a dreadful time in crossing it. We reached the Missouri river, about six miles above Nebraska City. On reaching that city we made our purchases and loaded up with freight and emigrants. We remained at Nebraska City about ten days and then commenced our journey for Salt Lake City. The first night out, our horses stampede and scattered all over the country. It took us four days to find them and get them together again. After that we were frequently threatened with a repetition of a similar experience. We consequently had to keep men mounted all the time to prevent another stampede.
"One who had never seen animals stampede can scarcely understand the nature of it, nor how impossible it is to stop a stampede when once it begins. The horses and mules would all be scattered over quite an area of ground quietly feeding and at any little noise they would all jump together and away they would go like a flash. We continued our journey, and at the south fork of the Platte we were overtaken by two families. One was that of Judge Gilchrist. They had made forced marches to reach us and to gravel in our company to Utah. On our way home I was met at the mouth of Echo canyon by my devoted wife Almira. Upon reaching Salt Lake City and unloading my train, I returned with her to Lehi."

Transcript for Murdock, John Riggs, [Reminiscences], in Joseph M. Tanner, A Biographical Sketch of John Riggs Murdock [1909], 150-51

Murdock, John Riggs, [Reminiscences], in Tanner, J. M., A Biographical Sketch of John Riggs Murdock [1909], 136-40

Murdock, John Riggs, [Reminiscences], in Tanner, J. M., A Biographical Sketch of John Riggs Murdock [1909], 136-40.

Norma Baldwin Ricketts, The Mormon Battalion: U.S. Army of the West, 1846-1848 (Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press, 1996), 23

Norma Baldwin Ricketts, The Mormon Battalion: U.S. Army of the West, 1846-1848 (Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press, 1996), 23.

Owens, William Thomas, Reminiscences, in Melda Beck, comp., Life History of William Thomas Owens, Sr. (1962), 2-3

Owens, William Thomas, Reminiscences, in Melda Beck, comp., Life History of William Thomas Owens, Sr. (1962), 2-3.

In the late spring of 1862, we reached Florence, Nebraska, where a number of Saints were settled, trying to do a little farming. Father signed up with John R. Murdock’s Company to cross the plains in his train of fifty wagons, drawn by three or four yokes of oxen. Our teamster was a Mr. Stephens, From Provo, Utah. Captain Murdock was a splendid man, and to me that journey was a wonderful experience even though, I, at seven years of age, and my brother Edward, nine or ten, had to walk barefoot most of the way. We saw lots of Indians, most of them being friendly, and large herds of buffalo and antelope.



	After four months of travel, we finaly reached the wonderful city of Salt Lake.

Transcript for Owens, William Thomas, Reminiscences, in Melda Beck, comp., Life History of William Thomas Owens, Sr. (1962), 2-3

Pedersen, H.J. to Lars Pedersen

Pedersen, H.J. to Lars Pedersen, October 19, 1862.

Farmington Oct. 19, 1862.
 
Dear Brother Lars Pedersen: 
I am well and fortunately now have arrived in Salt Lake Valley, so I will again take my pen and tell you about the journey over the desert. . .I crossed the plains with Rasmus Hogard [Jorgen Rasmussen Hoggard]. We had good luck and a quick journey. We left Florence on July 14. The first half of the journey approximately to Fort Laramie, Wyoming the country is level with grassy plains. Later the road over and among the mountains most of the way. We had enough water every day and grass for the oxen there is no great scarcity of. So we got along well. 
The 23rd of September we reached Salt Lake City. . . .

Transcript for Pedersen, H.J. to Lars Pedersen, 19 Oct. 1862, in Hans Jorgen Peterson, Autobiography, 14

Pedersen, H.J. to Lars Pedersen.

Potter, Amasa, Reminiscences and journal

Potter, Amasa, Reminiscences and journal, January 1857.

Potter, Amasa, Reminiscences and journal.

Redington, John, Journal, 1859-1905, 352-54

Redington, John, Journal, 1859-1905, 352-54.

At Florence we were to commence our Journey accross the Plains with Ox teams that were on the way from Utah to meet us, they, or at least some companys arrived here a few days after our arrival from the East, and it was only about two weeks after we arrived here that all was ready to start out one Company on their Journey across the plains.
Myself &amp; Wife [Marian Brown Redington] (We could carry our Darling no further) were in the first Company under the charg of Captain John Murdock, then of Lehi, Utah, we commened this part of our journey on June 30th [18]63.
I agreed to drive a team of two or three Yoke of cattle to S.L. City and was afterwards given the team that bro. Wm Mc[C]lellen of Payson drove down. I drove this team all the way to S.L. City, Bro. Mclellen having other duties to perform in the Company. My wife travelled with the same team. While I do not personally know, how near our trail of those days, I have just past over, I understand that the U.P.R.R. travels in the same general direction, crossing &amp; recrossing the old Ox Trail. I distincly remember one place here in the mountains in which there can be no mistake, I mean the road down Echo Kanyon [Canyon]. Of course the Main line of the U.P. starts from Omaha, the branch I have just come over starts at Kansas City &amp; runs to Denver then to Cheyenne near where it connects with the Main line. Our Ox train of 63 started only a few miles from Omaha &amp; we travelled the whole length of the State of Nebraska, this part of our journey is generally designated as the Plains crossing which we travelled for whole days &amp; weeks without seeing a hill large enough for a horse to hide behind, it reminded me of the sea and seemed as limitless, the latter part of the journey is mountains, my health was good &amp; I enjoyed this part of our journey, one of the worst feitures [features] was the dust. We arrived in Salt Lake City on the 29th of August, making just one day less than 4 months from the time we were towed out of Liverpool docks.

Transcript for Redington, John, Journal, 1859-1905, 352-54

Soffe, Mary Charlotte Jacobs, The Story of My Life, [1933], 11-20

Soffe, Mary Charlotte Jacobs, The Story of My Life, [1933], 11-20.

"The Companies for the Missouri River," Deseret News

"The Companies for the Missouri River," Deseret News, June 4, 1862.

<center xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The Companies for the Missouri River.</center>



The companies with teams for the Missouri have been often heard from since their departure and were getting along quite well considering the high waters and bad roads, which, as anticipated, had impeded their progress. Those difficulties, however, had, to latest dates from the several trains, been, by diligence and perseverance, overcome with but little loss or damage—a few wagons upset and broken, with some little loss of provisions and other articles comprising their casualities.



Col. Burton and company, returning from the "seceded" or "infested" section of the eastern road, through which he escorted Mr. Hooper and those accompanying him, met Capt. [John R.] Murdock and company at Fort Bridger, which place they left on the morning May 28th, expecting to camp that night on Muddy, twenty miles distant. Captain [Homer] Duncan’s train, with Captain [Joseph] Horn[e]’s close in the rear, was met that forenoon a few miles this side of Fort Bridger. Captain [Ansel P.] Harmon left Bear river on the morning of the 29th, and the companies in charge of Captains [Horton D.] Haight and [Henry W.] Miller, respectively, were met on that day near each other about fifteen miles up Echo, all well and progressing finely.

Transcript for "The Companies for the Missouri River," Deseret News, 4 June 1862, 388

"The Companies for the Missouri River," Deseret News.

"The Immigration," Deseret News

"The Immigration," Deseret News, July 23, 1862.

<center xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">THE IMMIGRATION.</center>



A telegraphic dispatch to Prest. Young announced the arrival at Florence on the 16th inst., of Captains [John R.] Murdock and [Homer] Duncan with their trains from this city. Nothing to acknowledge has been heard from the other trains recently, but it is believed that the companies in charge of Captains [Joseph] Horne and [Ansel P.] Harmon were not far behind Captain Duncan. The other two companies in charge of Captains [Horton D.] Haight and [Henry W.] Miller had some difficulty in crossing the streams this side of the South Pass, and were some distance behind the other trains when they passed Laramie and may not yet have left the Missouri river on their return.



A storm is reported to have occurred in Florence, before the arrival there of the first train from the mountains in which two of the immigrants were killed, and a few others slightly injured.

Transcript for "The Immigration," Deseret News, 23 July 1862, 28

"The Immigration," Deseret News.

"The Immigration," Semi-Weekly Telegraph

"The Immigration," Semi-Weekly Telegraph, August 17, 1868.

<center xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">THURSDAY EVENING, 13.</center>



 
THE IMMIGRATION.—We are indebted to President B. Young for the following telegrams:



 



<center xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">New York, August 12, 1868.</center>



 
The last ship, "Emerald Isle," has arrived. Thirty-seven deaths occurred during the passage. Forty have been sent to hospital, mostly Danish brethren with measles.



 



<center xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">H. B. CLAWSON.</center>



 



 



 



<center xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Fort Bridger, Aug. 13, 1868.</center>



 
My train is on the way, in good condition. Will be at Salt Lake the twentieth.



 



<center xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">J. R. MURDOCK.</center>

Transcript for "The Immigration," Semi-Weekly Telegraph, 17 August 1868, 3

"The Immigration," Semi-Weekly Telegraph.

Thompson, John, "An English Convert Encounters Martin Harris," in Campus Education Week Program, comp., Voices from the Past: Diaries, Journals, and Autobiographies, ed. Leonard J. Arrington, and others [1980], 85

Thompson, John, "An English Convert Encounters Martin Harris," in Campus Education Week Program, comp., Voices from the Past: Diaries, Journals, and Autobiographies, ed. Leonard J. Arrington, and others [1980], 85.

My father worked for Goram & Company at Providence until the spring of 1862. My parents had joined the Mormon Church in the year 1848. They wanted to come to Zion; so in the year of 1862 we left Providence to come to Utah. We came by road and steamboat to Florence, stayed there a few days and then we loaded into a wagon that was drawn by four yoke of oxen. The names of the four yoke of cattle were as follows: Duke and Dim, Lion and Bay, Speck and Buck, Balley and Brand. Our Captain’s name was Murdock, and teamster’s name was John Middleston [Middleton].	
We arrived in Salt Lake City that fall.

Transcript for Thompson, John, "An English Convert Encounters Martin Harris," in Campus Education Week Program, comp., Voices from the Past: Diaries, Journals, and Autobiographies, ed. Leonard J. Arrington, and others [1980], 85

Thompson, John, Autobiography, 1922, 1

Thompson, John, Autobiography, 1922, 1.

<xhtml:p xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns:xhtml="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">So in the Spring of 1862 we left Providence for Utah. We come from Providence by R. Road and Steam boat to Florence. Stayed at Florence a few days and was loaded into a wagon drawn by 4 yoke of oxen. The name of the 4 yoke of cattle was as follows: Duke and Dim, Lion and Bay, Speck and Buck, and Balley and Brand. Our captain name was [John R.] Murdock and our Teamster name was John Middleton. We landed in Salt Lake City that fall—don't know the date. . . .</xhtml:p>

Transcript for Thompson, John, Autobiography, 1922, 1

Thuesen, Hermina Petrine Ambrosen, [Biographical sketches of Herman Conrad and Johanna Clausen Ambrosen, and Daniel Peter Thuesen, n.d.], 1

Thuesen, Hermina Petrine Ambrosen, [Biographical sketches of Herman Conrad and Johanna Clausen Ambrosen, and Daniel Peter Thuesen, n.d.], 1.

We landed in Florence earlier Winter Quarters on the 1st of June where we stayed for two weeks waiting for the wagons to come. 
We left Florence the 15th of June in Captain Murdock's Company, continued our journey without any special happenings till we arrived in Salt Lake on the 28th day of September 1863.

Transcript for Thuesen, Hermina Petrine Ambrosen, [Biographical sketches of Herman Conrad and Johanna Clausen Ambrosen, and Daniel Peter Thuesen, n.d.], 1

Winterton, [John Marriott], Autobiographical sketch, 188, in Histories and biographies written by members of Camp Sunflower, Daughters of Utah Pioneers of Center Utah County, Provo, Utah

Winterton, [John Marriott], Autobiographical sketch, 188, in Histories and biographies written by members of Camp Sunflower, Daughters of Utah Pioneers of Center Utah County, Provo, Utah, Vol. 4.

While waiting at Florence, Nebraska about a month for the immigrants’ train from Utah, John and I went out and worked for a Mr. Davis for our board. We learned afterwards that this was against council but were glad we didn’t know it at the time as we were almost starved. The night before the train was to leave, father came out and got us. It rained so hard that we had to sit up in the wagon all night. Brother John R. Murdock was captain of the company, with Brother Abram Hatch as first assistant. We traveled with this train almost to the Black Hills on the Sweet Waters. There Captain Cre[i]ghton’s train drivers had left him to go to California where there was a gold rush on[.] So Captain Creghton came to Capt. Murdock for help. John and I, with others, stayed with Captain Creghton’s train, but father continued with his train to Salt Lake City. This company promised to treat us well and to pay us $20.00 a month. Here is where I had my first experience with oxen, driving three yoke. Just imagine a green city boy trying to keep track of where they belonged. I marked the leaders with a big mark on the outside, two marks on the outside of the next pair, and three marks on the outside of the wheelers; and, believe me, I made the marks so they could be seen. I made the marks with dope off the wagon wheels.	
Needless to say, we traveled slowly. On arriving at Devil’s Gate we turned our cattle out for the night. Next morning we found some of them dead, having drunk too much Salaratus [saleratus] water. We stayed at this place three or four days or until a Mormon train came along. The leader told Captain Creghton to get away as soon as possible because the Salaratus water would kill all our cattle. Among the dead were two of mine. We traveled so slowly that we arrived in Salt Lake about four weeks behind the company we started with. It was conference time in the fall of 1863.

Transcript for Winterton, [John Marriott], Autobiographical sketch, 188, in Histories and biographies written by members of Camp Sunflower, Daughters of Utah Pioneers of Center Utah County, Provo, Utah, vol. 4

Winterton, [John Marriott], Autobiographical sketch, 188, in Histories and biographies written by members of Camp Sunflower, Daughters of Utah Pioneers of Center Utah County, Provo, Utah.

Young, John R., Memoirs of John R. Young: Utah Pioneer, 1847 [1920], 286-96

Young, John R., Memoirs of John R. Young: Utah Pioneer, 1847 [1920], 286-96.

Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days

Prophets of the Restoration

Global Histories

Revelations in Context

Women of Conviction

Joseph Smith Papers

Church Historian’s Press

More

Publications

Church History Museum

Historic Sites

Church History Library

Visit

Church History Catalog

Missionary Database

Pioneer Database

Treasures of the Collection

Pioneer Resources

Research

Church Historic Sites

Quick Links

Church History Biographical Database

/chd/landing

motherReferenceId

fatherReferenceId

birthPlace

baptizedBy

baptizedByReferenceId

company-arrived

joined-company

pioneerCompanyReferenceIdValue

associatedPeople

released

departed-from-home

arrived-in-field

arrived-at-home

set-apart

missionQualifier

maritalStatusWhenCalled

Presided over the Tennessee Conference.

John Riggs Murdock

Birth Date

Death Date

Gender

Sources