John Steele (1821 - 1903) Profile

John Steele (1821 - 1903)

Mission Monument

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John Steele, Jr.

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A gamble in the desert: the Mormon mission in Las Vegas (1855-1857)

A gamble in the desert: the Mormon mission in Las Vegas (1855-1857). 2005.

A gamble in the desert: the Mormon mission in Las Vegas (1855-1857).

British Mission manuscript history and historical reports, 1841-1971

British Mission manuscript history and historical reports, 1841-1971, June 25, 1877.

British Mission manuscript history and historical reports, 1841-1971.

Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1830-2008

Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1830-2008, April 6, 1855, Page 6.

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

Las Vegas Mission record book, 1855 April-1857 March

Las Vegas Mission record book, 1855 April-1857 March, April 22, 1855.

Las Vegas Mission record book, 1855 April-1857 March.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, May 21, 1877, Vol. 2, Page 42, Line 1635.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, May 21, 1877, Vol. 1, Page 38, Line 1635.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959.

Mormon Indian Mission-1855

Mormon Indian Mission-1855, Wesley R. Law. Brigham Young University, Provo, 1959.

Mormon Indian Mission-1855.

John Steele reminiscences and journals, 1846-1898

John Steele, Journal, 24 May, July 30, 1847.

the Captain and Company has arived from Stafee [Santa Fe] being gone 18 days and brings word that we are to go to California and to start on the 25 of May with 2½ months of provisions



May 24 Started &amp; came 8 miles and camped[.] a guard was then placed to prevent any one from taking our animals



25 Started and came 23 miles this day[.] a severe Hail storm came on us &amp; we had to lay down in the wett



Saturday 28 this day we started &amp; came miles 18 to a place called Jamey’s Camp named after that same James that the High peeke was named after[.] we have been lying still since Tuesday to this day



Sunday 30 Came 18 miles over a most beautifull rolling prieri [prairie] &amp; through some pine timber to point of rocks



Monday 31 Came from the point of rocks to cherry Creek a distance of miles 20[.] pine plenty



Tuesday 1st June 1847 
Came 20 miles and camped on Cherry Creek[.] there are plenty of grass &amp; a good country



Wednesday 2 Came 18 miles &amp; camped



3. Came 20 miles &amp; camped on the South fork of the Platt[e][.] This Evening <s>Sgt Shelton</s> Dr [William Walker] Rust came up and told us that Sgt [Sebert Crutcher] Shelton lost all His horses[.] It is now 145 miles from Pueblo



4 this morning Captn [James] Brown called a vote to se how many men would up hold him &amp; stand by him to cary out all commands that ware wright[.] we passed 4 trading houses this day[,] one of them had a 6 pounder in it[.] feed scarce[.] camped after coming miles 20



Satturday 5 started &amp; came 9 miles to the crossing[.] there is one old fort here[.] crossed the Platt[e] about 12 oclock and came 9 miles and camped on its banks



6 lay too all day



Monday 7 started &amp; came 24 miles crossed the Cashley Poud [Cache La Poudre River] named so by some Frenchman that hid some powder[.] crossed Crow Creek[.] there are neither feed[,] wood nor watter but an abundant crop of prickly pears



Tuesday 8 lay too all day



Wednesday 9 Shelton come up with 10 oxon &amp; two cows which ware after wards sold[.] one to Captn Brown for 13½ and the other to David Linghland [Laughlin] for 20 dollars



Thur 10 Came 20 miles and camped on Sand Creek



Friday 11 Came 20 miles and camped on poll creek[.] there is a good spring here[.] after we got our Tents pitched there was a cry made that Wolsy &amp; Tippets was come with Amas A Lyman [Amasa M. Lyman.] I went with all Speed &amp; found it so



Satt 12 came on to horse Creek 18 miles



Sund 13 this day had Elder Ama E to preach[.] he said to leave off our cards playing &amp; profane swearing and return to God and a great many other things[.] he said we were not as bad as he expected to find us[.] Capt Bn then got up and made an axknowledge ment &amp; said he had just played one game and how he had kept up publick worshp &amp; preaching twice a week



From La Publo to Larimay 293



Monday 14 Came 10 miles and camped on Box alder crek



Tues 15 Came 18 miles and camped on cotton wood



Wednsy 16 Started &amp; came 20 miles to Larimays Fork[.] about 50 of us upon horses to get some of the Brethrens horses that had been stolen[.] got the Horses came back &amp; camped[.] Men on guard that night[.] there are about 70 Lodges of Sooes [Sioux] camped here[.] We came 20 miles this day



Thurs 17 Crossed the river &amp; came 6 miles and camped by the North fork



Friday 18 Came 18 miles and camped by a warm Spring



19 Came 17 miles and camped by a good Spring[.] we are passing some of the mile boards[.] 17 of June



Sunday 20 Lay too all day[.] Amos E Lyman preached &amp; said he had watched us and to leave of our folly and be men of God and then captain Bn got up and made acknowlegements of his faults and said he had been hit very hard[.] he then went on to run down his boys and Said one man had the Ausumption to contradict him in plceing out a picket guard and said it is not worth while to plant them on the top of an high hill after dark for the cant see and said he was not going to be counceled by any private Soldier[,] his councellars was offiers[.] I am the man and I tried it and could neither heare nor se



Monday 21 Came 21 miles and camped the missoury[.] Cattle are dying off with some dstemper or poison[.] good watter



22 came 15 miles &amp; camped on bar creek[,] we are comming through Hills of great hight deep valeys



Wed 23 came 18 miles and Camped on a very fine Stream[.] this day I was on rear guard &amp; dscovered something jumping over the rocks like Indians[.] we poot[put] after it and coming up it raised upon its hind end[.] A large Bear, our horses wheeled and run 50 yards or so[.] ralied them again &amp; charged[.] I chased them 3 about a mile among the rocks[.] it stoped[,] I wheeled and shot hir threw the lights and pecked [packed] her home



Thirs 24 lay to all day



Friday 25 came to the River again and camped by a fine Stream[.] 16 [miles.] got our horses[,] loaded Buffalo



Sat 26 Came 16 miles along the river[.] plenty of Buffalo &amp; good feed



Sun 27 Came 6 miles to the platt[e] where we found Brother Grover &amp; company Buisy Ferrying large companies of missourians accross[.] 150 cts for crossing[.] &lt;from Fort John to the crossing platt 127&gt;



Monday 28 lay too all day[.] about 15 of our Breathren went a head to overtake the Pioneers



Tues 29 Crossed over in the Evening &amp; camped for the night



Wed 31 Came 8 miles and camped by the old crossing[.] Plenty of Oregon Emagrants all the way



Thurs 1st of July 1847 Platt River[.] Came 30 miles &amp; camped by the willow Springs[.] Plenty of wood &amp; watter[,] grass scarce[.] Plenty of antelope[.] I came across a place in the mountains that is hollow[.] I could find no bottom[.] the lava boils up when you remove &lt;the&gt; surface



Friday 2 Came 20 miles through the mountains and found Several lakes covered with Soleretus [Saleratus.] the watters taists like Strong Epsom salts[.] Camped by Independent [Independence] Rock on Sweet watter[.] there are Snow to be seen on the mountains



Sat 3 came 10 camped by Sweet watter[,] plenty of feed



Sund 4 Sent a company of hunters out, towards night on Monday our Hunters returned Loaded heavy with meat



Tuesday 6 lay too all day to dry our meat



Wednes 7 came 18 miles good road Snow to be seen



Thurs 8 came 14 miles over a sandy road met Phenes [Phineas] Young[,] Brother Walker &amp; others going back to meet the families



Friday 9 came 23 miles through sand[.] Camped by Sweet watter [Sweetwater.] there are a number of Sick in our camp



Satt 10 Cam 15 miles over the mountains



Sund 11 this day lay too and had a good preach from Amas E



Monday 12 Came this day miles 25 and camped on Sweet watter[.] plenty of Stream. there was an Indian woman came to us about 120 years of age being left by her tribe[.] I guathred [gathered] her about 50 weight and left with her[.] She was thankfull



Tues 13 Came 16 miles and Camped on dry creek[.] this day we came to the highest point of the mountains from whence the watters runs to the pesifick [Pacific][.] thers are called the green Springs the flow West ward



Wed 14 came 20 miles all way down Hill and camped by Sand Creek[.] this Evening Elder brannon left for green river[.] good feed



Thursday 15 Came to big Sandy 20 miles



Friday 16 this morning at Sun up there ware several Shots fired to celebrate the 16 morn that freid [freed] us from U[ncle] Sam[.] came on to green river 8 miles[.] Blocked up our waggon Boxes and crossed[.] the watters is about arms deep



Sattur 17 Came 23 miles and camped on Blacks fork



Sund 18 Came 15 miles crossed Blacks fork &amp; Hams Fork then crossed Blacks fork &amp; camped



Mon 19 came 17 miles and camped by Ft. Bridger[.] bought som Skins[.] Captn Brown bought 5 Horses for 220 dollers for to go to the Bay[.] gave U.S. for them



Tues 20 Came 13 miles and camped this day[.] Brother [William] Casto came back to us from the pioneer camp



Wedns 21 came miles 20 over the mountains[.] at bridgers we are 6665 feet above the Sea[.] plenty of Springs of Iron oar &amp; Coppores &amp; Sulpher[.] Camped two miles from Bear river[.] there is a Greece [grease] or Tar Spring here one mile from our camp S W[.] this evening I heard from Sgt Hanks that captn Brown withdrew five mens rations also 340 pounds that was back retions [rations] blonging to us the time we lay in pueblo and 240 pounds of Flower that was taken out of the Store house Soposed to be Captn Brown



Thurs 22 Came 17 miles this day about 12 miles from Bear River[.] I came through about one achre [acre] of Flax[.] came to Readings Cave and camped



Friday 23 Came 16 miles this day. as I was coming along four miles from where we camped last night I went and discovered a cave about 200 feet high 40 feet long 20 wide[.] I wrote our names in the Rocks on the 23 of July[.] we then found Sugar maple &amp; oak[,] cedar[,] cottonwood &amp; pine[,] Ironwood[,] Birch[,] Curns &amp;c



Satt 24 Came 10 miles through willow brush[.] plenty of Hops[.] rained &amp; thundered at night



Sund 25 lay too[.] Elder Lyman Told us we hadgot out from jentile [gentile] persecution and now we would be troubled with Devils in our own midst and said that there was some of the darkest caractures [characters] here that could be &amp; the offisers were run upon and their orders disobeyed which caused Captn B to get up and ask if he had not acted as a father to us and tell how good he had been[.] not a man spoke becaus we ware told when we would get to head Quartirs all would be Right[.] He is such a Father as the Devil would be to us



Mon 26 Came 15 miles &amp; camped in the willows[.] had considerable trouble to gather our oxon



Tues 27 this day came 13 miles &amp; camped on a fine bottom[.] here Elder Amas E left for the pioneers



Wednes 28 Come 18 miles all the way through brush &amp; Firs[.] come to the Top of the Hill from whence could be seen the valey where our breathren are planting[.] Camped at the bottom of the hill[.] James Oakley &amp; others came to us and said it was 12 mile



Thurs 29 lay too all day and gathered lots of Service berries to our teams would come up



Friday 30 Came on 12 miles to the valey[.] all the Twelve came out to meet us and gave us a hearty welcome[.] when I first came into the valey I killed a wolf



August 1 1847 From the crossing of the Platt to the valey is just 403 [miles.] So much for the comment[.] we marched rank and file to the ground alloted to us

Transcript for John Steele, Journal, 24 May-30 July 1847

John Steele reminiscences and journals, 1846-1898.

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

The Mormon Battalion: U.S. Army of the West, 1846-1848, Logan, Utah, Utah State University Press, 1996, Page 23.

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

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Mary Campbell Steele

Catherine Campbell

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Chosen "Captain of the Las Vegas Guards"

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Parowan, Iron, Utah Territory, United States

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Toquerville, Washington, Utah Territory, United States

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The Church History Biographical Database is a powerful research tool that contains biographical entries on over 100,000 early Latter-day Saints, such as pioneers who traveled to Utah and missionaries who served throughout the world from 1830-1940.

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John Steele, Jr.

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