John Taylor (1808 - 1887) Profile

John Taylor (1808 - 1887)

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John Taylor

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Eastern States Mission manuscript history and historical reports, 1830-1977

Eastern States Mission manuscript history and historical reports, 1830-1977, Vol. 2, Part 1, Page 11.

Eastern States Mission manuscript history and historical reports, 1830-1977.

Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1830-2008

Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1830-2008, July 25, 1846, Page 1.

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

Index to the British Mission manuscript history and historical reports

Index to the British Mission history, 1841-1971, Church History Library.

Index to the British Mission manuscript history and historical reports.

John Taylor collection, 1829-1894

John Taylor collection, 1829-1894.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, July 22, 1869, Vol. 2, Page 13, Line 504.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, July 22, 1869, Vol. 1, Page 12, Line 504.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959.

Chauncey W. West diary

Chauncey W. West diary, June 1847.

Transcript for Chauncey W. West diary, 1847 June-September

Chauncey W. West diary.

Deseret Evening News

Elder's Correspondence: Extract from a letter from F. D. Richards to the Editor

"Elder's Correspondence: Extract from a letter from F. D. Richards to the Editor", Deseret Evening News, June 12, 1852, Page 2.

Deseret Evening News.

Deseret News

Arrival

"Arrival", Deseret News, August 12, 1857, Page 5.

Deseret News.

From Kirtland to Salt Lake City

John Taylor letter in From Kirtland to Salt Lake City

Little, James Amasa, "John Taylor letter in From Kirtland to Salt Lake City", From Kirtland to Salt Lake City, Page 142-43.

Of this joyful occasion Elder John Taylor writes in a letter to the Saints in England, dated Great Salt Lake City, December 7th, 1847. "Four hundred miles from this place we received by express from the pioneers, the pleasing intelligence of their arrival at this place which they had selected for the Saints. On our arrival at the South Pass of the Rocky Mountains, the hundred that I was with met the pioneers on the return to Winter Quarters, in company with a number of the Battalion who had been engaged in the service of the United States. We felt as though it was a time to rejoice. Our hearts were gladdened and we prepared a feast for them, and spread a table in the wilderness, on the tops of the mountains, at which one hundred and thirty of them sat down to partake. We mutually felt edified and rejoiced. We praised the Lord and blessed one another, and in the morning we separated; they to pursue their weary course and we to come to our present location."

Transcript for John Taylor letter in From Kirtland to Salt Lake City (1890) by James A. Little, 142-43

From Kirtland to Salt Lake City.

George Benjamin Wallace Emigrating Company journal

George Benjamin Wallace Emigrating Company journal, June 1847.

Transcript for George Benjamin Wallace Emigrating Company journal, 1847 June-September

George Benjamin Wallace Emigrating Company journal.

George J. Taylor papers, 1832-1909

Leonora Cannon Taylor, Diary, 1832, 1846-1847

"Leonora Cannon Taylor, Diary, 1832, 1846-1847", George J. Taylor papers, 1832-1909.

Transcript for Taylor, Leonora Cannon Taylor diaries, 1832 and 1846-1847, in George J. Taylor papers, 1832-1909

George J. Taylor papers, 1832-1909.

George Whitaker autobiography, undated

George Whitaker autobiography, undated, Page 31-37.

Transcript for George Whitaker autobiography, undated, 31-37

George Whitaker autobiography, undated.

Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1830-2008, June 21, 1847, Page 7.

CR 100 137: Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1830-2008, August 18, 1847, Page 3-5.

On this date Elder John Taylor wrote the following:


 


<s>La</s> La [P]rele Creek, 35 miles east of the Ferry, Aug. 18, 1847.


 


To Pres. Brigham Young and the Council of the Twelve:


Beloved Brethren: We received your letters and messengers in safety and were rejoiced to see both our beloved Brother Phineas Young and Ezra T. Benson, together with their escorts. Their messages to us from our friends were indeed good news from a far country, and traveling as we are, we know how to appreciate a favor of this kind. We thank God, our Heavenly Father, that you have been so successful in your undertaking and that after the many wanderings, trials, persecutions and afflictions of the saints that you have at last found a home, and we trust that when your families and ours shall meet in Zion, you may rest from your weary pilgrimage, realize the full fruition of your hopes and rejoice with your brethren, the saints of the most High, in the Kingdom of God, which shall be established, and in the Lord's House which shall be reared on the mountains.


When we received your first letter, we counciled about the propriety of sending messengers to you immediately and thought that it would be expedient to defer it until we arrived in the neighborhood of the ferry. We were just on the eve of doing so, when our beloved Brother Benson arrived.


We find that you expected us to be near to our place of destination than we are; but [I] can assure you that every exertion has been made, both to make as early a start as possible, and also to expedite our journey after we started. Our numbers far exceed what we anticipated, for instead of numbering one hundred wagons we have near six hundred; the cattle were generally weak in coming off the rushes; we had to recruit our cattle and to send to Missouri for bread stuffs. You know, brethren, that it takes a little time and labor to start a large wheel, it has, however, commenced rolling and will, we trust, not stop until it reaches the valley of the Salt Lake.


We started from Winter Quarters on the 12th of June, organized at the Horn &lt;(Elkhorn),&gt; and made our final departure from there on the 20th of June.


We are organized into four hundreds and nine fifties &lt;, the hundreds&gt; under the direction of Capt. Spencer, Hunter, Grant and Smoot. Each Captain has two Captains of Fifty and General Rich has a separate company of Fifty. Bro. John Young with Capts. Spencer and Hunter preside over the temporal affairs of the camp, and Uncle John Smith over the spiritual affairs, Gen. Rich has charge of the military concerns, all "under the direction of the Twelve." We have met with no serious difficulty further than the loss of about twelve horses and forty head of cattle, the cattle from Captain Grant's company and the horses from Captain Smoot's. The cattle, however, were principally made up by voluntary contributions, so that all the companies have equally shared the loss. We find that our loads are heavy and our teams light and weak, but we think we shall be able to reach the place of our destination. If, however, you have spare teams and a few teamsters, they would not come amiss, but as you are acquainted with your own circumstances best and Bro. Benson will give you the particulars of ours, we shall leave it to your own discretion.


Accompanied with this we have sent you a list of all the adults in the several companies. We called at the several post offices on the way and obtained the letters directed to us. The health of the camp is very good. There has not been more than two or three deaths, one of those an adult, who was an invalid when we started and the others children. We have also been generally free from sickness and accidents. Some few children have been run over, but none killed. Peace prevails in our midst, and we have realized great blessings from the hands of the God of Israel.


Your families were all well when we left Winter Quarters. You may expect also on you return to find an abundance of corn and vegetables of different kinds growing; we plowed and enclosed a large tract of land before we left and the city was all picketed but a few small gaps which would be very soon done. There was no particular difficulty with the Omahas, nor was there likely to be.


The saints are all anxious to meet you and again to see your faces and to hear your voices.


It was our intention when you left not to come this season, but to spend the winter with you; but we afterwards judged it expedient to alter our minds and are thus far on our way with the saints.


With gratitude for your services in behalf of the camp, we remain


Your brethren in the New and Everlasting Covenant 
John Taylor."

Transcript for Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1896-2001, 18 August 1847, 3-5.

Historical Department office journal, 1844-2012

Historical Department office journal, 1844-2012, Page 51.

Historical Department office journal, 1844-2012.

Joseph Harker reminiscences and journal, 1855-1895

Joseph Harker reminiscences and journal, 1855-1895, Page 42.

In the spring our branch was called upon to fit up a man to go to the valley with the Pioneers. I gave five bushel of corn and I also sent from one to two hundred lbs of flower I was to get back in the spring to take it to the valley with me. But when the day came for us to start they failed to fulfill their promis. And the family I lent it to apostaised and this was partily the cause my family had no flour when we entered the valley. We gathered at the Elkhorn river where we organised into five companies, with Captains of hundreds, fifties, and tens, with Parley P. Pratt and John Taylor of the twelve apostles.



We started from the Elkshorn [Elk Horn] river June 15. 1847[.] I travelled in Bishop Hunters company, of one hundred, Joseph Horns [Horne’s] fiftie and Bishop Ho[a]glands ten. We had meny trials on the way but I never had a happier summer in my life. My wife would drive the team and I would take my gun and go and hunt game untill I was tird.



When we got in the Black Hills, we were getting short of meat. Apostle John Taylor took myself and James Horn in his carriage to go and kill bufflo, after we got a few miles a head of the company we went up in the hills and killed <s>about</s> 5 bufflo in about half a hour, all within a quarter of a mile of each other. I returned to Bro. Taylor's carriage and we killed 4 other animals quite near the company. We cut the meat in chuncks and it was very good to eat.



When we got to Echo Canyon my son William was born Sept. 26. 1847. at 2 o'clock in the morning. I got Sister Harriet Whittaker to take care of her until we got in the valley. The roads were very rough and muddy, coming over the mountain it took us 5 days.



We arrived in the valley Oct. 1. 1847. and camped by the old ford by a spring.

Transcript for Joseph Harker reminiscences and journal, 1855-1895, 42

Joseph Harker reminiscences and journal, 1855-1895.

Life history of Thomas Orr, Jr

Life history of Thomas Orr, Jr. [Placerville, Calif.]: The Placerville Republican, 1930. Page 13-15.

“That was the last trouble we had with Indians until we returned to Winter Quarters in the spring of ‘47. We found everyone there in a turmoil of excitement, making preparations to resume the overland trip to California. Father [Thomas Orr] loaded a three-ox team with supplies.



“The caravan started out with seven hundred wagons. I was then 16 years of age. We got along very well as far as Luke Fork of Platt River. At that season of the year the river was too high to ford so we unloaded some of the wagons and tied the wagon boxes together to make an improvised ferry boat, and used it to transport the train piecemeal across the river.



“The next halt was made on the North Platte, a river about a mile and one-quarter wide, but shallow enough to ford. The quicksand was treacherous and we were cautioned against letting the horse and stock stop even for a minute. In one place the sand washed away and took a wagon and oxen with it, though the occupants were rescued.



"In order to get across the river it was necessary to hitch six yoke of oxen to each wagon and two drivers were stationed on each side to whip them and keep them going. The train eventually got across after considerable delay and then we went into an open country and followed the course of South Fork Platte for 500 miles on level plain, without trees or mountains to vary the monotony of the landscape.



“Several times Sioux Indians came to us on the plains but caused no trouble because of our force. We saw herds of buffaloes in countless numbers but killed only the ones we needed for actual necessities, such as meat and hides. While on the plains it was decided to organize the caravan into companies of 100 wagons, and certain ones were placed in charge of each. Brigham Young was commander-in-chief. John Taylor was captain of our company.



“After forming into companies when camping for the night fifty wagons were placed in a semi-circle with the lead wagons in front and two men were detailed at each end to stand guard. During the daytime eight men were kept with the herd of cattle and oftimes experienced difficulty in keeping the buffaloes from mingling with the stock. A stampede of our stock was a frequent occurence. At night time the stock would be driven into the wagon enclosure and watches would be kept, at regular intervals. Before dawn the stock would be taken out to graze until the train was ready to start again.



“We proceeded across the plains double file, fifty wagons to the side. There was no timber and we were compelled to use buffalo chips as fuel for our camp fires. We continued the use of these chips until we arrived at an island in the South Fork, covered with timber. This place was later named Grand Island, a Nebraska town. We killed a buffalo there, dried the flesh and jerked it with a wood fire. We camped at Grand Island a week. The young men made side excursions to Scotts Bluff, above Chimney Rock.



“We crossed the Rockies at Sweetwater, came on past Pacific Springs, (east of Fort Bridger) down Big Sandy Creek, through Echo Canyon to Green River, Wyoming.



“Without special incident, we got to Fort Laramie on the old Oregon Trail, and only two or three men were stationed there. They were the first whites we had seen outside of our own train since leaving Winter Quarters. The train divided at Fort Laramie. We next went to Fort Bridger, then to Sublet’s Cut Off, and headed into Salt Lake country, and it took all summer for the hundreds of wagons to get in.



“We arrived at Salt Lake July 27, 1847.”

Transcript for Lillie Jane Orr Taylor, Life History of Thomas Orr, Jr. (1930), 13-15

Life history of Thomas Orr, Jr.

Millennial Star

Address to the Saints

John Taylor, "Address to the Saints", Millennial Star, 10, November 1, 1848, Page 324.

The company that left Winter Quarters with us, consisted of upwards of two thousand souls; they were divided into companies of hundreds, of fifties, and tens, with their several captains at their heads, under the direction of the Twelve. There were about 560 wagons, drawn generally by oxen from four to eight to a wagon. We travelled generally at the rate of from ten to fifteen miles per day, and our cattle fed solely upon the grass that we met with on our route, which generally was very abundant; and although the journey was tedious, our waggons were mostly fitted up in a commodious manner for travelling, which rendered our circumstances much more comfortable than could be anticipated on so tedious a route. We travelled in companies of one hundred waggons, when circumstances made it practicable, and when on account of scarcity of grass or bad roads we found it inconvenient for such large companies to travel together, we divided in fifties and sometimes into tens. Four hundred miles from here we received by express from the pioneers, the pleasing intelligence of their arrival in this place, which they had selected as a home for the Saints. On our arrival at the South Pass of the Rocky Mountains, the hundred that I was with met the pioneers on their return to Winter Quarters, in company with a number of the battalion who had been engaged in the service of the United States. We felt as though it was a time to rejoice, our hearts were gladdened, and we prepared a feast for them, and spread a table in the wilderness, on the tops of the mountains, of which 130 of them sat down to partake. We mutually felt edified and rejoiced; we praised the Lord, and blessed one another; and in the morning we separated—they to pursue their weary course to Winter Quarters, and us to come to our present location. We arrived here on the 5th of October, generally enjoying good health. I have never, in all my experience, known so little sickness and so few deaths among so many people in the same space of time: there has been some six or seven deaths—two or three were infants, and the remainder were mostly, if not all, seriously indisposed before they started.

Transcript for John Taylor, "Address to the Saints," The Latter-day Saint Millennial Star, 1 November 1848

Millennial Star.

Robert Gardner diaries and reminiscences, 1857-1887

Robert Gardner diaries and reminiscences, 1857-1887, Vol. 4,6.

they located Salt Lake City and rased the amaracan [American] flag on ensign peak around hill on the mountains north of the City and took posson of the country in the nam of the united States. for that part of the country then belonged to Mexaco. but the US States was then at war with Mexico[.] they then planted corn and potatos and other Seeds and Survaed [surveyed] the City[,] left a company to bild houses and Started back for winter quarters[.] while this was going on[,] the Saints on the Missouri river, for there was maney camps there beseds winter quarters[,] were preparing all that could to follow the pinaneers [Pioneers] for that was the counsl[,] and farming places was Salected for those that was not able to come, so that they might put enough and sustain them Selves till they could come. Bro. John Talor [Taylor] and Parley P. Prat arived in winter quarters from a mison to England while the Saints were getting r[e]ady to Start and we traveled with them acros the plains.



the most of the company left winter quarters and &lt;other&amp;st; places e[a]rley in June[,] went to the horn river[,] I think 20 miles[,] and organised ne[a]r there on the plat river at liberty po[o]l and Started on the 15[,] I will here go back to our stay in Winter quarters. my brother myself and James Cragee[,] one of the pininears [Pioneers,] got out the timber for the grist mill[.] I menshened, I dun the hueing with the bro[a]dax[.] while doing so[,] I was taken with the fever and ago [agu]. but thought I would not giv up. but I had to. one day I went home and went to bed and was crasey [crazy] all day. when my brother and Crage came home I got them to administer to me[.] next morning I was well and at work by daylight and kept so till we got to the horn just menshened. here we had to cros the river on a raft made of logs and puled a cros by a rop by mens Stranth[strength.] we concluded to try ox Stranght in place of men which proved a Success but, my wagon was the first tried with oxen and lack of exparience[.] the te[e]m started before the wagon was blocked or balanced, being to ner the hand end of the raft and the rop being hitched to the front end rased the front up and my wagon and famley and all I had began to rol back in to the river[.] I caught the hind whel and held it till acros but the raft was nerly on end, but God helped me and we were Saved



next day the rop brock [broke] that puled the raft and I swam the river twice to get it tied and keepd fev[er]ing in my wet clos which gave me the fevour and ago [agu] again[,] which stuck to me half way acros the plains at the organism before named. We ware placed under captins of hunders and of fiftyes and of tens[.] Elder John Tailor [Taylor] then one of the twelve, now the President of the church travled in our caumpaney [company.] our travle was all Smoth, til we got about one hunder miles[,] to a place ca[l]led the pa&lt;w&gt;ne vilage a diserted indain town[.] the train Stoped to fix a bridge and and I being Several teems back Started on to help[.] I had gon but a fue Steps when my nigh nigh whel leder turned of[f] the ro[a]d to pick gren gras. my oldest boy, Robert R[,] being in the wagon, and being very careful Stept down of the tung [tongue] to Stand at the oxens head till I would come back. in doing So the nigh wheler kicked him[,] throughing [throwing] him under the wheel. then Started up the wagon run[n]ing both <s>hind and front</s> whels over his bowels[.] I was nere anough to see it all but couldn[']t get to him in time to Save him[.] we lade him in the wagon and Started on. that afternoon he got out of the wagon and ran along and plaid to Show me that he was not much hurt to try and make us fell [feel] bet[t]er but he Soon got into the wagon and never got out again without help. he lived till we traveld Several hunder miles and died on deer creek on the platt river[.] he Semed to get worce every day[.] He was hurt in his Kidneys and suffered fifty deaths. he lived till there was nothing left but the Skin and bones. I had to drive my teem all day and Sit and hold him all night[.] driving over five hunder miles travls and See him Sufer all the time. my wife [Jane McKeown] dun all all She could <s>al</s> but She had 3 other children very Small to attend to and Sick part of the time and I was shaking with the ago [agu] every other day. my relations dun all they could do for me and So did all my frainds [friends] but every one had there hands full[.] we buri[e]d him on the bank of the platt river he was about five years and a half old[.] fut the fol[low]ing Se[a]son when my brother past that way he had to rebiry his bones casesd [caused] by wolves. by this time I had lost 2 of my best oxen and replaced them with unbroken cows.



my next havey travle hapened near fort Bridger Something ner one hunderd miles from Salt Lake valley. here my onley boy left (name William now on a misson in New Zeland) fel out of the wagon while going and the Same 2 wheals that ran over Robert ran over him, over his 2 ancles[.] he was the youngest baby I picked him up[.] the Elders came and adminertered to him and he was all right in a fue days. my wagon was havie loded for 3 yoke of oxen. I seen the whels go over both his ancles no mistake about it. I afterwards through Some larg bufloue [bufflow] bones under the Same wheals and they were crushed to powder



with maney other defictles [difficulties,] we made our way over the rivers through the canyons and over the mountains and reached Salt Lake Valley at the mouth of emagration Kanyon on Oct the 1, 1847[.] my wagon was badly brock[,] my teem ne[a]rly gave out and my Self give out. we looked over the Valley there was not a house to be Sen nor aney thing to make one of. but we was glad to See a resting place and felt to thank God for the Sight. we then drove down to the camping place.

Transcript for Robert Gardner diaries and reminiscences, 1857-1887, volume 4: 50-54, and volume 6: 61, 63, 65, 67

Robert Gardner diaries and reminiscences, 1857-1887.

Robert Sweeten family reunion held in the mission home in Salt Lake on May 5, 1961

Robert Sweeten family reunion held in the mission home in Salt Lake on May 5, 1961, May 5, 1961.

On June 21, 1847, they started for the west in Bishop Hunter’s company. Elder John Taylor, then a member of the Twelve, traveled in the same company. They went through all the privations of that westward trek, reaching the Salt Lake Valley on October 1, 1847. Twenty-four Gardners had left Canada in the spring of 1846. Three died and one was born during the journey to the west, making twenty-one who arrived in Salt Lake Valley.



"The following spring (1847) the different companies began leaving for Salt Lake, which was to them an unknown country. The first company reached Salt Lake on July 24, 1847, and we arrived in either August or September of the same year. (The record says October 1, 1847.) Although I was but six years old and it being 86 years ago, yet I remember a few things about the trip I would like to tell. My first sight of Brigham Young was when we met him at Green River, when he was on his way back to get his family and assist more Saints across the plains. Our only means of crossing rivers that were too deep to wade was to chop down trees, chain them together and make a raft upon which we would pull one wagon across at a time. We were crossing a narrow deep stream one time and most of the wagons were across, and they were just starting to take ours across when mother [Mary Gardner Luckham] shouted for them to let the children out before crossing. We got out and when the wagon was half way across it flopped bottom side up in the stream. Everything we owned was in the wagon, and everything got soaking wet. Mother jumped in the water with her clothes on to save what few things she could. She had to sleep in wet clothes that night and she caught a cold, which ultimately caused her death in 1857 at Spanish Fork, during our move south to escape the Johnston Army.



"Every night, I remember, the children would play around the wagons and camp fires; after supper the older folks would get out the fiddles and have dances around the fires, some of them dancing in bare feet, as they had no shoes. Every week we would have religious services.



"I walked most of the way across the plains, with but an occasional ride. One time while I was driving two yoke of oxen so my stepfather could ride a while and rest, I stepped on a prickly pear, and being barefooted the needles ran into my feet, and mother had to pull them out. Every night we would pull the wagons in a large circle and form a corral for protection against the Indians and to form an enclosure for the animals. I believe I could take a hundred wagons right now and form a corral as we did then.



"While following the Platte River we saw many buffalo, sometimes in herds so large we had to stop the company and let them go past. One day I became lame from walking so much and fell behind the company. Suddenly I heard a strange noise, and looking up I saw a large buffalo bull intently watching me. His fierce snorting frightened me into screaming. The driver on the last wagon heard me and shouted for me to run, but I was too frightened to move. Some men came back and were going to shoot the animal, but the captain stopped them saying that Brigham Young’s orders were to shoot only those animals that were to be used for food.



"During our stay at Fort Bridger, Jim Bridger told us he saw the captain of Brigham Young’s company riding quite a way ahead of the rest. We learned there was no such a man riding ahead of the company, but he was believed to be one of the Three Nephites guarding the company and leading it to the proper place.



"As we reached the top of Big Mountain we could see the lights of another camp ahead of us, so we came down the mountain at the head of Emigation Canyon in the dark. The Canadian wagons were lower than the American wagons and they struck stumps the others would pass over, so we had to chop the tops off all the stumps our wagons struck. We finally reached the company ahead and camped with them for the remainder of the night and traveled together the next day. During the day the call was passed down the train, ‘There is the Great Salt Lake.’ We reached Salt Lake that night and camped with Brigham Young’s company. The children played ‘I Spy’ in the grass and sage."

Transcript for Robert Sweeten Family Reunion Committee, "Robert Sweeten family reunion held in the mission home in Salt Lake on May 5, 1961" (1961

Robert Sweeten family reunion held in the mission home in Salt Lake on May 5, 1961.

Young Woman's Journal

Pioneer Reminiscences

Mary Isabella Horne, "Pioneer Reminiscences", Young Woman's Journal, July 1902, Page 292-293.

Agreeable to your request, I will endeavor to give a few items of my experience in the pioneer days, which I trust will be of interest and profit to your readers.



When we left Winter Quarters, in June, 1847, and commenced our journey to the Rocky Mountains, our family consisted of Mr. [Joseph] Horne, myself, and four children, one of whom had been born since we left our home in Nauvoo. We also brought a man and his wife with us, he driving one of the teams. We had three wagons, with two yoke of oxen to each, which contained farming implements, seed-grain, cooking utensils, a few necessary dishes, etc., clothing, and provisions that must last eight people for at least eighteen months; we also brought a small cooking stove, a very rare article in the pioneer camps, and a small rocking chair. This was all the household furniture it was possible to bring.



I will not take space in your valuable paper to enter into details of that never-to-be-forgotten journey but will merely mention a few incidents that may be of interest. While traveling along the Platte River, a large band of Indians were camped on the opposite side. Many of them, men, women and children, swam across the river, and President John Taylor invited Mr. Horne and me to go with himself and wife to meet them. They wanted to trade buffalo robes for corn and provisions. While trading, one of the Indians took a fancy to my baby girl and wanted me to trade her for a pony. When I refused he brought another pony, and still another, until finally he went to get the fourth one, and seemed so determined to have her that I was afraid he would steal her from my arms. Just at this time the rest of our company came up. While the brethren were trading with the Indian men, the squaws and children were going among our wagons, stealing cooking utensils or anything else they could get hold of, so that when we camped that night many useful articles were missing.



On another occasion, while still on the Platte river, we were called up in the middle of the night as thousands of buffalo were crossing the river, heading straight for the camp. The splashing and bellowing were terrible to hear. We were in great danger, as buffalo were never known to stop for anything when traveling in such large numbers; it appeared as though they would destroy the camp, but suddenly they altered their course and went further down the river.



On another occasion when we were in the Black Hills, a large band of Indians placed themselves directly across our path, and would not allow us to pass; they demanded corn, sugar, and coffee. Some of the brethren went through the camp and collected as much as possible from our meagre supply, which the Indians accepted, and made no further trouble. When our company arrived at what was then called the Sweetwater, which was east of Green River, we met President Young and a majority of the Pioneers, returning to Winter Quarters for their families. Bishop Hunter and Brother John Taylor, who were in charge of our company, suggested that a feast be made in honor of the Pioneers. A nice fat steer was bought from Bishop Hunter, the dishes were unpacked, and the sisters did the best possible to prepare a dinner worthy of the occasion. This was performed under difficulties, as it was snowing heavily, although only September, which made camp-cooking quite a task. The storm passed before dinner, and the brethren cleared away the brush and improvised a rude table, and I can assure you we had a feast indeed, spiritual as well as temporal. The food remaining was given to the Pioneers to help them on their journey.



We arrived in Salt Lake valley in the evening of October 6th, 1847. From the mouth of the canyon we traveled in the dark, having no guide but the flickering light of the camp fires on Pioneer Square.

Transcript for Mary Isabella Horne, "Pioneer Reminiscences," Young Woman's Journal, July 1902, 292-93

Young Woman's Journal.

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Milnthorpe, Westmoreland, England, United Kingdom

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<a href="http://churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/118.6?lang=eng#p5#5">D&amp;C 118:6</a> given at Far West, Missouri.

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priesthoodQuorumWhenCalled

with-missionary-activity

<a href="http://churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/135.2?lang=eng#p1#1">D&amp;C 135:2</a> at Carthage, Illinois.

Wounded at the Martyrdom of Joseph & Hyrum Smith

arrived-at-home

set-apart

Winter Quarters, North, Nebraska Territory

company-arrived

joined-company

with-pioneer-activity

Joseph James Taylor

Leonora Cannon

Annie Bannerman Ballantyne

Elizabeth Keighan

Jane Ballantyne

Sophia Whitaker

Mary Ann Oakley

George John Taylor

Mary Ann Taylor

Josephine Kain Taylor

pioneerCompanyReferenceIdValue

Great Salt Lake City, Great Salt Lake, Deseret

called

Great Salt Lake City, Great Salt Lake, Utah Territory, United States

released

Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah Territory, United States

setApartBy

Kaysville, Davis, Utah Territory, United States

deathPlace

<a href="http://churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/138.53?lang=eng#p52#52">D&amp;C 138:53</a> Revelation given to President Joseph F Smith in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Among Choice Ones in Spirit World

Default List Title

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.

Name

Presided Over

Sources

Title

John Taylor

Birth Date

Death Date

Gender

Sources