The Hastings family came to the United States via the ship Underwriter in 1860. Their names definitely appear on the overland company records, but they also appear in Nebraska at the time of the 1860 census, enumerated on 15 August 1860, which was two months after the company left Florence, Nebraska. It is possible that the family left the company mid-route and returned to Nebraska. Either way, they ended up in the Valley because their son, George, died there in 1864.