Matthew Caldwell (1822 - 1912) Profile

Individual

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Matthew Caldwell

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Caldwell, Matthew, Autobiographical sketch [ca. 1896], 13-14

Caldwell, Matthew, Autobiographical sketch [ca. 1896], 13-14.

Cornia, Ruth Clarissa Carter, Autobiographical sketch, 8-9

Cornia, Ruth Clarissa Carter, Autobiographical sketch, 8-9.

My sister Harriet Amelia was married at the Bluffs to William Henry Lee, December 11, 1849. Harriet's getting married left father and I, of our family, alone to cross the Plains. Our company was sorely afflicted with cholera. Seventeen of our number left us. Everybody looked so worried not knowing who would be next, with the fever.
Those who captained our company were Aaron Johnston and Mattie Caldwell. The journey was rough, long and uncertain, but we arrived at our destination, "Utah", September 10, 1850.

Transcript for Cornia, Ruth Clarissa Carter, Autobiographical sketch, 8-9

Edward Bunker autobiography, 1894, 19-20

Edward Bunker autobiography, 1894, 19-20.

In the spring of 1850, I started for Salt Lake Valley in Capt. Johnson’s hundred and Mat[t]hew Caldwell’s fifty and I was captain of a ten. We followed up the route of the Calif. emigration on the south side of the Platt[e] river. Nothing of importance happened until we came into the cholera district where the emigrants had died in great numbers and were buried by the roadside. We found one man unburied lying in the brush. He was given a burial by the company. Our camp was attacked and eighteen out of our hundred died from the effects of the cholera. My wife and daughter, Emily who had been born to us the 1st of Mar, [1849] on Mesquite Creek Iowa - was taken very sick but through the power of faith and good nursing they recovered.



At the end of three months we reached Salt Lake Valley, our haven of rest, Sept 1st 1850.

Transcript for Edward Bunker autobiography, 1894, 19-20

Elijah Averett autobiography, 15, in Averett family notebook, circa 1916-1965

Elijah Averett autobiography, 15, in Averett family notebook, circa 1916-1965.

In the spring of 1851 [1850], br. Hyde and James Allred[,] Sen[i]or organized a company. Br. Aaron Johnson was Captain of the hundred and I was Captain of the first fifty and Mathew Caldwell of the second fifty. After we were organized Captain Blair and his Company of gentiles joined me and my Company, making (84) eighty four wagons in my Company.



We crossed the Mis[s]ouri River and struck out for the mountains. We traveled on until we crossed a little river by the name of Salt River. Here, if I recollect right, the cholery [cholera] struck our Camp. I lost 17 persons in my company. I had a touch of it myself. We traveled on and kept above Fort Carney (Fort Kernay) [Kearney]



We felt that the cholery had ought to stop and brs. Johnson, Hunt, [Isaac] Hill and myself went out in the prarie and prayed that the Lord would stop the Cholery, and we had a testimony that it would stop. (They heard a stamping in the grass near by, but nothing was to be seen.) We never had another case in our Company. We saw a great many gentile graves on the road. The cholera had Slayed them terribly. There was wagons, tires, clothing, guns, bedding, boots and shoes scattered along the road. We got along very well. There was one buffalo run through our camp and the dogs caught him and the boys shot him[.] It rained pretty hard on us, and in crossing the North Platt[e] some of our wagons swam, but we got across all right



After this we had one young man lost one night and part of two days, but he came to camp all right. Nothing else happened that I recollect of worth mentioning of. I only lost two head of cattle in my company



When we arrived at Salt Lake City my Company was disbanded and went where ever they wanted to. I was Counciled by President Brigham Young to go to San Pete County Utah

Transcript for Elijah Averett autobiography, 15, in Averett family notebook, circa 1916-1965

Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1830-2008

Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1830-2008. Supplement after 31 December 1850: Page 3.

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

"Matthew Caldwell is Dead," Vernal Express

"Matthew Caldwell is Dead," Vernal Express, March 15, 1912.

"Matthew Caldwell is Dead," Vernal Express.

McOlney Branch record, 1848-1851

McOlney Branch record, 1848-1851.

Millennial Star

Emigration

"Emigration", Millennial Star, August 15, 1850.

We have attended the organization of 350 wagons of Salt Lake Emigrants up to Saturday 8th inst., Capt. Milo Andrews [Andrus] is a-head with fifty wagons. Next follows, Capt. Benjamin Hawkins with one hundred; Thomas S. Johnson, Capt. of 1st Division, and ---- Capt. of Second Division. We left them at Council Grove 12 miles from Bethlehem west of the Missouri river, on the morning of the 7th inst. Next in succession is Bishop Aaron Johnson with a train of one hundred wagons; Elisha [Elijah] Everett [Averett], Capt. of 1st Division, and Matthew Caldwell, Capt. of the 2nd Division. Next in order is Capt. James Pace with one hundred. Richard Session, Capt. of 1st Division, and David Bennett, Capt. of 2nd Division. The Emigrants are generally well fitted out with wagons and teams, provisions, &amp;c.



There are some wagons quite too heavy. Those brought from St. Louis are good, but too heavy. A heavy wagon with a stiff tongue is unsuitable for the journey. Let no person hereafter buy a wagon for this trip unless its tongue has a joint in the hounds forward of the axletree. Light wagons that will bear from sixteen to twenty hundred pounds, are the most suitable for this service. These heavy lumber concerns should be left here, and not used by our people, neither by anybody else, unless they choose.



The number of California wagons that have crossed at this point, is about 4,500 averaging 3 men to the wagon, making 13,500 men, and about 22,000 head of horses, mules, oxen, and cows.



Our own emigration to Salt Lake Valley will amount to about 700 wagons as nearly as we, at present, can determine. They take two new carding machines in addition to one sent last year, besides much other valuable machinery. They also take about 4000 sheep and 5000 head of cattle, horses, and mules.



With the facilities for improvement that are already in the Valley, and those that are now going, we may expect to see that hitherto, desolate region, growing rapidly into importance, and consideration. Success to the West, and to Western enterprize, to Western men and measures! "Let the Wilderness and the solitary place be glad for them, and the desert rejoice and blossom as the rose."

Transcript for "Emigration," Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, 15 August 1850, 252-53

Matthew Caldwell

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