Stephen Wells Taylor (1835 - 1920) Profile

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Stephen Wells Taylor

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Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, October 10, 1869, Vol. 1, Page 12, Line 494.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, October 10, 1869, Vol. 2, Page 13, Line 494.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959.

Burton, Robert T., to the members of the Hand Cart Association, Handcart Veterans Association

Burton, Robert T., to the members of the Hand Cart Association, Handcart Veterans Association, October 1, 1907.

Now, I desire to accompany this report with a very brief history of that notable event. As appears from the daily journal referred to, this relief company left Salt Lake City on the 7th of October, 1856, for the purpose of aiding the incoming emigrant companies. Our information as to their whereabouts was very meagre indeed. It is hard for the people living now to comprehend the situation fifty years ago, when sometimes we had a monthly mail, and sometimes no mail at all for six months. What information we obtained was from carriers who came to advise President Young of the situation.



We made as good time as men and animals could make under the circumstances. But I desire to state that at one time while we were traveling down the Sweet Water [Sweetwater] about 300 or 400 miles east of Salt Lake City, the snow was so deep that the axle-trees of our wagons dragged and we were compelled to remain camped at the same place for one or two days in consequence of the severity of the storms, but with no idea other than resuming our journey when the weather would permit, until we found the companies we were sent to relieve.



As will be noticed from the daily journal, we sent our expresses on various occasions, but were unable to locate the parties we were looking for until we were camped at Devil’s gate, near the mouth of the Sweet water, when the express returned and reported them camped on the Platt River. The weather was cold, the snow deep, the people poor and nearly destitute of clothing, and some provisions. These supplies had been donated by the people in Salt Lake, and these people had been very liberal in their donations, (for they were all in straightened circumstances) but had given such articles as they could and such as would aid the suffering imigrants. Most of the supplies were given to Capt. Edward Martin’s Hand cart company, whose sufferings were intense and necessities very great. A strict account was kept of all these disbursements. The lives of the people were too precious to permit of our carrying anything in the wagons which could possibly be dispensed with. We consequently cached, at Devil’s gate, all freight that, in our judgment, could be left, so as to relieve the company.



It will be seen by reference to the Journal that the cold was so intense that it was not deemed advisable to travel at all for several days. During this time we were engaged in caching the goods. At one time, on the 6th of November, the thermometer dropped to 11 degrees below zero. As soon as the weather permitted we pressed on towards Salt Lake City, traveling up the Sweet Water, and taking every advantage possible of roads and conditions to save the people, but in spite of all that we could do many were laid to rest by the wayside. These matters I do not desire to dwell upon. I would rather forget them and look the brighter side, and thank the Lord for his kind providence in saving those whom he did spare.



In traveling up the Sweet Water we began to meet teams sent to our aid, which relieved the situation to such an extent that when we reached the head of the Sweet Water we were able, on the 19th of November, to get most if not all of the emigrants in the wagons and from this time on we made good time.



On arriving at dry Sandy, as will be seen, George D. Grant, Wm. H. Kimball and others left for Salt Lake City, leaving me in charge of the camp. We were then making good progress day by day, although it appeared at times that our road was entirely blocked with snow. However we met with no difficulties that were not easily overcome until we arrived at East Canyon on November 28th. We found the road there sidelong, but were enabled to get all the wagons over safely, thanks to the foresight of president Brigham Young, who had kept ox teams constantly traveling up and down the big mountain to keep the road open for us. We succeeded in getting over that part of our journey without serious difficulty, although the walls of snow on each side were as high as the bows of the wagons, and those who witnessed this sight can never forget it, as those 104 wagons freighted with human beings who had been so miraculously saved, wended their way up this mountain. It was indeed to us a great sight, as we were now near our homes.



I cannot leave this subject without expressing thanks to those brave men who were constantly day and night in their efforts to save the people, and more especially do I wish to remember those who endangered their lives to carry express East and West under the most difficult circumstances: Notable among these were: Jos. A. Young, Steven Taylor, C. H. Wheelock, Abel Garr and Dan Jones, most of whom have passed away. Of course, too much credit cannot be given to the entire company for their indefategable labors night and day, as before stated, to save the people.

Transcript for Burton, Robert T., to the members of the Hand Cart Association, Handcart Veterans Association, 1 October 1907. Handcart Veterans Association, Scrapbook, 1906-1914, folder 4

Burton, Robert T., to the members of the Hand Cart Association, Handcart Veterans Association.

Frank Esshom, Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah (Salt Lake City: Utah Pioneers Book Publishing Company, 1913), 1203

Frank Esshom, Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah (Salt Lake City: Utah Pioneers Book Publishing Company, 1913), 1203.

Handcart Veterans Association scrapbook, 1906-1914

Handcart Veterans Association scrapbook, 1906-1914. Scrapbook Part 7, 1907. Page 11.

Handcart Veterans Association scrapbook, 1906-1914.

Handcart Veterans Association. Handcart Veterans Association scrapbook, 1906-1914, folder 4

Handcart Veterans Association. Handcart Veterans Association scrapbook, 1906-1914, folder 4.

Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1830-2008

Historical Department journal history of the Church. Supplement after 31 December 1848.

Robert T. Burton journal

"Robert T. Burton journal", Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1830-2008, November 30, 1856, Page 54-58.

Following is the camp journal of Capt. Robert T. Burton's Relief train, which returned to G. S. L. City with Edward Martin's hand cart company:
"Tues, Oct. 7. Left G. S. L. City, going east, to meet the emigrating companies. Camped tonight at the foot of the Big Mountain.
Wednesday, Oct. 8. Passed over the Big Mountain, and camped in East Kanyon [Canyon]; had a light snowstorm.
Thursday, Oct. 9. Had good roads: camped in Echo Kanyon [Canyon]. 
Friday, Oct. 10. Camped near a little grove at the head of Echo. 
Saturday, Oct. 11. Traveled down the 'Old Pioneer Road;' camped tonight at a big hollow, good feed and water.
Sunday, Oct. 12. Arrived at Fort Bridger. Left some of our flour, feed, etc., at this place. Got some beef, etc. Camped here tonight.
Monday, Oct. 13. Left Fort Bridger; camped tonight on Black's Fork; met Brothers [Abraham O.] Smoot, Dan Jones and others; some teams returning that had been back on the road &lt;and&gt; got tired of waiting.
Tuesday, Oct. 14. Brother Smoot returned with us to meet his son; camped tonight on Black's Fork. Again sent on an express to meet the company and report back to us their situation, whereabouts, etc. &lt;The express was carried by&gt; &lt;Cyrus&gt; H. Wheelock, &lt;Joseph&gt; A. Young, Stephen Taylor, &lt;Abel&gt; Garr.
Wednesday, Oct. 15. Traveled to Green River. Left some flour, feed, etc. Camped tonight on Big Sandy at 8 o'clock. 
Thursday, Oct. 16. At the Big Sandy, &lt;we&gt; met Capt. Smoot; camped here tonight; let him have some flour, beef, and teams and 18 men. 
Friday, Oct. 17. Started late; camped on Little Sandy. Feed scarce; looked like a storm.
Saturday, Oct. 18. Clear and fair, storm passed to the right and left us. Camped tonight on the head of Sweet Water. Good feed and wood. Looked like a storm.
Sunday, Oct. 19. Killed one beef. Started &lt;in the afternoon&gt; in p.m.; camped below the mouth of Willow Creek. Tonight commenced storming; very cold; good feed.
Monday, Oct. 20. Stayed in the same place today. Brother [James G.] Willie came to us near night fall.
Tuesday, Oct. 21. Started early in the morning to meet Capt. Willie's company; camped with them tonight; dealt out flour and clothing to them. William Kimball and several others returned with him with teams, etc. Snow deep.
Wednesday, Oct. 22. Traveled 17 miles. Snow growing deeper and deeper all the way. Camped tonight under the Wallahualtah Rock.
Thursday, Oct. 23. Stayed in the same camp. Snow deep; could not travel.
Friday, Oct. 24. Clear and fair, some warmer; started on. Camped tonight below the Three Crossings of Sweet Water. Snow still deep. Saw a large herd of buffalo three miles distant.
Saturday, Oct. 25. Wind blowing hard; camped tonight below the Wallahualtah Rock. Snow going away slowly. Weather some warmer.
Sunday, Oct. 26. Traveled 19 miles; camped near the Devil's Gate; found the express that had been sent on at this place, waiting further orders. Had heard nothing from the company behind.
Monday, Oct. 27. Remained in the same place. Feed tolerably good. From this point sent on another express to the bridge on Platte River, &lt;Joseph&gt; A. Young, Abel Garr, Dan Jones, to find the company, if possible, and report back their situation, whereabouts, etc.
Tuesday, Oct. 28. Remained in the same camp. Weather fine; snow going away. At night cloudy; snow began to fall fast. After prayers, ceased snowing.
Wednesday, Oct. 29. In the same camp. Fine warm morning; continued through the day.
Thursday, Oct 30. Good weather; snow going away slowly; remained in the same camp. Express returned tonight at 7 o'clock &lt;and&gt; reported &lt;that&gt; the companies on the Platte River had been camped there several days, not far apart.
Friday, Oct. 31. Find and clear; started this morning to meet the company of hand carts; met them on Greasewood Creek; camped with them tonight; dealt out to them flour, clothing etc.
Saturday, Nov. 1. Started back to &lt;for&gt; the Valley. Brothers Grant and Robt. T. Burton went back &lt;further East&gt; to meet Brother [William B.] Hodgett's company, four or five miles back; about noon &lt;it&gt; commenced snowing. Snowed until late at night; camped near Independence Rock.
Sunday, Nov. 2. Camped tonight at Devil's Gate, snow deep, very cold.
Monday, Nov. 3. Remained at same place. So cold that the company could not move. Sent an express to &lt;G&gt;. S. L. City, Joseph A. Young, and Abel Garr, to report our situation and get counsel and help.
Tuesday, Nov. 4. Cold continued very severe. People could not move; stowed away the goods of the trains in the houses. Capt. Martin's camp moved 3 miles and camped.
Wednesday, Nov. 5. Weather continued cold; neither of the companies moved. Capt. Hunt's company arrived here at 8 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 6. Colder than ever. Thermometer 11 degrees below zero. Stowed away the good of Capt. Hunt's train. None of the companies moved; so cold the people could not travel.
Friday, Nov. 7. Remained very cold. Could not travel. Stowing away goods, trying to save the people, stock, etc.
Saturday, Nov. 8. Wind did not blow so hard; some warmer this morning; hunting up the horses and cattle to move on the morrow; camped at the same place.
Sunday, Nov. 9. Fine, warm morning. Hand-cart company and Capt. [William B.] Hodgett's company moved on at 11 o'clock a.m. Capt. [John A.] Hunt's company not yet done 'catching' goods.
This evening had a meeting of the officers of the companies to appoint brethren to remain with the goods left here by Captains Hodgett's and Hunt's companies. Dan Jones left in charge or President F. M. Alexander and Benjamin Hampton counselors, with 17 other brethren from the two companies. The brethren were instructed in their duties.During our stay here, we had meetings ever evening to counsel together and ask the Lord to turn away the cold and storm, so that the people might live.
Monday, Nov. 10. Very fine morning. Capt. Hunt's company fixing to start, getting up cattle, etc. The last wagon moved on about 2 o'clock. Capt. Grant, &lt;Cyrus&gt; H. Wheelock, Stephen Taylor and Robt. T. Burton moved on at 3 o'clock; camped tonight with Capt. Hodgett.
Tuesday, Nov. 11. Started early in the morning; overtook the hand cart company at 10 o'clock. Brother &lt;Ephraim K.&gt; Hanks was with them from the Valley, brought good news; camped tonight on Bitter Cottonwood.
Wednesday, Nov. 12. Fine morning, warm for the season; sent on an express to the South Pass. It returned at 5 o'clock this morning, and four teams with some flour. Camped above Three Crossings.
Thursday, Nov. 13. Very pleasant morning. Companies all moving on finely. Camped again on the Sweet Water, at the lower end of the 16 mile drive.
Friday, Nov. 14. The weather very pleasant; all the companies moving on. Camped on the 16 mile drive, about 4 miles from Sweet Water. Good feed, not much wood. No deaths in camp tonight. Capt. [John A.] Hunt's company ahead, Capt. [William B.] Hodgett near.
Saturday, Nov. 15. Weather continued fine and warm; traveled on 8 miles and camped on Sweet Water; not much wood, not very good feed.
	Sunday, Nov. 16. Met 10 teams from the Valley, Brother Call's company, on Rocky Ridge; camped in a little cottonwood grove; good wood and feed.
	Monday, Nov. 17. Fine, warm day; camped on the branch of Sweet Water.
	Tuesday, Nov. 18. Cloudy, snowing in afternoon; met several teams, Wm. Kimball, &lt;James&gt; Ferguson, J. Simmons, &lt;Hosea&gt; Stout and others; camped tonight at our station on Sweet Water.
	Wednesday, Nov. 19. Snowing in the morning; sent an express to the City. Company moved on, all in wagons; 3 o'clock, Capt. Grant and Robt. T. Burton, after seeing the ox trains, moved on after the company. Camped tonight on Dry Sandy.
	Thursday, Nov. 20. This morning Brothers Grant and Kimball, and others started for the City. Robt. T. Burton was left in charge of the companies; camped at bend on Big Sandy.
	Friday, Nov. 21. This morning looked like storm; in the afternoon snowed a little; met some teams with flour, and camped tonight on Green River.
	Saturday, Nov. 22. This morning fair, but cold; met more teams; sent some back to the ox-trains with flour, etc. Camped on Black's Fork.
	Sunday, Nov. 23. Fine day, some cloudy; snowed again at night. Camped at Fort Bridger.
	Monday, Nov. 24. This morning took in supplies for the company from Brother Lewis Robison's. Started late. Camped on the Muddy, good wood and feed; very cold.
	Tuesday, Nov. 25. This morning started another express to the City, by &lt;Cyprus&gt; H. Wheelock, Bullock and others. Sent two other teams to the ox-trains. Camped on Bear River; plenty of wood.
	Wednesday, Nov. 26. Cold, but clear. Camped tonight in the head of Echo Kanyon [Canyon]; met Brother Little and others from the City.
	Thursday, Nov. 27. This morning snowing a little; camped tonight on &lt;the&gt; Weber River. Had another express from the president.
	Friday, Nov. 28. Today the road was sideling; got all the wagons over safe. Camped in East Kanyon [Canyon]; met several of the brethren here. 
	Saturday, Nov. 29. Passed over the Big Mountain, snowing fast. Stopped snowing after noon. Passed over Little Mountain; camped in the head of Emigration Kanyon [Canyon]; met supplies.
	Sunday, Nov. 30. This morning started early; arrived in S. L. City a little before noon with all the hand cart company and several families from the ox-trains.
	Had in the trains 351 horses and mules, 104 wagons and 32 oxen."

Transcript for Burton, Robert T., [Journal], in Journal History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 30 Nov. 1856, 54-58

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

Robert T. Burton diaries, 1856-1907; Record book, circa

Robert T. Burton diaries, 1856-1907; Record book, circa, October 1856.

Transcript for Robert T. Burton diaries, 1856-1907; Record book, circa 1856 October-November

Robert T. Burton diaries, 1856-1907; Record book, circa.

Salt Lake Tribune

Strong Men, Brave Women and Sturdy Children Crossed the Wilderness Afoot

Josiah Rogerson, "Strong Men, Brave Women and Sturdy Children Crossed the Wilderness Afoot", Salt Lake Tribune, January 4, 1914.

Transcript for Josiah Rogerson, "Strong Men, Brave Women and Sturdy Children Crossed the Wilderness Afoot," Salt Lake Tribune, 4 January 1914

Salt Lake Tribune.

Woodward, W., to Albert Jones, Handcart Veterans Association, 12 Sep. 1906. Handcart Veterans Association, Scrapbook, 1906-1914, fd. 2

Woodward, W., to Albert Jones, Handcart Veterans Association, 12 Sep. 1906. Handcart Veterans Association, Scrapbook, 1906-1914, fd. 2.

<center xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Franklin, Idaho, Sept. 12 1906</center>



Albert Jones, Dear Bro.



Seeing an announcement in the Deseret News of Sep 3 I was anxious to correspond with you, My paper was mislaid and only last night I found it.



I belonged to the 4th. Hand cart Co. Jas. G. Willie capt. Or rather was called president when our company was organized: Millen Atwood Capt. Of 1st hundred; Levi Savage Capt 2nd hundred; William Woodward Capt. 3rd hundred; John Chislett capt 4th hundred; A H [Johan August] Ahmansen capt of 5th hundred.



Willie &amp; Atwood, are dead, Savage lived in Southern Utah; Chislett and Ahmansen apostatised



I was clerk of camp at Iowa City, and historian, two days after my arrival on the 2nd of June 1856.



Directly after our company arrived the 1st &amp;2nd Hand Cart companies were organized Some of our people were put in the 1st Co. Some in the 2nd Co the balance made the 3rd Co.



Edmund Ellsworth capt of 1st. Company John Oakley and Wm. Butter, aids. McArthur capt. of 2nd company, Spicer W Crandall, &amp; Truman Lenan aids Edward Bunker capt 3rd Company (Welsh) David Grant &amp; John McDonald aids. the 4th company as I have mentioned above. I was present when the 5th and 6th companies were organized, but subsequently they were merged into one.



The Relief Train came to us one night on the Sweetwater. The express met us two days before, composed of C. H. Whetlock[,] J.A. Young, Steve Taylor &amp; a bro Garr. They were away to take comfort to the 5th company and urge them to travel to meet the relief train. Geo D. Grant was in command of the relief train. He left some wagons with our company; W. H. Kimball in charge. Snow came on us the night we met the express about a foot deep. We had given all our flour out at the suggestion of some of the express as the relief train they said would soon be with us. We had lost half of our cattle this side of Fort Kearney, and we were in a poor fix to travel in the snow. So we staid till the relief train came. (two days later)



Some of you tell of hardships; hardships they were truly. We buried 68 . I kept the camp journal as our clerk gave out. Our butcher died, so I became butcher. In crossing the Rocky Ridge, two of our teamsters gave out in a bitter snow storm. Atwood and I had to take their places and we picked up the straglers. Our wagons were full of people, we got to camp away in the night; next day we buried 13 and the 2nd morning 2 more besides them.



We arrived in SL City Nov 9th.



To talk of our experiences is a thrilling theme. I was 8 weeks at Iowa camp. I have lived here more than 46 years. Yours t[ruly] W. Woodward



I approve of the move of Hand Cart veterans meeting. Will be at the meeting in the City if all is well. 



W T Wright &amp; wife of the 2nd hand cart co live here, but ha has left the Church. G. T. Marshall of one 1st company lives here &amp; his sister lives in the next settlement. Jas. [James] [?]ew, than a boy, lives on Bear River some 12 miles away. (A non member) 



G T Marshall was a child at the time of his coming - his mother a widow with some 6 childran.



I would like to see a history of the companies of 1856 published I was a returning missionary at the time 23 years old. W.W.



Albert Jones, I think I saw you once in Franklin

Transcript for Woodward, W., to Albert Jones, Handcart Veterans Association, 12 Sep. 1906. Handcart Veterans Association, Scrapbook, 1906-1914, fd. 2

Stephen Wells Taylor

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