Individual

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Wilson Gardner Perkins

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A Mormon chronicle: the Diaries of John D. Lee, 1848-1876 edited and annotated by Robert Glass Cleland and Juanita Brooks (1955), 1:30-79

A Mormon chronicle: the Diaries of John D. Lee, 1848-1876 edited and annotated by Robert Glass Cleland and Juanita Brooks (1955), 1:30-79.

Transcript for A Mormon chronicle: the Diaries of John D. Lee, 1848-1876 edited and annotated by Robert Glass Cleland and Juanita Brooks (1955), 1:30-79

Alexander Neibaur journal

Alexander Neibaur journal, February 1841.

Transcript for Alexander Neibaur journal, 1841 February-1862 April, 26-38

Alexander Neibaur journal.

Elizabeth Jane Perkins Belcher in On to the Valley (1957) by Anson G. Perkins

Elizabeth Jane Perkins Belcher in On to the Valley (1957) by Anson G. Perkins.

We left the Bluffs in a company of several hundred other Saints. The people were divided into companies, 50 people to a company. After we had traveled a short distance, it was found that 50 wagons were too many to travel together on account of the cattle which traveled more slowly in large herds than in smaller ones, so the company was divided, 25 wagons each. The people took their milk cows along with them and some of them were compelled to work the cows on their wagons; this was usually when the oxen would give out or die. I remember that father [Wilson Gardner Perkins] loaned Brother Erastus Snow a yoke of cows and he drove them through to Salt Lake Valley. This immigration of wagons was called a train, and there were many trains scattered along the route.



President Brigham Young was with one of these trains, but not the one we were in (as this was in 1848, it must have been a second trip for President Young). I remember seeing him many times riding in his carriage. Uncle Billie [William Gant] Perkins was captain of our company, he was grandfather’s brother. I have forgotten most of the names of people who traveled with us for I was only 11 years old. I remember John Wakley and old Dr. Parker who had a wooden leg; also the noted John D. Lee was in our company. He seemed to be a very nice man, one would never have thought him capable of such evil deeds as he committed later (John D. Lee brought the plunder he obtained from the Mountain Meadow Massacre and offered it to President Young; he refused to take one cent of it and said that he felt like weeping; that this crime was the worst thing that ever could happen to this people; that the black smirch would never be erased from the name of Mormon). He was executed, by hanging, by the State of Utah for his inhuman act.



As we traveled along the Platt[e] River, we saw a lone tree which was the only tree for miles around. There was a dead Indian papoose in top of the tree; the Indians’ way of burying their dead. Aunt Betsy Whitson Perkins, John Calvin’s mother, told me that when they came through the following year with Grandfather Perkins, the buffalo frightened the ox teams so badly that some of them stampeded and ran away and killed one woman, I think her name was Hawk [Hauck]. It was almost impossible to keep the ox teams from plunging into the Platt River. Aunt Betsy’s team ran away and when she dashed past her sister Mimey’s [Jemima Whitson's] wagon, Mimey called out to her, "Goodby, Bets." Game was scarce crossing the plains, but there were great herds of buffalo. I have many times seen them plunge into the Platt River and swim across; they looked like a black streak in the water.



Our trip was full of exciting experiences; one which I will never forget was the day our brothers went to see their first Indian camp and left us girls to drive the ox team. They told us not to touch the oxen with the whip; they were hardly out of sight when sister [Mary] Ann [Perkins] took the whip and walked out on the wagon tongue between the oxen and whipped the leaders. As she came back, she fell off the tongue and the wagon loaded with flour passed over her stomach, both the front and back wheels. She had bread and milk for her dinner which came pouring out of her mouth as the wheels passed over her. She was picked up for dead, but Uncle Billie administered to her and she came to and was playing with the other children when we camped that night. This would seem impossible to some, but I saw it with my own eyes.



My oldest brother William killed an elk which we ate with great relish. Some of the men killed a buffalo and the train laid over and jerked the meat. Jerking consists of cutting the meat in strips, stringing it on sticks, then smoking it. This meat was not very good even when fresh, as it is very coarse-grained.



One evening, we children built a bonfire on the side of the mountain, and were sitting around telling stories, and having fun. William took the buffalo hide unbeknown to us and wrapped it around himself, and came pawing and bellowing down the mountainside throwing dirt and rocks in every direction. We could not see very well as we only had the light from the bonfire, so we thought that some wild animal was about to spring on us. We all went tumbling down the mountainside screaming and yelling at the top of our lungs. William thought this was a big joke. His would-be girl hurt her shinbone. The dresses were ankle length then, and when the girl started to pull up her skirt to show him her skinned shin, William yelled; "Never mind, never mind, I’ll take your word for it."



I cannot remember any other events on our trip from the east, for it is like a dream to me. I know that when we first arrived in Salt Lake Valley, it was nothing but a fort, and just a few scattered houses. I think we arrived here in July 1848.

Transcript for Elizabeth Jane Perkins Belcher in On to the Valley (1957) by Anson G. Perkins

Historical Department journal history of the Church

Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1830-2008. Supplement after 31 December 1848: Page 2.

Historical Department journal history of the Church.

Job Smith autobiography, circa 1902, 15-16

Job Smith autobiography, circa 1902, 15-16.

As the spring of 1848 approached, preparations were made for the journey westward. The pioneers of course having returned, we were informed of the length of the journey and the kind of country we were expected to settle.



Again the wagon question came up, and seeing that the vehicle had carried us so far a distance of 330 miles from Nauvoo with safety, and further that no opportunity had been found to obtain a better one, it was decided to try it again. Brother John Alger volunteered to repair it with new bolster and sanboards and it was then loaded up for the 1000 mile journey. My sister Ann had already gone, and myself to drive for my board, and the hauling of 400 lbs of breadstuff, there were but two left for whom to haul the required amount of provisions, 400 lbs. to each person with seed wheat, and what other goods and chattels we possessed were again loaded up. My uncle was now so far recovered from his lameness that he was able to drive his steers on his wagon, they being very gentle. He started in [Zera] Pulsipher’s company, and the Perkin’s teams in Pres. [Brigham] Young’s company. Prest. Young’s company numbered 200 wagons, Pulsipher’s about 50. After travelling 120 miles I was transferred to drive one of President Young’s teams, which I drove about 100 miles, and was then transferred to drive for Thomas Bullock, the clerk of the camp and general church recorder, at that time. Elder [Wilson Gardner] Perkins team and also Prest. Young’s team, which I had driven were not overloaded and the work was pleasant and not over burdensome. Of course I did my share of herding and attending the cattle in common with all the other drivers. My teams had consisted one of 4 and the other of six manageable oxen. But Bullock’s team was another sort of task. His team consisted of six oxen and three cows, which always left one odd animal to take turns with those which gave out. The load was very heavy and the animals very poor so that I had very hard work to keep pace with the better teams, frequently having to unyoke a tired animal and fill its place with the odd cow. Bullock’s occupation being a clerk, he knew nothing about cattle and often blamed me when I thought I deserved pity. I always did the best I could for him and his team and we finally arrived in Salt Lake Valley on September 25th, 1848. During the journey I had my trials in addition to the daily routine of driving and caring for a tired team. I started with very poor shoes which soon wore out on the road, and my clothes very scant and thin which soon became very ragged. Sister [Henrietta] Bullock helped to keep my rags together but shoes, I did without, travelling barefooted several hundred miles, finally when nearing the journey’s end I obtained a pair of moccasins from some Indians.



Our manner of travelling was quite unique. Up the north side of the Platte river two lines of wagons abreast. After unyoking cattle at night several teamsters drove the herd to where they could best find feed, sometimes as far as a mile, herding them until dark, then driving them to camp, place a rope around each animal’s horns and at the other end of the rope driving a stake in the ground. Very early in the morning cattle released and started up again at given signal. Wagons were all driven at camping time so as to form two half circles, thus making one circle complete, each wagon driven so as to lock his off front wheel behind the near hind wheel of the wagon before him. This formed a complete corral for the teams all night, instead of roping them. Another curiosity of travel at that time was the vast number of Buffaloes to be seen for a number of days. At one time looking forward up the Platte Valley as far as the eye could reach, the landscape was almost black with them, they were so numerous.



My uncle with his wooden wagon made better time than my company so that he got in a number of days before the President’s company. I found him camping near the old Fort. He [his] wagon seemed to have lasted very well so long as the country was not rocky or gravelly, but when arriving in the mountain country the fellies nearly wore out; to prevent this as far as possible, they were wrapped in Buffalo raw hide so that the wagon lasted until reaching their destination.

Transcript for Job Smith autobiography, circa 1902, 15-16

Lorenzo Brown reminiscences and diaries, 1856-1900

Lorenzo Brown reminiscences and diaries, 1856-1900, Vol. 1.

Transcript for Lorenzo Brown reminiscences and diaries, 1856-1900, Volume 1, 37-53

Lorenzo Brown reminiscences and diaries, 1856-1900.

"Mother of E. H. Belcher Passes Away," Vernal Express

"Mother of E. H. Belcher Passes Away," Vernal Express, February 3, 1922.

"Mother of E. H. Belcher Passes Away," Vernal Express.

MS 14290: Camp of Israel schedules and reports, 1845-1849

First 100, report, June 1848.

MS 14290: Camp of Israel schedules and reports, 1845-1849.

Richard Ballantyne papers, 1848-1867, 1895, Journal

Richard Ballantyne papers, 1848-1867, 1895, Journal, May 1848.

Transcript for Richard Ballantyne papers, 1848-1867, 1895, Journal, 1848 May-August

Richard Ballantyne papers, 1848-1867, 1895, Journal.

Thomas Bullock journals, 1843-1849, Journal

Thomas Bullock journals, 1843-1849, Journal, May 1848.

Transcript for Thomas Bullock journals, 1843-1849, Journal, 1848 May-September

Thomas Bullock journals, 1843-1849, Journal.

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