John G. Holman Company

About 650 individuals and 62 wagons were in the company when it began its journey from the outfitting post at Benton, Wyoming.

Holman's ox train of 62 wagons left the rail terminus at Benton, Wyoming, on September 1 with 628 emigrants. Benton was located 11 miles east of present-day Rawlins, Wyoming. This end-of-track town was in existence for only three months, but during its brief history more than 100 people were reported to have died there in gunfights. The company was delayed in Benton when a woman in their company was arrested on a trumped-up charge and they had to wait for her trial. U.S. soldiers had to protect the company when an enraged mob from the railroad town marched on the wagon company. The mob had been angered by false rumors to the effect that the Mormons were intent on taking a woman to Utah against her will.

Most of those who traveled to Utah in Holman's company crossed the Atlantic aboard the ship Emerald Isle. Many in this company were Danes and Swedes who suffered much sickness while crossing the ocean and after landing in New York. Also traveling with the company were 8 independent wagons with about 40 passengers. After getting off the train and being loaded into the Church wagons, this company traveled in a northwesterly direction from Benton through Whiskey Gap and northward from there until they reached the Sweetwater River and the old emigrant road on September 8. As did many other companies in the 1860s, after coming through Echo Canyon they traveled to Silver Creek and then down Parley's Canyon into the valley. They arrived in Salt Lake on September 25. Twenty-two people died between Benton and Salt Lake.