Transcript

Title: Phineas H. Young journal, 1845 April-May

Call Number: MS 2788

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May 8th This day we past Wiston on the Missouri six miles
above Fort Livingsworth a town of Considerable note and
passed on down to the levy and crossed over to the font
went down to Thomas Kendricks the Chief of the stock
Bridges [two words crossed out] arived at four oclock and were Cordially
recieved our only trouble was on account of Brother
Day who left us on tuesday, and we expected him to
be here before we arrived.

May 9th have heard nothing of Brother Day, feel much
afflicted on his account this day I visited many of the natives
in Company with Brother C. [illegible] Shumway and Thomas Hendricks [illegible]
the Chief, and visited the family of Dort Pratt the Baptist
Missionary for the Stock Bridges from the City of Boston Mass
all treated us very well and we felt quite at home when we
got our supper and had prayers, for the spirit of the Lord
was truly among us. this tribe are mostly in possession of the English
language but do not use it among themselves. their number
here is about sixty souls in all, they have an english school
Supported by the Missionary Board.

May 10th This day at half past twelve Brother Day arrived
in safety to the joy of us all and feels well. The weather
continues fine and dry rather Cold nights for the time of
the year but still not Cold enough to injure vegitation
for the Prairies abound with strawberries, and the feed
is very good.

Sabbath Day May 11th We are still with our friends the
Stackbridges, but Can get no meeting, there are some who appear
to be willing to hear and imbrace the Gospel but others [word crossed out]
not, this Morning I visited the most splendid sublime and
Romantic Scenery that my eyes ever beheld after [word crossed out] our
morning devotion we got up our horses and proceeded to
the north west about two and half miles then turning due
west we began to assend [ascend] the hill towards the table land
at the summit of which we arrived in about a half a mile’s
travel from the foot of the hill which Brother Shumway bath [illegible]
Youngs Tower in consequence of the hight [height] and form of
the place and in honor of his friends and the top of it are three ancient
alters [altars], five points of defence overlooking a vast extent of country with solid wall on three sides.

                                               April 23 1845

     This day I took the parting hand of my friends in the City of the
Saints, and turned my face towards the western wilds, when at the
Seventy's Hall I met my brother Brigham, who said to me go and
the blessing of God shall attend you, and you shall accomplish a
great work among the Lamanites; this gave me great Comfort and I felt
more Composed for the thoughts of leaving my friends, and taking a jou-
ney (in) the wilderness among strangers had quite last [illegible] me down for I had
anticipated a (pleasant) time with my brethren this summer, but disappointment [blurry] is
the Common lot of man. I have parted with my brother, and went [blurry]
over the river, and stayed six miles west of Mt. Rose with my 
son in law and daughter, the next morning the three brethren who
were appointed to travil with me Came up, and we proceeded on our
journey; traviled through the rain most of the day. and at about 12
oclock, the hail Covered the ground. some of the stones weighing
nearly a pound . we crossed the Desmoin [illegible] at Farmington and took the
divide for the Draggoon trail traviled five miles and stopt [stopped] for the
night 25 the rain Continued and we traviled twenty five miles and Campt [Camped]
out for the night, nothing of importance having occurred during the day [smudged words]
we Commended our souls to God and had a good nights rest.  April 26
This morning the weather is much more favourable we drove twelve
miles and struck the old Mormon trail at half past one
Oclock. here we turned to the left, followed the trail one mile
and Camped on the bank of the Tax [illegible] river where we smoked the
carcase of a deer that brother Day killed in the morning and
had a great feast. April 27 All [illegible] this day we followed the
old trail thirty miles, found the country thinly inhabited
with only here and there a Cabin in the timber, the in-
habitants living to appearance mostly by hunting, we stayed
this night on a branch of the Chariton River called Stout
Creek, this place is (the) same on which I had spent a cold night
in Company with five and twenty men in (Nov) 1838 without
food, and almost without rament having been driven by our
enemies from our homes to wander and perish but God has
spared me yet to suffer while some who had been made perfect
through suffering he had taken to rest, among these was my

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brother in law Elden John P. Greene.

April 28th this day we had heavy rain with thunder and
Lightening, for Considerable part of the time. Consequent
ly drove but fifteen miles and Camped by a small stream
in the Prairie here we shot a fine turtle [illegible] and had a soup
in native stile [style]. Slept sound through the night and awoke
to see a Clear sky and fair weather for the first time
in our journey. 29th April This morning being much encouraged
from the appearance of the weather we proceeded on our jour
ney in high spirits, traviled eight miles to Sours [illgible] Creek another
branch of Chartons, [illegible] found a house of entertainment and a 
black Smiths shop, then ten miles to (the) big Madison, found a very 
bad hill but got down in safety and crossed to a public house.
kept by one Reynolds from Tremont. [illegible] From his place we traviled
four miles and stoped for the night on the little Madison
these streams are tributaries to the big Shariton River, here we
witnessed a heavy thunder Storm with rain during the night.
April 30th this morning the rain Continued to fall till ten oclock
in the morning, we then proceeded on our journey as far as
big Muddy Creek over a hilly road and without inhabitants,
found the banks of the stream full from the great rain-
fall we had the night previous . here we spent the night of
the last day of April, and the first day of May, and on the
morning of the second of May we ventured forward [illegible] the
stream having laid poles across our wagon box and pla
ced all our our baggage on them. We effected a passage
without damaging our load. this done we pushed on
to James Weldons mill on the east branch of the
east fork of Grand river a distance of six miles here
we ferried [illegible] our wagon in a small boat and swam our [word crossed out]
animals, traviled on twelve miles to Thompsons fork [illegible]
being the west launch of the east fork of Grand river, here
we pitched tent but for the night and on the mor
ing of that 3d of May Crossed the river on a piece [illegible] of a raft
left by the Oregon teams who were about ten days before us.
we traviled about fifteen miles this (day) and stayed in the
neighborhood of Diamon.
here on the little track now called the bypass, I had spent a
day and night with my Brethren on our flight from Misouri in the
fall of 1838. I felt as though we were on ground once consecrated
to God, and the home of the Saints, but now polluted with their
[word crossed out] enemies, and stained with the blood of Martyrs; here also
lay the remains of a beloved son, whose grave I dare not visit because
of our enemies, May 4th being the sabbath we passed along without
any interruptions from Cypherus [illegible] Creek to big Creek. here we passed
Doctor Patdun’s [illgible] old place and went on to Taylor's ferry. Crossed
Grand river, followed up the Grand (Stones) fork twelve miles to the
little Baushey a branch of the Grandstone and Camped for the night
here we have spent Monday the 5th of May, brother Day killed
a deer, and brother Shumway shot a monstrous turkey with
one of his pistols. I visited the old house where I spent part
of the winter of 37 & 38 and walked around old Jeremiah Parsons [illegible] place
and returned to the camp with a heavy heart (my mind stayed [illegible] back) on tuesday the
time when I could see my family around me in this plae and offer praise
and thanksgiving to God in place but none  [a few illegible words]sulthered, smitten and dragged [illegible]
then we proceeded on our journey, missed our way at old Mr.
Hunters mill and Crossed Last fork and went on towards St
Joseph on the Missouri. In the morning before we started, I
went to my poolmasters [illegible]and gave each of the brethren a poky [illgible] of
the best kind presented me on my departure from Nauvoo by my
Sisters Prim H. Ammon [illegible] in addition to then I found four neat little
bags, one full of sugar, one full of peper one full of salt
and one full of flower, a spoon a fork, some fine soap, and
four new [illegible] night Caps, and a pillow to lay my head on
at night, and I exclaimed who hath gotten me these seeing,
I am a stranger, and the words of the Saviour to his disciples
Came to my relief if any man forsake father, or mother, or wife
and children, houses or lands, he shall in his life receive a hun
dred fold and in the world to Come everlasting life.
We travilled twenty three miles this day and camped on the 3 [illegible symbol] fork
of the little Platte,
May 7th this day we travilled thirty miles and Camped on a hill
in the woods one mile from a little town Called Sparta, the
         County seat of Buckhannon County; through this day.  I felt an
         unusual degree of the spirit of peace.

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Formed by the hand of Valene [illegible], we looked for water and found plants
in the east Sets of the hill, after making these discoveries we returned
to our friends in the evening, and spent a fun hours in singing and devotion
and retired to rest.

May 12th This morning when I awoke I felt rather feeble but I [word crossed out]
not discouraged, for I feel the spirt of peace Constantly wh
ispering peace to my soul.  May 13th  We are still at our
friends, Thomas T Hendricks, and I feel as though we ought to
be on our Masters business, but I Can do nothing [word crossed out]
but pray that God would open the way and work [or “want” - illegible]
by us for his own glory and the good of his people, family, [illegible]
Dunham and Dung [or “Day” illegible] were keeping us back and for what I
could not learn, therefore we were under the necessi
ty of waiting their motion [illegible]  May 14th still waiting the
pleasure of brother Dunham.  May 15th this day seems long
but still I feel disposed to wait the pleasure of the two
brethren who hold the destinies of this mission, and pray
without ceasing that God would hold them in his own
hands, lead them in the right way;  May 16th this day after
much solicitation on my part I prevailed on brother Dun
ham to go with us to visit the Kickapoo [illegible] prophet Keokuk [illegible]
we saddled our horses and [word crossed out] rode about twelve miles to
their town which lies six miles above Fort Leavenworth
we found the prophet at home and was received with
every mark of kindness, he said the methodist and other
missionaries all wished him to join them but he told them
no, no, no, he said they told him our prophet was killed beca-
use he very bad man.  I tell em no, no, no, he very good
man. He says they say the Mormons very bad folks.  I tell em
no they very good folks.  Thus he talked during our stay which
was about two hours.  we then returned to Thomas T. Hendricks
and arrived about sun set. May 17th we are all well but
doing nothing as usual.  Sabbath day, May 18th This day we
went to hear the Baptist Missionary preach in the fore
noon and afternoon, and returned to Captain Hendricks
with a view [illegible] of starting the next morning for the Phenku [illegibe]
nations.  Monday morning May 19th having arrived, we arose in season
and prepared for [illegible] our journey, bid fare well to our new friends, and left
the at half past nine this morning I felt much disheartened, my
health rather poor. Brother Durham and brother Day [illegible] were very
much out of tune, and the bane [illegible] of the hour [illegible] being put on me
from the start.  (I like to have sunk under my brother [or “brethren” illegible]) but still I found a friend in brother Shum
way that kept my spirits from sinking for he was always
ready to do anything I wished him to do and we never for
got to Call upon one that was always ready to help in time [illegible]
of trouble. we proceeded on our journey twelve miles Cross-
ed Paur [illgible] river.  Continued to travil the road known by
the Indians by the name of the white trail over the most
beautiful Country my eyes ever beheld. this trail belongs to the
Delaware Indians. we camped on a little stream ten miles from
the Big Blue in the edge of a beautiful prairie sleinted [illegible]
with beautiful timber Brother Day being yet behind.

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                           April 23. 1845
Phinehas young’s Journal

Mission to Indians

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