Transcript

Transcript for "Anderson, James P., b. 1853," Andrew Jenson collection, circa 1841-1942

We continued on our journey from New York by rail and steamboat to Wyoming, Nebraska, on the Missouri River. Arriving there on June 26th, 1865.

There we fitted out to cross the plains with Ox Teams. The company consisted of about 60 wagons with 3 yoke of cattle to the wagon. About 66% of them being wild steers, which caused us much trouble and delay.

Our company consisted of about 600 emigrants, with Miner G. Atwood as Captain. We journied on, arriving at Fort Laramie, Sept. 19, 1865. Here we were called to-gether in a meeting where it was given out in three different languages by U.S. Officers from Fort Laramie, that the Indians were on the war path and advised us not to go farther. They offered us free passage to any port of the United States we would wish to go to.

We all refused the offer and took a chance to go on to Salt Lake City, Utah.

On Sept. 22, 1865, at a place called Cottonwood Hollow, as we were driving our cattle to water, we were attacked by Indians. It was here I first saw an Indian stampede cattle. From 10 to 13 of our men were wounded, including Peter Holmgren, who was shot and wounded right at my side. His wife was lying in bed in a wagon with a little baby boy nine days old, John P. Holmgren now of Bear River City.

One woman was captured and carried away by the Indians; her name being Mrs. Grundvig. We never heard from her any more. They also threw a rope one [on] a girl 18 years of age by the name of Stena Kemfy Jenson, but she managed to free herself from the ropes and in doing so she escaped from the Indians. She died in Pocatello just a few years ago.

As we traveled on quite a number of our oxen gave out and died. Provisions ran short. All the milk cows were ordered yoked up to help pull the loads except mothers[--] two cows. The captain said they should not be yoked up as the[y] had been and were still feeding the company with milk.

When we arrived at Fort Bridger, mother bought the last and only sack of flour that could be had, paying $50.00 for the sack of 50 lbs. This the Captain at once took possession of, as he was gathering all of the flour there was in camp. He gave mother 10 lbs saying that should last her and her family 24 hours, as we were hare [have to] either to live or die together. The camp was now on rations, but the condition lasted only a few days, as we met four four-muled teams, laaded [loaded] with flour sent by Brigham Young, for the emigrants.

At this time the snow was quite deep here

We arrived at Salt Lake City about Nov. 15th <8th> , 1865. Where Brigham Young shook hands with the emigrants, then the company disorganized.