Transcript

In Company with 2 others went over on the other Side of the River to work in Masourie [Missouri.] We was ferried over[.] We was there one week onley and Came back then the Emegration Comenced Coming in Boats[,.] Every Boat Brought A Load of Saints till we Soon Numbered thousands And our Company Move about 5 Miles to Ickery [hickory] grove [.] We Called it Mormon Grove and we Comenced working on the Large farm Some plowing Some Planting Corn and Some Making A ditch around the farm[.] It is a beautiful farm Rich land this taken for the outfitting Post to Cross the Plains[.] there was about 3000 Sa[i]nts Emegrated that year 1855[.] there was three Independent Companies Started before our Company got Ready however Just befor we Started Some of our Reletives Came on the last Ship And Came to the Grove 2 weeks before we Started[.] there was old Grandma [Mary Ann Campbell] Robbins over 93 years old[,] Aunt Nancy [Ann McAllister Robbins,] James [Robbins,] Joseph [Robbins,] Marey [Mary Robbins,] Cyrus [William] Robbins[.] We us [was] the first of the 13 Pound Company[.] Our Reletives Came in the Seacond Company[.] We Started on our Journey on the 27 ^th of June And then Started the funn, green Cattle and green drivers Made it amusing[.] Cattle Running away[,] wagons upsetting[,] however I was very fortunate Myself as I had drove Cattle ever Since I Came to Atchison And I found it a good thing[.] We had Maney Incedents on the way[.] lots of Accedents also[.] after we had traveled a few days we Seen lots of Buffeloo[.] Sometimes they would be around our Camp[.] Some of the Brethern Shot Some and we had Meat to Eat while we was traveling along the little Blue River[.] when Sister Marey Ann [Bailey] was getting into the Waggon She was Sitting on the Waggon tounge And She was giving me a drink of water when all at once She fell in front of the w[h]eel[.] the first weel went over her chest and the hind weel went over her Jaw breaking it to Peices[.] I ran to pick her up And She Apeared to be dead Stiff[.] I Called on Some of the Elders And they laid their hands on her And prayed the Lord to bless her And restore her and when they had finished She Came too all right[.] And an old Man that was in the Company Came and Set her Jaw[.] It was a difficult thing to do but he Set it verey well And She was able to Move along With the Company[.] It disfiguard her Some litle but Considering the Sircumstance it was a Miricle that She was not Killed on the Spott[.] I May say also that where Marey Ann was run over was the Place where Old Grandma Robins laid down her bodey[.] There was Eleven Accedents on the trip[:] 8 Run over[,] 3 Shot[,] 5 deid[.] Feed was varey poor on the Plains that year[.] Lots of Cattle lay down and died foot Soar [sore,] lack of feed &c[.] When we Came to fort Laremi [Laramie] we Met about 500 Shianne [Cheyenne] Indians[.] Captain Balentine [Ballantyne] Called every Man to Shouldr [h]is Gunn And Keep along Side of the Waggons As Guards to the Company[.] when we Camped for noon the[y] Came in Clouds as it where [were] begging for Sugar[,] flour &c trading[,] and while they was all around Camp one of the Brethern A Young Man was Standing with a gunn in his hand Playing with it[.] The Gunn went of[f] And Shot Sister Palmer in [the] knee Shattering [t]he Knee all to Peices[.] this Caused A Great Excitement both with our People And with the Indians[.] the[y] got on their horses and Prepared for Battle in a Moment but when they got to understand what was the Matter they Came in to Camp And Seemed to feel verey Sorrey At the Accedent & the Poor woman was taken back to Lareme [Laramie] And She Suffered terrible[.] they Cut her leg of [off] above the Knee but they had to Cut above again And again And She finealey died[.] this Caused a Sad feeling in the Company as She was a beautiful Singer And the life of the Camp[.] Some of the Companeys had the Cholera And buried 32 in 2 days[.] Those were days of trial to Some that Came along to Zion while others Came Singing Songs of Everlasting Joy[.] And this was the travels in those days[.] After we Came to Sweet water we had a Stampede in the day time[.] 16 waggons all Runing[,] Br[e]aking weels[,] toungs &c[.] however in about half day all was Repaird and we Moved along but our Provisions in the whole Camp was done and we began to feel a litle blue About it[.] But in a few days we Met 4 waggons Loaded with flour[.] They met us on lit[t]le Sandy and that night we had a dance until a late hour as all the Company felt light harted[.] bye and bye we found ourselves in between the Big and Lit[t]le Mountain about 15 Miles from Salt Lake City[.] We had a Returned Missionarey in our Company[.] He was Captain of ten[.] His name was Captin [William] Pitt[.] He had been Captin and leader of the Nauvoo Brass Band for A Number of years and in honour to him the Band boys Came out And Met him And they had a great time all night[.] And I was one that had a great time up in the Mountains Guarding the Cattle And I Could here [hear] the Band play And the dancers Enjoying themselves all night[.] Next Morning we brought up the Cattle and in a Short time all was on the way to the City those on foot Moving along as fast as they Could to See the great City[.] And in the Afternoon we all found ourselves in the City. We Passed Right through the City to where Now the University of Utah Stands[.] There was onley 2 Stores in the City at that time[.] Poor looking houses but we felt thankful that we had arived[.] This was on the 27 day of September 1855 after being on the way for about 10 months

[Also published in Jay L. Long and Betsy W. Long, Charles Ramsden Bailey: His Life and Families [1983], 25-26, 29-30 and Our Pioneer Heritage, 20 vols. [1958-77], 17:266-67 and 5:173-74.]