Transcript

Tuesday March 2st Today we finished making 1,000 Posts. & 1,000 Rails. I quit work about 1 P.M. in the evening bro King & I comenced to fit up a Wagon for us to go cross the plains in. we are going to join together with four more of the brethren & go with one wagon.

Wednesday 3. Today we made some Wagon Bows for our Wagon, the wether is quite warm.

Thursday 4. bro [William] King & [Sixtus] Johnson went down in to the valey to get our harness[.] bro [S. M. ] Molen & [George] Speirs arrived from the mines, with a desire to go through with us if this way very short.

Friday 5. At work all day till night.

Saturday 6. today I was foresed to stop work on account of a sore boil on my [w]rist

Sunday Today the brethren went down to the City to lay in our outfit.

I spent the day cooking for all hands.

Monday 8 Today we spent in fixing our wagon. My rist is so sore that I can hardly work.

Tuesday 9. Still at work fixing up our wagons.

Wednday 10[.] No news to day of importance, peace still pevailes, no excitement as yet about our departure, Broth[ers] Bradford & Warren started on the road to day in order to get better feed.

Thursday 11[.] All things go on about the same to day.

Friday 12. Things look now like getting away soon, bro [Eli] Whipple has now got his wagons all fixed & the wether is fine & plesant.

Saturday 13. Met to day to organise the company[.] present of the breathren 19 in number. J. A. Kelting. Eli Whipple[,] W[illia]m. King[,] Sixtus E. Johnson, Elemuel Sawtell. Franklin Young, W[illia]m. W. Cluff, John A. West. George Speirs[,] S. M. Molen, Hans Carlson[,] Peter Williams, Jerod Sutson. T. S. Setson. Eli Bell[,] John Binley[,] Nelson P. Beebe. S. B[.] Thurston.—Broth Kelting was called to preside over the meeting, the officers of the company was then chosen & elected unaminousley. Broth Whipple was voted in as the Captain of the company, E. Sawtell as Secritary. J. R. Young, chaplain. & S. E. Johnson Sargent of the g[u]ard.

Resolved that the company be called the Returning Missionary Company. Under the care of bro Whipple.

Meeting was dismissed by prayer from the Chaplain. The wether is butiful.

Sunday 12. We loaded up our wagon to day.

Monday 15. Broth Kelting & Wife. bro Cluff. & bro Setsons teams went on to day.

Tuesday. In the evening bros. King, Johnson, Carlston. Keley han drove out 8 miles with our team & camped near the San. Fran skito for the night.

Tuesday 16. This morning I went back with the horses belonging to bro Whipple stoped with them all day, in the evening we drove out 1 mile with the big wagon & stoped for the night. raining all after noon, roads very bad.

Wednesday 17. drove on to the San Francis Kets. stoped & sent the horses back. Bro Whipple & family arrived at our camp at dark. leaving all in peace be hind no excitement at all. I was braking in a span of mar[e]s to day some kicking as well as running.

Thursday 18. Continued our journey to day for the distance of 21 miles passing through Sante [Santa] clara & San hosa [Jose]. camped about 2 miles from the Latter. good camping ground

Friday 19. Remained in camp all day. weather is very warm, roads good. so fore

Saturday 20. Drove 25. miles. camped near Gilroy camped at dark. by a large lagoon. roads good

Sunday 21. We traveled 12 miles to the foot of the Piche eu pass. here we came up with bro Kelton[,] Johnson[,] King. & Co. had a meeting in the evening.

Monday 22. To day we passed over the pass makeing a travel of 16 miles, camped on a crick 2 miles east of the St. Lewis ranch. good feed and water.

Tuesday 23. Lay in camp all day[.] sent the hunters out in the morning[.] they returned in the evening with one deer, fixing things in general about the camp[.] no acident has befalen us yet.

Wednesday 24. Continued our journey over to Sheep Corell [corral] a distance of 12 miles. good feed & water. camped at 2 P.M.

Thursday 25. Bro Bradfords horses run off this morning, hunting for them all day, found them at night. bro Warren was with them all day but he being lost he could not get home. he came to me on the plains & we got to the camp at dark.

Friday 26. We traveled 20 miles over to the San Joaquin River & camped for the night good feed & water.

Saturday 27. Lay in camp all day. fishing hunting &c[etc.] the order of the day.

Sunday 28. We traveled 10 miles & camped on the big Slough.

here Larry Parry (who was baptised on the other side of the pass on the morning of the 22.) stole a horse of bro Warrens & run away while on the 10 O clock gard leaving the horse's with out a gard till day light.

Monday 29 To day we traveled 28 miles & camped on the head of the big Slough. bro Warren & Thurston started back after Per[r]y. fead [feed] & water good.

Tuesday 30. To day the roads forked & one went to the four creaks. & the other to the west side of the Tulary [Tulare] Lake. we took the latter. traveled 12 miles & camped a small slough to the left of the road,

Wednesday 31. Traveled 10 miles camped on a slough at 1 o clock P.M. grass good.

Thursday April 1st. Traveled 10 miles & camped on a small lake. good grass. roads rather hevy to day.

Friday 2. Traveled 25 miles & camped on the Tuley Lake near the point of the mountain. rather poor fead. but good water. all well in camp. our camp now consists of 21 men, 6 women, & 3 children, 24 horses 2 mules & 5 wagons. & full loads. a good spirit prevails in our midst.

Saturday 3 traveled 1 mile & camped on good fead for the day[.] our horses enjoy the rest very well to day.

the hunters have gone out to seak after game[.] evening came on but the hunters did not return. The weather is quite warm all day.

Sunday 4. To day we traveled 15 miles & camped on a Slough 1 mile to the east of the road, good water but rather poor fead for our horses

Monday 5. We traveled 15 miles & camped on a small slough & doug wells for to get water. met 3 men with a drove of cattle bou[n]d for San Franscisco.

Tuesday 6 Made 10 miles to day & camped at some wells, held meeting in the evening disfelowshiped W. H. Perry for braking his covenants & runing off from the camp. stealing a horse &c.

Wednesday 7. bro Binnley killed an Elk. before we started, we then traveled 10 miles & dug wells for to get water, grass is good here now.

Thursday 8. Traveled 6 miles & camped on the big slough. hevey winds all day. the air was compleatly thickend with dust.

Friday 9. Lay in camp all day dry ing meat.

Sat. 10 Lay in camp all day hunting washing &c. bro Johnson killed an antelope.

Monday 11 Bro Thurston & myself went a cross a low range of mountains a hunting, the camp moved on 10 miles & camped on Buenavista [Buena Vista] lake[.] Thurston and I got to the lake about 11 P.M. I lay in the grass till morning. having killed one deer.

Monday 12 Traveled 22 miles camped on the plain betwen Buenavista & Kern Lakes.

Tuesday 13. To traveled 10 miles camped on Kern lake for the night[.] good water & fead.

Wednesday 14. Rested our horses all day, by laying still. bro Setson & Miss W Whipple & myself took a nice ride a cross the lake and returned in the evening. enjoying ourselves very much. our our little boat gliding through the water at a liveley spead, propelled by a paddle.

Thursday 15 Today we traveled 14 miles & camped at the mouth of the Tehon [Tejon] pass Kanion [canyon]; splended fead & water & good camp-ground.

Friday 16. This morning we left cam[p] & traveled 4 miles up the caion passed through fort Tehon, but few soldiers at the fort & no conversation with any. trave[le]d 8 miles down on the other side of the fort & camped for the night[.] good water but not good fead

Saturday 17. Traveled 15 miles & camped on the first spring on the mohova [Mojave] plains.

Sunday 18 lay in camp all day reading[,] righting[.] hunting[,] mending clothes &c &c.

Monday 19. Traveled 20 miles over a rough road & camped on Elizabeth Lake.

Tuesday 20 Traveled 16 miles & camped in a small vally 1 mile to the right of the road.

Wednesday 21. Lay in cam all day hunting. There was 8 deer killed by all hands.

Thursday 22. Laying still in camp but one deers killed to day. the weather is quite warm

Friday 23. We broke up camp & traveled 12 miles & nooned. & took in water traveled 8 miles & camped on plan not water. good fead.

Saturday 24 Traveled 4 miles & camped on stoney creek good water fead &c. hunters went out but got no gaim [game].

Sunday 25. bro's Setson[,] Kelting[,] Beebe & Cluff started on to San Barnardino [Bernardino], the hunters but I bein cook did not go.

Monday 26 moved 2 miles up the creek & camped on a butiful green[.] made a bowery[.] some of the boys went back hunting.

Tuesday 27. in camp all day, bro King & I went out hunting, bro King Killed one deer. weather very warm to day. bro J. R. Young joined Mr Coopers train to go to Utah. they have one car[ri]age & 8 men, 9 mul[e]s

Wednesday 28. To day we lay in camp all day. The hunters returned having nothing but one deer, after a long and tedious hunt.

Thursday 29. left camp this morning, & traveled 25 miles to the San Barnardino road where the train stoped, bro West & I went on to the Mohava & sleped in the wilows over night as it was cold. making a travel of 45 m.

Friday 30 We went over the crick & met the mail wagon . but got no letters. news good from hom.

Saturday May 1. In camp all day, The wagons arrived about 11 A.M. I went on gard till night.

Saturday May 1. Still in camp wating for the brethren from San Barnardenio

Sunday 2 had a good meeting to day.

Monday 3. The brethrn arrived this morning with an addition of 4 wagons, in driving our horses up they stampeaded & run about 10 miles before we got them.

we then hitched up & drove 6 miles & camped on the Mohova [Mojave] to the left of the road.

Tuesday 4 Traveled 12 miles camped again on the crick[.] good water poor fead. hvy roads.

Wednesday 5. Traveled on down the stream stoping at a watering place fed & watered, & drove 4 miles & camped for the night, making 20 miles.

Thursday 6. Today we lay by all day, meeting in the evening, feed & water good.

Friday 7 Traveled 16 miles & camped at the last water on the Mohova[.] good feed and water off the road, on the Creek.

Saturday 8. Lay by til 12 O'clock A.M. laying in grass[,] water &c for to cross the Desert. at 12 we started. bro's West[,] Thurston & myself went on a foot. I arrived at the mouth of the Caynon at an hour by sun[,] a distance of 15. here we rested a short time & then traveled 8 miles up the Canion to the summit of the hill by Sun set then decended to the Bitter Springs by midnight[.] a distance of 45 miles[.] here we got some water & lay to rest, I give out three times for the want of water & was forsed to lay down at the side of the road

Sunday 9. In camp till 2 P.M. when we started on again the sun was very hot. we traveled up to the head of the Kanion [canyon] where we stoped & got supper[.] a distance of 9 miles. after supper we traveled on down through the pass to a mountain on our right where we camped at 3 A.M. till sun up. makeing a travel of 30 miles.

Monday 10 Started this morning at 6 A.M. and traveled to the salt Springs by 2 P.M. a distance of 23. miles, here we stoped of over night, good grass & water but little salt.

Tuesday 11. Traveled to day 15 miles to the Amagoes [Amargosa] Springs. good feed & water, roads good except the last 2 miles up the canyon which was a little swampy.

Wednesday 12. In camp all day. in the morning a bro Hawkins came to our cam with 8 bushels of wheat for our teams in crossing the Deserts.

Thursday 13. Started this morning went 10 miles to the Resting Springs, feed & water good at camp.

Friday 14. Today 30 miles to the Stump Springs. good water but poor feed for animals.

Saturday 15. Traveled 24 miles & arrived at the mountain Springs. the last 5 miles up a Canion. drove on two miles past the spring and camped for the night on good fead, no water.

Sunday 16. We traveled on down to the Cotenwood [Cottonwood] Creek & camped at 10 A.M. traveled a distance of 10 miles. in camp till 4 P.M. when we got up our teams & drove 2 miles down to a spring & camped for the night. we got supper & bro Thurston & I started at sunset to go to the Losvges [Las Vegas]. to overtake the mailstage to get a passage through with them if possible as our provisions are geting short. We arrived at the Los vags at 12 P.M. a distance from the Cotenwood of 24 miles.

Monday 17. In camp all day engaged our passages in the stage, the train camped up by the Spring this evening a distance off of 2 m.

Tuesday 18. This morning we started across the 52 mile desert, bro Thurston & I have a mule between us & the privalige of riding in the at our pleasure. we traveled 17 miles & took dinner[.] not feed nor water. hitched up again & traveled 23 miles & stoped for supper, rested one houre & then went on down to the big Mudy. arriveing at 6 P.M. 52 miles travel.

Wednesday 19. Lay in camp till 3 P.M. when we left the creek & drove out on to the bench land 10 miles and camped for the night[.] no water. good grass.

Thursday 20. Drove 6 miles this morning & came to the Rio virgin. where we met 2 wagons on their way down to California, we drove up the stream 12 miles & camped for the night. feed & water plenty.

Friday 21. Traveled 22 miles & camped on the River. very hevey road all, good water & feed.

Saturday 22. Traveled 6 miles to the Beever [Beaver] dam camped till 12 A.M. when we started on over to the Santa claria [Clara]. stoped on hill for the night[.] good feed but no water.

Sunday 23. Started on down to the Santa claria got breakfast & went on up to the head of the creek & took dinner[,] a distance of the 18 miles & then went over tenn miles to the Cane Spring. & camped for the night. good fead & water.

Monday 24. This morning we crossed over the Rim of the baeen after a travel of 6 miles from Cane Springs then traveled 12 miles & arrived at the first settlement on Painted creek[.] here I meet with many of my old associats & acquaintances who was glad to see me again. I also made arangement for some provisions to take back to meat the company[.] Spent the evening in visiting among my friends.

Tuesday 25. Today myself bros Thusaton & Kelyl started back to meet the train with 162 lbs. of flower, crossed over the mountain & down the Sataclara [Santa Clara] 12 miles, & camped for the night. 2 horses & one wagon, & 3 of us in co.

Wednesday 26. This morning we went on down 6 miles to the last crossing or last water of the creek[.] here we took breakfast & started up the mountain to meet the company, we soon met one wagon, they informed that the train was coming on and would be here to night, so we returned to the creek and spent the day. at sun down the wagons began to come in, and at dark the whole train was in. We divided the 102 lbs. of flower with all which came in good play as the camp was out of provision & had been for a day & a half. & living on boiled wheat.

Thursday 27. This morning we started back leaving the train behind traveled 7 miles & encamped for the night on good feed and water, bro Kelting & famaley, & William W. Cluff is now traveling with us.

Friday 28. This morning one of my horses was gon on home, I borowed one of bro Keliting's & we went up to the cane springs & took dinner[.] proceeded on over to the mountain me[a]dow & caught our runaway horse & went on in before sundown, making a travel of 24 miles. bro Culbert King arrived here this evenin on his way to meet bro Wm. King his brother.

Saturday 29. This morning bro W. King got in with our team & at 10 we started with bro Cubert, to Cedar City in a two horse wagon. stoped at the 12 miles spring & took dinner & then went on in makeing a travel of 25 miles, met with several of my old acquaintences who made me welcom to my home again. or to the valey of the mountains. I stoped with bro Jacobs.

Sunday 30. Atended meeting to day. was called on to speak[.] don the best that I could, also in the afternoon. took supper with bro Higbee. went down to Johnson's fort to stop over night. Received a letter from Father. we settled up in our mess & I come of 2.75 Ct. in Sept, to the company. so fare so good.

Monday 31st This morning bro King started on home to Fillmore with our trunks &c and we was forsed to take it on foot, so we packed one horse belonging to bro. Warren. started on to Parowan, where we arrived about one hour by sun. we took supper with bro Wests folks at sunset. got feed for our horses & stoped over night, makeing a travel of 12 miles.

Tuesday June 1st. /58. Bro Warren hired to bro Anderson. so it set us to studying some way to get home, we hunted around & found a chance to go with a bro Savage as fare as Fillmore, & started at 3 P.M. with a mule team[.] traveled to Beever [Beaver] creek by a little after dark. a distance of 45, miles. good feed & water on the creek, where we camped on acount of our mules.

Wednesday June 2nd. We drove 7 miles up to the settlement. & got breakfast with our friends & then we drove on to Cove creek. & took dinner & drove on to thorn creek. where we stoped for the night. traveled 62 miles.

Thursday 3rd This morning we went in to Fillmore a distance of 11 miles, There I met my Father. who was waiting for me. we took b[re]akefast with Cousin Hinnon Bennet, stoped here visiting till 12 O'clock A.M. when we started again for home with my Father who was waiting for me with a mule team. bros Molen & Speirs went with us. We traveled over to the Cedar springs & took dinner, then we drove ove[r] to Round Valey. a distance from Fillmore of 22 mile, good grass, no water here, water about 2 distance.

Friday 4th Started this morning & traveled to chicken creek & stoped for dinner then drove up to salt creek & took supper, then drove out to the Spring & stoped for the night. from Round Valey to Savier [Sevier] 9 miles from Savier to Chicken 8 miles, from there to Salt Creek 15 miles, Camped out to night. wether fine.

Saturday 5. We hitched up this morning & drove 6 miles to Summit Creek for breakfast. then drove 12 miles to a spring where my half brother Claborn's [Claybourne] family was camped and visited for a short time & drove on to Pacen [Payson] 3 miles, where we took dinner with bro Weeks folks. Thence to Spanish Fork 6 miles, then to Spring Creek[.] stoped there a short time then drove to Provo 6 miles & camped over night with bro Silas Smith

Sunday 6th. Stoped this morning for forenoon meeting. bro Molen, Speirs, & myself was called for to apear on the Stand in the afternoon. did so giving an account of our missions. in the evening drove to Battle Creek 12 miles thence to Ammerican [American] Creek 13 miles & then to Lehi City 3 miles farther, here I met with my kind Mother who I saw last, in 1854.