Transcript

Went from Boston to New York, and from there to Iowa campground.

Stayed there till the handcarts were ready.

Started June 9th with the Captain Edman [Edmund] Ellsworth handcart company. This was the first handcart train that crossed the plains. We had hard times through the sand, and lived on a pound of flour per day.

We arrived in Salt Lake City on the 25 day of September, 1856, pulling our handcarts the distance of 1300 miles.

In this company there were twenty tents. There were 20 saints to each tent. In each handcart, each person was allowed 17 pounds of luggage. The flour and tents were pulled by ox teams. We had to stand night guard twice a week, once for cattle, and once for the camp. When we arrived in Salt Lake City, we were both lame and thin.