Transcript

On the twenty fourth of July, Thomas Williams of Salt Lake City, whilst speaking in meeting on Sunday, stated that he wished to engage a number of men as teamsters to drive teams to Utah. All wishing to engage were told to meet him at the steamboat on Tuesday at 4 P.M. ready to start. I accepted the offer and left home on the date specified, arriving at Atchison a few days afterwards, where I was initiated into the yoking and driving of oxen. I was given five yoke of oxen, most of which were wild Texans. I hitched them onto a loaded wagon,

and on the fourteenth day of August 1855 left for Utah. We numbered thirty-three wagons, forty men and boys, and four women.

Starting so late in the season, the journey proved a hard one. Provisions were scarce and the cold weather, with frost and snow set in before we reached our destination.

At Ft. Bridger the season was so far advanced that upon our arrival there, it was thought best to cache the greater part of our wagons and their contents. We left this place with six wagons and all the available cattle in our charge.

Arriving at the mouth of Echo Canyon a few days afterwards, the snow was so deep that volunteers were called to start for S.L.C. for relief. I with others volunteered and after wading through the creek several times arrived cold and hungry the first night at 8 P.M. on the big mountain. With difficulty a fire was made and camp struck, and night was passed amid the horrors of a winters night upon the mountain, without food and bedding—the wind howling—surrounded by snow—with but little fire—and the means for replenishing the same being very meager.

But morning dawned upon us and after ascending the big mountain we began to descend on the other side and a winter sun cheered us on our weary journey. But I found my feet were frozen and it was with difficulty that I could walk. After several hours journey we arrived in Salt Lake, foots sore [footsore], weary and nearly starved.