Transcript

In 1868 I was called and went to drive a team after the emigration. The water was unusually high that year and while waiting for the bridge to be replaced over chalk creek near Coalville we heard of the death of Heber C. Kimball. The delay at Coalville caused me to miss the train I should have gone with, so with a horse team I made the trip with an ox team, being allowed the privilege of travelling at the head of the train the whole trip. The Green River was very high and just before we arrived there Capt. Seely of San Pete Co. had lost seven men by drowning. We had a narrow escape but all crossed safely. At the Sweet Water we came to a stage station still burning the Indiand [Indians] having killed the keeper[,] run off the stock and fired the station . . . .

To resume, we travelled North Platt[e] with out much excitement, seeing many antilope, some bears and one buffalo, had one severe wind storm which ripped our wagon covers—we had to wait eight weeks for our imagrants and being from the nearest-bye town our train had to wait till last, loading with over 800 souls, 740 of which were Scandinavions. We had one stampede and one mutiny. The teamsters of Capt. John Gillispie rebelled at one time but were soon reconciled. Myself and B.A. Norris with two young men were called to wait for some delayed baggage and did not catch the train till we got to the sweet water. There was a gang of horse thieves and we had to guard our horses every night, half the night each. The train reached Salt Lake City in time for the October Conference 1868. Those of us who lived east of Salt Lake City and had imagrants who desired to go there were permitted to do so—I being one of that number. I had for passengers William Bancroft and wife Mary and son William, an old lady whose name I do not remember and also a man whose name I do not know, the aged ones rode all the way.