Transcript

Transcript for "John Johnson Davies journal", DUP Pioneer History Collection, Page 9-14.

We traveled along the best we new how. for many a day. Now i will Releat a few things that happen to us on the Plains. between Westport And Laram[i]e . the first Night we Camped. it was at Indian Creek. and Betwen twelve and one oclock in the Night. my Wife [Mariah Davies] gave birth to a daughter [Martha Maria] in a tent and at.

Eight oclock in the morning we rould out again. we traveled. 25. miles and camped for the night. Now i will tell you aboute Sircuse [circus] that we had the first few days on the plains our Captain tould us in the Evening to get up Early in the morning for to get ready to Start in good time. and after breadkfast was over. we got the Cattle together. and tried to yoked them up. i Can assure you that this was quite a task for us. and after we got them [h]itched to the wagon. we Started out. Now Cames the Sircuse. and it was a good one. the Captain was waching. and telling us what to do. he tould us to take whip and use it and Say woo ah duke gee brandy And So on. Now the fun Commenced. then we whent after them Prety lively. and when the Cattle whent gee too much. we would run to the off Side. and yelling at them. woo ah. and bunting them With the whip Stook. then they would go too much ah again. And we was puffing and Sweeting for all was out. and if you thare to look on. you would Say that it was a great Sircuse this was a great Experience to us and indeed. a tuff one. but by the time we got half way across the Plains. we Could drive an ox teame as well as you can Enny day.

thare was ten persons to Every wagon. thare was. 6. men in my wagon. three of them left me at Fort Kearney. and two was Sick in the wagon. and died on the road we buried him nex Morning. I had to drive the my teame all the way to the valleys Alone i done it all right. I had a big red boil under my right arm Which gave me great pain. we had plenty of grass. but verry little wood on Plains. the Women gathered Buffolose [Buffalo] Chips to make fier to Cook for to have Something to Eat. we traveled a few days more and got to ash Hollow. which was verry bad place to go down to the bottom of the Platte River. Which is. 150. miles from Fort Kearney [Kearny]. and Fort Kearney is Between. 2 or 3. hundred miles from the Missouri river. when we was on the Ash hollow hill. the wagon wheel went over a boy's. head and Come verry near loseing his life. the Elders administered to him And he got better his Name is Johnathan Prothro [Prothero]. we had to lock both wheels to go down this hill. we Camped for the Night on the bottom of the Platte river.

Nex morning we was aff again. and after I got out aways from This place. the wagon wheel went over my foot i took Some oil and anointed my foot and in a Short time it was all right.

In. memory of our driveing
Indeed we had a verry tuff times
The first few days we drove our teams
the Captain he did laugh Some times
at us driving yes on the Plains, John

In Camp after Supper we had Some Singing and Chat[t]ing. and at nine oclock we had Prayers. then we'd go to rest. thare was fifty wagons in the train. we had besides. the Captain of the trine. five more Chosen one for every ten wagons. to tell us what we had to do. on one day when traveling on the road. we had Stamped. the teams Started out on the run, and they tangled up fast together. it was a wonder that no one was kild. and nothing brock. then we parted. them and itch them up and traveled a few miles and Camped for the Night. we had a nother one. this one was in the Night. while they was in the Corrall. The Captain was of Indians that Night we made Corralls with the wagons Every Evening. the cattle that night bunted the wagons pretty lively and the Captain Shouted to the gard to let them go. and they went out on the run.

nex morning Breakfast we got them together. Some of them was. 15. miles away. we traveled A few miles that,

Nex morning we rould out again. when looking towards the West we Could See the Chimney rock. we thought we would get to it . but took two days it did look like a Chimney. my wife had a gathered brest. She was sick for a long time. i got the Elders to administered to her and She receved the blessing and got well. the Buffolose on the plains in them days. by tens of thunsands. The boys wounded a young bull And he came a Snorting and Crossed the road between the wagons. but the boys down him and fetched one quarter to Camp So much of the plains

 

The. Great. Plains.
And. What. A wonderfull Country
Is this Great Western Prairie
Where Indians and Buffolose romes
Without fear all over the Plains. J. J. Davies

 

The Night before we Came to Larime [Laramie] we camped a few from the Fort this Fort is located on the South. Side of the North Platt[e] at the foot of the Black hills it being. 550. miles west of the Missouri River.

and in the morning we rould out towards the Fort and in a Shot time after we Started. we passed a larg. of the Suix [Sioux] Indians we passed The Fort and Camped by the river platt fore noon. the dainish [Danish] train that was behind us Came along the Same day. and the Indians kild one of their Cows. the dainish Captain. tould the military Captain aboute it. then the military Captain Send a few of his Soldiers to See the Indians aboute it. and they got to a disbuite and they fired at one another and they had a fight. the Danish Captain Came along to us And Said. that the Indains [Indian] was on the war path. he. tould our Captain to for his train to Came up. the trappers and tr[a]dders also was Coming towards us fore dear life. we all Crossed the river all right. we had a larg camp that Nigh. we thought we would haft to fight. but the Indains had their reveng with the Soldiers. we Camped together for a few night then we Sapperated. you Remember aboute Gerneral Harny dount you the Squa[w] kiler he was Sent by the Government to punish the Indains for the deed they done. I beleved that the Lord over ruled it fore our good for we did not see no more Indains until we Came to Salt Lake City.

 

The. Glorious. Plan.

 

 

And When I think of the gloriouse plan
God has reveled unto fallen man
It gives me joy Within my mind
to think that God has been So kind
for the Gospel plan. will Save the world
if they will obey the laws of God
And also them that's now in prisen
for they must here the laws of heaven
our Savior whent thare to unlock the door
Also did preach to them that was thare
Joseph and Brigham and Heber as well
They have go thare the glad tidings to tell
And our ancesters and friends are thare
looking to us their way to prepare
then let us go and work for the dead
this we Can do in the temples of God
And this Will be. yes. a glorious time
When friend and relations will meet again
And When they do meet how happy they, be
In peace and love through all Eternity. J. J. Davies

 

Now we are in the black hills and in a few days travel. we got to the Red bu[t]te. we jog along again, passed the willow Spring. also the Coyote Spring. and from here to the Independant [Independence] Rock. here we Struck the Sweet watter [Sweetwater]. the nex place was the davel's [devil's] gat[e]. Nex was the rocky Ridge. this ridge his the back bone of the Rocky mountains. the Streams runs from here in all dirictions. here ware the South pass. is we are Still agoing through the hills. until we reach little Sandy and nex place was big Sandy. Right there that lot Smith burnt the wagons With Supplies for that great American . that was Sent by the Government. to punish the latter day Saints. The nex place was green River. The nex place was Fort Bridger. Where that great army Spent of 1857. and they Stayed thare because they was oblidged too. the distants from this Fort to Salt Lake City. is one hundred and. 13. miles the distants from Fort Larime to Salt Lake is Between 4 and 5. hundred

In. Memory. of. the. Journey.
And When we left our Native land
to go to the Promise land
We felt So bad to leve behind
The dearest friends that was So kind
I know that we was glad to See
The Watters of the inland Sea
And the great City of the west
Whare the Pilgrims Shall have a rest, the. old. Man.

We bid good by to the old Fort. and traveled along the best we Could until we got through the Emmegration [Emigration] Canyon. then we Could see the valles of the nountains. which made us to rejoice [-] to thank the Lord for his blessings to us on the journey[.] We got to the City of the Saints a few days after the October Conference of 1854[.] We rould through the City withe joyfull hearts. and Camped on the Emmegration [Emigration] Square west of the temple block. and we all felt to rejoice. Can you blame us fore haveing a joyfull hearts No. i do not think that you would. i know if you did travel Such a journey you would feel to rejoice. yes and to thank the Lord for his blessings. for. i Can Say that the Lord. did bless us on that great jurnny.