Transcript

Transcript for Daybell, William, Autobiographical sketch, 3-6, in Histories and biographies written by members of Camp Sunflower, Daughters of Utah Pioneers of Center Utah County, Provo, Utah, vol. 4

. . . . then we went to Nebraska which was called the Camping Grounds for the Saints.

We then waited 2 weeks for the Ox teams to take us across the plains, it was very disagreeable while we were camping there. I have heard my mother say it would rain nearly every day and they had but little shelter. They were very uncomfortable having scarcely enough to eat.

But the time came when the teamsters with Ox teams came and the company of saints of 800 was divided and put into different trains, the company was so large it took 2 trains to bring them to Utah. We were put in the WARREN train, a train of 80 wagons, 2 yoke of Oxen at an average to the wagon and we started across the plains to Utah traveling from the 25th July until 4th October. During the journey we had some trying times from sickness but very few deaths. At night the train would be brought into the camp. The wagons all put in a circle, one wagon tongue run under the other until it made a correl or a safe place to yoke up the cattle. Fires were made within the circle and the young people would enjoy themselves, some times at dancing on the bare ground. My father would get some wood if there was any to be got, my mother and her children would go and pick up the buffalo chips then we would help her carry them to make our fire, so the time passed on.

We crossed the plains when the Indians were very bad. In fact, they killed a great many people, but they did not molest us as a general thing. Those who were known to be Mormon emigrants they used to visit our train in great numbers and talk to the people. So this was our experience as we traveled that dreary road day after day, and week after week, but the time came when we were nearing Utah, the word went ahead that Captain WARREN's company was nearing its destination.

My sister Susana already in Utah learned of our arrival, the good lady that she lived with hitched up a yoke of Oxen, and put it on the little wagon then she and my sister came to meet the wagon train. Father took the mountain fever 2 weeks before we got to Salt Lake City. He was very sick, my father often said he could not of lived another day if it had not been for the joy he felt at seeing my sister Susana once more. It seems that she had been sent to prepare a place for us. They loaded us in their wagon, bag and baggage and took us to GATES ranch that night. They gave my father all the milk he could drink, my father ate a little the next day. We thought he would die, but after that he began to get better and was soon strong enough to work.