Transcript

When father had accumulated means sufficient to continue the journey, on May 24, 1860 we left Iowa City and started on the journey to Utah. Iowa City is three hundred miles from Florence or Omaha as it is now called. During the journey between those two places our wagon broke down three times. Father, not knowing much about wagons, depended on the word of the salesman; he paid a big price and thought he had a fine outfit. But the salesman knew he was a Mormon and not a judge of wagons, so he painted a second hand wagon and sold it as new. The last time it broke, father ask the brethern to go on and leave him and he would follow as soon as he could, but they refused and said no we will stay with you and all go together, which we did. After various trials we arrived in Omaha on June 16, 1860. On the 18th my sister Elizabeth was born.

On July 3, 1860, we started on our journey again. Our company consisted of twenty eight wagons and one hand cart. Ten families were Swedish and the others English. My father was captain of the company. During the journey we were visited by a great many Indians and we used to give them provisions and other things to keep peace with them and they never harmed us. At night we could hear the Coyotes calling and the prairie dogs barking, and in the day time see the Buffalo on the hills and the prairie hens and rabbits run through the sage brush. At night the wagons were drawn in a circle with the tongues to the out-side; then we pitched our tents in the center; put our bed clothes on the ground and lay down to rest, but the Lord blessed us. I don't remember that we had any deaths in the company during the journey.

We thought we were doing well if we traveled one hundred miles a week.; so after ten weeks travel from Omaha we arrived in Salt Lake City, September 18, 1860.