Transcript

Transcript for Hansen, Jens, Diary, in Geneva Frost Gilbert, comp., Our Danish Heritage and Our Temple Work on the Peter Frost Family, 1899-June 1987 [1988], 54

Tuesday 9th We arrived in Quincy and went by river to Detroit. In the afternoon at 6PM we went by railroad and stopped quite often.

Wednesday 10th We were riding all day and saw Lake Michigan and reached Chicago in the evening at 10PM. The train stopped all night.

Thursday 11th We left Chicago and reached St. Joseph. Here we went onboard [on board] a steamboat which took us to Omaha. We stayed here a couple of days and talked to some acquaintances. I bought a stove and a tent and several other small articles. We then went by railroad to North-Platte; here we stayed for some time, making preparation for our trip through the desert.

I received a letter from my family at home. Everything was fine. Encl[osed]. was $40. I worked here and earned some money and this helped me with my trip. Our company consisted of wagons, each drawn by four oxen. In our company was Brigham Young jr. and two of his brothers and several brethren from the valley. Shortly after commencing the trip we were organized into five companies, each with 10 wagons. Heel [Archibald Newell Hill] was captain for the first. Chr[istian]. C. Christensen [Christiansen] for the 2nd. A[nders]. Nielsen for the third. I for the fourth and August Olsen for the fifth. F[rederick]. [C.] Sorensen was Scout Captain and the leader of the company was brother Rich [Leonard Gurley Rice]. We passed Juelsborg where I bought an additional wagon as I was afraid that the one we had could not carry our whole load.

In my wagon was Hans Hansen from Langeland and his wife and her sister and Maren K. Pedersen; we divided our four oxen between the two wagons. Brother Hans Hansen, his wife and sister traveled in one of the wagons and I and sister M.K. Pedersen in my wagon. This made our trip more convenient. After some days we reached the old road which I knew well as I had been that way twice before, and had already recorded the travel through the desert before in my life; but this trip was the most pleasant, as I was in good health and felt a peace inside, and felt assured that the Lord was satisfied with my mission. I felt a joy thinking about my loving family who I soon was going to see again, after being separated from them two years. We arrived in Great Salt Lake City 5th Oct.