Transcript
Transcript for Haven, Jesse, to Brigham Young, October 9, 1856, Fort Laramie, in Brigham Young, Office Files 1832-1878, box 24, fd. 21
Fort Laramie, Oct 9th /56
President Young,
Dear Brother I write to inform you of the death of bro- Thomas Tennant. He died on the 4th of Oct—at half-past one o’clock P.M. as we wer passing around Scotts Bluffs. He was patient through all his sickness—not a murmur or a complaint escaped his lips. He first had the fever and ague which terminated in the consumption.
I believe every thing has been done for him that could be done: As soon as illegible] request one to do every thing in administering to the comfort of bro- Tennant as long as he remained with us. Bro- Tennant’s age was 46 years
Accord to the request of F. D. Richards I have looked after his affairs in his sickness and shall continue to do so till I arrive to the valley.
He had 4 teams and a carriage with 2 horses. If one yoke of oxen for each team could be sent from the valley to assist these teams in and a little grain for the horses it would not be amiss.
I brought the remains of bro- Tennant to Fort Laramie, and burried them in the burrying ground at this place. I intended to have taken them to the valley but found it was inconvenient[.] I put them into a doubble b box so that they can be taken to the valley at some future time if required
Bro- Tennant is the second death that has been in this Company since we left Florence. Some are now sick, and I fear there are one or two more that are will not see the valley
In Bro- Martin’s hand-cart Comp- that is now camped near us there has been between 20 and 30 deaths since they left Florence and are now dying daily[.] I understood 3 or 4 died yesterday. They are truly a poor and afflicted people, my heart bleeds for them, but I will say no more for fear I may say something I shall be sorry for.
With kind regard to all I remain your brother in the Covenant of Peace