Transcript

The brethren thought as we were a small family we might take sister Mary Moore and her little son William. My family consisted of myself, my wife, and my father so with Mary Moore and boy we were 5 to the wagon and we all got ready

and on Thursday the 10th of June we left and started for Great Salt Lake City. We moved about 1 or 2 miles and camped til the 12 when we moved to the big spring about 10 miles from Kanesville[,] crossed the Missouri river

on the 26 the remainder of our company crossed

the 27 after we were all across and camped. Elder Esra [Ezra] T. Benson came among us and said he wanted five men of our company to stay at Missouri with others who had been chosen from other companies to act as a guard to protect in case they needed protection and also to help to ferry the rest of the saints across the river until all was over that intended to cross the plains this season. I was one of the five chosen[.] we were then told to see our families across the Elk Horn and then return to the guard

next day 20th we moved about 11 miles[.] we had plenty of grass for the cattle and good water but no timber.

On the 29 we moved to Elk Horn and camped on its banks[.] plenty of wood, water and grass in the evening; we washed ourselves in the river. Likely Samuel Robinson would have been drowned but th[r]ough the help of Providence I swam with my clothes on and got him out safe.

On the 30 we crossed this river (Elk Horn) at the ferry and

on the 1st of July our families moved west and we (the 5) returned to the Missouri river where we staid and did our best until the Brethren were all over.

On the 12 of July we left Missouri river and traveled about 10 miles

next morning the 13th the Cholery [cholera] made its appearance among us. Henry Oakes was taken in the morning and buried in the evening

14th we crossed the Horn. Tho[m]as Ashby [Ashley] was buried and also several of the last company

on the 15th we staid at our camp, I threw a cast in the river and caught a catfish about 40 lbs weight.

16th after seeing the brethren over the river we started for our families who were still pushing on for Great S.L. City. We passed considerable of graves[.] the most of our company was afflicted more or less with Diarrhoea.

18th we crossed Loupe Fork

and on Friday 23 I overtook my family about 300 miles from Winter Quarters. I found them all well and had been well since I left them. After Travelling a few miles we killed a buffalo[.] we rested on Sunday

and on Monday recommenced our journey,

28 I baptised Sister Barbara [Ward] Heep for restoration of her health. She was much better.

29 we travelled over several sandy bluffs and camped by Piccaninia [Picanninni] Creek.

30 at noon we baited at Rattle Snake Creek and camped at night at 6 feet Creek.

31st we moved between Watch Creek and Lone Tree.

1st August we moved a few miles to Ash Hollow and camped,

2nd we crossed Castle Creek and camped about 2 miles west of it;

3rd we traveled past Castle Bluffs which have the appearance of large ruinous buildings; at night we camped at Sandy Bluffs 121 3/4 miles from Fort Laramie;

4th we crossed Crab Creek, Cobble Hills, and camped at Ancient Bluffs, ruins which have the appearance of ruinous castles, forts, etc.

6 we had some very heavy sand to draw through, we traveled about 12 miles and camped;

7th we had pretty good road and camped at Chimney Rock,

8th we saw an Indian wigwam, past Scott's Bluff and camped at Spring Creek; we staid here to recruit our stock and repair our wagons untill the 12th;

this day [12th]this day we traveled about 15 miles[.] saw a many Indians and gave them bread;

13th moved to dry creek

14th traveled to Fort Larimie [Laramie];

15th crossed the Platte and camped about 4 miles from the ford;

16th descended a very steep hill and crossed a very rough rocky bluff dangerous on wagons, at night camped at Bitter Cottonwood Creek;

17th the feed being now very scarce for our stock we thought it adviseable to divide into tens and travel so till we came to deer Creek and t[h]ere to stay to do our repairs, recruit our stock and them move on our journey as it might seem best. Capt. John Myers being captain of the ten[.] I was in moved on the journey[.] we followed and left Capt. [John Beauchamp] Walker at Bitter Cottonwood Creek. We past over some rough hilly road; we came to a beautiful spring, the grass was green all about it so here we camped all night.

18th we left the spring[.] about 3 miles from it we crossed a creek pretty good place to camp about 10 miles further we came to the Platte; we staid noon then travelled 4 or 5 miles near the river; at this point we left the river again ascended a very steep bluff and also descended some; we travelled 5 or 6 miles and camped by a small stream of water.

19 travelled 14 or 15 miles and met a moderate chance to camp;

20 we crossed some steep bluffs, also some 4 or 5 miles of red rock[.] the first water we came to was about 17 miles[.] we crossed this and went to LaPrele where we found a good place to camp;

21st killed 3 buffalo and took what meat we could, crossed a small creek also Box Elder Creek and came to Fourche Boise, a good place to camp here; we gathered the wood made fires and jerked our meat;

22 good road moved to Deer Creek;

23rd moved 1 1/2 miles on Platte, good place to camp, We staid here till the whole of our company came up[.] we did our repairs, I caught several fish while we staid here. We agreed it was best to travel by tens the remainder of the journey.

We staid here until 27th[.] this day our ten moved about 13 miles;

28 day we killed 2 antelope, catched more fish,

29th moved within 4 miles of upper Platte Ford,

30th we crossed the Ford, traveled about 12 miles over a very rough bad bluffy road and camped at the last camping ground on the river Platte;

31st no water fit to drink being poisonous for 15 miles we past willow spring and camped about 4 miles from it;

1st Sept it is wonderful to see the lakes covered with saleratus[.] it is firm[.] capable to bear any weight[.] looks exactly like ice but is deadly poison. We came to sweet water and camped, several of our company's cattle having got to the saleratus water died almost instantaniously;

2nd forded sweet water came to Devils Gate this Gate[.] is a narrow pass for the river sweet water to pass through[.] the rock on each side standing perpendicularly about 400 feet high; we went about 2 miles beyond it and camped.

3rd travelled 11 or 12 miles through some 1 or 2 miles very heavy sand, We camped and like as at Devils Gate found good feed in the ravines of the mountains;

4th turned pine[.] made tar[.] let the cattle rest and killed a buffalo;

5th moved about 9 miles[.] were drenched with a heavy shower of rain, camped at foot of gravely bluff.

6th crossed the crossings of Sweet Water, very poor chance for cattle grass being mostly eaten out;

7th moved 17 miles to 5th ford, cattle most worn out[.] poor chance of them here;

8th went about 10 miles[.] drove our cattle up the creek, they fared moderate;

9th we traveled about 13 1/2 miles over some rough rocky ridges and camped on a branch of sweet water feed bed;

10th we drove to the upper ford of Sweet Water, found good feed about 2 miles north west of the ford;

11th we remained at our camp;

12th good road past south Pass Pacific Springs and camped at Pacific Creek;

14th left Pacific Creek and had a good road[.] travelled about 25 miles and camped on the banks of Little Sandy, moderate feed considering we were on a sandy desert;

15th traveled about 17 miles and camped on Big Sandy about 7 miles;

16th very cold and rainy travelled about 17 miles to Big Sandy again;

17th travelled to Green River 10 miles and camped on Big Sandy 2 miles from Green River Ford[.] it was very cold with showers of rain and hail;

18th remained at our camp, cold with rain and hail, caught several fishes. Bro. Nichel from Valley came with team and took Sister Mary Moore and boy forward to the valley;

19th forded Green River travelled about 19 miles[.] good feed on bunch grass but very cold during night;

20th travelled about 21 miles to Blacks fork[.] 3 times we had moderate feed;

21st moved 8 1/2 miles to stream;

22 past Fort Bridger and camped about 1 1/2 miles east of Muddy Fork;

23 very cold, rain, we camped at Copperas or Soda Spring. In this night the snow fell some 1 or 2 inches thick;

24 we travelled to Sulphur Creek and camped. We found moderate feed;

25 we moved to Yellow Creek[.] crossed the creek at the foot of Rocky Bluff[.] bad to cross this bluff[.] has a singular appearance forming a number of pyramids;

26 this morning Samuel Sherman was found dead in bed, we buried him on the east side of Yellow Creek, we then moved to a deep ravine 16 miles from Red Fork of Weber River;

27 we travelled down Echo Creek and camped in Echo Canyon a few miles from Weber[.] it was a very bad road;

28 we moved down to Red Fork of Weber and camped;

29th we travelled over long hill and camped near Kanyon [Canyon] Creek;

30 we went up Kanyon Creek[.] crossed it a number of times[.] bad to cross and camped about 1 mile up the mountain[.] we found good feed;

31st crossed the big mountain[.] it was very cold and rainy, we camped by Browns Creek[.] some snow fell during night.

Oct. 1st it continued to snow[.] we drove on to little mountain[.] had to put from 7 to 9 yoke of cattle to each wagon before we could cross, we got over and camped about 1 mile from the foot.

Saturday Oct. 2nd 1852 we entered Great Salt Lake City.