Transcript

Sept. 21 1857

After 2 weeks fixing waggons and thrashing wheat and barley[,] alls going of[f] over to Calliforney [California] to get the money for my farm and cows and geting some artickels we needed to tak with us to the valley, I run some risk in bringing my money over the mountains as I was liable to be robed as many are in this place being it mountaineous country and some 80 miles without inhabitent[.] I road with my pistle in hand in the most dangerous places but I got home safe[;] found all well at home as I continue making ready to move[.] so we started in two weak [weeks] after we got word to leave[.] I bought two or three hundred pounds of powder and lead to take with me to the Salt Lake. We met with the saints in eagle valley, where we all left the county in one large company of 200 waggons[.] here I left my thrashing machine—and got nothing mutch for it. We started from eagle valley in carson on the 22 day of Sept an traveled all the way home in this large company. We kept up good strong guard as we feared they would follow us from Calliforney and stop us from going home for they had sent several expresses to calliforny to have A large force of soldiers to stop us.

so we traveled in mass and had 50 men on garde in one knight all the most all they way through[.] we traveled fast as our teams could stand to go for we feared the snows would overtake us before we got home but we got through safe and sound an lost nothing but Elvira had found one little girl on Deep creak [Creek] 4 days before we got to Brigham City[.] we call the girls name Elvira[.] when we arrive in Brigham City we found the bretheran were out a trying to keep the U.S. armey from comeing in and prepareing for war. I stoped my waggons and Samuel Smith by his request and sent few lines to Brigham to know where he wants me to stop[.] he said stop here also Lorenzo Snow wished me to stop here[.] I gladly did so.