Transcript
Transcript for James, Eliza Toward Harrison, Autobiography
We left there [Montreal] early the next morning [July 7, 1866] and went West on the train for a few hours and then on a boat up Missouri river, the next day we landed at Omaha[,] Nebraska, we stayed here ten days. the wagons and the cattle and teamsters was there, but they had to rest before starting the long journey back. When we were on the ship we did not need all the food we were allowed so mother saved it for us the time we would be on the planes and it sure was a big help for we were all plenty hungry on the planes. Mother brought 2 flat irons and her feather bed with her from England[.] she traded one of the irons in Omaha for some spices such as ginger, nutmeg[,] pepper and some composation. our food from the ship oatmeal, split peas, brown sugar[,] tea, and rice. Sometimes if some of our company would be sick mother would make them some ginger or composition tea and sweeten it with brown sugar[.] It sure came in handy.
It was a long way acossed the planes. Us children always walked in the morning. But wro road in the after noon untill it got cooler. I earned lots of rides sewing on buttons and doing mending for the men that drove the teams, with my mothers help. We had lots of good times on the plains, and some thrills. One time the Indians traveled with us for two days, they had some poneys they wanted to trade for white girls. The captain told us to all stay close to the wagons[.] the big girls were very pretty and the one big Indian he sure did want my sister[.] Mary Ann was about nineteen[.] She was so pretty and such a lady.
When we left Omaha father told mother there wasn’t room for her feather bed and took it out of the wagon putting it on the ground. So mother sat down on her bed and refused to come along. They started off without her but there she sat. At last they went back for her[,] load her in bed and all. But father too was glad of the bed when we got to Zion. he would say to teas mother when he was so tired, and crawled into bed; Well thank the Lord and Old mother hubbard for this good bed.
When we were nearly to Salt Lake city Some of the people from the city came out too meet us and brought some peaches which they gave to us[.] I still think of them[.] they were the most delecious I have ever seen.