Transcript

When the Ogden Co. arrived to meet our camp Captain Miles Jones had in his possession a letter which stated that the reason my brother was not with them to meet us was, because he had lost his cattle. We were then booked with a few other families to go with the freight teams. The last company of that season, before continuing on our journey I was called by the church with others to assist in making wagon covers and tents for the last train.

After resuming our journey under the leadership of Captain Dame four days from Florence we were again delayed, to wait for Captain Young and ten or twelve more wagons, which in all made a company of over sixty wagons.

After we had travelled away from all civilization[,] were approached by a band of over two hundred Indians who were on the war path with another tribe. Our leading teamster Alex. Hubbard, who was a resident of Willard, was also our interpreter, and as soon as he informed us that it was food they demanded, the captain had a great quantity put out for their disposal.

On account of dividing shoes with a girl friend, who was a barefoot orphan, I travelled half the journey in moccassins

Being late in the fall we encountered disagreeable weather to-ward the end of the journey. One whole day in particular we travelled with our clothes frozen stiff with the sleet. When we came to the Platte river, we camped on one bank one night and the next night on the opposite bank, the river being so treacherous that it took us a full day to cross it.

Another event was when I consented to take the place of a lady who was paying her way over by cooking for ten of the freight teamsters. She became ill and was unable to be at her post for two weeks. During which times I assisted by the Capt and teamsters did the cooking.

One day when some members of our party went out for a hunt my father included, they arroused three bears, two of which ran through our camp and startled the cattle to such an extent that a stampede was narrowly averted.

I rode part of the journey on one of the night herders mules. Of course we had our pleasures as well as our trials.

When we reached Echo Canyon we remained there three days and nights, while the rest of the company went on to Salt Lake City, on account of my brother coming to meet us, so to take us on to Ogden. Our delay in the canyon was due to him having a load of grain to deliver farther on before he could accompany us. The father of the present Bishop Fuller of Eden ward assisted my brother in bringing us to Ogden.

When we reached 25^th st and Washington Ave. I asked how much farther we had to go before we reached Ogden and was astonished, when told that we were in the center of Ogden.

Thus ended a long and tedious journey of six months mingled with joys and sorrows. There were nine deaths on board ship, six on plains and one on the Mississippi river.