Transcript
Transcript for Jonathan Ellis Layne reminiscences.
Elder Jonathan Ellis Layne, who crossed the plains in 1852 in Benjamin Gardner's company gives the following account of the journey of that company from the Missouri river to Great Salt Lake Valley as follows:
"In the summer of 1851 nearly all of our people in Pottawattamie be prepared to go the next year to Salt Lake Valley and the month of May <1852> the saints of the North Pigeon Branch started and next day or two crossed the Missouri river in a flat boat. The cattle had to swim the river, but all got over safely though the river was over half a mile wide where we crossed.
We traveled on the next day and crossed the Elk Horn River and camped on the west side. I was driving team some of the time but most of the time I was driving loose stock for Bro. John W. Lasley. The company I was in was organized, as all companies of our people are who cross the plains. Our Captain of the company was Benjamin Gardner (our former branch president), the captain of the first ten was Mark Hall, the other captains of tens I have forgotten their names. We traveled on very slowly to allow our cattle all the time possible to feed. I stood guard as long as we camped and also stood cattle guard extra for another man nearly all the way to Utah. We soon came to where the buffalo was seen in countless numbers and we had plenty of buffalo meat most of the time. In June we came to the Loup Fork River, which we had to ford and the river was full of quicksand, so that if a wagon stopped moving while going across, the running water would take the sand from under the wheels and they would sink down in a foot or more in a few minutes, and so completely enveloped were the lower side of the wheels that two or more teams had to be hitched on before the wagon could be moved. Several had to be helped out in this way. It was the same with cattle, horses or men, all had to keep moving or their feet would get fast in the sand.
We at last got all safely over and camped for the night. Early the next morning we moved on passing Bishop W. W. Lane's company camped on the Loup Fork river, cholera in camp. We passed by them to the west fork of the river and stopped to noon. Soon they came up and passed by us up the river. After two hours' nooning, we started on and soon overtook the Bishop's wagon and several with him. The Bishop was dead of the cholera and they had stopped to bury him. They had dug a grave and were just lowering the corpse into it. I looked into the grave; it was filled with water on the bottom to a depth of 6 or 8 inches, and the corpse was half buried in water. After covering up the grave they left immediately and started on. They were then behind us and did not catch up to us. About 4 o'clock in the afternoon we overtook another wagon by the side of the road. It was one of Bishop Lane's wagons. His wife had died of the cholera and they were digging her grave not more than seven miles from where her was buried. Indeed it was a sad sight; death was stalking abroad in daylight as well as in darkness. We passed on to Wood River, about 10 miles from the last mentioned grave. The cholera attacked three or four in our camp that night, and at noon the next day Bro. Amos Hunt lost a son about 16 years of age who was immediately buried. The camp moved on and at night another died and was likewise buried, and in the morning we moved on again. Indeed it seemed as if we were in death valley, so many new graves did we pass every day. We were now on the river Platte and in a day or two after sickness ceased and we all felt a great relief had come to us and we thanked the Lord for it.
The camp always laid over on the Sabbath day and meetings were held as often as we could do so. On the Sabbath three and sometimes four men were on guard at night in camp and two or more men with the cattle. We had to drive the cattle several miles to get good feed and the guard stayed with them all night. Our coral was formed every night by the first wagon which would stop at a designated place. The next wagon was turned a little to the right and moved forward till the front wheel of one was just opposite the hind wheel of the first and so on till all were disposed of, leaving room in front or rear, whichever was most convenient for the stock to pass in or out. A few men stationed at these openings could keep all the cattle in very easily and we could better defend ourselves against Indians or other enemies and by this means were always ready. We got along in peace, if not in plenty, but troublesome as all these cares were it was better than the fear of mobs, and it was pleasant to reflect that we are going to a land of peace, if not of plenty. Thus day by day and week by week we traveled onward toward a land of promise where we would be free to serve and worship the Lord our God according to the dictates of our own conscience, with none to afflict or oppress, free from the oppression of such men as those who killed the Prophets of the Lord and drove helpless and sick men and women, whose husbands and sons were in the service of the government. This same government did not raise a hand to prevent these outrages. Surely the God of Israel will remember this and reward every man according to his works whether they be good or whether they be evil. Near the forks of the Platte River it was thought best to divide our company into two or more camps that we might travel faster. Accordingly this was done and we did go faster. One night, near Laramie, about 11 o'clock the guards who was making his rounds went out amongst the horses to see if all was right with them, when he (Edward Thompson) was shot by some one among the horses. Camp was immediately aroused. Each man took his gun and went to see what was the matter, but we never knew who fired the shot that wounded the guard, though suspicion rested on a young man in the company. However, nothing was proved against him. We did not sleep any more that night. The man who was shot had his leg broken close to his body; and as it was very warm weather it was difficult preventing the wound from motifying, but in a few weeks it got well. We did not know but what an Indian had done the shooting. The next morning we looked for signs of Indians as the ground was quite sandy; but could find no signs of them or anything missing.
Our company did not cross the Platte river at Ft. Laramie, but continued up the north side till we reached the mountains 40 or 50 miles above Ft. Laramie. we camped with the 11th company, James McGaw captain. We stayed here two or three days as the feed was good and we had a good time visiting old acquaintances.It was a new thing for us to climb the mountains, the different kinds of timber, pine and spruce, the magnificent mountain scenery and views to be had were so entirely new to me and I greatly enjoyed it. In after years in Utah I grew to love with all my heart.
The buffalos that were seen at this time on the hills were wonderful to behold. One could see from the hills bordering the river which were probably 50 ft. high, as far as eye could reach. moving masses of buffalo so close together the ground not be seen. We had to put out guards right and left to prevent them from going between the wagons and stampeding our cattle and horses, but being thus prepared we got along without any stampeded which was not the case with others who were less watchful, and as the buffalo did not travel much in the night we got along very well indeed. We saw an old work ox which was traveling with the buffalos and we could not get him to them them.
When we left this camp ground we left he 11th company and saw them no more till we arrived in Utah. We soon crossed the Platte river to the south side. The country on the north side was so rough we could hardly travel over it, and our teams were beginning to get a little weary and feed at the camping places was not enough for large herds. It was thought best to again divide our company. This was done, and to lighten our loads as much as possible we threw out boxes and other things that could be spared to help the poor hard worked teams. My brother-in-law Geo. Wilding, who had married my Sister Mary Elizabeth in spring of 1851, broke his wagon and his team being weak and nothing with which to mend the wagon it was thought best to leave his wagon and putting his and team to other wagons, so we moved on and in a few days reached Deer Creek. There was coal here right in the bed of the creek, so we stopped two days to mend wagons, yokes, chains, etc., and to spend Sunday. We moved on next day and when stopping at noon quite a large camp of Cheyenne Indians came to us as these Indians. were in their war print and seemed a little hostile. We did not know what to do; it was a little ticklish to say the least, so to let them see we were not afraid of them (but at the same time we knew we were) we got our fiddles and the young people had a dance which greatly amused the Indians, and after giving them a few presents they moved off which I assure you just suited us best, and after they had gone a little while we moved on too, but not in the direction they went, and that night put on double guard. We saw them no more and we were glad of the change. We soon reached the last crossing of the Platte River which was very sandy, the sand being about 2 feet deep at this place. After some difficulty we all got safely over and in 1 1/2 days reached Independence Rock on the Sweetwater River camped there and waited one day for the cattle to fill up, as the feed was good. Had plenty of cedar for wood. Next day we moved onto crossing of Sweetwater River. As I was driving loose stock I left the road and went to see the Devils Gate where the river runs between perpendicular rocks from one to 200 feet high. The water taking all the room between rocks. At Independence Rock, or near there, we saw saleratus lakes which were about feet deep of crystal saleratus of which we could gather a ton in thirty minutes, had we wanted to. We gathered what we needed and passed on.
We traveled on through the timber up the Big Mountain till we reached the top and then began the descent. It was very steep and dangerous, but we got safely down and nooned on a little creek at the foot of the mountain. We did not stop long here as we had been told that from the top of the next little we could see some of the valley of the Great Salt Lake, so we married to see who should get there first. We soon reached the top and there before us lay the valley we had come so far to see. Some were very thankfulness while others appeared disappointed with the looks of the place, which was all sage brush. a treeless plain. I felt was very much disappointed and felt quite blue. However, we went on and down the Little Mountain and across the bench to the city, where we arrived at 4 o'clock Sept. 27, 1852.