Transcript

I worked there till the spring of 1859 when word came that all that could raise means to go to the frontiers was to do so and prepair to cross the plains. Mr. Stenhouse made up his mind to cross the plains that year ask me if I would take charge of his out fit at the frontiers and drive one of his tiames [teams] across the plains for him. I told him I would[.] as he did not arrive at the frontiers till the trains was about ready to start out for the plains[,] I had every thing ready for him[.] when he came up from florence he and I had a few words about the team. I told him he had not enought cattel to take the load he had and when we were loaded up I put the wagon on the scales. it weighed some thing over sixty hundred[.] I told him I would not start with him if he would not get one more yolk of cattel as we had but two yolk of cattel and one of cows so that is w[h]ere the trouble came in[.] there was a single man there and he thought he w[o]uld get him to drive for him[.] president Geo. Q. Cannon was at the frontiers at the time[.] he told me he would see that we went acrossed the plains that year[.] so when Mr Stenhouse herd that we would cross that year [,] he came to me and told us that he wanted us to go with him he did not want us to feel that we were as hired help but wanted us to feel as one of the family but when he got us on the plains he treated us more like niggers than brother and sister when we came to Lar[a]mie he wanted to leave us there but captain Steve[n]son told him he could not do it[.] he told him he had to take us to the valley as he was able to do as any in the train[.] by hiring some of our luggage being hauled in we came through foot sore and sick and we rejoiced as we road acrosse hogs back and saw the home of the saints[;] it was on 28th of September 1859 when we arrived in the valley