Transcript

Started from Winter Quarters on the 13 of June with my family consisting of four, (as we had previously taken a little girl 11 years old by the name of Emma Blocksom,) with one waggon three yoke of Oxen, two cows, one Mare & colt, provisions for a year and a half, Some seed grain, clothing, farming tools &c. I organized and travelled in the 2^nd fifth of the 4^th hundred, and in Lauren Rounds's ten. A O Smoot was Captain of the hundred and Samuel Russell Captain of the fifty. I was appointed Clerk of the fifty.

We pursued our journey with but little difficulty most of the way. We travelled up the Platt[e] River almost its whole length.

One of my cows died on the road, and my mare and colt <were> was stolen by the Indians in the black hills. I met with no other losses of much importance, and had no break downs.

My wife's brother, Henry Russell came with us. he had no family, and lived with us. and we worked together. He had two yoke of Oxen, one waggon & one cow. We Saw many curiosities on our journey Such as chimney rock, Independance rock, Devils gate, Lakes of an article resembling soleratus, &c.

On the latter part of our journey we found considerable bad road, and a good part of the way extremely dusty. We arrived in the great Salt lake Valley on the 25th of september and gladdened were our hearts to be relieved from our arduous journeying. I was well pleased with the valley and with the site for the Salt Lake City.