Transcript

Stayed in Florence, a few Day getting things Ready for the Planes[.] Our Handcarts had not Arived. I was Apainted [appointed] to Asest in getting them Ready, in Helping get the Covers of the Carts Ready. My Wife [Bethiah Savill] not feeling well. Started on the Plains on the [June 9, 1859], But my Wife feeling very sick and the first Day Travel, She Mis carr[i]ed and was Almost to Sick to Travel. She was Put in [one] of the Wagons. Got Little Better, But was Sick moare or lis [less] all the way. I was Chosen as Captan over 10 Carts. There was 750 Saints in the Camp. We Took Each Cart Two Sacks of Flawer [flour]. was 4 Person to A Cart. It was A Terabell [terrible] hard Jarny [journey] to me.

On one time My Wife and I Lead [laid] Down in the Sage Brush and Tried to Die, But was found By the Indins [Indians] and Took to Camp some Miles. At one time A Indin fell in love with Emma Booth and folawred [followed] us for Days, But fin[al]ly left. Geary [George] Rawly [Rowley] was Captain over the Hand Cart Company. This was the Most tr[y]ing Part of My Life. At times, I seem used Completely used up in My Body. After Sevarell Weeks Traveling, we got very Short of food and was oblige to Send Br. [Thomas] McTyer [MacIntyre] on Horse Back to get food. Brigham Sent out Sevarell Wagon Lodes with Flower and it was A God Send to the Saints. Our officers did [not] act as Wise as they ought. Campeted us in the Sage Brush through Miss Understanding the way. Many Others that was not Wright But on the [unfinished sentence]

We arived in Salt Lake City. Oh, no Thing Can Tell my feelings. Oh, it was Like A Refershing from the Lord to See the Butifull Valley. The good, kind frinds. The Butifull Reception, the Band Playing. It was on A Sunday. Scors of Wagons Came to meet there frinds loaded with the good of the Valley. Br. James Cushing Came to meet us. Met us at the Mouth of Emigreation [Emigration] Canyon. My Wife got up in the Wagon and Myself. Oh, What A Happy time together. I went Home to Elder Robert Dye's House, 20 Ward. The Wagon Lodes of Provisions was Divided among the Saints. I went to Br. Dyes Till I look Around and See What to do. This is first time since I left the Factory When a Boye that I needed to See for Work. But Now I got A Wife. I Must Keep Her.

. . . .few thoughts Respecting My Comming in to the Valley and how I felt in Seeing the Butifull Salt Lake Valley the first time. After A wear[y]ing Journey Across the Plains pushing and pulling A Hand Cart. I was stand on the Little or Big Mountain A Day's Drive from the Salt Lake City. I Saw the Butifull Valley. No Thing Can Tell the Emotions of My Spirit. There was three or 400 Hunderd of us. We Crossed Emigeration [Emigration] Creek 7 or eight times. That and through Mud Holes. We arived about Noon at the Mouth of Emigeration [Emigration] Cannon [Canyon]. We was order to wash up ourselves A little. But was not But Little Good as the Road was full of Dust. The City of our God is now in Sight and I felt can it after 10 or 12 years praying to come to the Valley that My Prayers is now answeared as we left our last Camping Ground and made our way over the Bench Land. We Began meet Scors of Train to Take the Poar Dirty Warne out People to their Homes. There was A Band of Music and Wagon Load with the fat thing of this Butifull Valley. I thought to myself, well any coming for to Welcome me to this butifull Valley When I behold A Man and Woman in A Wagon Haling me. It was Elder James Cushing who Came out Two or three years ago. Oh, my feelings.