Transcript

Brother James G Willey was our Captin[.] Brother Millen Atwood was his Councilor. they were two good fatherly Men[.] they done all in their power to make it <our journey> Pleasent under the Circumstances¬¬—Some of our Bretheren from Salt Lake was on the Camp ground when we started with our hand Carts they showed us how to Push and Pull[.] we traveled very Slowly the first <few> days but After we got more used to traveling we made better head way[.] it was very warm weather the forepart of our journey but it was Plesent mornings and Evenings—a few days after we had traveled we met A Company of indians with an indian Interpreter telling us that their had been a Massacere—the parties mentioned was Corlnal [Coronel] Babbet [Babbitt] and his teamsters that were taking A train of goods to Salt lake the year we crossed the Plains[.] we met Several indian tribes going East <to war>. as we were comming West. but nothing daunted us for we new that we was on the Lords Side and We knew that he could protect us. we passed the Camp grounds of Several families that was masacreed the Same Season that was on their way to the gold fields of California[.] After we had got quite a distance on our journey we lost us near as I can remember forty head of Cattel or oxen that drawed the provison waggons that delaid us several weeks while they were hunting them Some Suposed that they were Stampeded by buffalo[.] others thought that the indians had driven them off[.] this threw us latter in the Season this <Which> brought us <to> Suffer with the cold as well as throwing our Provisions Short. After we had traveled about Seven hundred miles we Came to Larime [Laramie] Station where our Captain Bought all the Provisions that could be bought after we got within an hundred and fifty miles of Salt Lake[.] our Provisions again became very scarce but the Lord in A Meracilous way opened up our way by inspireing his Servent President Young to Send releif—I remember the morning when our Captain Started out on horseback and told us that when he See us again it would be with good news. the morning that he Started it became very Cold and it snowed[.] the bretheren that had charge of the company Said that we better Stay untill the Storm was over and for all we were under Sutch trying Circumstances the Lord blessed us with Sutch an out pouring of his holy Spirit that our hearts were filled with Joy and we Sang the Songs of Zion[.] Soon after the Storm abated we Saw good old Captain comming over the Brow of the hill waving his hat and when he Came to us he told us their was A company of Brethren on their way to meet us Ladened with Provisons—Buffelo robes and blankets and teams to take us home to the valley

you Can better Emagin then I can describe the Joy & rejoycing that filled the Camp[.] some of our brethren that Came to meet us was old acquaintences[.] you may guess what A happy meeting that was

their was a Company that Started before us[.] they got in in good time before Cold weather Started, and their was one that was a Little behind us. I beleive that it was about five hundred <in our Company> when we started but some Stayed back in the States[.] others died with the hardships of the journey[.] we got into Salt Lake on the fifth of november 1856 Nine years after the Pioneers

Our journey Emortalized the Lives of these that those that remained faithful