Early July, my husband having purchased two yoke of cattle, a wagon, and two cows. We loaded up goods and supplies at West port in Jackson Co. We started for Utah in Capt. Daniel Carn’s [Garn’s] Co. My husband's father [Duncan MacDonald], and my mother [Elizabeth MacKenzie Graham] and my youngest sister, Matilda [Graham] were with me. These having been assisted to emigrate by my husband. On starting, I felt exceedingly thankful to the Lord for His goodness to us as a family; for I realized that we had been preserved upon the sea and upon the river in the midst of disease and death. We were now engaged in new business having a tedious over-land journey before us. Our cattle were young, never having been yoked up before. My husband had not even seen Cattle yoked up previous to his experience with his recent purchase. He was driver. In stating this I will leave, the reader, to imagine the indescribable evolutions of an utterly inexperienced driver—and of as utterly unbroke cattle. When the first day’s journey was performed it may be guessed how tired man and beast were, for the length of the road was nothing to the width! I know that my extreme anxiety together with my walking made me very tired. It would not have been safe for any of us to have ridden, for the Oxen were not at all particular to keep the road; for in the first of our experience with them, they several times ran away and upset the wagon. Daily practice, however, brought driver and cattle to better understand each other, and our wild team became so docile that they would come to us at our bidding. They would eat bread and bacon out of my hand, and became so domesticated that I became quite attached to them.
Day after day we continued our dreary journey over rivers and plains. Before reaching Laramie we heard rumors of difficulties with the Indians. At one part of our journey we pitched camp in a bend of the Platte, and stayed there a couple of days, keeping a close guard against an Indian surprise. On resuming our journey we passed where an Indian encampment had been broken up by a company of U.S. troops. The commanding officer and several of the Company were killed in the engagement. We saw the signs of the fatal contest; it had been so recent that some of the fires of the camp were still burning.
We pursued our journey daily without any other incident worth mentioning till on the 30th of September we arrived in sight of Salt Lake City. What a pleasing sight. This was indeed a haven of rest after a tiresome journey.
[Autobiography also found in Taylor Oden MacDonald, Collection 1857-1980, reel 1, item 1, 153-55, LDS Church Archives.]