Transcript

Transcript for Martha Ann Gardner biographical sketch, undated, 3-4

. . . in April 1848 I (k)now we start on Our Long and Peroulous Journey as Brigham had come Back and Stayed the Winter with the Saints. and Organized them in Company’s Off [of] 10, 50, 100, and with A Captain At there head. A(nd) when they Camp at Night they formed the Waggon(s) in a Corral Shape, And kept the animals in at night and we had to do our Cooking inside. Brigham(’s) Company Started out[.] Heber C. Kimball the Company we were in Father [Elias] Gardner first and our Wagon next And another and 2 Boys had a light Wagon a Cow And a Steer to haul it. we travled on Climbing Mountains and Crossing Rivers, except Sunday’s as we Camped till Monday and Meeting was Called and they gave us good Counsel & urged us not to get tired and weary, as we had a long tiresome Journey before us, and on July 9 we were Camped on hosse shoe [Horseshoe] Creek[.] My Son Ira [Walter Gardner] was Born on a Sunday as Brigham had Called a Meeting. my Husband [Walter Elias Gardner] had jest came in from a Buffalo hunt as he had been out all night and he fetched in a Buffalo they had killed as we were in a Buffalo Country and as we were Camped one night the Cattle took fright and Stampede and jumped ove(r) & Brok(e) down two Wagons and it took half a day to find the Cattle and fix the Wagons one being a Blacksmith Wagon and the next day we travled on and Encounterd some Snow Storms before Reaching Salt Lake last part off Sept 1848 and found a Fort and M(an)aged to get one room for 9 off us.