Transcript

We went thru Council Bluffs, Iowa, to Winter Quarters. We remained there that winter and those who had teams and were able, came on to Salt Lake City[.] the others, we among Them stayed in Council Bluffs, which was quite a place, ocupied by the Potowotomy [Potawatomi] Indians.

In June 1849 we started on our journey acros the plains. It was very rainy, and muddy and we suffered many inconveniences, but nothing compared to some who traveled in extreme cold weather, and others who were on rations, like some of the hand Cart-Companys who had to walk evry step of the way[.] Of course the Hand Cart-Companies were after us. I met James A. Little my future husband, at the crossing of the Missouri river. A Mr. Robert Porter had let me take his beautiful horse to ride. one day I came to the crossing if [of] the river, with my horse and myself all decorated off with roses. We stood in the end of the boat, with the bridle over my arm. That was where my future husband, first saw me. He told me afterwards, that we, (my horse and I) made the most beautiful picture he had ever beheld. (I do not doubt it as Grandma when young had large dark eyes and dark hair and fair skin and I think was quite pretty, E.P Little) and it was there he fell in love with me. Mr. Little’s mother [Susannah Susan Young Little Stilson] and his sister Cornelia [Stilson] were with him. When we camped at night, we made big bonfires, and the young folks sang, danced, played games &c &c. We made our own amusement and had a happy Time. young lovers strayed in the moonlight not far from camp, and I suppose repeated the old, old, but ever new story. Father [John Lytle] worked with his team a couple of cows, which also furnished us milk. Mother [Christena Diana Whitner Lytle] brot her churn along. She would strain the milk in the churn in the morning, and the motion of the wagon made a pat of fresh butter which we saved for breakfast, eating the fresh sweet butter milk, with Johnie cake, for supper, baked in the bake oven. We started in a pleasant Time of the year, June. We saw great herds of Buffalo, and had plenty of the meat both fresh and dried. We fared better than we did after arriving in the Valley. Of course it was not all sunshine and pleasure, we had some very disastrous stampedes, and many dangerous accidents, but take it all arround, we fared much better than most of the Emigrants who came so early. We arrived in Salt Lake City on the 17 Oct. 1849.