Transcript

The end of the journey as far as the train went was St. Joseph Missouri, and then on to the flat boat. We were only on it a short time when the station was burned by rebels. Then we were landed at that historical camp ground in Nebraska.

This must have been August, the teams were waiting for the Saints. Our company was all English and had fifty wagons. We had a pretty fair journey. One time I remember there was a large band of Indians in their war paint and feathers going to war. Two Indian tribes were on the war path. We saw a number of homes left, and people had been driven by the Indians and their crops were still standing.

In our wagon were the belongings of two families, nineteen in all, so there was not much room for riding. The other family were tailors by trade and not used to walking. Mother had twins seven years of age and of course, they had to ride. I never remember my mother riding or any of her children only the little ones. And some of the other family were sick a great deal of the time and some of them died, the father and little boy four years old and the baby. Their name was Singleton of Springfield, Utah.

Twenty and twenty–five miles was often the day's journey and once thirty miles to make water. Our captain's name was John Kay and George Halladay [Halliday]. Brother Kay died on the plains and two other sisters. Mother was always one of the first up in camp and always ready. We were given our rations once a week, a little pork, some beans and so much flour. So there was not much room besides for our belongings.

The first day we were going on a long slope and thought we would ride down hill. Three of us got and two others, a girl and a little boy. Someone kicked off the brakes and the wagon crowded the oxen and down the hill pell–mell we went. It seemed as if all of us would be tipped out and lots of things were. The little boy screamed, "Oh, my yard, my yard!" My little brother was holding on to the bows and his black eyes were terrified, but we soon got to the bottom of the hill, or we soon would have gotten to Zion, or some place.

When we reached the Bear River someone was asking for Sister Littlefield with a horse and team. And who could it be but her son John. That night we reached Coleville and had one of the best suppers ever I have seen with vegetables and bread! Real bread!

The next day we came to Parley's Canyon where William Kimball lived and we ate lunch. Then we went for Salt Lake City straight as could be. Brother Eddington met us with a little buggy there, took Mary with him and went for home. She afterward was married to him. He was the husband of my sister Sarah who came seven years before, died and left a little babe. Aunt Louise, the second wife, took him and weaned the baby boy. She was a good mother to him.