Transcript

David Jenkins, is one of the few pioneers of 1860 still living, some of his experiences will be read with interest. . . .

“We went down to Pittston Ferry, Pennsylvania where father got work and where we remained for five years to earn money come on to Utah.  From Pittston we took the train to Florence Nebraska.  At Florence, we met John Morgan and family who have come from our home town in Wales, there also I saw Indians for the first time.  Morgan had one yoke of oxen, but no wagon, so he joined with us, and together we had three yoke of oxen, one wagon and one tent, with which to cross the plains.  Mrs. Morgan was blind, so she was allowed to occupy the wagon day and night, and my parents slept in the tent.  One day about July 4th, while journeying along the oxen became frightened and ran away, for a few minutes we had a pretty exciting time, but the Captain John Smith, and another man, on horseback rode beside the oxen and kept them in the road until they quieted down, so nothing serious happened.  While hunting rabbits one day I encountered a large rattle snake, the first I had seen.  I killed it and took it to camp and gave it to the captain, who made oil out of it.  It had nine rattles which I preserved.

“We saw on the road immense herds of buffalo, some of which were killed by the company hunters.  We reached Salt Lake in August, and there the company broke up and went to different places.”