After leaving Nauvoo, we traveled west until August 5, 1846[.] we camped on the point of a hill sixteen miles below Garden grove and about midnight Alfred was Born[.] we ware acompanyed by Jas C. Willie and a Brother Chichester and families. The Next Morning Br Willie left us alone but Br Chic[h]ester and wife staid and asisted us two Days[.] the fourth Day we drove four Miles and had to camp as the motion of the wagon hurt my wife [Margaret Ann Richison Merrill.] we remained four days when I was taken Sick with fever ague[.] i continued to get worse having to Drink Slew water[.] we ware entirely alone[.] Br. Parley P Pratt came to our wagon on his Mission to England & se[e]ing our condition sayed he would send some one to drive our teems to Garden Grove[.] he Started on and met Some men from the Lost--camp and told them if they wanted his Blessing that they must se that we was taken to the Grove whitch they agread to do when they returned home and the next day they Sent a profesing Brother Mcentire by name who came withing [sic] a lying Spirit. promising if i would go to the Lost Camp that he would provide a house and take care of My Cattle until i got well[.] as i was to sick to Detect Deception we ware taken to that Camp where we ware without a house and my Teems went astray and My wife in trying to take care of me was took sick[.] our children was taken also one after another until they all ware down with chills and fever[.] Alonzo our Oldest Son Died in his Eight Year[.] our Babe Alfred Died in [....] weaks after for the want of care and proper nourishment as his Mother had Become helpless—Six Days after amanda our Oldest and only Daughter Died and the three Children was Buried under one Tree[.] while i remained Sick a professing Brother Bratton by Name Drove of[f] one Yoke of my Cattle to Council Bluf[f]s under the pretence of their being Estray[.] another ox went of[f] to the Setlements[.] my horse got into a Ditch and died[.] one ox i Butchered to Live upon whitch left us without a Teem. But as we had not Provisions to live upon through the winter i traded one wagon for a pair of Oxen and started back to the Desmoin [Des Moines] river about Ninety Miles Leaving My wife Sick not Knowing that we Should meet again this Side of Eternity[.] the next day after starting Winter and Snow Began to Set in and continued all winter we got into the Settlements and got our Loads[.] in about 2 weaks Started for home[.] the Snow was knee deep[.] before i got to the Last house my cattle give out and i was forced to leave my wagon and Load in the care of a Mr. Wescott[.] the Breathren took some meel and flour in their wagons for me[.] we arived home much fatigued by wading through the snow[.] The weather was very cold[.] some of the Bretheren froze their feet[.] i found my family about the same as i Left Them. Br Orson Pratt come back from the Bluf[f]s to organize the Several Camps in traveling order and on his return i went in company with him and Br Gos [..orn] to the blufs to obtain my Cattle from Bratton[.] when on ariving near the Indian Mill we came to his house and he soon Drove up with a Load of wood with my cattle[.] he was very obstinate and demanded pay for wintering the cattle and i finaly got them by giving him the Last cent of money that i had. we Crost [crossed] Mis[s]ouri River on the ice and on ariving at Winter quarters February found My Sister Mary ann who gave me five Dollars in money[.] i also received much kindness from Br Burr Frost and family[.] after staying a weak i started for home in company with Jno [John] Harvey and Joel Terry[.] i had to drive my Cattle and Keep up with his horse teem[.] we arived at the Indian village and slept in a bark Wickeup[.] it Snowed all Knight and covered us up[.] we started and with much dificulty got acrost the river and on the fourth Day we gave the Last of our flour to the horses as our feed was gone. the next day arived in Pisga[h] in a Snow Storm being fatigued and hundry i was Kindly treated by Charles C. Rich and family where i staid a weak[.] it had continued to Snow until all trace of the road was lost and no one would venture to travel as it was about forty miles before getting to a house[.] i had becom so anxious about my family as i left them sick i concluded to venture alone[.] concequently the next morning at Sunrize i Started for home with my cattle without any provisions or any thing to make a fire with[.] i traveled on till the Sun was setting not Knowing where i was and my cattle was jaded out—i halted and saw timber half of a mile on my right and also the Same on the Left[.] i concluded that their was no one to asist me but the Lord[.] therefore i ofered the signs of the Holy priesthood and called on the Lord to protect and Direct me and preserve me from perishing[.] that Knight the Spirit Directed me to go to the Left-hand timber[.] Concequently after going Down about half a mile i came to a heavy trail of animals tracks[,] dear [deer] as i suposed and folowed in to a holow where i Saw Some corn and Turnips that had been buried in the Snow[.] I continued on into the woods where i found a stump of a Tree on fire and some Wood cut where i staid all Knight. and kept up a fire being much disturbed by the howling of Woolves[.] the next day at Sunrize i started out on the Same deviding ridge and traveled on until about Eleven O clock[.] i thought i recognised the White Forest Timber that i Lived in[.] i acordingly took that direction and arived home about Noon not being able to speek loud for two weeks after on account of Cold[.] i found My wife Still Sick[.] not missing a chill for about Seven Months[.] one of the oxen i obtained for my wagon being old got down and i soon lost him but as Spring was aproaching and my wife began slowly to amend i concluded that the Lost camp was no place for me but to obtain another Ox My wagon and Provision from the Desmoin [Des Moines] to Last Me until i could raise some was the next concideration[.] I acordingly Made a Large two Wheel Truck and Traded a watch and the five dollars that my Sister gave me and obtained a Bull and Started back to the Desmoin [Des Moines] in the month of March 1847. I arived in the Setlements on Sunday feeling friendless and without Means[.] i went to a Mr Brocks house and the Lord [w]rought upon them and for some articles of childrens clothing they gave me provision [of] Seed grain and Bacon[.] i then went to Edyvill [Eddyville] where i got a Letter from My Bro Valenting containing three Dollars[.] got Some corn and returned to Mr Brocks[.] obtained some fowls euc [etc.] My wagon and meal from Mr Wescott who had taken care of it. through the winter[.] he treated Me to a Dinner when i Started for home[.] i had a Large Hill that was very steep[.] i did not Know how to get up as my Teem Was Verry weak But a Spirit seamed to work on Mr J Brock to take his teem and go ten Miles[.] altho a stranger to me and help me up without pay[.] by the Blessing of God i arived home finding My wife Much better[.] we acordingly Started for Council Bluf[f]s being glad to escape from a disafected people we arived in Winter Quarters about the first of May and went to work making fence and plowing in the timber and planted Corn [a..ot] Buck wheat. i raised some Corn and Vegetables and 40 Bushels Buckwheat[.] I worked hard Living on Jonny cake and water[.] the folowing Spring the Omahau [Omaha] Indians had Become troublesome and the Government of the United States cla[i]med that the Mormons had no right to stay on Indean [Indian] Land that had not ben purchased by them from the Indens [Indians]. and those who could get Teems [teams] and provisions to last them a Year was Counciled to go to the Valley and those who could not ware to cross over to Pottawattamie until they could fit out and as i Lacked both in the last of April 1848 we crost over and went to Allreds Camp[.] traded for a log house and Lot of Br John Barton[.] I had a pair of Stears and a Bull and one Cow but one of my Stears got Drownded and i hunted Eight Days before i found him dead which made it Late but i got in Some grain[.] the fowlowing Spring my cousin Eliza ann Hand and husband with their children Elizabeth and William also an adoted child Charles son of my cousin Caroline Smith Deceased started from Norwalk Conn to go to Salt Lake in Company with W. J. Ap[p]leby when they got on the Mis[s]ouri river the Cholera prevailed and my cousin Eliza ann and her husband William Hand the adopted Child Charles all Died and ware Buried in Jef[f]erson Citty[.] Elizabeth and William their children remaining their parents left about 800 Dollars in money and as much more in goods[.] Fr [Br.] Appleby took $400 of the Money Leaving 2 inexperienced Children and went to the Bluf[f]s[.] Bot his fit out and went on to the Vally[.] they staid a while and spent Most of the Money and then Started up and arived in Kanesville Aug 1849 leaving their goods 60 Miles below at the Landing[.] Elizabeth Being about 17 years Old [and] William was about 12 they Sent me word of their arival and wished to come and stay with me[.] acordingly i took them home and went down for their goods and found them Mildued [mildewed] and Some Damaged[.] they remained with me about three Months During whitch time i had a Savere Sickness[.] i had Taken cold gowing for the goods having to camp out[,] it being cold and wet i was nigh unto Death[.] During this time Elizabeth got acquainted with Henry Williams a Worthless Man adicted to Drink and Maried him Contrary to my council and the following Spring 1850 followed him to prison and apostatised from the Church of Jesus Christ[.] we remained until 1852 when we Started for the Valley[.] crosed Mis[s]ouri river June 9 having charge of 16 wagons[.] we had 2 Yoke of Oxen 2 Cows 2 Hiffers[.] 7 of us in family[.] we traviled acrost the planes and arived in Salt Lake City in Sept 1852[.] remained about one weak and started for Provo Citty Utah County.