Transcript

In the month of March my brother Ezra whom we parted with at Dubuque came up with us[.] He had come with the intention of going to California & wished us to take him as far as Salt Lake which we did agreed to allthough we did not need his help atale [at all] as Welch was on hand to go with us & Mr [John] Wood eyes were entirely recovered he having been administered to by the Elders during the winter.

There were several families there on their way to Utah who like ourselves wished to make an early start so Mr Wood & they arrainged to make up a small company of indapendants[.] There were six families of us[,] nine waggons & eleven men[,] rather a weak outfit for those days[.] We left The names of the men were one Richy, one Bacon, one Daniels, one Howel, Aron Brichford, John Wood[,] Fountain Welch, Ezra C[arter] Chase[,] Elija Shaw, Thomas Bacon & one whose name I forget[.] We left Kanesville about the middle of May & reached Salt Lake valley on the 23 day <1853> of July[.] It was considered a quick trip considering that we traveled with oxen