Transcript
Transcript for Nielson, Carl Hendrick, History of Charles Henry Nielson, 1-2
We were over members nearly all Scandinavians, a few English and some from Holland also a lot of Irish people not Mormons.
The leader of the Scandinavians was Niels Wilhelmsen, a man beloved and highly respected by all who knew him, we sailed up the Hudson to Albany then by rail to Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Detroit, and Chicago then to St. Joseph, Mo. From there we went by boat on the Missouri River to Omaha, were we camped for two days, then took the train on the U.P. to North Platte, there we camped three weeks. At North Platte we had some sickness and deaths among the imigrants.
Here we were fitted out with Oxen and New Schuttler wagons for the 700 mile trip ahead of us to Salt Lake City. We were also fitted out with provisions consisting of fat bacon and flour, mostely. Our Oxen were in splended condition, this is what is termed an Independent Train consisting of 60 teams with four oxen on each wagon. There was four Mules also, I was asked if I could drive them[.] everyone seemed to be afraid of them as None of us had ever seen a Mule, but I said I could, and when we were well on our way the others were envious because my wife and I could ride while they had to walk. The Captain of the train was Leonard Rice from Farmington, assisted by returning Elders. We traveled along Platte River, Chimney Rock, Independence Rock, the Sweet Water crossing said stream (no bridge) seven times one day, also a good snow storm at South Pass, we stayed their two days the 15th and 16th of September[.] while there a Mrs. Christoff Madsen gave birth to a child.
I remember crossing Green River, passing Fort Bridger, coming through Echo Canyon by Coalville and passing through Parleys Canyon and finally camping at the Church farm 4 miles south of Salt Lake City. This journey of 700 miles was on foot all the way from North Platte City leaving said point on the 11th day of August and arriving in Salt Lake City the 5th day of October, 1867.