Transcript

Friday [May] 12th By Br. Heber's council I went out to our camp—Oliver's sickness requiring mypresence—

Sunday 14th. By external applications Sweating & administering in the name of the Lord we obtained some power over the disease. Received accessions to our camp so that it now numbered 50 waggons.

Friday [May] 19 Having continued to work until Wednesday Br. Heber requested me to go & examine a rout[e] for a new Bridge on the Papaean[Papillion] creek, went in company with Joel Ricks, Daniel davis & Bro Fooke [Folks?], recon[n]oitored the route & returned to camp in the evening & reported[.] after deliberdtion it was decided to build the Bridge in a fine grove a mile above the old one by which a good camping ground will be obtained a mile or two saved in going to the Elk Horn

Satturday 20th Travelled over to the Papaean with our company top 16 wagons, Br Lorenzo Snow's Pisgah com[.] &, Some others making in all 61 Waggons—12 miles.

Sunday May 21st Went to work and built our Bridge having it completed by two oclock after which the camp came together at the sound of the horn & held publik meeting. Br. Snow preached to all concerning the advantage of trials to the Saints & the necessity of their exercising themselves in Patience & forbearance loving one another, A heavy shower of rain fell in the evening

Monday [May] 22 On account of the ground being wet we remained incamped, & in the afternoon had heavy showers again[.] Had large numbers of waggons arrived & some went over on our new Bridge, the mud being very bad—

Tuesday 25 Rained hard through the night & continued until 12 oclock when it cleared off with N. [illegible] a hundred waggons arrived here today wallowing through the mud

Wednesday [May] 24th Washed our sheets & I went back to town—About a hundred Waggons stated for the Horn—

Thursday [May] 25 This morning I had the good fortune to trade the demand I held against Capt Brown for repairing Waggons, to Cyrenus Taylor for which I received $7.25 in cash which enabled me to obtain some necessary articles of clothing &c.—when I returned to our camp—

Friday 26th Our camp journeyed over to the Horn 8 miles arrived about noon & found our Brothers had constructed a raft & comenced crossing yesterday having over a hundred waggons across—

Saturday 27th Continued ferrying over Waggons[.] Br. Gregory's waggon accidently ran off the raft into the river which damaged very much his provisions[,] clothing , &c.—Br Brigham arrived in the evening, with his company—Sister Neff's son was drowned

Sunday [May] 28th A tremendous heavy rain this morning[.] we remained encamped no crossing to day—

Monday 29th The President's company & family crossed over to day—

Tuesday May 30th I repaired Doctor [Samuel Lindsey] Sprague's waggon & received in pay some medicine for Oliver [Jacob], he is rendered helpless by rheumatic pains.

Wednesday 31st We made an early move & crossed only ten over encamped & made report of [--] to Br [Thomas] Bullock the Recorder—

Thursday first day of June—The camp of Israel began its march to the mountains by sending forward Capt Lorenzo Snow's company of waggons[.] H.C. Kimbal arrived with about fifty

Friday [June] 2nd Another company under Capt Pulsipher—a great deal of electioneering by some persons to those who formerly belonged to Elder Kimbal's company to join others & in many cases they succeeded to draw them off—

Satterday [June] 3rd Wm Perkin's hundred started & moved on in the rain. Our Ten was now increased by the arrival of Jerry Root & Alfred Randal [Randall] to 18 Waggons & Joel Ricks appointed captain—twoo more children & a woman Burried here

Sunday [June] 4th A small <number> gathered & held meeting at Br Kimballs camp where we received some excelent instruction from Prest. Morley, Bishop [Newel Kimball] Whitney, & H.C. Kimball—

Monday 5th President Young moved out with his company & some more arrived from Winter Quarters—

Tuesday 6th About 10 oclock A M an alarm was raised that the Indians were driving off our cattle, in a few minutes several men were in pursuit, following them to the river they took our ox from them, but they had killed one. Br [George] Clawson got sight of one in the act of tying up his meat & fired upon him[.] the Indians fled across the River & Wm. Kimbal [Kimball], Howard Eagan, Thomas Ricks & [Noah] Willis Bartholomew followed the Indians across the river & coming up with them, they presented their guns[.] when our boys commenced firing with their revolvers the Indians returned the fire & shot Ricks in the back with three Buck Shot & Egan through the wrist with a ball Just as he was firing his revolver which threw the pistol from his hand & he lost it[.] his Horse was also shot in the top of the neck, & Kimbals in the top of the hip. the Indians altho the most numerous finaly fled & our Boys brot off their wounded man—the news coming to Br [Joel] Ricks, he & Tho[ma]s [Levi] Whittle & a Boy started with a Buggy to meet them, but they missed the company& fell in with the Indians who threatened their lives & robbed them of a yearling colt[,] about thirty dollars worth of clothing & some other articles when they told them to go home saying that <they> had four men killed & some wounded—This was a foolish affair on the part of our men. Elders of Israel are not called to make war upon the Lamanites—
Some forty waggons crossed over to day & President Kimbal[l] broke up his camp here & moved out two miles & formed a carel [corral] with some hundred & fifty Waggons & set a strong guard—

Wednesday 7th Moved over to the Platte[.] made 15 miles & camped—

Thursday[June] 8th This morning my wife [Emily Heaton Jacob] sprained & bruised her ancle severely—Our wounded man is doing well, & Oliver is much better, but we have our share of invalids—moved on eight miles, & camped on the bank of the river in three companys <225 waggons> Br Kimbal[l]s company contained 104 Waggons, he called us together and organized his companys with Henry Heriman [Harriman] as Capt of hundred, Titus Billings, & John Pack Capts of fifty with six capts of Ten in our fifty. Wm Clayton was elected Clerk of this company & Norton Jacob capt of the guard—

Satturday 10th Camped 12 miles above Shell Creek on the bank of the <river>

Sunday 11th remained encamped & having a little leisure while tending upon my sick folks.

I make the following list of the Guard of the first fifty—
1. Charles Hubbard Seargent of the first company of 8 men as follows:
2. Alfred Billings
3. Melangton [Melancthon] Burgess
4. James Bess
5. Orlando F [Allen Orlando D] Hovey
6. George Pitkin
7. Wmn S. Covert
7. Charles Carnover [Conover]
8. Abram Carnover [Conover]

1. Peter Carnover [Conover] Seargent of Second company
2.Charles Carnover
3. Amos Harmon
4. Henry Ovatt
5. Edward Martin
6. Franklin Edwards
7. Wm Mathews
George Billings
8. James Steel

1. Joseph G. Hovey, Seargt 3rd com.
2. George Billings
3. George Clawson
4. Dan Davis
5. Hosea Cushin[g]
6. Asahel [Ansil] Harmon
7. George R[h]oads
Spencer Willbanks [Wiltbank]
8. Abram Losee

1. George Meyers [Mayer] Seargt 4th company
2. Spencer Willbanks
3. H.K. Whitney
4. O.K Whitney
5. Solon McFarline
6. Jason Haw[e]s
7. Everet Van Orden
Jackson Badgers
8. Charles Williams

1. John Cox Seargt 5th Company
2. Henry E. Gibson
Jackson Redding [Redden]
3. Obed Thompson
4. Aroet Hale
5. Joseph Henry [Henrie]
6. Ozro Eastman
7. James Duncan
8. George Duncan
Hubert H Foster
Charly A Foster

1. Albert Griffin Seargt 6th Com
2. Charly Foster
3. Hubert H. Foster H. Foster
4. Ezra Thompson
5. Alonzo . Rollins
6. Thomas Colburn
7. Ephraim Badger
8. Robert Blackman
Thomas Corbit [Corbett]
Wm Corbit

1. Joel Ricks Seargent 7th Company
2. Wm. Clayton
3. Thomas Corbit reman
[--]
4. Elick Kelley
5. Wm Kelly
6. Jonathan Pugmire
7. Lewis Ricks
8. Benjamin Cross
9. Daniel McVay [McKay]
[--]

1. Thomas Whittle Seargt 8th company
2. Norton Jacobs
3. Jesse Folks
4. Daniel McKay
5. Alfred Randal
6. Jerry Root
7. Almerin Root
John Calvert
5. John C.Whittle
6. Wm Barnet [Barrett]
7.Phares Wells

1. Elbridge Tufts Seargt 9th com
John Calvert
2. [--] Phares Wells
3. Sch[u]yler Jennings
4. Thomas Chappall
5. Thomas <Edward> P. Chappall
6. Alfred D. Young
7. Oliver Bess
8. Isaac Furgerson [Ferguson]

1. Benjamin F. Mitchell Seargt 10th company
[--]
2. Elias Gardner
3. Walter E[lias]. Gardner
4. John W. Tuttle
5. George Teeples
6. Alvah Tippets
7. John H. Tippets
8. Hiram Tippets

Thursday [June] 15th Passed the old & new Pawnee Missionary Station & camped on Cedar creek—The Siox have burned their new Missionary house that was built last summer! The Lord intends the Saints shall have a free passway through this region so he has removed our enemies this being the third time they have been burned out by the Sioux! To day Juhu [Jehu] Cox's Daughter [Lucretia Cox] 6 years old was killed by a Waggon running over it—Camped near an old Indian Town in ruins—A tremendous Storm of rain, thunder & lightning accompanied with wind & hail & but our encampment being formed[,] our cattle remained quietly within our Corell by close watching. A. Griffins company being on Guard—a messengers arrived from Br Brigham's camp & informed that his company crossed over the Loup Fork about noon.

Friday 16th It rained the fore part of the day but we journeyed on to the ford of the Loup, & in the evening we had another tremendous Storm of wind & rain—which was severe on our sick—

Satturday 17th All the Brethren that came on are encamped on the right bank of the river & they sent over about a hundred yoke of oxen to assist us to move over & by the middle of the afternoon we had moved over 225 Waggons & several hundred head of [illegible] cattle &c[,] Sheep &c herds without any accident

Sunday 18th The Saints gathered midway beween the camps on the bank of the river for worship[.] Br Brigham opened the meeting by Prayer & then addressed the Saints on the object that should be constantly kept in view on this journey[,] the building up of the Kingdom of God on the Earth, that an individual might believe mormonism to be true & be all his life in the midst of the Saints & be damned & go to hell at last because they did not keep & retain the influence of the Holy Ghost within their own breast to govern & rule the whole man—Br Kimball & some others spoke when the President proposed the following order of march from here. Br Snow's company first four Wagons abreast[,] Perkins & Pulsiphers forming one company next[,] his own next & Br Kimbals in the rear[.] which motion was carried when meeting was dismissed by E. Snow

Satturday [June] 24th Encamped near the head of Grand Island—

Sunday 25th Remained encamped and were visited by Eight Soldiers from where they are building a fort 10 or 12 miles below here on the South side of Grand Island.

Friday 30th Killed the first Buffalo at the head of the Pawnee Swamps a few miles below the forks of the river—This was a pell mell hunt, a small Band being started down the Swamps toward the river, came running up & dashed through our line & receiving showers of bullits & being pursued by men[,] women & children—until most of the Buffalo were destroyed—

Satturday first of July moved on 12 or 15 miles & camped on the river above the fork, 383½ miles from Winter Quarters

Sunday 2nd remained encamped & attended meeting & received excellent instruction from President Young. In the evening our com[pany] was called together & selected six hunters all others to abstain from Killing game—There was also a reorganizing of the Guard by appointing a sufficient number of Seargents of the Guard with Elias Gardner captain which relieved me from the duties of that office on account of the sickness of my Son as I have to attend upon him every night—

Friday 7th Halted at camp creek & remained here two days & hunted Buffalo on Satturday & killed four or five—Bro Brigham & Br Morley came back 17 miles on Sunday to visit our camp & gave information that some men had met their camp from the "Valley" who gave encourageing information concerning the prospects for a crop there—

Satturday 15th Arrived in the vicinity of Chimney Rock late in the evening & encamped with Br Brighams camp about a mile from us—last Friday we met Br Roundy with 12 Teams from the Valley, he having left a number more at Ft John unable to come farther on account of lameness—

Sunday 16th Arrangements were made for dividing these two camps into 8 companys & also to send three men as an Express to the Valley for more Teams to meet us at Green river—

Tuesday 18th Br Heber's camps crossed over the Platte by fording about half way between Chimney Rock & Scot[t]s Bluffs while Br Brighams camp continued their rout[e] up the North side—our camp now consi[s]ts of four Tens under Capt Her[r]iman

Friday 21st encamped about 10 o clock near Racheau's camp 20 miles below Fort John—Br Kimbal[l]s companys having encamped here last night—

Satturday 22nd Br Kimbals company went on ahead but we hired Racheau's Blacksmith tools built a coal pit & made arrangements for Br Pugmire to do our Smith work here & we understand that Br Brighams company cross yesterday about 8 miles above here—

Tuesday 25th We moved on after having set about [illegible] Waggon tires passed Fort John

Wednesday 26th overtook some of Hebers company on Bitter Creek

Friday 28th we remained here two days to receive our Teams & make tar—The feed in the Black Hills much scarser than it was last year—made our way through them safely & camped on Deer creek 3 miles above the roads

Satturday the 5th day of August remained here Sunday & were obliged to stop Monday on account of the sickness of Br Claytons wife who was delivered of a Daughter [Olive Diantha]—Br Jesse Folks also had a Daughter [Frances] born Tuesday the first of August on the La Bonte river in the Black Hills—On Wednesday the 9th we overtook all of Br Kimbals companys about noon encamped on the Platte a few miles below the ford—

On Friday the 11th <This morning Br Whittle Baptized Oliver in the Platte> crossed the river—moved on to 12 mile creek & encamped in one corell with Br Kimbal[.] here our cattle began to get Poison either from some vegetable or mineral[.] I had one ox verry sick but he recovered—

Sunday 13th moved on from the Willows Spring over in the Sweetwater Valley & camped on Grease—Wood creek eight miles, N. East from the Independance Rock—here my Son Oliver Bar Jacob died on Monday the 14th of August <(at 8 oclock A M)> after having suffered incredibly for above three months with Black Scurvy, Black canker & liver complaint all of which he bore with great patience & resignation—he was a good Boy and a verry promising Youth[.] Aged 14 years 7 months & 9 days—We buried him on a small eminence near our camp ½ miles S. East of the road & marked the spot with a heap of rough Stones & a lettered Board—here with services & mourning we left him to rest in the Wilderness—(Having been worn out, a Martyr to the cause of righteousness—

Satturday 19th Being unwilling longer to travel in so large a company we remained encamped on the Sweet water while Br Kimbal's company went on xxxxxxx remained Sunday

Monday 21st moved on 8 miles leaving 7 waggons so many cattle having died & for several days we were obliged to halt occasionally & send back <our> Teams to bring up those whose teams were deficient the <cattle> dying every day until Sunday the 3rd day of Sept. Teams having arrived to our assistance from the Valley etc & moved on over the South Pass—& camped at the Pacific Springs

Satturday 9th encamped on Black's Fork having made 91 miles in 7 days!—Sunday remained encamped

Satturday 16th Encamped a mile below Riden's Cave on Echo creek & remained over Sunday

Satturday 23rd Encamped at the mouth of the Kanyon[.] in Valley everything appears much more fresh & green than last year. Their having been plenty of rain this season. Arrived in the Valley Sunday [September] 24th [1848]