Transcript

In the spring of 1863 I was called on a mission to go to Florence, Nebraska as a teamster to bring saints from there to Utah as that was the only way they had to cross the plains. My brother Frederick and I went with Brother John W. Wooley; who was our captain going down. We had to take our own provisions with us going and coming back. They were donated by the members of the ward, consisting of flour, potatoes, bacon, eggs. We had to cache part of it on the road to come back on. The most was eggs. They were worth 5 cents a dozen. We had them three times a day for six weeks, four at a meal. If you don't think we were sick of eggs just try it and see. We had to camp at Florence for six weeks watching for the saints to come that were emigrating from other places. There were a good many teams, but I have forgotten just how many. I came home with Brother Peter Nebeker, as captain of the company.

I arrived home Sep. 23, 1863. In my wagon there were three ladies. Mrs. Cole, her daughter Angeline, the other young lady is now Mrs. Taipps, she being a school teacher. Mrs. Cole's husband was a tanner living in Salt Lake. He fitted out the team I drove. These people all being very good friends of me and my family. . . .

While I was in Florence it rained a good deal. We had to take turns at night herding out stock. One morning as I was coming back to camp I picked up a little roll of paper. It had been raining all night and the paper was so wet I couldn't unroll it, so I put it in my pocket until it dried. When I unrolled it I found it was $18.00 in green backs. I could not find the owner so I bought a stove. The stove had a high back like they did at that time. I was allowed to take it home with me; that was all I received for my summer wages. I had a little work all winter that kept us, with what help Brother Cole and his family gave us. Flour was scarce at that time. We lived on corn bread all winter, except when Mrs. Cole sent us a loaf of white bread, baked in a bake kettle. It was salt risen and like cake to us. We had meat but no butter.