Transcript

On Monday the 6th of June a portion of our company was organized on the campground a little south of the City, into a “Handcart Company” which started from here on the 9th to cross the plains, by pulling their children, bedding, cooking utensils, and part of their provisions on a two wheeled cart, which looked rather a heavy task for a man and his wife to undertake across a desert of 1,100 miles. But however that was accomplished and they arrived at Salt Lake City about 2 weeks before us, who left Florence on Thursday June the 23rd with an oxtrain of 60 wagons, which company was organized with Elder R[obert]. F. Neslen as captain. The company was divided in companies of 10 wagons each with a captain. I not being able to purchase cattle of my own, drove in connection with Niels Jacobson (also a poor man) an oxtrain for R. Hansen for which service I had my mother and our baggage on the wagon free of charge. However we had to walk on bad roads, which done very well had my mother not being well and suffered a great deal of pain in the long finger of her right hand which became stiff and useless to her in afteryears.

Before starting on our journey it was agreed by a unamumouse vote of the company what amount of load for each yoke of cattle and not to exeed that and to have no person on the road who had [not] conformed to that rule But to assist those who might be unfortunate and loose their cattle by death or otherwise as the plains were dangerous both from poisenous weeds and Indian depredations. After traveling a short distance some ot [of] the cattle begun to get tired and worm [worn] down, and cows were yoked up but they were not able to draw the heavy loads but gave out too. Consequently help was asked for which they got for awhile, but also these cattle gave out and several begun to die which caused ill feeling as it was argued that these wagons had more load than was allowed[.] On account of which Captain Neslen called the people together on Sunday July 10th when we were camped on Wood River and gave instructions in this particular. It was found that S[oren]. P[eter]. Guhl and others mostly of the leading men were overloaded and was afterward obliged to unload some of their heavy articles such as stoves and earthen or China ware which they buried on the bank of Platt[e] River for safe keeping till they returned for them, which they realy did after apostatizing on their arrivel in Utah, and went back to make there homes with their own kind of people.

On July 15th as we were about hitching up our teams a misfortune occured through the carelessness of parties who had tiched [hitched] their teams to their wagons and then laid down under and about the wagons, while others were busy yoking up unhadny [unhandy] cattle. And when a wild cow belonging to my mother was yoked up, she bellowed, and five teams were frightened and run. Killed J[ens]. C[hristian]. Waden [Vaden] and wounded several others more or less. This caused considerable confusion in camp[.] S. P. Guhl who several accused of being the cause of contention by his overloading which caused the displeasure of God on the people went down to the river “Platt[e]” to drown himself but said he was unable to fine sufficient water was sitting on the river bank contemplating when people came in his search. After burying the dead, dressed the wounded who afterwards all recovered, we proceeded on our journey until we came to “Hans [Hams] Fork” here Apostels [Apostles] John Taylor and F. D. Richards also Elder Peter Hansen of the 2nd Ward Salt Lake City met us with provisions and cattle to help us through to the valley. Elder Hansen was appointed to take charge of the Scandinavian part. After receiving necessities for the journey and instructions from the brethren we left in charge of Hansen on the 5th for the west, and Taylor & Richards waited to assists Captain Stevensens [Stevensons] company who was one days journey in the rear of us.

On the evening of the 7th as we were camping on the “Big Moore” [Lauritz Larsen] a child, 1 year old, of N[iels]. P[eter]. Larsens died and next morning elder P[eder]. A[ndersen]. Fjelsted died after a long illness both being buried in the same grave on the 8th of September, after which we started for Great Salt Lake Valley where we arrived on the 15th [September] 1859 at 6 o’clock P.M. and camped on the [“]Union Square” that night.