Transcript

Transcript for Pulsipher, John, "John Pulsipher's History 1827-1891," 51-52

May 21, 1848 President Brigham Young organized our traveling company. Father Zerah Pulsipher was unanimously chosen Captain of the first 100. John Benbow, Captain of the 1st 50 and William Burgess, Jr., Captain of the 1st 10. This was the 10 that we were in and as I drove father’s first wagon I was the first to break the track and try the bad places.

Buffalo abounds along the Platt[e] River, as we traveled along the whole country seemed black with them. We killed what we needed for meat always dividing the meat equally among the different families so that none was wasted.

On July 17, at Chimney Rock, I celebrated by 21st birthday. We were half way from Winter Quarters to the Valley of Salt Lake.

This is the day that gave me birth
In eighteen twenty seven.
From distant worlds I came to earth
Far from my native heaven.

Twenty and one long years have past
To grief and sorrow given
And now to crown my woes at last
We’re to the mountains driven.

’Tis not for crimes that we have done
That by our foes we’re driven
But to the world we are unknown
And our reward’s in heaven.

What trouble oceans may yet encure
To strew our paths with sorrow
’tis not for us to know its true
For we know not of tomorrow.

One thing is sure, this life at best
Is like the troubled ocean
We almost wish ourselves at rest
From all its dire commotion.

But let its troubled bosom heave
It surges best around me
To truth eternal truth I’ll cleave
It’s waves can never drown me.

We came to Fort Laramie which is a small fort and barracks occupied by a few U. S. Troops to protect the frontiers against the Indians. We traveled on to Ft. Bridger (in Wyoming) which is a wooden Fort about four rods square inside made of log houses joining and the property and trading post of the celebrated mountaineer, Jim Bridger.

We stayed four days at Weber River in a delightful camping place between those lofty mountains. This halt was in honor of President Young, the leader of Israel. The companies that had traveled ahead of him stopped and waited until he passed into the valley in his place at the head of a joyful multitude.

We arrived in Salt Lake City on the 22nd of September, 1848. We traveled 1031 miles in 125 days.