Transcript
Transcript for Robert McQuarrie journals, 1854-1917, vol. 1, 6-15
arrived in Iowa City on May 1st. we camped 3 miles west of Iowa City, remained there one month during which time we were prepareing waggons[,] bows & yokes.
Monday 1 We left Iowa camp ground and got along very well although we had a number of raw teamsters and unbroken Cattle, traveled 3 miles and camped.
Tuesday 2 Laid over all day and settled with James A. Little for wagons & Cattle etc.
Wednesday 3 We started with a company of 31 Wagons, Jesse B. Martin Captain of the Company. C[harles]. R[oot]. Danna [Dana] Captain of the 1st ten waggons, James Carrigan Captain of the second ten, Oliver Workman Captain of the 3rd ten. Bro [David] Curtis Captain of the guard, we traveled 5 miles.
Thursday 4 We started at 8 O’clock, traveled 9 miles and camped.
Friday 5 We continued our journey at 8 o’clock, traveled 14 miles, camped at 5.30 O’clock, good feed, wood and water.
Saturday 6 commenced traveling at 8 O’clock, traveled 12½ miles, camped on a beautiful place, good feed, wood & water scarce.
Sunday 7 We started at 8 O’clock, traveled 6 miles and camped. Good feed plenty of wood and water, had a good meeting in the evening. Charles R. Danna [Dana] Preached upon the first principles of the Gospel to some strangers who came to see the Mormons
Monday 8 We did not start till 10 O’clock owing to the rain that had fallen which made the roads bad for traveling, traveled 12 miles and camped at 7 O’clock.
Tuesday 9 We started at 7 O’clock traveled 13 miles and camped, feed and water, no wood.
Wednesday 10 We left at 8 O’clock traveled 14 miles & camped a little west of a village called Newton, one wagon upset, no one hurt.
Thursday 11 We started at 7 O’clock, traveled 11 miles, formed our corrall at 4 o’clock, rested the cattle 1 hour at noon as we always do.
Friday 12 We left at 7.30 O’clock, traveled 17 miles, camped at 6 O’clock.
Saturday 13 Traveled 7 miles, camped at noon to water the cattle, when two brethren from Salt Lake came past in the stage coach, they (Joseph Young and Brigham Young) came out and preached to us a little, we collected some money for them and they went on their way, we staid there and done some washing. Good feed and water plenty of wood.
Sunday 14 We started and drove 17 miles, camped at 6 O’clock, had a great many visitors come to see if Mormons were like other people.
Monday 15 We started and traveled 8 miles before noon, watered, and rested the cattle one hour, traveled 3 miles & camped owing to the rain which made the roads impassable.
Tuesday 16 Rain. One yoke of cattle lost. Started at 11.30 O’clock, traveled 9 miles, had to camp because of the rain that had fallen.
Wednesday 17 Laid over all day because of the rain.
Thursday 18 Started at 8 O’clock, traveled 16 miles, camped at 5 O’clock.
Friday 19 We left at 7 O’clock traveled 12 miles rested the cattle 2 hours and traveled 10 miles, camped at 5.30 O’clock.
Saturday 20 Started at 7 O’clock, we had not traveled far till we met 4 brethren from Salt Lake on their way to Canada to preach the Gospel. traveled 16 miles, camped at 6 O’clock.
Sunday 21 Started at 7 O’clock traveled 16 miles, camped at 4 O’clock. good feed, wood and water, had a good meeting at evening.
Monday 22 traveled 19 miles, camped at 5 O’clock 20 miles east of Florence plenty of feed & water. Buried a Child [Richard] belonging to Mrs. Banford that died at 11 O’clock.
Tuesday 23 Started at 9 O’clock, traveled 11 miles, camped by Council Bluffs.
Wednesday 24 we started at 6.30 O’clock. Bro Greener’s wagon got upset in a creek with a little child in the wagon, the child was got out safe, traveled 10 miles, crossed the Missouria [Missouri] river, camped at Florence.
Thursday 25 Lay over all day, took in our provisions for the plains.
Friday 26 Staid all day. I bought a yoke of cattle for $90.00.
Saturday 27 Could not start because of the rain.
Sunday 28 we hunted up some stray cattle and started at one O’c and traveled 6 miles, camped at 6 O’clock, good feed & water
Monday 29 Started at 7.30 O’clock, traveled 19 miles and camped near 15 wagons of apostates.
Tuesday 30 some cattle lost, all found by one O’clock, we yoked up and crossed the Elk Horn river, traveled 3 miles & camped
Wednesday 1 We started and traveled one mile. b [George] Swindle broke the hind axel of his wagon, we had to stay and make a new one. Buried bro. Gillis who died at the crossing of the Elk Horn, aged 88 years. we started at 4 O’clock and traveled till 6.30 P.M.
Thursday 2 Started at 7.30 O’clock, traveled 21 miles and camped at 7 O.
Friday 3 We started at 7.30 O’clock. Elder John Taylor (of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles) and company over took us and camped with us at sun set. Traveled 22 miles. S[eth].A[ustin]. Pymm had the wagon wheel run over him which broke his arm.
Saturday 4 We started at 7.30 O’clock, traveled 21 miles, camped at 6 O’clock, plenty of feed wood and water.
Sunday 5 We started at 8 O’clock and traveled 8 miles and crosed the Loup Fork river, had to double teams, Mother [Agnes Mathieson McQuarrie] fell in the water and the wagon wheel went over her loins and disabled her from walking.
Monday 6 We started at 7 O’clock & traveled till 9. watered the cattle and traveled 18 miles and camped at 7 O’c. plenty of feed & water for cattle, wood and river water 2 miles distant.
Tuesday 7 Started at 7 O’clock and traveled 18 miles, bro [Henry] Turner’s wagon upset, we found the sholder bone of an animal and writen thereon “Israel Evens Company all well” this is a company of Hand carts that left Iowa 11 days before we did.
Wednesday 8 We traveled 15 miles but found no water, unyoked the cattle and let them feed for 2 hours and continued our journey, traveled 6 miles and camped by a stream of water[.] plenty of feed but no wood. found a yoke of stray cattle.
Thursday 9 Started at 7 O’clock, traveled 19 miles.
Friday 10 We started at 7.30 O’clock crossed two very bad creeks. Capt. Martin’s wagon upset no one hurt. we met bro Wheelock and others who escorted bros Taylor and E. Snow on their way home. Traveled 15 miles, camped on Wood river, plenty of feed wood and water.
Saturday 11 We had some difficulties to settle. Started at 10 O’clock and traveled 18 miles and camped by good feed and water, but no wood.
Sunday 12 We started as usual, saw great numbers of buffalo, 4 of the brethren went after them, 3 returned and one staid out all night, traveled 20 miles, feed & water plenty, a little wood. Thunder and heavy rain during the night. The cattle stamped two thirds of them got away, they nocked down bro [Thomas Henry] Latey and trampled over him.
Monday 13 We got all our cattle but nine head.
Tuesday 14 We went in search of the cattle, but could not find them[.] four of the brethren were out all night.
Wednesday 15 We started with the cattle we had, the four brethren who were out all night came to us after we had traveled 2 miles but saw nothing of the cattle. We traveled 21 miles and camped at 7 O’clock. The cattle took another stampede at 9 O’clock, Cap Martin went after them on horse back and brought back a few of them.
Thursday 16 We got up at 3 O’clock and had but 53 head of 140, we went in search of them and found them all but 7 head. We staid there all day but could not find them.
Friday 17 We were getting ready to start as usual the first 10 waggons being all hitched on when some contention took place in the third 10, and all at once the cattle started to run, and I run towards the mouth of the corall which was the only outlet, and all the cattle after me. I fell in the mouth of the corral, got up and grabed hold of a yoke of cattle as they passed which took me out of the way. I looked around and saw an awful sight of wagons and oxen all jamed up together. Father, Mother & bro John were in the wagon at the time, my sister Agnes, Agnes Grey [Gray] & H[amilton]. Garrick were outside of the coral, Neil took hold of the yoke of my lead cattle when they started and keep his hold till six wagons were all Jamed together, 3 wagons broken. Brother [Edward] Howard got run over and died. Sister [Charlotte Tarrant] Banford had a child run over and died, she had another child run over and got her thigh bone broken and some of her ribs. Sister Roger [Rogers] got run over but got well. When we got the cattle gathered together and unyoked Cap. Martin called a meeting and exposed the evils that were in camp and rebuked the hypocrete and all who did not desire to do right, for we had quite a number of fa[u]lt finders and grumblers in camp, and the blessing of the Lord would not go with us. After meeting T.H. Latie [Thomas Henry Latey], John Gilles, _____Keaton & ______Greener returned back when we were 270 miles west of Florence. When they took there departure we corraled our wagons and got the cattle in, and had a good meeting. Many of the bretheren and sisters spoke their feelings, we felt well and heaven smiled upon us. our cattle rested well, but the night before they hooked each other all night. I slept with more comfort than I did for two weeks.
Saturday 18 We hitched up again and found our cattle quiet and controlable. I felt thankful to my heavenly father for the preservation of my life. We traveled 18 miles in peace and good feeling. this is the happiest day I have spent on the plains.
Sunday 19 We started at 8 O’clock. Mother traveled 7 miles, for the first she has traveled since she got hurt, for her speedy recovery I felt thankful to God, we traveled 13 miles and camped by the Platt[e], good feed , we held meeting at night many of the bretheren and sisters spoke, one sister spoke in tongues.
Monday 20 We started at 7.15 O’clock. traveled 17 miles, found a bone where we camped and written thereon, Israel Evans hand cart company lost 3 yoke of cattle a little sickness in camp.
Tuesday 21 Continued our journey, flies very bad, 3 Indians came up on horse back and wanted to trade a horse for a white squaw, we traveled 17 miles and camped by the Platte good feed & water, no wood.
Wednesday 22 We crosed the north fork of the Platte river. had a very hard pull over sand hills, traveled 12 miles and camped.
Thursday 23 We started as usual, traveled 10 miles over a rough sandy road. Camped by the Platte.
Friday 24 we started and traveled 8 miles, rested the cattle 2½ hours hitched up again and traveled 5 miles and camped at 4:00 O’clock. good feed & Platte water, no wood.
Saturday 25 We started at 7 O’clock, traveled till 11 rested the cattle 2 hours double teams to go over sand hills. traveled 14 miles, camped by the Platte, good feed & water, no wood.
Sunday 26 Started as usual and traveled 17 miles, camped on the Platte opposite Castle bluffs, good feed & water no wood.
Monday 27 We started at 8 O’clock, traveled 17 miles, passed an Indian camp & camped one mile west of it.
Tuesday 28 We started at 8.30 O’clock, traveled 12 miles before nooning rested 2 hours and traveled 8 miles, camped at 5 O’clock. Chimney Rock in Sight.
Wednesday 29 We left at 9 O’clock and traveled 15 miles. Camped on the Platte opposite Castle Rock at 6 O’clock. Chimney Rock in sight all day.
Thursday 30 We started at 8 O’clock and traveled 15 miles, when forming the corall at night and some of the cattle unhitched some noise frightened some of the cattle which caused some of them to stampede. 3 sisters got hurt a little.
Friday 31 We left at 8.30 O’clock, traveled 16 miles and camped opposite Scots Bluffs, good feed and water no wood.
Saturday 1 Shoed an ox before starting. Shoed 2 at noon, traveled 13½ miles and camped on the Platte, good feed & water, no wood.
Sunday 2 We started as usual, traveled a short distance, met three traders they had Cows & Oxen for sale, we unyoked and went over the river to see them. Bro Gibbons gave 4 oxen for two, and several others got oxen and cows, traveled 8 miles and camped at 6 O’clock & shoed 2 oxen, good feed and water some wood.
Monday 3 Started at 9 O’clock. Traveled 15 miles, camped at 7 O’clock good feed & water, some wood.
Tuesday 4 We started at 8 O’clock. Cap. Martin went on ahead to Fort Laramie to get his horse shoed, Bros Byanm, Hosa and myself went with him, we got bacon for 25 cts per lb. and leather for shoeing cattle at one dollar per lb. the price of Flour $20.00 per 100 lbs. they said if we were traveling East instead of West they would let us have it for government price to wit $4.00 per 100 lbs. traveled 13 miles.
Wednesday 5 We started and traveled 14 miles over a very rough road, had to double teams up a hill. Bro Cuttler’s [Cutler] Waggon upset, camped by the Platte.
Thursday 6 Traveled 9 miles and camped early & Shode some cattle.
Friday 7 Shoed some cattle and started at 9½ O’clock traveled 17 miles over a good road, camped at 8.30 O’clock. wood and Platte water, little feed.
Saturday 8 Shoed an ox and started at 8 O’clock, traveled 8 miles camped at one O’clock.
Sunday 9 After shoeing 2 oxen we started at 7.30 O’clock traveled 11 miles, Camped at 2 O’clock by the Platte, drove the cattle to the south side of the river to feed.
Monday 10 We started at 7.30 O’clock and traveled 14 miles over a very hilly road, camped at 6.30 O’clock, drove the cattle to the south side to feed, when we camped bro [Hamilton] Garrick went into the wagon to take out his coat, a loaded rifle being in the wagon it went off, the ball passing close to my ear, several others escaped narrowly.
Tuesday 11 We started at 7.30 O’clock, traveled 13 miles, some sand high wind at evening. Bro. Even’s hand cart company camped at Deer creek station on the other side of the river, they crossed to the south side at Laramie and we kept the north side all the way.
Wednesday 12 We started at 9 O’clock, traveled 4½ miles, found good feed, unyoked for 2 hours, started again and traveled 3 hours and camped shoed 3 oxen.
Thursday 13 Started at 8.30 O’clock, traveled 7 miles found good feed and rested 3 hours and traveled 8 miles. Camped by the Platte 1 mile west of the bridge.
Friday 14 We started at 8.30 O’clock and traveled to the upper crossing of the Platte where the hand cart co. came over to us, we traveled 4 miles more & camped, shoed 4 oxen.
Saturday 15 We left at 8.30 O’clock, traveled 6 miles and camped at 11.30 O’clock, because no feed being nearer then 14 miles.
Sunday 16 We started at 9 O’clock, traveled 14 miles, camped at Willow springs at 6 O’clock.
Monday 17 We started at 10 O’clock, traveled 13 miles and camped at Grease wood creek, good camping places by the way. Devils Gate in sight.
Tuesday 18 We started at 7.30 O’clock, traveled 15 miles, camped at Devils gate where we found a fort with 14 of the brethren from Salt Lake there. good feed and water all the way.
Wednesday 19 We staid at Devils gate all day, got some cattle iron shod bought some flour for $12.00 per 100 lb.
Thursday 20 we started at 9.30 O’clock and traveled 15 miles, good feed and water by the way.
Friday 21 We started at 8 O’clock, traveled over a good road, some sand crossed sweet water, camped at 6.30 O’clock.
Saturday 22 we traveled 9 miles and camped because there was no water for 16 miles.
Sunday 23 We started at 8.30 O’clock, traveled 16 miles, no feed or water by the way.
Monday 24 We left at 8.30 O’clock, traveled 13 miles, good feed and water[.] good camping places by the way. Latter part of the road rough over the rocky ridge.
Tuesday 25 We left at 7 O’clock, traveled 15 miles over a good road good feed and water.
Wednesday 26 We traveled 12 miles and camped by Pacific Springs, here we met 70 men from S.L. City going to assist in the rear emigration for the United States troops were close behind going to Salt Lake to Kill off the Mormons.
Thursday 27 We traveled 5 miles and rested 4 hours, good feed & water. here we met 50 men from Provo. Started again traveled 5 miles and camped, water, no feed.
Friday 28 We thought of starting at 5 O’clock but about 80 head of our cattle had started back 5 miles in search of feed, two mules went back to the last camping place. we started at 10 O’clock and traveled 15 miles without feed or water, camped at 5 O’clock, good feed & water.
Saturday 29 we started at 8 O’clock, traveled 7 miles and rested, good water, some feed, the cattle strayed away in search of feed and before we got them up and started it was 5 O’clock, we traveled 9 miles and camped at 9 O’clock. no feed, good water.
Sunday 30 We started at 6 O’clock and traveled 8 miles, camped at 11 O’c[.] good water & feed. had a good meeting at evening.
Monday 31 We started at 8 O’clock, traveled 15 miles, camped on green river. Some mountaineers kept a trading post. Very good feed.
Tuesday 1 we left at 9 O’clock and traveled 17 miles to Black fork, some feed and good water, rested one hour at noon, no feed or water.
Wednesday 2 we left at 10.30 O’clock, traveled 4 miles, camped on hams fork, good feed and water.
Thursday 3 We intended to start at 8 O’clock but bro Curtis lost an ox which detained us until 10.30 O’clock. traveled 13 miles and camped on Blacks fork at 6 O’clock, good feed and water.
Friday 4 Started at 7.30 O’clock, traveled 11 miles, rested the cattle at noon on good feed and water. traveled 6 miles and camped at Fort Bridger at 6.30 O’clock.
Saturday 5 we got some patotoes, Turnips and beef from the settlers which we relished very much. Started at 11 O’clock, traveled 10 miles and camped on little muddy at 5 O’clock. road very hilly.
Sunday 6 We started at 7.30 O’clock and traveled 21 miles, camped on bear river at 6 O’clock. The Quartermaster of the United States Army for Utah, overtook us and camped with us. Captain Jones of Deer creek station and another brother were with him, road very hilly.
Monday 7 We started at 8 O’clock, rested at noon, good feed and water. Steep decents, latter part of the road good, traveled 24 miles and camped on Echo creek, good camping places by the way.
Tuesday 8 Started at 8 O’clock and traveled 18 miles, camped on the Weber river at 6 O’clock good feed and water.
Wednesday 9 We started at 9.30 O’clock, traveled 10 miles, camped at 6 O’clock, road very rough, good feed & water, we met 20 yok of oxen at noon, going to assist the last trains.
Thursday 10 we started at 9 O’clock and traveled 8 miles, camped at the base of the big mountain.
Friday 11 We started at 8 O’clock went over the big mountain and camped at the base of the little mountain.
Saturday 12 We started at 7 O’clock. bro. Robert Baxter met us on the top of the little mountain, we went into Salt Lake City and camped on the public square at 2 O’clock. bro Baxter took us (my fathers family) to his house and kindly entertained us for one week. during which time I went to Ogden and bought a farm of R.G. Golding for $1000.00.