Transcript
Transcript for Roberts, Robert David, Autobiographical sketch, Papers of the Roberts Family Association, Robert D. Roberts
On April 9, 1856, my father and his family in company with others left Wales to go to America.
We left Liverpool, England, on April 29, 1856, in the Sunders Curling, a merchant sailing vessel and after a very tempestuous voyage arrived in Boston May 24, 1856. Within a couple of days we boarded the railroad train for Iowa City, Iowa, the then western railroad terminal of the United States.
After remaining there about three weeks, we started across the great plains of America with a company of hand carts. (Captain Edward Bunker's Company.)
arriving at Salt Lake City on October 2, 1856. This hand cart journey was a very severe and trying experience in which many lost their lives…
During the journey to Salt Lake City I was the guide of and assistant to my Uncle John, who was nearly blind, for which service my Uncle John paid my fare from Wales. Uncle John died in Salt Lake City a few days after our arrival on account of the hardships of the hand cart journey.