Transcript

Transcript for Shires, William, Diary

. . . .after being there [Florence] two Days we went into our Tents and were Camped on the ground at Florence about 3 weeks when we started for Salt Lake City in ox teams as follows:

Sunday July 27th 1862
Bros. Amasa Lyman[,] Charles C. Rich[,] Jos[ep]h W. Young came to our Camp Ground a few miles above Florence and Spoke to us respecting our duties on the road after which we rolled out about 3½ miles and camped for the night at a place called <Trading Post>[.] Started out again at 8 oclock in the morning[.] traveled about 12 miles[.] camped for the night on the side of the Elk Horn River where a young woman died who had been ill all the time from leaving ship. Buried Her before we left in the morning. Her name was Lucy Oakey[.] She was from Nottingham England[.] I made a few remarks at the Grave Side

July 29 Traveled 14 miles & camped near the Platte River[.] Buried a boy named [Jacob] Jones who had died in the wagon during the Day. I had the superintendence of the interment

July 30 Wednesday Traveled 13 miles from Fremont to the North Bend of the Platte where we halted 3 hours[.] went 4½ miles more & camped for the night near a Creek.

July 31st Thursday[.] Traveled 5 miles[.] Halted for Dinner at Shell Creek[.] Went 9 miles more and camped for the night

Aug 1st Friday
Camped for Dinner 8 miles from Loup Fork[.] went on again & camped for the night near Loup Fork[.] Ferry ¾ mile above Columbus

Aug 2nd Saturday commenced to Ford & Ferry the camp over Loup Fork[.] Stopt for Dinner & went on again 7 miles & camped for the night near a small Island on the Platte

Aug 3rd Sunday
Traveled 10 miles[.] Halted for Dinner on the side of the Platte[.] went 10 miles further & camped near the Platte 27 miles from Loup Fork.

Aug 4th Monday Travelled 10 miles & stopt at warm Slough for Dinner[.] went about 8 miles further & Camped for the night on the side of the Platte

Aug 5 Tuesday
Travelled 16 mMiles & Camped for the Night at a Place called Grand Island Settlement near Wood River[.] we had a Thunder Storm last night

Aug 6th Wednesday
Travelled for 5 hours & stopt for Dinner at Wood River Ford[.] crossed after Dinner & went 6 Miles & camped for the night about 7 Miles from Wood River Centre

Aug 7th Thursday
Went 7 miles & Camped for Dinner at Wood River Centre & took in a supply of Flour [.] went 6 miles more & camped for the night 10 miles from Fort Kearney [Kearny] on the Wood River

Aug 8th Friday
Travelled to Kearney & Stopt for Dinner & went 7miles[.] camped for the night near the Platte River

Aug 9th Saturday
We Buried a Child before starting this Morning[.] it was 4 weeks old[.] we also Buried a Danish Boy 2 Days ago aged 6 years[.] we camped for the night on Buffalo Creek where we encountered a Severe Thunder Storm wetting us to the skin

Sunday Aug 10th 1862
Traveled 17 Miles & Camped at night on Elm Creek

all went on as usual till Friday the 15 when we Buried a Danish Man[.] we also buried a child the name of [Elizabeth] Jones aged 3 8 years

All went on as usual till the 20th went [when] we buried a Danish woman aged 27

we Sighted Scotts Bluffs & Chimney Rock on the 22nd

Buried a Danish woman on the morning of the 23 aged 60

Saturday evening the 24 camped opposite Chimney Rock

Buried a Boy the name of [Heber] Jones on Sunday morning aged 5 years Making 3 they had lost on the Journey

Aug 25 Monday Saw Several antelopes were Seen[.] We kept on the north side of the platte up to Fort Larimer [Laramie] on the North Fork of the Platte.

Tuesday Aug 26 Camped at noon near the Platte[.] Buried a Danish woman and child the woman was age 38 years the child 5 weeks.

Traveled on as usual till Thursday the 28th when a Danish woman died aged 63 years[.] We Buried <her> before we Started in the Morning being then 10 miles from Fort Larimie [Laramie]. We travelled the 10 miles and then Halted for Dinner opposite the Fort[.] after dinner we crossed the Platte[.] the men waded over[.] the women and children went over in the waggons[.] it was high water up to the wagon beds[.]. When we had got over I visited the Fort and had a Talk with some of the soldiers[.] we travelled 4 miles and camped for the night[.] here we commenced to burn Mountain Cedar.

Friday Aug 29 1862 Passed Am [Ann] Hirths [Firth] Grave a few miles above Larimie aged 66 years. She was the Mother of William Hirth [Firth] of Wakefield Yorkshires [Yorkshire] England[.] I knew her well she had died on the 24th of Aug[.] may she Rest in peace until she shall be called forth by the Priesthood of the Almighty. We Camped this night at an old mail station 22 miles from Larimie having traveled 13 miles during the day

Saturday Aug 30 1862
Traveled about 14 miles and camped for the night at an old Mail Station when the wife of Helmit [Elmit] Dawson was delivered of a male child in our Tent[.] they and my family were together from Florence

Sunday Aug 31 1862 Travelled 10 miles and camped for Dinner at an old Mail Station[.] Started off in the afternoon[.] got on a wrong track[.] went about 5 miles then turned over the Prairie and found the right road and Camped for the night near A Small Creek

Monday Sep 1[,] 1862 Travelled about 15 miles and Camped for the night on a small creek in the midst of Red Sand which made it very disagreeable[.] Two Danish men were lost last night.

Went on as usual till Wednesday evening the 3rd of aug Sep when we arrived at Deer Creek where we learned that the fighgting [fighting] was still going on in the Eastern States and that the Confederates were determined to take Washington

Thursday Sep 4th 1862
Buried a Danish Child[.] the weather was rainy and cold which caused us to stay in camp till about 3 oclock in the afternoon[.] we then went about 4 miles and camped near the Platte

Friday Sept 5th 1862
Travelled about 20 miles and camped for the night about 2 miles below the upper Platte Bridge.

Saturday Sept 6th 1862
Before we rolled out this morning Bro. J[ohn]. W. [R.] Youngs train of 4 carriages[,] mules and horses overtook us[,] after some remarks from Bros Rich and Young we started out[.] crossed the Platte going over the Bridge went about 8 miles halted for Dinner near the Platte when the Brethren overtook us again[.] the following are the names of the Brethren. Jos[ep]h W. Young[,] C C Rich, Amasa M. Lyman[,] Elias H. Blackburn[,] H.S Eldridge, Bro. ReadM Reid[,] M M Lyman[,] Jos[ep]h Rich[,] Rueben McBride[,] John Brown & others[.] we went 4 miles more and camped for the night on the Platte near an old Station

Sunday Sep 7 1862
Commenced to travel about 7-30 A M[.] Left the Platte which had become familiar to us having come along its banks and within sight of it for 500 miles[.] in leaving it I had many strange reflections wondering if ever I should see it again or traverse its banks and if so under what circumstances[.] these were some of my thoughts at that time