Transcript

From material gathered by Louis Rebecca Taylor, his eldest daughter, by his granddaugther, Margaret Wicks Taylor Cluff.

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Grandfather [William Capener] left Cleveland for Salt Lake Valley 2 May 1852, and arrived at Council Bluffs on 26 May staying there until the 6th of July. While there, Grandfather helped the Saints repair their wagons. They started across the plains in Captain Isaac Bullock's company.

Louise recounts that a great epidemic of cholera was among their company and the young women were forced to walk much of the way across the plains so that those afflicted and the aged could ride in more ease and comfort, but Jane Maria thought he journey was quite a lark as she was younger and rode all the way.

They had new wagons, harnesses and good horses and a cow that kept them in butter and milk all the way.

President Thomas Wilson and his family came with Grandfather and his mother was one of the number who died with cholera on the plains.

They arrived in Salt Lake Valley, 2 October 1852. They first settled on property where the St. Mark's Church and rectory now stand on First South.