Transcript

In the early spring of 1854, we set out from my brother's home, which was in the eastern part of the state of Wisconsin. We crossed the Mississippi River at Dubuque, Iowa. We crossed the Missouri River near Council Bluffs and entered upon the great western plains alone with no other guide than the tracks of those who had gone before, and a small directory bought from a trader at the Missouri River crossing. He was then about the only inhabitant of that then lonely spot near where now, in 1881, stands the beautiful city of Florence (Nebraska). At the Elkhorn River (about twenty miles west of Florence) we found Mr. Elias Williams with his family and two wagons among the hostile Indians without an animal to move their wagons with. By changing our teams and yoking up some of our cows, we managed to bring him and his family and wagons safely into Salt Lake City. With this, and the addition of one more wagon at the cold springs on the Platte River, we succeeded in crossing the plains with only seven wagons among hostile Indians without any serious loss of stock or other property. Though somewhat fatigued from the trials incident to a camp life on the plains, we landed safely in Salt Lake City on the 26 ^th day of August 1854.