Transcript

Transcript for Snow, Gardner, to First Presidency, 28 Aug. 1850, in Brigham Young, Office Files 1832-1878, reel 31, box 22, fd. 3

To the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In the City of the Great Salt Lake

Your humble Petitioners have thought it expedient to send to you a short memorial stating our circumstances &c[.] We are the second Fifty of Wm. Snows One hundred. Whereas Gardner Snow is Capt. Joseph Young President[,] Winslow Farr Counselor. Lucius N Scovil & Geo Parrish Marshalls, Aaron M York, John Carter & Thomas Rich are Captains of Tens & Samuel Pollock Clerk of the fifty. And by the counsel of our bretheren from the Valley. We by mutual consent have divided our Co. for our advantage in traveling. Bros Truman Leonard & Harmon Parsons [Harmon Dudley Pierson] are the Capts. of the Tens that are not with us they are in our advance and we cannot give an account of their situation

We was met by Bro[']s Stratton & Hanks at the Branch of La Bonta [Bonte] on Tuesday the 20th of August. They read to us a document from the Presidency & counsel in the Valley.

And we was truly thankful to hear from you, and have concluded to send a messenger forthwith (Bro David Lewis) in advance of bro[']s Stratton & Hanks, to represent to you our situation as early as possible.

When we left the Missouri River as a Camp we were short for Teams and no extra ones. We have 42 waggons in our Co. besides Bros [Truman] Leonard & Pearsons [Harmon Dudley Pierson]. And there is about Twenty head of Cattle which is crippled[.] And if any more should give out we shall be under the necessity of Leaving some of our substance by the way side. And we feel as if we needed all that we have got as we are among the poorest yet rich in faith[.] If you can send to our assistance as soon as possible from Twelve to Sixteen yoke of oxen & [illegible text] waggons, you will confer on us a lasting favor that we will duly appreciate[.] That we may extricate ourselves our Wives and our little ones from these mountains that we may strike hands with our bretheren in the Valley that we may all rejoice together Is the humble prayers of your unworthy Servants in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ even so Amen[.]

JOSEPH YOUNG Prest.
GARDNER SNOW Capt

Camp of Israel Upper Platt Ferry
Wednesday August 28th 1850

Lucius N. Scovill Marshall