Transcript

. . . up the Mousoria [Missouri] river by steamer to Florence or Winter Quarters where we celebrate the 24 ^th of July, where also we prepared to continue our Journey with ox team which the Church had sent down to help on our journey to Salt Lake, Joseph W. Young was Chief Director of the Company, I believe, there was as near as I can recollect about 5 company organized within a few days of each other[,] 3 company helped by the Church and 2 Independent. The company I with my family my Bro James & wife traveled in was presided over by John Murdock. We started out on our journey about the 10 ^th of July, the company also provided us with provisions. We traveled in a wagon driven by a Young man by the name of Oliver from what was then termed Summit Creek

I believed when Benjamin F. Johnson lived whom I afterward became aquainted with, my Bro James & wife and another family a man wife & child by the name of Smith traveled in the same wagon with us. We messed together for a few meals, but we did not seem to have sufficient provisions under that order of things, each family then messed together, then we had insufficient and we traveled along very comfortable until my Bro James was taken sick with chills and fever which continued for several weeks[.] Hilda also was sick during most of the journey she began to mend when we got to the Mountains about 2 weeks before we arrived to Salt Lake City[.] When we came to Parleys Park about 25 miles from Salt Lake City a Mr. Musser came from Salt Lake City to take accounts of the business of the company which was September 10^th 1861 about 10 O clock <on the 11^th> A.M. I in company with several other brethren left the company and started for the city where we arrived about sundown entering the city somewhere in the 10^th Ward. I then found a man with a team going to the centre of the city. It was about dark when I found my Bro. Alfred who lived in the 19^th Ward. My clothes, hats & shoes especially were pretty well worn out and I expect I exhibited a very forlorn condition, but he fixed me up the best he could. I was also introduced to his wife a very amiable lady whom I recognized by her photograph. The next day I and my Bro. Alfred and a friend an acquaintance in the old country went out to meet the company which we met near the paper mill. The company stopped on the 8^th ward square. My family which consisted of myself wife & 3 daughters also my Bro James & wife were taken to my Bro. Alfreds in the 19^th ward.