Transcript
Transcript for Steele, Richard, Diaries 1840-[1877]
on Sun 29 Br O Hyde came up to the Camp and gave orders for one fifty to role out[.] the 3rd fifty got ready and started off Morris Phelps Captain of the fifty.
On July 1st our fifty got ready and drove 12 m[iles.]
Wed July 2nd we drove 15 m
Th July 3rd we drove 15 m on a very levil devide[,] the finest road I ever saw
on Fri July 4th we drove 15 m and passed a Grave Br L Stodards Daughter
on Sat 5th we passed a finger post left by Br Hyde for us to take the left hand road[.] the roads where good for traviling on although it rained some of the time[.] we drive 20 m
on Sun July 6 we traviled because there was no wood where we stoped[.] on Sat it was the hotest day we had on the whole Journey and some of the Cattle almost gave out[.] we went 10 miles and camped and burned weeds again
on Mon July 7 I lead the Company and we drove 15 M and had to burn weeds[.] we passed a note which said 100 M from Kanesville
On Tu 8 we drove 15 m and passed a board saying Br Phelphes Company passed on the 7th[.] we had to burn weeds
on W 9 we drove about 7 m and came to Wood and Water so we stop to Wash and bake
on Th 10 we passed a stake which said B Hyde passed on the 4 of July at Half past 11 O' Clock[.] we also passed a Camp Ground and a stake was left saying Br. Phelphes company left on 9th at 9 O Clock[.] we drove 18 Miles and burned weeds
on F 11 we buried a Child before we left the Camping Ground and passed a Childs Grave belonging to Phelphes Company[.] we drove 12 M
on Sat 12 we drove 18 M and had to burn dung
we camped there on Sun 13
on Mon 14 we drove about 10 M and had to cross 3 […d] mud holes which detained us some time[.] we had to burn dung
Tu 15 we drove about 20 M and got a little wood to cook with
Wed 16 we drove 10 M and came to a Cold Gravil Spring and plenty of Wood and Water so we stoped to Wash and bake
on Th 17th drove 18 M and came to a Stream which some called the Elk Horn and some thought it was a branch of the Loup fork[.] it was bridged with 2 bridges on an Island and it left on a Tree that we should have to travil 60 Miles over a sandy Country which we found very correct to our sorrow
on F 18 we drove 16 M over a very sandy road and Camped near a small stream
on Sat 19 we drove 20 Miles over a sandy road and camped where there was no wood
on Sun July 20 buried a man that died off the billious fever[. he was going to the Gold Mines[.] we drove 12 M on a very sandy hilly road and Camped at one of the forks of the Loup fork
on Mon 21 we drove 15 M over a sandy bad road and Camped where there was <no> wood and very bad water
on Tu 22nd we started befor Breakfast and drove to timber and got breakfast and started again and drove to a river which the[y] called the Loup fork[.] we drove 12 M
on Wed 23rd we stayed till one O Clock to Wash and bake[.] Captain [John] Eastins [Easton's] Company of ten was here and had lost 8 horses and 1 Mule[.] we forded the stream and drove 6 M
on Th 24 we drove 15 M and 2 Wagons upset[.] we camp at the West branch of the Loup fork about 200 yard wide and 2 feet deep
on Frid 25 we doubled Teams and forded it and drove 2 M[.] stayed for some of them to set tyre and fix the 2 wagons[.] we overtook one ten of Shirtliffs 50[.] they had lost 28 head of Cattle in a Stampede
on 26 we Crossed some bad places and drove 12 M and camped near a small creek with a bridge over it
on Sun 27 we crossed another creek[.] one of the Tine broke so we only went 8 M and camped near the Creek
on Mon 28 we drove 22 M and camped where there was no water and our Cattle would not eat
on Tu 29 we tried the Cattle to eat but they would not so we yoked up and drove 8 M to wood and Water and a good spring on the other side of the river and Phelphs[,] [Reddin Alexander] Allred and [John] Eastons Companies were there[.] me and Br Cordon had to repair our wagons and several others[.] according to Br Hydes calculation we were 386 Miles from Kanesville[.] Allreds company had lost 60 head of Cattle and we met them going to hunt for them[.] some of the other Companies had lost considerable Cattle through Stampedes[.] we stayed here till Th 31 and Br. [George] Bad[d]ley had a Daughter [Marie Baddley] Born[.] we started about Sun rise and crossed the river which some called Buffalow river[.] we traviled about 6 Miles and we saw the first large herd of Buffalow[.] we turned out to feed and some of the Boys shot some of them[.] we waited till they came in with the meat and Drove 5 M further and Br. [Alfred Edwin] Cordon broke the head ounds of his Wagon[.] we camped for the night and started about 11 O Clock on Friday 1st of Aug and drove about 10 Miles
on Sat 2nd we drove about 20 Miles and came to the old road and the Platt[e] R[iver] near the low sandy Bluffs
we stayed there on Sun 3rd and left
on Mon 4 and traviled 20 Miles[.] we saw a Company of about 20 Wagons on the south side[.] we camped near skunk creek[.] Br [Levi Bird] Hammonds [Hammon] ten broke 2 Axle trees one on the 4 and the other on the 5
on the 5 we drove 20 Miles
Wed 6 we traviled about 6 Miles and had to camp for a wheel and Sister [Catherine Hunt] Booth was confined
on the 7 we traviled 22 miles and W[illia]m Player shot a Buffalow before we started
on F 8 we drove about 22 Miles and camped at Rattlesnake creek
on Sat 9 we drove 16 Miles and camped at the foot of sandy bluffs where we had to double teams ¾ of a Mile
on Sun Aug 10th we drove 10 Miles and camped at Ash Grove[.] I had a Daughter Born at 9 O Clock at night[.] we called her Mary Elizabeth Steele
on Mon 11 we drove 15 Miles
on Tues 12 we drove 20 Miles
on Wed 13 Wm Player had a Daughter [Zillah Jane Player] born about 10 O Clock in the Morning and we did not start till 12 O Clock and drove 14 Miles
on Th 14 we drove to Chimney Rock 22 Miles
on Frid 15 we drove to Scotts Bluffs 18 Miles
on Sat 16 we drove 18 Miles and
stayed on Sun 17
on Mon 18 we drove 10 Miles and buried Sister [Catherine Hunt] Booth
on Tues 19 we drove 20 Miles
Wed 20 we forded the River at Laramie and drove 13 Miles
on Thur 21 we drove 15 Miles
Frid 22 we drove 15 Miles
on Sat and Sun we stoped to set tyre and fix Wagons
Mon 25 we drive 24 Miles it was a poor chance for feed
on Tues 26 we drove 22 Miles
on Wed 27 we drove 18 Miles
on Th 28 we drove 12 Miles and camped for an axletree broke
on Frid 29 we drove 17 Miles
on Sat 30 we drove 15 and crossed at the upper ford and the company had 2 buffalow
on Sun 31 we drove 15 Miles
on Mon Sep 1st we drove 17 M
on Tues 2nd we drove 15 Miles and camped at Independance Rock
on Wed 3 we drove 12 Miles and came by the devils gate
on Th 4 we drove 15 Miles
on Frid 5 we drove 15 Miles and camped near the Rockridges [Rocky Ridge]
on Sat 6 we drove 8 Miles camped near Sweetwater ford No 4
we stayed there on Sun 7
on Mon 8 we drove 18 Miles and camped at No 5 ford
on Tues 9 we drove 10 Miles
on Wed 10 we drove 13 Miles
on Th 11 we drove 7 Miles
on Fr 12 we drove 13 Miles
on Sat 13 we drove 14 Miles
Sun 14 we drove 10 Miles
Mon 15 we drove 9 Miles
on Tu 16 we drove 17 Miles
Wed 17 we drove 10 Miles and camped at Green river
on Th 18 we drove 8 Miles down the river to good Feed and a Trading post[.] some of the camp traded Cattle that were worn down for good cattle
we stayed on Frid to rest our Cattle and trade
it rained on Sat 20 and we stayed
one of My Oxen died on Sun Morn[.] about 3 O clock Brother Cordon had a Daughter [Myra Green Cordon] Born[.] we drove 15 Miles and camp<ed> on Blacksfork
on Mon 22 we drove 10 Miles
on Tu 23 we drove 17 Miles and camped at Fort Bridger and one of my steers strayed away and we could not find him
on Wed 24 we drove 12 Miles
Th 25 we drove 16 Miles
on Sat we drove 15 Miles
on Friday 26 we drove 16 Miles
on Sun 28 we drove 12 Miles and camped on Weber River
on Mon 29 we drove 14 Miles and camped on Kanyon Creek and it rained and Thunderd for some time
Tues 30 we drove 4 Miles
on Wed Oct 1st we drove over the big Mountain and drove 12 Miles
on Th 2 of October we drove over the little Mountain and got into the City before sun down wich was about 12 Miles