Transcript

In the spring of 1863 Father [Jeremiah Stringham] took his family (five children at the time) and in connection with Steven Goosbeck left Missouri for the Rocky Mountains. Father had a team of horses consisting of a grey mare and bay horse, he also had some cows. All of his personal belongings and family were crowded into one wagon. We traveled this way to Florence, Nebraska. At this place Father was requested to take a new wagon across the plains for the use of it. He obtained a yoke of red oxen, four cows and the two oxen were hitched to one wagon and the team of horses to the other. The cows, when they were milked,— one cow was so wild she had to be tied head and foot to milk her. This provided a more roomy means of travel from Florence, westward.

At Florence we joined a wagon train of Scandinavian emigrants, who were going to Utah. In this group were two young girls who later became the Mothers of Wilford M. Christensen and his wife, Birdie Bates of Goshen, Idaho.

John R. Young, Father of William R. Young of Goshen, Idaho was the captain of the company.

The oxen and cattle stampeded twice during the trip. During one stampede several people were killed and injured, one lady was severely cut. Father sewed and bandaged up the cuts, he was very handy around the sick and injured.

One day the boys went in swimming in the Platte River. In diving they found some cooking utensils including a chopping knife which our family used for years.

We passed the "Independence Rock" which covered 17 acres and is between five and ten feet high. I, with others, climbed upon the rock.

We arrived in Salt Lake City early in the fall of 1863 when the fruit was ripe. It was like dropping into heaven.