Transcript

At embarking on the Ship Elvira Owen I had paid my entire fare through to Salt Lake City, in what was known as the (£ 10.00) Ten pound Company[.] but persuading my Brother in law John Hindley (contrary to his previous plans) to leave St Louis and go on to Salt Lake City that season; therefore to be in company with him and my Sister Mary, I sold out my interest in the ten pound company and agreed to join him in crossing the Great Plains:—

John Hindley bought a Yoke of Oxen and Wagon, and after a month's stay in St Louis I took Steamer for Keokuk Iowa. with the oxen and Wagon on board in my care—Keokuk was the point for outfitting for the Plains that Year.

Landing here I hitched up the Team and travelled with Captain Clawson's Company to the West away across the State of Iowa to Council Bluffs, where I met Brother Hindley as agreed upon between us—he had come up the Missouri River to this point—here Brother Hindley bought more Oxen and an other Wagon—after a short stay at the Bluffs' we started across the Plains—in Captain Daileys [Daley] "Independent Wagon Company"; this word independent means that we had filled out entirely on our own resources without aid from the Church; as a Fund known as the Perpetual Emigrating Fund had been gathered in the Valley to assist the Saints to emmigrate, but we had fitted ourselves out entirely through our own means.—

after a pleasant journey across the Plains we arrived in Salt lake City about the 25th September 1853.