Transcript

Captain Moses Clawson was our leader. We had a fine time together. Several very bad stampedes were encountered on the way, but no one was seriously hurt.

One day my little daughter Margaret fell off the wagon tongue and was run over by both wheels. I was afraid she was killed, but we administered to her, and strange to tell at dinner time the next day, she ran after me, got out of the wagon herself, and ran after me to see some missionaries that were then camped a little way off.

We then wended our way westward and had no more accidents but were very short of provisions, and the feed for our cattle begun to be very short. I used to go off into the mountains to seek grass. I always found it in great abundance, and having filled two large sacks, I used to lug them to camp and feed my cattle at noon when the rest had none. By that means I kept my cattle in prime order. We began to get very short of provisions, so much so that I had to give my children a few pieces of dried apple instead of dinner. But they never complained once, but I felt very bad. I had a promise from my brothers that if I would get spades and scythes and such things, they would meet me with provisions.

But when we got one day past Bridger, we had two small biscuits a piece and these were done. A man was driving a flock of sheep along and some of them died of foot sores and poverty. He skinned them and cut them up and gave portions of them to us and others, and this help us a little. That night I told my wife to give one little biscuit a piece to the children, I would go without and what we should do for a week I could not tell, but we must trust in the Lord.

I could hear nothing of my brothers, only that the Indians were so bad they were not allowed to come out. While I stood by the wagon wheel reflecting, I saw a man come down the hill to the camp where he soon found his brother and family. And after having a good time with them, I heard him ask if there was a man of the name of Taylor in the camp. I soon walked up or run and told him I was that man. He said Brother William was at Bear River. That was more than a day's journey. He was there waiting for me; I soon asked him if he had any provisions with him. He said he had plenty. I went back to my wagon and told my wife to give the children some more supper, and I felt God was taking care of us.

Next morning we started early to find more feed, and getting out to a ridge we found grass and stopped for breakfast. And while getting it ready we were passed by some missionaries going to England. I knew some of them and asked them if they had seen my brother William. They told me, yes, he was just behind them. I ran and met him and then we did have a time. And the children and their mother and I had a feast of fat things.

After that in about a week we got our first sight of Salt Lake City and as soon as I saw it, I fell on my knees and thanked God for so safely bringing me and mine so safely to our journey's end.