Transcript

Having sold our home at Toms River, myself, wife, and three children left that place for the West on the 1^st day of June 1857, traveling by railroad to St. Louis, then by railroad and steamboat to Kansas City, Mo.  We purchased our outfit at Westport, Mo., and started across the plains, alone, on Saturday June 13^th with a carriage and four mules, and arrived at Salt Lake City July 22, 1857.

The Indians were very troublesome, many emigrants were killed, but through the blessings of the Lord, we were not molested.  After traveling alone on the plains for several days we were overtaken by Col. F. W. Lander who had charge of a government surveying expedition, we traveled with him as far as Capt. Markams camp on the Sweetwater.

Col. Lander was very much afraid that the “Mormons” would capture his stock and had been warned to beware of Porter Rockwell as he was a very dangerous man to encounter.  After a few days traveling we met Porter with the mail bound east.  Col. Lander was introduced to him by me, after which in a great measure his fears were removed.  The Col. treated us very kindly . . .