Transcript

The Warnick family, without the companionship of their father, mother, and sister, assembled at the docks in St. Joseph with the remaining members of the company. Here they boarded a steamer for the voyage up the Missouri River to Wyoming, Nebraska. The two nights journey up the river was filled with suffering death. Wyoming, Nebraska was the outfitting place for the Mormon emigration crossing the plains in 1864 to 1866. This little place, its historic significance now almost forgotten, is located near Nebraska City, about forty-five miles south of Omaha, Nebraska. To breathe its fresh air, and drink the pure water available was a blessed thing for the harassed saints who landed there after their trying ride in crowded ships and cattle cars. Earlier companies had enjoyed days or even weeks of rest here while preparing for the remainder of the journey. This company had no time to rest or even make any needed preparations. Abner Lowrey and his sixty ox-team train had already waited a long time for their arrival. They were impatient to be on their way, for the season was late.

The Abner Lowrey train was known as the Sanpete train, for most of the wagons and teams had been recruited in Sanpete county. It was the last of the emigrant trains to travel all the way from the Missouri River to Salt Lake City with ox-teams, as the Union Pacific Railroad was being built from Omaha westward, and the following year (1867) the road was opened by rail for several hundred miles west of the Missouri River.

Those Mormons traveling under the Perpetual Emigrating Fund, as the Warnick family was, had a precise scale laid down for them. Each wagon was to carry 1,000 pounds of flour, 50 pounds each of sugar, bacon, and rice, 30 of beans, 25 of salt, 20 dried fruit, 5 of tea, plus a gallon of vinegar and 10 bars of soap. About ten persons were assigned to each wagon. The journey was contemplated to be two or three months in length. Emigrants were each allowed 50 pounds of baggage free of charge, but personal baggage was not great by the time the saints had arrived at the Missouri River. Many of their bundles had been opened and articles stolen. Others had brought too much and had discarded it along the way. Others had only meagre belongings in the first place and not much to bring.

After only part of a day in which to make preparations, the members of the Warnick family started, with other company members on August 13th on the 1,500 mile journey across the plains. Families of the entire company had suffered death proportionate to the Warnick family. Some families had been entirely wiped out. There was sorrow and continued suffering in the depleted ranks. Many companions were left in shallow graves dug hurriedly by the wayside as the train wended its way to the Platte River. One noon all the men that were able were busy digging one large grave in which seven bodies were buried.

They had not been out many days when Anders Gustave passed away, and it was only a few days after that when Charlotte Bengtsen, his betrothed, died. The new-born infant of August and Mari also succumbed, and then their son Johan Gustaf was buried also. On September 22, Christina’s orphaned daughter died.

Andrew Jenson says of this company (See History of the Scandanavian Mission, page 194) “If the details of the journey across the plains of this “The Cavour” company were written it would probably present one of the most pitiable and heart-rending chapters in the history of the Church, but it is perhaps better to close the episode and not revive the memory of something so touching and sorrowful. At some future date, undoubtedly, more details will be published about the experience of that ill-fated company, and in the great hereafter those who laid down their lives on the way will have an opportunity to give an accurate and truthful account of their sufferings.”