Transcript

On August 25, 1856 we started on a thousand mile journey across the plains. I was ten years old at this time, and to my great sorrow, I had chills and fever, and had to have my mother pull me on the handcart, which was heavily loaded with our provisions. The deep sand, rocky roads, and fording streams made it almost impossible for mother to pull it, so we had to leave some of our things along the roadside. Mother would cook our meals and then rest for the night, and then take up the journey again.

We continued on with our journey with continued hardships, until we reached Laramie, Wyoming, about October 8, 1856. we rested here for a short time, and it was necessary for us to dispose of our prized possessions and buy corn meal, beans, and other food as our supply was gone. We were rationed to a pound of flour per day. This ration was decreased several times until all of our flour was gone. The captain was very kind to mother and gave her some of the flour sacks to scrape off with a knife for what little flour was left along with the lint. With this, she was able to make cakes and mush to help sustain life. At this time, winter was setting in and

on October 29, 1856, we traveled 10 miles through snow, and at this time had to reduce our belongs to 10 pound for adults and 5 pounds for children, sacrificing our bedding, which added to our misery and suffering. My mother's and sister's skirts were frozen stiff. They would try to dry them out in the evening by the fires, but were not very successful. My brother, Samuel's feet were frozen, and he lost one leg below the knee and always wore a peg leg after that.

On our way, we camped at a gulch called "Martin's Ravine". Here we suffered terribly with the cold. It was only with the Power of God that we survived. When we reached Devil's Gate, we met wagons from Salt Lake City with provisions and clothing waiting for us. From this time on, the journey was better and much easier.

We reached Salt Lake City with the company on November 30, 1856.