Transcript

Title: Zachariah W. Derrick journal, 1851

Call Number: MS 19896

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January 4, 1851
On this day the Z. W. Derrick famuly left
there Native Land. in order to gather with the
Church of Christ in the Valley of the great Salt Lake
in North America
January 5 left London for liverpool [Liverpool]. on arriving at
[Eurton]. S. W. found that the train had gone two
hours.   Took lodgings for the night.
January 6 arived in liverpool [Liverpool] at 1/2 past 8 P. M.
" 7 Past our Medical examination and went on
" Board Ship George W. Bourn in which our passage was
" taken. Mr (father +) and Mrs. (mother) Derrick and there 4 children
" Maryann. Zachariah Elizebeth and John
" 11 The Ship towed Out into the river. to be ready for
" a fair wind
" 12 Sunday Meeting on Deck in the afternoon. Spent
" the evening in singing
" 13 Provisions served out for a weak. laugheed heartily
" at our supply of Provisions.
" 15 The Ship has Just Part of her mooving Chains and
lost her largest anchor and Cable. the wind has
been very high the Last 4 Days but against us.
17- The anchor has Just been fished up
19 - Sunday Meetings between decks. wind still contrary

 

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Janury [January] 23 - Shift of wind in our favour.  at 10 A.M. the tug
" hauld us out to the river. into the irish [Irish] Sea. at 6 P.M.
" The wind dead against us. Passengers very sick
" 24 the wind Blowing. Only 10 out of our company of
" 181 but are seasick
" 26 Sundy meeting between decks. The Sacriment
" administered. After which A couple were married by
" the Elder Gibson Our President.
Feby 1 We are going at the rate of 11 miles an hour Mr. (Father) and
" Mrs. (Mother) Derrick still poorley
" 2 we are now in the broad atlantic [Atlantic]. wind favorable
" 3 Plenty of wind going at 12 motes an hour
" 9 Sunday meeting on deck. A fresh breize has Just
" Sprung up
" 16 Heavy gale all night. not one in ten can keep our
" footing on the deck.
" 17 the wind has moderated a little
" 18 the weathr very rough all night
" 19 A good breeze in our favour
" 22 Misses Bakers Boy Josiah Breathed his last
" 23 Sunday A beautiful morning. at 11 o'clock
the tolling of the Ship bell informed us that the time
had come for the child to be comitted to the Deep

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Feby 24 - very heavy Storm of rain. come in [word struck out] (Sheats)
" 26 - the heat almost unbearable
March - 2 - Sunday meeting as usel
" - 9 - Fair wind and plenty of it for the whole of last {LW weak}
" -11 - Past the island of great and little isaacs [Isaacs].
" - 12 – past [Bust?] island
" - 14 - Fine weather but intensely hot
" - 16 - Sunday meeting as usal
" - 17 - we have had a very rugh night and have Been
" roled about nearly as bad as we ware when skirting the
" Bay of Biscay. Aunt and Mrs. Derrick as sick as they were
" in the Channell.
" -18 - a Fine Boy has been born in the night. at 10 a m
" - 20 - Our Ship is at anchor at new orleins [Orleans] 170 miles from
" the mouth of the river
" 23 the Stemer Concordia came allong side and
" received us and our luggage and we started for
" St. Louis
April 4 We had a fall of Snow. and glad to set by a Fire
" -19 - We have purchased four waggons and Eight
yoke of oxen each wagon to hold a fourth part of
Our luggage. and provisions for our Journey
Our four waggons are to leave here in company

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Sixteen others. On April the 19 for alexandria
April - 19 - by steamboat and Then to travel overland to
" Councill Bliffs. to join (the) company who intend
" to go on to the valley this year. At 5 P.M. went
" on board the Financier Steamboat on Each of
" the Boats was lashed a barge one of which received
" our waggons. The other our cattle. seeing this,
" we thought it Better to wave our right to berths
" in the Steamer and took ourselves to our waggons
" where we made our beds. and slept in comfort
" without he constant jerking which is always
" caused by the action of machinery
" I was glad when we landed on the 18 in the
" Evening and a bad landing it was for our poor
" Cattel for the brutallity of the men belonging
" to the Boat was most Shameful however we
" all got ashore at last and without losing any
of our luggage. We drew up our waggons on an
open space of ground by the side of the river close
to the town of Alexandria in the State of Missouri
immediately Opposite to warsaw [Warsaw] in the state
of Illinoise [Illinois]and here we made our first Encampment

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I should like here to say a little about this
Mighty river which I have seen in all probality
for the last time Mississippi is the name
given to it by the indians signifying Father of waters
it has been explored  4,800 miles without comming
to its Source and is soupposed by some to at
last lose itself in the Pacific Ocean
April -21 - 1851 We have been at Alexander three days it is
" a newley Settled town containing about a
" Thousand inhabitents
" -22 - We left Alexander this evening at 5 o'clock
" intending to go a mile out of the town and
" then turn out our teams to graze. I can Just fancy
" how you would laugh. could you see us taking
" our first lession in Ox driving and our cattle
" taking every direction except a strait forward
" - 23 - after Breakfast we moved on 4 (miles) and Encamped
" on a very pretty spot with plenty of grass. in
" Order that the cattle may [recruit] as they are in a
" Far worse condition then they were when we
" left St. Louis
28 We have had a very plesant (weak) lovely weather

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23
May 2 - we have traveld some few miles every Day
and are now stopped by a snow storm
May 3 the Sun Shone brightley this morning

“  we stayed here the whole day
" - 4 - Sunday we started this morning to my regret
" But our captain gave us a reason for doing So
" to Catch the main train
" - 5 - We started this morning and traveld on til knight
" - 6 - Started at 8 this morning and came to dog town 
" - 7 - this day one of our oxen took sick
" - 9 - we left Strington to day and traveld all Day
" -10 - Purchast three yoke of Oxen this morning
" - 13 - we have been detained by incessant rain for two Days
" - 14 - a hard days travel progressed about 8 miles
" - 15 - rested all day
" 16 - Started at 8 o'clock in an hour came to a bog it
"   took 16 oxen to a waggon made Slow headway
" - 17 - we were confined to our waggons the whole day
" - 19 - this day one of our company lost a dear little Baby by
Death
" - 20 - Started at 7 this morning by 12 o clock came to Dodges (point)
" - 21 - we had a most awful thunderstorm during the night
" - 22 - thunder during the night 32 days since we left alexander

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and only advanced [116?] miles
- 23 - Started after breakfast and traveld on till four o'clock
" we came to what they call a slue
- 24 - traveld all Day with good luck
- 25 - Sunday our leaders had agreed upon travelling today
" about 11 we came to the head of Sheridan river
" which we had to ford
- 2 6 - a voilent thunderstorm with rain from midnight
" tilll 8 this morning the roads very heavy went 6
" miles when the captains waggon tongue and axel
" Broke so we stoped to repair
- 27 - all day repairing the captain waggon
- 28 - got 4 miles when Jones run on a bank and smashed
" one of his waggon wheels. Thunderstorm this
" evening
" 29 and 30 Thunder and (rain) all the time Started got about 8
" miles got to whitebreast creek plenty of fruit
- 31 - Our men rose this morning in order to mak a bridge
" finished the bridge at 8 water rising fast 3 feet in 3 hours
" got 4 wagons over when the bridge washed away
June - 1 - traveld 12 miles Picked fruit enough for supper
" - 2 - found muscles 4 inches long heard the whippurwill [whippoorwill]
" - 3 - Started at 9 came to a Deep creek at 11 no place to ford

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June 4 - Stoped by another creek wer 6 hours getting
" over it thus encamped
" - 5 -6 - the roads impassible we have now had
" thunderstorms every day for 4 Week arrived at
" pisgah camped 1/2 a mile from pisgah, Strawberries (plenty)
- 7 - only 5 families Left in Pisgah it tells a sad tale
" of the suffering of the church in the Driving from (Nauvoo)
- 8 - crossed grand river on a dugout traveld 3 miles
- 9 - Crossed a sandhill at noon got to 12 mills creek at 6
- 10 - miserable day altogether got 16 miles
- 11- Overtook the camp breakfast with them
- 12 - the river being deep we had to unload the waggons
" previous to fording it
- 13 - bad weather not much advance we are reduced
" to 6 waggons the rest left us at differant times
- 14 - Our long anxiety is wether we Shall be to late
" to go to the valley this year
- 15 - heard from a Stranger that there was no waggons
" within 70 miles of us.
- 16 - Fine weather. came to a dence forest found a deserted (log house)
- 17 - a Traveller came up who is on his road to
Kanesville
- 18 - Saw a travelor on foot on his way to St louis

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- 18 - He left Kanesville 2 Days Since
- 19 – [???] the Captains waggon plinty of wild fruit
- 20 - Still wating for the river to fall
- 22 - Sunday Still waiting
23 - we hope to be able to make the bridge and cross
" the river tomorrow
- 24 - arived at Nitchanyboatney [Nishnabotna?] river
- 25 - came to 7 mile creek and laid Stringers across
" and draw the wagons over by hand
- 26 - got over the stream in safty [safety] halted to Dinner
- 27 - came to a farm the first sign of cultivation
" we have seen in the last 100 miles
- 28 - we had a deal of rain during the night. found
" the river we had to cross So much swollen as to be
" half a mile in width. crosed in a ferry boat in
" safety got to a hill and encamped
- 29 - Sunday remained in camp at Macedonea a mormon
" town containing 5 houses
- 30 - travelled on to silver creek were which is a settlement
July 1 got to Centreville quite a pretty town where
" we stayed all day
- 2 - arived at Kanesville I heard the whippoorwill
- 5 - we stayed to days in Kanesville purchased (provisions)

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July 6 Found several of our Shipmates in the camp
" and were organized Mr. John Brown appointed
" captain of the whole we mustered 42 waggons with
" four other of the Bretheren to take charge of 10 waggons
" each subject to the orders of Mr. Brown
" - 7 - Started on this Last division of our long journey at 6 PM
" we are now in the country of the Omahas
" - 8 - Ferried over the Elkhorn in Safety
"-9- Crosed Elkhorn Bottom very hard days travel
" 10 halted all day to repairing waggons washed our dirty (linen)
" 11 very sandy roads but got on very well
" 12 Exceding hot. nine waggons have overtaken us now
" we number 54 Waggons
- 13 - Proceeded onward as usal
- 14 - we are now on the Plains in the Pawnee country
- 15 - "
16 "
17 "
18 "
19 we remained in camp repairing Damages to
20 waggons. this day at half past two o'clock Sister
Kempton died She came with us from London
21 crossed the [louer fork? all safe

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July 22 Bad sandy road heavy travling
" - 23 - Crossed 3 deep raviens going down to wood River
" - 24 - the hottest day we have had. So encamped by the river
" - 25 - we traveld quite Slow on account of the weakness
" of the cattle
26 came near to fort Kearney. Bought an Ox he Cost $30
27 Sunday remained in camp prayer meting in the afternoon
28 Came in Sight of Buffalo sometimes the Buffalo numbers
" 10,000 in a single herd
29 Met 3 Waggons from Salt Lake we are still ahead
" of Elder Pratts company which left Kanesville 2
" weaks before we did
30 - much bothered with Buffalo which are numerous
- 31 - Saw no Buffalo today thundrstorm at night
August 1 ahead of us is Sisters Whitaker and Boss, Shipmates
" - 2 - Passed Elder Phelps company
- 3 - had a splendig fast meeting many testimonys
- 4 - Kay got his waggon tongue broke
- 5 - the country wild and romantic
- 6 - met a company of Returning Californians They had
" passed through Salt Lake city
- 7 - Pased many Old graves one died in August 1849
- 8 - very plsant travelling all day

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August 9 Phelps company overtook us all well
" Saw Chimey Rock scenery grand
10 Sunday meeting as usual
-11-12-13 good Travling
-14- Heavy rain the Sioux tribes were encamped near us
-15- indians with us all day. dresses of the women nearly
" coverd with beadwork
-16- Baught one yoke of oxen for which I paid 65 Dollars
-17- Sunday Compelled to travel to find grass for Cattle
-18- A very hard road all day. got 20 miles camp at 11 oclock
-19- remained in camp all day. sister sharkey gave Birth
to a daughter
-20- very beatiful country but very dusty
21 horroble roads. Camped by the river side
22 & 23 very bad travelling much Sand
-24- Sunday Br Thomas preached on the Gospel of Christ
-25- traveld 10 miles and encamped by a river
-26- Remained in Camp all day Setting tires
-27- Sister henderson died today at noon. She left
7 children
28 Crossed the platte. Some of the Shoshones that 3000
was on the Sweewaters 20 miles from us
29 We are now among the Rocky Mountains

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August 30 very Sandy roads camped by the Sweetwater
-31- Sunday Sermon by Elder G D Watt
Sept 4 Saw the Snow capped mountains. had 1 ox die
" - 5- remained in camp all day to give the sick oxen rest
" -6- Comfortable travling all day crossed the Sweetwaters
" -7- Crossed a rockey ridge called the devils River 4 times
" Backbone very barren country
" 8 met the mail from Salt Lake with it was [Dr Bernhill?]
" " the Utah delagate
" 9 Cattle Strayed made Late starting. we came
" to one of the pacific springs and camped
-10 Remained in camp all day. Miss Norton had her
  leg Broken by a kick from a cow while milking
-11- Pretty good travelling all day. camped on pacific Creek
-12- very heavy Sandy road all day
-14- Sunday lovely morning after breakfast
" Walter William and Derrick went out for game
" but obtained non
-15- Came among timber today rear Green River
-16- This morning 3 of the indian women paid
a visset. Traveld 15 miles, on camping men
and cattle were much fatigued

 

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August 17 - 18 still heavy Sandy road 3 oxen died
" 19 arrived at fort Bridger. purchast 40 lbs of very
" fine fresh beef got 3 lbs of potatoes traveld
" to muddy fork and camped
" 20 - 22 very romantic scenery all day mostly
assending untill we arived at the rim of the great
" Basin. Sister(mother)Derrick was deliverd of a fine Little
" girl this morning at 10 o'clock we have had gentle
" but incessent rain all night to our very great
" comfort as the dust has been almost chocking [choking] us
" for the last 3 weaks with a continued west wind
" 22 as I feard my diar girl labour came on during
" the night and at day Break a little grandson was
" born to my great Joy. the children are all overjoyed
" I lost another ox to day by poison
25- We had this day a view of salt Lake Valley from the
Summit of the mountain 7245 feet above the level of
the sea. we were met by Several men with teams
one man Mr. Gadbury from Camsden town Been in the
Valley 2 years. the decent of the mountain was awful
steep and dangerous for about four miles
I took our little stranger in my arms and
walked the distance

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21

Dec 25
the Building was comfortable fitted up
with seats tables and convenience for making
tea the governor with Several menbers of the
Legisldture were presant with there ladies.
and when the floor was cleard for dancing
a good band having been engaged took patners
the wives and daughters of the workman as the
workmen in there turn took the wives and
daughters of there employers the company
seperated at 10 P.M.

September 29 rose this morning with thankful
heart that our travels were nearly finshed at least
we hope so after breakfast. and looking after my
to patients who are doing even better under
the circumstances than might have been expected
and the babies first rate I ascendid the hill Before
us and had my first view of the city which is laid
out in squars or blocks as they call them here each
contaning 10 acres divided into 8 lots. Each lot
lot having one house  I stood and looked I can
hardley anylize my feelings but I think my
prevaling ones were joy and gratitude

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22

For the protecting care had over me (and) mine
during our long and perilous jurney
well we Started at 11 o Clock and came to
Mrs. Wallace house having a letter of
introduction to her from her husband
which is filling his mission in England , Luging in our Waggons
24 weeks this day we started

Sept 29 Br Derrick rented a house from Mrs. Rigbee
and moved in

Mrs. Baker Purchast a house and took posesion and
Father went to the 16 or the 17 ward and rented a house
from Mrs. Rigbey and we moved in and Father and me
went to diggin potatoes for Br Endrix and dug plenty
for our winter suply we dug on Shairs 1 Bushel in Eight
we stayed Mrs Rigbeys about 2 month when Father made
araingement to go to Lehi to Live with [one word struck] (Levy Savage) for the winter
Then we had to Turn our potatoes in to the General Tithing
Office and get them from Lehy office. and moved with
Bro Savages team. when we arived at Savages farm we
found we would have to take place that had been used
for a pig pen So. we had to Clean it the Best we

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21 Z T Derrick

But all the time we run it we had to use scrap
iron and it was very discuriging for we had no [word struck] 
pig iron and worked under disadvantige after that.
Father made fals feat and legs for crippels and was very
good at making trusses for men. Then he worked at
the Temple for the dead till he could not have
Strengh anough for that and came home and Stayed
till he died            The End of Fathers work

Z. T. Derrick Comenced in the wood line on the
[Rest of paragraph crossed out]