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. . . . for the west on the 13 ^th of June 1847 having in chrge [William Wallace] Caspers wife [Sarah Anna Bean Casper] & child [Sarah Jane Casper] & cow, with all the supplies that we could take for 18 months time.

The family by this time were about well and we did not expect to see them again for more than a year.

The Emigration Companies were forming at Elkhorn river about 20 miles west of Winter Quarters, I got into Capt J[edediah] M[organ] Grants 100, Willard [Trowbridge] Snows 50 & John Vances 10.

it was quite an undertaking for a 16 year old boy to assume but I had been through a good experience in the last two years, and my faith was good that the Lord would help and we would pull through all right. We rolled out in good order.

June 18^th and after many vicissitudes and trials, reached Salt Lake Valley Oct 4^th Our company lost 46 head of oxen by a stampede caused by a boys laziness, there being thousands of wild Buffalo all around us at the time. they were no doubt absorbed by the wild herds, we reached the valley in good shape and were received with great kindness by the family of Capt Jeff Hunt and located in the Old Fort as it was called . . . .