Transcript

They [family members] proposed that we should all return to our father's home in Alton, Illinois, as father and mother had been writing to us, asking us to return, as my brother's wife was not able to cross the plains. I did not wish to return, and I told them I would not. I told them they could remain in Cainsville [Kanesville] until the last company of emigrants and I would continue my journey to Salt Lake City, and that I would come back on the plains and meet them. So I started with two yoke of oxen and a yoke of cows. The first camp we made was on the west side of the Missouri River, while the cholera set in our camp and ten died and were buried before we could break camp. We then traveled on, building bridges and making roads, and we finally reached Salt Lake City on the 10th day of September, 1852. We then prepared and started back on the plains, on horse back on the 16th of September to meet my brother and his wife, who were in the last company of emigrants. Traveled as far as Green River, meeting emigrants every day, and the last company I met told me they thought I would meet [Eli B.] Kelsey's company in about a day's travel East of Green River. I crossed Green River the next morning and a very severe storm arose between the Big Sandy and Pacific Springs but I traveled on three days and three nights without eating or sleeping, and found the camp on the third morning before daylight, by the barking of their dogs; they were camped on Strawberry Creek and their cattle had all strayed off in the storm toward the Wind River mountains and the Company were nearly all out of provisions so much so that some of them were eating the dead cattle. I stayed with them two days and helped them gather up their cattle and got them started on the road to Salt Lake, then I came on to Green River on horse-back and purchased twelve sacks of flour and a beef steer from Old Bateas, who owned a trading post at Green River, and when the company reached Green River they had a jubilee of plenty to eat. My brother and his wife were in a wagon with another family and they were very heavy loaded and their horses were worn out. I traded my horse and saddle for a fine yoke of oxen, yoke and chain, and I got me a light wagon, and my brother put his freight into the wagon and my brother and his wife and I took the lead of the company and piloted them into Salt Lake City all right.