Transcript

After staying in New York nine days we went to albany and from here to St. Joes. [Joseph] From St. Joes we went to Florence, now Omaha. This was the camping place of the Saints. nine weeks were spent at Florence making preparations for the trying journey to zion.

Now the great trials and hardships of crossing the plains began. Dan [Henry William] Miller was the captain and was a very able captain. Traveling was slow, each wagon had from four to six oxen. there was about one hundred wagons and from six to twelve people for each. This train carried ammunition for the people in Salt Lake.

While crossing the plains everything was done in a Systamatic way. Every night there was a dance and a meeting. roll was called twice each day.

I walked almost all of the way and forded all of the streams that were forded by any one. Often Brother [Edward Onan] Morris and Sister [Eliza Roberts] Morris and their neice [Sarah Emma Baker] and myself located the camp for the night by going a long way in advance.

There were several deaths and a great many birth while crossing the plains. we were not molested by the Indians, who were quite numerous.

We arrived in Salt Lake on the nineth day of October 1862. My brother Charles was there to meet me and he took me to my sister Mary Hibbard in Morgan County.