• John traveled with the Brigham Young Pioneer Company, serving as a captain of ten, until it reached the upper crossing of the Platte River. Here he remained to help ferry immigrants across until the Smoot-Wallace Company and his family arrived. He then joined them and completed the journey to the Salt Lake Valley.

  A few years later, he served a mission and returned to America in 1852 on the ship Kennebec.  He assisted as a captain of the John S. Higbee/James Way Bay Company upon his return trip to Salt Lake.

Brigham Young Vanguard Company (1847)

• Age at Departure: 43

Abraham O. Smoot/George B. Wallace Company (1847)

• Age at Departure: 43
• Head of Household

John S. Higbee/James W. Bay Company (1852)

• Age at Departure: 48
• Company Captain
• Head of Household

Sources

• "1st Company," Deseret News, 18 September 1852, 2.
• 1st Company of 50 reports, 1852, Brigham Young office emigrating companies reports, 1850-1862.
• Addison Everett diary, 1847 April.
• Albert P. Rockwood journals, 1847-1853, Journal, 1847 April-July.
• Allen, Charles Hopkins, Autobiography [1916], 37-43.
• Amasa M. Lyman collection, 1832-1877,  Journal, 1847 April 8-September 10, 1-26 and 1-10.
• Andrew Jenson, "Harper, Charles Alfred," "Henrie, William," "Higbee, John S.," and "Holman, John Greenleaf," Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, Volume 4 (Salt Lake City, Utah: The Andrew Jenson History Company, 1971), 707-708.
• Appleton M. Harmon diary, 1847 April-July.
• Bay, James Willard. Journal, 1850 July-1858 Apr., 163-75.
• Charles A. Harper diary, 1847 April-August.
• Cook, Elizabeth Hunter, "History of the Hunter Family," 1-2, in Hunter family histories [n.d.].
• "Died," Deseret News, 14 November 1877, 656.
• Find a Grave (Website)
• George Laub reminiscences and journal, 1845 January-1857 April, 29 May 1852– August 1852, 199-266.
• Heber C. Kimball journal in Heber C. Kimball papers, 1837-1866.
• Higbee, John Somers, Reminiscences and diaries, 1845-1866, vol. 3.
• John Pack letters, 1847.
• John S. Higbee reminiscences and diaries, 1845-1866.  Transcriptions from volumes 1 and 2.
• Jones, Thomas Jefferson, Autobiographical sketch 1911, 1-2.
• Journal History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Supplement after 31 December 1852, 1.
• “Life and Journeys of John Somers Higbee,” Iron County Record, 16 February 1929.
• Norton Jacob reminiscence and journal, 1844 May-1852 January, 47-85.
• Owen, Laura Farnsworth, Autobiography 1868.
• Pioneering the West, 1846 to 1878: Major Howard Egan's Diary, edited and compiled by William M. Egan (1917), 21-105.
• Saints By Sea: Latter-day Saint Immigration to America
• Thomas Bullock journals, 1843-1849, Journal, 1847 April-June.
• Wilford Woodruff journal, 1847 January-1853 December, 25-77.
• William A. Empey, "The Journal of William A. Empey, May 7-August 4, 1847," edited by Dale L. Morgan, Annals of Wyoming (July-October 1949), 124-33.
• William Clayton diaries, 1846-1853, Folder contents: (2) Volume 2, 1847.