Heritage Gateways

Official Sesquicentennial K-12 Education Project
sponsored by the Utah State Board of Education, the BYU-Public School Partnership and the Utah Education Network

Pioneer 1848-1868 Companies

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1848-68, Mormon Emigrants (General Information)

While this historic resource study stresses the work of the pioneers of 1846-1847 it should be remembered that up to 70,000 [latest estimates: 60,000]other Mormons made much the same trek through the time of the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869. This study of trail documents reveals that the basic experience (as described above) of all immigrating Mormons was similar. A brief account of the post-1847 Mormon immigration follows.

This subsequent period of immigration can be conveniently divided into four groups and time periods, with two minor sub-topics.

  1. Wagon emigrants: 1848-1860 (canal, lake, and riverboats)
  2. Handcart emigrants: 1856-1860 (The Brigham Young Express Company, 1856-1857)
  3. Church ox team emigrants: 1860-1868
  4. "Rail and trail" emigrants: 1856-1868

PIONEER EMIGRATION TO UTAH
Andrew Jenson's Tabulation of Mormon Emigration,1847-1869
(Numbers are not exact, but best estimate)

- - - - - - - - - - COMPANIES - - - - - - - -
Year Total Wagon Handcart Freight PEF Last
Arrival
1847 2,000 9       2 Oct
1848 4,000 3 (divisions of single company) 19 Oct
1849 3,000 6       28 Oct
1850 5,000 10     1 14 Oct
1851 5,000 5   6 1 5 Oct
1852 10,000 23     1 16 Oct
1853 2,603 12   1   17 Oct
1854 3,167 8       24 Oct
1855 4,684 8   (1) 2 29 Oct
1856(1) 3,756 5 5 1 5 15 Dec
1857(2) 1,994 5 2 1 2 26 Sep
1858 179 3       6 Oct
1859 809 4 1 1 1 16 Sep
1860(3) 1,409 6 2 3 1 5 Oct
1861(4) 1,959 13 (5 Church) many   27 Sep
1862(5) 3,599 13 (7 Church) many   29 Oct
1863 3,646 12 (10 Church) many   15 Oct
1864(6) 2,697 9 (6 Church) (1)   2 Nov
1865 1,301 3       29 Nov
1866 3,333 10       22 Oct
1867 660 1 (Terminus: N. Platte, Neb.) 5 Oct
1868 3,232 10 (Term: Laramie-5, Benton-5) 25 Sep
Total: 68,028

(1) Dan Jones aptained the later-known Hunt Co. and wintered with the cached freight at Devil's Gate. Willie arrived 9 Nov, Martin, 30 Nov.
(2) Russel, Majors, and Waddell had 6,250 specially-built wagons that could haul 5-7,000 pounds of freight, 75,000 oxen, and 5,000 employees. They lost $5 million from US Gov't. supplying Johnston's army and later funded the Pony Express at a $500,000 loss.
(3) Pony Express (3 Apr 1860 - Oct 1861) used Mormon Trail over Big Mountain. 120 riders rode 650,000 miles. Only one was killed by Indians. Oct 24: Telegraph completed.
(4) Civil War (1961-4). Returning Army wagons used the Golden Pass (Parley's Canyon) route.
(5) A toll road was built down Silver Fork Canyon (Kimball Junction to Wanship), shortening the distance and became the main road (except for poor emigrants) until 1869. The Overland Stage (Ben "Doc" Holladay, made a fortune, but lost it in the panic of 1873) and most traffic now followed the Overland Route from Ft. Bridger to Laramie (closer to I-80).
(6) About 400 persons came in this late independent train. Terminus this year shifted from Florence to Wyoming, Neb., 40 miles south. All teams from now on are "Church."

Note: (1) in the freight column means that an emigrant and freight company were combined. Andrew tried to count those that came other directions or other means or with non-church organized groups. An exact count has never been made nor could it. It is estimated that about 70,000 pioneers emigrated to Utah before the railroad came.

Source: Historic Resource Study - Mormon Pioneer National By Stanley B. Kimball, Ph.D., May 1991. (The study focuses on the history of the trail from its official beginning in Nauvoo, Illinois, to its terminus in Salt Lake City, Utah, during the period 1846-1869. During that time, thousands of Mormon emigrants used many trails and trail variants to reach Utah. This study emphasizes the "Pioneer Route" or "Brigham Young Route" of 1846-1847. The sections on Mormon beliefs and motivations for going west have been omitted. Interested persons can find ample sources for that information. The footnotes, bibliography, maps, pictures, pioneer companies by name and dates for the 22-year period, and historic sites - about 2/3 of the book - have also been left out for space considerations. Thanks to Dr. Kimball and the National Park Service for the availability of this information.)