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Hosea Stout Journals

January 10, 1848

Location: Winter Quarters - 1014 miles left, Nebraska - Location: 41:21:41N 95:56:45W Currently the site of Florence, Nebraska, Winter Quarters was settled in September, 1846 as a temporary resting place for the pioneers. It is located just west of the Missouri river in Nebraska.

Summary: President Young sends out a petition to All which requests all aid for the Brethren in need.

Journal entry: Monday Jan. 10th 1848. Was engaged in preparing to send some of the police over the river to collect means for the police. President Young assisted us by sending a petition. I will here insert the petition entire as it will more plainly show our situation also the situation of Winter Quarters, to wit:

To The Municipal High Council of Council Point, and all the Councils, authorities, branches, and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on the Eastern banks of Missouri, or upon the Pot. tawottamie lands.

[letter] Camp of Israel Winter Quarters Greeting, Beloved Brethren

The Councils of this place in their deliberations for the welfare of Israel, have concluded to lay before you, by way of petition, a laconic statement of their situation, and respectfully invite your attention to the same.

It is well known to many of you, the circumstances under which the great body of the Church located here; the many inconveniences & privations we have suffered through being huddled together in such large numbers, having the great majority of the poor, and the destitute thrown on our hands - the many families of our brethren to take care of (who for the temporal salvation of this people enlisted in the Battalion and went to California) - the public burthens consequent upon our peculiar situation; also, the large amount of able bodies and expert men drawn from this Camp to be Pioneers, in search of a home for all the Saints, and who raised no crops at this point, - likewise the large Spring Company of emegrants who were fitted out from here and which embraced about all who had any means in their possession; and the many heavy losses we have sustained through Indian depredations, and destruction of our cattle; all these things have contributed largely to to the impoverishment of this Camp, and to render us in a measurably dependant and helpless condition, insomuch that at the present time, one of our Bishops has 301 individuals dependent on him for their daily bread; and those who have farmed it here are forced to leave this place, (in the spring [crossed out]) and must either go on to the mountains or recross the Missouri and begin anew.

Taking all these things into consideration - and having a public burthen on our shoulders of about 800 dollars, which we are unable to discharge, due to the police; a body of men who have never as yet in this church had an equivalent for their services - we deem it necessary to deputize a committee of their number viz: Elisha H. Groves, luman H. Calkins, and Elias Gardner to visit your branches, and lay before the Brethren their situation, and the matters concerning the police which is needful for the people to know, and and recieve such donations as the Brethren may be disposed to give, either in teams, waggons, horses, cows, clothing of all kinds, for men, women, and children, & produce of all kinds, and who will keep an accurate [account] of whatever is given to them.

The Brethren in making this petition to you, realize that the com paratively advantageous circumstances which surrounds you, will warrant you in being liberal and benevolent, and while it will be taking a burthen off the brethren here it will only be equalizing the load, so that we may be one in all things, and it is fondly anticipated that you will shew by your hearty and liberal response to this petition that you are willing to bear equal burthens with us & sacrafice for the Gospels sake.

Hoping that this Petition will be recieved by you with that attention and exertion the case requires.

We are, Brigham Young Heber C. Kimball N. K. Whitney Willard Richards Orson Pratt Geo A. Smith Wilford Woodruff Geo W. Harris Jas Whitehead Clerk for the High Council. [end letter]

Source: On the Mormon Frontier: The Diary of Hosea Stout 1844-1861 Volume I - Edited by Juanita Brooks. Permission to use excerpts granted by Utah State Historical Society and the University of Utah Press.