Heritage Gateways

William Clayton Journals

June 15, 1847

Location: Casper, Wyoming - Location: 42:52:00N 106:18:45W

Summary: Pioneers continue to ferry the Platte despite winds and high river.

Journal entry: TUESDAY, 15TH. The morning fine but very windy. The brethren continued ferrying wagons over on the raft and also built two other rafts The wind being so high they could not get along very fast. In the afternoon they commenced driving over some of the horses and cattle belonging to Brother Crow's company. They neglected to take the lariats off the horses and the buffalo horse was soon seen to be drowning. Some of the men immediately were to it with the skiff and dragged him to the shore but could not succeed in bringing him to life. His natural make seemed to hurt him from swimming.

The rest all got over - safely. The cattle got over safely also; the current was very strong, the wind high and the river rising which made it look dangerous to swim the cattle across. It was concluded today to leave several brethren here to make a boat and keep n ferry till the next company comes up. By that means they will probably make enough to supply a large company with provisions.

We have learned from a Missourian that there is a large company of emigrants coming up on the north side of the Platt above Grand Island. There are doubtless some of our brethren and if so they will probably reach us before we get through. The day continued windy and somewhat inclined to storm, but they succeeded in getting nearly twenty wagons over before night.

Source: William Clayton's Journal

Published by the Clayton Family Association, and edited by Lawrence Clayton. To the best of our research, this contents of this book are no longer under copyright.