 |
William Clayton Journals
June 4, 1847
Location: Guernsey, Wyoming - Location: 42:16:11N 104:44:28W Elevation: 4361 feet
Summary: Members
and livestock from Brother Crow's Company join the camp.
Journal entry: FRIDAY, 4TH.
Morning very fine. Laramie peak shows very plain. The brethren commenced ferrying
at 4:40 a.m., and at eight o'clock the last wagon was over. I walked up to
a high bluff with Carlos Murray and picked up some stalactites
clear as crystal supposed to be isinglass. The bluff is very high
and almost perpendicular and it is dangerous to get to the crystals. At nine o'clock President Young, Cambial, W. Richards, A.P. Rockwood
and T. Bullock walked up to Fort Laramie and returned soon after
eleven o'clock. They have learned very favorable reports about
Bear River Valley, being well timbered, plenty of good grass, light
winters, little snow and abundance of fish, especially spotted
trout, in the streams.
About half past eleven o'clock Brother Crow's company came down
and joined in with the second division and at twelve we started
on our journey again, following the Oregon road. We traveled three
miles and at 20 minutes past 1:00, halted near some good grass
to let our teams feed. The weather is very warm though many light
clouds are flying. The bluffs come near the river and are very
high, steep, and look like sand. During the halt I went up on a
very high bluff near by with my glass. I found it very difficult
of ascent. From the top I could see Laramie peak very plainly and
also some hills a long way off to the northwest. The country looks
very hilly as far as can be seen and the snow on the peak shows
quite plain. At half past two we continued our journey and found
the road sandy and very uneven.
At the distance of seven and three quarters miles from Fort Laramie
we descended a very steep pitch or hill. All the wagons had to
be locked and we were some time getting down. We went on half a
mile farther and formed our encampment in a circle at half past
five, having traveled eight and a quarter miles today. At half
past five we had a shower accompanied by a little lightning and
heavy thunder.
I will now give the list of names of Brother Crow's company who
have joined the camp today to go with this pioneer camp. They are
as follows: Robert Crown, Elizabeth Crow, Benjamin B. Crow, Elizabeth
Jane Crow, John McHenry Crow, Walter H. Crow, Geo. W. Therlkill,
Matilla Jane Therlkill, Milton Howard Therlkill, James William
Therlkill, William Parker Crow, Isa Vinda Exene Crow, Ira Minda
Almarene Crow, Archibald Little, James Chesney and Lewis B. Myers,
seventeen in number, making the total number of souls in this pioneer
camp, after deducting four gone to Pueblo, 161.
Lewis B. Myers is represented as knowing the country to the mountains,
having traveled it and I am told that he came as a guide to Brother
Crow. They have five wagons, one cart, eleven horses, twenty- four
oxen, twenty-two cows, three bulls and seven calves.
Inasmuch as there have been some changes in horses and mules,
I will endeavor to state them and give the number we started with
from Fort Laramie. Two horses killed by accident. Two horses stolen
by the Pawnees at Gravel creek; one mule traded for a pony by Brother
Markham; three horses and one mule gone with the brethren to Pueblo;
one horse traded to O.P. Rcokwell for three cows and two calves;
one horse traded by John Pack for three buffalo robes; one horse
traded by T. Brown for a pony at Laramie; one pony traded by J.S.
Higbee to the Sioux for a pony. These changes with the addition
made by Brother Crow's company make the number as follows; horses
95, mules 51, head of oxen 100, cows 41, bulls 3, calves 7, dogs
and chickens, and 77 wagons and 1 cart.
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.
|