Heritage Gateways

William Clayton Journals

April 25, 1847

Summary: Organizing hunters. Worrying about water from the river.

Journal entry: SUNDAY: Arose soon after five, shaved and changed some of my clothing. The morning very pleasant, wind west. Our course for the last seven miles has been about southwest. We are about 14 miles from the main branch of the Platte river and it is said that if we travel on this fork one hundred miles farther, we shall then be not over thirty miles from the main branch. This morning saw four antelope on the other bank of the river about a mile and a half northwest.

Afternoon Elijah Newman was baptized by Tarlton Lewis in the lake for the benefit of his health. Brother Newman has been afflicted with the black scurvy in his legs and has not been able to walk without sticks, but after being baptized and hands laid on him he returned to his wagon without any kind of help seemingly much better.

Soon after 5:00 p.m. a meeting was called at the wagon of President Young, and remarks made by several, and instructions by President Young chiefly in reference to the guard and the folly of conforming to gentile military customs on an expedition of this nature.

After dark the twelve and some others met together opposite the President's wagon to select men to go a hunting buffalo, etc., as we proceed on the journey. It was ascertained that there are eight horses in the company which are not attached to teams. Then eight men were selected to ride on horseback, viz., Thomas Woolsey, Thomas Brown, John Brown, 0. P. Rockwell, John S. Higbee, Joseph Mathews. Then there were selected eleven men to hunt also on foot, viz., John Pack, Phineas 1-1. Young Tarlton Lewis, Joseph Hancock, Edmund Ellsworth. Roswell Stevens, Edson Whipple, Barnaha L. Adarns, Benjamin F. Stewart, Jackson Redding and Eric Glines. It was also voted that the twelve have the privilege of hunting when they have a mind to. After some remarks and cautions in regard to chasing the wild buffalo, the company was dismissed, and I retired to rest soon after nine o'clock, the evening being very fine and pleasant.

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.