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Pioneer Date Summary
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04/30/1847 - Crockett
 Description: Line drawing by Riley, a ninth grader from
Central Davis Junior High. Image courtesy of: Heritage
Gateway Project Images , These images have been gathered
to support the Sesquicentennial celebration of the immigration
to Utah.
Location: Gibbon, Nebraska - Location: 40:44:54N 98:50:40W
Elevation: 2060 feet
Date: April 30, 1847
On the Platte River, Nebraska:
The morning's journey started at 8:20 a.m. It was a chilly day,
with temperatures down into the low forties. William Clayton remarked, "About
a mile from where we camped last night, we passed a place where
the Indians have camped no doubt during their hunt. They must have
been very numerous for their camp has covered a number of acres
of ground."
After eight miles, the company nooned at a small creek with a
gravel bottom, about a half mile from the river. They named it "Grass
Creek." Horace Whitney wrote: "The grass here is of the highest
and most luxuriant growth we have yet seen -- There have been three
fresh buffalo tracks seen today by the hunter."
When they started again at 1:20 p.m., the wind was blowing very
strong, and it felt quite cold. They traveled eight more miles
and camped in a circle about two miles away from the river near
a bluff without wood or water. The circle that was formed was "imperfect" because
each wagon was faced such that the wind would be against it. It
took more than an hour to form the camp. [The camp was located
about five miles east of present-day Kearney, Nebraska. Not far
from this site, on the south side of the river, the Oregon Trail
converged with the Platte.]
For the first time they picked up dry buffalo dung (chips) which
made a good fire. A well was dug and water was found. Thomas Bullock
explained that holes were dug for the fires. "At Luke Johnson's
fire I saw a Buffalo Skull made a chimney--the smoke coming out
of two holes between the horns, combined the useful & ludicrous."
It was a cold evening. William Clayton wrote: "It is now so cold
that every man wants his overcoat on and a buffalo robe over it.
We have had no accident and the brethren felt well, some are wrestling
to keep themselves warm." Brigham Young gave permission for the
men to have a dance and to enjoy themselves because it was hard
to stay warm. Brother Hansen provided the tunes on his violin.
Many of the men had a difficult time sleeping because of the cold.
Winter Quarters, Nebraska:
Some of Peter Sarpy's teams came in from the Pawnee village, where
they had seen the pioneer company. William Kay helped move Mary Richards
into a house on the south picket line. This was the first house she
lived in since leaving Nauvoo a year earlier. During all that time,
she had lived in a tent. She wrote, "After I got to the house, I
got dinner and Bro[ther] K[ay] eat with us. After which I helped
cord the bedstead, move the bed, and regulated some of the things,
felt some tired."
Mormon Battalion, at Los Angeles, California:
Many of the men continued to work on the fort. David Pettigrew preached to the
men about the evils of drinking. Jefferson Hunt informed the men about some good
news. A sutler traveling with the New York Volunteers had just arrived with many
clothes for sale. General Kearny had sent word that these clothes could be purchased
at a reduced price. Since this was the end of the month, the battalion was mustered.
Company B, Mormon Battalion, at San Diego, California:
Robert S. Bliss recorded, "To day is our muster day according to Law which makes
the fifth must from the time entered the Service; We have to muster once more
to conclude the year & then we hope to go Speedily to our Familys & the Church."
Sources:
Wilford Woodruff's Journal 3:163
Bagley, ed., The Pioneer Camp of the Saints, 136-37
Howard Egan Diary, Pioneering the West, 31
"Excerpts from the hitherto unpublished Journal of Horace K. Whitney," Improvement
Era, 50:204
William Clayton's Journal, p.113-16
Brooks, On the Mormon Frontier, The Diary of Hosea Stout, 1:253
Ward, ed., Winter Quarters, The 1846-1848 Life Writings of Mary Haskin Parker
Richards, 121
Journal of Henry Standage in Frank Alfred Golder, The March of the Mormon Battalion,
220
The Journal of Robert S. Bliss, The Utah Historical Quarterly, 4;92
- Source: 150
Years Ago Today
- ©These materials have been created by David R. Crockett.
Copies of these materials may be reproduced for teacher and classroom use.
When distributing these materials, credit must be given to David R. Crockett.
These materials may not be published, in whole or part, or in any other
format, without the written permission of Mr. Crockett, Tucson Az, crockett@goodnet.com.
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