Pioneer Date Summary

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06/06/1847 - Crockett

Date: June 6, 1847

On the Oregon Trail, Wyoming:
In the morning, the wagon train from St. Joseph, Missouri, passed by the pioneer camp. Since this was Sunday, the camp of Saints rested. They were again told to fast until the meetings were over. At 9 a.m., they assembled for a prayer meeting. The speakers were Erastus Snow, Jesse C. Little, and others. The meeting closed at 11 a.m. Appleton Harmon commented: "I believe that the whole camp feel as much of the Spirit of God as ever the same number of men did under similar circumstances. All is peace and union."

During the morning they were visited by three or four men on horseback reporting that their company from Missouri was a short distance back. They had camped for the night at the Warm Springs. William Clayton wrote: "Some of these are recognized by the brethren and they seem a little afraid and not fond of our company."

At 11:40 a.m. the brethren assembled for a preaching meeting. Orson Pratt asked the camp choir to sing the hymn on page 95, "With all my powers of heart & tongue." Ezra T. Benson opened with prayer. Right after Orson Pratt started to preach, the rail fell in torrents with thunder and lightning. Brigham Young "jumped up and said every man go home out of the rain." During the storm, another Oregon company from Missouri came up with nineteen wagons and two carriages. Their guide said water could be find sixteen miles ahead, but no more for fifteen miles after that.

When the weather cleared around 1 p.m., it was thought best to travel six miles during the afternoon in order to shorten the next day's travel to shorten Monday's travel to the next water. At 2:30, the pioneer camp was on the move. After traveling up the creek four miles, they passed the Oregon company of seventeen wagons. They camped one mile further by a stream of water, called Bitter Creek, where there was plenty of wood. The first emigrant company from Missouri was camped a short distance ahead.

William Clayton recorded: "One of the men in the company of the nineteen wagons told G. A. Smith that he had broken his carriage spring and seemed much troubled to know what to do to get along. He asked George if there was any man in our company who could fix it. George told him there was. After we were camped, Burr Frost set up his forge and welded the spring ready to put on before dark." Several of the Missouri emigrants came to see the roadometer. They wanted to see the gears inside and looked upon it as a curiosity.

In the evening, it learned that a letter could be taken to Samuel Brannan in San Francisco. Willard Richards composed a letter for Brigham Young that included:

"By my date you will discover my location, and as there is an emigrating company from the states camped about one-fourth of a mile back this eve, some of whom, as I understand are destined for San Francisco, I improve a few moments to write to you. . . . This camp which left Winter Quarters between the 6th and 14th of April, consists of something less than 200 men -- two men to a wagon, accompanied by two-thirds of the council and men in pursuit of a location for themselves and friends. We left upwards of 4000 inhabitants at Winter Quarters and expect a large company which have since started, and are now en route, among whom will be as many of the families of the Battalion as can be fitted out. If any of the Battalion are with you or at your place, and want to find their families, they will do well to take the road to the States, via the south bank of Salt Lake, Ft. Bridger, South Pass, etc. and watch the path or any turn of the road till they find this camp. . . . The camp will not go to the west coast or to your place at present; we have not the means. Any among you who may choose to come over into the Great Basin or meet the camp, are at liberty to do so; and if they are doing well where they are, and choose to stay, it is quite right."

Winter Quarters, Nebraska:
After the Omahas had breakfast, they left Winter Quarters to return home. Hosea Stout escorted them until they were six miles from the city.

John Taylor spoke to the Saints at a Sunday meeting. "He exhorted the Saints to be diligent in doing their duty, and in keeping their sacred covenants and walking uprightly before, and keeping all his righteous commandments." In the evening an entertaining and thought provoking meeting was held. A Universalian Minister preached from Mark Chapter 15 and 16. After he preached, Benjamin Clapp responded. They each took several turns to respond to each other's remarks.

Eliza R. Snow was trying to decide if she should leave with the next pioneer company. Sister Pierce had mentioned that she wanted Sister Snow to go with her family, but Brother Pierce wasn't sure if he had the means to take her with them.

Summer Quarters, Nebraska:
After getting some grain ground at the Winter Quarters mill, John D. Lee returned to Summer Quarters and found everyone doing well.

Mormon Battalion, at Los Angeles, California:
The men continued to have good success killing many dogs in the Pueblo. The Mexicans had been keeping a huge number. Horse racing was held by the Mexicans.

Company B, Mormon Battalion, at San Diego, California:
Robert S. Bliss wrote: "Rode to the coast to examine a bed of coal. Saw a variety of sead animals & objects interesting to me."

Sources:
Diary of Howard Egan, Pioneering the West, 66
Appleton Milo Harmon Goes West, 29
Luke S. Johnson Journal, typescript, BYU, 11
Bagley, ed., The Pioneer Camp of the Saints, 182-83
William Clayton's Journal, 218-20
Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 3, 480-81
Kelly, ed., Journals of John D. Lee, 1846-1847 and 1859, 173-74
Brooks, On the Mormon Frontier, The Diary of Hosea Stout, 1:259
Ward, ed., Winter Quarters, The 1846-1848 Life Writings of Mary Haskin Parker Richards, 146
Beecher, ed., The Personal Writings of Eliza Roxcy Snow, 176-77
Journal of Henry Standage in Frank Alfred Golder, The March of the Mormon Battalion, 224
The Journal of Robert S. Bliss, Utah Historical Quarterly, 4:95

Source: 150 Years Ago Today

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