Heritage Gateways

Pioneer Date Summary

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07/03/1847 - Crockett

Date: July 3, 1847

On the Green River, Wyoming:
A storm delayed the rafting over of the wagons, but by the late afternoon, all of the wagons safely across. One of the rafts was haul up the east side of the river and stowed for the next pioneer company to use. The pioneers resumed their journey in the afternoon, traveled three miles and camped on the Green River. The grass was good but there were dense swarms of mosquitoes. Most of the camp was recovering from the strange bout of mountain fever that struck almost half of the company. A guide board was put up a mile from Green river that stated it was 340 miles from Fort Laramie.

A meeting was held in the evening and volunteers were asked to go back and meet to the second pioneer company to act as guides. Preference was given to those who had families in the next company. Those who volunteered were: Phinehas H. Young, Aaron Farr, Eric Glines, Rodney Badger, and George Woodward. Brigham Young stated that he wished a dozen men would have volunteered. Since there were not enough spare horses for each of them, they were given the "Revenue Cutter" wagon to carry their provisions. They started to make preparations to return. President Young announced he would travel with these five men in the morning back to the Green River, but he wanted the company to hold a Sabbath meeting in the morning. "I want to have you pray a little and talk a little and sing a little and have a good long meeting, all except those who guard the teams, I want them to mind their work."

On the Sweetwater, Wyoming:
Captain James Browns detachments of the Mormon Battalion and Mississippi Saints passed by Devil's Gate and camped along the Sweetwater. Abner Blackburn wrote that some of the men were afraid to go through Devil's Gate "for fear they might land in the bad place." Like the pioneers before them, they traveled around the gate and over a ridge. Brother Blackburn wrote that they came "into a most beautyful valley carpeted with green grass and herds of baffalow and a few elk and some deer grazing on its rich meadows." He marveled at the mountain of granite that ran parallel with the river without vegetation, and remarked "The like I never seen before. They must have run short of material when it was contracted for."

Mormon Ferry, Wyoming:
Jim Bridger arrived at the Mormon Ferry at 11 a.m., and presented to Thomas Grover a letter of introduction from Brigham Young (see June 29, 1847). With him, were four more Mormon Battalion soldiers who were on furlough and were returning to Council Bluffs. A company of eight bringing mail from Oregon arrived near sundown with pack horses and mules. They had been traveling from Oregon since May 5. A letter was sent with Jim Bridger to be take to Fort Laramie for the next pioneer company notifying them that they ferry was going to be kept in operation until they arrived.

Between Loup Fork and the Platte River, Nebraska:
The second company of pioneers again rejoined the trail created by Brigham Young's company and camped on a stream within view of the Platte River. They traveled about fourteen miles. Brother Russell found a bucket near the trail that he had given to Heber C. Kimball. Martin Dewitt, of the Perrigrine Sessions company, broke his arm during the night. Patty Session took out her stove and burned old Indian Wickiups in it.

Summer Quarters, Nebraska:
Seventy-three year-old Sarah Lytle, Nancy Lee, Mary Lane, and Julia Woolsey and some children started out to Winter Quarters with Allanson Allen. Along the way, the wagon tipped over into Mire Creek. Sarah Lytle was terribly injured. Her hips were disjointed and her bowles bruised. The otheres did not receive any injuries. Samuel Gulley, returning from Winter Quarters delivered the news of the accident to John D. Lee, who immediately sent another wagon and team to bring the sisters and children back to camp.

Sources:

• Cook, Joseph C. Kingsbury, 118-19
• Beecher, ed., The Personal Writings of Eliza Roxcy Snow, 182
• Bagley, ed., Frontiersman: Abner Blackburn's Narrative, 60
• Kelly, ed., Journals of John D. Lee, 1846-1847 and 1859, 184
• Appleton Milo Harmon Goes West, 38
• Watson, ed., The Orson Pratt Journals, 437
• Erastus Snow Journal Excerpts, Improvement Era 15:248
• Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 3:223
• Orson F. Whitney, History of Utah, Vol. 1, p.318
• Luke S. Johnson Journal, typescript, BYU, 15
• Smart, ed., Mormon Midwife, The 1846-1888 Diaries of Patty Bartlett Sessions, 89

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, TucsonAz, crockett@goodnet.com.