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Pioneer Date Summary
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04/17/1847 - Crockett
- Location: Fremont, Nebraska - Location: 41:26:00N 96:29:52W
Elevation: 1195 feet
Date: April 17, 1847
On the Platte River, Nebraska:
The pioneers woke up to a very cold morning -- twenty six degrees.
Ice at least a half inch thick was found on their standing water.
They started out at 9 a.m., and traveled on a difficult sandy
road. The wind was blowing very hard as they traveled through
present-day Fremont, Nebraska. At noon, after about seven miles,
they camped by a cottonwood grove. Because there was no grass,
the pioneers chopped down hundreds of trees for the teams to
feed on. They prepared to stay over at this camp on the next
day, Sunday. The wagons were formed into a long line, parallel
to the river. A small lake was found nearby, but the water was
poor. [The campsite was near the present-day Ames Post Office,
near the Platte River.]
In the afternoon, some traders arrived from the west, from the
Pawnee Village. They shared with the pioneers dried buffalo meat
warned them that they were two days journey from a large body of
Pawnees. The traders had a wagon loaded with buffalo robes and
they camped nearby.
At 5 p.m., the bugle was sounded, and the pioneer camp was called
together for a meeting. The company was further organized into
a military regiment. Brigham Young was elected Lieutenant General
of the company. Stephen Markham, Colonel, Shadrach Roundy and John
Pack, majors. The captains of tens were also re-elected into this
organization: Wilford Woodruff, Ezra T. Benson, Phinehas H. Young,
Luke S. Johnson, Stephen H. Goddard, Charles Shumway, James Case,
Seth Taft, Appleton M. Harmon, John Higby, Norton Jacob, John Brown
and Joseph Matthews. Thomas Tanner was elected Captain of the Cannoniers
and Thomas Bullock as the clerk of the Company.
Brigham Young instructed: "After we start from here, every man
must keep his loaded gun in his hand, or in the wagon where he
can put his hand on it at a moment's warning. If they are cap locks,
take off the cap and put on a little leather to keep wet and etc.
out. If flint locks, take out the priming and fill the pan with
twine or cotton," He further reminded the men that the wagons must
travel together, not separate as was previously done. He instructed
the Captains of Tens to no longer permit a man to leave their ten
to go off and shoot prairie chickens, ducks, or deer, for fear
that the Indians would harm them.
In the evening, Ellis Eames and Hans C. Hansen entertained the
camp with music from their violins. William Clayton wrote, "All
peace and quietness." Brother Eames prepared to return to Winter
Quarters because of sickness. Howard Egan, however, felt that the
true reason was that "he is weak in the faith."
Winter Quarters, Nebraska:
Some of the brethren who had been visiting
the pioneers on the Platte River arrived back in Winter Quarters.
They reported that the pioneers were about 75 miles to the west.
Charles C. Rich left Winter Quarters to return on business to
Nauvoo. His wife Sarah Rich wrote that he left, "committing his
family into the hands of the Lord, at the same telling the family,
'If you pray for Sarah D. (his wife, meaning me) that I would
see that they would have enough to eat until his return.' He
was not able to leave enough on hand to last until he could return,
and had no means to buy with, but on his going back at that time
depended our prospect to go with the first company across the
plains."
Summer Quarters, Nebraska:
The morning was very cold, the ice an inch thick. John D. Lee called
the camp together to discuss guarding the cattle during the nights
to keep them secure against the Indians. They decided that a fence
should be built to keep in the herd.
Sources:
Watson, ed., Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 549
William Clayton's Journal, 78-9
Luke S. Johnson, Pioneers Journal of 1847, typescript, BYU, 2
Howard Egan Diary, Pioneering the West, 25
Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 3:149-50
Appleton Milo Harmon Goes West, 16
Levi Jackman Autobiography, typescript, BYU-S, p.26
Sarah Rich Autobiography, typescript, BYU-S, p.66
Kelly, ed., Journals of John D. Lee, 1846-1847 and 1859, 150-51
Brooks, On the Mormon Frontier, The Diary of Hosea Stout, 1:247
Knight and Kimball, 111 Days to Zion, 31
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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