Heritage Gateways

Pioneer Date Summary

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03/27/1847 - Crockett

Location: Winter Quarters - 1014 miles left, Nebraska - Location: 41:21:41N 95:56:45W Currently the site of Florence, Nebraska, Winter Quarters was settled in September, 1846 as a temporary resting place for the pioneers. It is located just west of the Missouri river in Nebraska.

Date: March 27, 1847

Winter Quarters, Nebraska: The day was warm and signs of spring were noticed. Large flocks of geese were seen flying north. The Missouri River was finally free from ice. Hosea Stout felt that the day was "pleasant as summer."

Brigham Young asked John D. Lee to care for Andrew Lytle's wife, Hannah. Brother Lytle was away in the Mormon Battalion and President Young wanted Brother Lee to watch over her family until they could be send them over the mountains during the next year.

At 7 p.m., Brigham Young held another meeting with his extended family. Isaac Morley called the meeting to order. New family members were welcomed into the organization. Plans were made for the summer farm. Three companies were organized, to be led by Isaac Morley, John Vance, and John D. Lee. Laborers would start working at the farm on Monday.

Daniel Spencer arrived with mail from the Austin post office in Missouri. He brought fourteen packages of newspapers. In the evening, the Twelve and others read the newspapers together and examined a map of the west.

Wilford Woodruff attended the funeral of Sister Burnham. Nancy Clement Smith, wife of George A. Smith, also died and was buried in the Winter Quarters Cemetery.

Elder Woodruff recorded, "During the evening I took a ride out with my family & friends around the City & down the river Bank. I wet my feet & returned home.

Mormon Battalion, at Los Angeles, California: The battalion moved their camp about a mile north, three-quarters of a mile from Pueblo de Los Angeles, on the bank of the San Gabriel River. James S. Brown wrote: "At this time the air was full of alarming rumors. A revolt of Californians was talked of; then it was Fremont who was said to be in rebellion against General Kearny's authority; and again, a powerful band of Indians was ready to pounce down upon us."

Society Islands, in the South Pacific: Elder Addison Pratt boarded the schooner Providence for the first leg of his voyage home from his mission. He paid fifty dollars for passage to Oahu (Hawaii). Captain Sajat was feeling much better.

Sources:

• Watson, Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 532
• Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 3:143
• Kelly, ed., Journals of John D. Lee, 1846-1847 and 1859, 135-36
• Brooks, On the Mormon Frontier, The Diary of Hosea Stout, 1:243-44
• Ellsworth, The Journals of Addison Pratt, 324
• Brown, Life of a Pioneer, 92
• "The Journal of Nathaniel V. Jones," Utah Historical Quarterly, 4:14

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.