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Pioneer Date Summary

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07/18/1847 - Crockett

Date: July 18, 1847

Advance Company in East Canyon, Utah:
The Advance company rested. The morning was cold with white frost covering the ground. It became very hot during the day. A meeting was held in the morning at which Orson Pratt gave them company good words of encouragement.

Main Company on Weber River, Utah:
The camp was called together by Heber C. Kimball. He reported that Brigham Young was still very sick. He asked the brethren to stop scattering off hunting, fishing and climbing mountains. Instead on this Sabbath day, he asked them to pray to the Lord that the sickness might be taken from President Brigham Young. Wilford Woodruff testified that the devil was "constantly striving to hinder our progress and thwart the purposes of God and now by causing the president to be sick, hindering our progress in getting through in time to return to our families this fall."

At 10 a.m., a meeting was held in a small grove of shrubs. Elder Kimball proposed that the main body of pioneers go on ahead to find a place to plant potatoes and other crops. There was very little time to spare. About fifteen wagons would remain behind with Brigham Young. Those who would stay behind would include Heber C. Kimball, Wilford Woodruff, Ezra T. Benson, Howard Egan, and others. This proposal was accepted.

At 2 p.m., another meeting was held. Several of the brethren spoke including Elder Kimball who prophesied wonderful things concerning the camp. The bishops broke bread and the sacrament was administered. William Clayton recorded: "Good feelings seem to prevail and the brethren desire to do right. A number yet continue sick, but we expect all will soon recover." Erastus Snow wrote: "We had an excellent meeting. The Holy Spirit was upon us, and faith seemed to spring up in every bosom. In the afternoon the President, who had been nigh unto death, was very sensibly better, and the effects of the prayers of the brethren were visible throughout the camp." President Young had been washed and anointed, fell asleep and awoke feeling much better.

In the evening Wilford Woodruff, Heber C. Kimball and Ezra T. Benson went into a high hill and prayed together. They enjoyed conversing upon things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.

Mormon Ferry, Wyoming:
The rest of the Oregon emigrants left the ferry crossing. They had discussed with the ferrymen how more than a hundred head of cattle had been lost by the last several emigrant company. The ferrymen believed the cause of this loss was from driving the cattle too hard without water.

On the North Platte River, Nebraska:
Patty Session baked some mince pies, bread, and meat over buffalo dung. At 11 a.m., a public Sabbath meeting was held. Jedediah Grant's company, twenty miles behind had lost 75 head of cattle two night earlier and some men were sent out to help find them. The men were told to quit killing buffalo needlessly. They were told that such actions "was a disgrace to the people and displeasing to the Lord."

At 4 p.m., another meeting was held at which letters from the men at the Mormon Ferry were read. The ferrymen reported that they had ferried over four hundred Oregon emigrant wagons. After the meeting a baptismal service was held for many of the youth. Confirmations were given and many children were blessed.

Summer Quarters, Nebraska:
John D. Lee was asked to go quickly to Samuel Gully to administer to him. Brother Gully was cramped up and nearly dying. He soon recovered after the blessing. Others in Summer Quarters had a similar illness. John D. Lee traveled to Winter Quarters because he had been summoned to appear before the High Council.

Winter Quarters, Nebraska:
A Council meeting was held in the morning to consider reports of evils in the settlement of Garden Grove including stealing and gambling. Orson Hyde pressed to have the whole settlement cut off from them Church. The subject was "warmly debated" but the motion carried by the majority of the High Council to cut off the settlement of Garden Grove from the Church.

Later in the afternoon, Isaac Morley spoke at the Winter Quarters stand. In the evening the High Council heard several cases. James Clayton was reprimanded for firing pistols on the Sabbath. John Berry accused John D. Lee of allowing his horse to be lost and had not reimbursed him for this loss. The High Council hear witnesses and decided that Brother Lee was not at fault but should not charge Brother Berry for the use of his mule or for boarding the horse before it was lost.

Mormon Battalion, in Los Angeles:
The battalion started to draw their pay. They each received $31.50, but did not received the promised transportation money to return home.

Sources:

• William Clayton's Journal, p.300
• Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 3:213
• Erastus Snow Journal Excerpts, Improvement Era 15:361
• Norton Jacob Journal, typescript, 105-06
• Watson, ed., The Orson Pratt Journals, 450
• Smart, ed., Mormon Midwife, The 1846-1888 Diaries of Patty Bartlett Sessions, 91
• Brooks, On the Mormon Frontier, The Diary of Hosea Stout, 1:265-66
• Kelly, ed., Journals of John D. Lee, 1846-1847 and 1859, 189-93
• Levi Jackman Autobiography, typescript, BYU-S, p.40
• William Scearce Journal, typescript, 1
• Cook, Joseph C. Kingsbury, 120
• Jesse W. Crosby Journal, typescript, 37
• Journal of William Empey, Annals of Wyoming, 21:140
• Hoshide & Bagley, eds., The 1847 Donner Camp Diary of Levi Hancock

  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.