Heritage Gateways

Pioneer Date Summary

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07/06/1847 - Crockett

Date: July 6, 1847

On the road to Fort Bridger, Wyoming:
After traveling 3 3/4 miles, the pioneers forded Ham's fork at a point where it was about 40 feet wide and two feet deep. In 1 1/2 miles, they came to Black's Fork and crossed it.

Wilford Woodruff recorded: "Man & beast, Harnesses & waggons, were all covered with dust. . . . The face of the country is the same to day as usual Barren, Sand & Sage, with occasionally A sprinkling of flowers some vary beutiful."

In thirteen more miles, they recrossed Black's Fork and camped on the bank. The grass was good and there were many willow trees near camp. William Clayton wrote: "At this place there is a fine specimen of the wild flax which grows all around. It is considered equal to any cultivated, bears a delicate blue flower. There is also an abundance of the rich bunch grass in the neighborhood of the river back and many wild currants. The prairies are lined with beautiful flowers of various colors,--chiefly blue, red and yellow, which have a rich appearance and would serve to adorn and beautify an eastern flower garden."

Mormon Ferry, Wyoming:
The ferrymen crossed over an emigrant company with eighteen wagons. Three of the wagons left without paying the fifty cent fee. Another company of twenty-two wagons went up the river to ford it by raising their wagon beds. The river had been falling fast, making this method of crossing possible.

On the Platte River, Nebraska:
Across from Grand Island, a daughter, Sarah Ellen Smithies, was born to James and Nancy Smithies at 11 a.m. This delayed the Abraham Smoot company for a few hours. Patty Sessions wrote: "Go 18 miles camp on the bank of a stream from the Platte River where the Indians had camped. We burnt their wickeups for wood, some waided the river to get wood, brought it over on their backs. The camp did not all get up last night neither have they to night. Smoots Co have not been heard from since Monday, Grants co did not get up to night." Jedediah M. Grant's hundred were delayed because of traffic problems with John Taylor's company. Abraham Smoot's company camped at the spot where some of the companies had rested at noon.

Summer Quarters, Nebraska:
Sarah Lytle, age Seventy-three, died from injuries received a few days early from a wagon tipping over. She was buried under the direction of Joseph Young.

Mormon Battalion, at Los Angeles, California:
During the morning, the battalion attended a funeral service for a soldier of the 1st dragoons who had died during the previous evening. He was buried with the honors of war and interred in a Catholic Cemetery.

Sources:

• Watson, ed., The Orson Pratt Journals, 439
• Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 3:224
• Kelly, ed., Journals of John D. Lee, 1846-1847 and 1859, 185-86
• Cook, Joseph C. Kingsbury, 119
• Smart, ed., Mormon Midwife, The 1846-1888 Diaries of Patty Bartlett Sessions, 90
• Beecher, ed., The Personal Writings of Eliza Roxcy Snow, 182-83
• Appleton Milo Harmon Goes West, 39
• William Clayton's Journal, p.283
• Tyler, A Concise History of the Mormon Battalion, 297

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.