President Young calls for Volunteers to meet the Hand-cart Company--I
Join the Party--Names of the Company--One party of Emigrants found in a
Starving Condition.
I attended the October conference of 1856. When conference was opened
President Young arose and said: "There are a number of our people on
the plains who have started to come with hand-carts; they will need
help and I want twenty teams to be ready by morning with two men to
each team to go out and meet them. If the teams are not voluntarily
furnished, there are plenty of good ones in the street and I shall call
upon Brother J. C. Little, the marshal, to furnish them. Now we will
adjourn this conference until to-morrow." Brother Young was in earnest;
he seemed moved by a spirit that would admit of no delay.
A few days before this a number of elders had arrived from the old
country reporting that the hand-cart people were on the road, but
they did not know how far they had advanced. In those days there was
no telegraph, and mails from the east only reached Utah monthly, they
being many times delayed by high water, Indians or other causes.
Brother Young called upon every one present to lend a hand in fitting
up these teams. As I was going out with the crowd. Brother Wells spoke
to me saying: "You are a good hand for the trip; get ready." Soon after
Bishop Hunter said the same thing to me. Also Brother Grant met me and
said: "I want you on this trip." I began to think it time to decide, so
I answered, "all right."
I had a saddle horse. We were instructed to get everything we could
ready and rendezvous between the Big and Little Mountains, a short
day's drive out from Salt Lake. Next day teams and volunteer men were
ready. A better outfit and one more adapted to the work before us I do
not think could have possibly been selected if a week had been spent in
fitting up. Besides the wagons and teams, several men went horseback.
We had good teams and provisions in great abundance. But best of all,
those going were alive to the work and were of the best material
possible for the occasion.
As soon as all were together we organized and moved on. George D.
Grant was selected captain, with Robert Burton and William Kimball as
assistants; Cyrus Wheelock, chaplain; Charles Decker, guide. I was
given the important position of chief cook for the head mess. I was
quite proud of my office, for it made me the most sought after and
popular man in the camp. The rest of the company was made up of the
following persons: Joseph A. Young, Chauncey Webb, H. H. Cluff, D. P.
Kimball, George W. Grant, Ed. Peck, Joel Parrish, Henry Goldsbrough,
Thomas Alexander, Benjamin Hampton, Thomas Ricks, Abe Garr, Charles
Grey, Al Huntington, "Handsome Cupid," Stephen Taylor, William K.
Broomhead, Ira Nebeker, Redick Allred, Amos Fairbanks and Tom Bankhead,
a colored man. These are all the names that I remember, if there were
any more I have been unable to find them.
The weather soon became cold and stormy. We traveled hard, never taking
time to stop for dinner. On getting into camp all were hungry and
willing to help. No doubt many of the boys remember the hearty suppers
eaten on this expedition. There was some expectation of meeting the
first train. Brother Willie's, on or about Green river. We began to
feel great anxiety about the emigrants as the weather was now cold and
stormy, and we, strong men with good outfits, found the nights severe.
What must be the condition of those we were to meet. Many old men and
women, little children, mothers with nursing babes, crossing the plains
pulling hand-carts. Our hearts began to ache when we reached Green
river and yet no word of them. Here an express was sent on ahead with a
light wagon to meet and cheer the people up. Cyrus Wheelock and Stephen
Taylor went with this express.
At the South Pass, we encountered a severe snowstorm. After crossing
the divide we turned down into a sheltered place on the Sweetwater.
While in camp and during the snow-storm two men were seen on horseback
going west. They were hailed. On reaching us they proved to be Brothers
Willie and J. B. Elder. They reported their company in a starving
condition at their camp then east of Rocky Ridge and said our express
had gone on to meet the other companies still in the rear. We started
immediately through the storm to reach Brother Willie's camp. On
arriving we found them in a condition that would stir the feelings of
the hardest heart. They were in a poor place, the storm having caught
them where fuel was scarce. They were out of provisions and really
freezing and starving to death. The morning after our arrival nine were
buried in one grave. We did all we could to relieve them. The boys
struck out on horseback and dragged up a lot of wood; provisions were
distributed and all went to work to cheer the sufferers. Soon there was
an improvement in camp, but many poor, faithful people had gone too
far--had passed beyond the power to recruit. Our help came too late for
some and many died after our arrival.
William Kimball with a few men and wagons turned back, taking the
oversight of this company to help them in. Capt. Grant left a wagon
load of flour near the Pass with Redick Allred to guard it. There were
several hundred people with Brother Willie. They had a few teams, but
most of them had become too weak to be of much service. When we left
Salt Lake it was understood that other teams would follow until all the
help needed would be on the road.
The greater portion of our company now continued on towards Devil's
Gate, traveling through snow all the way. When we arrived at Devil's
Gate we found our express there awaiting us. No tidings as yet were
received of the other companies.