Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-04-30
MAINE MAN AS A PIONEER.
DroYs S ock Across the Plains With
Bishop HuCltr ID 1047.
yhe Bishops Horse --"Jack"and 'JIii"
FioorIsss Houses-Living On Roofs
First winter In Utah.

RooKLAND, Idaho, April %, 1897
70 the Editor:
am son OF John Robinson, who
embraced the Gospel In the state OF
Maine, where 1 was born. On October
10 1887, we came TO Nauv0o, eight OF
,. In Inc family, two years before the
Prophets were martyred. knew
lnem when they were alive, and 1 saw
them after they were brought from
Carthage, alter the msriyrdom.
Together with all those now living
who were there In those days, well
remember what we had to pass
through, without mentioning In detail
what happened up TIL the February Of
1916, when we began crossing tho Mis-
sissippi river on the ice for the West.
Though was young remember well
that nearly all the time during Febru.
AIRY ana March we had snow, rain,
mud, sickness, death, and some dane
ing ami amusements OF various kinus
to cheer AID drive Of the grim
monBter, while We were leaving our
CVullOtthplc nOuHcr bCulnu.
So we wound Ouf way westward
until we came TO what We called
Summer Quarters, where we stayed
until we vent into Winter Quarters.
Through that winter We heu great
deal VI sickness In our family by
touIvy, but no deaths; and In the
spring OF lS47 President Young coun.
seled all mo wished to cross the plains
that year for the West to be sure anu
take provisions enough to last them
eighteen months, and seed t. SOW anu
plant TO rsise crop the next year.
My father acted according 10 that
counsel, loaded hi, wagone aud started,
ana was among The fret to land OIL the
west bank OF the Elk Horn river,
which was about twenty-five miles
from Winter Qusrters. There we
waited for further Oruers. AS We were
in wild Indian country we had TO
move with some considerable caution
When the Saints had nearly all
arrived, we were organized into
companies OF hupdfede, finies and
teDs. We were in Elder Taylor's
company, anu Bishop ii jsglanu's ten.
Not being la;ge enough 10 drive
tenn, and as father had come loose
stock, l had to drive them. Bishop
Hunter anu myself drove tue loose
stock Tor the company most OF the way,
the Bishop riding marc twenty-five
years OLD.
was baptized into the Church OF
Christ by Elder Taylor in the Platte
river. We had some ups and Gowns
crossing The PLAINS but they did not
try the people as they were tried 10
Illinois. Brother Joseph Horne was
In our company, nno aisO Brother Geo.
Q Cannon. l think the latter Will |
iememUer a little pair OF cows he drove
In his team. which he CALEB Jack ami |
GIL.
We landed in Salt Lake Valley
with that company in GO order the
first iatt OF OctObtr, 1s47. and we al,
went to work preparing Tor the win
ter. We made adobes and built US
houses. OF couise we did not have
any fiosrs in them that Winter, br.
they were warm, ana sheltered US
very well from the weather. We hau
an open winter ami the stock uid very
well on the ranges. OF course We nau
with anu we used TO cut come hay on
The ice Tor them. The grass that grew
In The sloughs when the water was
Ir0zsn we u.ed h cut on tue Ice. So
We managed very we'll through the
winter for our teams.
The next spring many PEOPLE were
short OF provisions, go We mad TO dig
roOts and gather greens TO subsist
upon. Many ale beef, caught fish,
anu managed the pest they oJuld TIL
harvest. We were sometimes little
hungry, but the Lord opened the way
and we did very well considering the
until the harvest oil
1913. YOU all know the balance up
lutil April, 1897.
LAWRENCE ROBINso>.