The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-01-05
CAPTAIN j. G. WILLIE'S
Or, the Fourth Handcart Company of 1856.
BY JOSIAH ROBERTSON.


In Sunday mornings Herald OF Dec. |
is, we published our first chapter of
the above company's journey over the
plains in 1885, and a full list OF the
names OF the members as they left
Iowa hill. near Iowa City. Ia, Tuesday,
July 10, 1885, to pull handcarts from
there to Salt Lake City. Utah, some
1850 miles.
During the half century of years that
has passed since then. it has been gem
orally remembered and stated that this
company left the campground above
mentioned not later than the 10th or
18th of July, and, was so recorded in
cur previous chapter, but Captain VIII
les report and synopsis from his jour
nal. as made for President Brigham
Young a few weeks after his arrival in
Salt Lake, and which viii follow in this
article sets this date of starting at
rest, for he says 1t was Tuesday, July
10.
As matter of record and history,
there is considerable Importance in the
number of days start Captain Willie's
company got ahead OF that of Captain
Martins, because it proves that the
loss of life was not so much from the
fatigues of travel, as from the num-
Der of days the latter company were
in the snow and the severity of the cold
weat Their
To make proper connection in the
reading of our narrative, No. !, as pub
llshed in the Herald Sunday. Dec. 10,
1907 which finished with the part of
sentence beginning with:
I'VE slept in the cars on the evening
of the cath of July at Pond creek,
short distance then. by rail, west of
Rock Island. Ia. and on the 10Th the
remainder of our company came up.
We had much difficulty in obtaining
n. til, fF.f
iod had been pretty plentiful
(NOw follow with his narrative, after
the word "plentiful')
Arrival at Iowa City, la.
The railway superintendent here was
very obliging, and furnished us with
large, comfortable warehouse to sleep
in on the 26th of June we left Pond
creek, and, after crossing the Missis
sippi, in consequence of the fallen
bridge, started by rail for Iowa City,
where We arrived on the same day,
meeting with the most cordial recep-
ton from President Daniel Spencer and
the brethren and sisters in camp there.
We stayed at this point till Tuesday,
July Is, and during the interval had
frequent opportunities of meeting to-
gether to hear the word of life spoken.
The brethren were engaged in making
.yokes. handcarts, etc, and the sisters
]
these latter articles, Immediately on
cur arrival we had several soakings
with rain, which the saints bore with
I becoming fOrtitude We celebrated the
4th of July with the American flag fly
1 ing. and had a first rate time. Many
strangers were present and seemed to
take considerable interest in our pro-
ceedings. = On the 18th President Spen-
!, Ger appointed me as captain over the
fourth handcart company consisting
of the passengers of the ship Thorn
tom. with Elders Millen Atwood, Levi
Savage William Woodward. John
Chislett and - Ahmanson respective
~ captains Of hundreds.
Start for Florence, Neb.
On July 10 we started from Iowa
s camping ground for old Winter
Quarters" now known as Florence"
and pursued our journey until the goth,
7 when Adelaide A. Baker. of the Ports
mouth branch of Southampton confer
enee, with her two children. Ann and
Sebina, Bird of the Eaton Bray branch
of the Bedfordshire conference. and
b Harriet Smith, of the Bristol branch
of the South conference, left us for
the leeks and onions
/ would here mention an act of kind
ness performed by a gentleman CAIr.
Charles Good) at Fort Des Moines. He
presented me with fifteen pairs of
! children's boots, which / readily ac-
cepted, as he seemed to be influenced
by a sincere desire to do good.
Arrival at Florence, Neb.
On Monday. Aug. IL, We arrived at
2 Florence, having previously ton the
9th) had two other deseTters from our
. ranke, Guirney and daughter, both
or the Wiltshire conference.
> on our way, considerable opposition
81 va GhnvE-a towards n nv the nepnia
4 from time to time, and threats of per-
sonal violence were sometimes made
use Of though never carried into eff
feet; and because they could not find
any just cause Of complaint, we were
{ prosecuted by a posse of men with a
search warrant from some justice of
the peace authorizing them to search
the bottoms of our wagons for young
women, who, as was alleged, were tied
down there with ropes.
On our arrival at Florence we were
warmly greeted by President James c.
Cav, and Brothers George d. Grant,
William H. kimball and John Van
Colt. We stayed there till the 10th,
and. during this interval. were employ
ed in repairing handcaTts and tents.
We also received much useful instruc-
ton from The brethren. At Florence
four independent wagons Joined our
: company, and were subsequently ION
lied into it by President McGaw, who
then appointed Andrew l.. Silver as
captain of such wagons under my pres
idency.
Start From Florence, Neb.
on the 18th we rolled out of camp
about a. m. and commenced our jour-
ney across the plains in real earnest,
travelling about eighteen miles that
day. including The crossing of the Elk
horn river. I then appointed Brother
Neil Lars Christianson interpreter and
counsellor to the Danish saints.
On Thursday, Aug. Is. Brother VIII
liam Haley of the Warwickshire con-
ference, aged s. years, was missed. I'M
Ynediately sent out scouts in search
with a lantern, but he was not found
fillearly on the following morning, after
having been exposed to a drenching
rain during the night. Hee, however
soon recovered.
On Friday. the 29th, we came up with
a large camp of Omaha Indians, who
were friendly and sold us some buff
falo meat The chief invited the Off
GERS of our camp TO see him. We ac-