The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1915-08-17
Robert ReedeI, First Man in
;:Hvde Park 10 Take Unto Himself
A Wife, Relates a Varied Story

father OF Mr.. Reeder weekend. lie
fell day after day while pulling his cart
When Fort Laramie was reached lie
could not proceed further and in a
few days he passed on to his Maker.
short time afterward his sister IA
girl of II, grew weak.
In relating this part OF his expert.
ence our pioneer grew exceeding sob
er: 1--WE had travelled hard that day."
he said, "and at asst reached a
camping ground. Sister was behir0.
She saw us pitch camp. She stopped
and pulled a pile of sagebrush. She
tied the brush in her apron to bring
It to camp for fire. We saw her
from camp as she sat down by It and
then she did not get up. We went
down where she was and she was
dead. Yes, there we're many who died
dead. Yes there were many who died
on that awful journey, starved to
death, starved to DEATH"
On October Is, they had reached
the Sweetwater at point known as
Three Crossings. Here they camped
all night for they had entirely ex-
hausted their food supply. 1--WE had
not morsel in camp" says Mr..
Reeder. but We were expecting aid
which had been sent out from the
city. Next morning we were buried in
about foot Of snow. We had nearly
lost heart, for we had lost a great
many by the way. Once we buried
thirteen in a single grave, q big
trench like they use for dead soldi,
ers. Before We could move camp
after burying these, two more had
died and we had to stop to dig an
other hole. I think fully two hun
dred died on this trip"
On October 1e two men were sent
out on horse and a mule the only
1 two unexhausted animals in the party
in search Of the party who 1t was said
were coming with aid. On they went
for several days and at last. at a
place seventy-fve miles distant
known as Pacific Spring, they came
upon a relief party who had laid over
on account of the storm not knowing
the dire straits in which the hand
cart company was at the time. After
the men had arrived from the latter
party the camp was in a hustle
Loads were made light and teams
doubled SO that haste could be made.
And in an almost incredible short
time they had reached the sufferers
"And them" here Mr.. Reeder laughed
heartily, they would not let us eat
for fear We would kill ourselves. .
When they had all been properly sue
cored the journey was again pursued
and In due time Salt Lake City was
reached.
It may be interesting to many tC
know how party or destitute people
would be taken care of upon arriving
In frontier town such as Salt LAX
City was In those days. 1--WE stopped
. on Main street about two hours.
said Mr. Reeder. Many of the church
authorities came and talked with us
Then we were given over to the bish
ops of the different wards. Each bish
op took a few, whom they saw go
some kind Of work to pay for thei
keep during the winter. / went on
, under Bishop Weller, but l did no
stay long. / had a brother In Brig
I ham and with my brother-in-law
D started to walk there. My brother-in
, law was stronger than me and h
, soon left me behind. / remember
: good lady, l hope she is still alive
I who took me in one night and fe,
: me when / was almost flunked out
= That was Sister Bankhead and sh
lives In Wellsville. Some day
hope to see her again and let he
o know that I shall always be Thankful
g for the food and shelter she gave M
a that night"
s 1T was the fall of 1857 that wa
d first in Cache Valley and 50 far as
Q know ! am the first man now livinI
g that was ever in Cache Valley
r There were no houses here anywher
e at that time, except a few at Wells
n vile. They were log huts and al
e built together so that one woul,
o protect the other from the cold win
e ter. ! came to tell the people her
u to come out. The next spring w
a heard of the coming of Johnston's al
Il my and the man was working for
d claudius V. Spencer, sent me to rep
It resent him at Echo canyon. wal
i not there long until 1 became s,
t badly afflicted with rheumatics tina
> could not move a limb; could no
q even feed myself. Then we moved
n south on Provo Bottoms until the sol