On Thursday, April 6, Eliza R. Snow noted in her journal, "A
number of the sisters celebrated the anniversary of the Church at Adaline
Benson's in prayer for the Saints in Winter Quarters and elsewhere." Patty
Sessions added: "The Church has been organized 18 years today. We females
had a prayer meeting today at sister Adaline Benson's to pray for the Brethren
that were at Winter Quarters and elsewhere." On Saturday it snowed all day
in the valley.
Wilford Woodruff wrote on Sunday: "Our city was visited through
the day with a strong gale of wind and sand which drove inside of all of our
log cabins and covered every thing with dust. We had a hay stack burn down on
the outskirts of the town situated in such a position that nothing else could
burn, but had it been in any part of town where the wind could have blown the
fire in any part of the city, it would soon been wrapped in flames. The whole
town has been in danger of being burnt up all winter." Hosea Stout added:
"In the evening the people turned out and covered up the fire after it had
burnt down somewhat and a guard was put over it to keep it from kindling in
which case if the wind should change, the town might be consumed. The confusion
of the people on this occasion was great."
About one hundred Pawnee Indians were still
in town. They asked for one hundred bushels of corn for their starving
families. Their mules were loaded up with corn and the Indians went on their
way.
The General Conference of the Church was held on Thursday, April 6, in
the log tabernacle at Miller's Hollow. [During the conference, Miller's Hollow
would be renamed "Kanesville" in honor of Thomas Kane, great friend
of the church.] The conference started at 11 a.m. After song and prayer, the
First Presidency was sustained. Next, the nine members of the Twelve (including
Lyman Wight, gone to Texas) were sustained. The Presidents of the Seventy and
the Patriarch to the Church were sustained.
Brigham Young spoke first. He made some
remarks about wisdom in organizing the First Presidency. "It would have
been our right to have appointed the Presidency at the first conference we held
after Joseph's death, but it was not wisdom to do it." Now that they were
away from their enemies, the time had been right. He testified that the Lord
was leading the Church. Dishonest men would follow after wolves but true sheep
would follow after the shepherds that God has sent.
On Friday the conference continued. Elder
Orson Hyde gave a sermon on contention and evils. He exhorted the Saints to
settle their difficulties with one another. This must be done before it was too
late. If the Saints did wrong, the devil would try to control them. He
condemned dishonesty. "Lie a little, steal a little, swear a little, and
man may think all is well. And these things may taste sweet in the mouth but it
will be bitter in the belly and will sting like an adder."
Phinehas Young reported on his recent mission
to the eastern states and his interview with Oliver Cowdery. Heber C. Kimball
spoke on the parable of the potter. He then addressed the need to continue to
care for the wives of the Mormon Battalion soldiers who were still away. A
committee of five was appointed to seek out the poor in Winter Quarters and
move them to Kanesville.
On Friday evening, Philo Dibble exhibited his
paintings in the log tabernacle. Wilford Woodruff used them as part of a
sermon. He referred to two paintings, one of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum,
the other of Joseph Smith's last address to the Nauvoo Legion. Elder Woodruff
praised Brother Dibble's paintings. He encouraged Brother Dibble to continue to
paint scenes from the history of the Church to create a "Gallery of
Zion." He said: "It is true we are passing through these scenes
personally, but our children, future generations, and those who come to visit
Zion will feel deeply interested in this matter and would present to the view
at one glance all the scenes that this Church has passed through."
On Saturday morning, Elder Woodruff again
addressed the conference. He spoke upon the duties of the Saints and exhorted
them to be faithful. Robert Petty was appointed to lead teamsters back east to
help gather the Saints. He spoke to his teamsters. Orson Pratt spoke about the
trials of the Saints, that all things would work out for the good. He said that
as of yet they had not been tried with prosperity. He hoped that they would not
have this trial until they were ready to bear it. The conference was to
continue on Sunday.
During the conference, Elders Orson Hyde and
George A Smith were appointed to labor among the Saints in Iowa. Elder Orson
Pratt would be sent to Great Britain, to succeed Orson Spencer as the president
of the European Mission and the editor of the "Millennial Star."
Elder Wilford Woodruff was appointed to the eastern states. A vote of gratitude
was given to the Saints in St. Louis for their relief efforts for the poor.
Beecher, The Personal Writings of Eliza Roxcy
Snow, 30‑1, 223; Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 3:336‑41; History of
the Church, Vol.7, Ch.41, p.624; Orson F. Whitney, History of Utah, Vol. 4,
p.28; Brooks, On the Mormon Frontier, 1:308
On Tuesday three former members of the Mormon Battalion arrived at
Winter Quarters from the Great Salt Lake Valley. They delivered a package of
letters from the pioneers. These three men had left the valley on January 31.
The letters brought news that the grass was four inches high in the valley. The
cattle were doing fine and more than 1,500 acres of wheat had been planted. It
appeared that the Saints were prospering well. There had been only ten deaths
and many births.
On Thursday President Brigham Young
pronounced a blessing on Phoebe Woodruff, Elder Woodruff's wife. The Woodruffs
were preparing to leave on their mission to the eastern states. The blessing
included: "The blessing of the Lord will go with thee. Thou shalt have
power and wisdom to teach the truth to they friends and thy sect. Thou shalt
not be at a loss for ideas and words in they teaching. Thou shalt do a great
work in connection with thy husband. . . . Thou shalt be looked up to as a
mother in Israel for council and for instruction."
A tragedy occurred across the river at Trader's Point. The inhabitants
of the town were surveying the town for lots. One proposed fence line ran
through one of John Gheen's buildings. [John Gheen had been cut off from the
Church during the previous summer.] Gheen wouldn't budge and the people
gathered to move the building themselves. They tore down Gheen's fence. As they
were approaching, Gheen warned them that if anyone crossed his fence or touched
it further, he would kill them. Brother Amos P. Condit, a shoemaker, came out
of his shop, not hearing the warning, walked up to see what was going on. He
crossed over the line and John Gheen shot him through the heart and Brother
Condit fell dead. A Frenchman then struck Gheen over the head with a club and
he was knocked out, but later recovered. Brother Condit was buried and John
Gheen was bound in chains and taken to Iowa City for trial. [John Gheen died in
1859, in Salt Lake City, from what appeared to be a self‑inflicted
gunshot wound.]
The General Conference of the Church continued on Sunday in the log
tabernacle. The seventies quorum conducted business. Emer Harris, the brother
of Martin Harris, spoke to the conference. Brother Harris claimed that he had
the first copy of the Book of Mormon ever bound in America. He also spoke on
charity ‑‑ taking care of the poor. Orson Hyde addressed the
subject of disputes between one another. As these disputes were brought before
the High Council, the brethren must abide by the decisions. Otherwise the
Spirit would withdraw from them. In the afternoon, the conference was
adjourned. Many of the brethren returned to Winter Quarters. The wind blew very
hard, making the ferry crossing difficult.
On Tuesday, 108 Saints boarded the steamer "Mandan," bound
for Council Bluffs.
Oliver Cowdery wrote a letter to his brother‑in‑law,
Phinehas Young. He explained that he was unable to travel to Council Bluffs for
the Church conference because of ill health. He really had hoped to see his old
friends before they left for the Salt Lake Valley. He still was considering
making a journey west after procuring a large quantity of seeds in Ohio that
would be used for a nursery in Council Bluffs. He hoped the Phinehas might not
be going to the valley this season, but would instead join him in this proposed
business. Oliver wondered what took place at the General Conference.
He wrote: "Was David [Whitmer] there?
Were any steps taken towards effecting the reconciliation and union of which we
talked, and which is so much to be desired? Tell me plainly on all these. Had I
been permitted to have been there, these matters would have engaged my earnest
labors. For myself, as I told you, when here I ask nothing, but I am not
mistaken as to what the spirit of wisdom would and does dictate, on the subject
of harmony and oneness. Being the oldest member of the Church, and knowing as I
do, what she needs, I may be allowed to suggest a word for her sake, having
nothing but her interest in view. . . . From hence forward I shall double my
efforts in effecting a harmonious, righteous, reconciliation ‑‑ I
know what is right and I hope I may soon see the right take place."
James Stephens, John Brown, and Henry Bigler returned from a visit to
Sutter's Fort. They had been attempting to get their pay from Sutter for
building the mill. They reported that a group of ten former Mormon battalion
soldiers started their journey to Salt Lake on Friday. Others were searching
for gold at what became known as Mormon Island. [The party of ten men took with
them 2,000 copies of a special edition of Samuel Brannan's "California
Star" announcing the discovery of gold in California.]
Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 3:341‑44;
Harwell, Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 1847‑1850, 100; Bigler, The
Gold Discovery Journal of Azariah Smith, 112; Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 5,
p.441; Oliver Cowdery to Phineas Young, April 16, 1848.
On Friday Sister Patty Sessions helped her husband lay down a floor in
their house. She wrote that it was "the first floor that I could set my
foot upon as my own. For more than two years I have lived on the ground all the
time and been moving."
On Wednesday Thomas J. Thurstin, Joseph
Mount, Madison D. Hambleton, Albert Carrington, Jedediah M. Grant, and William
W. Potter started on an exploring expedition of the Great Salt Lake and its
islands. They traveled with a skiff on wheels. They started their journey on
the Jordan River, traveling down it for fifteen miles on the first day.
On Thursday they killed a mud hen and decided
to name their skill the "Mud Hen." As they reached the mouth of the
Jordan River, it became very shallow. They had to drag the boat for four miles
as the water was only one to four inches deep. When they reached the lake, they
again got into the boat and rowed toward an large island (Antelope island.)
They struck the bottom several times and had to haul the boat over sandy areas.
As they approached the island, they saw three Indians and several ponies on the
island. They struck the bottom of the lake again when they were about one
hundred yards from the beach. They carried their provisions to the island and
made their camp on the east shore.
On Friday the brethren explored Antelope
island. It was covered with grass, sunflowers, and rose bushes. They found a
few berrey bushes, willows and shrubs. They discovered a few antelope tracks,
saw an antelope and two prairie hens. They named the island "Porpoise
Island" after a large fish Brother Bainbridge said he saw on the south end
of Great Salt Lake. They traveled to the north end of the island and found a
spring of cold mineral water which they named "sulphur spring." Next
they rowed toward a small islands later named Fremont's island. They bottomed
out four hundred yards before reaching the shore. They waded to the island and
named it "Castle Island." It was covered with minerals and had plenty
of onions, starch root, and parsnips. The length of the island was about five
miles. They found 150 blue heron and geese eggs, which they collected and put
in their boat. They camped on the north end of the island.
On Saturday the explorers rowed toward a high
point of land later named Promontory Point. After eight miles, they reached the
shore. At that point, three of the men got out of the boat to explore the land
on foot. They found a number of dwarf cedars and passed two springs of good
water. They had to wade three‑quarters of a mile in mud and salty water
up to their knees, to reach their boat. As they reached the outlets of the Bear
and Weber rivers, the water became fresh enough to drink. As the sun was
setting, they ran aground, jumped out of the boat, and hauled it a half mile to
the shore.
News arrived that a steamer arrived at Fort Kearny [near present‑day
Nebraska City, Nebraska]. The steamer had government provisions. Two steamers
were expected to arrive at Winter Quarters within a few days. There had been
some problem aboard the steamer while at Fort Kearny. Wilford Woodruff wrote:
"The soldiers at the fort went on board the steamer & smashed the bar
level to the floor, broke all the decanters & glasses, and spilled all the
liquor, & there was not power & discipline enough in the Army to take
them into custody."
On Thursday Mary Richards wrote: "The
weather was changeable this morning. Sisters Benson and Leonard sent us word
that they were coming in the [afternoon] to make us a visit. So we went to work
and cleaned the house, etc and I made a couple of pies. They came at the
appointed time and we enjoyed their company much."
On Friday Orson Hyde crossed over the river
from Kanesville. He reported that the Missouri River was overflowing its banks.
He rode his horse through three feet of water on a public road.
On Saturday Wilford Woodruff and his wife
rode in their carriage and visited the Winter Quarters cemetery. They spent
some time at the graves of their two children. They also rode to the old
campground at Cutler's Park. [This was the place where the Saints camped before
building Winter Quarters.]
The ship "Carnatic" sailed into port with 120 Saints from
England, including missionaries Franklin D. Richards and Samuel W. Richards.
The company started making arrangements to steam up the Mississippi and Missouri
Rivers to Winter Quarters.
Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 12, p.443; Wilford
Woodruff's Journal, 3:344‑45; Smart, Mormon Midwife, 111‑12;
Harwell, Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 1847‑1850, 100‑02;
Ward, Winter Quarters, 211
Patty Session wrote on Thursday: "I hung up our beef to smoke. It
rained and I had to take down my curtains and other things. The house
leaked." The rain continued on Friday.
On Saturday the high council addressed a
problem regarding animals. They passed a law forbidding animals to allowed to
run stray in the big field after May 1. Yards would be provided in the various
neighborhoods where strays would be driven to. A fine would be imposed to
retrieve a stray.
Thomas J. Thurston, Joseph Mount, Madison D.
Hambleton, Albert Carrington, Jedediah M. Grant, and William W. Potter
continued their exploring expedition of the Great Salt Lake and its islands,
using their boat on wheels, the "mud hen." On Sunday morning, they
climbed to the top of a hill near their camp and determined that they were
north of the outlet of Weber River, [near present‑day Ogden.] They named
the bay, Mud Bay [later named Bear River Bay.] They hauled their boat for three
miles, found deeper water, and headed south. They passed the south‑east
point of Fremont's Island and headed toward the high point of the west side of
Antelope Island. The wind increased to almost a gale, causing waves to rise
four feet high. They finally landed on the west side of Antelope Island in a
harbor they named Rock Harbor. They believed that Antelope Island would make a
nice place for herding animals.
On Monday, the company headed toward the salt
works but did not see anyone there, so they headed back toward the city. They
reached the Jordon River at dark, "wet with perspiration from rapid
walking." Albert Carrington wrote: "We were highly fortunate in our
expedition, with constant good feelings, which we attributed to our custom of
attending to our prayers daily, night and morning, having no disposition to
shove prayer off the great checker board of duties in this probation."
On Monday Willard Richards wrote a letter to his extended family in the
east. "I expect to start this week with my family for the interior of the
continent." He had not received replies from his previous letters and
wondered if they still wanted to have contact with him. He said that he was
writing this letter on behalf of his children who kept wondering how their
grandparents, aunts, and uncles were doing. "At a venture I once more say
to you that the children are in good health. They had the Measles last Winter
in the worst form and were very sick, but now have as good prospect of living
as any other, and I expect speedily to remove them to a more healthy
climate."
A wedding was held in the evening. Chester
Snyder married Malinda Wilcox Wood. Joseph Young performed the ceremony. The
family and friends feasted on cake and offered toasts to the newly married
couple. Mary Richards wrote: "Joy seemed to beam upon every countenance.
Brother Jacobs now arrived with his violin, and I with some others joined the
bride and groom in the dance."
The Omaha Indians started to stir up trouble again. On Tuesday Willard Richards' ox was shot by Omahas. That night, Joseph Holbrook had seven head of cattle stolen. A guard was raised to search for them. George D. Grant found one of the Omahas sleeping beside some meat from one Brother Holbrook's cattle. Hosea Stout recorded that a miracle took place. "When he [George D. Grant] came to the Indian, the Spirit rested upon Brother Grant and he spoke to the Omaha in his native tongue to the astonishment of all present for they all knew a few words in the Omaha tongue and knew he spoke by the Spirit to the understanding of the Omaha. After he was done speaking, Grant took his horse and meat and his arms and brought them in." Brigham Young became very concerned about these hostile actions by the Omahas and sent word to Winter Quarters that the Saints there should return to Winter Quarters.
On Friday Elder Ezra T. Benson returned from
his mission to the eastern states. He reported that while there, he had
encouraged the brethren, preached the gospel, and solicited help for the needy
Saints. He reported that he found many nonmembers who readily acknowledged that
the Saints had been driver from their homes.
On Saturday Brigham Young held a feast for a
few of his friends. It was in a sense a "going away party" because
some would be leaving for missions soon and others would be heading toward the
Salt Lake Valley. During the party, Elder Benson shared an account of his
mission to the east. During the evening some old friends arrived in the city
and were ushered to President Young's feast. First, two men arrived from the Salt
Lake Valley. Later, Erastus Snow returned from his mission to the east. He
brought back newspapers and letters.
On Tuesday a band of Indians arrived at Summer Quarters [several miles
up the Missouri River.] The Indians made threats and demanded that the Saints
leave Summer Quarters. John D. Lee tried to pacify the Omahas by giving them
meat and vegetables and also loaned them some kettles to cook their stew. He
even let them sleep in two empty cabins. In the morning, the Indians started to
leave. They were going to take the kettle as payment for letting the Saints
live on their land. Brother Lee protested. The Omahas left the kettle and went
away angry.
Soon word was received that Brigham Young had
ordered the Saints to abandon Summer Quarters. He was sending teams to help
them haul their goods to Winter Quarters. Three men on horseback worked to
gather up the stock to be driven to the south. John D. Lee wrote: "The
camp was in an uproar, or rather a bluster to gather in so short a
notice." Twenty‑two wagons were on their way by 4 p.m.
Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 3, p.142; Our
Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 17, p.108; Smart, Mormon Midwife, 112; Harwell,
Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 1847‑1850, 102‑03; Wilford
Woodruff's Journal, 3:345‑46; Ward, Winter Quarters, 213; Brooks, John
Doyle Lee, 127‑28; Brooks, On the Mormon Frontier, 1:310
The rain continued to fall each day on the valley. Many of the newly
constructed shelters leaked terribly. Patty Sessions helped deliver a baby on
Monday in a home dripping with rain. She wrote: "It rained hard [on
Wednesday], we go some more dirt on the house so that it does not leak to day
but it has soaked through and it leaks now bad. I was up nearly all night to
keep Mary and the babe and things dry. It rains and snows nearly all day."
On Thursday Eliza R. Snow added: "Has rained successively for 12 days
which terminated this morning in a hard freeze unfavorable to vegetation which
has been growing finely."
On Saturday the High Council decided that
they would not grant permission to anyone wishing to travel back to the North
Platte River to work the ferry. It was more important for them to remain in the
valley to help build it up.
On Sunday a meeting was held at the stand in Winter Quarters. The
Saints were addressed by Erastus Snow and Ezra T. Benson, who reported on their
missions to the east. Mary Richards recorded: "Brother Bullock then read
an Epistle from the Saints in the Valley to the Saints in this place which
brought some good news from the Saints in that quarters. Said health prevailed,
and they were putting in large crops." President Brigham Young called for
volunteers to guard the settlement night and day because of recent Indian
hostilities. One hundred fifty men signed up for this duty. They were to be led
by Hosea Stout.
As many of the families prepared to leave the
settlement, their thoughts turned to their loved‑ones, whose bodies would
be left behind in the cemeteries. Wilford Woodruff penned this touching journal
entry: "In company with Orson Pratt, George A. Smith, W Porter, and Phoebe
W. Woodruff, I repaired to the burying ground with a load of stones. I went to
the upper buring grounds [near Cutlers Park] and took up our little boy named Joseph
and brought him to the burying ground near Winter Quarters and put him into the
grave with [my son] Ezra Woodruff. I also put a stone at the head of Sister
Benbow's grave with J.B. on the head of [her] grave. George A. Smith put stones
at the head and foot of all his relatives, and Orson Pratt done the same."
On Wednesday a company of former Mormon
Battalion soldiers and returning pioneers arrived in Winter Quarters. This
group had departed from the Salt Lake Valley during mid‑March. Those who
arrived included: William Gardner, Samuel Lewis, Alva C. Calkins, Ammi Jackman
(pioneer), David Stewart (pioneer), Robert S. Bliss, and Abner Blackburn. As
the group was approaching the settlement, they were stopped by Pawnee Indians,
who stole from the men many of their possessions. The weary men were very happy
to finally reach their destination. They had been away from their families for
almost twenty‑two months. Abner Blackburn wrote: "Arrived at Winter
Quarters on the Missouri River and went in to comfortable quarters. Lay on a
feather bed, but could not sleep. It was something we were not accustomed to
for years."
The company of men delivered many letters
from loved‑ones in the valley. They learned that the pioneers had sowed
800 acres of wheat and fenced in 5,000 acres of land with poles.
A group of fifty Otoe Indians visited the
leaders at Winter Quarters. They had learned that the Saints were preparing to
leave Winter Quarters for the mountains, and wanted compensations for allowing
the Saints stay on their land for many months. The Indians were given some
presents. On Saturday a group of Omahas disguised as "Americans"
stole an ox from Anson Call's herd.
Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 17, p.108;
Beecher, The Personal Writings of Eliza Roxcy Snow, 30‑1, 223; Smart,
Mormon Midwife, 112; Bagley, Frontiersman:
Abner Blackburn's Narrative, 131; Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 3:346;
Brooks, On the Mormon Frontier, 1:310‑11; Ward, Winter Quarters, 214