On Wednesday a company of seven men returned from California. Eliza R.
Snow wrote that as she was taking a carriage ride, "when at the distance
of perhaps 5 miles, to our unspeakable joy, we met the California boys, 7 of
them, part of the company having gone to the Bay & part being back with
their cattle which are expected in 3 or 4 weeks." [This company had left
the Salt Lake Valley in November, 1847. Among those who returned were Asahel A.
Lathrop and Elijah K. Fuller. Orrin Porter Rockwell had been part of this
company when they left the valley, but he was returning via the southern route
with Mormon Battalion soldiers from San Diego.]
Brothers Lathrop and Fuller reported to the
High Council that they had purchased two hundred cows, but lost forty on the
way back. Their journey back had taken them ninety days. Their entire company
was nineteen people, including five hired Indians.
John Neff was given permission to establish a
mill on Mill Creek rather than Big Cottonwood Creek. There were too many
rattlesnakes on Big Cottonwood creek. The High Council decided to use the
letters "LDS" for the brand on all the animals. Four men were to be
hired to serve as guards over the animals in the big field. Robert Peirce, John
Vance, and John Neff would be appointed to this job. The High Council meeting
minutes also included: "It was decided that all persons be prohibited from
selling guns, powder and lead, or any implement of war to the Indians under a
penalty of $50.00 for each gun, $1.00 for each charge of powder and lead, and
$5.00 for any other implement of War."
On Sunday, Elder Orson Pratt gave a farewell talk to the Saints. He was
about to leave on a mission to England. He expressed his great love and repect
for the Saints and said "it was with them he wished to live and die."
He promised to pray always for them and asked that they do the same for him.
Many tears were shed during his talk. In the afternoon, Brigham Young addressed
the Saints. He appointed a guard to protect the city both night and day.
President Young announced that there would be no more sealings performed until
he reached the Valley. He was being asked continually to perform these
sealings. No one else would be allowed to perform sealings in Winter Quarters
after he left.
On Tuesday, May 9, 1848, the pioneer journey
of 1848 officially began as twenty‑two wagons departed from Winter
Quarters, starting their journey to the Salt Lake Valley. Hundreds of other
Saints were busy all week making preparations to leave.
Amasa M. Lyman returned from a mission to the
South. He arrived on the steamer "Mandan" with a company of emigrants
from St. Louis and other locations. During his mission he had visited the
Saints in Mississippi and obtained funds from William Crosby and John Brown.
Mary Richards went to the steamer, hoping that her husband was on it. He was
not, but she received word from others that he was on the way home and would
soon arrive. Wilford Woodruff wrote: "All is bustle through Winter
Quarters. The steamer unloaded flour groceries, freight, baggage. The waggons
were busy in spreading it through the town. Several of the Saints took their
departure on board the boat." A "going away" party was held on
the steamer, on Thursday evening.
Among the departing passengers was Elder
Orson Pratt and his family, bound for his mission in England. He carried with
him a letter of introduction from Brigham Young which read: "The bearer,
Elder Orson Pratt, A. M. Professor of Mathematics and member of the Quorum of
Twelve Apostles, is a gentleman of sterling integrity and unblemished
character, and is delegated by the suthorities . . . to solicit and receive
donations in money, books, and apparatus for establishing an endowment of an
observatory of the first order, at the Great Salt Lake City." [This
observatory would be constructed in 1869.]
The ferry was running both day and night transporting
people, waggons, and animals across the river. On Saturday some more teams
started their journey and camped about four miles west of the city.
Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 17, p.108;
Beecher, The Personal Writings of Eliza Roxcy Snow, 30‑1, 223; Harwell,
Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 1847‑1850, 104‑05; Ward,
Winter Quarters, 215‑16; Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 3:347‑48;
Brooks, On the Mormon Frontier, 1:311; England, Orson Pratt, 142‑43