On Sunday, August 1, the Saints in the valley assembled for a meeting
in the newly constructed bowery on the northeast portion of the Temple
Block. The Saints were warned to be
careful in their dealings with the Indian and to guard their cattle. Heber C. Kimball prophesied that within five
years, the Saints would be better off than they ever were at Nauvoo. They discussed building a stockade for
protection. Plans were put in place to
build what became known as the “Old Fort” on today's Pioneer Park.
On Monday, the three camps moved their wagons
a little to the east of the upper campground and formed them into a corral
between the two branches of City Creek.
A portion of City Creek was diverted so it would run inside the corral
of wagons. Orson Pratt and Henry G.
Sherwood began to survey Salt Lake City.
It was decided during the week to reduce the temple site from forty
acres, to ten. Heber C. Kimball's teams
brought loads of logs from the canyon to start construction on the fort.
Ezra T. Benson, Porter Rockwell, and three battalion soldiers were sent back to meet the second pioneer company. They left on Monday, at noon. They took with them a letter announcing the arrival to their new home:
We have arrived in the most beautiful valley
of the Great Salt Lake; that every soul who left Winter Quarters with us is
alive, and almost every one enjoying good health. That portion of the Battalion that was at Pueblo are here with
us, together with the Mississippi company that accompanied them, and they are
generally well. We number about four
hundred souls, and we know of no one but what is pleased with our
situation. We have commenced the survey
of a city this morning. . . . . We wish
to learn by express from you the situation of your camp as speedily as
possible, that we may be prepared to counsel and act in the whole matter. We want you to send us the name of every
individual in your camp. . . . Let all
the brethren and sisters cheer up their hearts and know assuredly that God has heard
and answered their prayers and ours, and led us to a goodly land, and our souls
are satisfied therewith.
Thomas Tanner and Burr Frost set up their
Blacksmith Shop. Utah Valley was
explored during the week. Jesse C.
Little, Samuel Brannan, and Wesley Willis returned on August 5, and reported
that the valley was a fine country with good soil.
Erastus Snow summed up much of the work
during the week: “This week I was
detailed to take charge of herding all our stock, and seven men were selected
for herdsmen; others were set to watering fields and sowing turnips, etc. Others were to get out timber for log
houses, and a strong company was organized to make adobes.” John Brown added: “This week was spent in sowing turnips and watering the crops
which had come up, and looked well, considering it being mid‑summer. Our experiment had already proven the land
fertile.”
On Friday, re‑baptisms were performed
to renew their covenants in their new valley home. Brigham Young first baptized the Twelve and then laid hands on in
confirmation. Heber C. Kimball baptized
President Young. This practice of re‑baptism
was performed for many years as the Saints would enter the valley for the first
time.
A “terrible whirl‑wind” struck that
camp at noon and did considerable damage.
Some of the fowl were whirled in the air, tents and wagon covers were
torn, and contents were shook violently.
On Saturday afternoon, Twelve went to the
Temple Block and selected their “inheritances.” Brigham Young chose a block east of the Temple site, Heber C.
Kimball took a block north, Orson Pratt a block south, and Wilford Woodruff a
block cornering on the Temple grounds.
George A. Smith chose one on the west, and Amasa M. Lyman one near
Wilford Woodruff's.
In the evening, Heber C. Kimball re‑baptized
fifty‑six people, and they were confirmed by Brigham Young and other
members of the Twelve.
William Empey wrote: “We feel very
lonesome to day in a barren wilderness several hundred miles from any
inhabitants but the wild men of the forest and all kinds of wild animals
roaring at night time.”
The Second Pioneer Company met General Kearny's detachment and had a
happy reunion with the fourteen Mormon Battalion soldiers who were part of the
detachment. Jesse W. Crosby wrote: “Some men passed us from California on their
way to the States ‑‑ about fifty in number. General Kearney and his attendants horse
back, many pack horses.” On the next
day, the pioneers started to arrive at Fort Laramie. They rested several days and repaired wagons.
During the week, Esther Shaffer Ewing, wife
of Samuel Ewing, died. She was the
mother of nine children. She was buried
near the trail. Eliza R. Snow recorded: “The body was wrap'd in a quilt &
consign'd to its narrow home without a coffin.
It truly seem'd a lonely grave.”
Jonathan Pugmire and Brother Whiting, of the Mormon Battalion sick
detachments, arrived back at Winter Quarters.
Brother Pugmire had traveled all the way back from the Mormon Ferry in
just about three weeks. Many gathered
at a meeting to hear a journal read, written by Thomas Bullock, telling of the
pioneer company travels from Winter Quarters to the Sweet Water.
The High Council met with the leaders of the
Garden Grove settlement. They discovered
that the reports from Garden Grove had been false and evil. The brethren there had been leading the
settlement in righteousness. The Branch
at Garden Grove was reinstated to full fellowship. The leaders were sent back to perform rebaptisms.
Hosea Stout's only remaining child, Louisa,
died. He wrote that it “seemed to
complete the dark curtain which has been drawn over me since I left
Nauvoo. My family then consisted of 8
members & not but two. Five of whom
has died & now I am left childless but I shall not dwell on this painful
subject.”
Orson F. Whitney, History of Utah, Vol. 1,
p.346‑49; Bagley, ed., The Pioneer Camp of the Saints, 246‑52;
Erastus Snow Diary, Improvement Era, 15:551; Autobiography of John Brown, 81; Journal
of William Empey, Annals of Wyoming, 21:145; Isaac C. Haight Journal,
typescript, 44; Jesse W. Crosby Journal, typescript, 39; Beecher, The Personal
Writings of Eliza Roxcy Snow, 189; Brooks, On the Mormon Frontier, 1:268; Ward,
Winter Quarters, 176
On Sunday morning, 289 people were re‑baptized in City Creek and confirmed,
to renew their covenants with the Lord.
Later a public meeting was held in the newly constructed bowery where
they were addressed by Heber C. Kimball and Wilford Woodruff. In the afternoon a sacrament meeting was
held. Plans were discussed regarding
construction of the fort. Brigham Young
gave some words of counsel. Erastus
Snow wrote: “We had a most glorious
discourse from the president on the priesthood, and sealing powers and
blessings thereof.”
On Monday, it was decided to name the new city,
“Salt Lake City, Great Basin, North America.”
It was also decided to build a Council House on the block south of the
Temple block.
Also, on Monday Samuel Brannan, Captain James
Brown, and other members of the Mormon battalion left the Salt Lake Valley. They were heading to California to draw the
battalion pay from the Government. They
also took with them 252 letters for the battalion members in California. Captain Brown took with him the muster roll
for his Pueblo detachment. They headed
north toward Fort Hall, on the Snake River, near present‑day Pocatello,
Idaho. As they journeyed up the eastern
shore of the Great Salt Lake and reached the Weber River, they met Miles
Goodyear who had built a log fort near the river.[1] John Brown described that the fort
“consisted of some log buildings and corrals stockaded in with pickets. This man had a herd of cattle, horses and
goats. He had a small garden of
vegetables, also a few stalks of corn, and although it had been neglected, it
looked well.”
Jesse C. Little, John Brown, and others also
accompanied this group north, but separated from them to go explore Cache
Valley. They would return to the Salt
Lake Valley later in the week and report that Cache Valley was “a fine place
for wintering cattle,” and was also a good place for farming. The valley had the most timber of any place
yet explored.
Meanwhile, work progressed on the fort three‑quarters
of a mile southwest of the City Creek camp.
The foundations of the first log houses were laid on Tuesday. These houses were being constructed on the
east line of the stockade.
Plowing and planting was halted as most of
the pioneers were busy chopping, hauling logs, and working on the fort and
houses. Others worked hard making adobe
bricks for the fort walls. Eighty‑three
acres had been planted. Stephen Goodard
and others discovered nice beds of salt near the lake. They prepared 125 bushels of white salt and
boiled down four barrels of salt water, making one barrel of find white table
salt.
During the week, the first births and first
death occurred among the Saints in their new valley home. On Monday, August 9, a daughter, Young
Elizabeth Steele, was born to battalion members John and Catharine Campbell
Steele.
Sadly, on Wednesday, three‑year‑old
Milton Howard Therlkill, wandered away from camp, fell into City Creek, and
drowned. He was the son of Mississippi
Saints George and Matilda Jane Therlkill.
Thomas Bullock recorded: “He
fell into the river on the South East of the Camp & before assistance could
be rendered he was quite dead. Means
were used to revive him, if possible, but all was of no avail. This is the first death in this Valley.” As the parent mourned their loss, on
Saturday, a daughter, Harriet Ann Therlkill was born into their family.
The
second, “Big Company” of pioneers continued their journey through the Black
Hills in Wyoming. Eliza R. Snow
recorded: “The country here is rugged
enough ‑‑ diversified with scrubby pine, hemlock, cottonwood &c
very thinly scatter'd; with bluffs presenting the appearance of well fortified
castles the inhabitant of which exclude themselves from our view, altho' 2
grizly bears have been seen.”
On Friday evening young people met for a
dance. However, Simon Baker's sons and
others “intruded with much insolence” and had to be tried before a bishop's
court on Saturday.
Orson F. Whitney, History of Utah, Vol. 1,
p.349‑52; Bagley, ed., Pioneer Camp of the Saints, 253‑57; Beecher,
The Personal Writings of Eliza Roxcy Snow, 190‑91; Autobiography of John
Brown, 81; Erastus Snow Diary, Improvement Era, 15:551
On Sunday, the pioneer Saints met at 10 a.m. to listen to President Brigham Young preach. He spoke about that priesthood, which had
been restored to the prophet, Joseph Smith.
“Some have had fears that we had not power to get revelations since the
death of Joseph. But I want this subject
from this time forth to be forever set at rest.” He testified that the apostles held the keys, power, and
authority which had been held by Joseph Smith.
He referred to the sad death of three‑year‑old Milton Howard
Therlkill, who had been drowned in City Creek during the previous week. “It is true that all Children are
saved. Their names are written in the
Lamb's book of life.” He explained that
such little children could be sealed to their parents through the ordinances of
the temple. “As soon as we get up some
adobe houses for our families we shall go to work to build another temple.”
A Sacrament meeting was held in the
afternoon. Orson Pratt addressed the
congregation about the ordinances of the gospel. Later in the day, Brigham Young organized a company of seventy
men who would head back with ox teams to Winter Quarters. Their leaders would be Shadrach Roundy and
Tunis Rappleye. Those who were members
of the Mormon Battalion were asked to leave their guns in the valley with
Brigham Young. On this day, the first
four chickens were hatched in “Great Salt Lake City.” The hen belonged to Stephen H. Goddard.
On Monday, the returning company started to
gather at the mouth of Emigration Canyon.
The company consisted of 24 pioneers, 46 battalion soldiers, 34 wagons,
92 yoke of oxen, 18 horses, and 14 mules.
William Clayton fixed the roadometer which would also be used for the
return trip.
At noon, Brigham Young and other members of
the Twelve met at President Young's tent to name the streets around the Temple
Block: East Temple Street, South Temple
Street, West Temple Street, North Temple Street, and other streets such as
First South Street, Second South Street, etc.
On Tuesday, the returning company started
their journey to Winter Quarters.
Before leaving, they were addressed by Heber C. Kimball. He exhorted them to dedicate themselves to
the Lord and obey council. As the
company departed, Heber C. Kimball, Thomas Bullock and others left the canyon
by riding to the top of Donner Hill.
They had a “splendid view of the valley.” By Thursday the returning company reached Echo Canyon, on Friday,
they arrived at Cache Cave, and on Saturday, they crossed the Bear River in
present‑day Wyoming.
Throughout the week, the pioneers in the
valley were very busy building log houses and working on the fort. By Wednesday, Brigham Young and Heber C.
Kimball had nine houses ready to receive roofs. The north adobe wall around the fort had received five feet high.
On Thursday, a group of men and horses were
spotted approaching the camp. Great
excitement was raised as it was thought that this party was the express led by
Ezra T. Benson, who had been sent back to meet the second group of
pioneers. But they were disappointed to
learn that it was just a group of Indians from Fort Bridger with pack
mules. Their party passed the camp and
headed toward the Great Salt Lake.
On Friday, many of the brethren who intended
to soon return to Winter Quarters soon, enjoyed a bath at the Great Salt
Lake. George A. Smith was seriously
injured when a heavy log fell from a wagon and hit him on the head. Wilford Woodruff recorded: “This evening while unloading the last load
of logs, one stick fell on Br G A Smith's head & knocked him down & cut
a hole in his head.” On the following
day, Elder Smith was able to walk but could not do any work.
On Saturday, Brigham Young and Heber C.
Kimball moved into their new log homes.
Albert Carrington, John Brown, William Rust, and George Wilson climbed
Twin Peaks.[2] On the way up, they saw sixteen mountain
sheep. After an eight-hour hike, they
reached the top and found plenty of snow there. At 5 p.m., their thermometer registered 55 degrees. On this same day, it was 101 degrees at noon
in the valley. John Brown
recorded:
At five‑thirty we began the
descent. Came down the west side through
a beautiful grove of timber and by a small creek. We had not gone far until it was dark. We were without bedding or coats or any kind of arms, expecting
to have got back to camp by the middle of the afternoon, and, being a very warm
day, we went as light as possible, but when night came on it was quite cool on
the mountain. Being very dark, we got
separated in climbing over the rocks.
We had to feel our way lest we fall over a precipice.
At 10 p.m., they halted and tried to sleep on
the steep slope covered with pebbles.
In the morning, very tired and hungry, they returned safely to the camp.
Great
excitement arose in the “Big Company” of pioneers when Ezra T. Benson, Orrin Porter
Rockwell, and others rode into camp.
They were the express sent back from the Salt Lake Valley to announce
the arrival of the first pioneer company to the new valley home of the Saints. This express had traveled about 450 miles in
just two weeks to reach the second company of pioneers. On Tuesday, Eliza R. Snow heard the letter
read that was sent back with the express.
“The letter brought the most cheering [news] . . . stating that they
were in the beautiful valley of the great Salt Lake.” Joseph Kingsbury heard Ezra T. Benson preach that evening. He recorded: “He preached to us, telling about the beautiful land that the
Lord has given to the Saints & he said that he felt like a little child
that he could go by himself & weep for joy.”[3]
On Thursday, an accident occurred, involving
five‑year‑old Carlos Lyon Sessions as they were fording the river
near the site of the Mormon Ferry. His
grandmother, Patty Sessions recorded:
“Perrigrine had his waggon turned over with Carlos in it into the
water. Got his things wet, Carlos not
hurt although he was under water all but his face and sacks of grain and trunks
a top him. He cut the cover and got him
out and all the rest of the things loaded up again.”
Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 3:256‑261;
Bagley, ed., The Pioneer Camp of the Saints, 257‑262; Harwell, ed.,
Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 67‑8; William Clayton's Journal, 346‑51;
Autobiography of John Brown, 82‑3; Smart, ed., Mormon Midwife, 95‑6;
Cook, Joseph C. Kingsbury, 123
A conference of the Church was held on Sunday at 1 p.m., on the temple
block, in the bowery. The Saints opened
the meeting by singing, “The Spirit of God like a fire is burning.” Place names were approved, starting with the
city name: Great Salt Lake City. The streams running into the valley were
named: City Creek, Red Butte Creek, Big
Canyon Creek, Little Canyon Creek, and Mill Creek. The river from Utah Lake was named Western Jordan River. It was voted that a stake of Zion would be
organized in the city with a president and High Council. These appointments would be made later. Tarton Lewis was appointed the overseer of
the city stockade. The conference was
adjourned. It was announced that the
next conference of the Church to be held in the city would be on October 6,
1848.
Later in the day, the Twelve met in Heber C.
Kimball's log home for prayer. They
dedicated the land and themselves to the Lord.
They prayed for protection during their planned return trip to Winter
Quarters.
On Monday, battalion members Thomas Williams,
Ebenezer Hanks, and Ed Dalton returned from Fort Hall[4]
with flour and beef cattle.
The brethren worked hard all week completing
their houses. Wilford Woodruff
wrote: “We finished laying up the
timber of our rooms & I put the roof on one room & put on one coat of
mud & made one door & hung it.”
About 30 houses had been constructed.
They were about 14 by 16 feet and 8 feet high. On Tuesday night the pioneers were kept awake by wolves which
howled continually near the city.
On Wednesday, many of the pioneers and
members of the battalion prepared to return to Winter Quarters for their
families. Wilford Woodruff
recorded: “We shall leave this valley
in the morning to start back to Winter Quarters. We as a pioneer company have accomplished more this season then
can be found on record concerning any set of men since the days of Adam. . . . In one month after our arrival laid
out a city two miles square & built a fort & fortification of hewn
timber drawn 7 miles from the mountains & of unburnt brick surrounding 10
acres of ground 40 rods of which was covered with block houses, besides
planting about 100 acres of corn, potatoes, buckwheat, turnips, gardens &c.
Brigham Young left parting instructions for
those remaining in the valley during the coming winter. These included:
It is necessary that the adobe yard (the
stockade) should be secured so that Indians cannot get in. . . . Make your walls 4 feet high, so that
they can keep the cattle out. Build
your houses so that you will have plenty of fresh air in them, or some of you
will get sick, after being used to sleeping in your wagons so long. . . . Raise all the grain you can, and with
this you can purchase sheep, cows, teams, etc., of those who come here later
on. We desire you to live in that
stockade until we come back again, and raise grain next year.
On Thursday, the returning pioneers, under
the direction of Brigham Young, including a large number of battalion soldiers,
harnessed up their horses and bid farewell to their friends who remained behind. Brigham Young shouted, “Good‑bye all
who tarry, I feel well!” Harriet Young,
wife of Lorenzo Young wrote: “This day
has been a lonesome one. Bro. Brigham and Heber with a number of Brethren
started for Winter Quarters and we feel as if we were left alone.”
This returning group consisted of 108
men. As the left their new city, they
noticed that the corn was about a foot high and the buckwheat was doing
fine. Thomas Bullock wrote: “We go by the farm which looks in a very
healthy condition and also the garden, but many of the seeds had not
grown. Many large birds flying about.”
On Friday, while descending into East Canyon,
Brigham Young prayed “that the time would soon come that every man, woman &
child would have as much food to eat as they needed.” He also expressed his fear that some people would be wasteful in
the valley, bringing down the displeasure of the Lord. By Saturday, the returning pioneers reached
Echo Canyon.
On Monday, the returning group of seventy pioneers and battalion
members led by Shadrach Roundy, Tunis Rappleye, and William Willis arrived at
Fort Bridger. William Clayton
wrote: “We found the grass pretty much
eaten off and only stayed an hour and a half while some of the brethren traded
some.” On Wednesday, they reached the
Green River crossing, and on Thursday, at Big Sandy, they met the express led
by Ezra T. Benson, heading west after their visit with the “Big Company” of
pioneers. They reported that this huge
second pioneer company consisted of 566 wagons and about 5,000 head of
stock. On Saturday, the returning
company reached Pacific Creek, just west of the Continental Divide.
The second, “Big Company” of more than 1,500 pioneers continued their
journey westward. They traveled in
groups of “fifty” families, spread over about fifty miles. Eliza R. Snow's group reached the “Mormon
Ferry” crossing where they met Luke S. Johnson and other ferrymen who were
getting ready to return to Winter Quarters.
The river was considerably shallower than when the first pioneer company
ferried across. Eliza R. Snow
wrote: “The river is of a pebbly bottom
‑‑ the water not over the wagon hub.” Some of the wagons had difficulty while crossing the river. John Nebeker's little boy was tossed out of
a wagon and run over, crushing his hip.
He was administered to and lived.
As the pioneers moved away from the North Platte, toward the Sweetwater,
many of the oxen became sick from drinking alkaline water, causing some of them
to die. Some of the pioneers reached
Independence Rock. Patty Sessions
wrote: “I went up on the rock, got a
piece off of the top to carry along.”
Jesse W. Crosby recorded: “We
arrived at Independence Rock ‑‑ a place of moment with travelers,
where hundreds of names are painted or engraved.”
During the week, Hosea Stout traveled north from Winter Quarters to
visit the large farm known as Summer Quarters.
He went there to organize a police guard, to protect the settlers from
Indian problems. He wrote: “I arrived at the Farm about noon. It is a low hemmed in place and its looks is
most desolate, sickly & gloomy. I
found a majority of the place sick & in a most suffering condition. Some whole families not able to help each
other and worse than all they were quarreling and contending with each other in
a most disgraceful manner.” William
Pace was appointed sergeant of the guard at Summer Quarters.
Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 3:262‑72;
Bagley, ed., The Pioneer Camp of the Saints, 257‑262; Harwell, ed.,
Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 68; Smart, ed., Mormon Midwife, 96;
Beecher, ed., The Personal Writings of Eliza Roxcy Snow, 195; Cook, Joseph C.
Kingsbury, 125; William Clayton's Journal, 351‑53; Brooks, ed., On the
Mormon Frontier, 270; Diary of Lorenzo Dow Young, Utah Historical Quarterly,
14:163; Jesse W. Crosby Journal, typescript, BYU, 42; Orson F. Whitney, History
of Utah, Vol. 1, p.356
The returning pioneer company of 107 men traveled fifteen miles on
Sunday morning, and soon met the express led by Ezra T. Benson.[5] Wilford Woodruff wrote of the joy in meeting
these returning messengers: “They were
truly welcome messengers, for our anxiety had been very great to hear from our
families & the camp, & to our joy we heard from them this day.” For the first time, they realized how huge
the second company of pioneers was ‑‑ nine companies of nearly 600
wagons, more than 1,500 people. The
pioneers received letters for the first time from their families. John Young and Nelson Higgins were sent back
to Great Salt Lake City with a package of twenty‑two letters. Ezra T. Benson, joined the company of
returning pioneers. On Tuesday, the
company arrived at Fort Bridger and traded at the fort.
On Sunday, William Clayton and a few other members of the company
pressed on ahead of the remainder of the company, hoping to reach the Sweet
Water. As they reached South Pass, they
were stopped by two Indians who made signs that a large party of Indians was
nearby and they wished to trade. A
large company of Shoeshone arrived and they traded in peace. On Monday, before starting out in the
morning, they were greeted by “Father” Eldredge of the “Big Company” of
pioneers. He announced that Daniel
Spencer's 50 would be arriving soon.
Soon the wagons began to roll into sight. William Clayton wrote: “I
was glad to find Aaron and Loren Farr, and William Walker in this company with
their families all well and in good spirits.
From Sister Olivia, I received some articles sent by my family which
were very acceptable indeed and made me feel grateful. This company all appear well and cheerful
and are not much troubled on account of lack of teams.”
On Wednesday, they met Parley P. Pratt and
another company of pioneers. Some of
the returning pioneers, including Shadrach Roundy, found their families in the
“Big Company” and decided to turn around and go with them to the valley instead
of back to Winter Quarters. Eliza R.
Snow wrote: “Had the pleasure of
hearing from the Valley & tasting some salt from the great Lake of the
Valley, by some of the soldiers & some of the pioneers with 3 wagons.”
On Thursday, the returning company met the
Russell 50, Rich 50, and Wallace 50.
They heard reports of many cattle that had been lost along the way. On Friday, they met the rest of the
companies of 50s, with the Jedediah M. Grant 50 bringing up the rear, crippled
because of so many lost oxen. William
Clayton recorded: “Brother Grant had a
child die last night and his wife is yet very sick and not much expected to
recover. This company has lost many
cattle and are so bad off for teams as not to be able to travel more than ten
miles a day which would make it some day in October before they get
through.” By Saturday, the returning
“ox team” company was about seven miles away from Devil's Gate, on the
Sweetwater.
On Friday, Brigham Young's company camped on the Big Sandy River, and
were overjoyed to meet Daniel Spencer's hundred, part of the “Big Company” of
pioneers heading to the valley. Isaac
C. Haight wrote: “We felt to thank the
Lord to see them again.” A meeting was
held in the evening when the Saints were able to hear for the first time in
many months, the preaching of Brigham Young.
George A. Smith gave a graphic description of the Salt Lake Valley.
On Saturday, Brigham Young and the returning pioneers met more of the “Big Company” and were reunited with Apostle Parley P. Pratt. [John Taylor was many miles further to the east with the rear companies.] Patty Sessions recorded: “Here the pioneers come to us. It made our hearts glad to see them. They staid all night with us, eat and drank with us.”
In the afternoon a council meeting was held
of the Twelve apostles. Brigham Young
was displeased with the organization of the camp and reproved Elders Pratt
sharply for undoing the organization that had been established at Winter
Quarters, by revelation, before the pioneers left in the spring. Elder Pratt wrote: “In short, I was severely reproved and chastened. I no doubt deserved this chastisement; and I
humbled myself, acknowledged my faults and errors, and asked forgiveness. I was frankly forgiven, and, bidding each
other farewell, each company passed on their way. This school of experience made me more humble and careful in
future, and I think it was the means of making me a wiser and better man ever
after.” Wilford Woodruff observed: “Confession made & much teaching given
by the President & the power of God rested upon us & our hearts melted &
our eyes in tears. The President said
if he did not tell us our faults we would be destroyed but if he told us of
them & reproved us, we would live in love & our hearts be cemented
together.”
In the evening, Brigham Young and Heber C.
Kimball reviewed over the list of the “Big Company” of pioneers to select a
High Council to be appointed after they arrived in Great Salt Lake City.
John Young and Nelson Higgins, part of the express company, arrived
back in the valley on Tuesday, bringing news to the valley from the “Big
Company” of pioneers. Letters were
received and the Saints in the valley were excited to learn that hundreds of
additional pioneers would soon be arriving.
Lyman Littlefield, on the way to his mission in England wrote on Sunday:
At four o'clock a.m., August 29, a woman
died. Her body was wrapped in canvas,
by and sailors, which was sewed up securely then carried to the small side door
and place upon a plank with a bag of sand tied at her feet. The end of the plank was then lifted to a
proper angle, and the weight of the sand drew her, feet foremost, into the
“dark blue sea.” This was the first
burial at sea I had ever witnessed. It
was a melancholy spectacle to witness a human form thrown into the deep ocean
where nothing can mark the place of interment!
The sand was not of sufficient weight to sink her and, as we pursued our
course, she was seen far behind amid the bounding waves.
William Clayton's Journal, 353‑58;
Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, 360; Bagley, ed., Pioneer Camp of the Saints,
279; Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 3:263‑66; Harwell, ed., Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 69; Smart, ed., Mormon Midwife, 97; Beecher, ed., The
Personal Writings of Eliza Roxcy Snow, 198; Diary of Lorenzo Dow Young, Utah
Historical Quarterly, 14:163; Isaac C. Haight Journal, 45; Lyman Littlefield
Reminiscences (1888), p.198
[1]The pioneer company had previously met Goodyear west
of Fort Bridger, in July.
[2]Above present‑day Sandy, Utah.
[3]The “Big Company” of pioneers were at this time
traveling in smaller groups of “fifty” spread over about fifty miles.
[4]Near present‑day Pocatello Idaho.
[5]Elder Benson and others left the Salt Lake Valley on
horses, on August 2nd, to find the second company of pioneers, and bring back
word from them. They found the company
on August 16, 40 miles west of Fort Laramie.