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This week in 1856 – Arrival in Florence – Mary Taylor

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From Samuel Openshaw’s Journal

19 August 1856:

We started at twenty minutes to 8 o’clock, and traveled until 11 o’clock, when we stopped two hours for dinner. Started again, traveled 21 miles and pitched our tents at 6 o’clock, close by the River.

20 August 1856:

We started at 8 o’clock from the Jordan Creek and passed through Nobotomy, and over Silver Creek. Stopped on hour for dinner at Mud Creek. We started again at one o’clock, traveled 21 miles and pitched our tents at 5 o’clock at Keg Creek.

21 August 1856:

We started at 8 o’clock from Keg Creek and traveled 9 miles. Stopped for dinner at the Big Mosquito Creek, upon the same spot where the Saints were driven from Nauvoo in the depths of winter, without food or house or anything to shelter them from the inclemency of the weather. When the American’s demanded from the Saints five hundred men, to enlist in the American cause for the Mexican war, it was from Council Bluffs, about 7 miles. Camped about 7 o’clock, where we found a beautiful spring.

22 August 1856:

We started at 8 o’clcok, and traveled about four miles when we arrived at the Missouri River, where we were ferried across to Florence. We went to the top of a hill where we could view the country all aournd, and the Missouri River to a great distance. Every place we came through, we were admired by the people very much. Some looked upon us as if we were deceived, others who were old apostates, came with all the subtilty of the devil, and all the cunning they have gained by their own experience, trying to turn the Saints to the right hand or to the left, but thanks be to God, few or none adhered to their advice.

23 August 1856:

Rested here today.

24 August 1856:

Sunday. A cow was killed today, and was divided among us, one half pound each. A meeting at 11 o’clock, and 4 o’clock. Elder Wheelock and others addressed us.

25 August 1856:

About one p.m., we moved about three miles and passed over the spot of land where so many Saints died, and were buried, after being driven from Nauvoo in the depths of winter. Men, women and children, driven on these plains to die from starvation. Their bodies are now moulding in the dust while their spirits are done to await the day of recompense and reward. Camped in sight of the Missouri River.

From John Jacques:

The company left Florence on the 25th of August, to make a journey of 1,000 miles, half of it over the mountainous backbone of the continent, in an inclement season of the year, with an early and severe mountain winter rapidly approaching.

 

 

This week in 1856 – Approaching Florence Nebraska – Mary Taylor

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From Samuel Openshaw’s Journal:

12 August 1856:

We should have started at seven o’clock this morning, but for two of the mules who ran away. We found them and started at 9 o’clock, and arrived at the camp ground 20 minutes to six, and camped upon the prairie grass, not far from wood, but water was not so fluent.

13 August 1856:

We were delayed again at 9 o’clock, on account of the mule teams having to turn back a little for flour. We traveled about 20 miles and arrived at the camp ground about 6 o’clock. We passed through Fort Des Moines, which is quite a new settled place. Lots of brick building, which is stylish for a new town.

14 August 1856:

We started about 8 o’clock this morning, and crossed over the North Coon, with our handcarts in the water, in the county of Edby. We found Robert Kirkman. He had stopped behind from Haven’s company last Saturday night, and was cut off from the Church. We took him along with us and crossed over another river, which is also about knee deep. The women and children crossed over the river on a small bridge. We camped close by the river about 5 o’clock.

15 August 1856:

A child was buried this morning. The coffin had to be made, which delayed us until about 8 o’clock. We traveled about 13 miles and pitched our tents about half past twelve o’clock, which gave us a chance to wash a little. James Ferguson, John McAllister and Dan Jones camp us with their carriage and stayed all night with us.

16 August 1856:

We started about 7 o’clock and traveled about four hours before we saw a house or any water to drink. We took but little water with us, and most of it was finished up long before we got to any house. The day being hot, we felt the want of water. We traveled about 17 miles and pitched our tents about two o’clock.

17 August 1856:

Sunday. We started about 7 o’clock this morning and traveled all day without seeing a house or even a tree, except fro a few at a distance. Nothing but prairie grass to be seen. We traveled about 10 miles and pitched our tents about 2 o’clock. As soon as we had put our tents up, a thunderstorm came. In our travels today, we found a well, by having a pole set up with a flag upon it, having wrote, “the devil in the well below the spring.” Eliza is a little better. We camped near Morrison Grove.

18 August 1856:

We started for Morrison Grove at 8 o’clock, and traveled until 11 o’clock, when we stopped two hours for dinner. Started again, traveled 21 miles and pitched our tents at 6 o’clock, close by the River.

This Week in 1856 – Between Iowa City and Florence Nebraska – Mary Taylor

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From Samuel Openshaw’s Journal:

5 August 1856:

We started about 8 o’clock this morning, but the road through the wood was full of stumps of trees. We had not got out of the wood, before we ran our handcart against a stump, and broke the wheel off. We took our luggage and placed it on the ox teams. We then tied our cart ups with ropes and overtook the rest about two o’clock, where they were camped for dinner. We got a new axle tree on, and traveled about two miles farther, where we camped for the night.

6 August 1856:

We were told we should start at seven o’clock this morning, but a thunderstorm delayed us until 12 o’clock. I was so weak, that I was unable to pull the handcart, therefore, I went to drive the team for rather. We traveled about ten miles, part by the light of the moon, pitched our tents about ten o’clock among the prairie grass.

7 August 1856:

We started about 7 o’clock this morning and traveled through a beautiful country, where we could stand and gaze upon the prairies as far as the eye could see, even until the prairies themselves seemed to meet the sky on all sides, without being able to see a house. I thought, how many thousands of people are there in England who have scarce room to breathe and not enough to eat. Yet all this good land is lying dormant, except for the prairie grass to grow and decay. We traveled about 15 miles, and pitched our tent about two o’clock p.m.

8 August 1856:

We traveled about 18 miles up hill and down. In fact it has been so all day. We started about seven o’clock this morning, passed through the town of Newton, which contains 1200 inhabitants, traveled two miles farther, and pitched our tents in a valley by the side of a woods, through which a creeks runs.

9 August 1856:

We started about 10 o’clock and traveled through woods and across creeks. We stopped for dinner about two o’clock, at the edge of a wood where we found plenty of ripe grapes. We started again at three o’clock. We had not gone far before a thunder storm came upon us, and we got a little drenched in the rain. We pitched our tents about six o’clock, close by a creek.

10 August 1856:

Sunday. Traveled none today. We washed ourselves in the river Skunk, which is a beautiful water, running as clear as crystal upon a sandy bottom, which appeared like the waters of Silon (?). Eliza began to be very badly. We had a meeting in the afternoon, and partook of the Sacrament. Elder Tyler addressed us.

11 August 1856:

A brother and a child were buried this morning, which delayed camp until half past ten o’clock. We had to wait until the coffin was made. We traveled about 14 miles and pitched our tents about four o’clock.

This week in 1856 – Between Iowa City and Florence, Nebraska – Mary Taylor

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From Samuel Openshaw’s Journal:

1 August 1856: At ten o’clock a.m. we made another start. The roads were all sandy. At seven o’clock p.m., we pitched our tents on the top of a hill, from where we could look as far as the eye could see, but the water was not good.

2 August 1856: Showers in the morning hindered us from starting out as soon as we intended. Traveled nearly 18 miles. Saints much fatigued. Some made it to camp. Some did not come in at all.

3 August 1856: On account of the unhealthiness of the place, we made a start today and traveled about 7 miles. We had traveled about a quarter of a mile, when we beheld a ball of fire, brighter than the sun before it, in the air, and came within about 3 yards of the ground. Then it drew out in the form of a spear and vanished out of sight. We pitched our tents two miles from Marengo.

 4 August 1856: Still beautiful and hot today. We did not move until four o’clock p.m. Traveled about two miles farther where we camped for the night.

28 July 1856 – Leaving Iowa City – Mary Taylor

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During their stay in the Iowa camp, the emigrants employed themselves in making carts and doing other preparatory work until July 28th, when the camp broke up, and the handcart portion moved off, nearly a mile for a start, and then camped again. (From Historical Department Archives, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.)

From John Jacques:

As only a very limited amount of baggage could be taken with the handcarts, during the long stay on the Iowa City camping ground, there was a general lightening of such things as could best be done without. Many things were sold cheaply to residents of that vicinity, and many more things were left on the camping ground for anybody to take or leave at his pleasure. It was grievous to see the heaps of books and other articles thus left in the sun, rain and dust, representing a respectable amount of money spent therefore in England, but thenceforth, a waste and dead loss to the proper owners. The company was divided into Hundreds and Tens, with their respective captains as usual with the “Mormon” emigration of those days. Many of the carts had wooden axles and leather boxes. Some of the axles broke in a few days, and mechanics were busy in camp at night repairing the accidents of the days.

 

The Handcart Song

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To honor my great-great-grandmother, Mary Taylor on this pioneer day, I want to share a favorite song of hers and the handcart companies. I learned a shortened version of this song as a child but I really like the message of the original version.

The Handcart Song

by John D.T. McAllister

Ye saints who dwell on Europe’s shore
Prepare yourselves for many more,
To leave behind your native land,
For sure God’s judgments are at hand.
For you must cross the raging main
Before the promised land you gain
And with the faithful make a start
To cross the plains with your handcart.

The lands that boast of modern light
We know are all as dark as night
Where poor men toil and want for bread,
Where peasant folks are blindly led.
These lands that boast of liberty
You ne’er again will wish to see
When you from Europe make a start
To cross the plains with your handcart.

As on the road the carts are pulled
‘Twould very much surprise the world
To see the old and feeble dame
Thus lend a hand to pull the same.
And maidens fair will dance and sing,
Young men more happy than a king,
And children will laugh and play
Their strength increasing day by day.

And long before the Valley’s gained,
We will be met upon the plain
With music sweet and friends so dear
And fresh supplies our hearts to cheer.
And then with music and with song
How cheerfully we’ll march along
And thank the day we made a start
To cross the plains in our handcart.

When you get there among the rest,
Obedient be and you’ll be blessed
And in God’s chambers be shut in
While judgments cleanse the earth from sin,
For we do know it will be so,
God’s servants spoke it long ago,
We say it is high time to start
To cross the plains with your handcart.

Chorus:
For some must push and some must pull
As we go marching up the hill;
So merrily on our way we go
Until we reach the Valley-o.

50 for 50 – #28 Martin’s Cove

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Mark, Daedre, Eric, Noreen, Raelyn & Bill

This week I got to do something I’ve wanted to for a long time, go to Martin’s Cove. It seemed the perfect way to celebrate my 50th year by honoring my great-great grandmother. There was just a small group of my family there with me, my sister and one cousin plus our spouses from my generation. My nephew was the only participant from the next generation. We had the best participation from my mom’s generation with her and one sister and one brother, plus their spouses. It seemed especially important to get my mom there to see the Cove. At 89 it is hard to think that she has many years left to do outing like this. I was very proud of my mom for coming even though she didn’t know how she would be able to take part.

My Mom in a hat from one of her ancestors

At first we were planning to get one of the rickshaws to take her to the Cove, but they were all out. But there was an even better solution. They have a couple of rovers that they can take people out to the Cove and either drop them off or bring them back. So my parents and my Uncle Sid and his wife Katherine took the rover to the cove overlook.

Treking to Martin’s Cove

My Aunt Lucy and her husband Jack were the only ones of the older generation to brave camping out and walking with the handcart. Lucy even helped push it from behind. It was rather hot and by the time we got to handcart parking, the heat was taking its toll on Lucy. But soon after we got there the rover came up with the rest of the older folks. So they unloaded and Lucy and Jack to the rover up to the Cove Overlook.

Sid, Katherine, Ray and Iris in the rover

Another cool thing that happened was the missionary who ended up driving the rover for our family was also from Rexburg, Idaho and my parents and Aunt Lucy knew him. Jacob, my nephew was also done with treking so we left him at handcart parking with my parents, while those of my generation started the walk up into Martin’s Cove. No handcarts are allowed in the Cove and we learned that the man who owned the land for many, many years never farmed or developed the land in the cove in any way.

In Martin’s Cove

The Cove has a peaceful, reverent feeling and as we walked we reflected on Mary Taylor and her family and the hardships they experienced here. It wasn’t hard to imagine the pioneers camped out along the Cove. It is shaped like a horseshoe with a high area in the middle. The 500 or so people would have been spread out along the Cove. We saw many antelope in the general area of Martin’s Cove but only one deer. That was well up into the Cove. Daedre got the impression that that was where Mary Taylor was camped. I was struck by a spot a little further up the Cove where several patches of purple wild flowers made the spot especially beautiful and peaceful. I’m so glad I got to go to Martin’s Cove and to experience this historical place with some of my family.

 

 

 

 

8 July 1856 – Iowa City – Mary Taylor

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Autobiography of Elizabeth White Steward

When we completed our journey to Iowa City, we were informed that we would have to walk four miles to our camping ground. All felt delighted to have the privilege of a pleasant walk. We all started, about 500 of us, with our bedding. We had not gone far before it began to thunder and lighten and the rain poured. The roads became very muddy and slippery. The day was far advanced and it was late in the evening before we arrived at the camp. We all got very wet. The boys soon got our tent up so we were fixed for the night, although very wet.

Autobiography of Heber Robert McBride

We went from Boston to Chicago then to Rock Island, crossed the river on a steamboat, because the railway bridge was burned down. After we all got over, we took the train for Iowa City. When we got there and our baggage was unloaded, it was getting late in the day, and our camping ground was 3 miles from the city, as there was no place at the depot large enough to accommodate so many people. So a great many of the people started for camp on foot just about dark and I was one of them. But we had not gone very far when it began to rain and was so dark that you could not see anything and to make things worse I got lost from the rest of the company, but made out to keep the road by the help of the lightning, for Iowa can beat the world for thunder and lightning, but I never was afraid of lightning. After ascending a steep hill I could see a fire at the camp. They was keeping a big fire burning for to let the people know where the camp was for there was a great many people waiting there to get their teams and wagons ready to start across the plains.

When I saw the fire, I started in a straight line for it and that is where I missed it. Not knowing anything about the country, I thought that would be the best way. The rain had quit after it wet [p.8] me through, there not being a dry thread. After wading through numerous pools of water from ankle deep to knee deep and wallowing through grass as high as my head, I managed to reach camp pretty near give out. But after all my bad luck I was there before quite a number of the company. Father and mother and the children arrived after me. 2 of the children, being small, had to be carried most all the way. But when they got to camp, they found an old friend, James Fisher, from Scotland. Him and father was playmates together and had not seen each other for a number of years. He took us to his tent to stay all night. I don’t know how long they sat up and talked, but after supper I soon fell asleep. This was my first night in a tent.

Journal of Peter Howard McBride

The night we arrived in Iowa, there was the worst storm I ever have experienced, thunder, lightning, rain coming down in torrents. There were wagons to take our bedding and luggage to camp three miles away, but we had to walk. Parents lost their children and children their parents, but we finally got settled in tents for the night, but were all glad when morning came as the sun was shining brightly.

50 for 50 #27 – Hollyhock Dolls

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My Grandmother’s Hollyhocks

My grandmother had a big patch of hollyhocks behind her house and as a child I remember making hollyhock dolls. Even today when I see hollyhocks I think of my grandmother. My sister has a few hollyhocks in her yards so this week I decided it was time to make a hollyhock doll. When I went to do it I wasn’t sure that I remember how but I did it anyway, thought I don’t think it was the way I did it as a child. I found this video on how to make hollyhock dolls.

my version of a hollyhock doll

Here is how I did it. I used straight pins to hold it together and my sister suggested a couple for eyes so I did that too. It brought back memories of my childhood.  I One of these years I’m going to plant some hollyhocks in my yard too.

4 July 1856 – Train Journey Continues – Mary Taylor

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Diary of Samuel Openshaw

July 4 – Beautiful and hot day. We have been going all the night and slept as best we could. Passed over the Genesee Falls, which is in the city of Rochester, and arrived at Buffalo at 11 o’clock a.m. A few kindled a fire and we boiled our kettles and got some coffee and then took our bundles into another train and started for Cleveland at 2 o’clock p.m., except about forty of the men who stayed behind to see after the luggage. Levi and I were among the number. We changed the luggage into another train of cars and then got something to eat and then took a view of the city of Buffalo. It is a very healthy place. Streets very wide, and telegraphic wires running to every part of the city. Some of the streets had trees on each side which are refreshing in the hot of the day. It stands upon the banks of Lake Erie. Being the Fourth of July, the city formed the same appearance as Dolton did when Sebastopol was taken, with flags on the houses and across the streets also shooting and fireworks. We left Buffalo about ten o’clock with the express for Cleveland, 180 miles, and arrived about six o’clock a.m.– about ten minutes after the rest.

Journal of Joseph Beecroft

Friday 4th Awaking pretty early, about 3 o’clock, I looked out for the demonstration of celebrating the Fourth of July, but there was only a few here and there well dressed persons and engines decorated with ribbons, evergreens, and flags. As the day advanced we saw more signs of the day of days with Americans. We passed Battavia and got into Buffalo about 11, changed carriages and got tea, then started off about 2. We had amongst others squires, tenants for a carriage passenger. Before we changed carriages and when we got into the other carriages we had Mr. Tenant for our nearest neighbor. He had his wife, her mother, and his child. What had Mormonism done? Such a spectacle was scarcely ever witnessed as to see one who has been so rich, so high in life, to come to be huddled together with the poorest of the poor and see how patiently he endures all things is truly wonderful. Our first [p.35] carriage was a cattle pen and 2nd was an improvement which had a place of convenience for us at one end the 3rd change. Our 3rd change was an improvement on the others, and our fourth had not only padded seat backs but very soft padded seats; where we had our rich brothers for our next neighbor. Our fourth change was made at [-] Cleveland and was made about half past 8 o’clock on the morn of [-].

Autobiography of John William Southwell

In this miserable way we were conveyed to Cleveland, Ohio, at very slow pace. The country along the track was studded with fine orchards, bearing fine apples and all kinds of fruit. The fruit was so tempting that at the rate of travel, the young men would jump from the train, fill their pockets, and overtake the slow moving institution. However slow, it brought us into Cleveland on the morning of the greatest day in America. Not realizing the meaning of all this parading and firing of firecrackers and artillery, an elder of the church explained it all to our satisfaction. Since that day, however, the 4th of July is as precious to a Latter-day Saint as to any American born citizen who lives under the flag flying stars and stripes, the red, white, and blue. [p. 9]

While waiting in that city for change of cars a great rainstorm continued two days. We and our luggage were exposed to the weather, the company having no sheds to protect. A large barn was secured and all were transferred to it until the storm abated. A few had secured rooms for their accommodation but the great majority were huddled together in the barn. Like Missouri and other places the people of the town despised the Mormons and after the Saints had retired for the night, a mob of bullies including some females gathered around the barn and kept up for hours such a howling and bombarding with stones and bats it equaled any Indian powwow I have ever listened to on the frontiers. Finally the presidency of the company found a person who it seemed had some authority, who persuaded the mob to desist and go to their homes. However, it left the people in a state of terrible excitement. Not a person closed an eye that night in sleep.