The World of Joseph Fielding: Chapter 33 Mary Fielding Smi Warned Not to Travel That Year The pioneers of 1848 began to gaer at e Elk Horn outfitting station toward e end of May, moving eir wagons across e swollen Elkhorn River on ferries and setting up camps on e west side while waiting for e rest of e company to arrive. President Young visited e camp several times on horseback, finally bringing his family members and wagons on e 30 of May. On st e morning of May 31, e river had risen ree feet from e previous day as e winter snows melted. Men worked hard e next week ferrying wagons from e east bank to e west bank and encouraging e cattle to swim across. The account of Mary being chastised by Cornelius Lott is legendary in e LDS Church. Joseph Fielding does not mention e incident at all in his journal. The bulk of e information comes from e memory of Mary s son, who was nine years old at e time. Young Joseph F. stated at he was present when Captain Lott approached Mary at e 1 outfitting station. Joseph F. remembered at it had taken his moer and Uncle Fielding s 2 families ree days to travel from Winter Quarters to e outfitting station. After arriving and possibly traveling a day to Elder Kimball s camp, ey were approached by Elder Kimball and Captain Lott, e latter appearing to have been supervising e cattle belonging to e second company. 3 Joseph F. later wrote e situation from his memory: After diagnosing our case, considering e number of wagons we had, and e helplessness of e whole company, [Captain Lott] very sternly informed e widow at ere was no use for her to attempt to cross e plains at year, and advised her to go back to e Missouri River, and remain at Winter Quarters anoer year, when perhaps she could be helped. Then e supervisor added: If you start out in is manner, you will be a burden on e company e whole way, and I will have to carry you along or leave you on e way. Joseph F., in recounting is event many years later, stated: I am happy to say, e widow had a little mettle in her, and she straightened up and calmly replied, Faer Lott, I will beat you to e valley and will ask no help from you, eier. Joseph F. remembered at he personally felt grieved and hurt at e harsh treatment and discouraging manner in which is broer had spoken and acted wi his moer. Mary and her broer Joseph en unloaded one wagon, yoked eir two best oxen to it, and headed back to e Missouri River. There, ey attempted to make arrangements for more cattle. -498- Pioneers moving west in 1848 crossed e Elkhorn River and camped, waiting for eir companies.
nd On Friday, June 2, Elder Kimball sent Howard Egan back to Winter Quarters to take care of some Church business. He took wi him two of his teams for e use of Mary Smi, and was asked to urge [her] to come as speedily as possible. 4 Broer Egan had traveled to e Valley e previous summer wi President Young and Elder Kimball. This year he was taking one of his wives and her children in Elder Kimball s company, and e following year he would take his second wife and her children to e Valley. Upon seeing e streng of Howard s preparation, Elder Kimball apparently felt is man could spare two teams to aid Mary Smi, and Broer Egan agreed. Broer Egan s wife had given bir to a healy baby boy alongside e Elkhorn River only a few days earlier, but she and e baby were well enough to make is journey. It was perhaps wi tremendous fai and gratitude, in addition to e covenant he had made in e Nauvoo Temple in 1845, at Howard Egan gave up ese cattle to help Hyrum Smi s widow. 5 Wi no mention of any of ese events except Howard Egan s loan of e oxen, Joseph Fielding recorded at he and his sister were among e last to leave Winter Quarters, finally departing on e 4 of June, a Sunday, to return to e outfitting station where ey knew Elder Kimball was waiting to assist em in crossing e Elkhorn River. After traveling twelve miles, ey were met by Broer Egan and his oxen. Even wi e addition of ese two teams, Mary Fielding Smi would, from e trail, write: I suppose no person has made e attempt under more embarrassed circumstances an we have done. It was till very lately quite uncertain wheer we could start at all, but right or 6 wrong, we are on e way and I trust it will prove for e best. Native Americans Attack e Outfitting Station Elder Kimball s large company was camped on e west bank of e Elkhorn waiting for e last few families to cross e river, including Joseph Fielding and Mary Smi. Tuesday morning, June 6, before e arrival of ese families later at day, Native Americans raced rough e company s herd of cattle, killing one ox. Men of e camp raised e alarm and followed e intruders. Elder Kimball s oldest son, just twenty-two, was among ose who gave chase to save eir cattle. His horse was shot by e attackers and Broer Egan was shot in e arm. Anoer member of e camp was shot in e back and it was feared e wound was mortal, but he recovered. Jacob Peart, one of e earliest British converts and who happened to be traveling wi President Young s company, wrote at ree of e attackers were killed. Two Companies Under e Direction of Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball Depart Twelve hundred pioneers led by Brigham Young were divided into four large camps of hundreds as ey left e Elk Horn outfitting station on June 5, 1848. Thomas Bullock, e company -499- Howard Egan provided 2 strong teams for Mary Fielding Smi.
clerk, wrote about Lorenzo Snow s hundred: On e 1st day of June, Lorenzo Snow's company moved off e ground to e Liberty Pole on e Platte, in order to make room for oer wagons at came pouring in from Winter Quarters. If any person enquire, Is Mormonism down? He ought to have been in e neighbourhood of e Elk Horn is day, and he would have seen such a host of wagons at would have satisfied him in an instant, at it lives and flourishes like a tree by a fountain of waters; he would have seen merry faces, and heard e song of rejoicing, at e day of deliverance had surely come. Elder Kimball s pioneer company left two days later, also in four hundreds, and was formally 7 called e Second Division. The military terms, such as winter quarters, and dividing e pioneers into divisions and companies, would have been common terms wi bo e Americans and e British who were very familiar wi military traditions. The intent of e military structure was to keep order. However, ere are several passages of scripture which reflect a military aspect to e Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Section 76 in e Doctrine and Covenants uses e word valiant, which is a military term indicating streng, bravery and heroism. In tru, e Doctrine and Covenants has many military terms. Section 109 describes a force suddenly attacking an enemy: That y church may come for out of e wilderness of darkness, and shine for fair as e moon, clear as e sun, and terrible as an army wi banners. Section 105 includes e petition of e Lord to e saints, But first let my army become very great, and let it be sanctified before me.... In Section 49, e Lord uses language reminiscent of e Roman leader Vespasian, who did not send his armies out to fight alone, but traveled wi em. I am in your midst, are words which indicate e Savior is at e head of his forces. A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, Martin Luer s well-known hymn, was very familiar to ose who knew of e continual wars, attacks and inadequate defenses in e Napoleonic age. However, e hymns of e Restoration are filled wi military terms. Elder Parley P. Pratt s hymn, The Morning Breaks, e first hymn in e 1985 LDS hymnal, includes e line, Lo, Zion s standard is unfurled! The fif hymn in is volume is High on e Mountain Top. The words portray a banner being unfurled, e symbolism depicting a military flag which e troops followed. In is case e poetry depicts e banner to be e gospel tru which e Savior s faiful followers will recognize and flock to support. This imagery was not lost to e pioneers. The Two Companies Leave e Outfitting Station Once e companies were underway, company clerk Thomas Bullock faifully traveled rough bo trains making a count. President Young s company was about double e size of Elder Kimball s; togeer ey totaled almost nineteen hundred pioneers. Interestingly, traveling amongst is large company of people was young Samuel Harrison Bailey Smi, e nine-yearold son of e prophet s deceased broer, Samuel. Between e two trains were six hundred wagons, over ree ousand oxen, one hundred and irty horses, forty mules, cows and loose cattle, six-hundred and fifty sheep, two hundred pigs and nine hundred chickens. Surprisingly, ere were fifty cats which would have been carried in e wagons. Five beehives were among -500-
e companies. One hundred and irty dogs would have helped herd e loose cattle. Eleven doves were taken, which would have been saved for a start of several dovecotes once ey reached e Great Basin. Small numbers of geese, ducks and goats also crossed e plains early at summer. Broer Bullock s records show at ere was communication between e leaders in e Salt Lake Valley and ose on e plains. The travelers knew, for example, at teams would be sent to help em on eir last stretch, allowing e borrowed oxen and wagons to head back to Winter Quarters to be used again e next summer. As a result, some of e loads were cached in e 8 Rocky Mountains and retrieved later. Apostles Willard Richards and Amasa Lyman led a ird company of five hundred across e plains at summer. While ey did not leave e Elk Horn station until July, horseback riders between President Young s company and Elder Richard s company exchanged trail information and updated each oer on e condition of eir companies as ese large bodies moved west. Thomas Bullock s oxen pulled two wagons. One, driven by a friend, was filled wi valuable Church records, which e two men carefully managed. 9 The Company is Organized Once e Fielding and oer families had crossed e Elkhorn, Elder Kimball s company moved west two miles along e Sou Platte River where ey spent e night. On June 8, ey traveled ten miles. After making eir camp for e night, ey listened to counsel from eir leaders and fully organized e company. Joseph Fielding, Mary Smi and eir families traveled in e hundred led by Henry Herriman. 10 John Pack was e captain of fifty. Cornelius Peter Lott was appointed to be a captain of e ten families which included e two Fielding siblings and eir families. John Pack had crossed e plains in 1847 wi Brigham Young. Young Joseph F. s memories include being harassed by Broer Lott. An adult can read his account and sense concern and fear is man had for his travelers, but any trials his family had, young Joseph blamed on Captain Lott. In one account, young Joseph remembered at a woman traveling wi Mary Smi had gone on ahead to travel wi someone in Brigham Young s company for e day. Captain Lott was concerned and asked at Mary s step-son John, age sixteen, go ahead on horseback and confirm at. Young Joseph knew ere was no reason to worry and felt Captain Lott was being unnecessarily strict and was even putting his broer in danger. When e woman was indeed found safe, young Joseph was smug. -501- Henry Herriman, one of e Seven Presidents of Seventy, led Joseph Fielding s and Mary Smi s hundred.
Captain Lott was likely relieved. 11 Mary Fielding Smi Drives Her Own Wagon William McMillan Thompson, who had been adopted by Mercy Fielding Thompson soon after his arrival in Nauvoo, was selected to be e clerk for Elder Kimball s division. Traveling wi Broer Lott s company of ten wi Mary Smi and Joseph Fielding, he recorded at some of eir oxen began e trek west pregnant wi calves, and us were weak. He wrote at because of e shortage of teamsters, not only did Mary drive a wagon, but her twelve-year-old stepdaughter Jerusha also drove a wagon. He did not mention at young Joseph F. also drove a wagon, as is was assumed. Joseph F. later said, I was successful in driving a team for my 12 moer from e Elkhorn River into e Valley of e Great Salt Lake.... William wrote at when e pa was a steep decline, e men would drive e wagons for e women, who weren t always strong enough to manage e teams during ese dangerous stretches. Young Joseph F. was always proud of e help he gave his moer as ey crossed e plains. Mary Ann and Hannah Fielding Drive Their Wagons Young Rachel Fielding, who turned nine not long after her family departed Winter Quarters, remembered her trek across e plains roughout her life. Her fai-filled family was led by ree British-born parents who had left everying for e Gospel of Jesus Christ. Joseph, age fifty-one, drove a heavy wagon wi two oxen and two cows, one borrowed from his sister. Hannah, age irty-nine, rode on e wagon seat next to her sister-wife, Mary Ann, who had left her former husband and sons in Kirtland in order to follow Brigham Young west. In e wagon were Hannah s children, Ellen, age seven, and Heber and Joseph, who turned five and ree at summer. Mary Ann s daughter and namesake, age two, would have also been in e wagon. The 13 graves of two infant sons were left behind in Winter Quarters. Mary Ann was expecting a baby who would be born during e upcoming winter. Alough ey started out weak, Joseph wrote, We seemed to improve in our traveling, and our Cattle improved in eir Condition. Rachel wrote: I was barefooted and I walked most of e way from Winter Quarters to Salt Lake Valley; for our harness was an old one to start wi, and we had not gone far on our way when e lines gave out and I had to lead e horse by e bridle. It was raer difficult sometimes on e rough roads, for e horse stepped on my heels so often ey kept em sore. The next day at e Platte River ey were able to catch up wi President Young s company. Joseph Fielding wrote: It was an interesting sight to behold in e Morning, a String of Oxen, reaching from one Side of e River to e oer, about a Mile, from Brigham s company coming to assist us in crossing, for e Wagons sank into e Sand, and it was hard drawing for e Cattle. So we put our Cattle to our Wagons & put an extra Team to each and got rough well. It was indeed an interesting Sight. You might have taken us for two Armies encamped on eier Side of e River waiting e Signal for Conflict, but how different was e Case -502-
when we saw almost e Whole Streng of e one wading rough e River from one to 3 feet in dep to help eir Friends. Here we stayed over Sunday. The work was too difficult for Joseph to keep a journal across e plains, but e following winter in Salt Lake he wrote a few memories of eir trek. He said at often e grass was in and e companies separated into eir tens to find feed for e cattle. He wrote, Each 10 had to do e best ey could. A very interesting incident was later told by Curtis Bolton, who was a pioneer in Brigham Young s company. He had a heavy wagon and an awkward team, and his oxen would balk at every muddy place in e road. He was fretting and worrying his cattle and his cattle were fretting and worrying him, and he was all e time cutting, whipping and hallroing to em. One morning on a muddy trail, his wagon became stuck in mud to its hubs. President Young spoke to Curtis, saying, Broer Bolton, at s not e way to drive cattle. Here, let me show you. Broer Bolton reported at he handed Broer Brigham e whip, and he drove and en e cattle went well enough, plowing rough e mud wiout balking. After a mile, President Young handed back e whip and said, This is e way you drive cattle: Carry e whip over e left shoulder and look e oer way. Broer Bolton followed e telling of at story wi ese words: Now, I believe is most excellent maxim will apply to e government of families, conferences, wards, or any charge entrusted to man. 14 In 1917, a year before his dea, President Joseph F. Smi spoke at a gaering on Pioneer Day in Salt Lake City. At at time he shared a memory he had of his oxen which he had driven e entire way across e plains: rd On September 23, next, it will be 69 years since I drove my team into at valley. My team consisted of two pairs, or yokes, of oxen. My leaders names were Thom and Joe we raised em from calves, and ey were bo white. My wheel team were named Broad and Berry....Many times while traveling sandy or rough roads, long, irsty drives, my oxen, lowing wi e heat and fatigue, I would put my arms around Thom s neck, and cry bitter tears! That was all I could do. Thom was my favorite and best and most willing and obedient servant and friend. 15 Rachel, writing from her childhood memories, said: We had many enjoyable times on e Plains as well as sad ones. Some nights we camped early, and in e evenings we had immense bonfires, and e Saints would gaer around e fires and sing hymns or dance and make merry. The bigger e fire e better it seemed, and e spirit wi which e hymns were sung was an inspiration. When we camped, our wagons were placed in a circle, us forming a corral for e cattle for e night. Some nights we had to travel quite late before we found a good camping place, for in many placed e grass was scarce or else e water was scarce. -503-
Joseph Fielding was among e many pioneers who enjoyed watching e bison. He wrote: Rachel wrote: It is wonderful to see e Buffalo and e Marks of em. For several hundred Miles e Prairie is covered wi eir Dung, from which one is sure ere must be Thousands of em. Our Companies shot many of em; we ate freely of e Flesh and also dried great quantities and brought it on to e Valley. 16 We often saw large herds of Buffalo and en e men would kill one, so we could all have a little meat. Once we saw a large herd of deer, and I was delighted to see how nimbly ey ran. A young girl in President Young s company later wrote: My oldest broer William killed an elk which we ate wi great relish. Some of e men killed a buffalo and e train laid over and jerked e meat. Jerking consists of cutting e meat in strips, stringing it on sticks, en smoking it. This meat was not very good even when fresh, as it is very coarse-grained. 17 Hannah told her descendants at when her family wanted butter, ey skimmed e cream off e milk and dropped it by large spoonfuls into a can. They would en set e can in e bed of e wagon. Jarring during e day s journey was enough to churn e cream into butter for eir evening meal. 18 Unless e Lord Assists Us, We Cannot Get Through On July 16, 1848, as e Kimball company camped near Chimney Rock, men from e Valley wi teams and wagons met e companies after traveling almost six hundred miles. Mail was carried for e pioneers, and Mary and her broer Joseph received a letter from Mercy, which 19 has not survived. Mary stayed up late to pen a response. Mary, e daughter of a Meodist circuit rider and raised near his green and riving farm in England, was now used to e military terminology. She identified her location as e Camp of Israel, Chimney Rock and addressed e letter to her sister in e Camp of Israel, Valley of e Great Salt Lake. Mary Smi wrote a letter from Chimney Rock to her sister Mercy 600 miles away in Salt Lake City. The Pafinder Reservoir is modern, created from a dam on e Nor Platte River. -504- Mary first mentioned at she had received oxen from e Valley which had come wi e men bringing e mail. I have just received your last letter by e hands of Broer Thomas Kirk, also one yoke of Oxen in good condition which are very acceptable.
Mary Fielding Smi wrote is letter to her sister Mercy from Chimney Rock, almost 600 miles from Salt Lake City. In is letter, Mary expresses her fears at she will not be able to complete e journey. Mary s son Joseph F., many years later as President of e Church, praised his moer s streng, fai and tenacity in crossing e plains. Mary s Chimney Rock letter makes evident e fact at Mary had done her best to shield her significant concerns from her children. That night, Mary wrote, perhaps quietly referencing her feelings about Mercy s marriage: I expect an express to leave is Camp tomorrow morning and [so I] take is opportunity to send a few lines to you, being e first I have had since we parted which I believe [was]13 mons ago today. During is time I have received many letters and much intelligence from you, some ings pleasing and many oers very much to e contrary, which has helped considerably to accumulate my load of care. Sorrow and perplexity. I have e events of e long period of time all upon my mind at once. It would be useless here to enter into e past. If e Lord spares our lives till we meet we may have opportunities enough of answering on matters pertaining to e past. The present is what now concerns us and what you will feel most anxious to hear about you will perceive at notwistanding all our discouragements. I am truly ankful to hear at you are all well in heal and I pray God most fervently to bless you all and prosper e work of your hands and I ank e Lord for his goodness to me and my Family. We have in general been blessed wi good heal and have all safely left Winter Quarters. That is, my own Family. I have e five Children, Sister Grinnells -505-
& Jane wi me, Broer Joel Terry is wi me as a driver on condition at he has a Team back wi him for his own use next spring. I have also 2 oer drivers, strangers to you which makes my Family pretty large. I assure you, I have to work very hard and drive an Ox Team a great part of e time. I have one yoke of good Cattle to my large Carriage and ey have us far done well, but do not cease to pray for us. We are very short of streng and unless e Lord assists we cannot get rough. Margaret Cahoon, a pioneer in President Young s company, wrote at when ey were just a few hundred miles from e Salt Lake Valley, President Young wished e Saints to send back some of eir wagons and oxen to assist e poor Saints at Winter Quarters on e journey e following season. We sent back two wagons, four yoke of oxen and two young men teamsters 20 who had driven our wagons for us. This was clearly Mary s concern, at her teamsters would need to leave eir train at at point in order to make it safely back to Winter Quarters, and she could not move forward wiout em. Mary continued in her letter to Mercy: We have 4 or 5 yoke of borrowed Cattle to be returned is fall which I fear will be impossible if ey have to come rough as it will be too late. Broer Terry begins to feel very uneasy as he will be under e necessity of going back to his Family before we can get rough. I feel most concerned myself for I see no way to liberate him on e road and fulfil my engagements wi him. He was to take all e borrowed Cattle back and a Team of mine for his own use and if it is going to be much later an we expected now you see how we are fixed. While Joseph Fielding had done as much as he could to assist Mary, it seems at ey bo helped each oer. Mary continued: I have had to do much in fitting out Broer Fielding. You know his circumstances. He is wi us wi his two women and 5 children e two youngest are left behind amongst many oers. Little Hyrum died at e age of 4 mons and e next a little Boy about 5 days old. They were Bo buried in one grave: more on ese subjects when we see you. My poor Lame horse is also buried in Winter Quarters. He died e week before we left ere, just when I wanted him most. Broer F is working my Cattle. He has noing but 1 or 2 Cows and his old Mare. He borrowed one ox to be returned and I ink some of us will have to stop by e way. William McMillan Thompson was a tremendous aid to bo Mary and Joseph: Broer William Thompson is also wi us. He has a good Team and one Wagon. His Wife and 3 Children are wi him. He has two very interesting little Boys. I ink you will be pleased wi em. He is a good, useful young Man. He is appointed Clerk for e Camp on is journey.... Mary en openly expresses her fears to Mercy: I trust at we shall all be enabled to get rough in some way or oer but certainly I am at a loss to contrive a plan myself at present. I have to continue my prayer to God at he -506-
will interpose in our behalf and open our way before us. I suppose if Broer Terry could start back by e middle of August he might possibly accomplish e journey back in season but he cannot do is [what was appearing to be much later] and come rough. Mary en made a gentle plea for help from Mercy: Perhaps if a Wagon and e oer Yoke of Cattle could be sent wi a driver to take Terry s place. The Lord might in answer to our united prayers by some means or oer do e rest. I greatly desire to get to some resting place where I can once more feel at home. If e Lord will at it should be so. Mary s letter was written in a desperate hour. She could not have possibly imagined at her crossing of e plains in e summer of 1848 would be held as a standard of fai and perseverance for generations. Few in e Church today have any idea of how much e Lord actually did sustain her on her journey. Along wi Mary s concerns of even reaching e Salt Lake Valley, she worried about e coming winter. But what is my prospect when I reach you? If permitted to do so can I expect to sit down and rest my worn out body and mind for a little Season? No, I fear not. It appears to me at I have to meet trouble and perplexity wi vexation where ever I go. I suppose I shall have to contend wi evil spirits which I almost dread to encounter. May e Lord endow me wi wisdom and patience at I may be enabled to govern e affairs of my Family in righteousness. I could tell you many ings at would be interesting to you, but I consider it unnecessary as I hope before long to see you and as you will have an opportunity of hearing all particulars respecting our Camp &c &c from e bearers of is. I shall not take time to write on ese matters. I have not much time to spare for writing. It is now late and e Children in bed and I must rise early in e Morning to be at my Cooking. I had no Biscuits prepared for e journey and Sister Grinnells is so feeble at she cannot cook and I have nearly all to do. You speak of my buying a Cow but I assure you I have no means. If I knew certainly at e Crops would turn out well wi you I should be very ankful as I could en, by selling some Corn and Meal, lighten my load and obtain more help which would be double advantage. But at present I am afraid to take any such step less ere should be a failure. I have scarcely any Flour but we have from 15 to 20 Bushels of Wheat which we could not get ground and which might not be needed if e Crops do well. And may e good Lord remember in mercy in is respect. How much do I see and feel our dependence upon him? May he bless you all in every sense of e word is my constant prayer. And also is Camp of Israel at we may be prospered rough e remaining Part of our journey. And may e Lord protect e men who bring is to you at ey may speedily reach you in safety. Present my best wishes and respects to Mr. Lawson and Mary Jane. I hope he will not forget e principle ing but in e midst of his labors try to remember e Lord on whom he is dependent for success. I and all e Children long to see all [of you] very much but e distance still looks great. Mara Ann often says, why ey go so far every night out of e road. I ink we never shall get to e Valley. She still continues to grow -507-
fast but her appetite is very delicate. It is wi e greatest difficulty I can get her to eat Corn Meal in any form. Joseph also grows fast, but inks we travel very slowly. He appears all anxiety to get forward. He can drive a Team very well. I must now say good morning, e Guard Cries past twelve o clock and I shall but little rest. May e Lord smile upon us and prosper us until we meet is e prayer of your affectionate sister, Mary Smi Mary added a touching post script: I believe I shall leave you to correct all errors as you read along as I have not time to do it. 21 Kiss M. J. for me and e Children. MF. Mary s fai, demonstrated by her actions roughout her life, is clearly evident in is letter. Of historical interest is Mary s request at Mercy extend her greetings to Mr. Lawson and Mary Jane. In is context, ere is no oer way to read ese words except to understand at James Lawson was a member of Mercy s family. Chapter 33 Endnotes Pages 498-508: 1.Joseph F. Smi s first person account of is incident is in his biography, Life of Joseph F. Smi, pages 147-149. President Smi wrote a letter in 1861 to his broer John stating at his keen memory and feelings over ese events had required him to seek forgiveness. 2.The distance today from e Winter Quarters Temple to where I have supposed e outfitting station was is about 14 miles. Joseph Fielding and his nephew Joseph F. Smi put e distance at 25 and 27 miles, respectively. Many factors could affect is distance, including where eir homes were in Winter Quarters, and where along e Elkhorn River e outfitting station was. 3.William Burton [no relation to William Walton Burton who crossed e plains in 1854] recorded at on June 18, 1848, Cornelius Lott was appointed to be e overseer of e company herd. His account is found in e Overland Trail Database. Young Joseph F. Smi clearly remembered Cornelius Lott to be e overseer of e company herd, but e events he described had to have occurred two or ree weeks before is. Joseph actually never named his moer s persecutor. However, in e account told by President Smi, e man is known as Faer. Cornelius was often called Faer Lott, and I have inserted his surname. 4.The Journal History has many details about e planning and departure of President Young s and Elder Kimball s departures. The reference to Mary Smi is found under e date of 2 June 1848. 5.Joseph Fielding Diary, page 148. We left Winter Quarters on Sunday, e 4 of June, being about e last. Bro. Kimball s Company was waiting for us at e Elk Horn River, some 25 Miles. When we had got about half e distance ere we received from Bro. Egan 2 Yoke of oxen rough e Influence of Broer Kimball, and we joined e Company on Tuesday Evening, and e next morning e Co. started. Joseph makes no mention of is being e second trip, and in fact it almost conflicts wi his nephew s account. Joseph Fielding entry was written mons after e fact. Young Joseph s account was told possibly decades after e actual events took place. Don Corbett, in his biography of Mary Fielding Smi, speculated at Howard Egan had borrowed e oxen. Broer Corbett also named anoer benefactor, Broer Rogers, who loaned two oxen. (Pages 229-230.) 6.Mary included ese sentences in a letter to Mercy, written on July 16, 1848. That letter, referred to later, is e last in e Mary Fielding to Mercy Fielding Thompson Collection, MSS 2779, held at e LDS Church History Library. It has been digitized and is available online, as are many of e letters I have used in is biography. -508-
7.William Thompson, clerk of Heber C. Kimball s company, referred to e Second Division. 8.Thomas Bullock s records are easily found in e Overland Trail Database, as are e records of e oer pioneers whose journals and letters I used. 9.As careful as Broer Bullock was in his records, he did not inventory e wagon for us. How interesting at would have been! 10.Joseph Fielding recorded his commanding officers, and named em differently an Thomas Bullock s record. I have chosen to go wi what Joseph wrote. Broer Young s Co. went ahead, so we all formed two Companies, each Co. being organised into 50, and 10. C. P. Lott was our Captain of 10, and John Pack of 50, Henry Herriman of e 100, wi Bro. Kimball at e Head. Thomas Bullock reported is information in a letter he sent once eir train was close to Fort Laramie. The letter was sent back by rider to e company of Willard Richards and Amasa Lyman, about a mon behind em. He named e four captains of hundreds in Elder Kimball s company as Titus Billings, Isaac Higbee, John Pack and Heber C. Kimball. 11.Life of Joseph F. Smi, pages 149-150. 12. Boyhood Recollections of President Joseph F. Smi, page 63. 13.Rachel Fielding Burton s memories of e trek come from her 1914 memoirs. 14.Curtis E. Bolton, Reminiscences in Salt Lake Stake, Melchizedek Priesood Minutes and Records, High Priest Quorum Minute Book, 1848-1860, which is easily located in e Overland Trail Database. 15.Life of Joseph F. Smi, pages 155-157. 16.Joseph Fielding Diary, page 149. 17.Elizabe Jane Perkins Belcher, from e Overland Trail Database. 18.Biography of Hannah Greenwood Fielding, from e Daughters of e Utah Pioneers, auor unknown. 19.This letter, referred to earlier, is e last letter in e Mary Fielding Smi to Mercy Fielding Thompson collection, held at e LDS Church History Library. I am greatly indebted to Geneil Loader Harris for bringing is letter to my attention. 20.Margaret Cahoon s account is taken from e Overland Trail Base. She specifically said ey were met at e Sweetwater. Several pioneers mentioned teams arriving from e Valley to help, including Oliver Boardman, also in President Young s company. Broer Boardman said ey met e fresh teams at Fort Laramie. Joseph Fielding said at Several times e Companies received fresh Cattle from e Valley, (page 149). 21.I have corrected a few spelling errors in is letter and added a small amount of punctuation, someing I have quietly done wi all e early writings of ese pioneers. I have never changed intent, but I have made e reading a little easier for a modern reader. -509-