--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Ballard, Seth W. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 12 number: 11 published: 1909-09 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Seth W. Ballard, "Asleep on the Niobrara," *Improvement Era* 12, no. 11 (September 1909): 895–896.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera12011unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera12011unse start_page: 895 end_page: 896 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1909-09) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera12011unse publication_year: 1909 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1909, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Asleep on the Niobrara ASLEEP ON THE NIOBRARA. BY ELDER SETH W. BALLARD. [Here is a simple story that will awaken many memories of the "Mormon" Exodus. This company had set out for the West, after the expulsion from Nau- voo. President Brigham Young sent Newel Knight to direct their return to the main body, but winter prevented, and as a result many fell asleep on the banks of the Niobrara. The monument is a fitting memorial of their hardships, faith and sufferings, Editors.] In the extreme Northeastern part of Nebraska, where the Niobrara river empties into the Missouri, stands a most beautiful and Where the Niobrara River Empties into the Missouri, Separating Boyd Knox Counties, Nebraska. 896 IMPROVEMENT ERA. mounument of Temple granite rising about twenty feet from the ground. It is situated on the west bank of the Niobrara river and can be seen for miles around. This monument marks the resting place of a number of the exiles from Nauvoo and Missouri who may be classed as maityrs to the cause of truth. Among them rest the remains of Newel Knight, the father of Jesse Knight. A little distance to the north from the sacred spot is the place The Movument of Newel Knight and other "Mormon" Exiles who died during the Exodus from Nauvoo to Salt Lake, on the west banks of the Niobrara, Nebraska, erected, 1908. where a company of exiles spent the winter of 1846-7, where they endured many hardships in facing the fierce winter winds. Their numbers were decreased that winter by eleven faithful souls. Six of us elders visited this beautiful place and while there we sang the favorite song of the early pioneer wanderers, "Come, come, ye saints, no toil nor labor fear, but with joy wend your way." As the echoes of our simple song died away, we felt the Spirit of the Lord watching over the silent sleepers, and our tes- timony grew stronger as we contemplated what the Lord has done for their children and his people.