From Nauvoo to Salt Lake in the Van of the Pioneers. XVII

From Nauvoo to Salt Lake in the Van of the Pioneers The Original Diary of Erastus Snow EDITED BY HIS SON, MORONI SNOW XVII In the July number, the returning pioneer company was left on the Loup Fork. The journal continues: We crossed the Loup Fork about twenty-five miles above the old Pawnee mission. The water was about the same depth as when we crossed it in the spring. Elder Amasa Lyman and a few others of the best horsemen left us after crossing the Loup Fork to go to Winter Quarters and carry news of our near approach and to return and meet ns with provisions. For some time previous we had subsisted almost entirely upon animal food, and when we passed the old station we gleaned a few ears of corn from the fields, which was quite an addition to our diet and seemed to us quite a luxury. We crossed the Elk Horn river on the 30th of October, and camped upon the east bank. Here we were met by a large company of brethren from Winter Quarters with horses, carriages and wagon loads of grain and provisions for ourselves and teams. With them we had such a meeting as none but partners in tribulation realize. We ate, drank and rejoiced with them that night, and early on the morning of the 31st we started and drove into Winter Quarters, a distance of about twenty-five miles, and were welcomed again to the bosom of our families and friends. My family I found in tolerably good health, though one less than when I left. My lovely little Mary Minerva had fallen asleep August the 4th, age ten months. Brother Edwards, whom I left in charge of my family in the spring, had been sick and had raised but little for the sustenance of my family. My stock were also nearly all used up, some in one way and some in another. Some had died, some lost upon the rush bottoms by the herdsmen last winter, others killed by the Indians, etc., so that out of nineteen head which I had one year ago, I had five left. Then I needed

1108 IMPROVEMENT ERA all I had, now I have no use for more than I have. When I need more to prosecute my journey with my family to the Great Basin, I trust that the Lord will open the way by which 1 may get them. Soon after the return of the pioneer camp, in accordance with the wish of the general government of the United States, it was resolved by the Saints west of the Missouri river to vacate the Omaha lands next spring and those who cannot go to the valley, to re-cross the Missouri river and settle upon the Pottawattamie purchase. About the 10th of December, some forty-five or fifty of the "Mormon" Battalion arrived in Winter Quarters from the coast of California, via Salt Lake. The weather was so cold that the Missouri river was frozen over in places when they arrived. They had suffered much and some had perished by the way. They had been compelled to subsist for some time upon their worn-out horses and mules. By these brethren, we received letters from the Saints in the valley as late as the 18th of October, which gave us an account of the safe arrival of the emigrating companies in the city of the Great Salt Lake, and of the general health and prosperity of the Saints there. During the month of December I spent two weeks with Mrs. Snow visiting our friends and brethren on the western side of the Missouri river, visiting and preaching in several different branches, and all the Saints attended the special conference held December 24, 25, 26, and 27, in the log tabernacle, a commodious block house 63x43 feet, which had been built during the three weeks previous in extremely cold weather, by the Saints upon the Pottawattamie district, expressly for the conference. It was one of the best conferences ever held in the Church, and although the Saints generally were in the depths of poverty and want, yet they were full of the riches of the grace of God — peace within and joy in the Holy Ghost. Much rich instruction was given, and among the business transacted was the organization of the quorum of the First Presidency over the whole Church, and the appointment of Father John Smith to be the patriarch over the whole Church. It was also determined in council to send delegates to the rich Saints in the southern and eastern states to solicit from them donations of money and clothing for the relief of the poor and distressed Saints to enable the council and the

FROM NAUVOO TO SALT LAKE 1109 camp of the Saints to prosecute their journey to the Great Basin. Elder E. T. Benson of the Twelve and myself were appointed to visit the eastern and middle states, and Elder A. Lyman and Preston Thomas, the southern states. Elder E. T. Benson and I visited New York, Boston and many other eastern towns and states, soliciting aid. Some received us kindly and contributed money and clothing, but by far the greater portion of the people turned a cold shoulder to us. We left Winter Quarters about the 1st of January, 1848, and returned about the first of April. While traveling, we were sometimes together and at other times traveled separately, visiting different places. On my return trip I passed through Ohio and visited the Kirtland Temple, and at St. Louis fell in with several returning elders and a company of Saints with whom I ascended the Missouri river. Soon after our return to Winter Quarters there was a general stir and bustle getting ready for starting with our families to Salt Lake Valley, and gathering our year's supply of seeds and provisions. Most of my oxen had perished during the winter or had been eaten by the Indians, and I was under the necessity of yoking up my cows and all my growing stock to work with my few oxen which were left, in order to haul the wagons for the journey. I started in company with Presidents Young and Kimball, and had a very pleasant and agreeable journey, my teams holding out well and my family enjoying good health. We reached our destination with much joy on the 2'Oth of September. Soon after our arrival I was appointed one of the presidency of the stake, and during the following winter 1 was called and ordained into the Quorum of Twelve Apostles (Feb. 12, 1849), together with Charles C. Rich, Lorenzo Snow and Franklin D. Richards, these all filling vacancies caused by the apostasy of Lyman Wight and the re-organization of the First Presidency out of the Quorum of the Twelve. From this time on, the labors of Erastus Snow were so intimately connected with the early settlement of southern Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada and Mexico that he ceased to keep a private journal. His history now becomes a part of the his-

1110 IMPROVEMENT ERA tory of the various colonization missions of the Church. In closing this series of articles we deem it appropriate to include a discourse delivered by Erastus Snow in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, July 25, 1880, on this subject, which will appear later in the Era. Elder William W. Farley, who labored in the Louisiana conference, has returned home and reports the conference in excellent condition. The elders have disposed recently of much literature, especially the Book of Mormon, which has been used as their principal tract. "Mormonism" is fast taking root in the hearts of the selfthinking class of people, and "manifesting itself in the spirit of investigation and wishing us God-speed, though we meet people who oppose us. Yet, as President Young stated, 'Mormonism' is like a rubber ball, the harder you kick it the higher it bounces. We have several organized Sunday Schools throughout this state doing good work in teaching the gospel. Elders in the picture are, right to left, standing: C. C. Pendleton, Cedar City; T. Norton Brunker, Willard; Price Brinkerhoff, Woodruff, Arizona; William H. Facer, Malad, Idaho; Joseph W. Alston, Magrath, Canada; Austin Sessions, John T. Grant, Chesterfield, Idaho; Frank Hartle, Vernal. Sitting: Alexander Brown, Lehi; M. W. Lewis, Kamas; Bennett Lindsay, Heber; J. H. Hutchison, Marysvale, Idaho (center); Tnomas L. Butterfield, Riverton, Utah; Ray Parkinson, McCammon, Idaho, Conference President; Eugene Morris, Beaver; William W. Farley, Peterson, Utah.