. . . When I was about 16, some Mormon missionaries came to our town and organized a church (should be ward). The doctrines they taught seemed to suit my Father. What they taught seemed to correspond with those proclaimed by Christ and his disciples in the Bible.
About this time two American elders came to our town and wanted to get some place to preach. My father being one of the tenders of the Methodist Church they came to see him. He was willing (although at this time he had not joined the Mormons) but the other trustees were opposed to it. My father had one of the keys, so I told the elders to publish [what] they would speak in the church and I would fix it so they could get in. The other trustees tried to stop them, but one got in the pulpit and the other at the door and after quite a rumpus went on with the meeting.
They told a beautiful story of the Valley of Salt Lake, and the opportunity for the poor man, his chance to make him a home of his own, how easy it was to get a living. Told all the bright side, but not the difficulties of crossing the plains, 1600 miles distance through a country inhabited by only Indians and wild animals. They told the best side, the goodness and kindness of the brethren when they got through with their journey. No more trouble, all enjoyment and happiness ever after. They did not tell that as soon as you got there it was every one for himself and your cattle and wagons were got from you for half their value. The story told was a bright one and several converts were made, my father and myself among them.
I joined the church and made up my mind to start for the Valley by the next company. After joining the Mormons, that fixed our business. The religious people boycotted us at once and business went to pieces and it was no use for us to think of doing anything and my father made up his mind to go, but having a great many debts out could not settle up his accounts and be ready to go that season. I had made up my mind to go and so I got myself ready in January 1851, being then 16 years old. The person I was bound apprentice to was willing to let me go off so I bid good bye to all my relations and friends to take my chance in the Valley of the Great Salt Lake, at that time 1000 miles from civilization and after all the ups and downs of life, so far, I do not regret what I have done, [p.1] although if I could have foreseen something I might have done better, but taking everything into consideration I have nothing to complain of, but am fully repaid.
It was about 300 miles from home [Shipdham, Norfolk, England] to Liverpool, which distance I traveled by railroad, stopping the first night at Petersborough, next night, reaching Liverpool. After being there about a week, I took passage in a sailing vessel named the Olympus which sailed in Feb. 1851 for New Orleans. We had a very rough and stormy passage. In one storm lost our masts and some of the rigging. We becalmed near Cuba and lay there for 9 days, reaching New Orleans in March 1851, after a passage of two months. Stayed in New Orleans a week and took passage on a steamboat for St. Louis. We were two weeks making the trip. Had the cholera on board, several died. Thought I should not get through. One night after we were all in bed the steamer stopped at quarantine island and we were all ordered on shore until we were cleaned up and free from the terms of cholera. After a few days a steamer came for us and landed us at St. Louis. We were all put onshore on the wharf. All the emigrants seemed to have some friend there for them and when all had gone I was left sitting only baggage, knowing no one and no one knowing me. Soon a man came up and asked me if I had anywhere to go and if I had no friends. I told him I had not. He said "Come and go with me," and I did so. His name was Fred Wright. He took me to his house. I arranged to board with him until I could work. I had an sovereign ($2.50) left and I paid for one week board with him until I could get work. I concluded to rest and look around during the week for work, having partly learned the harness trade I concluded to try to get work in that line. The first shop I went in and the boss asked what I could do. I told him how long I had worked at the trade so he concluded to hire me to work at one dollar a week and board. I was only a boy and that looked alright to me and I went to work for him. During the summer the cholera was very bad. People were dying all around. I got frightened and concluded to leave the city and go into the country and get work. I went with some others. The water was very high that year and all the bottoms were covered with water. The farms were flooded and we had to wade a great deal of the way. We found a place to work clearing a farm, burning brush, etc. We had a rough time of it. I was unused to such work. The food was principally corn bread, bacon and molasses. Our beds were laid on branches spread on the ground and the water would run in streams on our beds. I stayed until I thought the cholera was over and went back to the city. On entering it, the first thing I met was a wagon load of coffins. I did not ask if they had any one in them but was quite alarmed, but seeing I had come back I would sleep on, which I did and went to work in the shop. The Mormons had meetings on Sundays in Concert Hall, which I attended regular and also meetings during the week. I should have said that when I left home I entered going through to Salt Lake the same year by getting a job of driving teams for some one, but when we got to St. Louis the last company had left, so I would have to stay until next season. I quite homesick sometimes, but as a rule got along pretty well.
The Elders and Missionaries at all times, up to this time, declared the Mormons did not believe or practice polygamy and bing a Mormon myself, of course, I believed them. The people of St. Louis said they were driven out of Nauvoo, but I did not believe them. About this time my religion was put to the test. During that fall John Taylor and S. O. Smoot arrived at St. Louis on the way to Europe and they preached in the hall on polygamy and declared that it was true and was practiced and they were on their way to England to preach and proclaim that doctrine. That upset my faith considerable. After it had been denied and contradicted by the Mormons, but I did not say much. I had made up my [p.2] mind to see Salt Lake and would so so [SIC] and satisfy myself, but I never was as strong in the faith afterwards. Scriptures says by their fruit you shall know them, what kind of fruit did those trees have, committing unlawful things and lying by saying they did not do so.
I got along pretty well until just before Christmas. The man I worked for made up his mink to go to California to the gold mines and quit business, but promised to pay me up before he won't, but the day before Christmas he left and did not pay me. I was then without a cent, previous to this night I slept in the shop. He went, the shop locked up and I had no place to sleep. His wife remained behind. I ate my super there and she let me have some quilts and I made a bed in an outhouse. It rained and the roof leaked on my bed. I spend a miserable Christmas eve. The next day I got up and went to a shop on Morgan street, got a job at once and boarded with the family and from that time got along all right. I did not tell my troubles to the folks at home, but bore them the best I could. Shortly after I received a letter from home, but bore them the best I could. Shortly after I received a letter from home, stating that my father would have his business straightened up and would be in St. Louis the coming spring, so I got along alright until April. I received a message that my father and family (he had married since I left) had landed in Orleans and were coming up the river. They had a very bad trip. The cholera was on board. Just before the boat landed my father's wife died with it. She was buried in the St. Louis burying ground. We rented a room and commenced to made preparations for crossing the plains. We got a good strong wagon made, went over the river to the Illinois side to buy cattle, which was something new to new to [SIC] us. However, we got them and brought them over the river on the ferry boat that ran across above where the railroad bridge is now. It took us some time to get everything ready, but our provisions and everything for a six month's trip across the plains, but we had everything ready at least and we were informed that on a certain day the steamboat "Taluda" would go up the river with a load of emigrants to Keokuk, that was the point the emigrants started from. I went to the wharf to look at the boat, but did not like the looks of it. It had a bad hull and look. So far some cause we did not take passage and concluded to wait a few days for the next boat when another company was ready, which was a lucky thing for us. Word came that just before reaching Lexington on the Mississippi River the boat blew up and all except two or three were killed. It was caused by racing with another boat, crowding on too much steam.
Next week we took passage on the boat, I think, the "Buns Vista." It was quite an experience in teaming. We loaded up at 12 street and drove our oxen to the wharf through crowded streets with wagons and drays, but got there all right. Our cattle and wagons were loaded on the boat and landed at Keokuk, the point where the emigration was organizing and starting for the plains. We were to wait there until enough were gathered there to make a company of 50 wagons, divided into sub-companies of 10, with captains of ten, over all a captain of 50 to take entire charge of command of the company. . . . [p.3]
. . . After traveling 1500 miles taking about six months we made camp on the bench in sight of Salt Lake City on the 5th of Sept. It was a beautiful sight. At the time the city was quite small. The houses were all small adobe buildings, standing on lots of 1 acres under cultivation with different kinds of garden vegetables. In the distance south of the city were grain fields, to the west the Great Salt Lake. The next morning we were aroused from our sleep by the distant sounds of roosters crowing, the first we heard since crossing the Missouri River. The feeling we experienced then was a happy one, as we felt that our journey was over. We had reached the promised land and no Israelite felt no greater joy than we felt after the hardships of our journey. . . . [p.5]
BIB: Harwood, James. Autobiography (Ms 9751), pp.1-3, 5. (CHL)
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