On the 13th of April I left Coventry for Liverpool. Arrived about 3 o'clock p.m. went to 42 Islington found Brothers Wells and Young and stopped to supper, visited around a day or two and then went to Manchester and found Uncle Wrigley all well. Next day I saw my nieces Jane and Ann Pearson. I went with them and had their photographs taken, then went to Stoningham to see my cousins. I went to the clerk [-] Bowden and next to find out my father's genealogy but could not.
On the 20th I took train to Farrington to see Brother John and the folks, found them all well. Was glad to see me and I stayed several days then went to Liverpool. President [-] dedicated the vessel, spoke to the Saints.
On the 29th of April we was on board the vessel Belle Wood, the tug boat took us in tow and we set sails and moved past Holyhead. Brother W. H. Sherman [Shearman] was appointed president of the company. Brothers C. Taylor and S. S. Willis his counselors and I was captain of the guard. The ship began to leak [-] we had to pump her three times a day.
On the 16th of May a child of Brother Hefferan's died. It was consigned to the deep.
On the 28th Sister Haved died aged 69 years.
On the 29th we saw land.
On the 30th we saw land in sight, Sandy Hook.
On the 31st the tug boat came for us and we dropped anchor at Castle Garden. At 11 o'clock Brother Taylor came on board to make arrangements to go on shore. The Saints had to do the best they could [p. 43] this night as they had destroyed their beds expecting to go on shore.
The next day the government officers came on board to inspect us. We all got landed with our luggage in Castle Garden expecting to take the cars next day, but the man that Brother Taylor made the contract with wanted to back out but after waiting 5 days we got started on the 4th of June and went to Williamsburg. On the 6th we took train for St. Joseph by Albany & Niagara Falls, through Chicago & Quincy and arrived at Wyoming on the 14th of June. We had to stay here for 8 weeks, there was much sickness. We could not do anything until Brother T. Taylor came which was in July then we had to buy cattle and some wagons. The first company of Danes started on the 1st of August; we started from Wyoming on the 11th, about the 25th we passed Fort Kearney. On the 6th of Oct. We camped just west of Devil's Gate, was at the 3 Crossings on the 9th and 10th. Snow on the ground which delayed us 3 days. The roads was now bad and we traveled slow. We was met by some teams from the valley with flour. . . . [p. 44] [ABRUPT END TO JOURNAL]
BIB: Pixton, Robert. Autobiography (Ms 5474 fd. 1), pp. 43-44. (CHL)
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