Aug 7th 1849 I find that my trade was failing just I thought I had better close up my business and go to America, so I sold all my furniture, my stock in cloths. A saturns and velvets and silk and thread I brought with me to America and the 18 day of Aug 1849. I with my family and father & mother left Dudley for Liverpool. We arrived in Liverpool at (10) [p.2] o'clock at night on the same day which was Saturday. Sunday the 19 we look about Liverpool. Monday 20 I paid our passage money which amounted to 20 pounds 10 shillings on the ship General Taylor. She was to sail on the 21 but she did not sail till Tuesday the 23 1849 which day we left Liverpool. I bound the Captain charts and tailor for him, he boarded me and my family across the seas. We had a pleasant voyage of 5 weeks all but a day we arrived in the city of Philadelphia on Tuesday Sept 25 1849. We stayed in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Wednesday 26, Thursday 27, and Friday 28. We left for Pottsville, arrived in Pottsville at dark. I got a cab to take me and family to a hotel on Saturday 29. I left my family in the hotel with Father and Mother and I started for Bloomberg. I had to walk 34 miles. I was very tired about 7 o'clock at night. I got to Bloomberg, I found Brothers Mantle and Rossiter in a store they took me to their home, the women did not know me in the dark but in the light they soon know who I was. They got me supper and did well by me. Sunday me and Brothers Mantle and Rossiter took a walk up to Brother Groom. I found the Brethren and Sister all in good spirits Brothers Mantle and Rossiter got me a team they all where very kind.

Monday Oct. 1st 1849 I with a man and team started for my family and father and mother. I paid my family bill at the hotel and on Tuesday Oct. 2 I started with my family from Pottsville. We all arrived in Bloomberg the same night. The next day Oct. 3 was Felix birthday. We all enjoy ourselves first rate. Me and my family boarded with Brother Rossiter and father and mother with Brother Mantle and we where all entertained first rate. We stop with them 3 weeks waiting for a house to be finished to go to me and Father keep a tailor store. After we get settle in our house. Brother Mantle asked me if they could have my shop for to meet in I told him they could. We organized a branch. We choose Brother George [p.3] Mantle as president. In May 1850 I baptized all of were [our] family. On account of there being meeting in my shop. My trade fell off so I did very bad. I had for to look out for another place in Bloomberg, Columbia, County Pennsylvania Sept. 21 1850. My wife brought me my 3 son she was very sick at the birth of him. He was bless by George Mantle Oct. 12 1850 at Bloomberg, Columbia County Pennsylvania.

In April 1851 me and father divided our stock of goods and father keeping on the business at the old stang and in May 1851 I took my family and started for Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. I started from Bloomberg by a canal boat. We went by said boat to the foot of the Allhegany Mountains and there came down into the water a rail road car and took the boat upon to the mountain and along the mountain and down the other side of mountain into the canal and the team took us on to Pittsburgh. And on the last of May we got to Pittsburgh. I took a house and went to work. I work 10 weeks and then trade fell of and I had nothing to do. I came in company [with] Jane Innes. She told me there was some Saints up Monongahela River, a Elizabeth Town. So I went up there I found no work there, I ask the Lord for to direct me where I could find work. I started on foot to McRee Port I had walked 4 miles then I sat down in the woods and there came a man and sat down by me and we began to talk and he told me where I could get work. I went on to McRee Port and stayed with Brother Groom. Next morning I went to Port Perry where I got good job of work as the man had said. I got a job for to cut for the store as a foreman at 18 dollars a week. I win for my but things down to Pittsburgh and to tell my wife. [UNCLEAR] I return next day to my work there 2 weeks and boarded at a beer house and I did not like it all. All thought they had all things very nice. I did not like boarding at a beer house. I told the boss that if I [p.4] could not get a house I should leave. He let my have one of the company's house one mile and a 1/4 from the store. The name of the company was Morrison McClaskey and Company, and so I went and settled up in the City of Pittsburgh and got my family and goods on board and boat "Thomas Scott." I got my family settled in the house and went to my work. Me and wife went and joined the Fort McRee Port Branch, Brother Richard Groom President. I took my family up to a conference at McRee Port there I was on the 1 day of Jan. 1852 ordained an elder in the West Elizabeth Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held at McRee Port Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. At the same conference I was chosen to preside over the Fort Perry Branch. Jan. 3 1852 I held the first counsel meeting. I there put the branch in running order. I appointed meeting for to preach on Sunday morning, in the afternoon a fellowship meeting. On Sunday evening, for preaching counsel meeting on Tuesday, fellowship on Wednesday evening I preach on Jan. 10. I choose Samuel Heron for to be clerk of branch and keep a true record of the said Branch and all accounts of money received. The conference went well for X [sic] years and then many to doubt the Church on account of polygamy, they would not have it that a man should have more than one wife and on account of this feeling they went back again, the conference all fell away from the Church. But the Fort Perry Branch. I hold them together fine and we run the branch without a Conference for a long time believing in the authority of the Church in the Salt Lake Valley. I call the branch together and told that we had all better go to St. Louis that was the nearest place where the authority was so all agree for the make for that places. The middle of March 1852, me and my family father and mother, start St. Louis on the boat "North River" we arrived in St. Louis in the last of March 1852.

April 2 1852 I received cash first for my work. We did not like St Louis at and on the last of April we took boat for Muscatine in the state of Iowa [p.5] [Moscow Township]. We was 3 days going up the Mississippi River when we got to Muscatine, we had 10 miles further in the country north. The first summer I did very bad.

July 25, 1852 my wife brought me my first daughter. She was bless in Aug. 1852. We gave her the name of Sarah Jane and in the winter I made rails. Got me a cow this winter, I was preaching in Illinois and baptized Sister Frances and the next summer. I did very well. I had a good crop, when I bound up my wheat I was taken with the bilious fever and after I was get will I was taken down the fever with auger [PROBABLY MEANING, ague] which keep me sick til Nov 10 and all that I made in farming took me to pay the bills for been sick. My family suffered with fever and auger [ague] there was not one of us able the give the other a drink of water so we all was very bad. Mr. Frances, a neighbor of mine, come to my house and said that if I would go to the Valley he would go with me. I made my mind and I told I would go Jan 1st 1854. I went to his place for to help to attend his stock. I help him to fix his wagons, I made him two (2) wagon boxes, and made the bows and painted the wagons all over. I made him one tent. I work every after breaking cattle so by the last of March 1854 we all was ready to start. I drove team for him from March 31 1854 to Aug 5th for which he promises to pay me for but we never had a settled.

We got to Council Bluffs City about the 20th of May and on the 29 day of May we formed a company of 14 wagons and started for Utah. We had a good time of it across the plains all went of well. More like a pleasure trip. We get to Salt Lake City on the 5th day of Aug. 1854. We camp on the Union Square I went and took a house on the 15 ward. . . . [p.6]

BIB: Smout, Edwin W. Reminiscences and diary (Ms 4447 2), pp. 2-6. (CHL)
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