I, William Lawrence Hutchings hereby endeavor to give an full account of our journey from England to Utah, North America. I leave Winsham on the 21 of March 1857, with my wife, the daughter of George Robins of Winsham, Somerset. Her father hauls our luggage and accompanied us to Taunton. There we took the seven o'clock train and went to Bristol. The same evening my brother-in-law met us at the station & took us to his house.

Sunday 22 Went to the station to meet Brother Edward Harding the president of the Dorsetsher [Dorsetshire] Conference of which we were members. With him were Sister Anne England of Bridport. She was going to emigrate with us. Took them to my sister's house at St. [-]. Took breakfast. In the afternoon attended the meeting of the Saints. There we found [-] Martin the pastor and several Saints that were going to leave the following morning. Stopped at my sister's that night.

Took the 5 o'clock train in the morning the 23rd with Marting & [-] for Liverpool where we arrived about half past five the same evening. The day was cold and snowing. Took our luggage to Mrs. Combs, Number Eleven Hunting Street. There we lodged.

Tuesday 24th, I went in search of our large cloth bag from 9 in the morning until 6 in the evening but could not find it. It was sent by luggage train and had not arrived.

Wednesday 25th - Took the steamboat. Went over to Burtonhead and got them to telegraph to Tauton for it but received no [-]. Returned and went again to Park Lane Station and there found it. There arrived at one o'clock all soft. Took it to our lodge.

Thursday, 26 - Got ready and got our things to the Waterloo Dock. There the ship called the George Washington was laying. Went aboard her the same evening and launched out in the river that night.

Friday 27 Stopped in the river. Brothers Pratt, Benson, Ray, and others came on board and preached to us.

Saturday 28 Early in the morning some of the brethren came out with the [p. 1] steamboat that took us out in the open channel, then returned. The wind being in our favor, we took good speed. In the afternoon Sister Hutchings was taken sick. The brethren organized the ship into forwards, Brother Parks being captain of the company. Our berth was in the hind part of the ship with the president of the 5 ward which was John C. [-]. The afternoon came in rainy & through the night. Then there was four teachers appointed over each ward for to see that everything was kept clean. Brother Hall appointed me as his first teacher.

Sunday, 29 - Many were sick but public prayers were held in each ward morning & evening. The day was fair.

Monday, 30 - Sickness increased so much that we could not hold our meetings, the sea being very high and rain almost all the time. I also felt very sick.

Tuesday, 31 - Very fair and sea very calm. Good wind so we got out in the Atlantic Sea. I felt better and went on guard at the main hatchway. That night from nine to twelve.

Wednesday, April 1 - The sea and wind was very high and heavy storms passing.

Thursday 2 - The sea and wind very rough.

Friday 3 The weather was favorable. I went cooking in the galley that day.

Saturday 4 The weather favorable. I was this day appointed cook for one half of the Saints which was about 400 souls.

Sunday 5 Fine.

Monday 6 Conference meetings were held on the deck. The weather fair.

Tuesday 7, Wednesday 8, Thursday 9, Friday 10, Saturday 11 was fine.

Part of Saturday, Sunday 12th, and part of Monday 13 we were crossing the banks of Newfoundland which were cold and very foggy and some rainfall.

Tuesday, 14 - The sea was very calm. Not scarce a wind to be seen.

Wednesday 15th, Thursday 16th, Friday 17th - The sea was very high but the wind was in our favor until the evening of the 17th when it got very high. About four o'clock our cooking stoves got loose. The barrel of grease overturned and flowed over the stoves and caught in a flame while Brother [p. 2] Jarvis, the other cook, was endeavoring to fasten the cast but could not. Brother Jarvis made his escape out of the galley unhurt while myself and two others got burnt. One of them was a brother, the other, a sailor, but I was burnt [-] the most. The galley door was so much [-] that I could not get out but had to past back through the galley in the midst of the fire to the other door for to get out. My face and arms was burnt much. The left arm was most. It was burnt from the fingers to the elbow and the skin full of it. I went down below and called for the elders to lay their hands on me and anoint me with oil and rebuck the fire. They did so and the [-] of the fire leave my face. They wrapped up my wound and put me to a bed.

Saturday 18 Laid abed. Sister Hutchings was still sick and could not get up nor wait on herself.

Sunday 19 Got up and attended meeting. In the afternoon the lower [-]. Brother Blundon attended on me and dressed my wounds.

Monday, 20 - Early in the morning we anchored in the river of Boston, making the passage in 23 days. We all passed the inspectors. The same evening a very heavy storm of rain & snowfall and the wind very high such as we had not before seen. Boston streets were nigh full.

Tuesday 21 Continued to rain & snow.

Wednesday 22 The steam tug came out and took us into the harbor of Boston. The weather fair.

Thursday 23 The weather was fine. We leaved the ship this morning, part our things on wagons and took them to Woostors Depot Station in Boston and leaved with the cars about 2 o'clock. Boston is very large and beautiful city. The country a little from there is very hilly and almost covered with rock. Streams of water come out of the rocks both sides of the road from the mountains as we pass through. We traveled all night laying on our luggage for bed. The night was cold and frosty.

Friday 24 We arrived at [-] Side at eight o'clock in the morning. There we changed cars, passed [p. 3] the river in a steamboat, passed through the city to the New York Central Station. Leaved there about 2 o'clock and arrived at the city Utica at 7 in the evening. Leaving from there, traveling all night, arrived at the city of Rochester at twenty minutes to five in the morning.

Saturday the 25th. The weather was fine. We traveled on and arrived at Buffalo City at 11 the same morning. Stopped there until 8 in the evening. We again took the cars and arrived and Eril City at one in the morning making [-]. Leaving from there we arrived at Cleveland City at 7 a.m.

Sunday 26 The weather was fine. We there leaved the cars. Stopped there all day. Slept in the cars at night. Cleveland is a beautiful place, [-] of steamshipping. There the water is fresh and the lake is more than 70 miles wide.

Monday 27 We leaved at past 5 in the morning. The weather fine, and we arrived at the city Toledo at one o'clock in the morning, 111 miles. Changed cars and stopped there till past 9 p.m. Again took the cars, travel all night.

Tuesday 28 Arrived at Bristol Station at a past 11 a.m. Pleasant weather, having traveled 135 miles we again leaved from there. Travel all night calling at different stations.

Wednesday 29 Arrived at Chicago City Station at past 7 a.m. Changed cars and stopped there till past 4 p.m. We leaved there by express and got to Rock Island at 2 a.m. Changed cars.

Thursday 30 Leaved Rock Island at 4 a.m. with the first class train and arrived at Iowa City Station at 11 o'clock a.m. We then leaved from there for the camping ground. The distance of 3 miles from the city. Stopped on the ground until the evening in the open air. Then Brother James A. Little came on the ground with the tents. Put them up and slept in them. The evening was very rainy and the night.

Friday, May 1 - Rainy.

Saturday, 2 - Fair. . . . [p. 4]

. . . Friday [September 11], camp moved at [-] 8 a.m. Travel within 5 miles of the city to the Human Square and camped. . . . [p. 14]

BIB: Hutchings, William Lawrence. Diary (Ms 8297), pp. 1-4, 14 (CHL)
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