. . . I am certain that the reason we were brought to this wonderful land was on account of our parents being such staunch supporters of Mormonism and made their home a gathering place of the elders and converts to the Church. So as the Bible says, "Cast your bread upon the waters, and after many days it will return to you ten fold." [Ecclesiastes 11:1] It proved so in our case.
On April 19, we took the train from Glasgow, and from there we traveled by boat to Liverpool, there we were transferred to the sailing ship, John J. Boyd. We sailed out onto the broad Atlantic Ocean, with no other thought in mind but to get to Zion. The trip was practically without incident. After five weeks and four days one morning we sighted land, and I don't think Columbus and his crew were any more pleased than we were. The ship docked at Castle Garden, and we were herded like sheep to street cars, and were put on the train. Talk about rough riding I don't think a trip down Lake Creek Canyon on a wagon load of wood was any worse.
At this time, 1862 the North and South were at war and terrible battles were being fought. The railroads were not like they are now, we didn't know at the time why they went so fast over such rough roads. The real reason was, fear of being captured by the Southern Army. Arriving at St. Louis we were transferred to a steamboat and traveled up the Missouri to Omaha. We had to wait here for three weeks for the ox teams to take us on the last part of our thousand mile journey across the plains and mountains to our new home. While waiting for the wagon train, there were some terrible thunder storms, and several men were killed. I must mention at this time, that we were met at the boat by Robert McKnight.
He had a basket of scones and butter and buttermilk. It was a blessing from God to us for all we had had for several days was dry bread that dear mother had rationed out to us, and gone without herself. The food brightened us up and also made like long friends of the McKnight family. If this good man had been paid for his medical services that he gave to the pioneers in Heber Valley, his old age could have been more comfrotable. His main rememdy was herbs. The midwives also gave their time and services with very little compensation.
The Church had a store at Florence and w were able to get what we needed for our journey. We waited seven weeks before the wagons came [p.1] to take us to Salt Lake City. It was a strange sight to us when they did come. We had never seen oxen and men driving them with their long whips and shouting, "Whoa, Ha and Gee" at them. We were assigned to John Turner's wagon in Homer Duncan's train to cross the plains. It was a very trying time for everyone traveling day after day in the heat, dust and winds. We did our cooking in skillets over smokey fires and slept in tents with ten to fifteen men, women and children. Flour and bacon was about all the food we had. Usually the water was bad, and sometimes no wood to burn. It was in this way that we moved along at about fifteen miles a day, often resting on Saturday afternoon to wash and clean ourselves up. All day Sunday was spent resting. Prayers were offered night and morning, and often signing and dancing in the evenings. We were two months moving from Florence to Salt Lake and Heber, arriving on September 21, 1862. . . . . . [p.2]
BIB: Lindsay, James. Autobiography (Mss A-729, pp. 1-2) (Utah Historical Society)
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