Pioneer Day Countdown: July 10, 1847 (Saturday)

As the pioneers entered "mountain country", the path became more rugged, and new obstacles arose.  These obstacles were vastly more difficult than the problems the pioneers had faced in the past.

The Morning:

William Clayton

After breaking camp at 8 a.m., the pioneers travelled around 3 miles, passing a "valley with many cedar trees."  They found a spring with copper-tasting water, which according to William Clayton, "had a singular effect on the mouth" and caused the wet, red soil to "look like blood at a distance."

From the spring, the pioneers had to cross a ridge, which Orson Pratt noted was 7,315 feet above sea level. To get down from the ridge, the Saints had to make the road suitable for wagon crossing.

William Clayton noted, "about halfway down, there was a place over huge rocks, leaving barely enough room for a wagon, but by labor it was soon made possible."

Brigham Young, 1850

Heber C. Kimball

Further down, the pioneers had to use shovels to dig a wider path between the mountain gap.  The most energetic workers of the company, leading by example, were the Prophet Brigham Young and Apostle Heber C. Kimball.  Clayton stated, "they labored hard with a number of others and in about a half hour made a good road."








The Afternoon:

At 1:45, the company stopped to rest.  They stopped near a place described by Thomas Bullock as "Gunpowder Springs", because it bubbled up clear and "tastes like gunpowder and smells like rotten eggs."

Around 3:00, they started their trek again.  Again, they had to climb another ridge, so steep that the teams "had to make a zig-zag road to the top." Going down required the wagon wheels to be locked, and everybody to hike down on foot.

Thomas Bullock

After reaching the bottom of the slope, Bullock described it as "jumping off the roof of a house. It was long, steep and dangerous." Luckily, there were no injuries.

The wagons travelled around the base of the mountain, searching for the easiest path for their oxen teams.  After climbing on more ridge, they finally made camp on the banks of a small stream.  They had travelled 18 miles that day!

"It was a mountainous day's journey," Bullock recounted.

Their camp was just south of present-day Evanston.

The Evening:

Yesterday, Wilford Woodruff had come down with mountain fever, and reported he was still feeling weak from the sickness, however, "the fever had broken and was on the way to recovery."

There was some anxiety throughout the camp, because the company had heard stories regarding the ill-fated Donner party just a year prior.  They were following the same route.  The Donner Party included people from Independence, Mo, who had threatened they would persecute the Mormons in California.  Wilford Woodruff, while pondering the ill-fated Party, wrote, "they set on on their journey with that spirit in their hearts."

Later in the evening, Miles Goodyear, a fur trader/settler in the area, came to visit the pioneer company. Goodyear lived in a cabin near Ogden, and the pioneers had heard about him. He urged the Saints to settle near him, and "gave more favorable report than some we have heard," Clayton said. However, "we have an idea he is anxious to have us make a road to his place through selfish motives."

The Goodyear Cabin next to Ogden Utah Temple

Source: Kimball and Knight. 111 Days to Zion. Deseret News. Salt Lake City, 1978

Pioneer Day Countdown: July 9th, 1847 (Friday)

They had been traveling since April 5th, from Winter's Quarters. The day's rest gave the pioneers a chance to prepare for the last leg of their trip: the last 100 miles to Salt Lake City.

The Morning:

The morning bugle alarmed the camp to awake, breakfast was served, and the company hitched their wagons. By 8 a.m., the trek had resumed.

As the team moved away from Fort Bridger, they had to leave behind the smooth, heavily used Oregon Trail.  Instead, they took the Hastings track (the same path took by the Donner Party a year earlier). The Route follows closely to our present-day I-80.

Hastings is the Red Line

However, the Saints didn't have a river to follow, or an easy trail for a guide; instead, all they had were some vague maps, written descriptions, and some wagon tracks from the Donner Party a year prior.

Erastus Snow commented: Fortunately for us, the earlier travelers left behind a faint track, though their trail in many places is scarcely discernible."

Erastus Snow 1850

Afternoon:

The pioneers reached a spring from which Three Mile Creek sprang, and decided to rest a bit. Their next obstacle was pulling their wagons over a large hill on a rough road.

Orson Pratt climbed onto a high ridge near the top of the bluff, and used his sextant to measure the pioneer's position.  Orson did this every day to measure the latitude and longitude, and then proceeded to write the coordinates in his journal.

Orson Pratt, 1852

A sextant.

Orson Pratt did this, because the pioneers were concerned about making a reliable and detailed map of the route.  This would later serve as a guide for other emigrant parties. 

Then, the company descended the bluffs.  According to William Clayton (the author of Come, Come Ye Saints) the bluffs were "the steepest and most difficult we have ever met, being almost perpendicular." To do this, the pioneers locked the rear wheels and restrained the wagons by ropes. 

William Clayton

This is from Hole in the Rock (1879), but illustrates restraining the wagons by rope. 

Mid-Afternoon:

After crossing creeks, rivers, and seemingly never-ending hills, the pioneers stopped for the day around 3 p.m. . They pitched their tents and set-up camp.  From the morning, they had traversed 13 miles.

They stopped early because it was good for cattle grazing. "There is plenty of tall bunch (like wheat) grass, and a good chance for our teams [to eat], " Clayton explained.

Bunch grass was much more nutritious than prairie grass, which had been the cattle's main diet for most of the trip.  Luckily, bunch grass would become more common as they travelled towards Utah. 

Bunch Grass

Sickness Began:

Mountain fever began to be reported throughout the camp.  Mountain fever happens from being bitten by an infected tick, and can be fatal. Symptoms are large areas spotted with rashes, intense headaches, joint pain, cold chills, and hot flashes.  Two of the individuals affected were William Carter and Wilford Woodruff.

History: William Carter was a glass/blacksmith.  Joined the church while a teenager in England. He was the first to plow the soil in the Salt Lake Valley.  Later, he settled in St. George and worked as a temple worker. 

William Carter later in life.

Evening:

The pioneers were enjoying the warm, and nice weather. A number of men gathered near Brigham Young's wagon and serenaded him with hymns. 

Source: Knight and Kimball. 111 Days to Zion. Deseret News. Salt Lake City, 1978. 

Pioneer Day Countdown: July 8th, 1847 (Thursday)

Yesterday, the Pioneers had reached Fort Bridger, and camped near unto it.  The company decided to stay one more day to "set some tires", rest their animals, and do some shopping.

The morning:

It was cold when they woke up in the morning; cold enough that ice had formed in their water buckets and around the streams.  To add to the cold, there was also a brisk wind which whipped about the wagon covers.

A view of Bridger Valley, WY

Many of the Saints went to the fort to barter and trade. One man, Howard Egan, swapped two rifles for "19 buckskins, three elk skins, and other articles for making moccasins."

Howard Egan

President Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball bought hunting shirts and pants as well as "20 good skins."

The Fort was pretty expensive compared to others they had been to along the road.  For this reason, only a few were successful at trading their goods for others.  Most of the time, they weren't able to get high enough offers for their own belonging to trade. 

Recovered Hobbies:

Wilford Woodruff loved fishing, and was excited to buy a fishing rod and supplies to fish (for the first time since England) at a stream near the fort. 

When Wilford went to the stream to fish, other fishermen (using real meat and locusts) told him there weren't many fish and they weren't biting. "It was the first time I had tried it in America," Wilford said, "or even saw it tried.  He cast his artificial fly, and to the amazement of the other fishermen, a trout promptly struck the line.  To his delight, he caught 12 large fish that day, weighing in a total of 9 pounds. 

"The rest of the camp did not catch three pounds all together. This is proof that the artificial fly is the best to fish with," Wilford stated.

Wilford Woodruff as a young man.

A Scuffle:

In Pueblo, during the Mormon Battalion service, a trapper named Tim Goodale had stolen the Mormon's horses and mules.  Only one of the animals was recovered later. 

Sgt. Thomas Williams

Sgt. Thomas Williams of the Mormon Battalion saw Goodale at the fort, cornered him, and seized one of Goodale's horses, saying he "could recover the loss from his own men."

Coincidentally, it was also decided this day that Sgt. Williams and Samuel Brannan go back along the trail to meet members of the Mormon Battalion detachment coming from Pueblo. The 140 men hadn't been fully discharged or paid, so there was talk of sending a group to California to collect the payment.

A Time to Prepare:

Much of the camp was busy mending the wagons, shoeing horses, and getting ready for the final and difficult trek through the Rocky Mountains. 

The foreboding beginning of mountains in Bridger Valley.

Source: Knight and Kimball. 111 Days to Zion. Deseret News. Salt Lake City, 1978

Pioneer Day Countdown: July 7th, 1847 (Wednesday)

The Pioneers wanted to reach Fort Bridger (Wyoming). This was their goal for the day. Fort Bridger was a trading post, and marked the beginning of the last leg of their trek to Salt Lake City.

Fort Bridger

The Great Salt Lake was around 100 miles away, which seemed so small compared to their last portion of the journey from Winter Quarters (covering 1000 miles). It was a blessing for them to reach the fort and realize the difficult journey was soon finished. 

Here is how their joyful day began:

The morning: 

The pioneers broke camp at 7:30 a.m. and prepared to travel across the twisting Black's Fork River. The river is long, and windy, but it was just the beginning of many river crossings that day.

Black's Fork River

Afternoon:

By noon, the company had covered over nine miles on rough, uneven terrain. Their motivation was high, and many were excited to reach Fort Bridger by the evening. This pushed the group forward quickly. 

Wilford Woodruff, a fisherman at heart, commented that the company crossed "more than a dozen trout brooks" and some lucky men went fishing and caught some trout (the first Wilford had seen since leaving England). 

Early Evening:

The Pioneer Company entered the Bridger Valley, which was dotted with many Indian dwellings and the famous trading post, Fort Bridger. The Fort was not very impressive, but the scenery was reassuring. The company camped out about a half-mile past the fort where "the grass was knee deep and better, " Thomas Bullock commented.

Thomas Bullock

It was a lovely, peaceful scene; lush with streams from melting snow, running into the Black Fork. 

A picture of Bridger Valley

However, from here on out, the travel would become more difficult. The Pioneers were about to enter the Mountain Region. Although the Great Salt Lake was only 100 miles away, they had to traverse rocky, mountainous terrain. It was not going to be easy for them. 

Source: Knight and Kimball. 111 Days to Zion. Deseret News. Salt Lake City. 1978. p. 214-15

Aba Nigeria Temple Dedication Prayer: Dedicated 7 August 2005 by Gordon B. Hinckley

Almighty Father, to whom we bow with reverence and love, hear our prayer of dedication on this historic day. We are gathered together in a solemn assembly. Our hearts are filled with thanksgiving for this day when Thy holy house is completed.

We thank Thee for all that has gone before to make this day possible. We thank Thee for Thine ordained Prophet, Joseph Smith, who called upon Thee in prayer, and for Thine appearance, and the appearance of Thy Beloved Son and for the coming forth of Thy works that followed—the translation and publication of the Book of Mormon, the restoration of the priesthood under the hands of those who held it anciently, the keys brought by Moses, Elias, and Elijah.

We thank Thee for the faith of Thy people through all of the many years since the Church was organized. At one time, they were driven and pursued, persecuted and murdered. Their love for the eternal gospel was stronger than their love of life. We thank Thee for this time when Thy Church is increasingly admired and respected.

We thank Thee for the revelation under which the priesthood has been made available to all worthy men, regardless of where they might live or any circumstances of their lives.

Now, acting in the authority of the holy Melchizedek priesthood in us vested, and in the name of our divine Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ, we dedicate and consecrate unto Thee and Thy Beloved Son this the Aba Nigeria Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We dedicate the ground on which it stands with its vegetation which gives beauty and harmony to this and surrounding structures. We dedicate this magnificent temple itself, with all its parts, fixtures and appurtenances. We dedicate the footings, the foundation, and every part of the superstructure. We dedicate the walls, windows and doors, the roof, and the steeple with the shining figure of Moroni.

We dedicate all of the interior features, the baptistry, the various rooms and facilities for instruction and the administration of sacred ordinances, the magnificent celestial room, and the sealing rooms with their sacred altars. We dedicate the offices, halls, and other facilities that all may accommodate the needs of those who will here serve.

We pray, O God our Eternal Father, that Thou wilt accept this holy house as the gift of Thy faithful Saints throughout the world, whose tithes and offerings have made it possible. It stands resplendent in beauty and strength, a symbol to all of the eternal nature of man. Wilt Thou deign to visit it and glorify it with Thy presence. Cause that Thy Holy Spirit may dwell here at all times, that it may be sacred unto Thy people and magnificent in its purpose and design.

May all who look upon it do so with reverence and respect. May no unhallowed hand vandalize it in any way. May it always be sacred to those who are eligible to come within its walls. Save it from storm and tempest. We pray likewise for the associated structures, that all may stand together to serve Thy purposes.

In the spread of Thy work over the earth, we have in this good land and in other nations of Africa, strong stakes of Zion with disciples of great faith, obedient to Thee, and with a desire to carry eternal truth to many more.

Bless this nation that it may rise in strength and freedom among the nations of Africa. Bless its leaders that they may look with favor upon Thy Saints and safeguard their rights, property, and privileges.

Bless Thy faithful people and keep them from disease and pestilence, from poverty and want, from conflict of any kind, and from political oppression.

Dear Father, we pray for all who shall serve here, whether as workers or patrons. May they be worthy in every way. May no unworthy individual enter these sacred portals.

We ask that Thy special blessings may rest upon the temple president and his counselors, and upon the temple matron and her assistants. Grant them strength and energy to carry forward their arduous responsibilities, and may they find unmeasured joy in this consecrated service.

We also dedicate the beautiful new stake center. May it serve Thy people well. May it be respected as a sacred house of worship. May Thine eternal truth be spoken from its pulpit. May the precious privilege of partaking of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper be here enjoyed. May the classrooms be consecrated places of learning of Thee and Thy kingdom. May the recreation hall be a place of sociality and the building of friendship.

We likewise dedicate the structure which will accommodate the housing of temple patrons, together with all other facilities of this beautiful campus designed to bless Thy people in this good land.

We pray for Thy work throughout the earth and for all engaged in Thy service. We pray for Thy servant who is here today and is old in years. Give him strength according to his needs. Bless all of the general officers of Thy kingdom wherever they may serve. Inspire and magnify them in their responsibilities.

Now, Thou Great Elohim, again we express our thanks and our love. Again, we pray for Thy blessings, those requested and those unmentioned of which we stand in need. We bear witness and testimony to all the world of Thy living reality, our Father and our God; of the living reality of Thy Beloved Son, our Lord and Redeemer; and that Thou hast restored Thy Church and kingdom in this the dispensation of the fulness of times. We so testify and pray unto Thee in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

---

"'Rise in strength…among the nations of Africa,'" Church News 13 Aug. 2005: 4.

A Vision of Christian Martyrs

Told by Edward Stevenson:

"During the Prophet's visit [to Pontiac], he came to our house.  My heart swelled with love as I selected and presented him with some of our choice apples.  While looking over our copy of a large English Book of Martyrs, he expressed sympathy for the Christian martyrs and a hope for their salvation.  He asked to borrow the book, promising to return it when he should meet us again in Missouri.  

On returning it he said, "I have, by the aid of the Urim and Thummim, seen those martyrs.  They were honest, devoted followers of Christ, according to the light they possessed.  They will be saved."

Edward Stevenson, "Autobiography of Edward Stevenson", typescript, LDS Church Archives, cited in Hyrum and Helen Mae Andrus, They Knew The Prophet, p. 85.

Joseph Smith in Richmond Jail

The fall of 1838 was a time of severe persecution for the Saints. They had been expelled from Jackson County and had begun to gather in Far West, Missouri. As their numbers grew there, the non-Mormon residents in the area again began to be concerned; what followed, between election day on August 6 and the end of the year, is sometimes called the Mormon War.

Joseph Smith was imprisoned in Richmond during this time. On November 24, 1838, after about a month in jail, he wrote a poignant and touching letter to his family.

"My dear Emma,
We are prisoners in chains, and under strong guards, for Christ['s] sake and for no other causes. Although there have been things that were unbeknown to us and altogether beyond our control, that might seem to the mob to be a pretext for them to persecute us, but on examination I think that the authorities will discover our innocence and set us free. But if this blessing cannot be obtained, I have this consolation that I am an innocent man, let what will befall me.

"I received your letter, which I read over and over again -- it was a sweet morsel to me. Oh God, grant that I may have the privilege of seeing once more my lovely family in the enjoyment of the sweets of liberty and sociable life. To press them to my bosom and kiss their lovely cheeks would fill my heart with unspeakable gratitude. Tell the children that I am alive and trust I shall come and see them before long. Comfort their hearts all you can, and try to be comforted yourself all you can.

"There is no possible danger but what we shall be set at liberty, if justice can be done -- and that you know as well as myself. The trial will begin today for some of us. Lawyer Rice, and we expect Doniphan, will plead our cause. We could get no others in time for the trial. They are able men and will do well, no doubt. Brother [George] Robinson is chained next to me -- he has a true heart and a firm mind; [Brother Robinson's wife was Sidney Rigdon's daughter], Brother Wight, is next; Br. Ridgon next; Hyrum next; Parley next, Amasa [Lyman] next. And thus we are bound together in chains as well as the cords of everlasting love. We are in good spirits and rejoice that we are counted worthy to be persecuted for Christ['s] sake.

"Tell little Joseph he must be a good boy [6 years old]. Father loves him with a perfect love. He is the eldest -- must not hurt those that are smaller than [he] but comfort them. Tell little Frederick [2 1/2] father loves him with all his heart -- he is a lovely boy. Julia is a lovely girl [7 years old] -- I love her also. She is a promising child; tell her father wants her to remember him and be a good girl. Tell all the rest that I think of them and pray for them all. Br. Babbit is waiting to carry our letters for us; Colonel Price is inspecting them. Therefore my time is short. Little Alexander is on my mind continually [1 1/2 years old]. 

"Oh, my affectionate Emma, I want you to remember that I am a true and faithful friend to you and the children forever. My heart is entwined around yours forever and ever. Oh may God bless you all, amen. I am your husband and am in bonds and tribulation etc.,

"Joseph Smith, Jr.

"P.S. Write as often as you can, and if possible come and see me -- and bring the children if possible. Act according to your own feelings and best judgment, and endeavour to be comforted, if possible. And I trust that all will turn out for the best. Yours,
"J.S."

A 13-day trial resulted in the release of many of the Mormon leaders being held because of insufficient evidence. Joseph and four others were sent to Liberty Jail in Clay County, Missouri, where they were held until the following April; then Joseph was finally reunited with his family and the other Saints in Quincy, Illinois.


(Letter transcribed from original held by the RLDS Church, and annotated by Robert J. Matthews; from an address given at the Utah State University South Stake Center, Logan, Utah; December 9, 1973)

Copyright 1998, David Kenison and LDS-Gems

Joseph Smith, a Doctor, and a Broken Carriage

When playing in the yard of the old white mansion, in Nauvoo, with Joseph and Frederick, two of his sons, a gentleman drove to the gate and asked if the Prophet Joseph Smith was at home; when he (the Prophet) sprang up from the grass plat, and, shaking the dust from his clothing, replied that he was.

The gentleman then drove his one horse up to a tie post and left the lines lying loose, and got out and came into the house. When about half way to the house Joseph said, "Mr., I think you would do well to tie your horse; he might get a scare and run away and break your carriage."

The gentleman replied, "I have driven that horse for some years and never tie him. I am a doctor and cannot afford to tie up at every place I call."

Joseph repeated, "You had better tie, all the same. Your horse might get a scare and run away."

The doctor replied, "No fear."

Joseph seemed quite uneasy, and got up several times from his chair on the porch or stoop to look at the horse. Suddenly the horse started up the street and struck a wheel against a post and scattered the pieces for a block or more. The doctor sprang to his feet, and looking after the horse, cried out to Joseph, "I'll be damned if you ain't a Prophet!"


(John Smith in "Recollections of the Prophet Joseph Smith," Juvenile Instructor 27 (1892), pp. 172-3)

Joseph Smith's Faith in Prayer: Told by John Lyman Smith

Some of those who knew Joseph Smith shared wonderful insights into his character:

Elder John Lyman Smith, brother to the late President George A. Smith, who now resides at St. George, Washington County, Utah, was born November 17th, 1828, at Potsdam, St. Lawrence County, New York. He was baptized at Kirtland, Geauga County, Ohio, when eight years of age. At this place he first met the Prophet Joseph Smith. The following incidents he relates of the Prophet, with whom he lived for several months when a boy:

In my early years I used to often eat at the table with Joseph the Prophet. At one time he was called to dinner. I being at play in the room with his son Joseph, he called us to him, and we stood one each side of him. After he had looked over the table he said, "Lord, we thank Thee for this Johnny cake, and ask Thee to send us something better. Amen." The corn bread was cut and I received a piece from his hand.

Before the bread was all eaten, a man came to the door and asked if the Prophet Joseph was at home. Joseph replied he was, whereupon the visitor said, "I have brought you some flour and a ham."

Joseph arose and took the gift, and blessed the man in the name of the Lord. Turning to his wife, Emma, he said, "I knew the Lord would answer my prayer."

From this time to his death I always revered and honored him, and when but a boy of ten or twelve years have in Nauvoo often said to him I was ready to die for him.