[Published on 07/14/20 by Digital Imaging Lab (1142)]

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MSS 7819 - William Dearborn Brown journal
Number of Pages: 73

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year 1745 there was a [---] of Browry of fore brothers lived in Finland
[-]ondon their names were John James Davi[-] and Amasa At this time there was great oppresion
of religeos liberty three of these brothers were primitive baptist they were poor
subjects for oppression therefore they thought best to seek the new world where they
could injoy their religeos views in pease they took ship for the new World and
after being tosted in the ship for many days by the roling billows and high winds they
they landed in the new world at providence Rhode island then the three brother sought
homes to suit them John staid at Providence Rhode island and James found his he[-]
Conictticut at a place then called clarisson and David found his way into Masichusetts
and we did not hear much from him only he raised a large family and one of his boys was
a captain under General Gorg Washington in the Revolution with Great Brittan
many years after my grandfather said he saw the <silver> knee buckels his brother David wore over
from England his son of the same name had them heere I will state three brothers had each
had each a troph[-] to be handed down to the oldest in the in the family of the s[-]
name and I at the death of the one [---]ing the troph[--] it passed to the oldest o[-]
the name they it after changed from one sons hands to an others
I will speak now of John Browns family he staid at Providence he raised quite a fam[---]
one of his sons by the name of John who it seems had buisness about him thoning
of the rest comenced in the commerce buisness and did more exporting and importing
than any other man in America at that time in consequence of his extensive buisnes[-]
he was called John Brown of Providence he had one son and several daughters
he carried shipbuilding heavily and various other buisness about the City and went into

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to speculation he bught a large tract of land to the size of about forty miles
[-]uire and sent surveyers with his son in law Mason to establish a coliny and to
inform hin [---] by giving him a full discription of the grade of land and
of the facilities for settlement they found a chance for small settlement
on the south west corner the rest so badly broken with mountains and rocks
when they wrote they closed by saying you wanted a discription of your land
it is Hemlock spruce up hill and down hell damnation to John Brown
The surveyings seased but the land remaind there to this day and there is some s[---]
settlements on it \ I will now speak of James Brown he <has> several sons but 2 shall
follow his son Amasa he was born in Claridon Connetticut and received his education
there became a preacher of the gospel according to the belief of the primitive baptist
Church in the year 1775 his second son was born his first was James second Benjamin
then there was Stephen Amasa John Antony and David the war then called
the Revolutionary war with Great Britton and on july the fo<u>rth of 76 Independan<ce>
of the Collonies from the mother country was declared and in a short time George
Washington was appointed commander in Chief of the collonial Army he called
elder Amasa Brown for chaplin in his army he remained there for some time
in 1783 elder Amasa Brown moved to the town of Hartford Washington county state
of New york took the parsonage of their Church and remained untill he died
he was liked by his Church and well loved by all outsiders especially by the younger part
of the people insomuch that young people often called uppon him for council and if any
were to be mariaed they always called upon elder Brown to mary them all most

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as far as he was known, he was quite excentric so much so that he could <reprove> all immorality with out offence
he always revrenced the sabath and <Said> it was rite to do good on that Day I will here State one
act of his such as he called doing good one of his neighbrs had been sick for some time
he had scrores of wheat that was about to go back into the ground and every man in the count<ry>
was buisy and no one to be hired Sabath morning came he went to church and the 
people gathered to gather for meeting elder Brown in the pulpit he gave a him
there made a prayer then he arose and said to the congregation brothers and
sisters our brother is sick and his wheat is going back in to the ground
and I think I can seve God better by going to help save his wheat
all thats fit to go follow me and put on his hat and walked out
and went to the field to work all followed it is usless to say the sick mans
wheat was all secured in that day. This is to show his trate of caracter he was
allways for doing some good ¶ James Brown the son of Amasa when he left home in
Washing county New york went to the State of vermont the he lost one wife and
marryed another raised a large family and did a good buisness at  farming an[d]
mercantile buisness When about 55 the removed to St. Lawrence county in the state
of Newyork and bought a large farm and was there the last I herd of him and last
time I was there I saw the Silver hed Cain that was brought from England by
his Grandfather ¶ I will now speak of John Brown Amasays third son when he went
left home he went to Franklin county in the same state there he remained for some
time in diferand kinds of buisness with good success and was married while there and
then moved to Gouvernuss St Lawrence county there he followed mercantile buisness

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for some years his health was poor he then moved back to Washington County and carried
on the mekentile buisness for about three years.
then he died and left a widow but no children he had acquired considerable property
now I will call your attention to Stephen Brown the the forth son of Amaso Brown he studied
law and when he left home he settled in the Town of St Alberns State of Vermont he fott[--]
the practice of law with Good success for many years the last I herd of him he was living
with his second wife had one son in the practice of law and one a methodice preacher
Amasa J Brown the 5 son of elder Brown left home and went to Franklin County and
worked for some time in the lumber department with good luck and made some money
then he moved to Swanton falls in Vermont there he followed mercantile busness
and also luwelering he made money fast he also filled the office of Judge and several other
offices with honor and trust and made himself ritch for that day but money is fleety one
of his debters broke and he lost seven thousand Dolars in one day the concequence was he was
oppressed by his creditors and was obliged to close his buisness at a heavy loss after he had squired
all out he moved back to Newyork into the [---] Township of Fine St Lawrence county and
there he bought a mill and Farm and lived there untill he died
Antony C Brown was the sixth son of Elder Brown he also studied law and when
he left home he went to St Lawrence County and settled in the town of
Ogdensburgh he has been in the practice of law there for many years and has sons
in that practice for years
David Brown was the seventh and youngest son of Elder Amasa Brown
he staid on the old homestead untill after Elder Browns death an then

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in conciquence of his family being large he had selven sons his farm was small
so he looked for more land for for his family he sold and moved to the western
part of the state to Alagony county and took land for all his boys
There he was in publick stations. he gave up the farm to the boys and attend the oft
now I have got through with all of elder Amas Browns <sons> but Benjamin he is the one
we wish to treat the most upon hee is the one our narative is founded upon therefore
we shall be more particular in itoms in his history [strange symbol] Benjamin Brown was born in
Claryton Connetticut in Oct <15> 1775 his father moved to the town of Hartford
Washington couty NewYork in the year 1783 there he remained untill he
he was nineteen years old with his father when he saw fit to Marry he found
a wife in the daughter of Abraham Vanderzei one of his neighours and was
married in April 1795 to Esther Vanderzei she was two years his [symbol] seignior
was Manervy she mariaed his wifes brother James Vanderzei Benjamin
Bruown remained in Hart ford but a shorttime then moved to Swanton Falls
in the state of Vermont there he remained abut fifteen years
Here I will give the family of Benjamin Brown in fool of all his children
Amasa Brown was born in the year 1797 March 23 David was born in the year 1798 Febrary
26 Hannah was born in the year 1800 June 16 Julia Almera was born in the year 1802
Abrahan was born in the year 1804 <July 10> Benjamin car. was born in the year 1806 October 15
Harriaet Esther was born in the year 1808 October 26 Martha Hoit was born in the year
1810 November 12 William Dearbon was born in the year 1813 Febuary 27

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John was born in the year 1815 May 26 Eliza ^Strong^ was born in the year 1817 June 21
Susan was born in the year 1819 October 6th these are all of Benjamin Browns children
we left him in the state of Vermont now we will return to his history while he
staid there he followed the ocupation of farming he left there and moved
to the tone of Gouvernuer St Lawrence County in the State of Newyork | there
he bought a new farm heavily timleris the timber was mostly beach maple
hemlock spruce linn elm and some other kinds the timber grew large here
often fore or five feet thick and very tall here he commenced a new farm and cleared
thrity acres seeded part of it to timothy grass fo hay the rest is grain put a good
fence around it and built a good log house and barn an Stock for the farm) when
he had been there two years the War between the united states and Great Britton was
Declared about a year after our shear town Ogdenburg was threatened with an attact
from the brittish[--] my father and oldest brother sholdered their guns and marched to the river
near Ogdensburg to prevent the brittish from crossing they remained there three months
before the danger was over then returned home There was war trouble in that part but there
was a fort kep up at Ogdensburg untill the war closed But soldiers often marched
part our place and stoped to our place and staid over nite they were always
well treated they behaved well and were not willing to take any thing without
paying for it My faher often refused pay for wood and other things of little
use to him But they always left something in place of it The war lasted
three years the closed my father was still farming in the same place But in a short
time he saw fit to sell ad move to an ajoining Township Eight miles from there

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7 My fathers a[-]d brothers built a good log house on our new farm and the fifth year after coming
to Gouvernuer we moved to our new home in the adjoining township in the month of Febuary
I was only three years old that month but my father and brothers comenced
clearing of the heavy timber preparitory for planting in the spring
they planted fifteen acres that spring they fenced some with rails some with
trees and brush after planting they comenced cutting logs and built a log barn made
shingle and covered it reddy for hay [checkmark] Then af[-]ter hoing the corn they went three miles
to a beaver meadow and cut hay and hauled home and put in the barn for winter use
we had a good crop of corn potatoes and wheat The next work to clear land make ashes and
Leech them and boil into potash and barrel up for market this continued for about five
years in the mien time nails wer searse and father bouught a set of cutter tals and heads ^en^
dyes for makeing nails and made nails for the settle ment the plates for the
were to be brought about one hundred miles to make the nails of this had to be done 
with wagons the nails when mad sold for Twenty five cents per pound When we had
been here about five years my father built a frame house and moved into
it This was the first frame in the settlement By this time we had some fifty
acres of improvement My grandfather and grand mother Vandwzee had been
liveing with is for some years But he left And went to live with his son in law
Silvester Stadard And staid there untill they died They were not far from eighty
fore years old About this time my father built a frame barn and sheds for the
cattle he Had seeded to Timothy and clover a large proportion of his improvement
So he had plenty of hay and pasture for his stock and plenty of lard

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To raise grain for his famrolys use And people began
to raise a sirpluss of grain Then my father and brother
David thought best to build a destilary they soon had
it[---] operation hired a Distiller and comenced to make
whiskey they bought grain and made whiskey sent off and
sold Their stilslop they bought cattle and hogs and fattened
for market They found this to be quite profitable buisness
They worked the farm Summers and and the destilary
winters for eight years Then the temperance societies
begun to be formed and preachers were electureing
through the country And peaple became very much
interrested upon that subjet all through the country
My father was verry much infavor of of temperance but he
did not join the society but said if the people would
stop Drinking spirits he stop furnishing it for them
So he stopped his Distilary Although it quite a damage to him
he sold the most of the tubs to the neighbors for Sap holders to
keep sap in ready for boiling in to Sugar the rest of the
things Such as the worn bia tubs and some of the other things
at a Reduced price to a man that was building a sistilary
some Distance away Then my father only farmed

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9 for a living Heal always grain and meat on hand to
give to poor people that could not raise money, to [---]y
with for work here I will State that he had a certin amous ^nt^
of grain or mead to give ^one^ bushel of corn of rye per day five
pounds of pork or tin of beef pickeled for one days work
this was his price invariably The most common price for
work was from fortyla to Seventy five cents per day And
the price of corn or rye from thirty five up some times
to one dollar and fifty cents But he never varied in his
price [-]e s[--]d a bushel of corn was not worth any more to
a fam[-]oly to eat when it was high than when it was
lo he mad no diferance he let my brother in law have
part of his farm and Brother Benjamin have another part
which reduced to about one hundred acres and about sixty acres
of improve He sold his house and buildings to my brother
and built a new house barn and sheds And moved to his 
new house dug well and prepared to live comfertable
again and lived there surrounded by many of his
children and held the office of overseer of the poor
for Twenty three years untill he died He was Seventy
seven years old when he died His wife was two years
his seignior and lived two years after his death When

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10 then died at the age of eighty one Both died at their
place and buryed at the same place side by si[--]
Brothe Amasa left home and worked in Sta[--]we[-]ner county untill
he was twenty fore years old then Mariaed a girl by the
name of Eliza Nickels ^from^ Deleware county he lived near my
fathers three years his wife got badly burned so that for three
months she was not able to leave the house then he was so
confined at home he carriaed her to her fathers And worked
in the blacksmith shop With her father for some years
Then he came back to my fathers And worked on the farm
with me Then he moved to some about one hundred miles
He left his oldest Daugher to my fathers took his son, James
and daughter Mary with him There he lost his wife And
marryed again was there about five years Then returned
home again there he lost his wife Then came to Michigan
where I then lived. Brother David went and worked in a
casding and cloth dressing mill learned that trade And
worked five years at that then came home and worked in
the destilary and mariaed Suannah Davis had one son only
After leaveing ^The^ Destilling he Bought a Sawmill and farm
after working them for some time he sold And moved
to Pontiac County Michigan abiut seven hundred miles

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11 There he bought a small farm But worked mostly at carpenter
work for three years Then sold his farm and moved to
Sona county there bought a farm Also worked at carpenter work
For eight years then sold his farm and bought A store
and goods and was keeping store the last I knew of him.
Brother Benjamin left home And took a trip to [--]wego a distance
of about one hundred miles and spent the summer there with uncle
Silvester Stodard And came home in the fall sick with the chills
and fever Soon after he got well We comenced carpenter work
with cousin Franklin Vanduzee and learned the trade Then
he marriaed Sarah Davis half sister to brother David wife
and moved to the township of Stockholm about fifty miles
distance there he bought A forge to make iron in
And part of his time he caried on the forge And the othe
part worked at Carpenter work ^then moved^ to the Town of Fowler
again boughy a place of fother Staid there untill my
father died and sold his place But was admistrator
of his estate and settled it then moved to the Township
of fine About twenty five miles and was there the
last I herd of him. Brothe Abrahan died before he
was two years old. Brother John was spoiled by fits
he lived with father untill he died the he went to

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12 live with Sister Hannah and her husband the last I herd
of him Now I will speak of my sisters Sister Hannah mariaed
Henry Johnson and lived there untill she died Sister Julia.
Marriaed Edwin O Davis and lived near there untill she died.
Harriaet Marryed Francis Kentfield Staid there for some
time then moved to Michigan the last I herd of her
Martha marriaed Knowlton lived with him for some
years untill he died then went to Davise to live And after
Julia died Staid and kept house for him
Eliza Marrieaed Silven[--] Walker and Staid and lived
with father and mother untill they died Then
sold and moved to Wisconsin
Susan died when about eight years old
Now I will speak of myself I was born in the year
of our Lord Febuary 27 1813 in the Township of
Gouvernuer in the County of St Lawrence and State
of Newyork When I was three years old my father
moved to the township of Fowler eight miles there
I enjoyed the senes of childhood playing talking and
laughing with children mates brothers and sisters many
of these plays and glees are still fresh in my memory
yet there my youthful days were in attending school

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13 working on the farm climbing trees Rambling through
the woods climbing over rocks and ledges going to the tops of
the hiest Mountains paddeing canoes on and swiming rivers
following the rivers and small streams catching fish
and Hunting small game such as squirrels fesants pigeons 
and all small animels and birds such as are good to eat and
Such as would destroy our crops
My chance at school was very limited as we lived some distance
from school the oldr boys had left home and my father
Was not well a large proportion of the time not able to 
attend business and sometimes obliged to keep his bed untill
I was eighteen years old His health then became better the winters
After I was nineteen and twenty I Attended school all winter
both win[---]e and by close aplication to studdy I learned
more tan I had all [-] had been to school before. the August
after I was twenty one my father gave me the rest of my time 
on Condition I would school myself that winter I Worked
by the month until school comenced then I worked for
my board mornings and nites and Attended School with
close application to my studdes I was thought to be the 
best in School The spring after I went to Oswego Lake
ontaria[-] there was not much work to be done there

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14 I got verry litle to do I went onto a schooner on
the Lake and worked six weeks my father wrote
to me He wanted to hire me to help build a house
I crossed the Lake into Cannada to visit some old
friends then went home When I came there my brothe
had taken the house by the job so I worked on it by
the month for him Then worked on other jobs upon
shares with him the most of the fall [start crossed out section] Then went and
worked with brother David that winter in the saw mill
For the spring I Purchased some goods and communeed
selling them and [---] untill July [---] green had[-] [end crossed out section]
I Attended school that fall and taught school in the winter
and worked on the farm the next season with my father the next
Winter I went to my brother Davids and worked with him 
in the sawmill Through the fall and winter untill [--] got through 
the spring and Finished it up Then I purchaseed some goods
and moved into a small place called Harrisville in
Jepesson County there I sold goods About three months then
a man proposed to buy me out The Banks Comenced
brakeing in new york the popers sated fifteen brok in
one week I thought best to sell I sold for some cash took
the rest in propity I was afterwords I had sold fo[--]in

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15 three months there was hardly a dollar to begot for anything
The next winter Congress passed an act suspending [crossed out] all debts
the collection of all debts for one year there by saveing the 
the people much trouble expence and costs of law suits
After selling I ^rode^ about and part of the time looking of the
Country the other part working in various places untill the
first of September then made a visit to my uncle in the
Township of Fine about twenty five miles from my fathers
he was Agent for land in that Township and offered me land on
time I bought 125 acres That fall I worked part of my time for
him and built a small house on my place But when I went to my
fathers he wanted I should work for him I worked through the
season with him in the fall I Attended a common School
taught by a Mr Hobert Then in the winter I Attended
an Acadamy School in the Town of Gouvermuer under
Direction of the Methodice diret[-]o[-] and governed by
that church in the Spring I went at work on the
farm again with my father Untill the first of Septermber
there was some of my old school mates going west 
And my Brother David had gone the first of September
I started west with my friests A. L [-] G W Mazeltine[-]
I traveled to Sackets Harber on Lake Ontaria in a

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16 wagon There I took steamboot to Rochester with my
friends the Lake was some what ruff one of my friends
was sesick as well as others there was a sister of a Methods preacher
from our County by the name of Squires that was very sick
And had no friends on board so I volenteered to assist her
So I had no time to be sick We stoped at a hotell in Bochester
and Stayee over nite in the morning we rambled about
the City and went to se Gennasee ^geneshee^ falls and saw the rock
where Sam Patch Jumped at the hite of sixty feet and
lost his life in the water below we saw all parts of the city
And were reddy at fore oclock and took the cars for bat[-]va and had
a nice ride of twenty two miles the first ride I ever took on
the cars here we left the cars and took the stage for Buffalo
we arived there at ^on o clock^ at nite and stoped al nite and
Stoped at the United States Motell and Slept the rest
of the nite the forepart of the day we rambled about the
City Ah two oclock in the evening we took Steamboat
for Detroit we banded there the second morning having 
had a goo time distance three hundred miles here my friends
left me I ate my breakfast about nine o clock then travel
twentyfive miles on foot to Panti[-]e there Staid over nite
Traveled the next day and the next fore non and came to my

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17 brother David on pine Run a distance of forty five miles
I found my brother sick there fore I helped him for a
few days to do some harvesting and found two cousins
Charle and Omphary Mclain there and had a good visit
with them and there famrolies after about two weeks
I came back ten miles to a Town Called Flint there
I worked about three weeks then went back to my
brothers and staid a few days he had just comenced
to work some I was short of money to travel with
but he was nedy I gave him three dollars and left
and came on my back track to pontiac there I turned
south to a small town 6 moles from Pontiac called 
commerce there I found my uncle Sylvester Slod[---]
and counsin Lial I left them and continued six 
miles further to a place called Milferd here I found
cousin Silverer Stodard staid one day with him then traveled
south to Dexter then Traveled west on the Detroit and Calamaze
road passed commerce and several other small towns and
crossed the short hills or [-]sd is called the back bone of Michigan
this is a low range of hills running north and Ssouth through
the state from it the | Waters flow east to Lake Erie and west
to Lake Michigan after crossing these and traveling about ten

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18 miles I came to Mr Thomas job of gradeing on the Michigan
senteral Railroad there I stopped and worked two weeks
at breaking down the hart dirt and wheeling off the dirt
my left rist become so lame where the bone was fractured fore
years before that I was ablive to quit work I traveled to
Jackson then took the road to the head waters of the St Joseph river
there I staid with a Mr Dexter six weeks my rist became better then
I traveled north staid that nite with a man by the name
of cole he hired me to help gather his corn I worked two weeks
then went to the city of Mashel on the Calamazoo road then
traveled east near Ablion there I taught School two months
in the time I herd of some of my old friends by the name
of Oliver I went to se them and staid one week with my friends
there Then went back to Mr Dexters staid one day then left
And traveled down the St Joseph river past Union City and staid
at a Hotel hired to the landlord worked one month then traveled
on past Motville Niles and down to | the South Bend of the Saint Joseph
river crossed the river and staid fore miles from there on door per[--]e next
day. traveled to valparasa staid there thenee to thorn grove the line
between Indiania and Ilinois staid there started in the morning in an
hour a wagon overtook me I got in and rode about thirty miles I found a
man there by the name of Stanley who lived in wisConsin near Galena

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19 Illinoiss I Concluded to accompany him after we left the wagon we
Traveled five miles and staid at Lockport the next morning we
took our corse for Galena and traveled with good luck untill
we came to Mr Slandiyes there I staid and rested myself one
week He had just bought a farm of rich and handsome perasie
land fourteen miles from Galen[-] and a good week running a cross
it the county here is mostly roling ^roling^ pera[-]ie with some Streams
and springs this is a great bed mining country the m[--]
are disperced all over the country the bed is dug and
smelted all over the country I left stanlies and traveled
twelve miles and hired to work in a smelting furnace
will give the manner of smelting there, there was a
house with a large chimney in it the opening is some ten feet
high there is an arch in it about ^me^ foot higt and the [crossed out] same length
eighteen inches foreteen inches wide the back thre feet to car[-]y 
the smoke off there is an iron apron lies [-]itching down and ex[-]ending
back to from the bottom of the arch there is creases in the apron to
carry the led into a pot below the fire and mineral is put into
the arch to melt then run in to the pot below this was
m[-]p business f[-] [-]wo months at smeltin led then I left and
went back to stanlies and taught a school one mile from
there months I had no difficulty except one it was slite

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20 There was two fam[-]olies had two girls each about the
same size the one was rich the other was poor the [-]ive girls
that had rich pasents wod laugh at the other two about their
poor close and dinner and tell them their folks were poor
and that they would not play with them and push them
about throw dirt on them when they were to the spring
to drink throw water and then the poor girls would tell me
about it the others would deny doing so so I told the poor
girls to wate I ^would^ mak it all rite in a few day then I went
to my dinner and back  and but they were cunin and that
would not do [-] I Started as they [---] as they suppose to get my
dinner but as soon as out of their site I Turned to watch them
when I called school I called them up and they denied
as before I told them I saw it then they owned to it after
talking to them telling them the consequences of so ding They
promised to not do so any more I had no more trouble And
when I left school all were satisfied with my school
I took leave of my friends there and Went to Galem that is
a small town situated on Fever river three miles from the
Misicipie River there the bead lay in piles ready to send down
the River this is truly I buisness place it furnishes supplyes for a
a large proportion of this mining country and recives The[-]s led in return

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21 I Staid here over nite Then took steamboat for St Lewis There
was nothing telling Only we had a jolly croud of pasengers
Mostly Merchants going for goods land speculators and men 
that had been loking the country we were about fifty in 
number Here I will state one little tra[-]nsaction that took place
which caused a grate deel of amusement I had quite a purse of silver
Mr Wellerd came to me while I sit talking with another man And
said to me that He saw I had plenty of bogus He had counterfit
money plenty and would like to exchange with me for bogus 
I told him I did wish to mak any trod after he had braged about
his money how well it was e[-]icuted he wanted I should go and
se him pay his fare with it I Went with him the clerk refused
The pasengers had a great laff over it And we were cald
pardeners while we were togather We traveled to gather
about twelve hundred miles Nothing transpired worthy 
of notice untill we came to the upper rappeds on the 
Minisisippy river we had a jolly time and gotalong
well untill then There our boat [-]en a ground and had to 
get a litener We pasengers all went on shore and walked
dorn the river to the foot of the rapids there we had
a good swim in the river and an hour or more before
the boat came The boot stopped and took us on and we

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22 And we were seeing our selves on the way down the
river As lively as before I saw nothing more untill I came
to St Lewis worthy of note except the Missouri river that was
a Novelty to me the Missipie river is clear above the Missou[--]
But the Missouree is muddy Where they come to gather
they do not mix untill they run near one mile we com[-]
to St Lewis about nine in the Morning about Ten a Ms Ha[---]
that came down with us came to me and asked me if
I intended to go rite up the Ohia I slid as soon as There is
about going up he said there was one gong in the morning 
it has state rooms the asked me if I was willing to lake a room
with him I told him I was so we went onto the boat and
paid our fare and took our key and put our bagage in our
rooms we spent the rest of the day in looking about the Citty
buisness was lively there money Semed to [---] the next morning
we steamed off down the river stopping at the small towns on the
way when we got one hundred and fifty miles we came
to the Ohio river we turned up it kept our course up
the river stopping at all of the po[-]ts when we came
to the falls the sun was about one hour high in the evening
we got Through the canall And readdy to start up the
river in the morning and at nine we started up the

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23 river leaveing Lewisville A nice river town The pasengers wer
all in good spirits and lively about eleven oclock we run on
a sand bar ond could neither go a head nor back off the captain
sent and bought a s[-]how to liten in to about two we started
up the river again about fore oclock the water commenced
raising and raised three feet we stoped fore hours at Sincinati
I spent that time in look ing about the city then we
left the landing and continued up the river we reached
Pitsburg in good order The hole length of the Ohio river is handsom
on both sides many good farms and small towns some of
them are very handsom and smart buisnes places
Pitsburg is a smoky unplesant looking town at this time
But quite a buisness place I went to a hotell and
slaid over nite in the morning I took the stage for
Orie on lake Erie the rout was rough and mountainous
Our progress was slow But we came there at last I said
there overnite the next day I took Steemboat for I
Buffalow I came there before noon and took the cars
to [--]agry falls I went to see the falls And crossed the
bridge onto goat island There was Saloons billiard tables 
card tables ond willing places in plentiful numbers I
returned to the hotell and staid over nite in the morning

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24 I went to[--] the falls the river was rapid above the the falls
there was a small island on the brink where the water piched
[-]ff That divided the water But it came to gather long before
it reached the botom The island looked to be about two rods wide
and extended about fore rods up the streem and covered | with Small ce[---]
The Sun shone brite the sky was serene every thing looked handsom and lovely
There was as handson a rainbow as ever was seen and there were to
be seen in it all the collors that art could paint after vewing
the senery for some time and contrasting the sub[-]imity of the works
of nature with that of art I strolled about Town for some time
Then took the road down the river to the wire bridge this was one
mile long And hung to stone butments an each side of the river
I left the river at this bridge And took my cor[-]se to Bat[-]va I came
there through a nice farming country, then Took the cars and in a
little over an hour I was in [-]achester after stoping to dinner and looking
about for some time I went to the steam boat landing And took the
boat down the lake the lake became rough we stoped at [-]wega one ho[--]
Then left the hasher the wind still raising we kept our course about seven
miles The water came over the deck and the boat rocked about
vehemently. We turned about and came back to Oswego Then I went
to se my cousin James M Brown And Some friends I had there
I staid one week And then took the same boat I came down

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25 on and landed at Sackets harber Thence t[-]o[-]ne to Fowler in St Lawrence
county there I found My father mother brothers sisters and friends
Glad to se me and gave me a kind reception After visiting for a while
And finding my father and mother not willing I should go
west again I gave it up And went back onto my farm in The township
of Fine a gain And fixed up my house I built before going west
I then comesead choping and prepareing to clean the land and put
a crop in the spring Then took a school went to Russell to be
inspected one of the inspecters by the name of Hatch asked
me home with him and introduced me to his sister Harriet
F Hatch I had a visit with her and the next morni[-]g
I went home in a bout two weks I had buisness past there
And called at her school house and saw her a few minets
went home and comenced my school then I saw her I had
passed her place to town meting and called there on my
way I closed my school the last of February And went to
see her the first of March and on the eighteenth of March I
went there And on that evening Squire Phelps came to the widow
hatches and united Min [-] Brown and Harriet F Hatch in
Matrimony the next day I drove sixteen miles to my fathers 
the road was very bad but I | had good luck and got there all
rite with my wife I had agreed with two of my particular

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26 Friends that the first of us that wer mariaed should give the
other two on inv[-]tation to a supper my father gave an infare
Supper the next nite I invited Simeon [-]azeltine and
Chester Sprdgue my friends spoken of and all of my
brothers and sisters that were handy we had a good supper and
plenty of wine and a good visit The next nite my brother in law
Edwin O Davis gave a party my young friends all attended
I had the honor of introduceing my wife to them all
we cakes and pies plenty for the hole company playing
Singing talking ate I had the compliment from severel that
my wife was as good a singer and as well behaved as any in
the company I staid here a few days and visited my friends
then moved to my [-]liee and com[-]enced keeping house this
Spring I cleard land eight acres and put it into crop in December
I let my place and moved to my fathers to work with him and
let my place to another man brother Benjamin gave a supper in
honor to the election of President Harrison I attended it we had
a good time visiting with our friends the new year soon come
on the twentieth of the first month my wife gave me
a son we named him Caios Sipio this was in the year 1841
I worked with my father untill September of this year
Then moved back to my place and prepared for winter. The snow

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27 was deep but I prepared for makeing sugar My first work
in the Spring was to make Troughf and tap sugar trees gather safe
And boil it into sugar As soon as the snow left I commeenced
to put my cro[-] in before I got it all in I was taken with the
inflamitory rheumatism and could not do any thing for six weeks
and lended my crop and harvested it our baby was taken sick in
August and died the [---] twenty sixth of that month buraed twenty
eight The first of September my wife was taken sick And felt so
bad from our loss that I carriade her fore miles to my uncles an a
bed She Staid there fore weeks before she was able to go home
then her Sisteer Cornelia came and staid the rest of the fall with her
the next winter I staid on my place in December Benjamin was born 12
In the spring I swaped places with a man by the name of Baily
And moved to the Town of Edwards and faimed thahat Summer
In the fall I sold out and prepared to move to Michigan
I moved to Fowler in the winter my wifes mother was taken
sick so my wife went to stay with her I staid in Fowler
And worked at wageon work in the spring I moved to Steslingville
to work for Rufus Mack and prepare for moveing we had not been
there long, be fore she was taken sick she was not able to help herself
out of bed for fore weeks this hindered us from starting fore some time
We started in October she was on a bed but gained by traveling all the

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28 time untill we came to Ohio Distanse five hundred miles there we sto[-]ped
to see a friend by the name of Alvin Write there we stoped sometime she
grew worse all the time and got so bad I could not travel So I went to
a place called Boston and found work then I carriaed my wife on a 
bed there and stoped in a house with a friend by the name of Kirkam
I worked this winter for diferant persons with my team my wife
was not able to help her self of from the bed for fore months then
She got beter so I took her on a canall boat and carriaed her to Cleveland
twenty two miles stoped six weeks then she got so she could walk
some I took her on to a [crossed out] steem boat ^schooner^ and went to Detroit then in a wageon
and carriaed her to brother Davids th[--]ty miles there we staid untill
Ragina was born June twenty third | ^1845^ my brother had gone
west And I left my wife with my sister in law started to 
where my brothes was I staid over nite with cows Misam
Stodard and had a good visit with him and my uncle that
lived with him then traveled on to the Township of [---]
in the County of Jana to Dickerson creek there I found my
brother David he was eating supper as soon as he saw me he jumped
up from the table and shook hands hartely with me then Introdue
me to the folks there and told them that I was his brother
that he had told them he supposed was dead he seemed very
glad to see me and also to hear from his famroly

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29 I Staid and worked with him about two weeks Then ^we^ went to
Grangrappeds I hised to work at carpenter work to a Mr [-]ues
my brother went back to Otisco[-] rote to my wif soon after I
I hired to him I went and took care of him ten days then went to
my work a gain I ^worked^ another mouth then I went to where broth then was
at the Beldin mill on Flat river and worked with him about
two weeks then he went home And I staid there and di[-] a
forty dollar [-]ab on a house and some other work for others 
then I went back to Farmington where my brothers[-] was as soon as he
got his buisness settled we moved to Otiseo near Smerny at the mouth
of Sely creek there we both lived in the same house and
and worked to gather at carpenter work in March I
I moved down the river with in six miles of Grand Rapids
my wife was not able to do any thing therefore I was obliged
to keep a hired girl oll the time I went to the City and worked
most of the time ^to the last of^ August then I was taken with the chills
and fever sent for a docktor he came and gave me quinine
then a dose of calomel it Stoped the chills for five day then
they came on a gain I had then the most of the time for three
months then I cured them So I could work But about five month
from the time I took the calomell there was a calomell sore came
out on my rite leg I cured or rather healed it the blood would

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30
not pass into the fool as it ought and take its naturel corse
But knoted ana formed the varicose veins and became impure
and the impurity formed a sore and continued to pass off through
the sore and made it hard to heal and when healed it would
not remain healed but ^would^ breakout in a short time therefore it
could not be cured entirely It was about the midle of October
I moved back to Oliseo near Smerny and lived in oneroom
of my brothers house some days I worked some and others not
any untill into December then I got over the chills and fever
and stoped my shakeing Then I could comence work I
worked the rest of the winter by days work as soon as the winter
broke I took a barn th build five miles from home and traveled
back and forward on foot and after I had it done I Continued
to work by the day and job the most of the time But when
I had no work I worked on a house for myself on a piece of 
pullick land I had it so I moved into it the last of May
continued working for others June 12. 1847 Harriaet Frances
was born on this place I remained here untill the first 
of September Then I rented a farm of one Mr Whitney
and moved my famroly on to it I lived there one year
and untill the folowing December then I moved my famro^ly^
to my brothers near Smerney they stade there and I went
to Mr Crnons below Grand rappeds about forty miles
from home I had made a barden with Mr. Erwin to do so

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31 much work for him for a soldiers band warrent and
to have the work done by such a time he was to board
me and my hands and furnish materials this he failed to
do I hired help and had the job verry near alone one [---]
month before the time was up I then had one weeks work
with out more materials I called upon him to have
materials reddy for the rest of the barn he then said
my time was up and forbade my doing any thing more
on the jobs so I left and s[-]id for my pay and got a 
judgment for one hundred and forty dollars but this only
paid the expence I was to in the suit and the mony I
paid for help and left me with the loss of my time
Then I worked at carpenter work And George Washington
*was born July 6 1849 near Smerny on Sely creek I continued
to work at carpenter buisness except when I was attending to the
constable buisness I was serving as constable this year
I staid here the following winter in the spring of 1850
I built me a house in s[--]erny then I made a bargen with
Norman Comell for 86 acres of land and pay hi[-]
in carpenter work and went and built a barn for
him that summer And in the fall I sold my house
and lot to him for forty acres more land and moved
to the townshih of Jona to the Goodin mill there
I worked for him the most of the winter And

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32
the rest of the winter I worked for [-]very Going This
X Mm Edwin was born January 22th 1852 at the the
Goodin mill the following Spring I moved my
famroly to Long lake in the Township of
Orleans in the same county this Spring I built a
house and cleared some land put in some corn potatoes
and garden stuff then I went twelve miles to work
at carpenter work wheat was so scarse that the man I worked
for could not get only two bushels a week the most of the 
time and I got one of that [-]nd the most of the time I
carriaed that home Satterday on my back then back 
to my work on monday so I continued to do for over
two months then I worked nearer home when I was to work for
others I had hay to cut for my cattle and other work for
my self at home here I may give some discription of 
the plose where I live it is situated at the foot of a Lake
two and a haff miles long and Three quarters of a mile
wide With an inlet and out let the shore is handsom
round the hole Lake except about forty rods where
the inlet comes into the Lake the land is masshy
there is no very high banks The Country all round
is quite level and hanosom except some small
creeks which are exelent waler the timber is oak

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33 maple birch ash pine ect the water in the Lake
is clear and hand som sink a botle twenty five feet
in the hottest weather you get cold water for drinking
My band lay on the foot of this lake takeing the creek whare
it came out of the Lake here I lived near this creek
In June of 1852 returned to the state of Newyork
on buisness I traveled down the Lakes to Sacketsharbes
then to Watertown there I called and staid three
days with my brother in law Rufus Hatch. Watertown
is a smart busnes place a City of the third class
From here I went to Fowler St lawrence county Stoping
by the way to visit my sister my father was dead
after visiting my mother brothers and sisters there
I went to the town of Russell to visit my wifes connection
I went from there to the town of Fine visit my uncle
and brother that lived there Then I came back to
Fowler and Staid some time with my mother and
friends there and got through with my buisness there
then left there and came back on my way to to [---]
Stopping on the way to see my sister and brother in law that
I had seen on my way down then I left Watertown an
the cars to cape Simeon there I took a steam boat to Lewigton
thence I went to Vingrid falls there I stoped to view the Falls
again there took the cars to Buffalow there I staid over nite

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34
with my cousin Santford Vanduzee in the morning I took a
steam boat for Detroit then I took the road to La[--]ing from there
home through Lions and Jona I reached home ab[--]t the middle
of August found my famroly all well I had traveled
a distence of seven hundred and fifty miles and back
after resting a few days I went to cutting hay after cutting
my hay I worked part of the time on my place and part
at carpenter work Here Joannak was born August 26 1854 on the 
Shores of this Lake here in this lake we had some fine times in
catching fish when the lake was not frozen we could catch them
with the hook or spear we could spear at nite by torch lite
or catch in the day time with hooks we had all the fish we
wished for while liveing there also plenty of rasberries cr[-]
berries wintergreen berries whortleberries and many other kinds
of berries and various kinds of other wild fruits
here I continued to work on my farm and at carpender work
as I [-]ould do the best here Sarah Cornelia was born Jan 31 1856
Amasa David born on long lake town of Orleans Jona Mich
September, 3 1858. Here I continued to live untill
July 1869 then I took my famroly and started west
5 miles to my brother Davids there I staid some six weeks
and filled my wagon for a long journey then drove forty
miles to my brother in las[--] Francis Kentfield there I staid two
weeks then started from there and went west I drove about

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35 two hundred miles over a fine country a large proportion of it
was perarie and prenty well settled all the way with good
farmers I started with Mediein to sell on the way the boys
drove the team and I sold mediesn as I troveled when I [---]
vary near sold out I would stop and get the artacles to make
more and stop and prepare it then peddle again so I continued
to do all the time I staid here about one week and let my team
rest then drove to rockisland there I crosed the Missippie river
then took the Desmoin road traveled throug Desmoin City then into
A dell county and stopped for the winter I had come in all near six
hundred miles and had paid my way peddleing and had more
money than when I started here I found a house and moved into it
then I went at work for a Mr Stots some of the time by the day
and some of the time gathering corn upon Shares untill I had
corn sufficient for my mules and cows then I had a small job
at carpenter work then I had some coal to dig that lasted
me about one month then not haveing any other buisness I went
to prepareing and selling macin again the rest of the wincer
here. one of my bois only a little over two years old out last in
month of December and day out over nite the nite was cold
and windy But did not freeze there was three men helping
look for him untill about eleven oclock at nite then they
went home I looked all nite in the morning about sunrise my
little girl found her brother I was near her and took her and carried

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36
him home he was so near dead he could not speak or make any
nois we first put him into warm water then bathed him with
heating linnament in about an hour he was able to speak so
we culd understand him he did well and is alive now
I had other bad luck here I had two cows one of them died the
other got lamed in the hip very bad so she was worth very little
The last of March 1860 I left here and went to Florance
on the Misssourie river a distance of one hundred and
twenty miles I staid in Florance about three weeks
wating for a company in the mean time I swapped
one of my mules with a Mr Smiley for a pare of eight
years old oxen and the other mule with a danish man
with my harness for a pare of fore years old oxen
a cow and ten dollars my lame cow I swapped for a 
small bull not two years old this place is better known
to many by the name of winter quarters being the
place where the mormans of ten stopped to wintes
be fore going cront the planes to Salt Lake City
This place is near Omaha in the State of Nebrasky
on the Missouree river there is a creek comes in here
and a Saw mill on it the country is mostly perarie
covered with exelent grass and fine land for
farming and considerably settled consiterably rolling
but wthall quite a pleasant country two stores here

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37 Now I will return to Layell illinois the country
from there to Rocky land is mostly roling perarie
intersperced with streams some I had to ferry
some timber on the streams A large proportion
of the land fenced some in farmes and quite
a large share in pasture and a good many hedges
groing for fence and groves planted for timber
some large enough to begin to cut fence poles and
wood they were mostly locus after crossing the river
into [-]owa the land is more level but some hilly
and roling on the streams all of the way to the
Missourie river Florance where I stoped is a small
Town on the west side of the river and has about
200 permanint in habitants here is one saw mill
one grismill one harness shop two blacksmith shops
and two stores one of them was kept by
Wm Smiley he kept a good assortment of
outfitting goods I tradeed with him for my
supplyes to cross the plains and started the third
of May at knoon the company started in the morning
and agreed to stay that nite at a small creek twelve
miles from Florance I came there and staid that
nite he had gone past but did not stop there
as agreed I staid overnite and started | early the next

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morning and passed through Freemont thirteen
miles about eleven oclock traveled five miles and
stopped for dinner While there a man came to me
and proposed to give me a large two ears old stear
for my bull I swaped with him and put the stear
by the side of one of the oxen and drove eight miles
and camped for the nite <by a Small Lake> after driving 26 miles we had
a good rain this nite but our wagon cover kept us dry
this days travel was through a fine and level country
as I ever traveled through mostly perarie but interspersed
with tinder and many good farmes in the morning
it stopped raining and we started as soon as we could
in hopes to over take the company and traveled ten 
miles and stopped for dinner when dinner was over we
yoked our team which was two pair of oxen and a con
and stear yoked to gether we started and drove one mile
and turned up Loop fork one of the tribitaries of Flat
river we traveled up this fork eleven miles and camped
on a small creek traveled 21 miles the musketars were so
thick here it seemed one could cut them with a knife
But we maneged to not be eat all up by them by Smoke<ing>
them out of the wagon and fastening the cover so tite that
they could not get in where we were the country this
day like yesterday is level and hansom with some good farmes

[the following numbers appear on the left margin]
4
5

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39 May 6 Started Early in the morning drove 5 miles
to the ferry and found capt Mallens Company crossed
the nite before we crossed and traveled 5 miles to
Flat river and camped for dinner dinner being
over we yoked our teams and drove up the river 10 miles
and camped for the nite 2 found Cap Wallen to be
about two hours forward of us we had traveled 20 mi
the country as before was handsom some very good timber
no farmes one male station left early in the morning
7, and traveled up the river twelve miles found cap Maten
company camped for dinner and camped with them
a dinner we traveled up the river 8 miles and camped
we traveled 20 miles on the river flat this day timber
in some places here a Mr Hinkade and company of fore
wagons over took us and came into the company with us
we be gan to see rabits antelope and buffalow quite plenty
our company killed some rabbits and antelope but no
buffalow we traveled slow and kept the river to Ft
Kesney the bottom land on the river is handsome but
we could see the hills to the rite and left there are nothing
Transpired on the way to Kerny except the crossing of one creek
they called it sandy the bottom was so filled with quicksand
that several of the teams had to have help through
my team pulled through by my gitting in the water

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40 we stopped here about fore hours some of the men crossed
the river to the town to get some groceries we started up the
river on the north side from this on I cannot give the date
of the days or the Distance traveled in the days
But can give many incidence that took place
on the way we traveled on the river bottom that day
and part of the next then left the river and went
into the hills then we began to see large rocks forward
of us that resembled large houses at a distance the th[---]
day we saw of to the south about thirhy miles a
rock called the Courthouse rock it looked like a
large house but with the help of a large spy glass you
could see shubery growing on it the next day we passed
chimney rock it was about fifteen miles from us 
it looked very much like a chimney that the house
was burned down around it By the hel of a spy glass
it looked to be about forty feet from the ground
to the sholder and about sixty feet from the
sholder to the top we could see it near the hole day
while we traveled it was a splendid sight for
a naturelist to studdy upon the next nite after we
the chimney rock we came to the river and camped
on the river and swum our stock over for feed
tere was two ranch men who kept cattle to trade

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41 with trains for worm out cattle one of the traders
had a partner that lived one mile from there over
the river he invited me to go over with him went over
after I had gone the captain came to my wife and
told her the trader had got me over there to kill
me and I would never come back and tryed to
to make her think I was well used by the man
and saw a handsome country of land on that
side of the river but on the side we were on
the land was rather rough I came back about
five that evening Camptian Walen came to me
and said he was a g[-]ing to Stay, the the next day
And wanted I should swap an ox that was wasnt at
that belonged to a Danish man with the ranch
men for a fresh ox I told him I would try
I went to see one of them in the morning spent a
conciderable time in looking at his stock But could
trade with him after dinner I called uppon the other
and went to see his stock and suck seeded by lending
the dane a sach of flower to pay the boat and
we were to exchange in the morning the cattle
were got over and yoke up the man found
his ox and captain Wallen was in such a herry
he could not wite for the oxen to be exchanged

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4
Bit started I had made the bargin and the captar
knew I had honor enough to see it closed and ^[---]^ I
the man could not epeel english I had to talk ^rough^ ths
the interpetation of one of his dauthters there fore i
it took some time to make the exchange and ^t^ go
under way by that time the company had got qui[-] ^te^
a wase the start we hurried to overtake them they
drove about ten miles and stopped for dinner
when they were redy to start we came up they started
we had no time to feed drowe on untill the ox I had
traded for gave out before we got to camp the cap-
tain said he was an ox that had given out and had not
had time to get over it I told him let him have
time to feed he would goe through that ox stoo it to
go througt as well as any ox in the train and good for
a long time after he kept camp and cattle gard both
I was on the cattle gard the country was mountains and
vallies and mostly covered with wild sage there was
not any thing woth make for a long distance except meeting
six[-]y i[-]dian waryears in full uniform and one nite
our cattle Slampreded pot the herders succeded
in stopping them untill we came to Sweet water
at Indapendance rock here we stopped for noon there
were a multitude of names cut in this rock we red many

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43 after dinner we crosed the Sweet water and traveled
up the stream about one mile we passed what 
is called the Devils gate it is the pasage of the
river through a ledge of rocks some sixty or eighty
feet high not more than 20 feet on the bottom
and 12 or 15 feet on the top we traveled up a short
distance and camped for the nite we kept near the
river a long wayes finding good camping for our slack
then left sweet water and possed paciphic springs
and camped there for the nite the next morning we
droveled on our way we drowe off from the road
near one mile to camp for dinner then drove in the
after noon we drove to a creek about 20 miles and camped
for the nite on good grass in the morning we resumed
our journey and drove to within 8 miles of Green river
and camped on a creek cold Sandy here captain
[-]a[--]en came to me and said he wanted I should go on
the cattle gard I told him I told him I was on the camp
gard he said he knew I had ben but he was a going
to put me on the cattle gard I told him I was not
able to travel after the cattle that nite on account
of my leg being lame he asked me if I could not get
some one to take my place and for me to take Theirs in
their turn I told him I did not know of any one he said

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44
he could and let me take his turn I said nothing I
had herd about the change the cause wass one of
the cattle herders wanted to change and they had it
fixe before hand he complained of loosing again
out of his wagon the last nite that I was on the
camp watch But he found it in the bottom of his
wagon they fixed this plan to make the change I 
herd of it and determined not to be duped by them 
and thought the easiest way the best the next morning
I got up as soon as lite wake to get breakfirst and
went and got my team up by that time breakfirst
was readdy I some freight for two men I told them
I wanted them to take their freioht for I was going
ahead they told the captain he came and wanted
I should stay with the train and said if I went on
and if the Indians saw me alone they would be sure
to kill us all and I would be their murderers
I told him I was not any afraid of the Indians and 
I was going on and drove to Green river and crossed
and drove two miles and camped for dinner here
was where Lot Smith with his Mormon Rangers
burned a Government train the Srons are now here
after dinner I drove 18 miles and camped on Blacks
fork here I swaped a Stear for a cow started early

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45 and drove 5 miles to Hamsfork and camped for
break fa[-]st while eating while eating the stage station
keeper Mr David Lewis came to the | wagon after talking
a while he proposed to hire me to cut hay for him
the hay was about 6 miles from there I went to
look at the hay in the after noon I came back about
9 in the evening the company came and camped
for the nite the captain came and tryed to make my
wife believe I would be killed and never come
back the next morning I drove to the hay ready
to commence cutting the next morning I comenced
and cut and put up about one ton then I had to
go to the station while I was gone two Indians
that was herding cattle for mr Demsy came past
near the wagon my wife[-] cart and thought Mr
Wallen had told correct and I could not preva[-]t
on her to stay any longer so I had to drive out
that nite I went and said Mr Lewis he paid me
for what I had cut then wanted I should let
my boy stay and work for him S I left him
untill I wrote for him we drove on about 2 mi[--]
^camped^ for the nite near a mountain there was no water there
the next morning we drove on near fort Bridger
and camped to Bear river and camped for the nite

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46
the next day we traveled over mountains and
sage brush and camped on a small creck near the
point of a small mountain for the nite the
next day we came into the head of echo canion
and camped about two miles down the canion
this was in August and that nite the ice frose on
our water bucket a half inch thick in the
mornisg we started and drove down the kenion
to the mouth and stopped for the nite close
to a house a man by the name of Briggs lived in
the next morning we started and and drove
down the weber river five miles then crossed
and drove five miles further and camped for dinner
then yoked our team and drove five miles and cam-
-ped for the nite in the morning we started
and drove to the foot of Big mountain and
camped for diner [-]ere we found a saw mil belonging
to Missrs Branch and Marmon twelve miles from
Salt Lake City here I stopped with my famroly
and Took a lode of wood to the city and found a man
by the name of Snetiker and Stayed over nite with
him and bargened to build a house for him I
could not sell my wood so I onloded it at his
place and returned home sent for my boy and

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47 Commenced to get wood hall to the city there was a
a man [crossed out] here by the name of L F. Harmom here a
getting wood he boarded with us and worked in
company with my son getting wood and I went to
the city to work for Mr Snetiker when I had been
there about two months I bought a house | with one and
ahalf acres of land and moved my famroly to the City
when I was done work for snetiker I cominced to prepare
and sell medacins about the Citty and continued to
untill April My wife being amormon before we left
Michigan She wanted to come to Utah I did not
want to come and told her the mormons I thought
praised it to high to get mormans to come to Utah
but I did not think there was any country in
the mountains I should like she said I often spoke
that I Should like to go to california and she
said sell and come to Utah and if I did not like
it she would go to Californy I told her if she
would go to californy if I did not like Utah I would
go if I could sell and turn things so I could prepare
to cross the plains she said she would ^go^ to Californa
with me if I did not like Utah I found a chance
to shift my property and get a sufficient outfit
to cross the plains got through here all rite

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48
in April there was a train going to Carson vally
near californy I proposed to getreaddy and go with
But my wife was not willing to go and proposed
to me to go and se the country and if I found a place to
suit me then come back and move so I started in April
with the train and drowe one team of six pair of oxen and
fifty hundred of flower on the wagon | and drove
to Carson Citty I traveled on foot to Provo whare the team
were going to start there I helped to lod twenty
wagons with flower our teams were all poor we started
and were fore days going to camp [---] Flod there we
finished getting our outfit I foung the company was
not takeing any medacins so I prepared my self with
some for fear I should heed some and I carryed my
rifle in my wagon we left the camp and drove slow
so our cattle could recruit we had not driven over
fifty miles before we came to a desert of of forty
miles without water some places for miles it was
soda land and so soft that our waggons went in near to
the hub some we could not hitch oxen enough to pull
them out and had anload several of our wagons before
we could get them out of the mud when we got about 150 mi-
-les one wagon wheel broke down and I had it to repair Ther[-]
being no other one that could work at that buisness

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49
we stopped here two days then started the third day one 
of the clerks that was sent with the train was taken
with the mountain fever and came and rode in my
wagon I gave him medacin that I had prepared for my-
self and broke his fever so he only rod two days in my
wagon before he could ride his horse we came to good
feed and water and stopped three ,, ^2 days^ days and rested our
teams then we had 40 miles drive with out water then we
Started at five oclock in the evening | and made a
nite drive we had not drove more than two hours before
I begun to have fever about 8 oclock I told the wagon boss
I was sick and could not drive and wanted he should
send a driver to drive my team he Said they were
not going to drive much further before camping and
for me to try and sit on the tong and drive I drove untill
about eleven oclock then told the next teamster to send
word to the boss there was a team that had no driver
and he must send one I took my blanket medacin and
rifle and laid down by the road side they drove about
seven miles and camped I lay where I was took medicin
severel times in the nite But did not sleep any untill
near morning then my fever abated and I had some sleep
and felt much better as soon as light I started and traveled
on when I was about three miles from them I saw them start

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50
they drove about 9 miles and and camped About
eleven oclock I met some men from Californy I was so
dry I could hardly travel I asked them if they had any
water with them that they could give me a drink
they said yes handed a canteen to me and told me
to drink all I wanted I took a good drink and thanked
them it was very warm but tasted good to me I rested 
ashort time and talked with | them then traveled on
for about one hour and met one of our company coming
after me with a mule I rode to the camp and came 
there the sun about two hours high get into my wagon
and rested then took a cup of coffee we had nothing to 
eat but bread bacon and coffee without sugar and I
could not eat any so I went into my wagon my
days walk brought my fever back so I coulg not
drive the next day but lay in my wagon and the boss
got an[-]ndoan to drive my team he drove untill 
Sunset we were near our camping place the Indias left
the boss Mr Spencer had not spoken an unplesant
word to me untill now he being vexed with the
teams forward and having trouble with the teams
their being tiard he came back and said Mr Brown 
for God sake if you can get out and drive your team
to camp it is not more than a half mile and they mind you

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51
better than they will any boddy elce I answered Mr Spencer
I will try and got out of my wagon and took the driveing
stick and stepped forward by the side of the oxen to be
^came^ readdy to start and stood wating one of the cattle herder
^came^ along the train and asked what team he was wanted
to drive I told him this he came and before he got to me
I fainted and fell down on the ground the first | I new he
and the man to the next team were picking me up I got into
my wagon and he drove my team untill the teams were
carrelling then he said I wood have to attend to my team for
they were on yokeing and he had to get his house ready to take
care of the cattee I had to drive fifty yards then onyoked
my oxen then got into the wagon and lay there untill supper
was readdy then I got up and drank some coffee and ate
but little and got into my wagon and stayed untill morning
and slept werry well and got up in the morning feeling much
better and was able to yoke and drive my team we drove
but a short distance and camped for the day and let our 
oxen rest the next morning we started and drove on an
in the after noon my team was the hind one I could
not keep them up when the teams hurried the second
wagon boss Frank Mullen came along and told me
to hurry and keep up I told him I wood if he would 
give me a whip to drive with I called one thiss mor

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52
ning he said you should not lost your whip I told
him I did not it was that Indian he vave it to
to drive the team yesterday he said you should
not have rode in your wagon but drove your team
I said you do not work when you are sick neither do
I he passed on And I attended to my team
about this time we were going down a steep portion
of a mountain about one forth of a mile long when
we were about the middle of it my lock chain broke and 
let the lode onto my wheel oxen they could not hold
it my oxen were all under good subjecktion so I cried woe
they all so near stopped as to slack the chain to give me
a chance to haw the whee oxen so as to strike the forward
wheel against a large rock that stood cloce to the road
and save my team I then sent word forward to the
boss to bring a chain and come himself Mr Spencer
came him self and said it was well I had the fore
thought to drive aganst the rock and save my team
he said the most of the men wuld not thought of it
and let their team go to the bottom in a file I took
the chane and put on a ruff lock and went safe down
the hill my sock could not be mended there so I
had to ruff lock the rest of the way through to Carson
City [-]his was all the trouble I had with my wagon all

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53
the way to carson the next day about ten o clock Frank
came along ordering those that were on the wageon tongs
to get off he came to me and told me to get off the wagon
tong I supposed he wanted I should do some thing I got
off and asked him what he wanted he told me to stay
off from the wageon tong I told | him it was a teamster
privotiege to ride an the wagon tong when he could 
drive so as not to hender amy he said if he caught me 
rideing on the wagon ^tong^ that day he would give me a goddamn
black snakeing I told him he was biganough to but if
he did he had better make tracks back to Utah as
quick as he could if he ever intended to go there
he said I talked damd big I told him I did
not talk any biger than I felt and I should
rode on the wagon tong when I wanted to and he
could discharge me as soon as he pleased But whip-
-ping is played out he replyed discharge hell
I am a good mind to give you a goddam black-
smokeing and rode of I got on the wagon tong
and rode on I made my mind as soon as he threaten
to whip me that when a man had to submit
to the whip he had better be dead than alive
and that I would shoot him the firs time I 
could raw the sites of my gun on him

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5[-]
when he had gone the man next foward said to me
how dare you talk so to Frank I Should be afraid
to talk so to him I told him god never made a man 
biganough to scare me but he might kill me if I
was as big as you are I should be ashamed to own I was
afraid of Frank you are as heavy as he is and ought 
to be as smart he say I am afraig of him But
when Frank came back I was rideing on the waggatong
he rod past with out saying one word to me we drove
on untill we came to the water nearest to whare we had
a sixty mile drive here we stopped Frank took the animals
and part of the hands off fore or five miles to feed and 
Staid two days Spencer wik the rest of us staid with
the waggons for to take care of then and do some fixing
about them the second about fore oclock the stock was brought
in and we ate our suppers then hiched up and started about
five o clock and drove untill sumrize the next morning
then correlled and on yoked our cattle the feed was very good
the cattle fed well for a while then lay down to rest
we got our breakfast and lay down to sleep at noon we
got our dinner then drove untill five o clock then on yoked 
to let our cattee rest and get our supper after supper we
drove our teams oll nite in the morning we ate a cold bite then

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53
drove on with out on yokeing our teams about nine 
oclock one of my oxen begun to lay Mr Spencer came along
I tolo him one of my oxen was about give out he said 
on yoke him and put the yoke in the waggon I did
so the other ox was white the ca[--] driver took them and 
Soon the white one Struck on the trot the cary driver
could not stop him the rest of my team stood it well
to where we camped on a small lake one of our company
John Boen they told me was sick in his waggon and they 
thought he would dy I had herd he was sick some days
before but supposed he was better an heareing he was worse
I went to his waggon and found him bad with the fever
I asked him if he had taken any medacin he said no 
he could not get any there was none in the train I told 
him I had some and I thought it would brake his fever
that he could have if he wanted he said he did and 
would pay well for it | I gave it to him and went to Mr
Spencer and told him how he was and that he could
not eat bacon and ought to have some thing to to eat
that h[-] e[-]uld relish he asked me if he was rearly sick
I told him he was and asked him to go to Johns waggon 
and se for himself he said he should not know so well 
as I did But that he had been told that John was ploy
ing off to get red of driveing team but if he was sick to

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56
come to their mess and get and told the cook to let me have
anything they had [-]o I went and got tea butter eggs 
for him the next day after take my medacin his fever
left him and he got well soon the next morning Frank came
and told me to go and get my white ox out of the mire
I told him it couldnot be my ox te said it was I went it
was not my ox I went back to the correll he asked me if I 
had got my ox out I told him it was not my ox But he was out
the third day we of our camp there he came to me and told
me to go and hunt my ox that run away from the herd
I told him it belonged to the cavy driver to get him
he said for me to get a mule and go and hunt him I 
went and drove a mule into the correll and could not 
catch him I asked Frank to help catch him as have
some one help he paid no attention the mule jumped over
the chain between the waggons and I went back to 
my waggon and took my book and went to reading about
two o clock and asked me if I had been and got my
ox I told him I had not he said why hant you I said because
I could not catch the mule and you would not 
help me he said well by God I was not a going to
leave my dinner why did not you go a foot then
I said I was better broat up than to go on foot to hunt cattle
he said you ought to go a food if you couldent catch

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57
a mule and I am a God dam good mind to give
you a good black I make ing I said you are big Enough
to but you had better let out that jab he said you talk
damd big and if you dont lookout I will black snake 
you now I said if you doo you had better start back to 
Utah just as quick as you have done it if you ever
intend to get there he said you talk damd big and 
walked off I remained in my wagon for a while
thinking maters over it seemed to me that he had tried
to get a fuss with me from the After a little time I 
went to the other side of the correll whare Mr Spencer
was shifting some frait pre pratory to divideing the
train I asked him if he was not willing that I should
leave as he had a surpluss of hands says he if you 
want to leave I cant hinder you But what do you
want to leave for Do you want to go back to Salt Lake
I told him I should go on to Californy he says why
not keep on with the train it will be only about
ten days before we shall ee through and this is
the first heavg train that has traveled [-]his road
and I have got so far all rite and hove not lost an 
ox or had a hand leave me and I should like to 
have all of my hands stick to me But what do you want
to leave for why not keet with us I said the reason

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58
is Frank and I have had some words and told him 
all about it And told him I wanted to leave to avoid
and told him if [-]he attempted to whip me it would
cause trouble and I wanted to keep out of difficulty
he said he did not think there wood be any trouble
and would like to have me keep on I told him then 
from that time Frank did not sany thing to me 
the next morning we started and crossed twenty five 
miles dezert very sany then traveled along the sink
of Carson river on the Seventh day from the lake
our train divided and Frank took part to Verginna
city and we continued on to Carson City when 
we came there Mr Spencer and the clerk looked for a 
place to store our flower but could find none there was
a man builing a house and had got the frame up he said
they could put the flower in there they wanted I should
go to work on the house three days then settled and paid me
then I asked Mr Spencer if I had not done every thing he
asked me to on the way he said yes and he did not have
to sware at me to get me to do it but there was some of
the men he could not get to do as he wanted them to by 
swareing at them I asked him if he would carry a letter
back to my folks and deliver it to then himself and
tell them how I had got a long he said he would and he did

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59
I then started for Californy when I had traveled
about eight miles a team wageon overtook me and 
let me ride I rode over the eastern Sirenevada mountains
to Kingsbaries grade in Trucky vally There I hiered 
to a Mr Wallenrod for three dollars per day to work
at carpenter work I worked three months for him on a 
horse barn and finishing his house for a hotell Then I 
left for Sackremento and Traveled mot of the way on foot
In Trucky vally thare was so much frost that they 
could not raise any thing but grass Yiucky river had
a good many mountain trout in it so I had considerable 
fish to eat while there Which was quite a danty to 
me I there saw a small lake on an elivation of some 
three or fore hundred feet above the vally and not
more than half mile from the river a large proporton of 
the fall is nearly perpendickular the country to Placerville
is mountains and vallies the [-]aple river rises in these
mountains and rung past Placer ville and empties into 
the Sacramento river near that city I stopped here and 
saw saw some of the old gold diggers then proseeded
to Sacremento city mostly through a good farming
country and well settled at Hulton I saw men 
diging and drawing gold pay dirt out of a well
thirty thre feet deep and halling one and a haff miles

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60
to the river to wash And said it paid them well
When I came to Sacramento I found a handsom town
of about 10,000 inhabitants situated on the junction
of the Sacramento and Maple rivers being the capital
of Californa and in the finest country in the world and
surrounded with large fields of wheat barly and other
grain and fruits of various kinds and plenty of fish
in the rivers here I stopped about ten days and prepared
meda cins to peddle about the country then Started out 
to peddle I took my course to the North Cast to a place then
called the new digens about 25 miles there they were washing
tho gold in sluices with cleits put in to stop the gold
from here I went to Marysville then to the Sacramento
river to the island and crossed the river and went down to
the city on the other side and staid some days then went
down the river to San Fransisco on the bay before going down
I wrote to my wife and sent a fifty dollar draft on Wells 
and Fargoes express when I got there I found a city on the
bay and side of a hill part of it wharfed over the Shallow
water of about 30,000 inhabitants this is a lively buisness
place at this time there was some forty acres or more the
ships were so thick that the masts looked like tree sticking
up with the limbs all trommead off leaveing the bodies
bare and the steam boats were comeing and going all times of

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69
day and nite fishes were penty in the bay of various kinds
and many fishers to catch them for the people and plenty
of oisters so I had many an oister stew and good meal of fish
I sent a seperate letter the next day after I sent the one with 
money in she received it but did not receive the one with money
when I got the answer and found my wife had not got
the moneye I took the boat to Sacramento when I came there
I saw the effects of the breaking of the leavy on the river
the water raised so small steamboats were taken to 
carry the people from their houses to a place of safety I 
staid there only long enough to do my bussiness then took the
boat and returned to Sanfransisco this time I did the cheapest
rideing I ever did I rode 160 miles for 25 cts I staid here untill
the 21 of December then took a steam boat for Sanpedio this was
the first time I had been out of site of land we landed there
the evening of the forth I stayed here over Christmass here
I saw the first whale I ever saw he was about 20 feet
down from his back down through the blubber on his ribs was
about one foot thick and said to be the largest ^whole^ ever caught
on that coast the 26 I left for Los angeles in the after
noon came to Los angeles the 27 and staid at the Hotell untill
after new years then I went and staid with some men that
were boarding them selves two weeks then started and went
to Sanbandeno with a man by the name of Jackson with a team

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62
we thought to go through in three days but the day we started
it commenced raining and the mud became so bad that our
team was insufficient to pull the lod in many places and
we had to hire teams to pull our load in many places we
were five days going Sixty miles one mile from [-]a[-]landeno
I stopped at a house to keep out of the rain it continued
to rain untill the next morning slow but steady in the morning
it stopped raining for a short time then came the harder I
stood at the window watching it most of the time for fore houss
I think I had never seen it rain harder the water run past
the house near fore inches deep like a mill tale near the whole
time and the whole vally was a compleet flud of water
when I went into city creek kenion I saw that the rain
had been so hard on the mountain that it had brought down
hole trees mostly pine some fore feet through and covered
the creek flat over forty rods wide other creeks were the same
there were many buildings carriaed of to gather with fences
the man I came with had his house carriaed of with all 
of his clothing and furniture except what he carriaed at
one time in his wageon and had 40 acres of wheat so covered
with timber and sedament from the mountain that it was 
entirely destroyed he said his loss was not less than $2,000
dollars the loss of the vally was estimated at 15,000 and the 
benefit of the timber brought down from the mountain to be

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63
$7,000 dollars in the hole flood there was not a life lost except
two Indian boys and some cattle This sally is exalent for Stock
and all kinds of English grain Irish and sweet potatoes vegatables
fruit in abundance This vally is large and handsome well watered
But thinly settled but settlers comeing in fast I left here March
the 20 1862 and started with George Swatout for Salt Lake
City we had in our train three eight mule teams and one famroly
by the name of Williamson with one fo[--]horse team and one
two horse team he had a wife and six chilldren I had a 
riding pony and often rode forward some miles to see the
country the first Stream we come to was the Mohawy river we
followed up the river about thirty miles we crossed it
foreteen times nine of them we crossed on dry land the others
had water the deepest to our wagon hubs we left the river and
took the course to the Kingston Springs then continued north to a
place called by the mormons Lossvagus here is a several old
doby buildings partly fallen down thence across the sixty mile
desart and to the Bioveren river in Southern Utah in 
all of this route we did not herd our animels our selves
one nite but hired Indians to herd for us some of us had
some bad luck Mr Williamson broke the forward axeltree
to his small wagon and was a going to leave it But I told
him it was to much for a poor man to loose he said he could
not help it the riain could not stop to fix it I told him

----- new page (58429.jpg)

64
he had just payed sixty dollars for it and he and I could
stop and put an axeltree in out of green wod that would
last through and save his wagon and overtake the train
that nite and we did so we had no other trouble only the
colie with the mules for which we bled not haveing other med[-]ein
to give when we came to the Biovergin I left the company
and came on a lone to Salt Lake city I was one month and
three days less than one year I found my famroly all well
But while I was gone my oldest daugter Rosinia was marriaed
to Fraser Harmon for which I was not well pleased
for I thought it was calculated to hinder me from going
to California the following Season I worked part of the time at
wod hanling and part of the time hanling logs to the Branch
mill and sawing them into lumber and houling it to the city
un till fall then I worked at the soldier camp thisty days then
then I got wood out of the kenain when I could and peddled
medacin a part of the time untill mar ch then I sold my
place in the city for two pare of stears and wagon to go to
Californy then I moved up in to Parlies Kenion to stay untill
I was ready to go my wife objected to going to Californy
And Said she had rather go back to the the states I told her I
had as lives go one way as the other in a short time there was a
man by the name of James B Hall came to my place and Asked
me to go to the states with him I told him I could not go

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65
then but I intended to go in the sum mer thare or to Californy
my wife said I could go if I wanted to she could get along and get
a liveing this summer the boys could haul wood for a liveing with the
oxen so I told Mr Hall I would let him know the next week
after he was gone my wife said she did not want to go to the states
untill the war closed and I could go to the states and prepare for
the famroly and as soon as the war closed she would come with the
famroly she said they could come with out my comeing back
after them and I could [---] pr[-]pared for them a place as soon as they
got there so I told Mr Hall when he came I told him I would
go as soon as got some potatoes planted so we agreed when to
start and prepared and [---] June the 5. 1864 I took leave of my
famroly and we started for the states early in the morning the
first nite we staid on the Weber river five miles below the mouth
of the Echo kenion we started early in the morning of the [-]th and
traveled up the kenion and stoped at dark a little below the head
of the kenion staked our mule spread our blankets and lay down
for the nite before midnite it commaenced to rain and rained all
nite and untill about nine o clock the next morning it then stoped
raining and we got up there was not less than a bucket of water between
us but our under blanket was dry so we were not wet we staked our
mule over and went to hunt for wood it began to rain again
but we found a shelveing rock that formed quite a cave so we could
build our fire in it and dry our bedding and cook our breakfast

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66
we saw a wagon a bout one mile from us When we had dried our blankets
and stoped raining we went to the | wagon and found it to be Mr Patter
from the vally we staid with him about two hours then ate our dinners
the clouds cleard a way and we left the wagon about twelve the the 7
and passed over the summet out of the kenion we traveled about eighteen 
miles and camped and ate a cold bite spred our blankets and lay
down to rest for the nite the morning of the 8 was frosty we got up about
sunrise and got our breakfast and started and camped at soda springs
near a stage station here we had some nice pancakes wet up with the
water and a little salt nothing elce they were as lite as they could be made
of buttermilk and soda this water had the powers of soda and asid
and semed to possess the powers of some kind of shortnong it was cold
like ice water but was not pleasant to the taste bit there was another
Spring not more than forty feet from it that was equaly as cold
and nice to drink thus ^it^ sems ^is^ the freeks of nature to prepare
for the traveler on her wild waste for from sivelizeation
the morning ^of the 9^ we got up and got our breakfast and traveled this day
seven miles past fort Bridger and camped on Blacks Fork for the nite
the morning of the 10 we started early and traveled to hams fork
and camped here we saw men that told us we had mised the
Denver road and told us to keep down Black fork to the Denver road
the mornind of the 11 we started and traveled down the fork to the
Denver road then camped in the morning of the 12 our mule got
loose and Started on her back track Mr Hall started after her

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67
and went about three miles befire he could catch her but caught her
and brought her back I had breakfist ready we ate and started and crossed
green river on a ferry and traveled eight miles from the ferry and camped
for the nite near a spring the 13 we got our breakfirst and traveled
about 25 miles and camped on a small creek of good water and plenty
of grass in the morning of the 14 we got breakfirst early and started on
our way and traveled about thirty miles and made a dry camp on good
grass but no water in the morning in the morning of the 15 we started
early and traveled five miles to water then stoped and got our
breakfast after eating we started on our way we traveled this day
about 25 miles and camped at Fort Halloc and found good water
and grass in the morning I went to the fort before startin and
got some supplyes that we wanted and learned what I could
about the war then we left Fort Halloc on 16 about twenty miles
in the after noon of this day we were overtaken by two men
from Idaho one by the name of Monch the other Stuart we camped together
that nite near a stage station we had plenty of grass and water the 17 we
traveled with them at nite we came to North Plat river about fore
oclock in the evening the river was too high to ford and the ferry rope
was broken so we were ablige to camp for the nite good grass and water
in the morning of the 18 the fery oner told us he had not help enough
to put the rope a cross the river but if we would help to put it
a cross so he could cary us across he would do it for the help

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we were untill two Am getting a cross the river we then
camped for the nite the other two men hured to run
the ferry for two month the morning of the 19 we got our
breakfast early and on our way we traveled twenty five miles
and camped at a stage station on the little Larmy river
good grass and water the next morning we persued our corse
and crossed big larmy on a toll bridge and a creek that
was so hy that I had to ride a cross and then send my mule
back for Mr Mall to ride across we traveled on untill nite
and camped on a small streem of good water but poor grass
in the morning of the 20 we traveled on a short distance and
stoped and lateo our mule about an hiur on good grass then
traveled up the sumet on to ^Me^ South pass here we had a
Sharp snow storm for about a haff an our so
we stopped under a pine tree to keep off the storm
the snow fell about one inch deep on the ground but
the sun came out before it stopped snowing and in
a half of an hour the snow was [-]ane and we were on
our way we camped this nite near fort colins
the cashlapoo was so hi that we could not cross the
bridee had gone and they were at work building another
we wated at our camp the 21 and the 22 untill 10 and
then we went to the bridge and there untill one o clock
before we could get acrost the river then we traveled on

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69
our rode we came to acreek called big Thompson it was so high we
had to go up the creek three miles to cross it above our rode then we
struck lime Thompson at the uper crossing here we camped for the nite
in the morning of the 23 we started on our way and crossed the Bolder
creek two miles above our rode we went to Rocky creek at the crossing
on our rode here we camped for the nite the water being so high
we could not cross the water ^had^ fallen abought one foot in the morning
about nine in the morning of the 24 there was a wagon crossed
we put our things in the wagon and led the mule the water
was midside to the mule then we continued on to clear creek
there was a small ferry boat there we wated for two wagons to cross
they had to cross the wagon and team seperate then we had
to wade in water kneedeep to det to the ferry boat and cross
the deep water on it then we were fore miles from Denver we
got our dinner then traveled to Denver crossing South Platt on
a bridge and got there about three oclock in the evening there
had been a heavy flood and washed away a great many houses on
Ch[--]ry Creek were careyed off by the water we had to
go up cherry creek about two miles to find feed for our mule
then we looked for work I found carpenter work but he could
not find any that he could do we looked for a place to boar[-]
but the boarding places were all full but we found a shedd
room that we could get it had no floor in it we had to
cook and sleep on the ground

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70

I worked at carpenters work five days at two dollars
and fifty cents per day then started with a train
about three hundred and and fifty miles down the platt
[-]iver then crossed the platt and traveled to Omahau
o[-] the masourigc river [---] and staid there one week
then crossed the river and went to Council Bluff city
there hired to MR Me May on to work at capenters work
for two and a half dollars per day and worked about
two months In the mean time I became acquainted with
two Batanic Doctors By the name a Shoe maker and Alison
they were in company and had a large office well filled
with medacin I went in to their offis and stayed about
three months and studdied medacin going with them
to attend their patients at the same time prepareing some
medacins to sel
while there I was passin along the Street one day and herd
a man Speeking with a croud around him I stepped up
to hear him he was telling them about Californa he said
you have herd that it was a great cabage Country one man
answerd ys[-] wall I will tell you about that he says in
a small place perhaps an acre or so you can raise fine
cabbage but you may go 20 miles before you can rase white
beans then was passing to tell some thing elce

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71

O says to him my friend why dont you tell these men
what the reason is you cannot raise white beans in that
distance he looked at me and says have you been to Californ[--]
I says I have been that way he turned and walked off
then severel of the croud says tell us the cause then I said
the cause is the want of water I have seen sixty bushels of
wheat to the acre where you could not raise a cabage hill
of corn or a kill of [---] beans with out water how is it says
the man that they can raise wheat with out water I said
the wheat is sown in the rany season and before the
dry season comes the wheat gets start enough to car[-]n o[--]
in January 1869 I took my pony and medacing
that I had prepared and started to Nebrasca City Pedling on the
way made some sales and stayed over nite about eighteen
miles from starting the next day about ten o clock I
came to two r[-]ads and took the rong one traveled on it
abint one and a haff miles and stoped to war [--] and eng[--]
the way found I was rong it was so cold the man asked me
to stay over nite I refused but while warming he asked
my name and told me my name was Briggs I asked him
if he was a connection of Riley Brigs a boy I had traveled
with three years before he said he was brother to him
I told him I had traveled in Crmpany with him

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72

and his mother three years before in moveing and had seen
his father and brother in Utah he said we will put
your house in the stable you cannot go any further
to day so we unsaddled and I made my home the
untill the next September I first commenced to practice
meadicin and practiced for a time I had to go out some
of a nite and found that the doctors directions [---]
not followed and I soon came to the concl[-]sion I did
not want to practice medacin any more and told
Mr Brigs so he said keep on I wood soon have plenty of p[---]
I told him I had all I wanted I told him I was going
to peddleing medacin I though I could makethe most
so I started out to sell medacin and go to the drug store
twenty miles I went there and traded and back in two days
and sold twenty five dollars worth of medacin
about this time I received my third letter from
my wife in Utah telling me that my folks were
all well there I answered it put in a ten Dollar green
back and continued peddleing with my saddle bags
on my sholder with good success untill the mud time
was over and the roads good then I bought an old buggy
and repaired it up to peddle in I reveived an other
letter acknowledgeing the receite of the f other

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then Lee had surrendered and the soldiers we comn[-]
nced to be discharged I wrote to her that the war was
closed and for her to see if she could find a chane
to come through I thought the safest was to go
to the comandant at the Soldier camp anase
if he could send them through to leven worth
I wood pay the charge thare and put a 20 dolar
green back in the letter and si<nt>t to her
in about two month I received an answer to it
stateing that she herd I was liveing with another
woman and blameing me for not being there
to take care of my famroly and said as to comeny
back the war was not yet closed and when she
came back she should came the round about way
this letter concisted almost holey in blameing me
and taunts about othe wining
I wrote back asking proof of the war not being
Closed and explanation about comeing the round
about way and put a ten dollar greenback in 
the letter and sent it and did not receive 
any answer and wrote twice after and received no[--]