Joseph Fielding Diary (1847

Mormon History 1830-1844

Joseph Fielding Diary (1847–1849)

Winter Quarters, trek west, fall and winter of 1848–1849.

Last diary volume, manuscript pages 133–147. Previous entry December 25, 1847.

	February 4, 1849	J. Fielding diary
	It is now more than a year since I wrote any in my Journal.
Winter Quarters: livestock lost	While in Winter Quarters I lost three oxen out [of] Four, and one of two Horses, almost all my sheep.
Toe injury	Once I hurt my Toe so that I could not get my Shoe on for some weeks.
Side, finger injuries	Once I was thrown down and my Side was hurt so the I could hardly attend to my Business and once I bruised my finger
Chills and fever, deathly ill	and about the Month of February I had A severe Sickness, what is called Chil and Fever; and my Life seemed in danger but through the Goodness of God and the Faithfulness of my Family I was restored to Health in A few weeks.
Scurvy	At one time also while there I was nearly crippled with the [134] Skurvy, A Complaint which prevailed much among the Saints then. It appeared in small dark Specks on the lower Parts of the Body and contracting the sinews of the Legs, so that they could not be streightened.
Repaired Mary's wagons for her Bought land, planted wheat	At the close of the last Winter I commenced repairing my Sister's Waggons &c. to prepare her for her Journey to the Valley, but as I saw no possibility of going myself I bought the Improvement of five Acres of Land, and sowed it with wheat,
Heber C. Kimball advises Joseph to go Sells land, borrows corn	but still felt a desire to go if the way should open, and as I was A Member of the Council I was advised by Bro H. C. Kimball to try and make A Start. I sold my claim, borrowed some corn and did my best for Starting, but both my sister and myself found it very difficult to get off.
Teams and wagons Lack leaders, drivers	A great Part of our Teams was made up [135] of Cows and young oxen that had not been broken and we were obliged to fix two waggons together for lack of Leaders and Drivers.
Driver Joel Terry discouraged	Bro Terry who had engaged to drive a Team to the Valley and to bring one back to take his own Family, was quite discouraged.
Folly to go	One said it was great Folly to attempt to go as we were fixt.
Leave Winter Quarters on Sunday, June 4 2 yoke from Howard Egan Leave Elk Horn on Wednesday, June 7	We left Winter Quarters on Sunday the 4 of June being about the last. Bro Kimballs Company was waiting for us at the Elk Horn River some 25 Miles. When we had got about half the distance there we received from Bro Egan 2 yoke of Oxen through the Influence of Brother Kimball, and we joined the Company on Tuesday Evening and the next morning the Co started.
Platte River crossing	We seemed to improve in our traveling and our Cattle improved in there Condition untill we crossed the Platte River. We overtook Bro B. Young's Company at the Loup Fork, and it was an interesting Sight, when to behold in the Morning, A String [136] of Oxen reaching from one Side of the River to the other about A Mile from Brigham's Company coming to assist us in crossing, for the Waggons sunk into the Sand and it was hard drawing for the Cattle so we put our Cattle to our waggons & put an extra Team to each and got through well. It was indeed an interesting Sight. You might have taken us for two Armies encamped on either Side of the River waiting the Signal for conflict but how different was the Case, when we saw almost the whole Strenghth of the one, wading through the River from one to 3 feet in depth, to help their Friends. Here we stayed over Sunday.
No journal Brigham's company leads Cornelius P. Lott captain of 10 Smaller groups as food, forage fail	As I did not keep A Journal I am not able to give any detail of the long and laborious Journey. Brother Young's Co went ahead, so we in all formed two Companies each Co being organised into 50 and 10 C. P. Lott was our captain of 10 and John Park of 50, Henry Herriman of 100, with Bro Kimball at [137] the Head, but when the Food began to fail we were separated into Fifties and finally into tens as the feed for our Cattle was very short and each 10 had to do the best they could, and we could travil but short Journeys Per Day and some times it was judged necessary to rest our Cattle for several Days.
Cross Platte River below Laramie Then better feed but worse roads Buffalo, dung Dried meat	We crossed the Plate River about [blank] Miles below fort Laramie from which time we had but little good feed and the road was much worse. It is wonderful to see the Buffalo and the Marks of them, for several hundred Miles. The Prairie is covered with their Dung, from which one is sure there must be Thousands of them. Our Companies shot many [138] of them. We ate freely of the Flesh and also dried great Quantities and brought on to the Valey.
Saltpeter poisons oxen Many killed.	A great Part of the Road the Ground is partly coverd with Salaratus or Salt Petre which is very injurious to the Oxen was they eat it freely. Owing to this many fine Oxen died. In fact you cannot go far on the road but you see the Carcase or the Bones of Cattle. At one Place we came to large Beds of Salaratus where almost every Family gathered as much as they wished to carry. I and my Family got from one to ten Bushels.	Saltpeter:potassium nitrate
Sandy roads, hot and dry	In some Places the road is sandy [139] and is hard upon the Cattle especially when the Weather is hot and dry. We sometimes had to ascend Mountains of Sand.
Fresh cattle from valley Few Indians, friendly	Several times the Companies received fresh Cattle from the Valley which in our Situation was very acceptable. We saw but few Indians, and they were quite friendly. I never heard of them taking any of our Cattle.
River crossings	We cross the Loup Fork but first the Elk horn, A small Stream, the Plate about a Mile across the Laramie Fork, and then the Platt again. At the last Place it [is] quite narrow. We also have to ford several small [rivers] [140] (Viz) the Green River, the Bear River and the Weber river, besides many Creeks great and Small.
Early September frost in mountains Bad roads last 40–50 miles.	We found some frost in the Mornings early in September but as we came near the Valey the Weather became warmer, altho the Snow lay on the Top of the Mountains, and in the Valley there had been no frost in the middle of October. The last 40 or 50 Miles the road is shocking bad.
A wonder wagons held up	In short I wonder that so little Damage was sustained. It seems A wonder that any Waggon can stand it. One Creek we have to cross 17 times, but after [141] all we came safely into the Valey on the Evening of the [blank] of October.	Joseph F. Smith gave the date as September 23. "Recollections," 99.
4-month trek	We found our Friends well, and the whole People here seemed to rejoice, but we had about four Months on the Way. This was in some measure owing to the bad Feed and sickness of our Cattle.	our Friends: including Joseph's sister, Mercy, with whom his family stayed until his house was habitable. ¶ Rachel Fielding Burton Reminiscence
Crickets destroyed crops Good spirits	We did not find as much Grass in here as we expected. They had generally planted rather late, and the Crickets had destroyed a great deal of the Corn, Wheat &c. but still the Saints here seemed to be generally in good spirits believing that the Land here will produce plenty of [142] Grain &c. though the last Season they labored hard for A little.
Learned from experience	They believe that they would know better how to manage the land here another Year as to watering, and also by having their farming Land more compact, they hoped to avoid the Crickets.
Impressed by what had been done But grain, corn crops disappointing Early frost kills fall crops High prices	I was surprised to see the Work they had done in Ploughing, Planting and Fencing, and I thought that altho we did not find the Crops of Grain as good as had been represented, yet there would be enough for all that were here, but as the Corn was planted rather late, or, that which was planted early was cut off by the Frost, the Summer was too short, so that the Corn did not ripen. Many of the Beans also were killed before they got ripe, and much of the Buck Wheat came out very light, so that it was evident that there would be little enough for the Inhabitants, and the Price of Produce rose high.
Adobies, timber Winter surprize	During the Fall many were busily employed in making Adobies and in getting Timber to build on their City Lotts and some few got their Houses built, but fewer of them got the Roofs on, for the Winter came on and caught [144] them in all Stages of building.
Can't make adobies Logs from canyon Gets up walls, tent roof	I could not make Adobies on account of A sore Finger in which troubled me A long time, but I got Logs from the Cannion gave one forth for sawing and so got up the Walls of my House but could not get Boards sawed for the Roof, so I spread the Tent over the House and so passed the Winter.
Snow covers ground 12 weeks Unprepared for winter, suffering	The Tent I had borrowed for A Week or two but we were compelled to keep it at least 4 Months, the Ground being coverd with snow about 12 Weeks. This length of Winter was very unexpected and took us by Surprise and unprepared, [145] and in fact it has been A time of much Suffering to the Saints in the Valey.
Ration bread to July	About the end of January the Council caused to be ascertained the Amount of Provision ie, what we call Bread Stuf, but it was more than was feared, nearly one Pound per head till the 9th of July.
Sufficient food, wood	I myself and my Family seem to have lived by Faith yet we have not suffered much for lack of Food and as my Lot of Land is mostly covered with Wood, we have not wanted for Firing so that we are truely thankful.
Health andpeace Mary Ann's daughter, Josephine Wives cooperate Hannah's rheumatism	We have had health and Peace and on the 7 of January A Daughter was born to me of Mary Ann which we call Josephine. All went well with Mother and Child and It was really pleasing to notice that no one could tell by the Conduct of the two Mothers which was its Mother, but we have been much exposed to Cold and sometimes to Rain. I suppose it is owing to this that my Wife Hannah had for some Weeks been much troubled with Rheumatism but we live in hope of being better off.	His daughter's diary confirms the coperation. ¶ Rachel Burton Reminiscence. They may have pointed out the harmony because it was unusual. Later he noted the wives would have nothing to do with each other. ¶ Joseph Fielding Diary
Children barefoot through winter, cry	Our Children have gone barefoot almost entirely through A long and severe Winter, and many times have I been grieved to [147] see their naked Feet in the Snow, and many A Cry have they had.
2 miles to mill Mary loaned corn, wheat	I have fetched took [sic] my Bread Stuf in Corn chiefly on my Shoulder 2 Miles to Mill and in the latter part of the Winter I have had Corn of my Sister Mary Smith by the bushel, but at this time it is likely I can have no more. We have also had A few Bus[hels] of Wheat in the same way which I intend to return to her with Intrest.
	Joseph Fielding Diary (1832–1837) Joseph Fielding Diary (1849–1859) Joseph Fielding Biographies Home