Trek Journal

Pioneer trekH E R R I M A N W E S T S TA K E

T H I S T R E K J O U R N A L B E L O N G S T O :

P I O N E E R T R E K J O U R N A L

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Bound byFAITH��

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electivesPlease choose one of the following electives each month (May, June, and July).

These activities may be done individually, with your family, or as a YW/YM church activity.

Most of these electives overlap with Personal Progress, Duty to God, and Scouting requirements.

Learn a craft of skill that was part of every day life for the pioneers (i.e. dutch oven cooking,

knitting, rope making, sewing, etc.). (PP: Divine Nature project)

Teach a family home evening lesson about your ancestors.

Complete one of following Scouting merit badges: Genealogy, Pioneering, Wood Carving,

Leatherwork, Personal Fitness, or American Cultures.

Visit with one of your grandparents and ask them to share stories of your ancestors; record

these stories. (PP: Individual Worth #5) (Duty to God: Teacher - Citizenship and Social

Development #4)

Tour one of the following church sites: This is the Place Monument, Temple Square, the Church

History Museum, or the Beehive House.

Read For the Strength of Youth pamphlet and discuss with a parent or leader the differences

between the pioneers lives and your life. Choose one standard in which you need to improve

and practice living it. (PP: Choice & Accountability #2) (Duty to God: Teacher & Priest -

Family Activities #2)

Complete a four-generation pedigree chart with your family. (PP: Individual Worth #5)

Watch one of the Church Pioneer movies: Legacy, The Mountain of the Lord, or An Ensign to

the Nations.

Compile your personal or family history using journal entries, pictures, and important papers.

(PP: Individual Worth project) (Duty to God: Priest - Family Activities #9; Priest - Education,

Personal, & Career Development #7)

Work with a family member to gather the names of some deceased relatives who were not

members of the Church. Identify their birth and death dates and submit their names to the temple.

Help plan a temple trip and do baptisms for those relatives. (PP: Good Works project) (Duty

to God: Priest - Family Activities #9)

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mayssccrriippttuurree:: memorize trek theme scripture ##11

date completed: youth initials: parent/leader initials:

ssoonngg:: memorize trek theme hymn ##11


hhiissttoorryy:: read pioneer story ##11


jjoouurrnnaall:: record your feelings about joseph smith and the restoration in this journal


eelleeccttiivvee:: choose and complete one elective from the elective list


junessccrriippttuurree:: memorize trek theme scripture ##22






jjoouurrnnaall:: write a journal entry on how you personally feel about the atonement




julyssccrriippttuurree:: memorize trek theme scripture ##33






jjoouurrnnaall:: write a journal entry comparing your trials to the trials the pioneers faced




pre-trek requirements

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trek theme scripture #1

francis websterBorn: 1831, England

Age: 25 (when he joined the Martin handcart company)

As Francis Webster and his wife Ann prepared to leave London, they had sixteen hundred dollars

in cash. With this money they would be able to outfit themselves in luxury for a trip from London

to Salt Lake City. Francis placed five hundred dollars with a church agent to purchase for him a

good wagon with full camp equipment and two yoke of good cattle. He planned to it up at the

point in America where the Mormons started across the plains. Soon after this order was placed,

advice came from Brigham Young to the Saints of England, for the well-to-do to share with and

give assistance to the poor members of the Church so that they also might come to Zion.

Francis Webster heard that advice and was ready to obey counsel. The price of that good outfit

he had ordered would pay the passage of nine additional persons to Utah. So, knowing that a

bay would be born to them on the plains, the Websters canceled the wagon order and elected

to travel by handcart so that the money might bring nine more souls to Zion. They would obey

counsel and trust themselves to the providence of God.

The following is an excerpt from Francis’ journal. “I was married on the 5th day of December to

Miss Ann Elizabeth Parsons. On the 23 of December I was ordained a Priest in the Church of

Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. On the 23rd of May 1856, we left Liverpool on board the ship

Horizon paying the fare for 9 persons besides myself and my wife to Salt Lake City. We landed

at Boston on the 30th of June. Traveled through the state to Iowa City by railroad. We started

pioneer story #1

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trek theme hymn #1

the handcart songd&c 43:9

And thus ye shall become instructed in the law of my church,

and be sanctified by that which ye have received,

and ye shall bind yourselves to act in all holiness before me.

a hill slope and I have said, I can go only that far and there I must give up for I cannot pull the

load through it. I have gone to that sand and when I reached it, the cart began pushing me! I

have looked back many times to see who was pushing my cart, but my eyes saw no one. I knew

then that the Angels of God were there.’

‘Was I sorry that I chose to come by handcart? No! Neither then nor any minute of my life since.

The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay and I am thankful that

I was privileged to come in the Martin Handcart Company.”

“The speaker was Francis Webster. And when he sat down there was not a dry eye in the room.

We were a subdued and chastened lot.”

Elizabeth Georgiana Quilley Read (born 1805) traveled in the Martin Handcart company at the

age of 51 years old. In a letter written to her children in England she wrote, “My dear children,

we have suffered beyond anything you can imagine. We have seen our comrades weaken and

die and be buried in trenches of snow. But in all this suffering we have come face to face with God.

It was God who upheld us when our weary bodies would have given up the ghost. It was God

who preserved Thisbe (daughter 11 yrs) to us when it seemed that she would never live. Yes, my

children, for the first time in my life I know God. I know that He hears our prayers, and that in his

wisdom all is for the best.”

6 7

from Iowa for Salt Lake City with hand carts on the 27th of July. I had diarrhea all the way from

Iowa City to Florence so bad that I had to sit down in the middle of the road and be administered

to by the Elders. I then got up and pulled my handcart with renewed vigor. We started from Florence

on the 3rd of September. We arrived in Salt Lake City on the 30th day of November 1856.”

“We lived on a quarter of a lb. of flour a day each. Father had lived for 5 days on dead Buffalo

meat without salt, when we were met by the relief train. He had done this so that grandmother

and mother could have his quarter lb. of flour” (by his daughter Ann)

Francis Webster became a leader in the church and a leader in the communities of southern

Utah. The following is an account from the writings of William R. Palmer about an incident in an

adult Sunday School class in Cedar City at which over fifty men and women were in attendance.

“Nathan T. Porter was the teacher and the subject under discussion was the Ill-fated handcart com-

pany (Martin) that suffered so terribly in the snow of 1856.”

“Some sharp criticism of the Church and its leaders was being indulged in for permitting any

company of converts to venture across the plains with no more supplies or protection than a

handcart caravan afforded. “

“An older man sat silently in the corner and listened as long as he could stand it, then he arose

and said things that no person who heard will ever forget. His face was white with emotion, yet

he spoke calmly, deliberately, but with great earnestness and sincerity.”

“He said in substance, ‘I ask you to stop this criticism. You are discussing a matter you know nothing

about. Cold historic facts mean nothing here, for they give no proper interpretation of the questions

involved. Mistake to send the Handcart Company out so late in the season? Yes! But I was in that com-

pany and my wife was in it, and Sister Nellie Unthank whom you have cited here was there, too. We

suffered beyond anything you can imagine and many died of exposure and starvation, but did you

ever hear a survivor of that company utter a word of criticism? Every one of us came through with the

absolute knowledge that God lives for we became acquainted with Him in our extremities!’

‘I have pulled my handcart when I was so weak and weary from illness and lack of food that I

could hardly put one foot ahead of the other. I have looked ahead and seen a patch of sand or


pioneer story #2

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trek theme hymn #2

faith in every footstep

patience loaderBorn: 1827, England

Age: 29 (at time of trek)

Martin Handcart Company

James and Amy Loader (Patience’s parents) came to America in 1855. James had worked in

Englad as foreman and head gardener for a wealthy gentleman by the name of Sir Henry Lambert.

Patience and her eight sister and four brothers were all born her on this estate where James had

worked for 35 years. Somewhere around 1850, the Loaders were baptized members of the

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. James was fired from his job as a consequence. In

November 1855, they left for America on the “John J. Boyd” with at least six of the unmarried

children, including Patience. Their oldest daughter, Ann (Dalling), had already emigrated with her

husband and was awaiting their arrival in Utah.

Patience journal records. “After my parents and my sister and I got all our baggage on board

the ship, we found that it would not sail until the next day, so I decided to go back to stay at my

married sister’s house that night. The next afternoon I went back to the ship and found it ready

to depart. The men were just taking away the last plank. There were all my folks standing on deck

watching anxiously for me and shouting at the top of their voices, “For Lord’s sake bring our girl

on the ship and don’t leave her behind.” There was just one plank to walk on from the dock to

the ship and father and mother were afraid I should fall off into the water.”

“The sailors said, ‘Miss do you think you can walk the plank? I told them I thought I could but they

thought I might get dizzy and fall off so they were very kind. One man went on the plank before

me and took my hand, the second man came behind me on the plank and took my left hand.

proverbs 31:10Who can find a virtuous woman?

For her price is far above rubies.

They said if I slipped they would save me from going into the water. There was great anxiety

among them when the saw me walking the plank with the sailors, and there was great rejoicing

when I was safe on the vessel with them.”

The Loader family first went to Williamsburg, New York, where they all worked for a time. Even

their daughter, Sarah who was not yet twelve, worked as a nursemaid in the home of a wealthy

family by the name of Sawyer. They left in June of 1856 and traveled to Iowa where they joined

with their daughter, Zilpah, her husband, John Jacques, and their one-year-old daughter, Flora.

Zilpah was expecting another baby, which was born on the plains in August. The new baby,

Alpha, survived and eventually became the longest lived member of the Martin Handcart Company,

but little Flora did not survive the trek. She died about a week before reaching the Salt Lake Valley.

Family records indicate that ten-year old Robert was the only son to accompany the family. Patience’

father James, died fairly early in the trek, leaving his wife and daughters to finish the trek alone.

The rest of the family survived the trek, experiencing many miracles amid their tribulation. James

had been faithful and courageous in defending his new faith. One of his greatest wishes was to

see his daughter, Ann, in Zion. Surely the Lord granted James this blessing of witnessing his entire

family in Zion.

Patience was blessed with a mother who was a very strong woman. She protected, sustained and

cheered her children as well as others without complaining, and manifested great faith in God. She

put on all the extra clothing she could carry under her own, so when the children needed dry

clothing, she always had it, including dry stockings for them after fording streams. As the weather

became colder and provisions shorter, they were given four ounces of flour oz day for each person.

Instead of the usual gruel, Mother Loader made hers into little biscuits and would have them

through the day, thus having a bite or two for the children when they were tired and faint.

One day, a man lying by the roadside, when asked to get up, said he could no, but it he had a

mouth full of bread he could, so Amy gave him some food and he got up and went on. In Salt

Lake some time later, this man stopped Amy and thanked her for saving his life.

After one exceptionally cold night, Amy (whose health was also very fragile), could not get her

daughters to arise. She finally said, “Come girls, this will not do. I believe I will have to dance to

you and try to make you feel better.” Amy struggled to her feet, hair falling about her face as she

filled the air with song. Louder and louder she sang, her waster frame swaying as finally she

danced, waving her skirts back and forth. The girls laughed, momentarily forgot their frozen toes

and snow-covered blankets, as their mother danced and sang and twirled until she stepped on

an icy patch and fell in a heap to the ground. Then, Patience wrote, “..in a moment we was all

up to help our dear Mother up for we was afraid she was hurt. She laughed and said, ‘I thought

I could soon make you all jump up if I dance to you.’ Then we found that she fell down purposely

for she knew we would all get up to see if she was hurt. She said that she was afraid her girls

was going to give out and get discouraged and she said that would never to give up.”

Patience had a sister Tamar (22) who was very much grieved when she left England because

she had been unable to convert her sweetheart and he remained. One night, while on the plains,

after much grieving, she had a dream. The next morning she told her mother that she had

dreamed that her sweetheart came and stood beside her and he seemed so real. But he was not

alone. Another man was with him. In the dream the sweetheart faded away but the other main

remained. When Tamar first saw Thomas E. Ricks in the rescue party, she took her mother by the

arm and said, “Mother, that’s the man.” She did marry Thomas Rick (after whom Ricks College

—now BYU Idaho—is named).

Patience also had spiritual experiences on the trek. She relates that she was pulling the handcart

through the deep snow, a strange man appeared to her: “He came and looked in my face. He

said, ‘Are you Patience?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘I thought it was you. Travel on, there is help for

you. You will come to a good place. There is plenty.’ With this he was gone. He disappeared. I

looked but never saw where he went. This seemed very strange to me. I took this as someone sent

to encourage us and give us strength.” The Loader family was met by the rescuers at camp that night.

Patience also wrote: “We did not get buy very little meat as the bone had been picked the night

before and we did not have only the half of a small biscuit as we only was having four oz of flour

a day. This we eat with thankful hearts and we always ask God to bless it to our use and that it

would strengthen our bodies day by day so that we could perform our duties. And I can testify

that our heavenly Father heard and answered our prayers and we was blessed with health and

strength day by day to endure the severe trials we had to pass through on that terrible journey

before we got to Salt Lake City. We know that if God had not been with us that our strength

would have failed us…I can say we put our trust in God and he heard and answered our prayers

and brought us through to the valley.”

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trek theme hymn #3 trek theme hymn #3

behold a royal army (young men)

levi savageBorn: 1820, Ohio

Age: 36 (time of trek)

Levi Savage was the second of fifteen children, born just two weeks after the family’s comfortable

home and fine furnishings burned to the ground. The family rebuilt, then eventually moved to

Michigan where Mormon missionaries from Nauvoo visited the family. The family embraced the

gospel, and after the martyrdom of Joseph Smith, “decided to seek a home in the then unknown

western wilds of the Rocky Mountains.

My father and mother, being members of the church, decided to share the weal’s and woes of the

exiled saints. So we prepared as well as we could for a long journey into a strange and to us wholly

unknown country…we bid adieu to the old homestead in Van Buren County, Michigan, and directed

our course westward, not knowing the place of destination, only we expected to locate somewhere

in the western wilds of the Rocky Mountains…at Council Bluffs, Missouri River, we met Colonel

Allen, A US officer, offering to enlist 500 men from the Mormon immigrants in the US Army against

Mexico. Notwithstanding our government allowed us, the Mormons, to be mobbed from our

homes; our leaders, Brigham Young and the council advised the enlistment, or at least approved

of it, and the battalion of 500 was raised. I was one of the ones to enlist for one year.

“We marched on foot 200 miles down the River Missouri to Fort Leavenworth; thence to Santa

Jose 12100 miles, then to San Diego some 1400 miles, thence 300miles to Los Angeles, lower

California. Our year enlistment was expired and here we were discharged and started for home.

But we knew nothing of the whereabouts of our home or friends.”

Levi arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on October 16, 1847. His mother had died on the westward

trek, but his father and younger brother, Mathew, had arrived about three weeks previously. A

young lady by the name of Jane Mathers had served as a cook for his father on this trek.


pioneer story #3

1 timothy 4:12(Mutual Theme)

Be thou an example of the believers, in word,

in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity

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trek theme hymn #3

as sisters in zion (young women)

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upon the subject, but spoke the truth, and the people, judging from appearance and expressions,

felt the force of it. However, the most of them determined to go forward if the authorities say go.

Elder Willey then spoke again in reply to what I had said, evidently dissatisfied. He said that the

God that he served was a God that was able to save to the uttermost. He said that was the God

that he served. I then said that what I had said was the truth, and if Elder Willey did not want me

to act in the place where I am, he is at full liberty to place another man in my stead. I would not

think hard of him for it. I had spoken nothing but the truth and he knew it. Elder Atwood then spoke

mildly and to the purpose. He said that he had been listening to what had been said. He exhorted

the Saints to pray to God and get a revelation and know for themselves whether they should go

or stay for it was their privilege to know for themselves. The meeting was dismissed, all manifesting

a good feeling and spirit.”

Brother Atwood’s mild speaking apparently calmed many of the Saints at this meeting. A few

elected to stay in Florence for a time, but most needed and voted to continue. Emma James (16)

a member of the Willie Company, write of Levi’s words at this meeting:

“With tears streaming down his cheeks, he pleaded with the people, ‘Brothers and Sisters, wait

until Spring to make this journey. Some of the strong may get through in case of bad weather,

but the bones of the weak and old will strew the way.’ Levi was voted down, the majority being

against him. He then added: “Brethren and Sisters, what I have said I know to be true, but seeing

you are to go forward, I will go with you, will help you all I can, will work with you, will rest with

you, will suffer with you, and, if necessary, I will die with you. May God in His mercy bless and

preserve us.”

Other members of the company also recorded Levi’s heartfelt words and bore witness to his dedication

in fulfilling his own promises. Unfortunately, many things of which Levi warned came to pass, but

he suffered with the people and helped them as promised. He was a stalwart leader, encouraging

the people and never criticizing them for not listening.

Levi was one of the exemplary men that helped above and beyond his duty. The following tribute

was written of him by George Cunningham of the Willie Company: “Our captains set the example.

They would crowd ahead and be the first in the streams to help others across and they were the

last out. They waded every stream, I might say, a dozen times between Iowa City and the Green

River. Their feet were worn and bleeding, they became exhausted and had to be hauled the balance

of the way, some of them not being able to stand.”

October 20th, the Willie Company became stranded from exhaustion and deep snow near the

Sixth Crossing of the Sweetwater River. The last of the meager “breadstuffs” were issued as Captain

Willie and Joseph Elder left in search of the Rescue Party that they had been informed were

“I had formed some acquaintance with this Miss Jane Mathers while traveling from the vicinity

of Nauvoo to Council Bluff. We renewed our acquaintance and on the 23rd day of January

1848, I married her. On the 11th of January 1851 she gave birth to my first child, a son. On the

29th day of December 1851 my wife died and on the last day of the year she was buried.”

At the Church’s October Conference in 1852, Levi was called on a mission to Siam. “I was called

with several other Elders and left my little boy with my sister Hannah, the wife of Ira Eldrege.”

Due to the ward and other problems, Levi never did make it to Siam but continued to make every

effort in his missionary work. He arrived in Burma in August where he and his companions stayed

with Brother McCune, the only member of the Church there.

He records: “I found a Burmese boy that could talk some English. I made an engagement for him

to teach me Burmese and I would teach him English.” Levi served in both Burma and India teaching

the gospel for the next year.

Levi was able to begin his journey home from his mission in October of 1855 aboard the ship

Herbert bound for Boston where he arrived the end of February 1856 and recorded, “I certainly

thank the Lord for landing me safely on my native shores again.” Levi worked and preached

until June when the Thornton arrived with about 500 Saints with the James G. Willie company,

intending to travel from Iowa City, Iowa with handcarts. Levi joined himself with this group in

New York and traveled the rest of the way with them.

Levi was chosen to be a sub-captain for the Willie Handcart Company. By the time the company

crossed Iowa and reached Florence, Nebraska, it was late in the season and they had encountered

many delays. Levi spoke to the Saints here and pled with them to wait until Spring to make the

journey. He advised them to go into winter quarters and wait through the winter:

“August 13, 1856, Wednesday, Florence, Nebraska Territory. Today we continued preparations

for starting. Evening we held meeting in camp. Brother Willey exhorted the Saints to go forward

regardless of suffering even to death. After he had spoken, he gave me the opportunity of speaking.

I said to him that if I spoke I must speak my mind. He said certainly to do so. I then related to the

Saints the hardships that we should have to endure. I said that we were liable to have to wade

in snow up to our knees and shovel at night, lay ourselves in a thin blanket and lie on the frozen

ground without a bed. I said that it was not like having a wagon that we could go into and wrap

ourselves in as much as we like and lay down. No, said I, we are without wagons, destitute of

clothing and could not carry it if we had it. We must go as we are. The handcart system I do not

condemn. I think it preferable to unbroken oxen and inexperienced teamsters. The lateness of the

season was my only objection to leaving this point for the mountains at this time. I spoke warmly

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MyPersonal��

��JOURNAL

The next six pages contain the journal entries for the

pre-trek requirements and the remainder of the journal pages

are to be used each day while on the pioneer trek.

close. They returned with the relief the next day and by October 22, the company was on their

way again. Levi had charge of the teams, and it was slow going, “because of their reduced

strength and heavy loads. A large number of sick and children were in the wagons.” Levi did not

arrive in camp until very late that night. Of the last of their major ordeals, Levi records:

“October 23rd...We buried our dead, got up our teams and about nine o’clock a.m. commenced

ascending the Rocky Ridge. This was a severe day. The wind blew hard and cold. The ascent was

some five miles long and some places steep and covered with deep snow. We became weary,

set down to rest, and some became chilled and commenced to freeze…The teams were perfectly

loaded down with the sick and children, so thickly stacked I was fearful some would smother.

About ten or eleven o’clock in the night we came to a creek that we did not like to attempt to cross

without help, it being full of ice and freezing cold. Leaving Brothers Atwood and Woodward

with the teams, I started to the camp for help. I met Brother Willie coming to look for us. He

turned for the camp as he could do no good alone. I passed several on the road and arrived in

camp after about four miles of travel. I arrived in camp, but few tents were pitched and men,

women and children sat shivering with cold around their small fires. Some time lapsed when two

teams started to bring up the rear. Just before daylight, they returned, bringing all with them,

some badly frozen, some dying and some dead. It was heartrending to hear children crying for

mothers and mothers crying for children. By the time I got them as comfortably situated as

circumstances would allow, day was dawning. I had not shut my eyes for sleep, nor lain down.

I was nearly exhausted with fatigue and want of rest.

“October 24th 1856, Friday. This morning found us with thirteen corpses for burial. These were

all put into one grave. Some had actually frozen to death. We were obliged to remain in camp,

move the tents and people behind the willows to shelter them from the sever wind which blew

enough to pierce us through. Several of our cattle died here.” (Martin’s Cove estimates that the

weather with wind chill was between 50-60 degrees below zero).

On the 9th of November 1856 after being away for four years, Levi had a happy reunion with

his son and was deeply grateful to his brother-in-law and sister for caring for him so well.

William Woodward, a subcaptain of the Willie Handcart company records, “Levi Savage who

was censured for his truthful statement at Florence, was I think the best help we had—resolute

and determined his whole soul was for the salvation of our company.”

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journal entry #1{record your feelings about joseph smith and the restoration}

date:

journal entry #2{record your feelings about the atonement}

date:

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journal entry #3{record your feelings about your trials compared to the trials the pioneers faced}

date:

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a journal of my trekdate:

a journal of my trek

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MyTrek��

��FAMILY

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Autograhs

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Autograhs

Trek Journal

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