Morgan Pioneer History Binds Us Together My father tried very hard to avoid any trouble that might arise and was very well respected by all. Mother went with one of the wagons, but walked a great deal of the way. She made noodles and dried them before leaving home, which she shared with the sick. Also, she made yeast cakes and had light bread all the way. Provisions were weighed out to each family once a week and one time was rationed out at one half pound of flour a day. At times water was very scarce and at low, boggy places, shovels and spades were used. After digging two or three feet they would strike water, which was about the color of rainwater. This was caused by alkali. At night when a campground was reached, the carts were placed in a circle, leaving an open space of about ten feet. This was used for a corral for the oxen. The oxen were then unyoked and driven perhaps one half mile away where they were watched by two men until midnight when they were relieved by two others. When morning came, they were brought in, each man yoked up his own oxen and as soon as breakfast was over, they were ordered to line up for another hot day. The carts were loaded with bedding, cooking utensils and sometimes children, as their feet became very tired at times. Mothers leading their little children by the hands, and barefooted themselves, was very hard for them to endure. When camped for the night, they always sang hymns and tried to be happy. Their journey was very peaceful. Several bands of Indians passed, but they were not molested by them. At one time their food failed to reach them and my father swam the Platte River and arranged for provisions to be sent to the camp. On arriving at Sweetwater, the bottom of the river seemed to be Picture depicting one of the Handcart Compan covered with fish. Everyone had all the fish they could eat, which was a great feast after eating Salty bacon all the way. When they reached Green River, all were taken across on ferryboat, except the oxen, and they had to swim. They were very low on provisions and became very weak and hungry, when two wagons drove up loaded with provisions. They camped two days at the mouth of Echo Canyon on the Weber River, at a small town called Henefer. The town was named Henefer in honor of the only family in the valley at the time. Mr. Henefer donated five bushels of potatoes, providing they could dig them. The fishing was very good so that everyone had all the potatoes and fish they could eat. They reached Salt Lake, the end of their journey, on August 27,1860. Wagons, carts, tents, and the oxen, everything that was used on their journey, belonged to the church and were taken from them. My parents located in Farmington and lived there three years. My father helped to lay the rock for the old meetinghouse in Farmington, which is still standing. They moved from Farmington in the fall of 1863 to North Morgan. The first cabins were logs with small poles and wild wheat grass for the roof. Chimneys were built of rock, one small window without a glass. No lumber for a door, a quilt or carpet was hung in place of a door. Also, a dirt floor. Fine willows were tied together for a broom; beds were built out of poles. For chairs, blocks of wood were split, holes bored in the bottom and round sticks were put in for legs. They used tallow candles for lights and sometimes they placed tallow in a tin plate and a piece of twisted cloth with one end to light. My mother spun yarn for cloth and dyed it, making enough for two suits of clothes. One for Father and one for their son, George. She also made her own yarn with her spinning wheel and knit all the children's stockings. In the fall they would make a barrel of soft soap, take it to Salt Lake and trade it for dried fruit to be used during the winter. They passed through all the hardships of the early pioneer days. They lost four children while living in North Morgan - Daniel, Birdie, Samuel, and Arta, making seven in all that passed away. The Union Pacific Railroad was built in 1868 and 1869. Money was more plentiful. Machinery was used on the farms instead of cradles and scythes. 160