• • • • DANIEL BERTOCH I was born May 25, 1835. My parents were John Bertoch and Marqueritte Bounous; we lived in St. Gennain Peidmont, Italy. My mother died in 1838. Father and five children joined the Church September 1852. We were baptized by Jabus Woodard. Father was called to preach the Gospel, so we five children started to America with two other families Jan. 15, 1854. We were the first immigrants from Italy. We stopped at Kansas Priarie, and I was hired out to a Swiss family. My first task was to break wild steers, so we might cross the plains. 1 had never had any experience with steers before. When they were sufficiently broke we started on our journey, under the leadership of Captain Campbell. Our cattle were never unyoked untiJ we were out of Buffalo Country. We would camp early enough to feed our cattle before dark. Out camp was make in two semi-circles, having a gate at both ends. Two guards watched at each gate every night and each hour would call out «All is Well." One night we had a stampede, the whole plain trembled and shook under the weight of 125 yokes of cattle rushing madly over the plains. In the morning we found them two or three miles from our fonner camp. They were aJJ together and we never lost one. Campbell and Empey joined companies before entering waring country. This was done for safety, for the Siou and Foote Indians were at war . We separated at South Plat, giving Empey two or three days start before we followed. My brother and sister went with Empey and I stayed with Campbell. We arrived in Salt Lake, Oct 28, 1854, having been nine and one-half months since we left our native land. During this time I lost a sister and a brother. Our first camp was make back of a dirt wall, just north of John Sharpe's dwelling. We first settlers all had confidence in our leaders and were satisfied with Salt Lake City. A man by name of Toronto came and took me to his home, where I met my brother and sister. In a few days we went to Anelope Island to work for Pres. Young. I had to go to the canyon every day for wood, which resulted in wet feet, for my shoes were so bad, I was obliged to tie them on with strings. Late in spring, T otonto and myself started for Sale Lake with a piece of bran bread in our pockets. We were trying to find the head of the Jordan River. We came across a large flat boat filled with water, we stayed to empty it. But before our task was done it began to get dark, so we started for the nearest light. We stayed with Mr. Keits at K's Creek. At breakfast I was seated next to a young lady about eighteen years old, dressed in a clean calico dress. Imagine my humilation, for I was dressed in dirty greasy canvass, that Toronto brought from New Orleans. Next day we went back to complete our task and a terrible storm came making it impossible. We were in danger of our lives so Toronto called us to come into the boat and he began to pray in English. When be finished he caJJed on a Danish boy and he prayed in Danish; then he asked me. I prayed in French for the first time without my prayer book. It wasn't very long before the storm quited down and we got away safely. After drying our clothes by a fire we began to hunt a place to stay . The next day we started in quest of the Jordan River, we found it late in the afternoon. We . .. • • • got in our boat and traveled up the river. We camped that night at Bakers. The next day we arrived in Salt Lake and went to Trooto's. l stayed with him long enough to get a pair of shoes then I ran away. I roamed for a while then I started to work on the temple. In about 1 Yz months the work stopped. John Sharpe then started me to work on the canal from Big Cottonwood to the mouth of City Creek .. We received Yz pound of shorts, 1 Yz pounds of flour and meat the size of a man' s two fists to last each one of us for a week. I worked there until late in the fall and everything was closed up for the winter. I went to Sharpe for my money, he told me there was no pay only what we ate. I was left penniless and without a place to stay. The Mormon Company arrived the day I left Sharpe, and told me, my father had passed away. My brother and sister were living on the island. I felt pretty blue and alone in the world. Having run away from Tron.to, I hated to go back, but I did and he took me back on the Island in the fall of 1855. On our way we were obliged to roll our trousers up above our knees and wade through grasshoppers to reach land. Tron.to learned that the large boat , we had tried once before to get , was at Salt Air, so he and I went to recover it. We started to dig a trench to let the water in so we could float the boat out to the lake. Soon we were out of provisions and Tronto went to Salt Lake to get some. I waited for a day and a half and he didn't return so l started on foot for the City. I reached Tronto's and found th.e house locked, so I hunted for something to eat. I found a squash, I ate all I could and then returned to Salt Air. I saw nothing ofTronto, so I started for the Island. While on the lake a dreadful storm started. I was driften all over and thought any minute I would be tipped over and drowned. I was very frightened so I prayed and then trusted the Lord. I was carried safely to the Island and stayed at the Church that night. The next day I went on to my brother and sister. I remained here until fall of 1856 and then left Tronto. I came to Ogden and lived in Mount Fort until the spring of 1857, The Refonnation took place during this time. People were supposed to forgive and forget every injustice they had committed before they could be baptized again. l was baptized in the Ogden River. I started to work for George D. and Jediah Grant. In the spring of 1858 President Young ordered everyone to move south to get away from Johnson' s Army. We returned to our homes in the fall In 1960 I moved to Weber Valley (Morgan County) with Grant' s family. We fought grasshoppers for about seven years. While working for Grant I took up a claim and made me a home .