Thursday, June 30, 2011

Before and After Mt. Pisgah -- Part 6

by Clare B. Christensen


F. Walter Cox’s Families Go West


In the spring of 1852 “at Silver Creek, Mills County, Iowa, F. Walter Cox had been making all possible preparation to move his families to the Rocky Mountains. He had been building his own wagons and getting food and supplies on hand. Since mostof the summer would be required to travel and there would be no time to raise crops, he had to have food sufficient to last his families two years. . . .Emeline was going to have another baby and would have preferred to remain at Silver Creek another year. However, with his added problems due to Cordelia and Jemima having to live elsewhere, he felt that he could remain in Iowa no longer.” (p. 213)


The journey was filled with challenges including cholera for F. Walter Cox and his little son Byron. “One woman was killed in the camp by a stampede of cattle which started when some of the animals were frightened by the shaking of a buffalo robe.” (p. 214)


“On August 6th, they passed Fort Laramie. The next day they stopped beneath the cottonwood trees on the bank of the North Platte and the women engaged in washing. Emeline did not help much for early the next morning, 8 August 1852 in the wagon, she gave birth to Emily Amelia Cox. She said that although the conditions were difficult, the confinement was one of the easiest she had. With the mother and babe adjusted in the bed in the wagon, that afternoon the caravan moved on over the hot dusty prairie. Emeline knew that cooler weather was ahead so when she was well enough, while the wagon rolled along, she knit a pair of stockings and a pair of mittens for the baby. . . .


“They arrived in Salt Lake Valley on September 28th and rested until October 4th before they went on to Manti” where the Coxes and Whitings settled. (pp. 215-216)


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In 2003 David and Karen Luthy went on a Pioneer Trek with the North Logan Stake Young Men Young Women. One night they camped on the Sweetwater River below Rocky Ridge. There were echos of the pioneer past all around them, especially when Karen walked along the tree-lined river and thought of Emeline.




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