The First Hand-Cart Companies
The first hand-cart companies to cross the plains were led by Edmund Ellsworth and Daniel D. McArthur. Ellsworth’s company, numbering 266 souls, left Iowa City, June 9, 1856. McArthur followed two days later with a company of 220. A third and smaller company of Welsh Saints, under command of Edward Bunker, left on the 23rd. The members of these three companies pushed their hand-carts containing all their worldly possessions, over the plains, the mountains, and through rivers and streams, a distance of about thirteen hundred miles. A few deaths among the aged and infirm occurred on the way, but these companies all arrived in Salt Lake City in good condition and happy to be in Zion. The companies of Ellsworth and McArthur arrived on the 26th of September, having been delayed by the breaking down of hand-carts which were built of unseasoned timber, and therefore could not stand the strain and the excessive heat of the summer sun. They were met and welcomed by the First Presidency and a large concourse of citizens, with a brass band, at the foot of Little Mountain, in Emigration Canyon, and were escorted into the city where they received a royal welcome. These two companies arrived with ninety-six hand-carts, five wagons, twenty-four oxen, four mules, and twenty-five tents. October 2, Captain Edward Bunker’s company arrived without having had serious loss, and were also met with enthusiastic welcome.
The Willie and Martin Companies
Two other companies with hand-carts were fitted out in the summer of 1856. The members of these companies were mainly from Great Britain and Scandinavia. They arrived in Iowa City, the starting point, near the end of June and in the fore part of July, where they discovered that the tents and hand-carts for their use, were not provided. Consequently they were delayed until these necessary articles could be manufactured, or purchased. The delay was dangerous, for the season was advancing, and the journey across the plains should not have been undertaken as late as the middle of July, when the first company was prepared to start. This company under the command of James G. Willie, left Iowa City, July 15, and Florence [Winter Quarters], Nebraska, on the 19th of August. They were followed by the second belated company, the fifth of the season, under the command of Edward Martin, about two weeks later.
The Question of Traveling Considered
While at Florence, the question whether they should pursue their journey from that point, or go into winter quarters, was discussed. The majority were in favor of continuing on the way, although there were dissenting voices, because of the lateness of the season and the dangers the journey entailed.[6] Nevertheless the decision was reached and they determined to go on rather than remain on the plains through the winter. They fully hoped to reach Salt Lake City before the chilling blasts of winter should overtake them. This was a fatal error, but one, of course, unexpected by most of the companies, for the winter season set in much earlier than usual that year, and was most severe.
The Babbitt and Margetts Tragedies
The fore part of this hand-cart journey passed pleasantly enough for such a trip, except for the breaking down of carts and feelings of anxiety because of Indian raids. The Cheyennes were on the warpath and had made attacks on a number of preceding immigration trains. In September, while the handcart companies were on the Platte, Almon W. Babbitt, secretary of Utah, and a number of his camp who were in advance were killed. They were on their way to Utah from Washington, with a train of government property. A short time later Thomas Margetts and wife; James Cody, wife and child, who were on their way to England, were killed by the marauding Indians. News of these massacres did not tend to lighten the hearts of the hand-cart immigrants, but it did serve to make them more vigilant. Even then, they were deprived of many of their cattle, which were stolen by the red men.
Disasters on the Way
Notwithstanding all the difficulties and dangers in their path, these two companies pressed on with all possible speed. In the fore part of their journey, they made favorable daily progress, but as they continued, and the roads became more rough and repairs were constantly necessary, their progress was delayed. Due to the lightness of their hand-carts and the hasty manner in which they were constructed of unseasoned wood, they began to fall to pieces before the companies were well on the journey, and to repair them required time.