During the remainder of the year 1849, Elder Woodruff visited the eastern branches, preaching the gospel and comforting all who would listen. In Cape Cod an aged lady of 84 years was instantly healed by his administrations. She immediately arose from her bed of sickness and went about her work.
He again went to Philadelphia where he had several visits with Colonel Kane with whom he talked over the situation relative to a Territorial Government. The following he quotes as the words of Col. Kane: "I applied, according to the wish of President Young for a Territorial Government, and had my last, sad, and painful interview with President Polk. I found he was not disposed to favor your people, and had men of his own stamp picked out to serve as governor and in other positions, many of whom would oppress you in any way simply to fill their own pockets. President Polk was unwilling to appoint men among yourselves, and I saw it was absolutely necessary to have officers of your own people to govern you, otherwise you would be better off without any government at all. It was necessary for me to use my discretion and I therefore withdrew the petition."
On December 3rd, he paid a visit to Gerard College of Philadelphia. On the 15th of the month he attended a meeting there where a Mr. Koh-Ge-Ga-Gah-Bow, chief of the Ozebwa nation, delivered a lengthy and spirited address in behalf of the American Indians, in which he appealed to the citizens to induce the government to give the Indians a territory they could call their own, and to forbid the encroachment thereon of the whites. He censured the white men in no uncertain terms for their pretended Christianity and religious professions, while in reality they were filled with deceit, hypocrisy, and wickedness.
The year 1850 witnessed a change in the character of Elder Woodruff's labors. Missionary work was in harmony, not only with his spiritual nature, but with the grand conceptions which he entertained for the future of the Church with which he had associated himself. Upon his return from Cambridgeport, he received a letter from the Presidency in which he was required to return to the Valley, and to bring with him all the Saints he could gather, and such means as could be collected from their properties and from contributions in the East. The Saints in the Valleys of the Mountains were so far removed from manufacturing centers that they felt the necessity of home manufacture, especially in the establishment of woolen and cotton factories in order that they might be self-supporting. The New England states where Elders Woodruff's labors had been directed contained many factories, and it was the operatives from these factories whose services would be needed in the new enterprises at home.
On the 2nd of March, he went to Maine where arrangements were made to gather with him to the Valleys of the Mountains his wife's people. His wife's brother, Ilus F. Carter, had bought ten wagon loads of merchandise which was sent with Elder Woodruff. Mr. Carter, however, returned from the Missouri River to his home in Maine on account of ill health. A number of the brethren had engaged in gold-mining in California and sent money to their friends in the East to assist them in their emigration. The manufactured products of the East were greatly needed by the Saints in the Valleys, and the money sent from California became very helpful in providing a stock of goods that would contribute to the comfort of the earlier settlers whose supply of clothing by this time was almost entirely depleted.
On the 23rd of March, Elder Orson Pratt arrived from England on business, intending to return before going to the Valleys. He found Elder Woodruff busily occupied in the purchase of such merchandise as would be most helpful to those who had gathered. About the same time, Elder John Taylor and Curtis E. Bolton were on their way to France; Lorenzo Snow and Joseph Toronto to Italy; Erastus Snow and Peter Hanson to Denmark; Franklin D. Richards and several others to England. Elder Erastus Snow sailed from Boston to his field of labor on April 3rd.
By the 9th of the month, Wilford Woodruff with his family and relatives, and with about 100 other Saints left for New York where they were joined by another 100, making all told 209 people. Their baggage amounted to 42,000 lbs. On their way to Pittsburg, they passed through Philadelphia. At the former place they secured passage to St. Louis where they arrived on the 1st day of May. From St. Louis to Council Bluffs they took passage on the steamer, Sacramento. They left St. Joseph on the 12th of May and Ft. Kearney on the 15th, and the following day Elder Woodruff went to Kanesville to visit Elder Orson Hyde. On this journey they were accompanied by Elder Orson Pratt.
This frontier town was a busy place in those days. The Saints were constantly coming and going, and the people were generally in a state of excitement, and the very nature of the circumstances gave rise to some discontent. The well-to-do hurried on to the Valleys, and the poor were left to make such arrangements as they could for present support and their future emigration to the Zion of their God. Provision, of course, for the emigration of the poor was made wherever possible, but yet their numbers were so great as to bring distress to the people of Kanesville. President Woodruff explained that he had received counsel from the Presidency to stretch out his arms and gather all he possibly could to Zion. He had baptized, while on this mission, about 200 people. Every effort was made to pacify those who were discontented in this frontier town. The fact, however, that the authorities had instructed him to gather all he could was the guiding motive in bringing with him to Kanesville the poor, as well as those who were in fairly good circumstances.
Elder Woodruff, when counsel came to him, never quibbled, never doubted, never stopped to ask his file-leaders the whys and the wherefores. He was like Adam when the angel said to him: "Adam, why dost thou offer sacrifice?" And he answered, "I know not save that God has commanded me." He was also like Nephi of old who uttered the memorable saying: "For I know that the Lord giveth no command unto the children of men save that He shall prepare the way for them to accomplish the thing which He commandeth them."
On the 21st of May the company starting to Zion was organized into hundreds, fifties, and tens with a captain over each. Robert Petty, Leonard W. Hardy, Edson Whipple, Joseph Hall, James Currier, Miner Atwood, and two others whose names are not given, were appointed captains. Some of the teamsters of this company did not belong to the Church, and in time became unruly. The ring-leader, however, was discharged, and later the others also. On the 9th of July, Lucy Johnson, Matilda Hardy, a Sister Snow, and Emily Huntington died. Deaths this year, 1850, on the plains were frequent and Elder Woodruff's company suffered with others. On the day following, Elder Woodruff baptized fourteen in the Platte River, among them his wife's niece, Sarah E. Foss. On the 15th, a few days later, a severe thunder storm arose and Brother Ridge, from Staffordshire, England, and his oxen were killed by lightning.