BINGHAM, Erastus

Erastus Bingham stood up on his wagon wheel and talked to the Saints, telling him that he proposed to obey the council of president Brigham Young, that he and his family would remain until Spring and invited all to join with him in accepting the invitation of the Indians to share their camping ground. About one half of the company remained with Erastus Bingham; the others decided to attempt the journey Westward with their commander, Bishop Miller. They pushed on Westward but met with a great many losses. The Indians stole some of their animals; and they suffered from the cold and lack of food and were compelled to return, some of them camping near Erastus Bingham’s camp. The Ponca Indians were very kind to the families who were sharing with them their camping ground, even bringing meat for some of the most destitute families. They wintered with the Ponca Indians, living in their wagons and a wickiup the friendly Indians provided for them.
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ANDREWS, Amos Betts

They were surrounded by an armed cavalry of vigilantes who asked for the leader of the group. Amos Andrews stepped forward. The leader of the vigilantes asked if they were Mormons and Andrews confirmed his question. The leader then told them to prepare to die. Andrews looked around and saw that they were out-numbered and out gunned. Andrews then requested if he'd be permitted to sing a song. He sang the whole song to "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief "then sang another song and another. Andrews wife, Keturah, was nursing an. 18 month old baby, the baby stopped nursing and joined its father in singing the song. Overwhelmed with emotion at seeing the baby do such a thing, a member of the mob lowered his rifle, and swore an oath saying, “They all can sing, even the child at the breast." The mob removed their hats and rode away. The story is an example that "the hymns of the righteous are a prayer unto me."
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ALLEN, Alanson David

His father, Albern, and oldest brother, Rufus, were with the Mormon Battalion on their march to California. They were released on July 16, 1847 and went to Utah. Alanson stayed with his family at Winter Quarters. He was seventeen at the time. Realizing their need for winter supplies, he went back to Eastern Missouri and bought and harvested crops and brought them back to his family at Winter Quarters.
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