YOUNG, John Ray: Experiences

John R's mother was ill and stayed in Winter Quarters, but John R and his brother Franklin W ( 8 ) left soon after the advanced party, in the Jedediah M Grant Company. In his book John R. states that they were no ones responsibility, but everyones chore boys. It is heart renching to me to picture a sick mother sending a 10 year old son on a 1000 mile treck through wild country with an 8 year old in tow. One morning when they were camped on Hams Fork near Ft Bridger, in what is now Wyoming, a cow was sick and would not get up. John was left behind to try to get her up and bring her to the next camp site. It is terrible to think of the fear he felt as the last dust settled from the wagons as they faded from view. While tending the cow he saw an Indian across the river, and he decided to leave the cow and head for camp. The next morning several men returned to the previous camp site, and found that the cow had been butchered by Soux Indians 'on the war path after Shoshones', This band raided Ft Bridger, but left the Mormon train alone except for one sick cow.
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HINTON, James Maurice: Life Story

I herded those sheep through what they call the Bear Hole. I’d start them through the East side and it would take them ten days to go through. I herded sheep four years for Wilts Imlay on Kolob in the summer and on the Arizona Strip in winter. The wages were $40 a month and board. I’ve got more to show for those four years than any other time in my life.
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COX, Orville Sutherland

Being successful in disposing of their chairs, and securing loads of bacon and corn, they were almost home when an Iowa blizzard, or Hurricane, or cyclone, or all in one, struck them. Clouds and Egyptian darkness settled suddenly around them. They had no modern "tornado cellars", to flee into and no manner of shelter of any kind. The cold was intense; the wind came from every direction; they were all skilled backwoodsmen and knew they were very close to their homes; but they also knew that they were hopelessly lost in that swirling wind and those black clouds of snow. They and their oxen were freezing, and their only hope of life was in making a fire and camping where they were.
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COX, Amos: Brief life story

One day she said “If you will have Amos Cox administer to me I think I will get well.” Father was only 17 years old at the time and had never administered to anyone in his life, but they sent for him out in the field where he was scything grain. He said he was dumb founded, but told them he would come. There in the field he asked Heavenly Father what to say and said he believed it was one of the most humbling experiences of his life. He went to the house, washed his hands, and sealed the anointing. He promised the girl that she would get well, then when he looked at her and saw how frail and pale she looked, he was scared and so weak that he sat down.
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FREESTONE, Thomas and Ann Fall: Perseverance!

Their journey across the plains was an arduous one, but late in 1853 they arrived in American Fork. One year later the family moved to “Mountainville” (later named Alpine) where they lived in the fort for protection against the Indians, while they began to re-establish their affairs. Exerting all their efforts, they partially overcame their hunger by eating roots, pigweed and wild onions, and beat back enough crickets to raise a full crop of grain. In spite of their many trials the hardy family hung on to their testimonies and endured.
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