Jonathan Herriman Holmes (1806-1880)

Source of Trail Excerpt:

Holmes, Jonathan Harriman, Diary 1846-1848, vol. 1.

Read Trail Excerpt:

June 22 Thursday June 22 made a start for home in company with J S White[,] A Pratt[,] J Eager[,] A Stevens & J Brown went about 2 miles & Camped 23 Made some preperations in the morning & then made another move[.] went as far as the upper house & Campt 24 Saturday waited all day[.] Brother Eager who went to the mines for oxen. Laid in Camp[.] Eager returned. [June] 26 Monday morning started for the camp in the valley[.] traveled 20 miles & campt. [June] 27 Started again[.] traveled 20 miles & campt. [June] 28 started again & traveled 10 miles + 6 arrived at the camp[.] Brothers Breniett Cox and Allen had gone to Explore the road. (have had good luck [June] 29 Laid in camp [June] 30 Laid in camp July 1 Saturday laid in camp [July] 2 company started this morning for the Salt Lake [July] 3 Monday left the valley[.] went up the Big hill[.] traveled about 4 miles & campt [July] 4 Started this morning traveled 8 miles & come up 1 with the other company [July] 5 A company of men started this morning to explore the road & to see what had become of the men that had gone before ..6 Laid in camp 7 Laid in camp 8 waiting for the return of the pioneers [July] 9 Sunday [July] 10 Bilt a Corell [corral] [July] 11 Bilt another Carell [corral] [July] 12 Washing & giting Balsom [July] 13 Resting in Camp[.] pioneers returned in the night[.] had no intelegence from the 3 first juged [judged] the road possible [July] 14 had a meeting in the morning & concluded to make a start tomorrow morning 15 Left Slys ranch or pine valey traveled 10 miles & campd 16 Started this morning traveled 6 miles & come to Camp Crick [Creek] & their campt [July] 17 Left Camp Crick traveled 12 miles & come to Leek Spring & campt[.] roads rather rough 17 Meeting in the evening agreed to stop one day to hunt some lost cattle & horses & to look the road Some went Back & found most of the lost animels & some went ahead & looked the road & found whear the 3 Brethren that went ahead was murdered But did not as[c]ertain for a sertenty 18 Laid in Camp & repaired wagons 19 Started on our way traveled about 6 miles & Camped & found whear those 3 Brethren ware murdered namely Daniel Brennett[,] Ezrah [Ezra] H. Allen & J Henderson Cox[.] supposed they was murdered on the 27 of June at night while they was asleep[.] We fixed the grave as well as we could[.] It was a solem time when it was as[c]ertained that these men had ben murdered in so shocking a maner[.] it was a time of Solemnety & mo[u]rning to think that the man that was to be our leader to Salt Lake was now lying dead, he was like a farther to us & we mo[u]rn his loss Broke our wagon on the 19 of July [July] 20 Staid in camp & fixt our wagon & Built a wall round the graves of our Brethren that had ben murdered & etc [July] 21 Made another move this morning[.] traveled 4 miles & come to Rock Crick valey & campt[.] meeting in the evening[.] concluded to wait one day at this place & explore the road & work it 22 Remained in camp enough to take care of the Animels & the remainder went ahead[.] the pioneers returned & we met in the evening & concluded to wait another day 23 another company went ahead to prepair the road[.] wrote a letter to Capt Sutter stating the murder of our 3 brethren wishing him to search out the murders if posible 24 Made another move traveled 8 miles & camped[.] did not reach the main camp[.] roades bad 25 this morning went into camp Laid by the remainder of the day Campt at one end of Lake maloy 26 Started this morning travled to the other end of Lake valey 2-½ miles & campd[.] a company of 10 men Started after Diner to Explore the road. 27 Working the roads & waiting for the return of the pilots[.] pilots returned Safe 28 Made another move[.] traveled about 5 miles & campt at Sumit Camp near the Back Bone 29 Started this morning & went down the Big hill[.] traveled about 2 miles & campt[.] repaired & worked the road 30 Moved again[.] traveled 11 miles & Campt at the loer End of hope valley[.] roads good [July] 31 About 20 men at work on the road. about 4 miles of Canion [canyon] rather dificult to pass August 1 Today another party went to work the road [August] 2 At work on the road [August] 3 At work on the road today had a Shower of rain[.] the packing Company 14 in number came up [August] 4 Started this morning & went down the Canion road Bad[.] went about 5 miles & Campt [August] 5 Made another move this morning[.] traveled 12 miles & campt on pilot river in Shoshone valey [August] 6 Started this morning again traveled 18 miles & Campt in Rattle Snake valey[.] lost 1 ox & 1 mule & some horses 7 Moved again traveled 20 miles & Campt[.] some Bad aroad[.] campt at Cottonwood valey on pilot river [August] 8 Started this morning traveled 10 miles & Campt on pilot river 9 Made another move traveled 15 miles & Campt on the pilot river[.] roads good Pack company left us on the 10th [August] 10 Laid by to hunt some lost horses that was taken by the Indians[.] found all but one[.] one bow lost on the 9 Belonging to T Wear not found[.] a calf wounded on the 10 By the Indians [August] 11 Traveled 15 miles & Campt near the river on the packers camp ground[.] cald it packers camp in Holmeses valey[.] arrived[,]discovered to the South[.] cald it Sidneys river[.] Some of the pack company made us a visit & on the 12 left us & went on their way 12 Left Holmes valey & pilot river & started for Truckey river[.] traveled 25 miles & come to the river & found the old road[.] roads rocky [August] 13 Laid by to rest our animals[.] it Being Sunday had a meeting [August] 14 Monday morning left to cross the 45 miles desert[.] traveled as far as the hot springs & campt[.] distance 25 dry & desolate[.] rested our teams till about Eleven O clock & started again[.] traveled 20 miles & come to the sink of Marys river about 8 oclock[.] water & grass bad [August] 15 Remained in Camp this Day[.] A Company of Emigrants met us at this place [August] 16 Started this morning traveled 20 miles & campt met another Company of Emigrants going to California [August] 17 Started again this morning traveled 15 miles[.] roads good But verry dusty[.] took 2 Indians prisoners & kept them till morning[.] nothing missing [August] 18 Made another move[.] traveled 10 miles & Campt[.] grass poor[.] no trouble with Indians [August] 19 Started this morning traveled 15 miles & campt[.] grass better[.] had a number of horses shot by Indians [August] 20 Rested in Camp 21 Started this morning traveled 28 miles & campt [August] 22 Started again traveled 12 miles & Come to grass & campt [August] 23 Moved again traveled 18 miles & Campt grass & water good [August] 24 Made another move traveled 20 miles & campt road & grass & water good [August] 25 Started this morning traveled 15 miles & campt [August] 26 Started again traveled 15 miles & campt[.] met a Company Emigrants[.] received a Letter from my wife[.] Stopt drinking coffee & tea 27 Laid by it being Sunday had a meeting at 3 o clock a company of packers past us from Salt Lake[.] 18 days from the City of the Salt Lake distance 350 miles 28 Started this morning traveled 23 miles & campt[.] roads good [August] 29 Moved again traveled 15 miles & campt[.] A Company of Emigrants Campt near us Capt Childes Pilot tried to git some coffe but could not [August] 30 Started again traveled 18 miles & Campt went through a Canion roads rather rough [August] 31 Started again traveled 14 miles & Campt Sept 1 Moved again traveled 19 miles & Campt Cold & windy a little rain roads good 2 Started this morning traveled 10 miles & Campt had some snow & some rain a cold storm [Sept] 3 Sunday traveled 21 miles & Campt traveled through a Butiful valley[.] Land good[.] indians plenty but friendly [Sept] 4 Laid in camp warm & plesant [Sept] 5 Started again traveled 5 miles & campt Pilots went on to explore the road [Sept] 6 Traveled again went 18 miles & found news from the pilots to Camp & did So[.] water & grass plenty [Sept] 7 Started again & went through the Canion road not so Bad as we have had[.] rather rough [Sept] 7 traveled 9 miles & found more pilots & water & grass & camp[.] had a meeting in the Evening & agreed to take Childes Cut off [Sept] 8 Struck off this morning on Childes Cut off[.] traveled 6 miles & Campt[.] pilots ahead to Explore the road[.] Pilots returned report rather unfavorable[.] had a meeting Desided to return back & give up this rout [Sept] 9 Turned our Cours[e] Back on to the old road that we was on the 7 & Campt on the grown[.] had a meeting in the Evening [Sept] 10 Went on this morning traveled 24 miles & found grass & water & Campt[.] road good [Sept] 11 Started this morning traveld 15 miles & campt[.] road good 12 traveled 20 miles & come to Goos Crick & Campt [Sept] 13 Started again traveled 15 miles on Goos[e] Crick & Campt [Sept] 14 Made another move traveled 12 miles & Campt [Sept] 15 Started this morning traveled 8 miles on the old road & then turned for Hensley Cut off[.] traveled 8 miles on it & come to Casey Crick & Campt [Sept] 16 Moved again traveled 12 miles down Casey to the turning off place & campt[.] road good Land good grass & water plenty [Sept] 17 Moved again traveled 10 miles & found water & grass & campt [Sept] 18 Started this morning traveled 10 miles & campt [Sept] 19 Moved again traveled 16 miles & Come to Deep Crick [Creek] & Campt [Sept] 20 Started this morning traveled 14 miles & found water & a Butiful Camping ground & campt [Sept] 21 Made another start this morning traveled 12 miles & come to water & campt [Sept] 22 Started this morning traveled 20 miles & come to Muddy Crick & Campt[.] had some rain [Sept] 23 We crossed the crick this morning & went on to Bare [Bear] River[.] it is fine river[,] a good ford[.] traveled 6 miles & come to water & campt[.] past through a fine cuntery [country.] Soil good[,] grass good some rain [Sept] 24 Started again traveled 18 miles & campt[.] a fine valley[.] Sunday