February 1846

EVENTS IN EMMELINE B. WELLS’S DIARY FOR 1846

27–28 February: Crossed the Mississippi River from Nauvoo into Iowa Territory and encamped with the Newel K. Whitney and Joseph Kingsbury families.
8 March: Sarah Ann Whitney Kimball gave birth.
22 March: Crossed the Chariton River and saw teams being dragged up the steep banks by men with a rope.
2 April: Sent letter to her sister back in Nauvoo with Orrin Porter Rockwell.
6–7 April: Heber C. Kimball’s special prayer brought a clear day before torrents of rain returned.
15 April: Celebrated with music late into the night after William Clayton received news of the birth of a son to his wife Diantha in Nauvoo.
17 April: Advanced through a prairie fire, clearing a road across blackened ground with ash blowing in their faces.

Introduction, 1846

Emmeline B. Woodward Whitney traversed Iowa Territory with the Newel K. and Elizabeth Ann Smith Whitney family as part of the Heber C. Kimball company. Her diary entries began on 27 February, the day they crossed the Mississippi River from Illinois and reached the camp in Iowa. Emmeline mentioned sleeping “for the first time on the ground.” She noted the names of people in their group and others nearby, astutely observed daily happenings, and recorded her impressions with general cheerfulness despite wet weather and muddy roads. Sarah Ann Whitney, a plural wife of Heber C. Kimball, traveled in her group; wagons stopped when Sarah Ann gave birth to a baby boy on 8 March. Emmeline recounted sending a letter to her sister in Nauvoo with Orrin Porter Rockwell, urging him to pin it to his pocket as he rode off on his mule. On 15 April, the day William Clayton received news of the birth of a son back in Nauvoo, the camp celebrated late into the night. Emmeline’s narrative continued with observations of general happenings and personal details until 7 May and then abruptly ended as they reached a stopping place, a way station that would be called Garden Grove.¹

27 February 1846 • Friday

Friday Feb 27. 1846.

Mrs. [Elizabeth Ann Smith] Whitney[,] Sarah Ann [Whitney Kimball] and myself crossed the river to go to the encampment of the saints. Br. Lot [Cornelius P. Lott] and his wife² took Mrs W. and myself in their carriage. We crossed the river a part of the way on foot, and then went on to the encampment about 7 miles beyond; we reached the destined place about sunset when <came in> we view it looked like pictures I have seen of the ancients pitching their tents and journeying from place to place with their cattle and their goods. We repaired immediately to Br. H. [Heber] C. Kimballs tent [p. 21] {p. 19}³ took supper and slept for the first time on the ground. There was a snow-storm without yet all was peace and harmony within.

28 February 1846 • Saturday

Sat. Feb. 28.

This morning Mrs Whit. felt troubled about the little children and Br Kimball prophesied they should all arrive today in safety. About twelve o’clock Joshua [K. Whitney] came on his _____, and immediately after John [K. Whitney], with grandmother, Olive [Bishop Whitney] and the two little children;⁴ Orson [K. Whitney] soon followed on the colt, bringing word that his father was behind with the teams; the band then started out, together with several other carriages to escort [p. 22] {p. 20} Bishop [Newel K.] Whitney to the encampment, he having stayed in Nauvoo so long after the rest came away: he came about five o’clock, pitched his tent, Joseph [C. Kingsbury] also pitched his, put up his stove, we put down the carpets and soon had a comfortable place to pass the night.⁵

Cite This Page

February 1846, The Journal of Emmeline B. Wells, accessed November 19, 2024 https://chpress-web.churchhistorianspress.org/emmeline-b-wells/1840s/1846/1846-02

Footnotes

[1]See Madsen, Intimate History, 75–78.
[2]Permelia Darrow Lott
[3]text: An unknown person inserted additional page numbers in pencil on this diary. Those numbers are not noted in this transcription.
[4]Don Carlos Whitney and Mary Jane Whitney.
[5]“At this time, Joseph C. Kingsbury had direct responsibility for four persons other than himself: Loenza, his wife; Sarah Ann Whitney and Mary Houston, plural wives of Heber C. Kimball; and eighteen-year-old Emmeline B. Woodard, plural wife of Newel K. Whitney. Mary and Emmeline traveled with Joseph because Sarah Ann was now in her ninth month of pregnancy and needed additional assistance.” (Cook, Joseph C. Kingsbury, 97–98.)