Steam Boat “Gladiator” Feb. 17th [Sunday 17 Feb 1850] St. Louis Levee [St. Louis, Missouri]
The last fifty miles of our Journey was over a high rolling Prairie Burnt bare and destitute of fuel- After traveling the last night [Friday 14 Dec1849]? and searching in vain for fuel untill [until] about 8 oclock [8:00 PM] we camped upon a burnt Prairie where the snow had blown off. tied our animals to our waggons [wagons], fed them their flour and tumbled into bed to get warm for the night was cold & the wind rows [?] and piercing. Next morning [Saturday 15 Dec 1849 ?] rose with the moon fed our animals and started about 3 or 4 oclock A.M. [3:00 or 4:00 am] and landed as stated before at the old Fort some at 2 [2:00 PM] and from that till [until] 5 oclock P.M. [5:00 PM] all safe, & with glad hearts. Had we been one day later, or in other words, had the gathering Storm (which for some days had seemed to be only waiting our motion) Spent its fury upon us in that open Prairie without fuel or food for ourselves or animals, we might have shared the fate of those ox trains and escaped narrowly with our lives by abandoning our waggons [wagons] and animals.- - -
O fye:-- [Oh fie ?] If& Ifsaid the farmer; Yes the old cow mighthave eat up the grind stone if She could; well then ifwe had reached the Missouri soonerit would have availed us nothing for it was full of floating ice and had been impassable for about ten days. What now was to done? Well we held a meeting returned thanks to our Heavenly Father, for our preservation & safe arrival, and passed a vote unanymously [unanimously] that we rest over Sunday [Sunday 16 Dec 1849 ?], and, hold a meeting of prayer & thanksgiving, and cross the Riveron the iceon Monday [Monday 17 Dec 1849 ?]. Accordingly the river gorged just below on Sunday [Sunday 16 Dec 1849 ?], the ice congealed, and Monday afternoon [Monday 17 Dec 1849 ?] we led our animals over singly and drawed our waggons [wagons] by hand, We were then 45 miles below Kanesville, [Kanesille, Pottawatomie, Iowa] but soon a few miles [4, Page] Brought us into settlements of the Saints and soon the Roar of guns at Kanesville [Kanesville, Pottawatomie, Iowa] announced the arrival of the mail train - So much for the Journey. I will now wish you good night & Pleasant Dreams after Praying for yourselves and me and kissing those little ones for me and I willretire and do the same though I have the privilidge [privilege] of kissing you and the children only in my sleepwhich I often do. Sometimes I see Artimesia [Artimesia Beman (Snow) 1819-1882] , sometimes Minerva [Minerva White Snow 1822-1896], sometimes Elisabeth [Elizabeth Rebecca Ashby (Snow) 1831-1915] & sometimes the family group with the little ones either sweetly sleeping, or cheerfully playing.
"Good morning good Ladies and how do you do"? and how are you my little ones and what did you dream last night? Well here we are yet - Still lying at the St. Louis Levee. Lorenzo [Lorenzo Snow 1814-1901] & myself [Elder Erastus Snow 1818-1888] seated at the Cabin table writing. Bell ringing, Steam up, "going! going!! Just a going gentlemen." And so it has been ever since we came aboard yesterday morning [Saturday 16 Feb 1850].
It is truly diverting to see the Stratagem to which these River Boats resort to toll passengers on board – Well I "reccon" [reckon] from the crowds of Passengers on board of her and the general appearance of things, that we shall be off soon.
Meantime Perhaps you would like to know what I dreamed. I saw Artimesia [Artimesia Beman (Snow) 1819-1882] ; Minerva [Minerva White Snow 1822-1896] seated before the fire which was nearly extinguished with little [Artimesia Snow (Woolley Seegmiller) 1849-1925] sweetly sleeping upon their laps (the rest of the family being in bed) and they seemed to be absorbed in thought, as if they were counting the days of our seperation [separation] and reflecting upon the care & responsibility that is upon them and half lamenting their solitary condition, while a half smile played occasionally upon the countenance of Minerva [Minerva White Snow 1822-1896] as she sat gazing upon her sleeping boy and feeling of his hair. -- Not a word was uttered, and no one seemed conscious of my presence. [5.P. - 5th page]
After contemplating the scene in silence for a while I withdrew unnoticed but deeply impressed with feelings which the reality of such a rapturous scene would naturaly [naturally] inspire. But all this is to [too] affecting as Bro. [Brother] Porter Rockwell [Porter Rockwell 1813-1878] says- 'Twont [It won't] do! I must turn the subject.'
Well would you like to know something about our visit to Pottawatomie Co. [Pottawatomie County, Iowa] and the saints there? Well I suppose every body [everybody] will be there to tell their own story nearly as soon as my letter, for all the saints in Pottawatomie [Pottawatomie, Iowa] , St. Louis [St. Louis, Missouri], and everywhere else intend to go to the valley [Salt Lake Valley, Utah] next summer [1850] If the Lord will "and in one year from that time whur or no [whether or not ?]" So clear the track and “Look out for the engine while the Bell rings" I spent nearly three weeks in Pottawatomie Co. [Pottawatomie County, Iowa] very Pleasantly - with only the annoyance of a bad cold. Though at times I felt wearied with Preaching, visiting, and pressing invitations to feasts, parties, Balls etc. some of which I accepted and others declined. Their Hollydays [holidays] commenced on the 20 Dec [Thursday 20 Dec 1849] - and had not concluded when I left on the first of January [Tuesday 1 Jan 1850].
My visit in Pottawatomie [Pottawatomie, Iowa] often brot [brought] sweetly to my recollection the like scenes in which my ownArtimesia [Artimesia Beman (Snow) 1819-1882] participated with me just two years previous [1847] in the days of the "log tabernacle". Had Elisabeth been there with me this year I think she might have gratified her taste for dancing to her hearts content. But probably in the Bowery and council house [Bowery and Council House, Salt Lake City, Utah] you have this winter been favoured [favored] with every desireable [desirable] facility of the kind and in a far better crowd, for the parties in Pottawatomie [Pottawatomie, Iowa] were too much mixedto suit my taste. William [William Snow 1806-1979] and family were well. Sister Saphronia Drake [Sophronia Cole Drake 1805-1889 - http://gw4.geneanet.org/index.php3?b=ottopalfenier&lang=en;p=sophronia;n=drake] makes father Adams [James Adams 1798-1874 - http://gw4.geneanet.org/index.php3?b=ottopalfenier&lang=en;p=james;n=adams;oc=6] a good wife. all well. James Snow [James Chauncy Snow 1817-1884] & family well & living where we visited them two years ago [1847]. [6.P. - 6thPage] His father [Gardner Snow 1793-1889] and Warrens [Warren Stone Snow 1818-1896] family live near him - all well. Brother Ney’s folks all well and live at the same place Bro Edwards folks, natural as life. Cynthia was delivered of a Boy soon after our arrival - Caleb was rich and could Play the fiddle better than ever - Bro Hydes folks all well. Mary Ann agreed to write to Minerva. Martha B. was in a very interesting situation but out of sight- Sister Aldrich and family were well but poor - I have left a request for Bishop Hunter to take them to the valley if Possible - They live 8 miles north East of Kanesville. Amasa has never been home but they have ascertained that he is clerking for an indian trader among the Kickapoos about 30 miles west of Fort Leavenworth - I Saw Lyman at St. Joseph as I came down - He told me that he was about to be married and that Almira was leaning that way.
Jacob & myself swapt our horses for a fresh span and came to St. Louis with our little waggon and Brought Brother Wallace & F.D. Richards. January being warm & rainy the roads were horrible.- In St. Louis we sold the team and I paid Mr. Kinkead what I owed him for goods &c.
The Saints in St. Louis contributed liverally to aide our mission so that Peter Hanson - Joseph Toronto, F.D. Richards and all the English Mission except Bro. Wallace & Church sailed direct for Liverpool viaNew Orleans - Bro Taylor & company will go by New York - I expect to call on Zerubables [Zerubabbel Snow 1806-1888] folks and then go by Washington City - I forgot to tell you that we spent one night with Charles as we came down. He is fast becoming a Missourian and he felt himself very awkwardly situated in our presence.
St. Louis is very sickly - Sister Holman from Beverly is Dead about 15 of our people died of Cholera here last year. Sister Felt is now sick of a fever. They feel very anxious to go to the valley - as also Father Honiston & wife. I Bought and packed about $50.00 worth of goods and groceries for you & left in St. Louis for J.M. Grant or some other to bring. A Bill of which I shall enclose to you So farewell for the Present. Yours &c E. Snow [Elder Erastus Snow 1818-1888]
[margin of “3rd page”(page 1)] Boston March 24. All well- Shall probably sail in the next Steam Ship for Liverpool about the first of April- I will write again before sailing. I have not yet been at Northbridge But shall prbobaly go there and to Woonsacket- this week. Bro. O. Pratt has just landed from Liverpool is at Bro.Woodruffs with us today (Sunday) and starts for Kanesville tomorrow.
[margin of “4.Page” (page 2)] By Brother Pratt I shall send this to Kanesville in
hopes that it may go out in the first mail and will advise you of all events of importance up
to the day of sailing. Bro. Pratt goes Back to England to his field of Labours in July-