Letter was sent to mr. Ernest G. Gagnon: (sent from Morgan, Utah by Thomas Grover b. 1845)
Your note of the third came to hand, I was born in Nauvoo, Ill, November 17, 1845, our family crossed the Miss. River in Februrary 1846 and traveled with the saints to Winter Quarters, now Florence, Neb. where Father during the winter of 46-47 done the butchering for the saints in the spring of 47 he was chosen one of the Pioneers and went with the company as far as the North Platte where a short stop was made. Pres. Young called a meeting for the purpose of devising means of crossing the river, in this meeting a plan was put forth which father did not think would work and he left the meeting and went to bed. At the close of the meeting Stephen Marcus, fathers bunk mate, came to bed, and one of the Brethern came with him to hear what Father said of the plan. Father told Marcus he had forgotten more about water than Pres. Young new. This man that came to the wagon with Marcus went to President Young with what Father said and then President called Father to account.
The next morning when Father told him he had forgotten more about water than he ever would know. Father had been a canal boat Captain all his life and new nothing but water. President Young rigged their ferry and started it when Pres. Kimball standing with his hand on Fathers shoulders said Brother Thomas it runs nice. Yes, said father but when it strikes the current it will go under. He had hardly spoken when it went under. Now said President Young, Brother Grover my plan has failed what is yours. Father said I will take two four mule teams and six men and go to that grove of timber yonder and I will get two trees and bring them here and will hew them out canoe fashion and lash them together and tomorrow morning at day light will have a boat that will carry us safe across the river. President Young told him to get his men and teams and be off. He started with the men and when they arrived at the grove they made the selection of the trees and on getting near they found them surrounded with rattle snakes and they killed snakes for three hours before they could get near the trees but they got them and went to camp and next morning the boat in the water as he said he would.
After the camp had all crossed the President left father and 9 others there to run the ferry and father remained until the company came which his family was in. We were in General C. C. Richs Company, Edward Stevenson Capt of Ten. We arrived in Salt Lake Valley October 3, 1847. We remained in the City that winter then in the spring of 1848 we located on the creek now where Centerville now is, then to Farmington in Davis County on Devil Creek I remember seeing the Indian Ponies feeding by the side of our corn and did not eat the corn. In the fall of 1848 Father was sent by the President to California to settle some business for the Church. He went by way of lower California and settled the business then went into the mines until fall of 1849 when he returned in company with Thomas Roads and others. My father and the others turned over to the Church on their arrival in the City a half bushel measure full of Gold. We have lived in the Valley since that time. I am the second son born in the Church of Polygamy parents.
My address: Thomas Grover
Morgan City, Utah
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