William Henry Chipman pioneer company

William Henry Chipman Company (1866)


Departure: 11-12 July 1866
Arrival: 15-16 September 1866

Company Information:

375 individuals and about 60 wagons were in the company when it began its journey from the outfitting post at Wyoming, Nebraska (the west bank of the Missouri River about 40 miles south of Omaha)


"Cap. W. Chipman's Train," Deseret News [Weekly], 19 Sep. 1866, 333.

Cap. W. Chipman's Train arrived in good condition on the 15th inst., having made very good time, notwithstanding the loss of some 100 head of oxen driven off by Indians at La Bonte.

"From St. Joseph, "Liberty Weekly Tribune, 31 Aug. 1866.

A private letter from a gentleman on the Plains, says the Indians recently attacked a Mormon train at Wagon Mound, twenty miles east of Deer Creek, and drove off ninety head of cattle, besides killing several outhers. They also attacked and burnt Deer Creek station, one hundred miles west of Fort Laramie

"From the Out-Going Trains," Semi-Weekly Telegraph, 2 May 1866, 3.
All is well. Making good time. Our delay was for the best. Snow has been deep on the roads. Roads now good, which a week ago were under snow. We are the head train. Have heard nothing of Capt. Ricks. Peter Horrocks died yesterday. We sent his body back to Green River, with his wife, and telegraphed Goddard to bring out a coffin and come on till he met the corpse from Green River.


"The Emigration," Semi-Weekly Telegraph, 23 Aug. 1866, 3.
I have lost 90 head of oxen, yesterday p.m., taken by Indians, and a few head killed. Send us oxen and provisions, or I shall have to leave freight at the Platte Bridge




Diary of Caroline Hopkins Clark - a fellow traveller in this company


Clark, Caroline Hopkins, Diary, in Utah State Historical Society Cache Valley Chapter, Historical resource materials for Cache Valley, Utah-Idaho, 1955-1956, reel 1, item 10.

July 11—Left Wyoming five miles and then we joined Captain Chipman's train.

July 16—We traveled very slow. Today we were crossing a creek, the cattle turned, I went to get down out of the team, Mr. Stonehouse went to help me, and we both fell and hurt us very bad. John went to stop the brake, and got a bad foot sprain. He isn't able to sit up with his. The children are getting fat, and look well. Frank is poorly again.

July 22—We passed Tree Creek, and Beaver Creek today. We reached the Platte river. John's foot is better. He can walk again.

July 25—Yesterday was the Anniversary of our people that entered the valley. We traveled about half the day, then we had singing and dancing, and all enjoyed ourselves. We are journeying by the Platte river. A young Deaf and dumb girl died in our camp.

July 30—We are still by the Platte river, there are small mountains on one side and mountains on the other. We passed Cotton Tree Creek. There were many soldiers camped there on account of the Indians. There were two more deaths in our camp. One was an elderly lady, and the other a consumptive, who had been ill all the way.

Aug. 1—Today we crossed the Platte river. It was very deep. In places it took the wagons up to the covers. We all got over safe, but wet our clothes.

Aug. 6—Today we left the South Platte and crossed over to the North Platte, (a distance of fifteen miles). You should have seen the mountains we went down. It looked impossible for any persons to go down there, alone the wagons and oxen. We are among the Indians.

Aug. 10—Today we passed Chimney Rock. It is a rock that can be seen for miles off, and forms a chimney. We passed many high rocks. All things are going well with us.

Aug. 14—Today we passed Laramie Wyoming: the soldiers stopped our train to see what fire arms we had. They told us the Indians had killed a hundred or more, and robbed them. I guess you would like to know how we live on the Plains. We do not get any fresh meat or potatoes, but get plenty of flour and bacon. We have some sugar, a little tea, molasses, soap, carbonate of soda, and a few dried apples. We brought some peas, oatmeal, rice, tea and sugar, which we had left from the vessel. These came in very useful. We bought a skillet to bake our bread in. Sometimes we make pancakes for a change. We also make cakes in the pan, and often bran dumplings with baking powder. We use cream of tarter and soda to make our bread, and sometimes sour dough. It makes very good bread. At times Roland goes to the river and catches us fish and sometimes John shoots birds. We get wild currants and gooseberries to make puddings. So, altogether, we get along very well.

Aug. 18—Today we had trouble with the Indians. We suppose they followed us. We had just corralled, and began to cook our dinners, when the alarm came that the Indians were driving away our cattle. They (the boys) followed them. They got away with ninety-one head and wounded three. Two of them have died, and we are afraid it will cause us to be delayed.

Aug. 20—Today we passed Deer Creek. The same day the Indians took our cattle, they took all the possessions of two homes, killed the people and burned their homes. A telegraph message had come to tell us Brigham Young is sending us some mule teams and provisions to help us on account of our loss with our cattle.

Aug. 22—Today we crossed the [blank space] bridge. There were many soldiers stationed there on account of the Indians.

Aug. 24—This morning we were just starting when four of our men drove about one hundred of our cattle that they had taken from the Indians. We found the train they belonged to, and we gave them back.

Aug. 26—Today we passed thru Devils Gate. Jack wanted to know if the devils lived there. John has been appointed Captain of the guards. We have been forced to have men guard our train back and front.

Aug. 29—Today we saw the first mountains with snow on them. At noon we came to some springs called "Iced Springs". At evening we called at "Hot Water Springs". It is very cold. We can scarcely keep ourselves warm. There has been three births in our train, and expect another any day.

Sept. 1—Today we passed South Pass. The cold has been very severe. We dined on the leg of an antelope. It sure was a treat.

Sept. 3—The mule teams have met us and brought provisions. They have gone on to meet the one that waited back.

Sept. 6—We crossed Green River and Hams Fork river. Today was the twins birthday. We had a hare and a half, so we are not starving. Little Frank keeps very thin, but seems pretty well in health. The other children are fat.

Sept. 9—Today we passed Muddy Station. They say we are just a hundred miles from the valley. We had another birth; and three children have died. We are still able to see snow on the mountains.

Mr. Gile, Captain of our vessel has died on the plains. He was just a young man, and highly respected.

Sept. 12—Today we reached (Colesville) . John and Bill went on early in the morning and found Tom and Frank. They brought a team and took us from the train to their house where they made us very comfortable. I would liked to have gone on to the valley, but I began to feel very unwell and thought it best to stop. Little Frank was worse as well. [Journal ends here]