For the past several days the Garden Grove Company has been heading north along the Elkhorn River, hoping to find a place where they could safely cross. The Critchlow family records that after several days they were able to cross "by bridging to an island and then on to the opposite bank. Luman A. Shurtliff and Isaac Allred, captains of two other companies, traveled near by, with our companies sometimes in the lead and sometimes in the rear."

On July 17th, George Carson celebrated his 57th birthday. As a family we continue to celebrate his birthday each year by holding our Carson family reunion on the Saturday closest to the 17th. These annual gatherings have continued uninterrupted since the family organization was founded in the early 1930's.

After crossing the Elkhorn, the Garden Grove company would have traveled east toward the Loup Fork, a river like the Elkhorn flowing from the north into the Platte. The plan would have been to cross or "round the head" of Loup Fork near its source. Our family histories generally record the river’s name as "Loop" which is probably how the pioneers pronounced it. "Loup" is French for "wolf" and would more properly be pronounced "loo."

It was here, in a covered wagon, that Corilla Egbert Carson, the wife of William Huff Carson gave birth to her fifth child, a boy. They named him William Huff Carson Jr. It was July 18th, 1851, and the family stayed over just half a day.

This is the first of two births that Susan Zimmerman remembers during the journey. Strangely, the Crooks do not report any births in their journal. The Carson family may have recorded the birth in the family Bible, but tradition has it that "Sula" Goddard, William Huff Carson’s second wife, took the Bible to California when she left the marriage. Young William H., Jr. did not find out his birth date until after he married and, as recorded in his history, "was up at Ophir staying with my uncle Tom Ewings, who told me when my birthday was and how old I was."

In July 1933 when William H. Jr. was 82 years old, his family asked him "to give us the names of his family and the dates of their birth. He could recite them all from memory - one right after the other. We asked him how he could remember them all and recall them so quickly and he told us that because of the fact that he had been so old before he had known when his Birthday was and how old he was he had made up his mind to try and remember such information in his family."

Traveling with the Garden Grove Company was Dr. Daniel Roberts, who was 52. The Carson family had known him since 1848 in Garden Grove. He was a much loved and respected member of the community, known for his medical skill, his congenial disposition, and also his fondness for taverns. He had a particular love for children, and often delivered babies at a time when this was handled by midwives.

I think it is safe to assume that he helped Corilla at the birth of her son. If so, William H. would have had his first bath at the hands of Dr. Roberts. The Roberts family history records that "he always gave the new baby its first bath," a chore he felt too important to trust to a woman.

It is something of a miracle that Dr. Roberts was in the company heading west with his family. Roberts had been associated with the Saints at Garden Grove in the first months of the settlement and was an important member of the community. In 1848 for instance, he wrote a report to Brigham Young about a villainous character who had been victimizing the already impoverished Saints in Garden Grove, "seeking every opportunity to do them an injury." He wrote that this "secret enemy" had "raised the alarm of a mob and frightened Bro. Durvey from Chariton Point and swindled him out of his place. He, is he, who has of late, with the assistance of a Mr. Cooly, broke up ole man Carson and wronged Bro. Isaac Allred of his team."

"Ole man Carson" was surely George Carson, who would have been only 54 at the time - rather young to be thought of as an "old man.". We have nothing in our family stories about this incident. We do know that while in Garden Grove, George Carson was a counselor in the branch presidency, and that he blessed a baby. Whose, we do not know.

Soon after these early events in Garden Grove, Dr. Roberts with his wife Aldula and children moved to Lancaster, Missouri. But by 1851, they were back in Garden Grove preparing to move to the Great Salt Lake Valley. Roberts’ wife and children however were more excited about the move than he was. His family history includes the following interesting story.

After his wife and older children had obtained four young, strong oxen and a good wagon, they felt quite satisfied with their outfit, and having everything in readiness they prepared to leave. Dr. Roberts however had disappeared. Sister Roberts sent her son Clark to find his father. Dr. Roberts had gone to the tavern where he knew he had friends who would listen to his troubles. When Clark found his father, he said to him, "Pa, are you going with us?" The good doctor began to cuss, but the bartender said to him, "Doc, get into that cart and go with that boy." Roberts grudgingly replied, "Well, all right. I guess there is nothing else to do."

We will meet Dr. Roberts again in the coming weeks, and hear some additional stories.

Next week, the pioneers will have their first encounter with the buffalo herds, and there will be a tragic death.

Part 5

Part 7