. . . On the 9th day December 1843 we set sail in the ship Rochester from Liverpool. Had a stormy passage across the sea, but arrived in safety in New York Jan 15th 1844. Stayed 2 days in New York and journeyed on it being winter and very cold. In crossing the Alleghany Mountains, Pennsylvania we stayed about the middle of the mountains at one [UNCLEAR, POSSIBLY Slotlers], an old German settler of the mountains who kept tavern. They treated us kindly at this place. We spent some 14 days and then journeyed on to Pittsburgh and stayed about 4 weeks. In this time my wife was baptized by Brother Saverg who presided over the Pittsburgh Branch. Her folks previous to this had all been baptized into the church. I will here say that William Houghton & family crossed the sea at the same with me in the ship "Hanover" in 1842.

About the 7 day of March 1844 we took passage on board a new steamer "Alliguippia" the name of an Indian Queen. The captain's name was Joseph Smith. We traveled down the river until we came to Cincinnati, Ohio and in the night between this place and Louisville my wife Alice was confined of a son about 11 o'clock in [p.11] the night. She got along first rate, considering she was traveling, this was the 10th day of March 1844.

2 weeks from the time we started from Pittsburgh we arrived in St. Louis, then took passage on steamboat "Sarah Ann" for Nauvoo. My wife wished me to go on up the river to Davenport where her father lived. Arrived at Davenport the last of March. April, I went down the river to Nauvoo to attend Conference 6th April. At this conference the Prophet Joseph Smith gave some good instructions on the plurality of the Gods and the land of Zion being North and South America.

This was the last conference that Joseph attended and if any man ever spoke truth and was inspired of God, Joseph Smith the man of this dispensation of the fullness of times was truly sent of God. After conference I went to see the prophet and expected to let him have some money and receive some land out on the prairie near the big mound a few miles from Nauvoo. I returned to Davenport expecting to return to Nauvoo, but my father in law was opposed to me returning and took possession of my money and not being sufficiently determined, I stopped in Davenport and purchased a farm joining the town 168 acres. I settled for a while but I can truly say that I was far from enjoying myself. The influence of apostates and those who are opposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I was more and more dissatisfied. In about one year I paid a visit to Nauvoo to pay my tithing. The Prophet Joseph Smith & Hyrum Smith was martyred in Carthage Jail on the 27th day, June 1844, the news came to Davenport and the mass of people justified the cold bloody deed. I'm paying a visit to Nauvoo. My wife's father was much opposed to me paying my tithing, &c &c. insomuch that he came into my house and took [p.12] away my carpet bag with money in and kept it in his possession a few days. About this one Brother Raleigh called and stayed with me and told me to fix up my affairs, so as to move down to Nauvoo. In this I was determined to do. On the 17th May 1845 I went down the river, and paid in on my tithing and also received my patriarchal blessing, from John Smith, patriarch. This visit put within me a determination to live with my brethren and enjoy the teaching of the servants of God, independent of all the opposition from my wife's folks, who by this time was bitter enemies of the church, and they did all in their power to make my wife of the spirit &c. I told her I was going to gather with the Saints, live and die with them and she could have her choice and if it came to the worst I could forsake wife & children &c. My father in law was very much enraged at me. At this time he fell from a horse and broke his arm, this for a time turned his attention. In the beginning of August 1845 I gathered my loose property together such as my furniture and one pony & carriage and moved down the river and the whole town enraged at me publishing me in the Davenport Gazette. I left my farm and all my outfit on the farm. Teams came and rented them to James Houghton & John Rigby. I arrived safe in Nauvoo and rented a house of one Smith on Mullholland Street. In the latter end of August the mob on the outskirts of the city began to put into operation these hellish plans by burning the houses &c. of the Saints. . . . [p.13]

BIB: Greenwood, William. Record and Genealogy. (MS 195) (University of Utah) pp. 11-13.
(source abbreviations)