Excerpts from Samuel Bennion’s History

By Helen S. Madsen

As our generation looks back to the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo to Winter Quarters to the Valley of Great Salt Lake, we give the name "Pioneers" to all those who entered the valley before the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869. However, at the time of the great trek, the name "Pioneers" was reserved for the first company which arrived in the valley on July 24, 1847 and consisted of Brigham Young, nine of the Quorum of the Twelve, a group of selected men, a small number of women, and a few others. Their task was to be the pathfinder company -- to search out the best route, establish camps, locate feeding grounds for the animals, measure the distance, and mark the way. Elders John Taylor and ________ Pratt, of the Quorum of the Twelve, were not in the first company, having been sent to England on Church business and had not returned to Winter Quarters in time to leave with the Pioneer Company, as intended.

The Pioneer Company was soon followed by other companies, one of which was led by Edward Hunter and included our Bennion ancestors, Samuel and John. They arrived in the valley on October 5, 1847. Despite confusion generated by conflicting sources, we find conclusive evidence of the whereabouts of the Bennion brothers and their families in the journal of George Whitaker: "Edward Hunter was captain of our hundred. Joseph Horne was captain of our fifty ... Abraham Hoagland captain of our [the second] ten. Heads of families were as follows: Abraham Hoagland, John Robinson, Joseph Harker, Samuel Bennion, John Bennion, Joseph Cain, George Whitaker, Ezra Oakley, Thomas Mackay, and Thomas Tarrbett. Brother John Taylor ... was in our fifty. Those of us who traveled together stayed together all the way, and settled down near each other when we reached our destination. We have loved one another as brothers ever since."

The Hunter company arrived at Sweetwater [Wyoming] on September 7, 1847. They halted and made camp for two days because they had received word that Brigham Young, some members of the Twelve, and some of the Pioneer Company and Mormon Battalion boys would meet them as they returned to Winter Quarters to spend the winter and organize other companies for the journey the following spring. Lenore Cannon Taylor mentioned frequently in her journal how glad she was to stop for a day or two to burn coal, wash, and bake. Since the returning Pioneer group was not expected for a couple of days, she and others could take the opportunity to accomplish these household chores.

B.H. Roberts gives a vivid account of that unique meeting on the trail: "The morning that Elder Taylor’s division met the returning pioneers, there was a flurry of snow. The heavens were darkened, the bright sunshine which they had enjoyed without a cloud to obscure it for weeks together, was now shut out from view, and snow fell two or three inches deep. Snow! and in September, too! Was that the kind of climate they were going to? The hearts of some sank within them, and the prospect looked gloomy enough. but that which produced fears in the breast of the timid only provoked laughter from Elder Taylor. He bade them be of good cheer, and laughingly proposed to insure the lives of the whole company at five dollars per head.

"Elder Taylor and other leading brethren in his division met in council with the Apostles in the Pioneer company. What a weight of responsibility rested upon these men! They had selected a location for a great people in an unknown climate; they had planted seed in an untried soil; they knew they would have to depend upon new methods of agriculture to mature their crops -- irrigation -- would it succeed? There were tens of thousands of people on the banks of the Missouri waiting for them to return to lead them forth into the wilderness, to the new home; the means of getting them there this body of men in council must devise; they were founding a common wealth in the wilderness; the whole world was watching their movements and would hold them morally responsible for any disasters that might occur. With this burden upon them, they might well hold council meetings whenever convenient, in order to discuss their present situation and future prospects.

"But while the brethren were in council the clouds cleared away, and before the warm sunshine the snow soon disappeared. There was a nervous activity in the camp, mysterious movements among the sisters. Trunks that had been undisturbed on the journey were opened, their contents investigated and certain articles hurriedly conveyed to a beautiful, natural lawn enclosed by a dense growth of bushes. Several improvised tables of uncommon length, covered with snow-white linen, and fast being burdened glittering tableware, gave evidence that a surprise was in store for the weary Pioneers. The "fatted calf" was killed; game and fish were prepared in abundance; fruits, jellies and relishes reserved for special occasions were brought out until truly it was a royal feast.

"Moreover, though the place selected for the spread was adjacent to the camp, it was successful as a surprise. The Pioneers knew nothing of what had taken place until they were led by Elder Taylor through a natural opening in the bushes fringing the enclosure, and the grand feast burst upon their astonished vision.

"One hundred and thirty sat down at the super; and if for a moment rising emotions at the manifestation of love choked their utterance and threatened to blunt the edge of appetite, the danger soon passed under the genial influence of the sisters who waited upon the tables and pressed their guests to eat; in the end they paid a full and hearty compliment to the culinary skill of the sisters.

"Supper over and cleared away, preparations were made for dancing; and soon was added to the sweet confusion of laughter and cheerful conversation the merry strains of the violin, and the strong, clear voice of the prompter directing the dancers through the mazes of quadrilles, Scotch-reels, French-fours and other figures of harmless dances suitable to the guileless manners and the religious character of the participants. Dancing was interspersed with songs and recitations. "We felt mutually edified and blessed," writes Elder Taylor, "we praised the Lord and blessed one another." So closed a pleasant day, though the morning with its clouds and snow looked very unpromising.

"The morning following they separated, the Pioneers going toward the rising, the others towards the setting sun." [B.H. Roberts, The Life of John Taylor, pp. 190-192.]

The woman’s perspective of the event is recorded in the journals of four of the women in the participating companies (original spelling usually preserved!):

Lenore Cannon Taylor : "Tue 7 [Sept. 1847] had a meeting of the sisters apointed S. Hunter, S. Thomsen and I to regulate a Diner for the Pioneers and Volunteers Had a splendid dinner for them in the Grove about a hundred sat down. they had a dance after the 12 met in Council until 11 o clock it snowd until the afternoon when it become fine they breakfasted with us before starting back to Winter Quarters."

Isabella M. Horne: "A nice fat steer was bought from Bishop Hunter, the dishes were unpacked, and the sisters did the best possible to prepare a dinner worth of the occasion. this was performed under difficulties, as it was snowing heavily, although only September, which mad the camp cooking quite a task. The storm passed before dinner, and the brethren cleared away the brush and improvised a rude taable, and I can assure you we had a feast indeed, spiritual as well as temporal. The food remaining was given to the Pioneers to help them on their journey."

Ann Cannon Woodbury: "About Sept 7 we met President Young and party near South Pass on the Sweet Water, returning from Salt Lake City. A beef was killed and a feast prepared undeer direction of Apostle Taylor and Bishop Hunter, followed by a dance. We had a fine time. The next morning the ground was covered with snow."

Jane Augusta Gardner: "7th remained in camp to receive the Twelve with some Co of the Pioneers - killed a Heifer & make a feast of fat things for them snow storm & cold"

Imagine the difficulty of cooking such a dinner outside, during a snowstorm, wearing long dresses and petticoats, with muddy ground, children to be tended and fed, the cold to contend with and the cleaning up afterwards!! We are now so blessed in the "settled" wilderness they tamed, with our wonderful homes and modern conveniences beyond their imagination. How they could have used a microwave, a dishwasher, etc. This was the primitive Relief Society in action, and the sisters rose to the occasion magnificently! Other eyewitness accounts:

George A. Smith: "...camped in company with John Taylor’s two fifties. All Well. About 4 the snow ceased, and the clouds cleared up a little. About 5 o’clock the Pioneers and soldiers set down to an excellent feast. Bishops Hunter and Foutz, master of ceremonies. Quite cool at dusk and the ground spotted with snow..."

Chauncy West: "Tuesday we tared and made a feast for the twelve and sixty of the pioneers that was on their way to winter quarters."

Archibald Gardner: "Elaborate preparations were made by the companies. A banquet was prepared consisting of roast and broiled beef, pies, cakes, biscuits, etc. Fully a hundred people partook of the repast, the remains being distributed among the pioneers and battalion boys to take with them. Bishop Hunter and Foutz acted as master of ceremonies. The camps were addressed by the visitors ... a dance in the evening completed the festivities. It was a joyful occasion. The Apostles held a special council meeting during the evening. The weather was cold and a little snow fell."

We can safely assume that the Bennions participated in all of the preparations in the above account with their goods, their talents in cooking, and any other way they could assist. They undoubtedly enjoyed the spiritual feast when some of the Twelve addressed them in the afternoon, and also the dancing in the evening. Because history has recorded the closeness of these families in the company, we have followed the events of the Joseph Horne company for this history of Samuel Bennion, researching all known journals of this company of fifty.