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Five Hundred Thousand Mormon pioneers went west between 1846 and 1869. They left all they had; their farms, homes, belongings, family and friends to start a new life out west. This is the history of the Mormon trail and the hardships the Latter Day Saints endured.
The initial push for the Mormon pioneers began in 1846 in Nauvoo Illinois where they were ordered to leave the state by the government. It is strange that a country that was formed because of the desire for freedom of religion would expel a group of religious people, persecuting and even murdering some, for wanting to worship as they saw fit. But this is exactly what happened and for the next 23 years, 500,000 Mormon pioneers would make the trek west to find Zion and freedom of religion. The persecutions they endured were so great for the first group of immigrants that they were forced to leave. For the following groups of immigrants they left because they wanted to be gathered together in Zion and continue to worship.
The first group of pioneers was led by Brigham Young, prophet of the Mormons or more correctly called the Latter Day Saints. They traveled more than 1300 miles by wagon or pushing hand carts. They only brought what they absolutely needed to survive the trip. Many left homes full of furniture and other luxuries. They tried to sell what they could before they left to raise the money to make a strong wagon, buy horses, oxen and food needed for the trip. But, many were unable to sell their homes. The government officials that forced them to leave, bought up the land and homes that were abandoned for
pennies.
The first group of immigrants began the journey on February 4th, 1846 crossing the Mississippi river in the middle of the night. Since these were the first travelers, their journey was particularly difficult. They had to break in the trail for all who followed. There was snow, heavy rain, rough roads, wagons breaking down, starvation, unprepared travelers, fatigue, illness, death, widows traveling alone with children and miracles all along the way. They encountered many Indians, but trouble with them was amazingly minimal.
Through great hardships they traveled through Iowa and made it to the Missouri River by July 9th, 1846 where they decided it would be wise to stop and rejuvenate for the winter. They crossed the river and made their Winter Quarters on the west side. Here, they planted fall crops, rebuilt broken wagons, hunted, dried the meat, rested and worshipped.
They left Winter Quarters April 9th, 1847. One hundred forty four men left their families to go on ahead, scout and break the trail. This left 144 more families fatherless. The route they were taking had never been traveled by a large wagon train before. They followed the Platte River on the North side passing Independence and Chimney Rocks. They reached Fort Laramie on June 1st. They pushed on through the Great Plains, crossing the Green River on July 1st and went on to The Great Salt Lake where they finally stopped on July 24, 1847. This is where Zion would be.
All Latter Day Saints that followed would gather here to make a new life for themselves. They could now follow their religion freely and live unpersecuted.
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