Chapter 5

With the somewhat indefinite understanding that the Levi's came to Utah in the early 1850's, I often wondered where they were between 1846, if they had in fact left Nauvoo with the body of Saints, and the early 1850's when they arrived in Salt Lake City. We were without any accurate information, as we were not even aware of the informative and interesting account of the life of Barbara Jane Levi at that time. We hope that inspiring and informative account will be now made available for generations to come. It is very unfortunate that we lose connections with our extended family as quickly as we do when we become involved in our own lives and those of our immediate family.

William Francis Boring's letter to his sister Barbara Jane gave us a clue when he said "My dear sister, you say how we have changed, it is very true we do not look much like the boys we were 18 years and a little over, since we seen each other last at Mt. Pisgah."

Our search then began of the Mt. Pisgah historical records and was almost immediately rewarded when Dewey J. Levie found at the Brigham Young University Library an instrument entitled "RECORD of the ORGANIZATION of the CAMP OF ISREAL, which took place at Shariton Ford, Iowa Territory on Friday March 27th and Monday 31st, 1846. Parts of the document (on microfilm) are blotted out with spots of deterioration probably from water or moisture and time. The date was barely 5 weeks after the Church leaders had crossed the Mississippi River into the Iowa Territory and the Shariton River (now spelled Chariton) was the first major river crossing in the Iowa Territory.

The top of the first page reads: "Appointment of the officers of the Camp of Isreal, March 27th, 1946 and continues:
1st fifty         Brigham Young                  President
                     Albert P. Rockwood          Captain
                     Henry G. Sherwood           Contracting Commissary
                     Charles Kenneday             Distributing Commissary
                     John D. Lee Young            Clerk
 2nd fifty       Heber C. Kimball                President
                     Stephen Markham              Captain
                     David Yearsley Kimball      Contracting Commissary
                     Jedidiah M. Grant                Distributing Commissary
                      John Pack .....
 listing the officers through the 5th - 50. It then lists the 1st 100, 1st 50 and 1st 10, and inasmuch as they were busy outfitting the first company to go that Fall to the Rocky Mountains, they were accepting or soliciting contributions as follows:

 2 wagons       3 horses        4 oxen            3 cows           owned by       Joshua S. Hotman
 1 wagon         1 horse          1 oxen                                    owned by        David S. Laughlin
 1 wagon          1 horse                                                          owned by        Chandler Holbrook
                          1 horse                                                          owned by        Frederick Levi

We searched further in the history of Mt. Pisgah for any possible reference to the Levi family. We did find further reference at the LDS Historical Department under Mount Pisgah Branch (Iowa) in minutes of a meeting held July 1, 1846, which we were unable to copy but from which we extracted some excerpts, a part of which follows:

Arrived P. P. Pratt - Hymn sung by Solomon Hancock. Parley P. Pratt said that the Council deputizes Brother Hancock and myself and gave us 2 days to get here. Had to swim the rivers, 50 miles West had some rain. They tell me that further West from the Bluffs there is no sickness, a good road all the way about 100 miles from the Missouri and some Buffalo cross, better grass than this for winter and its not so far as we expected. It's 500 miles to Fort Laramie and 300 more to the Mountains. The people are very friendly, had conference with them and the Agent gave a dinner, we get provisions 35 miles for 2 bits, further 20 cents, wheat and flour for 70 miles. The people mind their own business, a cow can be bought for 10 dollars.

Now for our errand. I'll tell you what we want, that is to put 200 men over the Mountains without delay. We want young men and heads of families so that 2 or 3 families can pass on to put them over the Mountains at 25 or 30 miles a day. Let the Brethren go to turning out their provisions, seed and corn. We have ascertained more than we knew before. There is a large island 200 miles on, 50 miles long by 3 miles wide, good grass and Buffalo and so from thence all the way to Fort Laramie. Is there anybody that wants to be put back one year? We could not all be put over the Mountains, we are a great people to be put over the Mountains, many would be left in the snow and would perish. A number of men without women and children could pass through the snow, but otherwise, how would it be? It is not for me and the Council, but for you; you require of me and the Council to see the Kingdom of God built up and Israel gathered. And it is required for you to bring these things about and all your cattle and substance to be devoted in bringing that thing about. You can send some of us hardy fellows also. Our President told us on the stand except we do these things the people will be scattered to the four winds, and it will put you back and you need not blame P. P. Pratt and the Council. We will now read the letter, it was read by Parley P. Pratt.

Brother Benson is nominated to take a place in the Quorum of the twelve to fill up the place of John E. Page. The Twelve will be over the River. The families of the Council, I should be glad to have follow on. Made several remarks relative to the proper economy. It costs me 8 cents per week to board my family.

Father Hancock sung "Come Listen to the Trumperters".

Brother Parley P. Pratt said there are items relative to the Indians on the road. Let them alone. I like the government and hate the cursed scoundrels who are the head of the Government. We are for the government. Brother Solomon Hancock said he wanted to bear testimony, there was no other way for us to get along but to obey the Council. The thing you are called upon to do, you can do. Those that cannot go, why it is all right. I was sadly afraid the Brother Parley would be drowned. And now let us see a good expedition, and give you money. Let us lay hold Brethren, I am sensible you'll do it. I am glad for what has been done in fitting out the Twelve. But, thank God, there is another Twelve to fit out now open your hearts and the work is done. He again appealed for Money, Wagons, Teams, etc.

The following is a list of monies etc., collected:

Samuel J. Rodgers, Saddle & Bridle; John Woolf, 2 bushels of meal. J. C. Wright, 1 bushel of wheat. William Henry will go with a yoke of oxen, wagon and some flour, etc.

Brother Benson said I leave the place with the best of feelings and I feel thankful for the confidence of my Brethern and the Council since I have been here and if I have done anything wrong inadvertently, I ask your forgiveness. Brother P.P. Pratt gave us his best wishes and blessings, that though we may be Pioneers, we will not forget nor forsake you until every soul gets over the Mountains and if a man sends his team and he be left, he will not be forgotten.

A summary account of the 1st Company of Volunteers is then given by P. P. Pratt. A letter to President Young and Council is then given.

From the two references given, we can place Frederick John Levi and probably his family at the crossing of the Chariton River on March 27, 1846 and from there they undoubtedly went on to Mt. Pisgah and were there at the time of the Mount Pisgah Branch meeting on the 1st of July, at both times contributing to the important cause and endeavors at hand. Though Joseph Hyrum Levi was only a baby of 1 1/2 years of age, David was over 13 and William Boring was just past 16 years and was one mentioned in the minutes of the Mount Pisgah Branch meeting as one of Captain Samuel Thompson's Company of Volunteers who received arms. He was apparently to be one of those to go with the early Companies. We don't know just when he went, but in his letter to Barbara Jane he said, "Speaking about the country where you live, I know exactly what kid of country it is. I have been all over nearly every foot of land within 100 miles of the city of Salt Lake, I have been in the Valley where you now live, Kanosh. Buck Hewett and me made a trip in that valley in 1847 and bought 2 horse loads of Service Berries from the Indians." William F. Boring must therefore have come West with one of the early companies, but of course there was a complete change of plans by Brigham Young and the Quorum of the Twelve after the July 1 meeting at Mr. Pisgah. After calling the Mormon Battalion, 500 volunteers, the plans to send the advance party to the Mountains in the Fall and Winter of 1846 did not materialize. Boring did apparently come West before 1848 and went on to California where he lived at the time of his letter to Barbara Jane in 1868. It is also believed that David, who was then approaching manhood for that time period (between 13 and 19 years) came West and then may have returned to assist his family.

Though Barbara Jane Levi's history relates many vivid details of their travels and hardships, it was undoubtedly difficult for her to remember the dates and times of the happenings of the events. Much of her history of those times probably relates to Crossing into Iowa and onto Mt. Pisgah. William Boring remembered her there as a little girl. She then had the next leg of the journey when she was almost a young lady, approaching 15 years old.

She relates: "We outfitted an ox team and wagon, salvaged only the things we felt essential for the trip, and with a wagon train of Saints, left Council Bluffs, Iowa and started West." Whether Frederick and family actually took up the last leg of their journey at Council Bluffs and crossed the river there, or whether it was from Mt. Pisgah that they departed, crossing the Grande River we do not actually know. We have no other record placing them in Council Bluffs during the period between 1846 and 1852, but neither do we have any record placing them in Mt. Pisgah after the July 1, 1846 date. W. F. Boring's letter would apparently place them there in about 1850. The exact dates and places may not be material, but we have attempted to piece together as much as possible with the information we have been able to find and assimilate.

Chapter 6