"left my home in Winter Quarters - April 7, 1847, in a wagon with Norton Jacobs belonging to H C Kimball's Division and journey about 7 miles when we camped for the night the next day we heard that P P Pratt had arrived from England."
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That first wagon train west consisted of 143 men, 3 women, two young boys, 72 wagons, 93 horses, 66 oxen, 52 mules, 19 cows, 17 dogs and some chickens.
The group was made into two large divisions, and then those were split and organized into further groups of 50 and 10.
Small groups had started leaving on April 3 and April 5. Brigham Young left early with the group on the 5th of April. Parley P. Pratt had been in England on a mission. He was hurrying to Winter Quarters to catch up with the wagon train that was to go to the mountains.
Brigham wanted to meet up with him because he had scientific and surveying instruments that he had purchased in England.
Pratt was named to head the next expedition to follow the first party in two months.
