The Saints meet the Wild West

After a nearly 8 week miserable sea voyage, it must have seemed like heaven to board a train for the next stage of the journey. But not so fast… this was not the Amtrak of today, but a freight train where the folks were loaded in box cars. They travelled across the plains until they reached the end of the tracks at Benton Wyoming. Benton was about midway through the state close to what is now I-80. You have never seen Benton because it does not exist today, in fact its whole lifespan was about 3 months; from July to September 1868.

Benton must have been a real shocker for these English and Scandinavian saints on their way to the promised land. It boasted twenty-five saloons and five dance halls. Gunfights were common and it is is estimated that over 100 souls died in shoot-outs in those 3 months. One visitor referred to Benton as "nearer a repetition of Sodom and Gomorrah than any other place in America." Saloon keepers, gamblers, and soiled doves plied their respective trades. As the tracks were extended the inhabitants of the towns would pack up, load their wagons and move to the next town, hence the expression, "Hell on wheels." This environment was the unwelcome, but unavoidable, evil that followed along with the railroad construction.

During the months of August and September 1868, Benton was the jumping off location for about 5 companies of pioneers, totaling 2,000 Saints, heading to Utah. Edward Mumford was the captain of a 28 wagon mule team that awaited the saints in this frightening place. For whatever reason Mumford had been waiting with his teamsters for the emigrant passengers for nearly nine weeks. He had arrived in Wyoming about the same day the Emerald Isle had set sail from England! It’s no surprise that during that time several of the company's livestock were stolen. But despite his apparent calendaring problems he at least has the foresight to make camp about 6 miles outside of Benton and hopefully out of reach of the flock of soiled doves and hucksters.

When the company finally arrived on about Sept 25, 1868, we can imagine Mary Ogden hustling her young brood very quickly from the train to the safety of the waiting wagons. They went so fast they left their treasured trunk with the other baggage to catch up with them later!