I want those who will work to have the best land.
Let each family have an acre near the settlement for a garden and
truck patch. And now, Father Morley, I want you to see that John
and his family have all the cleared land they can tend, for I
know they will raise a good crop, and when it is raised we can
all share with him. I want a company to follow Brother John,
about the 1st of May, when the grass is good, made up of men that
can fit themselves out comfortably. My brother, John Young, will
lead them, and Jedde Grant will be their captain." Then he turned
to me and said: "Brother John, I want you to fit my brother John
out. If he needs oxen, let him have them, and I will pay them
back; see that he gets a good outfit. When he leaves here Father
Morley will take charge of the Church. I want the brethren to do
as Brother John tells them; he carries a good in- fluence
wherever he goes; no evil reports follow him from his field of
labor; all respect him, and that is evidence to me that he
carries himself straight."

Now, I settled up my business at the winter quarters. Brigham was
indebted to the firm two hundred and eighty-five dollars; he had
not the money to settle the account, and he was just starting to
look out a resting place for the Saints. His first adopted son,
Brother Rockwood, our salesman, could not spare a dollar, so the
loss of that money fell on me. I told Brigham he was welcome to
the two hundred and eighty-five dollars. Before he left for the
new land of promise he said to me:

"My son John, what shall I do for you?"

"Select me an inheritance when you find the resting-place," said
I.

"I will remember you. May Heaven bless you. I bless you. Be a
good boy. Keep an account of how each man under your charge
occupies his time, while I am gone."

Brigham then said I was to have half the improvements that were
made, and half the crop that was raised by the company I fitted
out with teams, seeds, and provisions.

The pioneer company started April 1st, 1847. We moved to our new
location, and called it Summer Quarters. We threw up a fort to
protect us from the Indians, as they were troublesome. We then
laid out our land. I found that if I obeyed orders it would
require all the cleared land for my family, so I set off three
acres to each family - there were thirty-seven families - for
gardens, and took the balance.

Although I had given each family three times as much land, for a
garden and truck patch