Pioneer Sketch

Stories From the Life of John Warren Pickett

Compiled in July, 1927

Captain John Warren Pickett is Blaine's maternal great-grandfather. As an eleven-year old boy he traveled across the plains with his parents. Later, in his teenage and young adult years he crossed the plains multiple times, as a teamster and captain guiding emigrants and hauling freight. Most of his trips back and forth across the plains occurred between 1861 and 1869. After the railroad reached Ogden in 1869 the long trips across the plains in wagons were no longer necessary. Captain Pickett was a friend and associate with other renowned wagon masters and captains of the time, such as John R. Murdock, Thomas E. Ricks, Henry Chipman and Peter Nebeker. Captain Pickett fought Indians, chased and brought outlaws to justice and helped colonize Bear Lake. A few of his experiences are shared here. More information on John Warren Pickett and the Pickett family can be obtained from Richard Pickett of Idaho Falls, Idaho.

By John Warren Pickett

I was born in England August 2, 1846. My parents joined the Church before I was born. I came to America with my parents, when I was a small boy. We lived in Winter Quarters for a short time, where my mother buried her youngest boy. He lies in the old Mormon cemetery there. We crossed the plains in Niel and Canfield's Independent Company. Father had two yoke of cattle and one yoke of cows, and a wagon with a jack-knife brake above the reach.

Nothing out of the ordinary occurred until we reached the Raw-hide Creek where the Pawnee tribe of Indians lived. The creek took its name from an event, which occurred there some time before our time. A man from the East declared he would kill the first Indian he ran across, which he did. The Indians demanded the man who did the killing or they would massacre the entire company. The man was given into their hands and they skinned him alive.

When we were making camp that night and the right wing of the train had formed the usual hollow circle and had unyoked the cattle, the cattle in the left wing stampeded. Cattle and wagons went pell-mell in all directions, women screamed, men shouted and children cried from fright. Fortunately, the men succeeded in rounding up the cattle and calming them down without any serious accident.

We encountered some fierce tornados while in Nebraska. The thunder and lightening were so fierce that the cattle were frightened and ran bellowing in all directions, tents were blown down and the rain came down in torrents wetting everything.

Packs of big prairie wolves as large as yearling calves hung about our camp at night. Game of all kind — (click here to read complete article on John Warren Pickett)