# DUP Lessons for May 1962, The Mormons in St. Louis p. 466

John Esplin was born 12 December, 1828 at Wardend, County of Perth, Scotland, the youngest son of Alexander Esplin and Margaret Campbell. He joined the L.D.S. Church August 4, 1849. From his diary, "I crossed the Atlantic Ocean to New Orleans in the new ship North Atlantic under Captain Cook. From thence up the river Mississippi in the steamer Sultana to St. Louis. I arrived there November 9, 1850. The river being frozen I had to wait until spring. On April 22nd I started on board the steamer Robert Campbell for Council Bluffs, Iowa and worked my passage across the plains by driving team for Josua Grant who was hauling freight for Dustin Amy, a tin-smith, arriving in Salt lake City on September 28, 1851.

--Hattie Esplin Durfee

* * *

* Typed by Valery Evensen, Dec 1, 1993
* Manually converted to html by Mark Esplin July 12, 2000
* 27 July, 2010 - Converted to [markdown](http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown) by Daniel Esplin