To interested Woolsey researchers: When I submitted Ships and Ferry Captains, I omitted my great grandmother Sarah Woolsey Hickerson's brother, Thomas Woolsey. For the three years I have been researching the Woolsey Family, I have not submitted much data on my own personal connection to the family. Joseph Woolsey and Abigail Schaeffer's oldest child was Thomas Woolsey, who is quite an intriguing character in his own right. Thomas Woolsey joined the Mormon Church and converted his mother and several of his brothers and sisters, including my great-grandmother Sarah Woolsey, wife of George Washington Hickerson. Thomas Woolsey joined the Mormon Battalion and headed south with them and then was sent back with the "sick brigade" and then, with John Tippetts, in the dead of winter, and in the trackless plains, made their way back to the main body of Mormons in Nebraska Territory, enduring such cold weather that the tails of their horses were frozen, and coming near to perishing in the extreme cold. Thomas Woolsey then came west with the Pioneer Company with Brigham Young in 1847. He was a scout for the group, buffalo hunter and seemed to be quite at home in the vanguard of the pioneer company. His name is immortalized on the Brigham Young statue in downtown Salt Lake City. Thomas Woolsey, brother of Sarah Woolsey Hickerson !HIST: Bullock, Thomas. THE PIONEER CAMP OF THE SAINTS. The 1846 and 1847 Mormon Trail Journals of, edited by Will Bagley. The Arthur H. Clark Co., Spokane, Washington. 1997. FHL# 289.3792 H2b. p. 129. Friday 23 Apr 1847. About 8 p.m. the Presidency with the captains of Tens assembled on the edge of the Bluff at the sound of the horn to take into consideration the propriety of making a raft to carry over the goods; when President Young suggested that there be two rafts built which was made a motion by W. Richards & carried. It was then voted that Tarlton Lewis & Thomas Woolsey manage the two rafts. Voted that Tarlton Lewis pick 10 men out of First Division to manage it. Voted that Thomas Woolsey pick 10 men out of Second Division ditto. [NOTE: Treacherous currents and quicksand made the Loup Fork the worst river crossing on the north side of the Platte. The Mormons forded the river east of where Highway 14 crosses the Loup near Fullerton. In his 14 May letter to his wife, Bullock complained he had lost the sole of his boot "wading thro'Loup Fork." p. 130. [The 1847 Brigham Young Pioneer Company] Thomas Woolsey is listed number three in the 6th Company, Charles Shumway, Captain. John H. Tippetts is listed # 7 in the 11th Company, John S. Higbee, Capt. p. 131. Saturday 24 Apr 1847. The Captains with their men went to work to make the two Rafts in accordance with the votes of last night, while others unloaded some of the Wagons, carrying the load on their Shoulders down the cliff to the Boat which was then rowed over; . . . .one of the Rafts floated down the River a few minutes before the last team forded the River. The last Wagon crossed over at 20 minutes to 3, thus passing our greatest obstacle on our route without any accident for which blessing from our Heavenly Father all the camp felt to render thanks & praise to the Lord & rejoicing at the prosperity of our journey to this place. Sincerely, Wilford W. Whitaker