At Kanesville (now Council Bluffs) the 1852 emigration from Europe joined the very large American emigration in crossing the plains. This was the last year in which the Pottawattamie country, according to instructions from President Young, was vacated by the Saints who removed to the Valley. Twenty-one regularly organized companies of Saints, with 50 wagons and upwards in each company and traveled up the north side of the Platte River.
About this time, mill builder, Frederick Kesler, in company with Horace S. Eldredge performed two business missions to the east to purchase machinery, taking about seventy-five wagons and three hundred oxen each trip.
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