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problems of a pioneer movement. James Flake offered Brigham Young a carriage wagon and some mules. Flake also volunteered his slave Green to assist the first wagon company. Once he reached the pioneer destination, Green was to build a house for his master. He was also ordered to return the carriage and mules to the Flake family.' The great Mormon westward movement began in early April of 1847. The jumping-off place for the wagon drive was Winter Quarters (later Florence), Nebraska. From Winter Quarters to Laramie, Wyoming, the Pioneer Company created the Mormon Trail by following the north bank of the Platte River. At Fort Laramie, the wagon train continued westward along ·the Oregon Trail to Fort Bridger, Wyoming. From Fort Bridger to the Salt Lake Valley, Mormons followed the Hastings Cutoff carved by the ill-fated Donner-Reed wagon party the previous year.' In later years, Green Flake wrote down some of his impressions of the westward journey: The first we met was the Ponier [Pawnee Indian] drives met us all in war like and demanded Pay for Crossing th Country after President Young Councld with them by Paying them something they give us Permission to Cross there Count[ry]. Then we Crossed the luck [Loup] fork of the Plat [Platte River] then we traveled up the Pat [Platte] and I was in my waagon Traveling I took to the left and Saw a Calf laying it never came to my mind being a bufflow [buffalo] thare was a man walking to my right with his gun on his shoulder his name w[a]s Ira I baulted my team and spoke to Ira an told him thire was a Calf Ire asking where looking a stonished he ses [sees] a buffalow he stept to the frunt of my team an shot at it an just grazsed his wethers the Calf sprang to his feet. I [illegible] . I told him to take it.'o These events occured in late April,and early May of 1847." On July 14, when the Mormon party approached the head of Echo Canyon in . Utah, an advance group was formed to explore the best route to the Great Salt Lake. Its main task was to improve the wagon road · through the 36 miles of rugged mountains. Forty-two men, including Green Flake and two other black pioneers, and twenty wagons made up the vanguard. Shovels were used to fill in ravines, 48 tQ dig up tree stumps, and to make passable the rough trail. 12 The advance wagons entered Salt Lake Valley on July 22,1847," two days before Brigham Young. They plowed the sun-baked earth, planted crops, and diverted the waters of City Creek into the farm land. Following the arrival of Brigham Young the Mormon community of Salt Lake Valley, including Green Flake, was rebaptized as a sign of rededication to Mormon ideals." After the preparations for settlement began, Green Flake built a log cabin for his master.11 Some sources claim that he returned with his master's outfit when Brigham Young left the valley for Winter Quarters, Nebraska, on August 16. If the sources are accurate, he would have reentered the valley in October 1848. Oscar Crosby and Hark (Lay) Wales, the other two black pioneers, stayed behind to prepare for the arrival of their masters. Green apparently joined the 1848 migration to Utah with the Flake family." In 1850 James M. Flake died. Green was placed under the control of James' widow Agnes. Agnes Flake found Green hard to manage. At this time, a friend of the Flake family described Green as "a 'boy' who was 'mean, dirty, and saucy' to his owner(:::-'0 ."t7 In 1854 Agnes moved to San . Bernardino. Before going slleTetfGreen in' the 'c are of 'church leaders. For a time he labored for Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball. In the mid 1850's Green obtained his freedom and moved to Union. 11 He settled about one mile northeast of the fort. (By 1860 it was common practice to live outside of the fort.)" Green Flake was listed as a free inhabitant of Union, Utah Territory, in the 1860 census. Included in the population count were Green Flake's wife Martha and their two children Lucinda and Abram G. (Abraham . Green) . Green married Martha Morris (Crosby) between 1848 and 1850. Green was recorded as a 32 year old common laborer. Martha was also shown as being 32 years of age. Her birthplace was registered as Mississippi. The ages of Lucinda and Abraham were posted as five and as ten-twelves, respectively. The value of their real estate was entered as $100.00. Their personal estate was valued at $200.()()H In 1860, another Black was listed as a free inhabitant in Salt Lake . County, Post Office: Union. James Valentine, or Vallentyne, came to Utah in 1855 with his owners William and Talitha Dennis. After gaining his freedom in 1860, he moved to Union.2' Four other people were listed in the Valentine dwelling at that time. Their names 49 dele~e.