Pioneer Story 13, Langley Allgood Bailey (Martin Company)

We were delayed in camp for two weeks, most of the carts had to be made. At this place John and I learned to swim in the river.

We stayed on this camp ground for two weeks. It was a sight to see 600 people pulling their carts through the cities and villagers of Iowa. People came out of their houses and jeered us. On we went, all happy and cheerful.

I was taken down with hemorrhage of the bowles. I was unable to walk, had to be hauled on Bro. Isaac J. Wardle and my brother’s John’s cart.

After reaching Florence a Doctor was consulted said I must not go another step or I would die and be buried on the road side. A captain named Tune [John Toone] would not administer to me, said he did not have faith enough to raise the dead.

Mother on hearing that Apostle F.D. Richards and C.H .Wheelock had arrived in camp got them to administered to me, they promised me I would live to reach the valleys.

All this time I was unconscious of what was going on.

The Doctor called again to see me, told father he would take care of the family and fit us out next year to pursue our journey. Father thanked him kindly, he plead with father to stop[,] said it was to late to make the trip, said when we reached the mountains we would be snowed in. We found his words to be too true.

The emigrants were called together to know their minds in regards to stop until the next year or go on. Voted to go on. On August 25th 1856 the company made a start. I not being able to walk, Isaac J. Wardle and Bro. John, only 15 years old, hauled me on their carts. We got along fairly well until we reached the mountains, then bad weather set in, snow storms came impeded our traveling. no one can describe the suffering we endured. Our rations consisted of 4 oz flour and nothing else did we have to eat.

One morning believing I could walk a little a head of the company. I got this privilege from my parents, my plan was to get away lay down under a sage brush and die. I saw my father and mother and my cart pass by, I streched out to die, just then a voice said, “Your mother is hunting you, jump up.” I saw mother in haste coming towards me, wanted to know what had gone wrong with me. I told her I had planned to lay down and die. I felt it was to much to pull me on the cart, at same time had as much luggage they could manage, scolded me a little. She reminded what I was promised by apostle F.D. Richard. I rode on a cart until the teams from the Valleys met us.

We camped at place after was called Martins Hole. We could not go any further for Snow

I saw a young lady age about 16 walking in the snow. She left the blood prints of her heels and toes on the snow. I am told her legs were amputated when she arrived in Salt Lake City

I refrain from writing about the suffering of these people. It never can or will be told.

On leaving this morning my bro. John saw the wolves devouring the bodies he had helped to bury the day before. He tried to drive them a way. He had to run for his life.

That morning in starting I was placed in a wagon on top of frozen tents. A very few oxen was left to haul or pull the few wagons. Made that about 4 miles when the Company stop that evening. Mother came around the wagons calling Langley. I could hear her calling. She could not hear me answer when she found me, lifted me out of the wagon my legs and arms was stiff like a frozen shirt. An ox was about to die. He was killed. Mother got some of the meat, boiled it, gave me some of the broth. it run through me like going through a funnel.

We met the rescuers near Devil's Gate. Log houses were pulled down, good fires was made of the logs. Provision were rather short on account of the teams being so long on the road; deep snows made traveling very slow.

We arrived in Salt Lake City Sunday noon coming out of Immigration Canyon. I was lifted up in the wagon could see houses in the distance. It was like the Israelites of old in beholding the promised land.

Pioneer Story 12, Jane Eleanor Griffiths (Willie Company)

In march of 1856, Heber C. Kimball sent word to my father [John Griffiths], for him and his family to go to Salt Lake City, Utah. We got ready and left Liverpool on the 28th day of May, in the ship called the Horizon. We were eight weeks on the sea. I was very sick. The ship was under the command of Captain Reed. After we anchored in Boston harbor, we held a meeting . . .

From Boston we went by rail to Florence, Iowa and camped there four weeks, until our hand carts were ready for us.

On the first day of September, we started to cross the plains. During the first part of our journey, we were as happy a set of people as ever crossed the plains. We would sit around the camp fire and sing. . . .

After the snow caught us, we suffered terrible and many died. Provisions were limited; we were rationed on four ounces of flour per day for adults and two ounces a day for children. Our meat consisted mainly of buffalo.

One morning when I awoke, my brother John, age 15 years, lay dead by my side. He died of starvation and cold. During that night 19 people died. They dug a trench and laid them in it. We had to leave them there and resume our journey. Two weeks later my brother Herbert, age six years, died the same way.

One morning my step-mother was baking some griddle cakes on the camp fire and one old lady looked so pitiful my step-mother handed her a cake before she had finished baking all of them. Shortly after she looked at the old lady, who had not moved, and found her to be dead, with the cake in her hand, she had not tasted it.

Two weeks before we arrived at Salt Lake City, President Young sent a company to meet us with wagons and provisions. They found us deep in snow and our provisions gone. When they came in sight we all stood up and hailed them with glad rejoicing.

When we arrived in Salt Lake my family consisted of my father, step-mother, sister Margret and myself. It was the last of November, making just three months on the road.

The hand cart company were taken to the assembly hall, the floor was covered with straw and there was a nice warm fire for us.

President Young asked the people to take and care for as many as they could. Bro. Samuel Mulliner took my father and step-mother to his home. My father died the next morning at five o'clock. I was so sick that they did not tell me about it for some weeks. My sister went with Bro. and sister Montague. She was very sick and her heels were badly frozen. Mr. and Mrs. Horne took me to their home, my toes were very badly frozen. I stayed with them for three weeks. . . . Bro. Mulliner came with a wheel-barrow, a quilt and a pillow and took me to his home where his wife cared for me. He hired a doctor but my feet seemed to get worse, then he changed Doctors and in three months my feet were healed, but I lost the first joint of three toes of each foot.

There were several young men of our company who had their feet amputated to save their lives. . . . When I was sixteen years old I married.

Pioneer Story 11, Sarah Crossley (Martin Company)

(Told in her own words)

My childhood days were happy ones as I ran and played with my companions, carefree and gay in the cheerful little village of Radcliff (near Manchester, England). A neat little cottage full of comfort and happiness was my home.

My Mother and Father belonged to the Methodist Church and took us children there on the Sabbath until the Gospel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came to us in the year of 1851, which we were eager and glad to accept. I was nine years of age at the time. Many of the elders came to our home and stayed with us. Our doors were always open to them.

They often urged my father to go to America and unite with the Saints in the Rocky Mountains. This time my father did, leaving Mother and us children to follow as soon as he could make a home for us; this was not easily done for work was scarce and money hard to obtain. We almost despaired of ever seeing him again, but after two years the way came to us.

The handcart Plan was introduced into England, and it seemed so cheap and easy, only nine pounds or forty-five dollars in United States money, for each of us. We were so anxious to join our father and many friends who had gone before, that we decided to go. Mother was a frail woman and Joseph, our crippled brother could never walk across 1300 miles of plains; but Hannah and I were very healthy and strong girls. Ephriam was a lad and very willing, so we gathered together what clothing and bedding we were able to take and sold our little home and all else we had. We bade farewell to our many friends and merry old England, sailing from Liverpool early in the spring of 1856. We landed in New York City and went to Iowa City, the gathering place for the handcart companies. There we were detained several weeks for lack of carts and provisions. It was the last of July before we started on this long terrible journey; but we knew not the hardships that lay before us, and started off happy and gay singing as we went, a merrier company could not have been found.

Elder Levi Savage had traveled the Plains before, and tried to discourage us when we got to Florence, Nebraska telling us that it was too late to make this trip. We were anxious to go and there seemed no alternative. How could we live all winter when we had only enough to take us to Utah? By spring, we would be without funds, so we voted to go on as fast as we could. We were making fourteen and fifteen miles daily over the Plains covered with green grass and dotted with wild flowers. It seemed so easy to us then, but as soon as the grass turned brown and the flowers disappeared then the plains rose up into the Great Rocky Mountains.

Many of the carts gave out and had to wait for repair and we had to double up our loads as some had to be discarded and left. It was hard work. We always had to pull Joseph along but what was that to a girl fourteen and robust and strong? All went well until our supplies ran low, and we were put on rations and our bodies began to weaken, making travel slower every day.

September came and the first frost was upon us. Out in the open with few clothes and little shelter, then we began our real suffering. But we tried to be brave and not complain more than necessary to each other. We children felt we should help dear Mother all we could. Poor little Joseph, it was so hard on him jolting over the uneven road. He suffered greatly and became thin and pale. I would do my best, almost anything, to keep his spirits up. We had always cared so tenderly for him, and he missed the good nourishing food and the comforts he had always had, but he seldom complained. He seemed only to dwindle in body and spirit.

At Wood River we were over taken by some Elders from England. Among them were Franklin Richards and Joseph A. Young. They encouraged us and promised to hurry us along. They would report our condition to the Saints and send us food and help. So we struggled on day by day. Soon we came upon the Platte River's ice waters and this time we had to ford and wade. Some of the stronger men carried the women and children across on their backs. Here we met large herds of buffalo which stampeded our cattle. At one time we lost thirteen head which handicapped us greatly as they had been used to pull provisions. Now we each had to take a hundred pounds of flour on our carts to share the load, so then we could not make more than three or four miles a day through ice and snow.

A terrible disease crept into our little fold and death became a frequent visitor to our little train. We were obliged to leave our loved ones in the graves that marred the path of this little struggling band.

Lower and lower our rations became and no food or help in sight. We were finally rationed to one tablespoon of flour per person a day, no salt, sugar, or meat. Mother would make a gruel of this and we would drink it, glad to get even this much. Once in a while we would have to kill one of our cattle which were used to pull the supply wagon in the train. This would give us only a small taste and would add some weight to each loaded cart.

Many were dying each day. Men and women who started strong and well were dropping out. Each morning we would dig a grave and bury our dead before we could leave camp. Was it no wonder that our dear brother Joseph was stricken with this terrible disease? Each morning we gave him our clothing to keep warm. His suffering was over one morning as we found him frozen in his bed. We were so numbed with our suffering and the sight of death that I think we were almost glad he had gone. We felt that he had gone only a little ahead of us, that we would soon be with him. I did pray though that the commissioner of provisions would not know of it until I had received Joseph's portion of flour. I cannot tell you the pang that smote my heart as he counted out the spoons full and when he came to Joseph's he said, "Oh Joseph died last night didn't he"? I had lost my brother's portion and it hurt me worse than it did to first look upon his still white face.
We left him by the side of the road. There were five deaths that night and the ground was so frozen that we could not dig a grave. We wrapped him in a large blanket and left him by the side of the trail; before we had got out of sight, we heard the wolves had reached it. This was a terrible trial for my Mother to bear, but she did not complain to the Lord and did not lose faith in him. I think she felt it had been a merciful hand rather than a hard one that had taken her son.

We had not reached Sweet Water River and our provisions were gone. We found a small ravine since named Martin's Ravine. Here we made or camp in a clump of willows that grew close together. We settled down as we could not go on farther. We must wait for help or death must come to us. Few of us cared which. In the morning to add to our suffering a heavy snow had fallen upon us. We had camped in a circle so we did not know which way to go or from which we had come. Here we were lost, starving, and buried in two feet of snow. Three days we lived through this and then at the sunset from over the rim of the ravine came a covered wagon with men breaking a road for the horses. Such cries of joy were never heard before. We laughed and all shouted together, here was help and food coming, but we were careful, we could not eat but a small portion or we would have all died. In the morning there were thirteen dead and two more died during the day. While we were preparing to go on, the dead were gathered and placed in one large grave.

We started on with new hope and courage. As we came to South Pass, the weather moderated and we did not suffer so much. On the thirteenth day of November, we arrived in Salt Lake City, what was left of us. There was five hundred and eighty-four members in the company in Iowa City, and one hundred and forty-six of this little band were left along the plains and in the mountains to tell the tale of our experience.
We were met by dear Father and many of our friends. In fact most of the city came to look upon the suffering of this company. They gave us aid by taking us into their homes to nurse us back to life-from the very jaws of death through which we had passed.

Pioneer Story 10, James Godson Bleak, Sr. (Martin Company)

James Godson Bleak was born on 15 November 1829 in Southwark, Surrey County, England.

It is not known when the family name was changed from Blake to Bleak (both pronounced the same way), but it is a family tradition that the change was made when the family moved to England. (When James was questioned about the spelling of Bleak he said it was spelled and pronounced like steak.)

In June 1849 James married Elizabeth Moore. The next year he first came into contact with the missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His conversion was rapid and complete, and he was baptized 8 Feb. 1851 at the age of 22. His wife, Elizabeth, and friend Joseph Thompson were also baptized.

James was promised by the Elders of the church that he would bring his family safely to Utah. (The story that was handed down in the family was that this promise was made during a meeting just before leaving England where a woman stood to bear her testimony. As she did, she spoke in tongues and an other woman receiving the interpretation of tongues said that the Lord promised James Bleak that he and his family would arrive safely to Utah.) The Bleak family embarked from Liverpool May 23 aboard the "Horizon." The ship had 856 passengers, all of whom were Mormons traveling to Utah. Edward Martin was captain of the company. After a smooth, uneventful crossing, twenty-six days later they docked at Boston, spent a week there then continued to Iowa City. They stayed there seventeen days preparing to cross the plains by handcart.

From James' journal we learn: they left Iowa City July 26. By Aug. 22 they had reached Florence, Missouri, 300 miles. On Aug. 31 they were 992 miles from SLC. They traveled as many as 23 miles a day but on Sept. 5 a violent storm limited them to six miles and some days they were snow bound, not moving a step for days. On Sept 12 they left a cripple behind. Sept. 15, James took ill with bloody flux. Sept. 23 and 24 were particularly gruesome days for the company passed scattered blood-stained articles, parts of a human body and remains of the Babbit wagon which had been burned by the Indians.

Oct 2, sighted Chimney Rock and six days later reached Laramie, Wyoming. Oct. 14 crossed the Platte River and again on Oct. 16...flour rations reduced...James noted it was very cold ... they were immobilized 9 days because of heavy snows. Oct 29 they traveled ten miles. Nov. 1, a great deal of snow and in eight days moved only nine miles. Rations reduced again to 4 oz. of flour for adults and 2 for children. James commented, "... a pound for six of us. Through the blessings of our Father we felt as contented as when we had a pound and a half each." Sunday, Nov 9, the company traveled five miles but nearly all of those on foot were left behind. - However , James walked this distance and as a result his feet were "terribly frozen," so badly that he was handicapped for the rest of his life. Nov. 21, the company reached the Green River. Here near tragedy struck at the Bleak family. Five-year-old Thomas fell into the river, and when they recovered him, he appeared to be dead. James, Elizabeth and others of the company worked over him trying to revive him; but it was apparently hopeless and members of the company pled with James to bury the child. James refused. He remembered that he had been promised in England that he would bring his family safely to Utah. Both he and Elizabeth prayed fervently and finally Thomas revived. Finally supplies and wagons came to help them and the company entered SLC Nov. 30, six months one week after they left their home in England. It was two and a half months before James was able to walk again.

A story that has been handed down in the family was: One time during the trek, James became very sick. Because of the early snow and thus slow traveling, cold, short rations, etc. many became ill and died. James was so ill they thought he was dead and members of the company told his wife that he must be left behind so the company could keep going. Reluctantly she wrapped her husband in a blanket and left him beside the road. When they pulled into camp that night a sister in the company came to inquire of their well being and when she found out that James had been left for dead back on the trail she reminded them of the promise that had been made when she had spoken in tongues back in England and the Lord had promised him he'd reach Utah safely with his family. A wagon was sent back for him and they nursed him back to health. The Lord's promise to him was fulfilled.

James and Elizabeth made their home in North Ogden and later settled in Southern Utah.

James returned to England as a missionary in 1872. Part of his mission he edited the Millennial Star.

From Chimney Rock to Martin's Cove, a Timeline

1856

Friday, October 3; 9 miles west of Chimney Rock, 580 miles from Salt Lake City.

Saturday, October 4; 2 miles west of Scotts Bluff, Nebraska.

Sunday, October 5; 2 miles from the Platte River

Wednesday, October 8; Fort Laramie (bought supplies; reduced flour from 1 pound to 1/4 pound.

Tuesday, October 4; On the Platte River.

Friday, October 17; Deer Creek, on the Platte River (baggage reduced to 10 pounds for adults, 5 pounds for children under 8; bedding, etc. burned) still 400 miles from Salt Lake Valley.

Saturday, October 18; Camped on river, in poor shape, hungry, cold.

Sunday, October 19; Last crossing of the Platte River, Red Buttes -- real trouble. Winter storm, cold, hail, sleet. Waded river; ground too frozen for tent pegs; crawled under tents; 19 'invalids lost and found, cooked an old beef head.

Monday, October 20; Buried Elizabeth Horrock's husband.

Wednesday, October 22; Still at Platte, death of several.

Monday, October 27; Red Butte's; Elizabeth's husband came to her and "stood by me and said, 'Cheer up Elizabeth, deliverance is at hand.'"

Tuesday, October 28; Still at Red Buttes. Joseph Young, Dan Jones, an Abel Garr arrived as advance party, indicated help is at Devil's Gate; said help waited just 25 miles further; everyone got one pound of flour and one pound of beef; great joy in camp.

Wednesday, October 29; Willow Springs, Avenue of Rocks, 30 miles east of Devil's Gate, struggling on.

Friday, October 31; Greasewood Creek; Elders Grant, Decker, Webb, Burton and others with six wagons of food and clothing meet them, rescue began.

Saturday, November 1; 5 miles east of Devil's Gate at Independence Rock; 12-18 inches of snow, ground frozen hard; more deaths.

Sunday, November 2; Devil's Gate Trading Post; 11 degrees below zero; 13 die.

Tuesday, November 4; Martin's Cove (ravine) -- Crossed the Sweetwater River to the ravine, several young men from the rescue party waded in the river helping others to cross; among them were D.P. Kimball, George W. Grant, Stephen W. Taylor, and C.A. Huntington. Of these young men one journalist wrote: "These were brave men in the water, packing the women and children over on their backs. They were in the water all day. We wanted to thank them, but they would not listen to my dear mother who felt in her heart to bless them for their kindness." Of the rescuers, Brother Kimball stayed so long in the water he had to be taken out and packed to camp and he was a long time before he recovered as he was chilled through and later in life he was always afflicted with rheumatism.

Wednesday - Saturday, November 5-8; Here is how these days were described by Elizabeth Horrocks: "After his crossing, we camped for several days in a deep gulch called Martin's Ravine. It was a fearful time and place. It was so cold that some of the company came near freezing to death. The sufferings of he people were fearful and nothing but the power of a merciful God kept them from perishing. The storms continued unabated for some days. When the snow at length ceased falling, it lay thick on the ground and so deep that for many days it was impossible to move the wagons through. My children and I, with hundreds of others, were locked up in those fearful weather-bound mountains.

Sunday, November 9; Devil's Gate -- A meeting was held to determine who would stay in the old fort through the winter and guard the wagon and handcart contents, which they had uploaded. Twenty men were selected and Dan Jones was appointed in charge. Captain Grant counseled that he "wished the men to be obedient to President Jones.

Sunday or Monday, November 9 or 10; Left the cove in wagons and walking.

Pioneer Story 9, Emily and Julia Hill (Willie Company)

Emily and Julia Hill were 12 and 15 years old, respectively, when a cousin came to visit their prosperous home in England, sharing news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ restored to the earth in its purity. Julia was curious and Emily wanted to be baptized right away. Her parents would not give their permission.

Some time later, Brother John Halliday visited the Hill home and "bore such a powerful testimony" that Julia also requested permission for baptism, which her parents again denied. Julia moved to another town to work as an apprentice to a milliner and Emily was soon permitted to join her. The girls were baptized when Emily was 16 and Julia 19, the only members of their family of 11 children to do so. Four years later they accepted the call to gather to Zion in the Rocky Mountains of Utah.

They sailed to America in 1856 aboard the Thornton and became members of the Willie Handcart Company in Iowa City, Iowa. These very pretty single girls were given inducements from residents to cut their journey short across the 300 miles of trail through Iowa. Weeks later in their journey, soldiers at Ft. Laramie also tried to persuade the young women to stay, but Emily and Julia persevered despite the shortened rations and coming winter storms.

The girls had volunteered to assist a young new widow, Martha Campkin, with her five small children. It was the only way Captain Willie would allow Martha to join the company. Martha and her little ones all arrived safely in the Valley of their hopes. When Julia’s health broke down on the trail, Emily and friends pulled her in the handcart. In a blizzard on October 23, 1856, Julia collapsed from hunger and exhaustion at the summit of Rocky Ridge. It was Emily who lifted her from the snow and got her going again. Both girls survived and raised large families.

Brother Halliday had given Emily a Priesthood blessing before she left England in which he prophesied "she should write in prose and in verse and thereby comfort the hearts of thousands." Emily’s life fulfilled this promise and she was hailed by Orson F. Whitney as the "possessor of a poetic as well as a practical mind . . . Her busy pen has brought forth many meritorious productions." Emily is best recognized today as the author of the words to "As Sisters in Zion." (See hymn 309, "Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints", music by Janice Kapp Perry.) Originally 10 stanzas long and titled, "Song of the Sisters of the Female Relief Society," the words were sung to the tune of the hymn "Hail to the Brightness of Zion’s Glad Morning (see hymn 42 in same hymnbook)."

Having left a situation of wealth, education and privilege in England for the sake of their newly embraced faith, one verse from Emily’s original hymn reflects the lifelong efforts of both of the Hill sisters:

The Lord hath established the cities of Zion, The poor of His people are trusting in Him, He makes us a source for His poor to rely on; Oh! Shall we not brighten the eyes that are dim.

Pioneer Story 8, SARAH ANN HAIGH (Martin Company)

Sarah Ann Haigh was the oldest daughter of Elizabeth Simpson Haigh Bradshaw. At nineteen years of age, she traveled to Zion with her twice-widowed mother; brothers, Samuel Haigh, Richard Paul Bradshaw and Robert Hall Bradshaw; and sister, Isabella Jane Bradshaw.

As the Martin Handcart Company left Iowa City, the abundance of clothing and other belongings that could not be packed into their handcart were given to the needy or left behind. Sarah’s mother was able to save her two wedding dresses and later give them to her daughters. Elizabeth had also been promised in a Priesthood blessing before leaving England that she would take all her children to Zion. This blessing was honored as two of her sons were saved from drowning and death by the power of the Priesthood and Elizabeth’s faith.

Sarah Ann’s faith was also evidenced in her heroic service on October 19, 1856. The Martin Company had arrived at their last crossing of the North Platte River which they had followed for hundreds of miles and crossed many times before in their journey. Of this day, fellow traveler John Jacques wrote:"That was a bitter cold day. Winter came on all at once, and that was the first day of it. The river was wide, the current strong, the water exceedingly cold and up to the wagon beds in the deepest parts, and the bed of the river was covered with cobble stones. The company was barely over when snow, hail and sleet began to fall, accompanied by a piercing north wind . . ."

Sarah Ann made thirty-two trips across the swiftly running river, carrying sixteen people to safety on her back. She was only about five feet tall herself. The next day, between thirteen and eighteen people died, some being those who had spent their last strength carrying others across this river. Sarah told how the icicles jingled from her wet skirts and mud froze to her feet. In later years she would also tell her children that she had wondered if it was the end and if the Lord had led them over that long hard road just to let them perish in the storm and cold.

It was "not the end" for Sarah and her family. The first rescuers from Salt Lake City came nine days later, bringing hope to these starving Saints. Sarah would meet one particular rescuer, Franklin Standley, who would soon become her husband. Franklin died after a few short years and Sarah then married Louis Miller. One of her granddaughters (through Franklin) later wrote of her: "At the present time a large posterity are very proud to be the descendants of Grandma Miller. We are proud of her courage and strength of character, of the culture she brought with her from Old England. This culture showed itself in the very neat way she always kept herself and her home, in her love of beautiful handiwork and dainty nice things, lovely flowers [and] the lovely way she cooked and served her meals. She was a real lady."

Later in life Sarah recounted the day of rescue when she said: "Imagine, if you can, what it meant to those starved, freezing Saints out on the plains not far from the North Platte River, when one evening, just as the sun was leaving a beautiful rosy afterglow...to see silhouetted against the evening sky, several covered wagons coming over the hill in their direction. News spread through the camp like wild fire, and all who were able to leave their beds were out to meet them. Tears ran down the cheeks of men and women alike, while the young men who came to their rescue were deluged with kisses."

Pioneer Story 7, Ole Madsen (Willie Company)

Ole Madsen boarded the ship Thornton in Liverpool in May of 1856. He had brought his family from Denmark, intent on immigrating to their promised land and Zion in the Rocky Mountains of Utah. His wife, three daughters and one son would survive because of his sacrifices. Ole would not.

At Iowa City, Iowa, Ole loaded what needful things he could on the small family handcart. They were allowed 17 pounds per person as they prepared to walk and pull their handcart 1,300 miles across Iowa, Nebraska Territory and Utah Territory. On September 3, 1856, Ole killed a buffalo which helped feed his family and others in the Willie Handcart Company. That night about thirty head of cattle were lost in a severe thunderstorm and Ole would have to load flour on his handcart that the provision wagons were no longer able to carry.

As an early winter and dwindling food supplies brought many new challenges, Ole continued to sacrifice for his family. He carried his wife and children, one by one through freezing water and deep snow. His last sacrifice on October 23, 1856, was to bring them across the summit of the Rocky Ridge in a blizzard, through Strawberry Creek where his boots froze to his legs, and about five more miles to the sheltered camp at Rock Creek Hollow where he succumbed to death and was buried in a common grave with 12 others who had made similar sacrifices.

Ole's daughter, Christena, would later tell of the experience:

"I could write a book of my life and not tell half of the suffering we went through on our journey over the plains. We took all our bedding and the family Bible with our records written in, but we had to throw them away on the plains. . . . [Father] pulled his handcart all day without having anything to eat. At last one evening he rolled up in scanty covers, laid down and passed away. . . . they who died that night were laid in a small ditch with their boots or shoes on and covered. That night the wolves howled all night. . . . [Mother was] now left alone with her children with nothing to eat, frozen and hungry. But [we] pulled and pushed the handcart until [our] hands were so cold and fingers so crooked they never again came back into shape."

Isaiah 54:13 And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

Pioneer Story 6, Elizabeth Simpson Haigh Bradshaw (Martin Company)

Elizabeth Simpson Haigh Bradshaw was born into a family of wealth. Although she was orphaned at age nine, she continued to be raised as a child of privilege. By the time Elizabeth was 48 years old, she had been widowed twice, had five living children and had longed to emigrate to Zion for 16 years. Although her brothers tried to persuade her to remain in England, promising to care for her and educate her children, she turned to them and said, "I am going to Zion."

In Iowa City, Elizabeth gave away most of the things she brought from England to other members of the Martin Handcart Company and packed the remaining items in her family handcart. With a burning faith in God and a Priesthood blessing promising she would take all of her children to Zion, Elizabeth "took up her march to the Valleys of Ephraim" as was their cry.

At the last crossing of the icy North Platte River on Oct. 19, 1856, the first early winter storm began. The river was swift and deep. Elizabeth, with her 6-year-old son, Richard, perched on her shoulders, was swept off her feet and downstream in the crossing. Several on the banks called out to her, "Let the boy go . . . or you will both be drowned. Save yourself . . ." She refused to give them heed and struggled on until she finally made it to the opposite side whereupon she immediately raised her right arm to the square as a witness she then bore to the waiting crowd that God had protected and saved her and her son. Elizabeth’s daughter, Sarah Ann Haigh, also carried 16 people across the river on this day, thus becoming a heroine to many.

As conditions became worse for the company, Elizabeth’s son, Samuel Haigh, was one day brought into camp and pronounced dead. Elizabeth still believed the promise that she would take all of her children to Zion. She invited the Elders to anoint him with oil and administer to him. The Elders did so and Samuel recovered.

Judges 2:1 . . . I made you to go up . . . and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.

Pioneer Story 5, George Padley (Martin Company)

"On the 19th of October the company crossed the Platte for the last time... That was a bitter cold day. Winter came on all at once, and that was the first day of it. The river was wide, the current strong, the water exceedingly cold and up to the wagon beds in the deepest parts, and the bed of the river was covered with cobble stones. Some of the men carried some of the women over on their backs or in their arms... The company was barely over when snow, hail and sleet began to fall, accompanied by a piercing north wind." -John Jacques (1827-1900), Martin Handcart Company

George Padley, age 20 and from England, was among those who carried others across the icy North Platte River on Oct. 19, 1856. His sweetheart and fiancé, Sarah Ann Franks, was one that George took great care to look after and assist in every way. George had also taken his turn staying up nights guarding the cattle. With the shortened rations and severe exposure, George developed pneumonia. Over two weeks later, on November 4, George would be carried by others across the Sweetwater and into Martin’s Cove for shelter. Just prior to his death at this place, George approached Mary Taylor, a 31-year-old widow in the company and said, "Mary, I feel so weak. Will you make me a little gruel?" She said that she would, but her feet were frozen so badly that the captain of their group insisted that George get his own fuel to make enough fire to prepare the meal. George did gather the fuel and Mary made him some gruel. George drank it and retired to bed and died sometime during that night.

Sarah Ann could not bear the thoughts of George’s body being placed in a shallow grave and subjected to the depredations of the wolves. She left behind her warm paisley shawl in which George’s body was wrapped and hung in a tree for protection to await a proper burial in the Spring and a glorious resurrection at some time in the future.

Isaiah 43: 2-3 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee... For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior...

Pioneer Story 4, Charlotte and Betsy Mee (Martin Company)

Charlotte Mee, age 20, and Betsy Mee, age 14, traveled to Zion with the Martin Handcart Company. They were headed for Nephi, Utah, where their married sister, Sarah Mee Wright, had immigrated previously. The girls’ father had died in 1845 and their mother in 1848, so the girls had all worked very hard to accomplish their goals.

To complicate things, Charlotte had an accident in 1853 which left her crippled. Charlotte wrote: "When I was seventeen years old, I sprained or broke some of the ligaments in my ankle and the doctor said I must lose my leg, but I refused to have it amputated. I was forced to use crutches for nearly four years." The use of crutches, however, did not keep Charlotte from her commitment to travel over 1,300 miles to her promised land. Besides her crutches, she had to rely on the kindness of her sister, Betsy, as well as the others close to her in the company.

Charlotte wrote: "Part of the way I walked, and part of the way I was hauled in a wagon or handcart. One day I walked and crawled eight miles, and my knees finally bled. We had a very hard trip." Charlotte had surgery on her ankle shortly after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley. She used her crutches off and on throughout her life.

Charlotte and Betsy both lived long and honorable lives. Betsy had 10 children, six of whom preceded her in death. Her granddaughter wrote: "Grandmother told me stories and read to me . . . taught me nursery rhymes . . . My most unforgettable picture of my grandmother is seeing her sitting in her rocker at one end of the kitchen range, reading her Bible or Book of Mormon or knitting. She knit socks for all her grandchildren." (Leda Thompson Jensen) Betsy lived to be 80 years old.
Charlotte married twice and had only one child who died as a toddler. She wrote: "I have never regretted coming to Zion, even though my life has been one of hardship and trial." Charlotte lived to be 81 years old.

Pioneer Story 3, William Page (Willie Company)

At the age of eighteen William left England for America. He immediately started west, arriving at Iowa City late in June. Here he and the group of immigrants had to delay their journey to Utah until they could get proper supplies and handcarts. The seasoned wood had been used before and the blacksmiths had to use green timber in making the handcarts. Three companies had left before and at this time there were two companies leaving about the same time. They were the fateful Willie and Martin Handcart Companies.

After this very costly delay, the companies started on their long trek to Utah. They travelled during August and the early fall in the hot sun. The green timber of which the wagons were made shrunk and they spent many weary hours repairing their carts.

As they reached the Platte River an early snowstorm caught them. Approximately eighteen inches of snow fell. They had very little food and clothing as they had discarded all possible to make their loads lighter for travel. The Willie Company, which had left Iowa a few days ahead of the Martin Company, were caught between the Platte River and the Sweet Water. Many of the saints perished because there was no natural shelter and they had no protection from the storms. Many of the older people, as well as children, died before they even reached the mountains.

When the Companies left Iowa they rationed their food supplies. Each person was allowed one pound of flour a day, but before long they received only one-fourth of a pound and the people were hungry as well as cold. William Page was so hungry that one night as he sat guarding the camp, he took a pair of buffalo moccasins he had made for a lady and soaked them to remove the hair then boiled them. He ate the broth he made. There was an elderly lady who shared the wagon with them. He gave her his flour and lived off the bark of the trees and roots he could dig.

The people were dying so rapidly at this time that a community grave of circular shape was dug by William Page and three other men. This was a very slow tedious task as these men's bodies were so weakened by hunger and cold. Two of the diggers were buried in the grave that they had helped to dig.

Relief finally came to the starved and dying saints. Franklin D. Richards and his missionary company on their way to Salt Lake had passed the two companies and had promised to have President Brigham) Young send relief wagons to meet them by the time they arrived at Fort Laramie. This they did and by the end of October approximately 250 wagons were on their way. The first wagons leaving Salt Lake were about October 8th and they met the Willie Company on October 20th. Other wagons pushed further on to take relief to the Martin Company. Over two hundred dead remained to mark the scenes of these two tragedies.

The Willie Company arrived in Salt Lake November 9, 1856 and the Martin Company entered Salt Lake valley on Thanksgiving Day which was November 30, 1856.

William Page stayed with Henry Lawrence until he had regained his strength. He obtained a jobherding sheep out on the flats west of Salt Lake. In the spring he went to Bountiful to live. William obtained work as a Pony Express rider and he had the privilege of carrying President Abraham Lincoln's inaugural address to Utah. He later married Mary Anne Clark and they became the parents of 11 children, 8 daughters and 3 sons. He died suddenly from a heart attack at the age of 55.

Pioneer Story 2, James Kirkwood (Willie Company)

James, age 11, was from Glasgow, Scotland. On the trip west, James was accompanied by his widowed mother and three brothers, one of whom, Thomas, was 19 and crippled and had to ride in the handcart. James's primary responsibility on the trek was to care for his little four-year-old brother, Joseph, while his mother and oldest brother, Robert, pulled the cart. As they climbed Rocky Ridge, it was snowing and there was a bitter cold wind blowing. It took the whole company 27 hours to travel 15 miles. When little Joseph became too weary to walk, James, the older brother, had no choice but to carry him. Left behind the main group, James and Joseph made their way slowly to camp. When the two finally arrived at the fireside, James, “having so faithfully carried out his task, collapsed and died from exposure and over-exertion.”

Pioneer Story 1, Bodil Mortensen (Willie Company)

Bodil Mortensen, from Denmark was age 10. She came across alone, before her family attempted to join the saints in Salt Lake City. Her older sister traveled a year before her and was in Salt Lake. Bodil joined the Willie Handcart Company with a family from her country Denmark. Winter storms began early that year and slowed the travel of the company. Rocky Ridge was a long hard journey for the children. The distance was about 15 miles, including a two-mile stretch in which the trail rose more than 700 feet in elevation. It took some of the children 27 hours to reach the camp. The snow was already more than a foot deep, a blizzard was raging, and the temperatures were freezing. A howling October snowstorm blinded ten-year-old Bodil Mortensen as she climbed with several other younger children, shivering and hungry, up the snow-covered slope of Rocky Ridge. Bodil was exhausted and weak, the young girl struggled on her way, hoping to reach Salt Lake City to be with her sister. Bodil was apparently assigned to care for some small children as they crossed Rocky Ridge. When they arrived at camp, in the wee hours of October 24, she must have been sent to gather firewood. All she could find was twigs of sagebrush. The next morning she was found leaning up against the wheel of a handcart, twigs clutched in her hands, frozen to death.