Conversion Stories and Migration Experiences

7/30/2019 Conversion Stories and Migration Experiences

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CONVERSION STORIES AND MIGRATIONEXPERIENCES

of

Elijah Funk Sheets & Susanna MusserJames Fackrell, Sr. & Amy CrumbNathanDavis & SarahWoolleyJoseph Howard & Ann Shelton

Great & Great Great Grandparents of RalphHowardDavis

RalphHowardDavisCompiled by

1997


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

List of Illustrations ii iAcknowledgements ivIntroduction vChapterIMigration Trails 1847-1864 1II Elijah Funk Sheets & Sussana(h) Musser 21Converted, 5 July 1840Emigrated, 1847III James Fackrell, Sr. & Amy Crumb 27Converted, abt 1845/6Emigrated, 1846-1848IV Nathan Davis & Sarah Woolley 32Converted, 2 April 1850Emigrated, 1851V Joseph Howard & Ann Shelton 41Converted, 27 November 1851Emigrated, 1864


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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Page1. Mormon Trail map ~ Nauvoo to Salt Lake Valley ... 8(Ensign Magazine, August 1997)2. Winter Quarters, by Greg K. Olsen (Ensign Magazine, Sept. 1997) 93. Old Ft. Laramie, Wyoming, by Ralph H. Davis, July 1997 . 104. North Piatt River, Ft. Laramie, Wyoming, by R.H.D., July 1997 115. Military Bridge, Ft. Laramie, Wyoming, by R.H.D., July 1997 116. Devil's Gate, Wyoming, by R.H.D., July 1997.... 127. Historical Signs at South Pass, Wyoming, by R.H.D., July 1997 138. South Pass, Wyoming, by R.H.D., July 1997 .... 149. Crossing the Weber River, just below Echo Canyon, Utah, . 15by William Keith, (Ensign Magazine, July 1997)10. Entering the Salt Lake Valley, by C. C. A. Christensen, . 15(Ensign Magazine, July 1997)11. First Plowing, by Valoy Eaton, (Ensign Magazine, July 1997). 1612. Historical Signs of Bridger-Overland Trail and Stage Route, . 17by R.H.D., July 199713. Bitter Creek, Sweetwater Co., Wyoming, by R.H.D., July 1997 . 1814. Point of Rocks Stage Station, on Bitter Creek, Sweetwater Co., 19Wyoming, by R.H.D., July 199715. Bitter Creek, flowing through Rock Springs, Sweetwater Co., . 20Wyoming, by R.H.D., July 199716. Susanna Musser and Elijah Funk Sheets 2117. James and Amy Crumb Fackrell 2718. Nathan and SarahWoolley Davis 3219. Joseph Howard and James Howard...... 41

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Iwish to express my appreciation to all who have given encouragement to thisproject:Tomy son, RichardHyatt Davis, for searching the Church Emigration records at theHistorical Department Archives and for giving continual support to my many requests fo radditional information.To my wife, Anita Hyatt Davis, for believing in the project and making suggestionsall along the way. Thanks also needs to be given for her volunteering to type the document

on he r computer and for giving it the professional touch that Ilack, and for her willingnessto give up her time from that which she loves so much, her Family History research.

Thanks to those ancestors who gave up so much to join the great Latter-daymovement. Some buried loved ones atWinter Quarters and on the plains while all exercisedgreat faith, "Faith in Every Footstep." To them we owe a great debt of gratitude forshowing us the way and setting the example for us to follow and build upon.

R.H.D.

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INTRODUCTION

Throughout my life, Ihave had within me a great appreciation for the MormonPioneers. My mother would share frequently the story of my grandfather, James Howard,mi? n-raof T/-*nar\U T-T/-yt v/A 'n mininfT fU Q i Li' n/4anu. my giuai giaiiuiamw, jusupii nuwaiu o, juimiig uic Li.!. hi .Diigiaiiu. anu uidistruggling for ten years to finally join the Saints in the Salt Lake Valley. My only regretwas that Idid not listen more intently and that more had not been written down andpreserved fo r my generation and my children's generation.With the commemoration of the Sesquicentennial of the arrival of the pioneers, Ifound myself wanting to know more about those dear ancestors who gave up so much to jointhe Church and gather in the mountain valleys of the Great Salt Lake.Isuddenly realized that Ihad a misconception aboutmy ancestors' coming across theplains. As a boy, Ihad only heard the Howard story. Therefore, Ihad assumed that they

were the only ancestors Ihad that were pioneers. In reality, all of my great grandparentshad come across the plains between 1847 and 1864. The Howards were the last to cross inthe fall of 1864. The first were the Sheets in the fall of 1847, followed by James Fackrell,Sr., who arr ived in 1848, and Nathan Davis who came in 1851. Realizing what wrongassumptions can do, Iwas stimulated to identify the conversion story of each of these greatand great great grandparents along with the story of each family's migration to the Sale LakeValley and see that my children have a written record of those two important events in thelives of their ancestors.In 1994, Iprepared a history of my fa ther and mother. It contained some of thisinformation concerning the conversions of the family and some of the migration stories. I

have added to that information and expanded with documentation that was not used in 1994.Ihope this document will provide a source of information and appreciation for those of thepast. We have a rich heritage which was left to our generation and generations to come, alegacy that needs to be remembered.

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MIGRATION TRAILS OFMY GREAT GRANDPARENTS

During the early 1800s, the western part of the United States was being explored bynumerous groups of men. As more knowledge was brought back to the eastern regions,mnro avnlnrot inn nmo of im n1oforl Thq-tIx/ mAnntoin tnar> n/oro froirorcmn' "frTio u/ootorn l-iol-p r\-fxjljlwx wvjl'jlwjlO.Li\ji vvao otxxxxuxaxi'ii-* ii


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take the Overland-Bridger Pass Trail which followed closely the modern 1-80 as it passesthrough Wyoming. The Indians were not active in this area, and it also cut off a hundredmiles for the Mormons which saved about a week's travel time.Hearing of the shift to the Overland-Bridger Pass Trail answered a question Ihave

ViqH in mx? minrl ohrvnt tha Vuiripl n f mv n-rppt (yrpn/ltnAtliar Ann QTi


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Another system was used after the problems with the handcarts. In the spring, theL.D.S. Church would send wagons, teams, and cattle with trained teamsters and guards tobring groups across the plains. Each year a place was selected as a gathering place. Thismade it so the Saints coming during that year would gather together and be organized intocompanies with teams, wagons, supplies and personnel to move them across the plains. Ason Qvomnla in 1Q flio n-oflnaritirt r1ora n/no of AX/trnminrr KTaKropVl1 illaro "TVioro TT/oradii 1/yvd.insii/, 11 1 iuuTj u.ii/ ga.u.ii/1nig p iauu vvd.o


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"If your wards have not the requisite number of wagons to send conveniently,they are at liberty to purchase in the states, to supply the deficiency, and he willpurchase them fo r you, provided you deposit in Pres. Young's Office $150 incurrency (Treasury Notes) for a wagonAn x jYYi ir fppmc rr*ma tr* thic ritv nronprpfnnj +r\ cfot-fi-nrr ooot xi/i11 livii j'v/vtx tvuiiij W/AJJ.W i\s buxo witj i 5 /j.wj/Cu.u.iv/xjr tw oUuung wCtot, j\ j u. vviliforward such molasses, grain, meat, cotton, etc., as may be on hand, whether duethe tithing office, P.E. Fund, Missionary Fund, or Deseret News. The wheat andflour will be particularly needed, for we have to depend upon what will be broughtin for supplying the amount to be sent back on the road for the emigration

"Youwill be as careful as possible and select honest, temperate, good, uprightand responsible men for teamsters and guards; men who will conduct themselvesproperly on all occasions, demeaning themselves as they would if on missionspreaching the Gospel. For they are called to fill important missions. If teamsters and guards use obscene or profane language, or get intoxicated, or otherwiseconduct themselves improperly, the captain of the company will be authorized to trythem for fellowship and discharge them.

"The outfit for teamsters and guards last year was very good and you will usethe same list for the outfit of this season"You will ge t your teams ready and forward them to this city in readiness tocross the mountains, at as early a date as the grass and weather will permit; probablyabout the 25 th of April. Your immediate and prompt attention is called to theaccomplishment of this object."You will report as soon as possible how many mule or horse teams you canfurnish to enable us to complete our arrangements"As ever, we remain your brethrenand fellow laborers in the KingdomofGod. (Signed EdwardHunter, L. W. Hardy and J. C. Little)."5

Similar letters were sent to other officials to respond to the needs.Not only immigrant trains were formed, but a large amount of freight needed to betransported to Utah fromWyoming. This included "generalmerchandise, ironware, stoves,glass, etc., ordered from the East by merchants, contractors, and private individuals to be

freighted through the Church Emigration office." In 1864, "Pres. Joseph W. Young (incharge of the immigration for 1864) stated that after all the wagons had been loaded, therewere still one hundred tons of freight in the warehouses ready fo r shipment. He had greatdifficulty in securing suitable wagons and cattle, the migration westward to California beingvery great that year, including gold seekers and families desirous of making homes inCalifornia, Oregon or Washington. "6

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The Record of 1864 shows the following:"Pres. Joseph W. Young left Wyoming [Nebraska] with the last company(Capt. Warren S. Snow) which left the station in August, 1864. The company did

not arrive in Salt Lake City untilNovember 2nd, bu t Pres. Young, though having hisuwji uuuii, uavcicu xui a time wiui uiiS Cuinjjauy aiiu vyijul. nyuc S CuiiijJciii)', winCnwere united for a time in passing through a part of the country in which the Indiansat that time were giving trouble). At Julesburg, on September 11, Pres. Young leftthese companies and arrived in Salt Lake City, September 25, after a prosperousseason's work. 1,7We see from the forgoing explanation of the 1864 season of immigration that theimmigration becamemuchmore efficient and that the groups of people were better equipped

to make the journey, than in earlier years. We also see that the trails did change fromseason to season. We also see general merchandise along with machinery was being shippedto the growing communities in the Great Basin.

Another development that assisted the immigration was the telegraph.Communication between the immigrant trains and Salt Lake City was now possible. The1864 Record shows how valuable this became. Elder JosephW. Young telegraphed fromJulesburg, the following:"Left trains yesterday. All well. Expect to be home by 28th [September].These are the last two trains. Capt. Hyde and Snow need 50 yoke of oxen to meetthem as soon as possible, at head of Bitter Creek certain. They are coming on that

route and several of their cattle have the hoof ail. "8It was the desire of the Church leaders to have the Saints gather to the RockyMountains as quickly as possible. In 1851, the Emigration record shows that the Brethrenwere concerned that some Saints were staying in the Pottawattamie country aroundKanesville and now Council Bluffs, Iowa. The First Presidency wrote a special epistle, 21September 1851, followed by five other epistles dealing with emigration, to these Saints.The following is an extract:

"We send unto you our beloved brethren, Ezra T. Benson and Jedediah M.Grant, for the special purpose of counselinf and assisting you to come tothis place, and we desire you to give heed to their counsel in all things,and come to this place with them next seson; and fail not."Come all ye officers in the Church, and all ye officers in the State or

county. There is no more time for Saints to hesitate what course they will pursue.We have been calling to the Saints in Pottawattamie ever since we left them tocome away; but there has continually been an opposing spirit whispering, as it were:Stay another year and get a better outfit until many who had means to comeconveniently have nothing left to come with. ...5


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"We say again, come home. And if you can get one good wagon and teamto five families, and five teams to 100 souls, or no teams at all, more than cows andcalves to your hand-carts, you can come here with greater comfort and safety thanthe Pioneers came here who had nothing to come to, while youwill have everything;and here is the place for all Saints to ge t their outfitfor Zion, even from all nations;

ty/o rntr n /* i A tina n/4 n U/NmA \"XTs\ ttLiiuiviuic/, vvv aay again, .niiac aim i/umc nuino.....Vc wimi yuu iu OVaCucUCPottawattamie, and the States, and next fall be with us , all ye Saints of the MostHigh, and it shall be well with you, if you will keep all the commandments."9The earnest call from the First Presidency of the Church had the desired effect, andthe year 1852 witnessed such a stream of "Mormon" emigrants crossing the plains andmountains n route fo r Great Salt Lake Valley, as had never been seen before. ThePottawattamie lands were vacated, the organization of the Church there discontinued, andnearly all the Saints who had lingered there came to the Valley. The emigration of Saintsfrom other parts of the United Satates, where they had scattered, was also quite large thatyear, while that from Europe was small compared with the operations of the preceding andfollowing seasons.10

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10

NOTES ONMIGRATION TRAILS

1 Map 12 of the Overland-Bridger Pass Trail, 1862-1868, by Stanley B. Kimball,Wietrvrir* QitAO pnrl X/farL'-Aro r\ 19lilJUV /llV UlUVlJ UliVt J.TXU11VVJL X J-!~> .

2 Church Emigration Record of 1864, Eistorical Dept. Archives.3 Journal History of the Church, 1864.4 Church Emigration Record of 1864, Historical Dept. Archives.5 Ibid.6 Ibid.7 Ibid.8 Ibid.9 Millennial Star, Vol XIV, page 29.Church Emigration Record of 1852.

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h-Oil,'

ElkhornJFerry ana? *ibefiy'Pole'Camp'w/1*68?? ' . A vMount/Pisgah""" - m Sug&GreekCampW,GardenGrove NauvoE-.CarthWintei-Quarters(Saints begangatheringherein 1846)

"Richardson>sChariton RiverX Pomt=CampGrand sland f-R iv e v Kearny .

y ;;.Wiili|'HaTLdcartCpipariyRelcue'Sit'e.!(1856), ,;r. ' . .. Fgrt.Casper and.MartinHandcarXCompany Mormon'FerryFort Hall Refuge Site(lS5G)Devils Gate

>551e?57South.(Pass IndependenceRock

JVoH lV p >A .BLO"D

FortLaramie/,j By{jham\Youngjpmpan(Headedbac&loWinter Quarters)'Ml .'-Green 'River aridpor|. . 'Lombard FerryBfidgejjUir: &pmpany.W v g' 0 . M 1 N GBigjgufttaihJ&ss' T~

EmigrationCanyoii ' 1 ' C O ]LSalt Lake onrfer 'Valley Hill v' a m

Scotts BChiEchoCanyon As

R fe

rn

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North Platte and Laramie Rivers. Directly down the opposite slope,on the banks of the Laramie about a mile above the confluence of thestreams, stands Fort Laramie. It is about eight miles from here asthe crow flies, but twelve miles by road.Founded in 1834 by fur traders William Sublette and Robert Campbell,who named their log structure Fort William, the post was acquired bythe American Fur Company in 1841. That company built an adobe-walled complex nearby which they named Fort John, but the mountain men called it Fort Laramie. This latter name stemmed from theriver on which it was located and which, in its own turn, got its name .from the trapper Jacques LaRamie, who is believed to have trappedand died in the area in the early 1800's.years it became the most famous military post protecting the OregonTrail and.served as a forward base for many campaigns of the IndianWars. The fort was deactivated in 1890, the land sold into privateownership and the buildings sold at auction or abandoned andallowed to fall into ruins. In 1937 the State of Wyoming purchasedthe property land and building ruins from private owners and gaveif back to the federal government. By presidential proclamation in1938 Fort Laramie National Historic Site became a unit of the NationalPark System.

"1i

Remains ofOldFortLaramie,Wyoming

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North Platte River by Ft. Laramie, Wyoming

Military Bridge across the North Platte River at Ft. Laramie


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Devil's Gate, near Martin Cove, on the Mormon trail inWyoming

-o Vt tfttt * iISWf'tlflWAJUM'i i*ri J -5 Jtn>MWAkJ V rti?\ MfUfcA5.4 wvv4wi,, tfi?r nfnTff I 3fV" ' '' ':ft

Devil's Gate, WyomingThe Sweetwater River flows through this cut in the rock

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SOUTH PASS

MsatefESgg!3Es9

"Jj*\

The South Pass, In which you ore now located, U perhaps the most significanttransportation gateway through tho RnHty Mountain?, -Indtonir-mountaln men: Oregon~Trall emigrants. Pony Express riders, and miners all recognized the value of thispassageway straddling the Continental Divide. Bounded by the Wind River Range onthe north and the Antelope Hills on the south, the pass offered overland travelers abroad, relatively level corridor fcetween the Atlantic and Pacific watersheds.Mining plays a fundamental role; In the history of the South Pass region. Gold mayhave been discovered as early as 1842, but gold fever did not strike until 1867when a sample of South Pass ore arrived in Salt Lake City. News of 1hc discoveryspread swiftly and hordes of expectant millionaires descended on the new towns ofSouth Pass City. Atlantic City, and Miner's Delight The boom played out quickly.The easily obtained placer gold was rapidly exhausted end miners began leaving thearea In the early 1870s.Despite the brief duration of the boom, mining activity did not cease. In 1884,an enterprisingFrenchman named Emllo Granler began organizing the construction ofa hydraulic gold mining system which employed many local residents over a ten yearperiod. The Fisher Dredge Company recovered considerable gold ore from the bed ofRock Creek during the 1930s. More recently, the United States Steel iron ore mineoperated near Atlantic City from the early 1960s until 1983. Hard rock mines" alsoreopen periodically and some are presently operating. Until the next boom arrives.travelers can experience the flavor of a Rocky Mountain mining town by visitingnearby South Pass City, which has been restored by the State of Wyoming.

OREGON TRAIL - LANDER CUTOFF-" " =.SOUTH PASS AREATHISJS AN OLD TRAIL USED BY THE INDIANS AND THE TRAPPERSQF.THE FURPERIOD.A SHORT CUT TO TH E SNAKE RIVER COUNTRY. ITWAS PROPOSEDASAN IMMIGRANT ROAO BY MOUNTAIN MAN JOHN HOCKAOAY IN I854. ACCESSIBLE POINTSWITH BRASS CAPS. #!%m

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South Pass Continental Divide, Wyoming

South Pass, Wyoming


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__ A pioneercvnpon the WcbetRiver belowEchoCanyon,notfar fromthe SaltTakeValley:

Entering the Salt Lake Valley.15


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'J&mssas

MmMsfeVi' t>i&LwS


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j>. ..

'M'

OVERLAND TRAILTheOverlandTrail, passingbetweenthe PoinfofRocks stage stationarid stable; served at a inajort;ast-west transportation route betweenthe years 1862-1869.However,archeological discoveries in the vicinity .. ;of the trail indicate use by prehistoric people as early as 500 A.D.In 1812Astorians under Robert Stuart crossedWyoming from west to east along the course that wouldbecome the Oregon Trail. Trappers also traversed the area around Point of Rocks and In 1823 fur trade. entrepreneur, WilliamH. Ashley, recordedhis east-west expedition throughWyoihing along the paththatwas to become pari of (he Overland Trail. The JohnC. Fremontgovernment expedition of 3843 took thesame general route as Ashley but it .was not until seven years later that an officialdescription of the trailwas recorded byCaptainHoward5tans~bury aftermountainman,JimBridger,guided theCaptaineast overthe. pathway in search of a transcontinental railroad route.Familiarity with the Overland Trail was not limited to trappers and government explorers however.It hadbeen known as theCherokeeTrailbecause of Indianswho,beginning in 1849,usedpartof the sameroute.Underthe leadership of Captain LewisEvansof Arkansas the Cherokeepeople traveled toCaliforniain search of gold and land upon which to relocate.Early in 1862 the CentralOverlandCaliforniaandPikesPeakExpressexperienced a reorganizationwhenBenHolladay look overthe stage business and the overlandmail subsidy contract.Theearliest central stageroute had followed the OregonTrail throughWyoming but in July, 1862,Holladay abandoned it in favorof the Overland Trail farther south and renamed the C.O.C, and P.P.E., the Overland Stage Company.Withdrawal of troops from various western forts during the CivilWa r made the OregonTrail vulnerableto attacks by Indians. Also, the 1859 gold rush spurred economic development in the Colorado Rockies,resulting ina demand for dailymailand stagecoach service to connect Denverwith the maintranscontinentalline. Finally, the southern route was 100 miles shorter than the Oregon Trail.Overland travel was not restricted to stagecoaches. Thousands of emigrants-drove or walked besidecovered wagons along this route as they sought new lands to settle in the West. Point of Rocks station,awell-used resting place and water stop for thirsty horses, did not see the lastofOverland emigrants,untilafter 1900. ...... ''' %

OVERLAND STAGE ROUTE

Point 01 ocks

At the beginning of the Civil War military strength in theWest declined and often it was impossible to safeguard stage*carrying the United States stallalong the Orcgon-Californla-MormonTrail. Early In IQG2"StagecoachKing**DenHolladay acquired thetranscontinental stage business and the United States aollsubsidy contract. He naaed his new conpany the'Ovcrland StageLine and soon abandoned the central trail.Holladay detcrntned that a route further south was betterbecause it would be safer, shorter and closer to Denver whereeconomic growth was taking place due to the 1B39 gold rushThe new route, established by trappers and explorers, becameknown as the Overland Trail.The Overland spilt off froa the elder Oregon Trail near NorthPlatte. Nebraska. Fron that point coaches paralleled the SouthPlatte, rolling west through Colorado before turning north to

begin a steep and rocky climb Into southern Wyoming where thetrail flanked the Medicine Bow Hange before turning westwardagain. After crossing plolns, rivers and streams and windingthrough mountain passes, the troll entered the Green River IJasinTraffic passed through this valley, following Bitter Creek to'Its confluence with the Green River. It then branched north toJoin the Oregon Troll near the junction of the lllocks fork andHams Fork rivers. From there the troll continued west and southtoward Salt Lake City and eventually. Piacerville. California.J!lV.hort but e*c',ln9 Period or Overland Trail transportationliVtL 2r4ucv.cn ycnr* 1un,iI ,Q69 when the Union Pacific Railroadreplaced the transcontinental Overland stage as the major ea*ttransportation systco. Nevertheless, emigrant* and eit?continued in, the .nilMil .ricr .Iho lur ' if.c ""r"

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The Bitter Creek drainage area is the largest drainage areain the United States, even larger than the Ohio drainage area.

Part of the Bitter Creek drainage area, east of Rock Springs, Wyoming,and south of Interstate - 80. This is the area in which Joseph Howard'swife, Ann Shelton Howard, died and was buried. The exact location ofher grave is not known.

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The Point of Rocks Stage Station and stable abt. 23 miles east ofRock Springs, Wyoming. This was part of the Overland-Bridger PassTrail of 1862-1868. It shortened the journey to Salt Lake City by 100miles if traveled over the South Pass Trail.

Point of Rocks Stage Station with a modern stage coach inthe lower right hand corner of picture.19


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Bitter Creek passes through the town of Rock Springs, Wyoming.The water from Bitter Creek flows into the Green River at the westend of Rock Springs. Although the water level was very low in July, butduring times of heavy rains, it has overflowed its banks.

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CONVERSION AND MIGRATIONOFELIJAHFUNK SHEETS AND SUSANNA MUSSER

Elijah Funk Sheets - Susanna MusserMartha Musser Sheets - David FranklinDavis, Sr.David Franklin Davis, Jr. - Luella HowardRalph Howard Davis - Anita Belle HyattElijah Funk Sheets was born on 22 March 1821 at Charlestown, Chester County,Pennsylvania, the son of Frederick Sheets, born in Germany, and Hannah Page, daughter

of Nathaniel Page and Barbara Rinker of Chester County, Pennsylvania. In 1828, whenElijah was seven, he, his two brothers, John Samuel, age 15, and Thomas, age 13, and histwo sisters, Elizabeth, age 14, and Mary, age 12, were orphaned.1

Elijah, and most likely his four brothers and sisters, were taken in by their Pagegrandparents. He remained with them until 1830 when he began work ing for EdwardHunter, "a prosperous merchant and farmer" of Chester County. Elijah lived with theHunters for nine years where he learnedmuch about farming and stock-raising, skills whichwould serve him well in the future. Afterwards, he was employed by Taylor Dilworth.Shortly after the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in

1830, missionary work was commenced, and missionaries were sent to Pennsylvania. In thespring of 1839, Lorenzo D. Barnes and his companions labored as missionaries in ChesterCounty and baptized many people. The Church continued to grow in Chester County. TheBrandywine Branch grew from 80 members in May 1840 to 180 by April of 1841. Duringthis rapid growth, Elijah came in contact with the missionaries and members of the Churchand began an investigation which led to his conversion. His journals did not tell of anyreligious interest or activities prior to coming in contact with the LDS Church, but werefilled with his activities following this contact.Sheets first heard Mormonism preached by Edwin DilworthWoolley and ElishaH.Davis, companions of Lorenzo D. Barnes. Woolley was a native of Chester County who

was converted to the LDS Church while living in Ohio, and began talking to all of hisrelatives and friends about Mormonism. At one point, Edwin contacted his uncle, JoelDilworth, of West Nantmeal, who was the father of Taylor Dilworth, Elijah's employer.The Dilworths became great supporters of Edwin's cause, housed and fed him and suppliedhim with a building in which to preach. After hearing Woolley preach, Sheets wasimpressed with his message. Sheets later said of Woolley, "I first heard him preach thegospel in the home of his uncle, Joel Dilworth, in Chester County, Pennsylvania. His22


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discourse was plain and simple. It riveted the truth upon the minds of many who heardthem. It was the starting point of raising a good branch of the Church. "Even though Sheets first heard the Mormonmissionaries in the early part of 1839,it took until 5th of July 1840 before he joined the Church. Erastus Snow, an energetic

missionary and leader in the LDS Church, arrived in Chester County at that time, and iscredited for finalizing Sheets' long investigation into the Church. Snow wrote inhis journal,"In Chester Co. were about 100 members of the Church. We tarr ied one week preachingin different places. Ibaptized two on Sunday a.m. Monday, July 6th went into the city ofPhiladelphia. "Sheets' mentioned nothing in his personal journals about his activities from hisbaptism in July of 1840, until he left fo r Nauvoo, Illinois, late in the summer of 1841, butundoubtedly, he continued his work with Taylor Dilworth. Since its organization, the LDSChurch encouraged the members to gather to a central location so that its membership couldbe both physically and spiritually close to its leaders. They first had gathered at Kirtland,

Ohio, then were driven out of Ohio, and settled in Missouri. In 1839, the Mormons weredriven from their homes in Missouri and purchased land in Western Illinois on theMississippi River. Nauvoo became their new home, and the Saints gathered there from allover the world. Sheets, like many of his associates, obeyed the call and left his home inChester County, arriving in Illinois in September of 1841.While at Nauvoo, Sheets became involved in the building of the temple. Hevolunteered to work six months on the temple without pay. He was still single and coulddevote his time to his work on the Lord's House. After laboring for six months on thetemple, he was called on a series of missions, first back to Pennsylvania for twenty monthsand then to England. While laboring in Herefordshire, he met and taught a young woman

by the name of Margaret Hutchinsonwhom he marriedon the ship returning home at the endof his mission. ElderWilfordWoodruff performed the ceremony.Sheets found Nauvoo to be a very different place than the one he left. Joseph Smithand his brother Hyrum had been killed by the mobs while they were gone, and the Saintswere preparing to leave Nauvoo or had already left in search of their "Zion." He wrote inhis journal, "I say it did not seem much like home either as the Saints were leaving dayle& making preparations to do so. " He had brought his new bride to America just in time toparticipate in the mass migration from Nauvoo.Sheets purchased a wagon for sixty dollars and a pair of oxen for forty dollars in

preparation for the journey westward. His former missionary companion, Joseph Stratton,also lent him his oxen until the following spring, since he was going to St. Louis to presideover the branch of the Church there.On May first, only twenty-five days after arriving in Nauvoo from England, Elijahand Margaret crossed the Mississippi River. They stayed near the river fo r three weeks untilWilfordWoodruff arrived, and then started out across Iowa, "traveling on when the wether

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would permit, throw the swoulps & mud holes fore the road was very bad part of the way.But we meet with no ser[iou]s accedents."On the fifteenth of June they arrived at Mt. Pisgah, a temporary settlement along thetrail and stayed there for two weeks. On July fourth, they went through an Indian village

in the Iowa Territory. Sheets described the Indians as a very friendly group. Theycontinued on to Council Bluffs, a Mormon settlement established on the east bank of theMissouri River, arriving on July ninth. A ferry was built to shuttle the wagons across theriver, where the Saints had settled an area in the Nebraska Territory, known as WinterQuarters. It was here that Elijah and Margaret spent the winter of 1846-1847.By the time the body of Saints reached the Missouri River, it was consideredimpractical to send a company any further west that year. Supplies were low and the seasonwas late. Houses were built very close together and the space between them was filled withpickets to form a fort. The majority of the houses were covered with sod. Each room hadone door and a window with four panes of glass. Many had no floors. Sickness prevailed

in the fall and winter months, and it was reported that six hundred people were buried beforethe cold weather brought the camp relief.Among the sick was Margaret Sheets. On December twenty-sixth, she gave birth toa daughter, whom they named Margaret Hannah Sheets. She never recovered from thepregnancy or delivery, and on January twenty-fourth, Sheets wrote, "My wife was veryporly. Not likely to live long, fore shee had been sick and bed fast fore beter then towmonths, So that shee count hardley turn hire selfe. " On the twenty-fourth, Brigham Youngwas called to come to the Sheets' home withWilfordWoodruff where they sealed Elijah andMargaret together for time and eternity, "withe the Blessings of Abraham Isac & Jacob And

to build up kingdoms and rule over them &c"On the morning of 1 February 1846, Margaret died. Elijah wrote in his journal,"Shee Died easy without a strugel. And hire happy spirit has gon to the manshions of blisswhere she will rest till the morn of the Resurection of the Ritious, when Ishall have theunspeakebell joy of seeing and having hire a gain, whare Deth will never seperate us again." After Margaret's death, Sheets took the baby to the Malins, a family he had knownin Pennsylvania. Sister Malin took care of little Margaret who grew and remained strongfo r three weeks, and then became sick. She too passed away on the 14th of April 1847.Sheets was determined to carry on with his life in spite of his grief. On 6 April1847, he married Susanna Musser of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, of whom he said,

"And althow my losses hase been grate Ibelieve that she will make me happy. Bro.Brigham Young Marries us .....ore time and fore all Etirnity." Susanna Musser was bornin Bart Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, on 2 September 1827, the daughter ofSamuel Musser and Anna Barr. It is not known if he met Susanna during his missionarylabors in Lancaster County or if he knew of the Musser family and was introduced toSusanna shortly after the death of his wife.24


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During this period of time, preparations continued fo r the trek west. Within a fewshort months, and after extensive preparation, Elijah and his bride became part of the secondemigrating company to head toward the Salt Lake Valley.The emigration of the large body of Mormons was accomplished much the same as

+u ~ r___

t - .__

1 a t0______0/1-7 _ x/_________t jt __juic cXuuuS jlj.uj.1i INauVuu. \jll i4 jEnuaiy io4/, Diigiiam iuung aniiuuiiucu inc vvuiu aiiQWill of the Lord" to the Saints inWinter Quarters. This revelation stated that groups wereto continue under the organization of the previous year wherein there were captains ofhundreds, fifties, and tens with Brigham Young as the commander and chief of the entiremigration. Captains of each of the companies were to decide how many could go west in1847, and also which able bodied men could go as a pioneer company to prepare the wayfor the rest of the Saints. On April seventh and eight, the pioneer company of Saints startedout on their journey west with 143 men, three women and two children.

Elijah and Susanna left Winter Quarters on 5 June 1847 with the first of the largecompanies of Saints. Sheets was assigned to be captain of the first ten. Both women andmen became involved in the day to day activities of the camp, driving the ox teams, gettingand preparing food for the company, and caring for the sick. Patty Bartlett Sessions, oneof the women in the company, kept extensive records of their journey. She wrote about thefirst day, "We leftWinter Quarters and started fo r the mountains. Idrove a wagon with afour Ox-team and we encamped fo r the night after traveling 4 miles."

The journey across the plains was not altogether unpleasant, as simple pleasures suchas dancing and just having fun were enjoyed along the way. There were, however,experiences that created some difficult times and tense situations. Sheets said the trek was"a long and a [tedious] journey but we got throw safe. And we thanked the Lord fore it. "One of the most common mishaps was wagons turning over.Susanna Sheets also kept an account of their travels, although it is very sketchy. InJuly, she said they "crost the Look Fork; one Child was kild in crossing; the wagon ran overit." The frequent appearances of Indians in the camp also created moments of stress.Susannawrote on several occasions about their encounters. One time she wrote, "O painfullthought one Brother shot by the Omaha Indians; his sufferings was soon over he left twosisters in our Camp to lament his loss not only them bu t the whole camp." On otheroccasions she wrote of more positive experiences: "The Indians visetted us again we hadsome music & Dansing the trading was done out of Camp." A few days later, she wrote,"Indians visited us in number about 100 they left us friendly." In September, she stated,"Indians visetted us of the Snakes they are not as noble looking as the Sues yet well."The journey from Winter Quarters to the Salt Lake Valley took from 5 June to 24September 1847. When they arrived, many f ie lds had already been planted, streams hadbeen diverted for irrigation, and a city was beginning to take shape. It must have been anexciting moment to view the valley and know that this was to be the place where they wouldlive and raise their families in peace, away from the contention and hatred they had felt inthe east. In their view, this was the place that the Lord wanted them to settle.

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NOTES ON ELIJAH FUNK SHEETS AND SUSANNA MUSSER1 RichardH. Davis, Biography of Elijah Funk Sheets. (Master's Thesis, Universityof Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1987), pp 39-62. (All the quotes in this section aretaken from this reference).

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James and Amy Crumb Fackrell


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CONVERSIONANDMIGRATIONOFJAMES FACKRELLSR.ANDAMY CRUMB

James Fackrell, Sr. - Amy CrumbJoseph Crumb Fackrell - Clarissa DempseyJuliett Fackrell - James HowardLuella Howard - David Franklin Davis, Jr.Ralph Howard Davis - Anita Belle Hyatt

The Fackrell family traces its roots and conversion to James Fackrell, Sr. , who wasthe son of John and Joanna Bradford Fackrell of North Petherton, Somersetshire, England.James was born 2 February 1787 and was the third child in his parents' family. James andhis younger brother, Richard, emigrated to America. They lived in the state of New York.James married at age 32 to 20-year old, Amy Crumb, daughter of Joseph and PrudenceLanphear Crumb. James and Amy had five children and lived inGrafton, Windham County,Vermont. The first three children were born in Vermont, and the last two inMoriah, EssexCounty, New York. The second son, Joseph Crumb Fackrell, born 9 September 1822, isthe ancestor we come through.

In 1837, James Fackrellmoved his family, which then consistedof himself, his wifeAmy, and three boys and two girls, to the state of Michigan and settled inBertrand, BerrianCounty, and there lived and prospered in the world's goods until the year of 1845.About 1838, the oldest son, David, then 18 years old, ran away from home and went

to Wisconsin to live. On 28 August 1845, Joseph was married to Clarissa Dempsey,daughter of John Dempsey and Betsey JaneWhite, also of Berrian County, Michigan. Thisleft bu t one son at home, James, Jr., who, at age sixteen, had become interested in religiousaffairs. "He attended camp meetings of the Methodist Episcopal Church and was baptisedby sprinkling. He remained in the Methodist Church for six months and became verydissatisfied and withdrew his membership."1

"At this time, two Mormon missionaries from Nauvoo came to their community andheld meetings. James, Jr. attended these meetings and became convinced that their doctrinewas scriptural, but having been previously taken in by the Methodists, decided to wait andsee if these people practiced what they preached."2 His parents refused to listen to themissionaries at first, but as James, Jr. became more interested, he invited the twomissionaries, Elder Richard Sprague and Elder Phelps, to talk to his parents. Themissionaries convinced his parents of the truth, and shortly after, James Sr. and his wife,Amy, and daughter, Lucy, were baptised into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-daySaints.

After the martyrdom of their prophet and leader in Nauvoo, the Church leaders sentout a call for all of the Saints scattered abroad to go to Nauvoo and prepare for a trip to anew home in the west. Answering this call, James, Sr., sold his farm at a sacrifice of aboutone-half of its value and started to Nauvoo. They left behind, David who was living in

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Wisconsin and the newlyweds, Joseph and Clarissa who did not want to have anything to dowith the Mormon church at that time.James, Amy and daughter Lucy arrived in Nauvoo the last of March 1846, bu t their

stay was very short because of the persecution and hardships inflictedupon the Saints. Afterjust three weeks, they cast their lot with the Saints and started fo r the west. Nothing worthyof note occurred on this journey until they reached CouncilBluffs. While in Nauvoo, Lucyhad become ill. She had been exposed to severe storms and cold which proved too muchfor her delicate constitution, and upon their arrival in Council Bluffs, she became very ill.

"On 20 June 1846, Lucy passed away. She was a lovely girl of twenty years, a goodLatter-day Saint and dearly loved by all who knew her. They laid her body in a grave andwith sad hearts turned their faces to new trials."3It was shortly after this that 500 men were asked to volunteer to fight for the UnitedStates in suppressing the uprising in Mexico. This left the Saints in dire circumstances.

Many did not have roofs to cover their heads or food enough to sustain life. Those whowere left, bravely set about preparing for the winter. James and his son, James, Jr., builta log cabin in which to move his family. They also went out onto the prairie and cut wildhay for their cattle. The son took a team and went down to Missouri and secured work.For this work, he was paid in provisions, which amount was enough to last them throughthe winter.When spring 1847 came, those residents of Winter Quarters, who were ready, wereputting forth the final preparations fo r the trek to the Salt Lake Valley. However, becauseJames, Jr. had not been able to find work during the winter, the Fackrells were not prepared

to take this long journey at this time. They planted a small crop, and again James, Jr., withhis sister, Betsy Jane, went to Savannah, Missouri, by team where they both secured work.Betsy found work spinning and James secured employment with his team. They were goneabout six weeks and returned to their parents loaded with provisions. James, Sr. and his sonthen set about cutting hay for the winter. They stacked most of it on the prairie, bu t hauledsome few loads home. They cut about 15 tons, but early in the fall, the prairie caught fireand burned one stack, and they were leftwith very little hay with which to feed their cattle.

As hay was scarce that fall, James, Jr. took three yoke of oxen to Missouri, partlyto provide feed for them, but mostly to make a "fit out" to go west in the spring. Hesecured work hauling logs to a sawmill and bought corn for ten cents a bushel and fed it tohis cattle. In this way, his teams were kept in good condition all during the winter. He wasalso successful in making a "fit out," so when spring came, he was well prepared for thelong journey.

When some of the men from the Mormon Battalion returned in January 1848, therewas a young man by the name of George Washington Hancock, who commenced courtingtheir daughter, Betsy Jane. They were married on 14 May 1848, and James, Sr. with hiswife, Amy and their son, James, Jr. started on their journey across the plains the next day.Upon arriving in the valley, they were directed to a beautiful spot inWest Bountiful and took

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up 92 acres of land. According to Bancroft's history, "James Sr. became the first settler inthis place," meaning, probably, the West Bountiful area.James, Jr. finally decided to join the Church and was baptized on 8 February 1849.He marriedMarthaAnn Chapman on 13 January 1850 and left his father's home. Thus, the_____

J. 1~n -I,__~ 1_____J. 1__T~\_____i-1____ 1 OCA aieiiiS weie iC n aiOne, uui nui iO i lung. ljulmg luc Suxiiiiici ui ioju, uicii uiucSi. SunDavid Fackrell, came into the Valley on his way to California and stopped off for a visit.They had not seen each other for 12 years, and indeed it was a happy reunion.In October 1849, their daughter, Betsy Jane, with her husband and small son,Charles, then a few months old, arrived in the valley and located at Bountiful. Their hearts,however, were soon again bowed in sorrow, as their only living daughter, then aged 27 ,passed away three weeks after the birth of a baby girl, Betsy Jane Hancock, on 22 February1851. She was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.In the spring of 1852, their son Joseph and his wife and family came into the Valley.

Their conversion story, as told by Leona Howard Arbuckle, was also an interesting one:"While yet in the East, one day while plowing, Joseph was visited by themissionaries. Impressed by their message, he dreamed that night that he went toUtah. He saw the log home where his father and mother had located in WestBountiful. On the corner of the lot was a beautiful spring with a yoke of oxen.There were green cultivated fields in the valley and snow topped mountains in thebackground. The dream was so impressive and disturbed him to such an extent thathe could not sleep the rest of the night. The next morning he decided to make readyfor the long journey to Utah, and earnestly sought the Lord in prayer that Clarissawould be impressed with the truthfulness of the Gospel."When Joseph told his wife of this dream, she replied, "Joseph, Iwill go with

you, but if this dream you had isn't true, we will return to our people. "At this time,they had four children (one beingmy grandmother, Juliett Fackrell). With a coveredwagon, one yoke of oxen and a few necessities, they started their journey to Utah.They were six weeks on this trip and came in the Biglow company in the Spring of1852. When they reached West Bountiful, his dream was fulfilled, even to the partof his father watering his oxen. They were both baptized in Utah, 9 July 1852. Theysettled inWest Bountiful until the Fallof 1852, and then went to Farmington, rentedsome land and remained there for five years."4James, Sr.'s son, David, prolonged his visit, became converted to the Church also,and was married on 6 July 1852 to Susannah Summer, took up land in Bountiful and madeit his residence. Once again the three sons of James, Sr. and Amy (Crumb) Fackrell wereunited as a family.

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NOTES ON JAMES FACKRELL SR. AND AMY CRUMB1 Myrtle Ballard Shurtliff, History of James & Amy Crumb Fackrell, Sr., Pioneersof 1848, Unpublished history, submitted to DUP, 1936.2 Ibid.3 Ibid.4 Leona H. Arbuckle, Unpublished History of Juliette Fackrell Howard, submittedto DUP, 1952.

(For additional details, see, Family History of David Franklin Davis and LuellaHoward, by Ralph H. Davis, 1994).

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Nathan and SarahWoolley Davis


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CONVERSION AND MIGRATION OFNATHANDAVIS AND SARAHWOOLLEYXTotVip-p T"qt 71c _ Qoroli 1ot ;j -sCLVio v_GjlCu.1 nuuiiwyDavid Franklin Davis, Sr. - Martha Musser SheetsDavid Franklin Davis, Jr. - Luella HowardRalph Howard Davis - Anita Belle Hyatt

Nathan Davis, son of David Davis (Isaac, Thomas, John, and John who was ofWales) and Rachel John (daughter of Griffeth John and Sarah Cope), was born 2 October1814, inHanover Township, Columbiana Co., Ohio. In 1806, his grandfather, Isaac Davis,had brought his wife and four children from Pilesgrove Township, Salem Co., New Jersey.It was in Columbiana Co., Ohio, where their son David was married and raised his family.David Davis built the Davis Mill about 1820. In the "History of Columbiana County," itsays, "This is one of the best appointed saw and grist mills in Columbiana County. " Beingthe eldest son, Nathan was privileged to learn the milling business from his father.1

SarahWoolley, daughter of JohnWoolley, Jr. (John, Thomas) and Rachel Dilworth(daughter of JohnDilworth and PhebeTaylor) was born 14April 1815, inNewlinTownship,Chester Co., Pennsylvania. At the age of 11, she was left motherless, and her father diedoil 13 August 1832, when she was but 17 years of age. The children ranged in age from 25to 7, and the responsibility fo r their care fell upon the shoulders of Edwin Dilworth, theeldest. Shortly after her father's death, she and her brothers and sisters moved toColumbiana County, Ohio, where several Chester County families had moved to take up newland and follow the frontier, and settled in the little town of East Rochester. It was inColumbiana County, Ohio, on the 31st of March 1836, that Nathan Davis married SarahWoolley. It was on the 24th of December 1837 that EdwinDilworthWoolley was convertedto the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was baptised. He and two youngerbrothers, John and Samuel Woolley, who were baptized 7 October 1840, moved to Quincyand joined the Saints and followed them to Nauvoo, to Winter Quarters and to Salt Lake.2

Nathan and Sarah both were raised in strong Quaker families, and Nathan was azealous member of that denomination until 2 April 1850, when he was baptized into theChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by his brother-in-law, EdwinDilworthWoolley.The conversion of Nathan and Sarah to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints isdescribed by A lbert Wesley Davis, their son, in the Utah Genealogical and HistoricalMagazine, Vol. 17, No. 4 (Oct. 1926), as follows:

"The last winter we were inRochester [Ohio], we lived in a brick house, twomiles away from the farm. It was a comfortable little brick house up on a hill, wherewe could look over the country in all directions. My uncle, Edwin [Dilworth]Woolley came through the country that winter on his way east. He had become amember of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and was on business, bu t- 33


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stopped and preached the Gospel to father and mother. Then as he was on his returnjourney, he called at our home again, and mother told him she wanted to be baptized.Father gave his consent, but did not say anything about his own feelings in thematter. They went down to a small stream not far from our house, where they couldfind water enough to perform the ordinance of baptism; and Uncle Edwin baptizedi-v-i a* * i rffaotn A a cT-io nmn r/-\-rninrr rvpf rvFflio u;otor "fofhpr rnorifQ/ rvnllinn*xin./LixCx ill liiw ouLwam. iio oiiv vvao \v_/ii.iing, uuiui uiv vvavui , xauiCx i/vyxxiixxwxxL'i/u. jpLtxxixxoff his coat and vest and said that he wanted to be baptized. So Uncle Edwinwentback into the water, and father was also baptized. After returning to the house, bothfather and mother were confirmed; and Uncle Edwin continued on his journey to theRocky Mountains. This was in the year 1850 [2 April 1850], three years after thepioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley."3A year after joining the "Mormon" Church, Nathan "took his family and emigrated

to Utah, crossing the plains in Isaac Allred's company, which left about the 19th of June1851 and arrived in Salt Lake City, 3 October 1851." The steamboat trip encompassednearly a thousand miles by river. "They traveled over six hundred miles down the OhioRiver, to its mouth, more than one hundred miles up the Mississippi River, and about twohundred miles up the Missouri River to St. Joseph, Missouri."4

Albert Wesley Davis recalls the trip to Salt Lake Valley as follows:"The next year [1851], father fitted up three wagons and got everything ready

to start fo r the Salt Lake Valley. We came up the river in a steamboat to St.Joseph, Missouri. There we bought cattle, and father set his wagons up , and wewent on to Council Bluffs. When we left fo r the west, from Council Bluffs, therewere one hundredwagons in the company, but they were divided into two companiesof fifty wagons, with a captain over each. There was also a captain over each tenwagons. The water that season was very high and had spread over the valley so thatwe could not follow the old road after we were west of the Missouri river. Wefollowed up a creek to the northwest for about two hundred miles before we couldcross and get on the emigration road. We arrived in the Salt Lake Valley that fallwithout any particular accident although we had some difficulties to meet on theway. "5One could begin to wonder what the difficulties might have been. To give a flavor

for the day's activities on the trail, we have the personal journal of Howard Thomas whowas a member of the Ten of which Nathan Davis was the captain. This comes from theChurch Emigration Record of 1851:

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v/uurou inigra.tion 01 moi.Captain Easton Kelsey* s Company*'Arrived in G.S.L. City Sept. 23, 1851.The Easton Kelsey Company was organized on the east bank of the MissouriaboutRiver/June 10 1851, one hundred wagons having been assembled with their

occupants, Saints desiring to to join the main body of the Church in Great SaltLake Valley. Easton Kelsey was appointed Captain of the Hundred, Luman A.

Shurtleff , Captain of the First Fifty and Isaac Allred, Captain of the SecondFifty. James Allred, father of Capt. Isaac Allred was appointed Captain of Ten.Amos Musser, Secretary. Other captains of tens were chosen.

The company crossed the Missouri River to the west side and went on to SixMile Grove, where they remained unt i l all the wagons were safely ove r and readyto start on their long journey. At this time the Elkhorn River was very highand it was the advice of Pres. Orson Hjde that the companies should tr y to headthe "Horn" and Loup Fork and get a nearer road to Fort Laramie, if possible. Soturned north andafter spending one night at the Elkhorn Ferry the company/traveled up the riverin feapt. Allred' s companyover a very bad road. Rain fell in torrents and two of the brethren/were knockeddown while standing by a stove, which was struck by l ightning. About the 20thof June the company came to a large stream, which they thought was a branch ofthe Elkhorn. Although the water was very high they concluded to build a bridgetaking wood from a grove nearby. After great effort a temporary bridge was bui l tand the expectations were to cross the next morning. But during the night anotherterrific storm deluged the camp of the Saints situated on a hill near the bank ofthe river. The water ranrdown the hill, under the wagons, carrying frying pansand other loose utensils , hanging on the wagons and in the morning the bridgeupon which the brethren had labored to industriously, had almost entirelydisappeared. from Winter QuartersIn the morning a company of armed men/came to the camp with a letter fromPres. Orson Hyde informing them that a difficulty had arisen between the Indiansand the Mormons by which the emigration was threatened and his council was fo r usto return to or near the river (Missouri) in oars of this escort. A meetingwas called to ascertain the feelings of the oompany in regard to returning toSix Mile Grove. The camp had seen nothing of the Indians and were unable tosense danger as Pres. Hyde evidently did. But Capt. Kelsey thought it would bebetter to return and obey the instructions of Pres. Hyde than run the risk ofa possible sacrifice of the l ives of the oompany. So the oompany, very reluctantlyturned baok and arr ived at Six Mile Grove again on June 27th.

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'Isaac .Allred' s fiftyChurch Emigration of 1851.hird Company

Capbv Isaac Allred' s company of emigrants arrived inG. S. L. City.m . - vnX--J..- "Thia mo tha' jfii'Ut fifty ef the first hundred of C$pt. Easton Kelsey'sCompany. Hoyimrd Thomas, a member of the Mormon Battalion who arrivedin G.S. L. Valley July 29, 1847, and had returned to Winter Quarters

Bresident Brighsm Young and company in the fall of 1847, and -whowas returning to Great Salt Lake Valley with Capt. Allred's company writes s

"I remained at the Bluff's unt i l the spring of 1851 and left my hemeon Mosquito Creek for Salt Lake Valley on the 24th of May, 1351, -with a

and one yoke of oxenj encamped near the Missouri River fo r tiro -weeks,organized into two companies of BO -wagons each. Iwas in the second oompany,Isaao Aalred'was the captain of the oompany. Hathan Davis -was the oaptainj)of the len that X was in . On the 9th of June we orossed~the Missouri River.On the 10th we moved out six miles and encamped. On the 12th we orossed thePappea (Papillon), and arrived at the Elkhorn and encamped. On the 13thwe traveled up the Horn about 18 miles to find a place to oross on accountof the High water. Encamped an the prairie, a very heavy rain at night. 14th.Heavy rain in the forenoon} remained in the oamp all day; very heavy rainthrough the night, with very heavy thunder and lightning. In the eveninglightning struck our oampj some wore knocked down, bu t none were very badlyhurti

15th, Sunday, S-fcaid in oamp j weather mora settled.16th, Remained in oamp.17th. Day more pleasant. Camp moved on In the evening a company of

horsemen from Kanesville overtook us, with word fo r us to return to theMissouri River, that the Indians were collecting to oppose our maroh.

18th Remained in oamp. Very heavy rains in the evening.19th,.,Staid in camp.20th. Rain in the morning. Commenced our return to the Missouri River.Very heavy atom of hail and rain, thunder and lightning in the' evening.21. Romninnrt In.


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upixuy Captain Eastern Kelsey's CompanyIsaac Allred's Fifty

from MissouriEiver an the 23rd.24th-, Sent fo r more flour. Eemained in camp 5 days.Heavy rain scroo part ofthe time27th of June, Comnenoed our journey again fo r the Valley. 28th and 29th. Continued our journey and enoamped beyond where -we Tiers -when we turned hackr.EgMined ia camp to mend a wagon broke by the cattle beingfrightened in the sight,July 1st, Continued our Journey,2nd. Keturned book 5 miles, being on the wrong coursej ire then continuedon our Journey struo!c the trail of brethren (-who had gone oa sons time before)end encamped near the Horn, Elder Orson Hyde and company encamped -with us,he being oa his nay to the Valley.3rd. Continued on 'with a fins day.4th. Bain ia the morning, Moved on.6th, Moved on . We -were no t 1SS miles from Kanesville. Wo traveled a ll thetime, oa the Divide between the Horn and the Missouri.6th, Camp moved oa. This day no crossed a small stream of -water, Weathervery warm,7th Moved en. Crossed a slough; had to double teams. Terrible stom of windand rain ia the evening, a8th, Fair day. Arrived at Urn large branch of the Horne,9th Remained ia oamp,'10th, Crossed over the Creek; had to unload the -wagons; encamped on. theother side,11th, Moved cm. Crossed tiro other streams and enoamped, 197 miles from.Xsnesville,12th, Crossed same sloughs,13th. Arrived at the main branoh of the Horn.14th. Crossed the Horn oa a bridge, and encamped,15th Moved on aad crossed a small oroek over a bridge j heavy, sandy roads.16th. Continued on. Very heavy roads j hard an teams,17th, Moved on. Very heavy, sandy roads j arrived at the north branoh of theLoup Fork,18th, Very heavyj Bandy roads, A long and hard day*a maroh.19tli, Arrived at the main branoh of the Loupe Fork.20th Crossed the river and encamped.21st Continued on; a long day's drive; arrived at the west branch of theLoupe -Fork,22nd*.Grossed the river and continued on. A fine shower of rain ia theafternoon.

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mira company .23rd, Crossed 2 other large oreelcs j bad to cross j high banks.24th, .Ecniftlned In camp,. Very "warm day.25th. 'Moved on.2ffth Remained in camp to hank fo r lost catt le.27th. Arrived "ttt Buffalo Crock,28th, Hemalaed in camp. to hunt oattle, having lost about 50 head,29th. Found the oattle ,30th., Bsmcdned in oamp to -Tradt the return of some of the oattle hunters,31nt." Moved on, Encajnpad la-be at night nithout grass or -water,.August 1st* Arrived *fc the Platte River, 266 miles from.Winter Quarters,2-3-4-5. Aijved to oroas -the HorthBluff Fork, - Camp moved on ,13th Passed Chimney Book.16th 'Passed Scott# Bluff..19th 'Bused Fort Laramie.24th 'Remained In oamp to set nagon tire.27th Ditto51st; Crossed the upper forH of the KLatte Elver.September 3rd. Arrived at the S-neetna-ter Elver, at Independence Book.15-th. We arrived at the Pacific Springs.I9th Arrived at, and crossed 0 reen Elver. Weather continues to be verypleadanfc.23rd. Arrived at Fort B ridger. Weather -Barm and pleasant.28th. 'Arrived at the Bed Fork of Weber River,Oetober 2nd. Arrived at the Great Salt Lake City, all Troll j considerable rain,roads.'trniddy.

Copied from personal journal of Barnard Thomas loaned by Mrs. Beita L.Smith of Wilmington,. Polanard . D, 3, (Granddaughter?)

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When the family arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, Nathan "located in the western partof the city at 157West North Temple Street, and resided there until his death, 29 December1894. 18 December 1852, he was ordained a HighPriest, having previously been ordainedan Elder, and had also received his Endowments, together with his wife, 7 February 1853.He was appointed by President Brigham Young to take charge of the machine shops of thepublic works, a position which he occupied for a number of years."6

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NOTES ONNATHANDAVIS AND SARAHWOOLLEY1 PrestonW. Parkinson, The UtahWoollev Family, p. 143.2 Ibid.3 Ibid, p. 145.4 Ibid, p. 145-146.5 Ibid, p. 145.6 Ibid, p. 146.

. .. - - -

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Joseph Howard

James Howard(aged 16, Birmingham, England)

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CONVERSION AND MIGRATIONOF JOSEPH HOWARD AND ANN SHELTON

Joseph Howard - Ann SheltonJames Howard - Juliett FackrellLuella Howard - David Franklin Davis, Jr.Ralph Howard Davis - Anita Belle Hyatt

Joseph Howard, son ofWilliamHoward (William,Alexander, Alexander) and TamarMills (daughter of Thomas Mills and Tamar Ashby) was born 12 Nov 1819 inKings Norton,near Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. His parents were God-fearing and strict inraising their children, and as a boy, Joseph worked hard developing farming skills.1Joseph met Ann Shelton as she was clerking in a grocery store. "He was attractedby her charming manner, beautiful blue eyes, glorious auburn hair and physical beauty."A long courtship was had, and they were married 24 November 1842, he being 37 years oldand she, 35 years old. They settled on land next to his father's place in Gravely Hills, nearBirmingham, England.The Howard family had a natural feeling of spirituality and were readers of the Bibleand attended Bible classes. The family was prepared to respond to the gospel tract that aMormon missionary, Elder William Griffin, left with them. It impressed the family, andthey felt as though they had heard this message before. James and Ann were baptized byElder Griffin on 27 November 1851 "in a baptismal font constructed on his own farm."

Following the baptism, "Joseph was ordained an Elder by Charles Jones. " He was made theBranch President of the Allison Street Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-daySaints. The record indicates that an upstairs room was used for meetings. Apparently thisbuilding was not adequate for very long because Joseph took out a 99-year lease on anotherbuilding called the Hockley Chapel and presided over the branch for ten or eleven yearsbefore they left for America.Joseph met with persecution because of his beliefs, and on one occasion was severelybeat, until almost unconscious, but he was a rare type of individual. His conversion andsubsequent devotion to the Gospel was complete. He spent time both day and night in thebuilding up of God's work in the Branch of the restored church of Christ on the earth.The family longed for the day when they could emigrate to America. To help speedup the acquiring of needed funds, the two oldest sons in the family, Thomas andWilliam,sailed for America on 23 April 1861. Their purpose was to earn money to send to thefamily in England and to establish a place for the family to gather in the west.Soon after the two sons left fo r America, Joseph changed his occupation by going towork at the Webb's Smelting and Refin ing Works. He sold his five acres of land that had

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been providing his support. By June of 1864, they had sufficient means to bring the familyto Utah. They sailed 3 June 1864 on the ship "Hudson, " and arrived in New York City, 19July 1864. The journey was hard on the family with many seasick and in such a weakenedcondition, they were not in the best of health to go on. But, on they went, anyway. Againby ship, they went to New Orleans and up the Mississippi to St. Joseph, Missouri. At alittle town called "Wyoming [now known as Nebraska City] Nebraska, on 2 August 1864,they began their journey westward with ox teams." It seemed that the passage across theocean and from New York to St. Joseph as well as the trip across country was prepaid."They traveled with many saints who swelled the amount of luggage to be transported so thatfew could ride. Most walked the whole distance. There were 170 teams in the company. "

The 1864 emigration record from the Millennial Star 26:750 and Journal History forNovember 2, gives us a feel fo r the Warren S. Snow Company which included the JosephHoward family. The record says that the company had 20 deaths, three of those being fromthis one family. Details follow:"Capt. Warren S. Snow's ox train, the last of the season, comprising anumber of emigrating Saints who had crossed the Atlantic in the ship "Hudson," leftWyoming, Nebraska, in the middle of August, 1864. With this train was a largequantity of freight, and on account of Indian depredations which had occurred tosome non-Mormon trains, Pres. Joseph W. Young, and a number of other leadingofficials, who had assisted in the season's emigration, but who had their own outfit,traveled with this company until they united with Capt. Wm. Hyde's company andstill remained with the companies until all danger was past, and did not leave themuntilSept. 11th at Julesburg, Neb. on the Platte River. The two companies continued

to travel together for a short time, when on account of scant feed fo r the animals,they again traveled about two days' journey apart and encamped at points notpreviously occupied by the company ahead."2"When about two or three hundredmiles out on the plains, James and his brother Joe[Joseph], accepted a job driving three yoke of oxen fo r a company of freighters, theWilliamHyde Company, receiving twenty-five dollars per month. " James gotMountain Fever duringthe early part of the trip which left him in a weakened condition when he accepted the job.He was eighteen years of age. "They lived on rations and were always hungry. At onetime, rations were so low he was allowed only half a pancake at a meal. A small horseblanket was his only bedding. He would move the oxen and lay down where they hadwarmed the ground and cover the blanket over him. "3One of the great love stories between a mother and her son occurred on the plains.Leona Howard Arbuckle (youngest daughter of James) and her daughter, Jean ArbuckleBrown, recorded the following:"James's mother was worried because his feet were sore and he had no warm socksso she knitted him some socks as she walked beside her wagon. One evening afterthe socks were finished, she walked back to her son's camp and gave the socks tohim saying, 'Take these, James. You may need them!' They had a good visit bu t

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it was morning by the time she returned to her camp. This was the last time Jamessaw his mother. She and two of his sisters died on the plains. He passed hismother's grave not knowing she had died and was buried in a place called BitterCreek (Wyoming) about three hundred miles from Salt Lake in Sept. 1864. Therewas a great bond of affection between James and his mother. His mother said he wasalways devoted and obedient and thoughtful of her. Because his health was not asrobust as his brothers she had to watch him. "4Leona also gives us additional information concerning what it was like fo r James ashe drove the freight wagon:"In spite of weakness from lack of food they did a man's work and carried on in thespirit of the true pioneer. They traveled very slowley because of heavy loads and badroads and arrived in Salt Lake in November, several weeks later than the rest of thefamily who came with the emigration train. The last part of the trip was extremelydifficult because of heavy snow and short rations. His boots were worn out and hego t a pair from the freight boss which were too large and they wore blisters on hisfeet. The cattle would stray away at night in search of food and it was sometimesnoon or later before some could be found and yoked to some of the wagons. Aftertaking the wagons some distance, they would be brought back and the rest of of thewagons would be brought up. This meant constant walking through deep snow withboots which did not fit and this was almost more than human strength could stand.It took three days to bring the train from the summit of Parley's Canyon to EighthWard Square. "5The Joseph Howard family paid a heavy price emigrating to the Salt Lake Valley.Two of their children died. Tamar, three years old, the baby of the family, died 10 August

1864 and was buried about two weeks' travel after crossing the Piatt River. Ten days later,after the death of her sister, Matilda, age 6, died 20 August 1864. Matilda was the twinsister of Elizabeth. This must have been heart breaking to Joseph and his wife. Havingtraveled so far from their native land of England to have two of the younger members of thefamily die and to be separated from the four oldest sons, Thomas, William, James andJoseph. Ahead of them were some of the most difficult parts of the journey, through themountains.This was not the only tragedy the family faced. Ann, the beloved wife of Josephbecame weaker and "exhausted in body and spirit," till she could no longer walk beside thewagons. She was put in a wagon, even though there was little room to lie down. Emma,her oldest daughter (14 years old) took care of her mother, watching her grow weaker,holding her head in her lap, trying to make her mother comfortable. Ann died the nextmorning, 8 October 1864, at Bitter Creek, Sweetwater, Wyoming, thousands of miles fromher native land of England. She, as with her two daughters, was buried in a shallow,unmarked grave, covered with rocks, sticks and sage brush to keep the animals from diggingup her body. Ann had joined her daughters, and the reunion on the other s ide must havebeen sweet.

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The trip across the ocean and continent came to an end at Pioneer Park on 26 October1864 or 2 November 1864, where the family was welcomed by sons Thomas andWilliam.The two boys had received reports that their father had died while crossing the plains. Theywere surprised bu t grateful to see him, but saddened to hear of their mother's death alongwith the two sisters.Joseph settled his family inWest Bountiful on the W. S. Muir farm for the next sevenyears. He then homesteaded on what was referred to as the Upper Flats of Bountiful. Thiswas at the mouth of Mueller Park. Two years after arriving in the Valley, Joseph marriedCaroline Richards Woodall who was a devoted wife who raised Ann's children.

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NOTES ON JOSEPH HOWARDAND ANN SHELTON1 RalphH. Davis, Family History of DavidFranklinDavis. Jr . . and Luella Howard.(Bountiful, Utah, 1994), pp. 40-52.2 Church Emigration Record of 1864, Historical Dept. Archives.Luella Howard Davis, Unpublished history of her parents.

4 Leona Howard Arbuckle, Unpublished history, submitted to Daughters of UtahPioneers (DUP).

5 Ibid.

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Conversion Stories and Migration Experiences

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