Martin & Willie Handcart Companies (hell, America, church, faith)

[jonny]

In 1856 an event that has been called one of the worst disasters in the history of the American West occured in a small cove in central Wyoming.

It all started in Europe. In the 1800s Mormon converts gathered to ZIon. By this point Zion was in Utah and it was getting expensive for the Saints to get over there. Brigham Young had the idea of having the Saints pull handcarts from Iowa City (where the trains stopped) to Utah to save money. The handcarts were less expensive and didn't require animals like the wagons did. It was an inexpensive way to move the people across the plains.

Most of the handcart companies made it just fine, but the Martin and Willie companies ran into problem after problem. The journey would start in Liverpool, England, but when the Saints arrived (many of them from Scandanavian Countries), the ship wasn't there. They waited for the ship (which was being used in a war at the time) and eventually they made their journey across the ocean and landed in America. They made their way across the country to Iowa City. When they arrived in Iowa nothing was ready for them because they were late. They simply were not expected, so they spent two months preparing for the trip. This included spending time building the handcarts (which were built out of green wood which caused problems along the route). About 400 Saints left Iowa in late August to head towards Utah. Communication problems at the time resulted in the leadership in Utah not knowing that there were any handcart companies out on the trails.

In October they arrived at Fort Laramie, where they were expecting to recieve more food and clothing, but there was nothing there for them when they arrived. In order to lighten the loads in their handcarts (they had to reduce it to 10 lbs/person), the companies burnt their extra clothing and blankets.

About this time, Brigham Young became aware that there were handcart companies out on the trails. In the church's general conference he request that the Saints organize themselves to go out and rescue those who were out on the trails. 16 wagons of food and supplies left a few days later. Eventually about 250 wagons were out on the trail.

Unfortunately, the supplies would not reach the handcart pioneers before the snow reached them. The Martin company was stuck in a snowstorn as it crossed the Platte River. The result of the exposure was the death of 56 pioneers in a little over a week. They were eventually rescused and brought to Salt Lake at which point Brigham Young angrily reproved the leadership. Six more handcart companies would follow them in the following years.

Between the two parties about 145 pioneers died. This year is the 150th anniversary of this event. I just wanted to start a thread where we could share some stories from this important event in Mormon history. There are many stories of faith and courage that came out of this tragedy.

[jonny]

I had ancestors in both the Martin and the Willie handcart companies. Here is a story from my family history of one of my grandmothers:

In 1856 Amy with her son and two daughters started for Utah. Many weeks passed in the sailing vessel between Liverpool and Boston. They journeyed from there to Florence, Nebraska where they found themselves with no money or employment and winter coming on. There had been a handcart company to “the valley” but this was a little late to start on such a trip. The church authorities decided that the only thing they could do was to go on. Under the leadership of Captain Martin, the large company started. The company was mostly young men and women from England and Scotland and they were ready to face any danger. Happily they went along pulling their handcarts at first, little thinking what hardships were ahead of them. As they got into the mountains it became very cold and progress was slow.

The captain decided they must budget the flour or they would be entirely destitute before long. Four ounces of flour per day for an adult was allowed. This meant one pound of flour per day for the Orme Family. As the cold increased, many died due to lack of food and very often it was the ones who at first seemed the strongest. Amy saw her only son become weak and she noticed that men died more often than women. Would her boy be next? No. it must not be. She proposed to the girls that they each cut their rations of food a little in order to feed Samuel a little more. This was done. What was their terror one day to find themselves snowed in on the Sweet Water River in Wyoming. They were unable to move the handcarts through the deep snow, they had no food and they were hundreds of miles from supplies. Death was frequent and those left were too weak to dig graves for their comrades. A few oxen that were brought along to haul the heavy luggage began to die but as was said years after, in a joking way. Two or more men would try to hold the ox from falling over while another would hurriedly shoot it.” They would divide the animal up into small pieces and distribute it to the starving crowd. Nothing was wasted. The insides, the hide and everything but the horns and hair were eaten.

One day from the west came a dark spot moving towards the camp. Eagerly they watched and saw it was a man walking and leading a horse. On arriving, he told them he had killed a big fat buffalo and had put all the meat he could on his horse for them. Everyone got a piece of the meat. Just why that animal had not gone with the rest of his kind to winter range we’ll never know. The man was Ephriam Hanks, the advance man of the Relief Party sent by Brigham Young to meet them. The news cheered them up and they took on new hope. Some days passed before the toiling rescuers reached them. Now they began to move on, but slowly, finally they reached Salt Lake City Nov 30, 1856.

[nutshell]

Thanks for the reminder. Saturday there was a little parade in my small hometown. The cubscouts from our ward were in the parade pulling handcart and throwing candy and pass-along cards to the crowd. There was also a family history booth at the end of the parade.

[jonny]

Originally Posted by nutshell

Thanks for the reminder. Saturday there was a little parade in my small hometown. The cubscouts from our ward were in the parade pulling handcart and throwing candy and pass-along cards to the crowd. There was also a family history booth at the end of the parade.

That's cool. I think I heard that there was a fireside or broadcast on TV this weekend. Does anyone know anything about that?

[Katzpur]

Edward Bunker was more successful in leading his group, jonny.

[Katzpur]

Edward Bunker was more successful in leading his group, jonny.