Facts about the Pioneer Treks that are Important for Context
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- Facts about the travelers their situations
- Facts about the Geography
- Facts about the rescuers
- Reasons the Willie and Martin companies got into trouble
- Willie and Martin Companies Time Line
- Bibliography for Additional Reading
Facts about the Pioneer Treks that are Important for Context
Purpose:Our stake has been on two trek reenactments in western Wyoming, I noted both times that the kids (and adults) often lacked “context” which kept them from a more complete understanding of what they were reenacting. The comfortable and fast bus rides masked the nearly insurmountable distances and relative positioning of the historical events. We often didn’t know where we were with respect to the trail and important events along it. The hot weather put the pioneers’ freezing experiences far from mind. The abundant food kept us from understanding what it was like to be very hungry and weak. The modern equipment such as hiking boots, wind and rain proof fabrics, sunscreen, and water purification and availability kept our blisters, frostbite, dehydration, and sunstroke to a minimum. Our understanding of what the pioneers experience will always be imperfect – we can’t experience even a small fraction of what they endured – but a few facts about the travelers and their situation will provide context to our trek experience and serve to make our understanding of their experiences a little more complete. Facts about the travelers & their situationsTime period: Handcarts were used from 1856 to 1860, starting 9 years after Brigham Young first arrived in the valley. About 70,000 immigrants travelled the Mormon Pioneer trail. Nearly 3,000 immigrants travelled by handcart. There were 10 handcart groups that travelled over a period of 5 years. The first three and last five companies were very successful. The 4th and 5th Willie and Martin were hit by tragedy. 250 handcart pioneers died on the journey. All but 30 of these were in the Willie and Martin companies. The Willie Company was comprised of 500 persons, 120 handcarts, 5 wagons, 24 oxen, 45 cows and beef cattle. The Martin Company was comprised of 576 persons (145 of whom died). 146 handcarts, 7 wagons, 30 oxen, 50 cows and beef cattle. Handcart travel was generally a very successful solution. Its benefits were that it was fast and affordable. Only 2 out of the 10 handcart companies experienced serious problems. For the 8 handcart companies that started on time, the trips were faster and easier than those of the wagon travelers. Why? Travel by foot is faster, HC groups didn’t have to deviate off the trail to find forage for oxen/horses (often as much as 3-4 miles out of the way). Morning and evening care for oxen/horses was unnecessary saving several hours each day. 1840-1850 technology – wood bearings, wool or cotton clothes (no miraculous man-made fibers, no Gore-Tex, etc.), no means to purify water. Remember, there was no modern communication along the trail or between Salt Lake City and Iowa City. The only way to communicate was to send messages with travelers. Leaders in Salt Lake City did not know the Martin and Willie companies were on the trail until fast travelling returning missionaries that passed the pioneers arrived in Salt Lake City (October 4). Remember that these pioneers were not trained outdoorsmen. Most had come recently from homes in England and Scandinavia where they worked as miners or factory workers. They had no previous experience in wilderness survival. Handcarts could hold 17 pounds of clothes and bedding per person for about 5 people. This is equivalent to about 100 pounds of items that could fit in the trunk of your car. There were two wagon teams that travelled with the Martin and Willie handcart companies that are often overlooked. Hodgett’s company of185 persons, 33 wagons, and 187 oxen, and Hunt’s company of 200 persons, 50 wagons and 297 oxen. These companies were behind Martin’s handcart company which was itself behind Willie’s handcart company. They too were in dire conditions but survived better due to better availability of clothing and food. The men died first. Why? As food rations were cut short they gave up their food for their families. Facts about the GeographyThe pioneers spent 40 to 65 days crossing the Atlantic Ocean, after which they travelled mostly by rail across the eastern United States to Iowa City. From Iowa City to Salt Lake Valley is about 1,300 miles. This normally took about three to four months. When the Martin and Willie companies halted due to cold, snow, exhaustion, and lack of food they had already travelled about 1000 miles by handcart from Iowa City. It is important to remember that once rescued, they had about 30 days and 350 miles of travel in the cold and snow ahead of them to get to Salt Lake City. Also remember that prior to leaving Iowa City they had travelled across the eastern United States by rail and crossed the Atlantic Ocean by sailing ship. The Martin Company halted at what is now called Martin’s Cove, 3 miles west of Devil’s Gate and 20 miles west of Independence Rock. The Willie Company halted at Sixth Crossing Camp near the base of Rocky Ridge. Both companies had yet to cross the continental divide at South Pass which was 40 miles from Rock Creek Camp. The Willie Company was always ahead of the Martin Company on the trail by as much as 100-150 miles. To get to the coves that provided some protection from the cold and storm, the Martin Company had to deviate 2 miles off the trail and cross the freezing Sweetwater River. As you make your trek up Rocky Ridge, take note of how much further from Rocky Ridge the Willie Company had to travel to reach camp at Rock Creek Hollow. What took you part of a summer day to walk took them all day and much of the night in severe winter weather. Remember, most handcart and wagon pioneers experienced the same weather we encounter. Hot, dry, windy, lightning storms and the effects of high altitude. The Martin and Willie Companies were the exception experiencing cold winder blizzards. The Rocky Ridge and Martin’s Cove areas of western Wyoming that we visit are relatively high altitude. Both areas are just east of the continental divide and are at between 6000 and 7000 feet in altitude (approximately the elevation of Bogus Basin locally). This is one reason you may experience headache, nausea, and light headedness while on the trek. The pioneers probably experienced less of this altitude sickness since their travel was slower giving them time to acclimate to the altitude. However, they were hungry, cold and exhausted! Facts about the rescuersYoung men from the Salt Lake area were called on short notice to a very dangerous rescue mission. It was very likely that they would end up being stranded in the cold and snow too. The first rescue party left October 7, the stranded companies were located on or about October 30. They started to return on November 9, with the first arrivals in Salt Lake City on November 30. The rescue teams often pushed through 3-5 feet of new snow for much of the 350 miles to locate the stranded pioneers. Rescuers had no idea where the handcart travelers were. Locating them in time was critical and very unlikely over the thousands of square miles. They were searching for a needle in a very large haystack. Rescuers brought a total of 250 wagon loads of food, clothing and bedding. Reasons the Willie and Martin companies got into troubleLate leaving England – Lack of ships delayed the Willie and Martin companies’ departure. This forced them to choose between leaving England late and spending winter homeless and in starvation. They had already sold their good and left their homes. Late start from Iowa City – the normal trip took about 3 months. To arrive before the risk of winter storms it was optimal to depart in early June. The Willie and Martin companies left in late July. Poor handcart construction due to the unavailability of properly cured wood caused the handcarts to break down early requiring repairs that caused dangerous delays. They were forced to abandon much of their warm clothing and tents early on to save weight. Early and severe winter weather closed in on them in October. Handcart groups had to be resupplied by wagons bringing or caching food along the way. Resupply teams thought they weren’t coming and therefore didn’t deliver needed food. Remember there was no Skype, telephone, radio, or even telegraph to communicate the pioneers’ status across the 1,400 miles of the trail. Willie and Martin Companies Time Line
Note: Dates are not consistent amongst the sources. Bibliography for Additional ReadingReading a few books about the handcart pioneers before the trek will greatly enhance your understanding of what happened out on the plains of western Wyoming. These are among the best: Handcarts to Zion. LeRoy Hafen and Ann Hafen – the story of the handcart migration drawing upon diaries and reports of the participants. Tell My Story Too. Jolene S. Allphin – a collection of biographical sketches of pioneers and rescuers of the Willie, Martin, Hodgett, and Hunt Companies of 1856 Sweetwater Rescue: The Willie and Martin Handcart Story. Heidi Swinton and Lee Groberg – Tells the story in words and paintings. Conference Talks Elder Marvin J. Ashton, “Stalwart and Brave We Stand,” Ensign November 1989 President Henry B. Eyring, “A Legacy of Testimony,” Ensign May 1996 President James E. Faust, “A Priceless Heritage,” Ensign July 2002 Web sites http://handcart.byu.edu/ Download 27.29 Kb. Share with your friends:
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