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Martin's Cove
It was here that the Martin Handcart company sheltered to
wait out a devastating winter storm. It was here that the Rescuers, sent from
Salt Lake City, would help these Saints make the final 325 miles to the Salt
Lake Valley. They had already pulled their handcarts over 900 miles to get to
this point. 50 miles to the East of here, trouble set in. The Saints were out
of food, by this time eating about the equivalent of two pieces of bread a day,
while pulling a handcart for 10-15 miles a day, their shoes were worn out, they
had buried loved ones in shallow graves, and they were exhausted! Then, an early Winter storm fell on the
pioneers. Now, they were freezing cold. More than 400 miles from their
destination, and no assurance other than hope and trust in the Lord that help
would come, these pioneers were in serious trouble. At the end of it all, of the
576 people that started with the Martin Handcart Company, 150 would die and be
buried on the plains. Included on this page are stories of those that were in the Company. Their stories, testimonies, and demonstration of faith can help motivate us for good on our own trek through life.
The Promise
President Gordon B. Hinckley, when speaking of the pioneers, has made this promise to each of us, “It is good to look to the past to gain appreciation for the present and perspective for the future. It is good to look upon the virtues of those who have gone before; to gain strength for whatever lies ahead. It is good to reflect upon the work of those who labored so hard and gained so little in this world, but out of whose dreams and early pains, so well nurtured, has come a great harvest of which we are the beneficiaries. Their tremendous example can become a compelling motivation for all of us.”
Francis Webster
Years after the Martin Handcart Company was rescued and the survivors brought to the Salt Lake Valley, there was one day a group of Saints gathered in Cedar City having a Sunday School class. The conversation of the class turned to the ill-fated Martin Company, and several members of the class were critical of leaders who allowed the pioneers to leave so late in the season which put then in harms way of winter storms. Francis Webster sat silently in the corner of the room as long as he could stand it. Finally, he stood and spoke saying, “I ask you to stop this criticism. You are discussing a matter you know nothing about. Cold historic facts mean nothing here, for they give no proper interpretation of the questions involved. Mistake to send the Handcart Company out so late in the season? Yes. But I was in that company and my wife was in it. We suffered beyond anything you can imagine and many died of exposure and starvation, but did you ever hear a survivor of that company utter a word of criticism? Not one of that company ever apostatized or left the Church, because everyone of us came through with the absolute knowledge that God lives for we became acquainted with him in our extremities. I have pulled my handcart when I was so weak and weary from illness and lack of food that I could hardly put one foot ahead of the other. I have looked ahead and seen a patch of sand or a hill slope and I have said, I can go only that far and there I must give up, for I cannot pull the load through it. I have gone on to that sand and when I reached it, the cart began pushing me. I have looked back many times to see who was pushing my cart, but my eyes saw no one. I knew then that the angels of God were there. Was I sorry that I chose to come by handcart? No. Neither then nor any minute of my life since. The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay, and I am thankful that I was privileged to come in the Martin Handcart Company.”
Betsey Smith
Betsey was only 13 years old when she crossed the plains with a Handcart Company. She was one of four children, being cared for by their widowed mother Marjorie Smith. While in Iowa City, Betsey was so sick that most in the company thought she would die soon. She asked her mother to call for the Elders who gave her a blessing. She was immediately healed. Betsey was 13. She had a 17 year old sister, a 15 year old sister, and a little 6 year old brother. With the brother in the cart, these three teenaged sisters would help their mother pull the family handcart over hundreds of miles and through miserable winter storms.
Later, Betsey would settle in Lehi where she would write her life’s history. She wrote, “For the benefit of the youth of Zion who may read this, I bear testimony that I know God hears and answers prayers, and the Lord will help those who help themselves. I will not dwell upon the hardships we endured, nor the hunger and cold, but I like to tell of the goodness of God unto us.”
As we look for those tender mercies in our lives, those
special unique, personal blessing from the Lord, the Youth Theme this year
comes at a perfect time for us to be going to Martin’s Cove: “I can do all
things through Christ which strengthen me”.
Dedicatory Prayer
In 1992, President Gordon B. Hinckley came to here. He offered a dedicatory prayer, and in that prayer he reminded us of what happened here, and why these poor Saints were here. In his prayer he said, “Terrible was the suffering of those who came here to find some protection from the heavy storms of that early winter. With their people hungry, cold, and dying from sheer exhaustion, they came up into this cover for shelter, and many died here. They are buried somewhere in this earth. Father, we are so grateful for their faith, their faith in Thee and in Thy Beloved Son, their faith in the Prophet Joseph Smith and The work which was restored through him. They left their native lands to find refuge where they could worship according to their conscience with their associates in the Salt Lake Velley. Great was their suffering, terrible their tragedy.”
Elizabeth Jackson
Elizabeth Jackson, whose husband died about two
weeks earlier while crossing the North Platt River, was left a widow with three
small children. She brought her children into this cove and tried to protect
them from the storm. She said, “We camped for several days in a deep gulch. It
was a fearful time and place. It was so cold that some of the company came near
freezing to death. The sufferings of the people were fearful, and nothing but
the power of a merciful God kept them from perishing.”
John and Zilpah Jaques
John and Zilpah Jaques were married in England and traveled with the Martin handcart company. John Jaques was the record keeper for the company and kept a very detailed journal. John and Zilpah had one daughter Flora (2) and a son, Alpha, who was born on their journey. When their son was born, John, Zilpah, and Zilpah’s family, the Loaders, stayed behind to tend to Zilpah, the new baby, and sick family members. They quickly worked to catch up to the company the next day wearing many out. Zilpah’s father died. As they were nearing the last crossing of the Platte River, John started to break down. He was tired and taking care of his family and wife’s family after Zilpah’s father died. When looking for help, Zilpah stepped in, though she was taking care of two young children and very frail herself, pulled the handcart that day with John. John pulled a handcart through the frigid Sweetwater river with chunks of ice floating around and causing injuries. Two of the rescuers at the river came to help John get the handcart through and then he had to pull it alone through snow and sagebrush to camp. On November 23, John and Zilpah's daughter, Flora, died. She had been sick from the start of the journey. After arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, John and Zilpah had seven more children. John used his writing talents in various forms throughout the rest of his life.
James and Amy Loader
The James and Amy Loader family traveled from England with six of their thirteen children, Patience, Maria, Jane, Sarah, John, and Robert. While traveling by boat from England to America, it took them almost twice as long due to the weather. One of the worst storms they encountered, a heavenly figure appeared to them and said, “Fear not. You shall be taken there all safe”. They soon arrived in New York. Though the Loaders were not pleased with the idea of pulling a handcart, they knew it was what they had to do. When the Loaders made it to Iowa city, they met their two other daughters, Tamar and Zilpah, and Zilpah’s husband John Jaques and daughter Flora. 100 miles in, Tamar fell ill and rode in John Jaques' wagon for 170 miles. Around that time, James became ill. He was determined to keep going and received a blessing that helped him to keep going. Tamar was still ill and Zilpah gave birth to her son. They stayed behind the company for a couple of days to continue to gain strength. They made it back to the company with little time to sleep before they had to continue on their way. After two or three weeks, James’ health continued to fail. With his family gathered around him, his last words were, “You know I love my children”. He was buried near camp that morning. When approaching the Sweetwater River, many members of the company cried, not wanting to cross another icy river. Patience Loader, being one of them, was very grateful for the four rescuers that carried many of the company members across the river. While in Martin’s Cove, Amy Loader asked her daughters to come help make a fire. They all declined. Amy did not get upset but instead told them that she would dance to make them feel better. She started to dance but slipped and fell. Her three daughters jumped up to help their mother who was laughing, telling them she fell purposefully knowing she could get them up. After arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, they settled in Pleasant Grove. Amy Loader never remarried saying that no man was greater than her husband James. Her children married, had children, and grew old in the Salt Lake Valley.