Friday, April 22, we had dinner with my three brothers and their wives at Maddox in Brigham City, UT. Beginning on the left: Bobbi and John (75); Janeil and Rolfe (80); Carrie and Duane (82); Nolan (71) and Sandy.

Martin's Cove, WY

Today, April 23, we stopped at the Martin's Cove Church-operated Visitor Center and learned about the 10 handcart companies that traveled from Iowa City to Salt Lake City. The two companies we are most familiar with, Martin and Willey, crossed the plains in 1856. They left late in the year and encounter serious deprivations. The Willey Company was about 100 miles ahead of the Martin Company. The Martin Company was found by the advance party of rescuers near Casper, WY. After their rescue, the Martin Company traveled about 56 miles to Martin's Cove where they spent five days due to severe weather before moving on to the Salt Lake valley. 57,000 pioneers used wagons to cross the plains; 3,000 used handcarts.

The following was written by Elizabeth Horrocks Jackson Kingford, a Martin Company survivor: "I have a desire to leave a record of those scenes and events, through which I have passed, that my children, down to my latest posterity, may read what their ancestors were willing to suffer, and did suffer, patiently for the Gospel's sake. . . .I hope, too, that it will inspire my posterity with fortitude to stand firm and faithful to the truth, and be willing to suffer, and sacrifice all things they may be required to pass through for the sake of the Kingdom of God."