DRAMATIS PERSONAE

 

Capt. Andrus, who found “a new route to the pass, was Milo Andrus, who was just returning from a mission to England. (Bitton, Guide, p. II;)

Brother Atwood, according to the Wilford Woodruff biography, p. 341, was one of the wagon captains named Miner Atwood. The 1860 Federal Census of Salt Lake City lists him as Miner G. Attwood, a laborer from Connecticut.

Brother Badlam evidently had one of the early large-wheeled wooden speedometers attached to one wagon wheel. He was Alexander Badlam, a New Englander from Massachusetts.

Brother Blazerd, who was taken sick on June 27, was John Hopwood Blazzard, an Englishman and wagon maker, listed thus in the Federal Census of Salt Lake City, 1860.

Mr. Burns, whose child died of cholera on July 16, was Enoch B. Burns, a Canadian. He became an Ogden settler, eventually moving to Arizona. (Bitton, Guide, p. 50.)

Brother Burrows was David B. Burrows, who, with his wife, Sarah, had emigrated from County Down, Ireland. Early Church Information Card Index.

Brother Crosby, whom, according to Sophia, they met with “seven other missionaries on their way to England,” was Jesse Wentworth Crosby. In his own journal, Crosby listed eight persons by name who accompanied him on the English mission. (Crosby, “History and Journal,” p. 185.)

Brother Currier was identified by Wilford Woodruff as James Currier, one of the captains. (Wilford Woodruff, p. 341.)

Mrs. Delin, who “gave birth to a daughter” on the night of October 14th, is so far unidentified. There were Delins who came several years later from Sweden. This could also be a misspelling of Dallen or Dolin or Dolan, all of whom have representatives in the 1860 Federal Census of Utah.

Brother Emmet, who “killed an Antelope” on July 20, would naturally be thought of as James Emmett, a rather free spirit of several cross-country migrations. However, Dale L. Morgan proved this man to be in California at the time of the 1850 migration. The Emmet here was Moses Simpson Emmet, son of James. He was a Kentuckian, who, with his wife, Catherine, and James Emmet's deserted wife, Phoebe, was on his way to Salt Lake City. (Morgan, “Reminiscences of James Holt,” pp. 164-65.)

Phebia Foss, who jumped to safety out of Brother Woodruff's carriage when the horse became frightened and ran away, was Phoebe C. Foss, daughter of Calvin and Sara B. Foss. She was the great-niece of Wilford Woodruff. (Wilford Woodruff, p. 341.)

George Gardner was captain of the ten to which the Goodridges belonged. He was the brother of Penelope, Sophia's mother, and had been the first of the family converted to Mormonism. “Goodridge-Goodrich Family Story,” p. 253.)

Brother Gib30n, who tipped his wagon over on October 5th, was an Englishman from Yorkshire. It was Gibson's daughter, Mary Ann Gibson Green, who died on June 27. (“Graves Along the Trail,” p. 429.) See next item.

Sister Green, who “died of cholera” on June 27, was Mary Ann Gibson Green, daughter of the Gibsons, see above, who had emigrated from Yorkshire, England. She was 32 years old, the wife of Thomas Green, who took the top boards of his wagon box to make a coffin for his wife. She was buried right alongside the trail. Three days later Jane Green, the 18-year-old daughter, died, and on July 1 Joseph Green, age 19 months, passed on, “making three out of one family that have died within five days.” ("Graves Along the Trail,” pp. 429-30.)

Brother Hall, who was “dead with the cholera” on July 1st, was Joseph Hall, one of the captains. (Wilford Woodruff, p. 341.)

Brother Hanks was Ephraim Knowlton Hanks, a Mormon leader on the way back over the trail to aid later wagon companies at the behest of Brigham Young. (Biographical Encylopedia, II, pp. 765-66.)

Samuel B. Hardy was the brother of Leonard W. Hardy, both of them New Englanders, born in Bradford, Massachusetts. He was listed in the 1860 Federal Census of Utah as a farmer.

Brother Hawood or Haywood, was Joseph L. Heywood, who married another young woman who kept a journal of the 1850 journey, Martha Spence. Their story is ably told in Martha's own words by Juanita Brooks in her 1978 book, Not by Bread Alone.

Edward Hunter was the leader of another company to Salt Lake City in 1850. It was the last to reach the destination as they had a large shipment of freight from England. Hunter handled many of the financial aspects of the western migration. His work would lead to the Perpetual Emigration Fund. (Arrington, The Mormon Experience, p. 130.) Hunter later became Presiding Bishop of the Church. (Bancroft, Utah, p. 774.)

Brother Hyde was met by the party on October 4th. This was the dynamic Mormon Apostle, Orson Hyde, who was taking eastward the Fourth General Epistle of the Church, which had been promulgated in September. ("Fourth General Epistle -Sept. 1850,” Our Pioneer Heritage, pp. 419-28.)

Lucy Johnson “took sick this afternoon and died at 12 o'clock,” 011 July 4th. This is a correction of the date given as July 9 in Willord Woodruff, p. 341. Jesse W. Crosby indicated in his “History and Journal” that there were two Johnson families with the 1850 migration: Captain Thomas Johnson and Captain Aaron Johnson (p. 191). So far, Lucy Johnson is not associated with either of these families or any other Johnsons.

John and Sara Kay were musicians from England. He was also an expert metal worker. (Stout, Diary, p. 728.)

Brother Moffet “was chosen Captain of the remaining 20 wagons.” This was Armstead Moffet, a blacksmith, who, with his large family, would become key settlers in the Ogden area. (Federal Census, 1860. )

Capt. Petty “was chosen Captain over a hundred.” This man is identified as Robert Petty in Wilford Woodruff, p. 341. Robert C. Petty later became a well-known Utah lawyer. There are numerous references to him in the Stout Diary. He became a partner with Stout in the herding business (Stout, p. 507.)

William Ridge was struck and killed by lightning on July 15. Wilford Woodruff says that “On the 15th, . . . a severe thunder storm arose and Brother Ridge, from Staffordshire, England, and his oxen were killed by lightning.” (Wilford Woodruff, p. 341.)

Brother Rawson was Horace S. Rawson, a chairmaker from New York, who, with his family, became pioneer settlers of the Ogden area. In 1856, he married Eliza Jane Cheney, a young woman among the 1850 overlanders. (Bitton, Guide, p. 287; Federal Census, 1860. )

Brother Smoot was Abraham O. Smoot, a prominent early Mormon leader. He would become the mayor both of Salt Lake City and of Provo and would prosper in business and banking. (Bitton, Guide, p. 328.)

Brother Stratton was met coming with Brother Ephraim Hanks (see above) on August 24 with a letter from Brigham Young. This was Joseph A. Stratton, who also met the Heywood party a week later on August 30. (Not by Bread Alone, p. 21.)

The “Mr. Wallace,” who saw a sleeping bear on August 6, and did not disturb him,” is so far unidentified. Perhaps he was not a Mormon as she designates Mormon men as “Brother.”

Joseph Webb “tipped his wagon over” on October 3rd. Again, because she does not designate him as “Brother,” he may have been one of the rough and ready non-Mormon teamsters.

Brother Whipple was made Captain over the Second Fifty on June 18. This was Nelson Wheeler Whipple, who traveled to Salt Lake City in 1850. There is a typescript of his “Autobiography” in the Utah Historical Society Library. There is a biography of him in Biographical Encyclopedia, III, p. 561. (Bitton, Guide, p. 377.)

Brother Woodruff was the Mormon Apostle who would later become the Fourth President of the Church in 1889. He presided over the dissolution of polygamy. (Dictionary of American Biography, xx, pp. 498-99; William Mulder and A. Russell Mortensen, Among the Mormons, pp. 415-17.)

Brother Wooley, who camped with the party on August 30, was Edwin Dilworth Woolley. He was a member of the Pioneers, the overland group in 1847. He later was a member of the Utah Territorial Legislature. He became the superintendent of Brigham Young's private business. (Stout, Diary, p. 299.)