The Mormon Handcart Migration: "Tounge nor pen can never tell the sorrow"

by Candy Vyvey Moulton

In 1856 the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints employed a new means of getting converts to Great Salt Lake City who could not afford the journey otherwise. They began using handcarts, thus initiating a five-year experiment that has become a legend in the annals of Mormon and North American migration. Only one in ten Mormon emigrants used handcarts, but of those 3,000 who did between 1856 and 1860, most survived the harrowing journey to settle Utah and become members of a remarkable pioneer generation. Others were not so lucky. More than 200 died along the way, victims of exhaustion, accident, and, for a few, starvation and exposure to late-season Wyoming blizzards. Now, Candy Moulton tells of their successes, travails, and tragedies in an epic retelling of a legendary story.

The Mormon Handcart Migration traces each stage of the journey, from the transatlantic voyage of newly converted church members to the gathering of the faithful in the eastern Nebraska encampment known as Winter Quarters. She then traces their trek from the western Great Plains, across modern-day Wyoming, to their final destination at Great Salt Lake. The handcart experiment was the brainchild of Mormon leader Brigham Young, who decreed that the saints could haul their own possessions, pushing or pulling two-wheeled carts across 1,100 miles of rough terrain, much of it roadless and some of it untrodden.

The LDS church now embraces the saga of the handcart emigrants—including even the disaster that befell the Martin and Willie handcart companies in central Wyoming in 1856—as an educational, faith-inspiring experience for thousands of youth each year. Moulton skillfully weaves together scores of firsthand accounts from the journals, letters, diaries, reminiscences, and autobiographies the handcart pioneers left behind. Depth of research and unprecedented detail make this volume an essential history of the Mormon handcart migration.
 

288 pages, Hardcover

Published April 25, 2019

Reviews

[Kevin Folkman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: The Mormon Handcart Migration: “Tounge nor pen can never tell the sorrow”
Author: Candy Moulton
Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press
Genre: Religious Non-Fiction
Year Published: 2019
Number of Pages:272
Binding: Hardback
ISBN: 978086162614

There is no more iconic symbol of the Mormon overland trek than the handcart pioneers. Each year, Church youth groups reenact the trek by pulling replica handcarts over short distances for a few days in an effort to recreate the experience and build faith and empathy for the sacrifices of pioneers. Visitors to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints historic site at Martin’s Cove in Wyoming can also pull carts over prepared paths for a few minutes. Similarly, there is also no more cautionary tale than the tragic story of the Willie and Martin handcart companies of 1856, where two to three hundred individuals died of starvation and exposure. It would be hard to find a member of the Church who doesn’t know something about the handcart expeditions.
In the Mormon culture, we are susceptible to allowing our stories about history and faith to take on epic proportions. Ordinary events can become more heroic, coincidence takes on the patina of the miraculous, and faith-promoting rumors become accepted as fact. This seems particularly true in the case of the 1856 Willie and Martin handcart companies. BYU-I religion professor John Thomas shared his experience teaching the reality of some of the events surrounding the rescue of the 1856 handcart pioneers to skeptical students who pushed back when faced with historical truth. We confuse heritage, or what we wish had happened, with our actual history. (1)
The first comprehensive treatment of the five year span of handcart migration, “Handcarts to Zion” by LeRoy and Ann Hafen, has for fifty years been the best reference of the handcart experience beyond just the 1856 disaster. More recent articles and books have focused on fixing the blame for the disastrous late season trek, more often than not pointing the finger at Brigham Young. (2)
A new book by Candy Moulton, “The Mormon Handcart Migration: “Tounge nor pen can never tell the sorrow” attempts to update the story, interpreting the primary sources from the view of a partial outsider. While she is not a member of the Church, her husband and children are the descendants of handcart pioneers. She has also written and produced documentaries about the Western migration in general, and participated in the 1997 sesquicentennial recreation of the wagon and handcart trek of the Mormon pioneers.
Her approach is comprehensive, covering the entire span of the handcart period, drawing on the journals and recollections of the participants themselves. She has also drawn on other sources that give a wider context of the environment within which the handcart migration took place. Beyond just focusing on the recorded sermons and statements of Brigham Young, Moulton looks at the correspondence between the other major players in the leadership of emigration from Great Britain and other European countries.
There is no question that Young took a close, personal interest in the handcart experiment. President Young, concerned about the mounting debt generated by poor immigrants through the Perpetual Emigration Fund (almost $100,000 by 1856), wanted to reduce the costs to a more manageable level. Handcarts could be made for as little as $10 to $20, far less than the cost of a wagon and team of oxen. This put the cost of the westward migration at a level that could be shouldered by the majority of the poor immigrants.
Young also assumed that the handcart pioneers could travel two to three times faster than wagon trains, shortening the time required to reach the Salt Lake Valley, and reducing the required provisions. Young even specified the dimensions of the carts, with a width that matched the ruts and trail created by California, Oregon, and Utah bound wagons. Anticipating the difficulties of the varied terrain of sand, rocks, and prairies, Young suggested the width and construction of the wheel materials. Young’s critics are quick to point to his obsession over the details as micromanagement, concerns about costs as putting financial issues over the immigrant’s welfare, and overly optimistic views of the ease of handcart travel as naïve enthusiasm. (3)
Moulton correctly, I believe, identifies the root causes of the handcart tragedies as failures of management at multiple levels. The individuals charged with implementing Young’s plans, John Taylor in New York, and Franklin D. Richards in Europe, were weeks if not months separated from the church President’s vision. Taylor focused on logistics of the overland trail, booked rail travel to Iowa, and purchased the first one hundred handcarts from an experienced wagon maker. Richards handled the sea leg of the trip from Europe, motivating and exhorting the faithful about to tackle the American wilderness of which they knew nothing. For the most part, they were spectacularly unprepared.
Moulton instead points out that much of Young’s enthusiasm for the handcarts as a mode of quick, cheap travel were not unreasonable. Most of the handcart pioneers from 1856 through 1860 would have been unable to cross the Atlantic and arrive in Utah in the same season without the availability of cheap transportation. As to the quickness of the crossing, Wallace Stegner wrote in a 1956 article for Colliers Magazine that when the first two companies of handcarts arrived in the Great Salt Lake Valley, they were not expected so soon. No other travelers had passed the handcart trains going west; they had letters written to send on ahead, but found no one to take them. They actually had come near to Young’s optimistic estimate of bettering the daily travel rate of the ox teams. (4)
But in the case of all ten handcart companies, logistics were a persistent problem. All ten companies had to cut rations at one or more points on their journeys. None of them could carry sufficient flour, bacon, and other food supplies in their small carts to last all the way to Utah. They were dependent either on accompanying wagons to carry supplies or the availability of resupply across Nebraska and Wyoming. Every one of the ten companies experienced serious hunger and physical exhaustion from the arduous pace. Levi Savage noted that the Willie company had to reduce rations to 10 ounces of flour in the 28 days that it took to pull their carts from Iowa City to Florence, Missouri on the first part of their journey, foreshadowing the starvation that contributed to the loss of life of so many in the Willie and Martin companies as they struggled through the snow in Wyoming.
Moulton also writes that John Taylor in New York was surprised at the large numbers of immigrants in 1856, far more than had been anticipated. The initial order for 100 carts had to be supplemented with additional carts from less experienced builders, and at half the price of the first order. Corners were cut and unseasoned wood used, leading to constant breakdowns. Travelers already worn down with the weeks long ocean crossing and a rushed train trip from the coast to the Missouri River were not in the prime of physical shape when they began their more than 1,000 mile journey to Utah. Setting up and breaking camp on a daily basis, standing guard at night, and constant repairs to the carts added to the physical toll. Men and women alike were in an almost constant state of exhaustion.
When combined, all these conditions created an environment ripe for problems. She acknowledges Young’s concerns over a large steam engine coming overland by freight wagons in 1856 and other issues named by critics that show that the President’s focus was not initially on the handcart companies. But the evidence Moulton lays out does seem to target Franklin D. Richards in particular. On board the ship Horizon in late May, addressing some eight hundred impoverished immigrants including those who would eventually be part of the Martin and Willie companies, Richards was recorded making great promises in the journal of Joseph Beecroft. “If we would carry out our religion, there should not be a soul lost, nor anyone come to great harm…blessed from now to our journey’s end and that the angels should be with us to guard us…” [page 22]
As the Willie and Martin companies were recuperating and refitting at Winter Quarters in July, several travelers who had made the crossing before related their concerns about weather and the condition of the pioneers. Levi Savage, who had made the crossing at least three times told “the old, weak, and sickly to stop until another spring.” George Cunningham recorded later “The tears commenced to flow down his cheeks and he prophesied that if such undertook the journey at that late season of the year that their bones would strew the way.” [page 62]
Despite the warnings of Savage and others, the leaders prevailed upon the company to commence the final leg of the trek. Richards and other missionaries returning from the East, riding quickly in light wagons drawn by horses and mules, overtook the Willie company in Nebraska in mid-September. Richards rebuked Savage for “his lack of faith in God.” He again resorted to prophetic utterance, saying “though it might storm on our right and on our left, the Lord would keep our way open before us and we should get to Zion in safety.” Pioneer John Chislett wrote later “This assurance had a telling effect on the people---to them it was ‘the voice of God.’ They gave a loud and hearty ‘Amen,’ while tears of joy ran down their sunburnt cheeks.” Before leaving, Richards told Captain Willie that the missionaries were in need of fresh meat. Chislett watched as Captain Willie butchered an oxen calf for the Apostle and his companions, and wrote he “felt ashamed for humanity’s sake that they took it…we had no provisions to spare, not enough for ourselves.” [page 65] Finally, of the dozen or so missionaries traveling with Richards, all took part in the later efforts to rescue the Willie and Martin companies, except Richards, who remained in the Salt Lake Valley.
I approached this volume with the knowledge that my own ancestors, George Christopherson Folkman, his son Jens, and daughter-in-law Mathilde traveled west with the Christensen company of 1857. I was aware that difficulties that forced a change in leadership of this group of mostly Danish converts. Unable to speak the Danish tongue, James Park had clashed with his charges, and was replaced in Florence, Missouri by returning Danish missionary Christian Christensen, fluent in both Danish and English. What I had not previously known is that rations were reduced, and hunger became a constant presence for much of the crossing. Efforts had been made for resupply across Nebraska and Wyoming, though, and circumstances for all of the 1857 and later companies never reached the desperation levels of 1856.
Moulton ends with her own experience of traveling with the sesquicentennial reenactment of the 1847 pioneer journey, following as much as possible the original Mormon Trail. Never far from the benefits of civilization, this commemorative trek still dealt with broken wagons, complaints about leadership, and worry about the health of horses, mules, and even the reenactors themselves. To Moulton, this underscored how difficult the original crossings had been. But in this experience, she found much of the same courage and faith that propelled the original handcart companies to take such great risks to reach their Zion.
Moulton shows great respect and admiration for those early pioneers. This is an easily accessible book, unflinching in its telling of both triumph and tragedy along the trail, and adding more detail of this iconic episode in the Church’s western migration. The close examination of the realities of the handcart experiment does not detract from the heroism shown by so many under such difficult conditions. As Wallace Stegner wrote in 1956, “…perhaps their suffering seems less dramatic because the handcart pioneers bore it meekly, praising God, instead of fighting like animals and eating their dead…as the Fremont and Donner parties did…But if courage and endurance make a story, if human kindness and helpfulness and brotherly love in the midst of raw horror are worth recording, this half-forgotten episode of the Mormon migration is one of the great tales of the West and America.” (5)

1. John C. Thomas, “Sweetwater Revisited, Sour Notes, and the Ways of Learning,” Religious Educator 10, no. 2 (2009): 97–110. Also, “17 Miracles,” a film by T.C. Christensen, Excel Entertainment, 2011, as an example of hagiography writ large. Many of the “miracles” portrayed in this dramatic film have no foundation in historical context. While dramatic license in a fictionalized film allows for such things, many individuals that I have spoken with assume that all are based on actual events.
2. Will Bagley, “One Long Funeral March,” Journal of Mormon History, Vol. 35 no. 1 (20090, pps 50-115; David Roberts, “Devil’s Gate: Brigham Young and the Great Mormon Handcart Tragedy,” Simon and Schuster, New York, 2008
3. ibid
4. Wallace Stegner, “Ordeal by Handcart,” Collier’s Magazine, July 6, 1956, 78-85
5. ibid

[Umar Malik · Rating 4 out of 5]

"This is the right place; drive on.”

-Brigham Young, addressing a group of pioneers as they entered the Salt Lake Valley, Utah

I’m going to preface this by saying that I’m not a member of the LDS Church, nor am I well-versed in its theology or history. I started looking more into the church because of people I’ve met who were LDS members. I was impressed with the type of character they had and wanted to learn more about what seemed to be the unifying force behind that character – their faith. What specifically led me to read Moulton’s work and the history of the Mormon Trail was another book, The Mormon People by Matthew Bowman. That book serves as a comprehensive history of the church, from its earliest days to modernity, and one of the topics it covered was the Mormon Trail, specifically the tragedies of the Willie and Martin handcart companies. The way Bowman went over the events left an impact on me. These people, the pioneers, sacrificed everything they had – pooling up whatever wealth they had – just so they could journey to a city that had the security to practice their faith openly. For them, Salt Lake City wasn’t just some city or retreat; it was a promised land where they could collectively live with people as like-minded as they were, in devout service to God and each other. The tragedies on the trail compounded their sacrifices; beyond the heavy initial costs of funding their pilgrimage, they inevitably had to sacrifice even more when they ventured overland. They faced odds stacked against them from every angle: everything from historic blizzards, starvation, dust storms, stampedes, handcart breakdowns, mob attacks, native conflicts, floods, and more. Yet, in the face of all these challenges working against them, they still managed to reach Salt Lake City, the promised land. Their story of faith, perseverance, and sacrifice hit me hard and left an impact. My first thought after covering this chapter by Bowman was to read as much as I could into the specifics of the journey; I needed to know what pushed them onward and how they managed to endure so much while maintaining their hope and faith. I needed to learn more about them – not just to understand their resilience, but to understand their faith.

Moulton’s work was where I started. I was drawn towards it mainly because it was published by a major University Press, which I assumed would guarantee more of an academic and unbiased perspective. Despite being an academic piece, Moulton’s personality still managed to shine through the work, and it made the read more interesting and bearable than other scholarly reads for me. This book was relatively short - roughly 300 pages - but it conveyed a good amount of information. I came into this with no prior knowledge and finished with what I felt was a solid beginner’s understanding of the subject. What was surprising, though, was that Moulton had a very personal connection with the trail; not only did she trek it herself, along with numerous other trails, but her family had ancestors who journeyed with the Willie handcart company – the family of Sarah Moulton. So, with this book, you received insight from a dual perspective, one of a trail expert, and from someone with a deeper, authentic connection to the trail. I think it goes without saying that a more intimate connection to any subject fosters greater inquiry, curiosity, and conviction in researching that topic, and it felt like this was encapsulated by Moulton. She had a passion for the subject that was often very evident in her commentary.

Another rich feature of this book was Moulton’s usage of the journal entries and diaries of the pioneers. The personal accounts were meticulously well-researched and organized. If you view any of the journals or biographies Moulton cites, they could be as lengthy as her book itself. It was obvious that it took her quite some time to find the right quotes and align them into the broader narrative, a testament to her dedication. The number of quotes in this book also nearly rivals the amount of original text, and every quote enhances the understanding of the narrative, with Moulton’s words echoing the central takeaway. The quotes range from Brigham Young’s words, giving you insight into how he dealt with the logistical setup and fallout of the trail, to the direct words of pioneers like Sarah Moulton, who experienced the trail firsthand. Especially poignant were the quotes of the pioneers during their times of struggle on the overland trail. For instance, hearing Heber McBride remark about the difficulty of having to set up camp as a nine-year-old caring for his parents, and seeing Elizabeth Jackson's steadfast faith despite the heartbreak of losing her husband on the trail. Moulton doesn’t just simply include these quotes as a way of advancing the overarching narrative. Instead, they’re also used to relay the personal narratives of the pioneers, tracing their journeys from their early days in Europe, through the challenges of crossing a violent ocean, to the trials of the overland trail and beyond. Each figure’s story is woven into the greater tapestry of the story, creating a picture of the migration that feels as complete and cohesive as possible. You could also see the transformation in their personal accounts as their stories unfold. You journeyed and walked alongside them through the ups and downs, sorrows and triumphs, and along the way are consistently met with their constant perseverance. At times, reading about their struggles was painful, painfully compelling enough for me to pause for a moment and reflect on the enormity of their sacrifices, and yet, at other times, these hardships were met with glimpses of joy, that brought balance to the narrative, like the pioneers singing hymns and dancing around bonfires. Without a doubt, Moulton meaningfully captures the full spectrum of experience and emotion.

Moulton also did a great job of supplying as much information as possible, even providing details far beyond just the overland trail, e.g., the reasons why the pilgrimage was called for, why the pioneers were motivated to move, the difficulty of gathering funds, the arduous nature of the overseas voyage, the difficulty of traveling, on arrival to the States, to the trailhead in Iowa City, and the aftermath of the tragedies on the trail. I came into this work, naively and obtusely, thinking there was no overseas voyage. Obviously, there had to be, but my focus was solely attenuated toward the overland portion of the journey. I hadn’t considered the immense challenges pioneers faced onboard ships or even getting from the Castle Garden immigration center in NYC to Iowa City. For instance, seasickness was so common aboard ships that some were bedridden for the entire duration. The cost of traveling to the trailhead was also costly enough for some that it functioned as a significant obstacle; some chose to remain on the East Coast indefinitely, and others would postpone their journey to Salt Lake for years. Additionally, Moulton covered information that I think other works would have skipped over or overlooked, like information regarding the Utah War, background information into key sites like Fort Bridger and the Reshaw Post, and the earlier exodus from Missouri and Nauvoo. Moulton did a good job generating a more expansive view of the migration, that served to enrich the narrative.

Another great addition to this work was Moulton's usage of statistics. I know this may not seem significant and more like a minor detail, but it plays a crucial role in presenting the exact reality of the situation the pioneers faced. I have come across works that generalize and fail to accurately relay information that would paint a clearer, more realistic picture; Moulton’s work does the opposite. For instance, she frequently conveys the exact decrease in portion sizing the pioneers dealt with throughout their journeys. It’s easier to imagine the actual decrease in portions if given in ounces rather than just telling someone, “There was another decrease.” The level of detail here makes it easier to grasp the severity of the situation, giving other readers and me a better way to imagine the physical toll of progressive rationing. Moulton also conveys another important statistic to the journey – the death toll. For every death on the trail, she provides a cause of death and a name where possible. This not only serves to memorialize these pioneers but aids in understanding the type of predicament they were in. For example, I would not have otherwise thought illness was a major obstacle plaguing the pioneers had it not been for Moulton relaying the number of deaths due to consumption and other ailments.

Moulton’s history as a trail expert also adds to the value of this book. She had detailed knowledge that allowed her to identify where the soil and terrain changed during the journey, helping me understand what it was like for the pioneers to march through it. If it were soft, muddy terrain, they would have had a harder, more exhausting time slugging through, and if it was thick, compacted soil it made the journey easier and more manageable. She applies this same type of analysis to the weather and environment, illustrating how the rain could shift soil into muddy, difficult sludge, how wind could intensify the difficulty of trekking, and how snow could create impassible barriers. For instance, Moulton relays how traveling through a valley or mountain could exacerbate a wind front, as the wind would amplify and funnel directly against the pioneers. Moulton also conveys why certain locations served as refuge hotspots during the journey, and others became sites of immense struggle. For example, Independence Rock was large enough to protect against winds on the plains, was close enough to the Sweetwater River for easy water access, and had flat terrain, making it a good spot for camping and prepping.

One of the greatest strengths of this work wasn’t even directly in regard to the original LDS pioneers but to Moulton’s coverage of a 1997 re-enactment of it. Moulton herself partook in the re-enactment, joining thousands of others, and documented the journey from start to finish. Albeit short, the chapter conveyed a lot of emotionally resonant and memorable experiences. You learn about the experiences of both international travelers and those home-grown who encounter the challenges and memory of the trail. Even with the modern amenities of our time, the trail still took a taxing toll on those who traveled it, but just like in the days of the original pioneers, they persevered, with one medical nurse on the trip walking the entire distance herself. Moulton’s way of capturing the sentiments and emotions of others - both on the original journey and on the re-enactment - is one of her greatest strengths as a writer and historian, and this chapter alone is going to stick with me for a while. Especially the moving story of Elizabeth Petsch, an elderly woman who traveled with her seventy-two-year-old husband on his behalf, making the journey to honor their LDS community in Austria and to pay tribute to the original pioneers. Another compelling account was that of Japanese reporter Osamu “Sam” Sekiguchi, from Tokyo, who came with his wife and children. Reflecting on the initial difficulty of the journey, he said, “We were impressed with pioneer children. At that time I thought it was too difficult for my children to walk.” After a few months of the trail and personally observing changes in his sons, Sam would later recall, “I thought they were just kids. I have learned they are small, but they are not little kids.” Stories like Elizabeth, Sam, and even Moulton herself showcase the legacy of the pioneer trek; they demonstrate that the transformative power of the trail continues to resonate with people in modernity, inspiring growth, resilience, and a deeper connection to history.

One of the most poignant aspects of Moulton’s work was her detailed coverage of the tragedies the Willie and Martin handcart companies faced. The blizzard that struck them was life-shattering; the pioneers dealt with over 18 inches of snow, coupled with wind chills as low as-40°F, while dealing with illness, exhaustion, and starvation. Reading about the emotional anguish the pioneers felt was profound; their journal entries showcased a deep, visceral pain. They suffered more than any normal person should have to contend with - dealing with the loss of loved ones, caring for children crying out in hunger, struggling to properly relieve themselves in unbearable conditions, dealing with frostbite amputations - even for children, collapsing out of sheer exhaustion, forcing themselves to eat the hides of dirty boots to stave off starvation, abandoning generational family possessions behind to lighten handcart loads, standing night-guard for hours while already sleep deprived, not knowing if your loved ones are even alive until the sleet clears the next morning, burying your loved ones in unmarked mass graves, and in some cases, even taking the clothes off the deceased to provide them for themselves, their children, or others. The storm was soul-shattering – both physically and emotionally - and yet, amidst it all, you still read about the faith of the pioneers on their journey and the faith of their rescuers. During the blizzard for instance, one pioneer, Elizabeth Sermon, had to deal with the loss of her husband to exhaustion and was required to perform an amputation on the frostbitten feet of her five-year-old. Despite these immense trials, she maintained her faith and willpower, and persevered for the sake of herself, her children, and the blessing of a safe future. Years later, in Salt Lake City, she reflected on her enduring trust in God, telling her grandchildren in a letter that God had saved her family by bringing her to Utah. For as many instances of sorrow as there were on this journey, there were equally as many of perseverance, the latter following the former. Each instance of hardship was met by an unyielding determination to continue forward.

While Moulton had notable strengths in her work, she also had some flaws. One of which was the method by which she would convey locations. Before reading this work, I had little prior knowledge of the sites and landmarks associated with the Mormon Trail, yet Moulton consistently conveys the pioneers' relative location using these sites. She includes maps, but only for the sites where the Willie and Martin handcart companies had stalled because of the blizzard. Moulton was clearly not opposed to imagery and visualizations, as evidenced by the inclusion of a section in the middle of her book containing photographs and illustrations depicting key figures, sites, and landmarks. I think it would have made digesting and interpreting geographic information easier if Moulton had just included more visual aids in her work. For example, a map showcasing where significant events took place for each company or illustrating their relative locations at regularly spaced intervals would have provided a lot more clarity regarding their positioning.

The main issue with this book, however, was Moulton’s criticisms, particularly of Brigham Young. Even as someone who doesn’t know a lot about Brigham Young, it was evident to me that Moulton seemed to harbor somewhat of a personal vendetta against him. This animosity was obvious when she ended the book with an outright insult towards him. Throughout the text, she also employs a significant number of phrases and terminology that could be seen as charged and emotionally loaded. As someone who selected this work because of its academic, non-biased nature, I found it ironic to encounter fairly evident signs of bias. For instance, in one chapter, Moulton introduces a quote from Brigham with the words, “with ever-greater determination to deflect blame onto others.” This phrasing has a relatively clear prejudice that betrays a sense of bias. My advice to anyone who picks up this book (because the journal entries and narrative construction make it worth it) is to not give too much weight to how Moulton assigns blame for the handcart tragedies. As with any work, take the good and leave the bad, and there is a lot of good to learn from Moulton's book. Focus instead on the detailed accounts of the pioneers’ experiences - they will stay with you, reshape your perspective, and serve as a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit.

[GRANT · Rating 4 out of 5]

She got George Neppress right in the first handcart company under Captain Ellsworth. This 1856 Company is the one my family was in, all of whom survived the handcart trek. However, they lost an infant, Parley Lorenzo Lewis, buried at sea from aboard the Samuel Curling.

This is passionate history without the passion of spiritual bias for or against the Mormons. Moulton is not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but her husband is with Mormon Handcart ancestors. And Moulton is a fan of the trail having participated in pioneer reenactments.

This is history told from the original sources with frequent footnotes to the journals and records of the participants. It also starts with the general pioneer story, includes the Atlantic Ocean passage, and recounts the story of each of the ten handcart companies from 1856-1860. It weaves in the Mormon War with new information to me about the handcart companies passing the U.S. soldiers on the march to replace Brigham Young as territorial governor. They also met with the militia men sent out by Brigham to harry the soldiers. Both groups were surprisingly friendly to the handcart travelers of 1857. (As were the Native Peoples in various encounters.)

It is good history.

And a plug for my own work with the Ellsworth Company of 1856 here:
http://johnelinorvaughan.blogspot.com...

Let me add that this book provides evidence and some interpretation that Brigham Young did good thing, bad things, and some questionable things. This forces those who believe he was a prophet of God to accept that he was human and capable of mistakes. It also forces the nonbeliever to accept that he was human and not a deranged despot.

[Christopher Angulo · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was slow and did not add much to the already existant study of the handcart migration.