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| The Moulton Family joined the handcart pioneers of 1856. |
The more I learn of the experience of "ill fated" 1856 handcart companies, the more I admire this great man and his faithful wife. The movie, "17 Miracles" has made the Moulton family's handcart experience even more vivid in my mind.
Thomas Moulton's 19 year old daughter, Sarah, wrote a letter and gave her impressions of the trek.
August 13, 1856:
"We are going to start for the plains to morrow—and there is not any more going this year so the brethren say.
...I feel it a great blessing that I am so far on my way to Zion and I feel still to go on for the farther I go the more I rejoice[.] I never enjoyed myself so well in my life before[.]
...Do not think of coming only by the hand carts for it is good[.] I never had my health so well in my life before I walked about three hundred miles and pulled the hand cart all the way and we walked sometimes 20 & 17 miles a day and I never had a blister on my foot & cannot think to tell you my feelings when I was coursing along the road but I often think of the prophet Brigham's words about the weak becoming strong[.] well I assure you I never was so strong in my life before[.] well I feel to thank the Lord for it for he has blessed me." (See: http://history.lds.org/overlandtravels/)
I wonder how much of Sarah's attitude was a reflection of her father's faith?
I am grateful for all that faithful Thomas did to prepare the way for his many descendents. His descendancy chart created on puzzilla.com is quite impressive and this is only 3 generations!
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| This is Thomas Moulton-3 generations of descendants-from Puzzilla.org. Yellow is Hyrum Chase Moulton line. |
The following information is taken from the book How Beautiful Upon the Mountains by the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers of Wasatch County pp. 525-527
For a more complete compiled history written by Verda Hicken, go to:
http://www.ourgrandmasandgrandpas.com/OurGrandmasAndGrandpas/Moulton/HIS_Thomas_Moulton.htm
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Thomas Moulton was born in 1810 at
Irchester, England. When he was 22 he
married Esther Marsh, a young woman eight years his senior. They had two daughters: Susan and Sarah.
On February
25, 1839, Esther Marsh Moulton died leaving her husband and two-year old
daughter Sarah. A year later, in April
1840, Thomas Moulton married his second wife, Sarah Denton, who as born June 5,
1818, at Rushdown, Northampton, England.
She was the daughter of Charles Denton and Charlotte Bassfield.
By 1838
several branches of the Church had been organized in England. The missionaries were making many converts to
the Church. Thomas Moulton and his wife
had become interested in the Latter-day Saint teachings and were baptized
December 29, 1841. However, it was not
until 1856 that they were able to emigrate.
In the meantime, their first six children were born in Irchester,
England. The names of the children
were: Mary Ann, William Denton, Joseph (our ancestor),
James Heber, Charlotte and Sofia Elizabeth.
In
England, Thomas Moulton was a farm laborer, and the undertaking of preparations
for emigration of a family on nine, with a new member momentarily expected, was
no small task. Sarah, his oldest
daughter by Esther Marsh, was now a young lady of 19. His other six children, by Sarah Denton,
ranged in age from three to fifteen.
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| This painting hung in the stairwell of the Wasatch Tabernacle for many years. |
Before
leaving England, Thomas Moulton felt a little hesitant about undertaking such a
long and strenuous journey. His wife
went to see one of the brethren, who gave her a blessing. He promised her that she would make the
journey safely without the loss of one member of her family. Although their trials were severe and the
baby, Charles, reduced to a near skeleton, their children who crossed the
plains married and reared families.
On May 03,
1856, the Moulton family set sail on the ship “Thornton” from Liverpool,
England, with 764 passengers.
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| Moulton family traveled on the ship Thornton from Liverpool England to New York Harbor in 1856. |
While
crossing the Irish Sea, Sarah Denton gave birth to her seventh child, Charles
Alma. After a six-week trip by water,
the family, consisting of 10 members, arrived in New York harbor on June 14,
1856, and embarked by railroad for Winter Quarters, later leaving for Iowa
City, where they arrived June 26.
Upon
arrival in Iowa City they found the handcarts were not ready, which caused
three weeks delay. Two hundred and fifty
handcarts had to be made, many of them from green, unseasoned lumber, and were
unable to stand the strenuous test that they were subjected to. Several carts had to be abandoned on the
plains.
The Thomas Moulton Family was
assigned to the James C. Willie Company, composed of 500 saints, including more
that the usual number of aged.
The first
200 miles of their journey was over beautiful grassy plains with flowers and
wild fruits and plenty of fish in the streams.
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| Handcart Pioneer statue on Temple Square in Salt Lake City. |
When they
reached Florence, Nebraska, it was necessary to repair many of the carts. Some couldn’t be repaired and had to be left
by the wayside. The travelers were
becoming tired and weary and unable to push or pull the heavily-loaded
carts. All unnecessary things were
discarded. The wagons and cattle were
taken by the Indians, and provisions were becoming so low that food had to be
rationed. Many became ill and deaths
increased daily. Along with these and
other difficulties, winter set in early and men, women and children were forced
to wade through freezing streams, and to sleep in the open with insufficient
bedding. Through deep snows, piercing
winds and freezing temperatures the company struggled on. Sixty-six of their number died.
Some
Mormon missionaries returning from England overtook and passed the company and
reported its plight to the Church presidency in Salt Lake City. Immediately rescue parties were sent out
carrying wagon loads of provisions, clothing and bedding.
The
Moulton family arrived in Salt Lake City on November 09, 1856, without losing
one member of their family. However,
their third son, Heber, had had several fingers on his left hand frozen so
badly that they had to be amputated on reaching Salt Lake.
On
December 05, 1856, their oldest daughter, Sarah, was married to John Bennett
Hawkins, an established blacksmith, who had been a member of the rescue party,
sent out by President Young. They made
their home in Salt Lake City, where they became a prosperous and influential
family.
Three weeks later the Thomas Moulton
family moved to Provo, where he worked as a farm laborer. Here their eighth child was born, Thomas
Denton, on October 29, 1858. He died 10
months later. Here also their daughter,
Mary Ann, was married to Fredrick Giles.
She was the mother of Fredrick W., John T. and Sarah Giles Mahoney. Mary Ann and Fredrick moved to Heber, where
she died at the age of 28.
In 1860 the Moulton family moved
from Provo to Heber. As the settlers
were having trouble with the Indians, they took refuge in the log fort built in
1859 and 1860.
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| Old Fort Heber |
After
moving from the fort, Thomas Moulton built the rock house on Second North and
Second West.
He and his wife were both systematic and methodical in their work and planning. They did their share in helping to pioneer Heber Valley.
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| The Historic Thoms Moulton Home still stands in Heber City, UT |
He and his wife were both systematic and methodical in their work and planning. They did their share in helping to pioneer Heber Valley.
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| Thomas Moulton 1810-1892 |
Thomas Moulton was a
Blackhawk War veteran in the infantry company of John Gallager. Thomas died April
17, 1892. Sarah
Denton Moulton died July 07, 1888. Both are buried in Heber City Cemetery.
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| Headstone of Sarah Denton and Thomas Moulton in the Heber City Cemetery |
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