TIME: October 1856
SETTING: Bitter Creek, Wyoming - - not far from Rawlins, Wyoming
The Willie and Martin Companies left Nebraska Territory in
late August for the trek to Utah. Their Desire to go to Zion
was very strong, so in spite of the lateness of the season and
the long distance, they set out quite ill-prepared. Many of
their handcarts were make from wood which was not seasoned,
later causing many of them to break up or need many repairs.
The two companies were separated by about 40 miles when the
severe winter storms came early on the high plains. Day after
weary day they trudged on. Food became very scarce. The cold
wind ate up their energy reserves as they tried to keep warm.
Almost every day deaths occurred in their camps or on the
march. Little children would trudge all day, only to die
around the fires at night. Parents were almost helpless to
alleviate the suffering of their children. Burial squads
were a daily thing, and several men, after digging shallow
graves, were so exhausted and sick that they would die and be
buried in the graves they had dug.
Unlike the Donner Party, who resorted to cannibalism, the
saints had far too much respect for one another to resort to
that, first to stay alive, and so many died of starvation
rather than the obvious alternative. Also they would wrap them
in blankets as a token of love and respect, although they
desperately needed the blankets, and bury them this way, so
the dead could have some sort of covering or casket.
In the painting I did, I have pictured my relatives who were
in the Martin Company. The woman holding the infant in my
great great grandmother, Elizabeth Steele, from Scotland.
The baby is James E. Steele, about one year old at that time.
Her husband being buried is James Steele. They were converts
and had just lately arrived in America in great expectation of
a grand future in Zion. James had literally starved to death
giving all his food to his children and wife. He died on the
windswept plains, hundreds of miles from Zion, but it was in
his heart and as the Savior said,
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
Elizabeth went on, later remarried, and settled on Lehi or
American Fork, Utah. Later when James E. was a young man with
a family, he was sent to southeastern Idaho to settle there.
They settled in a place they named Iona, on the outskirts of
present-day Idaho Falls. This settling of southern Idaho by
the saints was not without its trials as well. James E. became
quite discouraged at one point, the land so dry, the
grasshoppers to thick, that he yearned for his Utah home.
As he lay by the tongue of his wagon to take a little nap,
he beheld a dream of vision. In this dream he saw the Snake
River valley all green with farms, trees, and lovely gardens.
He saw a temple and a large hospital side by side along the
banks of the river. He awoke and needed no more encouragement,
but responded wholeheartedly to the inspiration he had just
received, and started to the job of homesteading that place,
never looking back of slacking his forward pace. He became a
stalwart of the Church and community, served as a stake
president for many years as well as civic duties, and was a
powerful force for good there until he died. His memory lives
on in many hearts, and there are still some may trees there
that he planted, which always reminds us of our heritage when
we see them.
The rescue parties sent by Brigham Young got bogged down in
the storms too, and they stopped to wait it out. However, one
man by the name of Ephraim K. Hanks said he would push on alone
for he feared if they waited longer all would by lost. He rode
on in the blizzard with a pack mule behind him. He
providentially found a snow-bound buffalo and killed it, loaded
the mule with the meat, and pushed on.
He found the Willie party first and saved them by hauling
wood to the camp with his horse, the saints being too weak to
bring it themselves. He amputated some of their frozen feet
and hands, and cooked some of the meat for food.
He then pushed on, found the Martin Company in the same
pitiful condition, and did the same for them. He then returned
to the wagons and led them to the rescue. Had it not been for
him and three 18-year-old boys (C. Allen Huntington, George W.
Grant and David P. Kimball) on the banks of the Sweetwater
River, probably none of these saints would have survived this
ordeal. These 18-year-old boys carried every man, woman, and
child across the ice-choked river. They all three died later
on life from the effects of this terrible ordeal.
President Young wept as a child when he heard of these three
boys and their sacrifice, and stated they had assured to them
exaltation because of their sacrifice. President Hinckley gave
an excellent account of this in a Priesthood conference session
a few years back.
My mother told me the story several times in my youth, and
I always remembered it as something very special.
When I was living in Orem, Utah after graduating for BYU, I
was getting my art business on its feet as a freelance painter.
I received a letter from the Church explaining about the
Sesquicentennial coming up. They listed nine of ten subjects
that they wanted painted, and asked me to send the small color
mock-ups of any subjects I was interested in doing. They said
the winners would be commissioned to paint the big ones. I
chose "Orson Hyde Dictating Palestine for the Jews' Return."
Later I received a letter informing me that my work had been
considered but not chosen.
I received another letter soon after telling me not to be
discouraged, that the Church still wanted more paintings
depicting historical events in the Church, and to send my
paintings to the Mormon Festival of Arts for possible purchase.
It was then that the idea to paint the Martin Handcart Company
came to me and I set about with great fervor to bring it to
life. I felt inspired to do it, and read two books on the
subject and many excerpts of original diaries of these people.
I wept as I read. My heart was deeply affected. I spent one
day out in the snowy desert in the wind and cold searching for
the right setting and feeling. I felt a lot of help as I
worked on this painting. I felt it was a story that needed to
be told.
BIOGRAPHICAL DATA: I was born on February 12, 1945 and come
from a family of eleven children. Born and raised in
southeastern Idaho, mostly in Idaho Falls. Served a mission
2 ½ years to the Tongan Mission (1964-66) spending most of my
mission in the Fiji Islands and Nuie. Am married, having five
children, and reside in Thayne, Wyoming in Star Valley.
Full-time artist, father and husband, ward mission leader,
busy and active like I had good sense.
(1986)
