Handcart Companies
Posted by: 
Mooroid
N 40° 42.513 W 111° 48.117
12T E 432258 N 4506713
Located on SUP balcony
Waymark Code: WMB1JR
Location: Utah, United States
Date Posted: 03/23/2011
Views: 7
On the ninth day of June 1856, the first Mormon handcart company left Iowa City led by Captain Edmund Elsworth. There were 52 handcarts with 275 people. On the eleventh day of June, the next company led by Captain Daniel D. McArthur, had 48 hand carts, with 222 people and 4 covered wagons. These companies suffered many hardships, bad roads with hills and mountains to cross, adverse weather conditions and the other problems that were encountered by the pioneers as they crossed the plains coming west. There were frequent break-downs of the handcarts as they had been made with green wood. Both the handcarts and wagons were over-loaded. Many repairs were constantly needed before they could go on. Some of the children and elderly people died and were buried on the way. Food was scarce at times, so buffalo meat became a source of survival. Both parties of the Saints arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on the 26th of September, 1856 and were met by Governor Brigham Young and his counselmen, the Nauvoo Band and others.
Marker Name: Handcart Companies
Marker Type: City
County: Salt Lake
City: Salt Lake City
Group Responsible for Placement: Sons of Utah Pioneers
Date Dedicated: June 1987
Marker Number: Site No. 4-G
Web link(s) for additional information:
http://history.utah.gov/apps/markers/detailed_results.php?markerid=2459
Addtional Information: Not listed
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