69. Richard Henwood, handcart pioneer, and wife Ann Kirk, revised.

Last night, with a few minutes before bed, I decided to post the story of Richard and Ann Kirk Henwood.  I couldn't get it to copy and paste, so I did a "print screen", and I decided it was to small to read good, so I'm rewriting it today, condensed, and with information about handcart traveling, which Richard did.  I hope this gives their sweet story more exposure: ----

JOHN HENWOOD, AND RICHARD AND ANN KIRK HENWOOD
written by Gladys Tregenna Dayton Eckman

My Grandfather, Richard Henwood, born 5th December 1837, at Plymouth, Devonshire England, was the son of John Henwood and Jane Tregenna Henwood.  (Note, Glady's middle name is Tregenna, and that name is the maiden name of Richard Henwood's mother.)

Richard came to Utah with the Captain Edward Ellsworth Company in
1856, the very first handcart company, pulling the handcart of a widow with five children who were bound for Utah. His father, John, step-mother Elizabeth, and sister Elizabeth, were also in that company. Their other three children, John, Charles, and Emma, had died young, in England, as well as John’s first wife, Jane Tregenna, and Elizabeth was his second wife. We don’t know much about his father John Henwood, but he arrived in Utah in 1856, and lived until 1874, and died in Kaysville. (Richard’s story is on page 134 in Wayne's ancestor book.)

The following is from the Mormon Overland Trail, on the internet in a
narrative of that first hand cart company.

While a missionary in England, Edmund Ellsworth a son-in-law of Brigham Young had a recurring dream about leading a handcart company to Utah. Although this method of emigrant transportation had never before been used, he began advocating it as an inexpensive method whereby the faithful poor could gather to Zion. Simultaneously, Church leaders in Salt Lake were officially adopting this scheme to help Perpetual Emigration Fund passengers. When his call to lead the first handcart company actually came, Ellsworth readily accepted the assignment. On March 21, he left England aboard the ship Enoch Train with 534 Saints, the largest clipper ship in the world,arriving in Boston on May 1. From there the emigrants traveled by rail to Iowa City, where they camped for over a month awaiting completion of their carts   (See a picture of a clipper ship in the previous blog.)

Finally, on June 9, the great handcart experiment began. With buoyant spirits and an enthusiastic send off, they set out across Iowa. There were about 280 people, including a man age 71 and the youthful Birmingham Brass Band. Each traveler was allowed only 17 pounds of luggage (clothing, bedding andutensils). If they had additional baggage, they had to pay for it to be transported later by ox-trains. Those who could not afford the freight costs sold what they could and simply abandoned the rest. The wagon assigned to the handcart company hauled supplies. There was a tent for each 20 people. The first day the emigrants traveled only four miles. Then, they had to remain idle for a day while the men searched for strayed oxen. Animals recovered, the company again set out, only to have two of the poorly constructed handcarts break down (repairing carts became a frequent necessity). On June 12 a young boy died soon to be followed by the deaths of other children and adults.

          The company passed through Newton, Iowa, and near Fort Des Moines on June 23.

Finally ready, they left Florence on July 20 with 55 handcarts, each laden with up to 500 pounds of supplies and luggage. There were also three wagons, three mules, one horse, and six yoke of oxen. They ferried across the Elkhorn River and followed the Loup Fork River for two days before crossing it via a rickety ferry-boat (after that, most streams had to be forded). Prairie thunderstorms were terrifying; on July 26 lightning killed one man, knocked down two other adults, and burned a boy. The road was sometimes muddy, often sandy and hilly. The men carried the carts across Prairie Creek (even the wagons had difficulty crossing); later they crossed Wood River on a good bridge. ----------

On September 18 they forded Green River. An eastbound missionary company saw them there as they were descending the ridge to the river. It was an impressive sight and they got out of their wagons and formed a line for the oncoming handcarts to pass through, cheering them with a hosanna shout. Three days later Ellsworth's company camped at Fort Bridger. Even through the mountains, where they were beset by cold and thunderstorms, they averaged over 20 miles per day. Proving their fitness, they climbed up and over Big Mountain in less than three hours. They camped at the foot of Little Mountain and the next day, September 26, entered the Salt Lake Valley.There, a welcoming committee headed by Brigham Young met them and treated them to a melon party.

          While Ellsworth's group feasted on melons, Mc Arthur's handcart company pulled up and the two handcart groups joined the First Presidency, the Nauvoo Brass Band, H. B. Clawson's company of lancers, and many local citizens in a grand parade into the city. Hundreds of citizens joined them and spectators cheered.  (Wouldn't that have been exciting to witness?)

Success seemed assured when the first two companies, totaling 486 immigrants pulling 96 handcarts, arrived safely in Salt Lake City on September 26, 1856. They accomplished the trek in under sixteen weeks. The third company, and presumably the last of the season, made up of 320 persons pulling 64 handcarts, arrived on October 2. But at that point the two remaining companies, totaling 980 people and 233 handcarts, were still on the way, having started dangerously late.

One of these companies, under James G. Willie, left Iowa City on July 15, crossed Iowa to Florence(Omaha), Nebraska, then, after a week in Florence, headed out onto the plains. The last company, under Edward Martin, departed Florence on August 25. Three independent wagon companies, carrying 390 more immigrants, also started late.

  Thousands of immigrants from England and Wales who joined the Church and the trek west took on a new form of transportation to Salt Lake City. They couldn't afford wagons after leaving their homeland, so they pulled handcarts. The human-powered handcarts, which were envisioned by Brigham Young, proved to be one of the most brilliant—and tragic—experiments in all western migration. Iowa City was the end for the west-bound railroad in 1856. It was here that the convert emigrants were outfitted with handcarts to begin their trek. With nearly empty carts they made good time across Iowa toCouncil Bluffs. Here they acquired the remaining provisions for their long march. 

The Handcart

This was a human-powered wagon, really a wooden wheelbarrow of sorts. Although modifications in design were adapted as experience tutored, the standard handcart "box" measured three-feet by four-feet, with eight-inch walls, centered over a single axle with wagon-style wheels. From the front box of the handcart extended a cross bar against which the person pulling could lean into the load and pull. Some handcarts were covered with a bow-frame canvas assembly. Fully loaded, a handcart could hold around 500 pounds of provisions and possessions, within which adults were allowed 17 pounds of clothing and bedding, children 10 pounds. Frequently even this amount became onerous, and belongings were abandoned all along the trail.

Richard Henwood went back across the plains in 1863 and assisted in bringing emigrants under “Peter Nebeker Company” and again in 1866 as team master of Captain “Joseph Rawling Company”. On this trip among the emigrants he brought his wife Ann’s parents, Phillip and Mary Ann Taylor Kirk with him.  They had sent their three children, James, Ann, and Joseph ahead of them four years earlier.  (Read their story in blog # 61: Phillip Kirk, burned in effigy"

Richard married Ann Kirk, daughter of Phillip and Mary Ann Taylor Kirk, the 3rd of January, 1864, at the Little Cottonwood, Salt Lake City, Utah.  Ann had married Richard at age 17, after she got to Utah, and had been married 2 years when her parents came from England.  On the 21st of April 1866 they were endowed in the Salt Lake Endowment House. They were the parents of twelve children: 1: John, Richard, 2: Phillip James, 3: Mary Jane, 4: Joseph Henry, 5: Ann Elizabeth, (Gladys’ mother), 6: William Edwin, 7: Charlotte Matilda, 8: Lucy, 9: Sarah Luella, 10: Mary Anne, 11: Willard Samuel, 12: Mabel Beatrice.

They came to Tooele to make their home in 1868, and lived in a two room log cabin where their children were born, located at First West. Later they built a two story brick home, now belonging to Richard Henwood, grandson, who
has remodeled the old home. He was a farmer and fruit grower, raising all kinds of the choicest fruit and garden vegetables to help make a livelihood for his family. He also worked for the Narrow Gauge Railroad.

The Pioneers grew beets, not sugar beets, from which they made molasses. Grandfather’s mill was at the top of First West street. He was considered an expert at making molasses. From the skimmings of the molasses, candy was made and this was the only candy the Pioneers had for a number of years.

He belonged to the first brass band (photo in last blog) organized in town by Alvin McCustion, playing the bass drum. The band entertained on holidays and dances and all town functions. He was also a choir member. He had a beautiful baritone voice. 

Grandfather had taken Grandmother to Relief Society, later picked her up and went out to plow his garden. He had plowed one furrow and on the second round, death came – April 18, 1916. He was found by Grandmother when she went to call him for supper. She found him where his powerless hands had
dropped from the ploy handles and with the reins over his shoulder, the horse just stood there and never moved. He always said that when his time came he would be working in the fields. Richard and Ann had made a promise to each other that the one who was called first would return for the other.   He died just 2 years later, after their golden wedding -- mentioned below.

Grandmother became bed ridden the last few weeks of her life. Her daughter Ann Henwood Dayton and her daughters (including Gladys) took turns staying with her at night. The night before she died she begged us to let her stay by herself as she said that Grandfather was coming for her and she wanted to be alone when he came. The next morning, Gladys’ sister, Thelma, then 16, went over to herand found that she had passed away. From the sweet smile on her face they knew that Grandfather had kept his promise and came for her.