Amelia Mary Ann Gunn

Amelia’s parents were Thomas Gunn and Ann Houghton from England.

The family came from England in 1855 to America and stayed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where they landed. They remained there to earn money to come west. It was there that their daughter Amelia Mary Ann was born. She was the 2nd child out of 9 that were in their family. The Gunn's left Philadelphia in 1860 and were able to connect with the John Smith Company to come to the Salt Lake Valley. The company left Nebraska June 22, 1860.

In the company, whooping cough broke out in the camp, Amelia came down with the disease and struggled with it for weeks. She passed away on August 10 from whooping cough.

In the history of Ann, it says, in part:

“On August 10, 1860, great sorrow came into the family when their lovely, little daughter, Amelia Mary Ann, 2 years and 7 months old, died of whooping cough after an illness of three weeks. All that was possible had been done for her, she could have overcome the disease but her condition was weakened through other complications that had set in. The night before her death it was pitiful to see her so uneasy, restless and feverish. She kept calling for a drink of water, loving hands ministered to her wants until the end came peacefully.

“The mother happened to have some good linen on hand, from which burial clothes were made. They were also fortunate in having some new lumber which was to have been made into feed boxes for the animals, so from this a coffin was made.”

“President Karl G. Maeser, preached the funeral sermon. It was so hard to drive on, leaving the little grave, never to see it again, but with courage and determination they proceeded on their way toward the Salt Lake Valley.”

Little 2 year old Amelia is buried alongside the Mormon Trail between Deer Creek and the ferry crossing at Green River, Wyoming.