Daniel Chapman Gadd

Daniel Chapman Gadd is the eighth (he has a twin brother) of nine children born to Samuel Gadd and Eliza Chapman, both of Cambridgeshire, England. They were blessed to have 9 children in their family.

The family joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latte-day Saints and with a desire to be with other Saints, they immigrated to America by sailing on the ship, “Thornton.” After arriving in New York, they traveled west to join the Willie Handcart Company to cross the plains to the Great Salt Lake Valley.

Exhaustive travel conditions, disease, injury, lack of food and medicine, prematurity, and extreme weather were some of the greatest threats to pioneers. To further complicate the trip, the handcart company left later in the year and met with severe snowstorms, cold weather and starvation. Daniel, 2-years-old, became ill and passed away. His older brother, Samuel, buried Daniel along the trail near Cassa, Plate, Wyoming, even though he was also sick.

Samuel’s father died five days later. His mother and his 10 brothers and sisters survived to reach the Valley.