Eliza Smith

Eliza Smith was the sixth of nine children born to Thomas Price Smith and Mary Dugard, both from England. The family immigrated to America, and after their arrival they joined the Abraham O. Smoot Company. It was their desire to trek west to the Great Salt Lake Valley with other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Exhaustive travel conditions, disease, injury, lack of food and medicine, prematurity, and extreme weather were some of the greatest threats to pioneers. The company had been on the Mormon Trail for three weeks when severe illness invaded the camp. Cholera (a bacterial disease caused from contaminated water) was among the illnesses which plagued the pioneers. It is believed that Eliza fell victim to cholera and passed away. She is buried on the Mormon Trail somewhere in Nebraska.