Franklin Burns

Franklin Burns is the son of Enoch Burns of Canada and Elizabeth Jane Pierce of Virginia. His parents met and were married in 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois.

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and with the desire to cross the plains to the Great Salt Lake Valley, the family joined the Wilford Woodruff Company. Exhaustive travel conditions, disease, injury, lack of food and medicine, prematurity, and extreme weather were some of the greatest threats to pioneers. While on the journey, cholera (a bacterial disease caused from contaminated water) invaded the camp. Five-year-old Franklin was among the victims of the deadly illness. He is buried near Fort Kearny at Grand Island in Nebraska.

From the journal of Henrietta E.C. Williams and Enoch Burns: “June 15th, 1850 in company with the saints started for Utah under Pres. Wilford Woodruff of 50 Esau Whipple capt 2d 50 arriving there October 3rd of the same year. Nothing of note occurred while crossing the plains except cholera with which a great many were victim to, sad we are having to bury a child near fort Carney (Fort Kearny) at Grand Island.”

From the journal of Sophia L. Goodridge Hardy: “July 16. A child or Mrs. Burns died of cholera this morning. The weather is clear and cool, it is very muddy. We were delayed this morning. Traveled about 8 miles, camped on prairie. Used buffalo chips for fuel.”