George Cannon Edlefsen

George Cannon Edlefsen is the second of eight children born to Niels Christian Edlefsen and Emma Hansdatter, both of Denmark. The family immigrated to America by ship and upon arrival they traveled to Nebraska and joined the John Smith Company to trek to the Great Salt Lake Valley. They and other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latte-day Saints departed Nebraska on July 25, 1864.

Exhaustive travel conditions, disease, injury, lack of food and medicine, prematurity, and extreme weather were some of the greatest threats to pioneers. They were still in Nebraska, near Scotts Bluff, when 2-yearpold George passed away of undocumented causes. He is buried just west of Scotts Bluff, in Nebraska on the Mormon Trail.

From the John R. Johnson diary: “Monday Aug. 22nd. We started out at 8:30 a.m. and travelled 13 miles till 2:15w p.m. when we made camp by the river and found good grass and water. We remained here over night. A child [George Cannon Edelfsen], belonging to [blank space] Edlefsen [Edelfsen] died. We had meeting in the evening.”