Henry Charles Sylvester Kebbell

Henry Charles Sylvester Kebbell is the youngest of three children born to Henry Charles Sylvester Kebbell* and Emily Wingfield, both of England. In 1849 Henry and Emily and one child immigrated to America, sailing on the ship “Blake.”

In May 1852, Emily gave birth to a son, named after his father Henry Charles Sylvester.

After joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the family enlisted with the John Tidwell Company to journey with other Saints to the Great Salt Lake Valley leaving on June 4, 1852.

Exhaustive travel conditions, disease, injury, lack of food and medicine, premature birth, and extreme weather were some of the greatest threats to pioneers. Cholera, a bacterial disease caused from contaminated water, infected many of the travelers. Sometime on the journey, baby Henry passed away and is buried along the Mormon Trail. While the cause of Henry’s passing is undocumented, his father died on July 9 of cholera.

From the company records: “Henry Charles Sylvester Kebbell, Birth Date: 1 May 1852, Death Date: Unknown..., It is noted that on July 11, 1852, Henry Charles Sylvester Kebbell was blessed (along with a group of other children) by John Tidwell, James D. Ross, Charles Miller, and W. C. Dunbar. (See: MS 334: Council Point Emigrating Company journal, 1851 November-1852 September.)”