Herbert's Story
Birth: January 10th, 1851 | male | in Woolwich, Kent, England
Death: November 22nd, 1856 | 5 years old | crossing the plains near Sweet Water River, Wyoming
Memorial: Stone 6 | left column
Herbert Lorenzo Griffith is the son of John Griffiths from England and Margaret Griffiths from Wales. After immigrating to America, the family joined the Edward Martin Handcart Company of 1856 to journey 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. In addition, the handcart company departed late in the season and suffered severe cold and snowy weather while in Wyoming. Many in the company were not accustomed or prepared for the conditions and died. Herbert, 5-years-old, perished on November 22, near Sweetwater River and Independence Rock. He was buried along the Mormon Trail with others who died that day.