Jacob's Story
Birth: November 20th, 1852 | male | in Whinburgh, Norfolk, England
Death: July 29th, 1862 | 9 years old | in Florence, Douglas, Nebraska
Memorial: Stone 11 | right column
Jacob Jones is the oldest of four children born to Jeremiah Jones and Mary Wilson, both from England. In 1862, after immigrating to America, the Jones family joined the Joseph Horne Company to journey to the Salt Lake Valley. With other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Company left July 27, 1862.
Exhaustive travel conditions, disease, injury, lack of food and medicine, prematurity, and extreme weather were some of the greatest threats to pioneers. Illness swept through the camp. Falling victim to disease, were 9-year-old Jacob, his brother, and sister. Jacob is buried near the Platte River in Nebraska.
From the diary of William Shires: “July 29 Traveled 14 miles & camped near the Platte River[.] Buried a boy named [Jacob] Jones who had died in the wagon during the Day. I had the superintendence of the interment”