John's Story
Birth: June 23rd, 1866 | male | At Sea
Death: August 1st, 1866 | Infant | in Nebraska
Memorial: Stone 14 | right column
John Arkwright Hodgson and his twin sister Annice Hubaldina Hodgson were born to Henry William Sutcliffe Hodgson and Mary Shaw, both from England, while sailing to American on the ship, “Arkwright.”
From a letter written by the captain of the ship to President Brigham Young, Junior: “Dear Brother, - As our sea voyage is now at an end, we write to inform you how we got along [ … ] We number 450 souls: men, women and children, and have been blessed with four births” 23 June 1866 “Sister Hodgson, wife of Henry Hodgson, from Halifax, of twins, on the 23rd of June, a daughter, Annice Hubaldina Hodgson, and a son, John Arkwright Hodgson.”
Once they arrived in America, they traveled to Nebraska where they, and other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, joined the Daniel Thompson Company to travel west. The company departed on July 24, 1866.
Disease, injury, lack of food and medicine, prematurity, and weather were some of the greatest threats to pioneers.
Four days after the journey began, John's sister, Annice, passed away and buried along the Mormon Trail. Three days later, John Arkwright died and is buried in Nebraska by the trail going west.