John C. Jolley

John C Jolley is the last of six children born to John Jolley, Jr., and Susannah Carter, both from England. After the family immigrated to America, sailing on the ship “William Tapscat.” After arriving in America, the family traveled to Nebraska. There, Susannah gave birth to their son, John C. The next day, the family departed with the Horton D. Haight Company for the Salt Lake Valley to join 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. On September 6, 1862, the company was near Chimney Rock in Nebraska on September 6th, Susannah became ill and passed away. A month later, on October 13, 1862, 2-month-old John C. passed away and buried near Needle Springs, Wyoming.

Joseph Yates, a wagon master, recorded: “There was no milk in the camp so they fed the baby thin flour gruel with a piece of muslin for a nipple. The baby lived until 13 October 1862 and was buried at Needle Springs. The older girls looked after the affairs of the family, cooked, washed, etc.”