John's Story
Birth: February 5th, 1845 | male | in Woolwich, Kent, England
Death: October 20th, 1856 | 11 years old | 50 miles the other side of Devils Gate, West of the North Platte River
Memorial: Stone 6 | left column
John Griffiths 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.
John Jr., 11-years-old, died on October 20, 1856 of starvation and cold. He was buried along the Mormon Trail with others who perished through the night.