Joseph Dansie

Joseph Dansie is the son of Robert Dansie Sr. and Charlotte Rudland, both of England. The Dansie family immigrated to America and joined the Ansil P Harmon Company in Florence, Nebraska. They and other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were westward bound to the Great Salt Lake Valley. When the company left Nebraska on August 1, 1862, Charlotte was expecting her seventh child.

The company had just approached Sweetwater County, Wyoming when Charlotte went into premature labor. Charlotte and their infant son, named Joseph, passed away that night. Later, the family returned to the grave at Pacific Springs and erected a monument remembering Charlotte and Joseph.

An excerpt from the family history reads: “On the night of September 21, Charlotte Dansie went into premature labor. A son was born, but died soon thereafter, as did Charlotte. Her grandchildren could tell the story they had often heard: "Before grandmother died, she was in such pain that she told him she could stand her suffering no longer and asked Robert to pray to God that she might be released and return to her maker. Grandfather did pray and it was only a matter of minutes until both she and the baby died." Robert placed a string of blue beads around Charlotte's neck and covered the body of his wife and child with a trunk lid hinged with brass images of the British lion.”

The journal of John D. T. McAllister records: "At 7 ½ o'clock, a few of us went ahead to dig a grave for the body of Sister Charlotte Dansie, wife of Robert, age 32, who died this morning of a ‘Miscarriage' and general debility. One mile brought us to the Summit or pass. Three more we made the Pacific Springs, one mile farther we crossed the Pacific Creek and dug the grave on the right of the road.”