Joseph's Story
Birth: June 29th, 1859 | male | on the Bank of North Platte River in Nebraska
Death: August 2nd, 1859 | Infant | East of Chimney Rock, Wyoming
Memorial: Stone 9 | center column | 3rd name
Joseph’s parents are John Hopla and Catharine Edwards, they were both from Wales.
They traveled from Wales to America with their children. When they arrived, they joined the Edward Stevenson Company with other Saints from Wales and England to travel to the Salt Lake Valley. They left June 26, 1859.
When the company had traveled just three days, Catherine delivered her seventh child, a son whom they named Joseph Edwards on the 29th of June at 5:00 o’clock in the morning on the bank of the Platt River.
When the company was near the North Platte River in Nebraska, Catherine passed away.
Thomas Wasden stated in his journal of the journey:
“29th. Pleasant day with the death of Sister Hoppley, wife of Brother Hoppley, died of the cold, been exposed to hardships which she could not endure and wasburied at Castle Creek.
Then a week later when they were East of Chimney Rock, Wyoming, little six week old Joseph passed away from diarrhea. The hardship was too much for someone this young, plus with the death of his mother he had not enough nourishment to live.
Infant Joseph Edwards is buried along the Mormon Trail in Wyoming.
Thomas Wasden, in his journal said of Joseph:
“2nd. Fixed up the wagons till dinner time. Pleasant day and in sight of Chimney Rock twenty miles ahead. Traveled 10 miles with a little rain in the evening with the death of Brother Hopla's child, five months old, died of diarreah.”