Martha's Story
Birth: September ??, 1850 | female | in Harris Grove, Harrison, Iowa
Death: July 25th, 1852 | 1 year old | near Horseshoe Creek Crossing of the Platte River, Nebraska
Memorial: Stone 2
Martha Ann Elizabeth Adams is the only child of William Britton Adams of Massachusetts and Martha Ann Utley of Alabama. William and Martha met and were married in Iowa in 1849.
With a desire to trek west to the Great Salt Lake Valley with other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint, William and Martha joined the Allen Weeks Company. Exhaustive travel conditions, disease, injury, lack of food and medicine, prematurity, and extreme weather were some of the greatest threats to pioneers. Cholera (a bacterial disease caused from contaminated water) invaded the camp. Little Martha and her mother were among the victims of that disease. Two-year-old Martha passed away on July 25 and her mother died the following day. They are buried along the Mormon Trail near the crossing on the Platte River, Nebraska.
A company journal recorded: "25 Sunday. 9 A.M. the bell ring and the camp came togather had a good meeting & the spirit of the Lord rested upon the people, while E[van]. M[elbourne]. Green and J. C. Little spake on order & the direction of the camp.] The camp voted to remain till Tomorrow morning as Capt. Adams child was very sick & his wife was also attended. About 4 P.M. Capt. Adams’ child died."