Mary's Story
Birth: June 27th, 1856 | female | on the Atlantic Ocean on Ship Horizon
Death: October ??, 1856 | Infant | in Wyoming
Memorial: Stone 7 | right column
Mary Jane Twelves is the sixth of seven children of Charles Twelves and Ann Elizabeth Henrietta Gunn, both from England. Charles and Ann were married in 1841 in England. In 1856 the family immigrated to America on the ship “Horizon.” While on the ship, Ann gave birth to Mary Jane.
After the family arrived in America, they joined the Edward Martin Handcart Company of 1856 to travel with other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the Great Salt Lake Valley.
Exhaustive travel conditions, disease, injury, lack of food and medicine, prematurity, and extreme weather were some of the greatest threats to pioneers. The handcart company departed late in the season and in October the Saints were met with snowstorms, bitter cold temperatures and starvation. Mary Jane was among those who fell victim of the harsh elements. She is buried along the trail somewhere in Wyoming.