Oliver's Story
Birth: January 5th, 1834 | male | in Jamestown, Chautauqua, New York
Death: August 14th, 1848 | 14 years old | in Independence Rock, Natrona, Wyoming
Memorial: Stone 1 | right column
Oliver Barr Jacob is the third of eleven children born to Norton Jacob of Massachusetts and Emily Heaton of Vermont. North and Emily were married in 1830 in New York.
The Jacob family joined the Heber C. Kimball Company, with other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to travel west to the Salt Lake Valley. They departed on their journey on June 7, 1848.
Exhaustive travel conditions, disease, injury, lack of food and medicine, premature birth, and extreme weather were some of the greatest threats to pioneers. Cholera and other diseases were threatening the health of many of the pioneers. Oliver, 13-years-old grew weaker and then died on August 14, 1848.
In the diary of Daniel Davis: “The fourteenth Oliver Barr [Jacob] the [son] of Norton & Emily [Heaton] Jacobs died[.] he has been sick a long time of a reumatic complaint[.] Buried at twelve oclock[.] Aged thirteen years Seven Months & fourteen Days."
From the history of Oliver's mother: “Oliver became ill. Emily nursed him as best she could. Norton returned from helping others after five days. He continued ill and 3 weeks later Norton repaired a wagon for Dr. Sprague, receiving in pay some medicine. Finally on Aug 14 Oliver passed away, ‘having suffered three months with black scurvy, black canker and liver complaint bearing it with patience and resignation.’ Here the sorrowing family buried him and continued their trek.”