Peter Kirkman

Peter Kirkman is the youngest of six children born to Robert Lomax Kirkman and Mary Lawson, both from England. Mary was expecting her last child (Peter) when the family immigrated from England to America.

After arriving in America, the family planned to stay in Iowa for a time before crossing the plains to the Great Salt Lake Valley. However, friends encouraged the family to join them in traveling with the Edward Martin Handcart Company. Prior to beginning the trek, Mary gave birth.

Exhaustive travel conditions, disease, injury, lack of food and medicine, premature birth, and extreme weather were some of the greatest threats to pioneers. Cholera, a bacterial disease caused from contaminated water, infected many of the travelers. The farther west the company went, food was rationed and the weather became severe with snowstorms and freezing temperatures. Mary was weak, still recovering from giving birth and taking care of five other children. Robert also became weak, giving most of his food rations to his boys. As the days wore on, 4-month-old Peter suffered from malnutrition and on November 11, he passed away near Sweetwater River, Wyoming. His father died the same night. A fire was built to thaw the ground so that a grave could be dug. Wrapped in a blanket, Robert was buried with his son cradled in his arms.