Ruth's Story
Birth: May 15th, 1849 | female | in Jefferson City, Cole, Missouri
Death: September 1st, 1849 | Infant | East of the Platte River on the Mormon Trail
Memorial: Stone 1 | right column
Ruth Farnham was the fifth of seven children born to Augustus Alwin Farnham of Massachusetts and Mary Jane Pottle of New Hampshire. Ruth’s parents were married in 1840.
The family joined the Silas Richards Company with other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to trek 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. Travel was especially difficult for children. Ruth, 3-months-old, passed away and is buried just east of the Platte River on the Mormon Trail.