Samuel Ellingford Jr.

Samuel Ellingford Jr. is one of two children born to Samuel Ellingford and Elizabeth Smith. Samuel’s mother, Elizabeth, passed away from typhus fever on October 15, 1855.

The Ellingford’s were converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and had a desire to immigrate to America and join other Saints in the Salt Lake Valley. Money was scarce, so Samuel’s father sent him to make the trip with relatives. At 10-years-old, Samuel left his father and sailed on the ship “Amazon” for America. It was the plan that his father would make the trip later.

After arriving in America, Samuel and his relatives traveled to Florence, Nebraska and joined an unknown company to journey to Salt Lake. The company began the journey August 8, 9, 10, 1863. Exhaustive travel conditions, disease, injury, lack of food and medicine, prematurity, and extreme weather were some of the greatest threats to pioneers. As the pioneers approached the Platte River in Nebraska, Samuel passed away of undocumented causes. He is buried along the Mormon Trail by the Platte River.

Samue’s father was heartbroken. He never knew just where his little boy was buried. He made a vow that no more of his children could come to Utah unless the whole family came together.