Sarah's Story
Birth: March 8th, 1861 | female | in Blackburn, Lancashire, England
Death: August 16th, 1861 | Infant | at the Platte River in Nebraska
Memorial: Stone 10 | left column | 2nd name
Sarah Jane Backhouse was born to James Backhouse and Jane Williams both of England.
After traveling from England to America, the family joined the Ira Eldredge Company and left Iowa on July 1, 1861 to go to the Salt Lake Valley. About halfway along the journey west, 5-month-ole Sarah Jane suffered from severe diarrhea. Their precious baby passed away and was buried by the Platte River in Nebraska where they rested for the night.
In her parents’ history it is written: “As the group of travelers reached the Platte River, great sadness came to the Backhouse family. Their baby girl, Sarah Jane, who had been just five weeks old when they left England, became sick and died. She was buried in a piece of hollowed out log, with only a piece of board from the wagon box as a cover for her crude casket.”
In the Ira Eldredge Company logs it documents the company’s location on August 16: “…Travelled 7 hours and crossed the Platte, we are now on the right side going up. Evening 1½ h. Camped on the Platte. Our Road today was rough as though we were in huge Stone Quarries.”