Willard Oliver Clark

Willard Oliver Clark is the fifth of seven children born to George Clark and Catherine Gascoigne, both of England. George and Catherine and four children boarded the ship “Cynosure” and sailed to America. While on the ship, Willard suffered from the measles.

After arriving in America, the family traveled to Nebraska and joined the Horton D. Haight Company to journey to the Salt Lake Valley with other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The company left Nebraska on August 8.

Exhaustive travel conditions, disease, injury, lack of food and medicine, prematurity, and extreme weather were some of the greatest threats to pioneers. Williard’s health had been weakened from the measles and during the night on August 22, 1-year-old Williard passed away. He is buried in Nebraska along the Mormon Trail.

From Catherine's history: “George and son, Frederic, slept under their wagon and Catherine and the other children slept in the wagon. During the night of August 22, Catherine awoke, aware that little Willard was dying, likely from complications from the affects of the measles. She called George for help. He rushed to another wagon to ask for a candle so they could have light but by the time he returned Willard was dead. The next morning a grave was dug. Willard was wrapped in a sheet and buried in an unmarked grave.”

From the journal of Mary Ellen Clark Oakey: “To add to our sorrow on the way, we were called to part with one of my brothers [Willard Oliver Clark] by death. We gave him the best burial we could with what we had at our disposal, but the sadness of leaving him in his lonely grave by the wayside can only be imagined.”