William Howell

William Howell is the son of William Howell and Martha Williams of Wales. The family immigrated to America and lived in Council Bluffs, Iowa in 1851. William (the father) grew ill and passed away. He is buried in Council Bluffs. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Martha and her children prepared to journey to the great Salt Lake Valley, and joined the William Morgan Company.

Disease, injury, lack of food and medicine, prematurity, and weather were some of the greatest threats to pioneers. William fell victim to severe injury while sleeping under a wagon on a hot day. The wagon moved forward rolling over his chest. He died a day later and was buried along the trail somewhere in Iowa.

A life story of his mother, Martha: “9 year old William had fallen asleep beneath a wagon during a rest stop on a hot day. He did not hear the call for wagons to roll and was crushed by a wagon wheel while asleep. Martha had the sad task of burying her son along the trail, knowing she would not be by again.”

From the company report: “Also William, son of Sister Martha Howell from Aberdare, fell under his mother's wagon wheel which went over his chest. We administered to him through the ordinances of the Church of Jesus Christ, according to the scriptures, and the next night he was strolling around the camp. He fell sick again in a day or two, Bro. Taylor and myself administered to him again, but he died in spite of everything and everyone.”