Ann Walton was born October 6, 1816 in Whitbourne, Herefordshire, England1. She was the daughter of Jane Colley and Thomas Walton Price. Ann was the oldest of nine children. She and her brother Joseph were the only siblings who learned to read2 while still in their childhood. Little is known of Ann's early childhood. Children usually did not attend school until age 8. School was usually a half-day as children were needed at home to work or care for other children.
Times were hard in England as Ann began raising her family. England had been in a series of wars and still had many men abroad. Taxes were high to pay for the wars. With so many men gone to war common household goods such as candles and soap were scarce. The countryside had seen a famine and cholera epidemics swept through the country every few years. England was also going through a religious reformation as the government was slowly taking power from the church. There were bitter feelings between government and different religious groups resulting in riots and the desecration of over a dozen churches.
Ann's family had not been active in any church until they met the Mormon missionaries. Ann was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on October 8, 18423 when she was 23 years old. Her parents had joined the church one-year earlier. Ann married John William Townsend on September 8, 1844 in Duddeston.4 They made their new home in Birmingham. Their address was listed as Old Inkleys, Birmingham, England. This address was also referred to as Court 8 just off Edgbaston Street. It was near St. Martin's Church. The living quarters were very small and crowded.
John was a wood turner. He made furniture and all kinds of wooden toys. Because of the hard times Ann's help was needed in the business.
Ann's first child Alma, was born August 25, 1845.5 Her second child Emma was born February 4, 1848 and within a couple of months after Emma's birth, Alma died. It is not known why Alma died but a cholera epidemic killed 31,000 people in England that year. Ann's parents and her 3 youngest siblings, George, John, and Jane left Whitbourne for America on Christmas Day in 1852, sailing in January 1853. Another brother, Joseph, and his wife had left for America one year earlier.
On March 10, 1860 Ann, John and their children Brigham 10 months, Elizabeth age 3, Rebecca age 5, Moroni age 7 and Emma age 12 left Liverpool and sailed for America. They boarded a ship named the Underwriter. The ship received its name in appreciation for the generosity of the marine insurance companies settling claims on previously wrecked ships. A small steam tug pulled the ship down the Mersey River to the ocean.
There were 594 saints on the ship. Elder James D. Ross and two counselors presided over the saints. The saints were divided into wards of around 75 people per ward. Each day began with daily prayer, gospel study, and scripture reading. The women were cautioned to stay away from the sailors. Food consisted of rice, oatmeal, dry biscuits, flour, dried peas some salty meat. Water was rationed and became very bitter by the end of the voyage. There were four deaths and four weddings while crossing the ocean. Thirty-two days later on May 1, 1860 the ship arrived at Castle Gardens, New York.
The church arranged passage for the saints under the Perpetual Emigration Fund. Ships were chartered to provide the lowest fairs. Paper work was ready for them as they entered Castle Gardens, which was the emigration office at this time. The church officials had arranged passage on steam powered paddle ships to move the saints closer to Florence. To continue to save money, handcart companies had been organized. The trip from New York to Florence cost $8.00 to $9.00 and the entire trip was reported to cost $45.00 per person in a handcart compared to $100 or more in a wagon train.
After arriving in New York, the group rested one day and boarded a large steam side-wheel paddleboat for Albany, then rode the Hannibal and St. Joseph railroad to the Missouri River.6 The group traveled up river to St. Joseph and on to Winter Quarters, which was later, called Florence. Riverboat fares for the riverboat cost fifty cents per adult and one half price for children under twelve. The Latter Day Saints from the Underwriter were on the river for 5 days. The passengers then traveled on to Florence arriving there May 12, 1860.
This group would be the Ninth Handcart Company. Daniel Robinson was chosen to be the leader. More than three weeks passed before all was ready to continue westward. On June 5th baggage was weighed out, allowing each adult 20 pounds, which included clothing, food, bedding and cooking utensils.
Children were allowed 15 pounds of food and personal belongings. Brigham Young had advised the saints to discard wooden trunks, furniture and bring only one change of clothes. A great improvement was discovered for this handcart company. The wheels could now be greased and eased the burden of pulling the carts. The men were instructed to grease their carts three times a week.
The handcart had a front crosspiece 2 1/2 feet long. Two people would get behind the crosspiece and push. For this reason it is said that handcarts were pushed across the plains. Each cart carried 400 to 500 pounds of foodstuff, bedding, clothing and cooking utensils. Two people were required to push a cart. Teenagers were often seen with a harness shaped like a halter over their shoulders, a small chain fastened to that and then fastened to the cart enabling them to pull a small amount as they walked along.
The company was comprised of 233 persons with 43 handcarts. Six wagons, 10 tents and 38 oxen accompanied the train. The large tents and other heavy gear were put in the wagons. The tents would be their only nighttime protection from the weather and cold. During the day the saints often pushed on through heat, pouring rain, sand storms or snow. The advantage of the handcart companies was the ability to travel faster and cheaper than full size wagons. They had only a few animals to care for to harness before beginning the days journey. Brigham Young said, "many wagon trains lost a half day or more hunting for lost animals and some times several days when the animals stampeded."
On June 5th at one o'clock the company began their westward trek. They traveled 7 miles that afternoon. They reached Elkhorn River on the eighth, Fremont on the ninth and Columbus on the fourteenth. They ferried Loup Fork on the sixteenth, and arrived at the Mormon town of Genoa on the twenty-second. This was 102 miles from Florence in seventeen days. Wood River was crossed June 23; buffalo were encountered on the June 27.
The handcarts were gathered in a circle at night and used to corral the cattle while being unyoked. The cattle were then driven about one-half mile away to graze. Two men would guard the cattle until midnight and then a second pair of men would guard until morning. Firewood was not to be had on the plains. One task of the children was to gather buffalo chips during the day. These were used for fire and cooking the food that evening. It was reported they burn quite fiercely and cook as well as wood.
This handcart company was not bothered much with Indians. Several bands of Indians came around, some were given provisions and a friendly relationship was maintained.
Captain Daniel Robinson reported some time before reaching the Sweetwater River company provisions failed to arrive in camp. He swam the Platte River and made arrangements for supplies to be sent. At the Sweetwater River the saints found the bottom of the river covered with fish and they had all they could eat that night. This was a real treat for the company for they had no meat except salty bacon since the beginning of their westward march. The company could not keep any meat except the salty bacon and Capt. Daniel Robinson reported they did not see any animals, which could be killed.
The Green River was crossed on ferryboats, except for the oxen that had to swim. Hannah Lapish was a member of this company and when interviewed by a writer in 1919 she gave this report. "It was a dreadfully hard journey, especially for me with a six month old baby and a child of 2 years. My shoes wore out and I got some moccasins. We suffered from lack of food. When provisions were low I traded some of my jewelry at a trading post for 700 pounds of flour. I gave this to the commissary and it was dealt to the hungry travelers; the last measure, half a pint per person, being distributed on the day we crossed the Green River. Relief from Salt Lake came at that time with 2,500 pounds of flour and 500 pounds of bacon. The spirits of the saints were much improved with the arrival of fresh supplies.
When the saints reached Henefer Utah, Brother Henefer offered them free potatoes if they would dig them. The handcart company eagerly dug the potatoes. A man living on top of Big Mountain sent seven yoke of oxen to help the saints pull their handcarts to the top of the mountain. The handcart trek was completed in 82 days. Prayers and a song were offered each night. Captain Daniel Robinson said, "The people put their trust in God, seemed happy, and did not feel deceived." On the trip one child died and one ox was lost.
When the company reached Emigration Canyon many relatives from Salt Lake met the weary travelers. Ann's parents, brothers and sisters were among those to meet them. After years of separation, imagine how happy this reunion would be. Ann had three children who had never met their grandparents.
It was a hard for the family after arriving in Salt Lake. The family had arrived too late to harvest crops before winter. Prices of needed goods were high.7
Butter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1.00 per pound
Flour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25.00 per cwt.
Sugar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1.25 per pound
Thin unbleached muslin . . . . $1.25 per yard
Calico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $.75 per yard
Small bundle matches . . . . . . .$.25 bundle
Thread . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $.25 spool
The family did a variety of assorted jobs to acquire needed items and supplement the family income. The family went to the canyon to gather bark to trade for soap. One wagon of bark would be traded for 3 or 4 bars of soap. John was listed in the 1870 census as being an adobe maker. His real wealth was listed as $400 and his personal wealth was $100.
Brigham Heber died in 1860 a few months after arriving in Salt Lake and another daughter, Mary Jane Townsend was born Jan 25, 1862.
At one time, Ann, John, one daughter and one son joined the Josephite church.8 It was said the family was upset about a daughter becoming a plural wife and this may be the reason for leaving the church. John died September 13, 1878,9 Rebeckah died in 1885 and Mary Jane died in 1882. At this time Ann was alone with no family and no home. She turned to Emma her only living child for help. She lived with Emma for about 9 years. She rejoined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and Emma reported Ann was very happy the last few years of her life. Ann died February 17, 1908 in Salt Lake City10. She is buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.