Transcript

Angelina Roberts Bennion was born at Garden Grove, Iowa, on March 16, 1847, just before the Bennions started for their "covered wagon" jaunt to the west. Her father and her mother, Esther Wainright Bennion, had left England in 1842, and Nauvoo, Illinois shortly before Angelina's birth. They were members of the John Taylor party.

"My parents after described our trip across the plains." Mrs. Spencer said. "We had two wagons, the first of which pulled by oxen, was driven by my father, and the second, drawn by a yoke of oxen and a yoke of cows, by my mother. My five-year old brother, Samuel R. Bennion, who died ten years ago, rode a mare with a colt. He was such a little fellow that he kept slipping off, but then my father would stop and help him back on again, and the train would go on. My older sister, Rachel Bennion Spencer, 3900 Hyland Drive, then about four rode in the wagon. Ann, who was only two, contracted a fever from which she died, and we buried her at Sweetwater, Wyoming. We arrived in the valley on the fifth of October.

"The Indians we knew were not warlike. I've often heard Father say that they used to frighten the horses and beg for food on the trip out here, but they never attacked us. Everyone in the train always gave them food, even though they might be short on provisions themselves, and that kept the Indians friendly.