Transcript

Transcript for Jex, Hermione Tracy. "The Family of John Marriott and Elizabeth Stewart Marriott," In The Marriotts: Workers of Flock and Field. Publishers Press for the Marriott Family: Salt Lake City, Utah, 1990

In 1853 I started from Keokuk, Iowa, on the way to Salt Lake City. I was fortunate to get a walking and part riding passage to cross the plains, if I would do the cooking for a man and his family that had an invalid wife. So after a day's walk we would gather buffalo chips to make the fire and cook the meals. After the meal we would gather around and sing and recite. Then we would persuade the men to play their violins and we would dance. This kind of amusement seemed to keep us from getting too discouraged. 

My shoes wore out and I had nothing but rags to wrap my feet in. It was a walk of 1,500 miles. My burns were not well for three years. [Two years earlier, she had been burned badly when a lamp and two gallons of kerosene she was carrying exploded.] I emigrated to Utah in the Moses Clawson company, consisting of fifty wagons and ox teams.

When I reached Salt Lake it was a barren looking place. I had no home to go to, no money, and no way of earning any. All were too poor to hire or pay for help. I offered to work for my board, if only I could get something to eat. But I still was not discouraged, because I knew that I had come to Zion and that the Gospel was true. The Lord had heard my prayers and helped me to come to this land I had so much desired.