Transcript

Transcript for Spanish Fork Ward Manuscript History and Historical Reports, 1851-1900

This was also the year of the handcart disaster. Spanish Fork sent out its quota of brave men and teams to rescue the poor emigrants who were perishing in the snows. the names of those who went from Spanish Fork settlement were: Jacob Cloward, captain; K. T. Buttler, assistant captain; George McKinley, J. M. Thomas, John Banks, Joseph Howell, Wilson D. Pace, James L. Higginson, Albern Babcock, George W. Sevey, S. M. Hicks, Thomas H. Beck.

There were five wagons sent, and these were loaded to their utmost capacity with the emigrants. That season greatly increased the population of the settlement. The people built dugouts for the emigrants and did all that was possible to feed and comfort them during the winter of 1856-7. There is quite a large sprinkling of the hand cart emigrants and their offspring in the population of Spanish Fork.