My father, William Wiltshire, and mother, Ann Chadney (before marriage) were born in England. They were converted to the mormon religion in the year 1846. In 1851 they left their home in England and sailed for America. After landing in America they settled for one year in Council Bluffs, Powtamic [Pottawattamie] County, Missouri [Iowa], in order to raise a crop to enable them to continue their journey.

Before the year was up, however, my father was drowned in the missouri River, leaving mother with four children. Eight months after father was drowned I was born. when I was seven months old we moved to Cedar City, Utah, making the trip accross the plains driving one ox and one cow. It took us about three months to make this trip. The only help my mother had was my oldest brother, who was then only ten years of age.