MELLOR Jr., James: Inspirational Story

    Mary, however, was so hungry and faint that she finally told Louisa to go on without her. Louisa would have none of that. She instead walked ahead a short distance, kneeled down, and poured out her heart to the Lord to help them. She arose and headed back toward her mother on the same path she had just taken. She walked a short distance when she suddenly saw something in the prarie grass. It was a freshly baked pie! It was laying right side up, and the crust wasn't even broken. They both thanked the Lord for the immediate answer to her prayer, ate the pie, and resumed their tip toward the company. In the meantime, since they had not caught up with the company in the time expected, James Sr. had taken his handcart to go look for them. He found them and took them in the handcart back to camp.
    • July 2, 2022
    0 1
    Read Time:2 Minute, 40 Second

    At the age of eight, with his entire family (father, James Mellor Sr.(37), mother, Mary Ann Payne (36); sister, Louise (15); sister, Elizabeth (14); sister, Mary Ann (10); brother, William C. (5); and the twins, Emma N. And Clara A. (3), James Mellor Jr. sailed from Liverpool, England on the ship “Horizon” in 1856. Just before they left for America, Mary Ann Payne gave birth to twins, Elizabeth and Eliza Mellor, who died after birth. Although the mother was so sick that she was told she would die on the boat, she was blessed by the Elders who told her that she would live to see Zion. They landed in Boston Harbor June 2,1856, traveled to Iowa City, Iowa which they left on Jul 28,1856. They left Florence, Nebraska (Winter Quarters) with the Martin Handcart Company, on Aug 25,1856 with 576 people (See the book Charlotte Elizabeth by Jo Ann Mellor Felix for more details). Arrived in the Salt Lake valley Nov 30,1856 after suffering severe hardships.

    Not one member of his family died on that fateful journey; but one of the 3 year old twin girls never had her shoe size get larger than size 3 because of frostbite of her feet from the trip.

    While with the Martin Handcart Company, Mary Ann Payne, James Mellor Senior’s wife decided to lighten their load by selling some of her children’s clothes in Iowa which was two miles away. She knew that the company would go on without her; but, she felt that she could catch up quickly because she would be traveling light. She left early in the morning with her oldest daughter, Louisa (age 16). When they reached the town they found that no one in town wanted to buy the clothes; so, they decided to go door to door. By the time they had sold the clothes, it was noon-time.

    They left quickly and attempted to catch up with the company. Mary, however, was so hungry and faint that she finally told Louisa to go on without her. Louisa would have none of that. She instead walked ahead a short distance, kneeled down, and poured out her heart to the Lord to help them. She arose and headed back toward her mother on the same path she had just taken. She walked a short distance when she suddenly saw something in the prairie grass. It was a freshly baked pie! It was laying right side up, and the crust wasn’t even broken. They both thanked the Lord for the immediate answer to her prayer, ate the pie, and resumed their tip toward the company. In the meantime, since they had not caught up with the company in the time expected, James Sr. had taken his handcart to go look for them. He found them and took them in the handcart back to camp. The company eventually got stranded and rescue parties were sent to help them.

    Louisa (the 16-year old) also had another experience in which her hair became frozen to the ground at night, and the company had to use an axe to cut her free. They had no better tools to use.

     

    About Post Author

    Brother Joseph

    randy@rkbaker.com
    Happy
    Happy
    0 %
    Sad
    Sad
    0 %
    Excited
    Excited
    0 %
    Sleepy
    Sleepy
    0 %
    Angry
    Angry
    0 %
    Surprise
    Surprise
    100 %

    Related Tags
    You May Also Like

      REES, Thomas: Poor Welch Immigrant

      Thomas and his family wanted to go to Utah with the saints, but he didn’t have the money to do so. Thus, their pioneer pilgrimage began on their destitute little farm in Wales with an effort to save money for the journey. It took until 1868 for them to save enough to send Brigham and one of his older sisters to Utah. They sent them off with instructions to save money and help the rest of the family to come. Brigham sailed to the states on the steamship Colorado. If his sister traveled on the same ship with him, it was Elizabeth because she is the only one to closely match name and age (5). The ship carried 600 saints bound for Utah, and was the last of the year. It departed Liverpool on 14 July, 1868 (6), and arrived at the Castle Garden Immigration center of New York on 7 August, 1868 (7) They traveled by train to Florence, Nebraska (another account says the train took him to Wyoming), then walked the last 800 miles from there to Utah because the rail hadn’t been completed to Ogden yet. Records record him arriving in Utah in 1869, so he must have been delayed en-route. Brigham would have been one of the last of the pioneers to walk to Utah before the Golden Spike was driven in Ogden.
      View Post

        BINGHAM, Erastus

        Erastus Bingham stood up on his wagon wheel and talked to the Saints, telling him that he proposed to obey the council of president Brigham Young, that he and his family would remain until Spring and invited all to join with him in accepting the invitation of the Indians to share their camping ground. About one half of the company remained with Erastus Bingham; the others decided to attempt the journey Westward with their commander, Bishop Miller. They pushed on Westward but met with a great many losses. The Indians stole some of their animals; and they suffered from the cold and lack of food and were compelled to return, some of them camping near Erastus Bingham’s camp. The Ponca Indians were very kind to the families who were sharing with them their camping ground, even bringing meat for some of the most destitute families. They wintered with the Ponca Indians, living in their wagons and a wickiup the friendly Indians provided for them.
        View Post

          ATKIN, Thomas Jr.

          When the call came in late 1857, for men to defend the church against Johnston's army, Thomas and other Tooele men responded. The Tooele contingent, under the command of Major John Rowberry, was sent to Echo Canyon, October 10. They remained in Echo Canyon until December 1.
          View Post

            ARMSTRONG, Thomas Kirk

            Thomas Kirk Armstrong was instrumental in developing the Utah territory with his team and wagon, his sawmill work, and in the sheep business at a location about seven miles east of Park City, Utah. He also maintained a dipping vat that all sheepmen used to dip their sheep in. They used a solution of tobacco and sulphur
            View Post

              ASHBY, Nathaniel

              The Ashbys were seaman and ship wrights until after the War of 1812. Nathaniel however, was apprenticed to a shoemaker at an early age to learn the shoemaking trade. He became expert in the making of fine shoes and started his own business.
              View Post

                ALLEMAN, John

                JOHN ALLEMAN and his family arrived in Nauvoo in 1838 from Pennsylvania with two wagons, ten horses and their household possessions. He bought farm land and built a brick home for his family. He assisted in building the Nauvoo Temple and served as a cavalryman in the Nauvoo Legion.
                View Post

                  WALLACE, George Benjamin

                  July 4 Sunday – Rain this morning. Public meeting. Elders P. P. Pratt, Taylor and Father Smith spoke against growing cold and careless, and neglecting to pray. They urged all to give thanks to God, who is blessing us all the time. They also spoke against swearing and taking the name of God in vain. They gave strong warning and spoke of some of the law which will be put in force hereafter. They exhorted to union, obedience, etc. and exhorted the fathers concerning their children, how to bring them up, etc. They said if we forgot God it would go with us as it did with the Lamanites, etc. We must not set fire to the prairie for it is a signal for the Indians to gather together. We have now come 175 miles. The conclusion is to travel each company of 50 by itself and to have it encamp and herd by itself.
                  View Post

                    HINTON, John Nock: Furniture Maker

                    This story is told by Edith Alice Hinton Gibson and Wilhelmina B. Hinton. They were respectively John Nock’s daughter and daughter-in-law, and had 1st hand knowledge of him. This short history is located in the Archives and Special Collections area of the library at Utah State University in Logan, Cache, Utah.
                    View Post