Trek: Pioneer Proxy

For the Youth Trek, we have been asked to do a little family history to discover if we have any ancestors in the Martin or Willie handcart companies. Each individual will be "representing" a pioneer, and they are supposed to know the history and story of the pioneer they are "walking" for. It is meant to draw us closer to our pioneer history and give a greater understanding of the trials that those in the handcart companies endured. Also, it is meant to give us strength when the journey becomes difficult, as it surely will!

So, naturally . . . my first thought was AWESOME! I can walk for Wee Granny! Hooray!

Image of Wee Granny at Chimney Rock.

She left her homeland of Scotland to "go to Zion"

She was 74 years old and 98lbs when she willingly signed up for the Martin handcart company.

She died of fatigue, exposure, and the hardships of the journey on October 3, 1856.

Last words were, " Tell John, (meaning John Murray Murdoch) that I died with my face towards Zion".

She is a well known pioneer in our family history.

BUT, as I started doing some research and discovered some things that I did not know . . . I was led on to (surprisingly) choose . . . someone else! The "change" of mind took place as I was looking for someone that Charles could represent. As a result, I found the answer for both of us:

James Steele: (Born: 1826, Scotland. Died 1856, Bitter Creek Sweetwater, WY.) Age 30 at time of journey

Elizabeth Wyllie Steele: (Born: 1827, Ireland. Died: 1901 American Fork, UT.) Age 29 at time of journey.

Here is why I decided that James and Elizabeth were our people . . . (I used bullet points because it would take me all day, (or more!) to write everything down, completely.

Here is a little history, mostly for family's sake:

• James and Elizabeth Steele are my great, great, great . . . Uncle and Aunt.
• James Steele is the brother to Ann Steele (my g,g,g . . . grandma pictured below)

• Ann Steele is the wife of John Murray Murdoch (pictured above)
• John Murray Murdoch is the son of Mary Murray Murdoch (Wee Granny)
• It was James' testimony of the gospel that converted John Murray Murdoch
• Because of John Murray Murdoch (my ggg. . . grandpa) I belong to the church, today!
• Without James Steele -- John Murdoch would not have joined the church!
• John Murray Murdoch went on to Utah, he and Ann made it to "Zion" and settled there (John Murray Murdoch has an awesome story all his own, but that is for another day!)
• James Steele and Elizabeth came across later and traveled with Wee Granny in the Martin Handcart company, sailing together on the ship "Horizon".
• They had two small children with them at the time, ages 1 and 3
• They endured the trials that the Martin handart company faced: fatigue, hunger, death, pain, etc.
• They were there when Wee Granny passed away at Chimney Rock
• As the winter set in, they reached Sweetwater, Wyoming, many of the Saints were starving and dying.
• James Steele gave all of his food rations and extra clothes to his wife and children
• As a result of his sacrifice, he died. He gave his all for his family, literally.

Clark Kelley Price painted the picture below of the burial of James Steele, with Elizabeth looking on holding her baby, he said:

In the painting I did, I have pictured my relatives who were in the Martin Company. The woman holding the infant in my great great grandmother, Elizabeth Steele, from Scotland. The baby is James E. Steele, about one year old at that time. Her husband being buried is James Steele. They were converts and had just lately arrived in America in great expectation of a grand future in Zion. James had literally starved to death giving all his food to his children and wife. He died on the windswept plains, hundreds of miles from Zion, but it was in his heart and as the Savior said:

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

( I had seen this image my whole life, never realizing it was of "my people"!)

• Elizabeth lived on and endured all of the trials that the Martin handcart company faced, she would have been one of the women and children carried across the infamous Sweetwater River. (She is pictured above holding her baby, which I am assuming she carried the whole way.)

On 4 November they came to the Sweetwater River, near Devil's Gate. The river was about 100 feet wide and almost waist deep in places. To make it worse, big chunks of ice were floating in the water. For the weakened members of the Martin Company, the crossing appeared almost impossible.One of the handcart pioneers later remembered that some of the pioneers were able to ford the river, but others could not. At that point, several members of the rescue party—one account names C. Allen Huntington, Stephen W. Taylor, and teenagers David P. Kimball and George W. Grant—stepped forward to help. These courageous men "waded the river, helping the handcarts through and carrying the women and children and some of the weaker of the men over"

These rescuers and what they had done were brought to President Young's attention. "When President Brigham Young heard of this heroic act," one writer stated, "he wept like a child, and declared that this act alone would immortalize them"

I can remember hearing that story as a child and weeping, not knowing why.

So, back to our choices . . .

I have chosen James Steele, for Charles

Elizabeth Wyllie Steele, for myself

The REASON is: Without their testimonies of

the gospel, and without their willingness to SHARE their testimonies -- there would be no Wee Granny story. There would not be the Pioneer heritage that exists within my family, if not for James and Elizabeth! As I discovered their connection to me, and the sacrifice that was made by them -- I felt a strong confirmation of their special spirit and an enormous sense of grattitude towards James and Elizabeth, as those who intorduced the gospel of Jesus Christ to our family.

I am forever indebted to them.

It would be an honor to walk for them, and in their memory.

I owe them, everything, after all.

AND, though I did not choose to represent who I thought I would, originally . . .

(Mary Murray Murdoch, Wee Granny)

I think this choice is EVEN BETTER. After all, James and Elizabeth Steele traveled WITH Wee

Granny, and my great hope is that Wee Granny WILL BE WITH me, too!

Here is the line of connection from Elizabeth Steele -- to me!

I LOVE FAMILY HISTORY!