Item Detail
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Marshall, Sarah Goode
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1822-1904
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MSS SC 262
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Biography, Diary
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Sarah Goode Marshall was born March 4, 1822 at Mitcheldean, Glostershire, England to George Goode and Selina Mary Ann Holder Goode. As a child, Sarah attended the common schools and learned to read and write. She also learned the art of making kid gloves. She married Thomas Marshall on May 7, 1841 and lived happily with him until she began to study the doctrines and attend the meetings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Sarah was a Baptist and 'a great Bible reader. She often remarked, 'there is more in the Bible than the ministers understand.'' When Sarah joined the L.D.S. church it was a strain on her marriage. Thomas died in 1854, leaving her penniless with six young children. She dreamed of going to Zion, and saved for two years. At a farewell gathering for her family, friends tried to dissuade her from going, saying that she would probably lose her children and her life on the way. An Elder who was there stood and promised Sister Marshall, 'In the name of Israel's God that she shall go to Zion, and shall not lose one of her children by the way.' They left Liverpool Saturday, April 19, 1865 on the ship Samuel Curling and sailed to Boston. From there they traveled to Iowa City by rail. At the time of their journey, Sarah's children were of these ages: Lovinia (12), Selena (10), Tryphena (8), Louisa (6), George (4), and Sarah (2). They traveled with Captain Ellsworth's handcart company and arrived in Salt Lake City on September 26, 1865. Sarah died April 24, 1904 in Dayton, Idaho.
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This collection contains a two-page sketch of Sarah's life, an eight-page typewritten transcript of the diary she kept while crossing the plains, and several songs and poems. The songs are entitled 'The Mormon's are a Merry Lot,' 'Hand Cart Song,' and '24th of July Song,' and the poems are entitled 'In Honor of the Hand Carts of 1856' and 'Our Beloved Grand-mother.' There are also two documents relating to Sarah's daughter Louisa Marshall Boice. The sketch of Sarah's life was written by a great-granddaughter and focuses mostly on Sarah's conversion and her journey to Utah. In the sketch there is a story about Sarah's daughter Tryphena getting lost along the trail. When the company stopped to make camp, Sarah realized that Tryphena was missing. Sarah and Captain Ellsworth rode out on horseback to find her. After searching for some time, Captain Ellsworth said that they could ride out farther, but Sarah felt sure that Tryphena was safe. When they came back to camp, she was there. She and some other children had been walking with an elderly man and fell behind the company. The other children caught up with their families, but Tryphena stayed with him. They took a wrong turn and walked for several hours until the man passed away. By this time it was dark, and Tryphena saw the company's campfires and followed their light back. Sarah's diary begins June 10, 1865 and concludes on September 26, 1865. In her entries, she records the condition of the roads and the number of miles they traveled, comments on the availability of wood and water, tells who died that day, and gives a short account of other events in the day. Some examples of these events are, 'Brother Jones' cart broke down,' 'One tent was blown down and another rent,' and 'the company remained in camp today to rest and get their clothes washed.' The camp moved out about 6:30 each morning, except on Sundays, and usually stopped in the early afternoon. However, there were some unusual events that happened. Sarah mentions several times that members of the company were lost, and occasionally people 'backed out' of the journey to Zion. Once, they were caught in a bad thunderstorm: we were overtaken by a terrific storm of thunder and rain. In the open prairie without our tents. Two brothers and two sisters were knocked down by lightening. Brother Henry Walker from Carlisle was killed. Age 58. He was a faithful man to his duty.' Sarah's final diary entry is as follows: 'About eight miles from the city we were met with Governor Young and his councilors. The Nauvoo band, the Lancers, and a great many others. We were first rate received in the city. Provisions of all kinds came rolling to us in camp. The brethren of the city manifested great interests towards us as a company, which caused our hearts to rejoice and be glad.'
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1832-1909