Pioneer Day

Pioneer Day usually brings my thoughts to my faithful and courageous pioneer ancestors, most notably my great, great grandmother, MaryAnn Weston Maughan.

She was an amazing woman. She endured so much more than I think I ever could. Remembering their sacrifices and how they endured to the end, can help us be better people.

Here is a small excerpt from her journal:

We were Organised into Captain William Walls [Wall] Company of 50 and Cap [Warren] Foot[e] Com of 100. Mr. [Peter] Maughan was apointed Cap of first 10[.] after replenishing our stock of provisions we again took up our line of march for Salt Lake[.] I do know how long we had been on our way when I found time to write a few lines. ...

Friday 12 July 1850
about noon as we were traveling along on a good plain road my little Peter about 3 years old, was sitting in the front of my wagon, betwene his brother Charles and his sister Mary Ann. they were looking at a cow that had lost one horn. he leaned forward[.] lost his balance and fell before the wheels. the first passed over him. and he tried to escape the other one, but alase the wagon stoped just as the hind wheel stood on his dear little Back. the Brethren from behind ran up and lifted the wheel and took him from under it[.] he was Brused internaly, so that it was impossible for him to live long[.] we done all that was possible for him, but no earthly power could save him. he did not suffer much pain[.] only twice for a very little time. the people left their Wagons and gathered around mine and all wept for the dear little Boy that we knew must soon leave us. I had talked to him many times to be carefull and not fall out of the wagon or he might be hurt very bad. he only spoke twice, I said to him Pete did you fall and he said, yes and seemed to know that he would leave us and asked for his father. I did not know that his father had fainted and fell down in the road, for the Brethern stood to hide him from my sight. on my asking for him they said he would come soon. as soon as he was able he came to the wagon covered with dust, but his little Boy could not speak to him, but he opened his eyes and looked so lovelingly then gently closed them and passed peacefuly away and left us weeping around his dear little brused Body. then loveing hands tenderly dressed him in a suit of his own white linnen clothes and he looked so lovely. I empted a dry goods Box and [John Peacock] Wood made him a nice Coffin and even was a mournfull satisfaction, for we had seen our Brothers and sisters bury their dear ones without a coffin to lay them in[.] we Buried him on a little hill on the North side of the road. the grave was consecrated and then they laid him in to rest. some one had made a nice headbored with his name printed on[.] also his age and date of his Death. this was all we could do. and many prayers were offered to our heavenly Father, that he might rest in peace and not be disturbed by wolves as we had seen many on our way, and we turned away, in sorrow and grief. a few days after we heard that his grave had not been tuched but a nother little one made beside it and afterwards some more was Buried by them. this was a great satisfaction to us to know that he remained as we left him. our dear on[e]s name was Peter Weston Maughan Born in New Diggins Wisconcin [Wisconsin] Terrotiry May 20th 1847. the weather was very hot. I have wrote from Memory January 1885. it is nearly 38 years since that sorrowfull time, but if it was not so painfull to me I could add much more to this account.