Handcart Pioneer Companies
Part of the Mormon migration to Salt Lake City included an
experiment of sorts that saw pioneers coming across the Plains
in handcarts instead of wagons. The experiment began in 1856 with
the
Edmund Ellsworth company and ended in 1860 with the Oscar Stoddard
Company. The idea was that money could be saved in having pioneers
use handcarts instead of wagons. The experiment nearly ended as soon
as it began with the tragedies of the Willie and Martin companies,
but seeing
success it was continued.
One source of the
names of the rosters comes from the book, Handcarts to Zion
by LeRoy R. Hafen and Ann W. Hafen. The book is
still in print and it can be found at Deseret Book and it is the
best source of information concerning the handcart experience. An
article,
Handcart Companies by William G. Hartley provides an
excellent overview of the handcart pioneers.
An excerpt from Josiah Rogerson
describes the construction of the handcarts.
Links to Handcart Stories and resources
Moved
The names of handcart pioneers that used to be on
this page have been incorporated into the
Mormon Pioneer Search.
Go to this web page to search for your pioneer.