The Sketch of Susanna Stone Lloyd
I, Susanna Stone Lloyd, being impressed to make a sketch of my early life, will endeavor to do so. I was born of honest parents, in the town of Bristol, England, December 24, 1830. My father was William Stone, who was a master painter, born in London. My mother, Diana Grant Stone, was born in Glostershire, England. My grandmother's maiden name was Sherman. She married a Mr. Hall. After becoming a widow, she married my grandfather Grant, who came to America in the early days. My Father's people belonged to the Church of England, Mother's people to the Wesleyans. I attended the Wesleyan Sunday School. I used to read the scriptures and wish that I had lived in the days of Apostles and Prophets, not knowing then that the everlasting gospel had been restored to the earth. When I heard it preached I hailed it with joy. I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints about the year 1848. This caused my heart to rejoice. I have seen that the hand of the Lord has been over me for good from my earliest childhood and I know that his Holy Spirit has been my constant guide and companion. I never shall forget the many manifestations of the Lord's goodness and blessings unto me and mine. My parents, relatives and friends did all in their power to keep me from coming to America, but I had the spirit of gathering and the Lord opened my way and I came to Utah in 1856 with the hand cart company. Brother Willey [James G. Willie] was our captain, Millen Atwood was his councilor. We were almost pioneers for we had to travel thru sunflowers and sage brush for many miles.
The first part of our journey was pleasant, the weather being good. We left Liverpool in May on the ship Thornton, landed in New York the latter part of June in a sailing vessel. While crossing the Atlantic, the people's galley or cook house took fire and burned down which caused great excitement. But through the blessings of the Lord, we were saved. After we landed we came up the Hudson River in steam boats and continued by railroad cars until we came to the frontiers which were called Iowa Camp Grounds. We stayed there several weeks, while our hand carts and tents were being finished. Oxen drew the wagons which was over one thousand miles, was brought on our hand carts. The rest was brought the next season by the Walker Brothers.
After we had proceeded quite a distance on our journey, we lost quite a number of our cattle which drew the provisions. Some supposed that they were stampeded by Indians or buffalo. We met several tribes of Indians going east to war. It was in the year 1856, when Colonel Babbit was doing business with the United States Government. Babbit and his teamsters were massacred. They were a day or two ahead of us with a train of goods which was seized by the Indians. We met a tribe of Indians with an interpreter, who told us all about the circumstances, but we were not discouraged. We traveled on and felt that the lord would protect his saints, and so he did, and although we passed thru many trying scenes his protecting care was over us. After we left Iowa, we traveled about one hundred miles and came to Florence. By this time we had grown accustomed to traveling and we made better headway, but thru losing our cattle and having to camp on the plains for several weeks. It threw us late in the season and made our provisions short of the latter part of our journey.
We left England May 2nd, and got into the Salt Lake Valley on November 5, 1856. . . . [p. 1]
BIB: Lloyd, Susanna Stone. Sketches (Ms 11995), p. 1. (CHL)
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