Morgan Pioneer History Binds Us Together Sarah Davis Carter I was born September 15, 1837, in Stokes Lacy, Herefordshire, England. My father, William Davis, was born March 10, 1803, and my mother, Elizabeth Bishop Davis, was born December 15, 1813, in Shropshire, England. My grandparents on my father's side were Mark Davis and Hannah Corbett Davis. My father was a humble, God-: Sarah Davis Carter man. He, like many others at that time, were not satisfied with the churches and the principles which they taught. He went with others (some five hundred of them) and started a new religion of their own, calling themselves, "The United Bretheren." Some time later, when Wilford Woodruff came to this place as a missionary preaching the Mormon religion, he converted all of these United Bretheren except one member. I was the fifth child in a family of nine and at the age of eleven years, I went to live with my Aunt Bessie and Uncle Thomas Davis, staying there until I was fourteen. While living with them, I did all kinds of housework; washing, scrubbing, cooking, and nursing children. I was taught the strictest economy in all things and this training was a great blessing to me and proved to be of great value to me throughout my life. Our drinking water had to be carried a distance of over a mile, and this my aunt did, carrying it on her head. [These work habits formed by my mother, Sarah Davis, in her youth brought her a virtue which stayed with her through her entire life. At the age of eighty years, she carried herself as straight and graceful as a young girl. Insert by her daughter, Alice Carter Spackman.] It was while I was living here that I was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, by Elder Finch. My parents had been baptized a short time before this. Soon after I was baptized, I returned home to live. My father's wages were small and he had a large family so it was necessary that I go out to service again; that is what they called housework in those days. We knew if we emigrated to Utah, which was the great desire of our hearts, we would have to save every penny we could. My father kept an open house for the elders. Many times my father and mother have given their bed to the elders, while they have slept on the floor with one quilt; never letting the elders know. They always made them welcome and fed them the very best they had. After two years of saving, we were able to start on our journey to Utah in the spring of 1853. There was mother and father, Ted, William, John, Elizabeth, Ruben, Levi and myself. Eliza was married to John Mott and did not come. While crossing the ocean on the ship Windmere, the smallpox broke out and my two brothers, Ruben and Levi, both died at sea from this terrible disease, and were buried at sea. It almost killed my mother to see those two darlings, with weights attached to their feet, slide into those shark infested waters. Landing at New Orleans, those of us who had the smallpox (including my mother, two brothers, and myself) were taken to the hospital for three weeks. Those who did not have the disease were escorted, by the elder who was in charge of this company of Saints, to a place where the emigrants were accommodated; until they could get started on their journey west. As we all know, those who had smallpox in those days were left with unsightly scars on their faces and bodies. The elder, who accompanied these Saints to the emigrant home, would not be seen with them. He made them walk on the opposite side of the street, some distance behind him. He told them to watch him so they would know where to go; but they were not to speak to him or let anyone know that they knew him or had any connection with them. This provoked my mother and she resented such rude treatment. She made this statement, "He will die in a ditch." This remark was literally fulfilled; for even though he filled a mission for the church, he became a drunkard and died in a ditch. [Emigrants from other countries knew nothing of the hatred and persecutions that the Saints were suffering. It may have been for their own protection that the elder would not be identified with them. Insert by Clara Carter.] For some time after the quarantine period was over, we were very, very weak from our sickness, but we followed the company of Saints up the Mississippi River. For eight days and eight nights, the steamboat carried that valiant band of people a little closer to their hopes and dreams. Without bedding of any kind,