Morgan Pioneer History Binds Us logelhe: Gillispie Walter Waldron and Ann Dewhurst Waldrom Gillispie Walter Waldron was born at Castle County, New York on August 15,1836, a son of Benjamin Waldron and Sally Lapham Waldron. The Mormon elders found the Waldron family and Gillispie was baptized in a small creek in Musketa Creek Town. Gillispie drove an ox team across the plains in Allred Company. Gillispie was twelve years old and a very helpful, responsible young man. He would lead the oxen over the most rugged terrain. They averaged better than eleven miles a day. The bugle call at 5 A. M. would awaken 148 persons. They had prayer, then fed 247 animals before they ate breakfast. They started traveling early in the morning. There were men with loaded guns riding along with the caravan. The oxen are not as steady-pulling as the horses, a long chain attached the ox yoke to pull the wagon. A twirl of the "brad" (a very long willow) a shout "Gee" to the right, "Haw" to the left were the directional signals the oxen understood without hesitation. The jolting of the wagon churned the cream into butter where it hung on the back of the covered wagon. Fresh buffalo meat was a delicious dish. In the evening in the desert, the wagons were drawn into a circle to form a corral for the animals. The horses were pastured near the camp. A guard was kept on duty throughout the night to keep the Indians from stampeding the horses. The Allred Company arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on July 9, 1851, with Gillispie, Emeline and Levi. They lived in their covered wagon in Pioneer Park through the summer and in the winter. While Gillispie was yet in his teens, he drove a freighting team from Salt Lake City back on the old pioneer trail. He also helped build bridges and roads from the time he was fifteen years old. Ann Dewhurst was born at Blackburn, Lancastershire, England on September 20, 1840, a daughter of James Dewhurst and Elizabeth Fielding Dewhurst. The gospel was brought to Ann and her twin sister, Elizabeth, and they were baptized March 7,1851. Shortly after Ann was baptized, she was taken very ill. President Wilford Woodruff administered to her and promised her she would get well and go to Zion. On February 10,1854, her father James Dewhurst and mother, Elizabeth, and daughters, Ann, Elizabeth, and Esther, set sail for America. They sailed on the ship Windmere. Their ship sprang a leak and the Captain came to the Mormon company and said, "If you have any faith, for God's sake, pray to save this ship." At another time on their voyage, the ship caught fire and their lives were saved. When they reached America, the captain and five of his crew joined the L.D.S. Church. They were nine weeks on their voyage. In October of 1854, this Company of Saints joined the Mormon Pioneers, While they were camped at Winter Quarters, cholera broke out and they suffered much. The father, James Dewhurst, died and was buried there. This left Elizabeth with three small daughters to journey to Utah. They began their journey across the plains in the William A. Empey Company. When they were camped at Fort Bridger, the twin girls picked up a large flat iron that weighed eight pounds and they walked the rest of the way taking turns packing the flat iron. This iron is now in the Daughters of Utah The Waldron Family: (from left to right) front: Anne T.lizahelh, Gillespie Waller Waldron (father), I inlda Louisa (adopted), Ann Dezuhkrst (mother), Walter Gillespie, Mary Maria, Back: Thomas, Lucy T.ineiine. Joseph Theodore, Levi Time, Harriet Eliza, James Benjamin. (Mens) 714