Contributed by Almon Clegg
Margaret Ann Griffiths was born 15
April 1840, at Liverpool, Lancashire, England. Her parents were
John Griffiths, born 7 July 1810 in Bangar, Wales and Margaret
Griffiths (no other name known), born 25 August 1810, also
Bangar, Wales. In 1856, the Griffiths family prepared to cross
the plains with the Martin handcart company; Margaret had a
younger sister and two younger brothers.
The following account was printed in the WASATCH WAVE, Heber
City, Utah in 1906:
Mrs. Margaret Ann Griffiths, sixteen years of age, who came in
the Martin Handcart company says: "We left Florence,
Nebraska on the first day of September, 1856, as happy a lot of
people as ever crossed the plains. Little did we realize on that
bright September morning the hardships through which we were
destined to pass or the suffering, sickness and death awaiting us
ere we reached that long hoped for haven of rest among the saints
in the valley of the mountains. It never occurred to my young
mind, being but sixteen years of age, that we should experience
ought but joy and happiness on our long pilgrimage to that
promised land.
"I shall never forget the last time we crossed the Platte
River. I was the only female that drew a hand cart through the
ice waters of the river at the last crossing. Captain Jesse
Haven's Company of wagons that traveled with us most of the way,
brought their teams and took most of the women and children
across and also the feeble men, my father among them; for he was
so affected with rheumatism that he could not walk. The next
morning when we awoke the mountains were clad almost to their
base with a white mantle of snow and the storms of winter were
gathering and very cold. It almost seemed that we would perish.
In fact, many of our company froze to death, my twelve year old
brother among them, and we buried him there in the desolate
wilderness fifty miles the other side of Devils Gate. We camped
there for two weeks, our rations being four ounces of flour a day
to each person.
"Some teams from Salt Lake came to our rescue bringing with
them flour, salt and other things; then we moved on from there to
Devils Gate. After a few days of rest we came on to Independence
Rock on the Sweetwater where we met more teams from Salt Lake.
There we left our handcarts and all of the other things that were
not actually needed and came on. All those that could walked, and
those who could not walk rode in wagons.
"At Independence Rock my other brother, six years old, died
from cold and exposure and my only sister had her feet so badly
frozen that she lost the two first joints of her big toes.
"We reached the valley of Salt Lake on the 30th day of
November, 1856, after two months of the most indescribable
suffering and hardships, the worst we thought of any company of
men, women and children was ever called upon to endure. My
father, John Griffiths, was ill most of the way with rheumatism
and died the next morning after reaching Salt Lake City, from the
cold, exposure and privations of that terrible journey."
In a short period, Margaret Ann had lost both of her brothers and
her father; but she continued faithful. She married Henry Clegg
on 14 August 1857 at the age of 17. She bore 11 children, 7 of
whom survived past childhood, and was an active member of the
church and an enduring saint. She died on 29 July 1929 at the age
of 89.