Clitheroe Civic Society hears talk on Emmett family of Downham who left Ribble Valley for new life as Mormons in America

The presentation by popular speaker Steve Ragnall, with in depth research by Shirley Penman, captivated the audience with tales of the conditions and hardships endured by the travellers. A vivid impression was created by the accompanying images.

The Emmett family joined the Church of the Latter Day Saints, otherwise known as the Mormons, when several elders of the sect visited their home village of Downham in 1836. The baptismal pool in Chatburn, where many converts were baptised, still exists and is visited periodically by L.D.S. pilgrims journeying to find their roots.

John and Sarah Emmett married at St Leonard’s in 1821 and, of their six known children, five married and decided to join the Mormons in their “celestial city” of Salt Lake City in Utah, America.

The journey by sailing ships from Liverpool took several weeks and was fraught with difficulties but, although conditions on board were dreadful, even worse was to come.

On arrival at New Orleans, steamships took them up the Mississippi or Missouri rivers to St Louis or Kansas Town, where they could join a wagon train for the trek across country to Salt Lake City.

Temperance Hotel

Mrs Lofthouse, of the Temperance Hotel in Moor Lane, Clitheroe, acted as an agent for the Latter Day Saints and dispensed loans from a perpetual emigration fund to enable the needy to make their journey. They were expected to repay the loan when settled and earning.

The Emmett family’s mother, Sarah, died in Clitheroe around the end of January 1855. After her death, her daughter Ann, who had remained at home, decided to join her siblings. She sailed for New York then went on to meet her sister, Mary Ann Ellis and her husband and family, who were in St Louis. There Ann gave birth to an illegitimate daughter, Sarah, who was brought up by Mary Ann.

Iowa City and Brigham Young

The extended family travelled on to Iowa City where they joined a Handcart Company captained by Mormon missionary, Daniel Duncan McArthur. The handcarts were designed by Brigham Young, the President of the Mormons. Anyone with insufficient funds to join a wagon train could buy a handcart and walk from Nebraska to Utah, a journey of 1,300 miles, after first making the 250 mile initial trek from Iowa City.

The Handcart train would be accompanied by one wagon pulled by oxen for every hundred persons, carrying communal supplies such as tents and provisions. The joyful beginning was very soon subdued by the realisation of the challenges ahead which some would be lucky to survive. The prospect caused some to turn back at this stage.

Epic journey

Essential rest stops were made at Florence, Caspar and at Laramie for handcart repairs and provision replenishment. On reaching Laramie they had trekked 788 miles, through sweltering heat and terrific thunderstorms, just over half way to their destination, camping every evening.

“Meadow muffins” or “Buffalo chips”, the dried dung of the huge bison herds, provided campfire fuel. Pitching camp, daily repairs and cooking might be followed by some socialising – dancing, singing, storytelling, mending of clothes and, of course, sermons, hymns and prayers until the 9pm curfew.

On reaching Fort Bridger in September they soon embarked on the last leg of the journey. Big Mountain camp was the last summit of the Wasatch range, a part of the western edge of the greater Rocky Mountains, ending with a steep and rugged descent to the valley bottom – their final destination.

The Mormon Elders, musicians, soldiers, kinsfolk and townsfolk in Salt Lake City all congregated to welcome the travellers with refreshments and rejoicing.

The first handcart pioneers would forever be upheld as the symbol of faithfulness and sacrifice of the pioneer generation to their religion. On each and every pioneer’s grave stone, no matter how young, there has been placed a plaque which states “FAITH IN EVERY FOOTSTEP 1847-1997”. Many statues have also been erected in tribute.

Ann Emmett eventually became the third plural wife of Jonathan Browning, a noted gunsmith, in a ceremony conducted by L.D.S.President, Brigham Young.

Browning gun business

With his three wives, Jonathan produced 21 children, seven of them with Ann. Several became city worthies and the Browning gun business grew, with many of the Browning sons employed in the family business.

Ann Emmett’s family thrived and multiplied. She died on April 1st 1918, just 22 days before her 89th birthday, having lived a life full of hardship and adventure. A brave woman who overcame so many obstacles to achieve her goal.

The society’s next presentation is entitled “Ernest Evans – from Weaver to Master of Natural Sciences” by Nick Burton, another popular speaker well known to members. It will take place at St Michael and St John’s Hall, Lowergate, Clitheroe on 8th April 8th starting at 7-30pm.

Members and students are free of charge. Visitors £3 per person. Light refreshments included.

Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s.

After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several groups following different leaders; the majority followed Brigham Young, while smaller groups followed Joseph Smith III, Sidney Rigdon, and James Strang.

Since 2018, the LDS Church has emphasized a desire for its members be referred to as ‘members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’, or more simply as ‘Latter-day Saints’.