Martin's Cove Site

June 1Today is Friday and we are both working in the Museum cleaning display cases, dusting and removing flies. One of the cases needed some carpenter work done on it and I enjoyed re-designing the frame, making it easier for the ladies to do their cleaning. This is a white cotton glove assignment. It was a good day with lots of visitors coming. The time for school groups is over since the school is out for the summer. Now the trekers will come from the various stakes to recreate what the pioneers had to go through. It is a little bit less strenious since we don't have the severe winter weather and the lack of food that the pioneers had to deal with. The Sweetwater River is also low and does not have the ice floats which pestered the pioneers as they had to cross on their way to the Cove.
June 2
Today we are at the Foot Bridge Post waiting for visitors to come and listen for a story. For a long time there were only a gazillian mosquitoes buzzing around the cabin.
The visitors have to request a story since we are, at this post, on BLM land and can not share anything religious unless requested. That is the government way of being politically correct.
While we were waiting at this post, a family from Utah came by and requested that we tell a story. As we did so we found that this family was directly related to Anson Call and Margeretta. Just like the young man from Maryland. Too bad that they did not meet here at the Cove.
Another requested story was of Eliza Cusworth Burton.
"Eliza was a daughter of a well-to-do farmer in England, and was a flower girl at the coronation of Queen Victoria. There were a large number of girls who acted in this capacity, carrying flowers and singing "God Save the Queen." She married Joseph Burton and they had two children, Joseph and Martha. They joined the Church and decided to emigrate to Zion where they could have their sealing ordinances performed. They had almost enough money saved, but prior to their departure from England Joseph became ill and died. On his deathbed he made Eliza promise that she would get to Zion and have their temple work done. Eliza and her two children (Joseph, 7 and Martha, 4) joined the Martin Company at Iowa City. She pulled her own handcart, usually with the children riding. The family suffered greatly. Little Joseph carried the marks of this perilous journey to his grave as his foot was frozen and he lost two of his toes.
When the family arrived at the crossing of the Sweetwater, Eliza didn't wait for the rescuers to take her across. She bravely picked up little Joseph and carried him across. She placed him on the bank and started back for little Martha. Joseph was frightened and tried to follow her into the river. Eliza took off her apron, tied him to a tree, and then went back to retrieve her little girl. Eliza made it into the Salt Lake Valley where she eventually married a widower named Nathan Staker. Together they helped settle Sanpete County in Utah.
We were told to leave our post and drive to Casper for the evening session of stake conference. It was a great session and all were spiritually fed. We then drove the sixty miles back to our "box" and rest up for the Sunday session.
June 3A beautiful morning greeted us and we were ready to leave for Casper by 8 AM. We give ourselves a little more than an hour, but arrived in plenty of time to have a "soft" seat. Two young people spoke about how their influence in the family helps to have unity and an absence of contention. The first young girl was just 11 years old and comes of a blended family of one year and nine siblings. We met the couple and were impressed of their success in this new family organization.
Another sister spoke of her single status and how she and her two children survive after her husband left them. It was a very touching scenario and one that one can easily relate to.
Now we are in the Pavilion at the Missionary Village getting ready for choir practice. Bernice and one of the sister's have been playing hoedown music and Bernice is getting real good at it.
Tomorrow morning we will again be at Veil Crossing. I am dreading the upcoming Friday when I have to be Ephraim Hanks and Bernice will be Thisbee Read. This will be in front of the 100 Trekers from Worland, WY. I will certainly let you know how that goes.