Alice Salkeld (1788-1864) Handcart Pioneer

Alice Salkeld (Sawkill, Sokill) was born on 28 Mar 1788 in Thirsk, Yorkshire, England to Robert Salkeld and Mary Webster.   Thirsk is a small market town near the center of North Yorkshire and was also home to the author, James Harriot (All Creatures Great and Small).  During the time that Alice lived there, gas lighting was installed in the town (1834) and a railroad station was built (1841).

She married William Brough on 24 Nov 1814 at St. Leonard, New Malton, Yorkshire, England and bore him eight children, two of which died as infants.  William died 26 Aug 1849.  Alice was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 16 Nov 1849.  Her daughter, Mary Ann Brough had been previously baptized in 1846, and her son George was baptized in 1848.   Her other three sons, William, Jonas/James, and Robert were baptized later in 1850.  Alice left England for America aboard the ship Enoch Train on 21 Mar 1856 with 533 other Saints, including her her son-in-law and daughter, James and Mary Ann Brough Commander.  Her daughter Ann stayed behind in Yorkshire, where she lived with her husband Thomas Townsley until her death in 1885. 

At the age of 68, Alice was one of the oldest individuals to cross the Great Plains in one of the handcart companies.  Along with her son, William, as well as James and Mary Commander, she was a member of the First Handcart Company--The Edmund Ellsworth Company which had about 280 individuals, 56 handcarts, and 3 wagons when it began its journey from the outfitting post at Iowa City, Iowa on 9 Jun 1856.  Each member of the company was only allowed 17 lbs. of personal luggage, including clothing, bedding, and other personal supplies.  They began their journey with four miles per day, which increased to 13 miles per day the second week, and eventually became close to 20 miles per day for the rest of the journey.  Daily food rations for adults were approximately three-quarters of a pound of flour, with the addition of a few ounces of rice, sugar, and bacon while it lasted.  By the end of the journey, the daily ration had been cut to one cup of flour per day with only the addition of game when it was available, which was not often.  They were beset by rain, thunderstorms, and snow during their journey, and more than a dozen individuals died.  Alice's great-granddaughter, Mary Alice Garret related in a biography of Mary Ann Brough Commander that "When my great-grandmother would walk until the blood would ooze from her shoes Uncle James would say, 'Mother, if you can walk to that knoll, I will put you on the cart and give you a ride for a mile or so.' But in spite of all these hardships before retiring for the evening the entire company would gather together to sing 'Come, Come Ye Saints.'"  In spite of the hardships, Alice was able to enter the Salt Lake Valley with the rest of the company on 26 Sept 1856 to cheers from the Saints in Salt Lake City.

 Alice eventually settled in Spring City, Sanpete County, Utah and died there 26 Oct 1864 at the age of 76.  She is buried in the Spring City Pioneer Cemetery.

Our Line:
Alice Salkeld m. William Brough
Jonas/James Brough m. Martha Coleman
Alice Elizabeth Brough m. Thomas Samuel Garret
Mary Alice Garret m. Lawford Floyd Mattson
Jay Deverl Mattson m. Bertha Colene Dennis