(Painting by David Grant Dean of Eliza Chapman Gadd crossing the Rocky Ridge with the surviving members of her family.)On July 25, 1815, Samuel Gadd (Chloe’s 5th great grandfather) was born in Wimpole, England. He married Eliza Chapman (Chloe’s 5th great grandmother) in Croyden, England, on April 13, 1836. This was the same town in which she was born on March 13, 1815. Samuel & Eliza had 8 children who were all born in England; Alfred, Jane, William, Samuel, Mary Ann, Sarah, Daniel, & Isaac. On October 14, 1841 Samuel was baptized. As with others who would form the Willie Handcart Company, they left Liverpool England aboard the vessel, Thornton, on May 4, 1856. The ship arrived at New York on June 14, 1856, & the emigrants, continuing the journey by rail, arrived at Iowa City, June 26th. When they arrived at Iowa City they joined the belated handcart company of Captain James G. Willie to set off to the Salt Lake Valley. While we have few details, they clearly suffered all the hardships that besought so many of the pioneers. On October 9, 1856, Samuel died at the age of 41. Our records simply show as his place of death “On the Plains”. It actually was at the Sweetwater River. He was one of some 16 that died that night & was buried in a communal grave. In addition to burying her husband on the plains, Eliza would also see two of her children lost – Samuel & Daniel. As the Gadd family crossed the Rocky Ridge in a blizzard on October 23, 1856, Eliza became snowblind, in which condition she remained for three days. She became dependent on her 7-year-old daughter, Mary Ann, to hold her hand & lead her up the steep trail as she assisted the older children in pulling the handcart with her other hand. The Gadd family biography states: "Mary Ann, with only rags covering her feet, led her snowblind mother for three days as she pulled the handcart. During this time she carried an ox hoof & at each camp she would roast it & eat the part that was roasted. This was all she had to eat during those three days."Among the children who made it was 6 year old Sara. Shad’s great grandfather while a boy remembered her sitting with her feet in a pan of warm water because they still hurt from the frostbite on the plains.This story is not unlike the many who suffered & persevered. Where the story seems to depart, however, is what happened after arriving in the valley on November 8, 1856. One week later, November 16, 1856, Eliza Chapman Gadd was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Amazingly, she gained her testimony of the church across the plains & that experience brought her into the church instead of away from it. Later, Eliza went to Nephi (by assignment) & there became a midwife. She continued in this capacity until the end of her days. She apparently delivered over 2,000 babies in her service as a midwife. After staying two weeks to help a family where she had delivered a baby, the husband & father said to her: "Sister Gadd, I am sorry I haven't anything I can pay you for all you have done for us. I will try to pay you soon." Grandmother Gadd saw two eggs on the table & picking them up said, "That's all right Brother, I will take these eggs for my breakfast & we will call the bill paid." Eliza died on January 24, 1892 in Nephi, Utah.
