Description

I Guess I Will Go On – Benjamin Platt

Benjamin Platt was born in April 1833 in Lancashire England one of thirteen children. They grew up poor without the benefit of a common education. All went to work at a young age to provide for the family. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in October 1848, the only member of his family to do so.

Ben and Mary Graves were planning to be married when an epistle came from Church headquarters in late 1855, directing those saints planning to immigrate in the 1856 season to come by handcart. That directive set in motion three life-changing events: Ben was ordained an elder, Ben and Mary were married, and together they set sail for America on the Ship Horizon on May 24, 1856.

They arrived in Iowa City, Iowa where they were fitted out and organized as the Edward Martin Handcart Company. They departed for the Rocky Mountains, July 28, 1856. At Florence Nebraska, Ben records these events,

“Apostle Franklin D. Richards called a meeting and advised us to stop at Florence until the next season, but there were some apostates there… and we did not want to stay. We declared we would go through or die trying. We prevailed, and he seeing we were determined consented, but he said he did not want anyone to try, that could not walk every foot of the way.”

In most narrations of the saga of the Willie and Martin Handcart Companies the sufferings and adversity brought on by winter snows occupies most of the time, but Ben tells of another opposing influence, by far, more sinister.

“When we got to Fort Laramie… we stayed here for several days. I met two brothers [from] Oldham (England) that I was well acquainted with. They were going back to the states and they tried to persuade me to go back with them, but the spirit told me not to go back with them. At parting with them… I said to them, “goodbye, I guess I will go on’ and we parted, they to damnation and me to salvation, I hope.”

And while some turned back, even in the Martin Company, Ben and Mary Platt went on. It was October 19, at the last crossing of the Platte that Ben describes,

“The snowstorms started and cold weather set in, and our rations, being limited, starvation and cold began to tell on us and many began to die. I have helped to bury as many as nine in a morning. At the last crossing of the Platte I took off my shoes and stockings and carried my wife over on my back and then went back for my handcart.”

Ben crossed the icy Platte five times that day. When rescue wagons reached them Ben and Mary left behind what little was left of their earthly possessions and went on. They made it through to Salt Lake City and shortly thereafter moved to southern Utah. In the decades that followed they were twice flooded out and forced to build again. Still, they went on.

It was said in tribute to Ben,

His religion was dearer to him than life. He always lived the best he knew how; never worried how others were doing, but lived his own and was satisfied. He never once failed in his duty as a father. He raised, with [Mary’s] help, eleven children to maturity. All have lived good honorable lives and have done their work in the temple. He has seventeen years of missionary work to his credit, with [many grandchildren following his example]. Benjamin was the only one of his family that ever joined the Church, but has had the work done in the temple for all he has record of. He died March 9, 1918. Mary died December 25, 1922, They were both buried in the New Castle Cemetery.

True and faithful—they went on.

Source: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/KWN1-4NZ