Description

The Four Orphans

Among those who left Nauvoo in 1846 with President Brigham Young and the Twelve, was the family of Jonathon Harriman Hale and his wife Olive Boynton Hale. Along with so many others, weakened and hurried, they crossed Iowa and established Winter Quarters on the bank of the Missouri River. These were difficult times, likened unto the Valley Forge of our history. Jonathon’s son, Solomon remembered it this way:

“We were living then in a tent, while Father and Aroet were cutting logs and preparing to build us a house at Council Bluffs for the winter. In the rear end of the tent, Father had placed a wagon box and had made things as comfortable as he could for Mother, where she lay in sickness with her newly-born baby girl, to whom the name of Clarissa Martha was given. It seemed at the time that there was sickness in practically every family, and there were many deaths. Father, who was then on crutches with a broken leg, was bishop, and also a member of the High Council appointed by President Young to care for the Saints on the east side of the River. He was going day and night in response to the many calls for help from those in distress and want. The weather was hot and the river water was bad, causing hundreds to come down with the chills and fever. Finally, Father got it. He was so worn out that he had to take to his bed…He bade us ‘Goodbye’, and gave us his blessing and said: 

‘Stand by the Faith and continue on with Brother Brigham and Brother Heber to the Rocky Mountains. It is God’s work and we must not fail. Do not be persuaded to turn back, even though our relatives insist upon it. Go with the Church and God will bless and preserve you.’ 

He then stopped breathing, and Mother said: ‘O, my children, Father is gone.’ This was the evening of September 4, 1846. (He was only 46 years-old) Poor Mother was so weary and worn, that she too contracted the dreaded chills and fever, and four days later the blessed soul passed on to join Father, to who she was always much devoted. Just before she died, she called us children to her side and showered upon us the affection and love that only such a Mother could bestow. She realized that with her going, we would be left alone, and she admonished us to follow the counsel given to us by our dying Father and go with President Young and the brethren to the Mountains, and to remain true and faithful. Then she turned to Aroet, who was the oldest in the family, and asked him to promise that he would see that this was done. When Aroet answered that he would do so, Mother smiled sweetly, and said she could now go with Jonathon (her husband) and she peacefully passed over to him on the 8th of September. But baby Clarissa and our other tiny sister Olive Susan, seemed destined to go with Father and Mother, instead of following us across the plains to the Mountains; for Clarissa died on September 15th and Olive Susan on the 18th. All four were buried together. It was terrible in the extreme – so unexpected, so laden with grief. Father and Mother and two little sisters, all taken within two weeks. And there we stood – alone and homeless, with the desolate plains and the wild Rocky mountains ahead of us, and hostile enemies and burning homes back of us. And we four children were left alone.”

What now would these four orphans in the wilderness do? Would they return to the welcoming comfort of relatives in the east or go on. They would go on, but they had not the means to do it. President Heber C. Kimball said the following to Aroet, the oldest of the four: 

“Be industrious, raise all you can, and next year you shall go to the mountains with me.”

And in 1848, they did go. Aroet, age 19, Rachel, age 18, Alma, age 11, And Solomon, age 9. 

Of that heroic journey their descendants have said: 

“They had made a promise to their dying parents to stand true to the faith and continue on with the Saints to the Rocky Mountains. That sincere pledge they would keep!!!! The promise made in the tent by the four young orphans will be remembered for ages. Unnumbered thousands of Jonathan Harriman and Olive Boynton Hale’s future descendants will forever mention their names with honor and praise.” 

Can we do the same? Can we stand true to the faith of our fathers as they did? It is what we have covenanted to do and in faith we will do it!

Source: 

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/KWJ5-62H

‘Bishop Jonathan H. Hale of Nauvoo His life and Ministry’ by Heber Q Hale