Description

With A Smile and a Kiss She Left Me

In the Spring of 1850, Charles Sansom and his wife, Susannah Hartle Sansom arrived in Council Bluffs Iowa from England in preparation to go west to the Rocky Mountains. Circumstances prevented the Sansoms and others from making the journey across the plains that season, so Charles concluded to go down the Missouri River to St Louis and work through the winter to get what they needed. 

Susannah stayed behind with friends. She had been ill with chills and fever. Having no other recourse, Charles left for St Louis and quickly found employment. He wrote letters back to Susannah but heard nothing in reply. Not long after, Charles learned that his letters had not gone through and his wife felt very bad that she had not heard from him. 

Elder Orson Hyde came to St Louis and Charles sent money back to help his wife, but it arrived too late. Susannah had contracted scurvy and tuberculosis and passed away in Kanesville, Iowa, January 5, 1851. The money was used to pay for her funeral. Charles wrote, 

It was a sad blow to me, for I was preparing to have her come down to St. Louis again as soon as the river was open. I realized I had lost a faithful partner and a loving wife. She was a faithful Latter-day Saint. A little while after her death she appeared to me in the night and asked me with a frown on her face why I did not write to her. I told her I had but had not received any answer. I also showed her my memo book giving an account of all I had done, money earned and spent, and what I was doing to prepare for her coming. She appeared to be satisfied and with a smile and a kiss she left me.

Our beloved dead still love us on the other side. 

Source: Charles Sansom Autobiography https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/2451378?p=39509514&returnLabel=Charles%20Sansom%20(KWJC-VPS)&returnUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.familysearch.org%2Ftree%2Fperson%2Fmemories%2FKWJC-VPS