History Of John Lee – Family Preserves

History of John Lee and his wife Sarah Roebuck Lee, given to Nellie Smith by John Lee’s daughter Phoebe Lee Murdock.
Sarah Roebuck was born 20 July 1821 at Adrack Woodhouse, Yorkshire England. She was the daughter of Samprow Roebbuck and Phoebe Marshall.
Sarah was baptized in Mizson Nothinghamshire England in May 1849 at the age of 28 years.
John Lee was born at Mizson Nothinghamshire England 18 Jan. 1822. He was left fatherless at the age of 2 years.
At 10 years of age he went to work on a farm where he worked for four years. From then until he was 18. He was married to Sarah Roebuck when she was 18. He worked at a foundry for six years.
He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in England 28 Jan. 1846. At some time between baptism and the time he left England he was a traveling Elder and as near as can be found he baptized 18 or 20 people.
On March 22, 1856 he and family left England on the ship Enock Train for Boston. Left Sheffield, Yorkshire England by rail for Liverpool, under the Charge of Elders Frost and McDonald. All rejoicing in going to help the building up of the Lords Kingdom in the valleys of
The Rocky Mountains.
On the ocean we saw many schools of porpoises and some whale. Some children were born and some died while crossing. It was hard to see the loved ones buried in the briny deep. One day while we were watching the fish a dead man floated past us . Some other ship had to buried him.
After being on the sea many days we landed in Boston 1st of May. The ship carried 534 saints, the boats skipper was Captain Henry P. Rich.
The Presidency of the company consisted of Elder James Ferguson, Elder Edmund Ellsworth, and Elder Daniel D. McArthur.
We left Boston for New York and arrived in New York 2 May. We left New York at 5 o’clock for Iowa. Traveled by rail, left Chicago 11 o’clock at night and arrived at Rock Island 9 o’clock the next morning.
May 10 crossed the Missouri River at 8 o’clock
May 12 , Monday arrived at Iowa at 3 o’clock dragged own luggage about two miles to a campground. Fixed some tents that was made aboard ship.
It rained and was cold.
May 14 my children down with the fever.
June 7 started our trek with our handcarts it was slow and dusty. We had to let three of our children ride all the way, one 6 months, one two years and one four years old
June 15 our son William Lee age twelve years old died also Sister Prators child, we buried them by moonlight on bear creek. I was repairing handcarts everyday
June 26 traveled about one mile we were faint from lack of food, we were only allowed about ? lb. of flour a person each day and about three oz. of sugar each week about ? lb. bacon each week.
We buried some one nearly every day.
July 1 cloudy and began to rain, traveled about fifteen miles, handcarts a storm came about eleven that night it split the tent was not a dry thread on us. A boy was lost and at another time a lost but after long searching both were found.
July 9 rested at Horena City mending handcarts and women washing.
July 20 started again and traveled seven miles.
July 22 passed over the ferry at Elk Horn.
July 24 very hot went about 18 miles.
July 26 passed over the ferry at Luke Fort traveled about six miles when it looked very heavy and black. We had not gone far when it began lightening and the thunder roared. In about the middle of the train of handcarts the lightening struck a brother and he fell to rise no more in this life. His name was Henry Walker from Carlisle aged 58 years. Left a wife and two sons, I put the body, with the help of others on the handcart and pulled him two miles to camp, and buried him without a coffin for there was no boards to be had.
Aug. 2 we saw many buffalo traveled about 18 miles.
Aug. 6 saw thousands of buffalo, four was killed for food.
Aug. 14 last of the buffalo seen, some were killed and dried.
Aug. 23 traveled about 16 miles camped by Platte River our allowance of flour to night was 1 lb. per person for this I was thankful for I never was so hungry. Captain Ellswoth shot a cow which was thankfully received.
Sept. rested, rained all day.
Sept. 6 lost cattle.
Sept. 12 Sarah very poorly, Archer Walters and family were tent
Repaired and there man was mates of the Lees. He died a fortnight after arriving in Salt Lake, He helped John Lee to make all the untimely coffins in to lay away their fellow travelers. We arrived Sept. 26, 1856 in Salt Lake Valley in the Edmond Elsworth Company. They rested for a week in Salt Lake and went to Spanish Fork, stay there three years.
There we moved Provo valley now known as Wasatch County. There were 28 families here then, John and Sarah Lee had 12 children born to them 4 boys and 8 girls. There home was the first one with a fireplace and chimney in when finished. She was a midwife. At Christmas they had the first party in the valley. In the summer Sarah gather ground cherries and dried them, in the fall she made syrup from beets and at Christmas time she preserved the dried ground cherries in the beet syrup and made a pudding for Christmas desert.
John Lee helped build bridges and helped kill rattle snakes. Midway was alive with snakes. John Lee was also a Black Hawk war veteran.
John Lee was loved by all who knew him, a hard worker and an honest man. John and Sarah had 12 children, 69 grand children, 86 great grand childern, and 2 great great grand children, always singing and had prayer at night
She died at home in Wasatch Co. 14 Sept. 1909. John lee died at Heber City 18 June 1907. Both were buried in Heber City.