"By the early
1850's leaders of the Church were considering economic ways to move
thousands of European converts to Zion. Most were poor and lacked
sufficient funds to purchase a wagon, team of oxen, and the required
provisions for the long trip from Iowa to Salt Lake. In 1855 Brigham
Young proposed the concept of handcarts. Each cart would carry only the
necessary provisions needed for a family, which was no more than 17
pounds per person. Several families would share a tent. Since handcarts
travel faster than slow oxen, it was felt that handcart companies could
travel to Salt Lake with fewer provisions and at a faster pace than
wagon trains." -- West Jordan Utah Stake Presidency
The
Play
The
Mormon Trail is a play produced by the West Jordan Utah Stake that
depicts the journey of the Willie and Martin handcart companies.
Click for
larger image
The
play begins with criticisms of the two handcart companies by members of a
Sunday School class in Cedar City and Francis Webster's testimony to them
that he was "thankful that I was privileged to come in the Martin Hand
Cart Company." The play continues with Francis Webster talking with two of
his grand children, Billy/Dick Leigh (referred to as Richard in the play)
and Amy Jane (Jen) Leigh. As Francis and the two children discuss the
handcart trek, the play depicts the events.
The
Mormon Trail was produced as a teaching play rather than as a
historical account of the two handcart companies. It was produced to
teach the members of the West Jordan Stake about the hardships and sacrifices made
by the handcart pioneers, thus helping members of the Stake realize
they can, with the help of God, solve their problems and find success
in their lives. Through the pioneers as
role models we view object lessons and learn how gospel principles can
help us overcome our trials, our "snow storms", "starvation", and even death.
The play was produced as a Stake effort and was not endorsed or
approved by the general Church. Click here
for additional pictures from the play.
The
Video
Video copies of
the play on DVD (122 minutes) are available for the
cost of reproduction and shipping. The cast and supporting staff spent
thousands of hours producing the play, and I helped shoot the video
and then spent several hundred
hours editing the tapes and creating the finished video.
I
became involved with the play (I live in a different Stake)
because the central character in the play is my great grandfather, Francis
Webster. I have been given
permission by the West Jordan Stake to make the play available to anyone
who would like to view it. If
you would like copies of the video,
email me (using the email address given below) your name, address and the
number of copies you would like, and I will send you my postal address so
you can send your check. After I receive your check, I'll send the disks via First Class
mail. The
cost is $4.00 each, and that includes shipping. You have no obligation to
buy the disks until you send me your money. Please put DVD in the subject
of your email.
The
following video is an overview of some of the highlights of the full
video. The overview takes 29 minutes.
"By the early
1850's leaders of the Church were considering economic ways to move
thousands of European converts to Zion. Most were poor and lacked
sufficient funds to purchase a wagon, team of oxen, and the required
provisions for the long trip from Iowa to Salt Lake. In 1855 Brigham
Young proposed the concept of handcarts. Each cart would carry only the
necessary provisions needed for a family, which was no more than 17
pounds per person. Several families would share a tent. Since handcarts
travel faster than slow oxen, it was felt that handcart companies could
travel to Salt Lake with fewer provisions and at a faster pace than
wagon trains." -- West Jordan Utah Stake Presidency
