Alice Martin

Biographical Summary:

"...Alice Clayton Martin was born to Thomas and Ann Critchley on March 28, 1816, in Walton, Penwortham, Le Dale, Lancashire Co. England. She was raised there until adulthood where in the locality she met her future husband, Edward Martin. They were married in the year 1840, in Preston, Lancashire, England. Soon after Their conversion into the Church of Latter Day Saints, they left on a journey to America. They left on the ship 'The Sheffield', sailing from Liverpool to New Orleans, Louisiana. From there they took smaller boats up the Mississippi River to Nauvoo, Illinois, where they were met by the Head of the LDS Church-Joseph Smith. Edward purchased two pieces of property and commenced building a home for Alice. A family history records say that in 1841, Edward painted Josph Smith's store. Alice gave birth to three children in Nauvoo: Lucy Ann born in 1842, and died in 1845, Mary Ellen born in 1844, and Edward John born in 1845. While in Nauvoo Edward was ordained to the office of the Seventy and both Edward and Alice received their Endowments in the Nauvoo Temple on December 22, 1845. On February 16, 1846 Edward and Alice and the children left Nauvoo, Illinois and were among the Saints who left in exile and commenced on the journey to the western part of the country. It took four months to travel to Council Bluffs, Iowa where Edward joined with 500 other men to form the Mormon Battalion as a Corporal in the C Company under the command of Captain James Brown. After Edward left, Alice was left on the prairie in her wagon box and she was expecting her fourth child. On April 11, 1847, Eber Edward was born and died September 6, 1847. Another son, Edward John, died April 1846 at 8 months of age. These were sad and lonely times for Alice. Of her four children only Mary Ellen survived. Alice had moved to Winter Quarters as church records indicate, the children died there. After Edward was released from the Battalion he went to Salt Lake and found that his family wasn't there he walked back to find them in Winter Quarters as it was late in the season. The Martin's left for Salt Lake on June 1, 1848 and arrived in the Valley September 25, 1848. While on the Wyoming plains Alice gave birth to their fifth child Eliza Susanna, but sadly the infant died after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley on October 10, 1848. The Martin's had two more children and they both died soon after their births. In 1853, Edward was called to go on a Mission to Scotland and left Mary Ellen and Alice alone again, but this time they had friends and family to love and support them. When Edward returned three years later after returning from England, leading the Martin Handcart Company, it was said that Edward had lost 50 pounds and had a hard time regaining his strength. Alice gave birth to another son on January 11, 1859, Brigham Martin, on April 3, 1859 ,at the age of 43 years old Alice died three months after the baby was born. She is buried in the Salt Lake Cemetery, only two of her children surviving to adulthood-Mary Ellen and Brigham..."

SOURCE: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=fls&FLid=28285632