Sarah Rebecca Ekins Walker
Sarah was 24 years old when she came across the plains with the Martin Handcart Company. She was a lovely, tall, black-haired and black-eyed girl. She apparently lived on the same street as her sweetheart, William J. Walker, in London, England. They were converted and baptized members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They were married in March 1855 and a year later decided to emigrate to America. They sailed on the ship Horizon and arrived in Boston, Massachusetts. Sarah was ill most of the time they were sailing. She was too sick to walk when they arrived in America.
After traveling by rail to Iowa City, Iowa, they joined the Martin Handcart Company. Sarah had to leave most of her precious belongings behind. She had brought only high heeled shoes to wear. She became unable to walk. She must have come from a well-to-do situation as family histories indicate that Sarah had never known hard work until she came to America.
William pulled her in the cart until she regained her health enough to walk. Later, she pushed him in the cart when his feet became frozen. They encountered many delays, as well as severe winter storms.
Through her sheer determination, and almost beyond human endurance. she survived this terrible ordeal and arrived in Salt Lake City on November 30, 1856. When she took off her shoes, the flesh came off with them. Her feet had frozen during the journey, and her recuperation took a long time.
Sarah was a hard worker and always retained her faith in the gospel. She died November 15, 1892 at the age of 60. Tell My Story Too, page 318
