For many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Pioneer Day is more than just a historical remembrance, it’s personal.
Descendants of early church pioneers carry stories of sacrifice, miracles and unwavering faith passed down through generations.
Today, posterity reflects on how those stories shape their faith, their identity and their desire to serve God.
Anson Call
Anson Call is a well-known pioneer from the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was in the Brigham Young Pioneer Company, was part of the Nauvoo Legion, was present for and recorded the Rocky Mountain Prophecy, helped colonize multiple regions of Utah and more.
Sam Warner is the fourth-great-grandson of Anson Call, and says his favorite story from Call’s life is when he helped rescue the Willie handcart company.
The Willie handcart company got caught in an early heavy snow storm on their way to Salt Lake City.
A group of church members, including Call, came to rescue them.
Call later wrote about the scene: “We found them starving and freezing and dying, and it was the most suffering that I ever saw among human beings.”
The rescue team was able to carry nearly all of the Willie handcart company back to Salt Lake City, though many did not survive the journey.
This story helps Warner reflect on all the hardships his fourth-great-grandfather suffered so that he can live and appreciate the Gospel.
“I want to live with that same spirit of service,” Warner said.
He brought up Alma 36:2: “I would that ye should do as I have done, in remembering the captivity of our fathers; for they were in bondage, and none could deliver them except it was the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he surely did deliver them in their afflictions.”
Warner believes it is important to remember our pioneer heritage for the sake of gratitude and remembering the God that saved them is the same one that can save you.
“We should remember that God is a God of miracles that can free us,” he said. “If we can remember that … we won't forget that it was God that gave us all the blessings we have.”
Frederick Kesler
Frederick Kesler helped build the Nauvoo temple, traveled in multiple pioneer companies, served three missions and served as a bishop.
Upon arriving at the Missouri River with the Brigham Young Handcart Company, he was asked to stay behind and build a large ferry boat to transport handcarts across the river for pioneers making the trek out to Utah.
Because of his skills in building, he was later asked by Brigham Young to build mills. This earned him the nickname, “the Prophet’s mill builder.” He built numerous mills, including the very first mills in multiple states like Utah, Nebraska and Kansas.
All together, he crossed the plains by team five times.
He was also a great record keeper and passionate about family history.
His sixth-great-granddaughter, Liah Meredith, has found many similarities to him within herself. As a family history major, she is extremely passionate about the subject, just as Kesler was.
In studying his life, Meredith finds it amazing how sure Kesler was in his faith. He dedicated everything he could to serve the Lord.
“(His story) inspires me and makes me realize the mindset that I should have,” Meredith said. “I want to serve God, and I want to help as many people as I possibly can.”
Meredith believes it is important to study the lives of our ancestors, because it teaches us where we come from and that we are part of something bigger than just ourselves.
“When there's so much uncertainty, I think the best thing that we can learn is who we are and where we're going,” she said. “But also who God wants us to be.”
The Caldwell Family
The Caldwell Family traveled in one of the most difficult pioneer treks with the Willie Handcart Company, where more than 60 people died.
Melissa Blotter is the third-great-granddaughter of Agnes Caldwell, who is known for being protected by the Lord as she courageously jumped over rattlesnakes with her friend, Mary Hurren.
One thing that sticks out to Blotter from the writings of Agnes Caldwell is the way she talks about her mother, Margaret.
Margaret made the trek from Scotland to Salt Lake City as a single mother with five kids after her husband was lost at sea.
Agnes wrote: “I have often marveled of the wonderful integrity of character of my mother’s planning and successfully completing such a journey where more able-bodied and stronger — yes, even men — failed miserably.”
Margaret had to do the majority of the work pulling the wagon after her eldest son broke his shoulder trying to lasso a cow.
She was also very thrifty and found ways to feed her children, however meager it was.
She often traded trinkets and gifts with the Native Americans in exchange for dried meat. She also sold a quilt and bedspread, found ways to bake out on the prairie, and traded jewelry and spoons for flour and meat.
With courage and the Lord’s help, the Caldwell family safely arrived in Salt Lake City on 9 November 1856.
Blotter is amazed at her ancestors' ability to “just keep going.”
“Even though people were passing away and people were freezing and people were starving, they just kept persevering and kept going,” she said.
These stories serve as a reminder of the resilience, faith and sacrifice required of the pioneers so that members of the church can have the faith-building community they have today.
You can read more pioneer stories at this link.