Mormon Handcart Rescuer: James Barker, 29

James Barker, 29

James Barker is a rescuer who would bear the burden of the effects of the cold the rest of his life.  James Barker settled in the Ogden area after immigrating to Utah in 1849.  He was married in 1851.  In 1856 he accepted a call to help with the rescue of the handcart pioneers. 

He and a companion were sent to bring back a couple cattle that had wandered away from the rescuers.  It was very cold. It took them a couple of hours to find the cattle.  By the time they did, the campfire had gone out and they had difficulty finding camp.  They eventually did find camp but Brother Barker was frost bit in his hands and would have arthritis in his hands the rest of his life.  They were practically useless.

Even so he was a successful farmer.  He was the first to introduce the red delicious apple to Utah.  He used many farm hands, and family hands to help with his farming enterprise.  His goal was to leave a farm to each of his male children, and make sure his daughters were also provided for.  His wife, Polly was a noted midwife and local curer.  She received calls from many locals as well as Native Americans. 

Mormon Handcart Rescuer and Wellsville Settler: Nathan Bankhead

It is notable that an African American slave was among the handcart rescuers.  Dan Jones made a list of the rescuers, and included Tom Bankhead.  This was actually Nate Bankhead.  Nate had come to Utah in 1848 with the John Bankhead family as a slave.  The bank heads were from the South.  There were no laws about slavery, so basically it was tolerated, but the slave could choose not to be a slave.  Nate likely preceded his master's family to Utah to prepare the way for them.  He and his brother also drove wagons in support of the immigrants.  In 1856 he was asked to help with the rescue.  Not much is known about his service, but he was with the first wave of rescuers, an subject to. The same winter storms and cold.  He likely helped the Willie Company into the Valley.

Even though Nate Bankhead may have still been a slave, he was basically emancipated.  However he still an interest in the war and was routing for the South to be defeated.  In 1859 he traveled with John Bankhead to Cache Valley to help the early settlers with threshing.  He stayed and settled in Wellsville where he had a large garden.  One of his sons, George, settled in Mt. Sterling and gives the name to Cooky's Hollow, his nick mane.  

Nathan and his brothers and children in the area were a Lively group and sought out to provide music for dances.  Nathan was a caller.  They could also add to any social occasion with conversation and good spirit.  The color of their skin was really not an issue, and one of Nathan's daughter said she didn't realize she was Black as a child.

Mormon Handcart Rescuer: Marshall Franklin Allen

Marshall Franklin Allen 23 when he participated in the rescue of 1856.  Frank at first decided not to go on the rescue.  It was too dangerous to be in the mountains that time of year and the risk was too great not knowing how far he would have to travel.  However he made it a matter of prayer, and had an answer before he had finished his prayer.  When Frank arrived at the Martin Compny campsite, he felt the need to go farther and look for stragglers.  He saw something in the hills, a speck.  However on investigating he discovered a young man who had been praying to die.  Frank got him on the horse and brought him to safety.  Frank settled in Hyrum, Utah.  Many years later he related this story to his grandchildren, with their ore grandparents present, George Housley.  George recognized the story as himself being rescued, and said it was his mother's prayers which kept him alive until help arrived.  George was almost 20 at the time, but small in stature,andthinfrom lack of food so looked younger.

Taken from "Tell My Story Too" by: Jolene Allphin