Richard Collings
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Richard Collings was the sixth child in a family of eight children. His parents were Joseph and Sarah Harrowell Collings. When nearly 26 years old, he married Emmy Lawrence (age 18) in the town of Tring. They lost their first child, Alice (age 4). In their grief the parents found comfort in the message of the Mormon Missionaries and were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in July and August of 1849.
In 1855, a call was sent out by the First Presidency of the church for the Saints to come to Zion. In 1856, Richard and Emmy sold all the property they had acquired and with their five small children, departed their native land forever. They sailed on the ship, "Horizon." One night they were awakened by a great disturbance. The ship was rocking to and fro. The vessel was about to hit an iceburg. Naturally grandmother became frightened, but grandfather, in his cool collected way, said, "Just keep calm, there's no use getting excited, there's no back door to run out of." They quietly knelt down and asked God to protect them. That remark was very typical for grandfather. He, and most of their children, all through life, faced their problems calmly. When sorrow or misfortune came to them, they braced up and made no complaint, "there was no back door to run out of." Before leaving London, Grandfather sent money to Salt Lake City to pay their immigration with the understanding that they cross the plains with an ox team. Upon arriving in Iowa City, Iowa, (July 8th) Richard was shocked and somewhat angry to learn that they were expected to walk and pull their provisions in a handcart. They were in the Iowa campgrounds three weeks in the intense heat of the midsummer because the men had to build their own handcarts. The number of emigrants requiring those vehicles was much larger than anticipated, so handcarts weren't ready when Grandfather and family, and the other emigrants, arrived in Iowa. At last, July 28, 1856, the Martin Company started westward. Grandfather was to push with the help of Louisa (age ten) and Fred (age seven) pulling in little harnesses. David (age five) was to walk, George (age three) to ride on top of the baggage on the handcart. Grandmother was to carry baby Samuel (age nine months) and push with one hand when she could. The handcarts were poorly constructed and made of green timber, and became so rickety on the way that immigrants were forced to throw off part of their food and bedding which they needed so badly later. They were rationed down to 1/2 pound of flour a day but the company still toiled cheerfully on through the Black Hills country where the road was rocky and hilly, causing the handcarts to need frequent repairs. Richard was a carpenter by trade in England so he was able to make the necessary repairs. He killed bears and other animals for fresh meat. On the morning of October 19th, they awoke to four inches of snow. Encampment was by the Platte River and had to be crossed. The water was exceedingly cold. One sixth of the company perished of exposure from crossing the Platte River. The snow fell up to fifteen inches. They struggled on, many however falling by the wayside. Due to this sort of exposure, Richard began to weaken, and as the family struggled persistently onward, he became quite ill. One morning, fifteen in the company were found dead. October 29th, they reached the Sweetwater River. The river was swift, filled with floating ice and more than one hundred feet wide. The people cried to the Lord for help. Three eighteen year old boys of a relief party came to the rescue, carrying nearly every member of the ill-fated company across the stream. The exposure was so great, the boys died from the effect of it. The story of Ephraim K. Hanks and his coming to the rescue of the Martin Co. can be found in church history. I will relate what pertained to Richard and Emmy. Relief teams had been sent out to help bring in the Martin Handcart Co. but they turned back. Ephraim Hanks was the only one to continue with a pack horse. Sixty miles from Devil's Gate he killed a buffalo. He cut the meat in strips and lashed it on his horses. At last he reached the ill-fated handcart camp. Bro. Hanks said, "The starving forms and haggard look of those poor dejected creatures can ever be blotted from my mind." In a short time, everyone was eating bison. During the evening, Brother Hanks went from tent to tent anointing and administering to the sick. Grandfather Collings was very sick that night and was one to whom Brother Hanks administered, and he received strength to go on. They reached Salt Lake City on November 30, 1856, true to their religion, and their faith in God unshaken. The Collings family stayed in Salt Lake just long enough to recuperate from their dreadful experience. The family went to Springville, Utah (Hobble Creek) and with the tools he had brought with him built their home and made their furniture. Four more children were born. Life in this country was very different from that which they had lived in the city of London, but they made their adjustments and were sturdy pioneers. In 1872, the family was called to help settle Monroe, Utah. Grandfather owned quite a few sheep and they were the first to be herded on the Monroe Mountains. Grandfather and his sons built a nice home. It was shingled roof and was larger and higher than the other homes. In 1879, the family again gave up their home to go help colonize Pima, Arizona. The settlers met with danger and much trouble from the Indians, but worse than the Indians were the soldiers at Fort Thomas. For some reasons these men became prejudiced against the Mormons. After years of toil and hardship, Richard and Emmy with some of their children decided to return to Monroe (year 1887). Louise, who married John Wesley Johnson, remained in Pima. The trip back to Monroe was a very difficult twenty-eight days. Grandfather died suddenly, July 12, 1891, in his home in Monroe as the result of a hernia. He was quiet, unassuming man who wanted to live at peace with his fellowman. One of his outstanding traits of character was honesty. This material was taken from "Biography of Richard and Emmy Lawrence Collings"
Written by Elaine Poulson and Sylvia Callings Musig, Granddaughters Story shortened by Alice Jo Cluff Ellsworth, 4th great-granddaughter, 1997 Dearest loved one, we have
Laid thee in the peaceful graves Embrace but thy memory Will be cherished till we see Thy Heavenly Face |