Mormon handcart pioneers The Mormon handcart pioneers were
participants in the migration of members of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the LDS Church) to
Salt Lake City, Utah, who used handcarts to transport their
belongings. The Mormon handcart movement began in 1856 and
continued until 1860. Motivated to join their fellow Church
members in Utah but lacking funds for full ox or horse teams,
nearly 3,000 Mormon pioneers from England, Wales, Scotland and
Scandinavia made the journey from Iowa or Nebraska to Utah in
ten handcart companies. The trek was disastrous for two of the
companies, which started their journey dangerously late and were
caught by heavy snow and severe temperatures in central Wyoming.
Despite a dramatic rescue effort, more than 210 of the 980
pioneers in these two companies died along the way. John
Chislett, a survivor, wrote, "Many a father pulled his cart,
with his little children on it, until the day preceding his
death." Although fewer than 10 percent of t