| Description |
watched the train of handcarts disappear into the sunset, When the company stopped to camp for the night Hees unloaded the handcart. Rees crossed the plains twice that hot, dry summer. Although the company v/as on rationed food during much of the trek, Rees, without eating, dragged the handcart back to fetch his balky little wife. 3efore they finished their journey Ann's shoes had completely worn out. They took turns wearing Rees' boots. By October 2nd her feet were sore and bleeding. Rees took off his boots and gave Ann the privilege of walking into the Land of Zion wearing shoes as he walked along barefoot dragging the handcart. Shortly after arriving, Rees and Ann were standing on a street corner in Salt Lake City not knowing what they were going to do, when a man by the naae of Ben Johnson came along. He invited the young couple into his home. Here they could remain, he told them, until they could get on their feet and build a home of their own. Rees and Ben became best of friends. Rees was treated as one of Ben's sons. They stood side by side in Echo Canyon when the saints were fortified against the U. S. Army in the winter of 1857. In the spring of 1858 Rees and Ann went with "Uncle Ben" to colonize Santaquin. Here Rees served as postmaster until the fall of 1859 when Ben asked Rees to help his brother George Johnson make the settlement of fountain Green. Considering Rees a son, Ben gave him two yoke of oxen, a wagon, a cow and other necessary supplies. In addition to theix baby daughter, Rees and Ann brou^it with them a four-year-old Indian girl named Viret who had been given to Uncle Ben in exchange for meat and flour. Viret was loved and cared for in the Llewellyn home and reared to womanhood there. Rees built a one-room log cabin and raoved his family to Fountain Green. A second child, the first girl born in town, was soon added. His family kept growing and Rees soon built a 121 |
