A member of the Martin Handcart Company

Daughter of James Crossley and Mary Jarvis

Married - Perrigrine Sessions, 2 Mar 1861, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

Children - Male Sessions, Mary Elvira Sessions, William Westley Sessions, Phoebe Olive Sessions, Mary Sessions, Joseph Sessions, James Crossley Sessions, Hannah Ann Sessions, Hannah L. Sessions, Daughter Sessions, Lillis Cordelia Sessions, Wallace Orlanda Sessions

History - In a little town of Radcliff, Manchester, England lived a family by the name of Crossley. They belonged belonged to the Methodist Church until the Gospel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came to them in the year of 1851. Many of the elders came to their home and stayed with them. Among them came Elder Sessions, President of the Manchester Mission. Sarah was fond of him and would creep near to listen to his every word. Sometimes he would take the children on his lap and tell them of his home and wonderful experiences in his work in the church.

He often urged Sarah's father to go to America and unite with the Saints in the Rocky Mountains. This time her father did, leaving Mother and the children to follow as soon as he could make a home for them. After two years the way came to them. They bade farewell sailing from Liverpool early in the spring of 1856.

Elder Levi Savage had traveled the Plains before, and tried to discourage the group when they got to Florence Nebraska telling them that it was too late to make this trip. Many of the carts gave out and had to wait for repair and they had to double their loads as some had to be discarded and left. It was hard work.

September came and the first frost was upon them. Out in the open with few clothes and little shelter, then they began their real suffering. But they tried to be brave and not complain more than necessary to each other. The Crossley children felt they should help their Mother all they could.

A terrible disease crept into their little fold and death became a frequent visitor to their little train. They were obliged to leave their loved ones in the graves that marred the path of this little struggling band.

Lower and lower the rations became and no food or help in sight. Many were dying each day. Men and women who started strong and well were dropping out. Each morning they would dig a grave and bury the dead before they could leave camp. Each morning the Crossley's gave brother Joseph their clothing to keep him warm. His suffering was over one morning as they found him frozen in his bed. They left him by the side of the road. There were five deaths that night and the ground was so frozen that they could not dig a grave. They wrapped him in a large blanket and left him by the side of the trail; before they had got out of sight, they heard the wolves had reached it. This was a terrible trial for Sarah's mother to bear, but she did not complain to the Lord and did not lose faith in him.

They had not reached Sweet Water River and the provisions were gone. They found a small ravine since named Martin's Ravine. Here they made or camp in a clump of willows that grew close together. In the morning to add to their suffering a heavy snow had fallen upon them. They were lost, starving, and buried in two feet of snow. Three days they lived through this and then at the sunset from over the rim of the ravine came a covered wagon with men breaking a road for the horses. Such cries of joy were never heard before.

They started on with new hope and courage. As they came to South Pass, the weather moderated and they did not suffer so much. On the thirteenth day of November, they arrived in Salt Lake City, what was left of them. There was five hundred and eighty-four members in the company in Iowa City, and one hundred and forty-six of this little band were left along the plains and in the mountains to tell the tale of their experience.

They were met by their dear Father and many of their friends. In fact most of the city came to look upon the suffering of this company. They gave them aid by taking them into their homes to nurse them back to life-from the very jaws of death through which they had passed.

Sarah visited with her Father for several days then Elder Sessions came and begged to be permitted to take one of them to care for. As Sarah felt very near to him for his kindness to them while on his mission in England. Sarah was allowed to go and live with her sister.

Sarah lived most of the time with Mr. Session's family and at the age of eighteen she was married to him. Sarah went to live with his other wives in a large house until some years later Ester, his youngest wife and Sarah lived together in a log house of six rooms. Here Sarah had her family of eleven children and Ester had ten. They loved each other dearer than sister. For seventeen years they lived together in perfect happiness. Then they were given a nice new home of their own, but they parted with many regrets and they always remained the dearest of companions.

Sarah was a widow at the age of fifty with my family in comfortable circumstances and loving companionship of all the other wives. There were six wives at this time and they had always been a great blessing to each other.

Sarah was always faithful, sweet and gentle. She lived to the age of sixty three and when winter came which she dreaded, she was laid to rest in the Bountiful Cemetery. She rests beside her husband and several children who have gone before.

Autobiographical sketch of Sarah Crossley Sessions

Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, Edward Martin Company (1856), Approximate age at departure: 13