Person:Susan Wilkins (4)

I also read in a book titled How Beautiful Upon the Mountain. Joseph Smith had stopped by their house and gave their daughter Sarah Jane Wilkins an apple. The book also says that John's wife was bed ridden and that they carried the bed outside before burning the place down. And, that while crossing the plains, the Indians were taking my Sarah Janes's red hair. I was told about this book by a cousin Richard Buys. I found a used copy by internet, from a used book store in Salt Lake.John McDonald is one of those stories that doesn't seem to get a straight answer. It is suspected by some of us that she married him(or lived with him for means of support) while her husband, Charles, was gone on his mission to Canada and presumed dead; but as it turned out he returned after being very sick there and hospitalized and said he had had no way to let anyone know, or at least that was his story. They did have mail service then, albeit slow, so you would think they would have been able to communicate some over a four year span.It is said that she insisted on being buried at his feet rather than at his side for some reason not openly discussed. Sadly, I think that the ones that may have known the truth are now also gone, so it will probably remain speculation. Charles was gone for four years and finally returned in 1868. There were no children born of Susan Jane from 1864 to 1869. She was left with 4 children to raise with the oldest about six. Not a pleasant task at any time.

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