1. Benjamin Enniss Meek & Louisa Rodgers
Benjamin Enniss Meek
Birth: 6 December 1837, Weston under Penyard, Herefordshire, England
Death: 21 Jul 1866, On Plains - West Of Wyoming, Neb on the way to Utah
Became a member of LDS Church during 1861
MARRIED Louisa Rodgers 14 October 1860, Weston under Penyard, Herefordshire, England
Louisa Rodgers
Birth 14 August 1839, Castling Pike, Lea, Herefordshire, England
Death: 11 October 1904, Charleston, Wasatch, Utah, United States
Became a member of LDS Church during 1853
During 1866 Benjamin, wife Louisa, daughter Ann and Benjamin’s parents: Thomas & Ann Meek, joined
764 LDS member immigrating to Utah aboard the ship “John Bright” (30 April 1866 to 6 June 1866)
http://mormonmigration.lib.byu.edu/Search/showDetails/db:MM_MII/t:voyage/id:193/keywords:Meek
Ship Name “John Bright”
Departure: Liverpool, England 30 Apr 1866 from Liverpool
Arrival: New York, new York 6 Jun 1866 at New York
2. PASSENGERS – Aboard “John Bright”
• Meek, Benjamin Father Age 28
• LouisaMeek, Mother Age 27
• AnnMeek, Daughter Age 5
• ThomasMeek, Father – Father-in-Law Age 58
• AnnMeek, Mother – Mother-in-Law Age 58
Passengers arrived at Castle Garden Immigration Receiving Center at New York, New York and then
the immigrants boarded riverboats and trains which headed for Wyoming, Nebraska.
The wagon train outfitting post at Wyoming, Nebraska (the west bank of the Missouri River about 40
miles south of. Omaha).
Thomas E. Ricks Company
The Meek’s Family became part of the THOMAS E. RICKS COMPANY
DEPARTURE Wyoming, Nebraska 6-10 July 1866
ARRIVAL: Salt Lake City, Utah, 29 August 1866
NUMBER IN COMPANY 46 Wagons 256 Immigrants in the total Company of 272
3. Meek, Benjamin Age 28
Meek, Louisa Rodgers Age 28 Listed as Louisa Rogers in Company roster
Meek, Ann Age 5
Meek, Ann Ennis Age 58
Meek, Thomas Age 58
1866 - During travel with Thomas E. Ricks Wagon Co. from Wyoming, Nebraska , Benjamin Enniss
Meek, became ill and died 21 July 1866 and was buried along the trail.
Trail reports put the THOMAS E. RICKS COMPANY at Cottonwood, Neb on 20 July 1866. That is
along the Platte River & Mormon Trail about 100 miles West from Kearney, Nebraska. Near present day
North Platte, Nebraska.
http://history.lds.org/overlandtravels/trailExcerptMulti?lang=eng&companyId=254&sourceId=10610
THOMAS E. RICKS COMPANY July 20th
1866 at Cottonwood, Nebraska.
100 miles west of Kearney. [this would be near North Platte, Nebraska)
"First Immigration Train," Deseret News [Weekly], 30 Aug. 1866
The company traveled 10-15 miles the next day and Benjamin Enniss Meek, died 21 July 1866 and was
buried along the trail.
http://history.lds.org/overlandtravels/trailExcerptMulti?lang=eng&companyId=254&sourceId=10582
"First Immigration Train," Deseret News[Weekly], 30 Aug. 1866
The following are the names of those who died:
Benjamin Meek, from Weston, Herefordshire, England [ … ]
Find A Grave
Benjamin Enniss Meek
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-
bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=118700539