Henry Heath (Mormon pioneer) facts for kids

Henry Heath in his later years

Henry Heath (born November 22, 1828 – died April 4, 1908) was an important Mormon pioneer. He also worked as a law enforcement officer in the Utah Territory, United States.

Early Life in England

Henry Heath was born in Hanley, Staffordshire, England, on November 22, 1828. He was the second of five children born to John Heath and Barbara Hulme. Henry's father decorated fine china. His mother worked as a cook and later practiced medicine for a short time.

When Henry was very young, his father became sick with typhoid fever. This illness made it hard for his father to work. To help the family, Henry's mother, Barbara, bought a bakery.

In 1834, a boy named Nicholas Thomas Silcock came to live with the Heath family. Nicholas's mother had passed away. Henry's father, John Heath, died from tuberculosis in 1841.

In the early 1840s, Henry's mother and other family members became members of the Mormon faith.

Journey to Nauvoo

When Henry was 17, he left England with his mother and two brothers on September 1, 1845. They traveled across the ocean and eventually settled in Nauvoo, Illinois. This was a large Mormon community in the United States.

However, when Henry arrived, Nauvoo was facing many problems. The leader, Joseph Smith, had died about 16 months earlier. Groups of people who were against the Mormons often caused trouble. By late 1845, most residents were getting ready to leave Nauvoo. They planned to move west to find a new home.

Henry's family, along with Edward Hunter, left Nauvoo in April 1846. They had lived there for only six months. They traveled to Council Bluffs, Iowa, and then to Winter Quarters. This was a temporary settlement in what is now Omaha, Nebraska. They arrived there in September 1846.

Life as an Orphan

Life at Winter Quarters was very difficult. About 2,500 people arrived there, and resources were scarce. Many people suffered from scurvy, a sickness caused by not having enough fresh vegetables.

Henry's mother, Barbara Heath, became very ill. She had been weak from malaria during the journey. She then caught scurvy and was sick for many weeks. Barbara died on October 20, 1846. She was buried in an unmarked grave.

Her death left Henry, who was 18, and his two younger brothers, Thomas (15) and Frederick (13), without parents. They were now orphans.

Trek to Salt Lake Valley

After his mother's death, Edward Hunter became like a father figure to the Heath boys. Edward Hunter led a group of 155 people with 59 wagons from Winter Quarters. Their goal was to reach the Great Salt Lake Valley.

Henry Heath, and likely his brother Thomas, worked as teamsters, driving the wagons. They are listed as members of this group. Henry left Winter Quarters on June 19 and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on October 1, 1847.

Exploring the Southern Great Basin

By 1849, the Mormon pioneers were settled in the Salt Lake Valley. Their leader, Brigham Young, wanted to explore new areas. He asked the government to send a group to map the land to the south. They also needed to find good places for new settlements.

Parley P. Pratt led this exploration group, which left on November 23, 1849. Henry Heath was one of the 47 men in the group. They explored far south, reaching the Virgin River and Muddy rivers in what is now southern Utah. They traveled over 526 miles. They found more than 26 places for future settlements. They also described the soil, plants, and water sources.

The journey was tough because it was winter. They faced very cold weather and deep snow. At one point, they even tried to pull their wagons like sleds over the snow. Supplies began to run low.

In January 1850, the group was stuck in deep snow near what is now Fillmore, Utah. With food running out, Parley P. Pratt took some of the sick and older men on horseback to get help. Henry Heath stayed with the main group. They survived by eating rabbits and sleeping in holes dug in the snow. It took seven weeks for the snow to melt enough for a rescue party to reach them with wagons.

Marriage and Family

Henry Heath married Sarah Ann Bird on February 19, 1851, in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory. Their marriage was performed by Parley P. Pratt.

Henry and Sarah had 12 children together. Their children were born between 1852 and 1878, all in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Frontier Law Enforcement

Henry Heath worked as a law enforcement officer from at least 1862 to 1868. During this time, he was involved in several cases that showed what the legal system was like in the American West.

One famous case involved catching a grave robber. In 1862, Henry found signs of grave robbing in the city cemetery. He was investigating the burial of a criminal who had been killed. Henry's investigation led him to the home of the grave digger, Jean-Baptiste. There, he found piles of clothing taken from graves.

Henry was worried that his own daughter Malissa's grave might have been disturbed. She had died the year before. He brought Jean-Baptiste to Sarah's grave. Henry later said he would have killed Baptiste if his child's grave had been robbed. But Baptiste was able to show Henry that Sarah's grave was untouched, saving his life.

News of Baptiste's crimes spread quickly. Many people in the community were very angry. Grave robbing was a serious offense, but it was not a crime punishable by death. The officers had to protect Baptiste from the angry crowd.

One officer, Albert Dewey, explained that they decided to banish Baptiste to an island in the Great Salt Lake. This was to save him from the public's anger. He was taken to the island without chains or shackles. His forehead was tattooed with the words "Banded for robbing the dead." Accounts from that time do not mention his ears being cut, as some stories later claimed.

Henry Heath's involvement with the grave robber likely ended after Baptiste was caught. No one knows for sure what happened to Jean-Baptiste after he was left on the island. Most people believe he either drowned trying to leave or escaped and fled the state.

Later Life

Henry Heath continued to work in law enforcement until at least 1868. He also farmed land in Salt Lake City and worked as a night watchman to support his large family. He was well-known in the community. Later in his life, he was celebrated as one of the original Utah pioneers of 1847.

Henry Heath died in Salt Lake City on March 30, 1908.

Images for kids

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  Henry Heath, later years