I found this from a new article written on aug 4 1991 in the Desert News. A man in our ward shared her story and I thought it would be great to talk to the kids about it. They were so glad to see this great woman
Ellen Pucell was born in England in 1846, and at age 9, began the trek to Utah with her parents and a sister as part of the ill-fated Edwin Martin Handcart Company. The company began the trek across the plains late in the season in 1856, and became snowbound before it reached the Salt Lake Valley.
Some 135 to 150 of the party's members, including the girl's parents, died of starvation and exposure before rescuers from Salt Lake City reached them.
When they reached the Salt Lake Valley, both of the young girl's frozen legs had to be amputated just below the knee - an operation that had to be performed with a butcher knife, carpenter's saw and no anesthetic. She hobbled about painfully on the stubs of her legs for the rest of her life.
At age 24, she moved to Cedar City to become the plural wife of William Unthank. She gave birth to six children.
Living in poverty in a one room log house with a dirt floor, Unthank took in washing and knitted socks to help make ends meet. The local bishop and Relief Society brought her food, and once a year, Unthank and her children returned the kindness by cleaning the meetinghouse. She died in Cedar City at age 69.
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