I was born in London, England, in Little St. George Street December 16, 1855. My father's parents lived in Nottingham and my mother's in London.

My parents joined the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1852.

When I was about two months old we left England with four hundred and fifty-four Saints and crossed the sea for America in the ship Caravan. This was in the year and winter of 1856. For seven weeks we were tossed about by winds and gales with nothing to eat but sea biscuits and black coffee. Almost everyone of the ship took sick, but we landed safely.

We stayed near New York, Orange County, until spring. We had some dear friends in England who wanted to follow us to America, but did not have the money. My mother sold her feather bed and a large sack of lace and sent the money to them to help pay their way out to Zion. They came in the fall of 1857. Their names were William and Sarah Ann Ball. Their children were Caroline and William Jr.

June 13, 1857 we started with the Israel Evans' company across the plains and arrived in Salt Lake City the 13th of September. Our family who crossed the plains were: Father, Henry Simmons; mother, Catherine Davis Simmons; children, Margaret, Catherine, and Hannah (myself.) [p.1]

BIB: Gibb, Hannah Simmons, Autobiography, p. 1 (CHL)
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