Esther Stowe Ovard was born December 7, 1842, in Loxely, Warwickshire, England. She was the daughter of Thomas Ovard and Hannah Stowe. The family consisted of six sons and five daughters. In order of birth they were: Henry, Sarah, Esther, Esther Stowe, Joseph William, Mary Ann, William, George, Betsy, Jacob Israel, and John Alma. Esther was baptized by her father in October of 1856, and confirmed by Elder Workman.

Thomas and Hannah Ovard, along with seven of their living children, [Henry remained in England] immigrated to America in 1857. They crossed the ocean on the sailing ship George Washington, leaving Liverpool on March 28, 1857, and landed at Boston, Massachusetts, April 20, 1857. James P. Park was the leader of their Company, consisting of 817 Latter-day Saints, including fourteen returning elders. “The ship had an unusually speedy and prosperous voyage, reaching Boston in twenty-three sailing days from Liverpool. Four deaths occurred on board, and there was one child born.” After being on the ocean only three days one passenger wrote, “Out of the whole number of passengers about 800 of them are all down with seasickness, many of them too helpless to render themselves any assistance.” He also said they had a fire in the cooking galley when a barrel of grease tipped over. There was some fear for the safety of the ship, but quick action and a rainstorm at the time saved them.

Replying to a complimentary note from the passengers Captain Cummings wrote, “I am free to acknowledge that on no previous voyage have my passengers conducted themselves so orderly and peaceably as those in your charge; cleanliness, morality, sobriety, reciprocation of favors, and general good behavior were pre-eminently conspicuous in conduct and character.” It would be a mistake to think that the ships at that time carried mostly Mormon emigrants. It was just the opposite. “In 1854 some 193,000 British emigrated; 2,034 of these or 1.05 percent of the whole were Mormon.”

Esther and Family Travel to Salt Lake

The Ovard family stayed in the Boston area until 1860 where they sought employment to continue their journey to the Salt Lake Valley. Esther lived in Lexington with an elderly lady ill with tuberculosis whom she cared for. In this way she earned enough money to help finance their journey across the plains. Esther was only 14-15 years old at this time. In 1860 the Ovard family probably traveled by rail to Florence, Nebraska, where they were outfitted for the trek west. If they had gone in 1857 when they arrived in Boston they would have left with a wagon train from Iowa City, which would made the trek by wagon 300 miles longer.

They crossed the plains in Captain Jesse Murphy's ox train company consisting of 279 people, 38 wagons, 2 carriages, 164 oxen, and 39 cows. The company left Florence, Nebraska, on June 19, 1860 and arrived in Salt Lake City on September 5th. There were two births in the company, but no deaths. At Devil’s Gate some in the company saw the many emigrant graves there, and did not want to continue until the Captain promised them that none of them would die on the trail. That promised was fulfilled.

George Q. Cannon, in charge of Mormon emigration that year, caught up with the Murphy Company and camped with them at Independence Rock. Also there was the Stoddard Handcart Company, the last of the handcart companies. Later on the trail they were passed by the celebrated adventurer, Richard F. Burton from England. Burton wrote that Captain Murphy flew the American flag and that the emigrants, “though weather beaten, all looked well.”

According to family tradition, Esther, being young and healthy, walked a good part of the way. Their wagon was pulled by a team consisting of an ox and a cow. Captain Jesse Murphy befriended Esther and was very attentive to her throughout the whole journey. He carried her over streams, brought her fresh cool water, and paid her every courtesy he possibly could. It was thought by the family that the young couple would be married when they reached Salt Lake, but it didn't happen. Instead, after arriving in Salt Lake, she hired out as a general housekeeper to Charles Richins. After a few months of work she became Charles' second wife in plural marriage at the age of eighteen.