John and Ester Deveraux were tenant farmers. They were both very spiritual and deeply religious. They had belonged to the Wesleyan Methodist religion until, becoming dissatisfied with it, they joined with a group called the The United Brethren.

“This group was searching for light and truth, but had gone as far as they could, and were calling upon the Lord continually to open the way before them and send them light and knowledge, that they might know the true way to be saved." (Kenison, p.1) In 1840, John and Ester Deveraux were among the 600 members of the United Brethren who converted and were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Apostle Wilford Woodruff on the John Benbow farm in Herefordshire. (Richins, p.5; Fischio)

Some of the wealthier converts emigrated to Nauvoo, Illionois, USA (where the Church was headquartered) soon after they joined the Church (Kenison, p.2), but the Deveraux family did not have enough money and had to wait fifteen years until the Perpetual Immigration Fund was established to aide the poor Saints who wanted to go to "Zion." At that time Zion was in Utah and their daughter, Harriet, was married to Thomas Richins and had a 1-year-old son named Albert Franklin. (Fischio)

In March 1856 John, who was then 56 years old, Ester 60, Thomas 29, Harriet 22, and Albert Franklin 14 months, embarked on the sailing ship Enoch Train. They set sail at Liverpool, England, bound for Boston, Massachusetts, USA and were in the first group of Saints to travel to Zion with the aide of the Perpetual Immigration Fund. They were also be in the first experimental group to cross the plains with handcarts. (Fischio; Hilton) “By this means of travel, the emigrants could journey from Liverpool, England to Salt Lake City, Utah, USA for about forty-five dollars.” (Berrett, p.280)

Ester was in poor health when she left England and had been advised not to start such a long journey, but her faith was so strong that she said she would rather die on the way than not make the attempt. When the ship was about ten days out, she passed away from "consumption" and was buried in the sea. (Mormon Immigration Index; Fischio)

From the journal of Archer Walters, a Saint who was on the same ship we read these entries:

"April 1st: A sister died during the night named Ester Deveraux from Herefordshire Conference, age sixty years...A rough day. Ship rolled and boxes rattled. Bottles upset. Bedsteads broke down and cooking did not please all for the saucepans upset in the jelly. Some were scalded and some fell and hurt themselves. A thing to try the patience of some. Went to bed, ship rocked and rolled about; did not sleep well but all night the President and Captains of the different wards did their best for all and all Saints feel well...

April 2nd: The dead sister’s body committed to the deep. It was the first I have ever seen buried in the sea and I never want to see another. A rough day all day."

I imagine it was devastating for John to lose Ester after they had waited for so many years to go to Zion. It also would have been a very traumatic experience to see a beloved companion of many years buried in the sea. John Deveraux did not lose his faith and continued on. A record of the voyage is found in the paper Thomas Richins and Harriet Deveraux by Laural Bushman, 2002. The experiences John encountered during the handcart trek across the American plains are told in the story They Crossed the Plains with a Handcart written by Laural Bushman, 2002. The long trip must have been especially hard for a 56-year-old man.

When they reached Salt Lake City, Utah Thomas and Harriet stayed there for five years until they were called by President Brigham Young to move south to help settle Goshen, Utah County.