The Thomas Paul family left Fremont, Iowa in April of 1862 to join with an Oregon Trail caravan. They were off to realize their dreams in Washington Territory. Mrs. Elizabeth Mortimore Paul was pregnant. She had a difficult time on the trail, and around 9 a.m. on July 27, 1862 Mrs. Paul passed away giving birth to her eighth child. She was 32 years, 8 months, and seven days old.
Elizabeth Paul
Friends and physytions could not save
This mortal lovely boddy from the grave
Nor can the grave confine it here
When God commands it to appear
For tho it was her lot to die
Hear a mong the mountains high
Yet when gabriels trump shall sound
Among the blessed she will be found
And while she rests beneath this tree
May holy angels wach and see
That naught disturbs her peaceful clay
Until the dawning of the day.
by
James S. McClung
(a member of the Paul company)
Elizabeth was buried in a lovely meadow beneath a lone pine tree. August 15, 1864, Julius Merrill wrote in his diary: “Passed by a grave enclosed by a picket fence, painted white. A lovlier spot I never saw.”
Loving hands had built the fence for her during a rare pause – one day- in traveling.
The infant, named Elizabeth after her mother – died a week later. There is what appears to be a small grave with a wooden fence around it not far off HWY 89. We figure it is the grave of the infant as it would be about the right space of traveling time.
Thomas Paul traveled on to Walla Walla in Washington Territory and settled there. He died Sept. 29, 1904 at the age of 75. There is no indication that he remarried.
Life in the Loony Lane 
Elizabeth Mortimer Paul was my great, great, great grandmother. One of her children was Isaac Paul, who married and had two daughters, Alice and Imadora Paul. Imadora was my grandmother. The family story goes that on the trail, they were worried about Indians, and one morning, a group of boys on the train, began playing like they were Indians attacking. Elizabeth went into labor, thinking it was a real Indian attack, and ended up dying from the birth. My Aunt Ida, half sister to my grandmother, used to tell us about the “Rocking Chair Monument.” She said that Elizabeth’s rocking chair was placed on the grave to keep the Indians away because they were afraid her spirit would come back to sit in it. Too bad my aunt didn’t live to see this posting on the internet.
That is wonderful information. Thanks for sharing. Such a sad, sad thing to have happened!
Martha,I am working on a magazine story about Elizabeth and am wondering if you have a photo of her you’d like to contribute. Sheryl sent me some copies of writings she had that also told of the incident. A photo to go in the article would be wonderful.
Thanks and have a lovely day.
June
Sorry, June, I just saw this. I have a picture of her son, my great grandfather, as an old man. His name was Isaac Paul. I don’t think we have a picture of Elizabeth, but we might of her husband.
And I had one too many greats in there….she was my great, great grandmother.
That’s okay. I’ll just use shots of the area. A photo of her would be awesome but it’ll be fine without it. Thanks for trying.
And I’ll take out one “great.” 🙂