Alferata (Unknown) was born in 1863. She married
James William Cart, son of
Sylvester Cart and
Nancy Jane Nevius, in 1881. Alferata (Unknown) died on 19. Feb. 1887 at Holbrook, Apache County, Arizona. She was buried on 23. Feb. 1887 at Holbrook, Apache County, Arizona. Article from the Apache County Critic newspaper, February 24, 1887
A TERRIBLE FATE
Mrs. James Cart and Her Two Children Get Lost on Their Way Home from Carrizo Station, and are Found Dead Near the Petrified Forest.
One of the most appalling calamities that we have ever been called upon to record has fallen upon our neighbor, Mr. James Cart, whose home was situated some six miles east from Carrizo station, on the Atlantic and Pacific railroad, and from which he was absent, being enðVìŒ7Cgaged in looking after his stock to the western part of the county. Messengers reached him and he departed Holbrook on Sunday last.
It appears that Mrs. Cart, with her two infant children, respectively a boy about 2 years and a girl 5 years oðVìŒ7Cf age had left her home on Friday last with a wagon and team to visit some friends at Carrizo station, at which place she made her visit, tarrying till between 4 and 5 ouclock, p.m., when she started with her two little ones, by the same conveyðVìŒ7Cance, for her own residence - for a place, alas, it must be written, that mother nor her little ones were ever to again to behold.
On Saturday afternoon, couriers from Carrizo station reached Holbrook with the startling information that Mrs. CðVìŒ7Cart and the children, when nigh their home, had missed or left the road leading to the home and had taken one leading to the petrified forest; that a search that morning had shown that when about four miles from the place of divergence, the losðVìŒ7Ct woman had taken from the wagon one of the horses and made the remaining one fast to the wagon wheel. It appears that with her children she then mounted and rode on until the trail was lost by the searchers.
The citizens of Holbrook were at ðVìŒ7Conce aroused to a degree of the most intense feeling. The relation of this dire disaster spread with the rapidity of an electric current, and volunteers from among all classes of citizens - merchants, (unreadable), and rangemen everywhere presðVìŒ7Cented themselves to search the country for the recovery of the lost ones. Men, determined and energetic started without delay, some mounted and other in vehicles. The towns of Woodruff and Navajo contributed from her people men who knew the cðVìŒ7Country and all that forethought, energy and duty could devise was done to rescue the wanderer and the little ones.
On Sunday the field was covered by the anxious party; every acre of plain to valley and mesa, were explored; every canon and rocðVìŒ7Cky cave within reach was searched, and the day passed with only the discovery that the object had passed over the ground. Little articles of wearing apparel was found; a little shoe in one place, a childus stocking hung upon a bush in another;ðVìŒ7C a garment of her own thrown out as if to guide the searchers and direct their course.
The party scattered in all directions and were encouraged by the evidence continually opening up that they must soon fall in with the sufferers or discover ðVìŒ7Cthe place where an eternal sleep had given them rest from their wonderings. At nightfall on Sunday the horse upon which the mother had taken her little ones was found at the edge of a rocky cliff overlooking the valley of the Puerea, and from ðVìŒ7Cwhich place the section house at Carrizo station was plainly visible.
This point must have been reached by Mrs. Cart on Saturday afternoon and the sight of a human habitation determined her to made the descent, even among those rocks, with theðVìŒ7C hope of finding succor. Worn, weary, hungry and cold, she abandoned the animal that had brought her to this the first sight of prospective relief during the forty-eight hours she had wandered. Down this terrible steppe she made her way, guidðVìŒ7Cing or carrying the children, until the plain below was nearly reached. Arriving, terribly bruised in body, at a large flat rock, she sat down to rest and to rest her infants. The little boy was placed to her breast, while the little girl satðVìŒ7C down close to the side of her mother. Here tired nature gave way and death came to their relief.
On Monday morning the 21st, at the place where the horse was found, two of the most daring adventurers started down the rugged way by which the ðVìŒ7Cmother had taken her children, and with the greatest difficulty reached the rock where the bodies were found, the mother reclining on her left side with the baby clasped in her arm, and the girl lying close to its mother. A signal gun brought ðVìŒ7Cmost of the party together within an hour and the bodies were carefully and tenderly carried to the home they tried to reach Friday last. Thus ends this most melancholy and tearful disaster, one which engaged the heartfelt sympathy of everyoneðVìŒ7C to whom the knowledge had come.
The bodies were brought to Holbrook on Monday night and were buried from the Holbrook house on Wednesday morning at 9 ouclock, the Rev. Mr. Guthrie, of Flagstaff, officiating.
DIED
Cart ---At the Petrified FoðVìŒ7Crest, On Saturday, February 19, 1887, Mrs. Alferata Cart, aged 24 years, wife of James W. Cart, of Apache county; also at the same time and place, died two of their children, Ida Hawtelle, aged 5 years and Grover Cleveland, aged 2 years.