Wilford Woodruff's Escape from the Rising Tide at Vinal Haven
Published October 4, 2026 at 9:25 AM
Contributed by
Millennial Star Research
On March 22, 1838, Wilford Woodruff, brother Stirrat, Mrs. Woodruff, and sister Stone were digging for clams on a bar approximately forty rods from shore at Vinal Haven (Fox Islands). They were so engrossed in their work that they failed to notice the incoming tide until the ground between them and the shore (which was several feet lower) was covered by water. Having no boat, the men carried the women ashore to safety.
In Their Own Words
“March 22.—I accompanied brother Stirrat, at low tide, on to a bar some forty rods from shore, to dig some clams. We were soon joined by Mrs. Woodruff and sister Stone, who had a curiosity to see how clams were dug. The ground for about twelve rods nearer shore was several feet lower than the point we were on, but we were so busily engaged we did not observe the flowing tide until we were surrounded by water, and having no boat, our only alternative was to wade ashore and carry the women, which we safely accomplished amid the reflection that time and tide waited for no man.”
— Wilford Woodruff, journal entry
Sources & References
The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star (Manchester, later Liverpool, England, May 1840–1970), 13 May 1865 (Vol. 27, No. 19). https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1865-05-13_27_19 (account extracted verbatim from the issue's Internet Archive OCR text; research confidence: high) Full first-person account: The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 27, No. 19 (13 May 1865), p. 295 https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1865-05-13_27_19
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