In June of 1869, James Davidson along with his wife and son were traveling along the Old Mormon Road across the Mormon Mesa, headed for Utah, when they discovered they had little water. Mr. Davidson and his wife remained and sent the son on their horse to get water.

Several miners were working at the Wash, when on June 18th, a very thin horse wandered in to water. Fearing a possible tragedy, they backtracked finding the son, and then further back the parents, all had died of thirst.

These graves were marked on three different occassions, and finally with headstones and a large, metal pole cross on the Mesa:

Father
James DAVIDSON
March 22, 1805
June 12, 1869

Mother
Maria ARMSTRONG DAVIDSON
February 20, 1808
June 12, 1869

Son
Joseph DAVIDSON
December 15, 1856
June 12, 1869