She Knew No Fear

The True Story of Pioneer Jane McKetchnie Walton's Incredible Journey and Untimely Death

Many stories have been told of pioneer journeys to the West. This story is not unlike many, but at the same time, it is like no other. Jane McKechnie Walton made the long journey from Scotland to the Utah territory at the tender age of six. She thought she had conquered the biggest challenges she would encounter in life—only to find she was mistaken. As an adult she would become part of a small group of settlers involved in an expedition of monumental proportions. These trailblazers would find themselves stranded 2,000 feet above the Colorado River with no means to turn back. Without options, the group relied on ingenuity and gritty determination to carve a sliver of passage through what is known as the Hole in the Rock. After forging through many more obstacles, Jane would finally find contentment in a new homestead only to die unexpectedly, leaving a mystery that would generate stories for years. One hundred years later, Mike King delves into this remarkable woman’s life and the questions surrounding her death.