2

Goodridge-Goodrich Family Story

THE JOURNEY WEST
Complied by Kate B. Carter
Daughters of Utah Pioneers Sophia, first member of the Goodridge family to
be baptized, kept a day by day record of the trip.
Each Journal or diary recorded by the pioneers presents a clear and
concise story and adds to our storehouse of historical knowledge. They June 7, 1850. We started from Kanesville at
are heartwarming, faith-promoting accounts of individuals and families 1:00 p.m. for Bethlehem. Rode ten miles and
who made the trek West to build their homes in the valleys of the camped at Margaret’s Creek, a very beautiful
mountains. Such accounts were recorded by the Goodridge family whose shady spot. We heard the wolves howl in the
stories we are proud to present. night for the first time. Our horses were
frightened. 8th. Saturday. Traveled seven
Benjamin Goodridge, Utah Pioneer, was a son of Oliver and Elizabeth miles, camped three miles from Bethlehem. We
Hastings Goodridge of Lunenburg, Massachusetts, born October 3, 1794 enjoyed ourselves very much at the last two
in Lunenburg. Benjamin married Penelope Randall Gardner on April 1, places we camped. Had two violins in our ten.
1823. She was born Dec. 27, 1783 [1793] a daughter of Abel and Had some music and dancing. Good feed for the cattle and good water.
Lusannah Bryant Gardner of Hopkinton, Mass. Penelope was a devout 14th. Went three miles, camped at Bethlehem, had a pleasant time, some
member of the Wesleyan Episcopal Methodist Church for over twenty music and dancing. 18th. We traveled six miles today, camped at a
years. Her brother, George A. Gardner, was the first to bring the gospel creek, good feed and water. Our company was organized today. Captain
message to them. Petty was chosen Captain over a hundred. Captain Leonard W. Hardy
over the first fifty. George Gardner, Captain over ten, our company. All
The Goodridges joined the Church well. 20th. Still in camp. Did our ironing. Picked some wild gooseberries
and then came west in 1850 in the on the banks of the creek.... 25th. Crossed the creek this morning.
company led by Pres. Wilford Passed five graves; they died the 15th of June. They all had grave tablets
Woodruff. Cholera visited the made of wood rudely hewn with the name engraved with a knife. A verse
traveling groups that season. Eleven was written on the grave of Mr. Done, which was very touching. Crossed
members of their company died, but three more creeks today without accident. Went ten miles and camped at
the Goodridge family arrived safely in Weeping Water Creek. 26th. We traveled ten miles today. Passed three
the Valley Oct. 14, having been on the graves, no names on them. Came up with a Government company. One
way 188 days. Penelope and four of man was sick with cholera, died, was buried in the forenoon. In the
her children, Harriet, Lusannah, afternoon we passed three more graves, no names, died June 22. One
Sarah, and Esther were baptized of our company taken sick with cholera. Camped at Salt Creek. 27th.
Sept. 2, 1849 by Elder Leonard W. Sister Green died of cholera this morning. Brother Blazzard taken sick.
Hardy. Benjamin and two children, Crossed the creek, went on to the bluff and camped for the night. The first
Mary Jane and George A., were fifty caught up with us today. They are on the other side of the creek.
baptized July 9, 1850 in the Platte One man with the cholera among them. 28th. We started about noon and
River by Wilford Woodruff while crossing the plains. traveled six miles and camped on the open prairie without wood or water.
Found water about one-half mile from camp. Passed the grave of a child.
On their arrival in the Valley they stayed at the Fort for a few days, later 29th. Our company all in good spirits this morning, and I feel grateful to
moving to Wilford Woodruff's lot. Benjamin traded his teams and wagons my Heavenly Father for his kindness in preserving our lives and health
for a small house and lot in the 19th Ward, 330 North 3rd West, where he thus far, and that He has preserved us from accident and danger of every
lived until his death Dec. 1, 1859 in his 65th year.
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kind. We traveled four miles and camped on the open prairie without
wood or water, except that we brought with us. There is nothing to see but
one endless sea of grass, waving and rolling like the waves of the sea,
and now and then a tree. We had a very heavy thunderstorm this
morning. 30th. Jane Green died this morning of cholera, she was 18
years old. Our first fifty came up with us this morning. They had buried a
Bro. Smith this morning. The rest of the camp all well. We went four
miles and camped where we found wood and water. We killed a
rattlesnake.
July 1st. Joseph Green died this morning of cholera, age 19 months,
making three of one family that have died within five days. Came up with
our first fifty, found Bro. Hall dead with cholera. Our camp felt afflicted
and distressed. We felt like humbling ourselves before the Lord, and pray
that He might turn from us the sickness and distress among us. We
therefore met together, the speakers exhorting us to be diligent in our
devotions and united. A vote was taken to that effect. They called upon
the Lord in prayer that he would bless and preserve us on our journey to
the Valley. We then started on our journey rejoicing. We met the mail
from the Valley. Met Bro. Crosby and seven other brethren on their way
on a mission to England. We were very glad to see them. They brought
cheering news from the Valley, which caused us to rejoice. We traveled
six miles and camped on the prairie without wood, but found water. 2nd.
Very warm and pleasant, we traveled sixteen miles, all level prairie. 3rd.
We traveled about 15 miles. Camped on the Bluff on the north side of the
Platte River. Good wood and water. Our first fifty camped about a mile
from us. Samuel Hardy buried his youngest child this morning. 4th.
Stopped to wash. Lucy Johnson was taken sick this afternoon and died
at 12 o'clock. 7th. Camped for the day. Sister Snow died this morning,
making five that have died in our division. 8th. We traveled sixteen miles,
camped on the Platte River, good camping ground. Our two companies
together. All pretty well. 9th. Had a heavy thundershower last night. This
morning cool and cloudy. Bro. Woodruff baptized twelve persons.
Father, Mary Jane and George were among the number. We traveled the
twelve miles. Camped on the Platte River. Passed some bluffs, the road
very sandy and crooked in some places. 10th. Cool and pleasant. We
traveled fifteen miles, camped on the bank of the Platte River. Heavy
showers. 11th. Heavy showers, very warm and sultry. Sister Huntington
of the first division died of a fever. The road very wet and hard to travel.
We went ten miles and camped on the Platte. Bro. Hyde passed us on
his way to the valley. 12th. Had a heavy rain last night. The river rose
two feet. One horse was drowned. Traveled about ten miles and camped
on the open prairie. Had very heavy thundershowers. The cattle of the
first division strayed away, but found them all again. 14th. Sunday.
Camped for the day, both divisions camped in one corral. We held a
meeting in the afternoon. Bros. Whipple, Hardy and Woodruff were the
speakers. We felt very much encouraged by what they said. 15th. We
traveled seven miles, came to Ft. Childer, formerly Ft. Carney. A
thundershower came up and Wm. Ridges was struck by lightning and
instantly killed. Three of his cattle were killed at the same time, and one
of his children injured but not seriously. A number of people felt the
shock. We went two miles farther and camped. 16th. A child of Mrs.
Barnes died of cholera this morning. The weather is clear and cool, it is
very muddy. We were delayed this morning. Traveled about eight miles,
camped on prairie. Used buffalo chips for fuel. 18th. Went eighteen
miles and camped on Plum Creek. We passed a number of groves of
trees. We saw some animals on the bluffs, probably buffalo. The weather
fine, the roads good. 19th. This morning is clear and beautiful. We
traveled sixteen miles and camped on the open prairie without wood or
water. 20th. Traveled about fourteen miles. The weather cloudy. Bro.
Emmet killed an antelope. It was distributed among his ten. We found it
excellent eating. We camped on the bank of the river, a beautiful place.
The bluffs begin to look higher and more rough and more rugged. 21st.
Sunday, so we did not travel today according to counsel. We held
meetings in the forenoon and afternoon, and received some excellent
instructions that served to cheer us on our journey. 22nd. We started
this morning in good spirits. David Cook shot a sage hen. We saw some
antelope and some wolves, did not kill any. We passed Bro. Woodruff's
company about noon; they were camped on the Platte. Bro. Petty was
sick, had buried one of his children the day before. We traveled about 16
miles and camped on the banks of the Platte Rivera grand place to bathe.
Bro. Woodruff's company caught up with us tonight. 23rd. Traveled
fourteen miles and camped near the Platte River. Bro. Emmet killed an
antelope. We had a steak from it, very good. Bro. Woodruff's company
camped with us tonight. 25th. We traveled about eight miles and
camped. We passed near a number of herds of buffalo. Our division
killed one, and brought into camp. The first division killed two. The feed
for the cattle is growing shorter. We see quite a number of buffalo dead
on the ground. We made a rule in our camp not to kill any more than we
need to eat. 27th. Cloudy. Saw two big white wolves and four antelope.
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Passed a number of head of buffalo. Went about four miles and camped.
Our wagon wheels are very musical. We had to stop and burn coal. Our
men cut wood and started a coal pit. In the afternoon, part of our
company remained at the last camping place on account of the excellent
hunting. There was no wood there but cedars, which they thought would
not make as good coal as the willows. We found this last place grand for
wood and water. It is situated on the South Fork of the Platte River.
There is quite a large island covered with cottonwood trees, and excellent
feed for the cattle. 28th. Sunday-did not travel. Had a meeting in the fore
part of the day. Had a heavy shower which we needed very much. It
tightened our wagon wheels and saved our men the trouble of taking off
the tires and resetting them. Bro. Woodruff is sick today-worn out with
fatigue and care. 30th. We traveled about ten miles when a stampede
started in the first division. There were three wagons smashed. It was
caused by a runaway horse. Traveled about eighteen miles. The first
division stayed to fix up their cattle and wagons, a number of tongues and
yokes of wagons were broken. Bro. Woodruff's beautiful buggy horse had
his leg broken. The buffalo cows bellowed all night, and we expected they
would be down among us before morning, but fortunately they kept back
among the bluffs. Their bellowing sounded like distant thunder. Brother
Leonard Hardy is quite sick with cholera. 31st. Took an early start this
morning. Traveled thirteen miles and came to the crossing of the South
Fork of the Platte River. Our wagons all crossed safely before dark.
Camped on the bank of the river. It is about 1/4 of a mile wide.
Aug. 1st. We ascended to the bluffs this morning and came upon an
extensive plain or rolling prairie. Had some tremendous steep bluffs to
descend. It seemed impossible for such heavily loaded teams to descend
in safety, but we all reached Ash Hollow without an accident. We traveled
eighteen miles and camped on the North Fork of the Platte. 2nd. We
washed today. Ash Hollow is a beautiful place. Bluffs on both sides of the
hollow which appears to have been the bed of a river once, and opens
onto the North Fork of the Platte which runs from the east and to the west.
Bro. Woodruff's company joined us tonight with the exception of six
wagons which were left, two broken down and became too dark to come
down the steep hills. Bro. Hardy's health was poor, getting better slowly
of the cholera. 4th. Sunday. Had a meeting. Bro. Woodruff made a
proposition that we stop with his ten baggage wagons, and let the rest of
the first and second divisions or as many as wished to go ahead. He felt
he had so much care on his shoulders. Bro. Whipple said that he would
take the burden of the ten baggage wagons on his shoulders. Bro.
Gardner, the blacksmith, worked all day and had a number of men to help
him repair the wagons, but did not get all done. 5th. Bro. Hardy is better
this morning and started out with sixteen of his division to go ahead. Bro.
Green started out alone without counsel and out of order. Bro. Whipple
stared with a part of his divisions and went four miles in search of feed for
our cattle which was very short. Captain Hardy also camped with us for
the day. The land on the north side of the river is prairie, while on the
south side is high towering bluffs, which look like fortifications in many
places. 7th. Bro. Woodruff came up with us this morning. We had a
meeting this afternoon. Had a new organization; Bros. Whipple, Gardner,
Goodridge, and Rawson were transferred into Bro. Woodruff's division,
making twenty-four wagons in that division and leaving twenty in Bro.
Whipple's. Bro. Moffet was chosen Captain over the remainder. 8th.
Very warm. Started out about eight o'clock this morning, the second
division taking the lead. We had a very hard road today, very sandy and
steep bluffs to climb. We traveled about twelve miles and camped near
the Platte River. Feed rather short. 9th. Had very heavy showers last
night, very sharp lightning and loud thunder. The wolves killed a calf
belonging to Bro. Whipple. We traveled about fifteen miles and camped
on the Platte. 11th. Sunday. We laid over. Held a meeting this
afternoon. We had a very excellent discourse by Bro. Whipple on the
difference between the Jews and the Gentiles. Bros. Woodruff and
Gardner gave us some excellent instructions. This evening we saw the
prairie on fire. It was a grand and imposing scene. 12th. We started on
our journey at four o'clock, all well. We passed a high bluff called
Exchange, on account of its resemblance to a large building. Passed
Clear Creek, a small stream of very clear water. It comes from the bluffs
and flows into the Platte. We traveled eighteen miles, had very good
roads. We met some Government trains from Ft. Laramie. They said the
first division was about fifteen miles ahead of us. 13th. Started about
eight o'clock and traveled sixteen miles. Camped about three o'clock on
the Platte. A heavy rain came just before we stopped. We passed
Chimney Rock. This is a notable curiosity. It is 834 yards around the
base, and 200 feet high. The main shaft is 100 feet in diameter. It
appears to be formed of clay and sand of two colors, gray and white. It
also has the appearance of cement between the two columns. It is
supposed by some to be work of the Nephites. 14th. It is a clear beautiful
morning. We made an early start and went about nineteen miles. We
saw some Indians for the first time since we started. Their wigwams were
 7 8
spread along the road. They were Sioux. They looked very neat and
clean for Indians. The men came out on horses to look at us. The
squaws with their papooses stood along the road and tried to sell us some
moccasins. One of the men wanted to trade a horse for a white squaw.
We passed Scotts Bluff on the right. We leave the river here and strike
into the bluffs. We found chokecherries and wild plums; they were not
quite ripe. We camped on the open prairie. There is a beautiful cold
spring here. 15th. We did not start until late this morning. We had a long
meeting to settle some difficulties between some members of the
company not worth mentioning. We crossed Horse Creek and camped
about half a mile farther on. This creek is several rods wide, about a foot
deepand very muddy. The water after standing a few minutes became
perfectly clear and very good to drink. A very heavy shower came up just
after we camped. 18th. Sunday. On account of the feed being so poor,
we thought it best to travel. We went twelve miles. Passed Ft. Laramie.
We camped on the Platte River. We found Captain Hardy's train about 1/2
mile from us. We had not seen them for two weeks. They were all well.
Mrs. Bird had a stillborn child on Saturday morning. 20th. We traveled
about two and one-half miles. The feed is so good we thought it best to
let the animals feed up and rest. A company of Cheyenne Indians came
along in the afternoon and camped beside us. They had been out on a
buffalo hunt and were returning to Ft. Laramie to sell their skins. They
looked very friendly. We traded some with them. Bro. Woodruff lost an
ox last night and had to go back to the Fort to get some more, which
delayed us some. 21st. We started about 2 p.m. and traveled about four
miles. We had a very bad hill to go down. Bro. Woodruff's carriage horse
got frightened and ran away. Phoebe Foss was in the carriage but
jumped out. The horse ran until he got tangled up in the brush, no
damage was done. We camped on the Platte. 22nd. Started early,
traveled about 21 miles over a very uneven road. We passed through a
band of Cheyenne Indians. They were camped on the bank of a beautiful
clear creek. There were several hundred of them. We crossed another
creek and camped. 23rd. We started early and traveled about 25 miles.
We crossed three creeks. One was about three rods wide and one and a
half feet deep. The roads were uneven and dangerous in some places,
and in others nice and smooth. Camped on the Platte River. Cool and
pleasant. There were some buffalo on the banks where we camped
tonight. 24th. We are in the midst of the Black Hills. They look black at
a distance, but when near they are green and covered with straggling
pines. We traveled eight and a half miles and camped for the day. We
met Bros. Stratton and Banks from Salt Lake who had been sent out to
meet and cheer us on our way. They brought us some potatoes, which
tasted so good. They will tell us where to find good camping places. We
held a meeting in the afternoon. Bro. Stratton read a letter from Pres.
Brigham Young. It was truly cheering to us to hear from the Valley and
know that we were not forgotten by the Saints in the Valley, while we are
traveling in the wilderness. It caused us to rejoice and feel like starting
anew on our journey. Camped on the Platte River. 25th. We took a vote
last night to travel today on account of the delay we had the fore part of
the week. We traveled nineteen and a half miles to the Labout Crossing.
This is a beautiful river about two rods wide and one foot deep, pleasant
and cool. The road is rough today. Our first and second divisions left this
place this morning. Bro. Hardy had lost an ox and his horses were giving
out. We found some cherries along the river. Camped on the Labout
River. 26th. We traveled eighteen miles. Came up with the two first
divisions. They were all well but Bro. Hardy who is still suffering from the
cholera. Only three families came up, Bros. Gardner, Goodridge and
Rawson. The rest of our division camped back about a mile and a half.
27th. Our division that stayed back lost more than half of their cattle last
night. We have got to lay by and hunt them up. The first and second
divisions went ahead today. Bros. Stratton and Hanks killed a buffalo and
brought it to camp. They saw a grizzly bear. 28th. No cattle found yet.
We cannot travel today. We went out this morning and picked fourteen
quarts of cherries. 29th. Part of the cattle were found last night. They
are hunting the rest today. It is very sandy here. The last two days we
traveled about three miles through it. We saw some mountain sheep in the
hills. 30th. We started this morning before breakfast and went to the
place where the remainder of our division was camped on the Laferella
Creek. Our company killed two buffalo today. The rest of the cattle were
found today all but three. Bro. Smoot passed us today. Bros. Heywood
and Woolley camped with us tonight. We held a meeting together. They
had had but one death in their company and had got along well. 31st. We
started this morning about ten o'clock. We crossed Box Elder Creek. Bro.
Bedford has got his roadameter going today. We traveled fourteen miles.
Sept. 1st. We started about 10 o'clock and crossed Deer Creek. Traveled
about thirteen miles and one-half. We passed Bro. Smoot's company.
We had strong winds and some rains. 2nd. Started at 10 o'clock.
Crossed crooked Muddy Creek and camped on the Platte. Traveled
thirteen miles. We picked thirty-three quarts of buffalo berries. They taste
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very much like currants and are red. They have one seed in them and
make excellent sauce and pie. 3rd. Started at 9 o'clock and came to the
Platte crossing. We stopped two hours to rest and feed our cattle, and
then crossed the river. The scenery along the Platte River is very grand.
A very high and long mountain chain extends southwest. We have
followed it for three days and have not come to the end of it yet. We
crossed the North Fork of the Platte without any accidents. We traveled
nine and one-half miles and camped on the Platte River. Saw a grizzly
bear. 5th. Planned an early start, but our cattle got mixed up with
Smoot's on account of our herdsmen not attending to duty. My brother,
George, caught some bass and suckers. We traveled 14 miles and
camped by a beautiful clear spring. We passed quite a number of dead
cattle, perhaps 25, caused by a poisoned spring of water. The country
here is not quite so rocky and barren as it has been for the past few days.
We came through a place called Rock Avenue. It is about a quarter of a
mile in length and lined with rocks on each side. 6th. We traveled 16
miles today and camped on Greasewood Creek, a beautiful creek and
good feed. The weather is very pleasant. We camped with Bro. Smoot's
company. Bro. Stratton left to start. They took a beautiful wild horse with
them that they had captured. 7th. We traveled eight miles today. We
passed a saleratus lake and camped at the foot of Independence Rock.
This evening we had a dance on the banks of the Sweetwater. The whole
camp participated. 8th. The air is cool this morning. I have just climbed
Independence Rock and the view is beautiful. The Sweetwater flows
southwest at the base of the rock and winds around the foot of the
mountain. The Saleratus Lake is seen in the northwest, the Devil's Gate
in the west, while mountains are to be seen on all sides. We crossed the
Sweetwater and traveled on until we came to the Devil's Gate. We
stopped and ate our dinner here. This is a curious freak of nature. The
rocks are perpendicular four hundred feet high and in one place the gap
between them is only two feet wide. The Sweetwater flows through the
gap. Some of us crossed it on foot just for the novelty of it. 9th. Traveled
8 miles over a heavy sandy road, crossed the Sweetwater and camped.
We were detained in the morning until nearly noon on account of Bro.
Woodruff's teamsters; one of them was fired and the other two left. They
were rough, obscene men. Did not belong to the Church and were
stealing the supplies. 11th. We started early, crossed the Sweetwater
three times. Camped at Ice Springs. Traveled 8 miles, windy and dusty.
Many rocks and hills. The ice springs are a great curiosity. About one or
two feet below the surface of the spring any quantity of ice may be found.
It is not good for use; it has a bad smell. 12th. We started early this
morning. We passed a fine Saleratus Lake. We gathered what we
wanted. It was very white and clean. All we had to do was scrape it up.
We crossed the Sweetwater. Found ice in our pails this morning. 13th.
We started at noon and went 8 miles and camped on the Sweetwater.
Plenty of good feed and wood. Some of our cattle gave out last night, so
our Captain thought it best that we rest part of the day. 14th. We started
at 7 o'clock and traveled about two miles and came to a new route to the
pass made by Captain Andrus. We took it and went eleven and a half
miles and lost three miles and camped on Quaken Asp Creek. 15th. We
traveled about five miles and camped on Sweetwater. We started a coal
pit and held a meeting. Four wagons came up tonight from Hunter's
company. 16th. We crossed the Sweetwater for the last time. We
traveled 15 miles and camped at Pacific Springs. We met Captain Hardy
in search of his horses. Capt. Currie's horse is gone also and one
belonging to another man. 17th. We stopped to do some repairing this
morning. We let Capt. Hardy have a yoke of oxen so he could travel on.
We started out about noon. Just as we were starting, five Indians came
up. One was a squaw who could speak English. They said they had
found two horses. Brothers Woodruff and Atwood went with them to their
camp. They took a few articles with them, supposing they were not willing
to give up the horses. Aunt Hattie sent a blanket shawl. We waited the
result. Traveled 13 miles and camped on Pacific Bitter Creek. 19th. We
have heard nothing from Bros. Woodruff and Atwood, and we feel
somewhat alarmed at their long absence. We sent two messengers back
to Capt. Woolley's camp to see if they have heard from them, and if not to
have him join us and send our united forces of men after them. Our
messengers had not been gone more than one-half hour when we saw
them returning with Bros. Woodruff and Atwood with one of Bro. Hardy's
horses and one of Bro. Currie's. We were glad to see them. It appears
that the Indians had stolen them and then wanted to be paid for returning
them. When the brethren got to their camp they found three hundred
warriors and about one thousand horses. They were going to war with the
Cheyennes. These Indians were Shoshonies. They had lost one of the
horses, he was an ugly horse and got away from them, and took several
of the Indian horses with him. We traveled 11 miles and camped on the
Big Sandy River. William Nealey shot an antelope. 20th. We camped
last night with Heywood and Woolley company and our first division. We
started out about 10 o'clock, Capt. Hardy moving out first, Bro. Woolley
next. We traveled 16 miles and camped with Capt. Hardy's company on
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the Big Sandy River. 21st. Bro. Woodruf's ox died this morning. He was
at a dead stand; he could not go another rod without help. We concluded
to let him take my father's oxen and Bro. Hardy's team, and Bro. Hardy
take a yoke of Bro. Barrows, so as to have all the borrowed cattle in their
division. We traveled six miles and met Bro. Brigham Young from the
Valley, who stated there was no feed on Green River, so we camped on
the Big Sandy River. 22nd. Sunday. Held a meeting and felt very much
instructed with the remarks of the speakers. We made a coal pit, set
some tires, and made some shoes and nails. 23rd. We traveled nine
miles and camped on Green River. George, my brother, caught a catfish
a foot long. 24th. Started at 8 o'clock, went 19 and a half miles and
camped at Ham's Fork. We passed some beautiful scenery on the banks
of the river. We met two brothers from the Valley, stating that the Snake
Indians were hostile to the Mormons and some of them had been killed,
that four hundred Indians were in the mountains armed to the teeth, so we
had better be on our guard.... 28th. We drove up our cattle in order to
make an early start. Found after we got started about ten cattle were
missing. All hands went to search for them, and finally concluded they
had gone back. Brothers Atwood and Nealey mounted horses and went
back and found them about 14 miles on the back trail. Got in with them
about dusk. We were very glad to see them. We spent the day fishing.
There are some beautiful trout in the streams and very large. 29th.
Started early and traveled eleven miles. Camped on a small creek. We
had a very bad hill to descend. One of Brother Woodruff's wagons had
the axle broken, one of our wagons had a wheel broken.
Oct. 1st. We started early and traveled fifteen miles. We had an excellent
road. It was rather hilly, but even and smooth. One of Brother Woodruff's
cows died in the yoke today. We passed the highest summit of the
journey today. There is some splendid scenery around the mountains.
We camped in a valley at the foot of the mountains. 2nd. We had rain,
thunder and lightning last night. It cleared up this morning. We traveled
six miles. We had a very steep hill to climb; had to double teams. We
camped on Bear River. We caught a glimpse of our first division climbing
the mountains ahead of us. 3rd. We picked twelve quarts of Hawberries.
We intend to make vinegar of them. We traveled six and one-half miles
and camped on a small creek. Joseph Webb tipped his wagon over which
prevented us from going any further today. Our road winds along at the
foot of the mountains, very wild and picturesque. We camped on Yellow
Creek. 4th. Very cold last night, froze the water over in our pails one-
12
fourth inch thick. It has been a beautiful day. We met Brother Hyde on his
way to the station. He brought good news
from the Valley. We traveled ten miles. 5th.
Started early, traveled eighteen miles,
camped on Echo Creek. Bro. Hunter came
up and camped with us. We had to cross the
creek a number of times. In some places it
was bad, and we had to stop and mend the
roads. Brother Gibson tipped over without
doing any damage. 11th. We traveled three
miles and came to the foot of the mountain.
We had dinner and then started for the top,
the second division being in head. We found
the road very bad, but we made out to get to
the top without any accidents, but the second
division broke three wagons. We made
seven miles and camped on top of the mountain. 12th. We took our
teams and went down the mountain and helped the others up, then
traveled down the other side of the mountain about nine miles and
camped at the foot of another mountain. 14th. Mrs. Delin had a daughter
born last night. Bro. Woodruff came up with us this morning and we all
drove into the Valley of Salt Lake and camped in the Fort. It was a rather
dreary homecoming. It was very dry and dusty, and the wind was blowing
the dust in clouds. Only a few little log and adobe houses to be seen,
fenced in with rail and willow fences. A few shade trees and fruit trees
were to be seen here and there. I thought at first; "Have I got to spend the
rest of my days here in this dreary looking place?" But I soon felt all right
about it and loved my mountain home.
BISHOP HARDY
Leonard Wilford Hardy was born December 31, 1805, to Simon and
Rhoda Hardy in Bradford, Essex County, Massachusetts. He passed his
boyhood in Bradford, learning the shoemaker's trade from his father.
Although this work brought them a good living it did not seem to agree
with Leonard's health, and he turned to farming. He was thrifty and
energetic and obtained what schooling he could, but the opportunities for
an education were very limited and he relied mostly on his native talents
and abilities to make his livelihood. He was trustworthy in all his dealings
 13
and as a farmer became a respected landowner and at diferent times held
positions of leadership and responsibility in the community. He was
brought up in the stern and sober manner of the Puritan influence and
firmly believed and practiced the moral teachings he received.
In September, 1826 he married Elizabeth Nichols Goodridge, widow of
Barnard Goodridge of Georgetown, Mass. Leonard and Elizabeth had
three children, two sons and a daughter. The younger son, Rufus, died
in the East. The girl grew to womanhood and married Alonzo Russell.
Charles, the elder boy, came to Utah and died in Salt Lake City. Just
where and when Leonard Hardy first heard the Gospel is not known, but
he was baptized into the Church on Dec. 2, 1832 by Elder Orson Hyde.
A notation in Church History under date of Friday, Dec. 6, 1844 reads as
follows: "Elder Wilford Woodruff and family, in company with Elder H.
Clark and Dan Jones and their families, and Elder Hilton Holmes and
Leonard W. Hardy, sailed from New York in the packet ship, John B.
Skiddy, for Liverpool, England."
With Elder Holmes, Leonard Hardy was assigned to the Manchester
District, but did not stay there very long; he was appointed to preside over
the Preston Conference and took up his labors there with great zeal.
However, he had a very dreadful experience. He was given a room
wherein a patient had just died of smallpox and not even the linen on the
bed had been changed. He became a victim of the disease and nearly
lost his life, but through the administration of the priesthood and his faith
he recovered and was able to continue his labors. Leaving Preston, he
preached the Gospel in other localities of England, making many converts.
On the 19th of October, he boarded a vessel for America and arrived
home safely, being welcomed by friends and family who rejoiced that the
separation was over. In spite of the demands made upon his time in
supporting his family, he never ceased his labor in the Church and fulfilled
all his assignments faithfully.
During his labors in England, he asked Elder Woodruff to give him a
blessing. The Apostle promised him a safe journey to his home, and that
his later life would be spent in the capacity of one of the leading bishops
of the Church in the land of Zion. Leonard was so amazed at this promise
that he could not believe it at first, and said that his faith was sorely tried
in trying to accept it. Elder Woodruff told him to wait and see and if it did
not come to pass he would admit that he had not spoken with the spirit of
14
prophecy. He was never called on to retract what he had said. The turn
of events now prompted a move from his native state and he took his
family to Petersborough, New Hampshire. Making the acquaintance of
Jesse C. Little, he joined him in a mercantile venture which proved
profitable to the extent that he stayed there until the spring of 1850 when
he joined the westward movement of the Church. Selling his share in the
business and closing out all other interests, he said goodbye to his New
England and journeyed toward a new life.
Fate placed him again with Apostle Woodruff, for it was in his company
that he came to Utah. He had been commissioned to gather the Saints in
the East and to bring them and those remaining at Winter Quarters to the
Rocky Mountains. It was with much joy that Leonard found himself again
in the company of this beloved Apostle. On the 9th of April, 1850, the
Hardy family joined the others at Boston and began the long and arduous
trek across the plains to the fast growing empire in the Salt Lake Valley.
In the June 18th entry in his diary he wrote: "We traveled six miles today.
Captain Petty was chosen captain over a hundred, Leonard W. Hardy
captain over the first fifty, Brother Whipple over second fifty, George
Gardner captain over ten. Our company all well."
Two of the wagons in Capt. Hardy's company were his own, one being
drawn by a span of horses and the other by two yoke of oxen. Cholera,
the scourge of the pioneer, took its toll with the company, as it had with all
the others, and before the journey's end eleven gave up their lives to the
ravages of the disease. Capt. Hardy became ill with the malady and
though he was carefully nursed and taken care of he found it extremely
hard to keep at his assigned duties.
In Capt. Hardy's camp there was a family by the name of Goodridge,
father, mother, several young girls and an 11-year-old boy. They were a
musical family, full of fun and possessing the happy faculty of making the
best and most of every situation. The girls sang and danced; they
gathered berries on the way; they laughed. But they also counted the
graves and wondered about the sadness and hardships of the travelers
and wept for those who were left behind on the prairie. They helped nurse
the sick, washed and mended, cooked and carried water; they knew how
to work. When necessary they would wade streams without complaining,
shake the dust out of their clothing without resentment and gather buffalo
chips without disgust. They could fall on their knees night and morning
 15
and thank their Heavenly Father for their health and strength, their safety,
their food and clothing, and the boundless sea of grass that paved their
way to freedom....
As they came into Wyoming they met scouts sent out by President
Brigham Young to help them on the way. One of them had brought a
letter from the President and it cheered them all to hear his heartening
words of courage and understanding. Capt. Hardy, still weak from his
illness, lost one of his oxen and was further disturbed by the fact that his
horses were giving out. Further delay and anxiety was caused by cattle
straying off at night in search of better forage. However, the berries and
wild currants were ripe now and the cooks were trying their hands at
sauces and pies. Fishing was good along the way, and the change of diet
was most welcome to all....
On October 14th, after spending the night at the mouth of Emigration
Canyon, the company drove into the Valley with Apostle Woodruff at their
head. The sight was not too encouraging to the tired pioneers. It was hot
and dusty and a wind was blowing the dry air over them as they passed
the few log or adobe houses with their rude fences. Into the fort they
drove their teams and at last realized that they were at the end of their
journey. There is no hint in the records of their journey across the plains
that there was any love affair between Captain Leonard Wilford Hardy and
Sophia Lois Goodridge, but soon after their arrival in the Salt Lake Valley
they were married; the 28th day of November to be exact; she was 24 and
he would soon be 45.
Upon his arrival in Salt Lake, Captain Hardy put his storekeeper
experience into good practice; he engaged in salesmanship and affiliated
himself with various mercantile houses. He was associated with Edwin D.
Woolley, Oscar H. Dogswell, Livingston and Kincaid, Livingston and Bell,
and others. His capacity for leadership was recognized and needed in the
fast-growing community, and he was appointed Chief of Police for the City
under Jedediah M. Grant. Later he served on the City Council from 1859
to 1866. Before this he had proved his worth as Captain of Company D,
Second Regiment, Second Cohort, in the Nauvoo Legion to which he had
been elected in 1851. In this capacity he took part in the Echo Canyon
War and all other events of the period where military strength and prowess
were needed.
16
Always finding time to work as a faithful Church member, he was
appointed to the Bishopric of the Twelfth Ward on April 6, 1856. This
assignment was augmented on June 21st with the addition of taking over
the Eleventh Ward also. October 12th of the same year he was called to
be First Counselor to Bishop Edward Hunter of the Presiding Bishopric of
the Church. He held this position until the death of Bishop Hunter in
October 1883. He became First Counselor to Bishop Preston, a position
he held at the time of his own demise less than a year later. Elder Hardy
was called on a mission in 1869 and on Nov. 20th left Salt Lake City for
Massachusetts, his native state. He baptized two converts into the
Church, held many meetings, and otherwise looked after the affairs of the
members in the four months he was there. His return home was marked
by a happy reunion with his large family.
From Church Chronology we have this reference: 29 May 1883-Bishops
Williams B. Preston and Leonard W. Hardy arrived at Rexburg, Snake
River Valley, Idaho. During the few following days they located the
townsites of Teton, Wilford, Lyman, Burton and Parker. In his office of the
Presiding Bishopric, Elder Hardy traveled extensively for the Church,
looking after its holdings and helping to build up the various wards and
stakes. On April 14, 1877 he laid the cornerstone for the Aaronic
Priesthood at the Manti Temple site. He married his third wife, Esther
Smilinda Goodridge, on August 20, 1854. On the 28th of March 1858, he
took as his fourth wife another of the Goodridge sisters, Harriet Ann.
Elizabeth Nichols, the first wife, died Oct. 13, 1872 in Salt Lake City, a
faithful wife and mother all the days of her life . . . .
Bishop Hardy maintained a home in the 12th Ward on the corner of
Second South and Fourth East, but also owned one in Parley's Canyon on
the land he had bought as early as 1858. About 1874 Bishop Hardy
purchased land in the Sugar House area and built homes for his three
sister-wives. It was there he died from the effects of a stroke that had left
him partially paralyzed. His life was a shining example of all the attributes
that make up the character of a noble man. He was honest and
benevolent, diligent and sincere. He was an inspiration for good to those
with whom he associated and lived a true Christian life in every respect.
He passed away July 31, 1884; his funeral was held on a Sunday morning
in the Tabernacle at Salt Lake City, and he was buried the same day,
August 3rd, in the City Cemetery. -Files of D.U.P.
 17 18

Isabelle Brown McKenzie wrote: Harriet Ann Goodridge was born

Soon after the City of Salt Lake was laid out, many of the men took up the 9th of March, 1828, in
homesteads, and moved onto them with their families, in order to earn a Lunenburg, Worcester County,
livelihood at farming. The Sugar House district was at that time all Mass., where she spent her early
farming, and because of its location with regard to the city and water for girlhood. With her family she
irrigation, it was particularly desirable. Daniel Garn took up a forty-acre traveled to Kanesville, Iowa,
tract which began at what is known as Lake Street. Mr. Garn sold ten where they joined a company of
acres of his farm to Leonard Wilford Hardy, who was for many years the Saints who were migrating to Utah
bishop of the old Twelfth Ward. A small house was built at 1776 Ninth in 1850. On the 5th of October,
East. At that time there were no avenues running east and west; the only 1851, Harriet married Seth Blair,
streets ran north and south, and the streets cut through in an east and the marriage ending in divorce.
west direction were called 10th, 11th and 13th South, with a half mile On the 28th of March, 1858, she
between each. married Leonard Wilford Hardy,
who had already taken two of her
Bishop Hardy built what was then a very fine home at 1838 Ninth East. sisters in marriage. A baby boy,
The home on Ninth East was a frame building, with three large rooms on Franklin, was born to them on the
the ground floor and two bedrooms on the upper, and a large kitchen and 21st day of Nov. 1859, however,
roomy pantry. This house was built for Hattie, who later moved to 330 the little fellow was not long for
West 3rd North, when Esther moved into it. Esther had lived at Mountain this world and died a few days
Dell in Parley's Canyon, where she cooked for the many farm hands. She later. She had no more children. Harriet left with her husband in October,
lived in this home on Ninth East until her death in 1914. 1869, to fulfill a mission for the Church in the Eastern States. They
returned March 5, 1870. It is known that Harriet was a large, handsome
The housewives of those early days worked a heavy windlass to draw the woman, capable in many ways. The expression on her face was calm and
oaken bucket with its load of cold crystal water, thirty to sixty feet at the serene and her brown eyes gave a feeling of warmth and understanding.
top of a well; then there was a last effort to grasp the bucket and swing it
over the top of the well-curb. It was such a well as this that was sunk just A grandniece, Eugenia Rampton, writes of her: "I had the privilege of living
north of the Hardy house. The importance of a well of this kind cannot be with Aunt Hattie for a few weeks in the fall of 1901 and a more angelic
overestimated. Many a thirsty traveler has been refreshed by a drink from person I have never known. Her prayers night and morning were
the old Hardy well, and it served the neighbors as well as the Hardy unforgettable and the simple prayer at meal time I shall ever remember.
family. The well-curb was built of strong planks. She got up one morning and announced that she going to help a family in
need of a doctor. Whether or not they paid her I do not know, but it made
The splendid farm, once yielding rich crops of fruit and grain, is now no difference to her. Like many another woman, she was ready to go on
covered with stores and homes of brick and cement. Irrigation ditches a minute's notice. My father, the eldest son of her sister, Sophia, said that
have been filled up; wells exist no more; trees have been uprooted to he hardly knew the difference between his own mother and the other two
make way for homes and pavements; where once the patient oxen with sisters.
their drivers walking beside them plodded their weary way to town, autos
dash along, making light the once long journey. "After my grandmother, Sophia, left the Canyon home, Aunt Esther and
Aunt Hattie remained and some of the boys stayed there most of the time
until they were about 19 years of age. For years a niece, Mary Hovey
Lambert, daughter of Lusannah, lived with Aunt Hattie and later a
 19 20

grandniece, Genevieve Hardy Dangerfield, lived with both women. and said they liked it better than plays they had paid to see.
Hattie's home was in the 19th Ward on Third West. I well remember the
long row of white rooms, four it seems to me, with the porch in front of all. Sophia was the mother of nine children, five sons and four daughters.
It stood on an acre and a third of ground with an old apple tree in the While her husband was Bishop of the 12th Ward, she made her home at
backyard, with other fruit trees and a vegetable garden taking up the 2nd South and 4th East. After his death, she moved to the Hardy Farm
remaining space. Hattie was thrifty and quiet, spending her years in in Sugar House and lived in a new brick home which is still standing at
service to her fellowman. She died in Salt Lake City on the 31st day of 1812 South 9th East. Sophia died at the home of her daughter, Lena
May, 1904, age 76." -Georgie Jenkinson, on November 3, 1903, in her 77th year. At the time of her
Hardy Steed death she was survived by 60 grandchildren and three great-
grandchildren. Her funeral services were held in the 12th Ward
Sophia Lois Goodridge born July meetinghouse. The speakers were Thomas B. Williams, Joshua Midgely,
2 , 1 8 2 6 a t Lu n e n b u r g , Seymour B. Young, and Joseph E.
Massachusetts, to Benjamin and Taylor. The interment followed at the
Penelope Randall Gardner City Cemetery, where Thomas V.
Goodridge. Sophia was baptized Williams dedicated the grave.
Dec. 16, 1844, the first one of her
family to receive the Gospel. When Esther Smilinda Goodridge, daughter
a young girl Sophia studied music of Benjamin and Penelope Gardner
under the leadership of Lowell Goodridge, was born March 16, 1836
Mason of Boston, whose works in Lunenburg, Massachusetts. Her
grace many of the hymn books of father and mother and their family
today. She had a very beautiful joined the Utah band of pioneers,
voice. On November 28, 1850, traveled by oxteam and went through
soon after her arrival in the Valley, the varied experiences and hardships
she was married to Leonard W. of that journey. They started on May
Hardy, the captain of the company 21, 1850 and arrived in Utah October
in which she emigrated. Her sister, 14, 1850.
Sarah Louisa, married Joseph Grafton Hovey on the same day, both
ceremonies being performed at the home of Joseph Hovey. Esther was married to Leonard W.
Hardy August 20, 1854. He was then Bishop of the 12th Ward, where she
Being a gifted musician, she had brought one of the first melodeons lived until 1865. She became the
across the plains with her and used it for many years afterward. She was mother of five children, three girls
given the distinction of being the first to sing in public the now familiar and two boys. She moved to Salt
song, The Glorious Light of Truth, which was composed especially for her Lake City on May 6, 1878, to what
by William Clayton after he heard her sing in the Old Bowery in Salt Lake was then called Sugar House Ward,
City in 1851. She also took part in plays. At home she rigged up a draw where she was chosen second
curtain and her daughter Nell wrote a play called "The Fairy, Demon, and counselor to Sarah B. Gibson,
the Lost Child," which was presented in the dining room of her home. She President of the Relief Society, Jan.
managed the curtain and made the costumes for the children who were 1, 1879. She served in that capacity
eight, ten, and three years old. Twenty-one people came to see the play until October 25, 1904. While she
 21
lived in Parley's Canyon and after moving to Sugar House, she acted as
midwife, not only to her own family, but to many who needed her. In those
days they had no trained nurses outside of the hospital, so the midwife for
ten days bathed and changed mother and baby. Esther had remarkable
success, never losing a mother or babe, and she waited on a great many.
She had a very kind, sweet disposition and was loved by all who knew
her. After a short illness while on a visit to her granddaughter, Esther
Fairbanks, in Preston, Idaho, she died on August 29, 1914. Services were
held in the Sugar House Ward Chapel, September 2, 1914. Interment was
in the City Cemetery. -Rhoda A. Hardy Garn
HARDY’S STATION
Parley's Canyon was named in honor of the esteemed pioneer and
churchman, Parley P. Pratt. The extreme length of the canyon from where
it enters the Valley to the summit is about thirteen miles. About six miles
up the canyon it branches into two main forks, one bearing to the east and
still called Parley's Canyon, the other bearing to the north and named
Mountain Dell. Lovely streams of water run continuously in each of these
forks, and in the spring of the year, from the melting snows, they often
become raging torrents. At the junction of these creeks, the canyon
widens considerably forming quite an area of land suitable for farming.
R. G. Hardy wrote: It was at the junction of two creeks that Leonard
Wilford Hardy acquired a piece of land, as well as another piece about a
mile farther up the canyon which was used as a hay farm. The remainder
of available lands were acquired by other men desirous of making a home
in the canyon. The names that I recall were: Richard Winmill, Wm.
Taylor, Bines Dixon, Wm. Hardy, Edward Laird, Seymour B. Young, Martin
Garn, Sven Olson, Don Carlos Young, J. C. Neilsen, Wm. Roach and
James Bullock.
As the pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley increased each year it became
very urgent that a supply of timber be made available for the building of
homes, and Parley's Canyon had quite a supply in the upper forks.
Sawmills were built and vast quantities of lumber and timber were hauled
into the Valley. Later it was found that a road could be built over the
summit having a very gradual slope, and down into East Canyon joining
up with the pioneer trail and making a better road than the one over the
Big Mountain and down Emigration Canyon. So the road was built and the
22
original Pioneer Trail over the Big Mountain was partly abandoned and the
traffic diverted through Parley's Canyon. Grandfather Hardy had quite a
supply of hay and many outfits camped at his place and adjacent camp
grounds, and his home was known for many years as Hardy's Station.
About 1888 a school district was organized in Mt. Dell as the 55th District
of Salt Lake County. A board of trustees was elected, Wm. B. Hardy was
selected as chairman and secretary of the board, which position he held
until the district was dissolved in 1899. About 1892 enough money had
accumulated to warrant the building of a new school. This was a two-story
building, the lower part made of stone from the local quarry, the upper part
being of brick hauled from Salt Lake.
Salt Lake City was growing very rapidly and a need for additional water
became very evident. The city built a dam at the mouth of the canyon for
the purpose of diverting the water into mains which would carry the water
into the city. This dam was built about 1891. The farmers in the canyon
still owned the water rights and when it became dry in the summer they
used a big share of the water for irrigating, leaving only a small stream for
the city which really required all the water. The city began to negotiate
with the farmers for their water rights which they were not willing to give
up unless the land was sold too. The city also claimed that the drainage
from the stables and yards was contaminating the water, making it unfit for
culinary purposes, thus endangering the health of thousands of people.
So the fight went on for several years and finally resulted in a victory for
the city and the farmers were practically forced to sell.
By 1900 there was not a farmer left in the canyon and the city had
acquired all of the water rights. However, this was not sufficient for the
fast growing city, and it was evident that storage was necessary to
conserve the waters of the spring floods, etc. Shortly after the turn of the
century preparations were made to investigate the feasibility of
constructing a dam in the canyon which would be sufficiently large to store
all the run-off water. The report was favorable so the dam was built about
a half mile below the Hardy farm, which backs up the water so that our old
homesite is entirely submerged when the reservoir is full. In 1899 my
father, Wm. B. Hardy, sold out his holdings in the canyon and moved his
family to Alberta, Canada, where I have lived ever since. I still cherish
many fond remembrances of the dear old canyon where I spent my
boyhood days.
 23 24

From Records of Tacy Hardy Winmill: In 1850 Leonard W. Hardy August 20, 1882, the Saints at Mt. Dell were organized as a ward with
purchased a farm in Parley's canyon, and moved a portion of his family Wm. B. Hardy as bishop. At that time the ward population, including
there, keeping a station for Ben Holladay's Overland Stage Line. At this children, was about 100. Wm. B. Hardy presided at Mountain Dell until
place he owned a seven-room log house and a large barn where the stage 1895 when the ward organization was discontinued and Bines Dixon
company kept extra horses. They drove two span or four horses at a time appointed as presiding elder.
on each stage, which would come from Salt Lake City and stop at the
station. The passengers would be served meals at Hardy's home while PENELOPE WRITES
the hostelers changed the horses. The station was continued until the
arrival of the Union Pacific Railroad. We went to school in the Shortly after the death of her husband in 1859, Penelope Goodridge felt
meetinghouse, which served as recreation hall, schoolhouse and chapel. the necessity of recording the events which she would witness throughout
We had parties and dances in it and we danced to the music of the the remainder of her life.
accordion. At our school we had only one teacher for all the grades, so
we could not advance as fast as we should have done. In 1894 the new
schoolhouse was built, a two-story building with the school downstairs and
the recreation hall upstairs. That gave us more advantages in school as
our teachers were better educated to teach.

Mountain Dell Ward consisted of Latter-day Saints residing in Parley's

Canyon, in the heart of the Wasatch Mountains, and on Parleys Creek,
originally called Canyon Creek and its tributaries. It was 14 miles
southeast of the center of Salt Lake City, and its altitude about 5300 feet
above sea level. All kinds of vegetables were raised, including potatoes,
of which some samples weighed four pounds each. In 1850 Parley P.
Pratt built a toll road from the main forks of this canyon, which road was
opened to traffic July 4, 1850 under the name of the Golden Pass. This
road, however, was soon afterwards washed out by floods. Among the
first settlers in Mt. Dell were Ephraim K. Hanks and Augustus P. Hardy,
who in 1858 established a trading post in the canyon for the
accommodation of travelers. At their hotel meals cost from $1.00 to
$2.50, and a hundred pounds of sugar sold for $125.00.

Hanks and Hardy left the canyon, and when in 1860 Leonard W. Hardy
took charge of the locality and remained there for several years, it became
known as Hardy's Place. For the benefit of these pioneer settlers a
branch of the Church was organized in March 1867.... In 1869 a more
completely organized branch, named Mountain Dell, was established, with
James Laird as presiding elder, the branch being under the jurisdiction of
the Sugar House Ward Bishopric. The Saints erected a log
meetinghouse, which in 1894 was replaced by a substantial rock
schoolhouse, which served also for religious services. On Sunday,
 25
Feb. 19, 1860. For the last few months I have at times felt very lonely,
having no one in my family but my son, George, and he, like other
youngsters almost always away, and so to pass off some of my lonesome
hours methinks I will pass some of them in writing down a few incidents
as I pass along through life. My husband, Benjamin Goodridge, died on
the 2nd day of last December about 9 o'clock in the forenoon. He had
26
been in a very strange and singular way for some years. I know not the
cause, but I know he was a great sufferer in his mind by spells. I passed
through so much with him I don't want to reflect upon it. His last sickness
was what we called the pleurisy or lung fever. He lived only nine days
after the attack. Although he was an invalid for many years, he seemed
a kind of protector which I very much miss, but he is gone and according
to the common course of nature I must soon follow. He was 65 years and
two months old, lacking one day. I believe he is happy for he showed
himself to me immediately after we started from the graveyard. He looked
so fair and pleasant and so very natural, he could not be otherwise than
happy. I felt that it was but a step between us and that I should soon be
with him.
George and I went home with Brother Hardy's folks, and that evening as
I was reflecting on the transaction of the day, came near saying to Harriet
and Esther as they were both present, "I want you to have my burial
clothes in readiness," but did not say it for fear they would think it strange
for mother to make such a request. I have no work but the work of
salvation and may the Lord help me to accomplish that in a manner that
will be acceptable in His sight. I have all the necessaries of life and I
thank my Heavenly Father. I ask my God, my Heavenly Father, in the
name of his son, Jesus Christ, to continue his blessings unto me
according to my needs while I sojourn upon the earth. My children 6 in
number, 5 girls and 1 boy are very kind, not one of them would willingly
hurt my feelings in the least, but rather try to make me happy as far as
their circumstances will admit. My sons-in-law are equally kind. My
grandchildren appear fond of me. I have a pleasant home which as yet I
can call my own, but it is so lonesome sometimes. I resort to many things
to while away the time. After the funeral of my husband I stopped at the
Bishop's over 3 weeks. Harriet with little Frankie came home with me.
She stayed 2 or 3 weeks, which made it more pleasant.
March 6th. This morning I am alone again. I have not had much time to
be lonely, the 22nd of February, Esther had a son born, Owen. I went
there the same day and stayed ten days. I enjoyed myself first rate, came
home 3 days ago. George is absent tonight. There is a snowstorm out,
but very still in. I have a good fire, a good light and am very comfortable.
Last Saturday evening I went to the Tabernacle, heard Gibson lecture
concerning the Malay tribes and other tribes that are many thousands of
miles away. Mr. Flint, my son-in-law, is quite sick; he thinks he has the
 27
mountain fever. 25th. Mr. Flint and family moved north yesterday. Left
their house empty and desolate. Three of my nearest neighbors have left
and strangers have come instead, which I have not yet seen. I hope they
are good people and that I shall take much comfort with them. Sophia
came here last Tuesday with her 6 children and Ellen Parkinson, stayed
all night. Wednesday, Harriet and Lusannah came with their children and
Mary Jane's children, all made 16 grandchildren in one day. All but one
under 8 years old; a lively time we had that day sure. Today is Sunday.
I have been to meeting. It is so cheering to hear the Prophets of the Most
High proclaiming glad tidings to the people. Brother O. Hyde spoke first,
followed by Brother Brigham.
August 15th. It is a long time since I have written in my book, but I have
not been idle. I have wrote several letters, two to the East, one to my
sister, Weston, and one to Sewell Goodridge's widow. Lusannah and
family moved to Cache soon after April conference, and I have written a
number of letters to her. The spirit of loneliness came over me this
evening so I thought I must write to kill time! I have a great many callers
which helps to pass off time....
December 6th. Have been to the Ward meeting, several were confirmed,
one babe blest, had a good meeting. Bishop Raleigh with counselors
were present. Brother Hovey talked first rate, told some of his
experiences in the latter-day work. This evening, Brother Hovey called to
see me. I was very glad he did. He talked with me, he prayed with me
and he laid his hands upon my head and blest me with the blessings of
health, that my age should be renewed from that very hour and that I
should feel like as if I was in my teens, that I should live many years, even
as long as life was desirable. I should go to the center stake of Zion if I
desired it, that I should go into the Celestial Kingdom, should be one of the
one hundred and forty-four thousand that should come up on Mount Zion,
that the holy angels should be roused about me to protect me. The Holy
Ghost should comfort me and teach me things present and things to
come, and that my blood should course through my veins from the crown
of my head to the soles of my feet and renovate my system, I should be
like Sarah of old, and many more things that I do not recollect at this
time....
9th. It is one year last Sabbath since my husband died. How short the
time seems. I scarcely can realize it to be so long. We have a boy living
28
with us, 10 years old; he has been here since sometime in September.
His name is Brigham Tarvis. He is very handy, saves me many steps. I
cannot well be lonesome when he is about, he is such a talker. I have had
a tumor cut out of my eyebrow by Dr. Anderson. 29th. This day I enter
my 68th year of my life. I feel well; my limbs are quite elastic, can do
considerable work. Harriet, Esther, George, and myself took a sleigh ride
north about twelve miles to Mary Jane's. Found them all well but rather
uncomfortably situated. Pretty cold riding. Got home about 5 o'clock
evening.
January 11th, 1861. Walked to Bishop Hardy's. They had a big donation
dinner for the poor. I think there was between 50 and 60 that sat down to
the table, besides our own family which number 21 at the present time.
On Feb. 2nd I returned home.
March. George has just come in and says: "Mother, they have called on
me to go with one of the teams back East to help fetch in the poor Saints.
Do you think you can spare your dear son to do so?" It was giving me
something of a trial, but I considered it for the best and said "go," and I am
trying to fit him out so that he will go comfortable....
April 22nd. George started for the East. I accompanied him as far as the
Bishop's and there parted with him with a heavy heart, asking God to
protect him. After staying at Brother Hardy's a few days I returned to my
lonely home for I was in truth alone.
October. I have got along first rate. The Bishop works our lot. I have
been well supplied with everything I was in need of. George is expected
in a few days. 23rd. George has returned with his company of Saints. He
looks pretty well considering he says he has seen some tight spots. I am
glad he got home safe again and more glad for the good report of him.
1862. November 10th. George started with me to go to the Station. We
called at Brother Taggart's. Took Eliza along with us. Found a new
married couple there and as the disease is catching, George was attacked
so he came home with a wife by his side. They were married by Elder
James Laird. 20th. George has taken his wife, Eliza Taggart, to live with
me. I hope I shall like her. It will not be so lonely.
1863. I had a grandson born in this house October 30th. They call his
 29
name George Leonard. Sophia had a daughter born the same night.
1864. September. Had I continued my journal I should have had many
an interesting item to refer to which has slipped my memory. Mr. Flint was
knocked down by a horse which deprived him of his reason for hours and
very much injured him otherwise. James Hovey, Lusannah's oldest boy
has been near to death's door by severe sickness and pain which
terminated in a fever sore on his leg which I think will always trouble him.
October 3rd. The anniversary of my husband's birthday, if living, would
be 70 years old. Saw Mr. Hovey last Friday, says James had been
attacked in his other leg. Thinks he has arrested it, wants me to go home
with him and stay all winter. Went to the store spent $2.15. I have cut 20
bushels of peaches to dry. . . .
November 6th. Eliza began to wean the boy. George and Dick started on
Friday for salt at the Lake. Came home without any today. Sunday,
Brother Taggart and wife were here. George went over the mountain to
chop and haul wood. Eliza went home. Stayed until Wednesday. 11th.
I went to town, carried some dry peaches, got 1 lb. of tea.
December 5th. George did not go back to work this week, had a pain in
his side. He and wife have gone to the theatre tonight, will stay all night
with her mother. George got Eliza a new dress, paid 16 dollars for it. Got
me pair shoes, paid 5 dollars. Mary Jane got her a loom. This morning
I am going to help Mary Jane warp the first web.
1865. January 6th. I received a letter from my sister, Mary, a few days
ago, and a paper.
February 15th. Have been to two parties this winter to the Social Hall and
danced. I believe it has snowed every night this week and thawed every
day. Mary Jane, with my help, has wove nearly one hundred yards. I
have made her a new harness.
March 3rd. George's birthday. He and I went to Savage's, had our
photograph taken. 22nd. Wrote a letter to Sister Gardner at Dixie, sent
George's likeness; sent mine to my sister Mary.
May 14th. Since I wrote last I have been to the Bishop's, stopped over a
week, would have stayed longer, but George's boy was taken sick so I
came home. His mother has taken him to her mother's today, so I am
30
alone. George has gone to the Station to work. He is putting in wheat.
October 22nd. I am growing less ambitious about writing, or the fact is it
seems I have no time. I never was more drove with work in my life. Have
just finished a pair of garments for George. I have a dress, 1 pr. sheets,
1 pr. pillow slips, 2 prs. garments, all to make for myself, besides lots of
knitting. I expect to do some knitting and sewing for Eliza as she has lots
to do. We have been very busy for the last 4 weeks with drying peaches.
We have cut and put out 60 bushel. I stopped at the Bishop's for the most
of the time in July, August, and into September, until after Esther's babe
died, which was on the 4th of Sept. While there I picked wool to pay for
a new flannel dress which is to come by and by. Sophia moved into the
City one week ago and Harriet and Esther have gone to the Station.
May 1866. George took Harriet Taggart to wife. I went to the Bishop's,
stayed nearly one month. On the 3rd of June I went over to the Station,
stayed 3 months, returned home and went to drying peaches. 5th. I am
weaving a carpet for myself. Eliza has very sore eyes.
January 1869. The first day in the year 1869. It is such a long time since
I have kept a journal. Well, I have been hither and thither so much that I
have not felt settled anywhere. Two years ago I had a stroke of numb
palsy, or a paralytic stroke or something of that nature. It was not severe.
Last May, Joseph Hovey died, left his wife, my daughter Lusannah, with
seven children. In a few months had another, and she only 35 years old.
Last October conference my son, George, was called to go south to help
build up a new place called St. Joseph, Nevada Territory, and on the 4th
of November 1868, he with his family, six in number, started for their new
home. It was rather hard parting with my only son, but I believe it all for
the best. I have received one letter from them dated Jan. 3rd since their
departure. I have enjoyed myself first rate. I did once complain of being
alone so much. Now I enjoy it. The winter thus far has been very mild.
It seems so pleasant, almost like summer; yet the ground is white with
snow and has been for weeks. It thaws in the daytime, freezes in the
night. Now and then a little snow just to keep the ground white. There is
a good deal of sickness, and many deaths this winter, especially among
children and old people. I was 75 years old the 24th day of last
December. I can labor yet some, do all my own work except washing and
sometimes that; knit a good deal and sew some. Have made one rug this
winter. Last week the Female Relief Society had a party. I did not attend,
altho a member of the Society, but bought a ticket and gave to Wm. and
 31
Mary J. Flint. Have been told the Society cleared 60 dollars over
expenses. 16th. Esther came to town to attend a Bishop's Ball. Came to
see me, stayed three nights. 21st. Have been writing today to Lusannah
in answer to a letter I received from her dated Feb. 9th. She wants to sell
her farm in Cache and go to the Muddy where George is. She had better
wait awhile. -The last time I met with the Female Relief Society they made
a statement that they wanted the sisters to write something to be read in
the meetings. They did not care what the subject was whether poetry,
dialogue, history or anything they chose. So I wrote the following bit of
history:
I am seventy-five years old, and when I look back upon my past life it
seems but yesterday, or but a few years at most, since I, in my childish
glee, was playing with my brothers and sisters around my own father’s
hearthstone, and where are they now, an Echo says where, ah! Some of
them are gone to that Bourne from whence no traveler returns, and gone
too without hearing the sound of the everlasting Gospel as it is declared
to us in this last dispensation. As I grew to womanhood my mind became
more serious being impressed with the idea that there was something
more for me to do than eat, drink, and be merry; and as religious meetings
were common, revival meetings frequent, I attended many of them and in
process of time had my name enrolled with the Wesleyan Episcopal
Methodist, and for nearly twenty years I was a member of that Society.
Had many reasons of rejoicing with them, believing they were the best
people there were in the world, because they were the most persecuted
of any people or sect that I knew of in those days. Something over twenty
years ago my brother, George Gardner, (who is now in Arizona) came to
make me a visit. He brought the truths of the Gospel with him, taught
them to me. I believed and embraced the same. I came out from the
Methodist, was led into the waters of Baptism by an Elder of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the 2nd of September, 1849; in the
spring of 1850, I, with my family, started from the Eastern states, even
Massachusetts, for the valley of the mountains and arrived here in the
October following. Did I make any sacrifice? not in my feelings, but as the
saying is "our property went for a song." I did not care for that if I only
could get to the Valley. I am here and not for one moment have I ever
wished myself back again. I can see the hand of the Lord has been over
me for good even from my childhood up to the present time; nevertheless,
I have had many trials, troubles, and afflictions to pass through, but the
Lord has sustained me. Even now in my old age He is my comforter and
32
my guide, praise be to His Holy name.
The Elder who baptized me first into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints was L. W. Hardy, and it was through his instrumentality that I
and my family were gathered to the Valley of the mountains. He has
proved to be an undeviating friend to me and mine ever since I came here.
He has three of my daughters for wives, he fitted out George for his
southern mission by taking my lot, and is to provide for me while I live and
I feel pretty safe in his care.
March 1st. A beautiful day, very much like spring. The winter just past
has been very mild generally, although it has been smoky and foggy a
great deal of the time. Mr. Flint is sowing cabbage seed today. 15th.
Today it has rained and snowed, snowed and rained. The Bishop and
Sophia have been here this afternoon, all well. Valeria Flint went with
them to the Station.
April 6th. Last Sunday George and Charles Taggart came here, stayed
till Wednesday morn. On Monday Bro. Hardy and Sophia came and
brought me some of the comforts and necessaries of life, may God bless
them. Esther made a new sunbonnet and gave to me. The Bishop put in
the garden last week.
May 7th. A few days ago I received a letter from my sister, Harriet, the
first I have received from her since I have been here. Answered it this
morning. Brother Hardy has lately had a letter from George. Poor boy, he
seems to be sadly tried in the furnace of adversity. I hope he will come
out unscathed; it is a good school for him. Hitherto, he has not had the
trials which have been the lot of many of the Latter-day Saints. I hope he
will bear it all with patience, come off the conqueror, have plenty of faith
with good work. If a weary task you find it, persevere and never mind it.
11th. I, with Mary Jane and Harriet, went into town, did some shopping.
Bought calico for a dress, 1/2 lb. tea, 3 lbs. of sugar. 18th. Yesterday had
my dress cut by Sister Stevenson. Last Sabbath afternoon went to the
Tabernacle, heard remarks from several of the Elders. A Methodist Priest
spoke. 19th. Emily Stratton came here with her babe. She, with Mary
Jane, have gone to meeting. Sam, the Indian boy, came here yesterday.
He is sick, looks bad. I guess he wishes he had stayed at the Bishop's
and not run away.
 33
June 24th. For the last 3 Sabbaths we have had strangers preach to us
in the new Tabernacle. There has been many strangers passing through
here of late and many distinguished guests have made it their pleasure or
profit, or out of curiosity, or whatever you have a mind to call it, to stop a
few days and some attend meetings.
July 18th. Harriet came here before breakfast, returned to the 12th Ward
in the afternoon. Went to see "Tom Thumb" on Monday, Tuesday she
came again with the boys. They finished hoeing the lot, and afterward
they took Mary Jane and five children to go home with over the mountain.
Apricots are ripe and very good.
August 12th. A nephew of William Flint, Joseph Flint by name, from New
York, came to make them a visit. He is quite a gent, a collegian and was
Captain in the Army of the late war. We have for some weeks past had
plenty of grasshoppers, but they did not seem so destructive as last year
and the year before.
September 11th. Sophia has been quite feeble, is better now. I walked
to the Bishop's awhile ago and walked back again the next day, and stood
it pretty well. Esther came to the city about a month ago and had all her
teeth pulled. Joseph Flint left here last Wednesday morning for Nevada.
Week before last Aunt Martha Hardy died of the dropsy. The same day
Sister Branch of St. George died in this city of bronchitis. O, how many
are dying, young as well as old, and lots of little children passed away this
summer, which speaks loudly to us that remain "be ye also ready." May
I profit by the warning.
October 11th. Monday Harriet and Valeria came, Tuesday Nelly Hovey
came, and the same day Br. Taggart, Br. Dixon and daughter all came to
stop through Conference which commenced on Wednesday. I attended
the first day and half of the last day. Nearly 200 missionaries have been
called, amongst the rest L. W. Hardy, to go on a six months mission
amongst his friends in the states. I made up a small bundle of
knickknacks for Aroet Hale to take to George in Arizona. 20th. Bishop
and Sophia came and took me home with them to see him and Harriet
start on his mission which they did on Sunday.
November 14th. I had presented to me a box of the Conserve of
Hollyhock, which I think proved very efficacious in my case. Last
Thursday, which was the 11th, Mr. Flint's folks had an unexpected call to
34
go to Hardy's Station, for they were nearly all sick including their son,
William, who was down with the mumps.
January 1st, 1870. Oh! how time passes. Ten years ago when I
commenced this journal I little thought I should be able to write at this date
if living. But here I am and feeling quite smart. Can go about, do my
work, excepting washing. I am pretty healthy and strong for my age which
was 76 last Monday. My sight seems to be failing me, which troubles me
considerably, especially reading by candle light. O, if I should be blind,
well I may for blindness is hereditary. My grandfather was blind for
several years, my oldest sister has been blind for some years, the next
sister to her is blind in one eye, my youngest sister has been afflicted that
way, but I hear she is better. I do not get so lonely as I did. Solitude is so
sweet, I love it. 5th. Sophia came with a carriage, took me to the
children's party in the 12th Ward's new schoolhouse. Stayed until 11
o'clock. Enjoyed myself very well. 10th. The completion of the Utah
Central R. R. a great celebration. It was judged there were 15,000 people
there to see the last rail laid and the last spike drove which was made of
homemade iron and driven by President Brigham Young. There were
several speeches made which were very appropriate by Mormons as well
as Gentiles. 18th. The Female Relief Society of the 11th Ward had a
party. It was a splendid affair. I went to it and danced once. Did not stay
late. 20th. Esther came for me to go home with her over the mountain.
Quite good sleighing.
March 19th. On the 5th of this month the Bishop and Harriet came home
from the East in pretty good health and spirits. Glad to get back to their
mountain home.
April 6th. Only one day of Conference. Brigham has gone south, so
conference is postponed until the 5th of May.
May 14th. Lusannah with her little boy, Grafton, came here on the 4th.
Stayed until the 9th to attend our May conference. Had a very good visit.
We had a good conference, good weather and a good turn out. It was
judged there were 13 or 14 thousand people seated in the house and the
large organ discoursed music grandly. Esther came also. Stayed through
Conference. I was well pleased that both girls happened to meet here.
I enjoyed their society much. Sophia called and Mary Jane was already
here so that I saw four of my girls together again. 25th. Leonard came
 35
and told Bro. Flint he might plant the lot on shares.
July 3rd. The grasshoppers were very numerous 5 or 6 weeks ago. The
day they came we heard them in the air. The sound for hours was like a
mighty rushing of waters at a little distance. Then they began to come
down to earth, and the way they eat everything ain't slow! I fear if they
stop 24 hours there will not be much green stuff left even the fruit trees are
covered. 11th. I received a letter from George stating that his wife, Eliza,
had a son born on the 27th of June, doing well. Their harvesting, haying,
and threshing were all done. 19th. Last Sabbath I went to meeting, heard
some very excellent preaching. Lady Franklin, the wife of Sir John
Franklin, was present in the afternoon. Much respect was shown her, as
there always is to distinguished visitors. 31st. Last Sabbath I attended
meeting all day. Went to the Methodist meeting in the evening. Went to
the celebration on Monday forenoon. Called on Old Lady Atwood in the
afternoon. In the evening went to the fireworks.
August 27th. Hearing that my daughter, Sophia, was sick, I walked down
to the 12th Ward, stayed overnight. The next day being Sunday as I did
not feel like walking home, the boys fetched me home in the carriage.
September 4th. Walked to meeting. Word was given out that Martin
Harris had just come to the city. He was one of the three witnesses to the
Book of Mormon, and would speak on that subject. Well, he did as well
as could be expected under the circumstances, he being nearly 88 years
old.
November 30th. Had a letter from Lusannah informing me that her
daughter, Nessy, was confined the 20th day of the present month of a son
which weighed 9 lbs. without its clothes. It is my first great-grandchild.
December 11th. Has snowed pretty much of the time this forenoon. Now
2 o'clock p.m., the sun is shining, the snow is melting, the birds are
singing, the flies are buzzing; they have not all gone to winter quarters.
27th. My birthday. I am 77 years old and in good health; am able to labor
considerable, and my faculties, altho some impaired are pretty good. All
things considered on the whole, I enjoy life pretty well. Last Saturday I
went to the 12th Ward to keep Christmas and stayed until Monday. Mr.
Flint and Mary Jane came down and spent the day; on Monday we had a
very pleasant time. Came home in the morning on a sled. I wanted to go
36
and spend New Year's with Esther, but it was not very convenient.
January 6th, 1871. A nephew of mine from Dixie has been here on a visit,
George Abel Gardner by name, left for home yesterday, is 18 years old.
A fine young man, he seems to be.
April 18th. It is quite a while since I wrote in my book. I thought I would
write a little today. There has been many changes, turns and overturns,
in the city, in the neighborhood, in my family and amongst my friends at
a distance. I received a letter from my sister, Rachel Ware, stating that
my sister, Lusannah Bowman, had a paralytic stroke and died on the 23rd
of Feb. 1871, in the 87th year of her age. She was born Jan. 9th, 1789,
in Kingstown, Mass. Have not had a letter from my son, George, since he
moved to Long Valley, but heard they were putting in their crops quite
cheerfully. The Gentiles are flocking into Utah for the gold and silver that
is in these mountains. It may be the means of bringing some to the
knowledge of the truth if there are any honest hearted amongst them,
which may God grant for Christ's sake. Our winter has been very mild,
but the spring rather cold and backward this forenoon. Now 5 o'clock the
wind blows cold. I hope it will not freeze the fruit.
December 27th. My birthday, 78 years old today. My health is good, may
that blessing be mine while I sojourn on the earth, how long or how short
that time may be I know not.
1875, April 8th. Twenty-five years ago tomorrow, it was the 9th of April
1850, that I, with my family consisting of my husband, myself, and six
married daughters, my youngest child a son of eleven years, one month
and 6 days, we started from Mass. for the Great Salt Lake. I now have
38 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren; have lost 8 grandchildren and
one great-grandchild, have buried one daughter and her husband and her
only child, a son. 9th. Well, I have had a call this noon from an old
acquaintance, Bishop Wm. Neeley. I think it is nearly 30 years since I
have seen him; we had a very pleasant chat of about an hour, dinner and
all. Oh! how cruel is time to change us mortals so that we lose all former
recollection of former looks.
May 4th. My daughter, Lusannah Hovey, came last Thursday morning
from Cache. She was out two days and two nights having a chance to
come with a neighbor in a wagon, not having means to come in the cars.
She was very tired and nearly sick when she got here. I must say I was
 37
very glad to see her. This afternoon she and sister, Rachel, have gone to
the 14th Ward to the meeting that is held there once in two weeks called
the Retrenchment meeting for Females. It is said they are very good
meetings, but I have never been there since they were organized. I
cannot walk around as I could once. I fear I shall not be able to get to the
Tabernacle much this summer. I am thankful that I have formerly
improved my opportunities of going to the meetings when circumstances
would permit. 8th. I went down to my daughter, Sophia's; they were all
pretty well. Lusannah was over the mountain with my daughter, Esther.
Sunday I attended the 12th Ward meeting twice that day. Bishop Hardy
was not there, but we had some very good preaching. On Tuesday
Lusannah got back, came with the Bishop. On Wednesday, Sophia and
Lusannah and myself called on Jenny Leamon and spent the day very
agreeably. Someone in our absence had been so kind as to leave me a
ticket for the old folk's excursion. Thursday, after breakfast, we started for
my home. We came to the Depot on the street cars. On our way home we
called on Sister Buel.
May 14th. She left and I for the old folk's excursion. We were to start out
on the Western train at 7 o'clock, but on account of getting us old cripples
seated, there was a delay of an hour. Then we started, and a most lovely
ride we had for over 20 miles. Came to Clinton's Hotel where we stopped
and were refreshed with food and drink. With prayer and singing, speech
making, with music on the organ, having a good time generally, about one
o'clock we went aboard the steamboat on the Salt Lake. It was a very
calm day and the way that we did skim it over the lake for about 2 hours
was delightful. Then after this was over, music was resorted to, and
songs, with more speeches, until 5 o'clock when we again took to the cars.
There were 244 people on that excursion. One old gent in his 96th year,
one old lady 91.... The cars were soon on the easy move for home. For
a few miles we were deliciously carried along; all at once there was a
thud, a crash, and the cars stopped. On examination it was found that the
baggage car had some bolt broke which let the bottom down with the
contents of the car, no great damage. By throwing off the damaged car
and adjusting the rafts for several feet, in about one hour we were moving
again. Arrived at the depot about 8 o'clock in the evening, and all free of
cost except the cup of tea. It was the most enjoyable day that I can ever
remember having in my long life. Even the break on the road did not mar
my feelings. Well, my Book is nearly full, and I guess it is time for I can
scarcely see the ruling on the paper. I have been a long time in writing it,
38
but it has afforded me some comfort, and amusement, in some of my
lonely hours which have not been a few. I am now 81 years and 5 months
old lacking one day. I do feel thankful to my Heavenly Father that I can do
as well as I have. My sight is poor, my hand is not as steady as formerly.
God be praised for all his goodness to me. I close this 26th of May, 1875.
Note: Penelope Randall Gardner Goodridge died Dec. 19, 1875, 7
months after this was finished.
MRS. FLINT
Mary Jane Goodridge, daughter of Benjamin and Penelope Goodridge,
was born on the 11th of June, 1825, at Lunenburg, Massachusetts. She,
with her father's family, left with the Wilford Woodruff Company for the Salt
Lake Valley. On July 10, 1850, they reached the Platte River where Mary
Jane was baptized by Wilford Woodruff.
The teams consisted of from two to five yoke of oxen to one wagon. In a
stampede there would often be from thirty to forty teams running in all
directions, knocking down anything that happened to be in their way.
Wilford Woodruff ran into the midst of one of these stampedes and
rescued his wife, Emma, and several others. Another time, Prescott Hardy
was injured in the arm and thigh. Many others were injured at this time
but none were killed. Mary Jane drove a yoke of oxen all the way across
the plains and one day when they stampeded she narrowly escaped
death. There happened to be an opening through which she fled,
fortunately without injury. She often said that those who had never
witnessed a stampede could not imagine
the awful confusion and terror that
reigned.
On December 24, 1850, Mary Jane
married William Flint, having known him
only three weeks. To reassure her as to
his respectability, he referred her to Heber
C. Kimball, for whom he had worked. She
went to Brother Kimball, who
recommended William very highly and told
her she would be making no mistake.
After their marriage they went to
 39
Farmington, Davis County, where they lived in a dugout until they could
get enough logs to build a house. Her life there was very hard, with quite
a few exciting incidents. One day while she and her bus band and brother
were eating dinner, a large snake dropped by its tail from the roof and
hung over a pan of milk. Another time a snake was curled up under the
chair on which she was sitting. As she was expecting a baby soon, her
husband didn't want her to know so he asked her to step outside for a
moment. He then went in and killed the snake. During a time when the
Indians were hostile and her husband was standing guard against them,
an old Indian slipped into the house and demanded a gun that was
standing back of the bed. Mary Jane refused to let him have it. He
jumped across the bed, snatched the gun, which was loaded, and was
pointing it at her when their big dog grabbed him by the leg. The Indian
dropped the gun and begged her to call off the dog, which she did. He
had been bitten quite badly, so Mary Jane bathed the wound and let him
stay awhile. When her husband came home, he said the Indian could
remain all night. The only light they had at night was a lighted rag in a tin
of grease. It was called a "slut." Later on she made candles out of tallow.
In 1856, they moved from Farmington to Salt Lake City and made their
home in the 19th Ward on the corner of 2nd West and 3rd North, where
they lived the remainder of their lives. Mary Jane wove the materials for
her family's clothes, linsey, flannel and worsted. After her husband was
incapacitated by an accident, she added to the family income by weaving
beautiful carpets for other people. They raised their children without ever
having a doctor. Mary Jane was the first to pass away. The last year of
her life she was seriously ill with cancer. There were few drugs available
in those days to alleviate pain, but she bore her suffering with great
fortitude. She died January 19, 1883, at the age of 58.
-Mary Jane Flint Jackson
William Flint, one of the Utah pioneers of 1848, was born Jan. 28, 1814,
in Onondaga County, N.Y. He became a convert to Mormonism in the
State of New York through the labors of Orson Hyde. He located in
Nauvoo, Illinois, then came west during the exodus and spent two years
at Winter Quarters. In crossing the plains in 1848, he drove a team for
Mary Fielding Smith, mother of the late President Joseph Fielding Smith,
from Winter Quarters to the Three Crossings of the Sweetwater. From
there Mr. Flint was sent back on the road to assist the later companies of
that year's emigration to the Valley. After his arrival in Salt Lake Valley,
he married Mary Jane Goodridge in 1850. Eight children were the issue
40
of this marriage, namely, Sarah Jane, Valeria Ann, William L., Fedalia
(who later married Henry Jacobs), Harriet, Abel, George and Sophia.
William Flint died Sept. 21, 1890, at the home of his daughter, Valeria, in
Parley's Canyon. He was a farmer by avocation, and died a faithful Latter-
Day Saint, being the only one of his father's family who joined the Church.
-Jenson
TWO SISTERS
Lusannah Emiline Goodridge, being at home a good deal, and not
strong enough to labor all of the time, thought that I would write a short
account of my life and some of the most prominent events connected
therewith:
I was born in the town of Lunenburg, Worcester County, Massachusetts
in the year of 1835, the sixth child of Benjamin and Penelope Goodridge.
I was a sickly child from my birth up to nine years old. As my parents
were poor, we children were obliged to go out and work for our support as
soon as we were old enough. My parents
belonged to the Methodist Church, and we
were raised in that faith. Of the incidents of
my childhood, I will pass up to the time I was
sixteen years old.
Sometime during the year of 1849, Leonard
W. Hardy and wife came to my father's home
and brought to us the gospel of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. On the night of Sept. 2,
1849, my mother, three sisters and I were
baptized in Whale Pond by L. W. Hardy. In
the month of April, 1850, my father, with all of
his family, started for Utah to gather and
unite with the Latter-day Saints. After a long
and tedious journey, in which there were
many thrilling incidents of which I cannot write, we arrived in Salt Lake City
in October. My father, my oldest sister, Mary Jane, and my brother,
George, were baptized in the Platte River on the way. Father bought a
house and lot in the Nineteenth Ward. . . .
 41
In the summer of 1851 I went north to Centerville to stay with my oldest
sister, Mary Jane Flint. On September 23, 1851, my sister Sarah, who
was married to Joseph Hovey, died leaving a son eight days old, whom
they named John Goodridge Hovey. I returned to Salt Lake City in
December. On January 14, 1852 I was married to Joseph G. Hovey. I
now took care of Sarah's little boy, John. I had gone into plural marriage
and I found many things that tried me very
much.
In the fall of 1852, Father became insane
and Mother had a hard time of it. Father
was so bad that he had to be confined in a
room by himself.
On April 29, 1853 my daughter, Penelope
Lusannah, was born. It was a long time
before I regained my health. Father still
continued in a very strange way, though not
so violent as when first taken. I went and
stayed with Mother awhile. On June 14,
1855 my son, James Alma, was born,
weighing ten and a half pounds and was a
fine child. In March 8, 1856 little John, Sarah's boy, died, which was a
great grief to me, for he was a very intelligent child. He died with abscess
of the brain. The weather was very cold, and times hard, so we could not
get teams to go to the grave. His father and one or two neighbors got into
the wagon with the coffin and took it to the graveyard, dug the grave and
buried him. It seemed hard but it could not be helped.
Times still continued hard. Provisions were scarce, and most families
were on rations. I was nursing a big hearty child, and some days I would
have a little piece of bread and sometimes only a little milk and greens to
eat. At harvest time, I left my children and went into the fields to help pull
the wheat up by the roots, as it was so short on account of drought that it
could not be cut. Our whole crop had to be gathered this way. A great
many suffered this summer for food to eat.
On August 29, 1857 my daughter, Olive Ann, was born. About this time
the enemies of the Church began to rage and the government sent out
troops to fight the Mormons, but they were not permitted to enter the
Valley that fall but wintered at Ham's Falls. In the spring of 1858 the
42
Saints left their homes and moved south. My husband, myself and three
children started with an oxteam, two cows, and some chickens in a coop
on the back of the wagon. The wagon was loaded to the bows so there
was just room for me to sit with my babe in my arms, and a little one
standing on each side of me clinging to my dress. When I walked I had
to drive the cows with the babe in my arms and the other two children
clinging to my skirts as they were too small to keep up without help. We
went this way as far as Spanish Fork. Here my husband left me with a
family by the name of Mason, who were strangers to me, and returned to
Salt Lake City to get the remainder of his family. I stayed in this place
about three months and when the people were permitted to return I was
the last of our family to return.
Some time after I got home, my babe was taken very sick with spasms.
Her left side would draw and twitch. It seemed that I must lose her. She
lost the use of her left side, and could move neither hand nor foot on that
side, but through the power of the Priesthood, faith, and good nursing she
began to slowly recover. There were five weeks that I never had my
clothes off to go to bed, having to lie down a few minutes at a time as I
could get a chance. It was a long time before she could either walk or
talk, she had to learn both over again. On July 22, 1859 my daughter,
Mary Louise, was born....
My husband, having quite a family and being hard to support them in the
city, decided that in the spring he would move a portion of his family to
Cache Valley, and requested me to be ready to move to that place. April
12, 1860 we started for Cache. We went as far as Hot Springs and
camped for the night. The roads were very bad; the spring rains had
made them so muddy it was with great difficulty that a loaded wagon could
travel. My babe took sick and I had to sit with her in my arms, wrapped in
a quilt all night long in the dark, and it was cold in the wagon. We started
the next day, but the journey was a long and weary one. There was a
heavy snowstorm in the mountains in what is now called the Danish
Settlement (Mantua). There was no settlement there then, and we had to
lay by a few days before we could go through the mountains and canyon.
We stopped here a week.
My husband went on to Cache Valley and got more oxen to help us
through the mountains. We stopped at the Church Farm, Brother George
Pitkin, Sr. lived there and the Garr boys, and the Franklin Weaver family.
 43
We stayed here a few weeks before we could secure some land. My
husband got some land on the east of the Blacksmith River and put in
some crops. There was a townsite laid out and divided into lots. There
was a sawmill built by Esias Edwards and a Mr. Kent on the Blacksmith
Fork River. We moved onto a town lot and sometime in the fall Bro.
Maughan and others came from Logan and organized the settlement,
named the town Millville, and ordained my husband, Joseph G. Hovey,
bishop. We lived through the summer in our wagon and a board shanty.
Late in the fall we got into a log cabin, and had only a cloth for a window.
September 10th, 1861 my daughter, Martha C., was born. The winter
following was a very wet winter, it rained almost all the time. My house
leaked so bad that the beds would get wet through sometimes, and my
children were sick. My daughter, Nellie, fell down cellar and she vomited
more or less for six hours after. It looked as if we must lose her. Her flesh
was cold and there was no pulse to be felt in her arms to the elbows and
in her legs to her knees and her side commenced to swell. She was very
bad all night, in fact for a long time. Brother Benson, one of the Twelve
Apostles, was passing through the place at that time and I called him in to
lay hands upon her, and he said she should live to be a mother in Israel
which has come to pass. When she got a little better, Martha (the babe)
was sick with a gathering on her neck which was very painful.
February 22, 1863 my daughter, Esther, was born. My husband had
been gone to Salt Lake City. All winter my health had been very poor.
Somewhere about the 20th of the month there was a great snowstorm. It
was a very trying time for me. My little girl, Martha, had a gathering under
her ear and my children were all young and the weather was so cold. An
aged lady by the name of Hill took care of me. She did the best she could
for it was hard for her as well as for me. Sometime in May my son,
James, was taken very ill with fever sores on his leg. It was very painful,
accompanied with high fever, and the leg swollen so much it was five
weeks before the sore opened and when it did the marrow of the bone
came with the discharge from the sore. He suffered a great deal and was
so reduced in flesh that he was nothing but a skeleton. There were 27
pieces of bone came out of his leg between the knee and the ankle. I was
up so much nights, and with the care and anxiety that it seemed as though
I would have to give up, but after a long time he got so he was able to
walk on crutches but his leg was quite crooked and much shorter than the
other leg. I felt it could have been lots worse, and was thankful he was
44
able to walk.
May 16, 1866 my son, George Benjamin was born. He was a large child.
I now had seven children. During the summer, my husband went to Salt
Lake City where the rest of his family lived. In the fall he sent for James
so he could have his leg doctored. James went down with the Olsen boys
and J. Cook. I got along the best I could through the winter. My husband
had rented the farm to the Olsen family; he came home in December 1867
and stayed until February. He settled his affairs, and said he expected to
be called on a mission in the Spring. He was not well, complaining of a
pain in his side. Sometime in February he came in and told me that a
Brother Hunt was in town and was on his way to the City and that he could
go with him; he wished me to prepare some food and other things
necessary to take with him, which I did, as they were to start early the
following morning. When morning came he bid us goodbye and said in
parting-I would like to give you all my blessing, but I have not the time.
That was the last time I ever saw my husband. After reaching Salt Lake
City, I received two letters from him saying his health was very poor.
When April conference came I read the list of names of missionaries to
see if his name was there, but it was not.
On May 5th I received a letter stating that he was very sick. On the
seventh Joseph, his son, and I started for Salt Lake City to see him. We
went with an ox team. We arrived Sunday, May 9th. James came out of
the house as we drove up, and I asked how his father was. He said he
was dead and was buried last Thursday. That was a sudden and terrible
shock without any preparation. He had gone on a mission that I had not
thought of. I went to my mother's where I stayed a week, and then started
back to Cache with Nellie, James and Joseph. Here I was a widow with
a family of seven children at the age of thirty-four, and soon to have
another child born. No one can tell what my feelings were-only those who
have passed through the same.
I kept my children together at home where I did the best that I could. My
health was very poor; circumstances were bad, and provisions were dear,
and sometimes we had little enough to eat, but no one complained and we
were thankful for what we had.
On Sept. 7, 1868 my son, Grafton Franklin, was born. He was very sickly
and it seemed sometimes that I would not be able to raise him, but I did
 45
all that I could for him, having a lot of faith. He was sick a good deal of the
time until he was two years old....In 1869 my oldest daughter, Penelope
L. was married to Samuel Clark. I still had a hard struggle to take care of
my family. I was called out to take care of the sick a good deal of the time.
There were no doctors here then, and as I had had a lot of experience in
sickness and nursing, I was called out both day and night, where I tried to
do the best I could.
The Lord knows best, and we were all in His hands, and His
righteousness will be done. . . .
On January 20, 1884 my daughter, Esther, died. She had only been sick
a few days. She was a good girl and was loved by all. Two of my children
have gone on before me. My son, James, married Maria Esther Pitkin; my
daughter, Olive Ann, married William Neves; my daughter, Mary L.,
married Charles Lambert; and my daughter, Martha C., married Richard
Lambert. -D.U.P. History Files
Note: Lusannah E. Goodridge Hovey died July 14, 1910, and was buried
in the Millville cemetery. She was seventy-six years of age.
THEIR ONLY SON
George Albert Goodridge was born March 3rd, 1839 in Lunenburg,
Worcester, Massachusetts. Soon after his arrival in Utah, George became
active in frontier life. On the approach of Johnston's Army, he was called
into the Utah Militia and went with his company to Echo Canyon to prevent
the army's entrance into Salt Lake City. In
1862, he was called to drive a team back
across the plains to assist in immigrating the
Saints. On his return he was made a
Captain in the Utah Militia, and was active in
the Black Hawk War.
Nov. 10, 1863 he married Eliza Ann Taggart,
then in 1866 he married her half sister,
Harriet Maria Taggart. On Nov. 4, 1868,
they were called to Southern Utah on what is
known as the Muddy Mission. While serving
46
on this mission, George was one of the two men who sawed enough
lumber with a whipsaw to finish an adobe meetinghouse. Scarcely had
they completed their arduous task when it was determined, by the state
boundary, that they were in Nevada. Taxes were so high they could not
pay them, consequently the state seized many of their horses and cattle
and sold them for taxes. They were
released in 1871 and returned to
Utah, going to Morgan County to
make their home. Here George
engaged in milling, first operating a
sawmill and later a flour mill. On
October 9, 1879, he married Rhoda
Slade, a school teacher.
Pioneer work was not over for the
Goodridge family, for in 1885 they
moved to Ashley Valley. George and
his son, Albert, again engaged in
milling by operating one of the first
gristmills in the valley. During the
eight-year period that George
managed the mill at Maeser, a
diphtheria epidemic came to the
valley. Many died, among them six of the Goodridge children. The last
big job George worked on as a stone mason, was the Uintah Stake
Tabernacle at Vernal. Under the timber act, he took up a homestead at
Naples, where he practiced general farming and planted two acres of
cottonwood trees. This grove furnished a real recreational park for the
young children, supplying rabbit pens, greenhouses, teeters, stilts,
whistles, stick horses, bud blowers, bird nests, etc. The toys grew mostly
on trees in those days. Many of the children made frequent use of the
saws, hammer and vise on the long workbench their father had built. Toy
wagons and doll furniture were among the fascinating results. The few
dolls they had were breakable china, but rag dolls were acceptable and
paper dolls came with Arm and Hammer soda, which were rare. From
1892 to 1894, he filled a mission in the Southern States for the Latter-day
Saint Church. George Goodridge was known as an honest man. At one
time, when his property was being listed, the tax assessor asked how
many pigs he had. On learning the number, he said, "O, I'll not put them
all in." George answered, "They are good animals, put them in." George
 47
loved a good joke and one time the joke turned on him. Their cabin
homes were not equipped with clothes closets and built-in cupboards, so
chairs often served a second purpose, that of clothes racks. Finding them
dressed up thus one day, he remarked, "Won't it be fine when we get all
the things we want and chairs enough to put
them on." -D.U.P. History Files
Eliza Ann Taggart, born on the 28th of
January, 1844, in Nauvoo, Hancock County,
Illinois, was the daughter of Harriet Atkins
Bruce and George W. Taggart. These two
young people, converts of Mormonism, had
come to Nauvoo and were married in May
of 1843. Their first and only child, Eliza, was
born the next January. Harriet died on
February 19, 1845, which left her husband
griefstricken, lonely, and confused. She
had died while still practically a bride, and
life in Nauvoo was in such a turmoil. George was a member of the Nauvoo
Legion and was frequently called to bear arms for the protection of the
city. He also worked on the temple, which the Saints had been
commanded to build and complete before they left for the west. In order
to do his duty and still care for his baby, he would often make a bed in his
wheel-barrow and take her to work with him, caring for her the best he
could.
On July 6, 1845, nearly two months after the completion of the temple, Mr.
Taggart married Fanny Parks, who became a real mother to Eliza. Fanny
wrote in her own history: through all the hardships and trials to come I had
Eliza with me, and she was a great comfort to me....In February 1846,
some of the Saints started to leave Nauvoo because of persecution, but
leaving Nauvoo was not their only problem. Some of the men were called
to act as guards for the artillery in the first company that left Nauvoo.
George Taggart was one of these. Eliza and her mother were left in the
care of John Mills. Mr. Mills thought it was not safe for them to be in
Nauvoo, so he moved them across the river to a town called Nashville.
When the call came from the Government of the United States for 500
men to serve in the United States Army, Mr. Taggart was one in the group
to go and thus became a member of the famous Mormon Battalion.
48
When they arrived at Council Bluffs they had no home, and no husband
to help them; but friends were kind, and the way was opened, and they
were blessed with enough of the necessities to live. They slept in a
wagon until the weather became too cold. Then they had a bed of hay on
the floor, which had to be taken up each morning. Sometimes the rains
soaked through the roof so that everything inside was wet. Again, it was
necessary for those who had given them shelter to move or change
conditions, and Eliza and her mother would be forced to look for hospitality
with another family. After some time, still in Council Bluffs, they were
given the privilege of moving into the home of Charles Lambert, who had
gone down to Missouri to work, and whose family was now to go to him for
a time. They asked Eliza and her mother to take their house, so they lived
there until their father and husband returned from the Battalion on the 17th
day of December, 1847. Now they moved across the river to a town
called Harris Grove in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, where they lived until
they left for Salt Lake City.
Mr. Taggart brought home from the Battalion a span of mules and a horse.
These he traded for young stock, some cows and a yoke of oxen. He
immediately went to work on a farm and also built wagons for the Saints,
all the time preparing to come to Salt Lake City. In the fall of 1850 he
went down to Missouri to earn means necessary to make the journey. He
came home in the spring of 1851, planted crops, made his own wagon,
and in July 1852 they started for the Valley, arriving in Salt Lake the 17th
of October 1852. Eliza was eight years old now. As soon as they arrived
in Salt Lake City, President Young put Mr. Taggart to work building a
gristmill for him....
Eliza worked at times for one of the wives of Brigham Young. The next we
know of Eliza comes from the history of her mother-in-law, Penelope
Randall Gardner Goodridge. On November 10, 1862, she writes: "George
started with me to go to the station. We called at Bro. Taggart's. Took
Eliza along with us. When we got there we found them well and jolly.
Found a new married couple there and as the disease is catching, George
was attacked, so he came home with a wife by his side.
The next May, 1866, Eliza learned what it meant to be one wife in a plural
marriage. Her half sister, Harriet, became her husband's second wife....
Now the call came from Brigham Young to go to what was called the
Muddy Mission. The purpose of this call was for the Saints to settle the
 49
southern part of Utah about 100 miles south of St. George for the purpose
of raising cotton to help the Saints to be self-sustaining. The two
Goodridge families left on this mission on the 4th of November, 1868.
They endured many hardships on this three-week journey. They had a
small linen tent for their protection.
The Goodridge families left the Muddy on July 12 and arrived at Salt Lake
July 24, 1871. Here they remained a few days and then pushed on to
Morgan where the Taggarts were living-Eliza's and Harriet's parents.
George engaged in farming and milling here for the next 14 or 16 years.
While here he was sheriff of Morgan County for two terms. At this place
six children were born to Eliza: Harriet Penelope on April 4, 1872; Charles
Sydney on April 10, 1874; Rhoda May on April 24, 1876; Esther Fidelia on
May 29, 1878 or 9; Abbie Viola on Nov. 23, 1881, and Leslie Bruce on
December 7, 1884. During these years, also, she was a member of the
Primary Stake Board.
Pioneer work was not over for the Goodridge family, for after hearing
encouraging stories about the Ashley Valley they decided to make a home
there. In October 1885 they started for the valley, Harriet and Rhoda
remained for a time in Morgan. Upon arriving in the valley, the first family
located in Mill Ward, now Maeser, where George began operating the first
gristmill. It was owned by Lycurgus Johnson and run by water power.
The family lived in a log house a little east of the mill. They operated this
mill for about three years. While here, their last child, Byron, was born on
November 23, 1887. A short while after this, they purchased land and
built a home just north of the Naples chapel. This house had two large
rooms downstairs and two upstairs, and was made of logs. Soon Harriet
came from Morgan and the two families lived in the home. Rhoda came
and occupied the Maeser home.... Soon after this the wives were left
alone to make their own way while sending their husband on a mission to
Tennessee. He was away from 1892 to 1894. His son, Albert, was left to
help care for the families during his absence, but soon the Church
Authorities called Albert to take the Sunday School Normal Course at
Provo, and the families were left without a boy large enough to harness a
team.... At Naples, Eliza was a member of the Relief Society Presidency.
The families, like most families around them, were poor in worldly goods
but rich in spirituality, and they sought to improve their social life, religious
training, and educational advantages....Harriet's family moved first to the
80-acre farm. A few years later Eliza and family followed, and then Rhoda
50
and her family. With the help of the boys a living was made for the three
families.
Eliza was a lover of beautiful things. She had her window sills lined with
potted flowers. One day while walking around the farm she saw some
little blossoms. These she nurtured through the summer and saved the
seeds in the fall. When spring came she carefully planted and cared for
them again; and soon she had a bumper crop of blossoms-wild morning
glory. She sang much of the time as she went about her work, and those
who remember her say that she seldom became angry at anyone or
anything. One of her specialties in the baking line was soda crackers.
The children of the three families made the most of their own
entertainment, playing together as one family. They hunted, fished,
skated, wrestled, and played ball, marbles, run sheep run, swam, and
other games. All this they were able to do in the hills and fields not far
away, and in the creek which ran at the foot of the hill just below their
place.
Eliza's health broke after the birth of her eleventh child, and she was
unable to attend meetings and other public places, but was obliged to
remain home most of the time. She suffered at times from seizures of
epilepsy. She loved to read, and kept up pretty well on events of the day.
She especially enjoyed reading articles by the church leaders, a great
number of which she clipped from the Deseret News and kept for others
of her family to read. She had a strong desire to contribute to the
missionary cause and all things pertaining to the church, and did so
according to her ability. Her most consuming interest seemed to be
Genealogy. The family was strict in tithe payments and other offerings,
and always had the blessing on the food and family prayer. Eliza was
neat in her personal appearance and was unassuming in nature and
disposition, kind, tolerate, and unselfish. She lived to be 69 years of age,
passing away April 6, 1913, two years after her husband. She is buried
in the Vernal Cemetery, Uintah County, Utah. -DUP History Files
 51
I, Harriet Maria Taggart, was born in Pottawattamie County, Iowa,
September 2, 1848, my parents having left Nauvoo February 1, 1846. I
was the daughter of Fannie Parks and George W. Taggart. My father
returned to Iowa, December 17, 1847, after having been discharged from
service with the Mormon Battalion. From this time until July 1852, he
worked at Harris Grove, making wagons, and preparing for the journey
across the plains. In 1852, we left Iowa for Salt Lake City, arriving there
Oct. 17. Father purchased a lot in the Twelfth Ward and went to work on
the Chase Mill in Liberty Park, later he worked one summer on the Salt
Lake Temple. Then he assisted in building four gristmills; one at Bountiful,
Davis County, for President Kimball; one at Farmington for Willard
Richards, and one for the latter's brother, Samuel Richards; and one at
Brigham City for Lorenzo Snow.
In 1865 father sold our home in Salt Lake City and we moved to Morgan.
In the spring of 1866 I was married to George A. Goodridge at the
Endowment House in Salt Lake City. I was his second wife, my half-sister
Eliza, being his first wife. In 1868 we were called by President Young to
what was called the Muddy Mission . . . The following day about noon we
reached our destination, St. Joseph. This was the forepart of December.
My second child, Fannie, was born at this place, on November 10th. The
night of her birth I was in a tent, our
only shelter at that time. It was
impossible to stake it solid in the sand
and as the wind blew a gale, some of
our neighbors sat up thinking we would
probably need help.... We were unable
to raise anything here, it being nothing
but an immense sand bench miles in
extent. We planted garden and the
wind blew it away in one night. The men
built a large canal but the wind soon
filled it up with sand, so it became
necessary for us to haul water even for
house purposes....The first year of our
stay there food was very scarce. We
were able to buy one bushel of potatoes
and that cost $5.00. Our first Christmas dinner consisted of corn bread
and wild duck . . . Our clothing became very scant and threadbare, as an
example my husband's apparel for the 24th of July consisted of a shirt I
52
had made from factory which I dyed, and trousers made from two
seamless sacks. He was obliged to go without garments as we could not
replace the worn out ones . . . He worked very hard at adobe making,
which was very hard work, and often all he could get for his dinner was a
piece of bread and a melon.
President Young said we had the privilege of making our homes anywhere
we wished, but that he should like to have a company of us go and settle
in Long Valley, sometimes called Berry's Valley after one of its residents.
Accordingly we left our unfinished homes, unharvested crops, etc., and
obeyed these wishes. . . . Food was also scarce here and it became
necessary for some of the men to go away to work in order to procure
provisions. My husband, assisted by Isaiah Bowers, again resorted to the
whipsaw. They went to the timber and sawed lumber for a man at Pipe
Springs and by this means secured some flour and beans, which were
received gratefully as our food supply then consisted of only a little bran
and flour.
Joseph W. Young wanted our husband to remain and help build a sawmill
but could not promise us any bread stuff in pay, so when our present
supply of food was exhausted it was necessary for us to leave.
Accordingly we began our journey back to Salt Lake City, July 12, 1871,
arriving there July 24 of that year. We remained here a few days with my
husband's mother and sisters, then we went to Morgan where my parents
were then living. George engaged in the occupations of farming and
milling for a period of about sixteen years. Here seven of my children
were born: Rachel Maria, William Burrage, Julia Louisa, Hyrum Parks,
Wallace, Parley Herbert and Vilate. When we heard of Ashley Valley my
husband became interested in the same and we began to make
preparations to move there. George left with his first family in October
1885. I remained at Morgan with my children until November 11, two
years later, when we also made the journey, it requiring eleven days.
During my stay in Morgan my oldest son, Albert, then fifteen years of age,
was hired by Charlie Clark to assist in running a gristmill for one year. He
received in payment $20.00 per month. This was our main source of
support and we considered ourselves very fortunate. My oldest daughter,
Fannie, also aided by working as an assistant teacher in the district
school. In addition to this work she was able to complete the grade work
in the common school branches, then she taught.
 53
My husband, with Eliza and her family, located in Maeser Ward where he
built a rock house, and with the assistance of
Albert, my son, operated a gristmill for about
three years. We located in what was then
Merrill's Ward, where our husband intended
making homes for all his families, as he
owned land here. He and Albert built the
house just north of the Naples Ward
meetinghouse. I lived in this house a little
more than one year. While here, my
daughter, Leona, was born. When she was
one year old our family contracted diphtheria,
which disease caused the death of five of my
children, leaving only four children living. Dr.
Hullinger was the only physician here at that
time, and neither he nor the army surgeons
from Fort Duchesne whom we summoned, were acquainted with effective
methods of combating the malady. Then too, fear of the disease was
extreme. We were quarantined two months and during this time one man
was arrested for traveling the street on which we lived.
I moved from this home to the farm. I lived here for about nine years. My
youngest child, Lucy, was born here. Before she was a year old her father
was called on a mission to Tennessee. Immediately after his return home
he left for Salt Lake City where he remained all winter with his sisters
because of the polygamy raid.
In 1911 my husband's ill health terminated in dropsy, which caused his
death February 19th of that year. Since that time I have made my home
with my children.
Note: Her death occurred May 22, 1928 at Roosevelt, Utah, at the age of
79 years. -D.U.P. History Files
Rhoda Slade was born May 13, 1853 in England, the first child of Amelia
and William Slade, both members of the Mormon Church. They planned
to emigrate to Utah, but it was impossible to save enough for their
passage, hence a decision was made that he would borrow money to
bring him to America. William found work in Philadelphia for William
Sellars, and after three years had made enough money to pay back his
loan and send for his family. Amelia and her three little girls, Rhoda, Eliza
54
and Martha arrived in America in June 1860, where they were met by their
husband and father and taken to Philadelphia to live in a home provided
by Mr. Sellars.
While they lived here three children were born, William, Edward and
Charles. During this time it was their earnest desire to go to Utah. When
it seemed they might finally make it Mr. Slade was kicked by a horse.
The injury caused rheumatism which resulted in his death.
Mr. Sellars, solicitous of the welfare of the bereaved family, asked what
their future plans would be. Amelia replied "we are going home," meaning
they were going to emigrate to Utah. He thought they were returning to
England and was in complete agreement with that arrangement. The
family was aided in their endeavor to emigrate by loyal church members
and friends, and arrived in Utah Nov. 2, 1864.
After living for a short time in Salt Lake, the Widow Slade moved to
Morgan where daughter Rhoda helped in a store. Here they lived for five
years when Amelia married William Dean, and the family returned to Salt
Lake City. Rhoda lived and worked in twenty-one homes, many needing
a hired girl only temporarily.
She longed to be able to give presents to her mother, sisters and brothers
at Christmas time and for birthdays, and told how she managed one
present for her mother. From a calendar she cut out a picture which she
thought was beautiful, with carefully saved nickels bought a cheap looking
glass, scraped the painted substance from the back of the glass and
framed the precious picture. Rhoda lived for a while in the home of
President Young where she worked for one of his wives. She was treated
as a member of the family. Rhoda had a great desire and determination
to get an education, working and saving even when friends and family
discouraged her, considering her goal unobtainable. She finally entered
the University of Deseret. Rhoda had read as much as time and the
availability of books allowed, but had no chance for formal schooling
except the four years in Philadelphia. She took a preparatory course at
the University, then went on and graduated from the Normal School and
received a certificate to teach. She never forgot the teachings of John R.
Park, who was an instructor in several of her classes, and formed a habit
of quoting him on many subjects. She began her teaching career in Salt
Lake County and later returned to teach in Morgan County.
 55
Oct. 9, 1879, she married George Albert Goodridge in the Endowment
House, the ceremony was performed by Joseph F. Smith. She was
George's third wife. Her first child was born August 22, 1880 and was
given the name of Marian Augusta after Augusta Winters who had been
her good friend while she had attended the University. Miss Winters gave
the baby a little gold ring which remained on her finger when she was
buried in Richville, Morgan County, after succumbing to complications
following whooping cough when she was not yet two years old. Three
other children were born in Morgan: Ernest LeRoy, Amelia Eliza (Millie)
and Gardner Lacy. After George and his three families moved to Ashley
Valley, Rhoda continued to teach school at intervals. Five more children,
Alfred Slade (Fred), John, George Arthur, Edith and Ruth were born to
her. She completed twenty successful years of teaching in the District
schools. She was president of the Naples Ward Primary for 13 years, and
served on the Uintah Stake Relief Society Board. In this position she
wrote the lessons for the Ward Societies.
Rhoda, with some of her sons, filed on land in Bluebell when the Uintah
Reservation opened for homesteading. She took great interest and pride
in this land and its development, and was always more interested in crops
and livestock than in home furnishings and clothes. Her life was one of
struggle and hard work. She made the family clothing and bedding, spent
long evenings knitting the family's stockings; indeed most of the sewing
had to wait until the day's work was over.
Rhoda continued throughout her life to find time to read and increase her
education. She encouraged her children to read the classics and other
good books and even though money was scarce she found means to buy
a few books. She was an unconventional person, never being swayed by
fads or styles so far as her personal adornment was concerned, nor did
it bother her about what others might think concerning her way of life. She
had firm faith in God and the hereafter, and a testimony of the Gospel
which left no doubts or misgivings. When she was 76 years of age, she
fell and broke her hip and was never again quite free from pain. A
lingering illness, quite possibly tuberculosis, caused her death, January
23, 1935 at the age of 81. She was buried in Bluebell. -Edith Goodridge
Case
A GRANDSON’S STORY
56
As years went by, the descendants of George Albert Goodridge changed
the spelling of their name to Goodrich. When and where we do not know,
but the following written by George's youngest son signed his name Byron
Goodrich, as do all of George's posterity.
I was born November 23, 1887 at what is now Maeser Ward, Vernal,
Uintah County, Utah, the 11th and youngest child in my mother's family.
My father operated the Johnson flour mill and lived in a house close to the
mill-the house where I was born. He operated this mill three years. The
family moved from [p.303] there to Merrill Ward, now Naples. When I was
one year old, they built a house on the two-acre lot just north of the Naples
chapel. Several of my brothers and sisters died from diphtheria about the
first year in this place. I was about a year old and went through all of that
seige without contracting the dread disease. My first school days were in
the log schoolhouse located on what is now the Jake Karren corner about
one mile north of the present Naples chapel. Our entertainments were
held there – programs, children's dances where I first learned to dance.
I was baptized May 6, 1896 by George A. Slaugh in Ashley Creek. I was
ordained a Deacon and enjoyed my duties cleaning the meetinghouse,
passing the sacrament and gathering fast offerings. We had Priesthood
meeting every Saturday night. My first Deacon President was John
McKowen.
We lived at the above mentioned place until I was about 13 or 14 years
old and during that time witnessed the gathering of materials for the
construction of the large brick chapel known as the Naples Chapel which
stood as a monument to those faithful pioneer men and women until 1948,
when it was considered inadequate to serve the needs of the increased
population and church activities. During the construction of this chapel,
I did many little jobs running errands etc., for the men laborers. The
adobes were made right there and piled into kilns and baked. I helped a
lot carrying these adobes and bricks. During 1948 the structure was taken
down and the materials used as part of the new chapel built on the same
plot of ground. While we were living at this place, close to the Naples
chapel, my father was called on a mission to the Southern States. I don't
know just how we managed while Father was on this mission, as he had
three large families living under very humble circumstances. None of the
boys who weren't married were old enough to do a man's work. I do
remember that we were very short on clothing and our food was plain and
not much variety. During the summertime I herded cows much of the
 57 58

time, as we usually had two or three. Most of the time they were herded boys, planted and harvested the crops. Our entire living was produced on
across the road west from the home. At that time, cattails grew thick and the farm. Our living was plain with no luxuries. I don't recall any trouble
tall and the cows would stay in them for hours at a time. Sometimes they or difficulties between the three wives. Perhaps Father was a good
wouldn't come out at evening and I would roll my overalls above my knees psychologist, peacemaker, or whatever it took. Father worked away
and wade through the black mud and swamp water in search of the cows. some, as rock mason, and also watermaster of Central Canal. We
sometimes refer to each other as half-brothers and half-sisters, but to me
We generally kept a pig or two and it was my job to feed and water them. they are all the same. To me there is something quite wonderful in
I had to go a little way north in the winter time to get a pail of water for the growing up in a large family.
animals. We could hear the whistle at the flour mill in Vernal as it blew
each noon and evening, and I had the habit of stopping whatever I was On June 18, 1909, I married Violet M. Starkie. The ceremony was
doing when it started to see how far I could count while it was blowing. performed by Bishop James N. Shaffer in the adobe house on my father's
One evening as I was getting water for the animals, the whistle started farm. A large crowd of relatives and friends attended the reception in the
and as usual I set my pail down and started counting. I counted until I was afternoon. That evening we attended the dance in the Social Hall. I didn't
tired and the whistle kept on going. I don't remember how long it blew, but have much money to buy the ring. It was only a plain gold band costing
the next morning I found out that Utah was declared a state which $10.00 but it still shines and means as much to us after 45 years as if it
explained everything. Utah, having been a territory, became a state on was a costly diamond one.
January 4, 1896, at which time I was eight years old.
Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 15, p.253-304
We moved onto my father's farm about one and a half miles east about Carter, Kate B. "Our Pioneer Heritage" Volume Fifteen; Daughters of Utah
Pioneers, Salt Lake City, Utah 1972. Utah Printing Company, Salt Lake City.
1901, where I lived until the spring of 1913. I attended district school in
Naples in winter, and herded cows and did farm work in the summer, until
I was sixteen. During these years of my boyhood, my father's three
families lived on the farm. We boys and girls of the three families enjoyed
ourselves playing marbles, ball, and other games. There were enough of
us for a ball game without the help of the neighbors; however, our place
seemed to be a sort of central gathering place where our neighbors and
friends came and joined in the games with us. In the summer we went to
Ashley Creek to swim, and in winter to skate. I took such delight in
hunting and fishing, also baseball. I did the pitching in most of the games.
We had some interesting games competing as wards. There were no
picture shows then, but we enjoyed dancing frequently, and had some
home parties. Our means of transportation was by foot or horseback and
when the family went together it was by team and wagon. We had no
modern conveniences.
It is interesting to me to think of how the three families got along. As we
kids played together, I don't recall that we ever had any difficulties such
as jealousies and quarreling because of us being three separate families.
I'm sure we got along together as well as the average single family. Each
family had its own vegetable garden, its' own milk cows. Each family had
its' own home, living about 150 yards apart. Father, with the help of his