Eliza Philbrook Hardy Mormon with her to keep for him until he returned. He told her not to read it, which aroused her curiosity very much. She was fascinated with what she read. The more she read the more interested she became until she was completely convinced of its sincerity and truth. Shortly after this she had a vision which impressed her very much. She saw the Saints in their temple clothing and they with Joseph Smith. She then had a song come to her which she sang. She sang all seventeen verses to her husband. Many years later her grandchild, Eliza Hardy, seventy-six years old, recalled a portion of the song as she heard her grandmother sing it: "My son Joseph, He shall lead you, through a long and promised land, and lead you out of Babylon . . ." After this manifestation, they joined the church in August of 1840. They sold most of their belongings to raise money to go west. They bid farewell and left for Illinois, settling in LaHarp, which is near Nauvoo, Illinois. After arriving in Illinois, they secured a cottage, rejoiced and were thankful when he was called to perform many duties for the prophet. He was appointed to be a bodyguard to the Prophet Joseph Smith. The Saints had to leave Nauvoo because of the hatred of the mobs and terrible acts that were being committed against them. If bridges hadn't been erected over the streams, they had to rely on ferryboats where the streams couldn't be forded. A skilled boatman, Zachariah Hardy was assigned to ferry the saints and their belongings across the Missouri River. The chilly winds of winter swept down upon them in such a force that it rivaled the terror of the mobs, but Zachariah never wavered from his task. Halting only long enough to comb the ice out of his hair and beard, he worked until all were safely across the river. On the night of February 11, 1846, a terrible storm came up and the next morning he was very ill with pneumonia. Lying on the deck of the ferry, his hair had to be cut away as it was frozen to the floor. He died two days later, February 13,1846, leaving his wife and six children. The youngest baby was just five days old. The only shelter they had to stay in was a wagon box on the ground covered with canvas. Morgan Pioneer History Binds Us 'together As they dare not to return to Nauvoo in the daytime, Zachariah's brother, Joseph and Lewis, and brother-in-law, Abiah Wadsworth, took his body to Nauvoo and buried it. (In Nauvoo, the records indicate the location where Zachariah's body was buried. The sight was visited by great, great, great granddaughter Jeanine Waldron Carter in 2003.) Emma Smith, the wife of the Prophet, opened her home to Eliza and her children after the death of Zachariah, and cared for them until she was able to travel. She, Emma, also said if Eliza would give up going west and remain with her, she would share her home and all her possessions with her and also pay for her children's education. When it came time for them to start their move to Utah, Eliza sold all her belongings to a Mr. Abbot for $400.00. Due to some misunderstanding, she was never able to collect the money. However, the Church provided her with a team and wagon and provisions with which to make the journey to Utah. In the wagon she had all of her earthly possessions. Her oldest son, William, drove most of the way and she and the older children walked most of the way pulling a handcart. The two youngest children rode on the wagon. She had a coffee grinder she used to grind com into meal out of which they made bread. Sagebrush was used for fuel to cook with and to warm themselves. Sometimes they used dried buffalo chips to burn for fuel. They endured much, including trouble with wandering tribes of Indians. They arrived in Salt Lake Valley, which was indeed a "Land of Promise," on September 18, 1852. After resting one day and night, President Brigham Young sent them and a colony of Saints to settle East Weber. It took three days to make the journey as their teams were so worn out from the long trip across the plains. They arrived in East Weber September 21, 1852. They lived there for several years, sometimes being threatened by Indians who at times were very troublesome. They built a fort for their protection against an outbreak. In the winter of 1854, they were compelled to move all the families into it as the Indians were on the warpath and would often drive off their horses and cattle. They moved back to their homes the next May (1855) and planted crops, but it was late in the season and a very dry year. Their crops were a failure and they all knew what it was to go to bed so hungry they couldn't sleep. During the year 1858, Eliza moved with her family to Mountain Green and then to Morgan in 1860. After her children were all married, she made her home with her sons, William and Elisha, until her death in 1881.