Morgan Pioneer History Binds Us Together Judson Lyman Stoddard brought the news of the arrival of Johnston's Army. When they arrived to tell the shocking news they found the people all in Cottonwood Canyon celebrating the Twenty- fourth of July. Judson Stoddard carried the news to President Young before returning to his home. In later years Judson Stoddard and George O Chase ran a saw mill in Farmington Canyon. It operated successfully for several years. Judson initiated the first store in Farmington located where the Davis County Court House now stands. He later passed the bar and had a successful law practice for many years. Very early, perhaps 1860, Mr. Stoddard purchased the Ben Simon property in Weber Valley, which consisted of a spring and a large tract of land, He was a very progressive and well-to-do man. He brought a large number of cattle and horses into the valley. At one time there was a settlement of ten or twelve families located on this property. The place was named in honor of Mr. Stoddard. Mr. Stoddard was the father of twenty children and was a faithful Latter-Day Saint. He spent his last years in his home in Farmington in which he had recently moved. Judson L. Stoddard saw the last of a long life of sincere service when he died in his Farmington home January 9,1870. ©9 George Washington Taggart 4r^A M *m #s*k jg ~.„ w George Washington Taggart was born November 6, 1816, in Sharon, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. His parents were Washington Taggart and Susana Law Taggart. He was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Eli Maginn at Peterborough, New Hampshire, in December 1841. On May 7, 1843, he married Harriet Atkins Bruce. One child, Eliza Ann, was born to them. This wife died February 19,1845. He married Fanny Parks on July 6, 1845. She assumed the responsibility of raising eighteen month old Eliza Ann. Fanny Parks was born October 25, 1827, at Lavonia, Livingston, New York, to William Parks and Fanny Hyde Parks. Three children were born to George and Fanny at Harris Grove, Pottawatamie County, Iowa. George Washington Taggart George W. Taggart moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, in June 1843. He was made a member of the 13th Quorum of Seventies. On February 17,1846, he left Nauvoo with the Saints who were being driven from their homes. He was appointed one of the guards of the artillery, left his wife and child with friends in Nauvoo. Mr. Taggart was in John Scott's Company. They arrived at Sugar Creek where they remained until March 1st. During this time he returned to his wife and child and spent two days with them. The Scott camp traveled on until they reached Mt. Pisgah. While here a call came from Brigham Young for all the young men who could be spared to gather at Council Bluffs in order that a company of five hundred might join the U.S. Army in its march to Santa Fe and then go on to California. This was the Mormon Battalion. George W. Taggart became a musician in Company B. He made the entire march to Southern California, where they arrived the latter part of January 1847. On July 16, 1847, the Battalion was honorably discharged at Los Angeles. Mr. Taggart reached Salt Lake City in October 1847. He with other men of the Battalion left Salt Lake for Winter Quarters in Iowa, arriving there December 17, 1847. Here he met his wife and child.