WADSWORTH, JOSEPH W. 1851 SKETCH OF LIFE OF JOSEPH W. WADSWORTH BY MARTHA ANN HARDY WADSWORTH Joseph W. Wadsworth was born in Lincolnville, Maine, was the son of Abiah and Eliza Hardy Wadsworth who were also natives of Maine. He with his parents, brother and sister came to Nauvoo in 1840 and in 1851 they came west arriving in Salt Lake City, Sept 17, 1851. Here they stayed only long enough to rest their teams and then moved on to East Weber, Uintah, arrving there Sept 20, 1851(they came in Captain Day's company of pioneers). They lived in a dugout made in the hillside until they were able to cut and haul logs to build them a three room log house, which they finished before the winter of 1851. Here they lived and farmed and worked at carpenter work and at a small sawmill, for several years. In March of 1855 Joseph married Abbigail Higley, daughter of Myron Higley, and a few months later married Lydia Stoddard, daughter of Amos and Leah Stoddard. While living in East Weber a call came from Brigham Young for volunteers to take teams, food and blankets and go to meet compaines of Saints who were stranded because of deep snow and severe cold weather, Joseph answered the call making three trips back t o assist the Pioneer Saints, among whom were the ill fated Handcart Co. He and his father also donated 40 days work with teams hauling material for the Salt Lake Temple,/and Tabarnacle did about 40 days carpenter work ( donation on these buildings, and the Salt Lake Theater, as well as many school and church houses. The Indians were sometimes very troublesome, but as the Wadsworths tried to do them a good turn whenever they c ould and do as Brighat Young said, be honest and fair in all their dealings with them, they were always friendly and peaceful with them. They found it much better 3 and safer to feed them than to fight them. They called Abiah, Big Chief or Medicine man because he was Bishop. Joseph moved his family to Mountain Green and here he soon built a very comfortable home, but the Indians became very troublesome and Brigham Young advised them all to move to Morgan where there were better chances for protection. They moved to Morgan in 1855, staying until 1868, here Joseph farmed a piece of ground and did carpenter work and team work on a grist mill, saw mill and school house and several other buildings which were being put up. He, also, assisted in roadmaking and helped on bridges. As the Indians had become more peaceful, they moved back to Mountain Green to their homes in 1868 and from there until the railroad was completed, he worked his teams hauling timber for bridges and ties for the railroad bed, for the U.P. railroald, and watched the first engine pass over the new road. He continued cutting and hauling ties for the railroad to use for sidings and switches and worked at carpenter work and farming until 1878 when he moved his families to Hooper where he again helped in building up the community. He purchased a 40 acre farm on which He and his sons made a good living farming and doing team and carpenter work in the new settlement. He lived to the ripe age of 94 1/2 year's, was an honest industerious man, a good neighbor and faithful friend. He was the father of 24 children. He died June 24th, 1925 at Hooper His wife Lydia died December 19, 1889 at Hooper, His wife Abbegail, died March 6, 1928 at Hooper, He was intemately acquainted with the Prophet Joseph Smith and Brigham Young and all the early church authorities.