HARDY, ELISHA PHILBROOK 1851 29 SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF ELISHA PHILBROOK HARDY Elish P. Hardy, an early pioneer settler of Morgan County, was born July 26, 1837 in Siersmont, Maine. He was the son of Zackariah and Eliza Philbrook Hardy. His parents first heard the Gospel preached by Elder Hyde, and were baptized by him in 1840. They joined a company of Saints and left for Nauvoo in May, 1841, leaving their comfortable homes and all they possessed. Elish Hardy knew the Prophet Joseph well from the time they reached Nauvoo until the death of the Prophet. Elisha was baptized in Nauvoo by his uncle Joseph Hardy in 1845. His father died February 13, 1846, leaving his sick wife, a younq baby and seven other children. The family continued on under the leadership of Brigham Young and Captain Day leaving Nauvoo May 10, 1851. Elisha was thirteen years old at this time. They reached the Salt Lake Valley September 17, 1851, moving from one small place to another with the Saints. He hired out as a Mule Team driver during the California gold rush to help support his mother and her family. At one time he was a stage driver. His route was from Green River, Wyoming into Oregon over the old Oregon Trail. While driving stage he had some very dangerous experiences with the Indians ana stage coach robbers. He came to Morgan in 1865 and on January 13, 1866 he married Flora Worlton. They lived in Morgan until 1868 and then moved to Hooper, Utah. When the Union Pavific Railroad was being constructed through Echo and Weber Canyon, they moved back to Morgan where he took a subcontract from Brigham Young to build a part of the road bed and furnish for the same. They lived in dugouts on Sharps Flat where the Taggart Camp is now located. In 1869 they watched the first Union Pacific train pass over the new road. He moved his family back to Hooper in the spring of 1870. 30 -2- In October of 1876 he met with a very serious accident in which he lost his right arm. Although considerable disabled he was not disheartened, and soon found work to support his wife and five children. He raised chickens, cared for 150 hives of bees and ran a small grocery store. In the spring of 1884 he purchased two sections of land in the Cotton wood Canyon in Morgan County where he built a comfortable summer home, here he raised hay and also run a herd of cattle for other people, the cattle being returned to the owners in the fall. In 1900 he again moved back to Morgan to be near his wife's mother, Mrs. James T. Worlton, caring for her in the last few months of illness and death. He then bought the Worlton home where he lived until the time of his death. He was a business man in Morgan for many years. He constructed the building where Creager's Barber Shop is now located, in which he operated a Confectionary, a barber Shop and Pool Hall. He also worked with the Union Pacific surveyors to locate and mark section of their land in the County. He was one of the largest contributers in labor and money to the first Schoolhouse in North Morgan which was also used for a Church House. When the North Morgan Chapel was built he contributed both labor and money. It was said by the late Thomas Palmer that according to his means he was one of the largest contributers. He was always among the first to give help to the needy and to give to all Church calls. He lived an honest life and taught his large family to do the same. Some of his strongest teachings were: Never to find fault with the authorities of the Church. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Never judge too harshly. Kindness will reap greater rewards than unkindness. He died October 12, 1921 in Morgan.