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Show • • • ELISHA PlilLBROOK HARDY Elisha 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. Elisha 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 a sick wife, a young 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. 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 and 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 Pacific Railroad was being constructed through Echo and Weber Canyon, they moved back to Morgan where he took a subcontract from Brigham Young to build part of the roadbed 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. In October he met with a very serious accident in which he lost his right arm. Although considerably disabled he wasn't 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 ofland in the Cotton Wood Canyon in Morgan County where he built a comfortable summer home. Here he raised hay and also ran 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 businessman in Morgan and constructed the building where Creager' s Barber Shop is now located, in which he operated a Confectionary, a Barber Shop and ,22 • • • Pool Hall. He also worked with Union Pacific surveyors to locate and mark sections of their land in the County. He was one of the largest contributors in labor and money to the first schoolhouse in North Morgan, which was also used as a church. It was said by the late Thomas Palmer that according to his means he was one of the largest contnbutors. 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 they would have them do to you. Never judge too harshly. Kindness will reap greater rewards than unkindness. He died October 12, 1921 in Morgan, Utah. FLORA WORLTONHARDY Flora Worlton Hardy was born May 9, 1851 in Bath, England. She was the daughter of James T. and Elizabeth Worlton. At the early age of four years, she with her parents and brothers and sisters left their native home to sail with a large company of Latter Day Saints for America. They left Liverpool February 8, 1865, and arrived in Salt Lake in September of the same year. Her first home in Utah was in the Eleventh Ward in Salt Lake City. She moved with her family from one small place to another until April 1862 when they moved to Morgan. They lived in what is now North Morgan . Here she met and married Elisha P. Hardy, January 13, 1866. They were married by Bishop Abiah Wadsworth. They made their home in Morgan living with her parents and keeping house while her mother taught school. In the spring of 1868 they moved to Hooper, Utah and lived about a year, returning again to Morgan. Mrs. Hardy cooked for some of the Union Pacific Road officials, and often Brigham Young came to eat with them as he preferred the quiet and order of her table to the noise and confusion of the road camp. In the spring of 1870 they moved back to Hooper to make their home. Here again she helped to make a new home and help build a new community. She helped in every way to make a living for her family. She was a teacher in the first Relief Society organized .in Hooper. She had charge of sewing and quilting. As the homes were so far apart she walked miles in order to make her monthly visits. She was an excellent home nurse, being called to attend and administer to the sick at any hour of the day or night or in any season of the year. In 1878 when her husband lost his right arm she continued doing everything possible to help make a living for the family as there were five small children to support. During this ordeal as in many others she proved her strength of character and her faith in God. With cheerful encouraging words as well as with hard work she helped him . ' ,. • • • overcome his handicap. She worked in their small grocery store while her husband ran his grocery wagon to the scattered homes in the valley, and tended his bees and chickens. She also took in sewing and all kinds of needle work. When her husband purchased the ranch in Cotton Wood Canyon, she helped to clear the land and build their home. She sold milk, butter, and homemade bread to miners and wood haulers who were working in the canyon. She would also drive to Morgan or Ogden to exchange her eggs and butter for groceries. In the fall of 1900 her mother became ill and they moved back to Morgan to be near and care for her. After her mother' s death they b(?ught the Worlton home and lived there continuing to go to the ranch in Cotton Wooq in the spring returning to their home in Morgan in the fall, until Mr. Hardy sold out and went into business in Morgan. They built the home that is now occupied by Carlos Clark. Mrs. Hardy still continued to sell bread, milk, butter and eggs. She was very active about her garden and home, being known from Lehi to Morgan for her fine vegetable and beautiful flower garden. One very seldom found her with idle hands. After she was to old to work outside she spent her time at needle work and reading good books and current events to her husband. She had many dear friends in each place she lived, and many times had her friends and neighbors in her home to visit and have dinner with her . She was the mother of ten children, all of whom were with he at the time of her death. She died May 6, 1917 in Morgan. Written by their daughter .. . .. .. .. ..... . ............ ... Martha Ann Hardy Wadsworth /2~ |
