John Gordon Born: October 3, 1807; Crathie, Scotland Married: Isabella Webster (died before emigrating) Isabella Jessie Bissett (2nd marriage) Died: June 5, 1876; Tooele, Tooele, Utah Immigration Date: 1859 in Captain Horn's Co.

John Gordon

In the beautiful little country of Scotland lived a man named Joseph Gordon and his wife Nicholas. Joseph was born about 1780 and was the son of John Gordon and Euphemia McAndrews, and the grandson of John Gordon and Isobel Shephard. Nicholas was the daughter of James Gordon and Janet Smith, and a granddaughter of James Gordon and Janet Catanach and John Smith and Janet.

Joseph Gordon is supposed to have had a large family of which we know the names of only three, John b. 3 Oct. 1807, Elapeth b. 1817, and Jane b. in 1824. Joseph and Nicholas lived in the highlands of Scotland near Balmoral. They were not tenants but owned their own land and were thrifty and independent.

The Mormon elders came to Scotland, (George Q. Cannon was one of them) and preached the gospel to John Gordon and his wife Jessie and they gladly accepted and were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His father, Joseph, did not approve of this and was so very resentful of John's choice that he disinherited him by not allowing him any share in the family estate, although he continued to visit the family. At the time of his visit to Arbroath where John lived at that time, John had presented his father with a pair of new shoes of which he was very proud. He became very ill during his visit and wished to go home. He was too ill to go alone so John procured three donkeys and mounted his father on one, his wife Jessie on the second and took the third one himself, and so they started. They rode a long distance, and then the way became too steep, even for the donkeys, so while John was making arrangements for the care of the beasts until his return. Joseph started up the mountain alone. They continued on foot resting frequently, lying in the snow. It proved to be his last illness. There are two stories about it, one version was that his wife, Nicholas, would ask him if John was to have his share of the estate. As long as he could speak he answered "no", but when he could no longer speak she asked him again and he nodded "yes". The other story was that Joseph never forgave his son for joining the church, but that his oldest sister shared her portion with him, and on the death of his mother he received his fair share of the estate.

John was born 3 Oct. 1807. We assume that he lived the life of any normal Scottish lad. On 15 Jul 1835 in the church at Crathie the bans were published for his first marriage with Isabella Webster, a daughter of David Webster and Jean Howe. Isabella was born 20 Jan. 18 10. Five children were born to this union. They were Joseph, who eventually went to Australia, David R. who became a merchant, Jean and Margaret and baby Isabella. Then death and sorrow darkened the door of this little home and Isabella Webster Gordon was called away, leaving John desolate and the children motherless. She died on 18 Dec. 1846. The baby was taken into the home of Isabella's sister, Margaret Webster Cathro. Then John married Jessie Bissett, a daughter of John Bissett and Janet Shaw. She was born in Ruthill, Invernesshire, 24 Jul. 1824. He took back baby Isabella, from his sister and it caused hard feelings between John Gordon and the Webster family.

During his life with Isabella Webster, they resided in the city of Forfarshire for some time. Here John joined one of the trade guilds and became a burgess. Being a burgess he was helpful at getting, maintaining and helping generally with trade and business. They were prominent citizens of the community. He had the reputation for being a very studious man. He was always studying something. He became proficient in stenography and at one time was a court stenographer. Aberdeenshire is famous for its quarries. Nearly all the houses and buildings are built of stone, and in the early morning when everything is covered with dew, the reflections of the rising sun makes all the buildings sparkle and shine like diamonds, which is a very impressive sight. This may be the reason John became a stone mason and builder.

Jessie B. Gordon was born in the village of Cummarside (or Cononside). When she was small she was stricken with measles and her sight was almost destroyed. She had an operation which saved her eyesight, but she always had poor eyesight.

John Gordon was deeply religious, ever diligent in the cause of Christ. He was not an ordained minister but often spoke sermons in their local church. It is no wonder that the gospel message fell on fertile ground. The Elders came and gave the discussions in their home. Both of them smoked a pipe and when they were taught the Word of Wisdom they knew they should quit. Jessie was always frugal and reminded him that they had a certain quantity of tobacco in the house, so they decided that they would use up what they had before they quit. After John and Jessie finished their last smoke, they both threw their pipes into the fire. They never used tobacco after that.

Because of the attitude of his family toward him because of his religion, they were unhappy in their native Scotland, and like all converts began to cherish a desire to join the Saints in America. Money for the trip was scarce but his mother, Nicholas, passed some money into his hands, and with the assistance of the Church Immigration Plan, they were able to make the journey. Nor did Nicholas forget the little family in the land of Zion, for small sums of money came to them from time to time, for which they were ever grateful. At this time money was very scarce and sacrifices were great. Even though they were happy to cast their lot with the Saints in Zion, their thoughts and emotions were mingled with sorrow at parting with their native Scotland, and at leaving Joseph and David behind, as they had not been receptive to the gospel message. However, the day arrived when farewells were said and they boarded the train at Arbroath for Liverpool, England. There they embarked on the sailing vessel "William Tapscot", in the charge of Captain Bell, for America, 7 April 1859.

Besides Jean and Margaret, grandfather had three other children, Jessie B. Gordon, who was born 6 Jun. 1848, John B. Gordon, born 25 Dec. 185 1, Catherine D. Gordon, born 23 Jul. 1855, and Mary A.D. Gordon, born 16 Sept. 1858. Mary may have died on the way because no further mention is made of her.

Many things were remembered about the trip such as sickness amongst the women and children, the death and burial of some one, a bad storm that delayed the ship many days, and the pankin, a flat tin cup, suspended from a string around her neck, from which she both ate and drank. A spoon was given them at meal time and no other dishes were necessary.

The journey across the ocean was a very long tiresome one but in spite of it all many interesting things happened. One of them was the rescue of a girl by the name or Mary Madden, who was found in the ocean floating on some wreckage. She and her sister had embarked for America together, but the ship upon which they had taken passage was shipwrecked; the sister was drowned and Mary was rescued by the crew of "William Tapscot". Mary, while in her terror stricken condition, was warmly taken into the family circle of John Gordon. So good were they to her, and so attached did she become to them, that she requested that grandfather Gordon adopt her. This was not done, however, but she lived with them, sharing their joys and sorrows, privations, and hardships, until they arrived in Tooele, Utah, where she married and reared a family of six children.

After being on ship board ten weeks, they arrived at Castle Gardens, New York, and were met by a Mr. Burnett, a former neighbor, who helped grandfather obtain employment, though not at his trade as a stone mason, for work of any kind was very hard to get. The country at this time was in a turmoil as this was shortly before the Civil War. Mr. Burnett was short and heavy set with a very king manner. He helped them to find a place to live and gave work in the mill of which he was foreman, to grandfather and his three girls.

They occupied the first floor of a two story house and among the furnishings was an iron stove, the first one they had ever seen. They were instructed by the landlady not to open the door, but to look through a small hole to watch the fire bum. Most of the time indoors was spent by one or the other of the children watching the fire burn.

One of the first things grandfather did after coming to this country was to become a citizen of the United States. His declaration of intention bears the date of 3 Nov. 1860.

They lived in New York two years. During this time every one toiled early and late and saved every penny that could be spared to finish their journey to Utah, the land of promise, as they were wont to speak of it. At last everything was in readiness and the family boarded the train in New York for Florence, Nebraska.

One of the stories I have heard from Aunt Kitt was this: She was about 5 years old and just when the train would begin to slow down for a stop, grandfather would tell "Little Kittie" to pull on the arm of the seat. She would brace her little legs and pull until her breathing would become labored and her little face as red as cherries. At about this time the train would stop and the innocent Kitty would really believe she had stopped the train. Then about the time it was to start again grandfather would tell her to push and she would push and push and push and finally get the train started again. Kitty really believed it was up to her to stop and start the train.

There isn't a great deal of difference in dads, regardless of what time they lived, and grandfather was no exceptions. He was probably just another boy who never grew up.

They reached Florence in due time and went immediately to Winter Quarters where the Church had established a camp in 1846 to help take care of the immigrating saints. Here shelter was furnished, the housing having been built by the first saints to leave Nauvoo. Here they remained for six weeks, making preparations to join one of the wagon trains for the trek across the plains.

At length the day came and they were off. Their company was headed by Captain Horn. Each person was assigned to a certain wagon and was expected to remain in and with that wagon all the way. There were sixteen people to each wagon and the cost was forty one dollars per person and half price for children. All who were able had to walk, and only those too old or too young or otherwise handicapped, could ride. John Gordon walked every step of the way, and mother said she could not recall riding any. Aunt Margaret Ricks rode probably twenty miles. Aunt Kitt who was only five, said the only time she got to ride was when Captain Horn would take her up on his horse with him and give her tired little legs a rest. It seems that Captain Horn was in the habit of doing this, for all the smaller children.

I have no date as to when the family left Winter Quarters, but the trip was make in the hottest part of the year. They suffered greatly from heat and thirst. Just imagine, if you can, what it would be like to walk, walk, walk, hour after hour, in the blistering hot sun with no water to drink, for there were many places along the way where water was not to be had. Imagine how grateful one would be to find a few wild berries along the way. These were eaten with a great deal of relish by the people who were walking, as they kept them from being too thirsty. As if to conserve this precious moisture, the children would break off branches with the berries on, and carry them along to be eaten later. There were places along the way where a hole could be scooped out in the sand and it would fill with water, and the water could then be lifted to the mouth with the hands. I wonder if you or I are ever as grateful for a drink of water as we should, be. I am afraid not. We usually take it so mechanically and never even think to be grateful to a kind God.

Mother said her face was just one big blister, especially her nose. Mother had a small nose and it had a very distinct point on the end, which pointed toward the floor. It wasn't funny then, but many years after I heard mother tell this about her nose, and someone remarked that it got so hot that it melted and ran down to a point. That was why she had such an unmistakable point on the end of her nose.

The order of march was always the same: Out riders or men on horseback were first, then all the children old enough to walk, and the rest of the able ones not needed to drive the two yoke oxen hitched to each wagon. The wagons came next in a long line with an occasional cow tied behind one of them. The food consisted of beans, black bread, and salt pork. They had a few potatoes at first, but these soon gave out. The wagon the Gordons came in was driven by a young man named John Edwards. Mother remembered that they encountered a few friendly Indians, but did not recall seeing any buffalo.

At night the wagons were formed into a circle and the oxen driven some distance to graze. Supper was prepared and eaten, and everything cleaned up, and as much as possible made ready for the next day. The evening was spent in singing songs of praise and gratitude to God, which seemed to strengthen their faith, renew their courage, and bolster their determination to reach the goal they had set for themselves, and to accomplish the almost impossible task that lay before them.

Who but they, knew the trials and sorrows, the dangers and discomforts, the privations and hardships of this long trek? Who but they knew the pangs of hunger, the frenzied thirst, the ceaseless fatigue, the dust and dirt, and the grime? Who but they could realize the necessity of the trek, or comprehend the faith that forbade them to renounce the cause of it? Only they themselves.

We who come after them, can do little more than think about them, read about them, talk about them, and sing about them. We cannot comprehend the urge that made them face all these trials and tribulations, that they might worship God as they chose, and serve him as their conscience directed. And all this for the Gospel's sake. All this that they might bring to us and later generations this beautiful gift, and lay it at our feet, that we might cherish it and treasure it, and take it into our hearts--or reject it and lay it to one side--as we choose.

After prayers were said, every one retired for the night. Nor was the trek entirely without its happy moments, and even romance. Often times a nice grassy spot was selected and a dance was held. This appealed to the younger folks, and mother, although only twelve, felt very much complimented when John Edwards would ask her to dance, which he often did. Aunt Margaret spent many a happy moment dancing in her stocking feet as her history records.

Aunt Jean, I have heard, was a quiet sweet girl, but even she had a share in the romance of the trek. Jimmy Olsen, the teamster on the wagon behind the one the Gordons were in, would playfully tap her with his whip. Whether Jean responded or not to these love taps I never heard, but by the time reached Salt Lake, Jimmy was head over heels in love with Jean.

Grandfather Gordon nearly lost his life during this trek. The rule of the day was that every able bodied man should walk. Grandfather, being very independent, was determined to obey orders. When they came to the Green River, contrary to the advice of the Captain, Grandfather waded out into the river, lost his footing and was washed out into the deep water. He would probably have drowned had it not been for the quick action of the Captain.

Like all things, the trek finally ended. The trek across the plains from Florence, Nebraska to Salt Lake City had taken three months and now it was over. The trek, no the hardships. Oh no! These continued right on. The church had made some provisions to help the new arrivals. Mother remembered having dinner after their arrival, but did not seem to remember where or how long they remained in Salt Lake City, Utah, but seemed to think it only a few days.

Their first move was to Grantsville, Utah. She said they had an opportunity to ride to Grantsville with someone who had brought a load of charcoal to Salt Lake. The wagon was all covered with the dust of the charcoal, but they were so glad of a chance to ride that they all piled into the wagon. It took some time to drive the forty miles or more to Grantsville, and the day was very warm. When they arrived they looked like a family of Negroes. They were black from head to feet from the dust of the charcoal.

As Mother remembered it, their stay in Grantsville was of short duration. Their next move was to Tooele, twelve miles distant from Grantsville. The family were in very straightened circumstances and their first home in Tooele was an abandoned house. This house was in no condition to live in, and it was necessary for Grandfather to provide other living quarters. In Tooele at one time a wall had been built as a protection to the town from the Indians. By the time the Gordon family arrived it was no longer needed for this purpose. John Gordon conceived the idea of making a home in one comer of this wall. He accordingly built two sides to form an enclosure, and covered the top with something. He made openings for windows and built a shift fire place. The family moved into this room and made their home there for some time. Grandfather homesteaded land in 1872 but whether this was the land he built his home on I am not prepared to say.

Grandfather worked. His trade stood him in good stead at this time. He built or helped to build many of the buildings in Tooele and Grantsville during his lifetime there. When rock was for any reason not to be had, he made adobes and built with them. He had the reputation of being a very hard worker and a substantial builder. While they lived in the wall, in addition to his daily work he also worked on his own house. He built first a basement or cellar as it was called in those days. This was only large room, and was plastered and had a floor in it. There was a fireplace on the north side and a window larger than usual in such places on the west side, which made the room light and cheerful. The steps were broad. They were of nice smooth stone. It took some time to build this because of his other work, but work he had to do. The family was very poor as far as money was concerned.

By this time the Civil War had been fought and was over, and the country was in the throes of a great depression. Prices were very high. Calico, a material similar to our percale print of today, only not as good, that years later sold for five cents a yard, about this time sold for $1.00 a yard, and flour sold for $12.00 a cwt. I have heard Aunt Kitt tell about Grandfather walking all the way to Salt Lake City and carrying a bag of flour home on his back. Food was very scarce in the Gordon household. There were many times, and in fact most of the time, they had no bread. Aunt Kitt and mother both told me that it was common for them to dig segos for their meals. This was done with a pointed stick and their little stomachs used to feel sore from pushing the stick into the ground. Many a time their breakfast consisted of nothing but boiled carrots or perhaps some other vegetable that they happened to have on hand. Their only delicacy was molasses made from beets.

These hard times were the early years after their arrival. After that when they got their home built and a few things around them, they were better off.

A story is told of John Gordon to the effect that he was fond of boiled eggs, and was wont to say that if an egg was boiled too hard, just put a little butter in it and it made it just right, and if it was boiled too soft, just add a little butter and it was just right.

As soon as possible, Grandmother, like all pioneer women to make soap, candles, card her own wool and weave her own cloth. They also had silk worms, an industry introduced into Utah by Brigham Young. Aunt Kitt and Aunt Nell Conway, as children, had to gather the mulberry leaves to feed them. Aunt Nell didn't like to do this. I think she was afraid of the worms.

Grandmother was active in Relief Society, and like all good Relief Society sisters, ministered to the sick, the poor, and the needy. She made many beautiful quilts for her children and grandchildren.

As families usually do, in spite of all the shortages, the children grew up. The girls, at an early age, sought employment anywhere, and at any thing they could get to do, and accepted almost anything for pay. Margaret and Jean worked, and mother also worked at anything she could get to do. She worked some for the Samuel Orem family. Here she took care of children, the Orems being parents to seven boys. She also worked some for the family of Robert McKendrick.

When Aunt Kitt was ten years old she also went to take care of children. She earned twenty-five cents one time and received her pay in money, which was very unusual. She was so happy about it, and at once the thought came to her that she could buy something nice for her mother. Until this time matches had been an unknown commodity, but people were just beginning to use them. Before this time they had been wont to use tow and flint and steel to start their fires. Kitty wanted to buy her mother a box of matches. So she went to the store and paid her whole twenty-five cents for a box of matches. How happy she was! Her little heart pounded with excitement and she ran just as fast as a pair of ten year old legs would carry her. In fact she just flew toward home. When she got within sight of the house she could see Grandmother out in the yard. She was so happy and so excited she held the box high above her head and called to her mother to see what she had, and as she did so she shook the box and the matches ignited and burned up almost in her hands. Poor little Kittie, how disappointed she must have been to have that happy moment end so disastrously.

Meanwhile the work on the home was progressing slowly. The basement was finally finished and the family moved out of the comer of the wall into it, where they were more comfortable, and it must have been satisfying to know and feel that is was at least the beginning of a real home.

In about two years, Jean and Margaret left the parental roof to go to work in Logan, and soon after it was decided that Mother should go to Salt Lake to seek employment. The day finally came and mother set out for Salt Lake on a load of wood that was being taken there by one Mr. Burnett. Apparently there was no previous arrangement about what she should do so Mr. Burnett took her to the home of his son, David Burnett. They lived near the prison and mother stayed with them for a few weeks, and then found a place to work for her board and clothing at the Hartwell home, which was located in the Twelfth Ward.

Time sped on. Grandfather continued to build houses and in spare moments to work on his own house. He made the abodes for it himself, and did the building little by little.

A Mr. Sagers from Tooele remembered Grandfather. He said grandfather was always a hard worker and very ambitious. He told about how he would walk from Tooele to Pine Canyon carrying his ax, a quilt, a small sauce pan and a bag of cornmeal. He would cut wood all week with no other food but the cornmeal mush.

He made the adobes for many buildings in Tooele and Grantsville. There are many buildings there he helped to build, and they are very substantially built. He finally completed the home he had started and the family moved in. This was a three room house, two very large rooms and a smaller one. This was cozy and comfortable, and it was their own.

Grandfather owned about three half blocks of property in Tooele, and sometime before his death he deeded it to Grandmother. There was the lot with their house on it, the one across the street where Uncle John lived, and another lot across the street to the east. It was planted with peach trees, the income of which helped Grandmother to get along after Grandfather's death.

Lura Cummings Shepard remembered John Gordon and says, "As I see him in my mind's eye, he was tall and thin, smooth of face. He might have been gray but I am sure he was not bald. He was very silent and reserved, but I don't think he was severe."

The mental picture I have of him is of taking his lunch to him when he was making adobes to build the John Dunn house. He was in the mud in his bare feet tromping up and down, and how I wanted to get in there with him, but on my way up there I had gotten into some stinging nettles, so he thought I had better go home. I was older at this time and used to skip and run and he called me "bright eyes" and "fleet foot". His speech was very broad Scotch. I could not understand him when he did talk.

One story they used to tell about him was that when they were crossing the plains he left either his flint or his steel at a camp and did not discover his loss until the following camp night. He walked back twelve miles and found it, and was gone twenty four hours before he rejoined the wagon train. He was the apple of his father's eye but his father could not forgive his conversion.

The last time I saw him I think perhaps I was ten years old, anyway it was the summer Brigham Young died. Aunt Margaret and family, and mother and father, were all in Tooele, and it seems to me it was Grandfather's wish to have them come home. I don't know how long we were there, but mother went to Salt Lake to the funeral. When we were ready to go home, Grandfather sat near the door step with his chin on his cane. Mother asked me when we were half way to the gate if I had kissed him goodby. I said no and she told me to go back and do it. I wanted to but was sort of self conscious I guess. Mother didn't insist so I didn't do it, but my conscience troubled me because he looked so sad. I think he died that same fall.

I understand that his big toe was frozen, became infected and caused his death. He had taken a team to the canyon for winter fuel, and it seems to me they ran away and left him, but I am not sure about that. We were living in Sandy at the time, and Mother went to the funeral.

Written by Edna C. Richardson; Copied from The Trunk of the Tree: It's Roots and Branches, compiled by Verlean Davis Brewster

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