JOSIAH GUILE HARDY
1812-1894
(Written by his granddaughter, Minnie Viola Hardy Gillette)
My grandfather, Josiah Guile Hardy, filled an important
niche in the pioneer development of both Utah and Mormon Colonies in
Mexico. From his own writing I am quoting
some of this contribution.
“I, Josiah Guile Hardy, was born in the town of Bradford,
Essex County, Mass., on the 17th of March 1813. I was a wild, rough, swearing youth, was
first in sport and rough tricks but was careful not to purposely injure anyone,
person or property, and was looked up to by my playmates for advice and to lead
out and was respected by them. I was
never whipped or handled by any of my equals in age or size. I was a dull scholar and could always find
something more interesting than books. I
was brought up to work hard and steady, for which I am thankful.
I worked all one winter thwo (sic) quite a lad turning a
wheel to twist tobacco for three cents a day and boarded at home.
At the age of sixteen I commenced to work with my Father,
going out at days work carpentering when not on the farm. At the age of eighteen I learned the
shoemaker trade of my brother Samuel, and worked at this trade about fourteen
winters.
I was religiously inclined from a boy. At the age of twelve I ran away, against the
will of my Father, from the old Presbyterian meting to hear Elder Robinson, a
Free Will Baptist, who called on sinners to repent and turn to God. I felt alarmed and sought earnestly to the
Lord for forgiveness of my sins and I thought that I did obtain it, but having
no one to help me after one year, I returned to my former practices and was
more profane than ever.
At age of sixteen I had whooping cough which continued three
winters and so affected my lungs, I never became sound again.
When about nineteen years old Elder Wait of the Methodist
Espisopal Church came to our place and soon got up an excitement and organized
a church consisting of myself, my two oldest brothers and three others. In a few years I held the office of Steward
Clapp Leader, and I held this position for six or seven years afterward.
In 1834, being twenty one years old, I joined the Bradford
Light Infantry, and the second time that I trained I was made second Corporal
and in a short time I acquired the rank of Orderly Sergeant and this office I
held until I left the Company about five years afterward.
On March 17, 1835, the day I was twenty-two years old, I was
married to Sarah Clark Parker, daughter of Theodore Parker, by the Reverend
Garner B. Perry.
On November 6, 1842, I united with the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints, and was baptized by Leonard W. Hardy, I was
ordained a teacher March 22, 1844, under the hands of Noah Packard, a High
Priest, and Nathan Holmes, and Elder, September 22, 1846 at the Conference held
in East Bradford at the home of Samuel B. Hardy. Ezra T. Tenson, one of the twelve presidency,
Nathaniel Holmes, the presiding Elder of the branch was cut off by the Church
for preaching Strangism; he took over half of the Branch with him, and I was
appointed one of committee to demand his license which he refused to give up.
September 4, 1847, I was ordained an Elder under the hands
of Leonard W. Hardy, President of the Stake of Massachusetts and was called to
preside over the Bradford Branch which office I held until I left for the West
April 7, 1850. I baptized five persons
May 1st, and one person May 10th, left for Missouri,
where I stayed twenty-three months and worked most of the time on a saw mill
for $30.00 per month. By this work I got
a comfortable outfit for the valley of Salt Lake City, notwithstanding my
family and I had a great deal of sickness.
February 20, 1851, Brother Thomas McKenzie called the Saints
together at my house and organized a branch consisting of seven members. I was appointed to preside over the same and
ordered to hold meetings every Sabbath day, which was carried out while I
stayed there. March 22, 1851, I baptized
six persons. November 22, 1851, my son
Hyrum Haven, died from the effect of calomel at half past eleven, PM.
April 29, 1852, I left Columbus, Missouri, for Salt Lake
Valley. May 29, I was appointed clerk of
the first ten James Bay Capatin. The
same day I crossed the Missouri River.
August 16, 1852, Brother Samuel B. Hardy met us at Echo Canyon and
helped us into the valley. I arrived in
Salt Lake Valley, August 20th 1852, after having had a very pleasant
journey across the plains.
August 22, 1852, I received a blessing under the hands of
Father John Smith, Patriarch. August 29,
1852, I was ordained and received into the 29th Quorum of Seventies
under the hands of Augustus Farnham and Samuel B. Hardy. February 14, 1853, I was present at the
breaking up of the ground for the foundation of the Temple. In April 1853, I was appointed one of the
City police under the direction of Leonard W. Hardy, Captain, and soon after I
was appointed to preside in the absence of him, which office I held for about
six years. In 1853, I was present with
the police at the laying of the corner stone of the Temple. In May 1853, I was received in the first
independent rifle company under Leonard W. Hardy, Captain, and soon after I was
elected first Sergeant of said Company.
July 15, 1854 I was elected first Lieutenant, which office I
held until the organization of the Nauvoo Legion when I was appointed adjutant
to Samuel B. Hardy. March or May 10th
I received my endowments in the Council House, Samuel Sprage and Wilford
Woodruff officiating. In 1855, I
attended with the company as a military guard the execution of two Indians by
hanging for the murder of two boys by the name of Weeks.
March 15, 1856, I was re-baptized in the font by Leonard W.
Hardy, confirmed and ordained a High Priest and set apart to be the first
counselor to Leonard W. Hardy under the hands of Bishop Edward Hunter, and his
counselors Leonard W. Hardy and Jesse C, Little. December 4, 1856, I attended the funeral of
Jedidiah M. Grant in a military capacity.
October 25, 1847, Ann Denston was sealed to me by Brigham Young. March 17, 1858, I went with my wife Ann, to
the House of the Lord, she received her endowments, when Sarah and Ann were
sealed to me on the Altar by Brigham Young.
May 3, 1858, I started with a part of my family for the
Southwest as far as Spanish Fork. July
17, 1858, I arrived home with our last load from the South April 29, 1860, was
received into A.T. Rockward’s Circle.”
Continuing the history of Brother Hardy, he was called to
assist in settling Utah’s Dixie, where he resided for many years, leaving his
family in Salt Lake City, due to the ill health of his wife, Sarah Clark Parker
Hardy. It was while in Dixie that he
entered the covenant of polygamy with Ann Taylor, and at the Mormon migration
to Mexico. He and his second wife made
that southern country their home, until their death, he passing on the 12th
of January 1894 and she at a later date.
Sarah Clark Parker Hardy continued to reside in Salt Lake
City, until 1893 when she went to St. George, on a visit to her son, and died
there on Christmas Day of the same year.
Her birth took place in Bradford, Essex County, Mass. March 30, 1815, the daughter of Theodore
Parker and Mary Marden. She was of Revolutionary
and Mayflower stock, being a descendant of Thos. Hardy, who figured prominently
in Mayflower and early Colonial history.
The marriage of Josiah Guile Hardy and Sarah Clark Parker
was consummated in Massachusetts and six children were born to them before
coming to Utah in 1850, when they settled in the 12th Ward, where,
due to heart trouble, much of her time was spent in bed. Three children, however, were born to Brother
and Sister Hardy after coming to Utah.
Sister Hardy was also on the pioneer type, full of faith in
the Gospel, and her long illness seemed to give root in greater faith, as her
years advanced. She was a natural lover
of children and attracted them to her bedside, where she instilled a love in
the hearts of these youngsters, who expressed a preference for the association
rather than play. She was a wonderful
needle woman, and many received instruction in this art from her.
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