Benjamin and sister Margaret were first to break away from the family circle and join the Mormons. Benjamin and Electa were baptized member of the LDS Church on 17 JUn 1840 by Elder John M. Adams
. In 1843 they left Erie PA and went to Nauvoo, IL. They bought 160 acres of land twenty miles south of Nauvoo. The non-Mormons were very bitter toward the church members at that time. On Sep 10, 1845, just before sun-up, a mob rode up to the home of Benjamin and ordered them to vacate their home as they were going to burn it. Benjamin said they couldn't leave because two of their children were sick. one of the men said if they didn't want them burned they had better get them out. So they carried the bed and children out in the cold. After setting fire to the house all the men left except two who remained to make certain that the fire was not extinguished. The mob also destroyed their crops. Electa cooked some breakfast ovesr the coals of the burning house . The family only had 75 cents in money which the mob took.
Jonathan heard of their trouble and went out to their farm in his wagon and brought them to Nauvoo to stay at his house until they were able to find another place to live. That day they saw smoke from sixteen fires the mob had set.Benjamin and sister Margaret were first to break away from the family circle and join the Mormons. Benjamin and Electa were baptized member of the LDS Church on 17 Jun 1840 by Elder John M. Adams
. In 1843 they left Erie PA and went to Nauvoo, IL. They bought 160 acres of land twenty miles south of Nauvoo. The non-Mormons were very bitter toward the church members at that time. On Sep 10, 1845, just before sun-up, a mob rode up to the home of Benjamin and ordered them to vacate their home as they were going to burn it. Benjamin said they couldn't leave because two of their children were sick. one of the men said if they didn't want them burned they had better get them out. So they carried the bed and children out in the cold. After setting fire to the house all the men left except two who remained to make certain that the fire was not extinguished. The mob also destroyed their crops. Electa cooked some breakfast over the coals of the burning house . The family only had 75 cents in money which the mob took.
Jonathan heard of their trouble and went out to their farm in his wagon and brought them to Nauvoo to stay at his house until they were able to find another place to live. That day they saw smoke from sixteen fires the mob had set.Benjamin Gardner
Father of Joseph Smith Gardner
Benjamin Gardner, son of Nathaniel Gardner, was born August 18, 1800, Johnstown, Montgomery County, New York. He died July 3, 1875, at Deweyville, Utah.
He moved with his father's family to Erie County, Pennsylvania in the early days. He married Electa Lamport, May 19, 1822. She was born March, 1800 in Sharon, Schoharie County, New York, and died August 8, 1890, at Deweyville, Box Elder County, Utah.
They made their home in Erie Co, PA where they built a house and cleared the timber off the land before they could cultivate it. Here ten of their children were born.
Benjamin Gardner was baptized June 17, 1840 into the Latter-Day Saint Church by Elder John A Adams.
In 1843 Benjamin Gardner, with his entire family, left Pennsylvania to gather with the saints at Nauvoo. His youngest sister, Margaret, who married Jonathan Well, and their entire family, accompanied them. While enroute they stopped near Perrygeauga Co., Ohio, to make her father, William Lamport, a visit. He was living with his third wife, Mrs. Annie Tuner. This was the last time she ever saw her father or any of her brothers.
They arrived in Nauvoo in the early fall of 1843. After visiting the Prophet Joseph they went twenty miles south of Nauvoo and settled on Bear Creek on Green Plains, north of Marley Settlement. Benjamin bought 160 acres of land from Mr. Sturg.
They lived there until September 10, 1845, when the mob destroyed their crops and they were compelled to leave. The family was all sick, but two. The mob rose up before sunrise in the morning and ordered them out of the house or they would burn the house over their heads. Benjamin went to the gate and talked with them and told them his family was sick and he had no where to take them to care for them in their sickness. It made no difference with an oath and the mob ordered him out. While the father was contending with the mob, Nathaniel got out of his bed and crawled out of the back window, and hid the guns and ammunition in a corn shack for their corn was cut and schocked. The mob helped to carry out the bedding and lay it on the grass which was wet with dew, then they carried out the sick and lay them on the bedding and then set fire to the house. They then left to serve other families in the same way. The mother cooked breakfast over the coals of her burning house, while her sick children laid shivering in the cold damp air. They had $0.74 in cash, but the mob relieved them of that. When the news reached Nauvoo of the burning and mobbing, Jonathan Wells went after them with his team and wagon and took them to his house in Nauvoo, where they stayed for some time. When they went back after their corn and things they left in the cellar, they were gone. The mob had taken it all.Benjamin Gardner, with others, was arrested and put in prison. They held them about six weeks. The jailer, tired of keeping them without a trial, turned them loose in the night to go home. He and his companions traveled in the night and hid in the day in the corn fields. They arrived home in the night of the third day while living near Keokurk. Electa had to take one of the little boys and go to the mill or do business at Warsaw, for if the mob caught the men away from home they would horse whip them and brutally treat them and they even killed some of the men. They had to put up with all sort of abuses from the mob. I have heard Electa Gardner say that her daughter, Hannah, was working for a wealthy family in Warsaw, when she went to see her daughter. She was invited to dine with them. She sat down to a table covered with the best food, but she could not eat, when she thought of her little ones at home without bread or anything to eat. Her heart swelled within her until she could not eat.
In the spring of 1846 he took his team and wagon and went as far as Garden Grove with President Young and others to help them over the bad roads. He was gone three months. The boys worked to help support the family. Nathaniel worked for one-half bushel of corn per day at $0.10 per bushel for Mr. Edmond. Milo worked for one quart of meal a day in an old mill grinding corn in a barn and he said he was cheated out of that.
September 9, 1846, the family left Nauvoo and crossed the Mississippi River in a shift called the Broadhorn and and went to Sand Prairie, west of Nontrose, 9 miles from Nauvoo. Here they could hear the firing of the enemies guns. From there they went south of Bentonspart on DesMoines River, Iowa. Here Benjamin worked in a grist mill, he being a miller by trade, and the other sons, William and Nathaniel, worked in a saw mill for the Allander brothers. The daughter, Hannah, worked for Mrs. Allander, the boys' mother. Here Benjamin and Electa and the youngest child was born March 15, 1847, whom they gave the name of Joseph Smith Gardner.
In 1847 they moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa, where they put in some garden and built a log house. That year, in the fall, William and Hannah went back to Bentonspart, Iowa, and worked for the Allanders all winter. All three of them had the measles that winter and Mrs. Allander took care of them like a mother. They returned in the spring of 1848. They farmed more land and he bought James Leathead's house and lot, also William R. Coles' house and lot, for they continued their journey to the valley of the mountains.
Benjamin was president of the north Pidgeon Branch, Iowa. There he worked in a grist mill for Mr. Cooley. Nathaniel died April 6, 1851, at Council Bluffs, Iowa. Here William was married to Miss Angeline Goud, March 31,1852. This same year Benjamin with his entire family started to the valley of the mountains leaving their houses and lands for the saints that were following after them. They arrived in Salt Lake City, September 28, 1852. He was the captain of the train number ten. His wagon train left Kanesville, Iowa on May 15 and was composed of 241 souls and 45 wagons.
After spending a few days in Salt Lake City they went north to Willard, Box Elder Co., to visit his sister Margaret Wells, and family who had come to the valley two years before. In the fall of 1852 they returned to Weber Co., Utah and located three miles south of Ogden at Birch Creek (Mill) where he worked for Daniel Birch in his grist mill, placing the machinery and starting the mill to run, and was the miller until 1856-7. Here his daughter, Hannah, was married to George Madsen, March 22, 1855. They made their home at Willard. William Gardner also made his home at Willard. Here his daughter, Lucinda, was married to James Leithhead, March 7, 1856. They made their home at Farmington, Davis Co. Utah.In the fall of 1857, Benjamin Gardner and the rest of his family moved to North Ogden, where he worked in Newman Blodgett Grist mill, placing the machinery and starting the mill running. He was the miller as long as the mill ran.
He bought a farm from Mr. Gouldbough. Later he bought a house and two lots from Thomas Dunn and moved into the fort of North Ogden. Here five of his children were married.
Benjamin Gardner died July 3, 1875, Deweyville Utah. Electa Lamport Gardner, his wife, died August 8, 1890 at Deweyville and was laid to rest by the side of her husband. They both lived honest, honorable, upright lives and were true to their religion to the end of their days. They passed through many trials and persecutions with the saints, but never murmured.
Additional Information from "A Biography of Benjamin Gardner:"
There were only three houses in Erie PA when Benjamin moved there.
Benjamin and Electa were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 17 June 1840 by Elder John M. Adams.
In 1858, while Johnston's army was being held back on Hams Fork, the Saints were moving south; Benjamin and his family, except Milo who with others was left on detail at North Ogden, went as far south as Provo. They returned when peace was restored.
Benjamin was justice of the peace at North Ogden for many years.
Additional Information from Church Records:
Benjamin was President of the North Pigeon Branch 1847-1852.
From Journal history of LDS Church, page 2, 16 March 1852, Kanesville, Iowa:
At a meeting held by Brigham Young, Benjamin Gardner gave the following report: the North Pidgeon Branch, with Benjamin Gardner as captain, were all determined to go to the valley this spring (1852).
They consisted of 241 souls, 45 wagons, 7 for sale, 41 yoke of oxen, 32 horses, 1 mule, 96 cows, 117 young cattle, 91 sheep, 29 fire arms, and 184 dollars in cash.
Endowment: Nauvoo, IL, Feb 6 1846
From the North Ogden Ward records, we find Benjamin Gardner was active in the LDS Church and took part in civic activities as well.
Benjamin Gardner was a miller and he worked for the Newman G. Blodgett Mill. An Indian came to the mill one day and wanted Benjamin to grind some sunflower seeds for him. Benjamin refused telling the Indian the seeds were oily and bitter and their residue would leave the next grist spoiled.
The Indian would not take no for an answer and became very abusive. Benjamin's patience wore thin and he grabbed a board and hit the Indian over the head. He thought that was the end of the episode, but read on:
Next, 250 Indians arrived riding ponies and rode around Bishop Thomas Dunn's house. Several white people ran to hide in his house. The Indians demanded Bishop Dunn give the person of Benjamin Gardner, which Bishop Dunn refused to do. Bishop Dunn tried to get the Indians to calm down and talk, but they kept whooping and hollering. Bishop Dunn had two big men come out of his house, each carrying a gun, and aim their guns at the Indian Chief's head. When the Indians saw their Chief was in danger, they stopped making so much noise.
Bishop Dunn compromised by giving the Indians 2 beef, some flour and ten dollars in cash, and apparently, no other threats were made towards Benjamin as he lived many years after that. Benjamin died of a kidney ailment.
Both Benjamin and Electa Gardner are buried in Ogden Cemetery, plot A, block 2 lot 29.
ELECTA LAMPORT GARDNER
From Pioneer Women of Faith and Fortitude
CHILDREN:
Benjamin, 24 Nov 1823 d. 1823
Hannah (Mason), 19 Dec 1824
William Lamport, 3 Feb 1827
Belinda Sophia, 16 May 1829 d. 1829
Nathaniel Bradley, 8 May 1830 d. 1851
Mahala (Hughes Cole), 5 Feb 1833
Milo Van Duzen, 4 Jun 1835
Lucinda (Leithead), 10 May 1837
Martha Belinda (Holdaway), 12 Oct 1839
Electa Ann (Montgomery), 8 Mar 1842
Joseph Smith, 15 Mar 1847
Electa Lamport was born in Sharon, Schoharie, New York. In 1820, the Lamports lived in Erie County, Pennsylvania. They next moved to Perry, Ohio. Electa married Benjamin Gardner on May 29, 1822.
Benjamin and Electa were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on June 17, 1840. In 1843, they with their entire family left Pennsylvania to gather with the Saints at Nauvoo. They settled 20 miles south of Nauvoo where Benjamin bought 160 acres of land.
They lived there until 1845 when a mob destroyed their crops, and burned their house. All the family were sick, except two. The mob carried mattresses out of the house and ordered the family out. The sick lay on the mattresses watching their home go up in flames. Electra cooked breakfast over the coals of the burning house.
Benjamin and Electa left Nauvoo, September 9, 1846 to cross the Mississippi River on a skiff called "Broadhorn." They started for the Salt Lake Valley in the Spring of 1852, with the North Pigeon Branch, with Benjamin Gardner as Captain. They arrived in Utah on September 20, 1852.
The family came to Willard, Box Elder County, Utah, where they lived for several years. Then they moved to North Ogden where Benjamin was Justice of the Peace.
They also lived in Deweyville, Utah for a time. Benjamin died, July 3, 1875, and Electa died, August 8, 1890. Both are buried in the North Ogden Cemetery.
Lamport Family
When William Lamport was a lad come thirteen years of age about the middle of the eighteenth century, he ran away from home, as tradition says, and went to sea, intending to reach America. The vessel on which he sailed was captured by a slave trader and he with two other boys was taken to Africa to be exchanged for slaves, but at the coast they managed to get away and put to sea in a ships boat. They were picked up by a friendly ship and brought to America, where William landed in Bristol, Rhode Island. At that place and the little town of Warren nearby, he grew to manhood and was a blacksmith by trade.
William Lamport Jr. who bore his father's name was born at Pownal, Vermont, 17 July 1778. Of his childhood and youth I have no record but when about twenty years of age, he was married to Miss Martha Petty Babbitt of Providence Rhode Island.
With his young bride he located at Sharon, Schoharie County, New York, among the western foothills of the Catskills mountains. At this time he purchased a book in which to record his business accounts and although the entries are somewhat meager relating principally to matters of trust, yet they afford sufficient data to give knowledge of his whereabouts and occupation down to the year 1848. When he closed business and came to spend his reclining years with Ansel Lamport, in that book and in his own handwriting, are recorded the birth of each of his children giving not only the place and date but the hour of the day. His first child was born at Sharan on 5 March 1800. This was a daughter Electa and whose advent, he informs us, took place at nine O'clock in the morning. There also at three O'clock in the afternoon on 20 January 1803 a son was born whom he gave the name of Hiram. Soon after Hiram's birth he moved to Seneca, here a second son was born, whom he called William B. Lamport on 7 March 1805 and there in the same year his young wife died.
The long life of William Lamport was full of vicissitude and labor. In the strictest sense he was one of the pioneers of America, his days were nearly all spent in a log house and in clearing up heavy timbered farms. He moved westward from time to time, keeping pace with advancing civilization, and never shrinking from the difficulties and privations of backwoods life.
He had a good education for one of his day and was a fine penman. He looked up to and honored his neighbors wherever he lived. Always interested in public affairs, he was frequently an office holder. Physically he was a powerful man and fearless in danger and frequently served as constable or under sheriff, several interesting incidents of his career being left to us.
He was a member of the New York state Militia during the war of 1812 and served in the campaign along the Niagara frontier. In early life he was a member of the Presbyterian church as was also his second wife, I knew nothing of the pilgrim faith of his first wife. But he seems to have wandered from the fold. Yet when the things of time were slipping from his grasp he turned with anxious solicitude toward the future. Some two weeks before he died he made a complete surrender of himself to God, relying wholly on his mercy in Jesus. His son Allyn says, "His repentance was most genuine. He wept until his eyes were literally blood shot," and "God did not turn the wanderer away. He entered safely into the fold and in a few days died in peace." He died 24 December 1859 age 81 years 5 months and 7 days. He was buried in a little country grave yard four miles directly south of Mishmaker.
He was six feet in statue, large of frame and spare of flesh, but weighing in prime of life about 175 pounds. A daguerrotype, lying before me, shows him as he was in extreme age, with a good forehead, large deep set eyes, prominent were the cheek bones, large mouth and heavy under jaw. His face was beardless, save a short growth under his chin and his head was covered with hair so snowy white the artist hardly caught it. There is a sad but kind look upon his intelligent face. His eyes especially have a mournful expression. There is something about him in build and features very much resembling the pictures of Abraham Lincoln.The long life of Wm. Jr. was full of vicissitude and labor. In the strictest sense he was one of the pioneers of America. His days were all spent in log house and in clearing up heavy timbered land. He had a good education for one of his day and was a fine penman. Physically he was a powerful man and fearless in danger. He was six feet in stature, large of frame and spare of flesh, weighing in prime of life 175 lbs.