1. PIONEER HISTORY OF
John Henry Gordon (1855 – 1938)
Files of: Erma P. Gordon Anderson (additions by Joe Anderson)
John Henry Gordon
Born: 25 Sep 1855, Castle Eden, Durham, England
Died: 13 Oct 1938 at Provo, Utah, Utah
Castle Eden
Castle Eden is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated a
short distance to the south of Peterlee, Wingate, the A19 and Castle Eden
Dene.
Castle Eden Dene is a dene in County Durham, south of Peterlee and
north of Castle Eden. It is a National Nature Reserve which cuts through
the magnesian limestone of east Durham from Wingate down to the
coast between Horden and Blackhall. It is rich in flora and fauna
including the rare Durham Argus butterfly and stands of ancient Yew
trees. Castle Eden Dene is the largest area of semi-natural woodland in
north-east England, renowned for yew trees. The tangled landscape is a
survivor of the wildwood that once covered most of Britain.
JOHN HENRY GORDON BIRTH CERTIFICATE
.
2. Castle Eden, England
Castle Eden was a coal mining town and his father worked as a pitman in the coal mines.
Church of England Parishes, Castle Eden St. James, Location: Durham County
John Henry his family and his parents joined the LDS Church in England
Father, John Henry, his wife Hannah and 4 children {Frances Jane (b: 1848), Foster (b:1850) Robert (b:
1853) and John Henry (b:1855}) left England between 1855 and 1860 and crossed the Atlantic in a sailing
ship. It took them six weeks to cross.
They settled on a farm in Ohio, near where Columbus is now. They lived there awhile then joined
Captain Murdock's ox train at Florence, Nebraska and traveled to Utah.
INSERT: Father, John Henry Gordon, was a coal miner in England. It is interesting to note that coal
mining was a major industry in Ohio during the 1850’s 1860 and on to the present day. John Henry Gordon,
may have found employment in the Ohio coal mines.
3. 1890 US Census
Over the kitchen table, it may be hard to remember dates from 30 year before.
According to 1890 Census,
Foster Gordon: Lists Immigration year: 1859
Robert Gordon: Lists Immigration year: 1863
Their brothers were born in SLC, Utah: Samuel (born 1861) and George (born 1863)
IMMIGRATION- RECORDS ARE CONTRIDICTORY OR NOT AVAILABLE
Family records say they were with the “Captain Murdock’s company”. Captain John Murdock was
captain of five wagon trains between 1861 and 1868. Since their son Samuel was born Oct 1861 in Salt
Lake City, Utah the family was with the 1861 Murdock wagon train which arrived in SLC, Utah 10 Sept.
1861.
Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, 1847–1868 John R. Murdock Company (1861)
http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/library/pioneercompany
http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/library/pioneercompanysources/0,16272,4019-1-215,00.html
John Henry Gordon and his family are not listed, in the above record, as traveling with this Company. There
is not an official roster. The site above (the historical record) list about 156 individuals. The Company had
about 50 wagons and about 18 people were assigned to each wagon which equals 900 people. So, it is not
unusual that many families are not listed in the available records.
Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, 1847–1868 John R. Murdock Company (1861)
John R. Murdock Company (1861)
Depart: SLC, Utah, 1 May 1861
Departure: Florence, Neb, 4 July 1861
Arrival Salt Lake Valley: Abt 10 September 1861
Company Information:
This company consisted mostly of Scandinavian Saints from the ship "Monarch of the Sea" when it
began its journey from the outfitting post at Florence, Nebraska (now Omaha).
NOTE: Ancestor Harriet Louisa Peacock’s sister, Emily Ellen Peacock & husband Thomas Smith, are listed
in the record as traveling with the 1861 Murdock Team.
Trail Excerpt: Murdock, John Riggs
In the year 1861 I [John R. Murdock] was
called," he says, "to take charge of a
Church train consisting of fifty wagons and
as many drivers. There were four yoke of
oxen to each wagon. It was our mission to
go down to the Missouri river and bring
emigrants to Utah. After making our
preparations, we started (From SLC, Utah)
about the first of May, 1861. Grass was
short; consequently we had to use great
care in providing suitable food for our
teams, and to drive prudently until the
grass improved. Before leaving Salt Lake
4. City we loaded up with flour and other provisions to meet the needs of the emigrants with whom we were
to return. These supplies we deposited at certain points along the road, so that we could use them on our
return.
"It generally took about nine weeks to cross the plains. "Our first trip down," he says, "was without any
particular incident. We remained at the river a short time and then loaded the luggage of the emigrants
into our wagons. There were from sixteen to twenty persons, men, women, and children, assigned to each
wagon. Those who were old enough to walk were expected to do so the greater part of the way. They
would ride, occasionally, when the roads were good. I always appointed two men whose duty it was to
look after the passengers. It was certainly novel to see a train starting out with everything that could be
put into wagons and everything that could be tied to the outside, such as buckets, cans and all kinds of
cooking utensils. It reminded one of an old turkey with a brook of young ones keeping her company.
Generally there were about seven hundred passengers in one train. The organization was systematic and
complete. It consisted of a captain, an assistant, a chaplain, a quarter-master, hospital steward, a camp
guard, and a night guard for the stock. The chaplain took charge of the religious services, and we had
prayer night and morning. We also had a choir with its leader. The people were called together by means
of a bugle."
The experiences of the emigrants were educational as well as fraternal. These attachments resulted in
life-long friendships.
Continued: John Henry Gordon
The family first settled in the [Salt Lake] 10th Ward. John Henry’s Grandparents, Foster & Sarah
Frances Gordon, came to Utah during 1863. Then they lived in Hoytsville. John Henry’s father and
grandfather were stone masons by trade and built a flour mill in Coalville.
His Grandparents moved to Skull Valley, Utah as caretakers at the Park Ranch. However, on 22 Oct
1865 they were both murdered at their home at the Park Ranch.
John Henry’s father hauled freight and after settling his family and establishing himself in Salt Lake he
secured
a good team and wagon and started back across the plains by way of the Oregon Trail. He was last heard
from [in 1868] at Blackfoot, Idaho. It is thought he was killed by Indians.
John Henry married Mary Rebecca Bolton on November 19,
1876, in Salt Lake City. She was the daughter of Curtis E. Bolton
and Mary Bunker of Long Island, Queens County, New York,
and Nauvoo, Illinois. Mary Rebecca Bolton was born on 15 Nov
1857 in Millcreek, Salt Lake Co., Utah.
They moved from Salt Lake City to Provo in 1886, and were
among the first to plant orchards at that place; raised the first
lucerne (alfalfa) seed in Utah County. He assisted in making the
canals and wagon roads and worked ten years on the Blue Cliff
canal. He also assisted in planting the orchard on the farm known
as the Carry Farm. He took part in protecting the settlers against
the Indians.
5. Their children:
1 Frances Maud born December 12, 1877, married Otto Olsen;
2 Lewis Waterman born December 18, 1879, married Jennie Carter;
3 John born January 19, 1882, married Nellie Scott, married Eliza Boberg;
4 Minnie born April 16, 1884, married Oliver Knowles;
5 Hannah born April 4, 1886, married Wallace Baum;
6 Guy born February 26, 1888;
7 Robert born January 26, 1890, married Lydia Whitely;
8 Leon born July 7, 1892, married Ethel Ashton;
9 Curtis born December 29, 1894;
10 Vera born February 29, 1896;
11 Alphretta born May 23, 1899.
Mary Rebecca died 14 March 1905 at Provo, Utah
John Henry died 13 Oct 1938 at Provo, Utah
FIND A GRAVE
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=43219087
John Henry Gordon, Jr
Birth: Sep. 23, 1855, County Durham, England
Death: Oct. 13, 1938, Provo, Utah County, Utah, USA
Family links: Spouse: Mary Rebecca Bolton Gordon (1857 - 1905)
Burial: Provo City Cemetery , Provo, Utah County, Utah, USA
Your tombstone stands among the rest neglected and alone.
The name and date are chiseled out on polished, marbled stone.
It reaches out to all who care. It is too late to mourn.
You did not know that I exist. You died and I was born.
Yet each of us are cells of you in flesh, in blood, in bone.
Our heart contracts and beats a pulse entirely not our own.
Dear Ancestor, the place you filled one hundred years ago.
Spreads out among the ones you left who would have loved you so.
I wonder as you lived and loved, I wonder if you knew
That someday I would find this spot and come to visit you.
Author Unknown
6. =========================================================================
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F8PR-TJN
"Utah, Marriages, 1887-1966," John H Gordon, 1905
groom's name: John H Gordon, groom's birth date: 1855, groom's age: 50
bride's name: Angie Mccandles, bride's birth date: 1855, bride's age: 50
marriage date: 30 Oct 1905, marriage place: Utah Co, Utah
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MNSK-VF4
1880 John Gordon, "United States Census"
name : John Gordon event place: Mill Creek, Salt Lake, Utah, United States
gender: Male age: 25 marital status : Married occupation : Laborer
ethnicity (standardized) : American relationship to head : Self
birthplace : England birthdate : 1855
spouse's name : Mary R. Gordon spouse's birthplace : Utah, United States
father's birthplace : England mother's birthplace : England
Household Gender Age Birthplace
self John Gordon M 25 England
wife Mary R. Gordon F 23 Utah, United States
daughter Francis M. Gordon F 3 Utah, United States
son Lewis Gordon M 1 Utah, United States
mother-in-law Rebecca Bolton F 66 Pennsylvania, United
States
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M5XD-FDW
1910 John H Gordon, "United States Census"
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M8PL-Z8X
1920 J H Gordon, "United States Census"
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XH6L-6YX
1930 John H Gordon, "United States Census"
