| Wife: Ann Hough | |
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8 Children: William Huff Carson (1818-1901) John Carson Sr (1819-1895) Jonathan Carson (1820-1845) Elizabeth Carson (1822-1899) George Carson (1827-1856) David H Carson (1827-1905) Washington Carson (1830-1856) Mary Ann Carson (1833-1914) | |
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Father: William Carson Mother: Ruth Sherman Show Pedigree |
George Carson was born on July 17, 1794, the youngest son of William Carson and Ruth Sherman, in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. George married Ann Hough and they had eight children. George and Ann's family had six boys and two girls. The first three were born in Wayne, Mifflin Co., Penn. : William in 1818, John in 1819, and Jonathan in 1820. Their fourth child, and our ancestor, Elizabeth was also born in Mifflin County in 1822. Then they moved and had twins George and David born in Greene, Wayne Co., Ohio, in 1827, where their son Washington was also born on Apr. 18, 1830.
George and his family were converted to Mormonism through the preaching of Elders David Whitmer and Harry Whitlock at Sugar Creek, Worcester County, Ohio. They joined the saints and moved to Independence, Missouri, where their youngest child Mary Ann was born on March 16, 1833. They were expelled with the other Mormons by mob violence from Jackson County, Missouri. For the next five years lived in Clay County, then making their home for a brief period in Caldwell County. Whence they were driven with their people and went to Adams County, Illinois. In 1851 George migrated with the Mormons to Salt Lake City, Utah, where he died that year on Dec. 20, 1851.
The following account of some of his children was written by David H. Carson of Lehi, Utah, a great-grandson:
"It was in the spring of 1851 that George Carson and his family set out for Utah. In the family group were their children William Carson and family, John and family, Elizabeth and her husband Patison D. Griffith and family, the twins David and George, Washington, Mary Ann and her husband Thomas Bradford Ewings, who were married May 19, 1851.
"At Winter Quarters they were out fitted with the usual stock of supplies for the trip across the plains. The Mormon Emigrant Train in which they traveled was under the direction of Captain Harry Walton. There were sixty wagons in the train. William Huff Carson was the Captain of ten wagons. The journey was long but pleasant. Two deaths occurred on the way. Those were Mother Thompson and Miss Kingsley. She was killed by jumping from a runaway wagon. Then the oxen could smell the blood of slain buffalo they would get mad and this caused a stampede. William's team was the only one that did not run away. He controlled his oxen by means of rope line which he had just put on them.
"The George Carson family arrived in Salt Lake Valley the latter part of September 1851. They went directly to Little Cottonwood. On December 14, 1851 George passed away and was buried in little Cotton Wood. William's wife died July 7,1854 leaving a family of five, the youngest was William Harrison Carson, who was born in a covered wagon at Loop Fork Nebraska. The stop over for the child was just one half day. Quoting from William Harrison in 1933 he said: 'Sula Goddard lived with us and before Mother died she asked Sula if she would care for us five children. She did and about a year later married father (William Huff)'.
"In 1855 the five Carson brothers, along with William Beardshall, John Clegg, Amos Fielding settled at Fairfield, Utah, and others came later. They established themselves a fort which they erected as a protection against the Indians. The fort was four rods square and was built in 1856-1857. In 1856 Indian trouble started. On the 21st of February, 1856 George Jr. was fatally wounded by Indians on the south side of town. After the skirmish the Indians went over toward Utah Lake by way of Soldier Pass. On February 22, they met and killed Washington Carson and Henry Moran, who were caring for some cattle near the lake. On that same day George died, making three deaths by the Tintic Indians. The Indians headed for the Tintic District and were never over taken.
"I (David) do not personally remember anything about the Carson brothers who were killed by Indians except what was told me in later years by my father, William F. Carson and my grandfather John Carson and Uncle William Huff Carson. I assume they worked hard as they could the next two years trying to raise things to eat. Improve their farms, build homes, and keep from being killed by the Indians was their challenge.
"In the summer of 1858 twenty-five hundred men of the United States Army moved through Salt Lake City. President Brigham Young had the promise from General Albert Sidney Johnston that the army would not camp nearer than forty miles of Salt Lake City. Camping first near the mouth of West Canyon (the north end of Cedar Valley). After discovering that the water in the creek dried up late in summer they moved on down to Fairfield and camped south of the creek running from the Fairfield Spring. This creek became the dividing line between the military and civilian population which soon after that time numbered about seven thousand. As soon as the army was settled they named the army camp Camp Floyd in honor of the Secretary of War.
The Pony Express: "On April 7,1880 there was great excitement. It was a horse-man riding on the run. In his saddle were two pouches. The first mail from California by Pong Express. At Fort Floyd a fresh horse was waiting and the mail was transferred and the rider quickly disappeared in the direction of Salt Lake City. A few hours later another rider coming from the opposite direction passed through with mail on his way to Sacramento, California. These trips made exciting days for the camp.
The Civil War:
"The Civil War broke out and as suddenly as the camp sprung to life, it began to vanish. Wagons
were again loaded and the soldiers prepared to move. There were many supplies to be sold.
Buyers came from Salt Lake and other Utah towns for the sale. It had been reported that about
four million dollars worth of goods were sold for a hundred thousand dollars. The commissary
building erected in 1858 was sold to a local farmer Mr. William Beardshaw. Part of it still stands
across from the John Carson Hotel." (End of quote from David Carson.)