George Alma Gardner

George Alma Gardner is the son of Moses Isaac Gardner and Polly Ann Pierson, both from New Jersey. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the family desired to trek west to the Salt Lake Valley. The Gardner’s, with some of their children, joined the Isaac Bullock Company and left June 1852.

Disease, injury, lack of food and medicine, prematurity, and weather were some of the greatest threats to pioneers. Cholera (a bacterial disease caused from contaminated water) infected many of the Saints in the company. George Alma, his mother and father all became victims of the illness. George, 12-years-old, passed away on July 27 and is buried in Nebraska somewhere along the Mormon Trail. His mother, Polly Ann, died two days later and his father, Moses, the following day on July 31.

The surviving children traveled with other Saints and reached the Salt Lake Valley.