Joseph's Story
Birth: ?? ??, 1846 | male | in Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois
Death: ?? ??, 1848 | 2 years old | on the Mormon Trail
Memorial: Stone 1 | right column
Joseph Gordon is the second of eight children born to James Gordon and Mary Ballantyne, both from Scotland. James and Mary were married in 1843 and immigrated to America.
After arriving in Nauvoo, Illinois to be with other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, their son Joseph was born.
In 1848, the Gordon family joined an “unknown company” to cross the plains bound for to the Salt Lake Valley. Exhaustive travel conditions, disease, injury, lack of food and medicine, premature birth, and extreme weather were some of the greatest threats to pioneers.
According to Mary Gordon’s history: “Dad made a small rig that was pulled by a horse and Mary drove it across the plains herself. Their child, Joseph, fell off and died from the fall. He was buried on the plains.”
It is unknown where 3-year-old Joseph passed away.