Robert Rierson Gardner

Robert Rierson Gardner is the first child born to Robert Gardner Jr. of Scotland and Jane McKeown of Canada, who were married in Canada, 1841.

With a desire to be with the other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they immigrated to America and joined the Edward Hunter – Joseph Horne Company to journey to the Salt Lake Valley.

According to Jane McKeown’s history, the company stopped to repair a bridge. Jane’s husband got down from the wagon to help with the repair. As he left, the ox team turned to one side of the trail to graze. Six-year-old Robert climbed down from the wagon in an effort to keep the oxen from moving off the road. As he stepped down, one of the oxen kicked him and threw him under the wheel as the wagon moved forward, seriously injuring young Robert. While mother was caring for a baby and two other children, Robert’s father held his little boy on his lap while driving the team. That evening, little Robert got down from the wagon, ran around and played, trying to assure his parents “he was not much hurt.” But soon he got back into the wagon and never got out again without help. Robert’s father held his son for a journey of 500 miles. Each day Robert grew thinner and more pale.

One night while camped on the banks of the Platte River, the pain ceased and little Robert passed away. Jane said that while wolves howled in the distance, she watched her husband lay their 6-year-old son in a shallow grave by the banks of the Platte River.