George Carson

• George Carson
• Born: July 17, 1794 Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
• Died: December 20, 1851 Salt Lake City, Utah
• Related through: Dan’s grandmother Elvira Wilde Langford

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 County, Pennsylvania: 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 who were born in Greene, Wayne Co., Ohio, in 1827, where their son Washington was also born on April 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, and then making their home for a brief period in Caldwell County. Then 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 December 20, 1851.

The following account from 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 outfitted 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 the Little Cottonwood area. On December 20, 1851 George passed away and was buried in Little Cottonwood.”

Thanks to John Pratt for providing this history on his family history website.