Josiah Guile Hardy
1813-1894
Josiah Guile Hardy was born March 17, 1813 in Bradford, Massachusetts, the son of Sylvanus and Polly Boynton Hardy. He as a boy was robust and equal to any size in athletics. He learned to work early and was industrious all his life. He learned as an apprentice the carpenter and shoe making trades, but followed carpentry all his life.
He was religious and as early as 12 years left the Presbyterian faith for the Freewill Baptists, and at 19 turned to the Methodist congregation where he held the office of Steward and Clap Master.
On March 17, 1835 at the age of 22 years he was married to Sarah Clark. They were converted to the LDS faith the sixth of November, 1842. He was ordained to the Priesthood and held positions in the Church at Bradford. He left for the West on May 10, 1850 after enduring hardships incident to religious persecution he arrived in Salt Lake City on August 20, 1852.
He was active in military and police duties, being a member of the Bradford Light Brigade for seven years and missed only two drills during that time, being orderly sergeant for five of these years. In Salt Lake City he was a member of the city police for six years and as such was present at the breaking of the ground and laying of the cornerstone of the Salt Lake Temple. Also in this capacity he was present at the funeral of Jedidiah M. Grant. He served in the First Independent Rifle Company and the reorganized Nauvoo Legion and served during the Johnston Army episode. He was adjutant in the Legion.
He was sealed to his wife, Sarah Clark, in the Endowment House in 1855 and in 1857 he married as a second wife Ann Denston and was sealed to her by Brigham Young on October 23, 1857, also in the Endowment House.
Ann Denston was born February 24, 1838 in Birmingham, England the daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Wardell Denston. She and her mother with her stepfather William Taylor were converted to the Mormon Church in England and emigrated to America via New Orleans. William Taylor declared on hearing that polygamy was being taught that he would turn back if this were true.
Yellow fever prevented his carrying out his threat as he was buried somewhere between New Orleans and the plains. Ann Denston Hardy relates that as a girl of 12 with her widowed mother and younger half-brother, she continued their journey across the plains. A son was born to Elizabeth and alone she with her he children landed in Great Salt Lake City.
To Josiah Guile Hardy and Sarah Clark were born nine children and to Ann Denston ten came to grace their home. Josiah Guile Hardy and his son Warren were called to St. George where they spent years of service on the St. George Temple. Josiah’s services and contributions were generous and even though he had a large family and his flour was coming from the tithing office along with other contributions of loyal members. He and Warren did most of the turning work on the St. George Temple.
In 1892 Josiah Guile Hardy and his wife Ann and sons George, John, Aaron and Abel and daughters Laura and Mary moved to Mexico. He died in 1894 in Colonia Pacheco of dry gangrene of the foot.
Left widowed, Ann Denston Hardy turned to her rug loom and quilting to help the family income. Few are the homes in the colonies that were not carpeted by her. He loom remained in the colonies to do service after she left them and others were trained in this unique trade.
Josiah Guile Hardy and Ann Denston left an impression on the lives of the colonists in their devotion and faith and set an example of energy and thrift to be emulated. They raised a family of faithful and stalwart sons and daughters and their posterity live to do them homage and bear their name and faith.
Ann Denston Hardy was with the Saints in the Exodus during the 1912 Revolution and after a short stay in Douglas, Arizona went to live with her son John in Orderville, Utah, where she passed away at the age of 77 years.
Lucian M. Mecham, Jr. grandson
Stalwarts South of the Border, Nelle Spilsbury Hatch pg 219
