A Brief Life History
Great-grandson of Philp Cardon and Martha Marie Tourn
Grandson of Louis Philip Cardon and Susette Stalé
Son of Joseph Samuel Cardon and Selenia Walker
Joseph Elmer Cardon, oldest son of Joseph Samuel Cardon and Salina N. Walker was born the 24th day of December, 1877 at Woodruff, Arizona, being one of the first of the Latter Day Saint children born in that locality. He was born in a wagon box shortly after the arrival of his pioneer parents into that country.
When he was eight years of age, his father and grandfather were among the first of the Mormons to move to Mexico. On this journey Elmer was detailed to drive the cattle and extra horses belonging to his father and grandfather. He grew to manhood in old Mexico and there married Lucinda Hurst. A study of his history indicates that while in Mexico he was engaged in building railroads, dams and canals, in freighting and at farming and ranching.
At the time of the Mexican revolution in 1912, he, along with the rest of the Mormon colonists, was forced to leave the country. He sent his family to El Paso in box cars on a freight train, while he with the other men stayed behind to try to protect their property. They, too, were finally forced to flee. On just a few minutes notice, Elmer hitched two of his mares to a borrowed buggy and took with him several elderly men who were not able to ride so far horseback. He was told how they were able to take with them only a sack of flour for provisions. They prepared this flour by pouring a little water in the top of the sack, stirring it around and then cooking it on a stick over the fire.
Although he returned a short time later to remove what livestock and tools he was able to save, he never returned to that country to live.
He lived in Binghampton, now a part of Tucson, for a time and later lived in New Mexico and Colorado where he was a farmer.
He came to Mesa from Colorado in 1943 and has resided here since that time. Until his health would no longer permit, he was very active as a temple worker and served as an ordained ordinance worker for eight years. During much of this time he was employed as a caretaker on the temple grounds.
One daughter, Hazel, preceded him in death. Surviving him are his wife, Lucinda of Mesa, five sons, Joseph of Durango, Colorado, Ernest of Turlock, California, Eugene of Farmington, New Mexico, Udell of Ignacio, Colorado and Lloyd of Winslow, Arizona; four daughters, Ella, Mrs. Howard Goodman, of Farmington, New Mexico, Mildred, Mrs. Ernest Kleinworth of Winslow, Arizona, Gladys, Mrs. Vernon Jack of Lukachuia, Arizona and Lois, Mrs. James Chalk of Manteca, California, forty-three grandchildren and sixty-five living great grandchildren.
Also three brothers, Lester, William and Harold, all of El Paso and three sisters, Mrs. Eva Farnsworth of Mesa, Mrs. Ethel Farnsworth of El Paso and Mrs. Mabel Webb of Farmington, New Mexico as well as his father’s second wife, Aunt Rhoda as we of the family affectionately call her.
He passed away at Mesa, Arizona on May 8th, 1965.
