Joseph Samuel Cardon and Selenia Mesenile Walker Cardon
Cardon Families Mexico Tour
Cardon
Cardon
Joseph Samuel was the first child born to Louis Phillip Cardon and Susette Stalé on 9 Jan 1858 in Ogden, Weber, UT. Physically, he was a small active man, always busy. He had grey eyes and black hair. He was a sober child and dependable. He was ordained an Elder at age 16 on July 23, 1874 and married the same day to Selenia, who was 19 years old. Selenia bore him 11 children, 5 of whom died. They lived in Oxford, ID from 1874 to 1876 where he was farming.
In the spring or summer of 1876, he was called as an Arizona missionary by apostle Brigham Young Jr. to help settle Arizona. He lived in Obed and Woodruff and Taylor near Snowflake, AZ. He married a second wife, Cornelia Van Dam, a Dutch convert on 9 Feb 1883 in the St. George Temple. Because of persecution of polygamists, he went to Mexico in 1884 (1885) and settled in Colonia Juarez and then Colonia Dublán. Cornelia bore a son, James Ellis in 1884, who died in infancy. On Aug 5, 1885 Cornelia died in Taylor, AZ. He married a 3rd wife, Rhoda Anna McClellan 24 Jul 1888 in Colonia Diaz, Mexico. Rhoda bore him 9 children.
Joseph Samuel was very sensitive to spiritual promptings and heeded them. One incident related by Joseph Elmer Cardon, his oldest son. On a return trip from Mexico to Arizona, he had a strong impression at a place called “Cowboy Pass” to take a cutoff road instead of a road going around the ridge. He later learned that Indians were in wait to ambush him and his partner, Gibbons on the other road. Thus his life was spared.
Joseph and Selenia first settled in Colonia Juarez on a tract of land that was about 3 miles below Colonia Juarez where they harvested their first crops. Finding that they were outside the limits of the land purchased by the Church, they moved to a city block in Colonia Juarez, built a home and planted orchards and vineyards. Later they purchased 40 acres about 5 miles above Colonia Juarez and built a home. They raised cattle. There were miracles in providing water. After a two day fast, an earthquake shook the land and caused ample water to be supplied to both Colonia Dublán and Colonia Juarez. Later they moved to Colonia Dublán.
Joseph Samuel was always active in the Church. He worked in the MIA and Sunday School, was a Stake High Counselor, a counselor in the Taylor AZ ward and a counselor in the Dublán ward bishoprics. He always took a responsible and active part in the temporal developments. His last work was superintendent of the construction of the big canal in Colonia Dublán, Mexico. He contracted typhoid fever during the construction and died 28 Sept 1908 in Colonia Dublán.
Selenia was born 4 Feb 1855 in Grantsville, Tooele, UT. She was a devoted mother and wife. She died 6 Oct 1906 in Colonia Dublán.