1832 – 1911
Son of Philip Cardon and Martah Marie Tourn
Louis Philip Cardon(1832-1911)
Extracted from “Cardon Family Saga Eternal Quest For Truth” compiled and edited by Amy Cardon Odell 1991, pages 13-16
Louis Philip Cardon was the fifth child of Philippe Cardon and Marthe Marie Tourn. Edith and Lucille write(7,8) born 9 Mar 1832, Cardon, Prarostino, Italy in one of three Cottian Alp Valleys, commonly known as Piedmont valleys. After their trip across the plains, Louis Philip married Sarah Ann Wellborn. No children were born to this union. In 1857 at Logan, Utah Louis Philip married a second wife, Susette Stale.
Lucille Cardon Matthews (8) wrote in 1968 about Louis Philip Cardon: “Philip and Susette’s oldest child, Joseph S. was born in 1858, the year that Pres. James Buchanan, Pres. of the U.S. sent Johnson’s Army to suppress or annihilate the Mormons.. . Rather than being trapped in their homes, the first of May, found all the Philip Cardon’s family among the saints from the North Settlements in Great Salt Lake city, prepared for the move of the Mormons in a body, south for Sonora Mexico. They had been instructed to cache most of the three year food supply each was supposed to have stored, and leave enough men in each settlement, to set fire and destroy every building, field and garden if the soldiers were unfriendly. (The army did not come into the town and the Mormons returned to their homes) Susette’s second child was born in Ogden, Utah. . . Philip moved his family to Logan before April 1861. They had hoped that by moving to a frontier village they would avoid the unpleasant incidents caused by the great agitation going over plural families, in the heavier populated towns. It was a short lived peace, the persecutions with more settlers reached Logan. Philip Cardon moved his family to Oxford, Cache valley’s most Northern boundary, considered part of Utah, where the taxes were paid until 1872, when Idaho made her claim to the land ‘stick’ and Oxford Cache Valley Utah became Oxford Oneida (now Franklin) Idaho.. . . Their two youngest children, Louis Paul and Isabelle Susette, were born in what was then Utah.
‘Molested by Indians everyone lived in the Fort, until 1868 before they felt safe to move out to their own lots.. . Philip’s family like all pioneer villagers used every member of the family to plant and harvest the fields, orchards and gardens, to raise chickens, ducks and domestic animals for work, transportation and butchering for food. Philip and his sons raised sheep for revenue. The women made pillows, feather beds and comforters of the duck feathers. Susette spun wool into threads for weaving into cloth, knit socks and blankets . . .They stored a three year supply of food, were well clothed and in homes as comfortable as frontier conditions at the time allowed.
“The persecution against plural marriage became so persistent that Louis Philip traveled to Salt lake City to ask advice from Pres. Brigham Young. Pres. Young arose from his chair, smote the palm of one hand with the fist of the other, and said, “Brother Cardon, it is about time for the Saints to move to Arizona, as I have been thinking about. Be here in a week with your wife and belongings. The Company will be ready to leave.”
“The “Company” with four captains. . . Louis Philip’s family settled at Lake’s Camp, called Obed an the Little Colorado River. . .Philip being a stone mason had supervision of the buildings. The village was entirely surrounded by a stone wall about nine to ten feet high with port holes properly arranged to defend themselves against the Indians. The houses were arranged on the inside of the Fort, some were made of stone and had slate for floors, the roofs were of slabs arranged like shingles. Because it was swampy and due to malaria the camp had to be abandoned and Philip arranged to move to Woodruff.. In all of these settlements the “United Order” was practiced. This called for faith and sacrifice from the Cardons, for they had ample supplies for two years. They also had more cattle than any one else. However, they were willing to share with those less blessed who would have suffered without help. The two year supply was so far gone the Presiding Elder of Woodruff, called Joseph (the oldest child) with selected others to earn provisions for all until a dam across the Little Colorado River could be accomplished. In time, the cows and other stock were returned to their owners.
“The Cardon men felt they must move to a place where they could raise a crop. and they moved to Taylor, Arizona. They took contracts for freighting 6,000 pounds of flour from Showlow to Fort Apache. . In the fall of 1884, they took about 3000 head of sheep an shares. Just after they had taken the sheep, Philip and his son Joseph were advised by Pres. Taylor to move to Mexico.” They left Snowflake, Arizona, 9 Feb. 1885. On their arrival at Luna, New Mexico, on Feb. 15, they were organized into a traveling company with E.A. Noble as Captain. Capt. Noble’s Company of Arizona Exiles arrived at a point of the Cases Grande River near the town of La Ascencion, Chihuahua, Mexico.
“The company divided and Philip and his son Joseph moved on to locate on the Padres Verdes River, to be the founders of Colonia Juarez, 1885.. . By 1897 all of the Cardon family were united in Colonia Dublan, after persuading Philip and Auntie to sell their home in Juarez.
Lucille Cardon Matthews (8) continues: “I remember Grandpa Cardon, his was a quiet disposition. There was something about his dignified bearing that demanded respect wherever he happened to be.. . . He was between 5’9-11″ tall, medium weight, nice complexion and gentle brown eyes, the right background to set off the white thatch of hair and bushy mustache. I was never sure if his stoop came from naturally walking with his head thrust forward or if he was a little bent with age. I am sure it had nothing to do with his carrying a walking cane, that was the mark of a gentleman. It made me so proud to be allowed to walk with him, if only across the back end of the lot.”
“He was a skilled mason and stonecutter. He did much to erect the homes and public places in town. He helped lay the walls of the first mill for grinding grains raised by the farmers.
“He built the two story brick home surrounded by fruit and shade trees where he lived with “Grandma Juarez” to us children, “Auntie” to our parents, Sarah Ann Welborn.” Lucille (8) tells of the wonderful well that was a little south of the broad pathway to the front entrance. She said many people came for the good water.
“Philip spoke the dialects, French, Italian, mastered English without an accent. I have heard him talk to Mexican natives, German and Scandinavian converts, each in what must have been his own language. The one I liked best was to the Rumanian Gypsies, as they passed through the Colony of Dublan, picking up anything they could that happened to be lying around loose, bringing great excitement to the town youngsters, with a large black bear they let us look at for nothing, but if we wanted to see him dance, we must pay for it. Every kid emptied his pockets . . . Not until our business transaction, done mostly in sign language, was completed, and the bear forced to his feet did we see just standing was agony to him, his paws were raw sores. We lost interest in the ‘once in a life time chance of seeing a bear dance, and wanted our money back. They no longer understood the sign language. Grandpa Cardon came to our aid, but no amount of talking made them give us a refund, for they would make the bear dance. Grandpa said why not do a good deed, and bargain with them, let them keep the loot, if the bear would not have to dance until his paws we healed. They promised with many smiles and waving of hands.”
“Philip’s health failed and when it did not improve, Aunt Amelia, a nurse, felt she could do more for him in her home. Early one morning a month of so later, Aunt Katie and I were awakened to be told Grandfather was no longer with us. He had answered the “Call” to a home of no more moves 9 April 1911.”
PATRIARCHAL BLESSING, COLONIA DUBLAN, MAY 26, 1906
A Patriarchal blessing upon the head of Lewis Philip Cardon, son of Phillip and Martha Marie Tourin, born Sept. 12, 1832, Nida, St. Shone Co., Italy. Given under the hands of Patriarch Chas. Pulsifer.
Bro. Lewis: In the authority of my holy calling, I place my hands upon your head and confer upon you a patriarchal blessing. Thy lineage is of Joseph who was sold into Egypt, and thou hast come down through the loins of Ephraim, hence thou art entitled to all the blessings of the new and everlasting covenant, for thou hast left thy native land and gathered up unto Zion for the Gospel’s sake. And the Lord is well pleased with the intents of thy heart and although you may wade through much sorrow and difficulty, the Lord will overrule the outcome for thy welfare. For He will bless the honest in heart according to the desires and motives of the act. And the angels of thy presence shall go with you to direct thy footsteps in the paths of Eternal Truth, and you shall have joy in seeing your offsprings serve the Lord and every act of kindness which you bestow upon others shall return unto you abundantly, for the Lord knoweth the sincerity of thy heart and will bless and strengthen you according to your day. That you may yet live upon the earth until you are satisfied with life and help to redeem thy numerous dead relatives who will come up and met you with great joy and satisfaction in time to come. You shall take pleasure in doing the work for them who did not have the opportunity to do for themselves and thus you shall become their Savior. These blessings shall add to thy comfort and be stars in thy crown. For I reconfirm and seal upon your head all former ordinances and blessings and seal you up to come forth in the morning of the first resurrection to enjoy all the blessings the Lord has in store for His faithful children and receive a glorious celestial body where pain and sickness have no power but there shall be a joyous meeting with the saints of God, for I seal these blessings upon your head with the blessings of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, by virtue and authority of my Holy Patriarchal calling, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Myrtle Humphrey, Recorder (Patriarchal Blessings, Vol. 97, p 36)
References
7. Thatcher, Edith Cardon, “Louis Philip Cardon (1832-1911)
8. Matthews, Lucille Cardon, “A Brief Story of Louis Philip Cardon 1832-1911.”