Joshua Hague Gillett was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, 8 July
1808. He came to America in 1849, with his wife, Mary Butterly, and
their six children. One child died coming over and was buried at sea.
The family settled at Alton, Illinois, for a time, where one boy died,
and their daughter, Mary Ann, was born.
Joshua and Mary and their family came across the plains in 1852. They
endured many pioneer hardships. Upon arriving in the Salt Lake valley,
they camped on “the Square,” as it was called. It is where
the Salt Lake City and County buildings now stand. They lived there one
year and then moved to Tooele, where they lived in a dug-out (where the
Spiers home now stands.) They had no windows and a dirt floor, and they
slept on cedar bark. The children’s bed was a buffalo robe.
The early settlers drew lots to obtain property. Grandpa drew the lot
where the Heb Vowel’s home now stands. The family built a one
room log home. This is where their daughter, Sarah, was born.
Joshua and Mary and their family lived in their log home for three
years, then moved to a farming area in Milton, Tooele County,
Utah, where their son, Brigham Joshua, was born.
They made a living feeding stock. After two years in Milton, the
arrival of Johnston’s army in Utah, caused the family to move
south to Lehi, where their daughter, Emma, was born. They lived in Lehi
two years. The government then made terms with Johnston’s Army
and the Gillett family, along with other settlers, moved back to their
land.
Their daughter, Ellen Rebecka, was born after they arrived back in
Milton. They had lived there about 8 years when Joshua died 18 April
1865. He was buried in the Tooele Cemetery.
Joshua was the leader of all the church affairs in Milton, and was also
the leader of the choir. He and his daughter, Mary Ann, would entertain
with singing and dancing at all of their social events. Joshua was very
particular about his morning prayers. All of the children had to be up
and washed, and ready to kneel at the old bench for prayers.
Mary moved back to their old place on Main Street in Tooele, and lived there until her death. Their son, Samuel, ran the farm.
Transcribed by Sherie (Peterson)
Goring in 2008. This document appears to be a rewrite of the
history of Joshua by his granddaughter Annie Kone, with some additional
information added to the end.
