John Morgan and first wife, Ann Gillett, were converts to the church in England. John was born 28 March 1830 at Preston, Lancashire, England, the son of Joseph Morgan and Elizabeth Hardman. He sailed to America with his mother, sister and brother, at the age of ten on the ship, Sheffield, in 1841, landing in New Orleans, then coming up the Mississippi River to Nauvoo, Illinois. John was most likely involved in the winding up scenes in Nauvoo, and the sad days surrounding the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Ann Gillett was born 15 October 1832 at Hansworth, near Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, a daughter of Joshua Hague and Mary Butterly. She came to America with her parents and 4 siblings on the ship Zetland, 10 November 1849, to New Orleans.
No other details of their John and Ann’s early lives and courtship are known, but we do know they lived in Salt Lake for a time and then moved to Mill Creek. Fifteen children were born to this union.
John Morgan was a polygamist, taking a second wife, Karen Kristine Riis, on 13 April 1856. Karen Kristine was born 4 November 1839 in Denmark. She was the daughter of Hans Peter Riis and Margrethe Lythjesen. Karen Kristine came to America when she was 14 years old for the gospel’s sake.
In addition to the 15 children born to John and Ann, John and Karen Kristine had 8 children. John and both wives lived the remainder of their lives in Mill Creek.
John Morgan worked as a mason for a few years, then worked at farming. John went on a mission to the states in about 1874 (Utah was still a territory.) He labored for about one year and was then released to return home on account of poor health.
He filled several important positions in the church. He and his wife, Ann, worked for many years doing temple work in the Salt Lake temple for their kindred dead, on both the Morgan and Gillett lines.
John and Ann were sealed in the President’s Office 15 March 1852. John and Karen Kristine were sealed in the Endowment House 16 May 1856.
They were all industrious and hard working people, full of integrity and love for the church and for those around them. They were honest and God-fearing in all their daily dealings. Many hardships fell upon these two families for the country they settled was new and all were in poverty. They were strong believers in the gospel, and by living and trying to do the things they knew were right, they made their lives useful.
John died 7 April 1909 at his home in Millcreek, after suffering poor health for several years. Ann died 10 April 1918 and Karen Kristine died 25 April 1928, both also in Millcreek.
October, 2008: Obtained from Sherie (Peterson) Goring.
