Penelope Randolph (Gardner) Goodrich (1793 - 1875)

Born 27 Dec 1793 in Hopkinton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 19 Dec 1875 at age 81 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States

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Biography

Penelope (Gardner) Goodrich was a Latter Day Saint pioneer.

Penelope Randolph Gardner was born on 27 December 1793, the third child in the large family of Abel and Lusannah Bryant Gardner.^[1] Penelope first heard about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from her brother, George Bryant Gardner. She and four of her children were baptized September 2, 1849. Prior to joining the LDS Church, Penelope had been a devout member of the Episcopal Methodist Church for over twenty years. Penelope began keeping a detailed journal of her life shortly after the death of her husband which can be found in the Goodridge-Goodrich Family Story; Her final entry in her journal reads, I am now 81 years and 5 months old. . . . I do feel thankful to my Heavenly Father that I can do as well as I have. My sight is poor; my hand is not as steady as formerly. God be praised for all his goodness to me. I close this 26th day of May,; She died seven months later.

• Written by Penelope when she was 75 years old as part of her journal.

So I am seventy-five years old, and when I look back upon my past life it seems but yesterday, or but a few years at most, since I, in my childish glee, was playing with my brothers and sisters around my father's hearthstone, and where are they now? An echo says where? Ah, some of them are gone to that home from which no traveler returns, and gone too without hearing the sound of the everlasting gospel as it is declared to us in this last dispensation.

As I grew to womanhood, my mind became more serious, being impressed with the idea that there was something more for me to do than to eat, drink, and be merry. And as religious meetings were common, revival meetings frequent, I attended many of them and in the process of time had my name enrolled with the Wesleyan Episcopal Methodist, and for nearly twenty years was a member of that society. Had many reasons of rejoicing with them, believing they were the best people there were in the world, because they were the most persecuted of any people or sect that I knew of in those days. Something over twenty years ago, my brother George Gardner, (who is now living in Arizona) came to make me a visit. He brought the truths of the Everlasting Gospel with him, taught them to me. I believed and embraced the same. I came out from the Methodist, was led into the waters of baptism by an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the 2nd of September 1849.

In the spring of 1850, I, with all my family, started from the Eastern states, even Massachusetts, for the valley of the mountains and arrived here in the October following. Did I make any sacrifice? Not in my feelings, but as the saying is, our property went for a song. I did not care for that, if I could only get to the Valley. I am here, and not for one moment have I ever wished myself back again. I can see the hand of the Lord has been over me for good even from my childhood up to the present time. Nevertheless I have had many trials, troubles and afflictions to pass through, but the Lord has sustained me. Even now, in my old age, He is my comforter and my guide. Praise be His holy name!

The Elder who baptized me first into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was L. W. Hardy, and it was through his instrumentality that I and my family were gathered to the Valley of the mountains. He has proved to be an undeviating friend to me and mine ever since I came here. He has three of my daughters for wives, he fitted out George for his southern mission by taking my lot, and is to provide for me while I live, and I feel pretty safe in his care. L. W. Hardy is now bishop of the 12th Ward.

FROM PENELOPE RANDALL GARDNER GOODRICH'S RECORD

Able Gardner, my father was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and served to its close. He also was in the war of 1812 for which he received a pension.

He at last settled in Temple, New Hampshire and afterwards in Sharon, New Hampshire where he worked at his trade, blacksmith, until the death of his wife. He then went to live with his daughter Rachel Ware in Fitchburg, Massachusetts where he died in 1840.

He was not an educated man but he possessed strong good sense, good nature and an abundance of wit and humor. He was a genial, kind-hearted man.

Abel Gardner's father, Jacob Gardner, lived in Hingham, Massachusetts. He married Rachel Smith. They had seven sons: Ezekiel, Able, Bela, Jacob, Gad, Benjamin and Casswell. They had four daughters: Hannah, Rachel and Leah, the other name not given.

Abel Gardner's mother was Susannah Bryant. Her father was Joshua Bryant. Her mother was Susannah Randolph. They were married at Plymouth, Massachusetts. They moved to Temple, Massachusetts in 1798. She died in Sharon, New Hampshire 19 July 1833 at age 66. Her husband married a widow Mansfield in 1835. He died in Fitzburg, Massachusetts April 29, 1840 at age 77.

The Gardners’ came from Hingham, Massachusetts and the Bryants’ from Plymouth, Massachusetts. The following was sent Harriet Goodridge Hardy by Stearns Ripley, son of Lewis Ripley and Sophia W. Gardner living at that time in North Chelmsford, Massachusetts, dated August 5, 1896:

Jacob Gardner, born 1740, married Rachel Smith. Their children are: Ezekiel, born about 1761, died 1840 at Hingham, Massachusetts Abel, born about 1763 Bela, born about 1765 Hannah, born about 1767 Jacob, born about 1769 Gad, born about 1774 Benjamin, born about 1778 Caswell, born about 1782 Stearns Ripley was born 1826 and died 13 September 1898 in Clemsford, Massachusetts.

Penelope Gardner. Other Name: Penelope Goodrich. ^[2]

Marriage 1 APR 1823. ^[2]

Penelope and Benjamin went to "Utah Terr'y" after their marriage.^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ Note: LDS Pioneer Overland Travel 1847-1868 web site gives her date of birth as 27 December 1790 and her name as Penelope Randall Goodridge.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Lafayette Wallace Case M.D., Author Role: Editor The Goodrich Family in America. A Genealogy of the Descendants of John and William Goodrich of Wethersfield, Conn., Rich Publication: Fergus Printing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1889, Second Date, 1984 page 366

• "Utah Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel Database, 1847-1868", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/QK9B-ZSZ2 : 20 May 2016), Penelope Randall Goodridge, 1850.

Immigration Event Date 14 Oct 1850 Event Place Utah, United States Gender Female Birth Date 27 Dec 1790 Departure Date 16 Jun 1850 Death Date 19 Dec 1875 Pioneer Company Wilford Woodruff Company

• "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F4X9-GF2 : 13 July 2016), Penelopy in entry for Mary Jane Goodridge, 11 Jun 1825; citing Birth, Lunenburg, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States, , town clerk offices, Massachusetts; FHL microfilm 758,012.
• "Utah, Missionary Department Missionary Registers, 1860-1930," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/QKDW-YCPR : 26 February 2016), Penelope Gardner in entry for Geo Albert Goodrich, Southern States; records extracted by FamilySearch and images digitized by Church History library, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; citing Missionary Register v. 2, Missionary department missionary registers 1860-1959, CR 301 22, Church History Library, Salt lake City, Utah.
• "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F4XS-PZF : 13 July 2016), Penelopy in entry for Leonard B Goodridge, 07 May 1830; citing Birth, Lunenburg, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States, , town clerk offices, Massachusetts; FHL microfilm 758,012.
• "Utah, Salt Lake County Death Records, 1849-1949," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NQHG-G6P : 5 December 2014), Penelope B Goodridge, 18 Dec 1875; citing Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, Management and Archives, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 4,139,616.
• "BillionGraves Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KX17-TMY : 1 July 2016), Penelope R. Gardner Goodridge, died 19 Dec 1875; citing BillionGraves (http://www.billiongraves.com : 2012), Burial at Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States.
• Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 13 January 2021), memorial page for Penelope Randall Gardner Goodridge (27 Dec 1793–19 Dec 1875), Find A Grave: Memorial #6759348, citing Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, USA ; Maintained by Nila Wagner (contributor 46550524) .