John Carling

and his wives

Emeline Keaton & Ann Green
 
John Carling, son of Abraham and Sarah Freer Carling, was born in the historic town of
Kingston, Ulster, County, New York, on 11 September 1800. He Emigrated to Utah in 1852.
Went to Fillmore in 1853, Died at Fillmore, Millard County in 1855.
Emeline Keaton, wife of John Carling, daughter of Jacob (or Joseph or Swen) Keaton and
Catherine Paine, born 1 November 1806. Married 1 September 1830. Her ancestors for several
generations back were residents of New York State. Emeline was the Mother of five children:
Isaac Van Wagoner Carling, Sarah Frances Wildey, Catherine (Kate) Keaton, Abraham Freer,
John Warner. (Sarah Frances and John Warner died young) Emeline Keaton died 7 January
1844. John Carling then married Ann Green Dutson.
John Carling had three sisters and one brother. Maria was born the 19 Aug 1798; Johanna
on the 4th of August 1799; John was next, then his brother Abraham Freer born 14 October 1802
and Cornelia on 8 March 1905.
John's parents were both descended from long lines of sturdy New York and New
England people who did much to help build up that part of the country. They had the blood of the
Puritan fathers in their veins. They were also descended from the Huguenots who left France at
the time of the Reformation and went into Belgium and Holland and then to America.
The country was beautiful where John grew up, rolling hills covered the forests. There
were large valleys just right for farming. New towns were being settled and the beautiful Hudson
River flowed through the county.
John lost his father in early life, but he was always inclined to fear God and keep his
word. He removed from Kingston to Esopus where he learned the carpenters trade, and while a
single man he joined the Dutch Reformed Church.
John and Emeline were married on 1 September 1830. They were living in Esopus, Ulster
Co., New York where their first three children were born. Isaac Van Wagoner, Sarah Francis
Wildey and Catherine Keaton. Sarah Francis Wildey lived just two years, and passed away on
the 4th of December 1835.
He then moved to Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York where their son Abraham
Freer was born on 19 August 1837.
It is not definitely known just when John and Emeline became acquainted with the Latter-
day Saint religion, but in the Nauvoo Seventies record John states that on the 5th of January 1840
he was baptized into the Church of Christ by Joseph Ball. Soon after their baptism John and
Emeline decided to move to Nauvoo, Illinois. Before they left for Nauvoo, they took a trip to
New York City to visit John's mother and grandmother. They sailed down the Hudson River to
New York City where John's children, Isaac, being the oldest at 8 years of age, had the privilege
of seeing and visiting with their grandmother and great grandmother a privilege which very few
children have. While visiting some elders came and stayed overnight. His mother went to show
them where they were to sleep. As they passed the grandmother's room, she asked, "Is dat de
Mormons?" His mother said, "Sh!" Then the grandmother said, "Well, I didn't see der horns."
After visiting in New York City for a while, they sailed back up the Hudson River to
Albany, and from there to Buffalo by way of the Erie Canal. Then they sailed down Lake Erie to
Cleveland and crossed over to the Ohio River, sailing down to the mouth of the Ohio, then up the
Mississippi, passing the Missouri. They arrived at Nauvoo after traveling over two thousand
miles on steamboats, sloops and canal boats.
In Nauvoo, the Prophet Joseph Smith's farm was about four miles north of the temple.
The Carling farm was just south of the Prophet's. The Prophet had a four-seated rig that held
three in a seat. One morning as he drove along, a group of men were with him acting as his body
guards. John Carling and Isaac V. were with them. Isaac V. Carling was standing between his
father's knees. They were on their way to the quarry to get rocks to build the temple when two of
the men began to argue, then to dispute. The Prophet said, "I command you in the name of Jesus
Christ, to shut your mouths." They did so at once. About one quarter of a mile down the road he
said, "Now you may talk." Then went on to say, "We were just passing over an ancient battle
ground (Nephite and Lamanite). The spirits of those wicked men were there contending in their
fury, and had you continued your disputations, their spirits would have taken possession of your
bodies and bloodshed would have resulted."
In Nauvoo on 29 Jan. 1842 John was ordained an Elder by Hiram Smith. Both John and
Emeline received their Patriarchal blessings given them by Hyrum Smith. John was a member of
the Nauvoo 2nd ward.
 

Patriarchal Blessing of Emeline Keaton Carling

Given by Hyrum Smith at Nauvoo, Illinois, 22 October 1841. James Sloan, Clerk. 
Vol. 4 Page 99.
 
Daughter of Jacob and Catherine Paine Keaton. Born in the City of New York, first day
of November 1806.
I lay my hands upon your head in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, to place a blessing upon
your head by the power of the Holy Priesthood invested in me by commandment and promise.
Now, because you have listened to the voice of the spirit which hath moved you to gather with
the Saints and the proclamation of the Gospel and obeyed the commandment, and hath come
forth unto this land, instead of going and tarrying in your native city, you are blessed with
blessings not yet realized, but it shall come to pass you shall realize them unto a fullness that
shall be satisfactory, and you shall be blessed because of the covenant, which covenant you have
made, and the same is everlasting, by being baptized unto Christ which you have done, therefore
you are Abraham's seed and you shall be an heir to the promised inheritance, and receive a
celestial glory and with the lineage of your fathers and your kinfolks, are your inheritances with
the remnant of the seed of Jacob, for you shall be blessed in due time in your house, and your
father’s house shall be blessed also, and according to the desires of your heart in righteousness
shall your days be given you and your posterity in temporal things and honor, immortality and
eternal life, with the above according to the tenor thereof I seal upon your head, Even so. Amen.

 
Patriarchal Blessing of John Carling
Given by Hyrum Smith at Nauvoo, Illinois, 20 July 1842
Book 280 page 50
 
 John Carling, son of Abraham Carling and Sarah Freer Carling, Born: in the town of
Kingston, Ulster County, State of New York, 11 Day of September 1800.
I lay my hands upon your head in the name of Jesus, and by that authority bestow a
blessing upon you, which blessing shall be by promise unto condition of steadfast faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ which blessing shall be the Priesthood and its gifts and powers, attended with
the grace of God and to all the gifts which shall be manifested by the spirit and the gifts which
are to be given in connection with the Gospel which are of the same spirit so that you shall know
the difference of administrations, for your own benefits and for the salvation of the people
wherever you may be placed in an important station, to officiate agreeable to your calling, which
calling is to warn the inhabitants of the earth to repent and their desolation that awaits them, even
their utter destruction if they repent not and also to set in order the unruly and the ignorant and to
set a good example continuing to lift your warning voice exercising its saving influence until you
shall be crowned as a Savior of life unto men and stand upon Mount Zion with the hundred and
forty four thousand, having in their foreheads the promised seal of eternal life, and the authority
to sing the song that none other could sing, and you shall be blessed with influence and with
prosperity having the manifestations of the power of God with you in all the world where you
shall be sent with legal authority to preach the Gospel. Faith shall spring up in your heart like the
mustard seed and you shall prosper exceedingly and you shall secure also by your faith a promise
unto your posterity which shall be handed down unto the latest generation and your days shall be
many with the blessings of health in your habitation and an inheritance in the lineage of Caleb,
who was faithful on his mission and brought a good report and you shall be sealed with the holy
seal of promise according to the tenor of the above. These are the blessings and promises I seal
upon your head, ordaining you an Elder in this Church of Jesus Christ to preach repentance and
the remission of sins through faith in His name, and the endurance of faith to the end, Even so,
Amen.

 
 
On one occasion John Carling had been to a meeting in Nauvoo. When he came home he
said, "Mother, the Prophet Joseph has had a revelation on the Word of Wisdom, and said tea and
coffee isn't good for us." They never drank it any more.
A baby boy was born to John and Emeline on 14 November 1843 at Nauvoo, Hancock,
Illinois whom they named John Warner Carling. After this baby was born Emeline became very
ill. She passed away on the 1st of January 1844 and was buried in Nauvoo. The child did not live
very long for he died on the 5th of September 1844.
John Carling was a very talented man and highly respected in each community in which
he lived. He was very skilled in working in several different branches of work.  He was a tinner,
mason, cooper, blacksmith, a cabinet maker, made pottery, was an artist, a shoemaker, a good
florist, horticulturist, as well as a music teacher and choir leader. Sometimes in the making and
mending of shoes, the men who knew this trade would run out of the metal shoe tacks, and not
being able to get more they devised a way of making small pegs out of very hard wood to use in
place of regular tacks. John worked with these wooden pegs many times.
John did fine finishing of woodwork in the Nauvoo temple. He carved ornaments for the
temple clock. One day while he was carving beautiful designs on the mantel, Brigham Young
came to him and asked him if he could make a pattern of an oxen on which to rest the baptismal
font in the Nauvoo temple. John owned some beautiful oxen so when he went home he tied up
the most beautiful oxen he had in the back yard and proceeded to draw the picture. He pinned
planks together with hard-wood pins and glue then drew the outline with a carpenter's pencil.
With a saw and drawing knife he carved the pattern for the oxen for the Nauvoo temple as well
as some of our modern temples. John was a modest man, never seeking honors, thus this instance
is not recorded in church history, but this is a true story. (This experience in John's life was
written by Gertrude Porter Wilson, a granddaughter.) Mr. Fordham was given credit for helping
to make the oxen, but beside making the pattern, John Carling had much to do with the actual
construction of the oxen. It is recalled by members of the family, of hearing Isaac V. Carling, tell
how he helped his father make the pattern. He was very proud that he had a little part in it.
John Carling taught his children to honor and obey the authorities of the Church, and
especially to pray to Heavenly Father for the blessings they needed and for His Spirit to be with
them. He always attended fast meetings which were then held on Thursday. He and his wife
would leave their work, fast and go to the meeting and often bear testimony.
John Carling often told of the time when the mantle of the Prophet Joseph fell on
Brigham Young; he was there and said there was such a feeling went through the whole
congregation that he could never forget it; he knew that Brigham was to be the President. He
said, Brigham really did look like the Prophet Joseph Smith and sounded like him.
Before Emeline's death, John and Emeline had met a young widow whose name was Ann
Green Dutson. It is told by some family members that Ann helped care for Emeline in the last
months of her illness.
Shortly after Emeline's death, on the 10th of February 1844 John married Ann Green
Dutson, a nurse, who proved a mother to his children in very deed. They were married by Hyrum
Smith. They crossed the plains to the Salt Lake Valley in the Henry Miller Company.
Ann Green (Dutson) Carling was born 12 Oct 1799 in Lugwerdine, Herfordshire,
England and was christened Ann Green. She married John Dutson. He mysteriously disappeared,
leaving her with two small babies.
She was baptized into the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Apostle Wilford
Woodruff on 24 September 1840. She left England in 1842 in company with relatives, crossing
the sea with Apostle Orson Hyde on his return from Jerusalem. She remained in St. Louis during
the winter of 1842 and in the spring of 1843 joined the Saints at Nauvoo where she met and
married a widower, John Carling. Ann and John Carling had two children, Francis Caleb Carling,
born 9 August 1845 and Joseph Matthew Carling: born 25 June 1847. Joseph Matthew died 25
June 1866 and Francis Caleb married Fannie Elizabeth Nixon.
It was during the time Ann was in Nauvoo that the Prophet Joseph Smith ordained Ann
Carling as the "Herb Doctor." She holds the unique position of having had the Prophet Joseph
Smith lay his hands on her head and set her apart as a midwife. He told her that she would be
successful if she used herbs exclusively in her work. Ann Carling then became known as the
"Herb Doctor." She practiced her calling and brought hundreds of babies into the world and was
blessed in this as the Prophet had promised her. She had her own herb garden and made her own
teas and medicines. Most of the herbs grown in her garden had beautiful flowers. Her garden
therefore was valuable not only as a producer of herbs for medicinal purposes, but was valuable
as a garden of beauty.
In Nauvoo, the family suffered many of the persecutions inflicted upon the saints by the
mobs, they were with the people driven from Nauvoo. John Carling's property in Nauvoo was
sold in 1846 as they were making preparations to make their way west. (Discription of property
B1 45 L 4, Kimball 2nd B1 22 L 1 as tenant. See map of Nauvoo). It was just before they had to
leave Nauvoo, that John and his wife Ann received their endowments in the Nauvoo Temple on
the 29th of January 1846. 1
Brigham Young sent Heber C. Kimball to tell John Carling he was called on a mission to
stay and make wagons to help all the saints to come to Utah. Ann started to cry and said, "Oh
Father, if we stay the rebels will kill us all and we will never get to the valleys." Brother Kimball
then promised him in the name of Jesus Christ, that if they stayed to do the work they were
called to do, to help fix the wagons until the last company was ready to leave Nauvoo they would
get out safely, not a hair of their heads would be harmed. John had faith in the promise. After
that promise, Ann dried her tears and said she was willing to do her part, so they went to work.
He worked day and night making wagons and fixing up the old ones for the poor saints. Finally
the last family had loaded their wagon and all were preparing to board the flat ferry type boat
which was to take them across the river. The John Carling family prepared to leave their loved
home forever, to set their faces westward to join their friends who had already gone. The mob
had said "If any d-- Mormons are here the morning of a (certain date) they will be killed. As the
mobs were howling around in Nauvoo the last night, the Carling family went to the river for
safety. It was getting dark when they were ready to row across the river. There was a flood in the
river and the boatman told John he didn't like to row across in the dark when there was a flood so
he had better wait till daylight. The rebels made their threats what they would do if those d---
Mormons broke their Sabbath day, and as this was Saturday night, the boatman said, "Put
everything in the boat tonight and we will be up and start to cross before the rebels are awake."
So they loaded everything on the boat but their bedding. They spread down some bedding and
waited.
Before daylight they were ready. As they started to row in the morning the Captain of the
boat said, "All Aboard! Quick! See the mob is coming!" They could see and hear them coming,
cursing and swearing, with guns pointed at them. The mob came around the bend saying, "Stop
or we will shoot." The boatman told them to "Shoot and be damned" and said, "Boys push on
and we will leave them." So all worked as hard as they could and were soon out of danger. The
rebels came to the bank swearing and cursing: as they ran down the bank the leader of the mob
had his men line up. "Take Aim." Bullets whizzed past the heads of the oarsmen but none was
harmed. The boat rowed off unmolested. John Carling said, "I could look right down the barrel
of the one gun but did not fear, for we had been promised that we would get out safely, so I knew
we would." Two of the mob that ran down the bank tried to jump on the boat but failed to jump
far enough so fell into the river. They could not swim so were drowned. With thankful hearts
they witnessed Brother Kimball's prophecy fulfilled. The two who drowned were caught on a
little island of trash out in the river miles below the crossing and were eaten up by the buzzards.
John Carling was told of their fate some time later.
In the Latter-day Saints "Crossing the Plains" record of 1847, John and his family are
listed with the Daniel Spencer Company, but he must have traveled with this company just as far
as Pottawattomie County, Iowa. He stayed here for a while, he’s listed in the 1850 census of this
county, and he was one of the signers of a petition to establish a Post Office in that county.
Sometime after, John and his family moved on to Winter Quarters, Nebraska. He stayed there
until the spring of 1852 when they started on their journey to Utah with the Henry Miller
Company.
They left Council Bluffs on 30 June 1852, and after three long months trek across the
plains they arrived in Salt Lake City on 30 September 1852. They stayed in Salt Lake City only a
short time, then moved to Provo, Utah. They were in Provo about one year when Brigham
Young called John to go to the southern part of the state to help settle and build up the one-year-
old-town of Fillmore in Millard County, which had been designated as the State Capitol of the
Utah Territory.
"The Journey, History of the Church" says that John left Provo on the 25th of November
1853 for Fillmore, and it gives the record of his family that were with him and what possessions
he took with him. His possessions included two wagons, four oxen, two cows, two young cattle,
one rifle, one shotgun, one pistol, fifty rounds of ammunition, one powder barrel, one hundred
caps, one hundred pounds of breadstuffs, and joiner tools.
"In the records of Millard County" it states that in October 1853, "Many more families
arrived in the little year-old settlement (of Fillmore, Utah) among them were the Carlings, John,
his wife Ann, Isaac, Abraham, Catherine Keaton Carling, Francis C, and Joseph Matthew,"
Ann arrived in Fillmore with a teapot full of black walnuts. She planted some of them on
her property on the corner of second north and first west streets. (In 1951 one of the trees was
still living, it's trunk measured 60 inches in circumference).
Ann Green Dutson Carling, better known as "Grandma Carling," was trained in obstetrics
and attended hundreds of women in Millard County in confinements. For many years Ann was
the only midwife in Fillmore, Utah and neighboring towns. Her fee was $3.00 and she accepted
it either in cash or merchandise, potatoes, squash, carrots, fruit or any commodity the patient
happened to have. She seemed to have a magic touch. Many a sick child was soothed to sleep by
the tender rubbing of her efficient hands. She brewed herbs and compounded her own medicine.
She was not only godmother to all the babies but doctor for all the ills of both young and old,
even the Indians came for her aid.  She helped many Indians who became friendly with the
settlers. Elda P. Mortenson, daughter of Laura Melvina Carling Porter, speaking to the I.V.
Carling posterity, stated, "Have you ever wondered how your mothers came by their seemingly
inexhaustible store of knowledge of herbs and their uses, and their almost as inexhaustible
supply of the roots and blossoms and leaves and barks that they gathered as cures, for their home
and medicine chests? It is only natural that this should be, with the background of blessing and
good works of this kindly woman who probably brought all the Carling children but one into the
world, I have a strong suspicion that all of us who have helped gather and dry the yarrow, the
pennyroyal, the gravelweed, saffron, spearmint, wild sage and tame sage, bark of kinne-kinnic,
and mullen, and many others, occasionally recall their soothing properties, and find use for some
of them. If you children wonder why--just let them read the story of Great Grandfather John
Carling's sweet wife Ann."
After getting settled in Fillmore, John was very active in church and civic affairs. He
helped to build part of the first statehouse that was finished. (This statehouse is now maintained
as a pioneer memorial building and is being used as a pioneer museum).
A newly completed school house was ready for use 14 December 1851. The school room
was made of cottonwood logs with a large fireplace in one end, and dirt floors and roof. Hyrum
Mace was the first school master. School was called to order by prayer, the children then wrote
on their slates for ten minutes. Next was reading class, beginning with the fifth grade primer, and
ending with the first grade primer. Arithmetic was the next subject in order, and the last class in
the morning was grammar. In the afternoon they had spelling matches, history and geography
contests. Prizes were given to the student who stayed at the head of the class.
During the winter months many dances were held, some of them in the newly completed
school house. Hyrum Mace taught step dancing to young people. The musicians, some of whom
were Horace Russel and Isaac V. Carling, played for every gathering from dances to funerals to
weddings. The musicians who played for the dances were paid in squash, potatoes, cabbage, and
even tallow candles. Money was very scarce.
A number of the saints put on plays for entertainment. Among the first players was
Abraham Carling. Later a dramatic club was formed. The first play was "The Founding Of The
Forest."
A Dr. T. O. Duchworth went to Fillmore hoping to build a practice but after two years
moved away. Abraham (Abe) Carling accompanied him around the country helping him in his
work. After Dr. Duchworth left, Abe still did a lot to relieve the suffering people.
Abe Carling was a teamster in the John R. Murdock company who assisted Saints to
come from Florence, Nebraska to Utah. Abraham Carling was also among the saints who were
called on missions to take their teams and go work on the St. George Temple.
John and Isaac V. Carling were rock and brick masons, gunsmiths and made sharp edged-
tools, they were also cabinet makers and carpenters. John was a Sheriff for sometime, a Judge of
the court and a Bishop's counselor.
Food was scarce in Utah, carrots and beets were boiled to a dark, strong syrup which was
used to sweeten food. Wild berries, currants and plums were gathered and dried for winter.
The settlers had very little clothing as the cheapest kind of cloth was a dollar a yard, and
in order to obtain wool for clothing, the sheep had to be sheared, the wool washed and carded,
dyed, spun into thread, and woven into cloth before the clothing could be made. Spinning wheels
for the purpose of making cloth from wild flax had been tried, but this experiment proved to be a
disappointment.
In December of 1854, John A. Ray, and John Carling were serving as State
Representatives in the Territorial Legislature assigned to the committee on counties. They went
to the legislature held in Salt Lake City, as the statehouse in Fillmore was not yet ready for use.
On their return trip home John contracted a severe cold which later turned into pneumonia. This
illness was the cause of his death on the 2nd of April 1855. He was fifty four years old and a
member of the 5th quorum of the Seventies. He was much respected as a friend and brother and
his loss was felt by all who knew him.
John is buried in the cemetery at Fillmore, Millard County, Utah.
On 3 July 1893, Ann Green Carling had a paralytic stroke, and on 16 July 1893 she died.
She and John had only the two children but she was a mother to many and loved by all. She
passed through many trials with the Saints and was faithful to her covenants to the end.
Isaac V. Carling had a profound respect and love for the woman who became his second mother.
His first daughter, Sarah Elizabeth he named for his wife, Asenath Elizabeth and a grandmother
Sarah Freer. The second daughter, Emeline Asenath, also bears one of his wife's names and that
of his mother, Emeline Keaton. But the third daughter he named simply Ann. Why were the
others in the family given two names, and she just the single, sweet, short, name Ann? In this
impressive gesture he paid tribute to his second mother who had been so kind and gracious to his
father's family.