- Born 24 November 1791 in Corinth, Orange, Vermont
- Died 14 August 1870 in Provo, Utah, Utah
- Parents: Elijah Allen and Mahitabel Hall
- Spouse: Clarinda Knapp (md. 11 December 1824 in Burton, Cattaraugus, New York)
- Children: Elijah Allen, Lydia Jane Allen, Sophronia or Saphronia Allen, Charles Hopkins Allen, Andrew Lee Allen (jr.), James Allen, Sidney David Allen, Susan Allen, Levi Knapp Allen, Julia Allen.
- Spouse: Martha Christine Johansson (md. 30 May 1863 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah)
- Children: Alma Allen
- Spouse: Ann Hughs (md. 16 November 1867 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah)
Andrew Lee Allen
As told by his son, Charles Hopkins Allen, and condensed by Marsha Gold Allen
My Father, Andrew Lee Allen, was born in Limerick, York Co. Maine, 24 November 1791. He was the son of Elijah Allen and his first wife, Mehitable Hall. His mother died 25 June 1800 and his father remarried in 1809. His father died 19 October 1839.
After his mother's death father went to live with his maternal grandfather, Reverend Avery Hall. He stayed with them until he was 14 years old. Not being satisfied, he left home and never went back again. He worked at the blacksmith trade. He went on aboard a ship to help protect the American vessels during the war known as the war of 1812. After the war he went into Canada, but he got into trouble with the British by drinking a toast at a barn raising. The toast was, "he wished that the Eagle of America would triumph over the crown of Great Britain!” For this he got arrested by the British. Making his escape he went into the state of New York, Cattaraugus County where he obtained one hundred and sixty acres of land, and made himself a very nice home. He planned to settle down there for the rest of his life and soon owned a 1arge grove of trees and a prosperous farm.
On the 11th of December 1824, at age 33, he married Clarinda Knapp, daughter of Calvin and Deborah Hopkins Knapp.
Charles continues: My parents, Andrew and Clarinda Allen, stayed in Burton, Cattaraugus County New York until they had seven children; Elijah, Lydia, Saphronia, Charles, Andrew, James, and Sidney. They had not joined any religious society, but were honest and upright with all men, waiting for something to come along that would give them better satisfaction than the religions of the day.
In September 1833 there were two Latter-day Elders who came through that part of the country and held meetings. Father was not at home at the time and did not hear them preach, but my mother and several of their friends and neighbors did, and they were very impressed. When my Father came home Mother told him of the Elders and the gospel that they preached and he became very anxious to hear them. He learned that they would preach in a place eighty miles from there and he concluded that he would go to hear them. This he did, and he listened to the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the first time. He was much pleased, and being satisfied that it was true. He was baptized on the 3rd of September 1833 by Ezra Landing before he returning home. He received a testimony that never left him.
He went home and began to arrange his business according to the spirit of gathering. He sold his beautiful home for a low price and moved to Kirtland, Ohio. Here he met the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Saints and rejoiced with them.
My father bought considerable real estate and paid a good price for it, but the price of land soon went down and he did not receive anything for it. He left and started West for Missouri. Because of sickness and the want of means, he stopped on the Illinois River at Bardstown and stayed through the winter. My father cut cordwood all winter and my brother Elijah hauled it. In this way we were sustained. We then moved back [a short distance] east to Virginia, Cass County where we rented a farm from Mr. Levi Springer, who was a Methodist preacher. He treated us very kindly. After farming there one year we moved about twenty-five miles farther East and rented from a man by the name of Alfred Dutch, who lived on the road that Springfield. Mr. Dutch was very kind to our people. While we were there, the Prophet Joseph was taken to Springfield to be tried on a false charge. The Prophet Joseph and his company stayed overnight on the 20th of December 1842 with Captain Dutch, as he was called, and were kindly entertained. The women played on the piano and sang their beautiful songs. Captain Dutch spoke comical recitations and sang his songs. We enjoyed that visit very much!
After living there one year, we moved back to Mr. Springer's again and lived there one year longer. Then we moved west again toward Nauvoo and stopped with Mr. Roberts, ten miles east of Carthage (where the Prophet and Patriarch were murdered). We became acquainted with Miner T. Deming who afterwards became the High sheriff of Hancock Co. He was very friendly to our people.
On the 22nd of September 1842, while we were living near Plymouth, Illinois, Elder Thomas Crockett came to our house and baptized and confirmed six of the children, viz; Lydia, Saphronia, Charles, Andrew, James and Sidney. In the fall of the year we moved toward Nauvoo, and stopped on Camp Creek, fourteen miles north east of Nauvoo.
We moved up to Camp Creek and rented a farm from Mr. Hibbert, where we farmed one year and raised a good crop of corn. We could not get anything for it there, but by hauling it to Nauvoo, fifteen miles away we could get ten cents a bushel for it. So we hauled corn nearly all winter into Nauvoo to sell.
When the brethren were called to work on the new Temple at Nauvoo, my father took his turn. The Prophet Joseph required that those who wanted to have the privilege of receiving their endowment in the temple, must work one day in every ten building on it. My parents wanted very much to have that blessing in their lives. On 27 January 1846 my father and mother went into Nauvoo and received their blessings in the Temple of the Lord. (Later my father was ordained a High Priest on June 1847.)
In the spring of 1846 we crossed the Mississippi River and started West with the Saints. It was very rainy and muddy which made it slow traveling. My Mother was feeble in health and my oldest sister, Lydia, was also afflicted with poor health (asthma) and they suffered a great deal, as they were exposed to wet and cold with only one wagon and eleven in the family. As we had no tent some of us were obliged to sleep out on the ground in the open air in rain and storm.
We traveled on and stopped at Mt. Pisgah where we built a log house and put in some wheat and corn. As our supply of food was about gone we were obliged to go on and leave our improvements for others to enjoy. We traveled to Winter Quarters on the Missouri River and were obliged to go down into the state of Missouri and work for provisions.
[At this time, 500 men members were called up into the Mormon Battalion for the Mexican War 1846-1847. Our oldest brother, 20 years old Elijah Allen, enlisted and was in Company B serving under Captain Jesse D. Hunter.]
We traveled about seventy-five miles down the river and stopped with Mr. Cole in a small log house where we stayed through the winter. We worked harvesting corn and splitting rails. In the Spring of 1847 we moved down on the bottom to farm with Mr. Jacob H. Rose and we raised a large crop of corn. There was a Government Post about 60 miles up the river and had hoped to sell the corn at the post, but the post was on the west side of the river, and we were not able to sell and got nothing for it.
In the Spring of 1848 we moved up toward Kanesville and stopped on Keg Creek, eighteen miles south of Kanesville, where there was a small branch of the Church organized with Elder Libeus G. ***** presiding. We belonged to the *****ville branch, where my father served as a counselor to President *****. We stayed there four years and opened up and improved two farms. My oldest brother, Elijah [returned from the Mexican War], and the younger boys established a sawmill near fathers’ farm and ran it one season before they sold it for $1,000.00. They used the money to get ready to come to Utah.
In the spring of 1852 we sold our farms and prepared for starting west with the Saints. We went in the first company of 100 wagons. John M. Higby was the captain. Father was an excellent hand with his teams and took very good care of them. He taught his sons to take good care of their animals and it was said by people in the company that the Allen team was the best in the company and got to Utah in the best condition. Father was an excellent rope maker. He knew how to use weeds and herbs to make bright colored dyes for his tassels and decorations for his harnesses for his oxen.
Our trip to Utah was a long and tiresome journey. We were about two months and a half on the road. We arrived in Salt Lake City the 13th of August 1852. In traveling up the Platte River I came near losing my life.
We saw a good many buffalo on the road and the hunters killed several which were a great treat. We thought it was the sweetest meat we ever ate! When we got up to the Black Hills, our teams began to fail. Their feet became tired and sore. When we got to Sweetwater some of our cattle got poisoned on the alkali and died on the way. When we got within 110 miles of Salt Lake City, we came to Fort Bridger. A mountaineer, Mr. Bridger lived there about 20 years. He said that we could not raise a bushel of grain in that country on account of frost. He said there was frost there every month of the year.
When we reached the Green River, it was so high that it was necessary to raise our wagons six inches high in the bolster in order to keep their loads dry.
We stopped a few days in Salt Lake City and then moved south to Provo and made our home there. Father built a home not far from the lake and spent the rest of his life living in Provo. His land was located in section 4, township 7 South, range East. South East of South East.
Our mother Clarinda Knapp died 8 Dec 1862 in Richmond, Cache County, Utah. Andrew Lee Allen died 14 August 1870 in Provo, Utah. (No one has found exactly where he was buried.)
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Andrew Lee and Clarinda Knapp Allen
Biography by Verleen Allen Comish Manwarring, a Great Great Granddaughter
Andrew Lee Allen was born on November 24, 1791 in Limerick, York County, Maine, to Elijah Allen and Mehitable Hall. Elijah and Mehitable were married in 1788. Elijah was born in 1763 at Stratham, Rockingham County, New Hampshire. He died on October 19, 1839 at Limerick, York County, Maine. He was 76 years old. Mehitable was baptized March 26, 1769 at Rochester, New Hampshire. She died on June 25, 1800 in Corinth, Orange County, Vermont. She was 31 years old.
Andrew was only nine years old when his mother died. After her death Andrew lived with his maternal grandfather, Rev. Avery Hall. He worked as a black smith when in his early teens. When he turned fourteen years old, being unsatisfied with his life, he left home and never went back. He went in the Navy and served in the War of 1812. On discharge from the Navy , he traveled to Canada where he got into trouble with the British by drinking a toast at a barn raising. His toast: “I wish that the Eagle of America would triumph over the Crown of Great Britain.” For this he was arrested by the British, but he managed to escape and leave Canada.
He traveled to Burton, Cattaraugus County, New York, where he took up one hundred and sixty acres of land and built a nice home. He planned to settle down for life and soon owned a large grove of sugar maple trees in addition to a prosperous farm. He married Clarinda Knapp on December 11, 1824 in Cattaraugus County, New York.
Clarinda was born on August 10, 1802 in Bethlehem, Litchfield County, Connecticut. Her father was Calvin Knapp who was born on April 18, 1770 at Bethlehem, Litchfield, Connecticut. Calvin marked Deborah Hopkins on November 12, 1800. Calvin died on December 19, 1823 at Burton, Cattaraugus County, New York. He was 53 years old when he died. Deborah was born in 1778 at Kent, Litchfield County, New York. She was also 53 years old when she died (she was a direct descendant of Stephen Hopkins and his son Giles who both came on the Mayflower. Also Edward and Ann Fuller and son Samuel also came on the Mayflower).
Clarinda was a refined, educated woman who was highly skilled in the art of fine painting, sewing, tailoring, and designing ladies leghorn hats, also homemaking. Her gentle upbringing had a great influence on the lives of those around her. She also was a woman of true faith and a Bible scholar.
They remained in Burton, New York, where seven of their children were born, namely: Elijah, Lydia, Saphronia, Charles, Andrew, James, and Sidney.
In September 1833 there were two Mormon (Latter-day Saint) elders who went through that part of the country as missionaries. They held meetings. Andrew Lee was not at home so did not hear them preach, but his wife, friends and neighbors did, and were very much impressed. When Andrew Lee learned about the elders and the gospel they preached, he became anxious to hear them. He learned they would be at a place 80 miles from there and decided to go hear them, which he did. He was satisfied it was true so he was baptized on September 3, 1833 by Ezra Landing before he left for home. Andrew received a testimony that never left him.
After their conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they sold their home for a low price and disposed of their business and moved to Kirkland, Ohio, where they met the Prophet Joseph Smith and the rest of the saints.
The building of the Kirkland Temple by a few hundred persons (including Andrew and Clarinda), who during the period between 1832 and 1836 contributed voluntarily of their money, material, and labor, were regarded with wonder throughout Northern Ohio. The temple was dedicated on March 27, 1836.
Andrew and Clarinda’s oldest child, their 10 year old son Elijah, was baptized in the river (there was not baptismal font in the Kirkland Temple) by Elder Rogger Orton and confirmed in the Kirkland Temple by Elder Sidney Rigdon in 1836.
While in Kirkland, their daughter Susan was born on December 31, 1837. Andrew purchased considerable real estate and paid a good price for it. Because of the troubles in Kirkland at the close of 1837 and the year 1838, a general exodus was made by those saints in the region of Kirkland who remained loyal to the Prophet. The Andrew Lee Allen family was part of this exodus.
They tried to sell their land but got nothing for it. They left and started west for Missouri. Because of sickness and the want of means, they stopped at the Illinois River, at Bardstown and stayed through the winter. Andrew cut Cord wood and twelve year old Elijah hauled it. They then moved back east to Virginia, Cass County, Illinois, where they rented a farm from Mr. Levi Springer. There another son was born on April 1, 1842. He was named Levi. After farming there for one year, they moved about twenty-five miles farther east and rented a farm from Alfred Dutch, who lived on the road to Springfield, Illinois. After living there one year, they moved back to Mr. Springer’s again and lived there one year longer. Moving west again toward Nauvoo, they stopped with Mr. Roberts, ten miles east of Carthage, where the Prophet and Patriarch were murdered. While living there another daughter was born on June 8, 1844, she was named Julia. She was the last child born to the Andrew Lee Allen family, six boys and four girls.
In 1844 they moved toward Nauvoo, and stopped at Camp Creek, fourteen miles northeast of Nauvoo. While in Camp Creek, they rented a farm from a Mr. Hibbert, where they farmed for a year and raised a good crop of corn. By hauling it fifteen miles to Nauvoo they received 10 cent a bushel for it. Their son Elijah moved to Nauvoo where he lived with Brigham Young and worked for him. He stayed there until the saints left Nauvoo. He drove one of Brigham Young’s wagons to winter quarters.
In the winter of 1846, Andrew and Clarinda traveled to Nauvoo where they received their endowments in the Nauvoo Temple. Andrew was ordained a high priest in 1847.
In the spring of 1846, they crossed the Mississippi River from Nauvoo and started west with the saints. It was very rainy and muddy which made for slow traveling. Clarinda was not well and Lydia had asthma so they both suffered a great deal as they were exposed to wet and cold with only one wagon for eleven in the family. As they had no tent, some of them had to sleep on the ground in the open air in the rain and storm.
Traveling on they stopped at Mt. Pisgah, Iowa , where they built a long house and planted wheat and corn. As their supply of food was about gone, they had to go on and leave their improvements for others to enjoy.
Traveling to Winter Quarters on the Missouri River it was necessary to enter the State of Missouri and work for provisions. After covering about seventy miles down the river, they stopped with Mr. Cole in a log house where they stayed the winter, harvesting corn and splitting rails.
In the spring of 1847, they moved down on the bottoms to farm with Mr. Jacob H. Rose and raised a large crop of corn. They moved toward Council Bluffs in the spring of 1848 and stopped at Keg Creek eighteen miles south of Council Bluffs where there was a small branch of the church organized with Libeus G. Combs presiding. They stayed there four years and opened up and improved two farms.
Elijah came home from California where he had mustered out of the Mormon Battalion. It was the fall of 1849 they family were still living at Keg Creek. Elijah and his younger brothers established a saw mill near their father’s farm and ran it one season before they sold it for $1000.00. They used the money to get ready to come to Utah.
In the spring of 1852 they sold their farms and prepared for starting west with the saints, going in the first company of 100 wagons. John Higby was their Captain. The Allen team was said to be the best of the company and arrived in Utah in the best condition. Andrew was an excellent rope maker and also knew how to dye for bright colors from the weeds and herbs for his tassels and decorations on his harnesses for his oxen.
Their trip to Utah was a long and tiresome journey. As they traveled up the Platte River, two of their sons almost lost their lives. Charles and brother Clinton decided to swim to the other side of the river to see some immigrants who were camped there. When they started to swim back the current was against them, carrying them down stream quite a ways but they finally made it ashore. They were thankful their lives had been spared.
They saw a great many buffalo and it was a treat to have fresh meat. When they got to the black hills there teams began to fail; their feet became tired and sore. When they arrived at the Sweetwater some of the cattle were poisoned by alkali. They were told that they would be coming soon to Fort Bridger and it would only be 110 miles to Salt Lake. On reaching the Green River, it was so high that it was necessary to raise their wagons six inches in the bolster in order to keep the loads dry. The train of wagons was quite long and they had to make a circle up the river to keep on the ford or shallow water. The loaded wagons went over very well. Each teamster was requested to wade through the river to drive his team, tying a rope to the ox on the nearwheel (front right wheel).
They arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah on August 13, 1852. The Journey taking 2 ½ months, they camped on the public square for one week and then moved to Provo where they made their home. Charles, Andrew, and James moved to San Bernardino, California where they lived several years, finally moving back to Utah, settling in Cache Valley, in Northern Utah, in a small town called Richmond.
Andrew Lee and Clarinda stayed in Provo. Clarinda was visiting her children in Richmond, Cache County, Utah when she died on December 8, 1862. She was 60 years old. Andrew Lee died on August 14, 1870 in Provo, Utah. He was 79 years old.
Andrew Lee was buried in Provo, Utah. Clarinda Knapp Allen was buried in the Richmond Cemetery in Richmond, Utah.
(This biography was written by Verleen Allen Comish Manwaring. She is the great great granddaughter of Andrew and Clarinda. Verleen explained, “The information I have gathered for this history came in part from my twin, Verla Allen Comish Harris, that she sent me over the years. I also used the information from the book, ‘Ancestors and Descendants of Andrew Lee and Clarinda Knapp Allen,’ compiled by Gerald Ralph Fuller (1952).”)
Andrew Lee Allen was born in Limerick, York County, Maine on 24 November 1791. He was the son of Elijah Allen and his first wife, Mehitable Hall, and was the third of four children born to this union. After Andrew was born, the family moved to Vermont. His mother died there when he was nine years of age. Andrew then went to New Hampshire to live with his maternal grandparents, the Reverend Avery Hall and Hannah Chesley.
Andrew lived with his grandparents for five years learning the trade of blacksmithing from his grandfather. He also went to church with them and enjoyed their refined and religious upbringing until his grandmother died. He then decided to leave home and try to make it on his own. He was fourteen years old at the time.
He was able to secure some blacksmith work and other odd jobs until he became 21 years of age. It was in the year of 1812 when the United States proclaimed war on Great Britain. He then went on board a ship to help protect the American vessels on the Canadian border. One time the Canadians were going to have a "Barn Raising" and invited the Americans to the party. During the affair, Andrew proposed a toast to the effect that, "the Great American Eagle would triumph over the crown of Great Britain", He was immediately taken into custody by the Canadians who were loyal to Great Britain, but they were so intoxicated that he was able to make his escape back over the border into the United States.
He went to the southwest part of New York in Cattaraugus County, in an area known as Burton, and took up 160 acres of land on which was a large grove of sugar maple trees as well as nice farming land. He busied himself by improving the farm and building a new home. He worked on this farm until he was 33 years of age.
At a church party Andrew met a beautiful, educated and refined maiden by the name of Clarinda Knapp. After a courtship, he married her on 11 December 1824 and took her back to his home. They remained on this farm until they had seven children. They had not affiliated with any religion but were honest and upright in their values.
In September, 1833, two Mormon missionaries came through that part of the country and held meetings. Andrew was not at home at the time and did not hear them preach; but his wife, friends and neighbors did, and they were much impressed. When he returned and was told of the event, Andrew became very “anxious to hear them. He learned that they would preach at a place eighty miles from there and concluded to go and hear them. This he did. He was much pleased and satisfied that it was true and was baptized 3 September 1833 by Ezra Landing before returning home. He received a testimony that never left him.
He went home and began to arrange his business according to the spirit of gathering which he had. He sold his home for a low price and moved to Kirtland, Ohio. Here he met the Prophet Joseph Smith and had a pleasant visit with him. When he told the Prophet about his conversion, he remarked, "Those elders should have ordained you an Elder and sent you out preaching the gospel." He was advised to buy a home in Kirtland and also to invest in some large tracts of real estate. It was here that their daughter Susan was born on 31 December 1837.
It was not to last very long, for inside of three years the Saints were driven out of Kirtland. The Andrew Lee Allen family received little money for their holdings as they started West for Missouri. Because of sickness and the want of means, they stopped on the Illinois river at Bardstown and stayed through the winter. Andrew cut cord wood all winter and his son Elijah, age 15, hauled it. In this way they were sustained. They then moved to Virginia, Cass County, Illinois, where they rented a farm from a Mr. Levi Springer who was a Methodist preacher.
Mr. Springer treated them very kindly. There another son was born, 1 April 1842, and was given the name of Levi, after the name of the good preacher. After farming there one year they moved about twenty-five miles farther East and rented a farm from a man named Alfred Dutch, who lived on the road that led to Springfield. Mr. Dutch was very kind toward the Mormons. While they were living there, the Prophet Joseph was taken to Springfield to be tried on a false charge. The Prophet and his company stayed overnight on the 29th of December, 1842, with Captain Dutch as he was called and were kindly entertained. Andrew and Clarinda were invited to attend. The women played the piano and sang their beautiful songs. Captain Dutch spoke comical recitations and sang his songs. Sister Eliza R. Snow was with the company and composed some beautiful verses.
After living there one year, the Allens moved back to Mr. Springer's place again and stayed one more year. Then they moved West again toward Nauvoo and stopped at a place owned by a Mr. Roberts, ten miles east of Carthage. There they became acquainted with Miner T. Deming who afterwards became the High Sheriff of Hancock County. He was friendly towards the Mormons. While living there, their last child was born.
They raised a large crop of wheat on the farm that year so they put a grist mill on the stream to grind wheat for commercial use. Water became low in the streams which ******** the grist mill in grinding the flour, so Andrew sent his two older sons, Elijah and Charles, to Nauvoo to get their grist ground at the steam mill there. They stayed there a few days and happened to see the Prophet out by his brick barn where some men were loading hay into it. While there a very heavy hail storm came one evening and broke out many of the glass windows in the homes. Charles reports, "It was a sad sight the next morning to look at the beautiful buildings in Nauvoo and see nearly every pane of glass broken on the side from whence the storm came." Elijah and Charles returned to their family a few days before the Prophet and his brother Hyrum were murdered while being held in the Carthage jail.
In the fall of that year, Andrew moved his family toward Nauvoo but stopped at a location known as Camp Creek, fourteen miles north and east of Nauvoo. As they were traveling, they passed through Carthage and were welcomed by Sheriff Deming and invited to stay overnight. Charles reported in his journal that he and Elijah were allowed to go through any part of the jail that was not occupied. They went into the room where the Prophet and his brother were when they were so cruelly shot and murdered. They saw the blood-stained floor and the ball hole through the door. The ceiling was knocked in many places. He said it made them feel very sorrowful.
At Camp Creek, they rented a farm from a Mr. Hibbert and farmed one year, raising a good crop of corn. They could not get anything for it there but by hauling it to Nauvoo, they could get ten cents a bushel for it. Charles did the hauling with two yoke of three year old steers as his brother Elijah had left home to look for work. Elijah ended up living at President Brigham Young's home and later drove a team for President Young through to Winter Quarters when the saints left Nauvoo. Elijah was one who enlisted in the Mormon Battalion and went through to California. He served one year and was discharged at Los Angeles on 16 July 1847.
On 27 January 1846, Andrew and Clarinda went into Nauvoo to the temple and received their endowments. Later that spring, they ferried the Mississippi River with a team and one wagon, their children, and all their belongings, and started West with the Saints. It was very rainy and muddy which made the traveling slow. Clarinda was feeble in health and a daughter, Lydia, was also afflicted with poor health (asthma) and they suffered a great deal. They had no tent and were obliged to sleep out on the ground in the open air. When they reached Mt. Pisgah, they built a log house and put in some wheat and corn. Their supply of food was about gone when they were obliged to go on before their crop ripened, leaving their improvements for others to enjoy. The family did not stay at Winter Quarters long as they had to find work. They went on down 18 miles farther along the river bottom to a town called Keg Creek. Elijah, the oldest son, rejoined the family in the fall of 1849 alter his trip to California with the Mormon Battalion. They opened up two new farms and remained there until the spring of 1852 when Brigham Young requested the saints to leave Winter Quarters and come to the Salt Lake Valley.
Before starting for the Valley, Elijah and Charles went back to Missouri to buy apples which were selling in Kanesville for a good price. They traveled down into Missouri some distance below St.‘ Joseph and stopped at a Mrs. Thornton's who was a widow. She was well and had a large plantation and lots of negroes. They were treated kindly and were invited into the house to eat meals with the family. They purchased fifty bushels of apples from her and loaded them onto their two wagons. Returning home after the long and hard trip, it was recorded that Levi, their seven year old brother, "wanted an apple so badly but was told they must sell them for money to go to Salt Lake. He was happy to get one small one."
The family was part of the first company of 100 wagons that left Winter Quarters that year. John M. Higby was the Captain. Andrew taught his sons to take good care of their animals and it was said by people in the group that the Allen teams were the best in the company and got to Utah in the best condition. Andrew was an excellent rope maker and knew how to make bright colored dye weeds and herbs for the tassels and harness decorations for his oxen. The trip took two and a half months. They arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on 13 August 1852 and, stopping there for a few days, moved south to Provo and made their new home.
The men found work at a sawmill and secured enough lumber to build a three room house. The younger children herded the community cows along the Provo River to help. When they went to work, their lunch consisted of a hard crust of bread which they soaked in river water to help get it down.
The Saints were pestered with marauding Indians at that time. President Young called many of the men to build several forts around. The Allen men assisted in this effort. Each fort was laid about 40 rods square. Houses were built on two sides and the other sides were closed in by hauling and cutting pine logs sixteen feet long and about one foot in diameter. These were sharpened at the top. The butt ends were set in the ground four feet, then poles were placed in between to batten it well. This made a very strong fort. At one side was a large gate, through which the cattle were driven and kept for the night, safe from the Indians.
A man was required to make one rod of wall around the city of Provo for every lot he owned. The Allens worked long enough to receive a lot for each son in the family and then worked for others. They took stock and wagons in exchange for their extra work. With this, each of the boys was able to secure his own wagon and team.
Andrew and Clarinda and daughter Lydia, who was sick all her life and never married, belonged to the Provo Second Ward. Others of the family eventually married and left Provo for other areas. Andrew was a faithful Latter-day Saint and did everything he was called upon to do. On 8 December 1862, Clarinda died. After a year he married a Martha Johnson. This marriage did not last long. In 1867, he married Ann Hughes. She was a convert from Wales and was a good, loyal and faithful wife until he died 14 August 1870. He is buried in the Provo cemetery.
Contributed by hancockljh@gmail.com to FamilySearch Family Tree.
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Andrew Lee Allen's Life Sketch
Andrew Lee Allen was born in Limerick, York County, Maine on 24 November 1791. He was the son of Elijah Allen and his first wife, Mehitable Hall, and was the third of four children born to this union. After Andrew was born, the family moved to Vermont. His mother died there when he was nine years of age. Andrew then went to New Hampshire to live with his maternal grandparents, the Reverend Avery Hall and Hannah Chesley.
Andrew lived with his grandparents for five years learning the trade of blacksmithing from his grandfather. He also went to church with them and enjoyed their refined and religious upbringing until his grandmother died. He then decided to leave home and try to make it on his own. He was fourteen years old at the time.
He was able to secure some blacksmith work and other odd jobs until he became 21 years of age. It was in the year of 1812 when the United States proclaimed war on Great Britain. He then went on board a ship to help protect the American vessels on the Canadian border. One time the Canadians were going to have a "Barn Raising" and invited the Americans to the party. During the affair, Andrew proposed a toast to the effect that, "the Great American Eagle would triumph over the crown of Great Britain", He was immediately taken into custody by the Canadians who were loyal to Great Britain, but they were so intoxicated that he was able to make his escape back over the border into the United States.
He went to the southwest part of New York in Cattaraugus County, in an area known as Burton, and took up 160 acres of land on which was a large grove of sugar maple trees as well as nice farming land. He busied himself by improving the farm and building a new home. He worked on this farm until he was 33 years of age.
At a church party Andrew met a beautiful, educated and refined maiden by the name of Clarinda Knapp. After a courtship, he married her on 11 December 1824 and took her back to his home. They remained on this farm until they had seven children. They had not affiliated with any religion but were honest and upright in their values.
In September, 1833, two Mormon missionaries came through that part of the country and held meetings. Andrew was not at home at the time and did not hear them preach; but his wife, friends and neighbors did, and they were much impressed. When he returned and was told of the event, Andrew became very “anxious to hear them. He learned that they would preach at a place eighty miles from there and concluded to go and hear them. This he did. He was much pleased and satisfied that it was true and was baptized 3 September 1833 by Ezra Landing before returning home. He received a testimony that never left him.
He went home and began to arrange his business according to the spirit of gathering which he had. He sold his home for a low price and moved to Kirtland, Ohio. Here he met the Prophet Joseph Smith and had a pleasant visit with him. When he told the Prophet about his conversion, he remarked, "Those elders should have ordained you an Elder and sent you out preaching the gospel." He was advised to buy a home in Kirtland and also to invest in some large tracts of real estate. It was here that their daughter Susan was born on 31 December 1837.
It was not to last very long, for inside of three years the Saints were driven out of Kirtland. The Andrew Lee Allen family received little money for their holdings as they started West for Missouri. Because of sickness and the want of means, they stopped on the Illinois river at Bardstown and stayed through the winter. Andrew cut cord wood all winter and his son Elijah, age 15, hauled it. In this way they were sustained. They then moved to Virginia, Cass County, Illinois, where they rented a farm from a Mr. Levi Springer who was a Methodist preacher.
Mr. Springer treated them very kindly. There another son was born, 1 April 1842, and was given the name of Levi, after the name of the good preacher. After farming there one year they moved about twenty-five miles farther East and rented a farm from a man named Alfred Dutch, who lived on the road that led to Springfield. Mr. Dutch was very kind toward the Mormons. While they were living there, the Prophet Joseph was taken to Springfield to be tried on a false charge. The Prophet and his company stayed overnight on the 29th of December, 1842, with Captain Dutch as he was called and were kindly entertained. Andrew and Clarinda were invited to attend. The women played the piano and sang their beautiful songs. Captain Dutch spoke comical recitations and sang his songs. Sister Eliza R. Snow was with the company and composed some beautiful verses.
After living there one year, the Allens moved back to Mr. Springer's place again and stayed one more year. Then they moved West again toward Nauvoo and stopped at a place owned by a Mr. Roberts, ten miles east of Carthage. There they became acquainted with Miner T. Deming who afterwards became the High Sheriff of Hancock County. He was friendly towards the Mormons. While living there, their last child was born.
They raised a large crop of wheat on the farm that year so they put a grist mill on the stream to grind wheat for commercial use. Water became low in the streams which ******** the grist mill in grinding the flour, so Andrew sent his two older sons, Elijah and Charles, to Nauvoo to get their grist ground at the steam mill there. They stayed there a few days and happened to see the Prophet out by his brick barn where some men were loading hay into it. While there a very heavy hail storm came one evening and broke out many of the glass windows in the homes. Charles reports, "It was a sad sight the next morning to look at the beautiful buildings in Nauvoo and see nearly every pane of glass broken on the side from whence the storm came." Elijah and Charles returned to their family a few days before the Prophet and his brother Hyrum were murdered while being held in the Carthage jail.
In the fall of that year, Andrew moved his family toward Nauvoo but stopped at a location known as Camp Creek, fourteen miles north and east of Nauvoo. As they were traveling, they passed through Carthage and were welcomed by Sheriff Deming and invited to stay overnight. Charles reported in his journal that he and Elijah were allowed to go through any part of the jail that was not occupied. They went into the room where the Prophet and his brother were when they were so cruelly shot and murdered. They saw the blood-stained floor and the ball hole through the door. The ceiling was knocked in many places. He said it made them feel very sorrowful.
At Camp Creek, they rented a farm from a Mr. Hibbert and farmed one year, raising a good crop of corn. They could not get anything for it there but by hauling it to Nauvoo, they could get ten cents a bushel for it. Charles did the hauling with two yoke of three year old steers as his brother Elijah had left home to look for work. Elijah ended up living at President Brigham Young's home and later drove a team for President Young through to Winter Quarters when the saints left Nauvoo. Elijah was one who enlisted in the Mormon Battalion and went through to California. He served one year and was discharged at Los Angeles on 16 July 1847.
On 27 January 1846, Andrew and Clarinda went into Nauvoo to the temple and received their endowments. Later that spring, they ferried the Mississippi River with a team and one wagon, their children, and all their belongings, and started West with the Saints. It was very rainy and muddy which made the traveling slow. Clarinda was feeble in health and a daughter, Lydia, was also afflicted with poor health (asthma) and they suffered a great deal. They had no tent and were obliged to sleep out on the ground in the open air. When they reached Mt. Pisgah, they built a log house and put in some wheat and corn. Their supply of food was about gone when they were obliged to go on before their crop ripened, leaving their improvements for others to enjoy. The family did not stay at Winter Quarters long as they had to find work. They went on down 18 miles farther along the river bottom to a town called Keg Creek. Elijah, the oldest son, rejoined the family in the fall of 1849 alter his trip to California with the Mormon Battalion. They opened up two new farms and remained there until the spring of 1852 when Brigham Young requested the saints to leave Winter Quarters and come to the Salt Lake Valley.
Before starting for the Valley, Elijah and Charles went back to Missouri to buy apples which were selling in Kanesville for a good price. They traveled down into Missouri some distance below St.‘ Joseph and stopped at a Mrs. Thornton's who was a widow. She was well and had a large plantation and lots of negroes. They were treated kindly and were invited into the house to eat meals with the family. They purchased fifty bushels of apples from her and loaded them onto their two wagons. Returning home after the long and hard trip, it was recorded that Levi, their seven year old brother, "wanted an apple so badly but was told they must sell them for money to go to Salt Lake. He was happy to get one small one."
The family was part of the first company of 100 wagons that left Winter Quarters that year. John M. Higby was the Captain. Andrew taught his sons to take good care of their animals and it was said by people in the group that the Allen teams were the best in the company and got to Utah in the best condition. Andrew was an excellent rope maker and knew how to make bright colored dye weeds and herbs for the tassels and harness decorations for his oxen. The trip took two and a half months. They arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on 13 August 1852 and, stopping there for a few days, moved south to Provo and made their new home.
The men found work at a sawmill and secured enough lumber to build a three room house. The younger children herded the community cows along the Provo River to help. When they went to work, their lunch consisted of a hard crust of bread which they soaked in river water to help get it down.
The Saints were pestered with marauding Indians at that time. President Young called many of the men to build several forts around. The Allen men assisted in this effort. Each fort was laid about 40 rods square. Houses were built on two sides and the other sides were closed in by hauling and cutting pine logs sixteen feet long and about one foot in diameter. These were sharpened at the top. The butt ends were set in the ground four feet, then poles were placed in between to batten it well. This made a very strong fort. At one side was a large gate, through which the cattle were driven and kept for the night, safe from the Indians.
A man was required to make one rod of wall around the city of Provo for every lot he owned. The Allens worked long enough to receive a lot for each son in the family and then worked for others. They took stock and wagons in exchange for their extra work. With this, each of the boys was able to secure his own wagon and team.
Andrew and Clarinda and daughter Lydia, who was sick all her life and never married, belonged to the Provo Second Ward. Others of the family eventually married and left Provo for other areas. Andrew was a faithful Latter-day Saint and did everything he was called upon to do. On 8 December 1862, Clarinda died. After a year he married a Martha Johnson. This marriage did not last long. In 1867, he married Ann Hughes. She was a convert from Wales and was a good, loyal and faithful wife until he died 14 August 1870. He is buried in the Provo cemetery.
Contributed by hancockljh@gmail.com to FamilySearch Family Tree.
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| Gravestone for Andrew Lee and Clarinda Knapp Allen in Richmond Cemetery, Richmond, Cache, Utah |
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