Clarinda Knapp, 1802-1862

• Born: 10 August 1802 in Bethlehem, Litchfield, Connecticut
• Died: 7 December 1862 in Richmond, Cache, Utah
• Parents:  Calvin Knapp and Deborah Hopkins
• Spouse:  Andrew Lee Allen (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.

Clarinda Knapp Allen

Clarinda was born in Connecticut.  She was a school teacher at the time she married Andrew Lee Allen in New York in 1824.  They had a prosperous sugar maple farm.  Clarinda was baptized in 1836 and they moved to Kirtland, Ohio, where she met the Prophet Joseph Smith.  Their child Andrew, was born here.  Because of Andrew's illness and the family's lack of means, they sold their home and moved to Missouri for the winter.  They moved again to Illinois, where they rented a farm.  Here another son was born.  They moved to Carthage andwere living there when the Prophet was martyred.

Clarinda and Andrew were sealed in the Nauvoo Temple, January 27, 1846.  Later they crossed the Mississippi River in the winter of that same year.  Clarinda and her daughter, Lydia, were in ill health and suffered greatly.  They had twelve in the family and only one wagon.

They traveled to Mt. Pisgah, built a log house, and planted some wheat and corn.  When they moved on to Winter Quarters, they left the house and crops.

Clarinda and her family crossed the Plains and arrived in Salt Lake Valley, August 13, 1852.  They settled in Provo.  Three of her sons went to San Bernardino, California, in 1855.  Clarinda, her invalid daughter, Lydia, and her two younger sons decided to join them.  Her husband stayed in Provo.

In 1862, she returned to Utah to see her family, knowing that she did not have much time remaining.  She was in Richmond, Utah, when she took sick and died, December 7, 1862.

Clarinda was a woman of great faith.

--from Pioneer Women of Faith and Fortitude, p. 37.

* * *

Clarinda Knapp's Life Sketch

Clarinda Knapp was born 10 August 1802 in Bethlehem, Litchfield County, Connecticut. She was the second of ten children born to Calvin Knapp and Deborah Hopkins.

When she was twenty-two years of age, she met Andrew Lee Allen at a church party and after a courtship, they were married on 11 December 1824 in Cattaraugus County, New York. They made their home in an area known as Burton, Cattaraugus County on 160 acres of land that Andrew had secured and improved several years before. Seven of their ten children were born at this location.

They were happy and content in their beautiful home. Like some others in their locality, they had not affiliated with any religious denomination. One day when Andrew was not at home, two Mormon missionaries came through that part of the country and held meetings. Clarinda and some friends and neighbors heard them preach and were much impressed. Later, when Andrew returned, he was told of the event and became very anxious to hear them. He learned that they would preach at a place some eighty miles from there and decided to go and hear them. This he did and was impressed with what he heard and was baptized before returning. Clarinda was later baptized on 15 September 1836 in Kirtland, Ohio.

After being baptized in 1833, Andrew decided that it was important that they sell their property in New York and be with the body of the saints who were gathering at Kirtland, Ohio at that time. Here their eighth child, a daughter named Susan, was born. They purchased a small home and some property in Kirtland but had to leave it when the Saints [left] Ohio for Missouri. Finding themselves with little sustenance and the need to support their growing family, they stopped at various locations in rented facilities along the way while the body of the Saints went to Missouri, then to Nauvoo, Illinois. Two more children, a boy named Levi Knapp and a girl named Julia, were born at different locations while the family was in Illinois. Andrew and his sons took odd jobs and grew what they could to maintain their family. During this time, the oldest son Elijah drove one of Brigham Young's wagons to Winter Quarters and later became part of the Mormon Battalion.

In January 1846, Andrew and Clarinda went to 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. Clarinda's health was not the best and a daughter, Lydia was suffering from asthma.

They remained at a location known as Keg Creek, some 18 miles away from Winter Quarters until 1852 when Brigham Young requested all the saints to leave Winter Quarters and come to the Salt Lake Valley. They made the trek west as part of a company of 100 wagons under the direction of Captain John M. Higby. This was a long and hard trip being some two and a half months in transit. There were buffalos along the trail and some were killed to eat. It was a great treat for the wagon train as the meat was very sweet.

When they arrived at the Black Hills their team began to fail. The horses’ feet became so sore they could hardly walk, so they stopped and rested long enough to put new shoes on them. When they reached the Sweet Water, some of their cattle were poisoned on alkali and died. Later in the trek, an incident occurred that was recorded by her son Charles Hopkins:

When we reached the Green River, it was so high that it was necessary to raise the wagons six inches high in the bolster in order to keep the loads dry. The train of wagons was quite long and were obliged to make a circle up the river to keep on the ford or in shallow water. The loaded wagon went over very well. Each teamster was requested to wade through the liver to drive his team, tying a rope to the ox on the near wheel (front right wheel) and holding on to it as they waded across. The last wagon got into the middle of the river in deep water. The current struck the wagon box and sent it rolling down the river. A woman in the wagon screamed for her life. The back wheels of the wagon came loose and went down the stream leaving the man with the team and front wheels standing in the river. The men seeing the woman in the box rushed in and got her to safety and a Brother Patten on a horse went in and helped the man out. They made a cart of the box and wheels and went their way very thankful.

They arrived in Salt Lake City 13 August 1852 and remained there a few days until leaving for Provo, where they made their permanent home. A later trip to San Bernardino, California is recorded by Charles where he and his brother Andrew had purchased some property. Clarinda remained visiting there until early 1862 when she wanted to return to Utah to see her children, most of whom were married by now. She felt her days were numbered. It took 30 days to make the thousand mile journey back to Utah. After seeing all her children, she became ill and died on 7 December 1862 while at Richmond, Cache County, Utah. She is buried in the cemetery there.

Contributed By: hancockl1 · 23 December 2013 · to FamilySearch.org.

Gravestone for Andrew Lee and Clarinda Knapp Allen in Richmond Cemetery, Richmond, Cache, Utah