Early Pioneer History of Andrew Jackson Allen Summary, with additions and modification of the first 3 of 62 pages Andrew Jackson Allen Journal

Andrew Jackson Allen Birth: 5 September 1818, Somerset, Pulaski, Kentucky

Death: 18 July 1884, Draper, Salt Lake, Utah

My Father: born in 1791 Hillsboro, Orange, North Carolina

My Mother born in 1784, Knoxville, Tennessee

My parents moved to Somerset, Pulaski, Kentucky

In 1828 & 1834 LDS Elders came with the gospel to Calloway Co. KY. Two of

my brothers (James & Lewis) join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day

Saints. My parents were Baptist by profession and opposed my two brothers

when they joined Church. At the time I was young (About 16).

My brothers immigrated to Far West, Missouri, at that time was the Head Quarters of the LDS Church

During 1840 I commenced for myself, my trade which was farming, my father was the same.

29 April 1841 MARRIED Delilah Andrus at Waitsboro, Polaski, Ky.

Delilah Emaline Andrews

Birth: 6 May 1819, Marion, Williamson, IL

Death: 5 Dec 1869, Draper, Utah

Our home was at Wadesboro, Calloway, Kentucky

CHILDREN –

Born at Wadesboro, Calloway, Kentucky

Pernecy Francis Allen 1842-1895

William Coleman Allen 1843-1926

Margaret Mary Jane Allen 1844-1914

Born at Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois

Martha Elizabeth Allen 1846-1853

During 1843 his mother, Margaret Easter Evans Allen passed away. Father never married again

remaining a widower for twenty-two years

During 1844 my brother, James Allen, and I went to Nauvoo, Illinois to see the Prophet Joseph Smith.

When we reach Nauvoo Bro. Joseph had been murdered just a few days previous and the Saints were all

in mourning all over the City.

We stopped a shot time and visited with some old acquaintances, Bro. Benjamin Clap & Daniel Tomes?)

that had formerly lived in Kentucky. I had expected to be baptized when I got to Nauvoo but the Prophet

being killed and the people feeling so bad, I returned home and did not get baptized.

In 1845 there was Elders sent through the county notifying the Saints that the Church had agreed to

leave the city, Nauvoo and emigrate west into the wilderness etc., When I heard that news the spirit that

had prompted me on former occasions still prompted me to gather with the Saints. I sold my possessions

for what I could get and emigrated to Nauvoo during February 1846. In April, my wife and I were

baptized in the Missouri. Then we started west with the Saints not knowing where they would settle

down.

I did not travel with any main company’s, my father and two brothers making four (4) families traveled

together up to Garden Grove, Iowa. We layed in our flour and fell in with a company Captain Jefferson

Munt, We traveled with them up to Kanesville (Kanesville or Council Bluffs, Iowa) on the Missouri

River.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden_Grove,_Iowa

On April 24, 1846 emigrants affiliated with LDS Church under the direction of Brigham Young

established a way station halfway into their trek across Iowa. This semi-permanent settlement was named

Garden Grove. Within three weeks of their arrival, the pioneers enclosed and planted 715 acres.

They founded the village to assist those who did not have sufficient means to continue their journey, as

well as to support and supply future companies of pioneers.

When Brigham Young and the main company left Garden Grove on May 12, 1846, the poorest and least

prepared were left behind. After the Saints arrived in Winter Quarters – Florence, Nebraska.

SOMETIMES IT IS CONFUSING TO KNOW

WHICH TOWN (PLACE) PIONEER ARE

REFERRING TO

A- Kanesville, Iowa is along the Missouri River,

In western Iowa. In 1852 Kanesville was

renamed Council Bluffs, Iowa

About 10 mile - North & West

across the Missouri River

B- Winter Quarters OR Florence, Nebraska.

Today northern part of Omaha, Nebraska

Continued

It was the first season I had ever passed without growing a crop. I wintered at to Kanesville, Iowa and

teamed to Missouri and got supplies for my family. That winter I lost 2 of my oxen out of my team and

had to buy more in Missouri. The word was that when spring came for all to continue their journey that

could get a sufficiently fit out with provisions to last that would be 15 months until we could find a

location and raise grain. I planned on being one that got ready, getting seeds of all kinds and as much as I

could.

The President, Brigham Young, with 150 men started the 10th

of April 1847 to seek a place to locate the

Saints. Making the road as they went. The Brethern organized as follows: Captains’ of 100’s and 50’s

and10’s.

Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel

Brigham Young Pioneer Company 14 April 1847 - 21 July 1847

We started 13 June 1847. I had two ox teams. One of my sisters, Marthy (Martha Allen 1823-1897 ) ,

went with me. She and my wife was the only help I had to help drive teams. I had 4 small children. The

Captain of the company of hundred I traveled in was Abraham.O. Smoot, Capt. of fifty was Russie,

(Samuel Russell) and Capt. of ten Samuel Turnbow,

Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel

Abraham O. Smoot - Samuel Russell Company 17 June 1847 - 25 September 1847

Now there were in all 600 wagons headed to Elk Horn River. My two brothers, James and Lewis, were

not able to a fit out and could not go on and we had to part for the time being. The both came to Utah

during 1882.

The second night we reached Elk Horn River (this is where they joined Abraham O. Smoot Company)

which we found very high and difficult to cross, though all got over and no serious accidents. From this

point between 17 & 21 June 1847 nine companies’s departed for Salt Lake City, Utah. Two additional 24-

25 July 1847.

The next night we camped at Luke Fork. We lay over until the back company’s came up. Here there was

a young man got killed by Indians. He was returning back to Winter Quarters with two ladies with him

and there was some Indians came out from the brush and wanted one of his oxen, which he refused to

give up to them. The Indians shot him and killed him. His name was Jacob Weatherly.

We traveled on then in regular order crossing the different water courses following the pioneers trail.

The streams were high and dangerous though we had no bad luck. When we were on the Platte River the

cattle took to stampede and one company lost 30 head. That never got our company stopped and we went

back to assist them up. We traveled the north side of the Platte River.

It was only a few nights after till the Indians stole 6 head of horses from our camp. We know it was

Indians by the bell being taken off the hold horse and thrown down. When the bell was found then we

knew it was Indians. There we stopped and done some blacksmithing and one child died which was the

2nd

death in all the camp.

We then traveled on crossing the North Fork of the Platte River. It was very difficult to cross but all got

over safely. We then crossed the South Fork at Laramie, WY, a trading post. We traveled on one day

then lay over and built a tar kill and made tar to grease our wagons.

One more day brought us to Sweet Water, WY where one of my oxen took sick and died the next day. On

other died, that was at Independence Rock at Devils Gate. Another was sick and we lay over for two days

and he recovered. Many of the cattle were sick. It was owing to the poison on the water.

Now my team was so used up I had to put in some cows. I made one them of oxen for my wife and sister

to drive and I put two yoke of cows into the team I drove. And a fine team it was, the cows all wanted to

go their own way and my job was to control them.

At Pacific Springs, Wyoming we meet the President, Brigham Young, and the brethren that went ahead,

on their return to Winter Quarters. We lay over one day- two nights and had good meetings. They inform

us thay had a good valley and had located a settlement which was good news to us. Bro. Brigham

preached and encouraged us to go on to the valley. Then they started on their way to families at

Kanesville, Iowa. They’d layn up some log cabins at Kanesville, Iowa. We went ahead quite encouraged,

now I had been two years and sowed, grown, nothing to sustain human life.

When we got to Fort Bridger, a trading post, the mountaineers told us we could not live in this valley we

were going to. It was so cold and frosty. They offered to pay one thousand dollars for one care? of corn

matured in the valley. We traveled on putting our trust in God. We reached the valley 25th

November

1847.

When we got sight of the Valley I think, if there ever was a glad people it was us.

When we got located the next thing was to get some wheat in the ground. The land was very dry and I did

not know what to do for the best. Otherwise I would have irrigated the land first thing, … It did not get

up till the spring, the crows fed on it through the winter and when it did come up it was so thin I thought

it was no account.

Then we went in search of timber to put up some kind building to get our families in. Timber was scarce

and we had to go twelve mile for the timer. Difficult, as I was used to getting timber in a timber country.

As soon as I got the roof on my log cabin, which was small polls laying on top and the very top near level

and dirt on them we moved in before I got to chinked. We felt like we got into a shelter from the storms.

The snow then lay ten inches on the ground.

We soon got chinked and plastered. I had just got it done in December, when there was some rain fell,

but not enough to suit the land enough to bring the wheat we had sown. There was very few potatoes

saved from those that were planted by those Brethren that first came and that had returned to their

families.

When spring came we were very anxious to put in our garden seeds. Consequently, we put them in the

ground the first open spell that came. After which there came a snap which destroyed most of them. This

was owing to us not understanding the climate.

The winter was very fine and open and our stock wintered first rate. In April there was a great deal of

snow fall which made the ground quite wet, which brought up the wheat we had sown though the crows

had destroyed so much of it that it was very thin in deed.

1848

Now every man went in for farming, there were a field laid out large enough for all. We put in our spring

wheat, corn and what potatoes we had, though potatoes were very scares. But upon a different plan to

anything I had ever seen as we had to irrigate, which we had never done before now. It was to make grain

or suffer as there was no grain nearer than one thousand miles and my provisions were getting short

many?. Being on short rations now, when vegetation sprang up the people, many of them had to go to the

poraryas? To seek roots to eat, such as wild onions and thistle roots those were not pleasant but hung

made them good. There were some, to my knowledge, ate large white wolves. It occurred at the bird? OR

(herd) ground where a brother cooked some large white wolf that they had caught in a trap to get the owl

and at night the brethren that were getting wood there came to the camp at night; to stop over and they

ate all the meat he had cooked. I saw that myself.

May 7 1848

Now we commenced making water ditches for irrigation which was a new business to us. The spring

grain sprung up looked quite good. Next thing we see thousand of young crickets making their

appearance in every direction. We discovered they were eating at the young growing wheat and garden

truck, etc. We began destroying them in every we could but all in vain. It really seemed as the more we

killed the more came. It seemed as though they would destroy all we had put in the ground in spite of all

we could do.

May 20 1848

There was a cold snap that frosted the vines and such like things as were easily killed. Now what fall

wheat we had got was just beginning to put the head out of the boot and the frost killed it as far as the

head was out. Fortunately, it was not but a short distance, but this was a trying time those crickets also

were eating at the fall wheat (many then being out of bread).. Just now the sea gulls came in flocks by the

thousands and began to eat the crickets. They would cover the fields and fill themselves and they would

fly to the water and drink. Then they would vomit them up and go again and fill the and again drink and

vomit again. They seemed to repeat this time after time and soon they destroyed the crickets in great

measure.

We attributed this to the hand of the Lord in our behalf. If those gulls had not destroyed them they would

have destroyed all of our growing crops, and that would have brought great suffering to the people.

There was a young man out hunting stock and being hunry was experimenting to see what was good to

sustain life. He ate something poison and killed him. He was discovered coming homeward and fell from

his horse and died in a short time.

1848

Now the crickets being reduced, the grain come on pretty well. My fall wheat was not quite all destroyed

and we were watching it very anxiously to get some bread (many were out of bread). My family was out

15 days, none of the family eating bread, only my wife and one child (that sucked at the bust). I was

fortunate enough to get a little for them.

The rest of us lived on some cheese (I got by going 40 miles to a ranch where there was a brother making

some and he gave out word to those out of bread to come to him and he would let them have what cheese

he had and and take pay out of their crop when it matured. I embraced this opportunity and milk and

thistle roots and wild onions got from poraroes seasoned with butter.

July 7 1848

When the fall wheat began to get ripe I tucked a flower barrel and a butcher knife and picked the ripest

heads and filled the barrel. I dried them in the sun, beat them out, ground the wheat on a coffee mill and

made bread of it without separating the bran from it. Believe me I thought it was the best bread I ever

ate. When I harvested the fall wheat I only got 5 bushels off two acres owing to the crickets eating at it

and the frost killing part of the head when it was just coming out of the boot in April. Though the spring

looked like it would be better though I had none of that. My crops were corn and buck wheat.

August 8 1848

We had a public feast and party. We had a new floor, vegetables, potatoes, etc. made in the Valley. The

wheat and oats and barley and corn hoisted on tall poles and we did have a day of rejoicing before the

Lord and feasted on that the Lord had blessed them with in this desert land.

In the fall of 1848 the companies of saints got in early. The President (Brigham Young) came in again and

was at Oct. Conference. Now the saints began to make some settlements south on Utah Valley and north

forty miles. But they were cautioned to keep in compact bodies as there were Indians on every side of us.

There were some parts of the farms that turned out middling well considering

Seagull Monument, Salt Lake City, Utah

The monument was dedicated October 1, 1913 by LDS Church president Joseph F. Smith.

Seagull Monument is believed to be the first monument dedicated to birds.

FOR THE WHOLE ACCOUNT SEE: Andrew Jackson Allen @ Family Tree

Source: Andrew Jackson Allen Journal http://andrewjacksonallen.blogspot.com/2011/05/blog-post.html

1850 Utah territorial Census, Salt Lake, Deseret Great Salt Lake County, Utah Territory

Andrew J. Allen, 32 M Farmer $150 in real wealth Kentucky

Delilah 32 F Illinois

Permelia 9 F Kentucky

William 8 M Kentucky

Margaret 6 F Kentucky

Martha 5 F Illinois

Sarah 2 F Deseret

18 July 1884

http://digital.lib.usu.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/Diaries/id/17540/rec/1

Andrew Jackson Allen diary and biography, Joel E. Ricks Collection copy

ADDITION LINKS TO BIOS CONCERNING Andrew Jackson ALLEN (1818 – 1884)

ROOTSWEB

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=lesliemwood&id=I0224

DICTIONARY OF MORMON BIOGRAPHY

http://mormonbiography.org/index.php?title=Andrew_Jackson_Allen_(1818-1884)

DIARY OF ANDREW JACKSON ALLEN – PIONEER

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxyZW1lbWJlcnlvdXJ

hbmNlc3RvcnN8Z3g6Nzk4NWFiYWNmZTdlMzdi

ROOTSWEB – WORLD CONNECT

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=lesliemwood&id=I0224

Find A Grave http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=13425781&PIpi=49803063

Andrew Jackson Allen Draper City Cemetery Draper, Salt Lake County

Utah Plot: A-37-1

Delilah Emaline Andrews Allen Draper City Cemetery Draper, Salt Lake County,

Utah Plot: A-36-7

Delilah Emaline Andrews Allen died 5 Dec 1869

Louisa Rodgers Birth: 14 August 1839 Castling, Pike, Lea, Herefordshire, UK

Death: 11 October 1904, Charleston, Wasatch, Utah

Her Father, John Rogers, passed away 26 January 1856, Weston Under Penyard, Herefordshire, England

Louis Rodgers MARRIED Benjamin Enniss Meek 14 October 1860, Weston under Penyard,

Herefordshire, England

http://mormonmigration.lib.byu.edu/Search/showDetails/db:MM_MII/t:voyage/id:193/keywords:Meek

During 1863, Louisa with husband, Benjamin, daughter, Ann, and mother-in-law, Ann Enniss Meek and

father-in-law Thomas Meek

Along with 747 LDS members Departed England aboard the “John Bright”

Departure 30 Apr 1866 from Liverpool

Arrival 6 Jun 1866 at New York

http://history.lds.org/overlandtravels/companyDetail?lang=eng&companyId=254

They would have traveled by train to Wyoming, Nebraska, there they joined the Thomas E. Ricks

Company

Departure Wyoming, Nebraska 6-10 July 1866

Arrival Salt Lake City, Utah 29 August 1866

During this trip, 21 July 1866, husband, Benjamin Enniss Meek , died.

A short time after arrival at Salt Lake City the family settled at Kaysville, Davis Co., Utah

Louisa Rodgers son, Benjamin Rodgers Meek, was born 7 September 1866 at Kaysville

Andrew Jackson Allen

MARRIED: Louisa Rodgers 12 April 1869 at Salt

Lake City, Salt Lake Co.,

Andrew Jackson Allen, Louisa Rodgers Meek

Allen & Benjamin Rodgers Meek 1869

Louisa Rodgers recently widowed in 1866

Louisa Rodgers Allen

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=9553594

Find A Grave

Draper City Cemetery

Draper, Salt Lake County, Utah

Plot: A-37-8

Louisa Rodgers Allen AND Benjamin Enniss Meek https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_eJKktq8nX_Y0ptMmtsMHgtbVk/edit?usp=sharing

Prepared by J.E. Anderson for Aunt Jane Matilda Allen (1903-1974)

Grand Daughter of: Andrew Jackson Allen (1818-1884) AND Louisa Rogers (1839-1904)