Andrew Jackson Allen (1818-1884)

Allen, Andrew Jackson, 1818–1884 Journal (1834–1884) Journal (1834–1884) Typescript. 147 pp. UHi [Ut St Hist Soc] (Man A33); UU [Marriott Libr, U of Utah] (289.3921 A425j) Typescript. 56 pp. HDC [LDS Church Archives] (Ms d 1807) Typescript. 88 pp. USU (979.2 R426 vol. 1) Typescript. 99 pp. BYU [Lee Library] (M270.1 A 154) Microfilm of typescript. 147 pp. BYU [Lee Library] (Film 920 reel 11)

Retrospective to 1857. Birth in Kentucky, 1818. Family heard preaching of Mormon elders, 1834. Parents, Baptists. Two brothers, James and Lewis, joined Mormons, moved to Missouri. Author‘s marriage to Delilah Andrus, 1841. Visit to Nauvoo, 1844. Return to Kentucky. Moved to Nauvoo again, 1846. Baptized into Mormon Church. Westward trek to Utah, 1847.

Close to starvation, 1848. Crickets and seagulls. Fall wheat produced only five bushels from two acres. Better crops in 1849; also help from gold rush migration. Very brief entries, 1851–56. Slight confusion on chronology; events that happened in 1857 placed as though for 1851.

Lived at Willow Creek (Draper). Reformation, 1857. Utah War. Served in militia unit under Porter Rockwell. Considerable detail on patrols and military activities. Big move from Salt Lake and northern counties. Arrival of soldiers who established camp. Concern about effect of influx on community morals. (“I was in S.L.C. the streets were thronged with gentiles setting up liquer shops, drunken men on the right and on the left.”)

Opening events of Civil War. (“Brother Joseph Smith’s prophecy is being fufilled. They are going to war among themselves.”) Author‘s father, living in Missouri, offered him $800 to desert Mormons and return. Arrival of two brothers after several years of separation. Brother Lewis Allen volunteered to settle in St. George area. Author and brother, John Allen, joined Brigham Young on tour of southern settlements. Favorably impressed. Young “said we would go to Jackson County and build up the Temple in spite of All our enemies.”

News of father’s death, 1866. School at Draper taught by John Rocky Park. Grasshoppers, 1867– 68. Work on railroad, 1868–69. Program to establish cooperatives. Completion of railroad to Salt Lake (“The saints feel well to see the highway cast up for the gathering of the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”) Visit to Bear Lake. Mining activities and railroads increased number of gentiles. Poor attendance at School of Prophets annoyed Brigham Young. Mission to work among Indians in Arizona, 1873. Detailed description of journey. No place found for settlement. Returned home. William Clayton‘s sermon on signs of times. (“Then he said those that lived seven years longer would see great changes on the earth etc.”) United Order organized at Draper, 1874. Unenthusiastic response. Son, William C. Allen, started on mission to Arizona, 1876. Arsenal explosion in Salt Lake (“Some ladies fainted with fright, some praying the Lord to have mercy, they thought the world was at an end, and the work of destruction had commenced for certain.”) Rebaptisms. Contradictory reports about success or failure of United Order at Orderville. Signs of times.

Deplored extravagant dress and pride, 1880. Ward teachers ask about family prayer, which author held regularly, “having my small boys take their turns.” Death of brother, Lewis, 1883. Baptisms of Lamanites. Death of author noted. (“Andrew Jackson Allen July 18th died from being gored to death by a bull.”)

See edited excerpt, Our Pioneer Heritage 1 (1958):102–14.