Alanson David Allen
1829-1887
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Alanson was born May 2, 1829 at Deposit, Thompkins, Delaware County, New York. He was the son of Albern Allen and Marcia Allen. He was the second child in a family with nine children. His parents learned of the gospel in New York and were baptized in the year 1835 – just 5 years after the reorganization of the one true church. Alanson had to wait 2 more years until the age of 8 and was baptized in 1837.
Soon after his baptism, his parents took their family to journey along with the saints and settled in Missouri. After settling in Missouri for a couple of years, the saints began the Nauvoo exodus on April 2, 1846 in a cold snowstorm.
Alanson and the Prophet Joseph Smith were at Nauvoo together and talked with many times. He was near the scene at the time of his martytrdom and heard the shot that killed him.
The saints had run out of supplies, resources, and had little hope of any source of income by this time. But the national scene was focused on Mexico and that would prove both a trial and a blessing to the starving and freezing saints.
The next month saw some skirmishes with Mexico and the United States declared war on Mexico on May 13. At this time a call came from the United States Government to the authorities of the L. D. S. Church for five hundred volunteers to form the Mormon Battalion to fight Mexico. In accepting this call, Brigham Young told the volunteers that if they did their duty, they would not be called on to shed blood, and in fulfillment of this promise, their only fighting was with wild cattle. That opened a door of opportunity for the saints to join in the war and provide for their families during these difficult times. After arriving at Winter Quarters, Alanson’s father and his older brother, Rufus, enlisted in the Mormon Battalion in Company “A”. Alanson, being 17 years old at the time, was left to be responsible for and care for his mother and siblings along with his aged maternal grandparents Gideon and Rachel Allen.
Later that summer, Alanson realized their need for winter supplies such as food and other necessities. He went back to Eastern Missouri and purchased crops on a farm still in the ground, harvested them and took them to Winter Quarters which gave the family sufficient supply for the winter. Alanson was dependable and often times overworked to do the job assigned him. One story is told that he was cutting wood for fuel one day; he became so tired and overworked that he passed out. While he was unconscious, Alanson tells of a vision that he had of the Great Salt Lake Valley and what it would look like. This vision proved to be helpful because once arriving in the valley, he already seemed acquainted with the road all the way when he came to Ogden.
In the spring of 1848 Alanson’s mother and siblings left Winter Quarters to trek across the country to reach Zion. They were in one of Brigham Young’s Companies. They settled in Wyoming and were reunited with the family father Albern and brother, Rufus who had been discharged from the army in July of 1847. It was there that Albern and Rufus learned of the two young daughters and sisters had died in Winter Quarters, Rachel age 10, and Sarah Ann age 3.
Alanson and his grandparents waited for an unknown reason and according to church records came west in 1849 with the George Albert Smith/Dan Jones company. This company had approximately 447 individuals and 120 wagons when it began its journey. This company traveled closely with the Ezra T. Benson company.
The following are random journal excerpts from those traveling in the same company as Alanson:
“We came in contact with many Indians, but were never harmed by them, for instead of fighting them every one gave them food.” – Abigail Smith Abbott
“We started out to cross the Plains for Great Salt lake[.] we traveled on slowly and nothing special ocured worthy of note thare but little sickness and no deaths in camp)[.] But i will name one little insident that occured on the 2nd of October near the South Pass[.] We was cau[gh]t in a great storm that lasted 36 hours which killed over 70 head of our cattle and horses: that weakened our team some; But after the storm ceased we shoveled our way out and traveled on again[.] We did not travel many miles untill we came to where thare was no snow and all was fair weather. Which continued untill the 26 of October when we arived safe in Salt lake City. and broke up camp entirely. having been four months & a half on the Plains. But was happy now to meet with our Bretheren that had also come up through great tribulation and made them a home in the m[oun]t[ain]s” – William Draper
“On the 7th of July we started across the Plains in Brother George A. Smith's company. We had a good time until we reached Sweetwater. Then we had snowstorms and lost many cattle. We had to throw away trunks and baggage to make the loads lighter. I took malarial fever. We had to burn buffalo chips for wood. We saw many buffaloes. Helped to care for John Henry Smith while crossing the plains.” – Phebe Abigail Abbott Brown Fife
After arriving in Utah, Rufus, Alanson and younger brother Marshall made six trips back along the pioneer trail helping companies of Saints reach their destination.
Alanson’s father had met a man named Stephen Hadlock back in Nauvoo. They were visiting one day and Stephen was praising Alanson to Albern, telling him of the fine qualities he saw in his son. Stephen’s daughter Chastina was present during that conversation and had said jokingly, “Who is this fine young man...and if he is all you say he is I'll marry him." Little did she know that would truly come to pass. Alanson and Chastina were married in September 1850. They were later sealed in 1856.
Alanson and Chastina had their first child in 1851 – Emeline Clarissa. Shortly after her birth, they were called by Brigham Young to go to Willard and help settle the area known then as 3-Mile Creek. Four years later they returned to Ogden and lived about 3 years. He was a farmer and always had several cows. They pastured the cows just across the Weber River in the vicinity of Wilson Lane. They lived in a little log cabin close to where the Union Depot now stands.
In 1860, Brigham Young called them to go to Hyrum, Cache County and help with the settlement there . Some of the settlers had to live in dugouts temporarily, Alanson and two other families had built cabins in the south hollow on the Little Bear River, but they eventually moved into the fort for better protection.
Alanson was a farmer and had a well-kept farm on which he kept cows, pigs, horses and always several head of sheep from which they secured the wool to make their clothing. After living in Hyrum 6 years, they moved to Huntsville, Weber County, where they lived the rest of their lives.
During these years, Alanson had been part of the Utah Militia. In 1857 he and 5 other men, were sent to Salmon River to help a company of Immigrants who were having trouble with the Indians. Only one man was killed in the battle, but they all suffered terribly from exposure. Alanson’s health was never well after that. During this time, the saints had been informed of a U.S. army that was heading their way. Young prepared the Utah Milita and declared martial law. Alanson took part in this “Utah War”. Though there were some casualties from this time, there was never one battle and resolution was made through negotiations. In 1861 Alanson made Captain of the militia and served in this capacity until 1866. At this time there were a great many Indians around and the settlers were having a good deal of trouble with them all through the country.
There are many stories of Alanson’s kindness towards all people, especially the Indians in the territory. One evening, Alanson and Chastina’s daughter, Sarah Ann, went out to the ditch to get some water. An older Indian came up in back of her. She turned and saw him and screamed before he could harm her. The Indian had planned on killing the family dog for food, but Alanson, hearing his daughter’s scream, had run out to see what was wrong. Alanson talked to the Indian and gave him some food. The Indian thanked him and never returned to harm the family again
Another time, in the month of February, an old Indian came to his home asking for some flour. Alanson told the Indian that they had but two sacks left, which they needed since there were 16 people in the family. The old Indian asked again, and Alanson, having compassion shared the little flour that they had.
Alanson worked hard to keep their family of 14 children fed. He worked mainly at farming, but also sought other employment. He worked on the railroad with the crew that finished the grade into Ogden. According to his daughter, he was there when the last spike was driven. During this time his family was rather low on supplies and one son remembered their diet was mostly bran mush and bran bread.
He and his wife, Chastina, raised 14 children, all of them growing to maturity. Happy, good, honest, trustworthy citizens. Some of them filled missions for the church and nearly all of them were active in church and civic affairs. Their boys and girls have been leading citizens in the communities in which they have lived all their lives. The thirteen children who married all have families. Mary, the youngest daughter, was the only one who didn't marry.
Later in his life, in the 1870’s, Alanson served a short mission to Independence, Missouri to settle some disputes. He was not there long due to his failing health. He passed away March 5, 1887 at the age of 58. Alanson had been ordained a member of the Quorum of the Seventy and held that position at the time of his death. Alanson and his wife are buried in Ogden, Utah.
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