Issac ALLRED

Allred Lineage:   Isaac, James, William, Thomas, Solomon born 1680 England

Born: 06/28/1813 Bedford Co., TN
Died: 05/12/1859

Submitted by: Sharon Allred Jessop 02/22/1999

ISAAC ALLRED - MY GREAT GRANDFATHER

Born June 28, 1813 in the state of Tennessee, Bedford Co. the son of James Allred who was the son of William Allred. In the year 1837, he was ordained an Elder under the hands of Nathan West and David Sheen.

It is a history by himself over a hundred years ago. It is hard to read but I’ll write as nearly as I can read it. I think it says it was written in 1847. These are his exact words:

“The history of the forepart of my life up to the present time: Isaac Allred the son of James Allred was the son of William Allred. I was born the 28th of June 1813, in the State of Tennessee Bedford county and brought up on a farm by my father at home. I was seventeen years old at which time my Father left home and moved to the State of Missouri with his family. We lived in Monro County fours years in the which time I with the rest of my Fathers Family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the year 1832, on the tenth of September. On the 11th day of October 1832, I was married to Juliann Taylor, the daughter of William Taylor. We were baptized by George M. Hinkle and Daniel Cathcart. After the church was driven from Jackson County in the spring in company with the Prophet and two hundred brethren we marched to Clay county to liberate the Brethren from their bondage, but it was all in vain of all human endeavor.

On the 26th day of June 1833 my son Alma was born unto me of my wife Juliann in Monro County. In 1833, I was ordained a teacher under the hand of John Ivie, President of the branch at Salt River. After our return from Clay County in the year 1834, John Allen was born August the 29th. From the exposure of the journey when I got home I was sick on my family with the ague and fever, near unto death.

In the year 1835, in the fall I in company with my father and brothers with our families moved from Munro to Clay County and stayed one year, brought land make one crop. And in this year the people were as reckless as ever as were some members of the church living with them. After awhile it was thought best for our people to live more to themselves.

In the fall of the year 1836, there was a location sought out by some delegates from both sides for the Church to settle. In the year 1836 on the 2nd of October, Eliza Maria was born in Ray County, and in the year 1836 we moved to a new location, which afterwards was organized into a county and called Caldwell. I bought of the government and made a farm. And in the year 1837 was ordained an elder in the Church under the hands of Nathan West and David Sheen in Far West.

In the spring of the year the Prophet Joseph Smith called for volunteers to go out preaching. Myself in company with Elder Benjamin L. Clapp started on the 13th day of December, to preach the gospel to the people for the first time. We traveled 1100 miles and preached 41 times and baptized 5. I left Brother Clapp for home and ordained one Elder and got home on the 18th of March. After I got home I was sick with the measles. I went to general Conference at Far West, on the 6th of April.

On the 29th of April I preached at Brother Crides and baptized and confirmed them. I put a crop in the spring of the year 1838 and then on the 11th day of June I started in company with Clapp and Alfred Lay and Radolph Alexander and Petty to preach again on my second mission. I took passage on the steamer Kansas at Jack Ferry in Ray County. I went to St. Louis then down the river and up the Ohio to Prode Ferry and then commenced our labors. I left Petty and Alexander at the mouth of the Tennessee River. We landed on the Kentucky side and went up into Warren County and Clapp and Lay left me.

I labored in that County for four weeks and then I left and came back to Missouri and labored where I had traveled before in my first mission. I returned home after traveling 2100 miles, preached 35 times and baptized 4 souls. I got home the 29th of September 1838.

The Church was mobbed and drove out from Missouri in the fall of the year 1838 and the Spring of 1839. After being mobbed and plundered and murdered the Prophet with others of the brethren cast into prison. In the spring of 1838-39 I left the State and went to Illinois with the Church taking my family with me. Before we left the State James Martin Allred was born on the 14th of February 1839. We settled on Military land and took a lease for five years and made an improvement. We stayed one year and preached in the Church and to the world and baptized some. Then in the spring of the year 1840, I moved to the city of Nauvoo and built a house and did the best I could for a living. On the 6th of Feb. 1841 Sidney H. L. Allred was born, then I let the Church have my improvement and I got another lot and built upon it and stayed one year. Then I let Lyman Wright have it. I bought a place of Lyman Wright moved on and build and then went to Missouri with Brother Solomon Hancock to preach to the Missourians after they had drove us out of the State. I baptized some and organized a branch of 13 members.

Then I went home and went to work for Mr. Law. I cut 100 cord of wood and then made a contract with Law and went on his farm for two years in which time Mandy Francis was born on the 16th of November 1843 and I had a spell of sickness.

The mob raised up against the church and killed the Prophet and Patriarch. And at this time the Nauvoo Legion was organized and the City was incorporated and I received a commission in the Legion and was Colonel of the 5th Regiment at the time of slaughter of the Prophet and his brother Hyrum. The Laws left the church and disposed me of my place. I moved back to my house and went to work on the temple and worked until it was finished. I took an active part with the Brethren in dueling the mob in the time of the burning in which time some of the devils was killed. I was thrown off my horse and hauled home in a baggage wagon. At this time Backinstos had a posse out. I went to Peoria with Backinstos to attend his trials for killing one of the devils. I came home and went into the temple and labored during the endowments. But before this when I went home from Laws farm Juliann was born on the 12th of November 1845. In the time of the endowment I with my wife was blessed with all the privileges of the endowment as also did Mary Henderson with us.

During this time the toils and privations of life afflictions and sickness and the death of friends brothers and sisters my pen cannot paint neither can my tongue tell but those that experienced it know for themselves.

In February 1846 I left the city with the church perfectly destitute of anything to help myself, the Church helped me to Garden Grove. I was left there destitute of anything to help myself and there Mary Henderson bore me a son on the 13th of October 1846 and it died on the 30th of the same month. I stayed at Garden Grove two years in which time I traveled to and from place to place after the entire loss of my property. I rented a little property in Garden Grove. I lost some property by False Brethren, suffered a great deal in mind on account of traitors and the influence of those that had been with me in the temple of the Lord. President Young finding out my condition sent for me to leave the Grove. By the help of my father, I left in the spring of 1848 and moved to Council Bluff, I gathered with the brethren and met the applause of brethren and friends and made a crop and built a house. I ploughed some ground and a daughter was born unto me and my wife on the 24th of August 1849. I was elected constable at the August election and I went to Monro County to be sworn into office with others of the brethren. I returned home and was reelected and sworn in when the county was organized.

I met with the Quorums through the summer and was called on by President Joseph Young to travel and preach to the branches of the Church. I traveled with Brother William Hyde and preached to the people. In Far West I was ordained one of the Seventy under the hand of President Levi Hancock and Mines. Then in Nauvoo at the time of the organization of the Quorums I was the organizer in the first Quorum and ordained one of the council of the fourth Quorum of Seventy. With this sketch there was thousands of circumstances that I should have liked to have wrote in order to make my history more full. If circumstances would have permitted, but being poor and driven to the extremity that I was from time to time I had not the privilege of writing and now have forgotten to bring it in but those who are familiar with the history of the Church may understand the privation we had to labor under.

My fathers family being scattered and driven to the four winds of Heaven. My oldest brother left the church, the next died, and my three youngest sisters also in three different states and my fifth brother and one of my nephews drug off into the services of the United States (Mormon Battalion) after being driven themselves from their homes and robbed of their property under the sanction of Government to leave their father’s house and friends to cross deserts and mountains of the west with their families and on the 9th of December 1849 the church made a feast for these soldiers that had returned to the place of their enlistment at which time I had the privilege of waiting on them, with Brother William Hyde and Charles Bine and others. Three of the twelve were there and blessed them and we had a good time and I thank the Lord that I yet live and have a standing with the saints. Wednesday December 20th 1849 all is well, thank God.”

Note:

In the winter of 1848 I went to St. Joseph with John Butler and we worked three months and I returned home, gathered up my effects and moved to Honey Creek and made a farm and in the fall I went back to St. Joseph and worked three months more and returned home in the spring to work with Brother William Meak and built a flat boat and got up a petition for a ferry across the Missouri River. I went down the river with the freight to Winter Quarters and bought the boat and privileges there for $500.00 of Mr. Martin. I tended the ferry the spring of 1850 and was put in as Justice of the peace by the voice of the people and amidst oppression and privation I yet live.