Obituary published on page 2, July 26, 1962 The Pleasant Grove Review Pleasant Grove, Utah
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF LOUIS EPHRAIM ALLRED
1878 - 1962
A compilation of a history dictated to his granddaughter, Earlene Allred Smart, and one that was written in his own handwriting.
Submitted by his Grandson: Gary D. Allred
Lineage: Louis Ephraim, Ephraim Lafayette, Reuben Warren, James, William Allred, Thomas Allred, Solomon born 1680 Lancashire, England
My father, Ephraim Lafayette was born October 1, 1854 in Ephraim, Utah. My mother, Harriett Matilda Brunson was born August 10, 1877 in Fillmore, Utah. I was the first of 13 children. My brothers and sisters are as follows, Amanda, Reuben, Thomas, Harriett, Louisa, Altania, James (died in infancy), Catherine (died in infancy), Charity (died in infancy), Justin, and the twins Clement and Clemont.
I was born October 2, 1878 in Chester, Sanpete, Utah.
My father and his family were rather prosperous, with my father raising stock and farming. We moved to various places, living in Deseret, Spring City and Hinckley. Most of my younger years were spent in Hinckley where I completed nine years of school. I was kept very busy with daily chores and herding cattle. We spent one winter in “Hole in the Wall” which was also called “Robbers Roost”. Outlaws would stay there as it was an excellent place to defend themselves if the law came looking for them. We learned to never ask a man’s name and mind our own business. “Silver-Tip”, an out law of that time would follow sheep camps from place to place so he could hide out for a long period of time. In the desert by Ferron, Utah , while we were out on the range with our cattle, two men came into camp. I was on the range and when I returned to camp, I found them and supper waiting for me. After supper they went to bed, but after a short time we were aroused with the dog barking. They got up and went out to hide thinking someone was coming. After a couple of hours, they returned and slept for the rest of the night. The next morning, they left taking half of everything we had. One of these men was “Butch Cassidy” a famous outlaw.
In our family, religion was the foremost. I learned to pray at an early age and was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Chris of Latter-day Saints. I was baptized in the Sevier River near Hinckley on the 7th of October, 1887 by Joshua Bennett and confirmed by Robert Hunter on the same day. I received my patriarchal blessing while I was still in my childhood. I was ordained a Deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood on August 8, 1891 by John C. Peterson and steadily advanced in the priesthood from then on. I was ordained an Elder in the Melchizedek Priesthood on April 20, 1898 by Adolph Madsen, a Seventy on April 20, 1898 by Jonathan G. Kimball and ordained a High Priest on September 15, 1917 by George Albert Smith.
I was sustained as the Superintendent of the MIA when I was in my early teens. For recreation we would have dances. They were mostly Square Dances. While attending my first year of High School in Ferron, Utah, I met Lydia Belle Henrie. We dated each other steadily from then on for about two or three years. We were married in Castle Dale, Utah on the 18th of June, 1898 by a Justice of the Peace. Our first home was in Ferron, Utah where our first child, Louis Ray was born. I was working in a sawmill at this time and build our own home. Two more children, Ora Belle and Zella Maria were born in Ferron. We moved to Clawson, Utah where two more children were born, James Ephraim and Kenneth Reuben.
In Ferron and Clawson Wards from 1898 to 1907 I held the following positions. I was assistant to the Ferron Ward YMMIA then Superintendent in in 1898; Secretary to the Sunday School; Assistant Sunday School Superintendent; Superintendent of the YMMIA and then Ward Clerk.
I took my family and moved to Talmage, Utah where I farmed. Don was born there. I was President of the Talmage Branch of the Boneta Ward in 1914. I was Presiding Elder from October 26, 1913 to December 12, 1915.
I then moved my family to Roosevelt, Utah where I continued farming. Their two children were born, Clyde and Lee. We then went to Hayden, Utah where I had cattle in the mountains. While living in Hayden, one more child was born, Glen. I was set apart as Bishop of the Hayden Ward on September 15, 1917.
I served as a Stake High Councilman under President William A. Smart and President Brian O. Colton from 1915 to 1925.
I served on the Duchesne County Board of Education for eleven years and during this time had the opportunity of chaperoning a group of FFA boys to the World’s Fair in Chicago. I held the following civic positions; County Assistant Assessor for three years; the Dry Gulch Irrigation Board; the Agricultural Board of Uintah, Independence County; President of the Ouray Park Irrigation Company; Adjustment Association for five years.
At the age of seventy-two, I was called to serve on my second mission to the Central Atlantic States from the South 21st Ward in Salt Lake City and served under President Price for a short-term mission.
I have had the privilege of traveling to North Carolina twice to family reunions and to Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas doing genealogical work.
Comments by Granddaughter Earlene Allred Smart:
Mama and I work in the church Offices and did temple work. I was also a worker of the veil. We spent many hours in the Genealogical Library doing the work for our dead.
In the last years of his life Grandpa and Grandma traveled from one child to another enjoying their beloved children and grandchildren. They had a great posterity of fourteen children, all of whom reached maturity. Their grandchildren numbered seventy-four in 1959 at the time this history was dictated.
Louis E. Allred died on Tuesday July 17, 1962 at 9 pm in Kaysville, Davis County, Utah of coronary hemorrhage and complications. He was buried in the Roosevelt, Utah Cemetery on July 20, 1962.
According to his son, James, during the time his father was Bishop of Neola, Utah, the Neola Ward Chapel was built, also a spring north of Neola was filed on and he was instrumental in getting water piped to the town of Neola.
