Ira settled at Hyrum, Cach, Utah in April 1860. He was Ward clerk, Postmaster, Canal builder, and farmer.
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BIOGRAPHY: The grandfather in the paternal line was Ira Allen, of whom one of the local papers wrote: "He was one of the builders of Hyrum, and his sons and daughters and their children and children's children have always been and still are among the foremost in ecclesiastical and civil activities in this and other communities, a credit to their country and their church wherever their labors are required. Ira Allen was the son of Simeon Allen and Elizabeth Leavens and was born in Thompson, Windham county, Connecticut, April 27, 1814. He was of the seventh generation from his fourth great-grandfather, James Allen, who settled in Medfield, Massachusetts, in 1637. He lived at home with his parents until he was twenty-one years of age, working at farming and brickmaking. He was married to Calista Bass, daughter of Luther Bass of Ashford, Connecticut, November 23, 1834. He lived in Connecticut until the spring of 1837, when he and his family removed to Hillsdale county, Michigan. It was here he heard Mormonism and embraced it February 9, 1845. In June of the same year he moved with his family to Nauvoo, Hancock county, Illinois. He left Nauvoo, June 15, 1846, and went to Winter Quarters, arriving there November 5th of the same year. He lived there until May, 1848, when he moved to Harris Grove. By this time his family consisted of himself, his wife and five children. Through the persecution and driving of the Mormons he had become very poor. All they had to eat that winter was bread and one-quarter of a deer. Both he and his children were without shoes all that winter. In the spring he picked up two odd shoes that some one had thrown away, and with these to wear he walked fifty miles to St. Joseph, Missouri. Here he got work bailing hemp. He worked twenty days, receiving twenty-one dollars after paying for his board. Knowing his family would be out of provisions, he went back home. When he arrived there he learned that the only food his family had had to eat for four days was roots that the two older boys, Andrew and Frank, had dug. While living at Harris Grove he made a wagon in which to cross the plains. Iron being scarce, he was unable to get any tires for the wheels. With this wagon, a yoke of oxen and a cow, he started for Utah, June 6, 1850, arriving in Salt Lake City, October 3d. This wagon carried seventeen hundred pounds across the plains, and when it arrived in Utah the fellies were half worn out. He had been in Salt Lake City but three weeks when he was called by President Brigham Young to go south and help build what is now known as Springville. On December 1, 1852, he married Keziah (Benson) Judy, daughter of Alva Benson and Cynthia Vail. In 1853 he was again called to go south to help build another settlement in Iron county. This town is now Cedar City. He here married Cynthia Benson, another daughter of Alva Benson, August 25, 1858. He remained in Cedar City until 1860, when he took part of his family and came to Cache Valley, where he and others founded the city of Hyrum. After plowing, sowing and harvesting a few acres of land he went back to Cedar City. The next spring he moved the rest of his family to Hyrum, where the majority of them still reside. His first wife died here in 1863. He was the father of twenty-five children, of whom twelve are still living. He now has one hundred and twenty-four grandchildren, one hundred and forty-four great-grandchildren and twelve great-great-grandchildren. He was a stanch Latter-day Saint, always setting a good example before his children. He and his posterity have done a great work in the Temple for some eight hundred of his dead relatives. He died in full faith of the gospel on December 21, 1900, being in his eighty-seventh year."All of Ira's forfathers, back to 1637, had been farmers in Massachusetts and Connecticut, tillers of the soil and reverent to word of God. "Tis true that the "Blue-Laws" of Connecticut had great religious influence on the children. They were taught to respect the church and the Sabbath. Families would go in a group to church, and would refrain from boistrous conduct the rest of the day. Many spent part of the day reading the Bible.
Ira married at the age of 20. He and Calista were devoted to each other durring varied scenes from Connecticut to Utah. They left their original home in Connecticut after two children were born and lived in Michigan where three children were added to the family. After joining the church and gathering at Nauvoo in 1845, they were forced by a mob to leave a year later. They crossed Iowa, a distance of 225 miles, and joined the pioneers at Winter Quarters where they remained three and a half years, and then endured the hardships of he 1100 mile journey to Utah.
After nighteen happy years of married life Ira and his wire and children were put to a test by the plural marriage of Ira to Keziah Benson Judy at Springville, Utah. Harmony and good will continued to exist and Keziah's son, Bill Judy, was treated the same as the other five children of Ira and Calista. Frank and Andrew used to say, "We had two mothers at Cedar City." The other children always spoke of their home life and how the women and children worked together in such harmony. Ira, his two wives and six children lived happily at Cedar City under one roof eating at the same table.
Six years after marrying Keziah, her younger sister, Cynthia, became Ira's third wife. By the spring of 1860 four children had been born to Keziah and one to Cynthia, adding five more to the family which now totaled thirteen at home.
At Hyrum in 1861 where the husband, the three wives and ten children living in two rooms of the log house all eating at the same table. Some slept in the house, others in a tent and in covered wagons. Andrew and his wife Sarah Ann and son, Andrew Jr., living in the other room.
The first wife Calista, died in January 1863. Frank married in December 1863 and he and his wife ate with the family and slept in a covered wagon untill the next summer when Andrew and Frank moved into log houses they had built one block south. In 1876,there were twelve children living at home with the father and the two mothers.
Nearly ten years after locating at Hyrum, Ira left for a mission, November 12, 1869, and stayed six months in his native state, Connecticut (he would have traveled by rail). Only one of his relatives would hear the gospel. This was Ezra Carpenter, a relative of Ira's by marriage. The Carpenters had kept records and gathered genealogy of their progenitors. Ezra Carpenter and his wife and daughter came to Hyrum 1872, remaining a short time and then settled in Logan. Here Orson Smith became acquainted with Ezra's daughter, Carrie and they were married.
One very unpleasant thing came into Ira's life in 1888 owing to the Edmunds Tucker law. This notorious anti-polygamy law, passed by Congress, disenfranchised over 3,000 leading members of the Mormon Chruch. Apostates and some others not of the church became active in reporting their neighbors to the government officials, receiving a special price for this service, so that many who had more than one wife fell prey to these government marshals.
Ira was arrested in February 1888 and served six months in the Utah Penitentiary and paid a fine of $300.00 for "unlawful co-habitation". Those who had more than one wife could live with either that he chose but must not co-habit with the others. The other families could be supported by the husband, however.
Ira's two families were living in the same house and when he returned from the "pen" he must not live in the house untill one of the women moved out. The question naturally arise in the minds of some, "Which was Ira's favorite - Keziah or Cynthia?" True devotion and love was manifest when Ira said, "Two women who have lived together for 30 years in such peace and harmony and reared their children under one roof and eaten at one table, shall never be separated by me." So Ira went one block south and lived in his son's vacant house alone. Meals were brought to him by the children.
In January 1891 Ira recieved another sentence for ten days. He had been seen eating a meal with the family and the court said this was unlawful even if he didn't sleep in the house.
Ira proved to be one of the most sturdy and progressive pioneers and aided in the construction of homes and public buildings. He was recognized for his dependablility, fidelity to a trust, and his unswerving testimony of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the divinity of the great mission fo the Prophet Joseph Smith. Ira was an Ardent Latter-Day Saint and a loving devoted husband and father. Many of his descendants have filled missions for the Chruch and served as Stake and ward officers. May his descendents to the last generation emulate his power of faith and strength of character. Ira died at Hyrum Dec 21 1900 in his 87th year. He was the father of 25 children, the grandfather of 135 children and the greatgrandfather of 398 children, The great great grandfather of 425 children and ggg-grandfather of 103 chldren. Unknown date
Keziah died three months after Ira's death. Cynthia lived alone a few years then she sold her home and farm and lived with her chldren. At the age of 67 she was stricken with paralysis and became almost helpless. Four years later, October 13, 1913, she died at the home of her daughter, Laura Savage.
Calista Bass was born May 22, 1812, the daughter of Luther Bass and Caarlotte Rawson of Ashford, Connecticut. This was a place where the primitive forest covered much of the land. Debris from the forest covered the ground and the roots had to be removed in order to make a garden or a farm. To clear the land and free it from the grip of the forest required the grubbing hoe. the crow bar, and the ax. The ancient trees of the forest were large and mighty. Their massive trunks held up a network of branches that might spread 200 feet in all directions. Their root systems likewise spread unseen far and wide in the soil. Here and there in the forest were small villages and towns where settlers earned a living from the land. Calista's mother and father made a home in one of these villages. Calista's early life was similar to that of many young girls born and reared in rural New England. Modesty of dress and demeanor, study of the Bible and school work, hard work inside and outside of the home, closeness of family ties, and obedience to parental authority were matters of daily life. Things were not different for Calista. She learned all the skills of managing a home from her mother. She learned to make butter and cheese. She carded wool and make stockings for the family. She realized early that this would he her vocation in life, that of Cooking, mending, bearing and raising children, and supporting a hard working husband who would toil to wrench a living for his family from the land and forest. There were occasions for the young people in neighboring communities, however, where they had opportunities to socialize through school and church...Ira and Calista fell in love and decided to marry and hoped that Luther Bass, Calista's father would consent to the marriage. Luther and his wife Charlotte were pleased that Calista had chosen a young man of fine qualities to be her husband. They knew of the Allen family and and knew it to be a God fearing family, long established in New England, Hard working and prosperous land owners.
Following the marriage on Nov 28, 1834, the young couple lived in the Bass household until thier first child was born on October 18, 1835. The baby's name was John. He died shortly after birth. A year later, their second child, Andrew Augustus, was born October 1, 1836 in Woodstock, Connecticut.The family then moved to Litchfield Michigan. In Litchfield, Ira build a two-story log home for Calista. He dug a well where the pump came up into the kitchen so that Calista wouldn't have to go outside for water. Three children were born to Ira and Calista in Litchfield: Simeon Franklin Born April 3, 1839, Charles Francis born on May 7, 1841 died the same day, and Elizabeth Maria born on June 6, 1842. A fourth child, Emily Louisa, was born March 15, 1844 in Clarendon, Calhaun County Michigan. Calista's health was not good and she was ill much of the time.
Calista and Ira had never joined any church as they could find none which measured up to Christianity as taught in the New Testanment. On Feb 1845, two Mormon Elders were preaching at the School house. On a cold winter night while Calista remained at home with the children, Ira went to hear them preach. Ira recieved a testimony that these men had the Gospel for which he had been searching. The Elders were invited to his home to visit his ailing wife, Calista. This young couple was touched deeply by the message the Elders taught and they readily accepted it. They were both baptized by William J. Phelps on February 9th 1845, Calesta manifested great faith in the priesthood held by the Elders and administered to her at her request. The affliction left her body and she remained in good health untill the latter part of her life.
The coming years were difficult ones.She set out for Nauvoo, Illinois to be with the body of the Latter-day Saints five months after being baptized. They had a home built for $ 1,300.00 which they never occupied because of Mov Violence. They were driven out with the rest of the Mormons and ended up in Winter Quarters. Shortly before they arrived their seventh child was born in Harris Grove a small settlement on Pottawattamie Indian land. They named him Joseph Smith Allen. They arrived at Winter Quarters on November 5, 1846 conditions here were not good and many were dying dure to scurvy. Calista used all her resourcefulness to provide meals for her family who had been reduced to poverty. They were short on food and none in the family had shoes to wear.
The next spring Calista watched as her husband headed off to work at St. Joseph, Missouri on foot and in shoes someone else had discarded. Before his return a few weeks later the family was living on roots and boys Andrew and Frank had dug from the ground on a nearby hill. They remained in Winter Quarters 3.5 years. Ira's and Calista's call to dervice during this time was to help other Latter-Day Saints prepare for the difficult treck to the Rocky Mountains. They came in 1850 Arriving Oct 30, 1850 in Salt Lake City, where they stayed only three weeks before traveliing onto their next home of Springville, Utah. It was at Springville that a second wife Keziah Benson Judd who was recently widowed and the mother of a small son named William.
Calista welcomed the help and care Keziah provided for the family. Keziah could weave, spin, and make cloth. She was young and healthy and was able to take over many of the difficult household chores.
The stay in Springville lasted three years they then moved to Cedar City. They traveled south in 1853. Here Ira married again Cynthia Elizabeth Benson a younger sister of Keziah. These women got along well. Each wife in the family took her share of the work. They created a home filled with love for each family member and for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Calista Bass Allen died on Jan 11 1863 in Hyrum, three years after the family arrived here she was 50 years old at the time.
Keziah was born March 10 1825 in Clark County, Indiana, She married William Clark Judy and to them was born one son. William. they crossed the plains arriving in Utah in 1850. and located in Big Cottonwood, south of Salt Lake City. A year later her husband died and was buried in Salt lake City, July 5 1851. Keziah moved to Springville where she became acquainted with Ira Allen's family and on Dec 1 1852 married Ira Allen.1852 - crossed the plains with parents with Capt Uriah Curtis, age 27
1852 - Dec 31, arrived in Salt Lake
Oneonta HeraldIn Milford, Jan. 8th, Mr. Reuben WESTCOTT, aged 62 years, 10 months, 13 days. The deceased was a worthy and highly esteemed citizen, a devoted and active christian, and his loss will be deeply felt in the community where he lived.
Marriage Notes for Melvin Westcott and Ruth M. Soule
MARRIAGE:
Oneonta Herald
November 11, 1858MARRIED - In Milford, on the 3d of Nov., at the residence of the bride's father, by Rev. J. Soule, Mr. Melville WESTCOTT, to Miss Ruth M. SOULE, both of Milford.
Excerpt from History of Otsego Co., NY
page 200WESTCOTT, Otis - Milford
Prominent among the citizens of the town of Milford is the subject of this sketch. A son of old Massachusetts, born at Cheshire, Berkshire Co., April 25, 1806, being the offspring of Reuben and Susan WESTCOTT. At eight years of age, his father emigrated to this town, bringing his family with him, which at the time consisted of nine children, which was afterwards increased to twelve, - six boys and six girls; and at the death of their father, in 1847, all were living, the youngest being over thirty years of age.They were all members of the Baptist church except the two oldest, who were Methodists. He remained on his father's farm till the time of his marriage, Dec. 6, 1826, to Sally, daughter of Charles and Catherine MORRIS, she being born in Milford, Aug. 21, 1804.
He then purchased a farm, being the one on which he now resides, and there laid the foundation of the comfortable fortune which he now possesses. There came six children to bless his home and
fireside, four of whom are now living, all of whom were born in the town of Milford.Eliza Delia, born Feb. 6, 1828.
Catherine born Feb. 4, 1833, and was married to Rev. Ozias ELLERSON, a Methodist minister, located in Keyport, N.J.
Munro, born July 11, 1836.
Emily S. born Sept. 1, 1843, was married Sept. 23, 1863, to Dr. Thomas EVANS, of Milford.
Mr. W. has been a Republican ever since the formation of the party. Himself and wife have been members of the Baptist church for over half a century. Dec. 6, 1876, there gathered at his family mansion relatives and friends to extend their greetings and celebrate the anniversary of his golden wedding, and nothing can be more appropriate than the following lines:"For fifty years we've journeyed on Together on life's way; Our locks, once fair to look upon Are mingled now with gray.We've shared each other's toil and cares, A Father's love hath blessed; And e'er another fifty years We hope with Him to rest."
The Troy Weekly Times
May 14, 1891Monroe Westcott, a leading citizen, died suddenly Sunday, aged fifty three years, a produce dealer, a director of Wilber national bankand president of Oneonta water company. He was also director of Oneonta agricultural society, A widow survives.
Marriage Notes for Harvey Jerome Westcott and Adaline A. Pearsall
MARRIAGE:
Oneonta Herald
January 29, 1862MARRIED - At the residence of the bride's, on the 27th inst., by Rev. David L. Pendell, Mr. Harvey J. WESTCOTT, of Oneonta, to Miss Adaline A. PEARSALL, of Bainbridge, N. Y.