Ezra Hela Allen
Ezra Allen was born 28 July 1814 at Madrid, St. Lawrence County, New York. His parents were Samuel and Sarah Jane Powers Allen. He was the ninth child of fourteen. He was named Ezra Heela because his parents admired a preacher by that name. His denomination is unknown. Madrid was a heavily timbered area. They were some of the first settlers in the area.
He probably grew up learning to chop wood, clearing brush and rocks so his parents could plant crops. He, no doubt, got the cows from the pasture and learned to milk them as well as doing other chores around the farm. He was educated in the area. He heard many stories of his grandfather fighting in the Revolutionary war. His older brothers George and Nathaniel fought in the war of 1812.
Ezra's grandfather Jonathan Allen lost has sight while serving in the Revolutionary War. He had served under Seth Warner and Ethan Allen. (Most likely the two Allens were cousins) It was Ezra's duty to care for him. Ezra was about 16 years old. The 70 year old man was crippled and needed chores done around the rural home.
In 1830 his grandfather's house burned down. Ezra then went work at Potsdam, New York. He took land in return for his work. He had plans to build a house and settle down. He was acquainted with the Varnum Fisk family and fell in love with their beautiful dark-haired daughter. Sarah Beriah was 18 years of age. He was 23. They were married 25 December 1837. She went with him to Madrid to live.
He enjoyed working with wood in carpentering and milling. Most men of that time did some farming and had a cow and chickens.
While living there in Madrid, two girls were born, Amerette Cynthia was born 19 April 1839. Jerushia Elvira was born 23 November 1841.
It was at this time Latter-day Saint Elders came in the area.. Ezra wanted to know more about an angel and the "golden Bible"' they had heard about. The message they heard agreed with scriptures. Ezra and Sarah liked the message they brought. Ezra wanted to be baptized right soon. Sarah needed more time to ponder and pray about it. Ezra was baptized 27 June 1842 along with a brother and his sister Margaret and her husband Silas Wilcox. Sarah did not attend the baptism because she stayed with her sick infant. After Ezra was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he requested that Elders administer to the sick child. They were thrilled to witness the ordinance of the gospel practiced as in the time of Jesus. The child was blessed but not healed. Jerusha died the 18th of August 1842.
The young couple wanted to be with other saints and meet the Prophet Joseph Smith. They prepared to leave for Nauvoo, Illinois. The homestead was sold. They loaded what they could in a wagon and bid family and friends goodbye, and shed tears as they passed the grave of their baby. The trip was long and tedious. They arrived in Nauvoo in the early winter of 1842. They found a small house and began accumulating necessities.
Ezra and Sarah decided to venture into a project with Amasa Lyman. They would settle in a town about 25 miles up the Mississippi from Nauvoo called Shocoquan. It was a beautiful location. They soon found the climate damp and unhealthy.
In April they were able to return to Nauvoo and attend a conference and hear the Prophet preach in the unroofed temple. They rejoiced with the saints and returned home in good health. Amasa Lyman baptized his wife 1 May 1843. Ezra and Sarah had no doubts about the divinity of the Gospel. They enjoyed meeting with the saints and made many friends. Their first son Alexander Hamilton was born 21 July 1843 while at Shocoquan. Much illness came to the area. The whole family was sick. Ezra came down with the chills and fever. Sarah, though sick herself, nursed him, Amerette, and herself to good health. Ezra lost all means they had. The hardest loss was that their son Alexander died in September 1843.
They moved back to Nauvoo. There was much persecution. Ezra was able to find carpenter work. When not building houses he worked on the Nauvoo Temple. Ezra often said it was pretty bad when he had to carry a rifle when he went to work on the Temple. He joined the Nauvoo Legion. He played the fife. Fifes were easy to learn and did not cost a lot. It was a thrill for him to be in a parade marching behind Joseph Smith.
In June 1844 they were saddened by the martyrdom of the Prophet and his brother Hyrum. They were present when Brigham Young talked and the mantle of Joseph came on him. They felt the church would survive the many troubles of the time. They were counseled to remain calm and build up the city and finish the temple
On 28 September his second son was born. They named him Alexander Alma. The work on the temple progressed until the winter of 1845 and 1846. They were among the Saints who were able to receive their own endowments and they were sealed 2 February 1846. Because of the continued persecutions the church they began making plans to move west. No one knew where they would be going.
Ezra went with Joel Ricks to St. Louis to assist him in bringing stock and supplies to Nauvoo to prepare for the journey. In return Ezra was to have assistance in moving his family. The two men drove their equipment back through Missouri, crossing the river on a ferry some miles below Nauvoo. No one bothered them.
The Allens left Nauvoo, crossing the Mississippi, on 27 April 1846. On account of heavy rains the traveling was slow. Ezra was driving a large team of oxen. They finally arrived at Mt. Pisgah, Iowa, where they stayed for a length of time. He helped build fences around fields of grain which others before him had been planted. The brethren planted more grain for the immigration that was expected to follow.
They then moved onto toward Council Bluff in early June. They made camp nearby at a place called Musketo. At night Ezra play his fife, with others who had violins, to bring cheer to the hearts of the saints. On the first Sunday in July, Brigham Young told them to prepare to head toward California, He advised them to boil all water they used because cholera had hit the saints.
In July a uniformed officer named James Allen came (Ezra found they were not related). After a long meeting with the Latter-day Saint authorities, Brigham called a conference of all the saints. He told them he wanted 500 young able-bodied men to join Colonel Allen to help the US fight the war with Mexico. They would march to California and be discharged there and would keep their arms and equipment. They were told that wages would be sent back to help their families. Ezra signed up to go. Before leaving he made arrangements for Sarah to draw provisions from the store of a trader. (For some unknown reason Sarah was unable to get anything.)
On 16 July 1847, he bid family and friends farewell and marched off. When the Battalion reached Leavenworth, Ezra resolved to make the trip to California in the clothes he stood in. He wanted his entire clothing allowance to be sent back to his family.
Colonel Allen stayed behind in Leavenworth. Ezra was fifer in Company "C" under Captain James Brown. The march was hard. There was a West Point graduate along - Lieutenant Andrew J. Smith. He was one of Colonel Allen's staff officers. His military advice to the inexperienced Captains was resented by the enlisted men. It seemed that every time he talked to the officers there was stricter discipline.
The orders from General Kearny were to have the Mormons at Santa Fe by 3 October 1846. By strict discipline Lieutenant Smith got his men over the desert with no suffering on account of lack of water.
Much fun was poked at the ragged Mormons at Santa Fe, until it was learned the soldiers had sent their clothing allowances back to their families in Council Bluffs. When Doniphan's men heard how the Mormons had sacrificed, their scoffing turned to praise. A salute was fired in their honor.
The guides that Colonel had took them up over the top of almost impossible mountains of New Mexico. The wagons had to be taken apart and let down by ropes. Had they known of the low, almost level pass much unnecessary work and suffering could have been avoided.
Crossing the Arizona desert was awful. The days were almost hot in December and January. The night were cold enough to put ice on the water when they had it. The men made do with scarcely enough water to drink, not even washing their hands or dishes after eating.
When they reached Tucson, they feared a battle might take place. All were on alert. A misunderstanding in the night brought everyone to his arms. Someone had sounded a message that the enemy was attacking. Calling to Ezra who was on duty, the Colonel shouted, "Beat that fife! Blow that drum! " And then he swore like an old army man. When it turned out to be a false alarm, there was much fun shouting "Beat that fife! and blow that drum!" When the Colonel heard someone else shout it, he laughed good naturedly and let it pass. Even though he was a strict disciplinarian, Colonel Cooke was fair.
The Mormon Battalion men thought that when they reached California, most of their troubles would be over. Crossing the Colorado River they were in a desert sand which was harder to endure than the mountains. They were weak from lack of food and water. They trudged through deep blowing sand. They were so thirsty their tongues were black.
Soon after they recovered, they received word that General was battling the Spaniards. Colonel Cooke put the men through drills and instructed what to do if they were attacked. But the Mexicans had had enough, and had retreated.
Duty now seemed more routine. They were able to get food from a boat that had been in the Hawaiian Islands. They stood guard and cleaned up the city of San Diego. Now they marched up to Los Angeles, where Company “C" was sent east, a little beyond San Bernardino.
Finally the day came for their discharge. They bought wild horses for about $3.00 and got them broke to ride. Ezra was anxious to get back to his family. The Battalion men heard about Walker's Pass over the Sierras. They tried to find it, but went too far north. They made their way to Butter's Fort. Ezra found work in order to get food and supplies to cross the mountains.
They met Sam Brannan, who was coming from Salt Lake City. Brannan told them that Brigham Young didn't want a repetition of the Donner tragedy and for them to stay in California until weather improved. He told them that Captain James Brown was bringing a letter telling them there was not enough food for them to winter in the Salt Lake Valley.
Several of the men did not wait for Captain Brown. They were afraid the officer would assume command over all who were in Company "C"; he had that right. Ezra rode back west with Brannan. Captain James Sutter hired him at a shingle mill on the American River. The work was hard. With what meat they were able get by hunting, they had plenty of food. It was a rainy time. The men spent their time playing checkers on homemade boards. They read their Bibles and talked about the teachings of Joseph Smith.
Word came that gold had been discovered up the river at Coloma. Ezra went there and was able to get a fair amount of gold. In the evenings Ezra made a buckskin pouch to put the gold in. He got about as much as any of the men. It took some to pay for his food and other supplies. He also paid his tithing to Samuel Brannan, who claimed he had the right to collect it.
Ezra, with Daniel Browett and others, decided to try to go up over Donner Summit. They left with their wagons, but returned in a week. They found the snow too deep and the ravine too steep to travel. They met with a group of returning Battalion men, in Pleasant Valley (near where Placerville is today) They were all anxious the see their families. A vanguard group was selected to go ahead on pack horses to find a road for the wagons. This would be the first attempt to take wagons east through the mountains. The men were Ezra Allen, Daniel Browett and Henderson Cox. They left about the first of July.
On 14th of July 1848, more men left to find the vanguard men. On 17th July Azariah Smith wrote; "This afternoon those men who went ahead saw some Indians wearing clothing which resembled that of Brothers Allen, Browett and Cox. They also saw where they suspect that they were killed and buried."
On looking around, they found bloody arrows on the grave. They found the three men buried in the shallow grave. Ezra's pouch of gold dust was found, which was on a long buckskin string that hung around his neck.
The next day the brethren enclosed the grave with rocks to prevent beasts from disturbing their remains. Wilford Hudson made a carving in a large balsam tree standing nearby.
TO THE MEMORY
OF
DANIEL BROWETT
EZRA H ALLEN
HENDERSON COX
who were supposed to have been murdered
And buried by Indians
On the night of the 21st June 1848
The area was called "Tragedy Springs." When this section of the tree was blown down, the Sons of California Pioneers saved it and had it placed in Sutter's Fort. There is now a permanent brass plaque with the story of the massacre. The rocks are still piled about two feet high with an enclosing wall.
The pouch of gold dust was taken to his wife in Council Bluffs, Iowa. She used some of it to get supplies to go west. With rest she had a gold ring made for herself.
The gold ring went to her daughter Amerette. It next went to her daughter Elvira Sarah Ricks Wixom who gave it to her daughter Esther Wixom Tippets. She gave it to her daughter Dorthey Tippets Hunt, In 2004 she resides in Cedar City Utah, near 78 years of age.
The pouch went to Ezra's son Alexander. When he died it was given to his oldest grandson, Guy PouJsen. It then went to Preston Kibley. The pouch, as of May 1988, was in the possession of Preston Nibley Jr., who kept it in a safety deposit box in Philadelphia.
This information of history was taken from a history written by a great grandson Matthew Fifield and from the history of Sarah Beriah Fisk Allen Ricks.
From Kathleen Gramsgibbs:
i am a volunteer at marshall gold discovery state historic park in coloma. i was looking at the tragedy springs story (where ezra and the two other fellows were killed) and stumbled across your family history site. no relation to ezra or any of the mormon battalion - we are lutherans.
Captain John Sutter and James Marshall were partners in a saw mill construction project on the American River in a valley in what is now Coloma, California. They hired Native Americans, some members of the Mormon Battalion, and Jeannie Wimmer (as a cook) in late 1847. Ezra Allen and Peter Wimmer (Jeannie's husband) were two of the workers. Work commenced but there were problems with the location of the saw mill. On January 24, 1848, James Marshall was checking the flow of water in the tail race along the American River when he made the discovery of gold that began the California gold rush.