John & Catherine Mollart Allman (Father)

Thomas Allman Family History 1819 By Thomas M. Allman, et al
· 2013-06-23 05:51:22 GMT+0000 (UTC) · 0 Comments
Thomas Allman was born in a town noted for its potteries which explains why the town was known as Hanley, (commonly misspelled in Provo as Handley), Staffordshire Potteries, England. Thomas lived there with his father, John Allman, and his mother Catherine Mollart Allman, his brothers, John William and four sisters, Mary, Sarah, Elizabeth and Dianah (or Dinah). Thomas Allman was born 30 May 1819 and his sister, Mary 1818.

John Allman was a brick mason by trade and all his sons were brick masons with the exception of Thomas who was a cabinetmaker. Thomas had learned this trade by serving as an apprentice to William Hawkins of Hanley, Staffordshire, England for seven years. After serving his time he received his indenture papers as a cabinetmaker. John Allman was born about 1780 in Shropshire, England, and his wife, Catherrine Mollart was born about 1789 in Burslem, Staffordshire, England. John was 60 years old when he died on the 14 of February 1841. Catherine was 76 years when she died the 11 February at her residence in Burslem at 5 Bond Street. Burslem is a small city on the edge of Hanley.

When Thomas was 20 years old he fell in love and married his first wife, Prudence Mills., about 1839. Prudence Mills was born about 1821. They had one child named John born 1840 in Hanley. Thomas and his wife joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1841. In October 1842 they desired to join the saints in America so they left Hanley for America and arrived seven weeks later in New Orleans, Louisiana after traveling on a ship across the Atlantic Ocean. They left immediately for St. Louis, Missouri, where they had to spend the winter because the Mississippi River was frozen. About the middle of April they left St. Louis on the steamboat "Maid of Iowa" for Nauvoo, Illinois, traveling up the Mississippi and arriving there the same spring.

On 31 May 1843 their second son, Reuben, was born. They were both very happy with this event but Thomas came home from work one day to find that Prudence had passed away with her baby on her arm. She was only 20 years old the 25 September 1843. Now he was a widower with two small children, and he was grief-stricken. However, the saints in Nauvoo were united and helped each other in time of trouble, so President Smoots' first wife, Ma Smoot, took charge of the two small boys. The baby, Reuben, died a few months later in 1844, and John, a young boy of six died later in 1846.

On 5 October 1844 Thomas married a widow name Jane Walker Brull, and English convert who had nursed him through an illness. Apostle Willard Richards (ordained by Brigham Young 14 April 1840, performed the ceremony in Nauvoo January. She was born in Worthington, Staffodshire, England, 12 March 1815. She joined the church and was baptized in October 1843. She married her first husband, John Brull in October 1843 and left England for America the same month. They arrived in Nauvoo 15 April 1844 where her husband died shortly thereafter. She was an eyewitness to the light which shown over the Nauvoo Temple at the time it was dedicated. The cornerstones of the temple were laid 6 April 1841, and it was publicly dedicated 30 April 1846. The baptismal font of the Nauvoo Temple was dedicated 8 November 1841 by the Prophet Joseph Smith. It was a marble basin upheld by marble oxen and was in use 4 years before the completion of the Temple. Temple records show the endowments for the living were performed from 10 December 1845 to 7 February 1845,

Thomas and Jane entered the Nauvoo Temple and received their endowments 30 January 1846. They were living in Nauvoo when the Prophet Joseph Smith and Hyrum were assassinated and endured much suffering along with the other saints. Thomas assisted in the building of the Nauvoo Temple and did some work for the Prophet Joseph Smith. He built some carriages for the saints to use in crossing the plains. He built the carriage that sister Hyrum Smith crossed the plains. He worked all winter and spring of 1845 and 1846 making wagons for the pioneers of 1847 and all he received as pay was the running gears of a wagon without any iron on it which he sold for fifteen dollars.

During the winter Jane went to St. Louis and worked to be able to get some groceries for them to live on. On the advice of Brother Joseph Young and others he went to Galena, Illinois, so he could get work and be able to get a wagon to travel to the valley. He got a job in a cabinet shop and in a very short time he was promoted to foreman of the shop. He had made a beautiful piece of furniture which no other man in the shop wanted to attempt to make. Townsend and Bash were the owners of the shop and he discharged his son-in-law and gave Thomas the job of foreman. There were 36 men working in the shop at the time. He held the position for 4 years and the owner offered to take him in as equal partner if he would stay with them.

He declined this offer as he had left his native land for the gospel's sake and he had made up his mind to go to the valley and he would not stay under any circumstances. He had a strong belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ. During this time he had saved enough money to purchase a yoke of cattle and a yoke of cows, a wagon and the necessary things for the trip across the plains. While living in Galena in the fall of 1846 the cruel mob from Carthage came to Nauvoo where Jane was living and ordered her to cross the Mississippi River to Montrose where she would be safe. She said to one of the mob, "If you will buy my cows and chickens I will go." The man declined and told her "We will burn and mob all who do not go." She had no choice so Thomas sent her money to come to Galena and she took her cows and chickens and an orphan boy she had taken to raise. They lived there for 4 years.

On 22 April 1850 they left Galena in a wagon for Council Bluffs a distance of 600 miles. They had with them a yoke of cattle and a yoke of cows. They stayed there for one week before starting their journey across the plains. They started their journey with the Aaron Johnson Company. This company was divided into groups of 50 and 10 with Matthew Caldwell in charge of their fifty and Thomas was made Captain of one of the groups of 10. They arrived in Salt Lake City on 9 October 1850, traveling for over 5 months. They lived there until 1856 where their daughter, Emma Jane, was born 18 October 1853. He built himself a home in the Sixth Ward and was employed by the Public Works for several years. He worked on the Salt Lake Tabernacle, the Beehive House, and the Lion House. He worked as a night watchman and policeman for 3 years. After the grasshopper war or famine, which was such a time of suffering for the saints, they were all advised to raise their own wheat.

On 10 October 1856 he and his family moved to American Fork. He purchased 110 acres of land and built a home. He put down the first well outside of the Fort in American Fork. He farmed 97 acres of the land and 13 acres of hay. Thomas was called by Brigham Young to build the Meeting House in American Fork. He worked on this and on the day the building was dedicated President Young called him to go to Provo to superintend the building of the Meeting House there. In 1861 he moved to Provo. While living in American Fork he met Elmira Phillips who family had traveled from Toms River, Ocean County, New Jersey and arrived in Salt Lake City on 13 September 1861. Her father Richard Phillips and her mother Margaret Luker had a farm in American Fork. She was a very pretty young lady with blue eyes and a profusion of nut brown hair, which she wore in ringlets, and Thomas immediately fell in love with this fair maiden. Thomas proposed to her one night and of course he already had a wife, Jane and a daughter Emma.

Since he was also 19 years older than she, Elmira couldn't make up her mind whether to accept the proposal or not. That night after retiring a woman appeared and stood at the foot of her bed. She told her that she was to marry Thomas Allman as her mission in life was to be the mother of his children. When she awoke the next morning she told Thomas she would marry him and of her experience of the night before. Thomas questioned her about the woman who had appeared to her and she described the woman, Prudence Mills to him in detail. You have described her perfectly. (This experience was related by Edwin Rusk Simons who heard his mother Mary Ann Allman speak of it.)

Elmira did marry Thomas in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City on 21 February 1863 and had 11 children born unto them, 7 girls and 4 boys. While in Provo Thomas superintended the building of the Meeting House or Tabernacle he had charge of the building of the Provo Factory Building. The Provo Tabernacle was designed by Truman O. Angel, the same architect who designed the Salt Lake and St. George Temples. It was considered to be one of the best meeting houses in the territory at that time.
The pulpit was a wonderful piece of woodwork. The design itself was taken from a pulpit that President Brigham Young had seen in England. It was beautifully designed and the workmanship was so artistically done that it was truly a work of art. The entire building was beautifully done. The trusses in the roof were put together with hardwood pins and the tower 80 ft. high had a 600 hundred pound bell which swung in it. Notwithstanding the many years it stood, it was almost impossible to take it apart. The Tabernacle was able to seat 1,300 people and answered their needs until 1883 when it was necessary to build a larger one.

The old meeting house was torn down in the 1919. The beautiful designs on the ceiling and pulpit were done by Thomas. While in Provo he had charge of a great deal of the carpenter work of the Provo Woolen Mills. He built the first porch or veranda in Provo on President Brigham Young's home which stood on the corner of 1st South and University. Emma Jane Allman, the daughter, an only child of Thomas and Jane Walker Allman, his second wife, had her telegraph office in this building and was the first telegraph operator in Provo. Jane Walker Allman, Emma's mother, lived to age of 88 years and died in Provo, Utah on 30 March 1903.

At one time someone suggested that Thomas Allman be sent on a mission for the church but Brigham Young said" "There is only one Allman in Utah and we need him here." He lived in Provo from 1861 until 1876 when he was called by President Young to St. George to superintend the finishing (woodwork) of the St. George Temple. He returned to his home in Provo and was called to Manti to work on the finishing of the temple there. He obeyed his call and left for Manti and built the altar's woodwork and worked on the spiral staircase and did a great deal of the finest woodwork in the temple. He was there about four years.

When he returned from Manti, he designed and built the framework for the stand in the new Tabernacle in Provo. His health was very bad at this time having been stricken in June 1889 with gravel, a kidney trouble, from which he suffered a great deal. He died shortly thereafter on 22 July 1889 in Provo, Utah. His funeral services were held in the old tabernacle which was largely attended and was buried in the Provo city cemetery.

He was First Counselor to Bishop J.P.R. Johnson of Provo First Ward f or 26 years. Caroline Johnson served as President of the First Ward Relief Society. Jane, Thomas's second wife, and Mary Farrer served as First and Second Councilors. Jane, an excellent cook, kept boarders who were academy students and many prominent citizens of the state such as" William King, Joshua Greenwood and William Chipman of American Fork, Julian Griffin of Logan, James Paxman of Springville, and many others. Their daughter, Emma, married Samuel Steven Jones a prominent citizen of Provo.

Elmira was the mother of 11 children and devoted most of her time to them. Her avocation was nursing and she had great faith. She helped others in throes of sickness and distress, even nursing one man back to health who had diphtheria. Thomas was often called upon to go out and administer. Elmira had great faith—she always said the Lord would provide and He did. Thomas worked hard carving and working in the Manti Temple, and although an expert workman, he received only $5.00 a day. An ordinary carpenter received from $2.00 to $5.00 per day.

At this time there were several small children in the family and they needed a cow. Thomas had inquired and had not succeeded in finding one for sale. Elmira prayed about it and then one morning she saw a cow lying near their gate and soon afterward a stranger came along. She inquired about the cow and told of their needs and although reluctant to sell, he finally decided to do so and they got a good cow at a bargain.

Elmira's home was built just 4 blocks east of the old one, a red brick house with a large porch in front. She loved flowers and when the roses were in full bloom they formed a half circle around the lawn in front and were very lovely. She had a comfortable home with a nice garden and few chickens. While living in Provo Thomas was appointed Captain of the settlement that sent men to meet Johnson's army in Echo Canyon. According to his son Thomas Mollart Allman he was one of the most sincere Latter-day-Saints he had ever known. He is quoted as saying that his father Thomas took the last $10.00 he had up to the tithing office and paid it on his tithing.

The following incidents were quoted by his son, Thomas M. Allman, was working on a house in Manti, the architect and the owner were there and Joseph Judd was also present to superintend the work and see that it was properly done. Joseph when introducing Thomas Mollart Allman, "He worked for me on the Garfield Resort on Salt Lake, when he was a young man. I haven't seen him since but I want to say to you, that I must thank this man's father (Thomas Allman) for what I know about woodwork. I worked under him on the St. George Temple, and I am satisfied this man can do the work, as his father was the best mechanic that ever graced the west." Joseph Judd is the man that was in charge of the building of the "Salt Air Resort" on the Great Salt Lake.

In another incident an architect from New York was passing through Provo saw the old meeting house and was so strongly impressed by it that he went through the building. He remarked about the splendid condition of the building after so many years of service of the splendid walls, and the construction of the roof, tower, gallery, etc., and when he saw the pulpit he said, "Well, there is one of the finest pieces of woodwork I have ever seen. The splendid workmanship, the designs, and the artistic manner in which this work was done is marvelous!" When he came through Provo again, this beautiful building was torn down and destroyed. He remarked, "What a shame it is that these old landmarks could not be preserved to house the relics of the pioneers."

Elmira Phillips and Thomas had the following children born to them: Mary Ann born 26 Jun 1864, Prudella born 12 December 1865, Thomas Mollart born 4 April 1867, Levi William born 16 April 1869, Clara Valate born 5 March 1871, Albert born 10 April 1873, Jessie May born 24 July 1876, Dora, Nora (twins) born 14 October 1878, Diantha born 8 February 1881, Samuel born 12 October 1883. Diantha died as a baby of 9 months and all the rest grew to manhood and womanhood. All of these children were born in Provo, Utah. He was a member of the High Council of Utah Stake for several years and for the last 3 months of his life a counselor to President of the High Priests Quorum of Utah Stake. He was also a member of the Provo City Council in 1880 and 1881.  

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