A Short Sketch of the Life of Susannah Evans Alldredge
Susannah Evans was born May 6, 1850, in Nodaway County, Missouri, to David Evans and Barbara Ann Ewell Evans. She was their sixth child. She was ten days old when the family started for Salt Lake City. (When Susannah became a grandmother she would tell her grandchildren that she was the youngest pioneer.) Once she was nearly lost when she rolled out of the wagon.
The family settled in the section of Utah that was later named Lehi, where she grew to womanhood. On December 27, 1869, Susannah and Isaac Alldredge (son of Isaac and Mary Brown Alldredge) were married. They lived in Lehi until 1881. Isaac was a farmer in summer and teacher in winter. During this time they had six children: Isaac Jr., John (died when 1 years), Susie, Emma, Mary (died in Deseret at 5 years) and Deseret.
 |
| Isaac/Susannah Alldredge family in front of cabin in everyday attire - girls in aprons, holding dolls. 1880s (George Edward Anderson photo) |
Soon after Deseret was born Isaac acquired a farm in Deseret and in September 1881 moved his family there. Susannah's home was a small log house. A summer kitchen was built near the house. The children slept in trundle beds which were pushed under the big beds when not in use. Nettie and Virginia were born in this little house. Later the family moved to Hinckley where Leo and Jacosa were born.
 |
| 1880s portrait - family in their best clothes. (George Edward Anderson photo) |
Susannah was a good mother and a good seamstress. Each girl had two new dresses a year--one in spring and one in the fall. They also had several aprons to protect their dresses (see second photo above). All the girls had work to do--housework, cooking, sewing, and mending. After the noon meal was over and carpet rags torn and stitched, the children could play until suppertime.
On September 15, 1894 Susannah's daughter, Virginia, died of diphtheria. A funeral could not be held because people were so afraid of diphtheria. Grief enveloped Susannah for a while.
 |
| Isaac, Susannah and their youngest son, Leo. |
Isaac just had to keep moving to new places and Susannah was willing to go. Their next move was to Ferron for a few years and then to Old Mexico. High waters destroyed their crops so Isaac "freighted" until 1905. They returned to Morales, Mexico, bought a farm, built a house and raised crops. They also bought a cane mill and made their cane into sorghum. A flood destroyed everything. Isaac "freighted" again until 1907, sold his teams and bought a home in Douglas, Arizona. They moved back to Sonora, Mexico in 1909.
The year 1912 found them moving back to the states because it was unsafe to remain. The Mexican rebels took everything they owned. Susannah wept at leaving all her things.
They lived in Hurley, New Mexico and Price, Utah, then in 1918 moved to Salt Lake City. Isaac had a part-time job and worked in the temple.
 |
| Golden wedding photo - 1919 |
When Isaac was 77 years old and Susannah 70 they moved to Mesa, Arizona where they built a little house next to their son, Leo. Isaac operated a popcorn stand for a living.
Susannah passed away July 23, 1932--she was buried in Mesa, Arizona, July 26, 1932. She was 82 years old.
Susannah said in her later years: "I have lived more experiences than all my sisters put together." Perhaps she was right.
-----------
Sources:
Family records held by D. Larsen at this time.
No comments:
Post a Comment