Louisa Jane Berry

Louisa Jane Berry, 1828 - 1902, age 73, was born 1 December 1828, at Chatnauqua, Weekly, Tennessee, the fifth child of Jesse Wood Berry and Armelia of Eliza Shanks. She was born on a large cotton and tobacco plantation, and her parents were very wealthy. They had over a hundred slaves and land, themselves, come from long lines of old Southern Aristocrats. Louisa Jane was reared a southern lady, and was taught all the things that really great ladies should know. Being a beautiful girl she was one of the belles of Tennessee. For her was the promise of all the romance, the leisure time, a brilliant marriage, and an old southern mansion like the one in which she was raised, to shelter her from the harsh things of life. But one day the Gospel was carried to Tennessee by the missionaries. We have reason to believe that her family first heard the Gospel in Memphis from Wilford Woodruff. Later other missionaries came to the plantation and were welcomed there. Louisa Jane said that "when they heard the Gospel they knew it was true." At the time the Church was established in Nauvoo. Her father sold his plantation and freed his slaves and moved his family to Nauvoo. Being one of the wealthiest families of the Church, his money went to help conditions wherever it was needed. The Saints were persecuted at the time. The Prophet Joseph Smith was hunted like a fox. He had to have body guards all the time. Among this body guard was a young man named Daniel Allen, whom she had seen a few times. She never dreamed that she might marry him. For although he was a good man and well-trained in his trade, he was no match for an aristocrat. Then the Prophet Joseph advised young unmarried women to marry as a protection to themselves, if they had offers from upright men in the Church. Thus Louisa Jane became the second wife of Daniel Allen, while still a very young girl. Not very long after this the Prophet was killed at Carthage Jail and the Saints began preparation to move westward. Her father bought new outfits complete and ready to leave with the first company. But President Young advised him to give his wagon, oxen, and horses to less fortunate people and wait for the next company. This he did and when the second company got ready to leave he having plenty of money, again purchased an outfit of the best and newest kind to make the journey to the Great West. Again President Young asked him to contribute his goods to other people. This happened three times in succession, and at last in 1849 when they were permitted to come they had been reduced to poverty. Her father had died and their expenses had been high. And all of their surplus had gone into the storehouse of the Church to help people not so well endowed with worldly means as themselves. But Brigham Young told the family that even though they were beginning their great journey in old wagons, hardly able to carry a load, they would have a new wagon by the time they reached the valley. This prophecy came true to the very letter. In the year of 1849 was the great gold rush to California, and the people flocked to it, ahead of the Saints, left their wagons, beds, and other goods along the way to lighten their loads and thus get to California quicker. In this way Daniel and Louisa Jane procured a new wagon on their journey. Their team consisted of an ox and cow, the cow furnished them with milk and butter during their journey. Louisa Jane cared for her husband, five motherless children, and the wife and young child of a man who was called to join the Mormon Battalion. During the journey Cholera broke out. Many died and there were scarcely enough well people to care for the dead and dying. Finally a dozen freighting schooners, operated by the Kincaid and Livingstone Company, came by and saw the dreadful conditions. The captain had some cholera medicine in his schooners, which he gave them. Thus cholera was soon wiped out of the company. After the family arrived in the Salt Lake Valley they managed to get a good start and a comfortable home. Soon they were called to help colonize southern Utah, and so they moved from one city to another until they came to Parowan. Here their youngest children were born. They had a large family and tried to raise them as they should. Louisa Jane had a brother, Robert, his wife Isabell and child killed by Indians in Long Valley. Another brother, William Shanks Berry, went back to Tennessee on a mission and was slain there by the mob. They also had many blessings. They knew personally the early leaders of the Church and associated with them. She died July 26, 1902, at Teasdale but was brought home to Escalante for burial. She is the mother of eleven children. This was in my possession handed down from my grandmother, Ella May Allen Walker, to my mother Letha Mae Walker Harding Dixon to me, Susan Loree Harding Sorensen. Ella May was Louisa Allen's granddaughter. I will try to keep the story as close to it's original format as possible. by Jennie Spencer validated by Allen C Williams, Salina, Utah Daughter of Jesse Woods Berry and Armelia Shanks Married Daniel Allen, 22 Jun 1847, Winters Quarters, Douglas, Nebraska Children - Millie Allen, Daniel Allen, Thurza Armelia Allen, Samuel Alonzo Allen, Orson William Allen, Cynthia Elizabeth Allen, Robert Preston Allen, Joseph Allen, John Albert Allen, John William Allen, Louisa Artimicia Allen, Lydia Euphamia Allen