From the Thatcher 100 years (can't find exact title page will correct later)
John Matthew Johnson was born November 22, 1849 at Pigeon River, Pottawamie, County, Iowa. His parents were Elizabeth Ann Burkett and Matthew Johnson.His mother was a firm Believer in the newly organized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints but her husband's religious convictions were foreign to her own and as a result she returned to the home of her parents.
On August 4, 1850, she married Orvel Morgan Allen whose wife had deserted him 4 small children. He adopted John Mathew and changed his name from Johnson to Allen. They took their children and went to Utah by ox team and wagon. When John Matthew was twelve his parents were called to St. George, Utah to help colonize the area. It was there he spent most of his life, pioneering with his parents. He had little opportunity to go to school but he was an excellent farmer and foot racer.
In 1867 he was mustered into the service for the Indian War. Cattle were stolen and people killed. He stayed in the service until the war ended in 1868. He was appointed as a delegate to meet the Indians and make it possible for people to move to Arizona.
John's father was an excellent farmer and also a brick maker. John himself became a master of the art of brick making. They worked together and made brick for the tabernacle and other buildings which stand today in Toquerville.
On November 3, 1870 John married Hannah Batty. He left his father's home and built his own home.As years past he had much hardship, sacrificing and pioneering. Many a time he went with his three pound bucket of gruel for lunch walking three miles to work on a ditch and then home again to sit own to a meal of cornmeal mush and molasses cake. His greatest sorrow was looking back over the time when he saw his little children crying for food and was unable to get it for the. Twenty dollars a hundred was a big price to pay for flour and he made two dollars a day working.
John and Hannah were parents of eight children. Two died of Diptheria in their infancy. Seventeen years later a new little stranger arrived at their home and the day he arrived the mother took sick and died after giving birth to the 9th child. A few hours later the baby, too, died. The father was left alone with 6 children to raise. For two years he carried for his little flock and on September 7, 1889, he married Ann Marshall. She was not only a faithful companion but a real mother to his children,
They moved to Franklin for a time but in 1913 moved back to Thatcher and for many years was the janitor of the church.
John Matthew Allen outlived both his companions and all of his children, but two, having buried four married children since coming to Arizona. He was the oldest man in Graham County and the oldest pioneer in Arizona. He died on March 27, 1939 at the home of his oldest son Ephriam Allen in Thatcher and was buried in Thatcher.
John Matthew Johnson was born November 22, 1849 at Pigeon River, Pottawamie, County, Iowa. His parents were Elizabeth Ann Burkett and Matthew Johnson.His mother was a firm Believer in the newly organized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints but her husband's religious convictions were foreign to her own and as a result she returned to the home of her parents.
On August 4, 1850, she married Orvel Morgan Allen whose wife had deserted him 4 small children. He adopted John Mathew and changed his name from Johnson to Allen. They took their children and went to Utah by ox team and wagon. When John Matthew was twelve his parents were called to St. George, Utah to help colonize the area. It was there he spent most of his life, pioneering with his parents. He had little opportunity to go to school but he was an excellent farmer and foot racer.
In 1867 he was mustered into the service for the Indian War. Cattle were stolen and people killed. He stayed in the service until the war ended in 1868. He was appointed as a delegate to meet the Indians and make it possible for people to move to Arizona.
John's father was an excellent farmer and also a brick maker. John himself became a master of the art of brick making. They worked together and made brick for the tabernacle and other buildings which stand today in Toquerville.
On November 3, 1870 John married Hannah Batty. He left his father's home and built his own home.As years past he had much hardship, sacrificing and pioneering. Many a time he went with his three pound bucket of gruel for lunch walking three miles to work on a ditch and then home again to sit own to a meal of cornmeal mush and molasses cake. His greatest sorrow was looking back over the time when he saw his little children crying for food and was unable to get it for the. Twenty dollars a hundred was a big price to pay for flour and he made two dollars a day working.
John and Hannah were parents of eight children. Two died of Diptheria in their infancy. Seventeen years later a new little stranger arrived at their home and the day he arrived the mother took sick and died after giving birth to the 9th child. A few hours later the baby, too, died. The father was left alone with 6 children to raise. For two years he carried for his little flock and on September 7, 1889, he married Ann Marshall. She was not only a faithful companion but a real mother to his children,
They moved to Franklin for a time but in 1913 moved back to Thatcher and for many years was the janitor of the church.
John Matthew Allen outlived both his companions and all of his children, but two, having buried four married children since coming to Arizona. He was the oldest man in Graham County and the oldest pioneer in Arizona. He died on March 27, 1939 at the home of his oldest son Ephriam Allen in Thatcher and was buried in Thatcher.
From the Thatcher 100 years (can't find exact title page will correct later)
John Matthew Johnson was born November 22, 1849 at Pigeon River, Pottawamie, County, Iowa. His parents were Elizabeth Ann Burkett and Matthew Johnson.His mother was a firm Believer in the newly organized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints but her husband's religious convictions were foreign to her own and as a result she returned to the home of her parents.
On August 4, 1850, she married Orvel Morgan Allen whose wife had deserted him 4 small children. He adopted John Mathew and changed his name from Johnson to Allen. They took their children and went to Utah by ox team and wagon. When John Matthew was twelve his parents were called to St. George, Utah to help colonize the area. It was there he spent most of his life, pioneering with his parents. He had little opportunity to go to school but he was an excellent farmer and foot racer.
In 1867 he was mustered into the service for the Indian War. Cattle were stolen and people killed. He stayed in the service until the war ended in 1868. He was appointed as a delegate to meet the Indians and make it possible for people to move to Arizona.
John's father was an excellent farmer and also a brick maker. John himself became a master of the art of brick making. They worked together and made brick for the tabernacle and other buildings which stand today in Toquerville.
On November 3, 1870 John married Hannah Batty. He left his father's home and built his own home.As years past he had much hardship, sacrificing and pioneering. Many a time he went with his three pound bucket of gruel for lunch walking three miles to work on a ditch and then home again to sit own to a meal of cornmeal mush and molasses cake. His greatest sorrow was looking back over the time when he saw his little children crying for food and was unable to get it for the. Twenty dollars a hundred was a big price to pay for flour and he made two dollars a day working.
John and Hannah were parents of eight children. Two died of Diptheria in their infancy. Seventeen years later a new little stranger arrived at their home and the day he arrived the mother took sick and died after giving birth to the 9th child. A few hours later the baby, too, died. The father was left alone with 6 children to raise. For two years he carried for his little flock and on September 7, 1889, he married Ann Marshall. She was not only a faithful companion but a real mother to his children,
They moved to Franklin for a time but in 1913 moved back to Thatcher and for many years was the janitor of the church.
John Matthew Allen outlived both his companions and all of his children, but two, having buried four married children since coming to Arizona. He was the oldest man in Graham County and the oldest pioneer in Arizona. He died on March 27, 1939 at the home of his oldest son Ephriam Allen in Thatcher and was buried in Thatcher.
John Matthew Johnson was born November 22, 1849 at Pigeon River, Pottawamie, County, Iowa. His parents were Elizabeth Ann Burkett and Matthew Johnson.His mother was a firm Believer in the newly organized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints but her husband's religious convictions were foreign to her own and as a result she returned to the home of her parents.
On August 4, 1850, she married Orvel Morgan Allen whose wife had deserted him 4 small children. He adopted John Mathew and changed his name from Johnson to Allen. They took their children and went to Utah by ox team and wagon. When John Matthew was twelve his parents were called to St. George, Utah to help colonize the area. It was there he spent most of his life, pioneering with his parents. He had little opportunity to go to school but he was an excellent farmer and foot racer.
In 1867 he was mustered into the service for the Indian War. Cattle were stolen and people killed. He stayed in the service until the war ended in 1868. He was appointed as a delegate to meet the Indians and make it possible for people to move to Arizona.
John's father was an excellent farmer and also a brick maker. John himself became a master of the art of brick making. They worked together and made brick for the tabernacle and other buildings which stand today in Toquerville.
On November 3, 1870 John married Hannah Batty. He left his father's home and built his own home.As years past he had much hardship, sacrificing and pioneering. Many a time he went with his three pound bucket of gruel for lunch walking three miles to work on a ditch and then home again to sit own to a meal of cornmeal mush and molasses cake. His greatest sorrow was looking back over the time when he saw his little children crying for food and was unable to get it for the. Twenty dollars a hundred was a big price to pay for flour and he made two dollars a day working.
John and Hannah were parents of eight children. Two died of Diptheria in their infancy. Seventeen years later a new little stranger arrived at their home and the day he arrived the mother took sick and died after giving birth to the 9th child. A few hours later the baby, too, died. The father was left alone with 6 children to raise. For two years he carried for his little flock and on September 7, 1889, he married Ann Marshall. She was not only a faithful companion but a real mother to his children,
They moved to Franklin for a time but in 1913 moved back to Thatcher and for many years was the janitor of the church.
John Matthew Allen outlived both his companions and all of his children, but two, having buried four married children since coming to Arizona. He was the oldest man in Graham County and the oldest pioneer in Arizona. He died on March 27, 1939 at the home of his oldest son Ephriam Allen in Thatcher and was buried in Thatcher.
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