Israel Dodge Allphin



Israel Dodge Allphin

 Birth: Dec. 3, 1814
Verona, Boone County, Kentucky, USA
Death: Apr. 25, 1903
Elba, Cassia County, Idaho, USA

Son of Shelton Allphin and Martha Taylor

Married Burnetta Collins, 5 Sep 1833, Payson, Adams, Illinois.

Children - Benjamin Sheldon Allphin, Emily Mary Allphin, Joshua Horton Allphin, John Henry Allphin, Jasper Allphin, Burnetta Allphin, Martha Jane Allphin, Ransom William Allphin, Sarah Eliza Allphin, Israel Dodge Allphin.

Married Susan Emeline Dameron, 28 Feb 1858, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah.

Children - Joseph Warren Allphin, Hyrum Allphin, David Comfort Allphin, Melissa Jane Allphin, Catherine Leanor Allphin, Rebecca Priscilla Allphin, Emma May Allphin, Samuel Taylor Allphin, Susan Emeline Allphin.

Married Christiana Dolbel Riding, 22 Apr 1885, St. George, Washington, Utah.

Children - George Kerry Allphin, Reuben Lister Allphin, Owen Lee Allphin, Donoven J. Allphin.

History - Shelton Allphin, Israel's father, was a Baptist minister and he and his family traveled quite a bit. They lived in Kentucky, Wisconsin and Illinois. In 1834 Shelton and Martha Allphin and family, except Israel Dodge Allphin, traveled by ox wagon from Illinois to Texas to apply for a land grant from the Mexican government in 1834. His oldest son, Ransom, also applied and the two settled in Montgomery County on the far eastern border near the well-traveled Old San Antonio Road. The land is now in Madison County near the modern day towns of Elwood (pop. 28), Midway (pop. 200) and Madisonville (pop. 4,000). Unfortunately, Shelton Allphin died about a year after arriving in Texas in 1835. The children divided up his land and most of them raised their families there. Martha remarried about 20 years later.

Bible of Shelton Allphin had been donated to the Sam Houston Memorial Museum in 1955. The bible is now in the Huntsville Public Library (20090. The Huntsville library has a collection of files on the early settlers of the county. Shelton's file which had copies of the pages in the Bible with the handwritten names of his children and their birth dates.

In 1854 Ransom, the oldest son, donated 5 acres of his own land for the first cemetery in the area. Ironically, he was the first one buried there as he died the following year. The cemetery is now called the Allphin Cemetery. Israel's mother is buried there and his brother Ransom and his wife and some other relatives. This Ransom fellow was quite prominent in the area. He and a brother-in-law fought in several battles with Sam Houston against the Mexican government to set up the Republic of Texas. He was also quite active in the local Baptist Church serving as an Elder.

Israel Dodge Allphin, didn't go to Texas with the rest of the family. He married Burnetta Collins in 1833 in Illinois and started a family. He settled in Payson, Adams County, Illinois. In 1840 he joined the LDS church. Adams County is just south of Hancock County whish is where Nauvoo is located where the Mormons were centered at the time. He went to Texas about 1847 after the Saints left Nauvoo. He stayed for about 10 years and some of his children were born there.

In 1857 Israel, Burnetta and their 10 children started for Salt Lake City in company with John Henry Moody, a Brother Collins, a Brother Dameron and others.

After many trials and hardships they reached Salt Lake Valley in 1858. The same year he married Susan E. Dameron Coldiron as a plural wife whose husband, William Coldiron, had died crossing the plains. She had two children by her first marriage.

Israel and his two families lived for several years in Salt Lake, but was later called to settle the Dixie Country, as it was called. He moved his families to Pine Valley, Utah in 1862. A saw mill was built on the Santa Clara creek where he was employed and to which place he moved his families.

One night after all the camp had retired, a cloud burst caused a flood in the narrow valley. Hearing the terrible roar of the coming flood Israel helped his first family to safety, then rushed to the rescue of his other family. He was carrying a small child and his wife was carrying the baby. The other children were following when the flood overtook them. Israel, making the child safe, rushed back to save the others.

In the meantime a loose log from the floating house had knocked the baby from Susan's arms. It floated down the stream as did the other children and were drowned. Israel rescued his wife, Susan, from the floating log. The next day two children were found and several days later the other two were found hanging from the tops of some tall trees. All were buried in the same grave in Pine Valley.

Following this incident Burnetta, Israel's first wife, moved to Salt Lake City and lived a time with a married son. When Israel had built two good homes in Pine Valley, Burnetta returned. The two families lived for several years in Pine Valley until Burnetta's death in 1871. In 1875 Israel's son, Ransom, was murdered.

This same year President Brigham Young called Israel to serve a mission in Texas. He was ordained a member of the Quorum of Seventy and set apart by Orson Pratt. He labored in Madisonville, Texas where he taught the gospel to his mother, his son, Benjamin, his brothers, and sisters.

On December 5, 1875, in Madisonville, Lorenzo Snow Jr. was attempting to remove a handkerchief from his pocket when he accidentally discharged a small handgun, also in his pocket. The bullet passed through his leg, and lodged in Israel's leg, where it remained for the rest of Israel's life. However, Israel had great faith and was healed without the aid of a doctor.

After two years, Israel was released from his mission and moved to St. George, Utah. Here he completed the temple work for many of his ancestors, and was sealed to his wife Susan. Israel and Susan had ten children. Seven of these children died in infancy.

In 1878 Israel and his family moved to Panguitch, Utah. Susan rode horseback during the move, driving the cattle. She accidentally fell from the horse receiving internal injuries. She died January 10, 1879.


Israel D and Christianna D Asay Allphin
and child (unknown)

In the spring of 1885 Israel married Christiana Riding Asay, a widow with five children. To this union were born four sons. Israel Dodge Allphin was the father of 24 children and raised children of his wives by other husbands.


Israel Dodge Allphin Monument in Elba, Cassia Idaho

In 1902 Israel's family moved to Lovell, Wyoming. Shortly thereafter Israel moved to Elba, Idaho, where three of his married children lived. He was set apart as a patriarch in 1903. He was stricken, soon after, with a paralytic stroke and died April 25, 1903.

________________________________________

Source:  http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=17815448