John D. T. McAllister
Encyclopedia
John Daniel Thompson McAllister (February 19, 1827 – January 21, 1910) was a 19th century regional leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He is possibly most notable for having written the "Hand Cart Song".
, Sussex County
, Delaware
. In 1844 he moved to Philadelphia.
McAllister was baptized a member of the LDS Church in 1847. He married Ellen Handley in 1848. They then moved to St. Louis, Missouri
where he worked as a blacksmith. In 1850, he moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa
where he worked as a store clerk and then moved to Salt Lake City, Utah Territory
in 1851.
In Salt Lake City, McAllister helped build the Old Tabernacle and was a member of Ballo's brass band. He left on a mission to England
and surrounding countries in early 1853. In 1855, McAllister was serving as an LDS Church missionary
in Belfast
. He returned to the United States
in 1856, and helped organize the handcart companies
at Iowa City.
After returning to Utah Territory with a handcart company, McAllister was appointed a major in the Nauvoo Legion
. He also was a member of the Deseret Dramatic Association. He then served another mission, both in the United States
and Europe from 1860 to 1862. McAllister's first stop on this mission was in his place of baptism, Philadelphia, where he was able to convince many of the Latter Day Saints it was time to move to the west. He also baptized the family of his brother, Richard Wesley McAllister. He was the head of a pioneer company in 1862. In 1861 he made a journey to Utah Territory with his mother. He made a final return to Utah Territory in 1862.
After his return to Utah, McAllister served as Salt Lake City and later Utah Territorial Marshall and as superintendent of Brigham Young
's woolen mills. In 1877 McAllister was appointed president of the LDS Church's St. George
Stake. He also served as the Brigadier General for the Utah militia in Washington County, Utah
.
McAllister was first counselor to Wilford Woodruff
in the presidency of the St. George Temple
when it opened. During this time he baptized Wilford Woodruff as proxy for the founding fathers of the United States. He also worked closely with Woodruff in beganing the performance of endowments on behalf of the dead.
McAllister served as president
of the St. George Temple from 1884 to 1893 and then as president of the Manti Temple
from 1893 to 1906.
In 1889 McAllister surrendered to U.S. Marshals who had been seeking him for several years on charges of recognizing and publicly acknowledging his plural wives
. His lawyer in the succeeding trial was James H. Moyle.
Biography
McAllister was born in LewisLewes, Delaware
Lewes is an incorporated city in Sussex County, Delaware, USA, on the Delmarva Peninsula. According to the 2010 census, the population is 2,747, a decrease of 6.3% from 2000....
, Sussex County
Sussex County, Delaware
Sussex County is a county located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of 2010 the population was 197,145, an increase of 25.9% over the previous decade. The county seat is Georgetown. The Seaford Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Sussex County.Sussex County is...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
. In 1844 he moved to Philadelphia.
McAllister was baptized a member of the LDS Church in 1847. He married Ellen Handley in 1848. They then moved to St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
where he worked as a blacksmith. In 1850, he moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa
Council Bluffs, Iowa
Council Bluffs, known until 1852 as Kanesville, Iowathe historic starting point of the Mormon Trail and eventual northernmost anchor town of the other emigrant trailsis a city in and the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States and is on the east bank of the Missouri River across...
where he worked as a store clerk and then moved to Salt Lake City, Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
in 1851.
In Salt Lake City, McAllister helped build the Old Tabernacle and was a member of Ballo's brass band. He left on a mission to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and surrounding countries in early 1853. In 1855, McAllister was serving as an LDS Church missionary
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. He returned to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1856, and helped organize the handcart companies
Mormon handcart pioneers
The Mormon handcart pioneers were participants in the migration of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Salt Lake City, Utah, who used handcarts to transport their belongings...
at Iowa City.
After returning to Utah Territory with a handcart company, McAllister was appointed a major in the Nauvoo Legion
Nauvoo Legion
The Nauvoo Legion was a militia originally organized by the Latter Day Saints to defend the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, . To curry political favor with the ambiguously-political Saints, the Illinois state legislature granted Nauvoo a liberal city charter that gave the Nauvoo Legion extraordinary...
. He also was a member of the Deseret Dramatic Association. He then served another mission, both in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Europe from 1860 to 1862. McAllister's first stop on this mission was in his place of baptism, Philadelphia, where he was able to convince many of the Latter Day Saints it was time to move to the west. He also baptized the family of his brother, Richard Wesley McAllister. He was the head of a pioneer company in 1862. In 1861 he made a journey to Utah Territory with his mother. He made a final return to Utah Territory in 1862.
After his return to Utah, McAllister served as Salt Lake City and later Utah Territorial Marshall and as superintendent of Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
's woolen mills. In 1877 McAllister was appointed president of the LDS Church's St. George
St. George, Utah
St. George is a city located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Utah, and the county seat of Washington County, Utah. It is the principal city of and is included in the St. George, Utah, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is 119 miles northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, and 303 miles ...
Stake. He also served as the Brigadier General for the Utah militia in Washington County, Utah
Washington County, Utah
As of the census of 2000, there were 90,354 people, 29,939 households, and 23,442 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 36,478 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...
.
McAllister was first counselor to Wilford Woodruff
Wilford Woodruff
Wilford Woodruff, Sr. was the fourth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1889 until his death...
in the presidency of the St. George Temple
St. George Utah Temple
The St. George Utah Temple is the first temple completed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after the forced exodus of the body of the Church from Nauvoo, Illinois, after the death of its founder Joseph Smith, Jr.-Description:The building is located in the SW Utah city of St....
when it opened. During this time he baptized Wilford Woodruff as proxy for the founding fathers of the United States. He also worked closely with Woodruff in beganing the performance of endowments on behalf of the dead.
McAllister served as president
Temple President
Temple president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A temple president's primary responsibility is to supervise the affairs of an LDS temple in both an administrative and spiritual capacity....
of the St. George Temple from 1884 to 1893 and then as president of the Manti Temple
Manti Utah Temple
The Manti Utah Temple is the fifth constructed temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Located in the city of Manti, Utah, it was the third LDS temple built west of the Mississippi River after the Mormons' great trek westward. The Manti Utah Temple (formerly the Manti Temple)...
from 1893 to 1906.
In 1889 McAllister surrendered to U.S. Marshals who had been seeking him for several years on charges of recognizing and publicly acknowledging his plural wives
Plural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
. His lawyer in the succeeding trial was James H. Moyle.