Alonzo Wells Newcomb Whitney
Alonzo W. Whitney
autobiography written in Nauvoo, Illinois
born 27 December 1818 Ontario County
City of Canandaigua, State of New York
Nauvoo Illinois
30 December 1844
When I was about two years old my Mother, in company with her mother, Mary Wheeler, her two brothers and one sister moved from Ontario to Cincinnati Ohio. There my mother married again to a man by the name of Copese, and shortly moved south to Tennessee. After living with him something like two years he died and also her little girl, six months old that she had by him. In the meantime on of her brothers Lewis died in Cincinnati with the typhus fever.
My Grandmother, Mary Wheeler, shortly after losing her oldest son, Lewis Wheeler, in Cincinnati, moved to Champaign County with her family which consisted of her youngest son, Timothy, her oldest daughter Pamelia, her son-in law, Samuel Lane with his family of two girls, and myself Alonzo Wells, for I continued to live with my Grandmother from the time I was born, who fostered me and took care of me. There Grandmother and Uncle Timothy bought a claim and settled in a new and beautiful country. My Uncle Samuel Lane, settled close and not withstanding my friends were poor, yet by their industry they lived comfortable and happy. About the year 1824 or 1825 my Mother returned from the south, to her only child and her friends.
In the year 1827 my uncle and uncle-in-law moved to the wilderness in Union County, two miles east of Big Darby. There they undertook to clear farms both had purchased. But hard labor and the milk sickness were two [sic] much for them and on 27 June, 1828 my uncle Timothy died leaving my aged Grandmother alone, save myself only ten years old, and one granddaughter still younger. We all saw hard times being poor, but my mother was a woman of perseverance, industry and economy and I was tolerable expert in business and followed the council of Grandmother, worked out by day’s work and every way to get along.
On Oct 2nd Uncle Samuel Lane died, and left a family of five children. After that grandmother and Aunt Pamelia agreed on take Uncle’s place in partnership, and pay for it but Aunt soon fell in with a shiftless man who subsequently effected her death and also most of her children by dragging her over the world. His name was Peter Conkite.
Grandmother continued to pay for her Farm and conduct all her affairs in wisdom and righteousness, for she feared God and eschewed evil in as far as she knew and was a woman of extraordinary wisdom considering the age she lived in. She was considered by
all classes that knew her, even after she began to fail with old age, to have superior faculties and judgment.
Many scenes of trial and privation we passed through for our neighbors were selfish and loved their own bellies better than their fellowman or the widow and the fatherless consequently we were many times oppressed and borne down by those who could have relieved us.
We toiled together night and day to make a living and pay for our little place in the woods and to clear it out and improve it.
At one time I went to camp meeting where I got the Methodist fever—What I then called religion. I remained sober for some time doing the best I knew how under the Methodist religion, but not having the knowledge of God nor of correct Principles, I soon ran into wickedness and folly in some instances; yet I exercised faith in the most I did and obeyed and loved my aged Grandmother, and I was the Idol of her heart until her death.
My Mother from the time she arrived from the south, lived single until about the year 1830 when she married a man by the name of Stephen Kelsey who was not the best, but the worst of men. After several years of torment and perplexity on her part she left him and they remained apart for several years, when she took a notion to marry Isaac Runyan, whose qualities were somewhat better.
In January ‘35 I went to learn the saddler’s trade with J. Evans and S. Kazar, two partners. I intended to have stayed five years, but circumstances altered my mind and I only stayed about three years and didn’t learn much at that, on account of my bosses not being of any force. I worked at different places in order to learn my trade, and at the same time I paid strict attention to my Grandmother to assist her and supply her wants as far as possible; and I worked night and day when I lived with her to procure her the comforts of life and to console her in her troubles and old age. For she was worthy of my love and respect, and I knew it well, yet there are some things in my course of life that I have reason to regret on her account, especially, for she was very strict and I was very rude which grieved her very much.
In the year 1839, in April, there was a young lady came to the place where I lived. Her name was Henrietta Keyes. The first sight of her caused sensations in my heart that I shall never forget; and I am now convinced that God in his infinite mercy and goodness, sent that lovely angel to me for a help meet through life.
END NOTE: Mary Whitney wrote in her mimeographed copy: The above was copied from the original manuscript by his granddaughter Mary Whitney Oct. 14, 1901. The subject of this sketch married the young lady referred to and of this union were born Samuel A. Whitney and Don Carlos Whitney. Alonzo W. Whitney died in 1845 at Nauvoo, Ill. and was buried there. Don Carlos died four days after arriving at Winter Quarters. Henrietta died at Kaysville in 1901. Samuel A. is still living at this time, March 1, 1923 though blind and crippled and very feeble.
