The Sons-in-Law, Our Pioneer Grandfathers

Before I move to the next generation, the children of the Daughters, I thought to look again at their husbands. After all, none of us are Pollards. It is the husbands- the bishop's sons-in-law- who gave us our names: Allred, Evans, Puzey, Boud, Holding, Johnson, and Backman.

This has proven to be a task I have had difficulty completing and so may continue on through a few posts. My purpose in this blog is to provide family history. Not 'A' family history or 'THE' family history; I don't want that job! But I wanted to know more about these women, my great grandmother and her sisters, and their families. You have seen already I rely on the efforts of others (Bless Them!) and I hope always to help you access the sources so you can join me in the journey.

James Anderson Allred. First Mayor of Spring City, Utah and at the time of his death considered to be the oldest LDS Bishop serving. He was born in Bedford County, Tennessee and came to Utah territory in 1861 with a company captained by William McKissick. He practiced polygamy as a faithful man of his church and community. When he died in 1904 he left two widows: Mary Ann Pollard and Elizabeth Ann Brough. His parents were William Allred and Sarah Warren. He has lineage back into the American Revolution and thus have you, from this fore bearer. I have recently come upon the Allred Family Association website: http://www.allredfamily.org/ which has provided a fount of information- but not the history I hoped (yet!). Also I have used the book Allred Family in America by Archibald F Bennett , FHL us/can 929.273 AL 57. The obituary included in http://www.findagrave.com/ helped much.

Gustave Hilmer Backman. Born in Sweden, he immigrated with his uncle John Peter Backman at age 13 and, as was the case for so many then, worked to contribute for the ultimate immigration of his parents and other family members. His parents were Samuel Christian Backman and Anna Johanna Andersdotter. Gustave's grandmother Inger Dahlberg is buried in Centerville. He studied by correspondence and was admitted to the Utah Bar to practice law in 1899. LDS, he served a Scandinavian mission 1886 to 1888. His obituary in the Salt Lake Tribune Tuesday morning, November 24, 1931 and Legacy of Sacrifice: Missionaries to Scandinavia 1872-1894, FHL us/can 948 K2b were sources full of highlights. I have read a short autobiography which I have not recently found again and have some temple record sheets he completed by hand that show a masterful penmanship.

There is a bit of variation in the sources I have found for Gustave Hilmer Backman. I imagine there will be in my own history as well, if I do not write it now. How about yours'?