Elizabeth Ann Burkett Williams (Johnson) (Allen)

Elizabeth Ann "Bessyann" Burkett Williams (Johnson) (Allen)
daughter of George Burkett Jr.
     and Sarah Jane SMITH or SCHMIDT
wife of William Washington Williams, 1820 or 1821-1845
also wife of Matthew Johnson
also wife of Orvel Morgan Allen,  1805-1893
mother of George William Williams, Sr., 1845-1928
grandmother of George William Williams, Jr., 1871-1913
great grandmother of Hattie Josephine Williams McRae, 1891-1924
great great grandmother of Dorothy Evelyn McRae Keller, 1920-
3rd great grandmother of Lillian Marlene Keller Omerza

left to right: Hattie Josephine Williams, Geroge William Williams, Jr.,
George William Williams, Sr., Elizabeth Ann "Bessyann" Allen.

Orvel Morgan Allen and

Elizabeth Ann “Bessyann” Burkett Williams Johnson Allen

     --Submitted by Helen W. Crandall,

to Mt. Graham Profiles Vol 1: Graham County, Arizona, 1870-1977. 

published by Graham County Historical Society, 1977. p. 14-15.

This couple came to the Gila Valley from Utah, via Luna Valley, Socorro County, New Mexico in 1885. They were accompanied by their youngest son, Samuel Edmonds Allen, unmarried at the time and Mr. Allen’s stepson, George William Williams, Sr., and the latter’s family. This stepson learned the brick-making trade from his step-father and together they helped build many homes in Utah (including work on the L.D.S. Temple at St. George, Utah), in the northern Arizona communities of Taylor, Snowflake, Holbrook, and Concho and in Socorro County, New Mexico. Mr. Allen was an old man at this time, therefore he left most of the brick making business up to George W. Williams after their arrival in the Gila Valley. The elderly couple made their home in Pima with their son, Samuel Edmonds (called Ed) until their respective deaths.

Orvel Morgan Allen, born 9 June 1805 in St. Ferdinand, St. Louis County, Missouri, was the oldest of 6 children born to Ephriam and Pamela Parry Allen. His father was a prominent man in his community, serving in many civil and legal positions.

At 20 years of age O.M. (as he was called) married Jane Wilson and they had four of their eight children when they were converted to the “Mormon” church in 1837. Because of this affiliation his own parents dis-owned him. O.M. and Jane had four more children and were then living in Nauvoo, Illinois, at the time members of the L.D.S. Church experienced such terrible persecution. O.M. joined in the resistance movement and received a commission as Captain over the Second Cohort of the Nauvoo Legion of the Militia of the State of Illinois by appointment of Governor Thomas Carlin. He fought in the Battle of Nauvoo before the evacuation of that city.

As a result of all the pressures at this time, Jane took off with a river boat Captain, leaving her husband and her eight children. Friends helped him with his family and he later married Elizabeth Ann Burkett [4 Aug 1850 in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County, IA.], a widow with two little boys from two previous marriages, who was also a member of his faith.

This new wife was the daughter of George Burkett, Jr., and Sarah Jane Smith. She was born 1 Nov. 1825 in Winchester, Randolf County, Indiana. Her parents were reared in Bedford, Bedford County, Pennsylvania, but their parents had come from Germany to Pennsylvania in 1776. Elizabeth’s family was living in Indiana in 1831 when they joined the Mormon Church and soon thereafter made their way to Jackson, Clay County, Missouri. They were in the midst of all the troubles in the Missouri Counties and finally in Nauvoo, Illinois.

The Allens and the Burketts traveled together, in Captain Wood’s Company, from Missouri to Utah arriving in Salt Lake City, Utah in December 1852. They lived in various communities before leaving for Arizona. They had six children of their own and reared Mr. Allen’s four youngest children and his wife’s two sons, by prior marriages of each. Many descendants of this couple are now living in the Gila Valley.

O.M. Allen died 12 Nov 1893 and Elizabeth Ann died 23 Jan 1908. They are buried in the Pima Cemetery.

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Hopefully the following will make the names a little less (but probably more) confusing:

Elizabeth Ann “Bessyanna” Burkett, born in Winchester, Randolph County, IN, to George Burkett Jr. and Sarah Jane SMITH or SCHMIDT, 1Nov 1825, died 25 Jan 1908, Pima, Graham County, AZ


(1) William Washington Williams 1820 or 1821-1845
Elizabeth “Bessyanna” Ann Burkett
They had 1 son:
     1) George Washington Williams, 1845-1928

(2) Matthew Johnson
Elizabeth “Bessyanna” Ann Burkett Williams
They had 1 son:
     1) John Matthew Johnson (Allen), 1849-1939

(3) Orvel or Orville Morgan Allen, son of, John Edmonds Allen and Pamela (Parry) Allen.

Orvel M Allen
(1) Jane Wilson Allen
They had 8 children:
     1) Eliza Ann,
     2) Elizabeth Catherine 1827-1911
     3) Mary Jane 1830-1832
     4) Sarah Lucinda 1834-1839
     5) Antoinette Morgan, 1839-1894
     6) Alma Hyrum, 1841-1937
     7) James Chandler 1844-1938
     8) Laura Josephine Allen 1846-1925

Orvel M Allen
(2) Elizabeth Ann "Bessyanna" Burkett Johnson
They had 6 children:
     1) Amanda Alizina Allen 1852-1854
     2) Rosina Allen (Williams) 1854-1921
     3) Orvel Morgan Allen Jr. 1856-1941
     4) Eleanor Ann Allen (Thorpe) 1859-1924
     5) Elizabeth Ann Allen (Rogers) (Hamblin) 1861-1953

     6) Samuel “Ed” Edmonds Allen 1863-1940

Orvel Morgan Allen
(3) Susannah Ward Allen
They had 1 daughter
     1) Mary Josephine Allen (Wing) 1864-

Orvel Morgan Allen
(4) Isabella Watson Allen
     They had no children
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Following are some links that contain helpful information on this family:

The Life, Times, and Family of Orson Pratt Brown

Chapter 2: Orvel Morgan and Jane Wilson Allen, "Scribd" copy of an unknown book title

Find a Grave entry for Elizabeth Ann "Bessyanna" Burkett Williams Allen

The Morris Clan genealogy page for Elizabeth Ann Burkett

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Here is a bit more information I gathered from those sites:

Elizabeth was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1833 or 1834.


(1)William Washington WILLIAMS.
Born about 1820 or 1821 at Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio. [check to see if they came from Silver Lake, Michigan].

He married Elizabeth Ann BURKETT in SEP 1843.

He died 6 AUG 1845 at Madison Island, Hancock County, Illinois and was buried there. He is said to have drowned in the Mississippi River. Source #3 says that he died in Augusta, Maine, which is quite unlikely. Source S5 says he died in Augusta, Des Moines County, Iowa. This is more reasonable than Maine, but still not definite.

They had one child, son: George William Washington WILLIAMS. Born 18 JAN 1845 at Madison Island, Hancock County, Illinois. He married Lydia FERRIN on 13 SEP 1869 in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah. They lived for a time at Toquerville, Washington County, Utah. In 1879 they were living in Willard, Box Elder County, Utah. In 1880 they left Willard and travelled by team to Taylor, near Snowflake, Arizona; a distance of about 1200 miles. In 1884 they settled at Luna, New Mexico, but crop failures by frost forced them to leave. They soon moved to Pima, Graham County, Arizona in the Gila Valley. There he engaged in the brick and lime making business. He died on 10 JULY 1928 at Compton, Los Angeles County, California; and was buried 14 JUL 1928 in the Pima Cemetery at Pima, Graham County, Arizona.


(2) Matthew JOHNSON

Married Elizabeth in Lee County, Iowa.

However, husband Matthew Johnson decided he could not believe in "Mormonism" and she left him in 1850, taking her children with her. Matthew Johnson went west and was never heard from further, other than that it was reported that he went to the California gold fields.

They also had one child, son: John Matthew JOHNSON. Born on 22 November 1849 in Pigeon River, Pottawattamie County, Iowa. His mother left his father, taking her baby John with her in 1850. In AUG 1850 his mother remarried Orville Morgan ALLEN, and he received a step-father, who raised him. In 1852 the family emigrated to Utah and settled in Springville, in Utah County. They soon moved to Palmyra, also in Utah County. After a short time, Palmyra was abandoned and they moved to Spanish Fork, Utah County, Utah. While living in Spanish Fork, John was baptized on 24 NOV 1857. In 1861 they moved to southern Utah and lived for a few years in St. George, Washington County, Utah. Then they moved to Toquerville, Washington County, Utah. Here he was ordained a Deacon. He married Hannah Encora BATTY on 3 NOV 1870 at Toquerville, Washington, Utah. In the Spring of 1871 he was ordained an Elder. On 28 JUN 1885 he was ordained a Seventy by S. K. Gfford. His wife died 3 FEB 1887. On 7 SEP 1888 he married Ann MARSHALL. From 1894 to 1896 he served a mission to the Southern States. After his return he was chosen to act as president of the 9th Quorum of Seventy. In 1898 he moved with his family from Toquerville to Thatcher, Arizona. In 1900 he was set apart as President of the 89th Quorum of Seventy, and was appointed head teacher of the Thatcher Ward. In SEP 1903 he was chosen as second counselor to Bishop William A. Moody of the Thatcher Ward of the St. Joseph Stake of Arizona. He died on 27 MAR 1939 at Thatcher, Graham, Arizona; and was buried on 29 MAR 1939 at Thatcher, Graham, Arizona.


(3) Orvill Morgan ALLEN

married Elizabeth Ann on 4 AUG 1850. She was later sealed to him in the temple. Orvill accepted her children and raised them as his own. They traveled together to Utah in 1852, and settled in Springville, in Utah County. They soon moved to Palmyra, also in Utah County. After a short time, Palmyra was abandoned and they moved to Spanish Fork, Utah County, Utah. They were living in Spanish Fork in 1856 and 1857. In 1861 they moved to southern Utah and lived for a few years in St. George, Washington County, Utah. Then they moved to Toquerville, Washington County, Utah. They later moved from Toquerville to Kanab in Kane County, Utah. There Orville served as the probate judge of Kane County. In 1880 they moved to Pima, Arizona.

Her husband Orville died in 1893 in Pima. For the last years of her life she lived at the home of her youngest son, Edward ALLEN, in Pima, Arizona. She died at his home on 23 JAN 1908 at Pima, Graham County, Arizona and was buried there. Though she had been feeble for some months, she never suffered any pain, but died quietly after lying down to go to sleep. Her funeral was held at the Pima meeting house, which was beautifully decorated.

Even though she had been married before, Elizabeth was sealed to Orval Morgan ALLEN probably in Salt Lake City, Utah. Therefore, we trace his ancestors for the sealing line.

M. Allen, was one of Joseph Smith's Body Guards, and helped to build the Nauvoo Temple. Brigham Young asked him to lead a large group of Mormans out of Nauvoo, Illinios, to safety at Council Bluffs, on the Missouri River. He was given a Patriarchal Blessing by Hyrum Smith, wherein he was promised, among other things that his name would be honored by his children and perpetuated from generation to generation, Forever. He was given a certificate recommending him to the Office of Seventy.

THE GEORGE W. WILLIAMS, SR. HOME - Pima, Arizona
Completed 1890, torn down 1952. Former location was immediately to the north
of present junction of Highway 70 with the old road into Pima (which follows the
railroad tracks) on the East side of town.