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BIOGRAPHY OF ANDREW
ISAAC WHITTAKER
(Original Pioneer 1849)
by Martha R. Brimhall
Revised and picture added by Steve Gibson, Great Great Great
Grandson
Andrew Isaac Whittaker was born in the Parish of Moberly in
Cheshire, England in 1812. He was the son of John and Ann
Whittaker. When he was 4 years old, he with his parents moved
to the Parish of St. in Lane End or Linington, Staffordshire,
England. Here he remained until 1841. Here he met and married
Sarah Amason, who was also of this place.
They had these children born to them: Ellen, born March 28,
1833, and died Nov.16, 1837, buried in Lengton, England. Julia
Ann born March 14, 1835 in Lengton, England. This daughter
(Julia Ann) [sic] emigrated to America with her parents and
settled in St. George, Utah. She died in St. George, but the
date is not known. She became the dean of the ladies of the St.
George Temple for many years. John Whittaker was born Dec. 25,
1836 and died Dec. 6, 1837. Sarah was born Oct. 1, 1838, and
died April 15, 1842. She was buried in Philadelphia, Penn.,
U.S.A. Mary Ann was born July 2, 1840 and died in Salt Lake
City, Utah.
He (Andrew [sic]) left England with his wife and 2
daughters on Feb. 23rd to come to the United States. They
arrived in Salt Lake City about the year, 1849, with two
daughters, Julia Ann and Mary Ann.
He (Andrew [sic]) was a lawyer by occupation, and a very
handy man in the early days of pioneering, always ready for
service to others.
He (Andrew [sic]) built his home on a liberal size part of
a 10 acre block, near where the Oregon Short Line Depot now is.
He and his wife helped to make the adobes for their home. His
wife died Nov. 9, 1857 and was buried in Salt Lake City. Before
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she died, Isaac Whittaker was advised by Heber C. Kimball to
take a young wife and raise a family as he was a comparably
young man. Isaac told his wife that he had been counseled to
look out for a young girl and make her his wife. His wife,
Sarah, consented.
In those days, many companies of saints were arriving by
team from the Eastern States. It happened that one of the old
forts where the emigrants were to make their stopping place
until they could get located was just a short distance from the
home of Isaac (West High School now stands at this location).
When a company of Saints arrived it was Isaac's custom to go and
get acquainted with them. He still had in mind the council of
Heber C. Kimball, hoping to find a girl suitable for him as a
wife. Some time went by, and then he was shown in a dream the
girl who should come with long brown hair. Isaac told his wife
of his dream and they were both waiting for her to someday come
to their home. In 1853, a group of saints arrived from England.
Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Garnes had young lady in their charge.
Mrs. Garnes and this young lady came to the Isaac Whittaker home
with a bucket to buy some milk. The knocked and made themselves
acquainted, saying, "We are from this company of pioneers which
have just arrived over on the square. Can you sell us some
fresh milk?"
Mrs. Whittaker welcomed them in and told them her name.
She asked them their names. Sister Garnes gave her name and
then said this young lady's name is Betsy Gallant. "She joined
the church over in England and had come all this way for the
gospel's sake."
Mrs. Whittaker then asked the young girl to remove her hat
and let her see her hair, which the young girl did. Then Mrs.
Whittaker asked Mrs. Garnes if the young lady could stay with
her until her husband came home. Mrs. Garnes wanted to know why
and Mrs. Whittaker said, "Because I feel sure this young lady is
the one my husband has seen in a dream."
So Mrs. Garnes went back to camp and Betsy with Mrs.
Whittaker and promised to return for her in the evening. When
Isaac Whittaker came home he told his wife, "This is the girl I
have seen in my dream." And his wife agreed. He then asked the
young girl to remove her hat that he might see her beautiful
hair. He told her how she had been shown to him in a dream and
that some day she would become his wife. She returned to camp
with Mrs. Garnes.
Betsy married Isaac Whittaker on April 25, 1856; Heber C.
Kimball officiated in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City UT.
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They had nine children born to them: David Moroni, born Dec. 25,
1856; Isaac Nathaniel, born Dec. 1, 1858, Zenos, born Nov.23,
1860; Martha Rebecca, born Aug.2, 1862; Joseph, born Sept. 23,
1864; Rachel born Sept. 23, 1866; Lydia Anne, born Feb. 11,
1869; Betsy Ellen, born Mar 5, 1871;
Orson Samuel was born 31 Mar. 1873.
Isaac Whittaker died at the age of sixty-two years, May 28,
1874, in Salt Lake City and was buried in the City Cemetery.
NOTES: This material was copied from information given to me by
Zelda Pay Hill. I have not validated any of the dates. Carolee
Moncur, Ph.D, Great-great granddaughter of Andrew Isaac
Whittaker.
ANDREW ISAAC WHITTAKER
By Oran Whittaker
Isaac Whittaker, my great grandfather was born December 24,
1812, at Mobberly, Chesshire, England. His parents died when he
was very young, his mother in 1816 and his father in 1818. His
uncle took him over to Langton, Staffordshire, England and
raised him to manhood. This is where he married Sarah Amison,
his first wife. They came to America in 1841 after joining the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
He married my great grandmother, Betsy Gallant on April 25,
1856, in Salt Lake City, Utah. She too joined the church in
England and came to America. Great grandfather’s first wife,
Sarah Amison, died November 9, 1857.
My father, Zenos LeRoy Whittaker, has spoken often of great
grandmother, Betsy Gallant Whittaker as being a very impressive
and highly cultured woman. Although only my grandfather Zenos
Whittaker went back to England on a mission for the church,
father has said he always felt that Great grandmother brought
her aristocratic virtues with her to America.
Isaac Whittaker died at the age of sixty-four years old,
leaving Betsy to care for eight children. One had died. The
three oldest sons took care of the farming land, hauled wood
from the canyons. This family was all members of the LDS church.
Before the death of Isaac, Betsy’s sister, Hannah, with one
child Charles Wall, came to Utah. She became the third wife of
Isaac Whittaker. She had no family. After his death, Hannah
spent most of her life in the home of Brigham Young Jr. She
died in April 1891 and was buried in the Salt Lake City
Cemetery.
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Isaac was ordained a priest in England by George Albert
Smith.